single dad

In A Second

Happy Saturday! In A Second released this week, thank you to the author for the ARC. 

Ohhhhh boy did I love this. You may have heard my talk about my love of In A Jam (or not, I’ve been very subtle hehe) but this is a worthy successor and if you know me you know what high praise that is. 

Audrey and Jude had such a delicious second chance romance. It has so many elements I love- fake engagement, road trip, forced proximity, only one bed, devoted single dad. It’s more than a list of tropes though, it’s a deep and emotional story of these two love birds finding their way back together after her family drove them apart years ago.

I truly loved them both, together and separately. Their journey is not an easy one, they really have to work through their past and present-day troubles. They both make mistakes, especially Jude, but in a way that felt so realistic to me. The journey is also not a short one but I love a long book that keeps me invested in all 500ish pages. I would have gladly read another 500 pages of their love.

I also of course loved revisiting the other characters from this series and broader world. I love that the author’s books have me like Charlie Day in front of his serial killer board. I do think you could read this as a standalone, though I of course recommend reading In A Jam as well  😉

Single Dad Dilemma

Single Dad Dilemma is out today! Thank you to the author for the ALC. 

I really enjoyed this! Single dad, neighbors to lovers, and an emotional slow burn as only Karla can write.

Barrett and Lily were both super grumpy which I love, but in sort of different ways. Barrett’s job as head coach to a football team leaves him with very little free time so he lives a very regimented life and doesn’t appreciate disruption, while Lily is a free wheeling nomad who constantly disrupts him. They’re brought together by Barrett’s kids and slowly find themselves turning into more.

I really liked Lily – she’s introverted, doesn’t really like people, and just kept needling Barrett. I love that the author regularly gives us non-sunshine FMCs. 

It wouldn’t be a Karla book if it didn’t break my heart, so of course it did at times, but overall I love how they found the partner/love/home they both had been missing. 

I did the audio on this one and really enjoyed it, especially Aiden Snow. He had the perfect taciturn kind of voice for this. CJ Bloom also did a great job, if not a little cheerier than the character called for.  

If It Makes You Happy

If It Makes You Happy is out today! Thank you to @berkleyromance for the free book! #BerkleyPartner #Berkley #BerkleyBookstagram

I loved this! It felt like a classic Romance, and not just because it takes place in the 90s. It feels like the blueprint for small town single dad romance and what it should be, without feeling like every other small town single dad romance. It somehow felt very unique despite these well used (and loved!) tropes. 

It gave me warm and cozy vibes, in part due to the autumnal setting, but also the writing just felt very warm and inviting to me. I just wanted to keep reading and reading. I actually read my paperback arc and read it two days which is fast for me for a 500 page physical book!

I loved the slow burn romance between our FMC Michelle & MMC Cliff, they’re both somewhat recently divorced and both felt very cautious about trying something so they become friends first and I just really enjoyed their journey. 

The FMC is a bit reserved, definitely a type A perfectionist and I really loved that because not everyone is a bubbly extrovert (despite what a lot of romances portray) and I saw a lot of myself in her. Our MMC Cliff is the opposite, outgoing and playful and I love how he made her smile and feel comfortable, and maybe even bring down some of her walls.

I also really loved both of their respective relationships with Cliff’s daughters, they were a huge part of the story as well and I really enjoyed them both. 

There are also themes of grief and moving on – parental death, divorce, life not turning out like you planned, but never felt like it was bogged down with sadness. 

Overall I just really really enjoyed this! Definitely recommend. A top favorite of the year for sure. 

Chasing The Sun

Chasing The Sun is out today! Thank you to the author for the ARC.

This is the first book in a charming new small town romance series by Lena Hendrix – you can totally read this as a standalone from her other series. 

This is a single dad, neighbors, rivals to lovers stories about two people who both want the property next door to our MMC. Callum is looking to expand his inn and add a farm to table restaurant, while Elodie is looking to transform the farm to a tourist destination. Lots of banter and bickering ensue which leads to a lot of chemistry and sexual tension!

I had a lot of fun reading this one! I loved the new town and its legends, and look forward to learning more about them as the series progresses. 

Chasing Shelter

I always love my time spent in one of Catherine Cowles’ worlds and it’s even better when it’s a single dad, neighbors, grumpy/sunshine romance!

I really enjoyed the journey Ellie went on, learning to stand on her own and I love how she bonded with Trace’s daughter Keely. Trace was also great, trying to do what’s best for his daughter and his family.

It was great to spend time with the Colson’s and their group chat, and of course the star of the series, Lolli! 

