After being ghosted at the altar three years ago, Brooklyn Kelley is career-focused and content in her singledom, refusing to rely on someone else who may never come through. A hardworking resident in the emergency room of one of the country's busiest hospitals, she has no time for a social life or a new man. For an introvert who prefers work or chill time with a book to a night out in L.A, Brooklyn is content with the status quo.
But that suddenly changes two days before Thanksgiving when Carter St. Patrick, a former NFL star, enters her ER, demanding attention for his son. Fully aware of his status and expecting to be annoyed by his arrogance and entitlement, Brooklyn is surprised by the warmth in his gaze and the spark she hopes is real. So, when Carter impulsively invites her to spend Thanksgiving with him after overhearing that she doesn’t have plans, she agrees.
Unexpectedly, Brooklyn falls fast and hard for the charming and intentional Carter, a man dealing with his own complicated, messy history with relationships, yet remains determined to learn from his mistakes and find a love of his own. And as the new year approaches, old hurts and fears creep back in, and the possibility of a future together is threatened. Are Brooklyn and Carter willing to risk everything to have a love neither ever imagined?
Alright Tiye! You have started my new year off right ma’am! 🥰 Brooklyn is laser focused on her residency, with a huge hell no to men, after being humiliated, embarrassed, and abandoned on her wedding day! 💔 She only spends time with her mother and aunt, when she isn’t working, making her a great doctor, but a lonely person.
Carter St. Patrick, a former NFL star, has quite the messy background with regards to his love life. Sir, you were really out there wildin’ huh? Carter has hurt, and been hurt by love, but still craves companionship and marriage after it all. While in the ER with his son, he lays eyes on the doctor, and his heart begins to sing.
Brooklyn is also smitten with Carter, but look who he is? He must be arrogant, entitled, brash, and mean, right? When he turns on the charm, she is shook and doesn’t know how to handle him. He is handsome as all get out, but in her mind, she thinks, I ain’t falling for the okie doke with men ever again!! However, Carter is persistent, and intentional about his pursuit of Brooklyn, albeit quick as hell; that he breaks her down. Brooklyn is surprised at the warmth and level of care that came with Carter.
They both go into this relationship with baggage that they haven’t fully addressed but want love so bad that they bury it. I loved how vulnerable Carter was. Gotta love a man who wears his heart on his sleeve and isn’t afraid to be transparent. Brooklyn was weary at first, but feelings brew quickly, and she is all in with Carter.
All is well until they encounter a storm, and the insecurities and fear rear their ugly heads. Both Carter and Brooklyn must put their egos to the side and fight for this amazing love they created. Brooklyn had to realize that although she loves being a doctor, if she wants to love she has to prioritize her relationship for it to work. Carter had to deal with the demons of his past and understand that this relationship with Brooklyn was not a repeat of the others. Loved it!
This was a mature love story with older characters (37&40). Their love was soft & intentional but also quick & intense and not without conflict. The conflict was relatable & realistic though, where I could see both sides. They had to figure out how to navigate past relationship traumas, balance work/life/love and decide what does moving on really look like. Ultimately it was a true testament of “If you don’t heal from what hurt you, you’ll bleed on people who didn’t cut you.” At different times in their short relationship, Brooklyn & Carter almost missed out on their forever loves because of fear of being hurt like they had been in past relationships. I was glad they got it together though because I loved them. Carter’s past was hella messy though so I needed him to have just a smidgen more Grace when handling my girl and her ex & job.
I really liked this story and I loved that Carter was able to find happiness again because his past was messy with a capital M. It took me a minute to realize he was the same Carter from the Messy series, but once it was mentioned about the twins and their differences, I remembered him right away. I always liked Carter and that he was certain about what he wanted regarding having a wife and family and that even when things weren’t ideal, he tried to make them work. Now I didn’t finish the Messy series before Kindle Vella went away because the love triangle and messiness that was Carter, Darren and Grey was exhausting, but I read enough to know that once Grey came back into their lives that Darren wouldn’t be able to keep his daughter from him or stay away from him.
But anyway, back to this story… Carter and Brooklyn were a match and I loved them together. They had so much in common from being doctors to be introverts to having been hurt from past loves and I wanted to see them get their happily ever after together and was glad that they did. They both had to work at it and reassure the other, but their love and dedication to each other was clear to see for me.
This was a very good holiday read and a nice catch-up with the characters from the Messy series.
But, you knew that already, that the book would be amazing. Brooklyn was low key a cutie with a plan to just be left alone. Then she met Carter, the man with baby's from various sources, a super well-known retired professional athlete. His making moves reputation proceeded him. This man had a partial twin... You'll see what I mean. Brooklyn wanted to be wanted, and Carter wanted to be needed. It took them a few times to see their strengths were the same. I recommend this story 100%.
I absolutely loved Carter and Brooklyn’s story! 😍📖 Ooowwweee! Carter St. Patrick was that man — he saw exactly what he wanted, claimed it, and stayed persistent in his pursuit 💪🏽🔥. There was no hesitation in him when it came to going after love and building the life he desired.
Brooklyn, on the other hand, was guarded, quiet, and very much an introvert 🤍. Her walls were high, and for good reason — a painful past relationship had taught her to protect her heart at all costs 🛡️💔. Carter, despite carrying his own trust issues from his past, still longed for another chance at marriage and to have more children 👨👩👧👦💍. That alone showed his hope and willingness to love again.
Together, they were truly good for each other ✨. Brooklyn slowly began to let her guard down, allowing herself to feel safe and loved 🥹❤️. But just when things were falling into place, her past resurfaced, triggering Carter’s own unresolved wounds. That moment caused him to retreat and put his guard back up 😔🚧.
