Following hot on the heels of Child's two-in-one May release (Finding You/Knowing You), this formulaic novel spotlights Nick, another sibling in the boisterous Candellano clan. Like each member of his family, and each character in this novel, Nick fits a distinct mold. He's an injured football superstar who's facing an empty future now that his career is over. However, when an orphaned boy, Jonas, sues him for paternity, he realizes that Jonas and his sexy fill-in foster mother, Tasha Flynn, may be just what he needs. As a teen, Tasha ran away from her drunken parents, lived on the streets and was eventually rescued by Mimi, a kind, mystical woman who took her under her wing and later fostered Jonas. After Mimi's death, Tasha assumed Jonas's care, but she never informed social services of Mimi's passing, fearing her illicit past would preclude her from legally fostering Jonas. Now, thanks to Jonas's well-intentioned meddling, the situation could blow up in her face. The tension between Tasha and Nick is more situational than romantic: indeed, Tasha is so hostile towards Nick that it's difficult to see why he finds her appealing. This lack of true romantic conflict, combined with Child's pedestrian (and often repetitive) prose, makes for a mild, predictable read. (June)
FYI:Child also writes historical romances under the pseudonym Kathleen Kane.
