Rule #1 Never Call Him Grumpy

by Lily Love

Love is strength, love is support, and love makes a family complete!
Single dads everywhere are about to learn that love doesn't come with an instruction manual. These devoted fathers, balancing career demands with the joys and challenges of parenthood, find themselves crossing paths with women who see beyond their "dad" label.

Each story in 'Rules For Dating A Single Dad' celebrates the unique journey of finding love as a single father, showing that sometimes the most rewarding relationships are built on a foundation of Lego bricks and soccer practice sidelines.

This sweet series will be brimming with tender father-child moments, blossoming romances, and the beautiful chaos of blending lives and hearts. Coming June 2025.

117 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 1, 2025

Reviews

[Erica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I give this 4 1/2 Stars!!

I want to start by saying I received an ARC of this book. This is a clean romance book and part of the Rules For Dating A Single Dad series. The main characters are Darian and Linda. Darian is a single dad to Noah who is looking for a nanny. Linda is looking for a job as a nanny and hoping to get the job as nanny to Noah. Will Darian give her the job even though she is the opposite of everything in his life? Will Linda open her heart to the possibility of having a future with Darian and Noah? This book was so cute. I loved how Darian was such an amazing father to Noah. I loved how great Linda was for Darian and Noah. Noah is such a precious little boy. I loved the epilogue in this book too. I would say more but this is a short book and I don’t want to spoil anything. Overall, I really enjoyed this book.

[Terry T · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is a sweet small town, protective billionaire single dad, sunshine/grumpy, opposites attract, hockey romance with no cliffhanger.
Some of the lines I really like --- a clean button-down and jeans that hopefully signal "responsible single father" rather than "overwhelmed disaster." --- "Kids need structure, but they also need space to make mistakes and learn from them." -
--- "You never know what might happen when you let a little chaos into your carefully ordered world." --- "Life would be terribly boring if everything always went according to plan." --- "Children have a way of perceiving the truth about people, beneath all the armor adults wear." --- "He once told my investor that his mustache looked like a caterpillar having a nap on his face." --- Professional boundaries aren't the issue. Fear is. Fear of rejection, of loss, and of caring for people who might not care for me in return. --- "Some- times you have to get a little messy for the things that matter." --- "What if I'm tired of running away from things that matter?" --- "I think some rules are made to be broken. Especially the ones created out of fear rather than wisdom." ---
Noah is an adorable and curious 5 year old who loves dinosaurs. He'll steal your heart.
What's Aunt Maggie up to? What's Xuri up to? These and other questions will all be answered.
I loved Linda and Darian's story

[Rosanne Medill · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderfully sweet ebook!. I just loved it. Darian is interviewing for a new nanny. He is so busy with all of his business after his NHL days. He's busy with a call when his son answers the door. By the time Darian gets there, Linda a beautiful young woman has got his son's complete attention. She has instantly brought sunshine and this scares Darian. Uh oh Linda is sure in trouble. She feels an instant electric charge with Darian and knows it's forbidden so she fights her feelings and tries to keep things professional. The connection between them is so electric and their feelings are palpable but forbidden. Will Darian and Linda admit that it's worth breaking a few rules to build something lasting together? Can Linda keep Darian at a distance professionally and can she fight her fears because of a past nanny incident? Does Darian change his way of thinking and lose his grumpy ways and does he realize that Linda is more than a nanny and has his heart? This truly amazing author has written an exciting 5⭐️winner filled with drama and some rule breaking. I absolutely recommend you get this wonderful ebook. I loved it and so will you.

I received a free copy of this book via Lily's Loveland Girlies and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a quick read in which the author has given us readers a well written storyline that is not only romantic but it is heartwarming and tender as well. The storyline is of a widower's love (Darian) for his young son (Noah) and his determination to give Noah a good life after the loss of their wife/mother. At the start of the book, Noah’s nanny has quit and Darian is interviewing replacements. His first interview is with Linda. While she is very qualified and seems to know what little Noah needs from the moment she sits now, her bright, cheerful attitude spells trouble to Darian. So he says he’ll let her know, despite Noah’s determination to get her hired on the spot. When an emergency arises, Darian is forced to call Linda for help on a trial basis. From here the story takes us readers on quite the journey. A journey of smiles, laughs, heartache, self examination, love and determination from one small young man.

