Everyone in Heart's Cove knows Lizzie Butler as the reliable single mom who keeps their tight-knit community running. What they don't know is that she's been secretly pining for her brother's best friend since high school—the same man they've just volunteered her to matchmake for.
Sean Hardy returned to his hometown looking for community, not complications. But his best friend's curvy little sister has grown into a woman he can't ignore, especially when she keeps setting him up with every eligible bachelorette except herself.
Between family obligations, small-town gossip, and their own complicated history, Sean and Lizzie know they should stay in their lanes. But in a town this small, some lanes are bound to cross...especially under the mistletoe.
Single dad Single mom Curvy heroine Small town Christmas/holiday romance Brother's best friend Grumpy vs sunshine Falling for the matchmaker Later in life (40+)
Lilian Monroe lives in a luxurious jungle treehouse surrounded by lush greenery, with an army of scantily-clad men with rippling abdominal muscles ready to attend to her every need.
No, wait. That's not true.
Lilian Monroe spends her days dangling her feet into her pool, while a scantily-clad pool boy with rippling abdominal muscles feeds her chocolate-covered strawberries and massages her back.
Okay, okay. You got me. That's not true, either. Let's try again.
Lilian Monroe lives at home with her two children, three dogs, and twelve chickens. Her husband likes to work shirtless in the back yard. His sweaty, gleaming abdominal muscles ripple with every movement and he—
I'm sorry. I have to stop. Fine, I'll admit it. That one isn't true either.
How about this: Lilian Monroe loves thinking about men with rippling abdominal muscles serving her hand and foot, and she wants you to think about them too! She is an avid reader, writer, and lover of all things romance.
She loves everything from bad boys to billionaires. Her books are packed with sizzling-hot heat, action, suspense, and everything from second chances to single dads. She hates cheating and loves a good happily ever after (and rippling abs).
I love Lilian Monroe's books and this one gave me all the feels. I mean, who isn't in the mood for a holiday romance, right?
MMC Sean and MFC Lizzie were family friends having grown up together in the same small town. Sean was besties with Lizzie's older brother, Aaron, and had never really taken notice of Lizzie in their younger years. As fate would have it, Lizzie is dealing with her ex and his aversion to handling their children on his weekend and runs into Sean in the drugstore while completely "frumpy," as she calls it. Single dad Sean had just relocated from San Francisco back to the small town to give his own son some familial stability and support. The trope is that he is handsome and she is disheveled with low self-esteem issues (due to her ex's continual put downs and her family's horrid habit of taking advantage of her). BTW, I hate this trope! I can't stand that the men are the "attractive" ones and the women are haggard. But I digress.
Lizzie sets out to be a matchmaker for Sean now that he is back in town, but she is very much attracted to him. It takes a little bit of interaction together for Sean to recognize his insatiable attraction to her. What gets in the way is this nagging angst that they can't be together because Sean doesn't want to disrupt his friendship with Lizzie's brother by violating the bro code of dating your friend's little sister. Lizzie's nagging angst was all about the "I'm not good enough or pretty enough for this Adonis." Again, see above comments about hating this stupid trope - it serves no one to repeat this trope, and especially not women. Again, digressing. For me, this continual angst was written into nearly every single chapter of the book and it just grated on my last nerve. I get that Lilian was trying to heighten the tension between the characters and to drive home the fact that this was a significant concern, but it just drove me crazy to keep reading about it at every corner.
