Title: Accidental Fate
Author: M.A. Stacie
Publication Date: November 1, 2011
Source: Bought
Summary (from Goodreads):
When Leo Sommers opens the door to his record store, the last thing he expects to find is a screaming baby -- a baby that turns out to be his. Flung into parenthood, he struggles to care for the one week old. Unable to contact the baby's mother, he battles the incessantly crying baby alone. Until he literally crashes into his savior.
Erin Miles gets out of her car to trade insurance details with the man who has rear-ended her car, she receives more than she expected. Instantly, she's drawn to the tattooed, exhausted man holding the squalling bundle. She sees how much Leo loves his son and offers help. Erin's patient and gentle caring for Leo and Joe soon develops into something far more than either of them had expected.
Caught up in a whirlwind romance, they are on the cusp of exploring their new relationship, when reality hits them in the face.
Review
My complaint with this story? It was too damn short! I didn’t realize it
was a novella (I know, I know) until I got it. But still I loved it!
Leo is young, single (tattooed!) and suddenly finds himself with a baby
that was dropped off on his doorstep with a note and a hundred bucks to welcome
him into fatherhood. Erin is the woman he rear ends in a parking lot, who
quietens baby Joe and later follows him home and, well, never leaves. Okay, she
leaves, but she’s never gone long.
I really liked for a change that the attention was focused on a single
father rather than the overplayed single mother routine. There are so few
stories that have the father as the one who is dealing with everything alone
that it’s a very nice change of pace when a little gem like this comes along.
And I really, really loved that it was Erin who came along and saved Leo and
not the other way around.
My only problem with the story was the character of Carlie – Joe’s bio
mom and the bitch who dropped him off without so much as a fleeting thought. I
understand why she was introduced in the story, but honestly, I don’t think the
character had any real meaning. She wasn’t necessary. It was just a look at a
woman who didn’t care. We didn’t need to see that. We already got that she
didn’t care when she dumped her child like yesterday’s trash.
Leo’s reaction to her showing up bugged me as well. He was so much more
patient and almost understanding towards Carlie that it drove me nuts. I wanted
to scream at him for basically telling her she would always have a place in
Joe’s life because that’s pretty much what his actions were saying when he told
her he’d always keep her informed of what was going on. No. No. No. NO. This
bitch didn’t want her child. You know what you do when that happens? When she
makes it perfectly clear that she doesn’t want anything to do with the little
person she gave birth to, you take her to court, you have her parental rights
taken away and you rid the innocent baby of the witch. Yes, that’s what you do.
Aside from that, I thought the story was lovely. Maybe a little rushed
with the romantic side of things, but hey, it’s a novella apparently.
No comments:
Post a Comment