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Darling, VT #3
Somebody's Baby
An adorable mutt and heartwarming characters captivate readers in this third installment in Donna Alward’s Darling, VT series.
When town social media maven Oaklee Collier accidentally hits a stray dog, she turns to Rory Gallagher, Darling’s local vet and her big brother’s best friend. Rory patches up the pup, but his suggestion that she foster the dog through his recovery puts her off her stride. Oaklee isn’t into commitments of any kind, not since she was left at the altar during a secret elopement. She refuses to let the dog—or the sexy veterinarian—into her heart.
Rory knows he should be hands off where Oaklee is concerned. She’s his best friend’s little sister, and it’s his job to look out for her – not try to get her into bed! They fight their attraction, but when Oaklee faces heartbreak, attraction turns into something much deeper. But Rory has his own hidden scars, and unless he can come clean with Oaklee about his past, their future together is at risk.
When town social media maven Oaklee Collier accidentally hits a stray dog, she turns to Rory Gallagher, Darling’s local vet and her big brother’s best friend. Rory patches up the pup, but his suggestion that she foster the dog through his recovery puts her off her stride. Oaklee isn’t into commitments of any kind, not since she was left at the altar during a secret elopement. She refuses to let the dog—or the sexy veterinarian—into her heart.
Rory knows he should be hands off where Oaklee is concerned. She’s his best friend’s little sister, and it’s his job to look out for her – not try to get her into bed! They fight their attraction, but when Oaklee faces heartbreak, attraction turns into something much deeper. But Rory has his own hidden scars, and unless he can come clean with Oaklee about his past, their future together is at risk.
300 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 4, 2017
202 people are currently reading
672 people want to read
About the author
Donna Alward
285 books692 followersSince 2006, New York Times bestseller Donna Jones Alward has enchanted readers with stories of happy endings and homecomings that have won several awards and been translated into over a dozen languages. She’s worked as an administrative assistant, teaching assistant, in retail and as a stay-at-home-mom, but always knew her degree in English Literature would pay off, as she is now happy to be a full-time writer. Her new historical fiction tales blend her love of history with characters who step beyond their biggest fears to claim the lives they desire.
Donna currently lives in Nova Scotia, Canada, with her husband and cats. You can often find her near the water, either kayaking on the lake or walking the sandy beaches to refill her creative well.
Find out more at www.donnajonesalward.com
Donna currently lives in Nova Scotia, Canada, with her husband and cats. You can often find her near the water, either kayaking on the lake or walking the sandy beaches to refill her creative well.
Find out more at www.donnajonesalward.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 143 reviews
April 4, 2017
4.5 - "I'm not sure you and I will ever be just friends..." Stars!
The next book in Donna Alward’s Darling, VT series; Somebody’s Baby gives the third and final Gallagher brother his happily ever after. Vet, Rory Gallagher, is what you would affectionately call a serial dater... That is until Oaklee Collier brings an injured dog to his clinic one evening.
There is just something about this series that has just pulled me wholly into it, I think a lot of it is based in the fact that Donna has delivered characters in each book that as a reader you just cannot help but like and empathize with, even in the times they are acting against what you as a reader can see as being best for them. Rory and Oaklee’s story is based around the classic and beloved 'Older brothers best friend' trope, only Oaklee’s brother is no longer in town, and Rory no longer see’s her as his annoying little sister.
"I’m pretty sure we wouldn’t be compatible..."
So what starts out non-relationship with frenemy leanings, built initially around the caring of a destitute dog, gradually morphs into something more as they both admit that they are more than a little attracted to each other.
"Damn, but you’re beautiful when you get riled up."
You gradually see through the time they spend together that both of them are inherently lonely. Rory hides a hurt from his past behind his cheeky persona, and the fact he avoids relationships may not just be because he is scared of commitment. Oaklee, has pretty much lived for work since returning to town, so the introduction of Buster the dog to her life, followed by regular interaction with Rory (someone who she has had a crush on for years) brings about all sorts of emotions and feelings that she has long kept buried. And while Buster the dog is unashamedly working his way into her heart and bed, Rory is doing the same thing but a little more cautiously.
"I hate being alone. I have the loneliness and I’m so goddamned afraid to ask for anything more..."
"Why?"
"Because it hurts. Because it’s not real. And in the end, you’re left standing alone surrounded by a world made up of couples and lovers, and wondering what the hell you did that was so wrong, that made you unloveable."
I think Somebody’s Baby may just be my favourite of the series so far. The author in all three books has managed to bring the drama to each couples story, but keep it relevant and not overdone, but this book, gah! I was in floods of tears at points, but they were happy tears, even though my heart was breaking for them as a couple at the time. Again Oaklee and Rory are both characters you can’t help but like, although at points you also want to bang their heads together as well.
We have three single Gallagher sisters still waiting for their stories to be told, and I hope that the author and the publisher are looking to tell them soon, this is another series that I can see myself going back to re-read again and again in the future.
ARC generously provided via Netgalley, and it was my absolute pleasure to provide the above honest review.
The next book in Donna Alward’s Darling, VT series; Somebody’s Baby gives the third and final Gallagher brother his happily ever after. Vet, Rory Gallagher, is what you would affectionately call a serial dater... That is until Oaklee Collier brings an injured dog to his clinic one evening.
There is just something about this series that has just pulled me wholly into it, I think a lot of it is based in the fact that Donna has delivered characters in each book that as a reader you just cannot help but like and empathize with, even in the times they are acting against what you as a reader can see as being best for them. Rory and Oaklee’s story is based around the classic and beloved 'Older brothers best friend' trope, only Oaklee’s brother is no longer in town, and Rory no longer see’s her as his annoying little sister.
"I’m pretty sure we wouldn’t be compatible..."
So what starts out non-relationship with frenemy leanings, built initially around the caring of a destitute dog, gradually morphs into something more as they both admit that they are more than a little attracted to each other.
"Damn, but you’re beautiful when you get riled up."
You gradually see through the time they spend together that both of them are inherently lonely. Rory hides a hurt from his past behind his cheeky persona, and the fact he avoids relationships may not just be because he is scared of commitment. Oaklee, has pretty much lived for work since returning to town, so the introduction of Buster the dog to her life, followed by regular interaction with Rory (someone who she has had a crush on for years) brings about all sorts of emotions and feelings that she has long kept buried. And while Buster the dog is unashamedly working his way into her heart and bed, Rory is doing the same thing but a little more cautiously.
"I hate being alone. I have the loneliness and I’m so goddamned afraid to ask for anything more..."
"Why?"
"Because it hurts. Because it’s not real. And in the end, you’re left standing alone surrounded by a world made up of couples and lovers, and wondering what the hell you did that was so wrong, that made you unloveable."
I think Somebody’s Baby may just be my favourite of the series so far. The author in all three books has managed to bring the drama to each couples story, but keep it relevant and not overdone, but this book, gah! I was in floods of tears at points, but they were happy tears, even though my heart was breaking for them as a couple at the time. Again Oaklee and Rory are both characters you can’t help but like, although at points you also want to bang their heads together as well.
We have three single Gallagher sisters still waiting for their stories to be told, and I hope that the author and the publisher are looking to tell them soon, this is another series that I can see myself going back to re-read again and again in the future.
ARC generously provided via Netgalley, and it was my absolute pleasure to provide the above honest review.
March 29, 2017
4.5 stars.
The third in the Darling, VT series, Somebody's Baby doesn't disappoint in the slightest and brings one of my my favourite tropes: her older brother's best friend. This time round it's Darling's Veterinarian and resident ladies man, Rory Gallagher's turn to fall and the lucky lady is the one seemingly immune to his charms, town darling, Oaklee Ferguson.
"I’m not sure you and I will ever be just friends."
If there's one this guaranteed to make me blub it's animals. What can I say, my baby is a fur baby and whilst I'm not really known for being a softie, stick a furry little monster in front of me and I turn to mush. And that works in books when hey form such an important part of a storyline, so when Oaklee hits a stray pup with her car and turns to Rory for help, their story begins and it's one I struggled to tear myself away from.
I loved Rory and Oaklee together: both have been hurt and guard their hearts closely, but the discoveries and realisations they make along with a natural chemistry was pretty near perfect, and whilst they're frustrating, they're loveable and you quickly find yourself cheering them on.
"All I know is that out of anybody in the world, I feel like I can trust you the most."
Donna Alward has nailed it every time with the emotion in this series and whilst there were moments when my own dog was licking the tears rolling down my face (the loving, dirty creature she is), they weren't sad tears. The town of Darling has ingratiated itself into my heart and I hope that the Gallagher sisters get their stories because I'm not ready to leave Vermont.
Copy received courtesy of St. Martin's Press for an honest and unbiased opinion.
The third in the Darling, VT series, Somebody's Baby doesn't disappoint in the slightest and brings one of my my favourite tropes: her older brother's best friend. This time round it's Darling's Veterinarian and resident ladies man, Rory Gallagher's turn to fall and the lucky lady is the one seemingly immune to his charms, town darling, Oaklee Ferguson.
"I’m not sure you and I will ever be just friends."
If there's one this guaranteed to make me blub it's animals. What can I say, my baby is a fur baby and whilst I'm not really known for being a softie, stick a furry little monster in front of me and I turn to mush. And that works in books when hey form such an important part of a storyline, so when Oaklee hits a stray pup with her car and turns to Rory for help, their story begins and it's one I struggled to tear myself away from.
I loved Rory and Oaklee together: both have been hurt and guard their hearts closely, but the discoveries and realisations they make along with a natural chemistry was pretty near perfect, and whilst they're frustrating, they're loveable and you quickly find yourself cheering them on.
"All I know is that out of anybody in the world, I feel like I can trust you the most."
Donna Alward has nailed it every time with the emotion in this series and whilst there were moments when my own dog was licking the tears rolling down my face (the loving, dirty creature she is), they weren't sad tears. The town of Darling has ingratiated itself into my heart and I hope that the Gallagher sisters get their stories because I'm not ready to leave Vermont.
Copy received courtesy of St. Martin's Press for an honest and unbiased opinion.
April 22, 2017
4.5 Heartwarming stars
Somebody's Baby was a beautiful and heartfelt read, loved it.
The storyline was emotional, heartfelt and captured my interest from the first few pages.
It was one of those reads once you started you didn't want to put it down.
I loved Rory and Oaklee together, they made me smile, they made me swoon and I even shed a few tears. They truly touched my heart with their story.
The Darling series has been such a beautiful, heartwarming and entertaining read. I've enjoyed every book and I highly recommend them all.
Get your copy here...
Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/Somebodys-Baby...
B&N - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/someb...
iBooks - https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/some...
kobo - https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/some...
*A big thank you to the publisher for the advance copy*
Somebody's Baby was a beautiful and heartfelt read, loved it.
The storyline was emotional, heartfelt and captured my interest from the first few pages.
It was one of those reads once you started you didn't want to put it down.
I loved Rory and Oaklee together, they made me smile, they made me swoon and I even shed a few tears. They truly touched my heart with their story.
The Darling series has been such a beautiful, heartwarming and entertaining read. I've enjoyed every book and I highly recommend them all.
Get your copy here...
Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/Somebodys-Baby...
B&N - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/someb...
iBooks - https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/some...
kobo - https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/some...
*A big thank you to the publisher for the advance copy*
June 25, 2017
Special thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Donna Alward for gifting me with an ARC of SOMEBODY'S BABY enabling me to read this fabulous book.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story and couldn't turn the pages fast enough to find out what happens with Rory and Oaklee and the dog.
5*****
I thoroughly enjoyed this story and couldn't turn the pages fast enough to find out what happens with Rory and Oaklee and the dog.
5*****
April 3, 2017
Somebody's Baby was cute, cute, cute, and cute. It was a sweet and easy read that made me feel warm and fuzzy inside. This book gave me the cutesy feeling of a Hallmark Channel movie. This was a quick and adorable read.
I loved the setting of this book. Darling, Vermont seems like such a sweet and perfect town. I seriously want to live there! It is exactly what you would imagine a cute town in a romance movie would be like. It set the tone perfectly for this story.
The romance in this book was well paced. I was expecting the romance to develop too quickly for my liking, but it actually developed at a believable pace. Oaklee and Rory seemed like complete opposites, but they worked very well together! On the outside, it seemed like they didn't have very much in common, but then actually fit together perfectly. I enjoyed watching them fall in love, especially with the help of their cute puppy!
My favorite character in this book was Oaklee. I loved how smart and caring she was. I really related to her and understood the choices she made in this book. The author did a great job and making Oaklee feel like a real human that we could all be friends with in real life. Oaklee tended to be a bit messier than I am, but her messiness with Rory's neat freak attitude made me laugh out loud!
Some parts of this book felt slow, but this book kept me entertained for the most part! I definitely would be intrigued to see what the author does next with this series!
If you are looking for a sweet and light-hearted book, then I definitely would recommend picking this book up!
3 / 5 Fangs
*This ebook was given to me in exchange for an honest review. *
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It
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I loved the setting of this book. Darling, Vermont seems like such a sweet and perfect town. I seriously want to live there! It is exactly what you would imagine a cute town in a romance movie would be like. It set the tone perfectly for this story.
The romance in this book was well paced. I was expecting the romance to develop too quickly for my liking, but it actually developed at a believable pace. Oaklee and Rory seemed like complete opposites, but they worked very well together! On the outside, it seemed like they didn't have very much in common, but then actually fit together perfectly. I enjoyed watching them fall in love, especially with the help of their cute puppy!
My favorite character in this book was Oaklee. I loved how smart and caring she was. I really related to her and understood the choices she made in this book. The author did a great job and making Oaklee feel like a real human that we could all be friends with in real life. Oaklee tended to be a bit messier than I am, but her messiness with Rory's neat freak attitude made me laugh out loud!
Some parts of this book felt slow, but this book kept me entertained for the most part! I definitely would be intrigued to see what the author does next with this series!
If you are looking for a sweet and light-hearted book, then I definitely would recommend picking this book up!
3 / 5 Fangs
*This ebook was given to me in exchange for an honest review. *
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It
April 14, 2017
Somebody’s Baby by Donna Alward is the 3rd book in the Darling, VT series and it is a friends to lovers story in which two people take a chance to love again. Both main characters, Rory and Oaklee, had their hearts broken when each of their first loves abruptly ended their relationship and crushed them to ever wanting to feel that way again. They both harbor secrets of their past and don’t let anyone too close to see the real person inside. Rory became a serial dater and Oaklee let her job become her life. It took an accident and a stray dog to bring these two together and start a process of healing and a chance at having it all again.
Oaklee Ferguson is the social media guru for the town of Darling and keeps the town informed while living a solitary life. She is reluctant to foster Buster the dog after she accidentally hits him, but a dose of guilt from Rory; she takes him in and gets a crash course on taking care of a pet. She also had to figure out how to integrate something new into her life. It was a high learning curve because it costs her a designer purse and a good pair of shoes but she learned to care for Buster and he showed her unconditional love in return. Once she decluttered her home, and there is a reason for the clutter, she finds herself wondering if it was better now or easier to keep things the way they were. It is hard to change that’s for sure.
Rory looks like he has his life together being a veterinarian in his hometown but he can’t make a commitment in relationships beyond a third date. He’s upfront with his dates that this is casual and doesn’t allow it to go further. He sees his brothers entering into new relationships and he would like to have one too but he hasn’t been able to find that someone. When Oaklee brings him an injured stray dog he reconnects with a friend he’s known a long time since she is his best friend’s kid sister. Oaklee is no longer that teenage girl who crushed on him but is a grown woman whom he finds himself very attracted to. He didn’t want a fling yet he wanted her to want him as much as he wanted her. I liked Rory because he cared for Oaklee. He’s a good man in that regard.
What I love about this story is that it felt genuine in what these two people were feeling after a bad breakup and how it wasn’t easy for Rory and Oaklee to get together. First of all they didn’t want to rush into anything because they were too afraid of ruining their friendship. They were out of sync with what their body wanted versus what their heart was ready for. I felt that for each step they took forward they ended up two steps backwards because someone wasn’t ready. It took a bit of bravery and being honest with oneself before they were both on the same page. I thought it was fitting that Rory used social media to express his feelings for Oaklee and of course, to meet on the Kissing Bridge. I thought the ending was just perfect and left me feeling satisfied and wanting more. With every new story in the Darling, VT series I am more enamored with the author’s writing she created and how she can write such multi-faceted characters and plots that are rich with emotions. I look forward to more stories and returning to this wonderful small town of Darling.
April 3, 2017
Reviewed for Romancing the Readers Blog:
http://romancingthereaders.blogspot.c...
I've really been enjoying the town of Darling and the characters that live there. The Gallagher family have been a favorite of mine. With Somebody's Baby we are at #3 in the series and I sure hope the series continues. There are characters I still want their story.
But until then we can talk about Rory and Oaklee, isn't that a fantastic name? I'm loving it! My all time favorite female name. Not sure why it hit me like it did, but it does.
Poor Rory and Oaklee, both have been very unlucky in love. The real sad part is that they've let that fact shape their lives ever since. Both need a stern talking too.
Since I first met these two characters in Somebody Like You I wanted their stories. Never thinking that it would be with each other. What a great match! Like I said already, they both haven't done well in the love department and really need to get over their pasts.
More then once I wanted to go into the story (wouldn't that just have been so cool!) and tell them to just stop, it was enough now. The back and forth of not wanting a relationship, then wanting it at times got on my nerves but I sort of understood what they were feeling. I will tell you that the last few chapters in the book had me laughing, crying and not wanting it to end. You'll know what I mean when you read it. So well done!
If you haven't yet tried her, I would start with the first book in the series and read from there. Yes, they stand alone but the overall story line is much better when read in order. It's the perfect gift to be left in your Easter basket.
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ARC received for a honest review
http://romancingthereaders.blogspot.c...
I've really been enjoying the town of Darling and the characters that live there. The Gallagher family have been a favorite of mine. With Somebody's Baby we are at #3 in the series and I sure hope the series continues. There are characters I still want their story.
But until then we can talk about Rory and Oaklee, isn't that a fantastic name? I'm loving it! My all time favorite female name. Not sure why it hit me like it did, but it does.
Poor Rory and Oaklee, both have been very unlucky in love. The real sad part is that they've let that fact shape their lives ever since. Both need a stern talking too.
Since I first met these two characters in Somebody Like You I wanted their stories. Never thinking that it would be with each other. What a great match! Like I said already, they both haven't done well in the love department and really need to get over their pasts.
More then once I wanted to go into the story (wouldn't that just have been so cool!) and tell them to just stop, it was enough now. The back and forth of not wanting a relationship, then wanting it at times got on my nerves but I sort of understood what they were feeling. I will tell you that the last few chapters in the book had me laughing, crying and not wanting it to end. You'll know what I mean when you read it. So well done!
If you haven't yet tried her, I would start with the first book in the series and read from there. Yes, they stand alone but the overall story line is much better when read in order. It's the perfect gift to be left in your Easter basket.
Follow me on:
https://www.facebook.com/RomancingThe...
https://twitter.com/Romancingreader
ARC received for a honest review
April 4, 2017
Three and a half stars.
So, I really didn't like the previous book in this series, I haven't read the first book so I can't comment on that, so it was with some trepidation that I accepted the offer to review this book. I believe in giving second chances so I gave it a go but I was practically reading my Kindle sideways in anxiety.
I'm happy to report I really liked this one.
Rory Gallagher is a vet, unlike his two brothers who are first responders. In high school his best friend was Cam Ferguson and Cam's little sister was Oaklee. Now Oaklee works for the town council and is responsible for promoting tourism for the little town of Darling. One night Oaklee accidentally hits a dog in her car and rushes him to Rory's clinic. Rory manages to persuade Oaklee to foster the dog, which the clinic calls Buster, until the cast comes off his leg and/or they can find his owners.
Both Oaklee and Rory are keeping the truth behind their broken hearts a secret from their friends and family. At college Rory proposed to his girlfriend of two years but she turned him down, what made it even worse was that Rory had become attached to her young son and after the breakup he felt like he had lost his own son. Since then, he has become a serial dater, usually he only goes on one date although occasionally he stretches it to two or even three. Oaklee and her high school boyfriend went to Vegas to get married but he got cold feet and left her at the wedding chapel. He didn't even have the guts to tell her himself, he texted. Since then, Oaklee has not let anyone into her heart. So, same heartbreak, different reactions.
As Rory and Oaklee bond over Buster and their shared childhood memories romance develops. But neither of them is all-in and neither of them is willing to tell the truth about their previous relationships.
Rory and Oaklee were much more likeable characters to me. And there was a cute dog, so extra half a star for that! I liked their dates and the slow burn of their relationship. This was definitely the small town romance I had been expecting with the previous book but was overshadowed by the hippy dippy. This book too is about opposites attracting: Rory is a neat freak and Oaklee is messy, Rory is old school and Oaklee is the twitter queen, Rory is jeans and a t-shirt and Oaklee is suits and heels.
One gripe, in the three books in the series so far all the men have serious 'manly' professions like Police Officer, Vet, Firefighter whereas all the women have softer 'homemaker' jobs like owning a cake shop, owning a garden centre and tourism. Rory is a total anal-retentive about mess and his 'home' is totally anonymous, with no personal touches whatsoever, yet he doesn't get called on that. Oaklee bemoans her lack of homemaker skills and eventually asks her mother to teach her to cook. Even Rory's mother offers to teach Oaklee to cook as, she has no-one else now her daughters are grown up! I flt like saying "WTF? Why not teach your useless son to cook too?" But that's just my gripe. Why couldn't Oaklee be the vet and Rory do the tourism stuff?