That said, Lizzie and Sean decided to act on their attraction toward one another and the spice kicked up by several notches. Of course, I read a lot of dark romance and erotica so the spice was maybe a 3 out of 5, so there's that. But it was still a pleasant read through those romps. I appreciated that the story wasn't just about having sex on every surface but about building the actual story. Strong story lines are necessary for world/character building and a must for my reading fancies. Nevertheless, Sean kisses Lizzie and is caught by Lizzie's brother and all hell breaks loose at the holiday party. This catapults Lizzie into finally ... FINALLY ... taking notice of how she is treated by her ex and her family and she stands up for herself. YAY Lizzie!!! But this (hell breaking loose) only comes after Sean tells Lizzie's brother that the kiss (under the mistletoe) "was a mistake." Lizzie walks out on Sean and her family for her soul-searching epiphany. Lizzie and Sean stay apart from one another for a week, yada yada yada, until Sean realizes he is an idiot and begs for Lizzie's forgiveness and BAM, HEA!!! <3
From a serious lens, two aspects of the story really resonated with me. First, I felt that Lilian did a fantastic job in highlighting the invisibility that parents (typically mothers) feel once they hunker down into parenthood. In this story, Lizzie became Lizzie the mother of kids, or Lizzie the little sister, or Lizzie the adult daughter, or Lizzie the school volunteer. She was never considered to be just Lizzie, a woman, a woman with dreams, a woman with needs, a woman with desires. Her evolution through that metamorphosis was depicted quite well and something that I, myself, have experienced. Second, I appreciated that Lizzie was written as a curvy woman. So many HEA stories are written about that svelt, beautiful, sexy, tall, all-the-things woman who captures the MMC's eye/heart. What about the rest of us, the bulk of us, the I'm-not-beautiful-but-I'm-not-ghastly women who capture the eye/heart of our own MMC? We exist too, and this story emboldened that approach and I was here for it.
Worth the read and a wonderful addition to the Heart's Cove Hotties series.
Returning to Heart’s Cove, Lizzie and Sean encounter one another after years of marriages, kids, divorces, etc. in MERRY LITTLE MATCHMAKER.
I like that this is a later in life romance. Both are single parents. Lizzie is the one in the family that is always being the “mom” and Sean is the first person that actually sees her and her value.
The matchmaking part adds to the drama because they both keep thinking the best friend’s little sister can’t date the best friend. They think it a lot. It seemed a little silly because they were in their 30’s or 40’s and the older brother protector ship should have sailed by now.
I received this book to read early and this is my opinion of it
I don't like giving such a bad rating, but I struggled to finish this book. It was hard for me to believe that two adults who are in their mid forties have such a hard time communicating with their best friend/brother. How many times can someone say or think that they can't have a relationship because of my best friend... Over 20x in this book. I stopped counting. I understand if it's in your teenage years, but after 40, just say "Hey, I really find Lizzie attractive, I'd love to take her out. Would you be okay if I asked her on a date?" If he's a good best friend, then he should want his friend (and sister) to be happy. So, I wasn't sold on the premise. I have enjoyed other of the Heart's Cove books, just not this one.
Almost every chapter was a chapter of self-pity. Aside from the cameos or mentions of the original Heart’s Cove Gang, this feels like it should have been a separate series. The tone of the writing was more somber, more introspective, more… gray. Completely unlike the vibrance of the other books in this series.
Well written, sure, but the self pity got old quickly and i skipped a LOT of chapters without missing anything because it was the same “oh i’m so lonely nobody sees me” “oh i’m choosing community and my son” “oh i’m such a good parent that’s all they see me as.”
This book was just… wow. Divorced mom, Lizzie, is constantly being seen as just that a mom. Her family doesn’t appreciate her, her ex doesn’t appreciate her. Enter back into her life, her brother’s best friend. Also divorced, Sean - single dad who hates Christmas. But who can blame him based on his past. Lizzie searched for the best match for him and in doing so they both find themselves.
Would like to start off my review strong with … her cleaning his bathroom made me want to throw my phone at the wall, by the way! If anyone even cared!
This review may or may not contain spoilers, I don’t know! Moving on.
"It's big," she finally said as she studied the tree I held, and I pulled my thoughts back to the task at hand. Well. I tried. What actually came out of my mouth was, "I get that a lot." Her cheeks grew redder, and Lizzie let out a snort ... I wanted to hear that laugh again and again and again until the scent of evergreen trees reminded me of Lizzie instead of death and drunkenness and broken relationships.
