House of Cards

Not in the Cards #1

by Courtney W. Dixon

"I never wanted nor was I supposed to be a father. Now, I'm having to foster care for a 14-year-old grieving boy."

Calvin Abernathy

Life is good. It’s exactly how I want it. No relationships. No kids. I own a business, and I have a nice home. I can do whatever I want and sleep with whomever I want. To make life even better, I have a hot neighbor that I love tormenting. His annoyance gives me great pleasure because he’s cute when he gets flustered. Too bad he has so many kids and a new boyfriend.

When my perfect life turns on its head after my friends die in a tragic accident, I end up with their teenage son in my care. To say that I’m freaking out is an understatement. I have no idea what the hell I’m doing. So, with my tail tucked between my legs, I ask for Seth’s help. Now, our growing friendship has me wondering if having a relationship would be so bad.

Seth Griffin

My neighbor, Calvin, is a jerk. He’s always making fun of me and turning my kids’ toys left in his yard into these totems. Weirdo. He’s annoying, and I hate that he’s hot. However, when he comes to me after becoming the guardian of a teenager, I decide to help him—just for the boy’s sake. Eventually, a close friendship develops between us, and feelings arise, but I shouldn’t want my neighbor.

I’m finally dating again after being abandoned by my ex-husband. While I would never cheat, this friendship with Cal is getting complicated, and I need to decide what to do about it. Then, my new boyfriend’s red flags are revealed, making my decision easier. It’s Calvin I run to now. It’s Calvin I want.

Tropes:

♠️ Neighbors
♠️ Unexpected Father
♠️ Single Dads
♠️ Pseudo Enemies to Lovers
♠️ Eventual Best Friends
♠️ Finding Love After Heartbreak
♠️ Hurt/Comfort
♠️ Bonding Through Poker
♠️ Found Family
♠️ Medium Burn
♠️ ‘I’ll Always Be There for You’

Sex before the relationship, grief, reluctant fatherhood, on page non-consensual breath play that led to bodily harm (not MCs), bullying of a child (not by MCs), abusive/narcissistic parent (not by an MC), death of friends, death of a secondary character, death of a parent, alcohol consumption, mentions of cheating and abandonment from previous relationships (not MCs).

** Ends in a SERIES cliffhanger, not a cliffhanger for the couple. The couple achieve and complete their HEA. **

Genres: M M Romance, Contemporary, Friends To Lovers, Romance, Audiobook, Found Family, LGBT

384 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 16, 2026

About the author

Courtney W. Dixon loves to write steamy hurt/comfort romance, giving her characters challenges, struggles, and sometimes trauma... Fine, a LOT of trauma. Her team teases her about charging her for their therapy bills after reading one of her books.

She loves to add variety and multiple tropes in her stories along with different types of dynamics/relationships. And she writes her characters as having flaws, imperfections, and who don't always do the right thing. Humans are sometimes frustrating, never perfect, and make a lot of mistakes in their lives. Courtney enjoys pushing her characters, making their HEAs so much more worth it when they get there. Mental health is a big feature in her books.

She loves her coffee ice cream and popcorn a little too much. And her cat, Olly, is her co-writer, where he sleeps on an ottoman under her desk as her muse. Actually, he's rather useless, but he's adorable.

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Reviews

[Ian]

4.75 ⭐️ rounded up

ARC REVIEW

This was my first Courtney Dixon book and what a book to start with!

Calvin and Seth’s story was beautiful and heartwarming!

Both characters go through a lot of growth and have a lot of hurt/comfort and I loved seeing them develop throughout the story!

Seth is amazing with his kids and re assures Calvin constantly and seeing Calvin transform from a pseudo playboy into a warm family man was amazing

My only real critiques with this were that some of the dialogue felt off? Maybe forced in a way? And the constant use of the nicknames was a little much for me personally

All this to say I will definitely be reading more of Cortney’s works!

Out 3/16/26

[Shonee]

DNF @ <10%

The narrator has a significant lisp that carries through to each character, making it difficult to maintain a separation between the characters.

I'll have to try reading this with my eyeballs.

[Tay]

5⭐️


IM SPEECHLESS…

WHAT THEEEEEE……. MY DAMN HEARTTTTTT💔




Ughhh this book had me locked in and devouring it from the very start to the very end. I simply couldn’t get enough. I was crying and laughing throughout.



THESE TWO TOOK MY HEART AND KEPT IT SAFE. THE WAY THEY SAID THEY FELT SAFE WITH EACH OTHER… ✨CUT THE CAMERAS ✨ HOW FREAKING PRECIOUS ARE THESE BEANS UGHHHHHHHH



Life through loss and grief was very prominent throughout the book and it felt so real because it happens in real life and this book had so much real world experiences and it just was remarkable how it touched light on it but made it feel real because in the end it was real. And I just love when books make me feel especially when having real world experiences written in a way like what was written in this amazing book





I watched them grow and learn and ughh they simply stole my heart. Cal omfg his character was one of the best character developments I’ve seen because I watched him grow tremendously. And him becoming a dad I think that was the best thing that had happened to him and he was such a good dad.

And Seth ughh him being a single dad and having so much stuff happen to him ughhh this man 😭😭

Ughh and the KIDS BASICALLY SETTING THEM UP BY LEAVING THE TOYS OUT ON PURPOSE LIKE HELLO THE KIDS MANIFESTED THEIR RELATIONSHIP AND I AM SO PROUD OF THEM UGHHH

I think these 2 were meant to be with each other and you could tell with how much they depended on each other and despite their tension they had chemistry form the start and they needed each other in so many ways. They learned and grew together and it was such a sweet thing to see before my eyes.

