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Baby Bond: Presents
Angelica couldn't believe that Rory seriously expected her to look after his orphaned nephew. Under other circumstances Angel would have liked nothing better -- she adored babies. But the baby's father was her ex-husband's love-child, and Rory was the brother-in-law who'd always held an illicit attraction for her! One look at tiny Lorcan, and Angel was lost. She bonded instantly with him, just as Rory had...now Angel and Rory had to sort out their own bonding!
288 pages, Hardcover
Published February 1, 1999
About the author
Sharon Kendrick
1,253 books460 followersI was told off as a child for making up stories—little did I know that one day I’d earn my living by writing them!
To the horror of my parents, I left school at sixteen and held a bewildering variety of jobs: I was a London DJ (in the now-trendy Primrose Hill), a decorator and a singer. After that I became a cook, a photographer and, eventually, a nurse. I waitressed in the south of France, drove an ambulance in Australia, saw lots of beautiful sights but could never settle down. Everywhere I went I felt like a square peg—until one day I started writing again and then everything just fell into place. I felt like Cinderella must have when the glass slipper fit!
Today, I have the best job in the world, writing passionate romances for Harlequin. I like writing stories which are sexy and fast-paced, yet packed full of emotion—stories that readers will identify with, laugh and cry along with.
My interests are many and varied—chocolate and music, fresh flowers and bubble baths, films, cooking and trying to keep my home from looking burglarized! Simple pleasures—you can’t beat them!
I live in Winchester, one of the most stunning cities in the world, but don’t take my word for it—come see for yourself! I regularly visit London and Paris. Oh, and I love hearing from my readers all over the world…so I think it’s over to you!
To the horror of my parents, I left school at sixteen and held a bewildering variety of jobs: I was a London DJ (in the now-trendy Primrose Hill), a decorator and a singer. After that I became a cook, a photographer and, eventually, a nurse. I waitressed in the south of France, drove an ambulance in Australia, saw lots of beautiful sights but could never settle down. Everywhere I went I felt like a square peg—until one day I started writing again and then everything just fell into place. I felt like Cinderella must have when the glass slipper fit!
Today, I have the best job in the world, writing passionate romances for Harlequin. I like writing stories which are sexy and fast-paced, yet packed full of emotion—stories that readers will identify with, laugh and cry along with.
My interests are many and varied—chocolate and music, fresh flowers and bubble baths, films, cooking and trying to keep my home from looking burglarized! Simple pleasures—you can’t beat them!
I live in Winchester, one of the most stunning cities in the world, but don’t take my word for it—come see for yourself! I regularly visit London and Paris. Oh, and I love hearing from my readers all over the world…so I think it’s over to you!
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
August 17, 2019
Re The Baby Bond - Sharon Kendrick does her version of keepin' it in the family on this one.
We have an almost beta H who does a lot of pro bono barristering and he convinces h to come help him raise his dead brother's love child when he tracks her down in Ireland.
The catch is the h was married to dead brother when he ran off with another woman.
The h was a virgin when she met the dead brother and he wooed and cajoled her until he got her to marry him so he could revoke unicorn grooming licenses.
The problem was that Dead Cassanova Brother gave no thought to the fact that the naive h was inexperienced and he was a guy who liked exotic samples of the Lady Buffet - so the big plan o' marriage and seduction was a bust after the initial thrill of conquest as Dead Cassanova wasn't into boudoir tutoring.
Then Dead Cassanova and his new love died in an accident and the H decided to step up to the plate. He dumped his sorta girlfriend who wanted the H to put his nephew up for adoption and then the H went to Ireland to recruit the h.
(The h was a former nanny and the H is clueless about babies.)
The h is in a slump after being deserted, so meeting the H again sparks her back to life and she agrees to help the H out. There is a very one sided purple passion moment which the H has to beat himself up about, but the h is pretty pragmatic and takes the whole fail to hit the summit in stride.
As the H and h make their way with the baby back to England and then get the H's life sorted for child raising, the two of them gradually accept that the tremendous Lurve Force Mojo generated between them is really true love.
After some relationship building time, the h declares her love and the H tells her he loves her back - we leave the two of them getting married at the baby's christening for a cute little sparkly HEA.
The tropes are kinda ick but the book is pretty funny. I really enjoyed the H kicking himself about his lack of giving during sex and the h pointing out other little issues that the H needs to improve on.
