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Lone Star Cowboy League #2
A Doctor for the Nanny
A Season for Healing
As Little Horn, Texas, prepares for Thanksgiving, Dr. Tyler Grainger tries to count his blessings. Returning to his family's ranch brings bittersweet memories of the sister he lost. But one thing he can be grateful for is Eva Brooks, who's just become the nanny for her cousin's baby. Tyler is glad to offer advice, but when his late sister's f horse is stolen, Eva's the one who helps him cope. Tyler's past heartache urges him to ride off into the sunset—alone. Yet the holiday season offers hope that the good doctor may have finally found a woman to heal his heart.
As Little Horn, Texas, prepares for Thanksgiving, Dr. Tyler Grainger tries to count his blessings. Returning to his family's ranch brings bittersweet memories of the sister he lost. But one thing he can be grateful for is Eva Brooks, who's just become the nanny for her cousin's baby. Tyler is glad to offer advice, but when his late sister's f horse is stolen, Eva's the one who helps him cope. Tyler's past heartache urges him to ride off into the sunset—alone. Yet the holiday season offers hope that the good doctor may have finally found a woman to heal his heart.
224 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published October 20, 2015
54 people are currently reading
123 people want to read
About the author
Leigh Bale
60 books107 followersLeigh Bale is Publisher's Weekly best selling author. She won the prestigious RWA Golden Heart in 2006 and was a finalist for the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence, the Write Touch Reader's Award and the Bookseller's Best Award. She is the daughter of a retired U.S. forest ranger, holds a B.A. in History with honors and loves spending time with family, weeding the garden with her dog Sophie, and watching the little sagebrush lizards that live in her rock flowerbeds. You can reach Leigh at www.LeighBale.com.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
October 27, 2015
But the biggest mistake of all, the one she'd never repeat again, was falling in love. Never would she trust another man with her deepest, darkest secret. Never would she hope that he would love her for herself and not the children she could never give him.
I don't usually read Christian romances, but this was free. And I thought, "Why not."
Eva Brooks is a huge klutz. She can't cook worth a damn, she has a tendency to break everything and she's very clumsy. But she really wants to help out while living on her cousin's ranch.
She has nowhere else to go. She was abandoned at the alter six months ago by her fiancé when he couldn't deal with the fact that she's unable to have children. After a tragic bull-goring accident at age 16, she was rendered infertile. (Yes, I said "bull-goring accident.")
This makes her very upset to be around children. But after a three-month baby is abandoned at the ranch - the product of one of her male cousin's one-night-stands, probably - Eva is pressured into becoming a nanny. She ends up loving little baby Cody. But she's sad and upset that she'll never have a family of her own one day.
You could say, "What about adoption?" But Eva's convinced that the men in her small town are only interested in having biological children.
In this small community, most of the ranchers valued family and children above everything else. Except their land and cattle, which they wanted to pass on to their kids one day. If she couldn't have children, what good was she? No man in the area would ever want her. And she wasn't about to leave town. She loved Little Horn. She'd been born and raised here. The thought of leaving to try to find a husband left her feeling cold and empty inside.
She really believes this. That no man will accept adoption and that she is worthless because she is unable to have kids. She resigns herself to being single for the rest of her life, even though she really wants a family.
Our hero is Dr. Tyler Grainger, a doctor from the big city (Austin) who is working out a one-year-contract in his little hometown. When he told his financée, Kayla, that he was working for a year in the sticks, she unceremoniously dumped him. (Which seems strange to me, but okay.)
But he doubted he'd ever find another woman to love. He couldn't trust himself to that kind of heartache again.
He's a pediatrician because his little sister Jenny died when he was 17 and she was 10. He's never gotten over it, and he's haunted by what happened to Jenny to this day. That's why he dedicated his life to saving children's lives and keeping them healthy.
...
So that's your basic love story. But on top of that, we have all kinds of soap opera shenanigans going on.
This happens on page 16
"Any news yet on who the baby's mama is?"...
"No, nothing since Ben found him on our doorstep with nothing more than a blanket to tell us his name. If only Ben hadn't had that horrible accident right afterward. And now he's lying in the hospital in a coma."
This was me: o.O
We have:
- a mysterious cattle rustler who is stealing livestock and machinery from local farms.
- A mysterious benefactor who is gifting (new) straw, hay, and livestock to poor farmers in the area.
- A three-month old baby that appears on the doorstep with a mysterious note saying: "Your baby, your turn."
- Cousin Ben is in a coma after a horse-riding accident. We don't know if the baby is his.
- Cousin Grady is fighting over in Afghanistan. We don't know if the baby is his.
NONE of these issues are resolved in the book. NONE OF THEM.
This is a miniseries (although it's not listed as one on GR) called Lone Star Cowboy League.
1.) A Reunion for the Rancher
2.) This book.
3.) A Ranger for the Holidays
4.) A Family for the Soldier
5.) A Daddy for Her Triplets
6.) A Baby for the Rancher
So, the only story that gets resolved is the love story between Tyler and Eva. If you want to know what happens to everyone else, I guess you'll have to finish out the miniseries.
Let's talk about the love story.
This book is very tame, gentle, and moderate. Eva gets excited by things like seeing Tyler eat a grape and nod pleasantly.
Heading for the door to the living room, Tyler reached out and snatched a grape out of a bowl sitting on the counter. He popped the fruit into his mouth and grinned. With a pleasant nod, he exited the room.
Watching him go, Eva felt a melting warmth flood her veins.
Tyler, on the other hand, is very turned-on by things like Eva's shapely ankles.
He gazed at her trim ankles, thinking there must be oodles of men lined up at her door.
Yes. Sexy ankles bring all the boys to the yard.
LOL I'm just kind of poking fun. Actually, the book was better than I expected.
How's the religion, Carmen?
Good! I was not confronted with any messages that made me uncomfortable in this book. It didn't say that women who had sex before marriage were sluts, it didn't gay-bash, it didn't do any of the more hateful things Christianity can be used to do.
The religion here was mainly trust in God, and a rather small subplot about Eva bringing Tyler back to the church. He lost his faith when his sister died. This is often a feature of Christian romances - the strong faith of one partner brings the "lost" partner back into the fold of Christ.