I really loved the single dad aspect for both of these men because we got to see them go through life and learn and grow and etc and coming together was just everything they needed and it just makes me so happy they ended up together

AND THAT ENDING STOPPPPPP RIPPED MY HEART OUT WITH THAT NEWS LIKE STOPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP I SIMPLY THREW MY KINDLE I BECAME SPEECHLESS AFTER READING THE ENDING


“It’s my turn to be your rock” LIKE STOPPPP😭😭😭😭


THAT AUDIO WAS CHEFS KISS OMGGGG

COURTNEY W DIXON HAS DONE IT AGAIN SHE NEVER DISAPPOINTS

[Emily Harris]

Hσυʂҽ σϝ Cαɾԃʂ

⁽ᴺᵒᵗ ⁱⁿ ᵗʰᵉ ᶜᵃʳᵈˢ ᴮᵒᵒᵏ ¹⁾

(¯`*•.¸,¤°´✿.｡.:* Courtney W Dixon *.:｡.✿`°¤,¸.•*´¯)

House of card is beautifully written Seth and Calvin these to just have been through so much that make relationships so weary and not in their cards. Well what happens when you grumpy neighbor ask for some help?

This book is no different from Courtney's books. She always draws you in and make you teary eyed and then helps slowly put you back together! My heart for these two!!! Also for Brae definitely hurts! But this book is beautiful and amazing!

Why not pick up House of Cards and give it a read!

[Leilani Noack]

Wow this book brought on so many emotions and I felt bad for everyone. I felt so bad for Seth and what his ex did to him but I’m glad he had Calvin on his side. And the surprise that was thrown at Calvin ugh made him so much more amazing for doing what was right. I love this book! If you read it be ready for all the emotions.

[Tracey]

I'm dead 😭

[Tori ✨]

An easy 5✨ for me!

Aww man this author just gets me! This was my "just right" book. Not too hot. Not too cold. It hit it right on the head. It had all of the things I like:

- single dads: one who was one for years and who was thrusted into it. It was nice to watch them navigate this in a way that felt realistic.
- double hurt/comfort: Whew these two went through it. Both before they were together and during but the comfort was COMFORTING. They were perfect for each other and this book was perfect for me.
- adults who act and talk like adults: I won't even dive deep into this one but it has been a growing issue for me lol
- cute kids who act and talk like kids: 4 kids was A LOT. One of the kids was damn near the middle sister from Family Matters. Maybe we could have stuck with 3 lol. But otherwise I loved them.
- good side characters who were there just enough to advance the story but no so much to overtake it: I've been looking for a book with a gay single dads club and it was nice to find out that was a standalone!

I just loved everythinggggg about this. So sweet and so healing to me. Loved the natural progression from annoying neighbors to friends to lovers. Loved that we saw them do what grown adults do date and have sex with people before the relationship starts. ESPECIALLY appreciated the rep with the narc parents and exes. That was lowkey triggering actually lol but everything was done with great care. I can tell this author didn't just write this hoping to check off boxes for trope bingo and I really appreciate that. Already added more books to my TBR.

[Tiff Reads and Rambles]

What a great palate cleanser read/listen. Such a wholesome story that had me feeling good the whole book. Seth and Calvin, you little cutie patooties. But that ending….like what????

[Caroline Forrester]

5 ⭐️

[Lisa]

Fantastic!

I absolutely loved this! This is my first book by this author and I am hooked! I just adored Seth and Calvin as well as all the kids. This was such a wonderful slow burn romance. I am a huge fan of the build up to the first kiss and all the butterflies that follow. Seth and Calvin built a friendship first, centered around parenting with Calvin suddenly finding himself the guardian of a teenager, and watching their friendship grow into love was fantastic! They were open and honest with each other, they built trust and respect, and finally love. This was just a wonderful love story. No unnecessary drama, no miscommunication, no 3rd act breakup, just 2 men leaning on each other and falling in love--surrounded by their kids. I absolutely loved it!

[Wren Vale]

I loved this book! So much

[Colleen (colleenreads40)]

House of Cards is the first book in Courtney W. Dixon’s new Not in the Cards series. Please note that this book ends with a happily ever after for the main characters, but ends on a series (not a story) cliffhanger. Here’s what you can expect from Calvin and Seth:

♣️ MM contemporary romance
♣️ First person dual point of view
♣️ Guaranteed happily ever after
♣️ Open door spice
♣️ Neighbors
♣️ Unexpected father
♣️ Single dad
♣️ Frenemies to lovers (eventual best friends)
♣️ Finding love after heartbreak
♣️ Hurt/comfort
♣️ Bonding through poker
♣️ Found family
♣️ Slow burn

Ensure you review the content and trigger warnings to decide if this book is right for you. Note this list of warnings may be incomplete. Please take care of yourself while reading.
⚠️ Sex before relationship between main characters
⚠️ Grief
⚠️ Reluctant fatherhood
⚠️ On page non-consensual breath play that led to bodily harm (not by one of the main characters)
⚠️ Bullying of a child (not by main characters)
⚠️ Abusive/narcissistic parent (not by a main character)
⚠️ Death of friends
⚠️ Death of a secondary character
⚠️ Alcohol consumption
⚠️ Mentions of cheating and abandonment from previous relationships (not main characters)

Courtney W. Dixon has become an auto-read for me over these past couple years. She always comes up with unique and refreshing storylines, and I was looking forward to House of Cards and her new series focusing on men that may not have expected to become parents in the way they did and of course, featuring a dads’ poker club with all the found family vibes. I really enjoyed Seth and Calvin’s book. Their journey from frenemies to lovers was really special, and there were lots of twists and turns and secondary characters in the story that made for an interesting read. I liked that the kids weren’t shoved into the background of the story when it might’ve been convenient, and they were critical to the plotline. There is lots of healing and growth in this book, and although some of the content can be heavy at times, this story brought me lots of joy and comfort. Also, the spice was phenomenal and I think the dynamics between Seth and Calvin worked perfectly. This book also sets up the second in the series, and I’ll be looking forward to that story! Love after loss and grief of any kind is difficult to write and read, and I think Courtney handles it with the utmost care and respect.

