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Second Time Around #1
Daddy's Little Matchmakers
Wife And Mother Veterinarian Eric Wilson is confounded by the classified ad his three young daughters have placed. The handsome widower is not in the market for a bride! But when the story of his little matchmakers hits the papers, would-be brides start swamping his waiting room. Despite them all, Eric finds himself drawn to the temp worker at the classifieds adorable free spirit Amy Spencer. Amy's been running for a while, and it's time she planted roots. Together, can Amy and Eric realize that trusting in God's plan is the sweetest surrender of all?
288 pages, Paperback
First published December 20, 2011
5 people are currently reading
142 people want to read
About the author
Kathleen Y'Barbo
132 books747 followersPublishers Weekly bestselling author Kathleen Y’Barbo is a multiple Carol Award and RITA nominee of more than one hundred novels with almost two million copies in print in the US and abroad.
A tenth-generation Texan and certified paralegal, she has been nominated for a Career Achievement Award as well a Reader’s Choice Award and is the winner of the Inspirational Romance of the Year by Romantic Times magazine.
To connect with her through social media, check out the links on her website at www.kathleenybarbo.com.
A tenth-generation Texan and certified paralegal, she has been nominated for a Career Achievement Award as well a Reader’s Choice Award and is the winner of the Inspirational Romance of the Year by Romantic Times magazine.
To connect with her through social media, check out the links on her website at www.kathleenybarbo.com.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
February 11, 2012
Heart-warming and funny and poignant, Daddy's Little Matchmakers makes a delightful and romantic read. Veterinarian is high on my list of preferred hero occupations and there aren't many books written about them so that was the lure. You have to love a man who loves animals, right? But poor Eric's world has been turned upside down when his daughters decide he needs a wife and that made it so much fun to read. But this book isn't all romantic comedy. Y'Barbo has done a wonderful job of showing the grieving widower's agony, frustration and eventual ability to move on. It's an emotional journey and at times I felt sorry for Amy because Eric wasn't 'there' yet and at other times I wanted to thump Eric on the head to make him move faster. LOL. All in all, an entertaining romantic read.
January 18, 2017
This was a cute story. I loved the three little girls. The romance moved way to fast, as is common for these short stories. But the writing was good & I will definitely check out more of Ms. Y'Barbo's books.
January 10, 2012
this was such a wonderful read i really liked i couldnt put it down!
February 9, 2016
Eric Wilson, the new town Vet, now needs temp help due to his daughter's ad for a wife! Amy Spencer was the temp that took the Ad info, with Eric mother's approval.
August 11, 2022
"Daddy's Little Matchmakers" is about a widow and his meddling mama who spends the whole book matchmaking for her son while his daughters - apart from putting an ad in the paper at the beginning - do not. And even at that, the grandma dials the phone for them and facilitates the ad, even paying for it. The kids aren't 'matchmakers' in this book. They like Amy and want her around, but they don't try to matchmake. So the title is a misnomer.
Eric is a veterinarian. His daughters place an ad in the paper, and the local reporter gets wind of it and makes the idea of children trying to find a wife for their daddy a headline, which then gets picked up by area papers, then the Houston Chronicle, then CNN and FOX, with calls from 'Good Morning America' et al.
Except that Eric is a douche and refuses to play along. AT ALL. He won't talk to papers, won't go on shows, won't hear from the women, and refuses everyone who comes to his vet clinic who isn't male, older, or established as a patient. He's... just rude. THE ENTIRE BOOK.
Amy was working temp at the classified office when the wife ad was placed, but then the author has her 'assignment ending' there... WHY, we aren't told. Was someone else hired to the position? Was she so lousy at it that they didn't want her to come on permanently? Was she covering a vacation?
We're never told, just that *BAM*, after it's placed, she's gone from the job for absolutely no reason. As a previous permanent temp worker, I can tell you that it doesn't *WORK* like that.
