Newborn Daddy

by Judy Christenberry

Ryan Nix knew all too well the joy of parenthood -- and the pain of loss. So he vowed never to let himself feel anything again. Until he looked through a nursery window to find his name listed as the father of Emma Davenport's newborn baby girl! What was he going to do now?

Sweet, lovely Emma knew what a risk she was taking when she fell fast and hard for a man who refused to open his heart. But her beautiful baby girl was proof that Ryan had let his guard down once. Maybe it was time for second chances....

Genres: Harlequin, Romance, Westerns, Second Chance

Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

Judy Russell Christenberry was born in Dallas, Texas, USA, where she raised in a family of four children with a stay-at-home mom who was a terrific cook and an excellent teacher, where family tradition was concerned. As a child, Judy was surrounded by animals. Her father raised a few head of cattle to keep meat on the table. At one time or another, there were sheep, Thanksgiving turkeys, ducks and dogs, and there were always chickens.

Judy learned the importance of family at an early age. But, Judith's marriage ended in divorce. Yet, with support from her mother and siblings, she and her two daughters discovered their own definition of family. The family comes in all shapes and flavors. What's important isn't the two parents and the 2.5 children, it's love and support. She raised her children, taught during the day, wrote at night, and pursued her dream.

Judy, hasn't always been a writer, but she's always been a dreamer. As a child, for entertainment while doing chores, she told herself stories-she was always the heroine. However, she didn't start writing until she turned thirty-eight, just one year after her father's unexpected death. After this, she realized life promised no guarantees about how much time you have. Why wait to pursue your dreams? She had begun reading Harlequin Romance novels about ten years earlier, so romance writing came naturally. She signs her novels as Judy Christenberry, Judith Christenberry and Judith Stafford.

Over time, Judy realized two central themes dominating her writing: family and small town/country life. Many of her books have cowboy heroes, partly because she read all Zane Grey's romantic versions of the Old West as a teenager, and partly because her parents grew up on farms. The last element that frequently appears in Judy's stories is a dash of humor, just enough to bring a smile to your face. She believes laughter is good medicine and it definitely makes a six-foot hunk even more attractive!

Now, with her daughters pursuing their own dreams, Judy writes full-time and is wrapped up in her storytelling. She lives each new adventure with the vigor of a young girl, still dreaming up tales while washing dishes. She hopes to entertain her readers as much as she entertains herself!

Reviews

[Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars! ~ Ryan lost his wife and son in a tragic car accident four years ago. He believes that he'll never love again, and he actually doesn't want to. Until Emma comes along. Sweet, shy Emma is used to being abandoned and having to look after herself. When she hints to Ryan that she'd like them to become a family, Ryan explodes and harshly ends their affair. It's a shock to Ryan when seven months later while viewing his new nephew at the hospital nursery, he sees a baby girl bearing his name as the father and Emma's as the mother. When he goes to confront Emma, she's so weak from complications of the birth she can't face him. Ryan's now faced with the fact that he has responsibilities he never wanted again.

Ryan's bad behaviour at the beginning of the book almost put me off the book. But Ms. Christenberry did a wonderful job justifying his emotions and actions and Ryan redeems himself quite nicely. Emma was well written, although weak from her the physical complications of her birthing, she shows alot of strength emotionally. This was a real tear-jerker at times. And a thoroughly enjoyable one!

[Nicky · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a tough one to rate.. I liked it but it just needed more.. I loved the first part of the book but his sudden love had me scratching my head... I know he felt guilty but I didnt feel the love.. or what little love I did feel wasnt the same as his first wife..

[Tommy S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic audiobook. I've trained my listening:))))

[Clare · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book I liked reading and I could see the chemistry between them and I liked the ending but I couldn't really see him loving them the way he did with his first wife and son, I think he would keep comparing his first wife to his new wife as especially throughout the book when he kept reminding himself that they weren't his real family.
I couldn't really understand the quick turnaround he had though towards the h, I think it was more like a nervous breakdown due to the shock of being a father to an unexpected baby lol.

[suman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not sure of heroes love and there was no epilogue. Or else it wold have been 4 stars.

[Melissa Burling · Rating 1 out of 5]

Mills and Boon so boring after all the amut books we read now

[*CJ* · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Newborn Daddy" is the story of Emma and Ryan.

Aww, bless the heroine.

Hero is a rude (git), who is struggling to get over the death of his wife and newborn son. An year later, he dates the heroine, until she asks for more and he rudely dumps her.
7 months later when he goes to see his newborn nephew, he finds himself named as the father on a different card.
Ofcourse we have many instances of the hero angrily shouting at the poor heroine who has asked nothing from him, is suffering from post partum ptsd due to severe birth complications, anaemia, GDM, pre eclampsia- etc etc. Anyways, he manipulates her so she ends up at his home but keeps her at arms length. When his family get involved, drama ensues.

Heroine was a sweet, loving, waif, who grew up in poverty as an unwanted orphan. All she wanted was love and acceptance, so she accepted the bare minimum scraps. The hero treated her shoddily for first half, and barely gave her anything in the second. The ending was not satisfyingly as I guess she gave in as he made himself ill? Poor girl, deserved the world.

Very heartbreaking, especially the scenes with the heroine.

Safe?
3/5

[becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Não sei quantas vezes já li esse livro, mas posso AFIRMAR que, em todas elas, doeu demais. Nossa, como dói. A descrição dos sentimentos da personagem é extremamente realista, faz parecer que tenho uma ferida aberta e que meteram o dedo nela. O medo da rejeição e a própria rejeição que ela tem/teve, a vontade de não fazer com que a filha passe por situações parecidas, é realmente tocante demais. Meu coração tá forte para qualquer coisa depois desta leitura. Todavia, sinto que o final poderia ser melhor. Um final muito raso com considerações equivocadas.

[Lisdey Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Una historia lo más de bonita! Diría mi mamá, y si, tenía sus pequeños sucesos inesperados que me dejaban pensando🤣🤣 cosas demasiado precipitadas y debido a eso te deja un poco a medias ( pero son cosas que pasan cuando se leen libros cortos) me gusto mucho esta historia aún así y la recomiendo para refrescarte un poco.

[Nikki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Finally, a hero with actual reasons for his cold behavior! Very refreshing. Though his break down, hero: I CAN'T FORGET MY WIFE OR SON!!
*crickets
heroine:...uhhh that's not what I ever wanted...
hero: ohhh...
*awkward
But still a good and sweet read.

[Sol · Rating 2 out of 5]

El final me ha resultado forzado

[Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars

Sweet 4 Star second chance romance book. The hero is a jerk but he redeems himself and Emma is such a beautiful person. I was happy Emma and Ryan had their HEA.

[A · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too much angst and not enough actual apologizing from H despite the crappy behavior he pulled over and over again.

[Mey Reseña · Rating 3 out of 5]

Una de esas historias que puedes leer mil veces sin aburrirte, corta, sin tanto drama y con final feliz. Mi unico pero es que necesitaba mi epílogo 😭🤧🤣

[Joanna Navas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pésima portada jajaja pero el libro no es malo es muy lindo y me gusto mucho