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Those Engaging Garretts #3
A Very Special Delivery
Can a snowbound mom-to-be find love with the sexy stranger who delivers her baby? Find out in the newest installment of Those Engaging Garretts, the sizzling series by award-winning author Brenda Harlen!
Being trapped in a strange town in a freak blizzard is scary enough, but Julie Marlowe went into labor in someone's driveway! Lucky for her, a handsome stranger came to her rescue. Several hours later, Julie was the proud mother of an infant son…and in danger of falling for the sexy vet who delivered her baby!
Lukas Garrett didn't know how much he wanted to be a father—or a husband!—until he helped bring Julie's little boy into the world. Now mother and child have grabbed hold of his once-guarded heart. But Julie's past could derail her future with Luke, unless she's willing to trust her heart to this man for the chance to have the family of her dreams….
Being trapped in a strange town in a freak blizzard is scary enough, but Julie Marlowe went into labor in someone's driveway! Lucky for her, a handsome stranger came to her rescue. Several hours later, Julie was the proud mother of an infant son…and in danger of falling for the sexy vet who delivered her baby!
Lukas Garrett didn't know how much he wanted to be a father—or a husband!—until he helped bring Julie's little boy into the world. Now mother and child have grabbed hold of his once-guarded heart. But Julie's past could derail her future with Luke, unless she's willing to trust her heart to this man for the chance to have the family of her dreams….
224 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2013
45 people are currently reading
129 people want to read
About the author
Brenda Harlen
433 books83 followersBrenda’s first love was reading.
According to her mother, she fell in love with books even before she could read and was always content when she had a book in her hands. It didn’t surprise anyone when she decided that she wanted to be a writer, but she was encouraged to pursue “a real job” first.
So she did—she became a lawyer. Two years of practicing law taught her a lot about the world—and reinforced her determination to become a writer. Because in fiction, she could promise a happy ending!
Thankfully, she had already met and married a wonderful man to inspire her fictional heroes. And when she was on maternity leave after the birth of their first son, he encouraged her to take a romance writing course at the local community college. It was while enrolled in this class that she completed her first (still unpublished) manuscript.
Three more manuscripts and another baby followed. And then, in June 2002, she finally got the call from Susan Litman—an editorial assistant and contest judge—offering to buy the manuscript she’d submitted to RWA’s Golden Heart® contest as “From This Moment.” This story was re-titled McIver’s Mission and released by Silhouette Intimate Moments in May 2003.
According to her mother, she fell in love with books even before she could read and was always content when she had a book in her hands. It didn’t surprise anyone when she decided that she wanted to be a writer, but she was encouraged to pursue “a real job” first.
So she did—she became a lawyer. Two years of practicing law taught her a lot about the world—and reinforced her determination to become a writer. Because in fiction, she could promise a happy ending!
Thankfully, she had already met and married a wonderful man to inspire her fictional heroes. And when she was on maternity leave after the birth of their first son, he encouraged her to take a romance writing course at the local community college. It was while enrolled in this class that she completed her first (still unpublished) manuscript.
Three more manuscripts and another baby followed. And then, in June 2002, she finally got the call from Susan Litman—an editorial assistant and contest judge—offering to buy the manuscript she’d submitted to RWA’s Golden Heart® contest as “From This Moment.” This story was re-titled McIver’s Mission and released by Silhouette Intimate Moments in May 2003.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
July 20, 2015
A VERY SPECIAL DELIVERY was a surprise addition to From Neighbors…to Newlyweds? which I had read earlier this year.
Since I’ve never had a baby, I shouldn’t judge how Julie’s birthing process went, nor the next couple of hours, but since this is my review I’m going to anyways!
I have yet to read a book that can adequately write a birthing scene while making it worth reading at the same time. I know that 15 hours of labor cannot be written, but when a birth happens so quickly and easily it takes away from not only the miracle, but the story.
Another unrealistic fact, in my opinion, is that the very next day Julie is up and being hit with her attraction to Lukas. This just didn’t seem to be realistic as I have heard accounts of new moms feeling pretty far from human days after birth. I also felt for her youth, Julie wasn’t very scared, innocent nor inexperienced like a twenty-three year old might be, especially due to her privileged upbringing. In addition, she never even told her family that she was pregnant.
So on to the actual story.
A snowstorm lands Julie Marlowe stuck in a ditch and it the middle of labor, but what she thought was just the beginning of labor turned quickly into full throttle labor just as soon as vet Lukas Garrett gets her into his home.
Letting her believe he’s an actual doctor, Julie has a picture perfect birth and welcomes son Caden into the world.
The storm gives Lukas an excuse to keep the beautiful new mom in his home and gives him a chance to win her over because like his brothers, Lukas is quick to realize he wants a family with this woman.
When the weather clears and her car is fixed, the reason to stay now goes to the fact that her parents are out of the country. With not knowing about their grandson’s pending arrival, it gives the perfect excuse to prolong her stay.
Of course his family is great and on the clasp of another wedding, it makes Lukas all the more determined.
The romance between them picked up slow, but I felt once it did things once again got out of context. Where was the six week wait after birth before sex? Where was the non-existent energy that new mom’s face?
When it came to the bedroom, Julie had all too much energy and Caden was fast asleep. Things finally fell into place when Julie confronts her ex-fiance with the news of their son. Already married just months after their cancelled wedding, he was quick to sign away his rights.
Now, nothing stands in their way and a wedding is soon to be planned.
Once again, I know a realistic book about a new mom would not be deemed reader worthy. As a reader we want sexy and hot. I guess I just expect too much wanting a perfect combination.
Since I’ve never had a baby, I shouldn’t judge how Julie’s birthing process went, nor the next couple of hours, but since this is my review I’m going to anyways!
I have yet to read a book that can adequately write a birthing scene while making it worth reading at the same time. I know that 15 hours of labor cannot be written, but when a birth happens so quickly and easily it takes away from not only the miracle, but the story.
Another unrealistic fact, in my opinion, is that the very next day Julie is up and being hit with her attraction to Lukas. This just didn’t seem to be realistic as I have heard accounts of new moms feeling pretty far from human days after birth. I also felt for her youth, Julie wasn’t very scared, innocent nor inexperienced like a twenty-three year old might be, especially due to her privileged upbringing. In addition, she never even told her family that she was pregnant.
So on to the actual story.
A snowstorm lands Julie Marlowe stuck in a ditch and it the middle of labor, but what she thought was just the beginning of labor turned quickly into full throttle labor just as soon as vet Lukas Garrett gets her into his home.
Letting her believe he’s an actual doctor, Julie has a picture perfect birth and welcomes son Caden into the world.
The storm gives Lukas an excuse to keep the beautiful new mom in his home and gives him a chance to win her over because like his brothers, Lukas is quick to realize he wants a family with this woman.
When the weather clears and her car is fixed, the reason to stay now goes to the fact that her parents are out of the country. With not knowing about their grandson’s pending arrival, it gives the perfect excuse to prolong her stay.
Of course his family is great and on the clasp of another wedding, it makes Lukas all the more determined.
The romance between them picked up slow, but I felt once it did things once again got out of context. Where was the six week wait after birth before sex? Where was the non-existent energy that new mom’s face?
When it came to the bedroom, Julie had all too much energy and Caden was fast asleep. Things finally fell into place when Julie confronts her ex-fiance with the news of their son. Already married just months after their cancelled wedding, he was quick to sign away his rights.
Now, nothing stands in their way and a wedding is soon to be planned.
Once again, I know a realistic book about a new mom would not be deemed reader worthy. As a reader we want sexy and hot. I guess I just expect too much wanting a perfect combination.
September 15, 2013
Very good book. I've liked Lukas ever since his appearance in His Long Lost Family when he was such a good friend to his niece's mother. I have been looking forward to him getting his own happy ending. He's been the happy go lucky bachelor for a long time but has started to tire of that lifestyle. He still doesn't feel the need to settle down. When he comes home from work in the middle of a blizzard he is surprised to find a car in the ditch in front of his house. And even more surprised to find the beautiful young woman in it in the midst of labor. Even though he's an animal doctor and not a people one he steps up and delivers Julie's baby boy. He invites her to stay while her car is being repaired and to remain longer when he finds that she has no one to help her at home. Now they have him thinking that maybe he's ready after all...
I really liked Julie. She had found herself in a bad situation with her fiance and broke things off just before leaving town on an extended work assignment. Once she discovered she was pregnant she was determined to do everything she could to make sure her pregnancy went well. She didn't count on getting caught in a blizzard on her way home and ending up in a ditch. She was thankful for Lukas's help delivering her son. I loved her surprises when she found out - after the fact - that he was a vet. I really liked the connection that was obvious between them from the very beginning. It became clear very quickly that she was happy in Lukas's house and the small town. She was also determined that she would go back home when she could, that she was not going to allow herself to fall in love with him. She felt she had made too many mistakes in her past and was afraid of opening herself up again. She tried to keep herself apart but her feelings just kept getting stronger. I liked the way she finally confided in him about her ex-fiance. I also loved the way that she fit in so well with his family, even getting the approval of his friend/sister-in-law Kelly. I also liked the fact that she wanted to face her past before looking toward her future.
Lukas is a great guy. I really loved the way he took care of Kelly in the earlier book. He was also such a great family man, always supporting his brothers and playing with the kids. It was hard to believe that he really didn't see a family in his own future. When he found Julie in the ditch in front of his house I loved his initial panic about her being in labor. I got a real giggle out of the 911 operator letting Julie believe that Lukas was a people doctor. I loved how he was able to keep her calm and get the baby delivered without any issues. What really made the story for me was the way that the baby became so special to him right away. Lukas was also attracted to Julie immediately but really tried to keep a lid on it. He could sense that there was something bothering her and the way she avoided talking about anything personal concerned him. I loved the way he kept getting Julie to stay longer even as he was insisting that he wasn't falling for her whenever anyone commented on it. I really liked the way that he supported her at the end.
