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Operation: Family #6
The SEAL's Baby
To Save A SEAL…
When Navy SEAL Heath Stone's wife died, he thought his heart was closed forever. When he finds Libby Dewitt, eight months pregnant and stranded outside Bent Road, Oregon, he is drawn to her beauty, but also to her sweet and generous nature. But how can he even think about being with someone else? He had love once and lost it—and he's not sure he can take that kind of loss a second time.
Alone and estranged from her family, Libby Dewitt always wondered what it would feel like to truly belong. She feels at home with Heath, but he just won't let her in. Despite her own troubles, her heart aches for everything Heath has been through. To save this SEAL, Libby is ready to fight—for love!
When Navy SEAL Heath Stone's wife died, he thought his heart was closed forever. When he finds Libby Dewitt, eight months pregnant and stranded outside Bent Road, Oregon, he is drawn to her beauty, but also to her sweet and generous nature. But how can he even think about being with someone else? He had love once and lost it—and he's not sure he can take that kind of loss a second time.
Alone and estranged from her family, Libby Dewitt always wondered what it would feel like to truly belong. She feels at home with Heath, but he just won't let her in. Despite her own troubles, her heart aches for everything Heath has been through. To save this SEAL, Libby is ready to fight—for love!
224 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2014
14 people are currently reading
88 people want to read
About the author
Laura Marie Altom
164 books241 followersAfter college, Laura Marie Altom did a brief stint as an interior designer before becoming a stay-at- home mom to boy/girl twins. Always an avid romance reader, when she found herself replotting the afternoon soaps, she knew it was time to try her hand at writing.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
March 1, 2020
Leaning against the trunk of a massive Douglas fir, he closed his eyes, willing Patricia's image to come. He needed to recall HER smell, HER taste. But when he needed her most, he found that no matter how hard he tried, his memories of her had faded.
The notion enraged him. So much so that he lashed out at the tree until his fists were a bloody mess and tears of a long-held grief finally escaped him. pg. 101
I'm sorry to report that this book was horrible.
It started off fine. It was actually quite promising. I thought I was going to enjoy it more than The Texan's Baby. Boy, was I wrong. Just goes to show you that you can't judge a book by its premise or the first few chapters.
Heath is looking for his dog in the early morning fog when he finds a very pregnant woman stranded on the road. He takes her home and brings her car to the shop. It was a good start to a book. I'd say it maintained it for about 18%. Heath is a widower, he lost his wife to cancer 14 months ago. Libby is very pregnant and her ex has no interest in taking care of her or the baby, throwing her over for another woman. She's poor and alone.
At 18% it starts to become clear that this hero is a mild asshole. I understand being grumpy, I actually can enjoy stories about grumpy men. Heath was widowed, and that makes him upset. But there's a line between being a grumpy man and being an asshole, and unfortunately Heath falls on the wrong side of it.
He gets into fights with Libby because he wants to boss her around. He even makes her cry. But then she still wants to be with him and thinks he's great? I found that hard to believe.
ANOTHER PROBLEM
Another main problem in this book besides Heath's mild assholery is the fact that everyone in this book is a complete nutter.
Yeah. Sure, Heath is a mild asshole and I don't like him, but I don't like Libby either. She is cruel and blunt about Heath's wife. She tells him point blank that his wife is dead, orders him to get over it and move on, and chooses to say stuff like this after they have sex for the first time. It's unnecessary and I really can't see many people being comfortable saying stuff like this to a man who is grieving.
Which is basically the whole problem with this book. The characters are nuts and do not act like normal, socialized human beings. The conversations they have, the things they say, the amount of badgering, interfering and bossing they do is at ridiculous levels, and no one bats an eye. Examples: Libby's father telling Libby she is going to marry a man he's picked out for her and she has been on ONE (bad) date with. Libby's parents being completely unreasonable assholes and then . Heath's mom taking in a 'stray' pregnant woman and then assuming her son will marry her and planning on her son marrying her and telling her son to marry her.
