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The Baby Chase #5
And Babies Make Five
Samantha Keating always wanted a family, and with the help of the Armstrong Fertility Institute, her dream was becoming a reality—in triplicate! The widowed mother-to-be wasn't looking for a father for her growing family. It had to be her out-of-control hormones giving her such unneighborly feelings for Hector Garza—the handsome, far-too-available man next door. But was the bachelor ready to take on another man's babies?
Hector had long been intrigued by the statuesque blonde. And Samantha's ever-enlarging baby bump made her more alluring than ever, convincing the up-from-his-bootstraps attorney that he'd finally found Mrs. Right. But was Samantha ready to take that first baby step? To let Hector be the husband—and father—he longed to be?
Hector had long been intrigued by the statuesque blonde. And Samantha's ever-enlarging baby bump made her more alluring than ever, convincing the up-from-his-bootstraps attorney that he'd finally found Mrs. Right. But was Samantha ready to take that first baby step? To let Hector be the husband—and father—he longed to be?
224 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
7 people are currently reading
66 people want to read
About the author
Judy Duarte
324 books96 followersWhen life threw Judy Duarte a curve twenty years ago, she did what many newly single mothers do. She pulled herself and her four kids together, became even more determined to come out on top, and decided to start following her dreams. What better role model could she provide her children than to show them that anything is possible? So, she returned to school, graduating from UC Irvine about the same time her oldest kids hit the teen years.
With her dream of getting her degree having come true, another dream presented itself by way of a new, perfect mate. Life was good again, but one dream still nagged at her:
"I always knew there was a book inside me, but since English was my least favorite subject in school, I never considered myself a writer."
All her life Judy has been spinning stories--telling tales to her kids as they grew up, plotting stories and creating characters to fill the time during carpool days and all those commutes back to college...and she never stopped dreaming of putting those stories on paper. Determined to follow her yearnings, she joined Romance Writers of America and met her critique partners Crystal Green and Sheri WhiteFeather (both are now multi-published award-winning authors and the trio have worked together and encouraged each other ever since).
“I might not have been a born writer, but I was a storyteller. The characters and plots came easy, but I had to learn how to make the scenes in my head come alive for the reader. And that meant I had to learn how to write.”
Judy's determination to become a published author grew and she began focusing on creating poignant stories designed to touch a reader's heart. As she fine-tuned her writing style and learned her craft, she found herself writing the stories she liked to read. Stories about families, second chances, and true love. In creating her own happily-ever-after stories she took ordinary characters, put them in emotionally compelling situations, and forced them to grow. They learned, as she had, that when a door is closed, they must look for that open window.
“Since I love books and movies in which people must overcome insurmountable odds to win and earn their happy-ever-after, those are the kinds of tales I like to create.”
Judy's unpublished stories won not only the coveted Emily (West Houston RWA Chapter) and Orange Rose (Orange County RWA Chapter) awards, but also earned her the status of a double RWA Golden Heart finalist in 2001.
Then Judy's dream became a reality in March 2002 when Silhouette Special Edition released her first book, COWBOY COURAGE. Since then, she has published seventeen books and is contracted to write three more. Her stories have touched the hearts of readers around the world. Her tales of redemption and renewed trust generate many fan letters from readers who tell her of the positive impact reading her stories have had in their lives.
A woman who had been shattered by her husband’s recent betrayal and desertion had not been able to read or watch anything that had a romance involved writes: I saw your book in the store, and the title caught my eye. (I have a thing for cowboys.) When I read the back cover, I bought it and couldn’t put it down. I finished it in one day. I still have my doubts about meeting a decent man and trusting again. But maybe in time I will be able to love again. I will be watching for your next book.
In July 2005, Judy won the prestigious Reader's Choice Award for THE RICH MAN'S SON.
“When I received the call telling me I had finaled in the Reader’s Choice, I was thrilled beyond measure. Being judged by real readers and recognized as a finalist was a joy in itself. I went to the ceremony honored to be in attendance. And when they announced me the winner, tears came to my eyes and a lump formed in my throat. It took days for my feet to touch the ground.”
