Review: Welcome Stranger to the Family
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 03 14, 2014
I've read Patricia McMinn before and absolutely love her writing style, romance, plots, and characters. Stranger in the Family does not disappoint in the romance. I like how the H/h each grew, had stuff to overcome, and love was the reward. It took me a minute to get to know Bodie a nice guy who's been driven to take charge & succeed all his life. So I understand how desperate he is to achieve his goal of seeing & getting to know his son after missing so many years of his life. The plot makes me think what would I do if in Bodie's shoes. The adoptive parents & daughter Cambria I questioned some of their decisions too. Skimmed over repetitive POVs, but my curiosity stayed to the end. 4 Stars.>>>SPOILER<<<Marlene the baby mama.  When Bodie visits his baby mama, he's too nice to yell at her for not telling him about his son and giving him away, depriving him of a life with is son. Oh some of what she made me want to strangle her!Boone/Bodie or whatever name he's using today in desperation becomes down right sneaky and misrepresents himself to the adoptive family while falling for his son's sister (sounds weird when I think of it that way). Any woo, it would have been appropriate to contact the adoptive parents first to see if they and his son want to see him. I think Bodie didn't want to chance them saying no so he skipped that step.Bodie is bold to tear down a cabin w/o permission that he doesn't own, select a new site to rebuild it on land he doesn't own, and only ask Ted the owner for permission when it's time to get the foundation poured on land he doesn't own. I read nothing about getting building permits, surveys, inspections, etc. Bodie you got some cohonas on you hombre.Ted & Irene/Mama, sharp as a fox or dull like a pencil. On day 2 of Bodie's visit, Ted & Irene recognize Bodie &Pete; look alike & are related but they say nothing not even to their daughter Cambria who is pulling her hair out trying to figure out what's up with Bodie. They probably checked his real identity & know he's loaded so they got no problem when Bodie says he'll pay for the new cabin. In fact did you notice how mom & dad did s little matchmaking? Ted & Irene aren't gonna let this rich man go. Why won't the parents confront Bodie over his deceit and secret and risk Bodie telling his son Pete? Maybe that new cabin which means more rental income is looking good. Yesss, benefits to hooking their daughter with Bodie. Thank goodness Bodie got side tracked by falling in lust with Cambria and changed his mind about tell Pete first.Cambria, Ted & Irene's adopted daughter recognizes something about Bodie but can't pull it together that Bodie is Pete's dad unlike her parents who know but aren't telling her. She's an emotional mess with her still raw nerves over breaking up with her ex, hot & cold feelings for Bodie, and feeling like she should keep Pete away from Bodie. Cambria (such pretty name) is walking around with a wounded soul and her pain & distrust is unleashed on the next man in her life--Bodie poor man.As the B&B; manager, Cambria won't let Bodie pay for the new cabin which IMO he should since he took it upon himself to tear it up & rebuild. Instead Cambry charges all to daddy Ted's account at the town's mercantile store. That's some line of credit at a tiny local store and it has all the building materials?? She knows her family can't afford the new cabin, knows the business has not turned a profit, but she's too proud & obsessed with containing Bodie because she knows he's up to something. So sure Cambria, go ahead and saddle the B&B; with this debt. Talk about losing sight of the forest for the trees.Plus Cambria tells Pete she'll use the profits from renting the new cabin for his college tuition. Huh helloooo, for many years to come the cabin rental money will be needed to pay daddy Ted's charge account for the building materials. Boy wait until Ted & Irene get their credit card bill with the new charges. They are gonna be so pissed with Cambria making major decisions without them.Well after Bodie marries Cambria's loony self, I'm sure he'll pay the account off for the cabin building supplies, plus pay to paint the barn, upgrade the raggedy ranch truck Cambria drives, and buy Pete a car. Yeah Pete you turned down Bodie's college help but I betcha you won't turn down the car ha! With tongue in cheek, Bodie welcome stranger to the family.Well lol that's how I see this novel and I'm sticking to it.