It's like, what the fuck? Everyone seems totally blind to Heath's overwhelming grief and very insistent that he 'move on' and marry another woman NOW. This isn't a historical. It's 2014 U.S.A. I found their behavior not only reprehensible, but beyond belief. It was bizarre. Another example would be the doctor delivering Libby's baby and then ORDERING Heath to be the father of it. I mean, obviously Heath is not the biological father, but when the baby's born the doctor is like, "Be a father to this baby. This woman is a single mom. They need a man, the baby and the woman will need support. So support them! Spend your lives together!" It's SO FUCKING BIZARRE. Not only is this extremely unprofessional, even for a 'small town,' but - like everyone else in the novel - it's none of his fucking business. Everyone EVERYONE from the hero and heroine down to random people at the grocery store seem intent on dictating other people's lives to them.
By the end of the book I had just given up. I couldn't care about any of the characters or what happened to them because - not only were they unpleasant - but they didn't act like human beings and nothing they said or did made any fucking sense. It was like watching a bizarre play put on by a child, or something. I'm used to small-town stereotyping (busybodies, everyone knowing each other) but even those stereotypes were taking to extreme caricature levels in this book, to the point where you couldn't take a single thing seriously anymore.
Every single person in this novel thinks they can tell other people how to live their lives. And that the other person should listen to them and obey them. From your mother to the clerk at the grocery store. It's audacious, to the level that it was unbelievable and ridiculous.
I don't want to feel bad for Heath, since I don't like him, but I do feel sorry for him. Every single person telling him to get over his wife's death, stop grieving, move on and marry a woman he just met on the side of the road is horrible. Not only is it none of their fucking business, but you can't just TELL people to stop grieving them and ORDER them to move on with their lives. It doesn't work like that. The fact that he doesn't hit anyone in this book or decide to move to another state shocks me. He must be very tolerant, but then everyone in this book is because I guess in this universe, dictating other's people's lives to them must be the normal, everyday accepted thing to do. o.O
HOW'S THE SEX, CARMEN?
Ugh. Not only am I uninterested in these two having sex since I dislike BOTH of them, but the sex was also bizarre. It takes place extremely quickly, and with no foreplay and with no foreshadowing. One minute they are casual, the next minute he's sticking his penis in her. And that's basically the whole sex scene, one sentence where it's like "She wrapped her legs around him and he entered her. The End." And I was like, "What?!" Frankly I was so surprised that I turned back a page and re-read the whole scene. It was shocking. It was sudden, no-foreplay sex that came out of nowhere and made no sense.
Then, of course, we have to suffer through the heroine gushing about how good the hero was in bed for the rest of the book. I was gobsmacked. HOW on Earth could she SAY that? I know, her ex is supposed to be a piece of trash, but surely her expectations for sex aren't SO incredibly low that a fuck that involves him just putting his penis inside her counts as good sex. o.O I mean.... I know this woman suffers from low self-esteem but ANYONE would be disappointed by this 'performance' if you can even call it such a thing. Fine, if the author wants to write that this is the sex scene and this is the way it played out between them, fine. Sometimes first times together aren't so hot or exciting or easy. But to then play it off like he's this wonderful lover is quite frankly disturbing and insulting.
I despair at these two being together. Hopeless. They'll just boss each other around for the rest of their lives and have bad sex. Joy to them, I guess.
I do have to give Altom a point for the awkward, terrible after-sex scene. Heath, of course, feels incredibly guilty for having the first sexual encounter after his wife's death. He's understandably upset. Libby, in a shocking display of blunt cruelty, basically just tells him to get over it. Here she is, immediately after sex:
"No - don't you dare say you're still with Patricia, because point of fact, like it or not, she's dead. No matter how hard you brood or pout or wish for her return, it's not going to happen, Heath. Meanwhile, here you are, very much alive, obviously with just as many needs as the rest of us mere mortals, yet there you go, running off to pretend what we shared didn't happen. Well - newsflash - it did! And having you inside me felt wonderful and life affirming and I'm not sorry! ... I don't mean to sound cruel, but you can't go on living this way, pining for your dead wife. It's not really living at all."
Now, I don't even like this guy. I think he's a jerk. But how on Earth could she treat him like this. It's beyond me. I can't imagine the sheer arrogance and self-centeredness that would be required for a person to say something like this to someone after sex. It's so heartless. Am I supposed to like this heroine?!!? She's horrible. HORRIBLE. And just because he's no catch either, doesn't make what she's doing here okay.
