Let it Be Me

Love Unexpected #1

by Jody Holford

Megan Carter’s spent the past five years nannying for a pint-size boss—the adorable Charlie—while also navigating her full-size boss, his somewhat grouchy, way-too-methodical dad, Adam. Now that she’s finally moving on, helping Adam find her replacement should be easy...except he doesn’t want another nanny. He wants a wife.

Adam’s been burned by love in the past, so of course he believes finding someone who can be a partner in raising his son is all that matters. Too bad the woman helping him search is the biggest believer in love at first sight and happily-ever-after he’s ever met.

Even as Adam’s funny, charming, and—who would have thought it?—super-hot side starts to come out, Megan knows that without love, a family would never be complete. But convincing Adam of that might be harder than she thought.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Chick Lit, Adult

342 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 29, 2018

About the author

a wife* a mom* a reader and a writer* a friend* a daughter* a teacher* a sister* a blogger and follower* a worrier and word twister* a gemini*

Reviews

[Irene · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

Let It Be Me by Jody Holford is a sweet and entertaining read.

I enjoyed the storyline, it was well written, easy to follow and I ended up reading it in one sitting.

Watching the relationship unfold between Adam and Megan had me smiling and swooning one minute and wanting to punch Adam the next.
Adam was so convinced love wasn't something he needed in his life, he was happy to live life working and spending time with his son, until work called :(
It took him a while to open his eyes and heart to the one woman who has been there for him and for his adorable son.
Once Adam let himself feel without overthinking that's when I started liking him and I enjoyed this playful side to him.
I loved Megan's character, she was patient, caring and loved Adam's little boy Charlie with all her heart.
It warmed my heart seeing them come together and becoming a family.



Let It Be Me is a sweet and heartfelt read and I highly recommend it.

*Purchase Links*
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Let-Be-Me-Love...
B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/let-...
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/let-...
Itunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ca/book/let-...
Google: https://play.google.com/store/books/d...

*Thank you to the publisher via Netgalley for the advance copy.*

[Elaine - Splashes Into Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: 3.5/5

This is a story of not recognising what you have in a relationship until its about to end! Megan Carter has spent five years working as a nanny, caring for Charlie. Now she’s qualified to follow her dream of becoming a teacher and has agreed to help Charlie’s Dad, Adam, find her replacement. The only problem is he no longer wants another Nanny, he’s asked her to help him find a wife!

Megan is a romantic young lady, looking for love and very aware that Adam definitely isn’t looking for love, he want to avoid it! He’s a workaholic, driven to achieve and striving to become a partner in the company he works for, going where they send him at little notice, reliant on Megan to care for his son, As Megan helps vet potential dates for Adam, the two start to talk more than they have for the last five years and the attraction between them blossoms. However, she’ll be starting a new job in September. . . .

Although a heartwarming romance in the end, I really didn’t like Adam’s obsession with money-making, especially when it meant he’d leave his son with Megan if his boss called, even if they were supposedly giving Charlie a day out treat. He really needed to get his priorities right! I’m glad he sorted them out in the end. Megan, on the other hand, is a caring and conscientious person and it is her and her family’s example that helps awaken Adam to what a family should be like. This is a story of learning to value those you love, to acknowledge their worth beyond money and the power of love.

I requested and received a copy of this novel. This is my honest review after choosing to read it.

[Mindy Lou's Book Review · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars!

Adam is a divorced single father. His own father drank away their income and his mom left when he was 13, never looking back. Add onto the fact that his ex-wife cared more about her rising career in acting than him or their son, this has greatly affected his outlook on life.

When Adam first hires Megan to be Charlie's nanny, he became so focused on building a better future for his son that he has become a workaholic. Over the 5 years that Megan has been with them, he not only has taken advantage of the fact that she's always there to take care of Charlie but he's also lost site in the fact that all Charlie wants is to have his dad around.

Megan has finished school and is ready to start her career as a teacher which means Adam needs to find a replacement. This is where things get interesting. Adam work so much that after five years, Megan and Adam have always kept their relationship very professional and yet now he's asking Megan to help him find a wife instead of a new nanny.

Adam doesn't want another temporary person in Charlies life. His analytical brain thinks he can find a woman that will be agreeable to marring Adam like a partnership. Megan is taken aback by this request but she loves Charlie and agrees to help Adam find a list of candidates. This has forced an intimacy between these two that they have otherwise avoided over the years.

