Midnight Sons Volume 2: Daddy's Little Helper / Because of the Baby

Midnight Sons #3-4

by Debbie Macomber

north of the Arctic Circle. 150 (mostly men!) But the three O'Halloran brothers, who run a bush-plane charter service called Midnight Sons, are heading a campaign to bring women to town.

Daddy's Little Helper

Mitch Harris is a friend of the O'Hallorans, and he's responsible for law and order in Hard Luck. He's also the widowed father of a little girl—although he never talks about his marriage. But it's not long before seven-year-old Chrissie decides that her new teacher, Bethany Ross, is the perfect candidate for wife and mom!

Because of the Baby

Matt Caldwell, Charles O'Halloran's brother-in-law, is an easygoing charmer, still in love with his ex-wife. Karen's still in love with him, too. Her reaction to him the night of his sister's wedding certainly proved that. It also left her pregnant.… Now Matt wants her to marry him again—and not just because of the baby!

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Adult Fiction, Audiobook, Anthologies

352 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2000

About the author

Debbie Macomber is a #1 New York Times bestselling author and one of today’s most popular writers with more than 200 million copies of her books in print worldwide. In her novels, Macomber brings to life compelling relationships that embrace family and enduring friendships, uplifting her readers with stories of connection and hope. Macomber’s novels have spent over 1,000 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. Fifteen of these novels hit the number one spot.

In 2023, Macomber’s all-new hardcover publication includes Must Love Flowers (July). In addition to fiction, Macomber has also published three bestselling cookbooks, three adult coloring books, numerous inspirational and nonfiction works, and two acclaimed children’s books.

Celebrated as “the official storyteller of Christmas”, Macomber’s annual Christmas books are beloved and six have been crafted into original Hallmark Channel movies. Macomber is also the author of the bestselling Cedar Cove Series which the Hallmark Channel chose as the basis for its first dramatic scripted television series. Debuting in 2013, Debbie Macomber’s Cedar Cove was a ratings favorite for three seasons.

She serves on the Guideposts National Advisory Cabinet, is a YFC National Ambassador, and is World Vision’s international spokesperson for their Knit for Kids charity initiative. A devoted grandmother, Debbie and Wayne live in Port Orchard, Washington, the town which inspired the Cedar Cove series.

Reviews

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

These characters make so many rash decisions, odd comments, and overreactions. I love the Alaskan setting, though!

[Sharon M · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just like Debbie Macomber's feel good books. It never tires me reading her books one after the other. It helps me release the stress from work.

[Aly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Seem to be a patern lately but I'm reading this series in descending order. I don't think it spoiled the fun. It's still great to know how it began even if I already know what will happen next. And that's the good thing about it, seeing previous characters and the ones next as well.


Daddy's little helper : 4
Mitch is the public safety officer. A widow and father of a 7 yrs old adorable little girl. When a new teacher arrive in town, he think she's gonna leave like all the others before her. But besides of the job offer, Bethany came to Hard Luck to meet the man she just learned is her biological father.

It's instant attraction between her and Mitch, but the latter try to keep his distance. He feels guilty for his wife's death and think he's got nothing good to give a woman. But Mitch's little girl will play matchmaker and become Bethany's helper after school.

What I especially liked is seeing Mitch with his daughter, how good a dad he is and the complicity they have. And it's funny to see him trying to avoid Bethany but not being able to stay away.



Because of the baby : 2
After being divorced for more than a year, Matt and Karen meet again for Charles's and Lanni's wedding. The reunion will bring Karen back again in Hard Luck a few months after to let him know he got her pregnant.

Karen left Matt because of different reasons. Their personality was not compatible, he was clueless about her insecurities and her feelings and never made a romantic gesture. But it can be summarize by a lack of communication between them.

It's a good thing Karen made him works for it this time, but the fact they are still fighting 8 pages before the end totally ruined the story for me. The romance is not satisfying nor credible.

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alaska Nights: Midnight Sons Volume 2 is by Debbie Macomber. It is actually two books in one, Daddy’s Little Helper and Because of the Baby. Both books are very good and are definitely up to the standards set early by Macomber. They are fairly predictable; but you have to keep reading to find out the twists she puts in them.
Mitch Harris is in charge of law and order in Hard Luck, Alaska. He is a good friend of the O’Hallorans who helped set the town up. He is a widowed father bringing up a little girl by himself. Chrissie Harris decides her new teacher, Bethany Ross, would make a great mother for herself and a wife for her father. Will her machinations work? Bethany is in Hard Luck for her own reasons. Are they compatible with Chrissie’s?
Charles O’Halloran, one of the original O’Halloran boys, is madly in love with Lanni Caldwell, the granddaughter of the woman who caused so much turmoil in his own family. With an eye towards bringing the two families together, he convinces his brothers to sell the burned lodge to Lanni’s brother Matt. Matt has had trouble keeping jobs in the past. Once the new wears off, he is off to another job. This is the key that broke up his marriage to Karen. He immerses himself in getting the lodge going so he doesn’t think of Karen. However, Karen is best friends with Lanni and Lanni wants her as her maid of honor. Can Matt overlook his attraction to Karen long enough to get his sister married and Karen back to California? Or does he want to?

[Ellen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read it because I had lived in Alaska for 20 years. But there really wasn't too much Alaska in it and the second story (Because of the Baby or something like that) really bugged me - I know it's romance and therefore not meant to have much read into it but - the main couple NEVER discussed the problems that lead to their divorce - neither one ever listened to the other - the only thing they had was they "loved" each other and great sex when they were mad...and that brought them back together? Really????

[Katherine · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't finish this book. The first story was clean and fairly interesting. But the second was just annoying. And although there wasn't explicit sex, the two main characters did keep jumping into bed together. Yes, they had been married and divorced and yes, they still loved each other, but they were no longer married. The narrator also made Matt's voice nasally and he just sounded like a winer to me. I just wasn't interested anymore. I've given up on Debbie Macomber.

[Gina · Rating 2 out of 5]

by Debbie Macomber (Goodreads Author)

I couldn't finish it. It's typical Macomber, syrupy and demeaning to women.
The female characters let men tell them what to think and do and they obey. They can't think for themselves or else they are so wishy-washy they are incredibly boring.

These are really old books by Macomber, mid-90's. Sometimes I'm in the mood and like her books okay. Not this week.

[The Flipped Page (Susan K) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Romance, series, but stand alone reads; mild language and sensuality, but clean
Cute second book in this series, definitely a bit dated, but still fun and quirky, along with some great characters, Alaska setting, and of course, some great chemistry as the women who come to Hard Luck settle in and figure out their place in the town, and of course settle into the hearts of some of the bachelors.
Fun, light read, and fun setting. Genuine, honest characters, my favorite kind of light read.

[Bev Walkling · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't know what it is about Alaska but I enjoyed these stories set their and the intertwining of the characters between them.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this book up on a whim at a Library sale, it then sat in a box for a couple years. I came across it recently and pulled it out to read. I'm glad I did!
It's fun to read how the stories of different characters are interwoven while still maintaining focus on one couple's story of falling in love.
It's especially refreshing to read a story that does that while remaining "clean".
I'll definitely read on in the series and more!

[STACIE DUFOUR · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two short stories about a second chance at love set in an Alaskan town full of lonely men.

The first is about a widowed single father who falls for his child’s teacher.

The second is a divorced couple who realize they are not done with each other yet.

These stories are a bit outdated and do have some chauvinistic tendencies but overall I was able to let that go and accept this quick read at face value.

[Jodi A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Debbie Macomber is always a guaranteed winner for something to read. Her characters always feel like someone you want to sit down with and spend hours chatting over coffee. Loved that the publisher decided to re-release this series. I'd read only one of the books of the series, so it was nice to be able to get everyone's story, all in one shot.

[Kathy · Rating 2 out of 5]

These are nice stories and well written, but I read this immediately after the first book (with its stories) and it was too much of the same thing. I kind of want to know how she marries off the next brother, but I'm going to have to wait awhile before I read another of these books.

[Charles · Rating 3 out of 5]

5/10

This 2 part book isn't a terrible read. I found the plot interesting enough to keep reading, the characters were alright and I enjoyed the Alaskan setting. If you're looking for a book to read while you're relaxing outside, this is for you. If you're looking for a unique book with fascinating characters and writing, you'll be better off with a different book.

!!! Spoiler Warning Ahead !!!

I liked this book and I didn't. There were things that were good and others that were bad. As I already mentioned, the plot was interesting enough to keep me interested. Both stories were interesting and kept you wanting more until the end. I also enjoyed quite a few characters. Bethany and Ben, especially with their unique dynamic, were my favorites.
I also found the writing to be whimsical and interesting, definitely something to keep in mind for writing my own novel. There were also a few moments that made me laugh.

