THEN COMES BABY – Helen Brenna
An Island to Remember Series – Book 3
A Perfect 10
Harlequin SuperRomance #1606
ISBN: 978-0-373-71606-7
December 2009
Series Romance

Mirabelle Island, Michigan – Present Day

On the remote Northwest tip of Mirabelle Island, two houses sit side by side on the shores of Chequamegon Bay; an old log cabin and a quaint Victorian. This remote location suits the owner of the log cabin just fine; he rarely leaves it, in fact, he hasn’t been to the mainland in over four years. In town, rumor has it that he’s just a grumpy old hermit who lives on the edge of the island. No one ever sees much of Jamis Quinn behind the disguise he wears when he does make an appearance in town. He never speaks, unless it's to argue with Sally McGregor at the post office. If anyone in town could be called grumpy, it’s old Sally, who still refuses to hand over his mail unless he shows his identification, even after four years. Today, Jamis just put his sixteenth novel to bed, and now he’s looking forward to a well deserved break before he starts writing the next book. It's due in only ninety days, but Jamis isn't worried, the words always come quickly for him. He'll have this book knocked out and sent to the publisher on time.

Natalie Steeger will never sell the old Victorian she inherited from her adopted grandmother. Instead, she’s moving in with eight children in tow: two teenagers and six younger kids who are attending Natalie’s summertime camp for disadvantaged children. Natalie didn’t realize the man living in the log cabin is none other than the famous writer, Quinn Roberts. His horrific stories consistently become scary movies, but this extremely sexy and good looking man on her doorstep is anything but old. Jamis Quinn looks nothing like the way Natalie imagined a hermit would look. She’s never read his books, but the man himself certainly makes Natalie’s pulse race. He isn’t happy about her moving in; nor did it take him long to nail “No Trespassing” signs to the trees on the edge of his property.

Quinn Roberts writes horror stories. Jamis Quinn lives inside his own personal horror, now compounded by a brand new nightmare, Natalie Steeger and her camp kids. Weeks after they moved in, Jamis hasn’t written one word; his mind has shut down, the story isn’t even started, and he’s facing an oncoming tidal wave...his deadline. Jamis knows he is an evil man. He tells Natalie to beware. He insists she'll see him for who he really is if she'd only read just one of his books. Jamis wants to scare her enough that she’ll take her kids and run back to wherever she came from. Instead, Natalie and the kids are continually ringing his doorbell and offering up plates of cookies with smiles full of sunshine.

A foster child herself, Natalie Steeger is determined to give something back to these kids. It doesn’t matter that Jamis Quinn writes horrific novels, Natalie sees the real Jamis underneath that mask he presents to the rest of the world. While his books are wildly successful, Jamis is hurting inside, and Natalie is determined to save him from himself. Jamis, however, refuses to cave in to her optimism. You see, Quinn Roberts kills people on paper, but Jamis Quinn killed his own wife and children.

THEN COMES BABY is a fun, sometimes quirky, yet dramatic romance that delves deeply into the characters’ feelings and emotions. So much is going on inside these pages that the reader feels all the hope and pain of each and every character; from the love story of Jamis and Natalie, to the agony of these troubled children. Part romance and part suspense, this is a story about the power and healing of love. Most of the dynamic characters from the previous books return, and there are some new characters who make this story another great addition to the Mirabelle collection. Returning are old Doc Welinsky (is he going to retire?), Bob Henderson from the drugstore, and Sally McGregor. Natalie used to help the Hendersons in their drug store when she was a child, and now she brings her younger kids, Adrianna, Chase, Blake, Ella, Ryan, and Toni to Mrs. Miller’s ice cream shop, while teenagers Galen and Samantha take their homemade crafts into Missy Charms’s gift shop to sell.

THEN COMES BABY is book three in An Island to Remember series and follows FIRST COME TWINS (August 2009) and NEXT COMES MARRIAGE (October 2009). THEN COMES BABY stands alone, but I recommend the entire series! The fourth book, Missy Charms's story, is ALONG CAME A HUSBAND and will be released in June of 2010.

Romance Reviews Today’s Perfect 10 Award is only given to the best of the best. THEN COMES BABY is a Perfect 10! I laughed and I cried over this book, and it holds a very special place in my heart, as I am sure it will in yours!

Diana Risso