Judy makes her home near the beach in Southern California with her husband, their son, and a cat
With her dream of getting her degree having come true, another dream presented itself by way of a new, perfect mate. Life was good again, but one dream still nagged at her:
"I always knew there was a book inside me, but since English was my least favorite subject in school, I never considered myself a writer."
All her life Judy has been spinning stories--telling tales to her kids as they grew up, plotting stories and creating characters to fill the time during carpool days and all those commutes back to college...and she never stopped dreaming of putting those stories on paper. Determined to follow her yearnings, she joined Romance Writers of America and met her critique partners Crystal Green and Sheri WhiteFeather (both are now multi-published award-winning authors and the trio have worked together and encouraged each other ever since).
“I might not have been a born writer, but I was a storyteller. The characters and plots came easy, but I had to learn how to make the scenes in my head come alive for the reader. And that meant I had to learn how to write.”
Judy's determination to become a published author grew and she began focusing on creating poignant stories designed to touch a reader's heart. As she fine-tuned her writing style and learned her craft, she found herself writing the stories she liked to read. Stories about families, second chances, and true love. In creating her own happily-ever-after stories she took ordinary characters, put them in emotionally compelling situations, and forced them to grow. They learned, as she had, that when a door is closed, they must look for that open window.
“Since I love books and movies in which people must overcome insurmountable odds to win and earn their happy-ever-after, those are the kinds of tales I like to create.”
Judy's unpublished stories won not only the coveted Emily (West Houston RWA Chapter) and Orange Rose (Orange County RWA Chapter) awards, but also earned her the status of a double RWA Golden Heart finalist in 2001.
Then Judy's dream became a reality in March 2002 when Silhouette Special Edition released her first book, COWBOY COURAGE. Since then, she has published seventeen books and is contracted to write three more. Her stories have touched the hearts of readers around the world. Her tales of redemption and renewed trust generate many fan letters from readers who tell her of the positive impact reading her stories have had in their lives.
A woman who had been shattered by her husband’s recent betrayal and desertion had not been able to read or watch anything that had a romance involved writes: I saw your book in the store, and the title caught my eye. (I have a thing for cowboys.) When I read the back cover, I bought it and couldn’t put it down. I finished it in one day. I still have my doubts about meeting a decent man and trusting again. But maybe in time I will be able to love again. I will be watching for your next book.
In July 2005, Judy won the prestigious Reader's Choice Award for THE RICH MAN'S SON.
“When I received the call telling me I had finaled in the Reader’s Choice, I was thrilled beyond measure. Being judged by real readers and recognized as a finalist was a joy in itself. I went to the ceremony honored to be in attendance. And when they announced me the winner, tears came to my eyes and a lump formed in my throat. It took days for my feet to touch the ground.”
Judy makes her home near the beach in Southern California with her husband, their son, and a cat
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
February 25, 2020
Samantha Keating frozen her dead husband, Peter's sperm and decided to make their dream of parenthood a reality with the Armstrong Fertility Institute...and now she's carrying triplets. She returns to their former home, now 6 months pregnant to start up her new life with her babies. She does not expect her neighbor, Hector Garza, who is super helpful and very attractive. But she's sure nothing could ever come of a relationship with him...after all, she's about to have triplets, and what man would sign up for that? On top of that, Hector has negative feelings for Samantha's former husband, having met him through work. And, the more they get to know each other, and start to fall in love, the more Hector resents playing second fiddle to her husband's memory. So what is going to happen when Hector finds out that the babies are Peter's?
Once again, we have a character who is so desperate to have a child with a man that she puts herself in to a difficult situation. I have to wonder at the reality of something like this...a single woman, almost completely alone in the world, 6 months pregnant with triplets and feeling superb (not uncomfortable at all...) and looking forward to the delightful challenge they'll present when they arrive. I mean - try taking care of 3 infants...not so much a challenge I look forward to alone. But this woman has nary an anxiety about it. So...struggled with the reality of that. But fortunately her husband was rich, so at least she's well off enough to care for them.
Hector (and his family) were pretty delightful. I liked that Hector wasn't put off by her impending pregnancy and the fact that she carried triplets. But I hated that Samantha kept their parentage a secret, since she suspected it might make Hector take off. Her not telling him the truth, knowing how he might feel about, so she could keep him around a bit longer, was pretty selfish and not fair to him at all. In my opinion, feelings like Hector's are complex and not too easy to just set aside. I mean, he's jealous of Peter and Peter's memory and as he said, she's about to give birth to Peter's immortal legacy with a constant reminder of how second-best he is (another reason I tend to dislike romances with dead spouses). This should have taken the majority of the book to overcome, really. But the author treats these feelings as something he can just turn off, because apparently he does. He realizes that he loves her too much to let any of that get in his way and it's done. The story is over and presumably he's going to be perfectly happy with Samantha's in-laws (people he doesn't like or respect, just like their son) dropping by to remind him that those babies aren't his - they're Peter's. I realize families work that way all the time and that if the babies had been born before the story and already born when they met, it wouldn't have been an issue...except then Hector would have known the score going in and dealt with his feelings before starting a relationship...so again, unfair to him. But I don't like how he doesn't really deal with these feelings and manages to just switch them off.
Also - fair warning. Super-low steam story. These two sleep next to each other in bed and have one or two sweet (building passion) kisses, but as you'd expect when your heroine is heavily pregnant, no nookie. As such, the passionate chemistry between these two isn't quite there, but the relationship is. So that's a plus.
Once again, we have a character who is so desperate to have a child with a man that she puts herself in to a difficult situation. I have to wonder at the reality of something like this...a single woman, almost completely alone in the world, 6 months pregnant with triplets and feeling superb (not uncomfortable at all...) and looking forward to the delightful challenge they'll present when they arrive. I mean - try taking care of 3 infants...not so much a challenge I look forward to alone. But this woman has nary an anxiety about it. So...struggled with the reality of that. But fortunately her husband was rich, so at least she's well off enough to care for them.
Hector (and his family) were pretty delightful. I liked that Hector wasn't put off by her impending pregnancy and the fact that she carried triplets. But I hated that Samantha kept their parentage a secret, since she suspected it might make Hector take off. Her not telling him the truth, knowing how he might feel about, so she could keep him around a bit longer, was pretty selfish and not fair to him at all. In my opinion, feelings like Hector's are complex and not too easy to just set aside. I mean, he's jealous of Peter and Peter's memory and as he said, she's about to give birth to Peter's immortal legacy with a constant reminder of how second-best he is (another reason I tend to dislike romances with dead spouses). This should have taken the majority of the book to overcome, really. But the author treats these feelings as something he can just turn off, because apparently he does. He realizes that he loves her too much to let any of that get in his way and it's done. The story is over and presumably he's going to be perfectly happy with Samantha's in-laws (people he doesn't like or respect, just like their son) dropping by to remind him that those babies aren't his - they're Peter's. I realize families work that way all the time and that if the babies had been born before the story and already born when they met, it wouldn't have been an issue...except then Hector would have known the score going in and dealt with his feelings before starting a relationship...so again, unfair to him. But I don't like how he doesn't really deal with these feelings and manages to just switch them off.
Also - fair warning. Super-low steam story. These two sleep next to each other in bed and have one or two sweet (building passion) kisses, but as you'd expect when your heroine is heavily pregnant, no nookie. As such, the passionate chemistry between these two isn't quite there, but the relationship is. So that's a plus.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 6, 2025
I hated this one. So many things I disliked about it.
- I didn't like that heroine had her dying husband's sperm extracted and then used it 5 years later to get pregnant with triplets.
- Meeting the guy (hero) she was starting to have a connection with prior to her husband's death, but is now pregnant with triplets.
- Then the deceased husband wasn't actually that great of a guy (at least from hero's perspective).
- Heroine and hero end up together and are forever connected to her deceased husband's family. P.
- I didn't like that heroine had her dying husband's sperm extracted and then used it 5 years later to get pregnant with triplets.
- Meeting the guy (hero) she was starting to have a connection with prior to her husband's death, but is now pregnant with triplets.
- Then the deceased husband wasn't actually that great of a guy (at least from hero's perspective).