Worst of all, the book - the author - is telling us that all of this is good. It's good. He SHOULD 'get over' his dead wife. He SHOULD remarry some woman he found on the side of the road who is incredibly bossy and interfering. He SHOULD take her 'good advice' and just allow her to 'improve' his life by ordering him to do whatever she thinks is 'best for him.' Ugh, vomit.
And Heath engages in the EXACT SAME BEHAVIOR. It's less cruel, because Libby isn't a widow, but he also thinks he can order her to do things in life and she should obey because 'it's for her own good' and 'he knows what's best for her.'
This isn't a gender-thing in this book. EVERYONE acts this way to EVERYONE. Which is why I wasn't able to take this book seriously at all. The whole idea that people would tolerate this behavior and even encourage it with no backlash and no repercussions is quite frankly impossible to believe. No one has a human response of telling people to fuck off, telling people it's none of their fucking business, or ignoring the advice and not falling in line. Instead, they all obey and fall in line with everyone ordering them to make major life changes. It's SO WEIRD.
CAN YOU SAY ANYTHING GOOD ABOUT THE BOOK, CARMEN?
Yes. I like Altom's detailed, rich writing. She doesn't half-ass the writing, the way romance authors sometimes do. She makes sure to put a lot of description in her book. I enjoyed that. It makes the book feel more alive. You can picture things much better than when more reticent authors are writing things.
TL;DR Great premise, ruined by asshole MCs and bizarre, non-human behavior on the part of everyone involved. While Altom is great at setting the scene and describing her world, the world she's created is not one you want to spend any time in. Everyone is unpleasant, bossy, interfering and domineering. And that's accepted as normal and right. o.O
ROMANCE CATEGORIES
Contemporary Romance
Military Romance
Non-Virgin Heroine
Widower Hero
Pregnant Heroine
He's a Navy SEAL; She's a Pottery Maker.
Takes place in: Southern Oregon, U.S.A.
NAMES IN THIS BOOK:
The notion enraged him. So much so that he lashed out at the tree until his fists were a bloody mess and tears of a long-held grief finally escaped him. pg. 101
I'm sorry to report that this book was horrible.
It started off fine. It was actually quite promising. I thought I was going to enjoy it more than The Texan's Baby. Boy, was I wrong. Just goes to show you that you can't judge a book by its premise or the first few chapters.
Heath is looking for his dog in the early morning fog when he finds a very pregnant woman stranded on the road. He takes her home and brings her car to the shop. It was a good start to a book. I'd say it maintained it for about 18%. Heath is a widower, he lost his wife to cancer 14 months ago. Libby is very pregnant and her ex has no interest in taking care of her or the baby, throwing her over for another woman. She's poor and alone.
At 18% it starts to become clear that this hero is a mild asshole. I understand being grumpy, I actually can enjoy stories about grumpy men. Heath was widowed, and that makes him upset. But there's a line between being a grumpy man and being an asshole, and unfortunately Heath falls on the wrong side of it.
He gets into fights with Libby because he wants to boss her around. He even makes her cry. But then she still wants to be with him and thinks he's great? I found that hard to believe.
ANOTHER PROBLEM
Another main problem in this book besides Heath's mild assholery is the fact that everyone in this book is a complete nutter.
Yeah. Sure, Heath is a mild asshole and I don't like him, but I don't like Libby either. She is cruel and blunt about Heath's wife. She tells him point blank that his wife is dead, orders him to get over it and move on, and chooses to say stuff like this after they have sex for the first time. It's unnecessary and I really can't see many people being comfortable saying stuff like this to a man who is grieving.
Which is basically the whole problem with this book. The characters are nuts and do not act like normal, socialized human beings. The conversations they have, the things they say, the amount of badgering, interfering and bossing they do is at ridiculous levels, and no one bats an eye. Examples: Libby's father telling Libby she is going to marry a man he's picked out for her and she has been on ONE (bad) date with. Libby's parents being completely unreasonable assholes and then . Heath's mom taking in a 'stray' pregnant woman and then assuming her son will marry her and planning on her son marrying her and telling her son to marry her.
