Her Lost and Found Baby

The Daycare Chronicles #1

by Tara Taylor Quinn

Author, Harlequin and Amazon all show title to be Her Lost and Found Baby

Friends. Without benefits. They both agreed.

Until she stole his heart.

Tabitha Jones will find her kidnapped toddler…even if it means searching every daycare in Southern California. So when her hunky, wealthy neighbor, Johnny Brubaker, offers a deal, Tabitha sees it as an ideal way to expand her search. In exchange for working his food truck, Johnny agrees to pose as Tabitha’s husband. It’s the perfect relationship…until Johnny realizes posing as a family man isn’t enough anymore.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary

224 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published August 1, 2018

About the author

Tara Taylor Quinn began her love affair with Harlequin when she was fourteen years old and picked up a free promotional copy of a Harlequin Romance in a hometown grocery store. The relationship was solidified the year she was suspended from her high school typing class for hiding a Harlequin Romance behind the keys of her electric typewriter. Unaware that her instructor loomed close by, Ms. Quinn read blissfully on with one finger resting on the automatic repeating period key. She finished the book in the principal’s office. Forced to leave her romances in her locker after that, Ms. Quinn’s typing skills improved - a fact for which she is eternally grateful.

With over 80 original novels, published in more than twenty languages, Tara Taylor Quinn is a USA Today bestselling author with more than seven million copies sold. She is a winner of the 2008 National Reader's Choice Award, four time finalist for the RWA Rita Award, a finalist for the Reviewer’s Choice Award, the Bookseller’s Best Award, the Holt Medallion and appears regularly on the Waldenbooks bestsellers list. Ms. Quinn writes for Harlequin and MIRA Books. Reviewer, Cindy Penn, wordweaving.com says, “Amazing character development is the hallmark of author Tara Taylor Quinn’s work. Indeed, Taylor’s profound observations of human nature and intimate understanding of values and priorities lends extraordinary psychological depth to all her work.”

Tara Taylor Quinn was born and raised in Ohio. Though she wrote her first story at the age of seven, her professional writing career began ten years later when she was hired as a stringer with the Dayton Daily News in Dayton, Ohio. She attended Wright State University and graduated from Harding College in Arkansas with a degree in English and Journalism. She published several magazine articles before turning to writing as a full-time occupation.

Ms. Quinn is a Past President of the Romance Writers of America and served for eight years on the Board of Directors of that association. She has a wide range of experience as a public speaker and workshop presenter for writers groups around the country.

When she’s not home with her owners, Jerry Lee and Taylor Marie, or fulfilling speaking engagements, Tara loves to travel with her husband, stopping wherever the spirit takes them. They’ve been spotted in casinos and quaint little small town antique shops all across the country..

Reviews

[Shatarupa Dhar · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have joined Manali Dey, a friend on Bookstagram, for the #MillsandBoonReadathon for which we are reading 18 books, coz it's '18! This is Book 7.

Aptly titled, this is my first read by the author. This is Book 1 of The Daycare Chronicles, a three book series by the same author.

Johnny Brubaker, an attorney and Tabitha Jones, a pediatric nurse; work together on a food truck. Can't get a more surprising beginning than that! What they are actually doing is that: Johnny is honouring his dead wife, Angel, while Tabitha is on the lookout for her missing two-year-old. They are partners in grief. He poses as the Dad to visit various daycares in search of young Jackson, while she helps him with the food truck which was Johnny's wife's dream. With three months to go for the end of Johnny's sabbatical, Tabitha couldn't help but feel a little sad. Sad that she hasn't yet found her son. Sad to think where she and Johnny would go from there.

Early in the first half of the story, Tabitha traces her son in a daycare centre, where he is enrolled with the name Jason and a false story. His emotionally unbalanced biological father, Mark, is responsible for his disappearance one year ago. Not a day goes by that Tabitha curses herself for having let Jackson go with him to visit his sick mother, who is now dead. Johnny is moved by the love Tabitha has for her son, a love he feels he didn't even have with his wife, Angel, not that passionate kind of love. He felt for her pain.