And if you’re wondering, I yet again did not guess who the bad guy(s) was/is, which I love!

Sawyer

Happy Thursday! Sawyer is out today, thank you to the author for the ARC.

I loved this sweet (but spicccyyyyy) romance between Sawyer, our middle Rivers brother/single dad, and Ava, a single mother who is new in town to start a new job as a barrel racing coach. These two first meet in the city and have a fiery one night stand, only for Ava to show up in the same small town where Sawyer is from.

I just really loved their dynamic, from the body-slamming-at-the-bar meet cute to the eventual blending of their families. I loved how Ava helped Sawyer relax a little. It was fairly low angst, not a lot of drama between them, and that made it really quick and easy reading for me. 

They’re both single parents and I loved the cute moments with their girls. I also loved the previous FMCs showing up to support Ava and welcome her into the Rivers clan. It made me laugh, swoon, and sweat at different times.

Overall, I just really liked it! 

Forever The Highlands

Happy Thursday! Forever The Highlands is out today! Thank you to the author for the ARC. 

It’s always great to be back in Scotland with Samantha Young. This is the final book in The Highlands series, which is a spin off of the Adairs, so this is book number 11 set in this world.

This is Eilidh and Fyfe’s story, which is a brother’s best friend, single dad romance. We’ve known Eilidh since the beginning of the Adairs and watched her grow up over the course of the series so it was nice that she finally got a turn to shine.

I thought both characters were really interesting. Eilidh is struggling, she sacrificed everything for a career she hates. She doesn’t know who she is anymore or what she really wants, other than her brother’s best friend. Fyfe has had a troubled life and doesn’t think he has the capacity for love until the daughter he didn’t know existed is dropped on his porch unexpectedly.

I loved how these two broken people finally found each other after years of tension and pining. I’m sad to see this series end, but look forward to what the author will bring us in the future!

Lost and Lassoed

I love this world so much! It’s always lovely to return to Rebel Blue, and I was especially excited to get Gus and Teddy’s story after seeing the animosity and banter between them during the first two books of the series.

This is a single dad/nanny, enemies to lovers, forced proximity romance that I absolutely loved. I’m a sucker for those tropes, but it also could have been really easy for this to feel trite and overdone. Instead, it felt fresh and exciting due to the author’s easy-reading writing and excellent world building.

I really loved Gus and Teddy, separately and together. Gus is the oldest Ryder, a single dad with the weight of the world on his shoulders. Teddy is his younger sister’s feisty best friend and her chaotic vibes don’t mesh well with Gus’s more structured life. 

The two start out with true dislike between them, but the forced proximity of Teddy living with him works its magic and they start to see each other in a different light. I thought the pacing of enemies to lovers felt believable and I really enjoyed watching them fall.

Overall, it was an excellent addition to the Rebel Blue Ranch series and i’m very excited for the fourth book!

Mistletoe & Mine

Mistletoe and Mine is out now! Thank you to the author for the ARC.

This is a fake dating holiday romance set in small town England, between a grumpy single dad and the grinchy woman running the local year round Christmas shop. He needs a fake girlfriend so his grandmother will stop trying to set him up, so he teams up with Sasha to try to help her regain her Christmas spirit through a series of Christmasy and regular dates.

It’s a warm and soft story, full of cozy holiday vibes. If you’re looking for a low angst but still spicy holiday romcom with a big boy MMC and a curvy FMC, this one is out today in KU!

My Favorite Holidate

My Favorite Holidate is out now, thank you the author for the ALC!

This was such a fun holiday romcom! It’s a fake dating romance between a billionaire who wants his aunt to stop trying to set him up on dates, and his employee who needs to prove to her ex she’s over him so they pretend to be together at a wedding of mutual friends. It was the perfect storm of fake dating, holiday activities, and close proximity/only one bed as they attend the wedding weekend. 

Both characters were great – I’m not drawn to billionaires in general but Wilder was kind and generous and so thoughtful- gift giving is his love language and he was so good at it. He was also such a good single dad, I loved him! Fable was also a good character, spunky and kind hearted and not afraid to give her boss shit. Their banter was great and the chemistry between them was intense and this was pretty high heat for a holiday romance!

The full cast audio (11 narrators!) led by Jason Clarke and Samantha Brentmoor in duet was phenomenal, I loved all the different voices and it made it feel like a movie. 

That being said – it was awfully long for a holiday romcom (500 pages) so it started to get a little repetitive for me. You definitely get your money’s worth if you grab the audio though!

Overall I thought it was a cute romcom with an excellent audio production and definitely recommended grabbing it on audio if spicy romcoms are your jam!