Rapid Creek, Minnesota, the Present

Six years ago, then law-school student Sara Hobart's mother needed expensive treatment for her rare blood disorder. Fundraisers produced some funds, but not enough, so Sara sold some of her eggs to a fertility clinic. Children were sometime in Sara's future and, if her extra eggs fulfilled some couple's desire to have a child, and her mother's life was saved, everyone won, right? Well, not quite. The bone marrow transplant gave Sara's mother five more precious years of life, but then Sara was in an auto accident that necessitated an emergency hysterectomy.

Now Sara has no family at all...or does she? Her friend who works in the fertility clinic digs up the name of the recipient of Sara's eggs. A little research turns up the fact that widower Nathan Barclay is the father of a five-year-old son named Kyle.

Nathan Barclay's wife died in giving birth to the children she wanted so badly, and so did Kyle's twin brother. Now Kyle is the most precious thing in Nathan's life. He gave up his lucrative career in investments and bought a lodge in Rapid Creek with his father to devote more time with his son. Kyle was born early and suffers from asthma. If Nathan is somewhat overprotective, it's certainly understandable. So are the suspicions he has about the woman who claims to be Kyle's biological mother.

Sara's intentions are of the best. She has no intention of taking Kyle away from his loving father or doing anything not in Kyle's best interest. She only hopes to have a small part of his life.

THE DADDY DILEMMA is bound to touch the hearts of parents everywhere. Imagine how it must feel to want children so badly and not be able to have any. Or to have a child somewhere and not know him or her. Or to have a stranger appear who may have a claim to your child. Fortunately, this story is about good people. Not that there won't be problems, of course. Nathan has built his life around Kyle and doesn't welcome anything that might threaten it or bring change of any kind. Nor does he appreciate that Sara awakens feelings that died with Colleen.

While Sara has no family at all, the Barclays number three more males besides Nathan and Kyle. There is Galen, the patriarch, and his two other sons: Ben, the cynical Assistant District Attorney, and Sam, the veterinarian with a newly broken heart. Both of the latter cry out for stories of their own.

Though THE DADDY DILEMMA is somewhat predictable in the final outcome, it's a highly readable tale of family and of blossoming love mixed with passion between a cautious man and a lonely woman. You'll like everyone in it save one.

Jane Bowers