- Heroine and hero end up together and are forever connected to her deceased husband's family. P.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 29, 2019
I was very disappointed in the ending or lack thereof. There was so much sexual tension with nothing coming of it. Very disappointing book.
September 26, 2025
Sweet story line. I loved the characters. I enjoyed reading the book. Hoping there is a sequel to this on
January 7, 2012
If you're looking for steamy sex scenes, put this novel down, because it has none of it. We barely get more than a few kisses, which is understandable when you're heroine is six-months pregnant with triplets. :)
Although the overall story was enjoyable, I had a hard time liking the main character, Samantha Keating. Although she was getting to know her neighbor Hector and seeing how genuine and nice he was, she kept hiding secrets from him. Her reasoning was that if Hector learned of some of her secrets he might not want to be with her. It's understandable, but it wasn't very fair of her.
Hector and his sister were my favorite characters. I absolutely loved reading their interactions and thought they were very realistic.
Although the overall story was enjoyable, I had a hard time liking the main character, Samantha Keating. Although she was getting to know her neighbor Hector and seeing how genuine and nice he was, she kept hiding secrets from him. Her reasoning was that if Hector learned of some of her secrets he might not want to be with her. It's understandable, but it wasn't very fair of her.
Hector and his sister were my favorite characters. I absolutely loved reading their interactions and thought they were very realistic.
May 7, 2010
I really liked the premise behind this story: Widow returns home pregnant and attracts the attention of her sexy next door neighbor. While aspects of it worked in this novel, I'm afraid I was disappointed by much of it.
The heroine not telling the hero the paternity of the baby is frustrating. It makes her seem immature. There was no reason to keep it a secret except to add conflict, so it didn't make sense. Plus, the other secrets she chose to keep were just..well, contrived. I can appreciate her wanting her privacy about certain things, but she continued to keep silent long after she should have.
The heroine not telling the hero the paternity of the baby is frustrating. It makes her seem immature. There was no reason to keep it a secret except to add conflict, so it didn't make sense. Plus, the other secrets she chose to keep were just..well, contrived. I can appreciate her wanting her privacy about certain things, but she continued to keep silent long after she should have.
September 14, 2014
I thought this was a really good book. I just couldn't put it down. The characters was good and there was a lot of twists and turns in this book. Samantha is a widow who is expecting triplets. She plans to raise the babies alone but then she is reunited with Hector a guy she had known many years ago. Hector had known her husband to but two had never got along. How will Hector feel when he is told that she is pregnant with the guys twins? Can he over look the past in order to give Samantha and the babies a place in his heart? These are a few of the questions that kept me reading until the very end. I hope to read more by this author.
October 4, 2014
Samantha husband died before they could have the family they had planned on. But when they harvested his body parts, she also had his sperm banked. After 5 years, she decided to use this to have a child. It took and she was going to have 3 babies. So excited, but then fell in love with Hector. How to tell him that she was having the babies from the sperm of her late husband.
She had loved her husband and now she also loves Hector. Very good book.
She had loved her husband and now she also loves Hector. Very good book.
January 7, 2012
Another one that felt rushed.
While it was a good story, the plot seemed rambly.
It wasn't that memorable either, which makes me feel bad saying it, but I had read it before, and I honestly don't remember doing it. That's abnormal for me.
While it was a good story, the plot seemed rambly.
It wasn't that memorable either, which makes me feel bad saying it, but I had read it before, and I honestly don't remember doing it. That's abnormal for me.
June 2, 2014
very sweet!hector actually fell in love wid a very pregnant sam. he gave her all the support and affection she needed. the book did not contain any angst or hot sex. the beauty is in the way they loved each other more than lust and hector genuinely cared for sam.
March 1, 2012
I couldn't put this book down until I finished it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 5, 2014
A very endearing story.
June 23, 2015
I thought this was really cute!
April 19, 2017
And Babies Make Five by Judy Duarte is a fabulous book. Ms Duarte has delivered a well-written story. I totally love the characters in this book. Samantha and Hector's story is a fast-paced read with plenty of drama, humor and sizzle. I enjoyed And Babies Make Five and look forward to reading more from Judy Duarte in the future. This is a complete book, not a cliff-hanger.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews