Something Like Shelter

by Jessica Gadziala

She knows how to manage millions of dollars for her clients.

But a newborn, a crumbling house, and doing motherhood all alone? That’s a little harder to handle.

When a pipe bursts, she calls the handyman who’s been repairing her money-pit for years. He’s watched her life change from the sidelines, even if she never realized he was paying attention.

Now he’s watching her navigate motherhood, one exhausted day at a time.

The bathroom repair should have taken a few days.

Instead, the project drags on for weeks.

And the more time he spends in her home, the harder it becomes to ignore the way he’s falling for her—and the baby who has completely stolen his heart…

Genres: Romance, Friends To Lovers, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance

Unknown Binding

Published August 14, 2026

About the author

Jessica Gadziala lives in rural New Jersey with her parrots, dogs, and an ever-growing collection of houseplants. A lifelong dreamer, she’s been writing stories since childhood and published her first book in 2015. When not at her desk, she’s usually feeding backyard birds, rewatching crime dramas, period pieces, and 90s supernatural TV shows, or adding to her towering stacks of unread books.



You can find her on
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xx

Reviews

[➦Paulette & Her Sexy Alphas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve always loved Elsie and Paine’s story, so imagine my surprise when I realized who their daughter was ! I absolutely loved that little connection and the surprise it brought to the story.






Willa knows how to manage millions of dollars for her clients, but a newborn, a crumbling house, and doing motherhood all alone? That’s a little harder to handle.
Her life was supposed to follow a very precise, carefully laid-out schedule. She had footnotes and contingency plans for everything. None of them included two pink lines, being pregnant without a ring on her finger, or having a partner to share the responsibilities of parenthood. Now, fatigue has become something that seems to live deep in her bones.
Willa and Owen have known each other for years, but only in a client-contractor capacity. They never really thought of each other as anything more.
When a pipe bursts, Willa calls Owen, the handyman who has been repairing her money pit of a house for years. What she doesn’t realize is that Owen has been quietly watching her life change from the sidelines and paying much more attention to her than she ever knew.


Owen may market himself as a handyman, but he’s actually been a contractor for years and has certifications in just about everything from plumbing and electrical to HVAC. If he was going to run his own business, he figured it made sense to be able to do a little bit of everything. And if he could also fix a hole in a wall or remodel a bathroom, even better.
What should have been a simple bathroom repair that took a few days turns into a project that stretches on for weeks. And as Owen spends more time around Willa, he gets to see her navigate motherhood one exhausted day at a time.
I really enjoyed this sweet, easy read. It was a lighthearted romance with zero angst, and sometimes that’s exactly what you need. I loved watching Willa and Owen’s relationship slowly develop as they went from simply being client and contractor to something more.




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[Bozena · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm having so much fun with books by my favorite author. It's been like a shower of pure bliss this year.
I don't know how many books she's written this year, but I've read and loved every single one of them.

Yes, Jessica Gadziala's new book is a beautiful, emotional, and exciting story, once again.

For fans of the "not his baby" trope, this is a must-read.
This book is such an incredible, sweet, and swoon-worthy romance.
The characters are amazing, and the story is a treat for all romance lovers.

Willa is a strong, independent woman who takes pride in her autonomy and her career.
Her baby daughter means the world to her, but sometimes everyone feels helpless, right?

Owen is the definition of "book boyfriend" material.
He loves kids, wants a family, and is just incredibly good with the girls.

If only it weren't for Willa's insecurities and her terrible experiences with men.

I really enjoyed this book.
I've read it in one sitting, too.
I just can't help myself when it comes to Jessica's books.

I loved every second of this beautiful love story.

[Jessica Gadziala]

now available!

[Carrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Willa & Owen

Ahhhh!! This story brought me so much JOY! 💚💚💚

Willa & Owen have known each other for years in a client-contractor way. Never really thought of each other as anything more. Until this latest emergency project. Suddenly, Owen's providing more than just contracting work. He's seeing dishes in the sink & running the dishwasher before he heads home. He's encouraging Willa when she has parenting doubts. Willa's bringing him coffee & lingering for a conversation...