At first I really didn't like Adam. He was pretty cold and there was no warmth towards Megan. As the story unfolds, you learn why this is. With his past and how things ended with his ex-wife, Adam knows that Megan deserves the happily ever after he doesn't believe in anymore.

As Megan searches for the stepford wife he is looking for, Adam starts to see what an incredible woman Megan is and how much he and Charlie truly care about her and depend on her. You really get to see the change in Adam and how he thaws from this cold business man to falling in love and not really realizing it.

I don't know if this is a series but I'm hoping that it is. I really want the story of the Megan and Adams best friends.

ARC provided by Netgalley.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been hearing fantastic things about Jody Holford's books forever, and now that I've read LET IT BE ME I can completely understand all the fuss! LET IT BE ME is emotional, heartwarming, and downright swoony!

LET IT BE ME introduces Megan and Adam. Megan is a hopeless romantic. She believes in fairy tales and happily-ever-afters. While she hasn't had much luck in the romance department lately, she won't stop looking until she finds the one. Adam, on the other hand, is a cynic when it comes to love. After one failed marriage Adam's given up. He'd much rather focus on his son and work.

Adam and Megan are by far my favorite part of LET IT BE ME. They were lovable as well as relatable. Megan is kind as well as caring but she's not a pushover by any means. I found Megan's stance on love sweet and optimistic. Furthermore, I loved seeing her relationship with Charlie, Adam's son. They have such an incredible bond, and it didn't hurt that I thought Charlie was one adorable little kid. I couldn't believe some of the stuff that would come out of his mouth - it would either be incredibly pure or laugh-out-loud funny. It took me a while to warm up to Adam. At first I thought he was a complete jerk. I couldn't believe how harsh he was on Megan; however, as the book continued, the more he began to grow on me. Deep down Adam is a good guy. He might be a workaholic but he just wants his son to have more than he did growing up, which I could definitely admire. Plus he did loosen up and let me tell you seeing carefree, living-in-the-moment Adam was such a trip!

The romance in LET IT BE ME is a slow-burn boss/nanny-to-lovers romance, and I adored every single second of it. Adam and Megan had fantastic chemistry. It jumped off the page and came to life time and time again. Their banter was also great, and I especially appreciated that Megan was never afraid to call Adam out on his jerky actions. Plus the whole "find-me-a-wife" twist brought some drama to the table, which I enjoyed. And throwing this out there: Jody knows how to write some super swoony make out scenes!

Last but not least: I adored the wide cast of side characters that LET IT BE ME introduced. From Megan's friends and family to Adam's best friend, each brought something special to the table.

Perfect for fans of super sexy slow burn romances, LET IT BE ME is an endearing read from start to finish. While it may be my first Jody Holford book it certainly won't be my last!

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[Suze · Rating 5 out of 5]

Megan is the nanny of the adorable Charlie. She loves him with all her heart, but she's ready for the next step in her life, becoming a teacher. This means Charlie's dad Adam has to find a replacement. Megan wants to do anything she can to make this process go as smoothly as possible, but Adam doesn't want a new nanny, he wants a wife. He sees this as a business arrangement and asks Megan to find him a suitable woman. Will Megan be able to fulfill this request?

After his divorce Adam carefully guards his heart, because he never wants it to be broken again. Charlie is his world and he strives for his son to have everything he could possibly need. Adam has to work hard to achieve this and it isn't always easy to find the time to be there for Charlie if he also wants to provide for him. When Adam starts to have feelings for Megan he suppresses them, in his opinion nothing good can come out of falling in love. Is this actually true or can Megan teach him a few lessons?

Let It Be Me is a wonderful romantic story. Megan is smart, sweet and capable. She's a loving person and Charlie adores her. Adam has two focuses in his life, his son and becoming partner. There isn't room for anything else and because of this he never consciously noticed his nanny. When he finally tries to get to know her he finds out he likes Megan, but he never wants to love again, so being with her is out of the question. I was curious to find out if Megan would be able to break down his walls and change his mind. They have great chemistry and they have something important in common, they both love Charlie very much. He's such a fantastic kid and I liked reading about him a lot.

