Baby, Oh Baby! (Time of Your Life) [Mass Market Paperback]

Jake Chastaine had it all. He was a partner in a prestigious law firm, he had a beautiful wife, home and in-laws who loved him dearly. He had wealth and happiness and he and his wife were about to start a family with the help of a fertility clinic. Then disaster struck and his wife and his parents were killed in an auto accident. Now two years later Jake discovers that his doctor at the fertility clinic used Jake's one and only back up sample to impregnate a single mother. Knowing that a child resulted from this procedure, Jake is determined to find the child and become a part of his/her life.

Annie Hollister and her daughter, Madeline, live on a ranch in Lucky, Oklahoma. Annie's life is happy and peaceful until Jake shows up on her doorstep and claims to be her child's father! She knows he is telling the truth because Madeline is a tiny replica of Jake. Will she be forced to share custody with this stranger?

This story is a pleasurable read. It is well-written and that alone will hold my attention whatever the genre. Jake and Annie are intelligent characters and work through their problems with that same intelligence. I have a fourteen month old nephew so I know how a child that age should act and the author perfectly portrayed little Madeline. I usually don't read stories with children in the lead roles but I have to admit that this child is so cute and adorable. The secondary characters are Jake's in-laws, Annie's ranch manager and his wife, Annie's lawyer and a dachshund named Hot Dog.

There is good interaction between all characters and lots of dialogue. I found it refreshing that the plot wasn't based on some major deceit to be resolved at the end of the story. This story is about everyday, ordinary people trying to rebuild their lives after a tragedy. I think that Ms. Wells' style of writing is similar to that of Barbara Bretton. I also think that this book will be one of this year's sleepers, so buy a copy now before it becomes too hard to find. Enjoy!!

Beautiful and eccentric rancher, Annie Hollister decided to leave the high paced life of advertising and return to the ranch her grandparents left her to enjoy a life she loves, fresh air, trees, grass, animals, etc. After returning to the ranch Annie's biological clock is ticking loud and clear but she sees no man she'd want to have a child with so decides to go to a fertility facility and have a child on her own. Annie has a beautiful baby girl, Madeline, by means of artificial insemination believing that the donor signed an agreement stating that he would not be a presence in her or her child's lives. Things don't always work out like we want.

Handsome and determined attorney Jake Chastaine discovers he has fathered child (in fact Annie's child) because of an unscrupulous doctor who uses Jake' sperm which Jake and his wife had hoped to use one day but sadly that day never comes as his wife is killed before the deed can be performed.

Once Jake finds Annie Hollister and has gotten a look at Madeline who happens to be the spitting image of himself he decides he wants to be a part of this child's life is every sense of word and will do anything to attain that goal even if it means a court battle.

Annie's afraid of losing Madeline and initially wants to leave town as she wants no part of Jake but she gets sick and guess who ends up taking care of Madeline, right, Jake and that's when things slowly begin to change to the normal scope. Jake has a tough time dealing with a very active 14-month-old baby who gets into everything a toddler can get into but Jake eventually gets the hang of things. When Annie is released from the hospital she realizes that it might not be so bad having Jake in Madeline's life. The story continues in the normal scope: first comes like, then love, and then marriage but getting there is no easy road for these two very different people but they do say that opposites attract. This is a wonderful novel filled with much humor and love that will leave you feeling wonderful all over. I enjoyed it Baby Oh Baby so very much and you will too.