The Night We Met: Starlight / The Soldier's Secret Child

by Debbie Macomber, Lee Tobin McClain

Life can change on the night love finds you…

Starlight by Debbie Macomber

Rand Prescott believes that his chances for happiness are limited because he's going blind. But when he meets Karen McAlister one magical starlit night, he begins to imagine a different future―one filled with love. Karen already knows she wants to be with him for the rest of her life. But Rand refuses to consider marriage; he refuses to bind her to a man who can't see. Brokenhearted, Karen is prepared to walk away, but can Rand really let her go?

The Soldier's Secret Child by Lee Tobin McClain

Former soldier Vito D’Angelo has come home with a foster son―and a secret that could devastate his comrade’s lovely widow. Lacey McPherson is Vito’s childhood friend and the last person he wants to hurt. But as their friendship turns to more, the truth grows harder to reveal. Lacey’s trying to renovate her guesthouse and build a peaceful single life. Yet letting ruggedly handsome Vito and young Charlie stay on her property awakens a longing for the family she’s sure she’ll never have. But it may open the door to a loving future…if the onetime boy next door proves to be just the man she needs…

Genres: Romance

480 pages, Mass Market Paperback

Published January 28, 2020

About the author

Debbie Macomber is a #1 New York Times bestselling author and one of today’s most popular writers with more than 200 million copies of her books in print worldwide. In her novels, Macomber brings to life compelling relationships that embrace family and enduring friendships, uplifting her readers with stories of connection and hope. Macomber’s novels have spent over 1,000 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. Fifteen of these novels hit the number one spot.

In 2023, Macomber’s all-new hardcover publication includes Must Love Flowers (July). In addition to fiction, Macomber has also published three bestselling cookbooks, three adult coloring books, numerous inspirational and nonfiction works, and two acclaimed children’s books.

Celebrated as “the official storyteller of Christmas”, Macomber’s annual Christmas books are beloved and six have been crafted into original Hallmark Channel movies. Macomber is also the author of the bestselling Cedar Cove Series which the Hallmark Channel chose as the basis for its first dramatic scripted television series. Debuting in 2013, Debbie Macomber’s Cedar Cove was a ratings favorite for three seasons.

She serves on the Guideposts National Advisory Cabinet, is a YFC National Ambassador, and is World Vision’s international spokesperson for their Knit for Kids charity initiative. A devoted grandmother, Debbie and Wayne live in Port Orchard, Washington, the town which inspired the Cedar Cove series.

Reviews

[HR-ML · Rating 2 out of 5]

Two CR paperbacks in one. Nothing new here,
IMO.

Starlight by Debbie Macomber. 3 of 5 stars.
Washington state. Karen fell for rugged, blind
professor+ author Rand, 12 yrs her senior. He
called her a "deceitful bitch": you get the idea.
How did this grump attract anyone w/ his attitude?
His driver + cook (a married couple) became the
best aspect of the story.

The Soldier's Secret Baby by Lee Tobin McClain
3.5 stars. Had Christian references in this Ohio
based story. Vito was 10x more real than Lacey
who thought she was perfect. She got on my nerves
and Vito deserved better.

[Carol · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book contains two stories. The first, Starlight, was originally published in 1983. It was very dated and not worth republishing. The main male character was an insufferable prig. I don’t know why kept reading, I expect better from this author. The second story was much better.

[Marie Christensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book ,2 really good stories

[Alex · Rating 1 out of 5]

Usually I turn to Debbie Macomber when I’d like a warm, relaxing read, and I’ve enjoyed her Cedar Cove series in the past.
This book, consisting of 2 novellas, was really a waste of time to read! The first story: The Night We Met, was a bit long winded and silly and predictable, but the second: The Soldier’s Secret Child was really cringeworthy, repetitive nonsense, sprinkled with some ill-fitting heavy religion, and based on a really obvious, flimsy plot.
My advice - give this one a miss!

[Bev Walkling · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book included two quite different novels by different authors and I am not sure they were well matched. I quite enjoyed the first by Debbie Macomber. In the second I started to feel a little as though the author was preaching at me. Clearly she had a strong Christian message she was trying to get across and I'm not averse to that but prefer it be subtler and less forced.

[Debi Steeley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Both stories were really good but I have to say the second one was very realistic and I could not wait to find out what happened to all the characters.
Now don't get me wrong, Debbie Macomber writes excellent books and I will read everyone. But I would like to read more books written by Lee Tobin McClain.

[Jenna Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first story I didn’t like. Yes it kept me on my feet but it aggravated me more than intrigued me. It also felt like there was no character growth. It’s almost as if they ran out of space to tell the story and he just decided to be a better man? Second story was much more light-hearted. Both amazing authors clearly because the book is well written!

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice change of pace for me....Alays enjoy Debbie Macomber

[Jackalyn]

Starlight by Debbie Macomber and
The Soldier's Secret Child by Lee Tobin McClain

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is actually 2 stories in one book. Both were good reads. Debbie Macomber wrote Starlight Lee Tobin McClain wrote The Soldier’s Secret Child.

[Leah Wallin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good quick read

[June · Rating 4 out of 5]

2 very interesting stories.

[michelle m · Rating 1 out of 5]

dnf'd at 260

[Jean W · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good relaxing read after several “heavy” WWII books. Relaxing