Buy it from eHarlequin:

SUDDENLY A PARENT: THE FAMILY PLAN
Susan Gable
ISBN:  978-0-373-71645-6 (Mass Market Paperback)
B003SX15XM (Kindle eBook)
July 13, 2010 (Mass Market Paperback)
July 1, 2010 (Kindle eBook)
Harlequin Enterprises/Harlequin Super Romance #1645
Category Romance
Contemporary Romance
eBook and Mass Market Paperback

Dr. Amelia Young has her life all mapped out and it doesn’t include a husband. She has a beautiful daughter, Jordan, conceived via artificial insemination and that’s all Amelia needs. Until Jordan is diagnosed with a deadly disease and the only way to save her is a bone marrow transplant from a family member that matches… or cord blood from a sibling. Amelia never thought she’d need a man for anything apparently The Family Plan is not what she thought it was.

Chef Finn Hawkins made anonymous donations in college to a sperm bank, never expecting to ever hear another thing about it. When an unknown woman shows up on his doorstep demanding another donation to save a child… his child, Finn’s world is turned upside down. Then when later on, his daughter shows up at his home, Finn finds his heart filling up. With two failed marriages behind him, the last thing Finn wants is another wife but Amelia and Jordan make him start to question The Family Plan he has designed for himself.

Susan Gable has written yet another heartwarming novel sure to keep her readers engrossed to the final page, all emotions engaged. I admit, when I first read the synopsis of The Family Plan, all I could think about was My Sister’s Keeper and I was a little nervous, even knowing Susan Gable has never written a story that didn’t leave me with a smile on my face. In spite of the surficial similarities between the two books, they are nothing alike.

I adored the Hawkins family when I first met them in A Kid to the Rescue, and I was absolutely thrilled to visit them once more. Finn was a favorite of mine and I couldn’t wait to read his story. Finn and Amelia, with their daughter Jordan, and Chip on the way (there’s a great story behind Chip’s name. Trust me, you’ll laugh a little.) make such a lovely family, however reluctantly they may have begun. Finn and Amelia are perfect for each other, however much they may resist their mutual attraction.

Susan glosses over some of the medical details regarding Jordan’s health and necessary medical procedures to keep the story from getting too deep and serious, giving us enough information to understand the severity of Jordan’s condition. We also learn a little bit more about Ian Hawkins, the deceased member of the Hawkins family, and how the parallels between his health before he died and Jordan’s life affect loved ones.

The seriousness of The Family Plan is lightened with humorous moments, and many of the little things that make life wonderful, from Jordan’s first kiss (a very sweet and romantic scene) to the family videos she loves to make, to a particular action that becomes the trademark of this new family.

It is impossible to read a novel by Susan Gable and not be moved through the entire emotional spectrum. The Family Plan is a perfect example of what makes me love her books. I laughed, I cried, I cheered, I shouted. I challenge you to not fall in love with this particular branch of the Hawkins family tree.

© Kelley A. Hartsell, June 2010. All rights reserved.

Reviewed By:

I have been reviewing since 2001 and got started on it completely by accident. That accident turned out to be a blessing in disguise as I discovered a hobby I thoroughly enjoy and an outlet for my opinions about the books I love... or love to hate. Now I don't think I'll ever stop! I live in the DFW area with my three "children" of the four-footed and furry variety, Sheba, Aker, and Amun, affectionately known as cats. I work as an environmental contractor for the Army Reserves, a job I've had since 1997 in which there is never a dull moment and no two days are the same.

Email Reviewer | Other posts by Kelley