"I don't know all the answers, but I know God has a plan for each of us. You're wrong, Tyler Grainger," Eva said. "God loves all of us. We may not see His plan for our lives, but He knows. It's our duty to be patient and trust Him. He'll take care of everything for us, if we just have faith."
"Yeah, well, that's fine for you, but not for me."
How's the sex, Carmen?
Well, there is no sex, since this is a Christian romance novel and it would be a sin for these two people to have sex before getting married.
I was worried there would be no kissing. I am fine with the no-sex-clause if I am reading a Christian romance - I respect and support people's right not to have sex until after marriage. But if there's no kissing in a book, I am disappointed and sad. You've gotta throw me some kissing or I can't get into the book.
Fortunately for me, Bale seems to be okay with having the couple kiss before the wedding.
There's only one described kiss.
Here it is:
Strong emotions she couldn't describe crashed over her. What was happening? What was wrong with her?
He kissed her. A swift, gentle caress that made her mind swirl in giddy abandonment.
Without thinking, she lifted a hand and rested it against his chest, just over his heart. She planned to push him away, but her mind betrayed her. Instead, her fingers curled around the soft cambric cloth of his shirt and she pulled him in closer.
That's it, that's the whole kiss. That's the sum of kissing in the book, except the part when And her MIND betrayed her. Not "her traitorous body," the trope that's so popular nowadays. LOL
However, I was a little bit peeved that the kiss of the book came at a kind of inopportune moment, right after That's no time for kissing! And believe me, I love kissing and think every time is a time for kissing, but here I was just frustrated. I wished it had been a more peaceful and private time when they had kissing.
It's really sweet to see Tyler trying to tackle Eva's insecurity about her infertile body.
Tyler's heart gave a powerful thump. He couldn't imagine giving up on Eva just because she couldn't have children. It wasn't her fault. And it'd be cruel to cast her aside because of it. If she were his fiancée, she'd be his prize. Children were just an expression of the love he would have for her. Nothing would ever take precedence over her. Not for him. Not ever. (Not sure about calling her "his prize," this seems kind of questionable to me.)
When he tries to convince her to marry him and she flat out refuses - convinced she's saving him from later heartache - I thought he was going to stay and fight for her like a man. I was excited. But then, Bale has him planning to leave back to Austin anyway, instead of staying and fighting for his love. :(
Everything turns out alright in the end, and he mans up eventually, but I expected a bit more from him earlier on.
The book is also focused on the fact that Eva can't cook. There are a lot of statements like, "Well, she's a great person even if she can't cook." And "I find her attractive even though she can't even make a pot of coffee." Etc. etc. I know this is a small town full of good Christian folk, but come on. Not every woman is going to be skilled in the kitchen. I found it rather amusing that this was such a big deal in the book. (Better than getting angry.)
Tyler's NOT bossy and controlling (which is another issue that sometimes crops up in Christian romances - the submission thing - although I'd be lying if I said it wasn't a huge, huge and much bigger problem in secular romance (o.O)) he is good at letting Eva be her own person and do her own thing. And he's respectful and good with consent.
There's also a really strange vibe about "not exposing women and children to arguments and angry people." Every time Byron McKay (who Eva constantly describes as a big, angry man while clutching her baby protectively) shows up and starts arguing with the more pleasant citizens of the little town, Eva stresses out about exposing the baby to this kind of emotional display and Tyler worries about Eva being somewhere where anger is shown.
This rather baffles me. I can understand about the baby - yelling and arguments might disturb the baby, theoretically - but Tyler's concern that Eva is never exposed to angry people throws me for a loop. She's grown. I'm sure she can handle people having an argument without, I don't know, fainting or having trouble breathing. I don't like when heroes infantilize the heroine like this.
No doubt she hadn't liked the loud voices and arguments. Neither had Tyler. For some reason, he wished she hadn't come here tonight. As a member of the investigation team, it was important for her to be here and participate, but he wished she hadn't witnessed all the anger in the room. He wanted to protect her. To keep her safe.
They're just disagreeing at the town council meeting. Chill out, Tyler.
Tl;dr - But my complaints about the book are minor. For a Christian romance novel, this is actually pretty good.
- It is pro-adoption. I like that.
- It is NOT about Amish people. I like that.
- There's none of the more damaging "Christian" (I'm putting these in quotes because I don't think these are really Christian) messages in here, such as premarital-sex-equals-hell or gay-people-are-going-to-hell or anything like that.
- There is kissing.
- The love story is sweet.
All in all, if you are looking for a Christian, positive, gentle book that features two people falling in love, you could do a lot worse than this.
THREE REAL STARS, THREE ROMANCE STARS
P.S. Oh, Love Inspired. This is a Christian Harlequin line of books, in case you were wondering.
Here's the description:
You believe hearts can heal. Love Inspired stories show that faith, forgiveness and hope have the power to lift spirits and change lives — always.
That's from Harlequin's website. Now you know what's up.
I don't usually read Christian romances, but this was free. And I thought, "Why not."
Eva Brooks is a huge klutz. She can't cook worth a damn, she has a tendency to break everything and she's very clumsy. But she really wants to help out while living on her cousin's ranch.
She has nowhere else to go. She was abandoned at the alter six months ago by her fiancé when he couldn't deal with the fact that she's unable to have children. After a tragic bull-goring accident at age 16, she was rendered infertile. (Yes, I said "bull-goring accident.")
This makes her very upset to be around children. But after a three-month baby is abandoned at the ranch - the product of one of her male cousin's one-night-stands, probably - Eva is pressured into becoming a nanny. She ends up loving little baby Cody. But she's sad and upset that she'll never have a family of her own one day.
You could say, "What about adoption?" But Eva's convinced that the men in her small town are only interested in having biological children.
In this small community, most of the ranchers valued family and children above everything else. Except their land and cattle, which they wanted to pass on to their kids one day. If she couldn't have children, what good was she? No man in the area would ever want her. And she wasn't about to leave town. She loved Little Horn. She'd been born and raised here. The thought of leaving to try to find a husband left her feeling cold and empty inside.
She really believes this. That no man will accept adoption and that she is worthless because she is unable to have kids. She resigns herself to being single for the rest of her life, even though she really wants a family.
Our hero is Dr. Tyler Grainger, a doctor from the big city (Austin) who is working out a one-year-contract in his little hometown. When he told his financée, Kayla, that he was working for a year in the sticks, she unceremoniously dumped him. (Which seems strange to me, but okay.)