Grab it up asap, you won’t be sorry you did.

2 Thumbs Up and 5 Stars

[Sheri Bolinger · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was short, sweet, and amazing! I loved everything about it! It was a grumpy/sunshine shine romance that had nanny, Linda and boss, Darian, working to provide the stability Darien's son, Noah needed. I loved Linda's sunshine, her ability to see and connect the little things that were a part of Noah's personality with Darian, and her ability to see past the pro hockey Billionaire widow to the amazing dad beneath the structured walls. She epitomizes joy. It was neat to watch that infuse into their lives. Darian was that grump that really wasn't! He was the best to watch transform. It didn't take a ton because he was a loving dad who knew Noah needed structure but also to be a kid. They were both just missing a little sunshine! This story was just pure delight to read. It was quick but didn't feel rushed. It was wonderfully heartwarming!

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars
For me nothing is better than a grumpy/sunshine single dad/nanny romance. That's my jam when it comes to romance books. I can't pass one up. I'm so glad I read this one. I was hooked right from the beginning. This may have been a quick read, but it packed a punch for me. I loved how much light and fun Linda brings back into Darian and Noah's lives. She sure turns Darian's routine life into a spontaneous delight. Noah is such a dinosaur loving cutie. Linda is a bit cautious when it comes to Darian for good reason, but the man is going to prove he isn't like previous men. This book had such a great sense of humor. Loved the banter between characters. It made me wish this book was a bit longer, but I so loved the epilogue so much. I was all giddy seeing this little family in the future. A must read for sure!

[Praline 99 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nanny romance.
Linda is a young woman looking for a new nanny job after a complicated breakup with her former employer. So when she applies for a position with Darian, a former hockey star, she doesn't expect to fall head over heels for the single father.
Darian is a former hockey player and single father who lives isolated from the small town where he and his son live. When his nanny quits, he expects to find someone of a rather strict age, not Linda, a sunny young woman in her summer dresses.
Will Linda and Darian give in to their attraction, or will their differences tear them apart….

I received a free copy of this book via Lily's Loveland Girlies and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rule #1:  Never Call Him Grumpy is a story about a billionaire recluse, a widower with a young son that had shuffled everything to work from home but still needed a nanny.  When their original nanny quit Darian is set with the job of interviewing more nanny’s.  The first one was a hit with Noah but Darian said he would let her hear from him the end of the week after the other interviews all the while Noah is begging his Dad to hire her.   Later that day when Darian’s sister-in-law tells Linda to call and ask if he could use some help and suggested it would be like a test run, Darian and Noah fell in love with the nanny.  But, all is not going to run smoothly for them over the months to come.  Can they work things out in the end for Noah and Darian’s best interest?

 

[Liberty Munson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Darian needs a nanny for Noah after his current nanny moves away. Linda is sent by the agency, and she is all color and light to Darian's grey and control with a fortress around his heart. He knows that she will change his life, but when Noah gets sick, he hires her. She does change his life, but she has fears of her own that makes her push him away. Eventually, she takes a chance for their HEA.

There is a lot to like about this story. The plot is well paced, and you will fall in love with Noah and his observations about the world that he shares with the adults (from the mouths of babes and all that). This is a sweet single dad falls for the nanny love story.

I received a free copy of this book via Lily's Loveland Girlies and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[N.D. Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the story of Linda, the nanny in her bright and colorful dresses, and Darian the former hockey player turned tech billionaire with the adorable dinosaur-lovin' little boy.

I didn't find Darian all that grumpy but he was a little bit gruff and I understood why. He was protective and gunshy about opening up his heart and his life to anyone who could hurt him or his son, but Linda was an unstoppable force with her eternal sunshine, hopeful nature and obvious love for her charge...and his son.

