Adam Santiago’s always been a lone ranger. But when the detective teams with music therapist Julie Chapman to save two young orphans, pretty soon his heart’s a goner, too! Julie’s willing to do anything—even become Adam’s pretend bride—to keep a brother and sister together. But as she falls head over heels for her polar opposite, will this marriage of convenience become an affair of the heart?
This was a pretty good story. I had some issues with Adam (mostly his initial opinion that he only wanted “bad” girls). I really liked Julie right from the beginning. Other than that, the whole premise of helping troubled youth and what the main characters are willing to do to help them warmed my heart. The situation that kicks off their story is very touching. I recommend.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed this book

When Adam comes across a couple of kids and a dog who need his help he can't help but see himself in them trying to make sure they get the best care they can get. Julie is the new music therapist who also can't help but love the children and want what best even when it means that she has to marry Adam who is known as a player but just until she can have the children for her own. Thing is can they keep their heart out of the equation?

I enjoyed this book. It had plenty of sweet moments, where you just wanted to hug the character and want whats best. Then there's the side where you'll think Adam and Julie are completely nuts for agreeing to this situation but their hearts are in the right place. Theres not much to say about the book that wont ruin the book but if you are looking for a sweet and heartwarming book then you'll want to check this book out.

This was a very sweet story, although it was totally predictable. You have to buy that a social worker would be so determined to settle up her portfolios with children that she’d make a bad decision that was in the worst interests of the children just so she could retire. But then all books that involve a convenient marriage in the modern world have unlikely plots you just have to swallow.

The two main characters are good people who want to help two orphaned children and a lost dog. Who wouldn’t be pulling for them?

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book that I received from Netgalley; however, the opinions are my own and I did not receive any compensation for my review.

Detective Adam Santiago was brought up in the foster care system. He was rescued by Stan, a bachelor patrolman who became his foster father, mentor, best friend and roommate. While Adam now mentors himself, he considers himself a confirmed bachelor and only dates women of the same mindset. In contrast, Julie Chapman had a wonderful childhood, until her mother died of cancer when she was fifteen and her military father came home with PTSD. She would sooth him with her music and became a music therapist. After living with her father, she would never date any man who put his life in danger. They meet at a charity event for the Rocking Chair Ranch and Kidville. Adam rescues two homeless children and their dog and manages to get them into Kidsville, a children's home, instead of foster care. He mentors there and Julie has just started volunteering there herself until a paid position becomes available. The two children start to blossom there, but a soon to retire social workers, wants to place them with distant relatives, who are only interested in the money the government provides. Julie would like to be their foster mother, but the social worker is old fashion and does not believe in single parenthood. Adam proposes that they have a marriage of convenience until they are awarded custody and then they can have the marriage annulled. But as they spend more time together and learn that their first impressions were wrong they both start having second thoughts. Can they fool the social worker? Will they surrender to their feelings, or bury them deep?
I received a free, advanced copy of this book from NetGalley.com. This is my unbiased and voluntary review. I gave this book 3 stars instead of 4, because the end seemed rushed and the end of Chapter 8 did not make any sense. But I received an ARC, so maybe that changed in the final edition.

THE LAWMAN’S CONVENIENT FAMILY – Judy Duarte
Rocking Chair Rodeo – Book 5
Harlequin Special Edition
ISBN-10: 1-335-57361-5
ISBN-13: 978-1-335-573612-
January 2019

Brighton Valley, Texas – The Present

Confirmed bachelor Detective Adam Santiago paid $100 to go to a local charity event, the Autumn Gala. He is, regretfully, wearing a Zorro costume just to meet a woman. The event is for Kidville and the Rocking Chair Ranch. Kidville provides a safe home and education for abused or abandoned children and is run by Donna and Jim Hoffman. Adam volunteers at Kidville and mentors a few boys because he knows what it is like to be an unwanted child. He plans to meet Lisa Dawson at the gala, someone his mentor Stan whose footsteps Adam followed into law enforcement, recommended he meet. Stan recently died in a car accident, but he had told Adam that Lisa was perfect for him. Adam doesn’t want a wife however, and he mistakes Julie for Lisa. It doesn’t matter. His friend Matt draws him away from the woman after a single dance. Someone had smashed the window of Matt’s pickup truck, so he wants Adam to investigate. When all that had been taken was some fast food, Adam goes looking for the culprits and finds six-year-old Eddie and his younger sister Cassie, who wears some facial bruising and will not speak. Once the Hoffman’s take the kids, Adam takes the stray dog that had been with the kids. He is determined to investigate the man who is supposed to have been taking care of the children.

Julie Chapman, a music therapist, is currently working for a local caterer. She plans to meet Jim Hoffman and volunteer for Kidville with the goal of eventually being hired. Zorro draws her attention from her job and her goal. A single dance heightens her attraction, but then Zorro disappears. At Kidville she meets Eddie and Cassie, and eventually determines she wants to foster them rather than the remote family members who are more interested in how much money foster parents receive. She also becomes better acquainted with Adam when he visits Kidville. She learns he is the type of man she wants, but doubts his interest in her, plus she doesn’t need a man in her life right now. When Julie learns an old-fashioned, about-to-retire social worker might decide family is better option for Eddie and Cassie, Adam proposes a quick temporary marriage to gain the children.

Both Julie and Adam fight or ignore their attraction, but their growing love for Eddie and Cassie and the stray dog Adam names Biscuit would change anyone’s perspective. Their schemes to get foster rights to the children lead to propinquity and misunderstandings, especially as they learn about each other and their respective pasts. While there is no intense drama, the power of attraction between Adam and Julie along with Eddie and Cassie’s plight makes entertaining reading.

Robin Lee