Baby Love

By: Catherine Anderson

Narrated by: Suzanne Toren

Length: 13 hrs and 18 mins

Publisher's summary

With her infant son clutched to her breast, Maggie Stanley flees for her life. She has abandoned everything else to escape her abusive family. Ragged and hung-over, Rafe Kendricks is also on the run, trying to erase memories of the accident that killed his wife and child. Maggie and Rafe meet in a moment of mutual need, but soon the young woman will find that Rafe is not who he appears to be. Baby Love is a moving story of the heart and its capacity for love and trust.

With Suzanne Toren's lyrical narration, each scene, whether tender or violent, takes on added emotional depth.

Catherine Anderson has published 16 romance novels and is a New York Times best-selling author. Her works, including Cherish, have quickened the pulses of readers around the world.

©1999 Adeline Catherine Anderson (P)2001 Recorded Books

stirring novel

My first book from C. Anderson and I very much liked it, will definitely look for others! The usual romantic story, with the broad-shouldered man be the hero for the weak female. It has some thrilling bits, sometimes almost a bit too horrid and realistic, but then it gets very romantic also. I especially liked the description of the landscape and the harsh weather conditions.
The narrator did quite well, though it's never easy speaking such a variety of characters, especially towards the end.

A STORY TO remember! Touching and sensitive.

I really loved it and could hardly put it down. good plot and down to earth characters.

Rich Storyline

Catherine Anderson delivers a rich Storyline, full of twists and turns... But the characters in this story are the best - sweet, sassy, gentile, innocent, kindly, and saucy characters to love, and a nasty, evil one to hate. You'll love it!

ok storyline, bad narration

loved the strength of the main characters and the family. narrator made the woman sound 10 and the man like an old perv.

easy listen.

The story was good. Excellent reader. a little too much happily ever after but all in all well done!

Heartwarming

Love it great love story. Very touching and sweet. Has you crying happy tears and love the happily ever after.

Rafe and Maggie

*****SPOILER ALERT*****

'Baby Love' by Catherine Anderson, book 1 of the Kendrick/Coulter/Harrigan Series. Audible Premium Plus audiobook borrow. Dual POV. Narrator Suzanne Toren's voice was clear and easy to understand, but there are multiple hard swallows, constant unscripted heavy breaths directly into the mic, awkward pauses, and she used an infantile/Mickey Mouse voice for the FMC and a much more mature voice for the MMC than what is written. It's listed as 13 hours and 18 minutes. I listened at speed 2.50 for 5 hours 19 minutes. The audiobook only has 11 chapters in the table of contents, but the ebook lists 24 chapters and an epilogue. Content warnings: domestic violence; h suffers years of being beaten, manipulated, and r@ped by her stepfather; h baby is the product of her stepfather r@p¡ng her; death of a mother and her 2 young children; alcohol abuse; H and h almost freeze to death on the ranch; Lonnie shot Becca and abducted h and Jaimie; and Lonnie is k¡lled.

Locations: Pryor, Idaho; Squire, Washington; Oregon
Date: October 26 or 27 through Thanksgiving

Margaret Lynn Stanley (24; aka Maggie) was 14 and Maggie, her younger sister, was 4 when their father died in a logging accident. Maggie and Heidi's mother, Helen, had a heart attack and suffered brain damage because of it. Lonnie Boyle found the mentally diminished widow and married her. Lonnie abused his power over all three of them, financially ruined them, while beating, manipulating, and r@p¡ng Maggie. Eventually, Maggie fell pregnant. After Maggie gave birth to their son, Jaimie, Lonnie tried to force her to give him up for adoption. Severely beaten, Maggie runs away with Jaimie and places Heidi in the care of her friend. During her escape, she loses her bag, leaving her penniless. She hops on a train and finds herself in an even more precarious situation. The train car she jumped into is already occupied by 5 men.

Rafael Kendrick (30; aka Rafe) is a blue-eyed well educated (two degrees) cowboy who became a widower 2 years ago when his wife Susan and two young children, Keefer (3) and Chastity (6 months), died on an icy road after Susan lost control of their vehicle. He's the co-owner of the Rocking K, a 40,000-acre ranch, and his bank account boasts over $50 million. His devastation over the loss of his family found him at the bottom of a bottle. He left everything behind to travel endlessly, picking up odd jobs to stay inebriated, and continue his hobo lifestyle. In his inebriated state, he realizes Maggie and Jaimie are in trouble and grudgingly comes to their rescue. He helps and cares for Maggie and Jaimie because Maggie is too weak in her beaten and exhausted condition. While in his care Maggie gets very sick and Rafe's forced to call an ambulance. A hospital employee finds Maggie's I.D., calls the police to notify her family, and they notify Lonnie. Lonnie goes to the hospital to try to take Jaimie but Rafe steps in to protect them. Rafe offers to marry Maggie to protect her and Jaimie from Lonnie. Rafe convinces Helen to sign papers so he can take Heidi to safety. Rafe pays Lonnie to leave them alone but he's too obsessed with Maggie to let her go. Rafe took them to the safety of his ranch, married Maggie, and started the legal process to adopt Heidi and Jaimie. Helen calls Maggie frantic because Lonnie left her so Rafe and Ryan go to get Helen. As soon as their gone Lonnie abducts Maggie and Jaimie, shooting the housekeeper as they leave. Maggie remembers Rafe's advice, gets Jaimie to safety, and barricades herself in a rest stop restroom until the police arrive and k¡ll Lonnie. The epilogue finds them all happy and healthy a few months later.

Other characters: Ryan (28; aka Rye; Rafe's younger brother and business partner; pilot); Keith (60; Rafe and Ryan's dad); Anne (aka Annie; Rafe and Ryan's mom); Becca (Rafe's housekeeper; shot by Lonnie but survived); Sly (ranch foreman). JP

Rating: 5 star story; 3 star narration.
2 out of 5 on my spice scale

1st listen 10-30-23

great story

Love that the female lead was not the conventional 18 year old, with no understanding of the real world. can't wait for the next book.

Excitant story

This will cover every emotion you have , you won’t want to put it down . As always Catherine Anderson a brilliant writer

Now this is love<3

Hooked. From beginning to end I was obsessed with these characters and story. Single mom and a rancher sign me up! The trauma both of the mcs went through was devastating and being able to see them overcome and love even with those challenges was so heartwarming. I have never fallen for a man as hard or fast as I did for Rafe. This man love loud and hard! Watching Maggie learning how to trust and let rafe into her heart was so cute. I loved watching how much loved her and her baby boy. I swooned every time he would say my son and my wife. I truly can’t recommend this book enough.