And then there are Adelaide & Tuna. The adorable baby & Golden Retriever are instantly bonded.

I ADORE the pacing of their story! Slow burn, care shown, bonds forming... Owen & Willa take their time & when the steamy times show up, the bond they have & mature conversations about what's next feel just about perfect.

I love seeing Willa's family support, too. And how they & Owen interact. Mwha!!

This is a fantastic, romantic, adorable & enjoyable story!

😍😍😍

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A soft, heart‑warming read. No drama, just a slow burn romance.

[Merry One Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet meet cute for Owen and Willa

This book is one of those easy to read romances that feels like real life. I enjoyed the story and the characters. The lead male Owen is swoon worthy and makes you want him too. Owen is so down to earth and understanding. He has his own handyman business and is well recommended in town.

The story: we have our lead female character Willa who is a talented sales and financial manager. Her clients adore her but her place of employment is like an old boys club. Willa finds herself pregnant. Yes it is unplanned but she is very happy; unfortunately the father wants nothing to do with the baby or Willa now. Willa has to find a way to navigate single parenthood, her new house where things keep breaking, plus find a new job. Especially when her boss is actually telling clients that Willa is on vacation instead of maternity leave. Can you even imagine that nonsense? Read On!

[Danielle Reid · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been waiting for this one…

And it didn’t disappoint. I always loved Elsie and Paine’s story so I love seeing their daughter and Elsie’s mini me getting her HEA. Owen—what can I say about Owen except he was lovely, just perfect? Thoughtful, hot, observant. How lucky is Willa?! And Tuna was absolutely adorable; he stole the scene a lot! Jessica has once again brought us back to see characters we have fallen so deeply in love with over the years and I loved every visit back to Navesink Bank.

[Tori · Rating 5 out of 5]

The sweetest and most heartwarming story

I absolutely loved this one. Willa and Owen’s story was so sweet and had me smiling the whole way through. I currently have a 9 week old and so Willa’s experience with new motherhood is especially relatable to me right now. All of her feelings and experiences are so spot on and they made this one hit me right in the heart. This book was so validating for me and was such a warm, feel-good read. I think this is probably my new favourite JG book!

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet romance

This was a nice, easy read sweet romance with zero angst.. it was set in the authors Navesink Bank world so it was great having places and people mentioned from other books in the world. But if this was the first book you had read in that world you wouldn't be left feeling like you missed something since this is a standalone..

[Angie Reads Romance · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a sweet single mom story

This book was really sweet and romantic. A single mom hires local handyman to do major work in her house and while she is on maternity leave.
Willa is the daughter of Paine and Elsie from Jessica's book Savior, which I absolutely enjoyed. It was good to visit with them again in this book.
Owen is perfect. And I love that watching him clean and do chores was mentioned as a turn on because honestly it's true. We love an equal partner. It's just sexy.
Great story and another visit to Navesink Bank.
I'm so glad this universe exists so I can revisit it from time to time. ❤️

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet and lovely

This was such a nice read and quite different to Jessica's other stories. It was a girl needs boy to fix things. He's that one but not her type, except the last boyfriend of her type wasn't really a good person. As they grow through their story, they realise what they had planned for life maybe wasn't what they wanted.
This is a well written love story and has great characters . Recommended

[Rosemary · Rating 5 out of 5]

-I am not an ARC reviewer-

MY KIND OF MMC!!!!!!! Safe on all accounts, loved it!

Few repetitive scenes, one error with the number of puppies in Tuna’s litter, needs a little more editing but overall a heart warming read with a little spice and a fantastic hero.

[Nia · Rating 5 out of 5]

cute fluffy light

If you want something to cleanse your palate, this is a great choice. No angst, just two people falling in love. Short, sweet, fluffy but still with a lot of depth and feeling.

