Reviewed by Taylin
TITLE: Baby Makes Three
SERIES: Epic Love #2
AUTHOR: Carrie Davis
PUBLISHER: Naughty Nights Press
RELEASE DATE: May 19, 2020
LENGTH: 198 Pages
BLURB:
First comes love, then comes…two men and a baby carriage?
Three years after making their dreams come true, Matthew and Dexter are happily married and living in New York. But just as they’re about to embark on a special weekend, their world turns upside down when Matthew’s sister and her husband are killed in a horrific accident.
Now the legal guardians of Matthew’s nine-month-old niece, the changes in their lives are hard enough, but if Dexter and Matthew want to move forward as a family, they’ll need to learn to deal with old pain, fresh grief, and new responsibilities.
REVIEW:
After being married for three years – as the blurb says, tragedy strikes the world of Matthew and Dexter. Matthew’s sister and her husband Alex, who is Dexter’s best friend are killed in a horrific accident. They were new parents, too, leaving behind a nine-month-old baby. In the event of their death, they had named Matthew and Dexter as guardians.
In the face of emotional turmoil, the two men return to Matthew’s childhood home to help with arrangements and be supportive to family and friends. With that also comes the pain of facing a bigoted, and estranged father who was raised to believe that being gay was high on the list of mortal sins. Thankfully, Matthew’s mother has no such hang-ups.
The story is told in the first person from Dexter and Matthew’s viewpoints. As such, there is some overlap and inevitable repetition as events and actions are recounted from the individual perspectives. The story can be read as a standalone, as the basics of book one are given in the opening chapters. However, having read Hate To Love You, a case can be made for reading it before picking up Baby Makes Three.
Despite the ideals, thoughts, and outlooks of the two being in the same ballpark, which is no surprise between partners, it was interesting to read the dynamic between them and the rest of the family. In this instance, Dexter comes over, loud and clear, as the protector. Matthew needs him to be a rock, and he does the job, splendidly. Love and admiration are strong, and was beautiful to read, with many declarations of amour.
The story mainly focusses on the emotional fallout of losing a sibling. The pain of loss is palpable on the page. Tangled family relationships are also a focal point – such as, the love of a mother, and the complicated effects of a distant father losing his only daughter. The baby is in there, but not in the way I expected. The practicalities, trials, and tribulations of suddenly becoming fathers are much farther down on the order of events.
This is a sad story, and given the current crisis, many will relate to the loss even if the circumstances are different. I’ll admit that I blubbered for a good portion. But there are little glimmers of light though through the story.
Baby Makes Three is one of those short tales that I feel one needs to pick a time to read. Sometimes a tearjerker is required. Dexter and Matthew, face the past, deal with the present, and look to the future. So be sure to have a box of tissues to hand.
RATING: 
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