Somebody's Baby

Gr 8 Up—In this sequel to Losing Gabriel, Sloan's country music career has taken off. After winning a singing competition, she leaves behind the bad memories of her small town of Windemere only to be called back by a mysterious claim that she has a half sister. Without strong family ties of her own, Sloan sneaks away from her busy production schedule to meet her potential sibling. What she finds is a terminally ill cancer patient and her seven-year-old son, who are cared for by a family friend and a good-natured, handsome neighbor. Constantly pulled between her new career and her relationships in Windemere, Sloan must decide how involved she wants to be in the lives of people in a town she has worked hard to forget. Readers don't need to be familiar with Losing Gabriel to appreciate this title. The plot moves along at a steady pace, and the romantic tension between Sloan and love interest Cole is palpable. Secondary characters Lani and Dawson are somewhat two-dimensional, and the resolution to some of the more significant plot points are either void of characters' emotions or neatly skipped over. However, the story is engaging and leaves readers curious about the conclusion.