Smitten by Books

44 Replies to “Giveaway: It’s baby time!!”

1. Yes I do. I love when the child is a little bit older and tries to play matchmaker 🙂

2. I’m probably in the minority here but at the moment I’m really not into a baby being a big part of the story or at least enough to be on the cover. I’m older and my children are grown and at the moment there are no grandchildren in the works (although there should have been and I’m a little sad about that). It’s all about mood. There were times in the past that would have interested me and maybe in the future, just now right now.

3. I dont mind it as long as it doesnt negatively affect the story. I have read quite a few with children or babies and most of them really added a great element to the story and characters development.

4. Congratulations! I am an aunt, too, to a boy named Nikita (it’s a common Russian boy name).
   I prefer books with no children (especially infants), although there are few books with children that I enjoyed very much. If child plays a big role in a book, I prefer to know it in advance, so I pick up this book when I’m in a mood for something different than a pure romance or suspense… Count me in only if it’s international. Thanks!

5. I love a good romance story with a baby/child/tween/teen element. Especially the ones who aren’t biologically related. I just finished reading The “What If” guy by Brooke Moss, it is a reunion love story. The heroine is carrying another man’s child and doesn’t know it at the time she is with the Hero. She leaves him, wanting to spare him the emotional turmoil. They reunite and he ends up loving the boy like his own. It was very sweet. It was a “feel good” book all around.

   Thanks for the giveaway!

   jcross719(at)yahoo(dot)com

6. I always enjoy babies or a child in romances. I think introducing a child into the plot can soften the hard edges of an alpha hero. There’s something inherently sweet about a man that is terrified of a child. If the child doesn’t take over the story, it works well as a backdrop to the romance.

   Earlier this year, I read No Man of Mine by Rachel Gibson. In the beginning of the book, the hero is a professional athlete and an all-around jerk. He has a son that he financially supports , but he doesn’t see that often. Moreover, the little boy is not athletic like his hockey-playing dad. The father is a bit lost on how to interact with him and seeing him navigate the relationship allows him to grow. What makes this trope work so well is that the heroine can see another side of the hero outside their relationship

7. Oof – tough questions, and the pressure is on! But first – congratulations to the new parents, and to you, Auntie! 😀 I love the name Nicholas too, so happy birthday to your brand new nephew!
   As for romances with babies… you know, I like them more than romances with kids. I guess it’s just that babies are cuter? And it can often show more about a character – how s/he interacts with a baby. (Kids have more personality and can be easier and more fun. Note, I said *can* be.)
   Actually, one of my favorite romances of all time is Underfoot by Leanne Banks. It’s something of a secret baby story – more along the lines of Simply Irresistible, but with Underfoot the timeline is much shorter. Less than a year. There’s also this other element because the hero had gotten a vasectomy well before “that one night.” Of course… you know, things didn’t work out as he planned but worked out for the best. I loved that Leanne Banks used a very realistic scenario, but one that isn’t common. Also, the way the characters got to know each other, and how the hero worked through his family/baby/children issues. It really was part of the romance, instead of a secondary/distracting story line. You have to read it!

8. I enjoy books that have babies and children. I think they add to the story.

9. Happy Birthday to Nicholas! Congrats to his parents and to you, Auntie Beverley!

   When looking for a romance to read, I don’t usually choose one with children in it. However, I have read quite a few good romances with children in them. There’s just something about a father discovering that he has a child or children that he doesn’t know about and wanting to become a dad, with or without the mother. Normally the reason he’s angry with her for not bothering to tell him they had a child together no matter what the circumstances were for her at the time — usually she was the flavor of the month. Then there is the renewal of the romance, the dad learning to be a good dad, and a good husband. Of course no child/romance story would be complete without the fighting and learning to love each other and then getting married and being a real family.

10. A baby/child element in a novel adds an important dimension to the entire story. A more realistic and emotional component which readers can relate to. This is very meaningful and makes the book memorable and special.

11. I love books that have a baby or child in them. Sometimes I just get in the mood to read something like that. I have one laid out to be my next book to read.

12. Thanks for the chance to win. No, I do not like babies in my romances. I’ve chosen to remain childless and prefer my romances to be that way too.

13. I like reading about babies and kids in books. It’s way less work to just read about them than to have to deal with them full time.

14. I think children can really add to a story since I like stories I can relate to and also stories where the plot seems realistic. There are so many situations that happen just because you have children that a story with children never seems to have a slow part.

15. Congrats, Auntie Bev! I don’t like babies in my romances. I want to be a mom, but can’t have children and my DH isn’t interested in adoption. Reading about babies makes me too sad, so I try to avoid stories centered around children.

16. And congratulations to you and your family on the new addition!

17. Felecitations on this joyous occasion, I’m sure you’ll spoil him rotten like a good aunt should. I think there are situations where a child is beneficial to the story. In one of my all time favorites, A Knight in Shining Armor by Jude Devereaux, the hero has a young son. Interestingly enough, this book is also the reason why I love the name Nicholas (the hero is my son’s namesake). On the other hand I’ve read way too many Harlequin/Silhouette books with a secret baby storyline. I realize of course that An Heir of Deception has elements of this as well, but I’m still planning on reading it because I know you’ll do the story justice. In the end I think it’s all about how well the author writes and what a child brings to the overall development of the main characters.

18. Congratulations on new nephew Nicholas! I do like the baby trope in romance – the whole shebang too…secret baby, accidentally pregnant heroine…you name it…lol….Thanks for the giveaway!

19. Congratulations on the new addition to your family!

    As for children in romance novels — I think every supporting character becomes a foil to the main characters and presents a different dimension to them.

    I have enjoyed romances that had children as supporting characters in them and, when done properly, they don’t detract from the main story.

    A question to my fellow readers: Do you prefer the children to talk “baby talk” or to use proper grammar when they have lines in the story?

20. Congrats on your new little nephew.
    I do like romances with children in them, at long as they aren’t overshadowing the romance, they add depth to the story. I also like precocious kids who add a comic element to the story, that’s always fun.

21. Congratulations on your new nephew! I have two, and another boy or girl on the way. I love being an aunt!

    I really like it when the hero and heroine have kids together. It’s a good way to expand their love.

    Kids are fun; I like them in books as long as they’re portrayed realistically.

22. Congrats on the new addition. Children are wonderful.

23. In real life, I don’t have kids and neither do most of my friends, yet I love romances with kids in them. I think it’s because it brings out all of those protective instincts in the people around them and for some reason I really enjoy reading that. I especially like it in UF and PNR because it’s such a juxtiposition – the kids (at least the younger ones) are so innocent and it really contrasts with the various paranormal creatures in the story.

24. Congratulations on being an aunt again!
    I am fond of romance with a baby and child element. I find their presence naturally endearing. As small as they are they can have such a significant and lasting impact in people’s lives. They don’t come with instructions on how to raise them but they empower people; give them a chance to grow, to learn and to love. Their innocence can lend a whole new perspective to a story and often they teach adults the building blocks of a relationship, which is to love unconditionally, to have patience and to find joy in the simplest of things.
    I am not a mother but have experienced a lot of joy and responsibility being around babies and small chidlren.

25. Congratulations on your new nephew. I hope all are doing well.
    I like children in romances. They add an unpredictable element and sometimes obstacles that must be overcome. Dealing with children brings out the true character of a person. If a person is mean to children, they aren’t hero or heroine material.

    I have not yet read anything by Rachel Gibson but have heard great things about her books. I have read a few of Susan Meier’s books and enjoyed them.

    Enjoy your new nephew.

26. congrats whoo what a great early gift lol
    i like it some books but i would not prefer it. i do just like the adult chacters, but if it adds to the story i am ok with it..love rachel’s books whoo
    great prize thanks
    have agreat weekend all

27. Congrats to you & your brother’s family on the new baby!

    I quite like a story with a child element but not a baby. There’s so much you can do with the child angle to be developed as a secondary character. As a matchmaker as some 1 pointed out; the 1 who’s initially the barrier to the relationship but is slowly but surely won over, etc. There are so many ways the child element can be used to enhance the hero/heroine relationship story.

28. A baby adds another dimension. Often problems to overcome. I can’t think of a story with a child or baby I did not like, but obviously the author incorporated them into the story seamlessly, beautifully.

29. I’m not usually going to pick up a romance book to browse if there is a kid on the cover. I will pass it over for the book with the cover of the hot guy every time! I have read a number of books with children in them, but don’t seek out these kind of stories…sometimes a child in the mix can enhance the story…but they’re not usually my cup of tea.

    Congrats on the newest addition to your family!