The story was good and engaging but I just wished there was more in the romance department other than quiet longing. Lily Love did a good job at giving us their inner thoughts and the way they worked as a team, but there needed to be a bit more romance.

[Wendy Livingstone · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first in a new series, and this is Darian and Linda’s story.
Darian is a widower, and single dad to his son Noah, and he leaves behind the chaos of pro hockey and billion-dollar boardrooms, for the peace of small-town living, where he can focus on his son. Linda is sassy and full of life, and she is hired as Noah’s nanny. Linda turns Darian’s world upside down and breaks through the barriers around his heart.
This is a well written easy to read story, with family, friendships, emotions, loss, grief, grumpy / sunshine, opposites attract, humor, witty banter, healing, and love, which leads to an entertaining, and heartwarming, addictive page turner.
I look forward to reading more from this talented author whose work I highly recommend.

[Julianne Dombrowski · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story starts out with Darian losing his wife the year prior. He’s had a nanny for the past year, but she decided to move out of town. It’s back to square one.
The first interview shows up exactly when she supposed to and I open the door and there she stands. Darian was thinking this woman is all wrong for being a nanny. She’s not old like nannies are supposed to or so he thought.
Linda is her name she’s got curves, sass and bright opinions. She’s wrong for the job, but she’s interviews the best so she’s hired.
The more Darian and no, I spend with her the more him and Noah start to heal.
But he has rules, the funny thing is so does Linda.
But sometimes rules are meant to be broken.
Lily thank you so much for this wonderful work of this book. It was such your joy to read!

[Shuvai · Rating 5 out of 5]

Never Call Him Grumpy by Lilly Love is a heartwarming short novel that will capture your heart. The story follows Linda, a nanny who begins working for Darian, taking care of his adorable 5-year-old son, Noah. From their initial nanny interview to the joyful happily ever after, this romance novella is a delightful ride. Linda's past experiences make her cautious about opening her heart, but Noah's innocence and charm slowly win her over, and eventually, she finds herself falling for Darian too. This beautifully written tale is a wholesome romance that will leave you smiling.

I received a free copy of this book via Lily's Loveland Girlies and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[PlotTwist_Addict · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a sweet fast-paced heartwarming closed door romance story. If you like small town romances and single dads give this one a whirl

Darian is a very private and consider to be grumpy single dad to Noah a sweet 5 year old boy is obsessed with dinosaurs. When the previous nanny is now off living her life and he’s on the look for a new nanny is comes Linda a bright colourful cheery and bubbly lady who is looking for a job. She instantly connects with Noah. But Darian worries so it to colourful and will change their peaceful dull life with her bright shining personality.

Will she get the job?

[Theresa Lambe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh geez, there went my heart to a grumpy ex hockey player and the sunny new nanny! These two were just perfect for each other.

Linda is the perfect nanny for Darian, brightness, sweetness, and cuteness....but he can't think of that last one. In fact, he questions the other two just given his own more reserved ways...which everyone thinks makes him grumpy. But that's not quite the truth. And Linda can see that. But she also knows that she can't fall for him and the boy given her past work history, but when the heart wants something, it'd hard to stop it.

Don't miss this adorable read that gives all the feels and vibes you'd want.

[Tami Willard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some of the characters overlap with other books. Reading in order recommended. After the death of his wife he gave up hockey to care for their son. Now he's needing a new nanny. She's one of the candidates. His son loves her instantly but she scares him. He knows if he chooses her she's going to upend their lives. How long will their relationship stay professional? Who gets scared first?.

I received a copy of this book via Lily's Loveland Girlies and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Bonnie Theel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Darian was a professional hockey player who left everything behind after his wife's death and moved with his son to Passion Pointe, TN. He needed a nanny for his son while he worked from home.

Linda had previous experience as a nanny, so she applied for the job. Would she be what he was looking for? Or would he need to keep searching? I really enjoyed this story.

I received a free ARC, and this is my honest opinion.

[Reader_for_LifeTLG · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sweet fun read - Little Noah's need for a new caregiver brings his pancake-burning father together with his own personal wonder woman. Linda Carter is the ray of sunshine Noah and Darian needed, even if neither of the adults was looking for a relationship. An endearingly sweet read with wonderful characters who made me smile and laugh.

I received a free copy of this book via Lily's Loveland Girlies and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Ineta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing short read in Rules for Dating a Single Dad series.
Amazing characters who care for Noah, 5 years old kid. When Single Dad Darian looks for Nanny they both meet unexpected hurricane of a woman, who is everything he has been avoided.
Loved the story, their fears, distancing, professional boundaries. Sweet and heartwarming romance in small town - Passion Pointe.
Enjoyed it so much.

I received a free copy of this book via Lily's Loveland Girlies and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Marichus Real · Rating 5 out of 5]

Linda is looking for a nanny position and fights to have one specifically.
Darian needs a nanny to take care of his son, Noah, while he is working.
This story was sweet and heartwarming. It is about two people who fall in love, but they are afraid of crossing the line between employer and employee.
I love Noah; he just saw through Linda and loved her from the beginning.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Karen Brasher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rule #1 Never Call Him Grumpy

This is such a short and sweet story. Darian Myers is a single dad who is in need of a new nanny. He was a professional hockey player who retired and moved to Passion Pointe, TN when his wife died. Linda Carter is the opposite of what he is looking for in a nanny but his son falls in love with her immediately. The longer they work together raising his son, the harder it is to keep a professional relationship.

[Kris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got shades of Mary Poppins with the FMC, but the dinosaurs and the small town and everything??? Super cute.

It has a tiny bit of angst - more due to the FMC’s history, but resolved fairly quickly. The ending - the cutest found family ending ever!.

I received a free copy of this book via Lily's Loveland Girlies and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Chandra Luna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short story with a fast pace- sweet little 5 yo boy needs a nanny and his dad is a little worried that this woman is going to change their lives forever. Good thing he takes a chance and he ends up with a HEA.

I received a free copy of this book via Lily's Loveland Girlies and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Suze82 · Rating 4 out of 5]

perspective
More often we read books about single moms struggling so I found this perspective interesting and refreshing. Darian is such a wonderful father for Noah- I liked how he put his son´s needs firste in spite of his own doubts concerning Linda who turned out to be exactly what they both needed in the end.

[Cathy Brockman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is book one In a new series. It's short so an afternoon or evening read.
I love single dad and Nanny books.
Noah is so cute. This is a really good sweet, clean romance. I really enjoyed it. If you like grumpy sunshine , agegap, nanny/ boss, small town romance and a clean romance you will love this.

[Carrie McCauley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not your typical nanny and billionaire romance. This is a clean small town romance. However, that nanny I mentioned will turn the town and that billionaire upside down. I was glad to see the nanny dynamic changed a bit. A slightly older than the typical 20's nanny and full of sass. I loved this small town romance. So creative when it came to activities for the son.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a sweet family romance !!! I absolutely loved it. Little Noah is so sweet and innocent!!! I liked how Linda tried so hard not to fall for her Darian, but who could resist little Noah!!! A definite recommendation. This was an ARC book !!!!

[G · Rating 5 out of 5]

Linda, Darian and Noah are just amazing characters. Full of life and love, it is a joy to read their story. This book will make you smile and laugh out loud, just wonderful.

I received a free copy of this book via Lily's Loveland Girlies and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Lilian · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first time reading this author and it was a lovely introduction. If you love single dad / nanny romances, you would love this.

It is also a relatively quick read and there were also many fun moments especially when Darian and Linda were spending time together with cute Noah.

[D. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Linda and Darian seemed to have all their rules set. But they didn't work. I enjoyed this quick weekend read where I got lost in their story.

I received a free copy of this book via Lily's Loveland Girlies and am voluntarily leaving a review.