Thank you to the author and Goodreads for a free copy of Safe in the Lawman's Arms!

This is a sweet, enjoyable romance. And, with a pregnant nanny, a sheriff protecting his niece from some dangerous relatives, and plenty of drama, it isn't short on plot, either.

I've been making a point to read more Harlequins lately -- I work at a library, the romance books are hugely popular, and I'd like to get a sense of what my patrons like and why. And while I wasn't sure at first, I think I really "got it" with this book. It's cute. It's heartwarming. I could guess at the ending from the first chapter. But I think that's part of the appeal, because I knew I wouldn't have to worry about things working out. I knew there was going to be a happy ending, the question was just how we all got there.

Which is a convenient way of segueing into what I want to talk about next. Like I said, this book isn't short on story. With a gripping subplot dealing with corrupt family members, there's more to this book than romance. And as someone for someone who's just dipping her toes in and isn't totally sure how she feels about love stories, I appreciate that a lot.

And finally, I enjoyed the characters. The little girl, in particular, I thought was well done -- one of my pet peeves is children who either sound like they are too old or too babyish, but Katy just seemed like a realistic toddler. And I liked the main characters, too. They worked through a lot of compelling issues in the book, including parenting and the different expectations placed on men and women.

So, overall, this was an enjoyable book and a nice way to spend an afternoon. ( )