Jody Holford's writing flows easily and I love her warm tone of voice. Let It Be Me is a fun story. Adam doesn't know love can be beautiful and has a lot to learn. It was amazing to see how he slowly defrosts and I kept hoping he'd give Megan a chance. She's a strong woman who can stand her ground, which is exactly what he needs. I like stories about challenges in love and really enjoyed Let It Be Me. It's an entertaining story with a heartwarming endearing ending.

[Heather andrews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adam could be affectionate at times, “way to throw my words back at me. In that case…” he said, letting his hands glide down to grip her incredibly shaped bottom. Pulling her tight against him..." I liked this book, and it was a good thing Adam had Meg because the man could be really daft at times.

[Stacey spence · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oooh what a perfect title. I wanted it to be me.
Loved watching these two grow to love each other or rather he learned to love again.

LOVE LOVE LOVE this book.

[Alison · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at 58%.

On paper I should love this book. I like the author, I'm a sucker for single Dad and nanny romances, and the premise of the employer asking the nanny to set him with dates in order to find some woman who would be happy to have a polite, marriage-of-convenience in order to provide a mother for his little boy? Fraught with comedy opportunity.

Megan Carter is nanny to Charlie. His mother is an actress who valued her career more than her marriage or her child. His father Adam is a good Dad and does everything he can be home to put Charlie to bed and read him a bedtime story each night, but he is also fully committed to partnership at his job (can't recall if he's a lawyer/ accountant whatever) driven in part by his own childhood in which his feckless father couldn't be relied upon to put food on the table or clothes on his son's back. In fact, Adam is a tad obsessive on this point but feels that partnership will help him ensure that Charlie never wants for anything.

Sadly, this didn't work for me. Adam's ridiculous scheme needed to be grounded in something other than him being supremely disinterested in lifting a finger to find a mother for his son. Delegating to the nanny, no matter how competent and beloved by the family, is not cool. His poor-me shtick was tedious in the extreme and his priorities were skewed. My dislike reached a peak when he took his son and the nanny to a arcade (to make up for not attending his son's presentation) and then left to pitch to a new client at a moment's notice. Yet when he decides to bang the nanny he can suddenly turn off his work phone for the first time ever - nice priorities dude!

And the negative reading vibe continues...

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

[Sofia Lazaridou · Rating 2 out of 5]

Let it be me was the book I was expecting. I had not realized that Adam would expect Megan to find him a wife and I not offer her the role. I was expecting to feel angst the most, but what I felt was frustration and unsatisfaction. I wanted a hero who was a little bit more focused on his family and didn't make me feel like his kid was an afterthought. He was not a good father for a hero in a novel. Megan was a good heroine and I liked her though. She saved the book from the one-star rating.

[Bookgasms Book Blog · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh, you guys, Let it Be Me was such a treat! I wasn’t sure what to expect going into it. I mean, not really. There are certain things I automatically expect from Ms. Holford’s books: authenticity, heartwarming interactions, and a certain sweetness threaded throughout the story. Those things are all present here, but I felt like there was a bit of unexpected edginess in this one. A hero who was frankly unlikable at first, giving me pause and causing me to wonder how he could ever be redeemed. And then…he was. And masterfully so. How she took a hero I could barely keep myself from skimming over, and turned him into someone who completely owned my heart by the end of the story is nothing short of magic (witchcraft!).

Honestly, if you like your heroes…not particularly nice, but with a fantastically heartwarming redemption story attached to them, you’re going to love this. LOVE this. And I did. I loved Adam – for all his stodginess, he made laugh and – seemingly against all odds – swoon like cray. I adored Megan like crazy. I loved her kind spirit and plucky personality. And I loved how little Charlie fit into the whole picture. Their story unfolds slowly – which means that the burn is slow, and drawn out, but it kept me on the line and always hungry for more. The whole story was just incredibly rewarding and there were moments (especially toward the end) where I literally felt my heart flutter at the sweetness of it all.

I’ve been reading Ms. Holford’s books for a while now, and I feel like each one is a little more polished, a little richer, and pulls at my heart a little more insistently. Let it Be Me is a fantastic addition to her collection of work – it’s every sweet and satisfying thing I’ve come to expect from this author – and then some. Definitely recommend! ~ Shelly, 4 Stars

[Beth C. · Rating 4 out of 5]

She knew she needed to be sensible, but it was like her heart wanted to jump up and say, “Me! Let it be me.”

Sigh. (The good kind, promise.)