However, there was a lot of negatives that I should discuss, so I'll split it into two parts.
Daddy's Little Helper, the first half, was the more interesting of the two. But I found quite a few problems. First of all, Mitch is a huge douche. I mean seriously. Bethany's attraction to him felt undeserved after how he treated her.
Another issue is the attraction. It was like their feelings were copy and pasted. They both immediately found each other attractive and kept slipping away into intimate fantasies. This isn't how relationships rarely work and it felt stiff and unrealistic.
I also found a lot of the dialogue to be quite cheesy and stiff as well. Some of the things the characters said pulled me right out of the immersion of the story. I genuinely thought several times "who would say this???"
The pacing was also all over the place. The development of their relationship just kept going back and forth and then at the very end they just... put all the problems aside and decided to get married? Where did that come from? Some parts were well built up but I found a lot of these important romantic moments to be rushed, while the more mundane ones seemed to drag on.
The execution of Bethany dropping the news that Ben was her father was also sort of badly done. It didn't feel meaningful and was again badly paced. But suddenly overnight he has a change of heart. It was completely out of character for Ben and just seemed to happen to drive conflict.
Finally, the side plots were kind of pointless. For example, John Henderson's relationship with Sally (Susan? I can't even remember). We didn't get to meet her at all basically and John is nothing more than a side character, so I didn't really care about him or their relationship, and it just took away from the main plot.

Because of the baby

Take all of these complaints and amplify them. Firstly, I did not like Matt or Karen. They're both really mean and obnoxious characters. Karen is petty and rude. She also has this weird, almost baseless issue with Matt's career changes. It wasn't really talked about why it affected/hurt her, she just got upset and blamed it on her dad. It was strange.
Matt, on the other hand, was hugely down bad and a walking stereotype of "guy doesn't understand women/romance". He did some atrociously down bad things that came out of nowhere like immediately demanding Karen sleep in his bed when she moved into the lodge.
The dialogue was even more unrealistic. But I did get some good laughs out of how bad Matt's dialogue was.
Their marriage problems didn't really get any resolution. They just kind of slowly got less angry at eachother, which made their eventual getting together feel undeserved. In fact, the ending is even more badly paced than the other story. Matt gets baselessly mad at Karen for going to the Fairbanks, demanding she leave (he was upset thinking she was going to leave, which is so contradictory). Then on the last page they just randomly make up. The last thing is really corny too. "You'll find out soon enough, oh husband of mine." Nobody would ever say that, especially not to her ex husband she just now made up with. Ridiculous.

Overall, this book is kind of just a huge hallmark movie. There's a lot of cheesy romance and not much else. I just felt like rambling haha

[Karissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is also known as Midnight Sons, Volume 2 and contains two separate stories.

Up first is Daddy's Little Helper--Bethany's on a mission to meet her biological father and accepts a teaching position in the town where he lives Hard Luck, Alaska. Ben runs the Hard Luck Cafe and is the local confidant and advice giver...and has no idea he has a child. On her first day in Alaska, Bethany meets a precocious and darling little girl who decides her daddy Mitch and her new teacher are perfect for each other and need to marry. But Mitch is a wounded man who ran to Hard Luck after the death of his wife. He doesn't believe he could or should every marry again. His daughter has other plans, though. Bethany falls into her life in Alaska and pursues a friendship with Ben without telling him he's her father; she has no demands, just wants to get to know him. She's also romantically interested in Mitch but his hot and cold mood swings in how he deals with her have her thinking he isn't interested. He is...but his demons are chasing him and he's afraid. When Bethany takes a weekend away, it forces everything to a head.

Next is Because of the Baby--Matt's come to Hard Luck, Alaska to turn an old, burned out lodge into a vacation getaway. Using his sister's wedding party as a dry run for the lodge, he comes face-to-face with his ex-wife Karen. After his sister's wedding, a passionate night results in an unplanned pregnancy. But Matt doesn't know. On a tour to promote his lodge he meets us with his wife who drops the bomb that she's pregnant on him. He wants her to come back to Alaska with him but she rejects the idea outright. But after a health crisis and hospitalization, her boss suggests she take Matt up on his offer for her and the baby's sake. Now in Alaska, she sets out to become a member of the community, help out where she can, and makes friends quickly. Matt immediately wants them to get remarried but she refuses stating she's only there until the baby comes. But as they live together, get involved with his new tourism business, and get surprising insight Karen realizes she doesn't want to leave Hard Luck.

What did I think? I loved the first story, Daddy's Little Helper, felt the characters and story was spot on, was amused and charmed, and the little girl just added such a cute layer to the story. Five stars. The second story, Because of the Baby, I found mostly irritating, the characters were silly, selfish, and presumptive. He was lovesick and clueless, all about the logic, and work-driven and she expected too much, refused to compromise, and acted like a witch to a man trying to give her what she wanted. Three stars was generous. This brought the overall score down to four stars.