It's like, what the fuck? Everyone seems totally blind to Heath's overwhelming grief and very insistent that he 'move on' and marry another woman NOW. This isn't a historical. It's 2014 U.S.A. I found their behavior not only reprehensible, but beyond belief. It was bizarre. Another example would be the doctor delivering Libby's baby and then ORDERING Heath to be the father of it. I mean, obviously Heath is not the biological father, but when the baby's born the doctor is like, "Be a father to this baby. This woman is a single mom. They need a man, the baby and the woman will need support. So support them! Spend your lives together!" It's SO FUCKING BIZARRE. Not only is this extremely unprofessional, even for a 'small town,' but - like everyone else in the novel - it's none of his fucking business. Everyone EVERYONE from the hero and heroine down to random people at the grocery store seem intent on dictating other people's lives to them.
By the end of the book I had just given up. I couldn't care about any of the characters or what happened to them because - not only were they unpleasant - but they didn't act like human beings and nothing they said or did made any fucking sense. It was like watching a bizarre play put on by a child, or something. I'm used to small-town stereotyping (busybodies, everyone knowing each other) but even those stereotypes were taking to extreme caricature levels in this book, to the point where you couldn't take a single thing seriously anymore.
Every single person in this novel thinks they can tell other people how to live their lives. And that the other person should listen to them and obey them. From your mother to the clerk at the grocery store. It's audacious, to the level that it was unbelievable and ridiculous.
I don't want to feel bad for Heath, since I don't like him, but I do feel sorry for him. Every single person telling him to get over his wife's death, stop grieving, move on and marry a woman he just met on the side of the road is horrible. Not only is it none of their fucking business, but you can't just TELL people to stop grieving them and ORDER them to move on with their lives. It doesn't work like that. The fact that he doesn't hit anyone in this book or decide to move to another state shocks me. He must be very tolerant, but then everyone in this book is because I guess in this universe, dictating other's people's lives to them must be the normal, everyday accepted thing to do. o.O
HOW'S THE SEX, CARMEN?
Ugh. Not only am I uninterested in these two having sex since I dislike BOTH of them, but the sex was also bizarre. It takes place extremely quickly, and with no foreplay and with no foreshadowing. One minute they are casual, the next minute he's sticking his penis in her. And that's basically the whole sex scene, one sentence where it's like "She wrapped her legs around him and he entered her. The End." And I was like, "What?!" Frankly I was so surprised that I turned back a page and re-read the whole scene. It was shocking. It was sudden, no-foreplay sex that came out of nowhere and made no sense.
Then, of course, we have to suffer through the heroine gushing about how good the hero was in bed for the rest of the book. I was gobsmacked. HOW on Earth could she SAY that? I know, her ex is supposed to be a piece of trash, but surely her expectations for sex aren't SO incredibly low that a fuck that involves him just putting his penis inside her counts as good sex. o.O I mean.... I know this woman suffers from low self-esteem but ANYONE would be disappointed by this 'performance' if you can even call it such a thing. Fine, if the author wants to write that this is the sex scene and this is the way it played out between them, fine. Sometimes first times together aren't so hot or exciting or easy. But to then play it off like he's this wonderful lover is quite frankly disturbing and insulting.
I despair at these two being together. Hopeless. They'll just boss each other around for the rest of their lives and have bad sex. Joy to them, I guess.
I do have to give Altom a point for the awkward, terrible after-sex scene. Heath, of course, feels incredibly guilty for having the first sexual encounter after his wife's death. He's understandably upset. Libby, in a shocking display of blunt cruelty, basically just tells him to get over it. Here she is, immediately after sex:
"No - don't you dare say you're still with Patricia, because point of fact, like it or not, she's dead. No matter how hard you brood or pout or wish for her return, it's not going to happen, Heath. Meanwhile, here you are, very much alive, obviously with just as many needs as the rest of us mere mortals, yet there you go, running off to pretend what we shared didn't happen. Well - newsflash - it did! And having you inside me felt wonderful and life affirming and I'm not sorry! ... I don't mean to sound cruel, but you can't go on living this way, pining for your dead wife. It's not really living at all."
Now, I don't even like this guy. I think he's a jerk. But how on Earth could she treat him like this. It's beyond me. I can't imagine the sheer arrogance and self-centeredness that would be required for a person to say something like this to someone after sex. It's so heartless. Am I supposed to like this heroine?!!? She's horrible. HORRIBLE. And just because he's no catch either, doesn't make what she's doing here okay.
Worst of all, the book - the author - is telling us that all of this is good. It's good. He SHOULD 'get over' his dead wife. He SHOULD remarry some woman he found on the side of the road who is incredibly bossy and interfering. He SHOULD take her 'good advice' and just allow her to 'improve' his life by ordering him to do whatever she thinks is 'best for him.' Ugh, vomit.
And Heath engages in the EXACT SAME BEHAVIOR. It's less cruel, because Libby isn't a widow, but he also thinks he can order her to do things in life and she should obey because 'it's for her own good' and 'he knows what's best for her.'
This isn't a gender-thing in this book. EVERYONE acts this way to EVERYONE. Which is why I wasn't able to take this book seriously at all. The whole idea that people would tolerate this behavior and even encourage it with no backlash and no repercussions is quite frankly impossible to believe. No one has a human response of telling people to fuck off, telling people it's none of their fucking business, or ignoring the advice and not falling in line. Instead, they all obey and fall in line with everyone ordering them to make major life changes. It's SO WEIRD.
CAN YOU SAY ANYTHING GOOD ABOUT THE BOOK, CARMEN?
Yes. I like Altom's detailed, rich writing. She doesn't half-ass the writing, the way romance authors sometimes do. She makes sure to put a lot of description in her book. I enjoyed that. It makes the book feel more alive. You can picture things much better than when more reticent authors are writing things.
TL;DR Great premise, ruined by asshole MCs and bizarre, non-human behavior on the part of everyone involved. While Altom is great at setting the scene and describing her world, the world she's created is not one you want to spend any time in. Everyone is unpleasant, bossy, interfering and domineering. And that's accepted as normal and right. o.O
ROMANCE CATEGORIES
Contemporary Romance
Military Romance
Non-Virgin Heroine
Widower Hero
Pregnant Heroine
He's a Navy SEAL; She's a Pottery Maker.
Takes place in: Southern Oregon, U.S.A.
NAMES IN THIS BOOK:
February 27, 2015
This was a endearing book that really touched my heart. Navy Seal Heath is grieving the loss of his wife. His wife was the one person he loved more than anything in the world. It felt like he died along with her. His life has been a nothing but a dark hole. He was told by his commanding officer to take leave from the Navy, till he could do his job.
He is living in a small cabin in his hometown with his dog. His dog is his best friend. One day he can't find his dog. He has already lost his wife, he can't lose his dog too. He is in his truck, driving real slow calling for the dog, when a pregnant lady steps in the road. He slams on his breaks.
Libby was on her way home, when her car broke down. The one man that she loved, and the father of her baby broke her heart, and cheated on her. Libby's life is crazy right now, but she always sees the positive in every situation. I loved her positive attitude.
Libby told Heath how it was. He can't keep living in the past. He needed to be thankful for the people that loved him, and cared about him.
I loved how a town of strangers took Libby in. The love and support was overwhelming. I also loved getting to see Heath, and Libby fall in love slowly, page, by page. This really was a wonderful book that warmed my heart. Heath had to give himself permission to live, and love once again. Not ever forgetting his wife, or the time they shared. But letting her go, so he could move on. This was a heart wrenching journey for Heath. Libby Challenged Heath, and made him feel things he thought he would never feel again. Libby gave Heath reasons to smile again. It was hard to be all gloomy, when you were around Libby's sunny personality.
He is living in a small cabin in his hometown with his dog. His dog is his best friend. One day he can't find his dog. He has already lost his wife, he can't lose his dog too. He is in his truck, driving real slow calling for the dog, when a pregnant lady steps in the road. He slams on his breaks.
Libby was on her way home, when her car broke down. The one man that she loved, and the father of her baby broke her heart, and cheated on her. Libby's life is crazy right now, but she always sees the positive in every situation. I loved her positive attitude.
Libby told Heath how it was. He can't keep living in the past. He needed to be thankful for the people that loved him, and cared about him.
