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Blossom Beach #4
Beautiful Surprise
When I wake up next to my best friend’s brother after a night of bottom shelf tequila and a sizzling one night stand, I do my best to pretend the whole thing never happened.
Until six weeks later, when two pink lines derail my every plan.
Not only is Graham Astor the brother to my three closest friends and the boy I secretly crushed on for years as a teenager, but he’s also a single dad and a grieving widower.
With a new career on my horizon, I don’t have time for complicated or messy—everything Graham and this news brings—and yet, when he expresses how much he wants this, I can’t deny how much I do too.
Even if that means I might wind up heartbroken later.
Navigating this new reality and everything that comes along with it quickly becomes a test of my willpower and self-control as he continues to say all the right things and shows up for me, even when I don’t ask him to. The more time we spend together, the harder it is to keep my feelings out of it.
Especially when I move in with him, and the memory of his hot breath on my neck and the weight of his body on mine haunts me, reminding me of the blazing chemistry we shared.
I tell myself I won’t fall in love with Graham—not again—I swear, I won’t.
But then he looks at me the way he does, or he talks to my belly, telling our growing baby how lucky he is to be their dad, or I watch how incredible he is with his daughter, and it’s impossible not to.
It’s impossible not to picture what our life could be like together, in love and as a family.
But then I think about how the truth of our beautiful little surprise, and all the history we share, will come out eventually.
What if the fantasy in my head is as close as I’ll ever get to being loved by him?
Until six weeks later, when two pink lines derail my every plan.
Not only is Graham Astor the brother to my three closest friends and the boy I secretly crushed on for years as a teenager, but he’s also a single dad and a grieving widower.
With a new career on my horizon, I don’t have time for complicated or messy—everything Graham and this news brings—and yet, when he expresses how much he wants this, I can’t deny how much I do too.
Even if that means I might wind up heartbroken later.
Navigating this new reality and everything that comes along with it quickly becomes a test of my willpower and self-control as he continues to say all the right things and shows up for me, even when I don’t ask him to. The more time we spend together, the harder it is to keep my feelings out of it.
Especially when I move in with him, and the memory of his hot breath on my neck and the weight of his body on mine haunts me, reminding me of the blazing chemistry we shared.
I tell myself I won’t fall in love with Graham—not again—I swear, I won’t.
But then he looks at me the way he does, or he talks to my belly, telling our growing baby how lucky he is to be their dad, or I watch how incredible he is with his daughter, and it’s impossible not to.
It’s impossible not to picture what our life could be like together, in love and as a family.
But then I think about how the truth of our beautiful little surprise, and all the history we share, will come out eventually.
What if the fantasy in my head is as close as I’ll ever get to being loved by him?
312 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 17, 2025
36 people are currently reading
463 people want to read
About the author
A. James
4 books45 followersA. James is a pseudonym for the romance author Ashley James.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 182 reviews
November 18, 2025
📚🎧STORY & AUDIO Review🎧📚
I’m not even sure I can express how in love I am with this story. The way it was told and unfolded was a thing of beauty. The moments in the “past” were perfectly timed and gave the right amount of context to understand the present. The level of emotional depth that weaved itself throughout the entirety of this journey was a thing of beauty. The growth development of all characters and circumstances was real and relatable and very organic. Beautiful Surprise felt like a balm to the soul and a sweet summer breeze. It was a #swoonfest from beginning to end and so beautifully endearing. I’m all kinds of emotional all over again writing these few words.
The 🎙️DUET narration by 🎤Teddy Hamilton & Vanessa Edwin🎤 honestly left me speechless. Vanessa & Teddy were born to bring Charley & Graham to life. They are both powerhouses in their own right and as a team they "Brought the house down", as they say. 👏🌻👏🌻👏
I’m not even sure I can express how in love I am with this story. The way it was told and unfolded was a thing of beauty. The moments in the “past” were perfectly timed and gave the right amount of context to understand the present. The level of emotional depth that weaved itself throughout the entirety of this journey was a thing of beauty. The growth development of all characters and circumstances was real and relatable and very organic. Beautiful Surprise felt like a balm to the soul and a sweet summer breeze. It was a #swoonfest from beginning to end and so beautifully endearing. I’m all kinds of emotional all over again writing these few words.
The 🎙️DUET narration by 🎤Teddy Hamilton & Vanessa Edwin🎤 honestly left me speechless. Vanessa & Teddy were born to bring Charley & Graham to life. They are both powerhouses in their own right and as a team they "Brought the house down", as they say. 👏🌻👏🌻👏
November 22, 2025
3.5⭐️
November 29, 2025
I was excited for this book in the series after seeing Graham with his wife and daughter as side characters, and I really wanted to learn more about them. In the rest of the series, he’s married and they’ve just had a baby. There’s no mention of turmoil or any issues with them. At the beginning of this book, we learn that not only were they having marital issues, but his wife had an affair with his best friend, and then she died? There was so much drama here for Graham and he was just kind of chill about it.
We learn about all of this as if there was already mentions of it all happening in the other books. Sometimes when big events happen to side characters we’ll hear about it from the perspective of the other books’ main characters, and then get all the juicy details in said side character’s own book. That was not what happened here at all. I kept pausing and wondering, ‘did I miss something in the other books?’. We never learn what kind of accident occurred that caused his wife’s death, never learned what happened regarding their marriage prior to her death, or anything about any kind of fallout with his friend she cheated on him with. I expected some sort of conflict between him and the ex-friend, but he was never on page except for the high school scenes set in the past. A lot of this information felt relevant to include, considering all of these big changes had to occur to get Graham open to being a romantic interest with an entire book for him.
Charley was awful. Honestly, she was terrible. Her issues with communication stem from witnessing her parents argue with one another while growing up. She doesn’t speak up for herself or allow herself to have love because she’s afraid that bad things will come next. The reasoning behind why she is how she is just didn't seem like enough of an explanation. She takes what she wants then runs away from anything real after causing chaos. She takes Graham’s virginity, strings him along for months, then cuts him off for no good reason and ceases communicating with him at all. Then out of the blue he calls to say he misses her while he’s in college and she initiates drunk phone sex, then coldly tells him not to call her next time he misses her. What? Like you got what you wanted and then dipped, again. Charley also can't do anything without the sisters' input or approval, which was really strange to me. She's keeping her relationship with Graham a secret because she fears they wouldn't approve, and is only fine with continuing the relationship because they end up being okay with it.
I’m disappointed with this book. I really felt like the author was finding her stride in this series and that this was going to be the best book of them all, but I was quite wrong. Things felt left on the table that could have really developed the story. There was zero character development. The spice was good, but I honestly expected more from a book billed as a contemporary romance. Too much focus on the intimate scenes and not enough spent on what was actually happening to the characters. Thank you for the advanced copy, this has been my honest review.
We learn about all of this as if there was already mentions of it all happening in the other books. Sometimes when big events happen to side characters we’ll hear about it from the perspective of the other books’ main characters, and then get all the juicy details in said side character’s own book. That was not what happened here at all. I kept pausing and wondering, ‘did I miss something in the other books?’. We never learn what kind of accident occurred that caused his wife’s death, never learned what happened regarding their marriage prior to her death, or anything about any kind of fallout with his friend she cheated on him with. I expected some sort of conflict between him and the ex-friend, but he was never on page except for the high school scenes set in the past. A lot of this information felt relevant to include, considering all of these big changes had to occur to get Graham open to being a romantic interest with an entire book for him.
Charley was awful. Honestly, she was terrible. Her issues with communication stem from witnessing her parents argue with one another while growing up. She doesn’t speak up for herself or allow herself to have love because she’s afraid that bad things will come next. The reasoning behind why she is how she is just didn't seem like enough of an explanation. She takes what she wants then runs away from anything real after causing chaos. She takes Graham’s virginity, strings him along for months, then cuts him off for no good reason and ceases communicating with him at all. Then out of the blue he calls to say he misses her while he’s in college and she initiates drunk phone sex, then coldly tells him not to call her next time he misses her. What? Like you got what you wanted and then dipped, again. Charley also can't do anything without the sisters' input or approval, which was really strange to me. She's keeping her relationship with Graham a secret because she fears they wouldn't approve, and is only fine with continuing the relationship because they end up being okay with it.
I’m disappointed with this book. I really felt like the author was finding her stride in this series and that this was going to be the best book of them all, but I was quite wrong. Things felt left on the table that could have really developed the story. There was zero character development. The spice was good, but I honestly expected more from a book billed as a contemporary romance. Too much focus on the intimate scenes and not enough spent on what was actually happening to the characters. Thank you for the advanced copy, this has been my honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 1, 2025
This series just keeps getting better and better. I have loved each book in the series but this is by far my favorite. I absolutely love these characters and the story behind Graham and Charley.
Graham, the brother of the girls in Blossom Beach, is learning to live life as a single dad with a toddler. Graham is healing from the death of his wife and the loss of their "marriage" years ago.
Charley is working towards her EMT certification and has a lot on her plate. Finding out that her boyfriend cheated leaves her angry and headed for a drink.
The two meet at the local bar and have a few drinks to forget their pain for a night. And forget they do...while they reignite a spark from years ago. The next morning, Charley sneaks out to clear her mind, and they do a great job avoiding each other and the situation - until they can't anymore.
The two rekindle a spark but Charley is scared. Graham's family is basically her family and she worries that something will go wrong. Graham is all in. He just needs Charley to be on board.
As the months tick by, things are changing. The two are realizing that their spark never died. Rekindling the spark brings them all of the feelings, fears and memories. It also brings them together in some absolutely beautiful ways.
THIS BOOK is so real and raw and beautiful. I can't say enough. Graham and Charley are everything.
Story: 5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Characters: 5/5 🫂🫂🫂🫂🫂
Spice: 5/5 🍆🍆🍆🍆🍆
All the feels: 5/5 🫠🥵🥹🤤🙃
Graham, the brother of the girls in Blossom Beach, is learning to live life as a single dad with a toddler. Graham is healing from the death of his wife and the loss of their "marriage" years ago.
Charley is working towards her EMT certification and has a lot on her plate. Finding out that her boyfriend cheated leaves her angry and headed for a drink.
The two meet at the local bar and have a few drinks to forget their pain for a night. And forget they do...while they reignite a spark from years ago. The next morning, Charley sneaks out to clear her mind, and they do a great job avoiding each other and the situation - until they can't anymore.
The two rekindle a spark but Charley is scared. Graham's family is basically her family and she worries that something will go wrong. Graham is all in. He just needs Charley to be on board.
As the months tick by, things are changing. The two are realizing that their spark never died. Rekindling the spark brings them all of the feelings, fears and memories. It also brings them together in some absolutely beautiful ways.
THIS BOOK is so real and raw and beautiful. I can't say enough. Graham and Charley are everything.
Story: 5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Characters: 5/5 🫂🫂🫂🫂🫂
Spice: 5/5 🍆🍆🍆🍆🍆
All the feels: 5/5 🫠🥵🥹🤤🙃
November 18, 2025
ARC Review 🌻
Book : Beautiful Surprise
Author : @authorashleyjames (A. James)
Rating : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice : 🌶️🌶️.5
—————————————————
Thank you so much Ashley James & @theauthor.agency for the opportunity to receive this arc in exchange for my honest opinion . Happy release day !
This is book 4 in the blossom beach series and I absolutely loved it . I’ve arc read this whole series, each and every story is beautiful and have such incredible characters .
I was absolutely go feral over these tropes . Best friends brother , accidental pregnancy , widowed single dad , forced proximity , second chance , small town romance .
The story was so emotional , full of heart and the audio kept me captivated from start to finish . The chemistry between the two , and the love between them melted my heart . I listened to the book in one sitting and I couldn’t get enough of Graham and Charley . Vanessa’s Edwin and Teddy Hamilton did such a phenomenal job bringing this beautiful story to life .
Graham is such a golden retriever . He was truly the perfect mmc for Charley . Their love stemmed from early on in life . After a one night stand and Charley finding out she was pregnant .. he stood by her for every moment and supported her a way every man should support women regardless if it’s just friends or something more .
Charley I absolutely adored . Her personality was so likeable and her strength is admirable . The relationship she developed with grahams daughter was so sweet and the decisions she faced with accidental pregnancy she faced with strength and courage .
•
Book : Beautiful Surprise
Author : @authorashleyjames (A. James)
Rating : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice : 🌶️🌶️.5
—————————————————
Thank you so much Ashley James & @theauthor.agency for the opportunity to receive this arc in exchange for my honest opinion . Happy release day !
This is book 4 in the blossom beach series and I absolutely loved it . I’ve arc read this whole series, each and every story is beautiful and have such incredible characters .
I was absolutely go feral over these tropes . Best friends brother , accidental pregnancy , widowed single dad , forced proximity , second chance , small town romance .
