This tale in the The Bravos of Justice Creek series
follows two people who had
a fling on vacation several months ago. Dalton Ames, in
Denver, couldn't stop thinking about the lady he'd been
with, and found that she was engaged and expecting a baby.
True enough, when she asks for a friendly meeting, Clara
Bravo says she is NOT QUITE MARRIED - but the baby is his.
Fortunately for Clara she has a supportive and prosperous
background so she assures Dalton that she doesn't need any
help, but will make any arrangements he asks for if he
wants to be involved with the child. Her friend had
offered
to marry her so the baby would not be fatherless, but she
decided not to go through with the wedding. Clara's
bravery
and independence shock Dalton, who prefers a traditional
family. He doesn't know how to react. He was recently
divorced and just on the rebound when they met, with no
intention of anything as permanent as a baby.
Clara cries on her friend's shoulder, but Princess Rory
Calabretti assures her she's going to be fine without a
man
in her life. She runs a bustling cafe in her Montana town,
and if it's not what she dreamed of, she can still be a
great mother. Soon however, Dalton turns up with a diamond
ring, insisting Clara marry him and move to Denver. Is
this
for appearances' sake? In case his reputation suffers? And
who is he to order her about like an employee? Clara
thinks
she was a fool to fall for him in the first place.
Of course the determined young lady is overdoing matters
and ends up getting checked out in hospital after fainting
in the cafe. Dalton ignores his banking business to be
with her. Does this mean he cares, or is he a control
freak? Clara just doesn't know.
Interestingly almost everyone seems to think that Dalton
should 'be a man and marry her' in quite a traditional
view, despite modern attitudes. Sometimes I found myself
agreeing and other times I thought that shotgun weddings
aren't a great idea and there must be a reason why
Dalton's
first marriage failed. Clara is coming from the
experience
of parents who stayed together without love, and she
doesn't want to end up in that situation. A couple where
money was more of a concern might have less luxury of
choice, but I can see her point and admire her strength.
There's plenty of discussion matter in this story as the
pregnancy and getting to know each other takes up a lot of
the book, but it is an adult romance. NOT QUITE MARRIED
by Christine Rimmer is not my favourite of her works, but
it's a classic character study and part of her longrunning
series about the Bravo ranching and Calabretti royal
families. Mothers to be and hopeless romantics will get
more out of it than I did and you can find out whether the
characters end the tale as they began it, NOT QUITE
MARRIED.
A BRAVO BABY BRINGS SECOND CHANCES It was hard enough for Clara Bravo to face gorgeous Dalton Ames after he ended their idyllic fling. But confessing that she was pregnant took real guts! Oh, Clara didn't lack the fortitude to notify Dalton of his impending fatherhood. It was turning down the irresistible banker's proposal—just for their baby's sake—that she found difficult. Dalton pushed Clara away because he couldn't risk his heart again after his recent divorce—not because he didn't feel anything for the brunette beauty! When he discovered her pregnancy, Dalton was determined to create the picture-perfect home with the one woman he could never forget. Now, if only he could convince Clara that their family was forever…
© 2003-2024 off-the-edge.net
all rights reserved Privacy Policy