The banter and the slow relationship building was very well done and I had a great time with it, the h is feisty but cute and the H is really likable. So if you like a slice of almost ordinary life HP outing, this is a very good voyage to HPlandia
We have an almost beta H who does a lot of pro bono barristering and he convinces h to come help him raise his dead brother's love child when he tracks her down in Ireland.
The catch is the h was married to dead brother when he ran off with another woman.
The h was a virgin when she met the dead brother and he wooed and cajoled her until he got her to marry him so he could revoke unicorn grooming licenses.
The problem was that Dead Cassanova Brother gave no thought to the fact that the naive h was inexperienced and he was a guy who liked exotic samples of the Lady Buffet - so the big plan o' marriage and seduction was a bust after the initial thrill of conquest as Dead Cassanova wasn't into boudoir tutoring.
Then Dead Cassanova and his new love died in an accident and the H decided to step up to the plate. He dumped his sorta girlfriend who wanted the H to put his nephew up for adoption and then the H went to Ireland to recruit the h.
(The h was a former nanny and the H is clueless about babies.)
The h is in a slump after being deserted, so meeting the H again sparks her back to life and she agrees to help the H out. There is a very one sided purple passion moment which the H has to beat himself up about, but the h is pretty pragmatic and takes the whole fail to hit the summit in stride.
As the H and h make their way with the baby back to England and then get the H's life sorted for child raising, the two of them gradually accept that the tremendous Lurve Force Mojo generated between them is really true love.
After some relationship building time, the h declares her love and the H tells her he loves her back - we leave the two of them getting married at the baby's christening for a cute little sparkly HEA.
The tropes are kinda ick but the book is pretty funny. I really enjoyed the H kicking himself about his lack of giving during sex and the h pointing out other little issues that the H needs to improve on.
The banter and the slow relationship building was very well done and I had a great time with it, the h is feisty but cute and the H is really likable. So if you like a slice of almost ordinary life HP outing, this is a very good voyage to HPlandia
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 24, 2016
My issues with this book:
1) Is this a Harlequin heroine or Dana Carvey in a wig giving me his "Church Lady"?
Example 1: It seemed to her that a woman was made to feel inadequate unless she wanted to compete in a man's world. To work all hours that God sent and earn far more money than was good for her. Angel couldn't think of anything worse!
Example 2: Why, Rory had told her that he wasn't married, so no doubt he would have girlfriends galore, popping in and out of his house as the whim took them. He would probably disappear into his bedroom with them, and they would be there for hours on end-performing the sexual gymnastics that these fast London men and women were famous for!
Example 3: Those rich, discontented women-women who didn't seem to want their children near them, content to hand them over to an unknown girl from Ireland who did, in fact, grow to love them but might so easily not have done. And she would never risk that. Never!
2) Passive hero
He waits for her to put the moves on him. No, just no. Not in MY Harlequin universe.
3) Awkward metaphors
Example 1: Angel blinked as she felt the immense power of that smile-like a mule kicking blindly at her heart
Example 2: Still, she washed her hair as best she could and then, pink and steaming, and wrapped in a towel with the dark curls streaming like wet ribbons down her back, she padded her way back to her room.
4) Absolutely nothing happens!
5) Bonus: She finds that whenever the baby wakes her up every two hours during the night, she wasn't in the least bit grumpy or irritable. R U FKM? STFU!
Verdict: The worst that Harlequin has to offer and why it is such a spoofed and reviled genre. I don't feel that way about the genre, I have found some real gems among the dung heap. This was not my cuppa.
1) Is this a Harlequin heroine or Dana Carvey in a wig giving me his "Church Lady"?
Example 1: It seemed to her that a woman was made to feel inadequate unless she wanted to compete in a man's world. To work all hours that God sent and earn far more money than was good for her. Angel couldn't think of anything worse!
Example 2: Why, Rory had told her that he wasn't married, so no doubt he would have girlfriends galore, popping in and out of his house as the whim took them. He would probably disappear into his bedroom with them, and they would be there for hours on end-performing the sexual gymnastics that these fast London men and women were famous for!
Example 3: Those rich, discontented women-women who didn't seem to want their children near them, content to hand them over to an unknown girl from Ireland who did, in fact, grow to love them but might so easily not have done. And she would never risk that. Never!
