Baby on the Bad Boy’s Doorstep
(Shadow Creek, Montana #4)
by Victoria James
Publisher: Entangled: Bliss
Publication date: Feb. 12, 2018
Genre: Romance
Rating:
Connor O’Leary knows nothing about babies, families, or good women, yet he’s up to his ears in all three. Coming to Shadow Creek, Montana was meant to be a new start for this former oil rigger, but he had no idea that fresh beginning would include a baby on his doorstep and a hot nanny he can’t stop thinking about. Diapers, feedings, and late nights soothing his little bundle of surprise were definitely not on his itinerary.
The last thing Haley Thomson expected to see is the reclusive Connor with a baby in his arms. Before she knows it, she’s volunteered as nanny—temporarily. Helping out with baby Rosie is a dream come true and fills a space in her heart she believed will never be filled. But falling for Rosie’s hot and sexy bachelor daddy is not on her to-do list…but boy would she ever like it to be…
Baby on the Bad Boy’s Doorstep is a cute read. It focuses on Connor who comes home one night and finds an infant on his doorstep. Apparently, his ex-girlfriend wound up pregnant, went through the pregnancy, and had the baby without even telling him. So, not only does he find out that he’s a father, but he’s a single parent about to raise this baby by himself, because the mother doesn’t want her. Thankfully, Haley steps in to help out and become the babies nanny.
This is the first book by this author that I’ve read. I actually didn’t realize it was part of a series at first. I’m sure we got glimpses of Connor and Haley in previous books but it was from my understanding that Connor has been the quiet character up until this point. Haley seems interested in getting to know him, as do the other characters in the story. So, I was happy to realize that I didn’t have to read the previous books to know what was going on. The author catches the readers up to anything that may have transpired in previous books.
This is a sweet romance. You have two people who come together in the time of need. Obviously, Connor needs help with the baby, but Haley also needs some help of her own. She was able to escape an abusive relationship with her ex-husband a year prior. While she seems okay on the outside, you learn that it’s all a front. She flinches when Connor moves too fast and apologizes like she’s waiting to be reprimanded when she burns dinner. Connor learns real quick that Haley’s past is a lot more than just your average marriage and divorce. He takes his time with her and tries to do everything he can to reassure her and let her know that she’s in a safe space. These two really worked well together and their relationship was a slow build up to a really adorable romance.
One thing I didn’t fully understand was Connor’s role as a “bad boy”. He has a job, a house, money in the bank, is respectful to others, and he even drives a beat up truck. I don’t know what made him bad. Is it because he had a girlfriend who got knocked up and abandoned the baby at his house? Or the fact that he had tattoos? Is he a bad boy because he didn’t graduate high school? I honestly don’t quite understand the title and how he was perceived as a bad boy. I kept waiting for the shoe to drop but it never came. So, if you are looking for a “bad boy” romance, you won’t find one here. However, Connor is a stellar guy and an adorable father. It just wasn’t what I was expecting going in.
I enjoyed my time reading Baby on the Bad Boy’s Doorstep. I liked that the author took the time to show a bit of Haley’s background as well as not brushing it all under the rug. Haley went through something traumatic on a daily basis, so of course she’s going to have some residual feelings and reactions to certain triggers. This story was a combination of both healing and the importance of family. These characters had an amazing support group of friends, and I’m sure if I had read the previous book I would have loved seeing everyone. I do wish that Connor was an actual bad boy, since that’s what I went in expecting, but I still enjoyed his character and the dedication he had to both his daughter and Haley. If you are looking for a light romance, I would give this series a try.
Favorite quote…
“Haley, a normal guy would never try and control you. A normal relationship means you build each other up. You support each other and give each other room to grow. All I know is that if you were my wife, I’d give you everything you needed, however you needed it.”
It definitely sounds like a cute read! I really appreciate when authors take the time to show the character’s background, it certainly helps you having a better understanding of things and behaviours. Also, I like that combination of both healing and the importance of family, so this might be a good light romance choice for me. Thanks 🙂
You definitely needed Hailey’s background to full grasp her reactions and hesitations towards a lot of things. It was a really good story and I will have to go back and read the previous books to see if these guys make appearances in them.
It’s always nice to have a sweet romance and like you it’s the first time I hear about the author. Plus it’s great that despite it’s part of a series you weren’t lost
Yes. It’s always hit or miss when you jump into the middle of a series whether or not you’re gonna feel left out. I was very happy that that wasn’t the case with this story.
That quote is so swoon worthy and true. Bummer he was not a bad boy as the title says.
I know. At least give the boy a motorcycle or something. I really wanted a bad boy if you couldn’t tell. LoL
I suspect the author knew she’d grab our attention by mentioning a bad boy, and kudos to her, because I was intrigued by the title.(lol) Reading your review makes me want to check this one out because of the characters and their connection, and it sounds like a fun read. Hugs…RO
It was a good romance. Connor was an amazing guy. I hope you get the chance to read it. 🙂
Uh oh. Lovin’ that title.
sherry @ fundinmental
I know. It sounds so promising. 😉
That’s weird about the whole ‘bad boy’ thing. I wonder why he’s a bad boy in the eyes of the author. This does sound like a really good book though.
Yeah, I really didn’t get that. I was kind of hoping for a true bad boy who had to change his ways in order to take on a baby. He was still a great characters though.
Yeah, I don’t see how he’s a bad boy at all. LOL Oh well, I’m glad it was still a good read though! I do love guys and babies; too cute.
-Lauren
http://www.shootingstarsmag.net
It was an adorable story. Connor was probably the best part of the whole thing… even if he wasn’t a bad boy.
That is odd that he doesn’t come across as a bad boy even though the title implies that he is. It definitely sounds like a sweet read though. Great review!
I would have liked a little badness from him, but he was super sweet and was still a lovable character.
I read one like that recently with a “bad boy” and kept going but…he’s stand up and a total good guy. lol Sounds cute overall 🙂
Yup. That was pretty much this story. Connor was great, but he was far from a bad boy.
This sounds very cute, and I enjoy books that kind of put the gender stereotypes a little bit upside down. Like, the mother actually leaving the infant on the father’s doorstep. Like, here – I carried this around for nine months, now it’s your turn.
Yeah, what is a bad boy anymore? Connor sounds like a really great guy, so I guess I would have been a little disappointed if I thought I was getting the bad boy…
Great review, Kristin!
It was a very cute read. I was actually surprised when the mother dropped all rights to the baby and walked away… and never came back. I thought for sure that there would be drama there, but there wasn’t I was pleasantly surprised by that.