Also, can we talk about the surprise Christmas tree for Mikey scene— okay, wait. I know I’m doing a lot of complaining but it’s actually because I like the book. I already know this is an easy 5 star read for me because of all the emotions it’s bringing out of me. Back to what I was saying.. it pissed me off that Lizzie had asked her mom to take care of the kids for the day, that Sean wanted to surprise his child, and ofc Lizzie’s mom ‘stopped by’ like.. you were supposed to distract the kids and take care of them. 😭 but it’s okay because I loved the fact that both Lizzie’s kids and Sean and Mikey got to do this special thing together, kinda felt like foreshadowing for the future!
But I’m really glad Lizzie put her foot down after a while. It wasn’t fair how he brother treated her. It doesn’t matter that she loves kids, it not fair for a single mother who does a million things have to do another million just because ‘oh it’s okay! Lizzie was made for this! She’s a mom. She’s the mom friend!’ Having to cook a whole thanksgiving meal she wasn’t even hosting, and having to take care of everyone’s kids and not even being able to get her favorite stuffing out of it.. and don’t piss me off, the mom calling and saying just apologize to the brother.. STAND UP!
Lizzie deserved better, I’m glad she had Sean. I was sad that Sean froze up, I wish he would’ve defended Lizzie when Aaron said that nasty thing about Isaac leaving or whatever.. the audacity was disgusting. I wish we could’ve actually gotten an alternative scene where Sean punches him straight in the face for that one and defends her, but at the same time I get why he froze up. The holidays is such a sucky time for him and all the worst case scenarios of losing his best friend and having no one in his corner and being torn into two.. I don’t blame him but in my mind he punched him idc!
With that being said, I love Lizzie and Sean so bad. And I love the kids :( also I love Levi. Aaron and Emily suck btw idc that’s your CHILD
This is the 11th book in this phenomenal series and this is Sean and Lizzie's story. This is a well written emotionally charged story, with family, friendships, humour, friendships, loyalty, heartbreak, challenges, making choices, secrets, and love which all leads to an entertaining, heartfelt, and addictive page. I look forward to reading more from this talented author whose work I highly recommend.
Another fabulous book by Monroe! These books make me swoon and this was amazing. I wish I could read the conversation between Lizzie and her mom after everything comes to a head though! Read the book… you won’t regret it
“I would be my own knight in shining armor, because that’s what I needed to be.” ******************** Tropes: Brother’s best friend, friends to lovers, midlife romance, curvy girl rep ******************** Triggers: Alchoholism, childhood trauma, divorce due to infidelity, adult language and sexual situations ******************** Equal parts cute, Hallmark style romance, blended with some heavy moments, the story held my attention through what felt like eons before Sean and Lizzie *finally* kissed each other. The “will they,” which honestly given the romance trope is more of “when will they,” was well executed and actually very believable. I don’t know if it was intentionally written this way, or not, but the fact that he eventually treated her the same way he had commiserated with her over her family’s treatment of her almost made me not want to forgive him after their third act breakup. In the end, I loved the self awareness Lizzie gained, and the parts of herself she started letting out after burying them for so long to assume the role of family’s chief cook and bottle washer.
The dual first person POV was a great way to experience the characters and watch them develop and grow. Sean did a little, but I have to go back to Lizzie and her heart breaking, but courageous, realization . Watching her find herself again was the colored sugar on top of an already sweet Christmas cookie. And if all the romance and drama wasn’t enough, the author wove some fabulous spice in. Not too much, not too little. In the immortal words of Goldilocks, it was just right! Sweet epilogue as well.
Movie rating R, cover 4/5, overall 5/5, romance 4/5, violence 1/5, spice 3/5. I recommend.
I love holiday romance. This one was filled with family. I love how it is about a woman finding herself again. Our hero also tackles some hard truths for his life. Wading through the messiness of life can be challenging but I love how are couple figures out how to take care of themselves as they decide to become a couple. Soooo good.
I really wanted to like this is book. And I did at the start. The FMC was really relatable to me at the start, mom life, always wanting to put those kids first, people pleaser. But my god, I couldn’t stand her family and like 80% of the time she didn’t even have a backbone. I’m glad she stood up for herself eventually. But it took a while and I rolled my eyes too much to be healthy.
My biggest complaint with the MMC, he kept bringing up her curves and it seemed like that was all he cared about with her? Also why can’t brothers friends act like adults and not worry about how his reaction can affect their relationship???