I received an advanced review copy of this book from the author and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Alex (The Informal Library)]

I remember when this released Courtney made a post on Instagram that she wasn't gonna continue since the release wasn't successful. And while I was reading this I was really trying hard to piece together why. This concept is a well loved one in the community. The only thing I could think of was the title; I think the poker angle which was used for a lot of the book's marketing painted a very different story (at least to me) than what we actually got. And I loved what we got so much.

This cast of characters are just so good and the just make their home in your heart — Cal, Seth, all of their kids and friends. And my emotions while reading were all over the place. One minute I was like "these idiots" and the next I was sobbing all over my desk. The romance, the friendships, the familial tones; it just hit the mark in every aspect.

It's not perfect the romantic pacing definitely picked up quite a bit in the last 30%, which was a bit jarring given the very slow and reasonable pacing in the first 70%. There was a lot of obvious set up for the rest of the series which isn't always my fave but is kind of a me thing. And I do wish we go to see that final confrontation with Cal and his mom. Courtney is becoming synonymous in my mind with not giving her traumatized character any closure. But none of these thing severely impacted my enjoyment, and those last few pages felt like I was saying goodbye to my family.

I know Courtney confirmed book 2 to wrap up the small cliff hanger that happens in the epilogue and so I'll definitely be looking forward to that. But I can't deny I'm a little bummed she won't be continuing on. In my opinion, this is some of her best work since she wrapped on The District Series. But alas, I definitely recommend checking it out!

I co-read along with the narration which was also amazing, Harley Chase with that southern twang had me blushing fr.

[Siân PJsAndBooks]

Thank you, Courtney, for my audiobook copy of House of Cards narrated by Harley Chase. This book comes in hot, squeezes your heart multiple times & makes you fall in love with a new cast of characters. ⚠️⚠️ With all of Courtney's books, I recommend reading the content warnings if you have any subjects you prefer not to read. House of Cards, an emotional rollercoaster peppered with bad dad jokes & definitely nothing vanilla IYKYK. I adored this on audio & particularly enjoyed the accent choices for Calvin.

Our MCs are Single Dad of 3, Seth & his neighbour confirmed batchelor Calvin. That is until Calvin's world is turned upside down, after a tragic event, he becomes guardian of his bffs 14 year old son. Calvin turns to his neighbour & frenemie Seth, things change & their budding friendship turns to more. The 3rd MC is the city of New Orleans & I definitely want to visit now. Courtney always does their research & many locations/activities are real!

The anxiety I felt whilst listening to the epilogues knowing what was coming was next level. The trauma chapter to tease you into book 2, When the Chips are Down. 😭😭😭
But to be clear, Calvin & Seth get their HEA in House of Cards & the event is related to other members of the Royal Dads Poker Night group. 🥹😭 I need When the Chips are Down ASAP.

🃏 MM Romance
🃏 Neighbours
🃏 New Oreleans setting
🃏 Frienemies
🃏 Hurt Comfort
🃏 Unexpected Fatherhood
🃏 Single Dads
🃏 Eventual BFFs
🃏 Royal Dads Poker Nights
🃏 Dual POV
🃏 Epilogue
🃏 THAT CHAPTER!
🃏 MCs HEA

[Bryoni]

Rating 4⭐️
Emotion 2🥹
Spice 2🌶️

I enjoyed House of Cards. It’s definitely more of a slow burn. The focus of the story is centred more around the kids, fatherhood and the struggles that go along with that.

Calvin never planned on becoming a dad, but when his friends’ son Braeden ends up on his doorstep after their passing, he turns to his neighbour and single dad Seth for help.

What starts as support slowly grows into friendship and eventually something more. I really enjoyed watching Calvin grow into fatherhood and loved Seth and Calvin together.

The kids really stole the show in this one, especially Emily.

I’m looking forward to reading more in the series. Paul’s story seems like it’s going to be very emotional.

[Sha]

Enjoyable read, the teasing and banter between them was good. Love when couples develop a friendship before the relationship and the pet names? So cute.

I can see the set up for furture books with the friend groups, def interested to see more.

Warnings if you want to read, this book does end on a cliffhanger.

Trigger warnings:
- Assault
- Childhood truma
- Death and greaving
- The main couple do have on page sex with other people before getting together

[Nicole Scarborough]

I loved Calvin and Seth so much. Braeden, Harrison, Sawyer, and Emily were also great. I love how Calvin embraced becoming a father to a teen but also embraced Seth's kids with no hesitation. The chemistry was good and it was well written.

[Liz]

5 ⭐️
2 🌶️

Courtney W. Dixon never disappoints! I was super excited when she announced this series centered around unexpected single dads and this first edition was everything I hoped it would be. With found family, a lot of hurt/comfort, and a healthy dose of banter this book has all the things I’ve come to love about Courtney’s writing.

We are first introduced to self-declared bachelor for life Calvin and his good nature was immediately evident. Even in his quest for physical closeness with zero emotional investment, he still manages to display his kindness. That’s not to say he’s without his faults, but everything he does is never out of malice and almost always with a healthy dose of humor.

We first meet Seth when he’s in the throes of the chaos that is raising a toddler and it makes him super relatable for anyone who’s ever been in charge of young kids. He’s incredibly devoted to his children, which is beautiful to witness, but there is so much more to him than just being a father. There is a gentleness that he exudes not only with his family but also with his friends that is quite refreshing.

I absolutely love how these two communicate with each other! Even in the beginning when they were only annoying neighbors, there’s a chemistry that I really enjoyed experiencing. They are so supportive of each other but also maintain healthy boundaries which I found to be refreshing. From Calvin finding himself as the unexpected guardian of a grief-stricken teenager to an incredibly scary incident with Seth, they always manage to be there for each other at exactly the right time.