Set in Mission Viejo, the author subtly revealed the emotions of the MCs. It was heartening to see how the two of them comforted each other in their times of distress. Even while trying to recover from their respective loss, it's interesting to see them dampening the passion they feel for each other. The heroine seems to have a foot fetish since she can't stop praising the hero's feet. Haha! The time taken to grieve by following the passion of the deceased loved one is a great way to move forward, and seek closure, I think. It was cute, Johnny trying to do the right thing, and yet getting attracted to Tabitha, the cute part is him calling himself names on desiring her even when he deeply felt Tabitha's loss and pain. In the midst of this seriousness, the author manages to put one or two laugh out loud moments.

Mark is a really horrible person who did an abominable thing, separating a baby from his mother. He kidnapped Jackson. It's a pity they don't come face-to-face with Mark. An epilogue would have been nice though.

P.S. I'm reading a Harlequin Special Edition/M&B Cherish/True Love for the first time. And it is as it says..."Category: Home and Family, books featuring heroines finding the balance between their work life and personal life on the way to finding true love".
Reading this was a totally different experience.

[Tressa (Wishful Endings) · Rating 4 out of 5]

HER LOST AND FOUND BABY is a heartwarming story about two people who form an agreement to support each other as they try to work through some difficult things, Tabitha to find her kidnapped son, and Johnny to fulfill his late wife's dream of running a food truck with the proceeds going to charity. They begin as neighbors, then business partners, move to friends, and then things change as they start to develop stronger feelings for each other. The suspense element is very slight, but still plays a vital role in their relationship as they work together to bring Tabitha's son home to her. Romance lovers will find much to love here!

This author always does such a fabulous job in writing relatable, genuine characters who are easy to connect with and emotionally invest in. Tabitha and Johnny are no different. They are very much opposites in their circumstances, Tabitha having to work for everything, not necessarily being well off and having no close friends or family, while Johnny was born rich, is still rich, has loving parents and extended family, and has pretty much been successful with everything he's done. Their worlds are very different. Yet they connect and develop a romance as they work so closely with each other.

"Sometimes you have to believe before you see." - Tabitha

I really loved the light humor and the romance. I loved how Johnny was so unabashedly honest. I also loved how the romance slowly developed. They both try to resist, but they just can't help falling for each other. I also found the situation involving Tabitha's kidnapped son interesting and heartbreaking. I liked how the situation and how it was handled came across as accurate and realistic. Then there's this absolutely fabulous ending! *sigh*

I had just a few issues with the story. First, the beginning felt somewhat rushed. There wasn't a whole lot of getting to know the characters prior to their agreement or see how they first meet and work the whole agreement out. It's already in place and they've already been working together for about nine months when the story begins. I would have loved a little more development in the story there. Although, with this having a smaller page count I can see why the story had to be moved along. Second, there were places where the POV changed and it took me a bit to figure that out. The voice wasn't quite strong enough for me to know the POV had changed, or to know who's POV it was, Tabitha's or Johnny's.

"Because you only fail when you quit trying and I am never, ever going to stop." - Johnny

In the end, was it what I wished for? Overall, this was a heartwarming romance with a little heat and a bittersweet situation with a kidnapped child. I enjoyed it and am looking forward to Taylor's next release.

Content: Some mild swearing, some innuendo and sexual references, including a love scene.
Source: I received a complimentary copy through Prism Book Tours, which did not require a positive review nor affect it in any way.

[Chloe (Always Booked) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was cute but I didn't love the characters and it was ultimately not very memorable. This is about Tabitha and Johnny. They work together on a food truck that he started during his sabbatical from being a lawyer in honor of his deceased wife. Her son was kidnapped by the baby daddy so together they go try to find her son. They find a single dad and son that fits the profile so they try to determine if its him. The couple makes a lot of assumptions about each other and everything else and I wish they would just communicate but thats not the way of romance novels. I was entertained throughout and thought it was fine but nothing exceptional.