It wasn’t an awful book, but I just got too annoyed at aspect. But the spice was spicy and the tension was fun as heck.
This is one of my I might like it ok to I absolutely love authors. There were parts of this I loved and would have given it at least 4 stars but the repetition got old. Too many times in too many chapters saying how he moved for community, so his son had a bigger system or however it was said so he couldn't mess it up by fooling with his best friend sister. Multiple times in multiple chapters. I hate third act break ups as well though this one did make some sense. Overall it was a good book and I would recommend it to anyone who can overlook the repetition.
Sean and Lizzie were cute. The story was very Hallmark Christmas movie.
The story was cute, but I found myself skimming parts. Sean’s hate for Christmas was totally understandable. Lizzie’s poor self esteem was a bit much at times. It made sense as this often happens to moms but she rarely handled it with strength. She always just thought the worst of Sean and his intentions.
Probably won’t read anything else in the series or by the author. It wasn’t bad, but it also wasn’t great.
I found the internal monologs to be too repetitive. I got tired of Sean constantly talking about his support system and he couldn't date his best friend's little sister (they are in their 40s!) and Lizzie talking about how she's just a mom and he's too good for her. I get it, but damn.
DNF’d at 25%. Such an annoying book….whining and negative self talk ALL THE TIME, allowing family to treat you like crap? Sorry, the was just NOT GOOD!
Merry Little Midlife Matchmaker (Heart’s Cove Hotties) by Lillian Monroe is an unexpected romance between Sean and Lizzy, the younger sister of his best friend since childhood, Aaron. Sean Hardy returned to the Northern California town of Heart’s Cove to have family support as he continued to raise his school-age son Mikey after his divorce. Lizzy is a divorced mother of two children who finds herself in the self-sacrificing role of being at the beck and call of her family. She repeatedly does more than her fair share of cooking, cleaning up at family get-togethers, and babysitting without considering her needs. When Sean joins Lizzy’s family Thanksgiving hosted by her brother Aaron, he notices Lizzy as a beautiful woman who appears to be serving everyone else’s needs to the detriment of herself. Lizzy is known as a matchmaker in the family; as her family insists, she finds Sean a date for their New Year’s Eve party. Sean and Lizzy find themselves fighting an attraction for each other as she helps him with his son, who sees each other frequently in their small town. Lizzy sets up Sean with women she knows even though she secretly wants him for herself and is unaware of Sean’s feelings. Due to Aaron, Sean holds back on acting on his feelings for Lizzy until he decides to go forward regardless after another disastrous setup date. I love that Lizzy experiences personal growth as she makes hard decisions and sets long-overdue boundaries. How she journeys to get to that place makes for a scrumptious story. Lillian Monroe fashions a love story where Lizzy and Sean discover second chances and love, but family interference almost derails their budding romance. Lillian Monroe’s Merry Little Midlife Matchmaker’s is a delightfully fun holiday read that will never disappoint.
I was anxious for another Heart's Cove romance and I just can say this book is ... wow... three times wow. Life should be simple. People should be respectful. Love should be the priority regardless of all obstacles. But, there always is a but... Lizzie is a divorced woman with two kids. She should be grateful for her life, her friends, and her family, but most of the time she felt invisible and overwhelmed. She used to be one who people landed tasks all the time. She was the free childcare, the free maid, the only one to do the chores when her family was gathering and most of the time she felt like a piece of furniture, just standing there. She never complained, but emotionally speaking it was like being on herself, alone, and managing all the insecurities that the others threw at her.
On the other hand, Sean was looking for a new beginning. After a divorce and betrayal, he decided to return to Heart´s Cove and start over with his son. His priority was his son and when he put his son ahead of his desires, he realized how much was at stake. The opportunity to live in a place where people are family, to get a job and a better life for his kid was a dream that finally was coming true. Until... Lizzie, the little sister of his best friend.
