Half Buried Hopes : A Single Dad Nanny Romance

age-gap-romance alpha-hero angsty-romance

pizgacz's nemesis.

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PP's Bookshelf

2,813 reviews401 followers

Review of advance copy received from Author

January 28, 2026

Anne Malcom has absolutely destroyed me with Half Buried Hopes. This story is made for wrecking your soul. The heart crushing angst. The overwhelming beautiful feels. The stunning contradictions of loss, fear, rebirth, pain and sweetness Anne Malcom decided to go all in with her epic words. Beau and Hannah are going to hold a piece of my heart for a long long time. I am at awe of how the story simultaneously made me shatter, then glued the pieces together and then transformed the hurt into something so warm and pretty.

🖤 single dad/ nanny
🖤 grumpy sunshine
🖤 age gap romance
🖤 forced proximity
🖤 trigger warning: domestic violence ( not the hero), childhood cancer

Half Buried Hopes is the journey of Hannah Morgan who left her abusive husband after almost losing everything and took the job of nanny to a sick four year old girl recovering from leukemia. Jupiter was an escape, her freedom, her fresh beginning, her next battle..only to be complicated by her growing feelings and all consuming attraction for the grumpiest , the most brooding and the most dedicated single father in the whole world..Beau Shaw. Beau wants her too but his daughter always comes first. Its a miracle he resisted their scorching hot chemistry that long! Oh god I am obsessed with our broken hero Clara is the angel and her sickness broke Beau. His only focus, to an extreme level and rightfully so, has been her health. And Hannah slowly became a part of the focus. He could only act like an a&&hole upto a certain limit because his possessive protective side couldn't stay dormant when Hannah was in pain or danger. That transformation and unraveling was jist beautiful. He is a good man. The best. But he also so intense. There is nothing half about the way he worships Hannah and obsesses over her. And it terrified him. It also made him stupid enough to feel he isn't the best for her.

And Hannah was done with it. She has endless fighting spirit Jupiter and Beau with her found family built back her self confidence. But she did all the heavy work. To be crushed by life and then be brave to dream again isn't easy. She has the biggest sweetest kindest heart. Her marriage took her light away. It filled her heart with self doubt and guilt and shame. But she fought valiantly to get all her pieces back. Clara healed her a lot and then there was Beau. At the beginning, he was almost hostile and brutal, hiding behind wall of indifference and scathing conversation. He knew her worth. He was mesmerized with the way she made his daughter happy and brought life to their home. They were both burnt and scarred and life gave them the best kind of second chance. Its an emotional minefield. And hotter than Satan's kingdom too. Because Beau is one sexy dirty talking bossy alpha. This is no easy HEA. But what's the fun in easy ones? They had to deal with their emotional baggage and their trust issues and their vulnerabilities. And they did it together. Tbe Jupiter tribe is the best and I want more from the world.

I reviewed an early copy voluntarily

Lyla Bellatas

Author 4 books19 followers

I love Anne Malcom—she's one of my favorite authors—and Half Buried Hopes reminded me exactly why. Her characters have immense depth, and the stories are full of angst and heat, which is exactly what I want in romance.
Hannah Morgan is working as a nanny for Beau Shaw, a Grade-A jerk who makes her life hell. Living under his roof is worse. The only reason she stays is Clara, Beau's little girl who's stolen Hannah's heart. Clara has given Hannah warmth, magic, and a home she never imagined, even if Hannah's only the nanny—a fact Beau reminds her of every day. He shows her what she is: an intruder in their fragile little family.
Beau and Clara have only just caught their breath after years of battling a disease that almost stole Clara's light. That battle took whatever heart Beau Shaw had and morphed him into what he is now—cold, cut off, and determined to push Hannah away. But behind his icy glares, Hannah sees a father who almost lost everything and a hunger that lights her on fire.
I love deeply wounded characters who rise up, and Beau and Hannah are the epitomy. Even Clara rises in her own 4-5 yo way. Beau's protective to a fault, terrified of losing control, and convinced he doesn't deserve happiness. Hannah is strong, brave, and magic—she brings sunshine and hope into their lives. This is insta-love, but they both fight it for a long time, which made the tension and the eventual surrender so much more satisfying.
Hannah was great—strong without being obnoxious about it. Beau was excellent—protective, loyal, and trying desperately not to succumb to his feelings for Hannah because she's too young, too good, and completely off-limits. Watching him lose his grip was beautiful. Clara was wonderful and written authentically for her age, which is rare in romance. The ancillary characters are awesome. I especially love Calliope and I can’t wait for Lori’s story which I suspect is next. Malcom writes layered people who feel real. Their HEA was hard-fought and worth every minute.