So Eric is irate about the ad and shows up AT HER HOUSE to bitch her out. Lovely man. Then he realizes he needs help for all the "new patients", and Amy is in need of a new temp job, so he's kind of stuck with her - although he doesn't think it's a hardship until he does. Which is just about ALL THE TIME. He's nice to her, and then he craps on her. Then he's nice to her, and then he snaps at her about her work. Then he's nice to her, then he asks her to consider finding another job. (!!) Then he's nice to her, and then he stands her up. Then he's nice to her, but ignores the heck out of her at work, refusing to be in the same room as her. Then he's nice to her, and then he sends over hired workers to do the handyman jobs he'd told her he'd do for her, so he doesn't have to see her. Then he's nice to her, but then leaves a note on the desk with the last two weeks pay and tells her to have a great time at her next job.
He. IS. AN. ASSHOLE. Period. Nobody should have to take what she does from this man. He doesn't just run hot and cold, he embarrasses her, belittles her, abuses her mentally, plays with her emotions, jerks her around, and is blatantly nasty. I couldn't STAND him. He spent the ENTIRE book calling her a 'complication', and insulting her. It was awful.
The story has some serious issues, too. On pg 11 we're told that Eric moved to Vine Beach to be closer to his deceased wife's family. Except his late wife's family lives in Houston, and it's HIS mother that lives in Vine Beach, and it was HIM who grew up there. So... what the heck!??!
We know NOTHING of Amy's background, either - apparently Y'Barbo didn't think it necessary to explain why Amy is pushing thirty and never married, uninvolved with anyone, and has no relationship baggage. That's a *little* unbelievable... by thirty, everyone has baggage... or their married, hello. ((And even at that...)) It was as if we were encouraged to check our brains at the door and not wonder about the heroine's story. What the heck?!
I did like the parenting in this, and that bought it a star, but I'm confused as to Riley Burkett's role in the church. He's in charge of the grieving widower's group, but there was no actual meeting - just a prayer, a quick share topic, and then people did their own thing... is that right? And he's not pastor, because his 'topic' matched the minister's sermon at another point in the story... and yet it was Riley who wed them, at the end? NONE of that makes any sense.
Amy is staying in her grandmother's cottage, but Granny went in a home and doesn't want to come out, so... is the cottage Amy's? Are they going to sell it? Is Granny going to give it to Amy's parents as a vacation home? We're told NOTHING about this, either. Huge, GAPING holes exist all the way thru this.
The story wasn't well written. It's characters weren't endearing, or even likeable. For a romance, it contained precious little romance and a lot of heartache, hurt, abuse, and unnecessary abruptness for the majority of the story. The initial plot was non-existent: Ad placed for wife is dropped as soon as it appears, and the whole rest of the story is about Amy and Eric, with the ad not factoring into the story, at all... which was NOT the premise we were presented.
It was NOT okay. Not any of it.
Eric is a veterinarian. His daughters place an ad in the paper, and the local reporter gets wind of it and makes the idea of children trying to find a wife for their daddy a headline, which then gets picked up by area papers, then the Houston Chronicle, then CNN and FOX, with calls from 'Good Morning America' et al.
Except that Eric is a douche and refuses to play along. AT ALL. He won't talk to papers, won't go on shows, won't hear from the women, and refuses everyone who comes to his vet clinic who isn't male, older, or established as a patient. He's... just rude. THE ENTIRE BOOK.
Amy was working temp at the classified office when the wife ad was placed, but then the author has her 'assignment ending' there... WHY, we aren't told. Was someone else hired to the position? Was she so lousy at it that they didn't want her to come on permanently? Was she covering a vacation?
We're never told, just that *BAM*, after it's placed, she's gone from the job for absolutely no reason. As a previous permanent temp worker, I can tell you that it doesn't *WORK* like that.