Everything started with Lizzie's family telling her to play matchmaker for Sean, and she tried (hard sometimes). There were a lot of weird dates, and Sean just figured out who he wanted. Flirting messages on the phone and an irresistible attraction, and the question was "Should they?." There was a lot at risk: kids and family involved, and a lot of baggage that both of them had to deal with. Was it worth it? Could love survive? I have loved this book since the first sentence. It´s impossible not to identify myself with Lizzie and I truly believe that every woman has a little of Lizzie inside themselves. I am in love with this story. A must-read. I couldn´t put this book down and I am sure that the readers will not too.
P.S. When Lizzie went to the drugstore to get Pedialyte and Ibuprofen, it reminded me of when my daughter was a kid and it made me realize how challenging it is to be a mom and how grateful at the same time to have this opportunity. We are moms, but we are women above all. This book had won my heart.
This book is amazing! Lilian takes us back to Heart’s Cove for another heartwarming tale filled with love, laughter, family and friends set in this wonderful little California town! It’s Lizzie and Sean’s tale and it’s quite the adventure. Both divorced with kids, they have known each other for years as Sean is Lizzie’s brother Aaron’s best friend. He has moved back to town to make a fresh start for him and his son Mikey surrounded by the friends and family he has always been able to count on. Lizzie is making it through life one day at a time since her divorce and it’s been hard for her. She doesn’t feel seen for who she is only what she can do for her family. A nod to her matchmaking skills has her trying to find Sean a date in time for a New Year’s kiss and it is quite the roller coaster ride for them both! Feelings develop between the two that will explode when they finally give in to them. But Christmas is coming and the decision to not tell her family just yet will backfire when they get caught under the mistletoe together. But in true Lilian fashion, our hero will find the strength to right the wrongs he’s committed and win back the heart of his one true love. I love all of Lilian’s Heart’s Cove stories and this one is no different! It’s filled with everything that makes a good love story and is an absolute must read!
I read an ARC copy of this book and am volunteering my honest review.
What to Expect: 💚 Single Parent ❤️ Curvy FMC 💚 Small Town ❤️ Holiday Romance 💚 Brother’s Best Friend ❤️ Grumpy x Sunshine 💚 Later in life (40+)
Merry Little Midlife Matchmaker hit me straight in the feels! I devoured this book in one sitting, and I’m still smiling over Lizzie and Sean.
Let’s start with Lizzie, oh, Lizzie. She’s the queen of being underappreciated by her family. They love her, sure, but they also take her for granted in a way that made me want to shake them. Lizzie deserved so much more, and after nearly a decade of feeling invisible, Sean shows up and sees her. Truly sees her.
And Sean? Grumpy doesn’t even begin to cover it, but he’s also fiercely loyal, loving, and surprisingly affectionate when it comes to the people in his tight-knit circle. Together, Lizzie and Sean had such a beautifully raw connection, and I loved how deeply they cared for and sacrificed for their kids. Talk about heartwarming!
That said, there were a few moments where the main characters leaned a little too hard into the “self-pity.” The “we shouldn’t because of the brother’s best friend/I’m just here for the support system” back-and-forth started to feel a bit repetitive, especially given their age and life experience. And honestly? Sean and Lizzie’s family owed her some serious groveling.
But let me tell you when that “f*ck it” moment finally came, it was so satisfying. I live for those moments, and this book delivered. Bonus points for skipping the ex-spouse drama trope.
Overall, this was a sweet and emotional read with so much potential. Lizzie and Sean’s story will warm your heart, make you laugh, and leave you rooting for them to get the love they deserve. If you’re in the mood for a midlife romance with equal parts charm and feels, this one’s worth a read!
Small town Older FMC/Older MMC Brother's best friend Forbidden little sister Holiday Single dad/Single Mom
Sean and Lizzie... this one was a rough one for me. Lizzie is a people pleaser with some low self-worth issues. I mean, who doesn't feel invisible in her forties after a divorce from someone who's arguably a narcissist? Lizzie's story was uncomfortable for me because it hit so close to home. And, also because I've read too much Alina Jacobs and was afraid this was going to be another farce.
Sean moves back to town to give his son a more stable life and to have more support. He spies Lizzie, the younger sister of his best friend and is suddenly interested.
