Kathleen Y'Barbo - Daddy's Little Matchmakers

Wanted: Wife And Mother

Veterinarian Eric Wilson is confounded by the classified ad his three young daughters have placed. The handsome widower is not in the market for a bride! But when the story of his little matchmakers hits the papers, would-be brides start swamping his waiting room. Despite them all, Eric finds himself drawn to the temp worker at the classifieds office: adorable free spirit Amy Spencer. Amy’s been running for a while, and it’s time she planted roots. Together, can Amy and Eric realize that trusting in God’s plan is the sweetest surrender of all?

“Thank goodness you’re here, Doc,” his receptionist said. “I was beginning to think you weren’t coming.

“We didn’t have a clue what to do with all the calls for appointments.”

“Appointments?” Eric walked in to find the tiny office filled with pets and their owners, the great majority of whom were women.

“All right,” he said to the tech when she shut the door behind them. “What’s going on?”

“My guess is they’re all here to see you.”

“Me?” Eric shook his head.

“You haven’t read the paper yet?”

“Why does everyone care whether I’ve read the paper yet?” he thundered.

The tech gestured to the folded copy of the Gazette on the corner of his desk. “See for yourself.” She paused. “You might want to sit down.”

He did and then carefully opened the paper to read the headline. “Daddy’s Little Matchmakers.”

KATHLEEN Y’BARBO

RITA® and Carol Award nominee Kathleen Y’Barbo is the bestselling author of more than forty novels, novellas and young adult books. In all, more than one million copies of her books are currently in print in the U.S. and abroad.

Kathleen is a member of Romance Writers of America and American Christian Fiction Writers.

A tenth-generation Texan, Kathleen Y’Barbo has a daughter and three grown sons. She recently added her own hero in combat boots—who came with five sons and two daughters of his own—and is proud to be an Air Force wife even if it did mean giving up her Texas driver’s license.

Daddy’s Little Matchmakers

Kathleen Y’Barbo

www.millsandboon.co.uk

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Dear Reader,

Welcome to Love Inspired!

2012 is a very special year for us. It marks the fifteenth anniversary of Love Inspired. Hard to believe that fifteen years ago, we first began publishing our warm and wonderful inspirational romances.

Back in 1997, we offered readers three books a month. Since then we’ve expanded quite a bit! In addition to the heartwarming contemporary romances of Love Inspired, we have the exciting romantic suspenses of Love Inspired Suspense, and the adventurous historical romances of Love Inspired Historical. Whatever your reading preference, we’ve got fourteen books a month for you to choose from now!

Throughout the year we’ll be celebrating in several different ways. Look for books by bestselling authors who’ve been writing for us since the beginning, stories by brand-new authors you won’t want to miss, special miniseries in all three lines, reissues of top authors and much, much more.

This is our way of thanking you for reading Love Inspired books. We know our uplifting stories of hope, faith and love touch your hearts as much as they touch ours.

Join us in celebrating fifteen amazing years of inspirational romance!

Blessings,

Melissa Endlich and Tina James

Senior Editors of Love Inspired Books

Dear Reader,

When I started planning the tale of Amy and Eric, I had no idea I would be writing the book during one of the coldest winters on record. Imagine writing about warm sunshine and sandy beaches in Texas when the snowy Oklahoma landscape is all you can see out the window. And yet, I grew to love the fictional town of Vine Beach and the people who populate the little city on the Texas shore, even as I shivered and tried to keep warm.

You see, I grew up not too far from a beach very much like Vine Beach. As I grew older, summers were spent collecting shells and playing in the surf, a love I never quite outgrew. There’s just something wonderful about sitting on the sand with the waves rolling in and looking out over the wide expanse of God’s watery creation that soothes a beach-lover’s soul and makes the world feel very small.

I hope that you’ll feel the same way as you read about Amy’s search for something permanent and Eric’s quest to understand how different can be equally good. And as you read about the love of family, about God’s timing and how He is never late nor is He early, I hope that you will hold on to His promises and know He cares about your every need.

Prayers are as plentiful as the grains of sand on the ocean, and yet God hears every one. My prayer as you read this book is that you, too, will know what it is to feel the love of the Lord and to know His are the only arms worth falling into.

I look forward to hearing from my readers, and hope that you will drop me a line at Love Inspired Books, 233 Broadway, Suite 1001, New York, NY 10279, or through my website at www.kathleenybarbo.com.

Wishing you all the best!

Kathleen Y’Barbo

To my “other daughters”:

The fabulous Lindley LeBlanc, RN, whose sentence was endlessly brilliant!

And the amazing Erica Puckett, love you darlin!

Gig’em, girls!

* * *

Fathers, do not exasperate your children;

instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.

—Ephesians 6:4

Contents

Dear Reader Dear Reader, When I started planning the tale of Amy and Eric, I had no idea I would be writing the book during one of the coldest winters on record. Imagine writing about warm sunshine and sandy beaches in Texas when the snowy Oklahoma landscape is all you can see out the window. And yet, I grew to love the fictional town of Vine Beach and the people who populate the little city on the Texas shore, even as I shivered and tried to keep warm. You see, I grew up not too far from a beach very much like Vine Beach. As I grew older, summers were spent collecting shells and playing in the surf, a love I never quite outgrew. There’s just something wonderful about sitting on the sand with the waves rolling in and looking out over the wide expanse of God’s watery creation that soothes a beach-lover’s soul and makes the world feel very small. I hope that you’ll feel the same way as you read about Amy’s search for something permanent and Eric’s quest to understand how different can be equally good. And as you read about the love of family, about God’s timing and how He is never late nor is He early, I hope that you will hold on to His promises and know He cares about your every need. Prayers are as plentiful as the grains of sand on the ocean, and yet God hears every one. My prayer as you read this book is that you, too, will know what it is to feel the love of the Lord and to know His are the only arms worth falling into. I look forward to hearing from my readers, and hope that you will drop me a line at Love Inspired Books, 233 Broadway, Suite 1001, New York, NY 10279, or through my website at www.kathleenybarbo.com. Wishing you all the best! Kathleen Y’Barbo