The story was so emotional , full of heart and the audio kept me captivated from start to finish . The chemistry between the two , and the love between them melted my heart . I listened to the book in one sitting and I couldn’t get enough of Graham and Charley . Vanessa’s Edwin and Teddy Hamilton did such a phenomenal job bringing this beautiful story to life .
Graham is such a golden retriever . He was truly the perfect mmc for Charley . Their love stemmed from early on in life . After a one night stand and Charley finding out she was pregnant .. he stood by her for every moment and supported her a way every man should support women regardless if it’s just friends or something more .
Charley I absolutely adored . Her personality was so likeable and her strength is admirable . The relationship she developed with grahams daughter was so sweet and the decisions she faced with accidental pregnancy she faced with strength and courage .
•
November 28, 2025
ARC Review: Thank you to Ashley James and The Author Agency for sending me an advanced copy to read and review
Beautiful Surprise was the perfect book to end the Blossom Beach series. I love the fact that the characters in this series are so supportive of each other. It makes for such a low-drama, low-angst read.
The second chance aspect between Charley and Graham was very well done. I enjoyed the flashbacks to their previous relationship.
If an author were to see out to write the perfect man, Graham would be it. He’s already a father to Ellie May, and he’s raising her alone. He listens to Charley and is supportive. He’s a gentleman in the streets, but he’s got a filthy mouth in the sheets!
Charley was raised by parents who fought constantly, and as a result, she has a hard time expressing herself in a relationship. She had a hard time coming around to the idea that she and Graham could make things work a second time. I’m so glad Graham didn’t give up on her.
Beautiful Surprise was the perfect book to end the Blossom Beach series. I love the fact that the characters in this series are so supportive of each other. It makes for such a low-drama, low-angst read.
The second chance aspect between Charley and Graham was very well done. I enjoyed the flashbacks to their previous relationship.
If an author were to see out to write the perfect man, Graham would be it. He’s already a father to Ellie May, and he’s raising her alone. He listens to Charley and is supportive. He’s a gentleman in the streets, but he’s got a filthy mouth in the sheets!
Charley was raised by parents who fought constantly, and as a result, she has a hard time expressing herself in a relationship. She had a hard time coming around to the idea that she and Graham could make things work a second time. I’m so glad Graham didn’t give up on her.
November 18, 2025
Audio Review: Beautiful Surprise (Blossom Beach #4) by A. James
Narrated by Vanessa Edwin and Teddy Hamilton
✨ Just finished Beautiful Surprise and my heart is full. This fourth Blossom Beach book delivers all the feels—unexpected pregnancy, slow-burn romance, and a single dad who’ll steal your heart.
Charley and Graham’s story is messy, tender, and oh-so-human. It’s not just about falling in love—it’s about healing, risking everything, and finding beauty in the chaos.
If you love small-town charm, emotional depth, and love stories that grow in the quiet moments… this one’s for you. 🌊💛
🎧 Vanessa Edwin and Teddy Hamilton nailed it. Their performances as Charley and Graham were pitch-perfect: emotionally rich, totally believable, and full of chemistry.
Edwin brings Charley’s vulnerability and strength to life, while Hamilton captures Graham’s quiet depth with ease. Even the supporting characters shine thanks to their range and delivery.
Tropes:
Friends brother
Surprise pregnancy
Forced proximity
Single dad
One night stand
Small town romance
Second chance love
Found family
Content Warnings:
Cheating -off page
Loss of Spouse -off page
Abortion-talk
#BeautifulSurprise #BlossomBeachSeries #RomanceReads #BookTok #SingleDadRomance #EmotionalReads #SlowBurnLove
Narrated by Vanessa Edwin and Teddy Hamilton
✨ Just finished Beautiful Surprise and my heart is full. This fourth Blossom Beach book delivers all the feels—unexpected pregnancy, slow-burn romance, and a single dad who’ll steal your heart.
Charley and Graham’s story is messy, tender, and oh-so-human. It’s not just about falling in love—it’s about healing, risking everything, and finding beauty in the chaos.
If you love small-town charm, emotional depth, and love stories that grow in the quiet moments… this one’s for you. 🌊💛
🎧 Vanessa Edwin and Teddy Hamilton nailed it. Their performances as Charley and Graham were pitch-perfect: emotionally rich, totally believable, and full of chemistry.
Edwin brings Charley’s vulnerability and strength to life, while Hamilton captures Graham’s quiet depth with ease. Even the supporting characters shine thanks to their range and delivery.
Tropes:
Friends brother
Surprise pregnancy
Forced proximity
Single dad
One night stand
Small town romance
Second chance love
Found family
Content Warnings:
Cheating -off page
Loss of Spouse -off page
Abortion-talk
#BeautifulSurprise #BlossomBeachSeries #RomanceReads #BookTok #SingleDadRomance #EmotionalReads #SlowBurnLove
November 15, 2025
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌶️🌶️🌶️
Beautiful Surprise is the 4th book in the Blossom Beach series. This was a sweet and emotional second chance romance with accidental pregnancy.
Graham is Charley's best friends' brother and first love. They secretly dated as teens until things ended when Charley went off to college. Now Graham is a single dad to one the most adorable little toddler girl Ellie Mae. Graham and Charley end up spending one night together which leads to a surprise pregnancy. I loved that Charley told him about the pregnancy immediately and how supportive Graham was for her right to choose. It was emotional to see them go through that struggle, but Charley decided she couldn't go through with it and wanted their baby.
Graham moves Charley into his house, and they slowly start to see where things could go with them. I loved how they started to fall for each other again while going through the stages of pregnancy together. They had amazing chemistry, and Graham was the perfect, supportive man.
AUDIOBOOK REVIEW
🎤Duet narration by Teddy Hamilton & Vanessa Edwin
The duet narration was perfect with Teddy Hamilton and Vanessa Edwin delivering emotional performances. I thought Vanessa Edwin did a great job displaying all the angst, stress, and emotion Charley was going through. She also did the perfect voice for the toddler. Teddy Hamilton always delivers a top-notch performance and continues to be my favorite narrator.
Thank you to the Author Agency for providing the ALC.
🌶️🌶️🌶️
Beautiful Surprise is the 4th book in the Blossom Beach series. This was a sweet and emotional second chance romance with accidental pregnancy.
Graham is Charley's best friends' brother and first love. They secretly dated as teens until things ended when Charley went off to college. Now Graham is a single dad to one the most adorable little toddler girl Ellie Mae. Graham and Charley end up spending one night together which leads to a surprise pregnancy. I loved that Charley told him about the pregnancy immediately and how supportive Graham was for her right to choose. It was emotional to see them go through that struggle, but Charley decided she couldn't go through with it and wanted their baby.
Graham moves Charley into his house, and they slowly start to see where things could go with them. I loved how they started to fall for each other again while going through the stages of pregnancy together. They had amazing chemistry, and Graham was the perfect, supportive man.
AUDIOBOOK REVIEW
🎤Duet narration by Teddy Hamilton & Vanessa Edwin
The duet narration was perfect with Teddy Hamilton and Vanessa Edwin delivering emotional performances. I thought Vanessa Edwin did a great job displaying all the angst, stress, and emotion Charley was going through. She also did the perfect voice for the toddler. Teddy Hamilton always delivers a top-notch performance and continues to be my favorite narrator.
Thank you to the Author Agency for providing the ALC.
November 15, 2025
This is the 4th installment of the Blossom Beach Series by A. James. This series is spicy, fun, and so dang addicting. This is Graham and Charley’s story, which I have been DYING for!
If you’re a lover of second chances, it’s always been you, best friends brother, single dad, mutual pining (you know, all the good stuff) this book is definitely going to be right up your alley!
What I love most about this story was the emotional aspects. These two have known each other for years, they grew up around one another, and Charley has been friends with his sisters forever. The family dynamic for this is perfection. I love the drop everything and come when there’s a problem kind of vibe all these books provide. And just watching Charley and Graham find their footing in this new normal was too cute.
The growing love between these two was electric. I couldn’t get enough. I was lucky enough to receive the ALC from @theauthoragency and Teddy Hamilton was perfection when it came to narrating Graham 😍 those spicy scenes are something else 🫠🫠🫠 Vanessa Edwin did just as well with Charely. There were a lot of emotional moments throughout the story that these narrators gave me goosebumps. So dang amazing at what they do!!
I can’t wait to see what A. James gives me next, I’m honestly convinced she can’t write a bad romance novel if she tried!
If you’re a lover of second chances, it’s always been you, best friends brother, single dad, mutual pining (you know, all the good stuff) this book is definitely going to be right up your alley!
What I love most about this story was the emotional aspects. These two have known each other for years, they grew up around one another, and Charley has been friends with his sisters forever. The family dynamic for this is perfection. I love the drop everything and come when there’s a problem kind of vibe all these books provide. And just watching Charley and Graham find their footing in this new normal was too cute.
The growing love between these two was electric. I couldn’t get enough. I was lucky enough to receive the ALC from @theauthoragency and Teddy Hamilton was perfection when it came to narrating Graham 😍 those spicy scenes are something else 🫠🫠🫠 Vanessa Edwin did just as well with Charely. There were a lot of emotional moments throughout the story that these narrators gave me goosebumps. So dang amazing at what they do!!
I can’t wait to see what A. James gives me next, I’m honestly convinced she can’t write a bad romance novel if she tried!
November 22, 2025
What a fantastic ending to this series. I went through so many emotions while reading this book. Charley was guarded but Graham was there every day to prove to her that they were worth the risk.
Charley and Graham grew up together since she was his sisters' best friend. They always had feelings for each other and during the end of high school, they grew closer but kept their relationship a secret. She was scared his sisters would hate her for being with him. They split and both tried to move on. Only to be brought together after many years apart. Leading to a surprise pregnancy and more difficulty hiding their true feelings for each other.
Charley and Graham grew up together since she was his sisters' best friend. They always had feelings for each other and during the end of high school, they grew closer but kept their relationship a secret. She was scared his sisters would hate her for being with him. They split and both tried to move on. Only to be brought together after many years apart. Leading to a surprise pregnancy and more difficulty hiding their true feelings for each other.
December 14, 2025
This was the sweetest book of the series, and I loved every moment. Most people don’t get a second chance with their first loves, but Charley and Graham were the lucky ones.
This book, this series, this entire cast of characters show us love has many forms and the family we create is as important as the family we have no control over.
This book, this series, this entire cast of characters show us love has many forms and the family we create is as important as the family we have no control over.
November 17, 2025
ARC Review: 2.5
I had really high hopes because there were so many tropes I love but it just unfortunately fell flat for me. The dialogue felt extremely unnatural and they also did not talk like adults in their 30’s. I would expect the interactions during their teenage flashbacks to be significantly different from present day but they were not :/
I also still do not understand why she wouldn’t let herself date him and on top of that, they went from avoiding eachother to just non stop spice out of NOWHERE. I appreciate the arc and I’m sure plenty of people will love this but it unfortunately wasnt for me.
I had really high hopes because there were so many tropes I love but it just unfortunately fell flat for me. The dialogue felt extremely unnatural and they also did not talk like adults in their 30’s. I would expect the interactions during their teenage flashbacks to be significantly different from present day but they were not :/
I also still do not understand why she wouldn’t let herself date him and on top of that, they went from avoiding eachother to just non stop spice out of NOWHERE. I appreciate the arc and I’m sure plenty of people will love this but it unfortunately wasnt for me.
November 18, 2025
5 Star Review Beautiful Surprise (Blossom Beach#4) by A. James
eBook/Audio
A. James is a new author to me and I can’t believe I have not come across their books before.
Beautiful Surprise is Graham and Charley’s second chance at love story and it was a well written and entertaining read/listen.
You cannot help but be drawn into the story the author weaves.
Both have had feelings for the other since they were in their teens but fate has been against them. Now due to a passionate one night stand they are going to be tied together forever.
The characters were easy to relate to and I found myself drawn to them. What follows is a story that will keep your attention.
This is a slow burn story that was enhanced by the entertaining narration by Teddy Hamilton & Vanessa Edwin. Their performances brought the characters and story to life. Not only are their voices easy to listen to, but they brought humour and romance to their performances.
When time permits I am going to read the other books in the series.
eBook/Audio
A. James is a new author to me and I can’t believe I have not come across their books before.
Beautiful Surprise is Graham and Charley’s second chance at love story and it was a well written and entertaining read/listen.
You cannot help but be drawn into the story the author weaves.
Both have had feelings for the other since they were in their teens but fate has been against them. Now due to a passionate one night stand they are going to be tied together forever.
The characters were easy to relate to and I found myself drawn to them. What follows is a story that will keep your attention.
