Deborah Cowan, Whirlwind Baby

Whirlwind Baby

Deborah Cowan

Harlequin, Aug 2007, $5.50

ISBN: 9780373294596

In 1885 West Texas, rancher Jake Ross finds baby Molly dumped on his doorstep with a pleading note from the infant's mom saying she was dying with no family or friend nearby and had noticed his recent kindness to a distraught child. Jake tries to find a home for the baby, but fails. Instead he hires stranger Emma York, who claims to be a widow from up north, because she can gently quiet the crying youngster.

Jake and Emma are attracted to one another although he does not like her vague responses to his questions about her past and suffers some guilt over moving on past his late wife, which annoys his brother-in-law. Still Jake dreams of being with Emma while believing he can protect the two females who recently turned his life upside down in a good way. Soon he will have a chance to test his hypothesis as her past has arrived in town.

Although the abandoned baby serving as a matchmaker is an ancient theme, fans will appreciate how skillfully talented Deborah Cowan refreshes the concept in her latest warm Whirlwind historical romance (see WHIRLWIND BRIDE, WHIRLWIND GROOM, and WHIRLWIND WEDDING). The lead couple is a fabulous pairing as she obviously is hiding something, but though he knows that he still believes she is great for Molly and soon concludes him too. Interestingly both feel guilt; he over his late wife and she for bringing trouble to two people she now loves. Readers will enjoy this whirlwind western romance.

Harriet Klausner