As this is the first book of a series centered on single dads, I was expecting the kids to play a big part of the story and I was not disappointed. What I love most is how Courtney integrated them into the book as a whole. Calvin and Seth are definitely the main characters, but their kids are a huge part of their dynamic and I really enjoyed getting to know each of them and the ways in which they bring realness to their dad’s story.

There are a lot of aspects on mental health in this book – specifically around grief and the numerous ways it can manifest in people’s lives. I am always so impressed with Courtney’s level of care and research in every aspect of the struggles her characters endure. What Cal, Seth, and the children endure is told with gentleness and compassion but also with an honesty for which I am deeply grateful.

I cannot wait for the rest of this series!

[Tonya Druckenmiller]

Seth comes across as a very put together, nerdy, single dad of three small kids. In truth, he barely has his life together. He’s been managing his home, and his kids on his own since his ex-husband walked out over 2 years ago. The only thing he has to look forward to are his poker nights with his buddies. His neighbor, Calvin, constantly gives him grief over his kids toys in his yard. He taunts him almost daily, just to get a rise. Seth won’t admit to himself that he finds his neighbor attractive because he wants to believe him to be completely and utterly infuriating. Calvin has the freedom to go as he pleases, to date as he pleases, to have late night escapades with whomever he wants, and he has no one to answer to—which frustrates Seth that much more. That is, until a tragedy leaves Calvin the sole guardian to a teenager, making him a father basically overnight. He realizes he needs guidance— and who better to turn to than his superdad neighbor, Seth. It doesn’t take long for a true friendship to blossom between the two…and that then involves into so much more as trust and dependability begin to take root.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book so much. The slow burn was perfect and the banter between Calvin and Seth was fun and endearing. I cannot wait to see what comes in the second book of this series.

**I received a complimentary copy of this book.**

[jules]

Dude. This was bad. The dialogue was so awkward and the whole thing read like bad fanfiction. Just…not good.

[Theodore]

DNF @ 49%

Notes I took while I was reading:

The intro was interesting. Showing Calvin's promiscuity and empathy towards his hook up was decent, if a little confusing since the story could've just started at Seth's part without really losing much characterization imo.

Seth's first chapter was good since it showed his struggles with single parenthood but also showed that he liked it.

Calvin's first conversation with his assistant about their work was pretty bad the way he told her about basic project details like "is going to be a boring but it'll pay the bills" or "We worked our asses off to obtain that job" as if the assistant didn't already know that about the jobs. Never a fan of when authors write dialogue to inform readers about details that all parties involved in the conversation already inherently know.

I like that the author wrote Calvin's mom to show the whiplashy parts of narcissistic relationships but I don't think her saying "I'm sorry and I love you" was really enough especially when Calvin himself was explicitly aware of what she was doing. I feel like abusive relationships like that need the victim to hold out hope and trick themselves into believing that their abuser is inherently good and only has bad days as opposed to them being inherently bad with a few redeeming qualities. Calvin knowing his mom was a narcissist AND not wanting to even stay in contact with her but then suddenly going around and saying that he craves her approval did not jive at all with how strong of a personality he seemed to have. If Calvin had been more timid, maybe his character taking his mom's shit would've made more sense, but he was a successful, independent, seemingly well-adjusted 40 year old man so there was a quite a large dissonance with his portrayal and actions.

How anti-social were Calvin's old friends that they weren't able to find a replacement guardian in the fourteen years that Calvin had left them? I'm not usually against improbable events in books but this one was just a touch too unbelievable. Surely there was someone that they'd gotten close to since Calvin's departure?

It was super weird for Calvin to sudden act like he was super close to Braeden's in the story. I guess there's such a thing as post mortem appreciation, though the story seeming to play it straight instead of highlighting how distant they actually were was odd. If Calvin was going to act that way, the story should've just had him actually stay on contact with them rather than having them go more than a decade without any real communication.

Seth just continually talking about Calvin on his date with Leo was annoying. He knew that Leo was feeling insecure about his friendship with Calvin (regardless of how problematic that jealousy was) so him continually needling Leo with things he rejected him on but freely gave to Calvin was wild (aka Calvin already meeting his kids). I get were supposed to view Leo as this toxic & possessive red flag but it didn't help how much of a dick Seth was being by rubbing Calvin in Leo's face.

I kinda lost all interest after Calvin and Braeden went to the funeral. First of all, I still couldn't get over how weird the whole "Calvin gets custody" thing was given how little contact Braeden's parents had with him (AND they updated their wills recently enough to show it was a conscious decision). Second, since there wasn't a real connection between Calvin and Braeden's dead parents, the whole thing felt flat rather than emotional. Third, Braeden suddenly changing subjects to his sexuality after talking with Calvin was so weird. He literally just attended his parents' funeral and Calvin was telling him stories about how they met and he's suddenly interested in how he experiences attraction? What?

Calvin's phone convo with Seth later about the breath play incident sealed the deal because it was just so dry and tell-y. Maybe I'd have cared if Seth hadn't annoyed the hell out of me earlier or if I actually believed in Seth and Calvin's connection, but the story hadn't really done that for me.

The whole premise was Calvin being emotionally shaken by a tragedy and sudden responsibility and Seth helping him through that, but I just couldn't see Braeden's parents' death as being actually sad considering how long Calvin had gone without seeing each them. Throw in the fact that Calvin basically actually had zero issues taking in a 14 year old he literally didn't know, and the book just reads like it's trying to make drama out of nothing. I don't even know what's going on with Calvin's narcissistic or why we needed Seth to endure Leo, but both of side plots just further muddied the already weak main plot and left the entire book feeling unfocused and melodramatic. 1.5 stars rounded up.

[Sarinha M]

The phrasing is a bit weird... there's a LOT of woman blaming from the get-go... quelle surprise 😒

But, this sentence nearly took me out... "his wife left him when he came out as gay... "

Hmmm... she didn't "leave" him, there was NO actual marriage... him coming out as Bi is one thing, but as gay & she's a woman, he used her as a beard until he felt comfortable to come out... I feel for her, not him! But it is phrased to make you think she's the one in the wrong.

Poor woman was deceived into marrying a man who would NEVER desire her or actually LOVE her... THAT'S messed up!


----- finished ----



I was fully ready to give the author all the props, because after the shaky start, it got really good! However, the author kinda killed all my goodwill with the last epilogue. Pure cash grab & a cruel one at that!



The good...



I loved Cal & Seth. I loved that they went from mildly antagonistic to friends to lovers to partners & it all felt realistic.

I loved that all the children were a part of the story throughout, they weren't used as plot devices, they were present, fully enmeshed into the story & both MCs had to always make realistic arrangements to spend some sexy time together!

I LOVED that the author portrayed a realistic reaction to nonconsensual BDSM practices.

More often than not (it wasn't the case in this one, but even when it isn't... it applies), the "Dom" will either spank or introduce some sadomasochistic aspect to the relationship out of the blue, without talking it out with the other MC, F or M, without any galk about safewords or hard/soft limits & most times said MC has suffered horrific abuse, however they're fully onboard with being spanked or dominated out of the blue without ANY negative reactions... which, makes NO sense whatsoever!

In this, naturally the abusive ex is the one who does introduce BDSM play without consent, so it doesn't become an issue, which I'm thinking would've been a different deal had it been the other MC, but that situation was used to introduce very mild power play to their sexy times!

Cal was always respectful & always sought consent BEFORE any action & a very light-handed "Dom".... me likey!

Nothing was easily or magically dealt with.... many issues had no solution & that's exactly how it goes IRL!



The bad &/or not so good...



I do think the issue with Braden's trauma & reaction was a bit overplayed, but not so much that it felt completely unrealistic!

Seth's abusive BF did go WAY too far, but he DID have a point being jealous & feeling like he was 2nd best, as to be fair... Cal & Seth WERE having an emotional affair! It was never really platonic!

There was a balance with the "villains" as one was male, the other female... but, both what could be considered the male "villains/antagonists", were easily & promptly dealt with... one, before the story even started, so it didn't really feel THAT balanced.

Especially because the female villain was the only woman who WAS given ANY prominence in the book. The other had one or 2 sentences.

& the absolute worst part for me, came at the very end, with the author's choices to kill off one of the happily married couples, simply so she could turn this into a series.

IMO that could've easily been achieved by introducing other male, gay men to the Gay Fathers Poker Night!

Also, there already was one Father, who according to the author was abandoned by his ex-wife when he came out as gay... I'm still wondering if she was meant to have stayed, even though she clearly was lied to for years.

If you're gay, just be gay & leave women out of it or should you require a lavender wedding, that's all good, so long as she's fully aware & has fully consented to it... I wish you both all the happiness as all parties know what they're getting into... anything else is duplicitous IMO!

But, the authors choice to kill off one half of a happily married couple with kids, simply for $$$$, left a sour tast in my mouth!

This could've easily been solved by having them be at odds or going through a divorce or even separation, but killing off one half of a HEA... not my cup of tea, so I won't be continuing with the series once that instalment comes out!

Also, it kinda felt low-key bigoted, as a Brown person was killed, so an olive-skinned MC could find his HEA with a blonde, blue-eyed MC!

I'm assuming that he'll get together with the nanny, who naturally is also male (because male only universes are a thing 🙄), but maybe it's just me, but it kinda cheapens it even further IMO if my guess is right, that he's going to get together with the nanny he hired a WEEK after the "love of his life" died... 😬

That feels ALL kinds of messed up to me 🤷‍♀️

[Ashley | adhdandread]

House of Cards by Courtney W. Dixon
Not in the Cards #1
Length: 387 pages
Source: Author-direct eARC
Publication date: March 16, 2026

5 ⭐⁣⁣⁣
2.5 🌶️⁣⁣⁣

WHAT TO EXPECT
🧡 ⁣Unexpected fatherhood
💛 Bonding through poker
🧡 New Orleans
💛 Single dads
🧡 Frenemies to lovers
💛 Eventual BFFs
🧡 Slow burn
💛 Dad jokes
🧡 Nicknames
💛 Hurt/comfort
🧡 Neighbors
💛 Adorable kids
🧡 “I’ll always be there for you”
💛 HEA

AUTHOR'S BLURB
"I never wanted nor was I supposed to be a father. Now, I'm having to foster care for a 14-year-old grieving boy."

Calvin Abernathy
Life is good. It’s exactly how I want it. No relationships. No kids. I own a business, and I have a nice home. I can do whatever I want and sleep with whomever I want. To make life even better, I have a hot neighbor that I love tormenting. His annoyance gives me great pleasure because he’s cute when he gets flustered. Too bad he has so many kids and a new boyfriend.

When my perfect life turns on its head after my friends die in a tragic accident, I end up with their teenage son in my care. To say that I’m freaking out is an understatement. I have no idea what the hell I’m doing. So, with my tail tucked between my legs, I ask for Seth’s help. Now, our growing friendship has me wondering if having a relationship would be so bad.

Seth Griffin
My neighbor, Calvin, is a jerk. He’s always making fun of me and turning my kids’ toys left in his yard into these totems. Weirdo. He’s annoying, and I hate that he’s hot. However, when he comes to me after becoming the guardian of a teenager, I decide to help him—just for the boy’s sake. Eventually, a close friendship develops between us, and feelings arise, but I shouldn’t want my neighbor.