I loved how a town of strangers took Libby in. The love and support was overwhelming. I also loved getting to see Heath, and Libby fall in love slowly, page, by page. This really was a wonderful book that warmed my heart. Heath had to give himself permission to live, and love once again. Not ever forgetting his wife, or the time they shared. But letting her go, so he could move on. This was a heart wrenching journey for Heath. Libby Challenged Heath, and made him feel things he thought he would never feel again. Libby gave Heath reasons to smile again. It was hard to be all gloomy, when you were around Libby's sunny personality.
July 10, 2020
I really enjoyed this book and the way Heath looks after this beautiful pregnant lass that he finds on the side of the road. The way he swoops in and looks after Libby, and falls in love with her. I found this book very charming. A lovely romantic story to show you there are wonderful people out there in the land of romantic books :)
May 30, 2014
Good book. Both Heath and Libby have had losses in their lives, but each has dealt with them differently. Heath has emotionally shut down since the death of his wife. When he finds Libby on the side of the road his protective instincts come out enough that he offers her some help. However, when she also awakens some of those shut down emotions, all he can think about is getting her to move on as soon as possible. Libby is eight months pregnant and on her own after finding the man she thought she loved cheating on her. She'd already been kicked out by her parents, so she is pretty much alone. She fights back against her losses by trying to look on the bright side of things. One of those bright sides is the way that the people of Bent Road, especially Heath's mom, have taken her in.
I loved seeing Heath and Libby together. Libby is fiercely independent, but thanks to her circumstances realizes that she has to learn to accept help. Heath can't help but offer her that help - there's something about her that works its way past the walls he has erected around his heart. It seemed that every day she did something that would make him smile or laugh, but then he would feel guilty because he was alive and his wife wasn't. He fought the reawakening of his emotions so hard because he was really afraid to risk his heart again. I loved seeing Libby try to reach Heath. She was so comfortable with him from the very beginning, even when he was being a grouch. I really liked the way that his treatment of her showed her the difference between what she had thought was love and what love really was. She came to love him so much that it hurt her to see him deny himself the chance to love again. It was great to see her have the confidence in herself to stand up to him at the end and tell him what she wanted from him. It was his fears that kept him from accepting what she was offering. Poor Heath turned out to be something of a slow learner, but a conversation with a fellow SEAL's wife gave him a new way of looking at things. I loved seeing him finally get it right. I also loved the little twist at the end.
I loved seeing Heath and Libby together. Libby is fiercely independent, but thanks to her circumstances realizes that she has to learn to accept help. Heath can't help but offer her that help - there's something about her that works its way past the walls he has erected around his heart. It seemed that every day she did something that would make him smile or laugh, but then he would feel guilty because he was alive and his wife wasn't. He fought the reawakening of his emotions so hard because he was really afraid to risk his heart again. I loved seeing Libby try to reach Heath. She was so comfortable with him from the very beginning, even when he was being a grouch. I really liked the way that his treatment of her showed her the difference between what she had thought was love and what love really was. She came to love him so much that it hurt her to see him deny himself the chance to love again. It was great to see her have the confidence in herself to stand up to him at the end and tell him what she wanted from him. It was his fears that kept him from accepting what she was offering. Poor Heath turned out to be something of a slow learner, but a conversation with a fellow SEAL's wife gave him a new way of looking at things. I loved seeing him finally get it right. I also loved the little twist at the end.
January 10, 2017
I was mildly pleased by this novel of a grieving widower learning to love again. Heath Stone (a telling name if ever there was one) is a curmudgeon who’s reluctantly swayed by the beaming light of the cheerful Libby Dewitt, a neo-hippie with blue-blood family connections. Libby’s known her share of tough times, too, but she’s determined not to let it bother her too much—even though she has an illegitimate baby on the way.
Their romance is typical, with Heath pulled in by Libby’s sweet-faced charm and Libby intrigued by Heath’s air of brooding suffering. He’s surly but oh so charming and rugged.
What annoys me, however, is how the romance gets going. Heath and Libby find themselves kissing, much to Heath’s subsequent embarrassment and chagrin. They both try to brush it off as something that just “happened”. Then he dares Libby to go skinny-dipping with him and…well, you can guess what occurs then. Then Heath withdraws AGAIN, with the hasty babblings that he didn’t intend it, that it just “happened”. They both got naked in a pool, for goodness sakes! Did they not think that would have consequences?