Now, Sean's actually a pretty good guy. He's conflicted because he doesn't want to tread where Aaron, his best friend, might be upset or hurt. And I get that. I do. But it comes off as a douchey, angsty, teen sort of vibe. And I would find his "acts of service" and "I see Lizzie" as more believable if he did more than save her a small plate of stuffing. Like, the man lets her wait on him hand and foot whenever they're together...even at her own home.
The whole thing came across as formulaic. Like someone told Lilian she needed a holiday book in the series. It's an okay read, but it definitely wasn't my favorite. There are very few tie-ins to the Hearts Cove crew, and it reads like a standalone tacked on as an afterthought.
I’m a big fan of the Heart’s Cove Hotties series by Lilian Monroe and have read all of them. I gave this story my basic rating of three stars, because I enjoyed it, but don’t see myself wanting to purchase it to put on my shelf or rereading it in the future.
Lizzie Butler is a divorced, single-mom who basically gets taken for granted by her immediate family. She’s the family member who organizes all the dinners and holidays, who babysits every time she’s asked to even at the last moment, and she matches other people up. Sean Hardy is a divorced, single-dad who moved back to Heart’s Cove to connect with people who were part of his life years ago and create connections again. He’s also friends with Lizzie’s brother.
If you like a brother’s best friend story with finding love later in life, then this could be the story for you. I enjoyed how Sean really saw Lizzie as more than just a mom and would point out what she was good at doing, rather than only focusing on her being good with kids. When Sean messes up, he messes up big time and I felt it right along with Lizzie. I was over him and didn’t want him to get a second chance, but he did have issues he was dealing with and like most book characters, he got the chance to make things right.
Was this my favorite Heart’s Cove story? No, but I did enjoy it.
I was fortunate enough to receive a physical copy and an ebook copy! I absolutely loved this book! It was such a cute little romance book! I typically read young adult romance or the character are in there mid 20s. This book had both main characters in their 40s and both have gone through a divorce. I was able to relate to Lizzie so much as a mom of two kids even though I’m in a happy marriage. Lizzie went through a divorce and through out her marriage and after the divorce she just became a mom, she ended up losing herself in the role and sort of put herself on the back burner and I have a feeling a lot of moms feel this way. I know I do! I was so proud of everything she worked through to become a better her! The main male character Sean has also gone through a divorce and we get to see him navigate through the holidays when the memories he has during this time are mostly negative. Reading about them together and helping each other was just amazing! If you’re looking for a small town romance, brothers best friend, friends to lovers, divorce single parent, Christmas holiday novel you will absolutely love this one! I ended reading this entire book in one day, I couldn’t put it down! This book is an interconnecting standalone and available now for purchase or you can download on kindle unlimited! Add to your tbr!
Merry Little Midlife Matchmaker is number 11 in the Hearts Cove Hotties series, and is a feel-good romance full of second chances and self-discovery. Recently divorced, Sean heads back to Heart’s Cove with his young son, hoping to lean on friends and family. There, he reconnects with Lizzy—his best friend’s younger sister and a divorced mom of two, who’s always putting everyone else first. But when Sean finally sees Lizzy as more than just his buddy’s sister, sparks fly.
During Thanksgiving, Lizzy’s family ropes her into finding Sean a date for New Year’s, and while she tries setting him up with others, their chemistry becomes hard to ignore. Both have to decide if risking their family ties is worth the chance at real happiness.
I've always been a big Lilian Monroe fan, and this book just adds to it. She blends humor, family, and romance into a story that’s relatable and charming. Sean's inner conflict about dating his best friend's sister is, at once, frustrating and very real, while Lizzy’s journey to put herself first is inspiring; the matchmaking angle adds a fun twist. If you’re into stories about love, single parenthood, and following your heart, this one’s a must-read!