30. Congrats on the birth of your nephew Nicholas!

    I’m anxiously awaiting the birth of my first grandchild who is due around November 4.

    Books with babies. I agree they can add a little extra something to the plot as in Simply Irresistible. I haven’t read this one yet but you do make it sound great! The surprise baby announcement after a one night encounter or after a girlfriend is dumped by her tycoon boyfriend is a theme that I’ve enjoyed. I especially like the Presents line were this happens a lot. How the hero handles the news and the child can be quite revealing and emotionally telling.

    Matchmaking kids can be very sweet as in Nora Robert’s Jingle All the Way.

    I don’t need children in a story but they can be a secondary enhancement that adds a little flavor to the storyline.

31. I love the secret pregnancy/baby plot line ine romances. I find it very sexy to read about.Most of the stories bring out the best of the hero and heroine.

32. So happy for you on the birth of your little nephew. It’s always so much fun to welcome a new baby into the family. Love the name Nicholas. Let us know all the extras like weight, length, etc. A picture would make everyone go: Awwww! Happy new baby!

33. Congratulations! Children are amazing. 🙂 It’s especially fun when you don’t have to change diaper or worry about those midnight feedings. 🙂

    I like some stories with child/baby elements if it’s done well. One of my favorite books is Welcome to Temptation by Jennifer Crusie. The hero has a child and it’s part of the story…. It doesn’t feel like it’s in the way of the romance…. The child is also likable and not too angelic to be real. I enjoyed Rachel Gibson’s Simpliy Irresistible too. The hero and heroine are both likable….. The child once again doesn’t get in the way of the romance.

    In fact, the child actually adds to the story in both novels. The child in both stories helps us to see how loving and caring the main characters are. And like real life kids, the child in both stories say funny and cutsy things that make adults laugh. 🙂 But once again, it has to be done well or the child will be too contrived and fake and unlikable….

34. Much of my reading enjoyment comes from connecting with characters. I want to know and care about these folks and I want them to have genuine challenges and successes. I enjoy reading romance novels with children in them because it makes things more real. Let’s face it–nothing says real-life quite like baby spit-up and diapers, or the multiple challenges of raising kids, from toddlers to teens.

    Congrats on the new Nicholas in your life! (And I can’t wait to read more about Alex and Charlotte’s Nicholas.)

35. I’m actually not sure how I feel about a baby or child-themed romance. I tend towards historical romance over contemporary, and the few historicals that I have read where one of the protagonists already has children (they are widowed, usually), I tend to really enjoy the dynamic, especially if the children themselves are interesting characters. And actually, one of my very favorite contemporary series, the Key series by Nora Roberts, one of the women has a young son and she and her son are wonderful characters and their book is beautiful.

    Now that I think about it more, I like it better when the children are old enough to have a personality rather than babies who become plot objects rather than characters.

36. If the child has an actual reason for being in the story and not just to show as a great father it’s great.

37. I prefer stories that don’t include a baby or child just because I like the adult interactions.

38. Having a baby/child does add another layer of interactions.

39. My oldest sons name is Nicholas. It sounds like a joke, but we liked the name and it was St Nicholas. Not like, “Oh, lets name our baby after Santa Claus!! LOLOL ” No, St Nicholas. Generous, kind, lover of children, St Nicholas. We still love the name!

40. I’m not a big fan of babies in romance novel

41. There is a little bit of every preference here. Interesting to read what people think about the subject.
    Personally I prefer not to have babies/kids in books or movies. It always seems like they are used as a ploy, or they just do frustrating things to move the plot lines along and it gets under my skin (maybe more so in movies). I will stick to babies in books in the books I get to read to my two year old daughter and my 10 month old boys, they are all the baby I need =)

42. Congratulations on the birth of your nephew. How exciting! I do enjoy stories with a baby/child element. It adds depth to the overall characters and storyline. Always enjoyed reading about little Nick in Linda Howard’s Mackenzie series. She does a great job of writing realistic children’s dialogue. I think that is key when reading novels involving kids. They have to be believable.

43. I’m typically not a fan of a baby/child in a romance novel but I have read a few that I didn’t think the presence of a child detracted from the story

44. I do love the baby/child angle. I love kids and make my life complete. I know that it will also do the same for someone else. I love the Happily ever after theme for any book. Thanks for the giveaway and the chance to win.

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