But he doubted he'd ever find another woman to love. He couldn't trust himself to that kind of heartache again.
He's a pediatrician because his little sister Jenny died when he was 17 and she was 10. He's never gotten over it, and he's haunted by what happened to Jenny to this day. That's why he dedicated his life to saving children's lives and keeping them healthy.
...
So that's your basic love story. But on top of that, we have all kinds of soap opera shenanigans going on.
This happens on page 16
"Any news yet on who the baby's mama is?"...
"No, nothing since Ben found him on our doorstep with nothing more than a blanket to tell us his name. If only Ben hadn't had that horrible accident right afterward. And now he's lying in the hospital in a coma."
This was me: o.O
We have:
- a mysterious cattle rustler who is stealing livestock and machinery from local farms.
- A mysterious benefactor who is gifting (new) straw, hay, and livestock to poor farmers in the area.
- A three-month old baby that appears on the doorstep with a mysterious note saying: "Your baby, your turn."
- Cousin Ben is in a coma after a horse-riding accident. We don't know if the baby is his.
- Cousin Grady is fighting over in Afghanistan. We don't know if the baby is his.
NONE of these issues are resolved in the book. NONE OF THEM.
This is a miniseries (although it's not listed as one on GR) called Lone Star Cowboy League.
1.) A Reunion for the Rancher
2.) This book.
3.) A Ranger for the Holidays
4.) A Family for the Soldier
5.) A Daddy for Her Triplets
6.) A Baby for the Rancher
So, the only story that gets resolved is the love story between Tyler and Eva. If you want to know what happens to everyone else, I guess you'll have to finish out the miniseries.
Let's talk about the love story.
This book is very tame, gentle, and moderate. Eva gets excited by things like seeing Tyler eat a grape and nod pleasantly.
Heading for the door to the living room, Tyler reached out and snatched a grape out of a bowl sitting on the counter. He popped the fruit into his mouth and grinned. With a pleasant nod, he exited the room.
Watching him go, Eva felt a melting warmth flood her veins.
Tyler, on the other hand, is very turned-on by things like Eva's shapely ankles.
He gazed at her trim ankles, thinking there must be oodles of men lined up at her door.
Yes. Sexy ankles bring all the boys to the yard.
LOL I'm just kind of poking fun. Actually, the book was better than I expected.
How's the religion, Carmen?
Good! I was not confronted with any messages that made me uncomfortable in this book. It didn't say that women who had sex before marriage were sluts, it didn't gay-bash, it didn't do any of the more hateful things Christianity can be used to do.
The religion here was mainly trust in God, and a rather small subplot about Eva bringing Tyler back to the church. He lost his faith when his sister died. This is often a feature of Christian romances - the strong faith of one partner brings the "lost" partner back into the fold of Christ.
"I don't know all the answers, but I know God has a plan for each of us. You're wrong, Tyler Grainger," Eva said. "God loves all of us. We may not see His plan for our lives, but He knows. It's our duty to be patient and trust Him. He'll take care of everything for us, if we just have faith."
"Yeah, well, that's fine for you, but not for me."
How's the sex, Carmen?
Well, there is no sex, since this is a Christian romance novel and it would be a sin for these two people to have sex before getting married.
I was worried there would be no kissing. I am fine with the no-sex-clause if I am reading a Christian romance - I respect and support people's right not to have sex until after marriage. But if there's no kissing in a book, I am disappointed and sad. You've gotta throw me some kissing or I can't get into the book.
Fortunately for me, Bale seems to be okay with having the couple kiss before the wedding.
There's only one described kiss.
Here it is:
Strong emotions she couldn't describe crashed over her. What was happening? What was wrong with her?
He kissed her. A swift, gentle caress that made her mind swirl in giddy abandonment.
Without thinking, she lifted a hand and rested it against his chest, just over his heart. She planned to push him away, but her mind betrayed her. Instead, her fingers curled around the soft cambric cloth of his shirt and she pulled him in closer.
That's it, that's the whole kiss. That's the sum of kissing in the book, except the part when And her MIND betrayed her. Not "her traitorous body," the trope that's so popular nowadays. LOL
However, I was a little bit peeved that the kiss of the book came at a kind of inopportune moment, right after That's no time for kissing! And believe me, I love kissing and think every time is a time for kissing, but here I was just frustrated. I wished it had been a more peaceful and private time when they had kissing.
It's really sweet to see Tyler trying to tackle Eva's insecurity about her infertile body.
Tyler's heart gave a powerful thump. He couldn't imagine giving up on Eva just because she couldn't have children. It wasn't her fault. And it'd be cruel to cast her aside because of it. If she were his fiancée, she'd be his prize. Children were just an expression of the love he would have for her. Nothing would ever take precedence over her. Not for him. Not ever. (Not sure about calling her "his prize," this seems kind of questionable to me.)
When he tries to convince her to marry him and she flat out refuses - convinced she's saving him from later heartache - I thought he was going to stay and fight for her like a man. I was excited. But then, Bale has him planning to leave back to Austin anyway, instead of staying and fighting for his love. :(
Everything turns out alright in the end, and he mans up eventually, but I expected a bit more from him earlier on.
The book is also focused on the fact that Eva can't cook. There are a lot of statements like, "Well, she's a great person even if she can't cook." And "I find her attractive even though she can't even make a pot of coffee." Etc. etc. I know this is a small town full of good Christian folk, but come on. Not every woman is going to be skilled in the kitchen. I found it rather amusing that this was such a big deal in the book. (Better than getting angry.)
Tyler's NOT bossy and controlling (which is another issue that sometimes crops up in Christian romances - the submission thing - although I'd be lying if I said it wasn't a huge, huge and much bigger problem in secular romance (o.O)) he is good at letting Eva be her own person and do her own thing. And he's respectful and good with consent.
There's also a really strange vibe about "not exposing women and children to arguments and angry people." Every time Byron McKay (who Eva constantly describes as a big, angry man while clutching her baby protectively) shows up and starts arguing with the more pleasant citizens of the little town, Eva stresses out about exposing the baby to this kind of emotional display and Tyler worries about Eva being somewhere where anger is shown.
