Sandy M’s review of The Soldier’s Baby Bargain (Home to Harbor Town, Book 5) by Beth Kery
Contemporary Romance published by Silhouette Special Edition 18 Sep 12

I’ve been bemoaning the fact lately that I suddenly find myself behind on a number of favorite series. So even though I let this last book in Beth Kery’s Home to Harbor Town series slightly slip through the cracks, I wasn’t about to let it get completely away from me. Not when I’ve enjoyed every word written so far and gotten so caught up in these characters’ tragedy, lives, and loves. I just had to see how it all ends and visit with them one last time.

What I enjoy almost as much as the emotion Ms. Kery writes into her stories is the fact her characters talk to one another. They may assume and opine this way and that for a bit, but they always sit down and talk to each other. Figure things out. Decide what to do together. They work side by side against outside conflict, instead of letting that conflict fling them apart to be miserable until one or the other breaks down to bring them back together. Ms. Kery’s way is much better reading.

We’ve not seen a lot of Ryan Itani in this series. He’s been serving his country, just recently discharged from the Air Force and has opened his own chartering service, which is quite successful. He’s always been attracted to Faith, but he kept his distance and his mouth shut because she was the wife of a fellow soldier. He’s visited Faith only once since she’s become a widow, last Christmas. Then one thing led to another and they slept together. Checking on her again gives him the shock of a lifetime – Faith is pregnant with his child. He wants to do the right thing, but it’s Faith he has to convince he deserves the chance to be part of their child’s life, and hopefully hers too.

But Faith is still gun shy when it comes to hotshot fly boys. Having one man cheat on her is enough. However, Ryan always goes that one extra step to prove to her he’s not like her deceased husband. She wants Ryan to have a role in their child’s life, but she’s a little amazed when he moves his entire company to Michigan just to be closer to her. And that’s also what the reader likes about Ryan. He’s thoughtful, sweet, kind and considerate, pushing his wants and needs aside to make Faith feel comfortable, to make her see he her fears are unfounded. All that sweetness, though, disappears when he makes love to Faith. He loses himself in her.

They come up with a compromise on how life will work for them once the baby is born, but Ryan is intent on using that time to win Faith over. We get to see Mari and Marc again, catch up with their lives. It’s also nice that Ryan and Marc finally talk, put their hard feelings aside to become friends again. I would have liked to have seen other previous characters in the series, but word count in the Harlequin lines doesn’t always allow that. Meeting Ryan, watching his love for Faith take hold and grow makes up for that. Impending parenthood sits well on both of them, you know their family will be a happy one.

Home to Harbor Town is one of those series that doesn’t come along very often. Love and happiness come from tragedy in the unlikeliest of places and happily ever after is assured. If you’ve not read the series, don’t hesitate any longer. Emotional healing and romance have never been written better. Allow yourself to be immersed in family, regrowth, renewed trust, and love.

Grade: A+ 

Summary:

She’d been his best friend’s wife…then widow. And air force pilot Ryan Itani has been enthralled with the very idea of Faith Holmes even before they met. They say grief makes one do crazy things—well, chalk sleeping with Faith as one of them. Then finding out she was carrying his baby… What was a man of honor to do?

But Faith wasn’t about to let him into her home, much less her heart. If there was any chance to be a part of her and their child’s life, he needed to prove he wasn’t just another carefree flyboy. Ryan had risked life and limb before, but this was about to be the soldier’s most important mission.

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series: