I believe in Victoria James, always a must read for me. A second chance romance that will pull at your heartstrings and not let go.Jack left five years ago after a family tragedy and now returns to make amends with his family and the love of his life, Lily. After one night Lily vows to never let it happen again but she soon learns she is pregnant. Will it be enough to keep them together this time?

When you get ready to read this book, plan on not getting up until done. An amazing story of second chance romance, must have kleenex close by, you will shed happy and sad tears. My heart went out to Jack, such a burden he held onto. I highly recommend this story.

This is a very moving story exploring different reactions to tragic events. In this case Jack Bailey couldn’t cope with so he ran, leaving behind his family and his girlfriend, Lily Cookson. Five years later, he’s returned. He’s never kept touch with Lily but he’s determined to win her back and to prove he’s now man enough to stay to face the good times and the bad together . . .

This is a delicious, well paced, second chance romance with great characters, plenty of drama and trauma and, I’m pleased to say, Lily really does make him work to make amends. This author has written several books that I’ve read and reviewed and I love her style. As usual all her characters are complex, including many of the secondary ones as well as the main ones. The plot has plenty of twists and turns and is a real emotional roller coaster ride. There are many threads to the interactions within the story which are woven together to create a superb tapestry of people, places and events to keep the reader turning pages and wondering how it can all work out well in the end. This is a delightful story that I have no hesitation in highly recommending - and I also recommend checking out other stories by this author, too!

I requested and was given a copy of this book via NetGalley. This is my honest opinion after reading the story.

I love a second chance story and this one was very good. Jack returns home five years after the tragic death of his twin brother and nephew. Unfortunately the accident was also the death of his engagement to Lily who he left behind. Lily has weathered tragedies of her own during the five years and even though she still loves Jack on some level she can't get past her anger about his leaving.
Both of the characters are well done with honest emotions and deep emotional baggage. This is book two in a series and I really enjoyed it and look forward to the next book.

The Baby Bombshell is a feel-good, sweet second-chance romance story. If you read book one in the series ( Christmas with the Sheriff ), you knew this story was coming and were more than ready for it--plenty of teasers were given throughout. (And if you haven't read Chase and Julia's story yet, no worries--this could work as a standalone too. You just might not feel the same degree of needing to see how things will turn out for Jack and Lily before even starting the story ;))

A family tragedy five years ago not only tore apart the Bailey family, but also ended Lily's plans for the future when her fiance, Jack Bailey, left Shadow Creek--and her--without much of an explanation. Now Jack's back, and says he never stopped loving her, but Lily's gone through too much without the guy she depended on by her side. Can he prove his worth to her once again, or is it too late?

I'm still a bit torn about Jack's reasons for leaving and staying away so long, especially given the revelations he makes in the last third of the book. On the one hand, guilt is a powerful thing, but on the other...I just don't know. I'm glad he's back, and yes, he does a lot here to prove that he's really back now, but I don't blame Lily for holding out as long as she does.

All's well that ends well, though, and I was very satisfied with where this story ends up. A possible story for Gwen is strongly hinted at (the "Muffin Man"--hee hee hee) that will definitely have me haunting the lists to see when it's going to be released :)

Rating: 4 stars / B+

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

The Baby Bombshell, by Victoria James is a captivating contemporary romance filled with secrets and engaging characters.

After five years away, Jack Bailey returns home to Shadow Creek, and he attempts to rebuild the relationships with his family and friends, especially his relationship with ex-fiance, Lily Cookson. Even though they are both still in love, the pain and mistrust of no communication for years has damaged them. As the story unfolds, even more secrets and a possible pregnancy lead to Jack and Lilly's attempt to a reconciled relationship.

In chapter one, Jack tells Lilly, "'I believe you're still the most beautiful, loving woman I've ever met. Leaving you was the hardest decision I ever made. I know I've got a helluva lot to do to earn your forgiveness, but I'm willing to do whatever it takes. I've been faithful to you. Five years, Lil. I've been faithful to the memory of what we had and what we could be. There has been no one. I never stopped loving you.... So let me get to know who you are now. I'm still in love with you. I know you're still the only woman for me.'"

Since it's the second book in the Shadow Creek Montana series, it's recommended to start with the first book, Christmas with the Sheriff, yet it's not necessary to read the books in order.

The Baby Bombshell is a delightful book, and it's geared more towards women readers, particularly those who enjoy reading modern romances.


Note: I received this book from NetGalley, which is a program designed for bloggers to write book reviews in exchange for books, yet the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I absolutely adore this author. She is one of my all time favorite Bliss authors. Her book are adorable and fun and cute to read. She writes characters that you can relate too and like.

And if think the heroine of this book is some people can relate to a lot too. I liked her and I felt sorry for what happened to her. I can understand why she was hesitant to give the hero another chance.

But, after finding out what the hero did for the heroine, you can still tell that he loves her. And I eventually did forgive him to.

Victoria James writes book with characters that have the same struggles as us and you can relate to them. I think the Baby Bombshell will be one of the ones that people relate most to. The characters are just dealing with the aftermath of a tragedy that happened five years ago. And I enjoyed reading about their journey.

Can't wait for the next book VJ writes. I'll be impatiently waiting.

XOXO MP

A nice relaxing quick weekend read. I will read her again

Building bridges would be so much easy if one didn’t burn the old ones to the ground first, this thought pretty much sums up my first impression of The Baby Bombshell by Victoria James. Then the story goes deeper, then become more complex and just plain old more than I was expecting. The romance between Jack Bailey and Lily Cookson is a huge part of this story but so is the reasons why he left and the connection he needs to remake with his family. Victoria James has taken the second chance romance fleshing it out to become something more, bigger and extraordinary.

Even with dual POV, I could not take sides with Jack or Lily but could understand both. Mostly I was just wanting this love to rekindle as well as a fractured family to come together. Have a tissue handy since between smiles a tear or two when fall. An emotional but also celebration of life read.

I absolutely loved the first book in this series so I was a little worried that my expectations were just a bit too high -- they weren't and this book was just as wonderful, emotional and satisfying as the first book! Although it's the second book in Shadow Creek it can easily be read as a stand alone, however; the first one was an amazing book so start with that one and then move on to this one.

I love second chance romances if they are done right and this one was! There are a couple of things that make a second chance romance really work for me and that's if the hero had at least a decent reason for leaving (and it wasn't some stupid miscommunication issue) and that he grovels a little and the heroine doesn't give in right away. Well this book had all of that and a bonus that the hero, Jack stayed faithful to Lily the entire time he was gone. Yes, he left her and yes he has a lot to make up for but he never stopped loving her and he never tried to "move on". I loved how completely honest he was when he came back. No beating around the bush just true, honest emotions and letting her know right up front how sorry he was for hurting her, that he loved her and wanted her back. I also loved Lily, even though she still loved Jack she didn't just roll over and forgive the fact that he hurt her because she didn't trust him anymore. I loved that it was trust that was the issue for her because it was a very believable and honest reason.

I'm not big on accidental pregnancy plots but it worked in this book. The overall plot was so much more than an unplanned pregnancy but more about both Jack and Lily healing and learning to forgive and find a way back to each other. The pacing was spot on and once I started I couldn't put this book down. It made me laugh and it made me cry. I once again enjoyed the secondary characters and can't wait for the next book.

Victoria James slays me with her writing. Every. Single. Time. The Baby Bombshell is no different. This is a second chance love story where tissues are required.

Five years ago, Jack Bailey lost his identical twin brother and young nephew in a horrible accident. Unable to even look at himself in the mirror, he didn't think anyone else could stand to see him either. Not being able to handle his grief, Jack unexpectedly leaves his life in Shadow Creek behind. That life included his parents, younger sister, best friend, and his fiancée. While he was gone, a lot of things changed. But one thing remained the same, his love for Lily Cookson.

Five years of taking life’s bumps and bruises on her own has taken a toll on Lily Cookson. Finally, something is going right in her life. She’s about to open a chocolate shop with her best friend, Gwen Bailey. What she doesn't expect or need is for a Christmas miracle in the form of Jack Bailey returning to his family and knocking her world on its axis.

Jack knows he has a lot of making up to do, not only with his family but with Lily. In the five years since he's been gone, he has never contacted her once. But that doesn’t mean that he hasn’t been following her life. He's now ready to be the man he should have been 5 years ago, both with his family, friends, and especially Lily. “Give me tonight. One night to prove to you that we still belong together.”

The Baby Bombshell is a second chance love story full of secrets and regrets. But this is also a story full of love, perseverance, and determination. “I still love you and I’m not going to throw in the towel. I will fight for you.”

Victoria James takes readers on an incredible journey. While Jack and Lily’s road to a happy-ever-after isn’t smooth, Victoria does show that love is a powerful thing and worth fighting for. Prepare to lose yourself in this wonderful story that will have your heart breaking, only to be put back together again.

You know when you read a book with so much raw emotion, you can’t help bawling your eyes out or squirming in your seat because you feel everything just as strongly as the MCs? Well it happened to me while reading this book.

The story is about Jack and Lily, two people very much in love with each other but carrying around a lot of hurt, guilt, anger and grief. But it also had strong family ties, great friendships and an epic love story. Lily was a great MC, she took a lot of hits but was such a fighter. When Jack comes back into her life, I totally get why she was so afraid to trust in him again. After being left behind, she’d learned to adapt and survive on her own. She had me crying right alongside her while she came to terms with what she wanted in life.

Jack did some pretty messed up things after he left town. After the death of his twin brother and his nephew, he’s mind and heart were in turmoil. His grief overshadowed everything and everyone, including Lily and I’m not gonna lie, I hated his choices. But I can see why he thought the way he did. He was in a very dark place and was scared he would drag everyone down with him. Jack wasn’t perfect but what makes him such an awesome Hero is his 100% devotion to Lily and righting his wrongs.

“I will make it up to you. I promise. I will earn your trust again. I’ll wait however long it takes. I love you.”

It didn’t take long to convince me Jack was the real deal. I loved him a little more with each affirmation of his love for Lily. It wasn’t hard to fall for him since knowing everything he did for Lily, even when they were thousands of miles apart an over so many years. I was a happy pile of sentimental goo after reading this and I highly recommend if you like second chance romances, baby surprises, and faithful MCs.

I’m a reader who will pt myself into a character’s shoes, especially when they do something that puzzles me or doesn’t make sense. The dual points of view of Lily and Jack helped me make sense of actions taken, and the mindset at the time as well. The Baby Bombshell is both heartbreaking and heartwarming in different aspects of this romance. Lily and Jack once had the world at their fingertips, about to be married, love strong – life couldn’t get much better. Until it all disappeared. When Jack’s twin brother and his nephew were killed, Jack went into a grief stricken depression that sent him away from everyone he loved – his family, the woman he loved. He couldn’t wrap his mind around the fact that he and his family would never see his brother again – except when they looked at him and would be reminded of what they’d all lost. Jack ran, and it took him five long years to finally get himself settled again. Five long years of remaining faithful to the woman he loved and now wanted a life with once again. Five years… when he’d known what Lily went through and he wasn’t able, couldn’t bring himself to be beside her when she’d needed him the most.

Lily could not believe Jack was actually here. Five long years worth of anger, despair, loneliness, pain and sadness exploded on her senses in that one moment’s glance. And then she remembered – she was done with Jack. Second chances? No, not going to happen not when he’d destroyed everything they’d had, not when he’d run away from and not run to her when he needed her, and later when she needed him. No, they were done. Yet, one night with her guard down, one night when she let herself feel everything for him again wasn’t supposed to happen, and wouldn’t happen ever again. Except for one small consequence from that night or maybe the second chance they both needed.

The Baby Bombshell is Victoria James giving us what she does best – an emotional story that is life-like in it’s depth, reasons and results. Jack made mistakes, he owned up to them and he groveled so well. It’s obvious that he needed the time away, needed to pull himself together again in order to be a man who could tackle life once again with his love. While it’s realistic, the one part that I still cannot wrap my mind around is that when Lily truly needed him back, he simply couldn’t. Lily has strengths she doesn’t even realize yet. She’s determined to not let Jack back into her life. He left her once, and if she opened up herself again and he left again she wouldn’t survive it this time. While she had one bombshell to drop – Jack had an even bigger one, and forgiving that would be the greatest test of her love for this man.

I enjoyed this second story in the Shadow Creek, Montana series, we get a chance to revisit with old friends and perhaps even get a glimpse of the next romance to hit town. If you are a Romance reader, then The Baby Bombshell will hit all the right spots and deliver a loving, realistic, enjoyable story.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

Since I read the first story in this series, I have been waiting somewhat impatiently for The Baby Bombshell to be released. Victoria James always amazes me that she is able to take something that is old and tired and put a fresh spin on it. I love second chance romances, and you can't help but to root for Lily and Jack.

I highly recommend this book even if you haven't read the first in the series. Seriously a great read.

Five years ago tragedy struck and Jack found himself lost in his grief. Believing everyone was better off without him, he left town, abandoning not only his family but also the love of his life, Lily. Now he's back, he's here to stay, determined to mend fences, and earn the forgiveness of his loved ones. Except Lily has no intention of letting him back in, no matter how much she still loves him. Emotions are running high and they share a night of passion and Lily swears that it won't happen again. She soon finds that her plans are all for naught as she learns that she's pregnant.

This was the type of second chance romance that I could immediately get on board with for one HUGE reason... Jack stayed faithful to Lily the entire time they were separated. That's 5 whole years people!! So on top of the fact that the hero grovelled the way a man in the wrong should, on top of the swoon-worthy moments, and on top of the giddiness I felt as Jack and Lily started to heal and move forward together, his faithfulness was the cherry on top.

My only issue with this story was that while Jack was gone, Lily suffered immensely. Yet when he heard about it, while he was still away, he stayed away. I get why he did and I can't predict if I would have done any differently in his shoes, but I know I didn't like it.

Overall this was a solid read with amazing leads and a colorful cast of side characters. I wonder if the "Muffin Man" is the handsome doctor who we met with Jack and Lily *wink*.

Release Date: April 10, 2017
Genre: Contemporary Romance - Second chance romance trope
POV: Dual - 3rd person
Steam: 1.5 out of 5
Book Type: Standalone - Book 2 of the Shadow Creek Montana series
Publisher: Entangled Publishing

The Baby Bombshell took me for an emotional roll-a-coaster ride, every moment of the story filled with big feelings and intense ambiance.
I ended up inhaling the tale at one sitting with a box of tissues next to me, while completely lost in the world of the characters, feeling everything from the pain of the past hurt to the joy of the present jubilee, as the tale was forever so fluently flowing off the pages.
Jack Bailey demonstrated remarkable character development throughout the story. He had to leave his home to be able to deal with and accept the deep sorrow for the loss of his brother and nephew, yet he used that time away to grow as a man, and make it possible to return home and make a future there. His struggles were deep felt, he had no ill intentions with his withdrawal from his loved ones. I admired how he used his time away, and his loyalty to Lily even though they were apart for so many years. His struggle to have faith, in himself and in the future, were touching. He had made some tough decisions in his past, some of them maybe hard to understand, yet each of them proved to be wise moves when looking at the bigger picture.
Lily Cookson was on the edge for fulfilling her career dreams when her life went all haywire with Jack's return. She hadn't had it easy, financially or with personal matters. I felt for Lily, her struggles broke my heart, but she had managed despite everything she had had to face on her own. She was a strong, capable, smart woman, easy to like and cheer for her success.
The connection between Lily and Jack was palpable, the energy between them was tangible every time they were in the same room. The love, adoration, the passion they had for each other was obviously meant to be. The road they had to take, the past mistakes and hurt they had to face, it was heartfelt, yet there was hope in the air, they just had to learn to have faith in the future, and learn to trust again without fear.
This story with its high emotions, upheavals, and ardor was an experience I enjoyed, the perfect romance story that touches your heart and stays in your mind long after the end. A story of loss and pain, faith and trust, hope and love, a splendid tale, indeed!
~ Five Spoons!

“I never stopped loving you.”

It's the simplest—and most complicated—sentiment in the world, and it's the reason I love second chance romance so much. “I never stopped loving you.” Cue all the swooning, please and thank you.

And there is a lot of swooning to be done in The Baby Bombshell. This is a book that makes a promise and delivers—it's a sweet, blissful, emotional take two for a couple that just HAS to be together. No ifs, no buts, no maybes. It's confused feelings, repressed anger, hidden faces and unspoken words, and it was So. Damn. Good.

I loved Jack. I hated his choice, I mourned his pain, but I loved his strength, his commitment to making it right, his faith. He was big and manly and determined—a sexy hero who knows his failings and is determined to do better. So, yeah, I loved him, but even more than I loved Jack, I loved Lily.