So Eric is irate about the ad and shows up AT HER HOUSE to bitch her out. Lovely man. Then he realizes he needs help for all the "new patients", and Amy is in need of a new temp job, so he's kind of stuck with her - although he doesn't think it's a hardship until he does. Which is just about ALL THE TIME. He's nice to her, and then he craps on her. Then he's nice to her, and then he snaps at her about her work. Then he's nice to her, then he asks her to consider finding another job. (!!) Then he's nice to her, and then he stands her up. Then he's nice to her, but ignores the heck out of her at work, refusing to be in the same room as her. Then he's nice to her, and then he sends over hired workers to do the handyman jobs he'd told her he'd do for her, so he doesn't have to see her. Then he's nice to her, but then leaves a note on the desk with the last two weeks pay and tells her to have a great time at her next job.
He. IS. AN. ASSHOLE. Period. Nobody should have to take what she does from this man. He doesn't just run hot and cold, he embarrasses her, belittles her, abuses her mentally, plays with her emotions, jerks her around, and is blatantly nasty. I couldn't STAND him. He spent the ENTIRE book calling her a 'complication', and insulting her. It was awful.
The story has some serious issues, too. On pg 11 we're told that Eric moved to Vine Beach to be closer to his deceased wife's family. Except his late wife's family lives in Houston, and it's HIS mother that lives in Vine Beach, and it was HIM who grew up there. So... what the heck!??!
We know NOTHING of Amy's background, either - apparently Y'Barbo didn't think it necessary to explain why Amy is pushing thirty and never married, uninvolved with anyone, and has no relationship baggage. That's a *little* unbelievable... by thirty, everyone has baggage... or their married, hello. ((And even at that...)) It was as if we were encouraged to check our brains at the door and not wonder about the heroine's story. What the heck?!
I did like the parenting in this, and that bought it a star, but I'm confused as to Riley Burkett's role in the church. He's in charge of the grieving widower's group, but there was no actual meeting - just a prayer, a quick share topic, and then people did their own thing... is that right? And he's not pastor, because his 'topic' matched the minister's sermon at another point in the story... and yet it was Riley who wed them, at the end? NONE of that makes any sense.
Amy is staying in her grandmother's cottage, but Granny went in a home and doesn't want to come out, so... is the cottage Amy's? Are they going to sell it? Is Granny going to give it to Amy's parents as a vacation home? We're told NOTHING about this, either. Huge, GAPING holes exist all the way thru this.
The story wasn't well written. It's characters weren't endearing, or even likeable. For a romance, it contained precious little romance and a lot of heartache, hurt, abuse, and unnecessary abruptness for the majority of the story. The initial plot was non-existent: Ad placed for wife is dropped as soon as it appears, and the whole rest of the story is about Amy and Eric, with the ad not factoring into the story, at all... which was NOT the premise we were presented.
It was NOT okay. Not any of it.
July 22, 2018
A book full of laughter and tears.
Veterianarian Eric Wilson has returned to Vine Beach to take over the veteriarian clinic, while his mother can do daycare and babysitting for his three young daughters. His daughters think three years is long enough after the death of their mother for their father to provide a new mother for them. With the encouragement of their grandmother, they place a classified ad in the local newspaper.
Amy Spencer has returned to Vine Beach to take care of her grandmother, but now that her grandmother has moved into assisted living, she is taking temporary jobs while looking for her next full-time position. She loves Vine Beach, but has put it in God's hands where her next move with lead.
Amy is temporarially at the classified desk when Eric's daughter call with the ad. There is a crash in the background, then the phone hangs up. Fearing their grandmother is in need of medical attention, Amy races to their house. Everything is fine. It was just an active dog and three lively young girls. Amy charms the girls and grandmother, as she helps them write the ad for a wife for their dad.
The ad leads to a feature story that hits the national wire service, and tons of single women with new pets for the widowed vet.
A charming story with tons of heart as each seeks God's sign for their future move.
Veterianarian Eric Wilson has returned to Vine Beach to take over the veteriarian clinic, while his mother can do daycare and babysitting for his three young daughters. His daughters think three years is long enough after the death of their mother for their father to provide a new mother for them. With the encouragement of their grandmother, they place a classified ad in the local newspaper.
Amy Spencer has returned to Vine Beach to take care of her grandmother, but now that her grandmother has moved into assisted living, she is taking temporary jobs while looking for her next full-time position. She loves Vine Beach, but has put it in God's hands where her next move with lead.
