And Then Came You - Maureen Child

Nine years ago, Samantha Marconi was swept away in a whirlwind wedding...even though she'd only known her new husband for a month. When Jeff left her just weeks after the wedding-she found out she was pregnant and had nowhere to turn. So Sam did the only thing she thought she could do. She placed her daughter up for adoption and tried to forget the past-until her past came knocking on her door...

Jeff never received Sam's letters, nor did he know she had their child-until after the little girl was put up for adoption. Jeff managed to find their daughter, Emma, and lovingly raised her on his own. He's about to remarry-but his divorce from Sam never went through. Jeff needs Sam's help to get "unmarried," and quick. Yet when Jeff shows up on Sam's doorstep, he's shocked to find the sparks that once flew between them are still burning strong. Can he let Sam go again? Especially when the truth about what really happened nine years ago is finally revealed...

I know I added this book to my TBR pile after reading a review on a blog somewhere, sadly I can't find it anymore but I am happy to report that I really enjoyed it. The plot intrigued me - someone gives her baby for adoption after being abandoned by her husband and 9 years later meets the ex-husband again and discovers that he is the one who raised their daughter. How much pain must have happened between these two people and how can they work things out between them?

The story was not as poignant as I feared, there are mistakes made in the past on both sides but the main thing for Sam is to move on and get to know her daughter. I had some problems with her reason for giving up her baby, first because she seems to have such a great solid family behind her, and then because the villain that started it all seemed a bit too bad and conveniently out of the way. But I really liked the dynamic between the characters and was more than willing to overlook that.

Sam and Jeff, after meeting again, realise that they still have strong feelings for each other. But, the reason that brought Jeff to Sam's doorstep is the need for a divorce so he can marry again... I was a bit worried, for a while, about whether they would have their happy ending and I thought that was appropriate doing to the circumstances... but we are soon steered into the right direction...

I must say I found the Marconi's a bit loud and physical but in the end I felt that that was part of their charm and now I am very curious about the other two sisters...

Grade: 4/5