That’s how I feel at the end of Let It Be Me by Jody Holford. It’s a warm, sweet, feel good romance—one that is light on angst and altogether just a really enjoyable read.

It’s funny—normally I feel like I have a lot to say about the books I read, but with this one, I kind of don’t. And please, don’t take that to mean this book isn’t worthy, because it is. It absolutely is. It’s charming and has a lovely redemption tale—of sorts—for Adam, who initially came off as an *expletive deleted* and then grew into someone crush-worthy. Someone Megan-worthy. It’s incredibly easy to sink into this book, and to smile about it, get invested in it and like it. A whole hell of a lot.



Lord, I am explaining myself terribly. It’s just . . . this is one of those books that leaves you feeling happy. Satisfied. A little sparkly, like a chick from a rom-com or a woman who just had brownies for breakfast. #NotMe #OkayYesItWasMe.

Let It Be Me isn’t perfect—I was bothered a bit, at times, but Adam’s choices and reasoning—but it doesn’t have to be. Life isn’t, after all. And oh, my swoony heart was more than rewarded by the way Adam and Megan and Charlie’s story unfolded.

So, yeah, I think sigh covers it. A good sigh. A happy one.
Kind of like this book.

“You make me crazy.”
“Then we’re even.”

~ FOUR STARS ~

[Isha Coleman · Rating 5 out of 5]

In matters of the heart, it's the clueless that make the perfect match. Jody Holford puts her heart in her stories and Let It Be Me in my opinion shows the most evidence of that. The romantic and the Scrooge is a common theme in romance, but add in an adorable pint sized matchmaker and you have comedy gold to add to the adorable factor. Megan wants to find love, but has been looking in all the wrong places. Adam wants to avoid love at all costs and ends up landing in the middle of a mine field when Megan walks into his life. Will he discover his true feelings before she walks back out again? Losing your heart is a given when Ms. Holford lands on your ereader.

[Raquel Cortes · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first book from Jody Holford and it was a pleasant surprise.
Megan just graduated from college and aspires to work as a teacher at the local school. To achieve such goal, she'll resign her job as the nanny of Charlie, an eight-year-old boy who adores Megan. Leaving the little boy is hard as they both have grown attached to each other. What Megan didn't anticipate was how hard it would be to leave Charlie's father, Adam. The hot but workaholic man went through a failed marriage which left him brokenhearted and caused him to lose faith in love.
Throughout the years, Megan and Adam kept things professional, but with Megan's depart, unexpected feelings awake. Despite the undeniable chemistry between them, Adam discards any possibility of romance. Adam asks Megan find Charlie not her replacement but a stepmother and a life partner for him. Megan accepts the crazy request even though she disapproves. To her love and marriage go along.
Soon Megan realizes she might be the perfect suitor to fill such place with the only minor inconvenient Adam doesn't believe in love and happily ever after.
The story is heartwarming and entertaining. I really enjoyed it and found myself eager to keep reading every time I took a break. It's well written and the character likable.
The only thing that bothered me a little bit which is my main reason to take off a star is how in the world during five years Megan and Adam lived in the same place without acknowledging each other much and suddenly they notice how hot they both are and start falling for each other. This isn't a completely impossible scenario, sometimes we ignore those who are around us and then we start noticing certain things. But in this case, I wasn't entirely convinced it was believable.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book contains both cursing (a lot, including f-bombs) and explicit on screen sex.

This book was not my cup of tea. There was a lot of inner dialogue, and a lot of secondary characters/scenes that were fine but that didn't really add a lot to the story (her brother and his partner being the lone exception). But the biggest problem with the book was that I really, really didn't like Adam. AT ALL. I spent most of this book wishing he'd just go away and that Megan would hook up with her brother's boyfriend, and then a miracle happened and Adam started to become likable! Happy about that, I started to warm up to him....but then he acted like an absolute tool and totally ruined any positive feelings that I had found for him. UGH. By the end, when he had his big turn around, I just didn't care. I just wanted Megan to grab Charlie, run like the wind and not look back. I'm just not sold on their happily ever after because I don't buy Adam's miraculous turn-around.

Although this book wasn't for me, I appreciate the publisher's willingness to grant me an advanced copy of this book.

