I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about this one.  It's ripe for drama and conflict but surprisingly (and happily) Richards steered away from that.  Instead we get a couple of people going from friends to lovers, with just a few bumps along the way.  Neither of them are very good at talking about how they feel and make a lot of assumptions.  It took a bit to get over what they did on the day of the funeral - it only makes sense that it would make things awkward, which only exasperates their difficulty in communicating.  

There's so many emotions running through Child of Mine.  You can't help but feel for Lauren as she deals with the disaster that her marriage turned in to, the fear of problems with her pregnancy, and the conflict over her relationship with Cole.  Speaking of Cole, he's just about a saint.  His mother is just awful and he's been in love with his brother's wife for years!  Things work out the way they should, but your heart goes out to him every step of the way.  (And I love Lauren even more for what she does for him at the end - he deserves someone on his side for once!)  

This is the first book by Richards that I've read but I definitely doubt it will be my last!  I loved her characters and she does a fabulous job of giving them a story that treats them well.  

**Review given honestly and freely after receipt of a reader copy. This opinion is completely my own and was not influenced in any way.**