So, now I'm into this series I'm thinking that maybe the next couple might be Hannah Gallagher and Cam Ferguson - or would a brother and sister marrying a sister and brother be weird? I just thought that Cam doesn't seem to be dating and Hannah can't find a guy that likes her strength ...
Anyway, I am so glad I took a chance and requested this title because it had all the small town charm I wanted and then some. And a cute dog.
I received a free copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Bumped for release.
So, I really didn't like the previous book in this series, I haven't read the first book so I can't comment on that, so it was with some trepidation that I accepted the offer to review this book. I believe in giving second chances so I gave it a go but I was practically reading my Kindle sideways in anxiety.
I'm happy to report I really liked this one.
Rory Gallagher is a vet, unlike his two brothers who are first responders. In high school his best friend was Cam Ferguson and Cam's little sister was Oaklee. Now Oaklee works for the town council and is responsible for promoting tourism for the little town of Darling. One night Oaklee accidentally hits a dog in her car and rushes him to Rory's clinic. Rory manages to persuade Oaklee to foster the dog, which the clinic calls Buster, until the cast comes off his leg and/or they can find his owners.
Both Oaklee and Rory are keeping the truth behind their broken hearts a secret from their friends and family. At college Rory proposed to his girlfriend of two years but she turned him down, what made it even worse was that Rory had become attached to her young son and after the breakup he felt like he had lost his own son. Since then, he has become a serial dater, usually he only goes on one date although occasionally he stretches it to two or even three. Oaklee and her high school boyfriend went to Vegas to get married but he got cold feet and left her at the wedding chapel. He didn't even have the guts to tell her himself, he texted. Since then, Oaklee has not let anyone into her heart. So, same heartbreak, different reactions.
As Rory and Oaklee bond over Buster and their shared childhood memories romance develops. But neither of them is all-in and neither of them is willing to tell the truth about their previous relationships.
Rory and Oaklee were much more likeable characters to me. And there was a cute dog, so extra half a star for that! I liked their dates and the slow burn of their relationship. This was definitely the small town romance I had been expecting with the previous book but was overshadowed by the hippy dippy. This book too is about opposites attracting: Rory is a neat freak and Oaklee is messy, Rory is old school and Oaklee is the twitter queen, Rory is jeans and a t-shirt and Oaklee is suits and heels.
One gripe, in the three books in the series so far all the men have serious 'manly' professions like Police Officer, Vet, Firefighter whereas all the women have softer 'homemaker' jobs like owning a cake shop, owning a garden centre and tourism. Rory is a total anal-retentive about mess and his 'home' is totally anonymous, with no personal touches whatsoever, yet he doesn't get called on that. Oaklee bemoans her lack of homemaker skills and eventually asks her mother to teach her to cook. Even Rory's mother offers to teach Oaklee to cook as, she has no-one else now her daughters are grown up! I flt like saying "WTF? Why not teach your useless son to cook too?" But that's just my gripe. Why couldn't Oaklee be the vet and Rory do the tourism stuff?
So, now I'm into this series I'm thinking that maybe the next couple might be Hannah Gallagher and Cam Ferguson - or would a brother and sister marrying a sister and brother be weird? I just thought that Cam doesn't seem to be dating and Hannah can't find a guy that likes her strength ...
Anyway, I am so glad I took a chance and requested this title because it had all the small town charm I wanted and then some. And a cute dog.
I received a free copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Bumped for release.
April 1, 2017
My Rating:
4.5
Favorite Quotes:
Your inner child is incorrigible and always was.
Do you ever feel left out? Like the rest of the family gets ‘it’ but something doesn’t quite fit right? Like someone else’s shoes, and the arch is wrong or the heel’s worn on one side?
I remember you saying the night he left, that you always knew he was somebody’s baby, but you’d wanted him to be yours. This time, Oaklee, no one is going to come and tell you that you were wrong. That this love doesn’t belong to you, or you don’t deserve it. No one is going to make you feel like your love isn’t worth having.
My Review:
Oaklee was a former homecoming queen and outwardly, she typically presented as perky and perfectly put together, as she had perfected that façade. No one ever saw her home, because she was a total slob and her home was a mess, and she liked it that way. Rory seemed happy-go-lucky, when he was actually highly structured, a planner, and an OCD neat freak. Oaklee did not date. Rory was a serial dater. Yet they had more in common than they knew. When Oaklee ran over a “silly mutt with funny eyebrows” and ended up at Rory’s vet clinic, their lives would never be the same. I adored this couple, they had both been deeply damaged by disastrous relationships and while they were not always likable, both were endearing flawed and more than deserving of the good things in life. The storyline was full of feels and populated by interesting and appealing characters. I have enjoyed each of the three trips I’ve made to Darling, Vermont and am delighted that Ms. Alward decided to make the Gallagher clan so prolific as it leaves us with many more siblings to be featured as she weaves her tapestry of captivating tales.
4.5
Favorite Quotes:
Your inner child is incorrigible and always was.
Do you ever feel left out? Like the rest of the family gets ‘it’ but something doesn’t quite fit right? Like someone else’s shoes, and the arch is wrong or the heel’s worn on one side?
I remember you saying the night he left, that you always knew he was somebody’s baby, but you’d wanted him to be yours. This time, Oaklee, no one is going to come and tell you that you were wrong. That this love doesn’t belong to you, or you don’t deserve it. No one is going to make you feel like your love isn’t worth having.
My Review:
Oaklee was a former homecoming queen and outwardly, she typically presented as perky and perfectly put together, as she had perfected that façade. No one ever saw her home, because she was a total slob and her home was a mess, and she liked it that way. Rory seemed happy-go-lucky, when he was actually highly structured, a planner, and an OCD neat freak. Oaklee did not date. Rory was a serial dater. Yet they had more in common than they knew. When Oaklee ran over a “silly mutt with funny eyebrows” and ended up at Rory’s vet clinic, their lives would never be the same. I adored this couple, they had both been deeply damaged by disastrous relationships and while they were not always likable, both were endearing flawed and more than deserving of the good things in life. The storyline was full of feels and populated by interesting and appealing characters. I have enjoyed each of the three trips I’ve made to Darling, Vermont and am delighted that Ms. Alward decided to make the Gallagher clan so prolific as it leaves us with many more siblings to be featured as she weaves her tapestry of captivating tales.
April 17, 2017
"What if you were blindsided by something good? Wouldn't it be a shame to miss out on it because it wasn't in your plans?"
FINAL DECISION: The story of two people who have been burned by love before and are afraid to trust themselves or one another with the possibility of love. Genuine nice characters in a small town setting makes this contemporary a real heart warmer.
THE STORY: Oaklee Collier is known around Darling as the "Social Butterfly" not so much for her personal life as her job running the town's social media. She is sunny, upbeat and put together -- or at least she presents that front to the world. Actually, she has a disaster of an apartment, is sick of going to bridal and baby showers, and still hasn't gotten over being left at the altar by her high school sweetheart. One night, she ends up hitting a dog in the road. She takes him to see Rory Gallagher, veterinarian. Rory is a serial dater who gets through the first or second date but hasn't had a real relationship since school when his heart was broken two times over. A classic friends to lovers story.
OPINION: The final Gallagher brother is certainly not ready to settle down -- especially because he was devastated by the woman he loved while in school. Now the junior veterinarian spends his time caring for baby kittens and dating a different woman every night. One night Oaklee comes to him with an injured dog. The two grew up together as Rory had been best friends with Oaklee's older brother. But just as Rory began noticing the Oaklee when they were teenagers, her brother slapped him down and instead demanded that Rory care for Oaklee as if she were his own sister. No matter how much he tries, however, Rory cannot think of Oaklee in a sisterly fashion.
Oaklee has never forgotten her teenage crush. She went on to love another man but he broke her heart as well. Now Oaklee is covering her sadness with a happy face and filling her life with her work. When she accidentally hits a dog on the way home, she becomes enmeshed in unwanted connections -- both with the dog and Rory. A reluctant foster parent to the injured dog, Oaklee ends up looking outside herself and opening herself up to caring and loving in a way she hasn't done since she was stood up on her wedding day.
As Rory and Oaklee struggle with their attraction to one another and their fears of being hurt again, they also find themselves being friends in a way they weren't as children. Their romance has fits and starts which feels real and difficult.
I loved that these two have small struggles in making a relationship work. These are real people with emotional fears, work problems, and financial constraints. I loved how the injured dog opens Oaklee up. The dog made me smile and cry. Pet lovers will certainly feel a connection with how Oaklee falls in love with the dog even as he challenges and annoys her.
I have enjoyed all three books in this series (about the Gallagher brothers) and I hope we see more from Darling, VT in the future. (There are still the Gallagher sisters!!).
WORTH MENTIONING: The timeline of this book overlaps with the second book in the series SOMEONE TO LOVE.
CONNECTED BOOKS: SOMEBODY'S BABY is the third book in the Darling, VT series. Although there are overlapping characters, this book can be read as a standalone.
STAR RATING: I give this book 4 stars.
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley in order to provide a review. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions contained herein are my own.
FINAL DECISION: The story of two people who have been burned by love before and are afraid to trust themselves or one another with the possibility of love. Genuine nice characters in a small town setting makes this contemporary a real heart warmer.
THE STORY: Oaklee Collier is known around Darling as the "Social Butterfly" not so much for her personal life as her job running the town's social media. She is sunny, upbeat and put together -- or at least she presents that front to the world. Actually, she has a disaster of an apartment, is sick of going to bridal and baby showers, and still hasn't gotten over being left at the altar by her high school sweetheart. One night, she ends up hitting a dog in the road. She takes him to see Rory Gallagher, veterinarian. Rory is a serial dater who gets through the first or second date but hasn't had a real relationship since school when his heart was broken two times over. A classic friends to lovers story.
OPINION: The final Gallagher brother is certainly not ready to settle down -- especially because he was devastated by the woman he loved while in school. Now the junior veterinarian spends his time caring for baby kittens and dating a different woman every night. One night Oaklee comes to him with an injured dog. The two grew up together as Rory had been best friends with Oaklee's older brother. But just as Rory began noticing the Oaklee when they were teenagers, her brother slapped him down and instead demanded that Rory care for Oaklee as if she were his own sister. No matter how much he tries, however, Rory cannot think of Oaklee in a sisterly fashion.
Oaklee has never forgotten her teenage crush. She went on to love another man but he broke her heart as well. Now Oaklee is covering her sadness with a happy face and filling her life with her work. When she accidentally hits a dog on the way home, she becomes enmeshed in unwanted connections -- both with the dog and Rory. A reluctant foster parent to the injured dog, Oaklee ends up looking outside herself and opening herself up to caring and loving in a way she hasn't done since she was stood up on her wedding day.