This is a slow burn story that was enhanced by the entertaining narration by Teddy Hamilton & Vanessa Edwin. Their performances brought the characters and story to life. Not only are their voices easy to listen to, but they brought humour and romance to their performances.
When time permits I am going to read the other books in the series.
November 16, 2025
ARC & ALC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review
A. James couldn't have chosen a better way to close her first series! Graham & Charley's story exceeded my expectations: it was everything I hoped for and so much more, with those flashbacks the author gave me, the beautiful love story this couple shares, the lovely family they build with Ellie Mae throughout the book, and those moments between Graham & Grace that melted my heart.
Graham was the last of the Astors we hadn't met, and I think the one we knew the least about until now AND it truly broke my heart to learn of the distance between him and Grace, and the situations he went through in his marriage with Megan, but I really loved that the book began with Graham knowing how to move forward with his young daughter. This man became my favorite in the series, along with Everett, I loved his flirtatious personality, a bit more serious than his sisters', a loving, sweet dad, and a charming man who only melted my heart as his story unfolded.
I always liked Charley a lot, but for some strange reason, I hadn't realized she would be Graham's love interest. So, as silly as it might sound, I was thrilled to discover she would be our final heroine in this series. I loved reading about her fun and playful teenage personality and how she evolved into an adult without losing her essence and that charming side that drove her friends' brother crazy. It was very sad to read about her family life and how it marked her forever, but I was so glad to know that Graham's family were ALWAYS there for her when she needed them most. I also loved reading about her unconditionally supporting Graham in achieving his dreams.
One of the things I enjoyed most about Beautiful Surprise and Charley & Graham's love story was how A. James showed me the temporal duality of their love story, making me fall in love with them, suffer when things got tough, and understand Charley's fears and insecurities much better, as well as Graham's desire to make things work between them. I also loved the direction the author took with the plot, how complicated things seem for this couple at first, and how everything gradually changes with Ellie Mae falling in love with Charley as much as her dad did, giving me the most adorable moments, and Graham, who is always ready to make Charley feel loved and who finally finds the love, respect, and support he always deserved.
🎧Audiobook Review🎧
🍼Narrators: Vanessa Edwin & Teddy Hamilton
💛Duet Narration
🍼Narration: 5/5
This audiobook is going straight to my list of favorites this year. It was everything I hoped for from the story when I read it, and it melted my heart even more to hear these narrators bring Graham & Charley's love to life.
I think there was no one better than Vanessa Edwin to portray such a quirky, brave, funny woman with a heart as big as Charley, I thoroughly enjoyed listening to her loving Ellie Mae as much as Graham, being charming, vulnerable, and fighting for the love of her life, for her unborn baby, and to fulfill her dreams. She's definitely my favorite narrator.
And speaking of favorites, this is my favorite Teddy Hamilton audiobook! He was the perfect Graham. I loved hearing him bring to life this tender man, so committed to Charley, Ellie Mae, and the new baby. I also loved hearing him in those moments with Grace because I didn't expect to love their beautiful bond so much, a bond that sometimes drives Graham crazy in the most adorable and funny way.
🍼Graham: 5/5
🍼Charley: 5/5
🍼Plot: 5/5
🍼Love story: 5/5
🍼Supporting characters: 4.5/5
🍼Universe: 5/5
🍼Cover: 5/5
🥵: 2/5
ARC & ALC amablemente proporcionada por la autora a cambio de una reseña honesta
A. James no pudo haber elegido mejor manera de cerrar su primera serie! La historia de Graham & Charley superó mis expectativas: fue todo lo que esperaba y mucho más con esos viajes al pasado que la autora me dio, la hermosa historia de amor que tiene esta pareja, la hermosa familia que forman con Ellie Mae a lo largo del libro y son esos momentos entre Graham & Grace que me derritieron el corazón.
Graham era el último de los Astor que nos faltaba por conocer, y creo que del que menos sabíamos hasta ahora, y la verdad es que me rompió el corazón saber del distanciamiento entre él y Grace, y de la situaciones por las que pasó en su matrimonio con Megan, pero me gustó mucho que el libro empezara con un Graham que supo como seguir adelante con su pequeña hija. Este hombre se convirtió en mi favorito de la serie junto con Everett, me encantó su personalidad coqueta, un poco más seria que la de sus hermanas, un papá amoroso, dulce y un hombre encantador que no hizo más que derretirme el corazón a medida que avanzaba su historia.
Charley siempre me gustó mucho, pero por alguno extraña razón no había comprendido que ella sería el interés amoroso de Graham, así que, por más tonto que pueda sonar, me encantó darme cuenta de que ella sería nuestra ultima heroína en esta serie. Me encantó leer su personalidad divertida y juguetona de adolescente y como evolucionó de adulta sin perder su esencia y ese lado tan encantador que hizo que el hermano de sus amigas se volviera loco. Fue muy triste leer su vida en familia y como eso la dejó marcada para siempre, pero me gustó mucho saber que la familia de Graham, Grace, Georgia & Gemma SIEMPRE estuvo ahí para ella cuando más los necesitó, también me encantó leerla apoyando incondicionalmente a Graham para cumplir sus sueños.
Una de las cosas que más disfruté de Beautiful Surprise y de la historia de amor de Charley & Graham fue que A. James me mostrara la dualidad temporal de su historia de amor haciéndome enamorarme junto a ellos, sufrir cuando las cosas se pusieron difíciles y entendiendo mucho más los miedos e inseguridades de Charley, y las ganas de Graham de hacer que las cosas entre ambos funcionen. También disfruté con locura la dirección que la autora le dio a la trama, lo complicadas que parecen las cosas para esta pareja en un principio, y como todo va cambiando poco a poco con Ellie Mae enamorándose tanto como su papá de Charley y dándome los momentos más adorables, a un Graham que siempre esta dispuesto a hacer sentir amada a Charley y que por fin encuentra el amor, respeto y apoyo que siempre mereció.
🎧Reseña del audiolibro🎧
🍼Narradores: Vanessa Edwin & Teddy Hamilton
💛Narración en dueto
🍼Narración: 5/5
Este audiolibro va directo a la lista de mis favoritos de este año, fue todo lo que esperaba de la historia cuando la leí y me derritió un poco más el corazón escuchar a estos narradores darle vida al amor de Graham & Charley.
Creo que no había nadie mejor que Vanessa Edwin para interpretar a una mujer tan peculiar, valiente, divertida y con el corazón que tiene Charley. Disfruté mucho escucharla amando a Ellie Mae tanto como a Graham, siendo encantadora, vulnerable y luchando por el amor de su vida, por su futuro bebé y por cumplir sus sueños, sin duda mi narradora favorita.
Y hablando de favoritos, este es mi audiolibro favorito de Teddy Hamilton! Él fue el Graham perfecto me encantó escucharlo darle vida a este hombre tan tierno, comprometido con Charley, Ellie Mae y el nuevo bebé, además, me encantó escucharlo en esos momentos con Grace porque no esperaba amar tanto ese vinculo tan hermoso que tienen, y que a veces vuelve loco a Graham de la manera más adorable y divertida.
🍼Graham: 5/5
🍼Charley: 5/5
🍼Trama: 5/5
🍼Historia de amor: 5/5
🍼Personajes secundarios: 4.5/5
🍼Universo: 5/5
🍼Portada: 5/5
🥵: 2/5
A. James couldn't have chosen a better way to close her first series! Graham & Charley's story exceeded my expectations: it was everything I hoped for and so much more, with those flashbacks the author gave me, the beautiful love story this couple shares, the lovely family they build with Ellie Mae throughout the book, and those moments between Graham & Grace that melted my heart.
Graham was the last of the Astors we hadn't met, and I think the one we knew the least about until now AND it truly broke my heart to learn of the distance between him and Grace, and the situations he went through in his marriage with Megan, but I really loved that the book began with Graham knowing how to move forward with his young daughter. This man became my favorite in the series, along with Everett, I loved his flirtatious personality, a bit more serious than his sisters', a loving, sweet dad, and a charming man who only melted my heart as his story unfolded.
I always liked Charley a lot, but for some strange reason, I hadn't realized she would be Graham's love interest. So, as silly as it might sound, I was thrilled to discover she would be our final heroine in this series. I loved reading about her fun and playful teenage personality and how she evolved into an adult without losing her essence and that charming side that drove her friends' brother crazy. It was very sad to read about her family life and how it marked her forever, but I was so glad to know that Graham's family were ALWAYS there for her when she needed them most. I also loved reading about her unconditionally supporting Graham in achieving his dreams.
One of the things I enjoyed most about Beautiful Surprise and Charley & Graham's love story was how A. James showed me the temporal duality of their love story, making me fall in love with them, suffer when things got tough, and understand Charley's fears and insecurities much better, as well as Graham's desire to make things work between them. I also loved the direction the author took with the plot, how complicated things seem for this couple at first, and how everything gradually changes with Ellie Mae falling in love with Charley as much as her dad did, giving me the most adorable moments, and Graham, who is always ready to make Charley feel loved and who finally finds the love, respect, and support he always deserved.
🎧Audiobook Review🎧
🍼Narrators: Vanessa Edwin & Teddy Hamilton
💛Duet Narration
🍼Narration: 5/5
This audiobook is going straight to my list of favorites this year. It was everything I hoped for from the story when I read it, and it melted my heart even more to hear these narrators bring Graham & Charley's love to life.
I think there was no one better than Vanessa Edwin to portray such a quirky, brave, funny woman with a heart as big as Charley, I thoroughly enjoyed listening to her loving Ellie Mae as much as Graham, being charming, vulnerable, and fighting for the love of her life, for her unborn baby, and to fulfill her dreams. She's definitely my favorite narrator.
And speaking of favorites, this is my favorite Teddy Hamilton audiobook! He was the perfect Graham. I loved hearing him bring to life this tender man, so committed to Charley, Ellie Mae, and the new baby. I also loved hearing him in those moments with Grace because I didn't expect to love their beautiful bond so much, a bond that sometimes drives Graham crazy in the most adorable and funny way.
🍼Graham: 5/5
🍼Charley: 5/5
🍼Plot: 5/5
🍼Love story: 5/5
🍼Supporting characters: 4.5/5
🍼Universe: 5/5
🍼Cover: 5/5
🥵: 2/5
ARC & ALC amablemente proporcionada por la autora a cambio de una reseña honesta
A. James no pudo haber elegido mejor manera de cerrar su primera serie! La historia de Graham & Charley superó mis expectativas: fue todo lo que esperaba y mucho más con esos viajes al pasado que la autora me dio, la hermosa historia de amor que tiene esta pareja, la hermosa familia que forman con Ellie Mae a lo largo del libro y son esos momentos entre Graham & Grace que me derritieron el corazón.
Graham era el último de los Astor que nos faltaba por conocer, y creo que del que menos sabíamos hasta ahora, y la verdad es que me rompió el corazón saber del distanciamiento entre él y Grace, y de la situaciones por las que pasó en su matrimonio con Megan, pero me gustó mucho que el libro empezara con un Graham que supo como seguir adelante con su pequeña hija. Este hombre se convirtió en mi favorito de la serie junto con Everett, me encantó su personalidad coqueta, un poco más seria que la de sus hermanas, un papá amoroso, dulce y un hombre encantador que no hizo más que derretirme el corazón a medida que avanzaba su historia.
Charley siempre me gustó mucho, pero por alguno extraña razón no había comprendido que ella sería el interés amoroso de Graham, así que, por más tonto que pueda sonar, me encantó darme cuenta de que ella sería nuestra ultima heroína en esta serie. Me encantó leer su personalidad divertida y juguetona de adolescente y como evolucionó de adulta sin perder su esencia y ese lado tan encantador que hizo que el hermano de sus amigas se volviera loco. Fue muy triste leer su vida en familia y como eso la dejó marcada para siempre, pero me gustó mucho saber que la familia de Graham, Grace, Georgia & Gemma SIEMPRE estuvo ahí para ella cuando más los necesitó, también me encantó leerla apoyando incondicionalmente a Graham para cumplir sus sueños.
Una de las cosas que más disfruté de Beautiful Surprise y de la historia de amor de Charley & Graham fue que A. James me mostrara la dualidad temporal de su historia de amor haciéndome enamorarme junto a ellos, sufrir cuando las cosas se pusieron difíciles y entendiendo mucho más los miedos e inseguridades de Charley, y las ganas de Graham de hacer que las cosas entre ambos funcionen. También disfruté con locura la dirección que la autora le dio a la trama, lo complicadas que parecen las cosas para esta pareja en un principio, y como todo va cambiando poco a poco con Ellie Mae enamorándose tanto como su papá de Charley y dándome los momentos más adorables, a un Graham que siempre esta dispuesto a hacer sentir amada a Charley y que por fin encuentra el amor, respeto y apoyo que siempre mereció.
