Baby It's You by Jane Graves

**1/2

From Forever Romance (Grand Central Publishing)

With only the wedding dress on her back and her honeymoon luggage in the car, Kari Worthington is running away.  Determined to put her controlling father, her rigidly structured life, and the uptight groom she left at the altar in her rearview mirror, she escapes to the Texas Hill country... and lands on a tall, dark, and gorgeous winery owner's doorstep.  All she needs is a job and a place to live until she can get back on her feet.  So why is she fantasizing about losing herself in his powerful arms?

For Marc Cordero, freedom is so close he can taste it.  He's devoted his life ot managing the family business and being a single dad.  Now with his daughter away at college and his brother taking over the winery, Marc is ready to hop on his Harley for parts unknown- until a runaway bride bursts onto the scene.  Free-spirited and tantalizingly sexy, Kari excites him like no other woman has before.  But when irresistible passion turns into something more, will Marc give up his future to take a chance on love?

I will be honest, I'm not sure how I feel about Baby, It's You.  It was reasonably well written, the story was cohesive and well edited, but there were a couple of things that just didn't flip my switch.  I think it's because Kari is spoiled and lets people bully her into marrying a douche-bag. Who does that?  (Although, admittedly, I did enjoy her panic attack at the wedding and at not being able to get the dress off) And Marc, he seems a little too perfect outwardly, but he has totally martyr'd himself with this whole "I gave up my entire life to raise my daughter all on my own" spiel.  Isn't that what parents do?  If this was a single mother, would this have seemed like such a big deal?  

Besides those two points, the rest of the story is entertaining.  Basically it's a "best laid plans" story for both Kari and Marc, who at different times find themselves facing what to do, how to go forward, when the plans they made fall apart.  If you are looking for a little light reading while you are sitting poolside, Baby, It's You will do the trick.

~ Shel