Dora

810 reviews11 followers

Review of advance copy received from Author

4.5 stars

I’m going to start off to say this was another amazing story in this fantastic series, but I have to be honest and say Beau really ticked me off in the first half of this book. In the back of my mind, I knew he had gone through something horrific, carrying so much fear and anxiety over what was happening to his little girl, Clara. Even so, knowing everything Hannah had been through as well, my heart broke for her because of how he treated her.

As readers, we’re given both of their points of view, so we understand, at least in part, what he was struggling with. He was right to focus on his daughter and what was best for her. He always put her and her feelings first, and that was partly why the heroine became so integral to their lives. His intense attraction to someone so much younger felt impossible to him, so he pushed her away and didn’t want her near at all. Unfortunately for him, the heroine was exactly what his daughter needed and wanted. And as the days went by, she turned out to be exactly what he needed and wanted too.

Hannah and Beau’s journey was definitely a slow burn love story. Beau really fought his attraction to her and could be pretty brutal about it with his words, but ultimately the intensity could only be contained for so long. And once Beau let go of all the reasons he was staying away, watch out, he is one very bossy dirty talking alpha! Watching the three interact pulled so many differing feelings in me. I was equally wrecked with what both Beau and Hannah endured. I had certain feelings with how Beau tried to push Hannah away but then I was overjoyed with watching this little family find their happily ever after.

I am always prepared to feel all the feels when I read this particular author’s words, Half Buried Hopes definitely did that and I am never mad about it.

4-5-stars age-gap arc

Spinster Pam

186 reviews12 followers

This book was so good! Like, make you scream in frustration & elation, cry happy tears & sob sad ones, giggle at the funnies, swoon at the sweetness, fan your face, and lose all track of time good. Be prepared that it is a slow burn. Sloooow. But it is worth every second of wait and pain. Every. Second.

Hannah is a nursing student.

Beau is a chef single dad.

They meet because he needs a nanny for his little girl. She needs a way to pay for the rest of her schooling. His little girl is has a bone marrow transplant coming up, so the nanny needs to be live in. They do not hit it off. There is some attraction. And by some, I mean a lot. So, he treats her like trash to keep her from being interested. It doesn't work but it does make her very confused and hurts her deeply. It is not pretty. But her absolute & unfiltered love for his baby girl is. It is so beautiful.

Hannah is a gorgeous character. She is damaged & hurting. But she is also sunshine & joy. And she loves so fiercely & authentically. She is trying to not let her past & pain define her but to define herself & build a good, safe life. She deserves so much better than she has gotten. And she deserves better than Beau pushing her away. And I loved watching her grow & gain power & speak up for herself.

Beau is his own worst enemy. He has been hurt, is hurting and feels to damaged to be worthy of someone as amazing as Hannah. So, in an effort to protect her, he hurts her. And he has some very difficult and painful lessons to learn from this.

These two really put me through it and I loved every second. I fell so in love with both of them and their stories.

Anne is a ridiculously good writer. She writes characters that are complex and interesting and capture your heart. I lose myself in her worlds and have loved every visit to Jupiter Tides. I cannot recommend her/this book highly enough.

Kahea

2,269 reviews122 followers

2026-books-read 5-stars age-gap

***5 ‘Those Are Not Things You Can Grunt or Alpha or Grumpy into Fruition’ Stars***

I couldn’t wait to get my hands on this book and Beau and Hannah (and Clara) did NOT disappoint! They did drive me batshitcrazy ~ the frustration was HIGH with these two ~ but the journey was so worth it to see them get the family they always wanted.

Now, I’m all about the grumpy vibes ~ I love me a man who is grumpy with everyone except a select few ~ but Beau…this man took the cake because he definitely toed the line and at times did cross into asshat territory and then he’d make my ovaries explode, sometimes at the same time. Hannah is a sweetheart. She’s been through it for the majority of her life and yet she isn’t cynical. She’s insecure and unsure, but not cynical and is a genuinely good person.

