Pregnancy Countdown

Rating:
Summary: Rich emotional complexity -- highly recommended
Review: Instead of attending her best friend's wedding, Nora Summers attends her beloved Grandmother's funeral. After a six hour flight delay, she looks forward to sleeping in her own bed. At one in the morning, she certainly never expects the tuxedo clad Mark Walker to meet her plane. Grief, relief and need combine in an unexpected plea that he not leave her alone. Never mind she broke up with him three years ago not because of his actions, but because she did not believe him capable of a committed relationship with her. Nor did she explain her reasoning.

Nora broke his heart three years ago, but Mark welcomes an opportunity for second a second chance. After a night of beautiful love making, he certainly does not expect her to banish him the same way she did three years ago. He does not know that her family history has bred distrust and fear that must be confronted if they are to ever be together. But he will have to work quickly if he wants to convince her that he wants them to be a family.

Author Linda Randall Wisdom pens a tale of deep emotion and profound trust issues in PREGNANCY COUNTDOWN. On one hand, some readers may grow a bit impatient with a heroine who judges a man based on past experience and refuses to give him a fair chance or even an honest explanation. On the other hand, deep emotional scars lend the novel a multifaceted depth and will spark reader sympathy. In addition, despite the title, Nora's pregnancy becomes not the focus of the novel, but sharply encourages a need for communication and an opportunity for the relationship to grow. PREGNANCY COUNTDOWN comes highly recommended.

Rating:
Summary: Storyline from Publisher
Review: Three years ago, Nora Summers and Mark Walker had been sweethearts, but circumstances had driven them apart. Nora wasn't ready to risk her heart again with a man as footloose and charming as Mark.

Yet now Nora had indulged in a night of wild passion with him. An unforgettable night together that had left both of them stunned. But it was only a one-night stand...right?

Could she actually be falling for Mark all over again? Could her commitment-phobic lover consider settling down? Nora hoped this was the case, because their steamy night together had not only left her yearning and hungry...

It had left her pregnant!

Rating:
Summary: Excellent storytelling
Review: Three years ago, Nora Summers and Mark Walker were in love, but she rationalized that he was not ready to commit so she ended their relationship. He never learned why she ended it and why she left soon afterward.

Nora returns home and Mark picks her up at the airport. She surprises herself and her chauffeur by pleading with Mark to stay the night as she does not want to be alone in a place that contains ugly memories. Mark, who desperately wants Nora back in his life, readily agrees. They make love, but the morning after Nora has doubts as she knows that her heart will break when he leaves her again as her father did years ago. Thus she fears risking even a second one-night stand especially now that she is pregnant. As for him, Nora has left her mark on him so that he needs a lifetime of her, but how to persuade his beloved that he wants to raise babies with her.

Readers will deeply feel for the complex Nora as she struggles between her heart's desires and her experiences that people she loves abandon her. Ironically, in a Pygmalion Effect, Nora is causing Mark to leave. The story line is character driven as fans will appreciate the bewildered, patient, and desperate hero who seems unable to persuade his beloved that he wants forever too with her. Title aside, the pregnancy angle complicates the relationship by forcing the lead couple into communicating. However, the angle is unnecessary as the tale clearly belongs to the heroine, whose childhood has turned her into an adult that believes relationships are ephemeral at best.

Harriet Klausner

Rating:
Summary: Excellent storytelling
Review: Three years ago, Nora Summers and Mark Walker were in love, but she rationalized that he was not ready to commit so she ended their relationship. He never learned why she ended it and why she left soon afterward.

Nora returns home and Mark picks her up at the airport. She surprises herself and her chauffeur by pleading with Mark to stay the night as she does not want to be alone in a place that contains ugly memories. Mark, who desperately wants Nora back in his life, readily agrees. They make love, but the morning after Nora has doubts as she knows that her heart will break when he leaves her again as her father did years ago. Thus she fears risking even a second one-night stand especially now that she is pregnant. As for him, Nora has left her mark on him so that he needs a lifetime of her, but how to persuade his beloved that he wants to raise babies with her.

Readers will deeply feel for the complex Nora as she struggles between her heart's desires and her experiences that people she loves abandon her. Ironically, in a Pygmalion Effect, Nora is causing Mark to leave. The story line is character driven as fans will appreciate the bewildered, patient, and desperate hero who seems unable to persuade his beloved that he wants forever too with her. Title aside, the pregnancy angle complicates the relationship by forcing the lead couple into communicating. However, the angle is unnecessary as the tale clearly belongs to the heroine, whose childhood has turned her into an adult that believes relationships are ephemeral at best.

Harriet Klausner