[Maryelle Toranto · Rating 5 out of 5]

Woah 🤗

I never know what to say in a review. Did I like this story. Yes . I. Did. It really warmed me on the inside . Like a whooosaaa of happiness 🥂

[Laiza · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great read from the one and only Jessica Gadziala⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I love the dynamics of Willa and Owen, the slow burn, the normal day to day small things that matters💜💜💜💜 The reliable hot handyman who can cook...yahhhh give meeeeeee Owen!!
#SingleMomWilla
#Paine'sPrincess
#OwenHotHandyman
#Adelaide
#GiveMeLoveTuna
#NavesinkBank
#InvestmentQueen
#SlowBurn
#SomethingLikeShelter
#BlueCollarMan

[Eliza · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super fun, quick read! I've read almost everything Jessica Gadziala has written, and I've never been disappointed. I love Owen, who might just become one of my favourite of her mmc's and Willa, was so relatable in her early motherhood. Tuna really stole the show.

[kgm95 · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was sweet, no drama, no criminal element.

[Haley Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve never read a single Jessica Gadziala book that I didn’t love (and I’ve read them all) but Owen is definitely now in my top 3 book heroes of all time!

[Sally Guildford-Sharp · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked it.

It was different than usual, but I loved their relationship but I did spend nearly the whole time wondering where the danger would come from.

[Lea Bookjoy · Rating 4 out of 5]

🇫🇷French & English reviews🇬🇧

📖Genre & Tropes📖 : romance contempo x slow burnish x single mom x wealthy heroine x forced proximity x friendship to romance x spicy

Une romance contempo à la fois mignonne et sexy que j’ai lu avec plaisir !

J’avoue je ne m’attendais pas à une romance aussi mignonne et douce pour la fille de Paine et un livre de Jessica Gadziala mais finalement, j’ai apprécié le côté « normal » de la romance !

L’intrigue tourne surtout autour de Willa qui apprend à appréhender sa nouvelle réalité : être une mère sans oublier d’être une femme ! Et j’ai beaucoup aimé la façon dont tout se développe tout en douceur, pas toujours glamour mais toujours bien écrit =)

Est-ce que j’aurais voulu une pointe de dramas en plus notamment avec l’ex ?? Oui mais ça n’empêche bien que j’ai apprécié le livre =)

Bref, une romance contempo mignonne qui se lit bien trop vite !


⭐~⭐~⭐~⭐~⭐~⭐~⭐~⭐~⭐~⭐~⭐~⭐~⭐~⭐~⭐


A cute yet sexy contemporary romance that I really enjoyed !

I have to admit, I wasn’t expecting such a sweet, cute romance—especially for Paine’s daughter and coming from Jessica Gadziala—but I ended up really appreciating the "normal" feel of the relationship !

The plot centers mainly on Willa navigating her new reality : being a mom without forgetting to be a woman. I loved how everything unfolded gently; it wasn’t always glamorous, but it was always well-written =)

Would I have liked a bit more drama—specifically regarding the ex? Yes, but that didn’t stop me from enjoying the book =)

All in all, a cute contemporary romance that I read too quickly !

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Something Like Shelter is a friends to lovers romance by Jessica Gadziala. This is Willa and Owen’s book. For those of you who are fans of Jessica’s books, Willa is Paine and Elsie’s daughter from the book Savior in the Savages series by this author. It’s great catching up with them again and witnessing how proud they are of Willa.

Willa is a new single mom and Owen is the handyman that has worked on her house several times over the last couple of years. It’s clear they both felt the other person was attractive, but obviously the timing wasn’t right and neither ever thought about a future together.

Owen is a wonderful and gorgeous man! He’s thoughtful, gentle, and patient. He’s great with Willa and considerate of what she is going through and quickly takes the initiative to help whenever it is needed.

Willa is also great. She desperately wants to be a great mom but is overwhelmed at times being the sole care giver for her brand new baby girl. She beautiful, outgoing and has such a big heart.

It was so sweet watching these two become friends. Their relationship took it’s time and they gradually just fell in love. Tuna (Owen’s adorable puppy) was such a great part of their story and little Adelaide was special too.

Something Like Shelter is a feel good story with great characters, told from both Owen’s and Willa’s POVs and had a lovely happy ending that leaves you smiling.