Their journey to their HEA is all kinds of rocky. The angst. The push/pull…I can’t even tell how many times I wanted to reach through the kindle and Gibbs Smack Beau or give a shake and a nudge to Hannah to ~ for lack of a better term ~ fish or cut bait. They do have a lot going against them ~ including themselves and the restrictions they’ve put on themselves ~ but when they aren’t holding back and being themselves, they are electric. But they have a lot of baggage and issues to wade through, but thankfully they do get their HEA in the end.

This was a great read…it took me on an emotional rollercoaster in every way, but it was a great read all around. I loved Clara, the journey she was on hurt my heart, but she brought light and hope to this story. As for the Jupiter crew…I loved getting to catch up and hang out with them. Calliope is still my fav (this book runs parallel in time toThe Anchor Holds) but Fiona is awesome as well, but I cannot wait to get my hands on Lori’s book!

~ Copy provided by the author & voluntarily reviewed ~

Bookshelfofasahm

33 reviews1 follower

Review of advance copy received from Author

buckles-her-seatbelt enemies-to-lovers family

Half Buried Hopes is the fourth book in the Jupiter Tides series. I have devoured each book in this series finishing in a day maybe two tops. Half Buried hopes is by far my absolute favorite to date in this series. Anne Malcom’s writing has this way of pulling you in making you feel all the feels, has you anxiously waiting to turn the page to find out whats going to happen next. If there was an option to give this book more than five starts I would do it without any hesitation. This book absolutely consumed me.

If you love a single dad, nanny, age gap, found family, small town, slow burn and I mean SLOW BURN this book is for you. The tension in this book was absolutely everything. This book is Beau and Hannah’s story correction it’s Beau, Hannah & Clara’s story because let’s be so real this little girl shines throughout this book and is a huge part of Beau and Hannah and how they came to be.

Hannah Morgan has been through more in her life than most. She is taking a year to figure somethings out and in the meantime she becomes the nanny for little miss Clara Shaw. They hit it off almost instantly and the chemistry between these two is everything. You watch Hannah deal with her past while also trying to forge a path through her present for her future. You watch her slowly come into herself after years of trauma.

Beau Shaw is a single dad who has a hard time letting other people help. He's been through things some but not all would understand. Beau wants to be everything to his baby girl and honestly there is nothing more attractive than a present, loving father who puts his little girl above everything else. He’s hesitant to hire Hannah but can’t say no to his daughter and I will say it’s probably the best decision he’s made in a long time. Beau is grumpy and closed off to everyone besides his daughter Clara. Especially the nanny who he can’t stop thinking about.

Throughout the book you watch the struggles, love, jealously, anger, hurt all shine through in the most beautifully written love story. The slow burn in this story kept me on edge in such a good way. I couldn’t love this book anymore if I tried. It was written with so much care to sensitive topics. Anne Malcom really outdid herself with this book and I can’t wait to see whats next!!

Thank you Anne for this arc, it was truly an honor.

~lil maso~

1,943 reviews49 followers

January 25, 2026

Reviewed by Robyn for Saucy Reviews on Kinky Korner

In this fourth book in the Jupiter Tides series, the story is about Hannah Morgan and Beau Shaw, both opposites in so many ways, yet, similar in others! The trauma in their past is all-encompassing and really heartbreaking at times to read about. But then, there are so many other facets to this story that it simply hooks you in and makes for compelling reading.

As usual, this author has destroyed me—but in a good way. There are so many emotions, so many scenes where I either wanted to hit Beau over the head or hug him for wanting to protect Hannah. They have an incredible chemistry and both tried valiantly to ignore it.

Not to be left out, the reason for Hannah and Beau meeting is Clara—Beau’s young daughter. She is a doll and so adorable and definitely deserves a special mention.

Without a doubt, this is my favourite book in this wonderful series. Ms Malcom, you have outdone yourself with this sensational story.

