Monday, October 5, 2015

The Baby Who Saved Christmas - Alison Roberts

The Baby Who Saved Christmas
Alison Roberts
Harlequin Romance, Oct 1 2015, $5.99
ISBN: 9780373743582

Though knowing her late mom Jeannette would be horrified by what she was doing, twenty-eight years old Scotswoman Alice McMillan’s search for her family takes her from Edinburgh to Nice and by bus to Villefranche-sur-Mer.  The Kindercare Nursery School teacher walks along a beach to St Jean Cap Ferat where she plans to meet for the first time her famous racing car father André Laurent.

When she arrives at her destination, a stunned Alice observes paparazzi and security guards stationed at a luxurious chateau.  A guard notifies celebrity chef Julien Dubois that Alice claims André is her father and seems unware that he just died.  Expecting a con artist, Julien invites Alice inside where he challenges her contention that she did not know Lauren crashed his car three days ago and was buried today; three months ago his wife (Julien’s sister) Colette died in childbirth.  Alice meets her half-brother Jacques who suffers from the measles.  Julien explains his sister named him guardian while Jacques paternal grandmother files a lawsuit in Paris to claim the baby belongs with her.  When the local doctor quarantines everyone inside the chateau, Alice and Julien spend time together and fall in love; but each distrusts the other and besides Jacques comes first.

More an extended family drama as the romance arrives late and never quite gels; The Baby Who Saved Christmas is a fresh endearing Joyeaux Noel European contemporary.  Character-driven, fans will enjoy this warm holiday story.


Harriet Klausner

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