[Treena · Rating 2 out of 5]

My thoughts:

> Adam, the H, does NOT make a good first impression. He was an asshole to Megan in the first chapter! And though I understood his reasons/actions/decisions by the book's end, I was still meh about him when I finished reading. He's one of those MC's where I felt like she (the heroine) deserved someone better.

> I was hoping this story would be cute and light and more flirty fun. Instead, Adam is so caught up in his issues and to be fair, Megan was too; thus, there's a lot of inner dialogue and emotional wrangling. Because of this, there was this underlying angst to their love story that didn't convince me their HEA was real.

> I actually liked the secondary characters more than the MC's. Charlie, Adam's son, is adorable. Megan's brother and his boyfriend are people I'd like to be friends with. Stella seems so cool. But I think it says a lot about the MC's when I say that I'm not so sure I'd like to hang-out with Adam.

> Overall, the story was indeed okay but honestly, it's the kind of book which I'm not going to remember much about a few weeks from now.

[Coco.V]

🎁 FREE on Amazon today (4/6/2019)! 🎁

Blurb:
Megan Carter’s spent the past five years nannying for a pint-size boss—the adorable Charlie—while also navigating her full-size boss, his somewhat grouchy, way-too-methodical dad, Adam. Now that she’s finally moving on, helping Adam find her replacement should be easy...except he doesn’t want another nanny. He wants a wife.

Adam’s been burned by love in the past, so of course he believes finding someone who can be a partner in raising his son is all that matters. Too bad the woman helping him search is the biggest believer in love at first sight and happily-ever-after he’s ever met.

Even as Adam’s funny, charming, and—who would have thought it?—super-hot side starts to come out, Megan knows that without love, a family would never be complete. But convincing Adam of that might be harder than she thought.

[Michelle Mina scheiber · Rating 5 out of 5]

She does it again

Jody is one of my favorite authors. Her relatable characters never fail to grip you by the heartstrings. Adam and Megan are no exception. My heart was invested only a few pages in. Jody is a must-read author if you want to end up feeling good.

[E-Reader Addict · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was a tough one for me to rate. I’m not sure if my lack of enthusiasm for the book is because I’m not a fan of the “relationship with an expiration date” plot, or because of a couple other reasons. But this book just didn’t work very well for me.

Megan has been eight year old Charlie’s nanny for the past five years. She has now finished her schooling though, and is ready to move on to a career as a teacher. With her employment by Charlie’s dad, Adam, coming to an end, Adam has asked Megan to help him find her replacement. Except instead of finding him another nanny, he’s decided what he needs is a wife - a mutually agreeable companion to help him raise his son.

See, Adam has some hang-ups from being raised by an alcoholic father, and then having his wife leave him for a career on the other side of the US. He’s not interested in a marriage based on love, just one of convenience. Megan would be a great fit for him, and Charlie, but he knows Megan’s a “fall in love” type girl, so she’s out of the running. But Megan knows so much about them, so she’s the best person to help pick her replacement. Of course, as they spend more time together, their feelings for each other grow and Adam realizes maybe he can open his heart and be who Megan needs.

I actually almost gave up on this book. At 20 percent, I didn’t really care about the hero or the heroine. Adam is self-absorbed and has his priorities completely out of whack. And Megan is kind and caring, but still didn’t manage to stir much interest in her ordeal with Adam. Mostly I got tired of all the internal monologue of “I can’t be with her because I’m not what she needs” and “I can’t be with him because he’ll never love anyone ever again.” Those thoughts were repeated over and over, and I got bored with it.

Then there were a couple other things that set me off. This author is from Canada but her story takes place in the US - which isn’t a problem. But if you’re going to write a story that takes place somewhere else, make sure your characters are using phrases that they would use if they lived there. Specifically, here in the US we say third grade, or fourth grade. Not grade three, grade four.

Another thing that rubbed me wrong as a reader were the overused hyphenated words: scare-the-hell-out-of-him screamed, how-did-he-not-know-her-legs-were-so-long shorts, heart-stuck-in-his-throat sort of way. Those were all from one short chapter. I’m not sure if an editor would reign that all in, but once or twice is amusing. After that, I wasn’t amused anymore.

Once Adam and Megan give into their attraction with each other, the story picked up. And it was just in the knick of time, because I was about to set this book in my virtual “did not finish” pile. The dialogue between the characters (all of them, actually) was good, and the writing was decent, but this was all overshadowed by the repetitive writing about why Adam and Megan couldn’t be together. Also, the ending was predictable and not as heartfelt as I would want it to be.

