Kathryn Shay, Be My Babies

Be My Babies

Kathryn Shay

Harlequin SuperRomance, Mar 2008, $6.25

ISBN: 9780373782246

Her husband may be affluent and a member of high society, but Derek Wakefield fails to grow up as drugs and now women supersede family obligations especially now that his wife is pregnant. Expecting twins and no help from her addicted Peter Pan mate, Lily Wakefield leaves New York City to visit her mother's hometown Fairview, New York. There she hopes her maternal grandfather Gil Gardner, owner of the local newspaper Sentinel, whom she has never met, will help her.

In Fairview, Lily meets newspaper editor Simon McCarthy and his daughter Jenny, who calls Gil 'Grandpa Gil'. Soon she meets a stunned Gil who feels guilt for allowing his wife to run off their pregnant daughter Camy when she needed them. He knows Camy died, but was unaware that she had the child, his granddaughter. He needs her to stay and she wants to as her mom only had kind words for her father. Meanwhile Simon fears she has come to take over the paper as he understands how thick blood can be. Still he is attracted to the pregnant woman who might replace him as the editor after she gives birth.

This is a wonderful family drama with likable characters as Gil and Lily get second chances. Simon and Lily are a terrific pairing and love for each other and for Gil brings them together. Although a subplot involving Derek's vengeful upper crust mother using blackmail seems over the top especially the extortion gamut, fans will enjoy this fine homecoming romance.

Harriet Kalsuner