As Rory and Oaklee struggle with their attraction to one another and their fears of being hurt again, they also find themselves being friends in a way they weren't as children. Their romance has fits and starts which feels real and difficult.
I loved that these two have small struggles in making a relationship work. These are real people with emotional fears, work problems, and financial constraints. I loved how the injured dog opens Oaklee up. The dog made me smile and cry. Pet lovers will certainly feel a connection with how Oaklee falls in love with the dog even as he challenges and annoys her.
I have enjoyed all three books in this series (about the Gallagher brothers) and I hope we see more from Darling, VT in the future. (There are still the Gallagher sisters!!).
WORTH MENTIONING: The timeline of this book overlaps with the second book in the series SOMEONE TO LOVE.
CONNECTED BOOKS: SOMEBODY'S BABY is the third book in the Darling, VT series. Although there are overlapping characters, this book can be read as a standalone.
STAR RATING: I give this book 4 stars.
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley in order to provide a review. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions contained herein are my own.
April 5, 2017
If there ever were a step-by-step guide for how to start a successful and lasting relationship, I imagine it would look like this: boy meets girl, they fall in love and live happily ever after, but without the baggage and hurt. Alas, there is no such thing as both Rory Gallagher and Oaklee Ferguson have learned the really hard way.
Both casualties of love gone wrong, Rory and Oaklee have reason to be wary of the emotion and have devised various methods of dealing it. For Rory, serial dating is the best way to avoid emotional entanglements and for Oaklee, keeping busy and avoiding dating is her preferred method. Until an injured dog brings them into closer contact and changes everything for them.
Rory and Oaklee have always had feelings for each other but Rory's friendship with her older brother effectively put the kibosh on anything developing between them back in the day, but now it's their fear of getting hurt again that stands between them and possible happiness.
Rory and Oaklee were a really adorable couple and I enjoyed every bit of their effort to get past their heartbreak and find happiness with each other. It's obvious that their attempts to avoid being hurt again have pretty much starved them of meaningful connections with other people and they are very lonely, no matter how exciting their lives look from the outside.
It's like watching a baby learn to walk; you wince when they fall and cheer when they succeed and I think the author did an amazing job, getting readers invested in and rooting for Rory and Oaklee to find happiness with each other. SOMEBODY'S BABY was a real joy to read and I hope we get more stories soon, especially Hannah's.
Disclaimer: I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely mine.
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Both casualties of love gone wrong, Rory and Oaklee have reason to be wary of the emotion and have devised various methods of dealing it. For Rory, serial dating is the best way to avoid emotional entanglements and for Oaklee, keeping busy and avoiding dating is her preferred method. Until an injured dog brings them into closer contact and changes everything for them.
Rory and Oaklee have always had feelings for each other but Rory's friendship with her older brother effectively put the kibosh on anything developing between them back in the day, but now it's their fear of getting hurt again that stands between them and possible happiness.
Rory and Oaklee were a really adorable couple and I enjoyed every bit of their effort to get past their heartbreak and find happiness with each other. It's obvious that their attempts to avoid being hurt again have pretty much starved them of meaningful connections with other people and they are very lonely, no matter how exciting their lives look from the outside.
It's like watching a baby learn to walk; you wince when they fall and cheer when they succeed and I think the author did an amazing job, getting readers invested in and rooting for Rory and Oaklee to find happiness with each other. SOMEBODY'S BABY was a real joy to read and I hope we get more stories soon, especially Hannah's.
Disclaimer: I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely mine.
Want more? Subscribe to my Newsletter on The Sassy Bookster.
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January 1, 2018
**My thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press, for providing me with a free copy for an honest review**
This is a very sweetbread where a brothers best friend becomes the guy for our leading lady.
Both Oaklee and Rory have baggage, they have both been very badly hurt by previous lovers and have taken many years to get to the point at which they are now.
Both are actually softer in heart than they think they are and end up not only confiding in each other, but taking the step from their comfort zones into a world where they may get hurt again and into each other arms. Both finally move past the stale existence where Oaklee has been isolating herself and Rory has been having meaningless dates with woman to a relationship with someone they care about. All it takes is a moment of stupidity on Oaklees part and a stray dog to get their worlds to forever change.
This is a very sweetbread where a brothers best friend becomes the guy for our leading lady.
Both Oaklee and Rory have baggage, they have both been very badly hurt by previous lovers and have taken many years to get to the point at which they are now.
Both are actually softer in heart than they think they are and end up not only confiding in each other, but taking the step from their comfort zones into a world where they may get hurt again and into each other arms. Both finally move past the stale existence where Oaklee has been isolating herself and Rory has been having meaningless dates with woman to a relationship with someone they care about. All it takes is a moment of stupidity on Oaklees part and a stray dog to get their worlds to forever change.
March 18, 2017
I won't lie when I saw there was a new book in the Darling, VT series I hoped it would feature the oldest daughter of the Gallagher clan. For some reason I think she's hiding a secret from the rest of the family. However, instead this book featured Rory. Rory and Oaklee may seem like the unlikeliest of couples especially since neither one was looking for the "one" but their chemistry cannot be denied. Donna Alward has a unique talent for creating characters that are slightly wounded but not overly so. Just enough that you care and want to see them flourish without being so wounded that it becomes the sole focus of the story. She manages a unique balance which makes it a book that you just don't want to put down until you have finished the story.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this novel.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this novel.
April 1, 2017
I love this town, I love these characters, and I am so in love with this addictive series. In the third instalment, we meet Oaklee Collier, social media genius for the town of Darling, considered to have the perfect independent life. But looks can be deceiving. For underneath her tough exterior, Oaklee has a soft and vulnerable heart that is still recovering from the devastating trampling it received from her high-school sweetheart, two years ago. Knowing how small town life works, Oaklee cut herself off from those who love her, never letting anyone discover what had truly happened to her, and threw herself into her work. She doesn't need or want anyone. Not the adorably cute rescue dog that she accidentally injures, or the sexy vet, who also happens to be her childhood crush.
Rory Gallagher understands that he has a reputation about town as a ladies man, but he is always honest and upfront about the fact that commitment is never going to be on his radar. Until Oaklee needs his help with a rescue dog, and he cannot stop himself thinking about his old best friend's sister. But Rory is carrying some serious baggage from his past and knows that he will only end up hurting Oaklee if he makes a move on their sizzling chemistry. But as friendship and attraction continue to get blurred, can two people who have suffered from seriously broken hearts in the past, find the strength and the bravery needed to take a leap of faith for love?
Like the other books in this series, I was completely hooked from the very beginning and I did not want to stop reading until I knew how it ended. Oaklee is intelligent, smart, and caring, but has never really faced her broken past, and Rory is in a similar situation. I loved seeing them navigate their attraction and make a mess of it along the way, but I really cared about them and that, for me, is a sign of a great book. The town and community of Darling are as beautiful and compelling as ever, and I cried tears over the loveable Buster. SOMEBODY'S BABY by Donna Alward is another gem, which I have now come to expect from her, and I think everyone should read this glorious series (I really hope there will be more!).
I voluntarily reviewed this book from Netgalley.com
Rory Gallagher understands that he has a reputation about town as a ladies man, but he is always honest and upfront about the fact that commitment is never going to be on his radar. Until Oaklee needs his help with a rescue dog, and he cannot stop himself thinking about his old best friend's sister. But Rory is carrying some serious baggage from his past and knows that he will only end up hurting Oaklee if he makes a move on their sizzling chemistry. But as friendship and attraction continue to get blurred, can two people who have suffered from seriously broken hearts in the past, find the strength and the bravery needed to take a leap of faith for love?
Like the other books in this series, I was completely hooked from the very beginning and I did not want to stop reading until I knew how it ended. Oaklee is intelligent, smart, and caring, but has never really faced her broken past, and Rory is in a similar situation. I loved seeing them navigate their attraction and make a mess of it along the way, but I really cared about them and that, for me, is a sign of a great book. The town and community of Darling are as beautiful and compelling as ever, and I cried tears over the loveable Buster. SOMEBODY'S BABY by Donna Alward is another gem, which I have now come to expect from her, and I think everyone should read this glorious series (I really hope there will be more!).
I voluntarily reviewed this book from Netgalley.com
December 1, 2017
Donna Alward’s migration to the lengthier contemporary (from MissB’s beloved categories) has resulted in hit-or-miss romances. With the third in her Darling, Vermont series, Somebody’s Baby, Alward hits her stride. Like one of Miss B’s favourite categories, Alward’s Her Rancher Rescuer, the protagonists of Somebody’s Baby are young – really young – not the usual put-together super-people that contemporary romances tend to give us, but callow. And because Alward makes them somewhat unlikeable, at least initially, in their callowness, their growth is the more believable.
Oaklee Collier is 24 and works in Darling’s publicity department. She is all things FB, Twitter, and promoting tourism and local businesses. It’s no wonder Twitter plays a clever, interesting role in the narrative. As a Twitter aficionado, MissB enjoyed this, among many others of the novel’s aspects. Oaklee is texting, tweeting, and all around being distracted by her phone when she hits a mangy dog. Overwhelmed by guilt and hoping to save the dog, she carries him to the local vet’s, where her brother’s best friend and high school “white-steeded knight” works, Dr. Rory Gallagher. When Rory overhears her, as she enters the clinic muddied, bloodied, and carrying a whimpering doggie, he has the typical rom response to the best friend’s little sister, “Unless he was mistaken, that voice belonged to Oaklee Collier. A complete and utter pain in the ass.”
Somebody’s Baby has a conventional small-town romance feel to open, but the humour and, frankly, the adorable dog, which Rory convinces Oaklee to foster, kept MissB reading. Besides, Alward has always had a smooth, likeable style that appeals to Miss B. But Somebody’s Baby turns into something quite out of the ordinary and delightful as one reads on. First, there is, as MissB. mentioned, Oaklee and Rory’s realistic youthfulness. They’re paying student loans, have landed their first jobs after college, and carry the psychic wounds of the broken-hearted after the painful end of their first loves. Miss B. thought Alward perfectly captured two fairly well-adjusted (from loving, supportive homes) young people who, at the occurence of this disappointment, discover the world doesn’t always go one’s way. Oaklee and Rory are neither vain, nor arrogant, they’ve simply never suffered before.
Oaklee and Rory have coped with their broken hearts in what appear to be different ways, but, in the end, are about closing themselves off from being hurt by locking up their hearts. Oaklee isolates herself by focusing on career and being such a workaholic she barely sees her loving parents, even though they live in Darling. No boyfriends, not even that many friends, and work work work it is for Oaklee. Rory, on the other hand, is a serial dater, surfing dating sites and out with a new lady every week. After the first two or three dates, however, he politely breaks off, having warned the lady that he doesn’t do serious or long-term.