🎧Reseña del audiolibro🎧
🍼Narradores: Vanessa Edwin & Teddy Hamilton
💛Narración en dueto
🍼Narración: 5/5
Este audiolibro va directo a la lista de mis favoritos de este año, fue todo lo que esperaba de la historia cuando la leí y me derritió un poco más el corazón escuchar a estos narradores darle vida al amor de Graham & Charley.
Creo que no había nadie mejor que Vanessa Edwin para interpretar a una mujer tan peculiar, valiente, divertida y con el corazón que tiene Charley. Disfruté mucho escucharla amando a Ellie Mae tanto como a Graham, siendo encantadora, vulnerable y luchando por el amor de su vida, por su futuro bebé y por cumplir sus sueños, sin duda mi narradora favorita.
Y hablando de favoritos, este es mi audiolibro favorito de Teddy Hamilton! Él fue el Graham perfecto me encantó escucharlo darle vida a este hombre tan tierno, comprometido con Charley, Ellie Mae y el nuevo bebé, además, me encantó escucharlo en esos momentos con Grace porque no esperaba amar tanto ese vinculo tan hermoso que tienen, y que a veces vuelve loco a Graham de la manera más adorable y divertida.
🍼Graham: 5/5
🍼Charley: 5/5
🍼Trama: 5/5
🍼Historia de amor: 5/5
🍼Personajes secundarios: 4.5/5
🍼Universo: 5/5
🍼Portada: 5/5
🥵: 2/5
November 20, 2025
4⭐️
3🌶️
🌻Surprise Pregnancy
🌻One Night Stand
🌻Single Dad
🌻Childhood Crush to Lovers
🌻Best Friend's Brother
🌻Mutual Pining
🌻Cinnamon Roll MC
"𝗠𝘆 𝗲𝘆𝗲𝘀 𝘀𝗻𝗮𝗴 𝗼𝗻 𝗮 𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗼𝗼 𝗼𝗻 𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗿𝗶𝗯𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗻'𝘁 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗻𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝘆 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗽𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁. 𝘼𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙖𝙩𝙤𝙢𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙡 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙨𝙪𝙣𝙛𝙡𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙗𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙞𝙩... 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗵𝗮𝗺 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁? 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗜 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸.
𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝗻𝗼 𝘄𝗮𝘆."
Ah, but there is 𝙎𝙪𝙣𝙣𝙮, there really is! 😘🌻
The angst and surprising reveals in this one were fantastic. I loved that there was a secret past between Graham and Charley that slowly unravels with flashbacks after their one night stand leaves them with some pretty serious consequences... 🤰🏻🤫
The spice starts early but then we have to wait until Charley gets desperately h0rny to get more, but after that we're off to the races! Graham has a wonderfully dirty mouth and they are definitely hot together, and I was so glad when Charley stopped denying herself (and therefore us) from everything that is 𝗵𝗼𝘁 𝗱𝗮𝗱𝗱𝘆 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗵𝗮𝗺! 😉
I saw some complaining about how long it took for them to try being together again, and how they maybe weren't as mature as they should've been in their 30s, but honestly their pasts and then their emotional maturity just weren't that great. It made sense to me that it took time, especially for Charley, for them to trust in what was happening between them and trust that the rug wouldn't get pulled out from under either one of them at any point. There was trauma, grief, and unresolved issues for them to work through, so it may have started out with a hot one night stand in chapter 2, but this is definitely more of a slow burn and they both have to work hard at it the whole time.
Graham is also a single dad to an adorable toddler and Charley wasn't sure she even wanted kids of her own, so there are feelings to sort through there that don't just get figured out once the strip says pregnant. Their situation was complicated and they did sometimes make it more complicated, but they're humans, and that tends to be what humans do best. 🤷🏻♀️
But Charley bonding with Graham's daughter? The other MC bonding with the single parent's kid(s) will always be my favorite part of a single parent trope, and Charley and Ellie Mae are just adorable. Their relationship happens completely organically with zero pressure, and Charley falls head over heels for her separate from any relationship she has with Graham, and that is just the perfect way to do it in my book. 🩷
I loved the friendship between all of the FMCs from the series yet again, but especially in this one. Charley has so many reasons to worry about a relationship with Graham, but her biggest one is being terrified of putting her relationship with her best friends at risk since he's their brother. The way they all immediately supported her and took care of her, were mature and removed themselves and their feelings entirely and allowed her to let go of that anxiety so she could focus on what she really wanted without all of the noise, that just made me so happy. I love these women so much and could read a book entirely made up of just their group hangs and chats! 🥰
I will say that I didn't love that the ex-wife just got killed off. I feel like there was a great opportunity to demonstrate emotional growth and support between our MCs had she still been in the picture, and it honestly just felt more convenient than anything else to have her be dead, but I also don't really think we missed out on much without her there. She certainly would've made for more drama, and I don't think we needed that.
Overall, I really enjoyed this as the final installment of the Blossom Beach series, even though the pregnancy trope isn't one of my favorite tropes. I appreciated the issues Ashley raised in regards to the surprise and Charley's options, as well as the barriers to women's health she depicted, and I felt like the decision for Graham and Charley to be together didn't hinge solely on the baby. They still sorted out their feelings and relationship knowing that if they didn't get together, they were still going to co-parent and create a loving and happy family for their baby regardless of what it looked like.
I recommend reading the series in order since everyone is featured heavily in each other's stories, but they can still be read as standalones if you prefer.
*I received an advanced reader copy of this book from The Author Agency and am leaving an honest review.
3🌶️
🌻Surprise Pregnancy
🌻One Night Stand
🌻Single Dad
🌻Childhood Crush to Lovers
🌻Best Friend's Brother
🌻Mutual Pining
🌻Cinnamon Roll MC
"𝗠𝘆 𝗲𝘆𝗲𝘀 𝘀𝗻𝗮𝗴 𝗼𝗻 𝗮 𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗼𝗼 𝗼𝗻 𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗿𝗶𝗯𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗻'𝘁 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗻𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝘆 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗽𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁. 𝘼𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙖𝙩𝙤𝙢𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙡 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙨𝙪𝙣𝙛𝙡𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙗𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙞𝙩... 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗵𝗮𝗺 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁? 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗜 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸.
𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝗻𝗼 𝘄𝗮𝘆."
Ah, but there is 𝙎𝙪𝙣𝙣𝙮, there really is! 😘🌻
The angst and surprising reveals in this one were fantastic. I loved that there was a secret past between Graham and Charley that slowly unravels with flashbacks after their one night stand leaves them with some pretty serious consequences... 🤰🏻🤫
The spice starts early but then we have to wait until Charley gets desperately h0rny to get more, but after that we're off to the races! Graham has a wonderfully dirty mouth and they are definitely hot together, and I was so glad when Charley stopped denying herself (and therefore us) from everything that is 𝗵𝗼𝘁 𝗱𝗮𝗱𝗱𝘆 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗵𝗮𝗺! 😉
I saw some complaining about how long it took for them to try being together again, and how they maybe weren't as mature as they should've been in their 30s, but honestly their pasts and then their emotional maturity just weren't that great. It made sense to me that it took time, especially for Charley, for them to trust in what was happening between them and trust that the rug wouldn't get pulled out from under either one of them at any point. There was trauma, grief, and unresolved issues for them to work through, so it may have started out with a hot one night stand in chapter 2, but this is definitely more of a slow burn and they both have to work hard at it the whole time.
Graham is also a single dad to an adorable toddler and Charley wasn't sure she even wanted kids of her own, so there are feelings to sort through there that don't just get figured out once the strip says pregnant. Their situation was complicated and they did sometimes make it more complicated, but they're humans, and that tends to be what humans do best. 🤷🏻♀️
But Charley bonding with Graham's daughter? The other MC bonding with the single parent's kid(s) will always be my favorite part of a single parent trope, and Charley and Ellie Mae are just adorable. Their relationship happens completely organically with zero pressure, and Charley falls head over heels for her separate from any relationship she has with Graham, and that is just the perfect way to do it in my book. 🩷
I loved the friendship between all of the FMCs from the series yet again, but especially in this one. Charley has so many reasons to worry about a relationship with Graham, but her biggest one is being terrified of putting her relationship with her best friends at risk since he's their brother. The way they all immediately supported her and took care of her, were mature and removed themselves and their feelings entirely and allowed her to let go of that anxiety so she could focus on what she really wanted without all of the noise, that just made me so happy. I love these women so much and could read a book entirely made up of just their group hangs and chats! 🥰
I will say that I didn't love that the ex-wife just got killed off. I feel like there was a great opportunity to demonstrate emotional growth and support between our MCs had she still been in the picture, and it honestly just felt more convenient than anything else to have her be dead, but I also don't really think we missed out on much without her there. She certainly would've made for more drama, and I don't think we needed that.
Overall, I really enjoyed this as the final installment of the Blossom Beach series, even though the pregnancy trope isn't one of my favorite tropes. I appreciated the issues Ashley raised in regards to the surprise and Charley's options, as well as the barriers to women's health she depicted, and I felt like the decision for Graham and Charley to be together didn't hinge solely on the baby. They still sorted out their feelings and relationship knowing that if they didn't get together, they were still going to co-parent and create a loving and happy family for their baby regardless of what it looked like.
I recommend reading the series in order since everyone is featured heavily in each other's stories, but they can still be read as standalones if you prefer.
*I received an advanced reader copy of this book from The Author Agency and am leaving an honest review.
November 17, 2025
Famous last words: ‘Charley Madison doesn’t love me. I would know, because I’ve been in love with her for as long as I can remember.’ ‘Graham doesn’t love me. I would know. I’m not one of those oblivious girls who has no clue when a guy is flirting with her.’ The thing is, sometimes we don’t really know quite as much as we think we do.
Beautiful Surprise is a beautiful story, possibly the best one yet in author A. James’ Blossom Beach series. In the first three books in the series, sisters Gemma, Grace and Georgia found their person and are now living their happily-ever-afters. The focus of this book is on Grace’s twin Graham. But wait, what possible story could there be for Graham? We didn’t see much of Graham earlier in the series and what we did see wasn’t that impressive. Married to Megan for a long time, with a beautiful baby daughter, Ellie Mae. Megan rarely attends family events and Graham’s appearances are sporadic, and when he does show up he’s grumpy, critical, aloof. Trouble in paradise? Who knows, because Graham doesn’t share.
A lot has happened in the time since the last book, however. Graham is now a widower and single dad to that sweet little girl. He learned Megan was unfaithful to him for years with his best friend. He was shattered, but it’s been a year and he’s put a lot of that grief and anger behind him and with the help of his family his goal is to be the best dad he can, to give 18-month-old Ellie Mae everything she needs. He has a good job as a chef. Long ago he had dreams of opening his own restaurant someday, but life pushed those aspirations aside. Friends and family are close once again, but he doesn’t see romance in his future and doesn’t want a string of casual women flowing through his life and confusing Ellie Mae. Charley put her dreams aside, too, but now she’s studying and training to become an EMT. She was always close to his sisters; in fact, she was almost like the fourth sister. Her home life wasn’t pleasant and she often needed to get away and found love and comfort in their home. What nobody knows, however, is that she and Graham were also close during high school. Very close. But she was afraid, afraid of a lot of things. Afraid that his sisters would reject her if they knew. Afraid long distance wouldn’t work. Afraid she would hold him back. So she broke it off right before he left for college. So now they’re friends. Kind of. And that’s it.
Except that’s not it. Not all of it, anyway. After another trip down Bad Memory Lane while packing his house to move Graham is ready to chill out at the local bar. After her suspicions about the lying, cheating guy she was dating prove correct, she could use a chill night too. Might as well drink together. One shot, one game of pool, one more shot, one game of darts, another shot . . . one thing leads to another and they wind up at Charley’s house. The physical attraction is still blazing hot as is the easy familiarity. It’s just one night, no big deal. A little comfort. But Charley is so freaked out in the morning she runs out of her own house and avoids Graham for days. Until she can’t avoid him any longer because the doctor tells her those symptoms she thought were PCOS are really because she’s pregnant. After some serious talks – “you can’t call me Sunny anymore” “no flirting” “this is not a romantic relationship” – they agree to raise this baby together, platonically. After all he’s been through, Charley is afraid again of holding Graham back, afraid of his sisters’ rejection, and of course they each know the other doesn’t love them anyway.
Well, yes guys, this is a romantic relationship. A very romantic relationship. Graham is so happy about this baby. Charley thought she would want to end the pregnancy but couldn’t and the farther along she gets the more excited she becomes. Her rules are still firmly in place but time with Graham and Ellie Mae feels like a perfect little family. And then when at her request he meets some of her very specific pregnancy needs, it’s on. And you will love it.
