It Started with a Pregnancy

Very good book. Rebekah is the director at the Furever Paws animal rescue. She loves her work, even if she isn’t an animal person herself. She has also written off the possibility of relationships after wasting six years on one that ended badly. Which is why she is shocked to find herself pregnant after a one-night encounter with her bosses’ nephew Grant, a man who is her polar opposite.

At first glance, Rebekah and Grant look like the most unlikely of couples. Rebekah is a super-organized rule follower who comes across as pretty uptight. She also keeps people at a little bit of a distance, never getting really close to anyone. Grant is a laid-back, committed bachelor who is always ready to have some fun. He is constantly on the go.

The development of their relationship is a bit rocky. Grant was drawn to her when he met her, but it wasn’t until he saw her with her friends at a happy hour that he felt like they connected. He was surprised that he hadn’t heard from her since then but looked forward to seeing her again now that he was back to see his aunts. Rebekah was not as happy to see him. She is still coming to grips with her pregnancy and hasn’t yet figured out how to tell him. He is equally stunned by the news, but I thought he handled it much better. I loved that he immediately wanted to be thoroughly involved in every step. In fact, he was rather put out that Rebekah was so surprised. Having been burned by her ex, Rebekah finds it hard to trust that Grant will stick around the way he says he will, especially when he never seems to stay long in one place. I got a bit frustrated with the way Rebekah looked down on Grant because of his different way of doing things. She also is somewhat paranoid about anyone finding out about her pregnancy, while Grant would like to be able to share the news.

I did ache a bit for Rebekah, who is utterly convinced that she will be a terrible mother. Even though her parents were long-time foster parents, she never felt motherly toward any of the children they cared for. I did wonder a bit, right along with her, until the advent of the little dog Angus. Though she’d never had the desire for a pet, nor did she get involved with the ones at the rescue, she was drawn to this skittish little stray. There were some emotional scenes as she tried to lure the dog out of hiding with food, at the same time confiding all her fears to him. When she and Grant finally caught the little guy, she ended up as the pup’s foster mom, with Grant along to help. I enjoyed seeing the softer side of Rebekah come out around the dog. Angus also served as a catalyst to the discussions she and Grant needed to have, as she looked at their differing attitudes with the dog and saw the same issues cropping up as parents.

With the amount of time Grant and Rebekah spent together, it was no surprise that the attraction between them continued to grow. Plus, with their prospective parenthood and their work with the animal rescue throwing them together, they also had a chance to get to know each other better, and the attraction turned to deeper feelings. However, there are still two things working against them. First, there is Rebekah’s fear of trusting Grant to stick around and then having him leave. On Grant’s side, there is the constant pull of family, as he rushes hither and yon whenever someone seems to need him, which feeds right into Rebekah’s fears. With both of them, it’s their mothers who provide the insight that opens their eyes to the truth. I especially liked Grant’s “aha” moment and what he did about it. The epilogue was great, and I loved how Angus had a starring role in it!

I enjoyed the secondary characters. Rebekah’s parents were great. I loved their technological ineptitude, which reminded me so much of my mother. There was a terrific scene between Grant and Rebekah’s dad before Grant knew who he was. It did create a bit of trouble when he made the connection, but it all worked out. Grant’s aunts, Bunny and Birdie, were adorable. I loved their big hearts in their work with the shelter. Though they sometimes gave the impression of being quite scatterbrained, there were also times when I thought they were much sharper than anyone gave them credit for. I laughed out loud at the airport scene at the end. Angus was fantastic. He broke my heart at the beginning with all he’d been through. I loved how he connected with Rebekah, and the changes in them both.