THE BABE MAGNET

Author: Robin Wells ISBN: 0505525364 6/2004 CONTEMPORARY Publisher: Dorchester

THE BACHELOR Holt Landen was in trouble. He'd been left a six-month-old child he never knew he had, and while he'd attracted plenty of babes in the past, they wee always the kind in high heels and garters. Diapers were disturbingly new, and they called for a plan. THE BRIDE Stevie Stedquest had a problem, too. She dispensed parenting advice on a radio talk show, but she didn't have kids. And though she wanted a child of her own, Mr. Right was nowhere on the horizon—only commitment-phobes and womanizers. THE BABE Baby Isabelle needed a mother in the worst way. A temporary marriage between her newfound father and Stevie would solve the problem, but they seemed terribly mismatched. Fortunately, Isabelle had two aces up her diaper: opposites attract, and her daddy wasn't the only babe magnet in the family.

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

Yep. THE BABE MAGNET, by Robin Wells, is exactly what you think. A guy that is so hot he attracts a lot, and I mean a lot, of babes. Unfortunately for him, he also attracts a baby.

I am sure there is no surprise like having a one night stand (and thinking that is the end of your relationship) only to find out you fathered a child. Of course, to find out that the mother of that child has died and left you the responsible party would be even more of a shock. At least that is what Holt Landen, the babe magnet, finds out.

After being introduced to his new daughter Isabelle, Holt finds himself struggling to bond with the troubled infant. Isabelle is not your normal baby and Holt is desperate to find someone to nurture her. When he hears Stevie Stedquest, a radio talk show host that happens to be an expert on child development, Holt believes she could be the one to help him make Isabelle thrive.

Holt and Stevie enter into a temporary marriage for the sake of needy Isabelle. Naturally they find that marriage, even a fake one, comes with complications and issues better dealt with as a team. They soon discover that true love is rare and special, even though you cannot predict the future.

Though a bit slow going for me at first, I found myself thinking about this book long after I had finished it. Maybe it's the feeling that something like this could, and possibly has, happened before. Or, it could be that Holt and Stevie and the supporting cast of characters all intrigued me enough to really enjoy their stories.

People deal with marriage, divorce, and babies differently and I really like how Robin Wells gives you a chance to explore all those feelings. THE BABE MAGNET makes you think long and hard about your own personal relationships.

Shannon Johnson