*ARC received in exchange for an honest review*

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The Good Girl Review

38 reviews4 followers

February 1, 2026

Thank you to Anne Malcom for the ARC copy of Half Buried Hopes. We don’t know what she puts in her books but this one surpassed all of our expectations. Hannah and Beau’s story fits perfectly in the Jupiter Tides series. After reading The Anchor Holds we were so excited for this one. The minute we read Clara in her tutu and combat boots having tea with Patricia we knew we were going to love Beau’s love story. And it didn’t disappoint. This book was a slow BURN. Beau is the grumpy single dad who was trying to prepare to lose his daughter and Hannah is the sunshine nanny who comes into their life when they needed her most. He does everything to keep her away. And it hurts everyone, us included. But it didn’t stop them from falling in love. And during that time we get to see Hannah and Clara form the most special bond. And the way this man referred to them as his girls…agh we love it so much. True to Jupiter Tides there is suspense, drama, emotions, and a whole lot of family and love. And the men are still protective alphas who take care of their women but with respect and boundaries. Anne Malcom creates these strong and complex characters so well and builds these stories with difficult topics that she handles with such care. This is the kind of story that stays with you long after you finish reading. This is a 10/10 book we are ready to read it and the rest of the series all over again.

Robyn Corcoran

2,304 reviews91 followers

January 24, 2026

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I wrote this review for Saucy Reviews on Kinky Korner.
In this fourth book in the Jupiter Tides series, the story is about Hannah Morgan and Beau Shaw, both opposites in so many ways, yet, similar in others! The trauma in their past is all-encompassing and really heartbreaking at times to read about. But then, there are so many other facets to this story that it simply hooks you in and makes for compelling reading.

As usual, this author has destroyed me—but in a good way. There are so many emotions, so many scenes where I either wanted to hit Beau over the head or hug him for wanting to protect Hannah. They have an incredible chemistry and both tried valiantly to ignore it.

Not to be left out, the reason for Hannah and Beau meeting is Clara—Beau’s young daughter. She is a doll and so adorable and definitely deserves a special mention.

Without a doubt, this is my favourite book in this wonderful series. Ms Malcom, you have outdone yourself with this sensational story.

Jennifer Lay

52 reviews

January 29, 2026

This was an ANGSTY read with complex main characters and a supportive group of friends and family. Both MCs have been through plenty of trauma that shapes who they are and their decisions. They eventually get to the HEA but it’s a bumpy ride.

What I liked
Clara. She was sweet, loving and quirky. Definitely the star of the book
Hannah. I loved how she persevered through all her past trauma to eventually find her voice and agency
All the supporting characters, especially Calliope. Ann writes strong FMCs and I love that

What I disliked
Beau (partially). He was a flawed but loving character who kept making decisions for Hannah or playing the martyr over and over. He treated her bad throughout most of the book and eventually it detracted from the story. He has a soft side under his alpha-hole personality but it takes him too long to wise up.
Involving Clara in the violence at the end of the book. It’s not easy to read about kids in danger, and it was especially so in this story given that Clara is a cancer survivor

FMC: 4 stars
MMC: 3,5 stars
Plot 4 stars
Pacing 4 stars
Writing style 4 stars
Overall 4 stars

2026

RomanceBookLoverinSeattle

1,118 reviews15 followers

Thoroughly enjoyed this one! Having trouble finding something to read and then this appeared on my kindle and I jumped right in. It had so much going for it that I really just loved - incredibly emotional and angsty, we have a grumpy hero who is mean to the heroine as a way to keep her away from him, and an age gap, forced proximity romance.

Hannah is working for Beau as his daughter's live in nanny as she is recovering from an illness that nearly killed her. Beau has no plans to act on his attraction as his daughter is all he has room for right now and Hannah is so many years younger than him. But Hannah has had a hard life and is coming out of a toxic marriage and just trying to find herself again, yet is incredibly attracted to her grumpy boss who seems to not like her at all.

This is now my new favorite of the series - I really enjoyed their attraction and trying to stay away from each other and especially loved all the angsty goodness that came with it. I loved how I felt all those emotions right alongside Hannah as she felt all the feelings because of her situation.

2026 age-gap angsty

Lily G.

94 reviews8 followers

January 21, 2026

Was this for real?

Single dad, Age gap, Small town

The slow burn? So agonizingly slow
The trauma? So very tragic
The love, sadness, sorrow, it was another kind of experience.

I’ve read all the Jupiter Tides books, the 4 main books and the 2 “side ones”, and I have to say it and scream it from the top of a building, I freaking love it here!
The alpha grumpy assholes? The care for the women? The endless love and care for every character it is something worth of study and I am here for it.

Reading Beau, Clara and Hannah’s story left me needing a nap and some profound thinking, see I’ve lived through the pain of having a sick to almost dying child (since his birth) and capturing all those feelings is really something that cannot be described, but Anne did it with care, and so much love.

It was an amazing read, it is a long book and the slow burn? it is slow, so be prepared for the longing and pining.

Thanks for having the honor of reading an ARC.

findingthebook

204 reviews1 follower

Hannah has a wonderful job taking care of the greatest little girl in the world, everything would be perfect but it’s not all that. Her boss hates her, he always seems to reserve this cool and mean demeanor just for her if it wasn’t for Clara she would have quit but she has reasons to stay.
Beau has fallen for the nanny, if it wasn’t for his daughter he would have never hired her but he can’t deny how great Hannah is with Clara. So he resorts to pushing her away with rudeness regretting it in the end.
Hannah wants a good life, she wants to go back to school and forget about her past but it will eventually catch up to her she just has to hold off until her little girl goes to school, but the more these two are together the more they see that their chemistry is out of this world. They give in but insecurities and danger might take away what could have been.

I always get hooked with Anne writing, it was a long book but finished it in a day because I just HAD to know what was to become of two people who had lost themselves in the process of pain but slowly were regaining their control over their life’s.

This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.

Maria (Ri)

5,151 reviews16 followers

4.25 stars

Books are magic, and this author just showed why in the story of Beau, Hannah, and Clara. Not only do they show the power of the written word, but they also show how they keep humanity alive. I have been a huge fan of this author almost from the beginning, and there is a reason for that. She is a masterwordsmith who always manages to make me feel a myriad of emotions. She offers me an escape, whether it is relatable personally or as an escape from the weariness of the world in which I live.

The characters in this book are special. I fully could understand the fears of Beau and Hannah. This was not your typical single dad/nanny story, and it was refreshing. There were a few areas that I wish had been fleshed out, but all in all, this was another great book and a wonderful addition to the Jupiter Tide World.

Sarah Ross

18 reviews

This book destroyed me then built me back together in the best of ways. Anne Malcom is an author really adapt at grasping onto your heart, your feelings and and playing with them while she tells the story. Such evocative words that make you feel the emotions the characters are feeling deeply. This book is honestly one of the best she's ever written for that beautiful and sometimes painful journey she takes you on with the plot.

The characters are engaging, especially Hannah and how resilient she is. You want to cheer her on, you want good things for her. I occasionally wished to slap Beau just a tiny amount even though you could see his logic through the wonderful writing.

The ending is just beautiful and honestly the journey is so worth ever second of reading. I couldn't put it down. Really recommend this book.

I did receive a copy of this book to review.

Jean Dewsbury

873 reviews16 followers

A very emotionally charged storyline filled with plenty of past traumas, sprinkled humour, sexual chemistry, and a frustrating man.

Hannah thought if she could just last long enough working under Beau. The frustrating and at times emotional hurtful man she could rebuild her life and move forward.
Being the nanny for the most wonderful little girl Clara is what keeps Hannah going.
Hannah understands why Beau is the way he is, however there is only so much she can take.
Beau tries desperately to keep his distance from the off limits Hannah knowing that his daughter absolutely has attached herself to the warm generous young Hannah.
What he didn't realise was the emotional trauma is was putting Hannah under.

A beautifully written storyline learning how to find your strengths through heartache and healing.

Amanda Little

157 reviews

This book was great! It was long but I wanted so much more at the end! Ugh, I love a single dad/nanny book and of course this was no exception. Beau might have been the biggest asshole I’ve read in a while but I can understand where he was coming from. I do not agree but I understand. Hannah.. my sweet, sweet Hannah really got put through it. So many times I wanted to THROTTLE Beau. Literally kept saying out loud, ‘girl, forget this prick’ but then he’d be kinda sweet and I’d change my mind. I never said I was mentally stable okay?!