This rather baffles me. I can understand about the baby - yelling and arguments might disturb the baby, theoretically - but Tyler's concern that Eva is never exposed to angry people throws me for a loop. She's grown. I'm sure she can handle people having an argument without, I don't know, fainting or having trouble breathing. I don't like when heroes infantilize the heroine like this.
No doubt she hadn't liked the loud voices and arguments. Neither had Tyler. For some reason, he wished she hadn't come here tonight. As a member of the investigation team, it was important for her to be here and participate, but he wished she hadn't witnessed all the anger in the room. He wanted to protect her. To keep her safe.
They're just disagreeing at the town council meeting. Chill out, Tyler.
Tl;dr - But my complaints about the book are minor. For a Christian romance novel, this is actually pretty good.
- It is pro-adoption. I like that.
- It is NOT about Amish people. I like that.
- There's none of the more damaging "Christian" (I'm putting these in quotes because I don't think these are really Christian) messages in here, such as premarital-sex-equals-hell or gay-people-are-going-to-hell or anything like that.
- There is kissing.
- The love story is sweet.
All in all, if you are looking for a Christian, positive, gentle book that features two people falling in love, you could do a lot worse than this.
THREE REAL STARS, THREE ROMANCE STARS
P.S. Oh, Love Inspired. This is a Christian Harlequin line of books, in case you were wondering.
Here's the description:
You believe hearts can heal. Love Inspired stories show that faith, forgiveness and hope have the power to lift spirits and change lives — always.
That's from Harlequin's website. Now you know what's up.
September 14, 2015
A Doctor for the Nanny is by Leigh Bale. It is a Lone Star Cowboy League novel. Since it is an inspirational romance, language, sexual content, and language are all clean. It makes for a wholesome read and one you do not have to skip parts that make you uncomfortable. It takes place in Texas.
Although she is loved and accepted on the Stillwater Ranch, Eva Brooks still fills like an outsider. She is just the cousin they took in when she had no other place to go. She hadn’t found her calling yet; but knew it had nothing to do with cooking or waitressing. She felt like a failure. Having her fiancé leave her at the altar didn’t help at all. Now, her latest in food preparation had failed. Where could she find her niche?
Dr. Tyler Grainger has returned to Little Horn to fulfill his promise. The town had helped him get his medical degree and he had been there for his year to practice pediatric medicine. Now he would go back to Austin after Thanksgiving. He had come to Stillwater Ranch at the request of Aunt Mamie. She was concerned about the baby someone had left on her doorstep claiming it was one of the twins’ baby. One twin was in Afghanistan and one was in a coma. Meanwhile, it fell on elderly Aunt Mamie to care for the baby. He diagnosed colic and then he and Mamie decided she needed help with the baby.
While Tyler and Miss Mamie were talking, they left Eva with the crying baby to dress. She had no experience with babies at all; but managed to get him dressed then sat down to rock him. He quit crying almost immediately. Everyone was totally surprised and Tyler hired her on the spot to be Cody’s nanny.
No one asked Eva’s opinion and no one knew her secret. She would be the last one they should choose to trust with the baby. Can she do this alone?
Although she is loved and accepted on the Stillwater Ranch, Eva Brooks still fills like an outsider. She is just the cousin they took in when she had no other place to go. She hadn’t found her calling yet; but knew it had nothing to do with cooking or waitressing. She felt like a failure. Having her fiancé leave her at the altar didn’t help at all. Now, her latest in food preparation had failed. Where could she find her niche?
Dr. Tyler Grainger has returned to Little Horn to fulfill his promise. The town had helped him get his medical degree and he had been there for his year to practice pediatric medicine. Now he would go back to Austin after Thanksgiving. He had come to Stillwater Ranch at the request of Aunt Mamie. She was concerned about the baby someone had left on her doorstep claiming it was one of the twins’ baby. One twin was in Afghanistan and one was in a coma. Meanwhile, it fell on elderly Aunt Mamie to care for the baby. He diagnosed colic and then he and Mamie decided she needed help with the baby.
While Tyler and Miss Mamie were talking, they left Eva with the crying baby to dress. She had no experience with babies at all; but managed to get him dressed then sat down to rock him. He quit crying almost immediately. Everyone was totally surprised and Tyler hired her on the spot to be Cody’s nanny.
No one asked Eva’s opinion and no one knew her secret. She would be the last one they should choose to trust with the baby. Can she do this alone?
April 28, 2023
With Leigh Bale, it's either four stars ('Wow, that was really good!') or one star ('What the HECK was this crap?!') and there. is. no. middle. ground.
This? Was a mess. A hot, ridiculous, badly-written mess. It's the second book in a series with a continuing theme - the Lone Star League trying to solve a series of thefts. Except Bale threw the concept of continuity completely out the window and wrecked the 'series' thing before it even got started. Which is damn crappy, if you ask me.
In the first book, Derek Donovan was the prime suspect. In this book? Derek never *ONCE* is mentioned, never appears, and Bale never mentions the wrong-side-of-the-tracks unresolved romance he had going, either.
Likewise in the first book, Iva Donovan (Derek's grandmother and family matriarch) is a member of the Lone Star League, beloved by the community and is suffering from Parkinson's, deteriorating at an alarming rate. Bale chucks her RIGHT out the window, too - nary a mention of her, not at the meetings, not at church, not anywhere.
Instead, Bale inserts her *OWN* version of Iva in Aunt Mamie (the new heroine's grandmother/family matriarch). I swear, the two elderly women are interchangeable - adamant about the family holdings, tiny with a strand of steel running thru them... WRITE. SOMETHING. NEW. AND. INTERESTING, for the love of all that's holy, Bale!!
"Miss Mamie is the only woman I'm actually afraid of displeasing," Tyler says. What about Iva?!?!?
Or better still? Try reading the FIRST book so you know what to include in YOURS and what not to copy to make the experience better for the readers, maybe????
Tyler is an ex-local who got a scholarship to be a doctor via the Lone Star League. He'd promised to practice medicine for a year in town, as a part of his agreement in accepting the scholarship. He's weeks from leaving when the book opens, but hey - that's the BEST TIME to join the Lone Star League, and not only that, but the Theft Investigation Group within the League. Because the author says so. (((sigh.)))
And by the way, the Bale starts the book saying he has a 'deep' voice, then says 'a voice that rumbles like thunder', then says 'his low bass' voice... but then halfway thru the book, he somehow miraculously sings baritone at church. Cuz... WHY?! No editor, author who doesn't re-read her work before turning it in? Not sure, but people's ranges don't typically change.
