Published: July 28, 2011
Words: 57,364 (approximate)
Language: English
ISBN: 9781452474427

Short description

Race Reed doesn’t want a wife, but to save his ranch he needs a baby. To gain custody of her stepsister, Claire Jensen needs a husband, but she wants love. Wants and needs are bound to clash when they run The Baby Race.

Extended description

Race Reed reserves his love and attention for the abused horses he cares for on his ranch. Because his mother changed husbands as often as she changed clothes, Race doesn’t believe in wedded bliss. Now to save his ranch he needs the money his paternal grandmother is offering as a marriage incentive. The bizarre contest she’s set up between him and his two cousins to produce her first great-grandchild is another matter. His only option – cheat in The Baby Race.
Claire Jensen wants two things out of life, home and family. During her younger years she never questioned her father’s nomadic lifestyle as he hunted for treasure, but as she grew older she longed to put down roots. When her father remarried and gave Claire a stepmother and baby stepsister, she’d thought her prayers were answered. Instead, she took over the parental role to her stepsister as her father and stepmother continued to search the world for treasure. In every way that matters, the six-year-old is Cl.. (Read more) Race Reed reserves his love and attention for the abused horses he cares for on his ranch. Because his mother changed husbands as often as she changed clothes, Race doesn’t believe in wedded bliss. Now to save his ranch he needs the money his paternal grandmother is offering as a marriage incentive. The bizarre contest she’s set up between him and his two cousins to produce her first great-grandchild is another matter. His only option – cheat in The Baby Race.
Claire Jensen wants two things out of life, home and family. During her younger years she never questioned her father’s nomadic lifestyle as he hunted for treasure, but as she grew older she longed to put down roots. When her father remarried and gave Claire a stepmother and baby stepsister, she’d thought her prayers were answered. Instead, she took over the parental role to her stepsister as her father and stepmother continued to search the world for treasure. In every way that matters, the six-year-old is Claire’s daughter. When Claire’s father and stepmother are killed on their latest quest for treasure, without a steady job, husband or home, Claire is about to lose custody of her young stepsister. Her only option – run the The Baby Race.
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Adult-content rating: This book contains content considered unsuitable for young readers 17 and under, and which may be offensive to some readers of all ages. For more information, see the Support FAQ.

Tags

horses, midwest, small town, babies, contemporary romance, horse rescue, marriage of convenience, small town romance, midwest fiction

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Reviews

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Review by: Carol on March 16, 2013 :
Sweet romance. Mild twist on the marriage of convenience trope.
(reviewed long after purchase)

Review by: Ana Shea Woolery on April 02, 2012 :
This book is defintely worth the read. The main characters are well developed; you smile for them, you sympathize. That is no small achievement.

The undesired marriage of covenience with the initial agreement, whether spoken or silent, is very overplayed in the romance genre -tip for future writer if you going the marriage of convenience path how about where they agree to the marriage bed from the get go for a change- anyways, though this is trodding that overplayed path there a wonderful spin that makes that path a totally different experience - the fact that the baby factor is done in a race aagainst each other manner rather than the typical race against time with a set deadline.

The overall story is great, however after the big family dinner at the Reed mansion and the revelation made there the writing feels rushed.

There is an error early on where the author refers to Race as Jared.
(reviewed within a month of purchase)

Review by: Linda Andrews on Nov. 30, 2011 :
Thanks to her wandering parents, Claire Jensen never knew a permanent home. Now that her parents are dead, she's determined to make sure her half-sister doesn't endure the same fate. But her bid for custody may be short-lived unless she marries the grandson of the town's most powerful matriarch. Abused and neglected as a child, Race Reed rehabilitates mistreated animals and places them in loving homes. That dream is coming to an end if he can't make his mortgage. His grandmother offers him a monetary windfall if he marries and has a son before his cousins.

But what starts out as a marriage of convenience quickly becomes complicated.

Will they remain safe in their cage of protectiveness or take a chance on love?

The Baby Race is a poignant retelling of a classic theme. Ms Hendricks does a wonderful job of slowly unveiling Race's scars and deepest desires. Trusting and naive, Claire is an excellent foil for Race's darker past. While the heat between the two is sometimes scorching, it is the little moments of caring and respect that make The Baby Race a true romance that will last through the ages.
(reviewed within a month of purchase)

Review by: Gwenan Haines on Nov. 12, 2011 :
THE BABY RACE is a wonderful novel. A couple of nights ago I started reading chapter 1 and ended up finishing the entire book in a single sitting. Though I knew Race and Claire would end up together I felt like cheering when things finally worked out for them. I also loved the small-town setting and the way Ms. Hendricks develops the romance gradually. When Race and Claire begin to feel an attraction that turns to love, it's entirely convincing--not to mention Hot.
(reviewed within a month of purchase)

Review by: Karen McCullough on Sep. 15, 2011 :
The Baby Race is a delightful, sweet romance that features wonderful characters. Race is very much the hero with a painful past, but it doesn't turn him into a jerk. He's understandably reserved, wary, and cautious, but he's also still kind and thoughtful. It's not easy to gain his loyalty, but it's definitely worth winning, as Claire quickly learns. Circumstances bring the two of them together, sexual attraction makes them want to get together, but it's their basic integrity and the warmth and kindness of their characters that makes readers root for them from the start. Once I started the story, I didn't want to stop. I could hardly wait to find out how Race and Claire would overcome their problems to get together and how the baby race situation would work out. It seemed like such a no-win situation. I was charmed when the author managed a solution that featured a few twists I never saw coming.
(reviewed within a month of purchase)

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