I’m finally dating again after being abandoned by my ex-husband. While I would never cheat, this friendship with Cal is getting complicated, and I need to decide what to do about it. Then, my new boyfriend’s red flags are revealed, making my decision easier. It’s Calvin I run to now. It’s Calvin I want.

MY THOUGHTS
Reading Courtney is the epitome of "Kinda hurts but it feels good." She's the queen of "Thank you, ma'am, may I have another?" You will let her break your heart with a smile on your face and then serve yourself up again for another helping. House of Cards is no exception to any of this.

Cal and Seth are two phenomenal characters–and men–who stole my heart from the moment they each hit the page. They've each got broken parts, yet they keep going, keep moving, keep living despite their crappy pasts. Cal's use of humor to deflect felt like looking in a mirror at times (and that's all I've got to say about that). The same can be said of Seth's giving nature, to struggle to look out for oneself not only because that's what you've accepted from others but also because you're truly a caregiver at heart and take joy in it. Seeing them grow from reluctant neighbors to necessary friends to sustaining, supportive loves is the kind of queer joy that I'm here for. They settle into each other so comfortably it would be sickening if you didn't know the things they've had to go through to get here. Instead, you just feel warm inside getting to watch them fall for one another and become a family.

The children and other side characters in House of Cards are solid, well-developed, and true to life. I never felt I was being cheated out of the story when the focus turned to them more than the MCs, and for me, they actually contributed greatly to seeing the MCs become a couple realistically, from buddies razzing each other about their dating lives to kids being... well, kids. This book is an all-around great found-family story.

BOTTOM LINE
Good grief, yes!

CONTENT WARNINGS
Sex before relationship between MCs, grief, reluctant fatherhood, on-page non-con breath play that led to bodily harm (not by MCs), bullying of a child (not by MCs), abusive/narcissistic parent (not an MC), death of friends, death of secondary character, alcohol consumption, mentions of cheating and abandonment from previous relationships (not MCs). Ends on series cliffhanger. Always check full warnings if any of these may be triggers for you.

–A🩷

Thanks to Courtney W. Dixon for an eARC of this book. All opinions are mine. Reviews posted regularly on StoryGraph, Goodreads, Amazon, Instagram, BlueSky, BookBub, and Fable.

[Charlotte.s.library]

Courtney did it again. She really said, single dads? Why not? Hold my beer while I write a whole ass series about single dads and make it amazing.

Seriously tho', this book was absolutely amazing. I think this is one the few friends to lovers I LOVED with all my heart. This series will be fire, and, as always, the found family is TOP TIER.

I don't know how Courtney does it, but... wow. 5 stars, hands down.

Cal and Seth are such amazing characters, and they set the tone for the whole thing. I don't think there is a universe in which people will not love them.

Cal is the heartbroken playboy who sworn off relationships and lives his best bachelor life. He is doing all this while flirting with his hot, hot, hot preppy neighbour who's also a dad. Basically Seth is all that Cal didn't want to be... or so he thought.

Seth is heartbroken in his own way, but being a dad comes first and his kids are his priority. What he didn't take into consideration is how his heart will always beat a little faster every time his hawt as sin neighbour flirts with him.

Their relationship didn't start in the most pleasant way, what brought them together were some circumstances neither one of them could predict and from this a beautiful friendship had the time to blossom. I am not usually the biggest fan of friends to lovers (unless it is done right) but this one made me fall in love with the characters even more.

Them being single dads added a different layer to their story, and to their love story so keep that in mind. Being a parent and a lover is not easy and I love how real Courtney was when it came to this. It showed that no matter what, you can find a way, but the route you need to take to get there is just a bit different and a lot more complicated when kids are in the mix. In this story the kids helped the adults grow and reach their true potential by keeping them humble and never letting them forget who they are to their core. Sure, they are parents but they are also their own person, ahhh... what a beautiful way to live life.

The road was not easy, as I said, but it was beautiful to watch them navigate it, and I love how bringing reality into the book didn't take anything away from it, on the contrary, it only enhanced it.

Another thing worth mentioning is how the communication between Cal and Seth is TOP TIER. This is how communication should look like in a relationship. On top of that, with all the baggage these two had ( you could fill the cargo bay of an Airbus A380 ) the way they respected each other's boundaries and never ever made the other one feel bad about it is seriously couple goals. The respect they have for each other is phenomenal and this just shows that when you love your partner it is not a hardship to put in the effort to make sure they're happy, loved and appreciated. This in itself is also a sign of self respect.

This book is also a good example of why boundaries are important and why consent is crucial. These are not just words, this is not a joke, this is a very important part of a relationship that many fail to see nowadays.

Courtney, in my opinion, is the queen of found family and this series is no exception. The friend group in this book is so good and you can tell the series will be fire just by meeting all of them in HoC. I can't wait for book 2 after that ending, and I definitely can't wait for S' book which is gonna be book 3.

You already know by now that this book was a 5 stars, and if you know me you know that everything Courtney writes is a book that I will always highly recommend.

Book two can't be here soon enough.

•••

I know I used 'top tier' and 'amazing' a lot in this review, but I am still trying to gather all my thoughts after finishing this book and words seriously fail me.

•••

Oh, another things, I have a lot more to say about the book but I can't say more without spoiling anything so... this is all I can manage 🤣. Please read the authors note and the list of TW/CW before starting the book to make sure this one is for you. I would hate to see people drag this book for something they totally ignored.

[kate]

What a delightfully surprising and touching book House of Cards is! Once again, Courtney W. Dixon has challenged my assumptions and created an emotional and marvelous story, full of robust characters that feel real and stick with you long after you’ve closed the book.

