If you like your novels to focus on the relationship without the distractions of suspense or action, then That McCloud Woman would be a fine way to spend a quiet afternoon.

Jack Cordell is a drifter/architect who happens to hear Alayna McCloud talking about how her handyman left before he’d finished the job. A sucker for a beautiful woman, Jack volunteers to help Alayna by finishing the job. He has second thoughts, however, after he realizes that being in close quarters with Alayna will tempt him too much and that she has two foster children living with her.

Moreland hints for a few chapters at Jack’s past pain before revealing the reason kids make him so uncomfortable. Jack’s a little gruff, but when his true nature shows through, he seems warmer and a little more appealing.

Alayna is one of those perfect women – sweet, quiet, nurturing and beautiful. She’s also a little, I hate to say it, boring. However, she has some self-esteem problems due to an emotionally abusive ex-husband. Thankfully, Moreland doesn’t dwell on her past problems for too long.

The other McCloud women, Alayna’s cousins, unfortunately, were more interesting than Alayna. She seemed so sad and quietly desperate all through the book. Her cousins had a little more fire and spirit and I like my heroines to have some fire. A story about the other McCloud women would be interesting and I hope Moreland will do one.

It was sweet to watch Jack bond with Alayna’s foster kids, especially the boy who obviously needed a male influence in his life. However, at this point in my life, I am not that eager to read a story that focuses so intensely on motherhood and nurturing, and the final quarter focuses strongly on this. As a result, I started to lose interest in the story. The motivations for Jack and Alayna made sense, but I really wanted a little more action in the story.

While I like Moreland’s style of writing, the main characters didn’t work well enough for me. I’d be tempted to try another of her books if it had a bit more action and moved a little faster.