Amy is temporarially at the classified desk when Eric's daughter call with the ad. There is a crash in the background, then the phone hangs up. Fearing their grandmother is in need of medical attention, Amy races to their house. Everything is fine. It was just an active dog and three lively young girls. Amy charms the girls and grandmother, as she helps them write the ad for a wife for their dad.
The ad leads to a feature story that hits the national wire service, and tons of single women with new pets for the widowed vet.
A charming story with tons of heart as each seeks God's sign for their future move.
July 15, 2020
This tale by Kathleen Y'Barbo is a relaxing read with interesting characters, Texas setting, and an ending that fits the title well. copy right 2012 277 pages
December 17, 2021
This book was amazing! I couldn’t put it down.
August 8, 2024
Lovely, sweet contemporary Christian romance. I enjoyed very much!
April 7, 2012
Title: DADDY’S LITTLE MATCHMAKERS
Author: Kathleen Y’Barbo
Publisher: Love Inspired
January 2012
ISBN: 978-0-37387717-1
Genre: Inspirational/contemporary romance
Veterinarian Eric Wilson is stunned when his three daughters take finding a new mom into their own hands by placing a classified ad in the town newspaper. He’s even more upset when he learns that his mother was in on the scheme.
Amy Spencer takes the call, since she works temporary at the newspaper office. She’s charmed by the three young girls and their grandmother, whom she meets when she hears something break and then silence. Afraid someone was hurt, she leaves her job and races to the house where she finds nothing more than a mischievous dog, the adorable girls, and the sweetest grandmother. But the ad turns into more than an ad, instead it is front page news when the town reporter hears the story.
Eric is not so happy when his story hits the front page news, and even less thrilled when his struggling veterinarian practice suddenly is at capacity with single women without pets. Not knowing how to handle it, but blaming Amy, Eric goes to offer her a job. She accepts, at least until she leaves town, but…is she really going anywhere? And if she is, will Eric let her?
DADDY’S LITTLE MATCHMAKERS is a charming romance filled with delightful little girls, quirky characters and a romance that will make your knees weak. Amy is a sweetheart, kind and considerate, though far from perfect, and Eric, in contrast, was irritable and cranky, not at all the stuff of your normal romance. Still, I couldn’t help but fall in love with him.
This was a very sweet romance that you needn’t be ashamed to share with your teenaged daughter or your grandmother, yet there’s enough sparks to satisfy anyone. If you are looking for a great beach read, then DADDY’S LITTLE MATCHMAKERS is a book you’ll want to consider. Discussion questions are included at the end. $5.75. 217 pages.
Author: Kathleen Y’Barbo
Publisher: Love Inspired
January 2012
ISBN: 978-0-37387717-1
Genre: Inspirational/contemporary romance
Veterinarian Eric Wilson is stunned when his three daughters take finding a new mom into their own hands by placing a classified ad in the town newspaper. He’s even more upset when he learns that his mother was in on the scheme.
Amy Spencer takes the call, since she works temporary at the newspaper office. She’s charmed by the three young girls and their grandmother, whom she meets when she hears something break and then silence. Afraid someone was hurt, she leaves her job and races to the house where she finds nothing more than a mischievous dog, the adorable girls, and the sweetest grandmother. But the ad turns into more than an ad, instead it is front page news when the town reporter hears the story.
Eric is not so happy when his story hits the front page news, and even less thrilled when his struggling veterinarian practice suddenly is at capacity with single women without pets. Not knowing how to handle it, but blaming Amy, Eric goes to offer her a job. She accepts, at least until she leaves town, but…is she really going anywhere? And if she is, will Eric let her?
DADDY’S LITTLE MATCHMAKERS is a charming romance filled with delightful little girls, quirky characters and a romance that will make your knees weak. Amy is a sweetheart, kind and considerate, though far from perfect, and Eric, in contrast, was irritable and cranky, not at all the stuff of your normal romance. Still, I couldn’t help but fall in love with him.