2) Passive hero
He waits for her to put the moves on him. No, just no. Not in MY Harlequin universe.
3) Awkward metaphors
Example 1: Angel blinked as she felt the immense power of that smile-like a mule kicking blindly at her heart
Example 2: Still, she washed her hair as best she could and then, pink and steaming, and wrapped in a towel with the dark curls streaming like wet ribbons down her back, she padded her way back to her room.
4) Absolutely nothing happens!
5) Bonus: She finds that whenever the baby wakes her up every two hours during the night, she wasn't in the least bit grumpy or irritable. R U FKM? STFU!
Verdict: The worst that Harlequin has to offer and why it is such a spoofed and reviled genre. I don't feel that way about the genre, I have found some real gems among the dung heap. This was not my cuppa.
July 18, 2013
Angel and Chad married against Rory’s wishes. But Chad wanted what he wanted and Angel was old fashioned. She wasn’t about to give away the farm before Chad paid up. Shortly after the less than climatic honeymoon Chad does a runner! Angel seeks Rory, his old brother, out for help. Rory tracks him down but keeps mum for brother – yes, Angel, blood is thicker than water!! Oh hold the fort!! He does tell her eventually though. The DAY after Chad’s funeral!!! Yes, funeral. Chad was off being naughty instead of being a man and left a little something behind. Rory truly has ulterior motives for calling Angel at that time. Yes, he says all the right things, but really? Chad came off as really rotten in the end, and Rory is NOT a billionaire looking to blackmail an innocent h, so it was an okay read in the end. No real drama just a story about somewhat ordinary people that could live down the road from you.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 8, 2021
So I see a lot of newer readers didn't like this one and I can guess why. This is a traditional Mills and Boon and was originally published around 1998. Sharon Kendrick is an excellent author and I've enjoyed many of her books over the years.
Ex-nanny and abandoned wife Angel is quiet, homely, innocent-'ish' and unworldly - much different from most romance heroines today. Her ex-brother-in-law, Lawyer Rory, is strong, worldly, alpha and takes control in all situations, including looking after his deceased brother's newborn. Exactly the old fashioned formula Mills and Book used from the start and this is the sort of book I loved reading in the 70's, 80's & 90's. I just dated myself! 🤣
There are some steamy sex scenes that are very tastefully written, after a slow burn attraction. One plus - no cell phones glued to hands! That's something I love in these older, contemporary romances. The writing is in third person, from the POV of both the H/h. A lovely feel good story. 3.5 stars.
Ex-nanny and abandoned wife Angel is quiet, homely, innocent-'ish' and unworldly - much different from most romance heroines today. Her ex-brother-in-law, Lawyer Rory, is strong, worldly, alpha and takes control in all situations, including looking after his deceased brother's newborn. Exactly the old fashioned formula Mills and Book used from the start and this is the sort of book I loved reading in the 70's, 80's & 90's. I just dated myself! 🤣
There are some steamy sex scenes that are very tastefully written, after a slow burn attraction. One plus - no cell phones glued to hands! That's something I love in these older, contemporary romances. The writing is in third person, from the POV of both the H/h. A lovely feel good story. 3.5 stars.
August 29, 2012
With the pregnancy/baby novels, it's usually a hit or miss scenario but this one was a bit in the middle, which I found odd. I really was glad when the heroine came into her own and she found her true love with the hero. However what her deceased husband did was so morally wrong I wanted to throw up. I don't believe in anyone getting involve with anyone when they are married, unless it's their husband or wife. I found it sickening that her husband did that to her. I just think the book, in some ironic way was karma.
February 11, 2019
My #1 M&B book.
This a a very special book to me. This is the book that introduced me to the world of romance, from the day that I accidentally picked it up in the library till now it has always been on my bookshelf. This book will make you cry a little especially after all the rotten treatment and betrayal that Angel goes through. As usual everything works out in the end.
This a a very special book to me. This is the book that introduced me to the world of romance, from the day that I accidentally picked it up in the library till now it has always been on my bookshelf. This book will make you cry a little especially after all the rotten treatment and betrayal that Angel goes through. As usual everything works out in the end.
August 23, 2020
The sweetest romance ever. An Irish lass with a very blunt way of speaking. Turning an alpha males life upside down. About time the lady gets a win. A beautiful sense of Irish humour.
June 3, 2026
I’ve revisited this book having read it a couple of times now and the mind boggles with the h’s lack of spine.
She’s from a huge Irish family with all that entails and leaves to work in London as a nanny.
There she meets the H’s brother who marries her because he wants her and can’t take her to bed without a ring on her finger. She’s very traditional but I have a problem with this as she ends saying she never really loved the brother and held her v card like a trophy. She was actually lonely and lost and to me the brother took total advantage of her innocence.
Them to add insult to injury he doesn’t please her innocence bed and disappears with a young backpacker that comes to work for him falls madly in love with her moves to Australia and has a baby with her but totally disappears off the face of the earth without the h knowing where he is and what he’s up to.
18 months later she’s asked the uber successful barrister brother who didn’t approve of said marriage to track him down but he turns up on her Irish doorstep to tell her he’s dead, buried and has a baby and ohhh come live with me and look after it!
The AUDACITY!
like a spineless jellyfish she agrees after a token no - his ideas for why she’s a suitable candidate are terrible - off she goes to England with him but not before jumping into bed with him and not using protection. The the best sexy times ever for our upright and clueless H and it’s better than her dead hubby if not earth moving off the h so the pussyfoot around each other until they declares she loves him and he announces oh yeah I love you too.
Hmmmm not entirely convinced but they seem happy enough
She’s from a huge Irish family with all that entails and leaves to work in London as a nanny.
There she meets the H’s brother who marries her because he wants her and can’t take her to bed without a ring on her finger. She’s very traditional but I have a problem with this as she ends saying she never really loved the brother and held her v card like a trophy. She was actually lonely and lost and to me the brother took total advantage of her innocence.
Them to add insult to injury he doesn’t please her innocence bed and disappears with a young backpacker that comes to work for him falls madly in love with her moves to Australia and has a baby with her but totally disappears off the face of the earth without the h knowing where he is and what he’s up to.
18 months later she’s asked the uber successful barrister brother who didn’t approve of said marriage to track him down but he turns up on her Irish doorstep to tell her he’s dead, buried and has a baby and ohhh come live with me and look after it!
The AUDACITY!
like a spineless jellyfish she agrees after a token no - his ideas for why she’s a suitable candidate are terrible - off she goes to England with him but not before jumping into bed with him and not using protection. The the best sexy times ever for our upright and clueless H and it’s better than her dead hubby if not earth moving off the h so the pussyfoot around each other until they declares she loves him and he announces oh yeah I love you too.
Hmmmm not entirely convinced but they seem happy enough
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 17, 2012
Yang membuatku tertarik untuk membaca buku ini adalah kovernya. Visualisasi tokoh prianya cakep banget, dan senyumnya ituuuu *halah*
Saat membaca sinopsisnya aku pikir akan terjadi pertentangan batin yang amat dalam dari seorang Angel, terlebih dengan keberadaan seorang bayi hasil hubungan gelap suaminya tersebut. Namun ternyata jauh dari yang kuharapkan. Angel terkesan begitu saja mau menerima keberadaan bayi tersebut.
Mungkin karena sebelumnya Angel adalah seorang pengasuh anak sebelum menikah dengan adik Rory, Chad, sehingga dia cepat merasa terikat dengan si bayi, namun kabar meninggalnya sang suami yang baru saja didengar dan kenyataan bahwa sang suami telah berselingkuh dan membuahkan seorang bayi?
Well, walaupun tanda-tanda ketidaksetiaan sang suami sudah mulai nampak sejak beberapa waktu setelah pernikahan, namun tetap saja butuh waktu cukup lama bagi seorang wanita untuk melupakan pengkhianatan tersebut.
Karakter Rory sendiri terlihat dingin dan terkesan membenci Angel bahkan sejak awal pertemuan keduanya sebelum Angel menikah dengan adik Rory. Rupanya pria ini telah berfirasat kalau adiknya tidak cocok dengan Angel.
Namun demikian, sosok Rory yang terlihat tegar itu tetap saja menyimpan rasa sedih yang mendalam atas kepergian sang adik. Rory merasa sangat bertanggungjawab dengan kematian Chad. Rory mengajak Angel yang telah kembali ke Irlandia untuk mengasuh bayi Chad di London. Dalam perjalanan menuju London itulah keduanya menjadi dekat, bahkan Rory melampiaskan emosi negatif yang selama ini ditahannya kepada Angel.
