Review: Baby, It’s you by Jane Graves

Title: Baby, It’s You by Jane Graves
Rainbow Valley Series Book Two
Publisher: Forever
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Length: 400 pages/Word Count: 90,000
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

With only the wedding dress on her back and her honeymoon luggage in the car, Kari Worthington is running away. Determined to put her controlling father, her rigidly structured life, and the uptight groom she left at the altar in her rearview mirror, she escapes to the Texas Hill country . . . and lands on a tall, dark, and gorgeous winery owner’s doorstep. All she needs is a job and a place to live until she can get back on her feet. So why is she fantasizing about losing herself in his powerful arms?

For Marc Cordero, freedom is so close he can taste it. He’s devoted his life to managing the family business and being a single dad. Now with his daughter away at college and his brother taking over the winery, Marc is ready to hop on his Harley for parts unknown-until a runaway bride bursts onto the scene. Free-spirited and tantalizingly sexy, Kari excites him like no other woman has before. But when irresistible passion turns into something more, will Marc give up his future to take a chance on love?

The Review:

Baby, It’s You is a heartfelt and engaging addition to Jane Graves’ delightfully charming Rainbow Valley series. In this outing, opposites attract when runaway bride Kari Worthington ends up at Marc Cordero’s vineyard. Although they are at very different places in their lives, they find it impossible to resist their sizzling passion for one another. But with Kari deciding to put down roots and Marc equally determined to leave is there any chance of a future for this seemingly mismatched couple?

Kari is fun-loving and impulsive but there is a surprising amount of depth to her character. Growing up the only daughter of a wealthy businessman, Kari has subdued much of her vibrant personality in her efforts to gain her emotionally distant father’s approval. She has a long history of taking the easy of way out, but once she runs away from her wedding, Kari is forced to not only stand up for herself, but also stand her own two feet for the first time in her life.

Following his father’s death, Marc took on the responsibility of caring for his siblings while running the family business and raising his daughter Angela on his own.  With Angela finally off to college, the carefree life he has been longing for is finally within his grasp. Marc is quite logical, viewing the world in black and white and Kari’s arrival brings a bit of chaos to his well-ordered life.

With his new responsibility free life, Marc is very reluctant to have another person depending on him even for a short time, so he is eager for Kari to leave town. She steadfastly refuses to return to her former life and she eventually persuades him to help her out temporarily. Their relationship heats up fairly quickly and with neither of them looking for lasting commitment, Marc and Kari agree to a new strings fling. As Marc’s departure date draws near, they are reluctant to end their relationship but unexpected complications quickly jeopardize their future.

Baby, It’s You is an emotional journey of self-discovery for both Kari and Marc. Their romance is surprisingly sweet yet full of passion. The intriguing glimpses of Marc’s siblings (especially his sister Nina) leave me hopeful that Jane Graves is planning to feature them in upcoming installments of the Rainbow Valley series.

Although Baby, It’s You is the second book of the Rainbow Valley series, it can be read as a standalone. (You can read my review of the other books HERE.)