The Parker Project

by Joan Elliott Pickart

The Parker Project by Joan Elliott Pickart released on Feb 23, 2004 is available now for purchase.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0373613776
• ISBN13: 9780373613779
• Release Date: February 2004
• Publisher: Silhouette Books
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 0.30 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 4.2" x 6.6"

Customer Reviews

Warm Hearted Holiday Story

Part of the "Family Secrets" series, this story centers on Harrison Parker, a computer programmer that Jake Ingram has hired to decode the computer files that contain sensitive and important information. That's about as much as there is in the story about the series. The rest of the plot actually centers on Harrison's difficulties in raising his three small children - David, Chelsey and Benny - since their mother died in an auto accident the previous year.Harrison is filled with guilt because the children miss their mother and also because prior to her death, their marriage seemed to be almost nonexistent. To escape what was an increasingly unhappy home, he spent long hours at his work leaving the children with the impression - reinforced by their mother - that he didn't care about them.Trying to find some way of connecting with his children, Harrison takes them to story day at the library. The children come alive and respond very positively to the librarian, Maggie Conrad, who is reading the story. She has such a good effect on them that the children ask her to come home with them. Later, Harrison asks Maggie if she would become the children's nanny after work to help them become more adjusted. She agrees and over time becomes an indespensable part of the family - another "Parker" as the kids call her. So many issues have to be worked out between Harrison and the children many of which were not of his making. Maggie's loving and optimistic nature help them sort things through and as they do, she and Harrison fall in love.This is a very sweet story, and the personalities of the children are endearing. What is also touching is Harrison's love for his children. He is determined to understand whatever mistakes he may have been made in the past (real or created by his late wife) and to overcome them. The one figure in the book that remained somewhat unfinished was Lisa, Harrison's late wife. She seemed to be the cause of so many of the children's insecurities and problems with their father. We know she was unhappy; we just never really found out why. I also wish that the book could have had an epilogue or perhaps another chapter just to give us a peak at the happy future of Harrison, Maggie and the children. Perhaps future books in the series will let us know more about them. All in all, a good read.