What made their story so powerful was that they didn’t give up. They had to dig deep, face their fears, communicate honestly, and really talk it out 🗣️💞. That emotional work is what allowed their relationship to grow stronger and more meaningful.
Overall, it was an awesome read — emotional, real, and deeply satisfying 🌟📚. A beautiful reminder that love requires patience, vulnerability, and the courage to heal together 💕✨.
This is a good second chance at love story. Carter had a crazy messy past that hurt him and the people he loved while also breaking his heart. He still wanted love and he saw love when he crossed paths with Brooklyn. Dr. Brooklyn became a shell of herself after being jilted and putting her time into work. However, work became an interference when she allows herself to date again. She has to reorder her priorities and really see if she is going down the right career path. Fear can be a catalyst or motivation but they have to decide if fear factors into them making it or not. I love how the author presented both sides being vulnerable and ready to question what their hearts truly wanted. I love that Carter was transparent and honest from the jump. This is a beautiful story that shows love is not dependent upon a time restriction. It flows freely and captures heart instantly without warning. I enjoyed reading this story and genuinely recommend it for your reading pleasure.
Carter came with a lot of baggage that was a part of him before he began pursuing Brooklyn. I like him because he was intentional. She accepted it all. Now, further into the story, Carter lost some cool points with me by the way he treated Brooklyn, after witnessing her arguing with her ex. Bishop. She gave him no reason not to trust her. He was downright disrespectful, uncaring, dismisive, and rude to her. A pouty 40 yr old man, not giving any grace.
Brooklyn got her voice and went to lay out how it was gonna be moving forward or not. She made the decision prioritize her life outside of work. She went to get her man back. 🎤 Loved her spunk!
Carter has officially made it out of my bottom five, and that is not an easy feat. He finally found a woman that wasn’t in a relationship lol. The Carter in this book took ownership of his actions and didn’t run from them, and it’s what I appreciated the most from him. The conversations he had with his sons were my favorite, and I’m happy he apologized to them. Brooklyn and Carter had a love that made me smile. Brooklyn is the woman Carter needed to ground him and vice versa. Comfort of A Man was a delight. Tiye did a wonderful job with Carter’s development over the years.
This book is so damn good. I mean good to the point that I wished it hadn't ended. Ooh wee, so good.
Carter, ex NFL star, with a messy pass. Brooklyn aka New York, jilted workaholic ER doctor. What could be better? The two of them meeting when Carter brings his son to the emergency room.
I absolutely love how he demanded her time. He was intentional every step of the way. Brooklyn was the dream he never knew he had, and he was her unicorn and dream in human form. Their love was beautiful and despite the hiccup, love won.
Enjoyed this quick read and seeing Carter's growth. Even though he and Brooklyn had experienced heartbreak, they were willing to giving love another chance. There were still some rough patches and uncertainty, however these two had to learn to not let fear of past mistakes overpower their blossoming relationship. This story touches on redemption, being intentional and trusting in loving someone unconditionally.
As a writer, one of the things Tiye does very well is messy situations. And Carter was a character from the “Messy” series, so of course it wasn’t going to be smooth sailing! He and Brooklyn both, had their fair share of baggage to wade through. But at the end of the day, communication was key and played an integral role in showcasing Carter’s growth and maturity, which at times was in question by Brooklyn and this reader. I also loved that Grey proved to be another voice of reason given their previous history! Good follow-up story for the holidays!
Carter and Brooklyn share an instant connection, but both are still healing from past relationships, which adds realism to their journey. Brooklyn’s initial reserve felt authentic. The backstories around Carter’s older children were a bit over the top for me and could’ve been streamlined. Tyler Perry ish… Carter’s character growth was a strong highlight that made the story worth the read.
Just finished this book and I can actually say I enjoyed it as a woman in my early 40s. It is breath of fresh air to read a love story about people in my age range. This was mature grown people romance, and I ate it all up and left no crumbs. I will definitely be reading books from this author‘s catalog and moving forward.
Carter and Brooklyn had both been broken by love. Carter loved being married and hadn't given up on love completely given his past relationships. Brooklyn was buried herself in work in order to avoid being lonely. Carter inserted his Alpha into Brooklyn's world and turned it upside down. A well written story of love and redemption.
Beautiful cover. New author to me. The mess in his past would have sent me running for the hills honey. And he would have only had to tell me once and i would been on my way. I liked how aggressive he was in the beginning but i feel like he started to be hot and cold once the tables were turned. I’m proud of Brooklyn for realizing her worth and her growth. Good read.
I really enjoyed reading this story it seemed so real I couldn't put it down I just wanted more of it. Loved the characters as well as the storyline, and Carter was so great so up front with everything and everyone. Great job 👏 Tiye I'm on to read your next book. Thank you.
Carter had way too much going on in his personal life that Dr. had to just accept immediately for him to have been acting the fool with her. One of his baby mamas literally kissed him on the lips in front of her and he was openly still whining about the love lost in his first wife. I mean starry eyed reminiscing lol But she's the one who can't be trusted with his heart. The audacity! lol
This was a mess. From Carter’s baby mamas and paternity of his children to the fast pace of the relationship. I felt like there was zero build up. Carter needs therapy; not a new relationship and more children.
Carter and Brooklyn both needed the love of a person who wanted nothing . This was a mature love. I enjoyed the chase that came with the love. These individuals needed a different kind of love with peace. Great love story!!!!!
I love that we got to experience each holiday with these two! I understand Carter’s insecurities especially because of his past but glad he overcame them💜