The Blessing
Grade : C

The first real romance I read was The Raider by Jude Deveraux, so I kind of have a soft spot for her work. While in general the quality of her books seems to be slipping, every now and then she'll write one that's pretty good. The Blessing is a mixed bag. Some of it was fun in an over-the-top sort of way, but some of it was simply required too much suspension of disbelief.

Jason Wilding is a forty-five-year-old multi-millionaire, but his personal life is a disaster. One Christmas his brother David invites him home to Abernathy, Kentucky because he needs a favor. David is interested in Amy Thompkins, a local widow with an infant son. But Amy won't go on a date alone with him because Max, her baby, doesn't like babysitters. David wants Jason to live with Amy and Max for a couple of weeks and serve as a nanny so he and Amy can go out alone. Amy won't take charity, so David tells her Jason is a gay man who has just broken up with his lover and that he needs a place to stay for a couple of weeks.

At first Jason is shocked by Amy's abject poverty, but soon he falls for both Amy and Max. Although Max doesn't like most strangers, he becomes attached to Jason immediately. Since Jason knows that Amy won't take charity, he goes to elaborate lengths to give her gifts. He buys a baby store and makes Amy believe it is having a special close-out sale on furniture, and he also arranges for her to win a designer gown for the Bell Ringers' Ball. Soon afterward Amy discovers that Jason isn't gay, and he tells her he loves her. But a vindictive woman reveals all of Jason's deceptions, and Amy takes her son flees into the night. She stays away for two years. During this time Jason is mad with grief, he searches for Amy, but he can't find her. Meanwhile he makes a change in his own life; he leaves his New York business interests and moves to Abernathy. When he and Amy meet again, they are still in love, but both of them are different. Can they overcome the mistakes they have made in the past and build a life together?

Believe it or not, I was willing to suspend my disbelief all the way up until the time Amy left Jason. The whole scenario is completely outrageous, but it was cute too. Who could resist a hero who woos his love by buying a baby store? It's pure fantasy. But I just couldn't believe that a single mother with no visible means of support would turn down the chance to marry a handsome millionaire who adored her and her son. Even though he lied to her and was a little controlling at times, they could have worked out their differences with a few heart-to-heart chats. Hiding for two years may have taught him a lesson, but it was a little extreme. Another problem is that as soon as Amy leaves, she finds a lucrative job illustrating children's books. I wondered why she hadn't looked for that job earlier, when she and her son were barely getting by.

Most of the scenes with Max are pretty realistic. Deveraux had her own baby about a year ago, and you could tell much of what she wrote about Max was based on her own experience. If you really enjoy stories with babies, you will probably like the realism in this one. This is not one of those books where the child appears when he needs to be cute, but conveniently disappears during the love scenes. On the other hand, if children spoil a romance for you, you will want to avoid this one, since Max is a huge part of the story.

Before buying this book, you need to decide just how much fantasy you are willing to swallow. The Blessing certainly has its moments. For a better Christmas read, I would recommend Deveraux's short story Just Curious, which can be found in the Gift of Love and Simple Gifts anthologies. This story has some of the same elements as The Blessing, but it's a much better read.

Reviewed by Blythe Smith
Grade : C

Sensuality: Subtle

Review Date : November 6, 1998

Publication Date: 1998

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Blythe Smith

I've been at AAR since dinosaurs roamed the Internet. I've been a Reviewer, Reviews Editor, Managing Editor, Publisher, and Blogger. Oh, and Advertising Corodinator. Right now I'm taking a step back to concentrate on kids, new husband, and new job in law...but I'll still keep my toe in the romance waters.
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