3.5 sweet stars
We watch Rory Gallagher's brothers fall in love in the first 2 Darling, VT books - now it's his turn.
Rory and Oaklee have known each other forever, her older brother is his childhood best friend. They both had their hearts broken by previous relationships, so their story is one primarily of learning to trust and open up again.
Rory and Oaklee are characters that we've gotten to know a little bit in each of the first two books, but we get their full story here. The false starts and dancing around each other that happens feels completely authentic. This is a well written and enjoyable friends to lovers / second chance at love story that leaves you with a warm a fuzzy feeling.
While it is technically a stand alone, there is significant background information in the first two books. Portions of this story also run parallel to book 2, so there are potential spoilers if you haven't read them all.
The Gallaghers of Darling have been fun to get to know and I am looking forward to what is coming for the ladies of the family.

I love this series and this book fantastic. The characters, the town, the family, these are just a few of the things that I love in these stories. This is Rory Gallagher's story. He's known in Darling for two things. His love of animals and his way with the ladies. Then he runs into the one woman who is immune to his charm and he's captivated. Oaklee is back in Darling and finds herself face to face with her one time crush Rory Gallagher. She may be determined to not get caught up in him all over again, but his kindness and gentle nature eventually pull her in.

This is a lovely sweet read with a nice slow build romance. Definitely a book I would recommend.

I really, really liked this book. It was just what I needed after reading quite a few average books This is the third book in the Darling, Vermont series, but the first one I've read, Oaklee Ferguson and Rory Gallagher have known each other ever since Rory and Oaklee's brother were friends back in school. In high school, Oaklee had a huge crush on her brother's best-looking friend, but Rory, several years older, just thought of her as his friend's kid sister, back then. They both went away to college and recently she returned to her hometown to work as the town's social media guru, while Rory has been working as a veterinarian at the town's veterinary clinic. They've both loved and been burned and of course, neither are even looking for love in the least. As they say, that is when it most likely happens, You know when you have a veterinarian in the story, he's going to be a great guy and of course, there is a dog in their that Oaklee fosters until they find him a permanent home. This is the makings of a great story. Stories with dogs usually are winners in my book and this one is no exception. This book is just under 300 pages and is a pretty quick read, This is a sweet romance that I thoroughly enjoyed and that I whole-heartedly recommend.

My Rating:

4.5

Favorite Quotes:

Your inner child is incorrigible and always was.

Do you ever feel left out? Like the rest of the family gets ‘it’ but something doesn’t quite fit right? Like someone else’s shoes, and the arch is wrong or the heel’s worn on one side?

I remember you saying the night he left, that you always knew he was somebody’s baby, but you’d wanted him to be yours. This time, Oaklee, no one is going to come and tell you that you were wrong. That this love doesn’t belong to you, or you don’t deserve it. No one is going to make you feel like your love isn’t worth having.


My Review:


Oaklee was a former homecoming queen and outwardly, she typically presented as perky and perfectly put together, as she had perfected that façade. No one ever saw her home, because she was a total slob and her home was a mess, and she liked it that way. Rory seemed happy-go-lucky, when he was actually highly structured, a planner, and an OCD neat freak. Oaklee did not date. Rory was a serial dater. Yet they had more in common than they knew. When Oaklee ran over a “silly mutt with funny eyebrows” and ended up at Rory’s vet clinic, their lives would never be the same. I adored this couple, they had both been deeply damaged by disastrous relationships and while they were not always likable, both were endearing flawed and more than deserving of the good things in life. The storyline was full of feels and populated by interesting and appealing characters. I have enjoyed each of the three trips I’ve made to Darling, Vermont and am delighted that Ms. Alward decided to make the Gallagher clan so prolific as it leaves us with many more siblings to be featured as she weaves her tapestry of captivating tales.

I love this town, I love these characters, and I am so in love with this addictive series. In the third instalment, we meet Oaklee Collier, social media genius for the town of Darling, considered to have the perfect independent life. But looks can be deceiving. For underneath her tough exterior, Oaklee has a soft and vulnerable heart that is still recovering from the devastating trampling it received from her high-school sweetheart, two years ago. Knowing how small town life works, Oaklee cut herself off from those who love her, never letting anyone discover what had truly happened to her, and threw herself into her work. She doesn't need or want anyone. Not the adorably cute rescue dog that she accidentally injures, or the sexy vet, who also happens to be her childhood crush.

Rory Gallagher understands that he has a reputation about town as a ladies man, but he is always honest and upfront about the fact that commitment is never going to be on his radar. Until Oaklee needs his help with a rescue dog, and he cannot stop himself thinking about his old best friend's sister. But Rory is carrying some serious baggage from his past and knows that he will only end up hurting Oaklee if he makes a move on their sizzling chemistry. But as friendship and attraction continue to get blurred, can two people who have suffered from seriously broken hearts in the past, find the strength and the bravery needed to take a leap of faith for love?

Like the other books in this series, I was completely hooked from the very beginning and I did not want to stop reading until I knew how it ended. Oaklee is intelligent, smart, and caring, but has never really faced her broken past, and Rory is in a similar situation. I loved seeing them navigate their attraction and make a mess of it along the way, but I really cared about them and that, for me, is a sign of a great book. The town and community of Darling are as beautiful and compelling as ever, and I cried tears over the loveable Buster. SOMEBODY'S BABY by Donna Alward is another gem, which I have now come to expect from her, and I think everyone should read this glorious series (I really hope there will be more!).

Oh I loved this one! I really liked the first book, Somebody Like You, and while I had a few quibbles I also enjoyed the second book Someone to Love but something about this one just really clicked with me.

I loved Oaklee. In the previous books she had come off as a little shallow and always put together but we quickly see there's a lot more going on below the surface. Oaklee has some baggage that is affecting her life in ways that even she doesn't fully understand. She's struggling to find her footing as an independent adult and is starting to realize that things aren't the way she wants them. She's resistant to the idea of a relationship of any kind but just as I would start to get annoyed with her stubbornness she'd have some kind of break through realization or give herself a talking too and I found myself rooting for her even more. Rory was a little harder to click with. I liked him - pretty much everyone likes him but I never felt like I really knew him. I did love how kind he was to animals and how he did really seem to care for Oaklee I just wanted a little more heart from him.

It was really fun to visit Darling again. I loved checking in with the Gallagher family and the town of Darling as a whole. Every character I meet I find myself wanting to learn their back story. I especially enjoyed that it's not painted as perfect. There are times when Oaklee mentions that it feels claustrophobic having everyone know everything about her and there is some talk about businesses having to struggle or work extra hard - especially during non-tourist time.

While this can be read as a stand alone I think you should probably read at least Someone to Love first. There is some overlap in the two books and we seen scenes from the 2nd book in the 3rd but told from Rory and Oaklee's perspective.

I really love this series and every book has been enjoyable. I'm hoping we will get another visit to Darling, VT soon or at least another Gallagher story! If you enjoy a contemporary romance along the lines of Emily March or RaeAnne Thayne with a little more spice than this is a series you shouldn't miss!

I thought this was a really cute book. I know there are others in the series, and while it was alright to read this as a stand alone, I felt I was missing some of the back ground by not having read the others. The characters were relate-able and fun, plenty of humor in this one. Overall, a great read.

I have read and loved the previous books in this series, and this one did not disappoint me. I was concerned since I don’t read 20 something stories and should have known better.
While Ms Alward always gives us an interesting story, what draws me to her writing is the depth of her character development.
In this story , we have Rory, youngest of the Gallagher brothers and a vet in the town of Darling. He is known as a serial dater. Oaklee works for the city as their cyber PR person. and is considered cold and standoffish . She is also the younger sister of Rory’s best friend.
Oaklee had a crush on Rory when she was young and Rory considered her as “no trespassing” because of the friendship code.
They are attracted to each other but both have a lot of emotional baggage they are carrying.
It’s a story filled with heartache, disappointments, trust issues , lost hopes, shattered hearts and feelings of worthlessness. But it’s also a story about redemption, hope, trust and the wonders of love both of humans and the unconditional love of a pet.
A story worth reading . Hope there will be more in the future for this series.
I was gifted this book by Netgalley. The opinions expressed are solely my own.

The third in the Darling, VT series, Somebody's Baby doesn't disappoint in the slightest and brings one of my my favourite tropes: her older brother's best friend. This time round it's Darling's Veterinarian and resident ladies man, Rory Gallagher's turn to fall and the lucky lady is the one seemingly immune to his charms, town darling, Oaklee Ferguson.

"I’m not sure you and I will ever be just friends."

If there's one this guaranteed to make me blub it's animals. What can I say, my baby is a fur baby and whilst I'm not really known for being a softie, stick a furry little monster in front of me and I turn to mush. And that works in books when hey form such an important part of a storyline, so when Oaklee hits a stray pup with her car and turns to Rory for help, their story begins and it's one I struggled to tear myself away from.

“It’s amazing how they can make us love them so much. Maybe because they ask for so little, and they give unconditional love in return.”

I loved Rory and Oaklee together: both have been hurt and guard their hearts closely, but the discoveries and realisations they make along with a natural chemistry was pretty near perfect, and whilst they're frustrating, they're loveable and you quickly find yourself cheering them on.

"All I know is that out of anybody in the world, I feel like I can trust you the most."

Donna Alward has nailed it every time with the emotion in this series and whilst there were moments when my own dog was licking the tears rolling down my face (the loving, dirty creature she is), they weren't sad tears. The town of Darling has ingratiated itself into my heart and I hope that the Gallagher sisters get their stories because I'm not ready to leave Vermont.

Blog and Amazon reviews on release day

This is the 3rd in the Darling, VT series, and whilst the characters lives do intertwine, each can be read as a standalone.

Rory Gallagher is the town's single, hot vet, and one one of the Gallagher brothers, who seem to be a bit legendary in Darling.

Oaklee is his best friend's little sister, the PITA little girl who used to follow them around.. until suddenly she's not

"Suddenly she was everywhere, and he was noticing."

Both have enough emotional baggage to fill a 747, but I loved how they - eventually - fought against all that baggage.

There was a part of the story (I don't want to spoil things by saying what) that had me in tears, and it kinda sorta was close to something that happened with me not too long ago.

I totally get the small town vibe of the series, as I live in a small town, where you can't sneeze without someone two streets over saying bless you. This made the fishbowl feeling that Oaklee had all the more relatable to me.

Rory and Oaklee's love is a slow burn with hurdles (mostly of their own creation!) thrown into the mix.

There is just something about this series that has drawn me in. I think it is the characters, their troubles, their lives , any of them could be us. From the first book to the last, I have enjoyed every moment in Darling, VT.

Now I am waiting to see what Ms Alward brings us next.

"What if you were blindsided by something good? Wouldn't it be a shame to miss out on it because it wasn't in your plans?"

FINAL DECISION: The story of two people who have been burned by love before and are afraid to trust themselves or one another with the possibility of love. Genuine nice characters in a small town setting makes this contemporary a real heart warmer.

THE STORY: Oaklee Collier is known around Darling as the "Social Butterfly" not so much for her personal life as her job running the town's social media. She is sunny, upbeat and put together -- or at least she presents that front to the world. Actually, she has a disaster of an apartment, is sick of going to bridal and baby showers, and still hasn't gotten over being left at the altar by her high school sweetheart. One night, she ends up hitting a dog in the road. She takes him to see Rory Gallagher, veterinarian. Rory is a serial dater who gets through the first or second date but hasn't had a real relationship since school when his heart was broken two times over. A classic friends to lovers story.

OPINION: The final Gallagher brother is certainly not ready to settle down -- especially because he was devastated by the woman he loved while in school. Now the junior veterinarian spends his time caring for baby kittens and dating a different woman every night. One night Oaklee comes to him with an injured dog. The two grew up together as Rory had been best friends with Oaklee's older brother. But just as Rory began noticing the Oaklee when they were teenagers, her brother slapped him down and instead demanded that Rory care for Oaklee as if she were his own sister. No matter how much he tries, however, Rory cannot think of Oaklee in a sisterly fashion.

Oaklee has never forgotten her teenage crush. She went on to love another man but he broke her heart as well. Now Oaklee is covering her sadness with a happy face and filling her life with her work. When she accidentally hits a dog on the way home, she becomes enmeshed in unwanted connections -- both with the dog and Rory. A reluctant foster parent to the injured dog, Oaklee ends up looking outside herself and opening herself up to caring and loving in a way she hasn't done since she was stood up on her wedding day.

As Rory and Oaklee struggle with their attraction to one another and their fears of being hurt again, they also find themselves being friends in a way they weren't as children. Their romance has fits and starts which feels real and difficult.

I loved that these two have small struggles in making a relationship work. These are real people with emotional fears, work problems, and financial constraints. I loved how the injured dog opens Oaklee up. The dog made me smile and cry. Pet lovers will certainly feel a connection with how Oaklee falls in love with the dog even as he challenges and annoys her.

I have enjoyed all three books in this series (about the Gallagher brothers) and I hope we see more from Darling, VT in the future. (There are still the Gallagher sisters!!).

WORTH MENTIONING: The timeline of this book overlaps with the second book in the series SOMEONE TO LOVE.

CONNECTED BOOKS: SOMEBODY'S BABY is the third book in the Darling, VT series. Although there are overlapping characters, this book can be read as a standalone.

STAR RATING: I give this book 4 stars.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley in order to provide a review. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions contained herein are my own.

At first I thought I could really get into this book. The characters seemed intriguing, and I saw the potential for depth in the story. However, I had a hard time *not* putting this book down. It became very boring and the heroine, Oaklee, was just not likeable for me. To be honest, I had a hard time with Rory too. With Oaklee, I think it was her initial aversion to dogs - I LOVE dogs, so reading a book about a heroine who is not that into them doesn't sit well with me. When I read, I like to "become" the characters, and that was not happening with Oaklee. I also felt Rory was too full of himself. Didn't care for his attitude. I appreciate the opportunity to read this book, but in the end, I don't feel I would recommend it.

I enjoy this series set in small town Vermont featuring the Gallagher family. Rory is the town vet and when Oakley hits a dog she goes to him for help. Childhood friends, both have been hurt in the past from heartbreak. Great to catch up with the family who are so supportive and loving. Can stand alone without the previous books.

Oaklee Collier loved her job with the Chamber of Commerce, promoting the town of Darling’s tourism and small business opportunities through various social media platforms. Her current campaign, on success stories regarding Darling’s famous Kissing Bridge, was coming along nicely, but Oaklee’s habit of responding to every text and tweet caused an accident where she hit a stray dog. Panicked, she lifted the dog into her car and rushed him to the local vet clinic, pounding on the door even though it was after hours.

Rory Gallagher lived over the veterinary clinic, and as the junior partner, he was most often available for emergencies. He was stunned to see Oaklee at the door, and rushed down to help her bring the injured dog into an examining room. As they worked together to clean the dog’s injuries, Rory was reminded of the younger Oaklee, a spirited and happy girl who was his best friend’s little sister, and was surprised to find he was attracted to her. Sensing Oaklee’s loneliness underneath her professional exterior, Rory convinced Oaklee to foster the dog, now called Buster, until his injuries have completely healed.

Oaklee and Rory are both hiding heartache and betrayal, and have thrown themselves into their respective careers in an effort to hide from the pain. Buster is the furry catalyst that draws them together, and I enjoyed seeing Oaklee’s hard exterior soften as she slowly learns to trust again. The love and loyalty of the townspeople and the strong support in this small community is really fun to see. This is a sweet story, the third in the Darling, VT series, and I enjoyed the updates on the other Gallagher family members as well. Now that we’ve read about the lives of the three Gallagher boys, I’d like to see what Hannah, Claire, and Cait will be up to in future stories.

<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29875861-somebody-s-baby" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="Somebody's Baby (Darling, VT #3)" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1480968764m/29875861.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29875861-somebody-s-baby">Somebody's Baby</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/570576.Donna_Alward">Donna Alward</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1949305771">4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
Once again one of the Gallagher boys is finds love. This time it is the veterinarian Rory. He has been hiding a broken heart since leaving veterinary school. Oakley Ferguson has also had her heart crushed. This is a slow moving story as each struggles with issues of trust. I liked how each knew what was holding them back. I enjoyed seeing the couples from the two previous stories. It is nice to visit with a town brought to life in Alward's Darling, VT. There was not a hint about who will be featured next or if there was I did not pick up on it. This is a very nice series with great characters and a charming town. You can start the series anywhere as each is a stand-alone but it is best if started at the beginning.
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/1372248-jo-mixed-book-bag">View all my reviews</a>

Somebody’s Baby by Donna Alward is the 3rd book in her wonderful Darling, VT series. Having enjoyed the first two books in this series, I looked forward to reading Somebody’s Baby. Since it has become the norm for Alward, I thoroughly enjoyed Somebody’s Baby; perhaps the best one yet.

Oaklee Ferguson, our heroine, is the social butterfly, who is in charge of promoting tourism in Darling, VT. Oakley leads a busy life, working hard for the town she loves, but her own personal life has her a bit despondent. One night, she accidently hits a dog, and in her panic to save him, she rushes to the local vet.
Rory Gallagher, the vet and our hero, has just closed and is upstairs in his apartment when Oaklee arrives with the dog. Rory, manages to treat the dog, and set his broken leg. Though they do not hang around, both Rory and Oaklee know each other very well. Oaklee is Rory’s best friend, Cam’s sister, whom he finds attractive, but always kept his distance, because of Cam. Oaklee always had a thing for Rory, but sensed his disinterest, as well as he was known as a womanizer. Oaklee feels guilty for hurting the dog, and Rory will use that to get Oaklee to take care of Buster, until he is better and a permanent home can be found.

What follows is slow built romances that will have Buster play a big part in bringing them together and each heart will begin to melt. Both have their own issues that become obstacles in their budding relationship; Rory loved a girl and her son, who left him heartbroken; Oaklee thought she found the man to spend her life with, only to have him leave her at the altar. Despite these issues, we knew from the start that we wanted Rory and Oaklee together. They were likeable, fun, and perfect for each other. If only they could trust each other and leave the past behind them.

Donna Alward once again gives us a wonderful couple, beautiful romance, a cute dog, great secondary characters and even some tears. This is a fun delightful series that keeps us pining for more. There are many other characters who can have their stories told, which I for one look forward to. Somebody’s Baby was a wonderfully enjoyable read, which if you love romances you should be reading this series . This does read well as a standalone, but why not start with the first book in this series, and enjoy them all.

Somebody's Baby by Donna Alward was the first book I've read by this author and will probably be my last. It just was boring. I hate saying that about any book because I know how difficult it is to write a likable set of characters and develop a captivating plot line, but I just couldn't get into this one. However, I can say with absolute sincerity that if you enjoy those slow to build but deeply romantic sappy love stories than you're probably going to love this book. It's just not my type of love story. I appreciate the opportunity to read the book and Thank Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for a honest review.

Somebody's Baby.

Rory and Oaklee. And Buster.

Somebody's Baby is book three of the Darling, Vermont Series. This book completely stands alone and does not end on a cliffhanger. I confess that I have not read the previous books, but that did not impact my enjoyment of this book at all. If the first two weren't priced out of my book budget, I would definitely go back to read the first two because this one was so great and I LOVE the little town of Darling!

This book had a combination of two themes or tropes that I really enjoy - “best friend's little sister” and “friends to lovers” - and they were both handled really, really well. Rory and Oaklee were extremely likable characters that I couldn't help but root for as a couple from the very start. They had both been burned badly by previous relationships and were hesitant to get involved with each other, but they were drawn to each other in a way that neither of them could resist. There was undeniable chemistry between these two, and I found myself hoping they would get together from the start, even though they were both emotionally damaged and incredibly stubborn. It was fun getting to know Oaklee and Rory, and their various quirks.

I had no idea that this book would make me cry, but it did. There was one specific part that broke my heart for Oaklee and sent me in search of tissues. I won't spoil anything, but if you read this one I'm pretty sure you'll know what I'm talking about. The tears are worth it, though, so don't let this paragraph scare you off!

This book is a fun, easy read that I would highly suggest to anyone who likes small town romances between two characters that are just meant to be together. You'll absolutely fall in love with Darling, VT.

I requested and was generously granted an ARC of this book via NetGalley. I was under absolutely no obligation to write this review, I did so because I really enjoyed the story.

What happens when you take two damaged hearts & try to make them both feel again? They almost blow it! Oaklee & Rory have both experienced hurt & have hidden it from friends & family. Oaklee was left at the alter by her boyfriend of 5 years. Rory was seeing a single mother & her son for over 2 years. Just when he was ready to propose, she told him she didn't love him enough. They both retreated home to Darling & buried their hurts but in different ways. Rory started short term dating with no relationship going beyond 3 dates. Oaklee retreated from life & relationships, even her friends.

This is the third in a series but it can easily be read as a standalone. There are supporting characters that spill among the books but other than updates on their lives, you aren't lost in the story. I loved the interactions between Rory & Oaklee. The timing of their advances & retreats was just off enough that at any time, they each could have called it quits but didn't. The author has a knack for writing about characters that the readers can relate to & get emotionally invested in. The dog added both drama & humor. He added to some very intense scenes. I really enjoyed this one & couldn't put it down.

I won't lie when I saw there was a new book in the Darling, VT series I hoped it would feature the oldest daughter of the Gallagher clan. For some reason I think she's hiding a secret from the rest of the family. However, instead this book featured Rory. Rory and Oaklee may seem like the unlikeliest of couples especially since neither one was looking for the "one" but their chemistry cannot be denied. Donna Alward has a unique talent for creating characters that are slightly wounded but not overly so. Just enough that you care and want to see them flourish without being so wounded that it becomes the sole focus of the story. She manages a unique balance which makes it a book that you just don't want to put down until you have finished the story.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this novel.