Neighbors Calvin and Seth could not be more different. Seth’s a single father of three, running on caffeine and barely controlled chaos, trying to heal from his partner abandoning him. Calvin’s a confirmed bachelor, nearing 40, and recovering from his own toxic relationships - both romantic and familial. Both men are successful business owners, though their worlds seem to be chasms apart. Calvin’s world is turned upside down with the arrival of a teenage boy - the son of his friends lost to a tragic accident - and the only person he can turn to is Seth. Through exhausted confessions, childcare support, casseroles shuttled across front yards, and a poker group of sassy and supportive single dads, Calvin and Seth learn how to lean on another person again, how to create a family, and how to love and be loved.

Oh, what a lovely book! Both Seth and Calvin have been through truly wretched romantic relationships, and are clearly doing the best that they can. As a parent, the feelings of being overwhelmed, constantly unprepared, and running on empty can feel so under represented in literature, and Courtney captured all of it perfectly. Parenthood is so often both the best and worst days at the same time and Seth’s life with 3 kids he loves and agonizes over is written poignantly and believably. Ditto with Calvin’s surprise entrance to fatherhood - the struggle to connect and protect a teen while also acknowledging that many days feel like you are definitely not qualified to parent a plant, much less a human, is visceral - and I felt so deeply for Calvin as he navigated both his and Braeden’s grief.

I love a book about single fathers portraying strength and courage not by chopping wood or battling the mafia, but by opening up to their friends and asking for help. Men who show strength through showing up for the people they love, for putting their hearts on the line and asking for comfort. Men who give comfort and dance in the living room. This book explores much about grief and loss - not just through death and divorce - but the grief and loss a person experiences when they realize their partner is not actually invested. The grief and loss of realizing that your parent is not and has never been who you needed and that protecting yourself could mean cutting them out of your life forever.

To anyone who thinks a romance novel shouldn’t have kids in it, shush. Parents get to have Happily Ever Afters, too! Kids add to the mess and chaos that swirls around us and their presence makes having spicy time a more creative process. Seth and Calvin learn that sometimes, the best moments are the quiet ones you sneak in between bedtimes. That snuggling on the couch during a princess movie can be as romantic as snogging at the drive-in. That just because you have loved and lost does not mean you can not love and be loved again.

Thank you to Courtney W. Dixon for this book. All opinions are my own.

[Ana Silva]

The last 45 minutes of this book had my heart pounding. I wasn’t sure what would happen given that there’s a cliffhanger, but my brain went to heartbreak mode. And yep, my brain was right, heartbreak😭

You’d think I’d be used to this kind of emotional pain from Courtney, but noooo. With every new book, she manages to say hold my beer😩

Calvin and Seth were an absolute delight.

Seth was a dedicated father of three who became a single dad after his husband walked out on them. Raising kids alone hasn’t been easy, and had he not had his friends supporting him, he wouldn’t have been able to make it through.

Calvin is Seth’s sexy neighbor who, at first glance, seems like a jerk but in reality has a heart of gold. He’s always teasing Seth about his kids being a wild bunch, but in truth, he’s in awe of Seth.

When Calvin becomes an unexpected dad, Seth is the first person he turns to for help. Calvin never wanted to be a father or be in a serious relationship again. His mother was an abusive witch, and his ex was a cheating bastard. He didn’t exactly have a good track record in those departments.

But when his best friends’ son is suddenly placed in his care, Calvin is completely out of his depth. He doesn’t know the first thing about being a dad, especially not to a grieving teen.

Despite their initial rocky relationship, Seth is willing to help Calvin become the best father for Braeden. He knows Calvin is so much more than what he initially thought of him. Calvin is patient, caring, and funny. Qualities that make Seth see him in a different light and complicate things for Seth since he already has a boyfriend.

Calvin can’t help his attraction to Seth, and when Seth’s boyfriend abuses Seth’s trust, Calvin goes into protective mode. He can no longer deny that he wants Seth and not just for a hookup.

I loved that they developed a beautiful friendship before becoming more. They both needed to fully heal from their past relationship traumas before they committed themselves to something more serious.

I’m glad that Calvin didn’t let his mother ruin something beautiful with her negative energy and that Seth learned to trust again. They managed to make such a perfect blended family, and I couldn’t be happier.

Now, about that cliffhanger😭 I knew it was coming, but I still wasn’t prepared for it. I’m still crying over it. I don’t care what we have to do, but we’re gonna make sure this series gets all the planned books! We need more of these guys. I refuse to let them go, even though I haven’t met them all yet. All I know is that I need them in my life even though I’m gonna be a complete mess😅

Ok, I’ll stop now. I think I’ve said enough😅 Just please read this book. You’re gonna love it as much as I do.

[Maxie]

ARC Review
*mild spoilers ahead*

You can always trust Courtney W. Dixon to create complex, broken characters with tons of trauma and heartbreaking pasts, and then somehow make them completely addictive. This book is no exception. From the very first pages, I was hooked.

I devoured this book. I finished it in one sitting. The story just pulls you in and refuses to let go.
Calvin and Seth’s journey was such a joy to read. I loved watching their relationship unfold naturally, from antagonistic neighbors, slowly turning into friends, and then finally something more. That progression felt so organic and earned. The pacing was spot on, never rushed, never dragging, and they got together at exactly the right moment. It really felt like the story trusted the characters (and the reader) to take their time, and that made everything so much more satisfying.

Calvin is such a lovable character. He goes through so much, carries so much pain, and yet never loses his sense of humor. You can’t help but root for him from the start and want him to finally find happiness. Seth, on the other hand, is the perfect complement. His calm, caring demeanor balances Calvin beautifully, and he brings this sense of safety to the story. He’s also an incredible dad and partner even though he has also gone through some hard times, so you just want to protect him at all costs.

I’m a huge fan of the single dad trope and blended families, and this book absolutely delivered on both. I appreciate that the romance never overshadows the personal growth. Calvin and Seth both need time to heal, to process their grief and past experiences, and to become emotionally ready for a relationship. Watching them work through that, separately and together, makes the connection feel real and meaningful. This is a slow burn done right, where every step forward feels deserved.