This is completely intolerable, the kind of lazy, inadequate writing that you find in amateur fanfic writers. When will people get it through their heads that sex isn’t something that just happens? This is the excuse of drunkards, morons, the irresponsible, cheaters, liars or hormonal adolescents. It doesn’t just happen, especially to a man who’s been married before and knows well enough what occurs between sensuous, mature adults and a woman who’s carrying another man’s baby.
I don’t care for this kind of so-called romance that uses such cheap tactics to get the ball rolling between its leads. Surely, a seasoned writer can do better than this.
Their romance is typical, with Heath pulled in by Libby’s sweet-faced charm and Libby intrigued by Heath’s air of brooding suffering. He’s surly but oh so charming and rugged.
What annoys me, however, is how the romance gets going. Heath and Libby find themselves kissing, much to Heath’s subsequent embarrassment and chagrin. They both try to brush it off as something that just “happened”. Then he dares Libby to go skinny-dipping with him and…well, you can guess what occurs then. Then Heath withdraws AGAIN, with the hasty babblings that he didn’t intend it, that it just “happened”. They both got naked in a pool, for goodness sakes! Did they not think that would have consequences?
This is completely intolerable, the kind of lazy, inadequate writing that you find in amateur fanfic writers. When will people get it through their heads that sex isn’t something that just happens? This is the excuse of drunkards, morons, the irresponsible, cheaters, liars or hormonal adolescents. It doesn’t just happen, especially to a man who’s been married before and knows well enough what occurs between sensuous, mature adults and a woman who’s carrying another man’s baby.
I don’t care for this kind of so-called romance that uses such cheap tactics to get the ball rolling between its leads. Surely, a seasoned writer can do better than this.
June 10, 2014
The Seal's Baby(Operation:Family) by Laura Marie Altom kept my interest from the first page and was a wonderful read. This book tugs at the heart. It has a grieving Navy Seal, Heath Stone, who has been relieved of his duties and just wants to be left alone after his wife dies. A woman, Libby Dewitt, who is stranded after her car breaks down and is 8 months pregnant. Heath comes upon Libby after she is stranded and feels the need to help her. A great supporting cast of characters adds to
this book. Along with the reason Libby is estranged from her parents and the circumstances leading Libby's being pregnant. You need to read this book to see how Heath and Libby find their HEA, you will not be disappointed, I wasn't. I am looking forward to reading more books from Laura Marie Altom.
this book. Along with the reason Libby is estranged from her parents and the circumstances leading Libby's being pregnant. You need to read this book to see how Heath and Libby find their HEA, you will not be disappointed, I wasn't. I am looking forward to reading more books from Laura Marie Altom.
May 18, 2014
I'd love to read a Laura Marie Altom over a period of a few days, but alas I don't think it will happen. Like all her previous books once I started I couldn't put it down.
Libby is such a lovable character and I love the way Heath comes out of his grief. It was gr8 to see Mason and Hattie. I loved the sense of community as well..oh and the way Libby took charge of life from her parents. Brilliant book, as usual.
Libby is such a lovable character and I love the way Heath comes out of his grief. It was gr8 to see Mason and Hattie. I loved the sense of community as well..oh and the way Libby took charge of life from her parents. Brilliant book, as usual.
April 30, 2014
a great read,held my interest from start to finish.i enjoyed the warm feeling of Heaths family and friends.Libby fit in so well.i loved Libbys positive attitude through all she has been through.i liked how her humor could get through to Heath and make him come back to living after his wife died.A MUST READ.
June 14, 2014
Loved this book! Laura Marie Altom knows how to definitely write about the tortured SEAL. Heath Stone isn't looking for love. He has loved, lost love and doesn't want to go there again. He has no idea how much Libby Dewitt and her daughter Heather will wrap themselves around his heart. This was the first book I've read by Laura and I will definitely be looking forward to reading more.
January 21, 2015
I'm not normally a fan of stories where a woman pregnant with one man's baby, falls for another man. This one, however, was tastefully done and made for an enjoyable story. It also had the added benefit of being one in a series about SEALs and familiar characters play supporting roles.
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June 30, 2016"It’s easy for readers to understand these characters’ fear of loving again. Their second chance makes for a moving and heartfelt romance (RT Book Reviews)". 4 stars
Miniseries: Operation: Family
Miniseries: Operation: Family
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