That being said, I’d be willing to read another book by Jodi Holford. Most of what I didn’t care for about this book is because I’m generally not a fan of the plot trope used in this story. There were certainly parts that I enjoyed about this book, but overall this one falls in the “it was okay” category.

* thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing, LLD/Entangled: Amara for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review

[Bec · Rating 4 out of 5]

Megan Carter has finally achieved her dream. She's going to be a teacher, which means she's moving on from her job as a nanny to the sweet and adorable Charlie. Finding a replacement nanny is her first task, but when her boss Adam decides finding a wife for him is the better option, Megan can't help but feel a little disappointed by his need for companionship instead of love. However, as Megan does her best to find Adam what he wants, she finds it becoming harder and harder to deny the chemistry that exists between them. Will Megan be able to convince Adam that love is the best feeling in the world, or will she walk away from the man she loves because he'll never be capable of feeling the same way she does?

If you've never had the chance to read a book by Ms. Holford, then I would definitely get to reading one (most definitely this one), because not only does this story contain great characters that have plenty of chemistry, but the obstacles the couple face on their journey to happy ever after are tough with Adam not knowing whether he'll be able to take a chance on love again after being burned badly by his ex-wife. Will Adam see that a relationship with Megan is worth fighting for?

With the way this story started, I was hooked immediately, as Megan is finally getting everything she ever wanted in becoming a teacher. But with Adam always being so demanding and not being very good at compromising, I felt very sympathetic towards the heroine and her situation. How could Adam believe his job is more important than her future dreams? Moreover, the heroine is strong and brave when it comes to dealing with Adam and I liked that she would do anything for him, even though she doesn't seem happy about the decisions he's making. What about love? How could he continue to let his ex win and keep him from finding true happiness? I also liked the tight bond the heroine shared with the hero's son, which is proven by how much she loves him and that she would do anything to make the little boy happy.

While the hero, I did like him, even though I thought he took Megan for granted. Will he be able to handle her departing from his life when the time comes? Moreover, I also liked how determined the hero was to make a good life for his son and secure his future by working his butt off so his son would never want for anything. I also liked how much of a challenge the heroine provided for the hero and how hard he works to win her over, even though he knows that he could hurt her in the end. Yet, what I liked most of all about the hero was the decisions he made when it came to the things he wanted for the future. Will he realize how good the heroine is for him before it's too late?

Overall, Ms. Holford has delivered a fantastic read in this book where the chemistry between this couple was heady and convincing; the romance was a touch on the sweet side, but had me liking how good the heroine is for the hero; and the ending had me liking how courageous the hero was in proving to the heroine that he loves and trusts her and that he wants her in his life. His words are precious and his actions definitely prove that he's ready to move on from his past and that he'll no longer let what his ex did prevent him from getting another chance at forever after. I would recommend Let it Be Me by Jody Holford, if you enjoy a boss-employee romance, the opposites attract trope or books by authors LE Rico, Jennifer Shirk, Charlee James and Sonya Weiss.

[Alex (Bri's Book Nook) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Megan has been a live-in nanny for Adam's son Charlie for 5 years. She dreams of being a teacher, and she has been trying to find another job for years. When she finally gets the job she wants, she wants to help Adam make sure that Charlie has a good nanny. Someone who actually cares about him and won't leave him again like his mother left him.

But Adam doesn't think that a nanny is good enough, he wants a wife who will actually be committed to staying with him and his son. Now, Megan has to work as a matchmaker to find Adam a woman who will fit both him and his son. Adam thinks that he can just find a wife like a business transaction, a situation that will just be mutually convenient for both himself and the woman. Megan knows that in order for Charlie to have a good childhood, there needs to be love in the home. Now, she just has to prove to Adam that she is right.

I have read quite a few boss-employee romances before, but this one was extra special because there was a child involved. Charlie's childhood was at stake here, as his dad couldn't be there for him when he was overworking himself in his office job. Without a nanny, no one would be there to supervise and care for Charlie as he grew. Charlie was already feeling isolated because his dad was always busy with work; losing Megan would be devastating for him. Megan is hurt when Adam just wants to marry as a business transaction and not for love, so she could just try to set Adam up with anyone to hurt him. But instead, she actually cares and tries to find Adam a good match for Charlie's sake.