The heroine is Eva, who pretty much does nothing. She can't cook, lost her job, didn't plan on getting another, moved in to mooch off'n her family, and... VOILA! on hand to play nanny to the baby left on her cousin's doorstep. A baby with colic, but never fear, it's 4-months old, and that's when babies grow out of colic (I had one with colic/severe reflux, experience talking). But the doctor attributes the baby's sudden change from screaming monster to angelic cooing cherub to EVAAAAAA... because she's just sooooooooo awesome with da babyzzzz! Everyone assures her that it's her 'way' with da babyzzz that does it. ((O-o))
Eva is a disaster. She was jilted at the altar because she's barren (gored by a bull!?). So she doesn't want anything to do with the baby, because it's not hers and reminds her of her pain, and nobody wants to adopt with her, so she "can never marry or have a home" (pg 116). (!?!?!) Drama, much? People marry and have homes with NO children, actually. It's a thing. No really.
Tyler tells her he's the 'last of his line' and 'he plans on carrying on the family name'... but both Bale and Eva apparently don't register the words, because they NEVER come back up, again. And hey, that would be the DRIVING REASON Eva wouldn't get anywhere near Tyler, if the book were true to character. Which it isn't. Bale has Eva running to Tyler, sidling up to Tyler, spending allz her time with Tyler the ENTIRE BOOK, instead. Which... does not flow. At all. If a girl can't have babies and the man makes the comment he wants to carry on his line? She would *NOT* be panting across the room for him. She'd run - hard and fast.
More, for a nanny, Eva sure doesn't have the baby much. She joins the Theft Investigation Team and is running off to meetings, out hanging surveillance cameras, participating in an all-night stake-out, followed the next day by an investigative meeting, on top of the League meetings... FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES, THIS IS A NURSING MOTHER neither the sheriff, the League officer, or the pediatrician love interest would be on-board with this.
I kid you not, she traipses off to town without the baby ALL. THE. TIME. It's ridiculous. She goes to the hospital to visit Ben without the baby, goes to see Tyler without the baby... She volunteers to decorate *AND* break down a banquet, and the next morning leaves the baby 'for a few hours' because 'she needs time alone'. This woman? Has nothing BUT me-time. She's horrible.
But then, at the LEAST appropriate times? BAYBEEEEEEE!!! Like in the pew at church - hello, there is such a thing as a nursery? At four months, the baby can definitely go to nursery instead of being in a service. Or when she takes the baby along and is passing it around during the League meeting - BAYBEEE!! How. About. No?!?!!?
And who caramelizes onions on a stovetop when there's a roasting pan in the oven, hello?! PUT the ONIONS in with the ROAST, for the love of Mike...!! That makes NO sense, at all.
Pg 16: "the one thing she wanted in life most and could never have was children". Pg 17: Eva didn't want to love... any child, for that matter. MAKE. UP. YOUR. MIND!!!!!
Byron is the bad guy in all of these books, apparently, and each author makes him more disgustingly awful than the last. But honestly? The points he makes, everyone else makes later, and it's WRONG when he does it, but okay when they do??? Like at the first meeting he suggests that the benevolent gifts to poor ranchers going on at the same time as the random thefts are likely related. When *he* says it, they're all, "What an arse!" Then pg 139 (AND 191, and 203), and they're all suggesting it. In fact, when Eva brings it up, they call her a 'smart lady'. WHAT. IS. THAT?!
Bale writes that Eva is worried about her make-up when Tyler comes over. She only put on blush and mascara. WHO puts on blush and not lipstick or gloss? Please? Anyone??
And when it looks like Tyler's about to lose his first patient, Eva is L'il Miss Platitudes: "It's always darkest before the dawn". !!! Seriously. You're serious, here? Because... that's cold, going for idioms. Niiiiice. At least Byron speaks from the heart, and not Bill Gaither lyrics.
Tyler's dead sister's horse is stolen by the rustlers. So far, dozens of people have been ripped off in these books, and NONE of it has been returned. But for some reason Bale has the horse returned... to the field on EVA'S property where their tempermental bull is penned. First, WHY would anyone return that horse and no other sentimental things? Carson's mom's only trophy was stolen, but he didn't get THAT back.
MORE, why put the horse in the bull pen at a completely different farm? Other than because Bale sayz so, and wants Eva to face a bull down to somehow overcome her fear of... goring? I don't think I even want to know. NONE of it makes sense. At all. Who puts an old, vulnerable mare in with a moody, virile BULL?!?!?
Then Tyler elects to ditch his partners in Austin and the FDA grant they were going to get studying vaccines and autism (like THAT's not already being done?)... so's he can stay and luvvvvv Eva. Except Bale can't leave it at that - noooo. Actually, she writes, the FDA is gonna let Tyler do his OWN private studies of rural vaccine/autism stuff. That's not how it works - that's not how ANY of it works.
I won't *even* get into how anti-vaxx I am and how the rhetoric of 'how important injecting poisons into children' is actually uninspiring. There's so much I'm aggravated by, already, that would just be a freakin' huge cherry on top, so let's skip it.
Tyler 'does the right thing' and prostrates himself on both knees to propose to Eva. Except... Biblically speaking, Mordecai said to Haman that anyone who serves the Lord would never prostrate himself before man. And God blessed him for his devotion to the Lord. So... is prostrating yourself before man really the right thing? My Bible says no. As in... mmmmno.
So was this good? Ab.so.lute.ly NOT. It was awful. Eva is the last person on earth *anyone* wants to marry. The League are being turned into a bunch of judgmental, gossipy nasties I wouldn't want to have anything to do with (and if I were Byron, I'd walk away. You don't need their crap.) The continuity was never carried from book one to book two, and the story straight up sucked.
More? Nothing is resolved. Ben's still in the coma, nobody even knows if Derek's still suspect #1, the thieves are still unidentified, the League is still a mess, and the storyline is still dragging like a bad soap opera episode.
Annnnnnd... I have four more of these. Lord, give me strength...
This? Was a mess. A hot, ridiculous, badly-written mess. It's the second book in a series with a continuing theme - the Lone Star League trying to solve a series of thefts. Except Bale threw the concept of continuity completely out the window and wrecked the 'series' thing before it even got started. Which is damn crappy, if you ask me.