I can't even begin to tell you how much I admired her will. I felt her love for Jack, sensed her struggle to remain distant, and I wanted her to cave SO BAD, but I also appreciated her need to protect her heart. She didn't simper or whimper, she spoke her truth and it made want to hug her. It also helps she makes chocolates, because who doesn't want to be friends with a chocolatier?

Surprisingly, it wasn't until I started this book that I recalled having read (and truly enjoyed) the first book in this series. It made me cry—just like this one. It made me swoon—just like this one. And it made me want more for this series—just like this one.

I have a feeling I'm never going to stop loving it.

“I will make it up to you, I promise. I will earn your trust again. I’ll wait however long it takes. I love you.”

~ FIVE STARS ~

5 Heartfelt Stars

The Baby Bombshell was a beautiful, heartwarming read.
The storyline was emotional, touching and brought out all the feels.

Jack and Lily were both likable, endearing characters that totally captured my heart. Watching their relationship unfold after what happened five years ago had me crying one minute, laughing and swooning the next.

Walking away from his family and Lily, his fiance was the hardest thing Jack's ever had to do.
When his twin brother and nephew died he needed time on his own to grieve and find peace with the loss. He hated himself for the pain he caused by leaving but at the time his grief/depression made him think it was his only option.

My heart broke for Lily, she had been through so much in the last five years and having the man who walked away with her heart come back declaring he was back and he never stopped loving her, was not easy for her.
How do you get past the hurt, how do you trust the man who walked away to grieve on his own instead of sharing his pain with you?

I'm a huge fan of author Victoria James writing, she's a talented writer who has a special knack of making her readers connect with her characters while taking us on an emotional ride to their HEA.

The Shadow Creek Montana series has been such a joy to read. I've loved each couple, all their stories have been emotional, entertaining and guaranteed to bring out all the feels.

Each book can be read as a standalone and I highly recommend them all.

The Baby Bombshell releases on April 10th.
You can get your copy from the follow sites...
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XR8B7JH
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-...
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books...

*A big thank you to the publisher Entangled Bliss via Netgalley for the advance copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.*

Reviewed on behalf of 2 Girls Who Love Books Blog
The Baby Bombshell is the second book in Victoria James series Shadow Creek, Montana.
This is my first time reading Victoria and I quite enjoyed this second chance at love romance.
There were times I found this book just gut wrenching. How is it possible that one family should have to endure so much?
Five years ago Lily & Jack were engaged. But when tragedy struck Jack’s family, he felt the only way he could get over his grief and guilt was to leave his fiancé and family behind.
Even though Jack was absent, he continued to find ways to help Lily when her life suffered misfortunes.
Lily is such a strong woman. I liked that she didn't make it easy for Jack, that he had to prove to her that he was back for good.
I love these types of books that make you get invested in all the characters. It makes me look forward to reading more books in the series and that I feel like I am catching up with old friends.

I really like second chance stories, and The Baby Bombshell was not the exception, and there's definitely a lot of intense emotions in this second book in the Shadow Creek series, although you can totally read this as a standalone.

Jack left town five years ago after a tragedy strikes his family, he felt such an intense pain that he didn't think he could be around anyone and not drag them down so he thought the only and the best thing he could do would be to leave. Although that also meant leaving his beloved Lily behind. Now that he has returned he has to face the consequences of his actions and seeing Lily again, he knows he can't stay away from her, that he needs her in his life but she was really hurt after he left her, she doesn't want to even give him the time of day, so he needs to work hard and make her see she won't be alone again.
On her part Lily's feelings for Jack haven't really vanished but she doesn't want to acknowledge their connection, because after he left she had to go through a really tough time by herself and she can't simply just forgive and forget but the more time is Jack around the harder it is to ignore her feelings, can she really trust him again?

I liked that this story was more than just a second-chance romance, the characters also had to deal with their own demons and that ads more depth to the story, makes it more intense. Jack sure makes mistakes but his commitment, his love and devotion for Lily were endearing. And Lily wasn't just reticent to give him another chance to make grovel, she really was trying to avoid being hurt again, she was trying to protect herself; really it's hard not to love these two and cheer for them so they can be happy.

Great story by Victoria James!