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Rating: 
Summary: Intimate Secrets
Review: Another month, another secret baby, this time little Ivy O'Malley in B.J. Daniels' "Intimate Secrets." Two years ago, Josie O'Malley fled her home in Texas. Pregnant, in danger, and unwilling to be forced into marriage with a man who didn't love her, she made a new life for herself and her baby daughter in Montana. Then Clay Jackson turned up in town. Clay Jackson, who she's known all her life. Clay, the father of her child. He's been trying to solve a jewel theft that happened shortly before she left town, and he's sure it can't be a coincidence that the trail has led him to Josie. He knows she's keeping something from him. But what?"Intimate Secrets" features all the conventions about secret child books that make me and most people I know throw up their hands at this overused device. I groaned at every one of the annoying complications the author threw on to justify the baby secret and drag out the revelation for as long as she could. The number of misunderstandings are insanely convoluted. The book even contains one of those irritating sequences where Josie has something to tell Clay, but no, he says she can tell him later. Anyone who cringes at the very mention of a secret baby should be warned, there is nothing here to convince you this plot should ever be used again. That said, the story still worked its way under my skin, enough for me to say that it is the best of this month's Intrigues. It's also probably Daniels' best book since "Undercover Christmas." My main complaint about some of her more recent work ("A Father for Her Baby," "Stolen Moments") is that, in keeping her characters constantly on the run, I never got the impression that they got to know each other well enough to make the sort of life-changing decisions they inevitably did in the end (especially in "Stolen Moments"). It's different this time, as Josie and Clay's relationship changes and evolves enough to make us believe they have a lasting future together. Even when I was annoyed by the cliche they were trapped in, I kept reading. Daniels writes with warmth and charm and her characters are likable. Josie and Clay are both strong and intelligent, and their passion feels real. I came to care about them both. The secondary characters are developed in a few deft strokes that brings them to life without overshadowing the leads. The mystery is well done, an equal part of the story with the romance as it should be in an Intrigue. The final twist is a surprise because we've been expertly mislead to believe things were more straightforward than they are. Nicely done. The book is still seriously underwritten, even more so than usual for this author, with some moments and emotions skimped on. Judging by the huge page margins and large type, there was more than enough room to flesh out this tale some more. (Normal type and margins would probably make this more of a 220 page book than the 248 it clocks in at). Still, I would recommend it as a solid example of romantic suspense. Anyone who can still stomach this plot hook will find "Intimate Secrets" to be a satisfying romance and mystery.
Rating: 
Summary: NOT SO CRITICAL - MORE THAN
Review: I guess I am not so critical or jaded -- I thoroughly enjoyed the story and the situations -- I can't always agree with the decisions of the ladies who hide their pregnancy or baby from the fathers [always seems to be in their interests] but then where would the story be?? Fear makes people do stupid things. But Clay seemed to be a perfect hero even with his hang-ups - I would like to have had his emotions be a little more intense but it would be hard to get into an authors idea of what is or should be happening. Little Ivy was an enchanting child but I would have like to find out how Josie and Ivy was tracked down by Degas and Burton. I definitely recommend this book and you may want to read it a second time. Happy reading to those who enjoy a decent mystery.
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