Especially if you listen to the audio while you read. If any two voice actors can provide perfect performances of sweet, silly, spicy, sexy, stubborn, it’s Teddy Hamilton and Vanessa Edwin. And in duet?? Their voices just blend together. I literally couldn’t stop listening. I pushed everything else I was supposed to do to the side, because “just one more chapter” became “just one more one more chapter.” Listening “just to the end of this really good part” didn’t work either because every page of the book is a really good part.
I repeat, Beautiful Surprise is beautiful. The timeline shifts back and forth between the present and “then” so we get to see the high school Graham and Charley and their new, exciting, tender love. Shift back to the now time and that love is still there. Everybody but them knows they belong together. And if you can keep your eyes dry when you realize what Graham’s special food selections mean you’re not paying attention. I received an advance copy of Beautiful Surprise. The pace is perfect; it’s got the perfect balance of heartbreak and swoony. Everybody from Blossom Peak is there and Ellie Mae is adorable. I voluntarily leave this review; all opinions are my own.
Beautiful Surprise is a beautiful story, possibly the best one yet in author A. James’ Blossom Beach series. In the first three books in the series, sisters Gemma, Grace and Georgia found their person and are now living their happily-ever-afters. The focus of this book is on Grace’s twin Graham. But wait, what possible story could there be for Graham? We didn’t see much of Graham earlier in the series and what we did see wasn’t that impressive. Married to Megan for a long time, with a beautiful baby daughter, Ellie Mae. Megan rarely attends family events and Graham’s appearances are sporadic, and when he does show up he’s grumpy, critical, aloof. Trouble in paradise? Who knows, because Graham doesn’t share.
A lot has happened in the time since the last book, however. Graham is now a widower and single dad to that sweet little girl. He learned Megan was unfaithful to him for years with his best friend. He was shattered, but it’s been a year and he’s put a lot of that grief and anger behind him and with the help of his family his goal is to be the best dad he can, to give 18-month-old Ellie Mae everything she needs. He has a good job as a chef. Long ago he had dreams of opening his own restaurant someday, but life pushed those aspirations aside. Friends and family are close once again, but he doesn’t see romance in his future and doesn’t want a string of casual women flowing through his life and confusing Ellie Mae. Charley put her dreams aside, too, but now she’s studying and training to become an EMT. She was always close to his sisters; in fact, she was almost like the fourth sister. Her home life wasn’t pleasant and she often needed to get away and found love and comfort in their home. What nobody knows, however, is that she and Graham were also close during high school. Very close. But she was afraid, afraid of a lot of things. Afraid that his sisters would reject her if they knew. Afraid long distance wouldn’t work. Afraid she would hold him back. So she broke it off right before he left for college. So now they’re friends. Kind of. And that’s it.
Except that’s not it. Not all of it, anyway. After another trip down Bad Memory Lane while packing his house to move Graham is ready to chill out at the local bar. After her suspicions about the lying, cheating guy she was dating prove correct, she could use a chill night too. Might as well drink together. One shot, one game of pool, one more shot, one game of darts, another shot . . . one thing leads to another and they wind up at Charley’s house. The physical attraction is still blazing hot as is the easy familiarity. It’s just one night, no big deal. A little comfort. But Charley is so freaked out in the morning she runs out of her own house and avoids Graham for days. Until she can’t avoid him any longer because the doctor tells her those symptoms she thought were PCOS are really because she’s pregnant. After some serious talks – “you can’t call me Sunny anymore” “no flirting” “this is not a romantic relationship” – they agree to raise this baby together, platonically. After all he’s been through, Charley is afraid again of holding Graham back, afraid of his sisters’ rejection, and of course they each know the other doesn’t love them anyway.
Well, yes guys, this is a romantic relationship. A very romantic relationship. Graham is so happy about this baby. Charley thought she would want to end the pregnancy but couldn’t and the farther along she gets the more excited she becomes. Her rules are still firmly in place but time with Graham and Ellie Mae feels like a perfect little family. And then when at her request he meets some of her very specific pregnancy needs, it’s on. And you will love it.
Especially if you listen to the audio while you read. If any two voice actors can provide perfect performances of sweet, silly, spicy, sexy, stubborn, it’s Teddy Hamilton and Vanessa Edwin. And in duet?? Their voices just blend together. I literally couldn’t stop listening. I pushed everything else I was supposed to do to the side, because “just one more chapter” became “just one more one more chapter.” Listening “just to the end of this really good part” didn’t work either because every page of the book is a really good part.
I repeat, Beautiful Surprise is beautiful. The timeline shifts back and forth between the present and “then” so we get to see the high school Graham and Charley and their new, exciting, tender love. Shift back to the now time and that love is still there. Everybody but them knows they belong together. And if you can keep your eyes dry when you realize what Graham’s special food selections mean you’re not paying attention. I received an advance copy of Beautiful Surprise. The pace is perfect; it’s got the perfect balance of heartbreak and swoony. Everybody from Blossom Peak is there and Ellie Mae is adorable. I voluntarily leave this review; all opinions are my own.
November 17, 2025
Beautiful Surprise is the fourth, and final, book in the Blossom Beach series and follows Astor brother, Graham, as he gets a second chance with his first love, Charley.
Graham is the only brother, growing up with three sisters. He is also Grace's twin. In high school, he had a crush on Charley. She was his first love and his other first. He has never gotten over her, but they never allowed themselves to be more than friends. He married Megan and had a little girl with her. But when he lost his wife a year ago, he found himself a single dad. Lucky for him, his sisters stepped in and helped him.
When Charley left for college, she knew she had to make a clean break with Graham. She has felt like a disappointment to her family her whole life and she does not want to be that to anyone else. She hides her feelings in her tattoos. Lucky for her she has the Astor sisters as her best friends.
After spending one night drinking lots of tequila, these two decide to make the most of the night. No problem. Just a one night stand. Yeah, right.
When Charley finds out she is pregnant, and with Graham's baby, what is she to do? When he finds out about the baby, he is shocked, but will support whatever decision she makes. So much so, he takes her to a clinic. When they do an ultrasound, her decision is made. And he is relieved.
In order to help Charley out, Graham suggests she move in to his house. He has an extra bedroom she can use. This allows her time to study to become and EMT while working. It also helps him out since she can help take care of his daughter.
Charley has a rough pregnancy. The morning sickness is so bad, her doctor has to put her on medication to control it. During the second trimester, she is in need of relief. So when Graham offers to help, she reluctantly agrees. Her final trimester will challenge both of them. She cannot afford to take time off of work, but her body is telling her she is doing too much.
When things take a turn, and not for the better, she calls Graham. He starts the phone chain and the next thing we know everyone shows up for Charley and Graham and baby Astor.
These two have been through a bevy of emotions in their relatively young lives. But when push comes to shove, they are there for each other. She steps in and helps with his daughter. He cooks for her. She does not realize it right away, but every week he makes her something special in correlation to the size of the baby as it is growing.
What started as two friends having a drunken one night stand resulting in a baby, turns to so much more. He is the first person she calls when she is scared. He is the person she celebrates with when she passes everything to become an EMT. He is the person she opens up to about her parents and growing up with them. She is the one person he opens up to about his marriage and the fallout and how he truly felt and still feels about it.
These two share a past, present and future.
Teddy Hamilton is always a dream to listen to and this is no exception. I loved Vanessa Edwin as Charley. She conveys her fears, her excitement, her happiness and her love. And having this book done in duet made the narration so life like.
Graham is the only brother, growing up with three sisters. He is also Grace's twin. In high school, he had a crush on Charley. She was his first love and his other first. He has never gotten over her, but they never allowed themselves to be more than friends. He married Megan and had a little girl with her. But when he lost his wife a year ago, he found himself a single dad. Lucky for him, his sisters stepped in and helped him.
When Charley left for college, she knew she had to make a clean break with Graham. She has felt like a disappointment to her family her whole life and she does not want to be that to anyone else. She hides her feelings in her tattoos. Lucky for her she has the Astor sisters as her best friends.
After spending one night drinking lots of tequila, these two decide to make the most of the night. No problem. Just a one night stand. Yeah, right.
When Charley finds out she is pregnant, and with Graham's baby, what is she to do? When he finds out about the baby, he is shocked, but will support whatever decision she makes. So much so, he takes her to a clinic. When they do an ultrasound, her decision is made. And he is relieved.
In order to help Charley out, Graham suggests she move in to his house. He has an extra bedroom she can use. This allows her time to study to become and EMT while working. It also helps him out since she can help take care of his daughter.
Charley has a rough pregnancy. The morning sickness is so bad, her doctor has to put her on medication to control it. During the second trimester, she is in need of relief. So when Graham offers to help, she reluctantly agrees. Her final trimester will challenge both of them. She cannot afford to take time off of work, but her body is telling her she is doing too much.
When things take a turn, and not for the better, she calls Graham. He starts the phone chain and the next thing we know everyone shows up for Charley and Graham and baby Astor.
These two have been through a bevy of emotions in their relatively young lives. But when push comes to shove, they are there for each other. She steps in and helps with his daughter. He cooks for her. She does not realize it right away, but every week he makes her something special in correlation to the size of the baby as it is growing.
What started as two friends having a drunken one night stand resulting in a baby, turns to so much more. He is the first person she calls when she is scared. He is the person she celebrates with when she passes everything to become an EMT. He is the person she opens up to about her parents and growing up with them. She is the one person he opens up to about his marriage and the fallout and how he truly felt and still feels about it.
These two share a past, present and future.
Teddy Hamilton is always a dream to listen to and this is no exception. I loved Vanessa Edwin as Charley. She conveys her fears, her excitement, her happiness and her love. And having this book done in duet made the narration so life like.
November 17, 2025
I would listen to Teddy Hamilton read the phone book so when I saw that he was narrating the next book in this series, I immediately knew I would be opting for the audiobook for this one. Vanessa Edwin and Teddy Hamilton did an amazing job bringing all of the emotion that Charley and Graham felt for each other over the years, to life. To everyone in town, Charley and Graham appear to be friends due to the fact that Graham’s sisters are her best friends. No one knows that not only did they have a recent one night stand, they had been desperately in love as teenagers. When two pink lines appear on the stick and Charley realizes that their one night stand has resulted in way more than either of them planned, she has no idea what to do. This is a situation that neither of them saw themselves in and Graham wants nothing more than to be there for Charley every step of the way. If he can convince her to let him in.
Read this if you love:
🍼 One night stand
💕 Accidental pregnancy
🍼 Best friend’s brother
💕 Second chance romance
🍼 Forced proximity
💕 Single dad
Terrified of ruining her friendship with Graham’s sisters, and not wanting to put more pressure on a recently widowed Graham, Charley feels like she is in an impossible situation. She explores all options with respect to this pregnancy and I loved that Ashley James didn't shy away from this sensitive but important subject. I'm not going to get further into this because I don't want to give anything away, but I thought it was handled beautifully. Charley's childhood has left her very hesitant to be in a long term relationship. After she moves in with Graham and bonds with his daughter, sees what an amazing father he is, and how supportive he is for her, keeping her heart protected becomes virtually impossible.
Graham has been in love with Charley since he was a teenager. After she broke his heart when they were young, he moved on and got married. His daughter is his entire world and he is trying to be everything for her with her mother gone. When he finds out that the woman he has always had feelings for is expecting his baby, he is elated. He knows that they can be great co-parents, and as he watches her connection with his little girl grow, he believes they could make the perfect family. He just has to get through the walls that Charley has up so that she can see what a beautiful surprise this all has been.
I strongly recommend the audiobook for this one. Teddy Hamilton and Vanessa Edwin were perfection at bringing this story to life.
Thank you so much to Ashley James and The Author Agency for the ARC of this story!
Read this if you love:
🍼 One night stand
💕 Accidental pregnancy
🍼 Best friend’s brother
💕 Second chance romance
🍼 Forced proximity
💕 Single dad
Terrified of ruining her friendship with Graham’s sisters, and not wanting to put more pressure on a recently widowed Graham, Charley feels like she is in an impossible situation. She explores all options with respect to this pregnancy and I loved that Ashley James didn't shy away from this sensitive but important subject. I'm not going to get further into this because I don't want to give anything away, but I thought it was handled beautifully. Charley's childhood has left her very hesitant to be in a long term relationship. After she moves in with Graham and bonds with his daughter, sees what an amazing father he is, and how supportive he is for her, keeping her heart protected becomes virtually impossible.
Graham has been in love with Charley since he was a teenager. After she broke his heart when they were young, he moved on and got married. His daughter is his entire world and he is trying to be everything for her with her mother gone. When he finds out that the woman he has always had feelings for is expecting his baby, he is elated. He knows that they can be great co-parents, and as he watches her connection with his little girl grow, he believes they could make the perfect family. He just has to get through the walls that Charley has up so that she can see what a beautiful surprise this all has been.