In the first book, Derek Donovan was the prime suspect. In this book? Derek never *ONCE* is mentioned, never appears, and Bale never mentions the wrong-side-of-the-tracks unresolved romance he had going, either.
Likewise in the first book, Iva Donovan (Derek's grandmother and family matriarch) is a member of the Lone Star League, beloved by the community and is suffering from Parkinson's, deteriorating at an alarming rate. Bale chucks her RIGHT out the window, too - nary a mention of her, not at the meetings, not at church, not anywhere.
Instead, Bale inserts her *OWN* version of Iva in Aunt Mamie (the new heroine's grandmother/family matriarch). I swear, the two elderly women are interchangeable - adamant about the family holdings, tiny with a strand of steel running thru them... WRITE. SOMETHING. NEW. AND. INTERESTING, for the love of all that's holy, Bale!!
"Miss Mamie is the only woman I'm actually afraid of displeasing," Tyler says. What about Iva?!?!?
Or better still? Try reading the FIRST book so you know what to include in YOURS and what not to copy to make the experience better for the readers, maybe????
Tyler is an ex-local who got a scholarship to be a doctor via the Lone Star League. He'd promised to practice medicine for a year in town, as a part of his agreement in accepting the scholarship. He's weeks from leaving when the book opens, but hey - that's the BEST TIME to join the Lone Star League, and not only that, but the Theft Investigation Group within the League. Because the author says so. (((sigh.)))
And by the way, the Bale starts the book saying he has a 'deep' voice, then says 'a voice that rumbles like thunder', then says 'his low bass' voice... but then halfway thru the book, he somehow miraculously sings baritone at church. Cuz... WHY?! No editor, author who doesn't re-read her work before turning it in? Not sure, but people's ranges don't typically change.
The heroine is Eva, who pretty much does nothing. She can't cook, lost her job, didn't plan on getting another, moved in to mooch off'n her family, and... VOILA! on hand to play nanny to the baby left on her cousin's doorstep. A baby with colic, but never fear, it's 4-months old, and that's when babies grow out of colic (I had one with colic/severe reflux, experience talking). But the doctor attributes the baby's sudden change from screaming monster to angelic cooing cherub to EVAAAAAA... because she's just sooooooooo awesome with da babyzzzz! Everyone assures her that it's her 'way' with da babyzzz that does it. ((O-o))
Eva is a disaster. She was jilted at the altar because she's barren (gored by a bull!?). So she doesn't want anything to do with the baby, because it's not hers and reminds her of her pain, and nobody wants to adopt with her, so she "can never marry or have a home" (pg 116). (!?!?!) Drama, much? People marry and have homes with NO children, actually. It's a thing. No really.
Tyler tells her he's the 'last of his line' and 'he plans on carrying on the family name'... but both Bale and Eva apparently don't register the words, because they NEVER come back up, again. And hey, that would be the DRIVING REASON Eva wouldn't get anywhere near Tyler, if the book were true to character. Which it isn't. Bale has Eva running to Tyler, sidling up to Tyler, spending allz her time with Tyler the ENTIRE BOOK, instead. Which... does not flow. At all. If a girl can't have babies and the man makes the comment he wants to carry on his line? She would *NOT* be panting across the room for him. She'd run - hard and fast.
More, for a nanny, Eva sure doesn't have the baby much. She joins the Theft Investigation Team and is running off to meetings, out hanging surveillance cameras, participating in an all-night stake-out, followed the next day by an investigative meeting, on top of the League meetings... FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES, THIS IS A NURSING MOTHER neither the sheriff, the League officer, or the pediatrician love interest would be on-board with this.
I kid you not, she traipses off to town without the baby ALL. THE. TIME. It's ridiculous. She goes to the hospital to visit Ben without the baby, goes to see Tyler without the baby... She volunteers to decorate *AND* break down a banquet, and the next morning leaves the baby 'for a few hours' because 'she needs time alone'. This woman? Has nothing BUT me-time. She's horrible.
But then, at the LEAST appropriate times? BAYBEEEEEEE!!! Like in the pew at church - hello, there is such a thing as a nursery? At four months, the baby can definitely go to nursery instead of being in a service. Or when she takes the baby along and is passing it around during the League meeting - BAYBEEE!! How. About. No?!?!!?
And who caramelizes onions on a stovetop when there's a roasting pan in the oven, hello?! PUT the ONIONS in with the ROAST, for the love of Mike...!! That makes NO sense, at all.
Pg 16: "the one thing she wanted in life most and could never have was children". Pg 17: Eva didn't want to love... any child, for that matter. MAKE. UP. YOUR. MIND!!!!!
Byron is the bad guy in all of these books, apparently, and each author makes him more disgustingly awful than the last. But honestly? The points he makes, everyone else makes later, and it's WRONG when he does it, but okay when they do??? Like at the first meeting he suggests that the benevolent gifts to poor ranchers going on at the same time as the random thefts are likely related. When *he* says it, they're all, "What an arse!" Then pg 139 (AND 191, and 203), and they're all suggesting it. In fact, when Eva brings it up, they call her a 'smart lady'. WHAT. IS. THAT?!
Bale writes that Eva is worried about her make-up when Tyler comes over. She only put on blush and mascara. WHO puts on blush and not lipstick or gloss? Please? Anyone??
And when it looks like Tyler's about to lose his first patient, Eva is L'il Miss Platitudes: "It's always darkest before the dawn". !!! Seriously. You're serious, here? Because... that's cold, going for idioms. Niiiiice. At least Byron speaks from the heart, and not Bill Gaither lyrics.
Tyler's dead sister's horse is stolen by the rustlers. So far, dozens of people have been ripped off in these books, and NONE of it has been returned. But for some reason Bale has the horse returned... to the field on EVA'S property where their tempermental bull is penned. First, WHY would anyone return that horse and no other sentimental things? Carson's mom's only trophy was stolen, but he didn't get THAT back.
MORE, why put the horse in the bull pen at a completely different farm? Other than because Bale sayz so, and wants Eva to face a bull down to somehow overcome her fear of... goring? I don't think I even want to know. NONE of it makes sense. At all. Who puts an old, vulnerable mare in with a moody, virile BULL?!?!?