Ugh, even though this book was long it went by so fast for me. This is right up my alley. Something pained, tortured, full of yearning and growth. Add in a hot, single dad who is a chef? Yes babe, I am sat.

Missy Brown

1,764 reviews30 followers

What another amazing story from this series and author. I just love Anne and how she writes and just pulls me in.

The relationship between Beau and Hannah was something that touched my heart. He was so good with her. He was not trying to control her, which I am a huge fan of too, but take care of her how she needed. And let us not forget Clara. She is a beautiful doll and Beau's daughter. She deserves so much.

The story of these two characters was beautiful to read. And I will be reading this one again. If you have not read this series I would highly recommend it. Or actually anything of Anne's, it is always amazing and will touch your heart.

Antonella Gutierrez

724 reviews1 follower

January 29, 2026

4 stars⭐️

Oh, slow burn but trust me the feelings between these two are always present.
I love this small town and every character in it and these two did not disappoint including Clara, their little family was so cute. I must admit I didn’t like Beau grumpiness that much and I’m glad that Hannah caught on and told him that he was being mean because he was.
There are a lot of ups and downs in the relationship, Beau was very hesitant in pursuing the relationship, considering their age gap but Hannah did not care and eventually they did become a couple and this man loved her down lol!

sara

155 reviews2 followers

Review of advance copy received from Author

January 23, 2026

If you had read her books and the previous books in the series you know who Beau is. It's amazing story you will not be disappointed I'm sad that it was over I should have finished it days ago but I did not want to took my time because it was so good. I love how they both are to each other how they deny it That's all I'm going to put there but your books are amazing They never disappoint It is a very slow slow burn but it's well worth it..❤️❤️❤️ Hannah was made for beau she wasn't taking anything They balance each other out you did amazing with the story this plot anne Malcolm

Noelle

106 reviews

January 28, 2026

Thank you Anne for reaching into the deep dark hole I was in and yanking me out of my reading slump.

This book gave me everything I needed, then it gave me more bc that’s the kind of girl that Anne is. This book was so good. Just the right amount of angst and it made me have actual feelings, which I never really do when I read.

My only note is that the word ‘alpha’ was used a bit too much for my liking, but that is a word that comes with the territory of reading Anne’s books, so I can get over it.

Loved the book and love Anne

Bookish

1,474 reviews27 followers

January 30, 2026

The grumpy, jerk single dad, forbidden nanny romance is the basics....but this book much more than that. You want to dislike Beau but you can't help but feel for for him. The story of his daughters illness and his struggle for her life just pulls at your heart. it's easy to see how Hannah fell for Clare and then Beau. A story full of angst, love and attraction. I loved Hannah and Claire for the start but rooted for Beau. As a parent this read hit the hard but was so well done, it wasn't a trigger for me. What kick off to my reading list this year. A recommended read for sure.

Sarah

277 reviews

This book puts the definition of slow burn to shame. Yes, when they got together, it was totally worth the slow burn. However, I get why the male main character acted the way he did to the female main character most of the time. But honestly, the way he was for most of the book really annoyed me, like I didn’t need him to be roses and sunshine, but he was almost cruel at points. They also both needed therapy a lot sooner than they got it. Now, with all that being said, I’m glad I had read other works of this author, so I knew what to expect, and it was full of really delicious moments.

Jules Ford

Author 18 books294 followers

Loved Hannah and Beau's story.

After going through a hard time, Beau has been left cold, insular and angry at the world. His only light is his daughter, Clara.

Cue the new nanny...

Great story, hated Beau and then I loved Beau (perfect angst level). He pushed Hannah away for every reason he could dredge up- until he didn't ;) Loved the build in the slow burn and the character development, and as always I loved how the author had me experiencing the full range of emotions.

A gorgeous addition to the series.

Elizabeth

477 reviews12 followers

A long beautiful story

Hannah is a nanny to Clara, a little girl who has faced illness like a little trooper supported by her dad, Beau. The rest of his family and Jupiter Tides, is alien to Hannah - her family and life was totally different. For the first time she starts to feel like she has a home, excluding the gruff, overbearing Beau and her past.
Her past though doesn't go away.
This is an intense ride as Anne Malcom explores the intricacies of two dysfunctional people falling in love. It's a fabulous story.

Lynne Garlick

2,489 reviews27 followers