And yet, he and Oaklee are friends and it’s not long before their former teen-age friendship-lite is now accompanied by genuine affection and attraction. They navigate the attraction well, kissing and flirting, and concluding:
“Neither of us seems to want anything serious. But we do seem to want each other.” Something felt off when she said it, just a niggle of conscience that said she couldn’t take sex so lightly. That it was supposed to be meaningful on an emotional level, and not recreation. But where had that got her for the past two years? Celibate and … emotionally frozen, too.
The above passage is why MissB. loves Alward still and stuck with her longer-contemporary growing pains. Because Alward understands that the essence of romance is the recognition that attraction and sex are emotionally complicated to two people who are, at core, serious, caring, and honourable. While romance often contains love scenes (Alward’s are definitely on the tame side), it’s never about sex: it’s about commitment. And commitment consists of the giving over to the other of body and heart. To the romance protagonists and genre, these two aspects of the self are inextricably linked. Here, Oaklee is a modern, albeit conservative, young woman, as is Rory, conservative that is, and, while modern mores have moved away from strictures against premarital sex, they haven’t moved away from the idea, even in this initial Oaklee niggle, that it’s “supposed to be meaningful on an emotional level.”
Oaklee and Rory are young, strong, and beautiful. Their bodies are in sync, but their ability to communicate with and understand each other are thwarted by fear and loss. Alward can write a meaningful love scene, but she can also really write how, sometimes, the aftermath may be disconnecting and lonely. Because the body-work may be done, but the heart has yet to catch up. Here are Oaklee’s thoughts:
… [Rory] nodded, as if he understood. But he didn’t. She knew he didn’t. Suddenly they seemed very far apart, when only minutes earlier they’d been extremely close … Nothing had gone right tonight. As she got closer to her apartment, she realized it was because neither she nor Rory knew what they wanted. All they knew was that it involved each other.
Oaklee and Rory’s HEA-journey is about learning to love and trust again. They don’t have much to go on, except a mutt, good examples of loving couples, love-mentors in their families and friends, and good will.
Not much is said in romance critique about the key to a loveable couple is the “good will” to take a chance, persist, think things through, ask for advice, and take a risk in communicating the heart. Seems simple, but it’s frightening. Oaklee and Rory are scared, but they have good will and sufficient inner resources to take an emotional risk. How they do so is funny, endearing, and original and tells romance readers that Alward hasn’t lost her magic touch. Witness this beautiful summary of the HEA-journey from the first, tentative stirrings of the heart to its surety, from first kisses to last” … it was definitely the sort of kiss laden with hesitant possibilities and unanswered questions. … They’d had many kisses already, but this one was the best, because all the others had been questions and this one felt like the answer.” The answer to Alward’s Somebody’s Baby, with Miss Austen’s assent, is “there is no charm equal to tenderness of heart,” Emma.
Donna Alward’s Somebody’s Baby is published by St. Martin’s Paperbacks. It was released in April and may be found at your preferred vendors. Miss Bates received an e-ARC from St. Martin’s Paperbacks, via Netgalley.
Oaklee Collier is 24 and works in Darling’s publicity department. She is all things FB, Twitter, and promoting tourism and local businesses. It’s no wonder Twitter plays a clever, interesting role in the narrative. As a Twitter aficionado, MissB enjoyed this, among many others of the novel’s aspects. Oaklee is texting, tweeting, and all around being distracted by her phone when she hits a mangy dog. Overwhelmed by guilt and hoping to save the dog, she carries him to the local vet’s, where her brother’s best friend and high school “white-steeded knight” works, Dr. Rory Gallagher. When Rory overhears her, as she enters the clinic muddied, bloodied, and carrying a whimpering doggie, he has the typical rom response to the best friend’s little sister, “Unless he was mistaken, that voice belonged to Oaklee Collier. A complete and utter pain in the ass.”
Somebody’s Baby has a conventional small-town romance feel to open, but the humour and, frankly, the adorable dog, which Rory convinces Oaklee to foster, kept MissB reading. Besides, Alward has always had a smooth, likeable style that appeals to Miss B. But Somebody’s Baby turns into something quite out of the ordinary and delightful as one reads on. First, there is, as MissB. mentioned, Oaklee and Rory’s realistic youthfulness. They’re paying student loans, have landed their first jobs after college, and carry the psychic wounds of the broken-hearted after the painful end of their first loves. Miss B. thought Alward perfectly captured two fairly well-adjusted (from loving, supportive homes) young people who, at the occurence of this disappointment, discover the world doesn’t always go one’s way. Oaklee and Rory are neither vain, nor arrogant, they’ve simply never suffered before.
Oaklee and Rory have coped with their broken hearts in what appear to be different ways, but, in the end, are about closing themselves off from being hurt by locking up their hearts. Oaklee isolates herself by focusing on career and being such a workaholic she barely sees her loving parents, even though they live in Darling. No boyfriends, not even that many friends, and work work work it is for Oaklee. Rory, on the other hand, is a serial dater, surfing dating sites and out with a new lady every week. After the first two or three dates, however, he politely breaks off, having warned the lady that he doesn’t do serious or long-term.
And yet, he and Oaklee are friends and it’s not long before their former teen-age friendship-lite is now accompanied by genuine affection and attraction. They navigate the attraction well, kissing and flirting, and concluding:
“Neither of us seems to want anything serious. But we do seem to want each other.” Something felt off when she said it, just a niggle of conscience that said she couldn’t take sex so lightly. That it was supposed to be meaningful on an emotional level, and not recreation. But where had that got her for the past two years? Celibate and … emotionally frozen, too.
The above passage is why MissB. loves Alward still and stuck with her longer-contemporary growing pains. Because Alward understands that the essence of romance is the recognition that attraction and sex are emotionally complicated to two people who are, at core, serious, caring, and honourable. While romance often contains love scenes (Alward’s are definitely on the tame side), it’s never about sex: it’s about commitment. And commitment consists of the giving over to the other of body and heart. To the romance protagonists and genre, these two aspects of the self are inextricably linked. Here, Oaklee is a modern, albeit conservative, young woman, as is Rory, conservative that is, and, while modern mores have moved away from strictures against premarital sex, they haven’t moved away from the idea, even in this initial Oaklee niggle, that it’s “supposed to be meaningful on an emotional level.”
Oaklee and Rory are young, strong, and beautiful. Their bodies are in sync, but their ability to communicate with and understand each other are thwarted by fear and loss. Alward can write a meaningful love scene, but she can also really write how, sometimes, the aftermath may be disconnecting and lonely. Because the body-work may be done, but the heart has yet to catch up. Here are Oaklee’s thoughts:
… [Rory] nodded, as if he understood. But he didn’t. She knew he didn’t. Suddenly they seemed very far apart, when only minutes earlier they’d been extremely close … Nothing had gone right tonight. As she got closer to her apartment, she realized it was because neither she nor Rory knew what they wanted. All they knew was that it involved each other.
Oaklee and Rory’s HEA-journey is about learning to love and trust again. They don’t have much to go on, except a mutt, good examples of loving couples, love-mentors in their families and friends, and good will.
Not much is said in romance critique about the key to a loveable couple is the “good will” to take a chance, persist, think things through, ask for advice, and take a risk in communicating the heart. Seems simple, but it’s frightening. Oaklee and Rory are scared, but they have good will and sufficient inner resources to take an emotional risk. How they do so is funny, endearing, and original and tells romance readers that Alward hasn’t lost her magic touch. Witness this beautiful summary of the HEA-journey from the first, tentative stirrings of the heart to its surety, from first kisses to last” … it was definitely the sort of kiss laden with hesitant possibilities and unanswered questions. … They’d had many kisses already, but this one was the best, because all the others had been questions and this one felt like the answer.” The answer to Alward’s Somebody’s Baby, with Miss Austen’s assent, is “there is no charm equal to tenderness of heart,” Emma.
Donna Alward’s Somebody’s Baby is published by St. Martin’s Paperbacks. It was released in April and may be found at your preferred vendors. Miss Bates received an e-ARC from St. Martin’s Paperbacks, via Netgalley.
April 17, 2017
What a fantastic story!! I am in awe and in tears.
Somebody's baby is a sweet and heartwarming tale, yet so lifelike, so realistic, the feelings are raw and real, and easy to relate to. The process of falling in love while it has the charm and magic of the new feelings growing and blooming it is also difficult, awkward, an uphill battle, that takes time and emotional moments of hard conversations to be able to learn to trust again, have the courage to open your heart again to be vulnerable, to have faith in a lasting relationship. And when you add the meddling townfolks and family who means well but steps on the wrong toes, it all just shows that life and love is a fragile balance of glee and grim.
I adored the characters and how they grew and developed through the story. Both Rory Gallagher and Oaklee Ferguson had had a devastating heartbreak in the past that they still struggled with. As they process the past hurt and its effects on them today, I was in tears as the feelings of betrayal and devastation were tangible.
Rory has a reputation of a player for the past years, but he is a good guy. He is generous, honest, steadfast, and reliable.
Oaklee, the social butterfly, hides her loneliness and the humiliation of the past breakup in her constant smile and cheerfulness. Her home is a mess, so she wouldn't feel the emptiness and solitude of her life. She is kind, always willing to help others, she is smart, capable, and fun, yet she is lonely in her heart.
I loved the role Buster played in the story, how Oakley's life changed, how she changed after the dog walked into the scene and to her foster care. The chemistry and connection Oaklee had with Rory were evident to all to see, the attraction is obvious. But it takes more than an attraction to built something lasting, and that is what the story shows the readers, the building of something more - hope, faith, and trust - before love is possible.
I am still feeling the ripples of the tale, of the heartfelt story so well crafted and told that it found an easy road to my heart. I have never highlighted so much while reading a book, as this story resonated with me on a very deep level, the words and thoughts of the characters so beautifully put together. This is a gem of a tale, going directly to my 2017 favorites file!
~ Five Spoons!
*Thankful for the NEtGallye eARC for feeding my reading addiction*
Somebody's baby is a sweet and heartwarming tale, yet so lifelike, so realistic, the feelings are raw and real, and easy to relate to. The process of falling in love while it has the charm and magic of the new feelings growing and blooming it is also difficult, awkward, an uphill battle, that takes time and emotional moments of hard conversations to be able to learn to trust again, have the courage to open your heart again to be vulnerable, to have faith in a lasting relationship. And when you add the meddling townfolks and family who means well but steps on the wrong toes, it all just shows that life and love is a fragile balance of glee and grim.
I adored the characters and how they grew and developed through the story. Both Rory Gallagher and Oaklee Ferguson had had a devastating heartbreak in the past that they still struggled with. As they process the past hurt and its effects on them today, I was in tears as the feelings of betrayal and devastation were tangible.
