Mousy librarian Mary Warner fears life may have completely passed her by when she reads a personal ad pointed out to her by two of her teenaged assistants.  Hard working Montana rancher Travis Thompson finds himself an instant father of three when his brother and sister-in-law are killed in a tragic car accident that wasn’t really an accident.  Social Services are riding hard on his back, so in desperation, he places a personal ad for a wife.  Out of all the replies, Mary’s is the one the children like best, so after a few letters and telephone calls, Mary leaves Louisiana and all she knows behind to marry Travis and become the mother she always dreamed of being.  When Travis meets the diminutive Mary, he’s not sure if she’ll be up for the job, but Mary surprises him with her gumption and determination.  Will these two lonely people forge the bond of a strong family? 

This is a reprint of a classic Macomber MANIFEST DESTINY tale from the early 1990's that has not lost one whit of its emotional punch over the years.  Ms. Macomber is at her best when writing stories about flawed people who find the healing power of love and this tale is one of her best.  The suspense element added by Travis’ frantic search for the driver who forced his brother off of the road adds a compelling element to the tale that makes this book very hard for the reader to put down, The love story develops very slowly as one might expect from two people who had no dating history, but is as satisfying as a bowl of stew that has been slow cooked to perfection. The secondary characters, especially the children, add depth and richness to a story that is almost unbearable in its poignant sweetness.  This is a sweet story with sex scenes that are romantic rather than explicit, but the passion between the characters is palpable.  This tale is Ms. Macomber at her best!  This reviewer looks forward to her future efforts and highly recommends this book to fans of sweet contemporary romance. 

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