[Kodie Mackay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Willa and Owen are that swoon worthy, all around sweet slow burn romance that fills your cup.

Willas a single momma im the newborn trenches trying to stand on her own feet. She's fiercely independent, some may say ungodly stubborn. She carries a whole heart or hurt but nothing, absolutely nothing compared to her sweet baby girl. That love.. it's magic and despite the lack of sleep, the loosing ones self.. willa kicks ass, does her very best and grows. She's relatable. The kind of character you want to be friends with.

Owen is that guy. The good guy, shinning knight, will fix all your problems and not want a damn thing but to see you happy. A cinnamon hero is if ever there was one. The gentle encouragement, unwavering patience and all around kindness. Man I was ready to marry him my damnself.

These two are the sweetest. A blossomed companionship that led to friends and then lovers. It was a real slow burn in the best ways. Those stolen glances, sweet touches and ever present support. I had butterflies reading them fall in love whilst navigating parenthood and all the fears that come with baggage. It was authentic in a way that connects to the reader. All the feels. AND of course some familiar faces that had me reminiscing on past love stories. A fast favourite of mine from Jessica for sure.

[Joyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Handyman Can… Move Right In! 🔨 🔥

Owen is the guy everyone calls when something goes wrong around the house. But when he shows up to help a frazzled new mom, he ends up doing a whole lot more than fixing things. Loading the dishwasher? Check. Burping the baby? Check. Fixing the bathroom? Of course! And somehow, he keeps finding reasons to come back.

Willa has worked her way to the top of the finance world, but becoming a new mom has her juggling a lot. A little white lie to her boss turns into needing a fake partner to help keep her secret and that’s where Owen comes in.

I absolutely loved watching these two navigate their situation, but my favorite part was seeing the family we already know and love step up when Willa got sick. And the way they immediately welcomed Owen into the fold. I loved it!

This was such a quick, easy, feel-good read and can definitely be read as a standalone. Now I’m sitting here thinking I might need to reread the whole series because apparently I’m not ready to leave this family yet!

5 ⭐️ 3 🌶️

[Krystyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

10 star read!

Be still my beating heart!
This sweet romance story was by far one of my favorite of the year. The perfect amount of sweet, goofy and real life mixed together.
Willa has always dedicated so much to her job and never expected to be a single mom with a house that breaks at every turn.
Owen is the contractor that has been working on her home for years.
We watch the struggle of a amazing woman being a first time mom with a demending job who wants her back asap and isn't used to depending on others very often, even if she has an amazing family.
In walks Owen to fix what is needed when he can and jumps in to help Willa when needed.
Their love story was just what I needed during this crazy year. So swoon worthy!

[Gabi · Rating 5 out of 5]

We're back in Navesink Bank where a financial advisor has bought a house that needs some love. And so does she! Fortunately, she has found an amazing contractor who has helped her out every time another pipe burst, there's a leak, or some other disaster springs up.

While this doesn't strictly fall into her MC or mafia series, it has a very similar feel to the mafia stories. You can feel the affection Ms. Gadziala has for the area and it follows through into all her Navesink Bank and mafia books.

I would happily read this book over and over again and enjoy it every time.

[Rixxyreadsss · Rating 5 out of 5]

So freaking cute and romantic. I had such a good time, that was a short, enjoyable read. A great palate cleanser and something quick to finish. This one just made me feel so giddy and happy. A really lovely read!

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Elsie and Paine's daughter, Willa, all grown up and dealing with a lot of insecurities and a newborn. Owen, the man any woman would want, comes to the rescue with Willa's home emergencies. Willa and Owen just work.

[Caryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

PERFECT ROMANCE

This was a very light hearted love story with a slow burn. The characters were perfect for each other as was little baby Adelaide. Good thing the deadbeat father left the picture! He didn't deserve the girls.

Once again a happy ending!

[Madam Claire of Whistley Woo]

Okay it was a SUPER cozy contemporary. Like not one bit of angst.

[Tara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a sweet story…

This story was so cute! It was an easy read, with little drama. It fit my mood perfectly! I loved it!