Rory has a reputation of a player for the past years, but he is a good guy. He is generous, honest, steadfast, and reliable.
Oaklee, the social butterfly, hides her loneliness and the humiliation of the past breakup in her constant smile and cheerfulness. Her home is a mess, so she wouldn't feel the emptiness and solitude of her life. She is kind, always willing to help others, she is smart, capable, and fun, yet she is lonely in her heart.
I loved the role Buster played in the story, how Oakley's life changed, how she changed after the dog walked into the scene and to her foster care. The chemistry and connection Oaklee had with Rory were evident to all to see, the attraction is obvious. But it takes more than an attraction to built something lasting, and that is what the story shows the readers, the building of something more - hope, faith, and trust - before love is possible.
I am still feeling the ripples of the tale, of the heartfelt story so well crafted and told that it found an easy road to my heart. I have never highlighted so much while reading a book, as this story resonated with me on a very deep level, the words and thoughts of the characters so beautifully put together. This is a gem of a tale, going directly to my 2017 favorites file!
~ Five Spoons!
*Thankful for the NEtGallye eARC for feeding my reading addiction*
April 7, 2017
A very nice story about two people that have had their hearts hurt in love, and now must find a way to trust another person again. Rory Gallagher is the town’s veterinarian and is surprised one night when Oaklee Ferguson shows up after hours and is not looking like herself at all. Once down stairs he realizes that she is trying to tell him that she hit a dog and it is in her back seat. He is surprised that she was able to put the animal in her car and hence this begins the awkward romance that begins to take place between the two of them. There are many hurdles, first he is her older brother best friend and for him it just seems strange to now be attracted to her as a women after years ago being hit by her brother when staring at her when they were in high school. The good point is he is playing pro hockey so he is not in town. second she told him about her crush she had on him when she was a younger and how she knew he protected her when her brother left town and that made her feel special even though she knew she could do nothing about it at the time. Now the biggest problem, they each had their heart broken his is sad and painful, but hers. She was dating someone since her Jr. Year in high school, and they went to college together and before the last semester was to begin they decided to go to Vegas and elope. The problem is when he left in the morning to run errands he never showed for the ceremony, and on top of that text her while he was on a plane saying that “this was on him not her”, mean while she spent her two days in Vegas alone which was supposed to be her honeymoon until she could leave on her flight. She had to borrow money from her brother but did not tell him the whole story afraid he would leave during the playoffs to destroy her ex. So for the last two years no one has known why she came back to town alone after college. When you get to the story when she tells Rory he freezes up like most guys and does not open up about his hurt and so when he realizes he is in love with he must gravel. That part is funny along with some other parts of the story. I cannot give this 5 stars because I did not like the end, and some parts in the middle just dragged a bit. Overall not a bad story. I got this book from Netgalley.com I gave it 4 stars. Follow us at www.1rad-readerreviews.com
April 5, 2017
Somebody’s Baby is the third book in Donna Alward’s Darling, VT series. I am so hooked on the people in this town and the characters in this series. This book is Oaklee and Rory’s story. We met Oaklee and Rory in the first book.
Oaklee is Darling, VT’s social media butterfly. She works for the town council posting events and activities on various social media. She works hand in glove with the town PR department and the small business owners. Oaklee seems so put together but she hides a backstory of loneliness and sadness that she doesn’t share with anyone. Her house is a pigsty (there’s a story behind that) and she doesn’t date or allow herself to form a relationship with anyone (there’s a story behind that, too).
Rory is a veterinarian. He is one of the six children of John and Moira Gallagher, and the only one who is not a redhead. He loves children and animals, and in high school he was the best friend of Cam, Oaklee’s big brother. When Cam left town to pursue his career as a professional hockey player, Rory quietly looked after Oaklee’s best interests.
One night, on her way home, Oaklee is checking her phone messages while driving and accidentally hits a dog. She picks up the poor, suffering animal and takes him to Rory. After Rory treats him and names him Buster he convinces Oaklee, against her better judgement, to foster the dog until a forever home can be found for him. The scene when she comes home from work after leaving Buster alone in her apartment all day is both horrifying and hilarious.
Trying to continue to hide their secrets from each other while continuing to push away from a growing attraction is the main storyline. They start and stop, family and friends interfere, and the whole thing is often broadcast over social media.
I am so in love with these characters, and in fact, all of the people of Darling, VT, and can hardly wait for the next episode. Who will be next to visit the Kissing Bridge, which signifies a forever kind of love?
Oaklee is Darling, VT’s social media butterfly. She works for the town council posting events and activities on various social media. She works hand in glove with the town PR department and the small business owners. Oaklee seems so put together but she hides a backstory of loneliness and sadness that she doesn’t share with anyone. Her house is a pigsty (there’s a story behind that) and she doesn’t date or allow herself to form a relationship with anyone (there’s a story behind that, too).
Rory is a veterinarian. He is one of the six children of John and Moira Gallagher, and the only one who is not a redhead. He loves children and animals, and in high school he was the best friend of Cam, Oaklee’s big brother. When Cam left town to pursue his career as a professional hockey player, Rory quietly looked after Oaklee’s best interests.
One night, on her way home, Oaklee is checking her phone messages while driving and accidentally hits a dog. She picks up the poor, suffering animal and takes him to Rory. After Rory treats him and names him Buster he convinces Oaklee, against her better judgement, to foster the dog until a forever home can be found for him. The scene when she comes home from work after leaving Buster alone in her apartment all day is both horrifying and hilarious.
Trying to continue to hide their secrets from each other while continuing to push away from a growing attraction is the main storyline. They start and stop, family and friends interfere, and the whole thing is often broadcast over social media.
I am so in love with these characters, and in fact, all of the people of Darling, VT, and can hardly wait for the next episode. Who will be next to visit the Kissing Bridge, which signifies a forever kind of love?
April 9, 2017
I love the small town of Darling, VT and this is the third book in the series.
Rory Gallagher is the local vet in the town and has a reputation as a lady’s man. None of his ‘dates’ last longer that two or three dates and that’s just the way he prefers it. After having his heart broken at a young age he keeps away from relationships.
Oaklee Ferguson had a crush on Rory when she was young but being the little sister of his best friend, he was never going to notice her that way. Over the years her unrequited love has diminished but when she accidently runs over a stray dog, it brings her back in close proximity to Rory when she takes the dog to his surgery.
I just love Darling and all the locals that I want to go live there. It was lovely to catch up with where everyone was at and what had gone on in their lives since I was last immersed in the previous books (which I adored!) Although this book was in the same place and a similar scenario, it just didn’t pick up pace for me on the romance side. There were lots of angst and drawn out inner thought process going on with plenty of one step forward and two steps back kind of dance between Rory and Oaklee. It was a tad frustrating at times. When they eventually sorted out their feelings and took the plunge it was a little late in the book and I didn’t get to see them truly being as a couple which was a shame. It wasn’t as intense as the previous two books but it was still a lovely sweet read. I did love the twitter feed chatter though. That was a nice touch.
Overall a sweet and touching read of a slow burning love with some tender moments that did make me cry and I finally understood what the ‘baby’ in the title actually referred to. Aww.
Three and a half stars.
ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley to Foxylutely Books blog in exchange for an honest review
Rory Gallagher is the local vet in the town and has a reputation as a lady’s man. None of his ‘dates’ last longer that two or three dates and that’s just the way he prefers it. After having his heart broken at a young age he keeps away from relationships.
Oaklee Ferguson had a crush on Rory when she was young but being the little sister of his best friend, he was never going to notice her that way. Over the years her unrequited love has diminished but when she accidently runs over a stray dog, it brings her back in close proximity to Rory when she takes the dog to his surgery.
I just love Darling and all the locals that I want to go live there. It was lovely to catch up with where everyone was at and what had gone on in their lives since I was last immersed in the previous books (which I adored!) Although this book was in the same place and a similar scenario, it just didn’t pick up pace for me on the romance side. There were lots of angst and drawn out inner thought process going on with plenty of one step forward and two steps back kind of dance between Rory and Oaklee. It was a tad frustrating at times. When they eventually sorted out their feelings and took the plunge it was a little late in the book and I didn’t get to see them truly being as a couple which was a shame. It wasn’t as intense as the previous two books but it was still a lovely sweet read. I did love the twitter feed chatter though. That was a nice touch.
Overall a sweet and touching read of a slow burning love with some tender moments that did make me cry and I finally understood what the ‘baby’ in the title actually referred to. Aww.
Three and a half stars.
ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley to Foxylutely Books blog in exchange for an honest review
April 6, 2017
ARC received via Netgalley for an honest review
This is the 3rd in the Darling, VT series, and whilst the characters lives do intertwine, each can be read as a standalone.
Rory Gallagher is the town's single, hot vet, and one one of the Gallagher brothers, who seem to be a bit legendary in Darling.
Oaklee is his best friend's little sister, the PITA little girl who used to follow them around.. until suddenly she's not
"Suddenly she was everywhere, and he was noticing."
Both have enough emotional baggage to fill a 747, but I loved how they - eventually - fought against all that baggage.
There was a part of the story (I don't want to spoil things by saying what) that had me in tears, and it kinda sorta was close to something that happened with me not too long ago.
I totally get the small town vibe of the series, as I live in a small town, where you can't sneeze without someone two streets over saying bless you. This made the fishbowl feeling that Oaklee had all the more relatable to me.
Rory and Oaklee's love is a slow burn with hurdles (mostly of their own creation!) thrown into the mix.
There is just something about this series that has drawn me in. I think it is the characters, their troubles, their lives , any of them could be us. From the first book to the last, I have enjoyed every moment in Darling, VT.
Now I am waiting to see what Ms Alward brings us next.
This is the 3rd in the Darling, VT series, and whilst the characters lives do intertwine, each can be read as a standalone.
Rory Gallagher is the town's single, hot vet, and one one of the Gallagher brothers, who seem to be a bit legendary in Darling.
Oaklee is his best friend's little sister, the PITA little girl who used to follow them around.. until suddenly she's not
"Suddenly she was everywhere, and he was noticing."
Both have enough emotional baggage to fill a 747, but I loved how they - eventually - fought against all that baggage.
There was a part of the story (I don't want to spoil things by saying what) that had me in tears, and it kinda sorta was close to something that happened with me not too long ago.
I totally get the small town vibe of the series, as I live in a small town, where you can't sneeze without someone two streets over saying bless you. This made the fishbowl feeling that Oaklee had all the more relatable to me.
Rory and Oaklee's love is a slow burn with hurdles (mostly of their own creation!) thrown into the mix.
There is just something about this series that has drawn me in. I think it is the characters, their troubles, their lives , any of them could be us. From the first book to the last, I have enjoyed every moment in Darling, VT.
Now I am waiting to see what Ms Alward brings us next.