Rasa ketertarikan Rory kepada Angel perlahan tumbuh karena kedekatan mereka saat merawat Lorcan, si bayi yatim piatu yang akhirnya dinamai seperti nama sahabat karib Rory. Pada akhirnya Angel mempertanyakan posisinya kepada Rory, hanya sebagai pengasuh Lorcan atau seseorang yang spesial bagi mantan kakak iparnya itu. Happy ending like usual harlequin story :)
Saat membaca sinopsisnya aku pikir akan terjadi pertentangan batin yang amat dalam dari seorang Angel, terlebih dengan keberadaan seorang bayi hasil hubungan gelap suaminya tersebut. Namun ternyata jauh dari yang kuharapkan. Angel terkesan begitu saja mau menerima keberadaan bayi tersebut.
Mungkin karena sebelumnya Angel adalah seorang pengasuh anak sebelum menikah dengan adik Rory, Chad, sehingga dia cepat merasa terikat dengan si bayi, namun kabar meninggalnya sang suami yang baru saja didengar dan kenyataan bahwa sang suami telah berselingkuh dan membuahkan seorang bayi?
Well, walaupun tanda-tanda ketidaksetiaan sang suami sudah mulai nampak sejak beberapa waktu setelah pernikahan, namun tetap saja butuh waktu cukup lama bagi seorang wanita untuk melupakan pengkhianatan tersebut.
Karakter Rory sendiri terlihat dingin dan terkesan membenci Angel bahkan sejak awal pertemuan keduanya sebelum Angel menikah dengan adik Rory. Rupanya pria ini telah berfirasat kalau adiknya tidak cocok dengan Angel.
Namun demikian, sosok Rory yang terlihat tegar itu tetap saja menyimpan rasa sedih yang mendalam atas kepergian sang adik. Rory merasa sangat bertanggungjawab dengan kematian Chad. Rory mengajak Angel yang telah kembali ke Irlandia untuk mengasuh bayi Chad di London. Dalam perjalanan menuju London itulah keduanya menjadi dekat, bahkan Rory melampiaskan emosi negatif yang selama ini ditahannya kepada Angel.
Rasa ketertarikan Rory kepada Angel perlahan tumbuh karena kedekatan mereka saat merawat Lorcan, si bayi yatim piatu yang akhirnya dinamai seperti nama sahabat karib Rory. Pada akhirnya Angel mempertanyakan posisinya kepada Rory, hanya sebagai pengasuh Lorcan atau seseorang yang spesial bagi mantan kakak iparnya itu. Happy ending like usual harlequin story :)
April 8, 2014
ok the basic plot: angelica was married 2 chad (H's brother). while she fell in love, chad only wanted her in his bed n marriage was the only option 2 have her. rory tried 2 stop the wedding bcoz he knew chad was fickle, indulged n spoiled. chad was not satisfied in bed wid angelica. she was inexperienced n cud not satisfy him, so the novelty was off. he then met someone else n just disappeared. angelica din no what had happened 2 her husband. she was highly distressed n anxious. she went 2 rory 4 help which he did not provide. so let's come 2 the point! what i disliked intensely abt the book was rory's attitude towards her. he did not tell her when chad phoned n explained what had happened. he left her in agony. then later when chad had the accident, he informed her only after the funeral. ok he thought she wud not want 2 come but surely dat was her choice, chad was her husband! now the absurdity of the book!angelica actually agreed 2 help rory, she agreed 2 look after the baby!? dats absurd n too god-Samaritan ! too unbelievable ! moreover, she cud not wait 2 get into rory's bed n just like dat, she realised she had never loved chad!? LOL. then they were just like "i love you". when angelica blurted dat out of nowhere, i was really shocked! i did not realise dat was it! i thought der was more 2 come, the book cud not just end der!!
December 31, 2012
gak dapet feelnya ;(
February 19, 2018
20 bln yang lalu sewaktu Angel masih muda & naif, memangnya 20 bln kemudian Angel sdh tua gitu? Kalau 20 thn nah itu rentang waktu yang lama. Angel-nya agak ga jelas deh maunya apa & drama banget.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews