Cordelia Dunleigh was hired to decorate Luis Montoya’s mansion. While working, she hears a baby cry. When the baby’s cries become more strident, Cordelia investigates. She loves children, and hates to see any in distress. She herself is distressed to see that the child is not well cared for. When Luis, the father, comes to investigate, Cordelia lets him know what she thinks of his care.

Luis, a rich and successful man, is unused to women being mad at him when he meets them. Usually they are falling all over themselves to attract him – and his money. Cordelia seems more interested in his daughter than him, though. Of course, this attracts him to her. His daughter’s nanny left without notice, so he asks Cordelia to take the position since his daughter seems so taken with her. Eventually he proposes to Cordelia. Unfortunately, Cordelia thinks Luis merely wants a permanent nanny, and Luis thinks Cordelia only wants him for his daughter. Will the two ever find out that their relationship is based on more than love for Luis’s daughter?

I liked the premise of this book: two people from different worlds brought together by their love for a child. Their love for children is the best part of this story. Luis, despite the beginning, is a good father. Cordelia has a very giving heart. The two also grow to quickly care for each other. At first, I liked the tension of the two misunderstanding each other’s reason for accepting the marriage. But, I felt the misunderstandings lasted too long. Each said things that should clear things up, but they didn’t quite get it. They just explained it off as mishearing or misunderstanding the other. Neither Luis nor Cordelia pressed the issue when their hope seemed in reach. Neither one of them trusted their feelings for each other. Also, the people who were the villains in this book seemed obvious to me, but the characters in the book seemed not to get how bad they truly were. My only other complaint is that the descriptions in this book, at times, seem forced, especially at the beginning. If you are looking for a book will love for children and misunderstood feelings between the main characters, you may want to give The Spanish Conquest a try.

Reviewed by: Gretchen