I strongly recommend the audiobook for this one. Teddy Hamilton and Vanessa Edwin were perfection at bringing this story to life.
Thank you so much to Ashley James and The Author Agency for the ARC of this story!
November 21, 2025
The 4th installment of Blossom Beach Series by Ashley James is nothing short of amazing! Spicy, fun, and so easy to become enraptured by our main characters that the book flows so well!
Graham and Charley have known each other for years, growing up around one another with Charley being friends with his sisters forever. You can sense the familiarity between them from the start and the underlying tension from unresolved feelings from when they were younger. The flashbacks that the author provided helped build the beautiful love story I was honored to read in regards to their present. Their story exceeded any expectations that I had.
When we are introduced to Graham, he is a man that is still struggling with the loss of his wife, Megan, along with secrets that she harbored before her passing. However, I loved that we began him as a man who knew how to move forward to be the best parent to his young daughter. Loaded with a flirtatious personality, a big heart behind a tough exterior, Graham is exactly the man that Charley deserved.
As a newbie to this series, I was introduced to Charley in Book 3 but I didn't know much about her outside of her close friendship with Graham's sister, Georgia. I loved learning about her fun, playful personality as a teenager and how it didn't dim as she got older. Her charm and independence was more than enough to cause Graham to fall more in love with her along with driving him crazy. I was glad to know how close Charley is to Graham's family while her own family let her down, a situation that left deep emotional scars. Her unconditional support of Graham and his dreams was a joy to read.
I loved how Ashley James wrote about the duality of Graham and Charley's love story from their high school years to where they reconnected as adults. This made us fall in love with them and ride along with them through the ups and downs. Charley's fears and insecurities made complete sense and I loved Graham's determination to make things work between them. The direction that Ashley James took with the story as our main characters fought through a complicated start (along with a positive pregnancy test) and how things gradually change so organically. Graham's daughter Ellie Mae falling in love with Charley was another catalyst that made the story so much more enjoyable. Together, Graham made sure that Charley felt loved and she made Graham find the love, support, and respect he deserved.
Thank you to Ashley James and The Author Agency for the opportunity to ARC read this novel!
Graham and Charley have known each other for years, growing up around one another with Charley being friends with his sisters forever. You can sense the familiarity between them from the start and the underlying tension from unresolved feelings from when they were younger. The flashbacks that the author provided helped build the beautiful love story I was honored to read in regards to their present. Their story exceeded any expectations that I had.
When we are introduced to Graham, he is a man that is still struggling with the loss of his wife, Megan, along with secrets that she harbored before her passing. However, I loved that we began him as a man who knew how to move forward to be the best parent to his young daughter. Loaded with a flirtatious personality, a big heart behind a tough exterior, Graham is exactly the man that Charley deserved.
As a newbie to this series, I was introduced to Charley in Book 3 but I didn't know much about her outside of her close friendship with Graham's sister, Georgia. I loved learning about her fun, playful personality as a teenager and how it didn't dim as she got older. Her charm and independence was more than enough to cause Graham to fall more in love with her along with driving him crazy. I was glad to know how close Charley is to Graham's family while her own family let her down, a situation that left deep emotional scars. Her unconditional support of Graham and his dreams was a joy to read.
I loved how Ashley James wrote about the duality of Graham and Charley's love story from their high school years to where they reconnected as adults. This made us fall in love with them and ride along with them through the ups and downs. Charley's fears and insecurities made complete sense and I loved Graham's determination to make things work between them. The direction that Ashley James took with the story as our main characters fought through a complicated start (along with a positive pregnancy test) and how things gradually change so organically. Graham's daughter Ellie Mae falling in love with Charley was another catalyst that made the story so much more enjoyable. Together, Graham made sure that Charley felt loved and she made Graham find the love, support, and respect he deserved.
Thank you to Ashley James and The Author Agency for the opportunity to ARC read this novel!
November 14, 2025
Beautifully Heartfelt! Excellent Story & Narration🎧
Beautiful Surprise
A Blossom Beach Novel
By: A. James
Narrated by: Vanessa Edwin, Teddy Hamilton
It is great to be back in A. James’ “Blossum Beach” world again for another wonderful romance novel, a small town second chance romance that warms your heart and captivates your attention the entire time. Each book in this series features a different couple in Blossum Beach, and its story stands on its own, though characters from earlier books appear, and knowing their back story adds some depth, plus seeing them again is like seeing an old friend. This fourth book is Graham and Charley’s story, and with a glimpse of their past, seeing their younger selves and an event that brought them closer. Charley is best friends with Graham’s sister, which makes him off limits, friend code and all, but that did not stop them from falling for each other, or from having a secret relationship before it ended and they moved on. Present time Graham is a widower and a single dad of an adorable daughter, Ellie May. Even years later, the chemistry between these two never fizzled out, and after a few drinks, the resistance is futile and Charley and Graham have a steamy encounter, one that leads to a surprise pregnancy. Charley was not happy about it, but it grew on her eventually, and Graham was by her side to help her along the way. It was clear these two harbored feeling for each other, though both were dealing with their own inner demons, with Graham handling his well, and wound up helping Charlie with hers. It was great watching these two rebuild their relationship and see it grow into something so much more. I loved the complexity of these characters and how much they grew, especially Charlie, in the end. This beautifully written and plotted story has multiple layers, and I loved how it all played out, with a perfect balance of drama, a touch of angst, some heartwarming moments, lots of heartfelt emotions and steamy romance. Ashley James, thank you for another fabulous story and emotional rollercoaster ride.
🎧📚🎧 A. James has an excellent knack for casting the perfect narrators to bring her characters and story to life, and Vanessa Edwin and Teddy Hamilton, two superbly talented voice artists, were just that, perfect. With character voices that are fitting for a spot-on portrayal of each, embodying their character’s personality completely and are believable in every role. Edwin was a natural in Charley’s role, conveying her every emotion, and Hamilton did the same as Graham and was just as amazing. Both were fantastic at performing the roles of the side and secondary characters too. They are entertaining storytellers, and their captivating performance hooks you to the story.
Beautiful Surprise
A Blossom Beach Novel
By: A. James
Narrated by: Vanessa Edwin, Teddy Hamilton
It is great to be back in A. James’ “Blossum Beach” world again for another wonderful romance novel, a small town second chance romance that warms your heart and captivates your attention the entire time. Each book in this series features a different couple in Blossum Beach, and its story stands on its own, though characters from earlier books appear, and knowing their back story adds some depth, plus seeing them again is like seeing an old friend. This fourth book is Graham and Charley’s story, and with a glimpse of their past, seeing their younger selves and an event that brought them closer. Charley is best friends with Graham’s sister, which makes him off limits, friend code and all, but that did not stop them from falling for each other, or from having a secret relationship before it ended and they moved on. Present time Graham is a widower and a single dad of an adorable daughter, Ellie May. Even years later, the chemistry between these two never fizzled out, and after a few drinks, the resistance is futile and Charley and Graham have a steamy encounter, one that leads to a surprise pregnancy. Charley was not happy about it, but it grew on her eventually, and Graham was by her side to help her along the way. It was clear these two harbored feeling for each other, though both were dealing with their own inner demons, with Graham handling his well, and wound up helping Charlie with hers. It was great watching these two rebuild their relationship and see it grow into something so much more. I loved the complexity of these characters and how much they grew, especially Charlie, in the end. This beautifully written and plotted story has multiple layers, and I loved how it all played out, with a perfect balance of drama, a touch of angst, some heartwarming moments, lots of heartfelt emotions and steamy romance. Ashley James, thank you for another fabulous story and emotional rollercoaster ride.
🎧📚🎧 A. James has an excellent knack for casting the perfect narrators to bring her characters and story to life, and Vanessa Edwin and Teddy Hamilton, two superbly talented voice artists, were just that, perfect. With character voices that are fitting for a spot-on portrayal of each, embodying their character’s personality completely and are believable in every role. Edwin was a natural in Charley’s role, conveying her every emotion, and Hamilton did the same as Graham and was just as amazing. Both were fantastic at performing the roles of the side and secondary characters too. They are entertaining storytellers, and their captivating performance hooks you to the story.
November 18, 2025
Beautiful Surprise is the fourth and final book in the Blossom Beach series. It follows Graham Astor and Charley Madison. This story is a beautiful second chance romance that will make you feel all the feels!
Charley is one of the most relatable FMCs that I have read. She has real struggles with her anxiety as well as apologizing for things when she doesn’t need to! The first time I read her saying “I’m sorry” repeatedly I said to myself that she is literally me. I honestly loved it though because she feels real. Charley is hilarious, sweet, caring, stubborn, protective and loving. I love how she has such a special relationship with his daughter Ellie Mae and easily gives that little girl all the love in the world.
Graham is honestly the best MMC and the absolute best man for Charley. He is her calm and knows exactly how she needs to be comforted. He is a widow and has a little girl named Ellie Mae. He is a walking green flag and I could not love him more. I love that he is so patient with Charley and is willing to go as fast or as slow as she wants their relationship to progress. He is patient, sweet, caring, loving, protective, thoughtful and supportive.
Throughout the book we get bits of their backstory and I love the fact that they don’t deny their past as well as present feelings for each other. The progression of them falling back together felt natural as they never truly forgot their first love. This story like the others in the series was so well written and I was invested the entire time. Ashley has such a way of writing the most relatable characters that truly feel real.
I hate that this is the last book in the series as I wish it could go on forever. I will say though that Charley and Graham were the perfect couple to end on.
This book was narrated by Teddy Hamilton and Vanessa Edwin in a duet style. I love both of these narrators. Vanessa is pure magic as Charley and really brought out her personality as well as her vulnerability. Teddy was perfect as Graham. He brought out such a tender side of Graham and a steadiness to his character. They were really easy to listen to as the cadence even at 1.8x speed was excellent which was why I was able to listen to this book in one sitting. I could not get enough!
You will enjoy this book if you like the following:
- Small town
- One night stand
- Best friend’s brother
- Surprise pregnancy
- Childhood crush to lovers
- Single dad
- Cinnamon roll MMC
- Anxiety rep
Thank you so much, Ashley James and The Author Agency for the gifted copy!
Charley is one of the most relatable FMCs that I have read. She has real struggles with her anxiety as well as apologizing for things when she doesn’t need to! The first time I read her saying “I’m sorry” repeatedly I said to myself that she is literally me. I honestly loved it though because she feels real. Charley is hilarious, sweet, caring, stubborn, protective and loving. I love how she has such a special relationship with his daughter Ellie Mae and easily gives that little girl all the love in the world.
Graham is honestly the best MMC and the absolute best man for Charley. He is her calm and knows exactly how she needs to be comforted. He is a widow and has a little girl named Ellie Mae. He is a walking green flag and I could not love him more. I love that he is so patient with Charley and is willing to go as fast or as slow as she wants their relationship to progress. He is patient, sweet, caring, loving, protective, thoughtful and supportive.
Throughout the book we get bits of their backstory and I love the fact that they don’t deny their past as well as present feelings for each other. The progression of them falling back together felt natural as they never truly forgot their first love. This story like the others in the series was so well written and I was invested the entire time. Ashley has such a way of writing the most relatable characters that truly feel real.
I hate that this is the last book in the series as I wish it could go on forever. I will say though that Charley and Graham were the perfect couple to end on.
This book was narrated by Teddy Hamilton and Vanessa Edwin in a duet style. I love both of these narrators. Vanessa is pure magic as Charley and really brought out her personality as well as her vulnerability. Teddy was perfect as Graham. He brought out such a tender side of Graham and a steadiness to his character. They were really easy to listen to as the cadence even at 1.8x speed was excellent which was why I was able to listen to this book in one sitting. I could not get enough!
You will enjoy this book if you like the following:
- Small town
- One night stand
- Best friend’s brother
- Surprise pregnancy
- Childhood crush to lovers
- Single dad
- Cinnamon roll MMC
- Anxiety rep
Thank you so much, Ashley James and The Author Agency for the gifted copy!
November 17, 2025
ALC Review: Beautiful Surprise by A. James
🎧 Narrated by Vanessa Edwin and Teddy Hamilton
ALC provided by the author and The Author Agency
“Beautiful Surprise” is tender, emotional, quietly devastating in the softest way, and the exact kind of slow burn that sneaks up on you and refuses to let go. From the moment Charley wakes up next to her best friend’s brother after a night of questionable tequila choices, you know this story is about to get complicated. Add in a positive pregnancy test, years of hidden feelings, and a grieving single dad who shows up with his whole heart, and suddenly this accidental entanglement feels a lot like fate.
