ANYTHING FOR HER CHILDREN

Author: Darlene Gardner ISBN: 9780373714902 5/2008 CONTEMPORARY Publisher: HARLEQUIN

The bond Keri Cassidy shares with her adopted kids couldn't be stronger if they were her own flesh and blood. So when coach Grady Quinlan suspends her teenage son from the basketball team, the fiercely protective single mother is fit to be tied. Until she uncovers the scandal in Grady's past. Grady claims he's innocent of any wrongdoing. In spite of evidence against him, Keri finds herself believing Grady when no one else does. But how can she trust a man who threatens her son's future? She doesn't want to have to choose sides. But she may have already made a choice. If she has the courage to follow what her heart is telling her...

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

Perhaps the best thing about ANYTHING FOR HER HERO is Ms. Gardner's hero. Grady Quinlan is terrific!  This guy has so many fine attributes—including the tall, handsome variety. What makes Grady such a neat character, however,  is his integrity. His determination to stick to his convictions of right and wrong in the face of condemnation from practically a whole town is another highlight of this story.

Ms. Gardner likes to create storylines that test the meddle of her characters. Grady Quinlan passes this author's test with high marks.

Some of the remaining cast of ANYTHING FOR HER HERO do not fare as well as Grady, though. As much as I tried to admire  Keri Cassidy's unselfishness, I found her to be annoying. To her credit, Keri evolves late in the story into an okay character. Grady's cousin, Tony, stayed annoying throughout ANYTHING FOR HER HERO. Next to Grady the most likeable character is Tony's wife, Mary Lynn (I was halfway hoping she and Grady would get together).  I wanted to punch both Tony and Bryan, the high school basketball star, several times throughout this story.

Anyone who has followed college sports will probably figure out the 'scandal' in Grady's past. Despite the somewhat predictability of the storyline and the almost too-pat ending, ANYTHING FOR HER HERO is a thought provoking, sweet story. Gardner fans will surely find Grady Quinlan as great as I did.

Debbie Jett