I really liked Julie. She had found herself in a bad situation with her fiance and broke things off just before leaving town on an extended work assignment. Once she discovered she was pregnant she was determined to do everything she could to make sure her pregnancy went well. She didn't count on getting caught in a blizzard on her way home and ending up in a ditch. She was thankful for Lukas's help delivering her son. I loved her surprises when she found out - after the fact - that he was a vet. I really liked the connection that was obvious between them from the very beginning. It became clear very quickly that she was happy in Lukas's house and the small town. She was also determined that she would go back home when she could, that she was not going to allow herself to fall in love with him. She felt she had made too many mistakes in her past and was afraid of opening herself up again. She tried to keep herself apart but her feelings just kept getting stronger. I liked the way she finally confided in him about her ex-fiance. I also loved the way that she fit in so well with his family, even getting the approval of his friend/sister-in-law Kelly. I also liked the fact that she wanted to face her past before looking toward her future.
Lukas is a great guy. I really loved the way he took care of Kelly in the earlier book. He was also such a great family man, always supporting his brothers and playing with the kids. It was hard to believe that he really didn't see a family in his own future. When he found Julie in the ditch in front of his house I loved his initial panic about her being in labor. I got a real giggle out of the 911 operator letting Julie believe that Lukas was a people doctor. I loved how he was able to keep her calm and get the baby delivered without any issues. What really made the story for me was the way that the baby became so special to him right away. Lukas was also attracted to Julie immediately but really tried to keep a lid on it. He could sense that there was something bothering her and the way she avoided talking about anything personal concerned him. I loved the way he kept getting Julie to stay longer even as he was insisting that he wasn't falling for her whenever anyone commented on it. I really liked the way that he supported her at the end.
August 30, 2013
I actually really enjoyed this one. I just started getting into the Harlequins and I love that new ones come out every month, it's almost like getting a subscription box but instead of coming to your door you have to go to the bookstore which happens to be one of my favourite places so I'm completely okay with that. Most of them also cost only a dollar or two more than a magazine, and the stories are always entertaining. My only complaint is it can be hard to get your hands on older ones.
So about this one specifically, I work in a veterinary office so that was what intrigued me about the story, plus I just like the idea of a hot veterinarian delivering a human strangers baby in a snow storm. The writing was good, the story line was excellent, it moved quickly but was not too rushed, and I liked that it wasn't dragged out. The author described everything well, my favourite was her description of Einstein the dog, made me want to cuddle him. The setting was described well, the character development was amazing and overall a solid story, I would give it an easy 4 overall and a 5 in the Harlequins category.
And I definitely want to get my hands on the rest of the garrett brothers series!
So about this one specifically, I work in a veterinary office so that was what intrigued me about the story, plus I just like the idea of a hot veterinarian delivering a human strangers baby in a snow storm. The writing was good, the story line was excellent, it moved quickly but was not too rushed, and I liked that it wasn't dragged out. The author described everything well, my favourite was her description of Einstein the dog, made me want to cuddle him. The setting was described well, the character development was amazing and overall a solid story, I would give it an easy 4 overall and a 5 in the Harlequins category.
And I definitely want to get my hands on the rest of the garrett brothers series!
September 25, 2013
I really enjoyed this book. I was pulled into the story right away. Julie’s labor was not in very much detail, and with it being so short, it seemed not as real. I did laugh a little when she found out afterwards Lukas was a vet, and not a doctor. I loved how the friendship between Lukas, and Julie grew into romance. This was a sweet book, which pulled at my heart!
September 10, 2013
I really liked this. This was a very enjoyable series.
May 17, 2016
Good read
It held my interest and the characters were well defined. I would have given it five stars but I felt it lacked total believability.
It held my interest and the characters were well defined. I would have given it five stars but I felt it lacked total believability.
June 27, 2016
Enjoyable read.
May 14, 2019
I enjoyed this book's storyline. I really liked the hot & steamy scenes. I really liked Lukas's character. I really liked Julie's character. I felt sorry for Julie. I love ❤ the twins. I liked the ending.
October 17, 2024
enjoyable story.
February 14, 2015
3.7 Stars. Public Library 2/13/15. Nice short read about a couple that meet in less then ideal circumstances but make it work. The age difference between Julie and Lukas is 11 years but it isn't that noticeable. From the moment they meet sparks fly. Julie breaks down in his front yard during a snowstorm then goes into labor but don't worry Lukas arrives just in time to deliver her baby. She stays with him as she recovers and regroups. Their sparks quickly turn into love but Julie has to settle her past before she can focus on her future. The story moves quickly and their love seems a bit too insta-love for me but over all not a bad story.
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December 29, 2014Received 4 1/2 stars @ RT Book Reviews
Miniseries: Those Engaging Garretts!
Category: Home and Family
Miniseries: Those Engaging Garretts!
Category: Home and Family
June 25, 2016
I loved the family and how look out for each other. I enjoyed how Lukas and Julie came together and became a family the love for each was from the start and you could feel it.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews