Ryan needs a nanny for his daughter, and I need a job. So I do my best to convince him I’m exactly what he’s looking for. It’s a win-win.
The only problem? I may have a tiny crush on the hottie single dad. Not that he would ever see me like that—he’s grumpy, and well…I’m not.
We’re complete opposites in every way. Not to mention that he only smiles for his daughter, leaving me on the receiving end of his sighs.
Little by little, he starts to let his guard down, though. Turns out, the grump has a heart of gold. But falling for him might just break mine.
The Single Dad is a single dad rom-com with crackling chemistry, laughs, and heart. It's the second book in the It's Amor Series, but it can be read as a standalone.
Abi Sabina writes sweet closed door romance full of swoon, sass, and humor. She traded in the big city life for small town living when she moved to Spain.
She hasn't wrangled herself a country boy yet, but she writes books based on charming heroes and small town charm. (And maybe throw in the city setting every so often.)
She loves coffee, country music, and the mountains. Her goal is to write stories that make you feel, smile, and cheer on love.
5 stars ⭐️ I received an ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
This book was sweet, heartwarming and surprisingly emotional in all the best ways. This is exactly the kind of romance that leaves me smiling and feeling like I’ve just made two new friends.
CHARACTERS: The heart of this story is 100% the characters. Ryan is charming, relatable and grounded. I really appreciated how Abi Sabina wrote him as a caring father first and not just a romantic lead. His relationship with his daughter added depth to the story and the father-daughter moments were so cute! Sara was very well written, independent, kind and with her own personal growth arc on the side. Their chemistry was natural and sweet without ever feeling rushed or forced. I loved them both so much!
PLOT (ROMANCE): The romance develops in a slow burn, which made it feel genuine. There’s no unnecessary drama, just two people slowly opening up and learning how to build trust. The themes were all handled with care: parenting, vulnerability, second chances, love after loss.
WRITING: Abi Sabina’s writing is clean and accessible, but emotionally resonant. She balances light, cozy moments with more heartfelt ones, and I found myself smiling and rooting hard for the characters. The pacing was great, nothing felt dragged out and I was hooked from the very beginning.
FINAL THOUGHTS: This is the kind of book I would recommend to anyone looking for a comforting, character driven romance. It’s wholesome without being cheesy, emotional without being heavy and romantic without relying on spice.
This was such a joy to read and I’m definitely excited to check out more from Abi Sabina!
The Single Dad is the second book in the It's Amor series. While you might see some familiar characters if you've read book one, this could definitely be enjoyed as a standalone without any issues as well.
Ooh, what is it about a single dad that makes a romance that much sweeter!? And when he's a grump with pretty much everyone BUT his daughter!? Yes, please! This book was the absolute sweetest! I immediately adored Ryan and Sara. Yes, he was a bit of a grump, with good reasoning--- but she is just that bit of Sunshine he needs to balance him out and to make him believe in taking chances on love again. Their chemistry was really sweet, and I loved the relationship they both had with his daughter as well. While grief (loss of a spouse) is an important part of the story, it was balanced well with the laughs to keep it from feeling too heavy. There is an age gap, which isn't always my favorite--- but at 11 years, it wasn't too extreme, and I thought it was done very well. As much as I love the main characters, I also find myself loving many of the side characters too, which has me looking forward to reading what comes next in the series!
The Single Dad is a closed-door romance with nothing beyond kisses. There was some minor language, but it was VERY minimal (only two instances).
I loved this book and I even liked it more than the first book. Age Gap is definitely my favorite trope and it’s a nice change up for the MMC to be the damsel in distress and the FMC comes to the rescue😂😍 I personally think you have to read the first book, there were a lot of key points that you would only know from the first book. I guess you could read it as a standalone, but I feel like readers would have missing pieces and give it a bad review so just read the first one. I also think I found a new favorite trope, single dad, wow🥵. There is no spice in this book, it’s just a sappy comedy romance. A great mood read for sure! I honestly can’t believe I have fallen for these books, I normally don’t go for the soft romances but I LOVED them! I will recommend this book to everyone!
I loved this one! Grumpy x Sunshine, single dad, age gap goodness! I loved Ryan and Sara together. Loved her relationship with his daughter Sandy🤎 love the Romero family and looking forward to the next one!
I love this one it’s my fav so far for me I liked it better than the first one I just love single mom or dad tropes! Everything in this book was so cute I just loved it!
– this is part of a series, but can be read as a stand-alone
– this is told from Sara & Ryan’s points of view
– there is an age gap of 11 years between them
– Ryan lost his wife in an accident (past event)
Review:
I had a lot of fun reading this story! Sandy and Sara/Ryan’s family members were a hoot! I loved how nosey they all were and how they would either push Sara & Ryan together or just plain assumed that they were dating even when they really weren’t at the time. I loved seeing Sara want to care for Sandy & Ryan by feeding them and cleaning up around the house, even though Ryan insisted that she didn’t need to do either thing. I loved how close Sara & Sandy got with each other and the moments they got to have together that were more than just a nanny and her charge. I loved when Ryan witnessed these moments and had a tugging on his heart during them. It was sweet to see a softer side of Ryan when it came to his daughter and seeing her grow under Sara’s care. And I really loved that Abi Sabina touched on Ryan’s grief and that he spoke to a therapist regularly and made them important parts of the story. They were important to how Ryan had grown as a person throughout all the different events/changes in his life and made them that much more real to me as I was reading.
I’m excited to see what happens in the next book with another couple!
Summary:
Sara wants to be a teacher like she went to school for, but finding a job nearby in that field is hard when the same teachers who taught her are still teaching in the same small town school. And though her family is ready and willing to help sustain Sara until she is able to hold her own, Sara is fiercely independent and wants to make her own way when she can. So when she hears about a possible opportunity to temporarily nanny the local grump’s adorable daughter, Sara is quick to offer her services. It’s not quite the job she hoped for, but it’s another step in the right direction. And it certainly doesn’t hurt that it’ll give Sara the opportunity to get to know Ryan better than her current distant crush allows. If only he’d take her offer seriously…
Ryan is reserved and finds it hard to open up his circle of trust to extend to new people. Especially to someone like Sara Romero. She doesn’t seem to take life seriously, so how is she supposed to properly nanny Sandy in his absence? But with very little options available while his parents are away on vacation and with a few good recommendations on her character from people he does trust, Ryan finds himself caving and offering Sara the job. With every passing day, Ryan finds that Sandy is flourishing under Sara’s care and reigniting hopes he’d had when it came to raising his daughter. He just never thought he’d see it happen with anyone other than his late wife…
I received an ARC from the author & am not required to leave a positive review.
So good! I loved this book. It really is a great read. And such a cute series. Grumpy widowed single dad Ryan reluctantly hired Sara, who was trying to find a teaching position, as a temporary nanny for his daughter Sandy. Ryan thought Sara was too flippant. “‘You look like the type of person who pushes buttons and bends rules.’” Sara wanted to coax a smile out of Ryan. “‘I’m determined to make him crack a smile…’” Time together brought feelings, but they had practical considerations to overcome. For her, “First of all, he’s been married and has a child. That’s an entirely different stage of life. Secondly, he’s almost eleven years older than me.” And for him, “I’m stuck in this phase where guilt grips me when I consider moving forward in life.” The progression of the romance felt well-paced and organic. It was lovely. The characters were great and there were so many wonderful interactions from sweet to funny. Sara’s family was especially entertaining. And both main characters had such special relationships with Sandy. There are a few light faith elements in the story. This is the second book in the series focused on a Cuban-American family. There is carryover from book one that enriches this story, but this book can easily be read as a standalone. This is a closed door romance with mild innuendo and one mild curse word.
This was fun and cute! The Single Dad is the second book in Abi Sabina’s It’s Amor Rom-Com series. I really like these tropes of the book so I was excited to read it. Sara and Ryan were so different so it was definitely interesting to read about them interacting. I love how they both cared for Sandy. I loved reading about Sara and Ryan’s growth. They were both still trying to figure out how to live life. Sara was trying to make sense of her life and her future while Ryan was trying to care for Sandy. The romance was sweet and I liked how it was a slow burn. Ryan and Sara had to learn to be friends before they could ever think of more. There were obstacles that stood in their way but they learned to overcome it together. They did have to grow on me but I loved getting to know them more. I would totally recommend The Single Dad. The characters were engaging and I wanted to see how Sara and Ryan were going to work out their differences. I am super excited for the books to come. The Single Dad is a closed door romantic comedy
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion, I was not required to write a positive review.