Then Tyler elects to ditch his partners in Austin and the FDA grant they were going to get studying vaccines and autism (like THAT's not already being done?)... so's he can stay and luvvvvv Eva. Except Bale can't leave it at that - noooo. Actually, she writes, the FDA is gonna let Tyler do his OWN private studies of rural vaccine/autism stuff. That's not how it works - that's not how ANY of it works.
I won't *even* get into how anti-vaxx I am and how the rhetoric of 'how important injecting poisons into children' is actually uninspiring. There's so much I'm aggravated by, already, that would just be a freakin' huge cherry on top, so let's skip it.
Tyler 'does the right thing' and prostrates himself on both knees to propose to Eva. Except... Biblically speaking, Mordecai said to Haman that anyone who serves the Lord would never prostrate himself before man. And God blessed him for his devotion to the Lord. So... is prostrating yourself before man really the right thing? My Bible says no. As in... mmmmno.
So was this good? Ab.so.lute.ly NOT. It was awful. Eva is the last person on earth *anyone* wants to marry. The League are being turned into a bunch of judgmental, gossipy nasties I wouldn't want to have anything to do with (and if I were Byron, I'd walk away. You don't need their crap.) The continuity was never carried from book one to book two, and the story straight up sucked.
More? Nothing is resolved. Ben's still in the coma, nobody even knows if Derek's still suspect #1, the thieves are still unidentified, the League is still a mess, and the storyline is still dragging like a bad soap opera episode.
Annnnnnd... I have four more of these. Lord, give me strength...
November 28, 2024
A great read for while I was on Thanksgiving vacation! The vibes were great, the writing wasn't too bad, and I really liked Tyler and Eva, the main characters.
I enjoyed the plot, how Eva couldn't have kids and was left at the altar; how Tyler was also jilted by his fiancé, and they had known each other for years (although, this part wasn't't really expounded upon; a missed opportunity if you ask me).
The story also has a random baby, Cody. Cody was left at someone's front porch in this small town, and Eva ends up taking care of him, even though it hurts her emotionally because she's barren. Cody is the son of either Ben or Grant (2 random people that we never meet because Grant's serving in Afghanistan and Ben is in a medical coma), Eva's cousins.
Surprisingly, Tyler and Eva do not magically adopt Cody in the end, and we never learn who his true parents are. Usually these Love Inspired books just quickly solve every little problem near the end of the book, but this author just let Tyler and Eva get together and didn't worry about fixing every little problem last minute (Bale doesn't just throw Cody into their family unit to make the ending perfect), which I actually appreciate! I was expecting them to adopt Cody the whole time, but that didn't happen.
Another cool thing about this book was that Tyler actually was a sweetheart to Eva and had some great lines. There were several conversations between Tyler and Eva and it wasn't just filled with a bunch of random characters.
Okay, the "suspense" part of this book was so wack and unnecessary!! 🤣 The sheriff sucks at her job, there are random crimes committed in the small town (ranch supplies and horses being stolen) that don't end up amounting to ANYTHING, and Tyler's late sister's horse gets taken and then just ✨magically✨ appears in the last chapter on Eva's farm and she brings it home. The whole town being upset about the crimes and stuff was just so laughable and a waste of time. So many people were weird about it. Eh, I guess the author just needed to fill space (meet her word count goal) and set up something for the next books in this series?
Anyways, the few sweet moments we get between Tyler and Eva were enough to keep me invested and this book was a chill read. I was also happy to have found this Thanksgiving book right around thanksgiving week (I finished it on Thanksgiving Day-PERFECT)!
I enjoyed the plot, how Eva couldn't have kids and was left at the altar; how Tyler was also jilted by his fiancé, and they had known each other for years (although, this part wasn't't really expounded upon; a missed opportunity if you ask me).
The story also has a random baby, Cody. Cody was left at someone's front porch in this small town, and Eva ends up taking care of him, even though it hurts her emotionally because she's barren. Cody is the son of either Ben or Grant (2 random people that we never meet because Grant's serving in Afghanistan and Ben is in a medical coma), Eva's cousins.
Surprisingly, Tyler and Eva do not magically adopt Cody in the end, and we never learn who his true parents are. Usually these Love Inspired books just quickly solve every little problem near the end of the book, but this author just let Tyler and Eva get together and didn't worry about fixing every little problem last minute (Bale doesn't just throw Cody into their family unit to make the ending perfect), which I actually appreciate! I was expecting them to adopt Cody the whole time, but that didn't happen.
Another cool thing about this book was that Tyler actually was a sweetheart to Eva and had some great lines. There were several conversations between Tyler and Eva and it wasn't just filled with a bunch of random characters.
Okay, the "suspense" part of this book was so wack and unnecessary!! 🤣 The sheriff sucks at her job, there are random crimes committed in the small town (ranch supplies and horses being stolen) that don't end up amounting to ANYTHING, and Tyler's late sister's horse gets taken and then just ✨magically✨ appears in the last chapter on Eva's farm and she brings it home. The whole town being upset about the crimes and stuff was just so laughable and a waste of time. So many people were weird about it. Eh, I guess the author just needed to fill space (meet her word count goal) and set up something for the next books in this series?
Anyways, the few sweet moments we get between Tyler and Eva were enough to keep me invested and this book was a chill read. I was also happy to have found this Thanksgiving book right around thanksgiving week (I finished it on Thanksgiving Day-PERFECT)!
June 5, 2017
Dr. Tyler Grainger returns to Little Horn, Texas in order to fulfill a vow he made before starting his medical career in the big city. But when he runs into Eva Brooks, the girl he used to watch out for when they were kids, everything about her unassuming beauty has him second guessing everything about his future plans.
Eva Brooks tries earning her keep as a Nanny for one of the town's most-loved families, but her own barrenness acts as a painful reminder that she will never be able to have children of her own. And when her feelings for the handsome doctor grow, Eva does everything she can to avoid them, knowing that Tyler would never be happy with a woman who could not provide him with the family he's always wanted.
There was such a sweetness about the romance between the hero and heroine in this story. Bale did a wonderful job placing the baby in scenes that showed the true motivation of each character. I highly recommend this tender romance. It has just enough town intrigue to keep the pages turning.
Eva Brooks tries earning her keep as a Nanny for one of the town's most-loved families, but her own barrenness acts as a painful reminder that she will never be able to have children of her own. And when her feelings for the handsome doctor grow, Eva does everything she can to avoid them, knowing that Tyler would never be happy with a woman who could not provide him with the family he's always wanted.
There was such a sweetness about the romance between the hero and heroine in this story. Bale did a wonderful job placing the baby in scenes that showed the true motivation of each character. I highly recommend this tender romance. It has just enough town intrigue to keep the pages turning.
January 27, 2025
Ok, I've just reviewed 3 or 4 books in a row and once I read Carmen's reviews, I can't think of much to add because she just perfectly sums up the books. I was looking at this book as a bit of a palate cleanser, because sometimes I read some pretty intense things. It was a very sweet book, I just couldn't relate to a lot of it. Being raised in Michigan, most Christians up here are not exceptionally open about it and the ones who are get a lot of strange looks. So while I didn't end up caring much for the religious theme, others might really like it. The only upsetting part was that there were several mysteries in the book and only one got solved. One! I don't think this book was so great that I want to go to the trouble to find out how the mysteries resolved and I guess that says it all for me.
August 27, 2017
I started out really liking the story but then the excitement kind of fizzled out for me. A lot of issues weren't solved by the end of the story (I believe it's a series although it isn't advertised as such). The romance could have been better. It's a Christian romance and squeaky clean, which I'm happy about, but even then there could have been more romance. It reads a bit like an old-fashioned Harlequin, rather than a more modern story. It was pretty good but I won't be pursuing the rest of the series.
January 6, 2019
This book was an easy read and had mystery in it that continues through the series.
July 22, 2020
Loved this story!
May 14, 2024
so good
This story is just as good as the first one. The characters are the story line great love and a little of mystery. On to the next one
This story is just as good as the first one. The characters are the story line great love and a little of mystery. On to the next one
August 15, 2024
Liked it; forgot it would be religious, but it wasn't a bad book.
September 20, 2025
Good book
I liked this book. I was pulling for Eva and Tyler. I do wish there was a book to find out who the father of Cody is.
I liked this book. I was pulling for Eva and Tyler. I do wish there was a book to find out who the father of Cody is.
May 19, 2017
Other than a last name or two, there doesn't seem to be a lot of connection to the Love Inspired Historical part of this continuity series. Just that the Cowboy League lasted through the generations. The stories are great though. Loved how Eve just naturally fell into the nanny job and how Doc just naturally fell into her spell. 😀
April 10, 2016
Lone Star Cowboy League
Book 2
Rancher, Tyler Grainger's desire was to go to medical school so he could help children. He couldn't be there for his sister when she died, but he wanted to help as many as he could. Since the Cowboy League gave him a scholarship, he thought it only fair that he work in Little Horn, TX for one year before returning to Austin where he'd work on researching immunizations and their effects on children. So when a little baby shows up on the doorstep of the doorstep of Eva Brooks' family's ranch, he checks on the baby's health. There he meets his childhood friend, Eva.
Eva is not good in the kitchen. But she seems to come naturally to caring for children - a painful thing since her love for children and the fact she can't have them toys with her heart. She falls in love with the abandoned baby - son of one of her twin cousins - one cousin in oversees fighting in the war, and the other is in a coma so they can't figure out who the baby belongs to! The more time Eva spends with the little baby, the more she wants to be a mother.
Both Tyler and Eva need to overcome the obsticals that keep them from seeking love together.
The suspense builds int he series plot as more people have things stolen and more have things given to them. Tyler and Eva join the investigation team and try to figure out who is guilty. Meanwhile, the bully of a rancher (Brady) is still trying to place blame on other people. More questions turn up, but nothing is resolved. I'll have to keep reading!
Book 2
Rancher, Tyler Grainger's desire was to go to medical school so he could help children. He couldn't be there for his sister when she died, but he wanted to help as many as he could. Since the Cowboy League gave him a scholarship, he thought it only fair that he work in Little Horn, TX for one year before returning to Austin where he'd work on researching immunizations and their effects on children. So when a little baby shows up on the doorstep of the doorstep of Eva Brooks' family's ranch, he checks on the baby's health. There he meets his childhood friend, Eva.
Eva is not good in the kitchen. But she seems to come naturally to caring for children - a painful thing since her love for children and the fact she can't have them toys with her heart. She falls in love with the abandoned baby - son of one of her twin cousins - one cousin in oversees fighting in the war, and the other is in a coma so they can't figure out who the baby belongs to! The more time Eva spends with the little baby, the more she wants to be a mother.
Both Tyler and Eva need to overcome the obsticals that keep them from seeking love together.
The suspense builds int he series plot as more people have things stolen and more have things given to them. Tyler and Eva join the investigation team and try to figure out who is guilty. Meanwhile, the bully of a rancher (Brady) is still trying to place blame on other people. More questions turn up, but nothing is resolved. I'll have to keep reading!
December 4, 2015
A Doctor For The Nanny by Leigh Bale. Eva Brooks doesn't trust men after the man she was to marry left her at the alter when he found out Eva could not have children after a childhood accident and the operation. One of her cousins is in a coma and the other is in the war zone, when a baby is left at the family home saying it was "his" turn to take care of the baby. Family doesn't know when one is the father of the baby. Only thing left with the baby was his name. Eva becomes the nanny for the baby even though she knows nothing about caring for a child. She learns as the days go. This is the story that items have been stolen and items have been left at peoples places that don't have much and need hay or whatever. Dr. Tyler Grainger is the babies doctor. Tyler and Eva are fighting feeling for each other. Tyler's dead sisters horse is stolen. When Eva is out riding one day she see's the horse and takes it to Tyler. A good romance read.
Read
January 12, 2016"In this Lone Star Cowboy League story, the author’s personal experiences add to the realism of some difficult topics that are addressed, which cause the characters to place their trust in the Lord" (RT Book Reviews, 4 stars).
Miniseries: Lone Star Cowboy League
Miniseries: Lone Star Cowboy League
Read
January 12, 2016received 4 stars @ RT Book Reviews
Miniseries: Lone Star Cowboy League
Miniseries: Lone Star Cowboy League
November 22, 2015
two characters will sad romantic histories, community thiefs and a possible deal breaker, cute story
December 23, 2016
It was a really good book but I'm still wondering who was doing the thieving
December 13, 2015
Sorry author but this never engaged me..insipid.
February 19, 2016
good book and series
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