Charley and Graham’s connection is the kind of longstanding, unfinished business that aches. There is so much history simmering between them and A. James leans into every missed moment, every almost, every fear Charley still clings to and every bit of gentle devotion Graham has been carrying for years. It’s messy. It’s tender. It’s hopeful. And it’s a second chance wrapped in quiet, persistent love.
The audio takes all of that emotion and magnifies it. Vanessa Edwin is Charley. She plays her with vulnerability, humor, warmth, and that fierce protect-your-heart energy that makes you root for her instantly. She brings out the layers of a woman who wants so much and is terrified of losing everything at the same time.
And Teddy Hamilton… look. The man stays booked and busy. At this point I am convinced he narrates in his sleep. But even with the busiest schedule in romance audio, he gives Graham the most loving, grounded performance. His voice carries the exhaustion of a single dad, the grief of a widower (and there's more but I won't spoil it), the hope of a man falling in love again, and the kind of steady tenderness that makes you melt. As a duet, they are magic. Soft. Intimate.
The forced proximity, the shared parenting moments, the emotional flashbacks, the growing baby, the late night confessions, the quiet devotion… the audio makes every beat hit a little deeper. It’s warm and immersive and full of heart.
🎧 Tropes You’ll Get:
💘 Best Friend’s Brother
🥺 Secret Longtime Crush
💥 One Night Stand
🍼 Surprise Pregnancy
🏡 Forced Proximity
👨👧 Single Dad
💛 Found Family
⏳ Slow Burn
💫 Second Chance at Love
A heartfelt, emotional close to the Blossom Beach series that delivers love, healing, family, and a deliciously tender romance. Huge thank you to A. James and The Author Agency for the ALC!
🎧 Narrated by Vanessa Edwin and Teddy Hamilton
ALC provided by the author and The Author Agency
“Beautiful Surprise” is tender, emotional, quietly devastating in the softest way, and the exact kind of slow burn that sneaks up on you and refuses to let go. From the moment Charley wakes up next to her best friend’s brother after a night of questionable tequila choices, you know this story is about to get complicated. Add in a positive pregnancy test, years of hidden feelings, and a grieving single dad who shows up with his whole heart, and suddenly this accidental entanglement feels a lot like fate.
Charley and Graham’s connection is the kind of longstanding, unfinished business that aches. There is so much history simmering between them and A. James leans into every missed moment, every almost, every fear Charley still clings to and every bit of gentle devotion Graham has been carrying for years. It’s messy. It’s tender. It’s hopeful. And it’s a second chance wrapped in quiet, persistent love.
The audio takes all of that emotion and magnifies it. Vanessa Edwin is Charley. She plays her with vulnerability, humor, warmth, and that fierce protect-your-heart energy that makes you root for her instantly. She brings out the layers of a woman who wants so much and is terrified of losing everything at the same time.
And Teddy Hamilton… look. The man stays booked and busy. At this point I am convinced he narrates in his sleep. But even with the busiest schedule in romance audio, he gives Graham the most loving, grounded performance. His voice carries the exhaustion of a single dad, the grief of a widower (and there's more but I won't spoil it), the hope of a man falling in love again, and the kind of steady tenderness that makes you melt. As a duet, they are magic. Soft. Intimate.
The forced proximity, the shared parenting moments, the emotional flashbacks, the growing baby, the late night confessions, the quiet devotion… the audio makes every beat hit a little deeper. It’s warm and immersive and full of heart.
🎧 Tropes You’ll Get:
💘 Best Friend’s Brother
🥺 Secret Longtime Crush
💥 One Night Stand
🍼 Surprise Pregnancy
🏡 Forced Proximity
👨👧 Single Dad
💛 Found Family
⏳ Slow Burn
💫 Second Chance at Love
A heartfelt, emotional close to the Blossom Beach series that delivers love, healing, family, and a deliciously tender romance. Huge thank you to A. James and The Author Agency for the ALC!
November 18, 2025
Beautiful Surprise is book 4, and the final book in the Blossom Beach series by A. James. I have loved every book in this series and while I am sad that it’s over, I can’t wait to see what A. James writes next!
Beautiful Surprise is Graham and Charley’s story. This book starts with a bang, literally. Graham and Charley have known each other for years, Charley is best friends with Graham’s sister, Georgia and she is also close with Graham’s other two sisters. Graham and Charley have been pining after each other since they were teenagers, but Charley was too worried that if they pursued something it would affect her friendships with Graham’s sisters. They kept their relationship a secret and when Charley went off to college she broke things off with Graham. Fast forward to the present day and all of those same magnetic feelings are still there between them. Now after spending a passionate night together, Charley is pregnant. Seems like the universe is on their side the second time around.
This book was perfect! I was really looking forward to Charley and Graham’s story and it exceeded my expectations. The flashbacks to their young love and the start of their relationship had me all up in my feels. Who doesn’t love young love? Even as teenagers you knew they were meant to be end game, it just took a little longer to get there but when they do it’s beautiful! Graham might just be the most swoon worthy MMC of the series. He went above and beyond for Charley and I loved it. I also loved that Charley seamlessly slid into a mothering role for Graham’s 2 year old daughter, Ellie Mae. Definitely teared up when Ellie Mae called Charley mommy. This one isn’t short on spice either, the sexual tension between Charley and Graham is palpable and when they finally give in to their desires is explosive!
Beautiful Surprise is narrated in duet by Vanessa Edwin and Teddy Hamilton. This dynamic duo can do no wrong in my opinion and their performances in Beautiful Surprise were just proof of that. Vanessa brought Charley’s adventurous spirit and bold personality to life perfectly as well as her hesitancy and doubts. Teddy brought all of Graham’s swagger and charm to life so well but also had me swooning any time he voiced Graham’s unwavering love and commitment to Charley and their little family.
Beautiful Surprise is Graham and Charley’s story. This book starts with a bang, literally. Graham and Charley have known each other for years, Charley is best friends with Graham’s sister, Georgia and she is also close with Graham’s other two sisters. Graham and Charley have been pining after each other since they were teenagers, but Charley was too worried that if they pursued something it would affect her friendships with Graham’s sisters. They kept their relationship a secret and when Charley went off to college she broke things off with Graham. Fast forward to the present day and all of those same magnetic feelings are still there between them. Now after spending a passionate night together, Charley is pregnant. Seems like the universe is on their side the second time around.
This book was perfect! I was really looking forward to Charley and Graham’s story and it exceeded my expectations. The flashbacks to their young love and the start of their relationship had me all up in my feels. Who doesn’t love young love? Even as teenagers you knew they were meant to be end game, it just took a little longer to get there but when they do it’s beautiful! Graham might just be the most swoon worthy MMC of the series. He went above and beyond for Charley and I loved it. I also loved that Charley seamlessly slid into a mothering role for Graham’s 2 year old daughter, Ellie Mae. Definitely teared up when Ellie Mae called Charley mommy. This one isn’t short on spice either, the sexual tension between Charley and Graham is palpable and when they finally give in to their desires is explosive!
Beautiful Surprise is narrated in duet by Vanessa Edwin and Teddy Hamilton. This dynamic duo can do no wrong in my opinion and their performances in Beautiful Surprise were just proof of that. Vanessa brought Charley’s adventurous spirit and bold personality to life perfectly as well as her hesitancy and doubts. Teddy brought all of Graham’s swagger and charm to life so well but also had me swooning any time he voiced Graham’s unwavering love and commitment to Charley and their little family.
November 25, 2025
*Overall Book Rating: 5 / 5
*Tropes:
-Small Town Romance
-Best Friend’s Brother
-Second Chance
-Single Dad
-Accidental Pregnancy
-Childhood Crush to Lovers
-Cinnamon Roll MC
-Mutual Pining
*Spiciness: 3.5 / 5
I enjoyed listening to Graham and Charley’s story. Graham is a Giant Green Flag (definitely a feminist) and I loved his character. He is sweet, kind, supportive, understanding and an amazing dad. Charley is hardworking, loyal, caring and a trustworthy friend. She has difficulty communicating which is a result of her witnessing her parent’s bad relationship. There were times throughout the book where I wanted to yell at Charley for throwing away something amazing in her life because of her fear and her inability to communicate. Charley and Graham had a pull and push kinda relationship from the beginning. Charley was too chicken shit to communicate her feelings and Graham was too sweet and nice not to force Charley when she would push him away. If it were not for Graham’s nosy sisters (aka Charley’s best friends) they would have still tiptoed around each other and would have never told one another about their true feelings. These things definitely made both the characters relatable. It was adorable to read how Graham’s daughter had Graham and Charley wrapped up around her little fingers. Charley and Graham definitely deserve to be together and it was a long time coming. With that said, narrators Teddy Hamilton and Venessa Edwin truly excelled in bringing the characters to life. I have thoroughly enjoyed this whole series and would definitely recommend it..
*Tropes:
-Small Town Romance
-Best Friend’s Brother
-Second Chance
-Single Dad
-Accidental Pregnancy
-Childhood Crush to Lovers
-Cinnamon Roll MC
-Mutual Pining
*Spiciness: 3.5 / 5
I enjoyed listening to Graham and Charley’s story. Graham is a Giant Green Flag (definitely a feminist) and I loved his character. He is sweet, kind, supportive, understanding and an amazing dad. Charley is hardworking, loyal, caring and a trustworthy friend. She has difficulty communicating which is a result of her witnessing her parent’s bad relationship. There were times throughout the book where I wanted to yell at Charley for throwing away something amazing in her life because of her fear and her inability to communicate. Charley and Graham had a pull and push kinda relationship from the beginning. Charley was too chicken shit to communicate her feelings and Graham was too sweet and nice not to force Charley when she would push him away. If it were not for Graham’s nosy sisters (aka Charley’s best friends) they would have still tiptoed around each other and would have never told one another about their true feelings. These things definitely made both the characters relatable. It was adorable to read how Graham’s daughter had Graham and Charley wrapped up around her little fingers. Charley and Graham definitely deserve to be together and it was a long time coming. With that said, narrators Teddy Hamilton and Venessa Edwin truly excelled in bringing the characters to life. I have thoroughly enjoyed this whole series and would definitely recommend it..
November 24, 2025
Been in love with his sister‘s best friend forever. Now years later, he gets his chance on having what he always wanted. And that is Charley. But the same thing could be said for this woman as well. One night with one surprise pregnancy happens will their dream come true after all these years.
What I like about Charley and Graham is there a chemistry. These two from the very beginning you could tell there was something. And their friendship they had a teens changed as an adult, but they were still yearning for each other. And the fact that these two will do anything to make sure that this family stays intact. Safe healthy, and together that makes them both wonderful parents. With Graham he’s gentle, caring, and soft in his own way. And he still grieving the loss of his wife. So he’s going through all these different kinds of emotions. I like how he cares for his family and Charley. The way that he reinsure Charley that she’s beautiful and would be a wonderful parent. And that he protects his family, especially his little girl. With Charley this woman has grown so much. I like that she realizes she can be an amazing parent. Despise what her past is and what she had to do with her parents. And that she never has to give up her chosen family. This woman is sweet and kind. And knows how to care for Ellie. And overall, this family is just amazing. And I love the fact that these characters all support one another.
What a way to end series. It was phenomenal from the very beginning. I always love reading Ashley’s books. And I like the fact that each sibling got their happiness that they deserve. I cannot wait to see what else Ashley writes.
What I like about Charley and Graham is there a chemistry. These two from the very beginning you could tell there was something. And their friendship they had a teens changed as an adult, but they were still yearning for each other. And the fact that these two will do anything to make sure that this family stays intact. Safe healthy, and together that makes them both wonderful parents. With Graham he’s gentle, caring, and soft in his own way. And he still grieving the loss of his wife. So he’s going through all these different kinds of emotions. I like how he cares for his family and Charley. The way that he reinsure Charley that she’s beautiful and would be a wonderful parent. And that he protects his family, especially his little girl. With Charley this woman has grown so much. I like that she realizes she can be an amazing parent. Despise what her past is and what she had to do with her parents. And that she never has to give up her chosen family. This woman is sweet and kind. And knows how to care for Ellie. And overall, this family is just amazing. And I love the fact that these characters all support one another.
What a way to end series. It was phenomenal from the very beginning. I always love reading Ashley’s books. And I like the fact that each sibling got their happiness that they deserve. I cannot wait to see what else Ashley writes.
November 25, 2025
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌶️🌶️🌶️
Audiobook Review:
Narrated by Teddy Hamilton & Vanessa Edwin. They both really expressed the emotions well. Made the characters very real and all the chemistry felt even more better.
This was the final book in the blossom Beach series and the final Astor sibling to get his HEA.
Sensitive subjects are discussed and written about so please check TW. Ashley has approached these subjects very well.
This was Charley and Graham's story. We have met both through the other books and Charles is Graham sisters bestie.