April 6, 2017
3.5 ~ Another one bites the Kissing Bridge dust ~ Stars
Donna Alward knows how to write about real people with real struggles. I was expecting a light easy read but what I got instead was a deeply emotional story about two people who have been hurt in the past and survived by coping differently. They were able to lock the hurt up tight and learned to live life with little to no expectations of real love.
Oaklee and Rory were two people so confused, so wary of committment, of co-dependancy that it was heartbreaking to see them fighting their attraction. I'm not one for long drawn out drama but getting inside both Oaklee and Rory's heads helped me connect with them. I might not have liked some of their decisions and wanted to jump in a time or two and demand they stop flitting around the truth and just lay it all on the table, but if that had happened this story wouldn't have rang so strongly with raw emotion.
What stood out for me the most was Buster. Buster is the foster dog that Oaklee has for a majority of the story. His role in Oaklee's life was pivot and touching, it literally brought me to tears. I was sad to see him go (no need to freak out peeps, his family claims him!) but I think that Ms. Alward did a great job using him as that extra push Oaklee needed to snap out of her funk.
Each book in the Darling, VT series has featured down to earth people from every day life that have to overcome every day fears and doubts. They all have great romantic couples and sweet love stories but Somebody's Baby has touched on every one of my emotions. I laughed and cried, fell in love, got scared, felt the bite of panic and grew frustrated right alongside the MCs. It wasn't easy and it wasn't all roses but in the end I believed that Oaklee and Rory had what it takes to make their love last a lifetime.
If you've read the series or if your looking for a small town romance I would highly recommend you check this author out. The legendary Kissing Bridge gets another romantic couple to add to its infamous track record and we're left wandering just which unsuspecting Gallagher sibling is up next to kiss for a moment and love for a lifetime!
*** ARC provided for an honest review ***
Safety: Not for everyone
Ages: Rory is 26 and Oaklee is 24. Neither are virgins.
OM/OW drama: Yes
There's No Cheating
Does have a heavy dose of push and pull from both MCs
Ends with a HFN ending
No Epilogue
Donna Alward knows how to write about real people with real struggles. I was expecting a light easy read but what I got instead was a deeply emotional story about two people who have been hurt in the past and survived by coping differently. They were able to lock the hurt up tight and learned to live life with little to no expectations of real love.
Oaklee and Rory were two people so confused, so wary of committment, of co-dependancy that it was heartbreaking to see them fighting their attraction. I'm not one for long drawn out drama but getting inside both Oaklee and Rory's heads helped me connect with them. I might not have liked some of their decisions and wanted to jump in a time or two and demand they stop flitting around the truth and just lay it all on the table, but if that had happened this story wouldn't have rang so strongly with raw emotion.
What stood out for me the most was Buster. Buster is the foster dog that Oaklee has for a majority of the story. His role in Oaklee's life was pivot and touching, it literally brought me to tears. I was sad to see him go (no need to freak out peeps, his family claims him!) but I think that Ms. Alward did a great job using him as that extra push Oaklee needed to snap out of her funk.
Each book in the Darling, VT series has featured down to earth people from every day life that have to overcome every day fears and doubts. They all have great romantic couples and sweet love stories but Somebody's Baby has touched on every one of my emotions. I laughed and cried, fell in love, got scared, felt the bite of panic and grew frustrated right alongside the MCs. It wasn't easy and it wasn't all roses but in the end I believed that Oaklee and Rory had what it takes to make their love last a lifetime.
If you've read the series or if your looking for a small town romance I would highly recommend you check this author out. The legendary Kissing Bridge gets another romantic couple to add to its infamous track record and we're left wandering just which unsuspecting Gallagher sibling is up next to kiss for a moment and love for a lifetime!
*** ARC provided for an honest review ***
Safety: Not for everyone
Ages: Rory is 26 and Oaklee is 24. Neither are virgins.
OM/OW drama: Yes
There's No Cheating
Does have a heavy dose of push and pull from both MCs
Ends with a HFN ending
No Epilogue
June 6, 2017
Set in Darling, Vermont, Somebody’s Baby was a surprisingly delightful story. Even though I hadn’t read the first two books in the series, I was instantly taken in by the charm of this small town similar to Robyn Carr’s Virgin River. Oaklee works for the town as the social media guru, a job she loves. But a job just isn’t enough to fill a lonely life, especially after recovering from a terribly broken heart. Having recently returned to Darling, Rory Gallagher is the town’s veterinarian who also has been unlucky in love. He has known Oaklee forever since he was her big brother’s best friend. They have a chance encounter when she accidentally hits a stray dog with her car. She brings the dog to his office, and winds up fostering the wounded pup whom they name Buster, until his owner or someone will take him in. Thanks to Buster, a sweet relationship that neither Oaklee nor Rory wants to admit to is forming.
Donna Alward has written a heart-tugging gem with Somebody’s Baby. I’m so glad to have gotten the chance to visit this quaint town. I’ll definitely go back to read the first two in the series. Thanks to St. Martin's Press and Goodreads First Reads for this giveaway win!
Donna Alward has written a heart-tugging gem with Somebody’s Baby. I’m so glad to have gotten the chance to visit this quaint town. I’ll definitely go back to read the first two in the series. Thanks to St. Martin's Press and Goodreads First Reads for this giveaway win!
April 2, 2017
I love this series and this book fantastic. The characters, the town, the family, these are just a few of the things that I love in these stories. This is Rory Gallagher's story. He's known in Darling for two things. His love of animals and his way with the ladies. Then he runs into the one woman who is immune to his charm and he's captivated. Oaklee is back in Darling and finds herself face to face with her one time crush Rory Gallagher. She may be determined to not get caught up in him all over again, but his kindness and gentle nature eventually pull her in.
This is a lovely sweet read with a nice slow build romance. Definitely a book I would recommend.
This is a lovely sweet read with a nice slow build romance. Definitely a book I would recommend.
April 22, 2017
If you're an animal lover you will love this book and Rory. He's the town Vet and teaches Oaklee how to let someone in. That someone is the dog she agrees to foster, after she hits him with her car. Rory was her crush when she was younger but he was her older brother's friend, Rory always thought that Oaklee was pretty but was also warned by her brother that she was off limits when he noticed that she was growing up.
The foster dog teaches Oaklee to care again, but she also learns to deal with heartbreak, and Rory is there every step and learning about himself as well as how to love. This book is just like the name of their small town... Darling!
The foster dog teaches Oaklee to care again, but she also learns to deal with heartbreak, and Rory is there every step and learning about himself as well as how to love. This book is just like the name of their small town... Darling!
March 22, 2017
Once again one of the Gallagher boys is finds love. This time it is the veterinarian Rory. He has been hiding a broken heart since leaving veterinary school. Oakley Ferguson has also had her heart crushed. This is a slow moving story as each struggles with issues of trust. I liked how each knew what was holding them back. I enjoyed seeing the couples from the two previous stories. It is nice to visit with a town brought to life in Alward's Darling, VT. There was not a hint about who will be featured next or if there was I did not pick up on it. This is a very nice series with great characters and a charming town. You can start the series anywhere as each is a stand-alone but it is best if started at the beginning.
June 10, 2021
I loved this story. In addition to a lovely story of two people falling in love there was a wonderful dog story.
October 8, 2023
IT’S HARD BEING SINGLE IN A WORLD POPULATED WITH PAIRS
I enjoyed this emotional, heartwarming story with likable, realistic characters, interactions, and emotions. These are not perfect people, but people who mess up, pay the price but can find forgiveness. Darling, Vermont, is known for its kissing bridge, and Oaklee Collier is in charge of the town of Darling’s social media.
Oaklee Collier returned to her hometown of Darling, VT after getting her degree. She has worked for the tourism department in her town. She keeps it alive with her posts and tweets. When something new is happening, she is updating Facebook and Twitter, and tagging people and businesses. When your town is a tourism industry, you must stay on top of things, and constantly be planning into the following year.
Dr. Rory Gallagher is the junior veterinarian at Darling Veterinary Clinic and lives above the practice. He returned to Darling after getting his degree. He comes from a large family that also lives in town.
The story’s plot will have Oaklee on her way home one night, getting distracted while driving and hitting an animal. She will get the large dog in her car and show up at the Veterinary Clinic, knowing that Rory lives there. They’ve known each other since they were kids because Rory and her brother Cam were best friends. Rory is able to help the dog, but it will need to stay for several days and has a broken leg. With no identification, and no one coming forward to claim it, it will need to go to the shelter—unless he can convince Oaklee to foster him.
The story is full of family, friends, and then heartache. Both Rory and Oaklee stay closed off since they return—but are complete opposites. Oaklee comes off as cold, and never dates, even though she has been asked out—and Rory is a serial dater, without commitment. With Rory and Oaklee coming together over ‘Buster’ the dog, they develop an uneasy reacquaintance friendship. Oaklee crushed on Rory when they were in school, but the bro-code between Rory and Cam kept him from ever doing anything when he started noticing her—but that didn’t mean he didn’t notice—or look out for her.
Lots of secrets from their past, emotions from previous relationships, and feelings that are developing between them now are complicated by their past. They admit there is a chemistry between them—an attraction that has been there for many years, but how do they proceed? Neither wants to get into a serious relationship—not sure how they feel about relationships, and yet, there is that chemistry and strong attraction. Can they do an exclusive, but no commitment relationship? Will their past destroy what is developing before they can see where things lead them?
The story is an emotional roller coaster ride of two people who have both been hurt by someone they truly cared for and thought that person was their future. Now, each of them is trying to avoid a relationship, which is only hurting each other. Will they learn to trust and let go while reaching for the brass ring on this Merry-go-round of life?
I enjoyed this emotional, heartwarming story with likable, realistic characters, interactions, and emotions. These are not perfect people, but people who mess up, pay the price but can find forgiveness. Darling, Vermont, is known for its kissing bridge, and Oaklee Collier is in charge of the town of Darling’s social media.
Oaklee Collier returned to her hometown of Darling, VT after getting her degree. She has worked for the tourism department in her town. She keeps it alive with her posts and tweets. When something new is happening, she is updating Facebook and Twitter, and tagging people and businesses. When your town is a tourism industry, you must stay on top of things, and constantly be planning into the following year.
Dr. Rory Gallagher is the junior veterinarian at Darling Veterinary Clinic and lives above the practice. He returned to Darling after getting his degree. He comes from a large family that also lives in town.
The story’s plot will have Oaklee on her way home one night, getting distracted while driving and hitting an animal. She will get the large dog in her car and show up at the Veterinary Clinic, knowing that Rory lives there. They’ve known each other since they were kids because Rory and her brother Cam were best friends. Rory is able to help the dog, but it will need to stay for several days and has a broken leg. With no identification, and no one coming forward to claim it, it will need to go to the shelter—unless he can convince Oaklee to foster him.