The side characters are great too and really help build a bigger, richer world. The poker dads are such a fun addition, and all four kids are absolutely adorable. They bring so much heart to the story and make the family dynamics feel real.

I’m very excited about this series as a whole. I really love Courtney’s writing style and the way she handles hard topics. Grief is incredibly difficult to write well, and she absolutely nails it here.

I can’t wait to see what’s next.

[Lex]

The best things are unexpected

This book was a beautiful journey not just to Seth and Calvin’s HEA, but to creating a HEA for their family. We meet Seth and Calvin as neighbors who don’t completely get along and then after life throws some pretty massive lemons their way they begin to build a friendship that turned into so much more for them. I think my favorite thing about this book was being apart of the complete journey with these men! I feel like I got to see the whole story of their relationship with this book rather than just the tip of the iceberg of their relationship.

These men go through a lot and I don’t want to spoil those moments for anyone but it was important to see how these two helped each other through those moments and how they also grew themselves and handled the situations.

I adored Seth from the beginning because his character is so strong and brave as he navigates his life that didn’t go as planned after a divorce and being a single dad. He faces a lot in this book as he navigated his past and the situations he found himself in throughout the book. However he always showed such kindness and compassion that I couldn’t help but cheer him on and was so happy that he got his HEA and his moment with Harrison that I cried.

Calvin honestly took me by surprise. I struggled initially to connect with his character because he just felt self absorbed to me at first but fudge was I wrong. Calvin ended up being so much more than I thought he was. His ability to be honest, open, vulnerable, and admit to his fears and faults was so refreshing and beautiful to see when he was talking to Seth and even the dads at poker night. To be shoved into a role he never envisioned and to just step right up while admitting he was scared and clueless was shocking to read because he initially came off as this cocky and confident man. He didn’t lose that part of himself as he grew but it was nice to read someone not afraid to own his feelings with those important to him.

These two men found each other after life threw some trails their way but they showed up for each other again and again. They created a beautiful family as they navigated grief and new roles. I can’t wait to see the rest of the stories in this universe! I did receive a free ARC of this book and this is my honest and freely given opinion.

[Perusing The Pages]

Calvin is a carefree bachelor who suddenly finds himself responsible for his friends' teenage son, Braeden, after tragedy strikes. Completely out of his depth, he turns to his neighbour Seth, a single dad of three, for help. What starts as a reluctant friendship slowly becomes something more as Calvin and Seth learn to trust each other and build an unexpected little family.

There was so much here that should have worked brilliantly for me, which is probably why I was a disappointed that I didn't connect with it more.

I liked Calvin. He's guarded and a bit of a mess when he's suddenly thrown into parenthood, but underneath that is someone incredibly caring and loyal. I enjoyed watching him figure things out and slowly realise that he was capable of being the person Braeden needed. Seth was great too, and I really enjoyed the family dynamics. The kids mostly felt like part of the story rather than just being there to facilitate the romance.

I also liked the way Calvin and Seth's relationship developed. They become friends first, learn to rely on each other and build that emotional connection. That's exactly the kind of progression I usually enjoy, and their banter gave me some lovely moments. Unfortunately, the pacing didn't quite work for me. The friendship takes its time developing, which I liked, but then the romantic progression was much quicker towards the end. I also wanted some of the plot threads explored a more deeply, and there were moments where the dialogue felt slightly unnatural.

The ending was another slight disappointment. The HEA for Calvin and Seth is there, but the book finishes with a wider series cliffhanger that felt quite abrupt to me. Overall, I enjoyed this one. I liked the characters, the family dynamics and the emotional heart of the story, but I never quite reached that point where I became completely invested. Worth picking up if you love MM romance, single dads and a slower-building relationship. 🌶🌶

"I don't know why I'm so nervous. I own a business and I earn a substantial amount of money. I'm educated, and I've never harmed a human being, unless it's some guy's asshole... consensually, of course."

[DeeReads412]

Wow, I knew I was looking forward to this new series but I had NO idea just how much I would fall in love with it! The way Calvin and Seth meet, as new neighbors who honestly do not care so much for each other, to the way their friendship forms felt so organic. It didn’t feel like it was forced to fit a storyline. They didn’t fall in love at first sight. They had separate lives that didn’t stop because a new neighbor moved in. I loved that about this book! The storyline progresses at a real life, natural pace. Seth is in a relationship when his friendship with Calvin begins. That relationship comes to an ABRUPT end, in a way I NEVER saw coming I might add, and it isn’t until then things begin to change between Calvin and Seth. You get to see a real friendship form between Seth and Calvin without romantic intentions at the start and I loved that. They had each other’s back as friends without pinning, which is another thing I LOVED about this book.

Truly watching the friendship develop throughout the book gave an extra layer to their relationship once it does begin. The way Seth and Calvin open up to each other, and aren’t afraid to be vulnerable to help others is my FAVORITE part of this book. Courtney is the QUEEN of broken boys and this one comes in the form of a 14-year-old boy whose life is thrown UPSIDE DOWN. It is up to Calvin to try to navigate his grief, anger, and general teenage problems. He handles with all of the compassion and understanding you expect from one of Courtney’s characters.

The bad dad jokes and sass from Calvin, and blushing and kindness from Seth added a bit of humor and swoony-ness to this book. I loved these characters so much. They have so much substance, and reveal so much about themselves, that you can’t help fall in love with them too. I adore the unexpected fatherhood concept, and the way that came to be in this story and I cannot wait to see what else is in store!

AND COURTNEY THAT EPILOGUE! GUT PUNCH. I need more! I NEED IT!
Everyone READ THIS BOOK! There is so much to love in so many different ways.