This was a very sweet romance that you needn’t be ashamed to share with your teenaged daughter or your grandmother, yet there’s enough sparks to satisfy anyone. If you are looking for a great beach read, then DADDY’S LITTLE MATCHMAKERS is a book you’ll want to consider. Discussion questions are included at the end. $5.75. 217 pages.
October 31, 2018
2.55 stars - rated pg/very mild pg13
The cover is adorable and it fits the story perfectly. I love the Gulf Coast setting, one of my favorite places in this world. The characters in this book were lovely, especially the little girls. There was a good faith thread throughout and some great messages. Lovely romance and some humor. So much about this cute book that I could have loved, BUT… The contrived (? or "first-book-type") writing style and major lack of attention to making all the details fit drove me bonkers. Beyond bonkers! There were parts that were just odd or mildly jarring, I kept shaking my head and thinking “huh, that doesn’t make sense??”. And don’t get me started on the spelling/editing issues!
This story had such potential, but it just fell short for me. Because of the cute girls and the good faith message, I’m giving it 3 stars but that’s really being generous. I have friends who have enjoyed this author’s other books, so I suppose I’ll try another. I have Firefly Summer in my kindle; it looks like it could be good, but I'm a bit hesitant now.
The cover is adorable and it fits the story perfectly. I love the Gulf Coast setting, one of my favorite places in this world. The characters in this book were lovely, especially the little girls. There was a good faith thread throughout and some great messages. Lovely romance and some humor. So much about this cute book that I could have loved, BUT… The contrived (? or "first-book-type") writing style and major lack of attention to making all the details fit drove me bonkers. Beyond bonkers! There were parts that were just odd or mildly jarring, I kept shaking my head and thinking “huh, that doesn’t make sense??”. And don’t get me started on the spelling/editing issues!
This story had such potential, but it just fell short for me. Because of the cute girls and the good faith message, I’m giving it 3 stars but that’s really being generous. I have friends who have enjoyed this author’s other books, so I suppose I’ll try another. I have Firefly Summer in my kindle; it looks like it could be good, but I'm a bit hesitant now.
September 14, 2012
Cute premise to the book. Widower and vet Eric Wilson's three daughters (and his momma) decide that he has grieved his wife long enough, so they make a call to the local paper to place an ad for a wife. If the book was just about all the single (read: desperate) women that flood his vet's office - some without a pet in sight - it would not have been as enjoyable. Luckily for the reader, that is NOT what this book is about. Instead, the good doctor is drawn to the woman who takes the classified ad and sparks the newspaper article about his daughters' matchmaking attempts. From that point on, it is your typical "boy meets girl, boy and girl like each other but don't know how to express their feelings to each other, something happens and they come to their senses before riding off into the sunset" love story. Brain candy, but enjoyable.
January 4, 2012
Veterinarian Eric Wilson is confounded by the classified ad his three young daughters have placed. The handsome widower is not in the market for a bride! But when the story of his little matchmakers hits the papers, would-be brides start swamping his waiting room. Despite them all, Eric finds himself drawn to the temp worker at the classifieds office: adorable free spirit Amy Spencer.
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I found this to be an enjoyable story, filled with humor and romance. I could actually envision these adorable little girls and found the book difficult to put down. Add a mischevious, meddlesome grandmother and you had the making of a wonderful romance. Congratulations to Kathleen Y'Barbo on a great Love Inspired Read!
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I found this to be an enjoyable story, filled with humor and romance. I could actually envision these adorable little girls and found the book difficult to put down. Add a mischevious, meddlesome grandmother and you had the making of a wonderful romance. Congratulations to Kathleen Y'Barbo on a great Love Inspired Read!
January 9, 2014
this is a cute book about a veterinarian Eric Wilson, whose 3 little girls put a classified ad in the paper for a new wife. Amy spencer is working a temp job at the local paper and places the ad for the girls.
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December 27, 2014Miniseries: Second Time Around
March 16, 2014
good book
Read
December 27, 2014Miniseries: Second Time Around
August 12, 2015
Such a great funny read! Loved it! :)
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews