Joanne Rock

Good conclusion to the Fathers and Sons mini-series. Sierra is a journalist who has worked hard from Book One to find the father of an infant boy found abandoned in the hospital parking lot. She believes she has done so but is frustrated at the lack of response to her texts and emails. In desperation, she finally sends one last bluntly worded text, hoping for a response. She never expected him to show up on her doorstep the next day.

Colt was stunned to find out that he was the father of an infant son. He has been in France for the last year, establishing a winery that had been his grandfather's dream. When he finds out the circumstances of Micah's birth and abandonment, he is riddled with guilt. Now he is determined to be the best father possible to little Micah, even if that means trusting a journalist to teach him.

I enjoyed seeing the relationship between Sierra and Colt develop. Over the past few months, Sierra has become attached to the little boy, so she is happy to help Colt while he and Micah get to know each other. This entails moving in with Colt, which wouldn't be a problem if it weren't for the inconvenient attraction she feels for him. Colt is just as attracted to Sierra, but his guilt over Micah's mother makes him reluctant to do anything about it. To reinforce his decision, he tells Sierra he plans to return to France and take Micah with him as soon as possible. This upsets Sierra, who thinks they should remain in Royal. She hopes she can convince him to stay.

I loved seeing Colt bond with little Micah. From the moment he arrived, it was obvious that Colt was all-in as a father. From feeding to teething to bedtime, Colt was sweet in his efforts to do it all. But all those "daddy lessons" meant time spent with Sierra, and the sparks between them continued to grow. Giving into the attraction is inevitable, but things get complicated when Sierra's secrets come to light. One is personal, and one is professional, and either can derail their growing relationship.

I ached for Sierra with her personal secret and its effect on her life and self-worth. It was easy to understand why Micah meant so much to her and why it hurt to think of him and Colt leaving Royal. I loved Colt's reaction when she told him and how much it meant to her. The professional secret wasn't as easily dealt with. While searching for Micah's father, Sierra has also been researching one of Royal's founders for a book. She has been searching for the woman's diary to get the answers she needs and believes it is on Colt's ranch. With his distrust of reporters, she delays telling him of her search until she finds the book. He doesn't take it well. I ached for both of them as their conflict pulled them apart, leaving them miserable. I liked how they faced their issues and found a way forward together.… (mer)