The story is full of family, friends, and then heartache. Both Rory and Oaklee stay closed off since they return—but are complete opposites. Oaklee comes off as cold, and never dates, even though she has been asked out—and Rory is a serial dater, without commitment. With Rory and Oaklee coming together over ‘Buster’ the dog, they develop an uneasy reacquaintance friendship. Oaklee crushed on Rory when they were in school, but the bro-code between Rory and Cam kept him from ever doing anything when he started noticing her—but that didn’t mean he didn’t notice—or look out for her.
Lots of secrets from their past, emotions from previous relationships, and feelings that are developing between them now are complicated by their past. They admit there is a chemistry between them—an attraction that has been there for many years, but how do they proceed? Neither wants to get into a serious relationship—not sure how they feel about relationships, and yet, there is that chemistry and strong attraction. Can they do an exclusive, but no commitment relationship? Will their past destroy what is developing before they can see where things lead them?
The story is an emotional roller coaster ride of two people who have both been hurt by someone they truly cared for and thought that person was their future. Now, each of them is trying to avoid a relationship, which is only hurting each other. Will they learn to trust and let go while reaching for the brass ring on this Merry-go-round of life?
May 25, 2017
The book was a great read. Oaklee hits a dog while checking her phone for a call. She scoops the dog up as he's still living, and takes him to the local veterinary office. Her childhood crush his big brothers best friend turns out to be the veterinary in the office when she turns up. She always had a huge crush on him. He was told by her brother to leave her alone! Bro code. Rory is known as the ladies man about town, he takes the women out for one or two dates and then he's on to the next.
Oaklee never dates anyone, she fills her life up by donating her time to every committee every meeting, anything to fill her life up and keep her busy. They both have dating problems, but the dog brings them together, and Rory talks her into taking the dog until the family is found. She doesn't want to keep the dog. Things go south after she falls in love with the dog, and the family of the dog turns up. She's heart broken. She had sworn to not be vulnerable and not let anyone or anything close to her heart, due to a past where her heart was trampled. At least no one knew what she had to suffer through. It happened while she was away at school.
Both of these people have relationship problems, and the way they struggle through them to get to a place where they are comfortable in becoming vulnerable again, is really endearing and sometimes laughable. The story is really a good one and I loved the outcome. It was a fast read the characters pulled you in right away.
I was given this e-book in exchange for an honest review. There was a good description found here on Good Reads: Veterinarian Rory Gallagher chose a different path from his brothers, both of whom became first responders in the lovely little town of Darling, Vermont. Rory's always had an affinity for animals--and the ladies. Known for his impressive track record in breaking hearts, Rory never meant to hurt anyone; he's just never been in a hurry to settle down. It's not as if he needs to pay a visit to the town's famed Kissing Bridge to magically find love. He'll know The One when he sees her. . .right?
Oaklee Ferguson is the kid sister of Rory's best friend--and, even now that she's all grown up, remains immune to the pet-doctor's charms. When she shows up at Rory's clinic late one night--devastated after hitting a stray dog with her car--Rory's so-called -bedroom eyes- are the last thing on her mind. Still, his care and kindness toward the dog, and his concern for her feelings, catches Oaklee by surprise. . .and soon the two (and rescued dog makes three!) begin to share a deep connection that neither could have ever imagined. Could it be that love has been waiting for them by the bridge all along....
Oaklee never dates anyone, she fills her life up by donating her time to every committee every meeting, anything to fill her life up and keep her busy. They both have dating problems, but the dog brings them together, and Rory talks her into taking the dog until the family is found. She doesn't want to keep the dog. Things go south after she falls in love with the dog, and the family of the dog turns up. She's heart broken. She had sworn to not be vulnerable and not let anyone or anything close to her heart, due to a past where her heart was trampled. At least no one knew what she had to suffer through. It happened while she was away at school.
Both of these people have relationship problems, and the way they struggle through them to get to a place where they are comfortable in becoming vulnerable again, is really endearing and sometimes laughable. The story is really a good one and I loved the outcome. It was a fast read the characters pulled you in right away.
I was given this e-book in exchange for an honest review. There was a good description found here on Good Reads: Veterinarian Rory Gallagher chose a different path from his brothers, both of whom became first responders in the lovely little town of Darling, Vermont. Rory's always had an affinity for animals--and the ladies. Known for his impressive track record in breaking hearts, Rory never meant to hurt anyone; he's just never been in a hurry to settle down. It's not as if he needs to pay a visit to the town's famed Kissing Bridge to magically find love. He'll know The One when he sees her. . .right?
Oaklee Ferguson is the kid sister of Rory's best friend--and, even now that she's all grown up, remains immune to the pet-doctor's charms. When she shows up at Rory's clinic late one night--devastated after hitting a stray dog with her car--Rory's so-called -bedroom eyes- are the last thing on her mind. Still, his care and kindness toward the dog, and his concern for her feelings, catches Oaklee by surprise. . .and soon the two (and rescued dog makes three!) begin to share a deep connection that neither could have ever imagined. Could it be that love has been waiting for them by the bridge all along....
December 22, 2023
So Heartfelt and Well Written
This is now the second audiobook I've listened to by this author, and I have to say I am impressed. I'm a long-time reader of romance fiction, and I sometimes despair of the current romance landscape where the emphasis more appears to be on how quickly authors can churn out their own (or ghostwritten) books rather than the quality of the books they produce. Characterization is not deep, and plots follow too familiar pathways. So, a book like this feels like a breath of fresh air and is actually a joy to listen to and reflect on. You might think at first that the characters are ones you've met before in romance fiction, but you soon discover they are more complex than the ones you typically see, and that complexity builds over the course of the novel. Yes, as is far too typical in contemporary romance, both are actively pushing away any current romantic thoughts about or feelings towards one another, but we soon discover that both have deep wounds inflicted by past partners that would genuinely make them reticent to risk their hearts again. Both reacted to their circumstances in different ways, but believably so. Not only did the author give these characters true depth, both romantically and as people, but she also allowed them to react realistically to the bumps in the road they have to naturally hit as they lurch their way to their HEA. Far too often in romance, both contemporary and historical, small misunderstandings are blown way out of proportion. Thankfully, that did not happen here. They had several misunderstandings, but they listened to each other like rational adults should and reacted compassionately; these misunderstandings actually proved to be clouds with silver linings, promoting closeness and deepening feelings. As should happen in well-written love stories, both their struggles and triumphs spring from their characters. The book has a heartwarming and tear-inducing multi-level grand gesture from the hero that pulls the book beautifully and finally together to a satisfying conclusion. Brilliantly done. If you enjoy well-written contemporary romance as I do, I highly recommend this story.
I received a promo code for this audiobook, but that did not affect my review.
This is now the second audiobook I've listened to by this author, and I have to say I am impressed. I'm a long-time reader of romance fiction, and I sometimes despair of the current romance landscape where the emphasis more appears to be on how quickly authors can churn out their own (or ghostwritten) books rather than the quality of the books they produce. Characterization is not deep, and plots follow too familiar pathways. So, a book like this feels like a breath of fresh air and is actually a joy to listen to and reflect on. You might think at first that the characters are ones you've met before in romance fiction, but you soon discover they are more complex than the ones you typically see, and that complexity builds over the course of the novel. Yes, as is far too typical in contemporary romance, both are actively pushing away any current romantic thoughts about or feelings towards one another, but we soon discover that both have deep wounds inflicted by past partners that would genuinely make them reticent to risk their hearts again. Both reacted to their circumstances in different ways, but believably so. Not only did the author give these characters true depth, both romantically and as people, but she also allowed them to react realistically to the bumps in the road they have to naturally hit as they lurch their way to their HEA. Far too often in romance, both contemporary and historical, small misunderstandings are blown way out of proportion. Thankfully, that did not happen here. They had several misunderstandings, but they listened to each other like rational adults should and reacted compassionately; these misunderstandings actually proved to be clouds with silver linings, promoting closeness and deepening feelings. As should happen in well-written love stories, both their struggles and triumphs spring from their characters. The book has a heartwarming and tear-inducing multi-level grand gesture from the hero that pulls the book beautifully and finally together to a satisfying conclusion. Brilliantly done. If you enjoy well-written contemporary romance as I do, I highly recommend this story.
I received a promo code for this audiobook, but that did not affect my review.
March 22, 2017
Oaklee Collier loved her job with the Chamber of Commerce, promoting the town of Darling’s tourism and small business opportunities through various social media platforms. Her current campaign, on success stories regarding Darling’s famous Kissing Bridge, was coming along nicely, but Oaklee’s habit of responding to every text and tweet caused an accident where she hit a stray dog. Panicked, she lifted the dog into her car and rushed him to the local vet clinic, pounding on the door even though it was after hours.
Rory Gallagher lived over the veterinary clinic, and as the junior partner, he was most often available for emergencies. He was stunned to see Oaklee at the door, and rushed down to help her bring the injured dog into an examining room. As they worked together to clean the dog’s injuries, Rory was reminded of the younger Oaklee, a spirited and happy girl who was his best friend’s little sister, and was surprised to find he was attracted to her. Sensing Oaklee’s loneliness underneath her professional exterior, Rory convinced Oaklee to foster the dog, now called Buster, until his injuries have completely healed.
Oaklee and Rory are both hiding heartache and betrayal, and have thrown themselves into their respective careers in an effort to hide from the pain. Buster is the furry catalyst that draws them together, and I enjoyed seeing Oaklee’s hard exterior soften as she slowly learns to trust again. The love and loyalty of the townspeople and the strong support in this small community is really fun to see. This is a sweet story, the third in the Darling, VT series, and I enjoyed the updates on the other Gallagher family members as well. Now that we’ve read about the lives of the three Gallagher boys, I’d like to see what Hannah, Claire, and Cait will be up to in future stories.
I received this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
Rory Gallagher lived over the veterinary clinic, and as the junior partner, he was most often available for emergencies. He was stunned to see Oaklee at the door, and rushed down to help her bring the injured dog into an examining room. As they worked together to clean the dog’s injuries, Rory was reminded of the younger Oaklee, a spirited and happy girl who was his best friend’s little sister, and was surprised to find he was attracted to her. Sensing Oaklee’s loneliness underneath her professional exterior, Rory convinced Oaklee to foster the dog, now called Buster, until his injuries have completely healed.
Oaklee and Rory are both hiding heartache and betrayal, and have thrown themselves into their respective careers in an effort to hide from the pain. Buster is the furry catalyst that draws them together, and I enjoyed seeing Oaklee’s hard exterior soften as she slowly learns to trust again. The love and loyalty of the townspeople and the strong support in this small community is really fun to see. This is a sweet story, the third in the Darling, VT series, and I enjoyed the updates on the other Gallagher family members as well. Now that we’ve read about the lives of the three Gallagher boys, I’d like to see what Hannah, Claire, and Cait will be up to in future stories.
I received this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
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