They were both into each other when they were teenagers. But their life was going different directions and insecurities kept them apart.
Now years later he is a single dad a sweet toddler and she is trying to start her dream job.
One night of drowning their sorrows, ends up sizzling ONS.
Charley's insecurities kept her avoiding Graham until she is met with a surprise.
Graham is absolutely perfect and he is determined to show Charley how she was the one that got away. He supports and respects all her wants and feelings. He takes care of her and is a wonderful dad.
Their chemistry was evident throughout the story. Even though Charley put up a wall and rules, she was breaking them before you know it..
She was so good with his daughter. I loved her support group she has with his sisters.
This was a journey of 2 people that were always meant to be, it just took a beautiful surprise to get them together.
Really enjoyed this series and excited to see what Ashley has next to come.
🌶️🌶️🌶️
Audiobook Review:
Narrated by Teddy Hamilton & Vanessa Edwin. They both really expressed the emotions well. Made the characters very real and all the chemistry felt even more better.
This was the final book in the blossom Beach series and the final Astor sibling to get his HEA.
Sensitive subjects are discussed and written about so please check TW. Ashley has approached these subjects very well.
This was Charley and Graham's story. We have met both through the other books and Charles is Graham sisters bestie.
They were both into each other when they were teenagers. But their life was going different directions and insecurities kept them apart.
Now years later he is a single dad a sweet toddler and she is trying to start her dream job.
One night of drowning their sorrows, ends up sizzling ONS.
Charley's insecurities kept her avoiding Graham until she is met with a surprise.
Graham is absolutely perfect and he is determined to show Charley how she was the one that got away. He supports and respects all her wants and feelings. He takes care of her and is a wonderful dad.
Their chemistry was evident throughout the story. Even though Charley put up a wall and rules, she was breaking them before you know it..
She was so good with his daughter. I loved her support group she has with his sisters.
This was a journey of 2 people that were always meant to be, it just took a beautiful surprise to get them together.
Really enjoyed this series and excited to see what Ashley has next to come.
November 14, 2025
Beautiful Surprise by Ashley James, narrated by the dynamic duo of Vanessa Edwin and Teddy Hamilton, is a wonderfully sweet and sexy standalone romance that immediately draws you in with its genuine emotion and undeniable chemistry. This fourth book in the series centers on Charley and Graham, two people who have been orbiting each other since they were teenagers.
For years, Charley has secretly crushed on Graham, the single dad and grieving widower brother of her three closest friends. Despite having moved on with their lives, their pent-up feelings finally exploded during one tequila-fueled night, resulting in a sizzling one-night stand.
Charley tried to pretend the whole thing never happened, but six weeks later, two pink lines derailed every plan she had for her new career, facing her with a complicated reality. Yet, when Graham expressed how much he wanted this "beautiful surprise," Charley couldn't deny that she wanted it too, even though it risked the heartbreak she desperately wanted to avoid.
Navigating this new reality quickly tested Charley's self-control, especially after moving in with Graham. The memory of their blazing chemistry haunted her, and the more time they spent together, the harder it became to keep her feelings out of it. Graham is truly swoon-worthy, consistently saying and doing all the right things and showing up for her without being asked. It became impossible for Charley not to fall in love with him—not again—especially when she witnessed how incredible he is with his daughter, heard him talking sweetly to their growing baby, and saw the genuine love in his eyes.
I thoroughly enjoyed the building chemistry and growing love between them, which felt organic and earned. The authentic friendship between Charley and Graham’s sisters added a lovely support layer to the story, and I personally had a few laugh-out-loud moments.
The strong narration by the dynamic duo of Vanessa Edwin and Teddy Hamilton brought emotion and depth, along with helping the story flow beautifully, creating a comforting and highly addictive listen that makes you root for the fantasy of their life together to become a reality. Graham was particularly sweet, taking care of Charley and spoiling her with food or drinks based on the pregnancy app's fruit or size reference for the baby.
Disclaimer: I received an advance copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
November 16, 2025
Oh my god! Graham and Charley are my new favorite Blossom Beach couple! This book was absolutely amazing and my favorite out of the whole series. There is something about how Ashley writes ‘it’s always been you’ that gets me every time and to this day I do not think another author could write the trope better. Ashley just takes the cake for me in every single read.
This book follows Charley and Graham. Graham is a widowed single dad and Charley is his sisters’ best friend that he has been secretly pining over since he was a kid. Upon finding some unsettling belongings of his late wife when prepping for a move, Graham decides to go to the bar and drown some of the voices in his head. He sees Charley there also looking for escape and they decide to have some drinks together. One thing leads to another and they end up going home together. Charley sneaks out in the morning and they go about their normal business with their busy lives for weeks, all while Charley is avoiding him like the plague. She starts to feel like something is going on and finds out she is pregnant with Graham’s baby from their little night of fun.
To be honest, I was a little nervous going into this one because I knew it covered heavier topics and I was wondering if it would be handled delicately. Some authors are very good with these types of conversations and others are not so much. Ashley did not disappoint and handled everything with the utmost care and respect. I feel very confident in her ability to touch such deep emotional subjects with respect and understanding and she definitely did not let her readers down.
Personally, I would recommend this book to everyone and would give it a 6⭐rating if possible. I honestly just loved everything about it and I am so sad that the Blossom Beach series is over because I had such a fun time with it. This series is definitely one of my favorite small town romance series I have read thus far and I just cannot wait to see what Ashley James will be up to next!
I want to thank Ashley James and The Author Agency for the opportunity to ARC read this book. I really appreciated the opportunity to ARC read this entire series and it was my favorite series I have ever ARC read.
This book follows Charley and Graham. Graham is a widowed single dad and Charley is his sisters’ best friend that he has been secretly pining over since he was a kid. Upon finding some unsettling belongings of his late wife when prepping for a move, Graham decides to go to the bar and drown some of the voices in his head. He sees Charley there also looking for escape and they decide to have some drinks together. One thing leads to another and they end up going home together. Charley sneaks out in the morning and they go about their normal business with their busy lives for weeks, all while Charley is avoiding him like the plague. She starts to feel like something is going on and finds out she is pregnant with Graham’s baby from their little night of fun.
To be honest, I was a little nervous going into this one because I knew it covered heavier topics and I was wondering if it would be handled delicately. Some authors are very good with these types of conversations and others are not so much. Ashley did not disappoint and handled everything with the utmost care and respect. I feel very confident in her ability to touch such deep emotional subjects with respect and understanding and she definitely did not let her readers down.
Personally, I would recommend this book to everyone and would give it a 6⭐rating if possible. I honestly just loved everything about it and I am so sad that the Blossom Beach series is over because I had such a fun time with it. This series is definitely one of my favorite small town romance series I have read thus far and I just cannot wait to see what Ashley James will be up to next!
I want to thank Ashley James and The Author Agency for the opportunity to ARC read this book. I really appreciated the opportunity to ARC read this entire series and it was my favorite series I have ever ARC read.
November 18, 2025
Rating: Love it (slightly obsessed)
🎁 Surprise Pregnancy
🔥 One Night Stand
👨👧 Single Dad
💫 Childhood Crush to Lovers
👩❤️👨 Best Friend's Brother
😩Mutual Pining
🧁 Cinnamon Roll MC
🥿Reverse Age Gap (2 years)
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Because I just realized I’ve gotten the chance to fall in love with you twice in this lifetime, Sunny.”
This series is ending on such a high. Graham is pure green-flag perfection. He’s healing from the loss of his wife, grappling with the truth about their marriage that surfaced before her death, and raising a toddler all on his own.
Charley has always loved her bff's brother. His family has been her safe place since she was young. Her soft landing when life gets too loud. She’s fiercely independent, but beneath that shell is someone who still isn’t sure she truly belongs, someone who believes the love around her might be conditional.
After Graham saves Charley at a party as a teen, their whirlwind romance begins. One she insists on keeping secret. They were each other’s firsts: first kiss, first time, first love. When she ends things, they go their separate ways until one difficult night pulls them back together, and one thing leads to another. Now they’re having a baby.
I’m not usually a huge accidental-pregnancy fan, but I am a massive fan of Ashley James, best friend’s brothers, single dads, second chances, and golden retriever MMCs, so there was no way I was skipping the finale of this series. And it delivered: sweet, swoony, and full of heart.
Yes, Charley frustrated me at times with how oblivious she was to Graham’s feelings (and her own), but she grows through it, and everything falls into place beautifully.
Experiencing the pregnancy highs and lows and Graham show up again and again, in ways big and small absolutely melted me. The man cooked meals based on the fruit/veggie size of the baby each week. What more could we possibly want?!
And to top it all off, Teddy Hamilton and Vanessa Edwin bring these characters to life flawlessly.
🎁 Surprise Pregnancy
🔥 One Night Stand
👨👧 Single Dad
💫 Childhood Crush to Lovers
👩❤️👨 Best Friend's Brother
😩Mutual Pining
🧁 Cinnamon Roll MC
🥿Reverse Age Gap (2 years)
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Because I just realized I’ve gotten the chance to fall in love with you twice in this lifetime, Sunny.”
This series is ending on such a high. Graham is pure green-flag perfection. He’s healing from the loss of his wife, grappling with the truth about their marriage that surfaced before her death, and raising a toddler all on his own.
Charley has always loved her bff's brother. His family has been her safe place since she was young. Her soft landing when life gets too loud. She’s fiercely independent, but beneath that shell is someone who still isn’t sure she truly belongs, someone who believes the love around her might be conditional.
After Graham saves Charley at a party as a teen, their whirlwind romance begins. One she insists on keeping secret. They were each other’s firsts: first kiss, first time, first love. When she ends things, they go their separate ways until one difficult night pulls them back together, and one thing leads to another. Now they’re having a baby.
I’m not usually a huge accidental-pregnancy fan, but I am a massive fan of Ashley James, best friend’s brothers, single dads, second chances, and golden retriever MMCs, so there was no way I was skipping the finale of this series. And it delivered: sweet, swoony, and full of heart.
Yes, Charley frustrated me at times with how oblivious she was to Graham’s feelings (and her own), but she grows through it, and everything falls into place beautifully.
Experiencing the pregnancy highs and lows and Graham show up again and again, in ways big and small absolutely melted me. The man cooked meals based on the fruit/veggie size of the baby each week. What more could we possibly want?!
And to top it all off, Teddy Hamilton and Vanessa Edwin bring these characters to life flawlessly.
November 21, 2025
So this book description was a little deceiving. To me when I read it I thought Charley had had a crush on Graham in High School and he was not aware, and is now a widower and grieving for his wife who he just found out had an affair. What really happened is Charley and Graham actually fell in love in High School. Charley was good friends with his three sisters so asked to keep their relationship secret fearing that they and their family would not be supportive. Eventually she breaks up with him for the same reason - fear she would lose Graham and his sisters.
Graham ends up marrying someone else and is with her for almost 20 years and he knows she cheats and is not happy in the marriage for many years. It is a little irritating that it is never really explained why he stayed with her for so long because he does not really seem to be grieving. He does get upset (and rightly so) when he finds out that she had actually been cheating for a long time with his best friend, not just the few months she admitted to. Then to add bad to good, they have a child together and she dies. I have so many unanswered questions. I am not clear how she died - if it was explained I missed it. I do not know why they stayed together so long or decided to have a child together. And what happened to his best friend? Not really critical to the story but I was curious.
There were a lot of things I liked. How Graham respected and loved Charley. How supportive they were with each other. The sex scenes were hot but a little repetitive. Graham is super sweet - would date him in a heartbeat. And they really loved and respected each other. This is a second chance and surprise pregnancy story. As a warning the h calls the H "Daddy" a couple of times during sex so if you do not like that, this may not be for you. I would rate this 3.5 out of 4 stars for the uneven story and the gaps.
Graham ends up marrying someone else and is with her for almost 20 years and he knows she cheats and is not happy in the marriage for many years. It is a little irritating that it is never really explained why he stayed with her for so long because he does not really seem to be grieving. He does get upset (and rightly so) when he finds out that she had actually been cheating for a long time with his best friend, not just the few months she admitted to. Then to add bad to good, they have a child together and she dies. I have so many unanswered questions. I am not clear how she died - if it was explained I missed it. I do not know why they stayed together so long or decided to have a child together. And what happened to his best friend? Not really critical to the story but I was curious.
There were a lot of things I liked. How Graham respected and loved Charley. How supportive they were with each other. The sex scenes were hot but a little repetitive. Graham is super sweet - would date him in a heartbeat. And they really loved and respected each other. This is a second chance and surprise pregnancy story. As a warning the h calls the H "Daddy" a couple of times during sex so if you do not like that, this may not be for you. I would rate this 3.5 out of 4 stars for the uneven story and the gaps.
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