I really wanted to like this book since I like all the other books in the series, but it was very hard to get past just how terribly selfish Lizzie's family is, how much Lizzie puts herself down throughout the entire book, and how she just acts as a doormat for everyone in her life. Honestly, the first 60% was just one big Debbie Downer episode of Lizzie feeling sorry for and talking down about herself. Then there's Sean who also wasn't the most appealing Hero since he felt sorry for himself as well and blamed himself for things that weren't his fault. He didn't feel he deserved happiness, Lizzie didn't think anyone would ever love her enough as she is and stand by her side. And just when things start getting good between them, the whole best friend's little sister trope rears its head and supposedly 40+ year old men decide to act like teens. Sean really let me down in that whole scene and it was hard to forgive and forget for me. I will say that both Sean and Lizzie were great parents, so at least they got that right.
The epilogue was cute, that's the only redeeming part of this book. Unfortunately, this book was just too depressing and made Lizzie and Sean both seem incredibly weak.
It is always hard to choose a favorite of Lilian’s books, but this is up there at the top (and I have read most of her books). Oh my gosh! The chemistry between Lizzie and Sean was pretty spicy! Loved the dynamic between the two of them. I love to read a great second time around romances in characters that have a little bit of life experiences. The good and the bad, and how they bounce back! Spoiler alert!! …. Although Sean pissed me off when he did not stick up for her with her brother. Especially the crud comments he made about his own sister to her face. What a jerk. I not sure if I could have come back and forgave him from that one. But, Lizzie was a gracious and forgiving person, so family and their relationships were mended. Love, love her backbone in standing her ground with her family though, and was super proud of that for her. Good going girl!! Plus, I think Sean did a good job of finally standing up for her to her brother in the end and then the big apology to repair their relationship! Another great job on a truly wonderful and heart felt story Ms. Monroe!
Oh my gosh you guys, this was so good I couldn’t put it down. It made my heart hurt as a recovering people pleaser, but also made my heart happy to see the FMC start standing up for herself. Honestly the new version of herself at the end of the book is #goals. These two together were magnetic and I was rooting for them the whole way. The slow burn from these two dancing around each other totally pays off! I’m going to have to go back and read this whole series now!
❤️ Tropes ❤️ 💋 best friend’s little sister 💋 slow burn 💋 divorced MC 💋 Christmas romance
Lizzie is tired. She’s a single mom, and not only does she do it all herself, it seems like she does it all for just about everyone else too. She tells herself that it’s fine and all she wants is to be a good mother, but when Sean moves back home she finds herself wishing for a partner. Her older brother volunteers her to matchmake for his best friend, but he shoot them all down after one date. She thinks he might be flirting with her and there was more than one kind of wood around when they put up the Christmas tree 😏 but he’s her brother’s best friend. And there’s no way he would be interested in a mom who has let herself go, right?
Thank you to Jess Beyond the Pages for the copy, all thoughts are my own.
Lizzie and Sean’s story is part of the Hearts Cove Hotties series but can be enjoyed as a standalone. You will definitely see some previous characters throughout the book. Sean's aunts, Dorothy and Margaret run the hotel in town. It's funny, steamy with just the right mix of emotions to have you smiling and crying. This story feels so familiar to me. I sometimes feel exactly like Lizzie, overlooked and feeling like I've lost my identity, there are a lot of moms that feel like this. Lizzie has spent so many years taking care of everyone around her and putting herself last. Sean has moved back to Hearts Cove with his son after his divorce. He's looking for a community and a better support system for himself and his son. Lizzie has been put in charge by her family to find someone to date Sean but its tough to play matchmaker for someone you'd like to date even if he is "off limits" because he's you're brothers best friend. Their story is the perfect addition to the Hearts Cove Hotties series.
Is it weird that I feel seen here? Maybe because most modern day FMC are in their early 30s or even 20s, it's fun to live in their heads for awhile but these FMC are both in their early 40s and are both divorced.
What I loved: - Lizzie finally finding her voice and setting boundaries with her family (I wanted to strangle her ex and her brother) - Sean finding the community he longed for, especially with his son becoming close friends with Lizzie's - the simplicity of the situation... Nothing crazy outlandish happening... Love in the every day setting (it was a bit of a palate cleanser read for me, given the histrom and PNR that I read)
What I didn't love: - Sean waffling with her (useless) brother, but I get it, we need some conflict