[Harlie Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

When it was announced that Harlequin was discontinuing the Superromance line, I was bereft, to say the least. I’ve been reading that line for over 2 decades. Plus, the authors that I have found to read and continue to read. I knew where some of the authors were going in terms of the other lines that Harlequin has but I was a little concerned about Ms. Quinn’s placement in the Harlequin universe. Well, I can wonder no more. But I’ll be honest, I don’t read this line. And I say that I’m a Harlequin reader. Psst…It’s just one of those lines that I never got into. Don’t judge.

Well, Ms. Quinn has outdone herself with this one. I literally read this one in one sitting and I NEVER do that. This story is engrossing from the start. I felt the anguish from Tabitha and the helplessness that Johnny felt trying to help her. We jump right in from the first page and the pacing never slows up. But I did have one tiny problem with the book. I know and I’m sorry. But I didn’t feel like Tabitha and Johnny talked to each other enough. Sure they danced around their attraction to each other and I really liked that. Johnny’s reasons for NOT wanting a sexual relationship with her made complete sense and trust me, Tabitha’s was a doozy. When she finally decided enough was enough, I cheered. Someone had to take the bull by the horns and I was excited that it was Tabitha. And yes, the door is partially open in Special Edition so don’t be surprised.

The suspense element was great. Not too heavy but relevant to the kidnapping. I loved how Ms. Quinn involved the daycare owners. I wasn’t too sure about them but…you just need to read it. I know that earlier I said that I didn’t feel like they talked enough, their character growth is fantastic. The word passion is used a lot by Johnny and I will NOT spoil it for you but when he finally decides what he wants, it’s priceless. The talks with his parents are well written and further is the decision. I felt like he had the most to grow in the book and in the end, he did. *swoon*

I know that its gonna take some getting used to reading this line but overall, Ms. Quinn has written a winner. And now, I can breathe a sigh of relief.

[Ruth Hill · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I was not financially compensated, and all opinions are 100 percent mine.

First of all, I believe this is the first book I've read by Tara Taylor Quinn, and I have to say that while being a typical romance novel, I found the story engaging and interesting and the two main character likable and believable (at least for the most part). Adding the layer of intrigue and searching for a missing child made the story relatable for probably any parent who has had the experience of dealing with custody issues. It's every mother's worst nightmare, and I found myself instantly sympathetic to Tabitha's situation.

Now, before I go any further, for my more sensitive readers, while there are no detailed sex scenes, there is innuendo and there are some scenes that don't go too deep before the door is closed. I don't recall there being any profanity, and if there was, it was very mild. I didn't find myself offended by the content of the book.

My only criticism of the book is possibly something that is again pretty typical for a book in this genre. I recognize the physical attraction between Tabitha and Johnny, but I felt that there wasn't much else besides that. Yes, they were partners, but I would have preferred getting to be privy to more of their dialogue and get to know them more. I suppose the length of the book kept me from being able to do that, but I am always a huge proponent of more dialogue and less physical exploration. This is merely a personal preference of mine. Sometimes I felt that Johnny did not appear to be as nice and gentlemanly as I would have preferred, but again, it's a minor annoyance and nothing that kept me from enjoying the book overall. Even with these minor issues, I still can award this a book a solid four-star rating!

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I felt a little thrown off at the beginning of the book when we were introduced to Johnny and Tabitha. We're clearly in the middle of their story, as they've already been working together for some time trying to track down her missing son. Already they have the hots for each other, though they aren't admitting it to each other. Somehow I think I would have liked it had we started a bit more at the beginning so that I could better understand how their partnership came to be and to really watch the feelings develop.

At the same time, we are thrown into the action. The food truck has been doing well. They are getting closer and closer to finding Baby Jackson. And the two of them really seem to be ready to move on from their previous relationships. You're hopping on the horse mid-ride, but it's a heck of a ride.

I cannot imagine what it would be like to have your child abducted, to be constantly searching for his face in the faces of every toddler who comes across your path, and to have doors frustratingly slammed in your face every time you feel like you are making progress. And then as you are doing your own investigation, how difficult to make sure you are carefully following protocol so that nothing you unearth gets thrown out of evidence as a technicality. I really enjoyed this part of the book, the search for Baby Jackson.

Johnny and Tabitha are good for each other. They have an easy camaraderie that serves them well both in business matters and in their personal lives. That's such a beautiful thing when you finally find it in someone else. Both of them are quite damaged from their losses and need the other one to help to fill those voids. I like they way they work together and was rooting for them on multiple levels through the entire story.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Lynn Brooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tragedy brings together two lost souls! With her Harlequin Special Edition debut, Tara Taylor Quinn brings us a story of a woman searching for her missing child who partners with a man who is on a sabbatical from life to pay tribute to a lost loved one in a special way. They join forces to support and help each other and along the way start to feel more than friendship for each other. The missing child storyline was very intriguing and emotional. Really enjoyed it!

When pediatric nurse Tabitha Jones became friends with her new neighbor, she had no clue he was going to be her saving grace for the last few months. He's her support system, her sounding board and her partner in crime as she searches all of the daycares in the are for her kidnapped toddler.

Johnny Brubaker is happy to help Tabitha in any way he can, and in exchange, she helps him with a food truck mission he's been on. He tries not to let her get too discouraged, but also tries to reign her in when she gets too excited over a possible sighting. He's determined to help her find her son ... and lately he's been wanting her to decide to add him to her family as well!

[Busy Bumble Bee Book Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

So I have to say that I have enjoyed other books from Mrs. Quinn. And I was really excited about this one. It sounded like it was going to be very interesting, intense, and enjoyable by the description.



Look I felt for Tabitha. She's a woman who has lost a child in the worse way. She doesn't know if he's ok or not. But she believe's in her heart that he is. I felt for her because as a mother I could relate to her and know I would do anything to find my children.



I really liked Johnny. He's a guy who is still going through his own loss. But he's willing to help out his neighbor who's become a friend. While still honoring his late wife.



So while I found this book to be an enjoyable read. I will say this I thought at times the book became very very repetitive. Like every chapter the Mrs. Quinn had to remind us that they were checking every day care center and looking at pictures of kids on line. I also find myself skimming at times. But other than that I thought it was an enjoyable book.



I'm giving this book 4 Stars out of 5!!!!

***I received an ARC of this book for my honest opinion***

[Dj · Rating 2 out of 5]

Friends. Without benefits. They both agreed. Until she stole his heart. Tabitha Jones (pediatric nurse) will find her kidnapped toddler Jackson…even if it means searching every daycare in Southern California. So. when her hunky, wealthy neighbor, (lawyer) Johnny Brubaker, offers a deal, Tabitha sees it as an ideal way to expand her search. In exchange for working his food truck, Johnny agrees to pose as Tabitha’s husband. It’s the perfect relationship…until Johnny realizes posing as a family man isn’t enough anymore.

heart-wrenching story without much romance

[Jess Holden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Her Lost and Found Baby is the fist book in The Daycare Chronicles by Tara Taylor Quinn. I adored the story of Tabitha and Johnny. The quest they were on is unimaginable. I felt my heart break for Tabitha as I read this book. Tabitha has had a hard life and finding someone to trust after everything she has been through would be hard. This book is a definite heartstring puller.

[Kylie · Rating 3 out of 5]

While this was a quick and easy read, the characters began to develop throughout the story however toward the last 3/4 of the book it just seemed rushed. By the end there was not really big build up and the end just kind of ended. Over all was good but felt rushed and over detailed in the beginning.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love it

[Harlequin Books]

Miniseries: The Daycare Chronicles