The Single Dad by Abi Sabina is the perfect romance to show you that you nit always need explicit sexy times to have the perfect chemistry or attraction between the main characters. 😘
Ryan needs a nanny for his daughter, Mia... and Sara needs a job. She can convince him that she's the perfect choice to take care of Mia. And maybe she's the perfect choice for him as well? But... she's younger and such a contrast to him... 🤔
OH MY GOODNESS! HOW MUCH I LOVED THIS BOOK! 😍 It was wonderful to be back in Sunshine Falls and to get to know Sara better! I loved the story development and how Sara and Ryan dealt with wach other. She's the younger, sassy and happy woman... and he's the serious, handsome single dad. They couldn't be any more contrastive! Buuuut. They've lots in common too! Like the love for animals, for example. 😉 The banter between them was awesome! And there's so much humour in the whole book because her family is hilarious. 🤣 Oh, and Mia is AWESOME! Ryan's daughter is so cute and so smart! OMG! 😅
So, if you love: 💕 closed door romance with hot kisses 💕 grumpy/sunshine 💕 opposite attraction 💕 age gap 💕 single dad 💕 small town romance
You definitely should read The Single Dad! I can't even wait for more! 😍
4.5 STARS Adding a little sunshine to the life of a grumpy single dad…
With Sara struggling to find a teaching job that doesn’t mean leaving the town of Sunshine Falls, she’s been working at her brother’s vet clinic to help with their boarding pets program. But when single dad, and chronic grump, Ryan is in need of a nanny for his daughter Sandy, Sara instantly offers her services. She’d be perfect for the job, but all Ryan sees is someone who is a little too fun and carefree to be looking after his daughter. But when he finds himself in a jam, he can’t not accept Sara’s offer. Especially when Sandy absolutely adores her. Sara makes it her goal to crack the grump, but what she’s not expecting is for her teeny tiny crush on Ryan to develop into something more.
Okay, I did the stupid thing of not reading the first book in a companion novel series first (not that it really matters, but it’s the principle of the thing…), but in my defense, I couldn’t not dive into this one when I saw it! Single dad? Age gap? Grumpy/sunshine? Small town? This book has it ALL! Minus the spice, which is always refreshing.
Ryan and Sara have INSTANT chemistry, and watching them get to know one another as Sara starts to chip away at Ryan’s wall was so enjoyable and swoony. And throwing Sandy into the mix added so much more to their story and relationship. Not to mention some of the more adorable moments ever! Grumpy single dads who only smile for their kids are the hottest MMC in romance, let’s be real!
Definitely keen to go back and read book one, following Sara’s veterinary brother Ivan - the small amount we got to see of him was enough to get excited to discover his story from the beginning! Not only that, but I’m really excited to read more about the rest of Ivan & Sara’s family in the rest of the series!
If you’re looking from a break from the spice, or prefer your romance closed-door, this is definitely one to check out!
This is book 1 of the It's Amor Rom-Com Series, although each of the books in this series can be read as a stand alone, you'll find the main characters in each book will be part of the following books as side characters. The romance and swoon worthy moments are fantastic in this book all while staying spice free.
Oh I loved this Grumpy, Sunshine duo of main characters! How can you go wrong with the Cowboys and Angels vibe you get from this book. I was for sure thinking of the country song cowboys and angels by Dustin Lynch!
Sarah is the spunky little sister from a small town type and while working in her older brother's vet’s office, she makes it her goal to make the grumpy rancher smile. He’s 11 years older, a widower and has a little girl. The age gap alone ensures Sarah will never follow through with her crush on the sexy cowboy, so what’s the harm in trying to make him smile. Until that stern Cowboy needs a sitter and she can’t find a job in her field working with kids. It’s the perfect opportunity to get back to what she loves. What could possibly come of it?
This was the first book I’ve read by Abi Sabina, and I LOVED it! I immediately went and read the first book in the series, The Nice Guy, and LOVED that one as well!
I would have to say that age gap and single parents are two are my favorite tropes, which plays into me loving this story so much. Sara is such a fun character! She is the perfect baby sitter for grumpy Ryan’s daughter, Sandy. Sandy and Sara form a connection, which in turn helps Ryan and Sara to form their romantic relationship. Sara is the perfect definition of sunshine, while Ryan is the perfect grump, but also a secret cinnamon roll.
If you are looking for a closed door, sweet, funny book, check out The Single Dad by Abi Sabina!
This book does touch base on navigating grief, loss, and difficult family dynamics. This book contains kissing only.
Things to LOVE about this book: 🌸Single Dad/Nanny 🌸Age Gap 🌸Clean romance 🌸Grump/Sunshine 🌸Part of a series 🌸Slow Burn
Thank you to the author for gifting me a copy of The Single Dad! This is my honest opinion and all words are my own.
This book was a super fun and easy book to read . I loved the whole grump the male MMC, Ryan, had going on. It was also a little emotional when it came to learning about Ryan’s. I did like the relationship between Sara and Sandy (Ryan’s daughter). This book also made me laugh ( Especially the bunny scene iykyk😂).
Not only that but seeing how Sara and her family are close was heartwarming to read. I feel like this was a good representation when it comes to a latino family . Like them being involved in Sara’s love life and the gossip was good to see some similarities as a latina who’s family is like that.
There were times where I did had trouble brushing some things off like Sara coming off as immature in the beginning . The whole peanut butter jelly song was a little cringy for me but otherwise I did enjoyed it even though I wished we had more time of their relationship rather than a few chapters at the end.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review. This is the first book of the author's that I've read and I would like to read more from her. This is book 2 in the It's Amor Rom-Com Series and can be read as a standalone. I didn't feel as if I was missing out on anything because I hadn't read book 1. The book's blurb is straightforward, and be aware that the story touches on loss and grief. The Single Dad is told through Ryan and Sara's pov and is a sweet single dad romance.
As she's waiting to get hired as a teacher, Sara is looking for a job to tide her over so working as a nanny for Sandy, Ryan's daughter, is the perfect one. Though Ryan is older than her and a grump, that doesn't stop Sara from trying to get to him. Her crush is part of the reason but she can't help but to be drawn to him. Even though Ryan is unsure of what to think of Sara's sunshine personality, he can't deny how good she is at taking care of Sandy. Seeing her kindness and thoughtfulness makes feelings that he thought he wouldn't feel again reawaken. The more time they spend together, the easier it is for feelings between them to grow.
Though the pacing of the story was quick, the story wasn't rushed. Even though Sara had a crush on him and was outgoing, she didn't try and push her feelings onto Ryan. Likewise, Ryan felt attraction towards her but he had some things to sort out before he could consider a relationship. I liked that they got to know each other and become friends. They were opposites who balanced each other well. Their romance was a clean one consisting of descriptive, but not steamy, kisses and no cursing was used. Besides their romance, I liked the relationship that Sara developed with Sandy and how that helped her to bond with Ryan. It was also nice to see them get support and encouragement from their friends and family. Overall, this was a sweet and lighthearted book that I think readers will enjoy.
I loved the first book in the It's Amor series, so I was really excited to see Ivan's family back into action. This book focuses on his sister Sara and one of the clinic's client's, Ryan. The book is infused with Sara's Cuban heritage including some of her phrases, the way she nannies, and how she cares for Ryan and his daughter when they get sick. Her vapor-rub hack had me laughing, because I have experienced that with other people of hispanic descent.
The romance was pretty slow, but once it ignited it was so fun and sweet to read. I understand the reasoning for it being slow, especially given the age gap between Sara and Ryan.
Overall, it was a solid read. Thank you to the author for the advance copy of this book. A positive review was not required.
I read the 1st book way back, and then this kept on showing up in my KU so might as well read this one considering it's a short book.
We saw glimpses of the MCs in the 1st book, but I'm not really intrigued with them but hey, I wanted some palate cleanser so I took the plunge and read this.
From the title itself, we knew we have a single-dad and nanny trope which is not my favorite. I do believe that it's a bit complicated on top of complications so I went into this with low expectations.
I do love that it's a slow burn kind of romance and the kid here is not annoying (lol). The book is fine and overall, a quick and easy read if you wanted something light and fun.
Ryan is a single dad that seems to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders, and he isn’t afraid to let his grumpiness show, but when he need help and hires Sara as the nanny, he doesn’t realize how much this amazing woman will change his life. Sara is the perfect person that will push Ryan’s buttons enough to make him see that there is so much more to not only life but to her as well, but they have obstacles that make them hesitant. I don’t’ want to give too much of the story away but this age gap romance is absolute perfection with the right amount of fun and emotion to grip you from the start.
I finished this one today and I miss it already. I’ll be honest, I get bored in most romcoms at some point or other, but this one kept me hooked the whole way.
One reason is these are my favorite tropes. There’s nothing like watching a grump slowly melt. I think the slow burn (with plenty of breadcrumbs) is a big part of my interest being held.
The cowboy trope is new to me mostly because I never thought I would enjoy it. However, I really enjoyed all the forced proximity and humorous moments that are set up through this trope! Horseback riding together?! 🔥 Oops. As I typed that I realized it sounds dirtier than it really was. 🫣 But, that was one of my favorite scenes.
Disclosure: I am reviewing this book as a pre-read not final product. I really loved this book. Although I would have liked a little more details on Ryan’s back story, it was a fun book to read. I loved the way the author was able to show how most Latino families show love with food and how one becomes ‘family’ almost instantly. I would have liked for the book to go a few more chapters after the main characters finally decided to start dating. Overall, I really enjoyed the book. Can’t wait to read the next one. Thanks Abi!
This is the sunniest sunshine a grump has ever met kinda a book!
Sara will instantly become your best friend, you will be rooting for her happiness the minute you meet here! Ryan, well that man, you are going to swoon so hard for him!
What happens when a stormy day meets sunshine? You get the bright rainbow, it’s full of hope and possibility against a dark sky, that to me sums up the feels of The Single Dad. Ryan doesn’t get to let his guard down, after a loss no one should have a to go through, he has his daughter Sandy and that is all he needs. Until he needs help. Help he doesn’t want to ask for by the person he least expects. Sara is just starting out in life, she knows where she feels happy, she loves to make people happy, happiness is just in her blood. They are two people you would never expect needed one another so much.
The Single Dad navigates life in all ups and downs. It shows how much family is needed whether the ones you are born into or the ones that find you. It’s about chasing your dreams and realizing what your hearts want and it’s about a little girl you can’t help but fall in love with!!
This was the perfect closed-door romance! I love the characters, playful banter, and the grumpy sunshine trope. Ryan is my new favorite book boyfriend, because who doesn't love a handsome cowboy?! There is an age gap (11 years), but that didn't bother me. Ryan is a single dad to Sandy, who is the sweetest and spunkiest little girl. Her character in the book was so fun and endearing.
The Single Dad is a comfort book that I will honestly read multiple times!
I loved the comedy in this story. I could not stop laughing at it. I loved the chemistry between the entire set of characters. When Sara wouldn’t change for anyone, even “Grumpy” (I just love his nickname, lol) and she was confident enough with herself to know who she is, that didn’t deter her from others opinions. Excellent writing Abi! I can’t wait to read more of your books!
I love a single-dad romance where there are some guaranteed grumpy/sunshine vibes. These two opposites get off to a rocky start but when he needs a temporary nanny for his daughter she's his best (much to his displeasure lol) bet. They both have their incomplete dreams and while they get to know each other and interact the growing attraction and possible meaning behind it grows.
Me gustó, pero ¿qué fue ese final tan abrupto y sin epílogo?. Me quedaron algunas dudas.
Ryan amó a su esposa por lo que le costó aceptar sus sentimientos por Sara, pero con ayuda de su psicólogo se dió cuenta que estaba bien seguir con su vida, enamorarse otra vez y que eso no quita el amor que le tuvo a Julie.
Love a good sweet non spicy rom com. Loved the book before this with Ivan and Madison and this book is his sister Sara and the grumpy single dad, Ryan.
Super cute story. Sandy the kid was awesome and funny.
Felt like it ended quickly and the ending left things open ended which isn’t my favorite.
3.75 ⭐️ while I enjoyed the first book better, this was really sweet and an easy read. I try to avoid age gap tropes as they are triggering for me but this didn’t do that. I loved the relationship between Sara and Sandy. I also enjoyed the fact that there was no “third act breakup” and their relationship was positive throughout the whole book, it was very refreshing.
Ryan the perfect father, boyfriend and lover you could dreamed for loved his interaction with Sandy the devoted father ever also his brother and how he made him see his feelings and get out of shell deal with grieving. Sara the energetic bombshell moving around she spread love and happiness perfect love story and single dad romance
This was more of a 2.5/2.75⭐️ but I’ll round up. This is an uncomplicated, not very deep book. The characters are well written but not deep. Their plot isn’t super fleshed out. But it was a sweet book. And it was nice to read something that wasn’t super complicated. Don’t know if I’ll read any of the other books