[Lis Sigona · Rating 5 out of 5]

Daddy’s Little Helper

A continuation of a series regarding The Midnight Sons. This is Volume 2 with two stories in it. Daddy’s Little Helper being first. A pleasant enjoyable read with ties to Volume 1. Characters from the first two novellas and added characters with twists and turns. Debbie Macomber never disappoints.

Because of Baby

Another continuation of the Midnight Sons Series. Growing the town of Hard Luck, Alaska with new characters and weaving them in with the existing characters from the other books. Intriguing and wanting to know what happens next in the lives in this small community that is slowly growing in population. Delightful, sometimes, comical and definitely heart-warming!

[Judy G Spivey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Running away to Alaska,doesn't work out for these two men.

A man devastated by the death of his wife comes to Hard Luck Alaska to raise his little girl and promises himself to never marry again. He just didn't count on meeting the new teacher and his daughters fascination and love for her teacher as well as his own. And then there's Matt, divorced from the woman he still loves, comes to Hard Luck to start over. His ex wife has gone to California with a promotion and to start over. One night in Hard Luck after a wedding puts them on a new path together. Love is still in the air in Hard Luck, Alaska.

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The second volume of Midnight Sons. The stories of Hard Luck, Alaska continue! In this volume two additional men in Hard Luck find love with the women who have been offered jobs and land if they relocate to this town. Mitch's daughter, Chrissie, sets him up with her teacher, Bethany. And, in the second story, Matt Caldwell, an O'Halloran in-law, has renovated the lodge in Hard Luck and is making a career of it. He is still in love with his ex-wife, Karen and has trouble romancing her.
As always, things work out in these stories, but you come to love the characters and laugh at their lives.
Looking forward to the third and final volume - Alaska Home.

[Susan Serra · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second book in the series Midnight Sons, Alaska Nights once more focuses on the characters presented in the first book, Alaska Skies. This book, however, is divided into two books, and although the characters are interrelated, more focus is put on to the characters Mitch Harris, the town public safety officer, and Bethanny Ross, the new school teacher; and Matt Caldwell, owner of the soon-to -be town lodge and outdoor adventures coordinator and his ex-wife Karen.
Macomber's novels just flow . . . easy to read, and comfortable. You actually can feel the small town vibes as you read this book.

[Once Upon A Book by Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved Daddy's Little Helper but Because of the Baby, I get that things go wrong in a marriage but Matt?? That character ... He had issues he needed to get over. Had I been Karen, I wouldn't have stayed in the end. I would have walked again. He hadn't grew up. He did things too but it was Karen who bent.

[Niki · Rating 3 out of 5]

This series from Debbie Macomber is about a small town in Alaska called Hard Luck. This town had lots of men and not really any women. The O'Halloran brothers launch a campaign to bring women to town so the men have a chance of marriage and children. I read all of the books in the series and thought they were all entertaining as Debbie Macomber's books usually are.

[Molly McKeogh · Rating 2 out of 5]

Okay - I need to stop myself in the future from reading Debbie Macomber. I'm a sucker for her Mrs. Miracle series, but these books are getting a little too conservative for me. Now, I think the Alaska of it all is a cool setting and I could really visualize the scenes! And I had this one in my kindle and was in between books so there you go.

[Jennifer Geoghan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really loved this series. Could be because I spent a summer in Alaska and really love the setting of this book. But the stories are fun to read. Each book in the series actually has two novellas which was an interesting way to read them.

[Leah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Daddy's Little Helper: 3 stars
The romance was enjoyable, but the subplot wasn't. I did enjoy some of the minor character's stories, though.

Because of the Baby: 2 stars
I didn't like the main plot of this story. I also didn't like one of the main characters.

[Ruth E Bresnik · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 2

This is the 2nd in the Midnight Sons series I've read. It carries on the stories of the first book seamlessly! Really enjoyed it & am looking forward to #3. Thankyou Debbie Macomber!

[Marietta Waters · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love is in the Attic Air

I love the way the story is so interesting. I was surprised many times and couldn't stop reading. Very good book and I can't wait to start on the next book.

[Gabby Keel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Daddy's Little Helper
I absolutely loved this book and I loved that Chrissie was the matchmaker.

Because of the Baby
In all the books that Matt has been in, I've always wanted him and Karen to get back together. So my wish finally came true.

Overall, I really loved these books!

[Marilyn Renaudin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet tales of love

These are two delightful stories of friendship and love. The characters are interesting and fun to learn about. Very good read...

[Flo Tinsman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good

Fun story and an easy read. As with all her books an enjoyable experience. I love all her book. Waiting for the next

[Jan Stone · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another predictable, enjoyable Debbie Macomber read.