The only thing that bothered me slightly about this book was how it woudld drag on and on sometimes. I would get tired of seeing Adam and Megan stuck in the same spot chapter after chapter. They could both tell their feelings for each other were real, but by the middle of the book they kept dancing around the subject. Eventually I just wanted them to either part ways or get together, as I didn't think they wer a good match. Then things changed and I was back on the Alex x Megan train.

Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a new adult family romance novel.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed on my blog, Becky on Books, on 9/6/18.

Absolutely adorable romance! The swoon-worthy ending makes up for 90% of the aggravation I felt earlier in the story... ;)

I have to be honest--Adam wasn't my favorite character for about 2/3 of the book. His reasons for asking Megan to "find him a wife" were pretty lame, and he went way too far with that plan considering he'd already started having feelings for his nanny mid-way through. He kept letting his job put itself first in his life, and though the author does a decent job of showing us why, it was still frustrating to read. I'm also not sure when he had time to do the jogging and weight lifting that apparently led to his stellar physique--if he did it while Megan was with Charlie, wouldn't she have suspected his shirtless glory prior to seeing it for the first time in the book? Honestly, believing that neither of them even once thought of each other "that way" for the five years before the story is a bit of a stretch...

But still.

Put aside all of that, and it's a darn cute story. Charlie is about as wonderful as a fictional second-grader can get; Megan's brother, his boyfriend, and Stella (her book is out next!), her BFF are great too--really, the secondary characters shine here. I liked Megan and was cheering on the single dad / nanny trope with every page, even when I wanted to clock said single dad over the head with his work phone. There were a lot of LOL moments and almost as many swoony ones--you can't deny that Adam does a good grovel, even if things don't go exactly to plan.

Looking forward to Stella's book--and likely checking out Ms. Holford's backlist in the meantime!

Rating: 4 stars / B+

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

**I received a copy of Let it be me from Entangled Publishing and Net Galley in exchange for a honest and voluntary review**

Let it be me by Jody Holford was a pleasant surprise but my only wish would be a bit more heat between the H/h. Other than that you'll fall in love with Parker and Garrett, Stella and of course Charlie. I'd give the book a solid 4 stars total. This is the first book that I've read by Jody Holford and look forward to reading Stella and Parker/Garrett's stories in the future I hope.

Adam Klein has been burned by love before but he loves his son Charlie so much. Little does she know when his nanny, Meg, for the past 5 years announces that she'll be leaving at the end of the summer that he'll ask to her to find her replacement and wife. I was bit amazed that he'd ask this of someone who was always there when he left suddenly on business trips and took care of his son. Don't get me wrong he loves Charlie very much but because he's a driven account manger at work (who takes advantage of that) that he'll soon realize that he must chose between work, Charlie and yes, Megan.

Megan loves her boss and Charlie a little pint sized seven year old who will soon wrap his little arms are your heart. But now that she has her degree and wants to start teaching, she'll be leaving the home where she helped raise Charlie and fell in love with Adam. When he breaks her heart it will be her brother Parker and his boyfriend Garrett and her BFF Stella who will gather her in their arms (while threatening to hurt Adam) until Adam realizes that he can love again and that person is Megan.

[Jae Mod · Rating 5 out of 5]

*** ARC provided by the author for an honest review ***

Learn how to recognized and accept love again with Let It Be Me by Jody Holford.

Megan Carter has been working for Adam Klein for five years as a nanny to his young son Charlie. During this time she has worked hard to also finish school and obtain her teaching degree. Now it is time for her to move on, but is she really ready to leave this man and his son whom she has come to love so much over this time?

Adam Klein’s wife left him and their son five years ago, causing Adam to throw himself into his work in order to be able to give his child all that he was never able to have. But will his time away from home, focused on work, take away from his child in the long run?

Adam and Megan never noticed each other, but now that life with out the other is a very real possibility they are seeing things differently, but is it too late?

I truly enjoyed this book. I loved getting to watch as Adam and Megan slowly developed a relationship. I also enjoyed seeing Charlie throughout, he was a big part of the story and I am glad he wasn't pushed to the side like in many romances. The way that Megan cares for both Charlie and Adam was wonderful and I was excited to see the relationship blossom and include all three as a unit. Highly recommend to those that love a slower burning romance and a second chance all in one. Five stars.

[Melenareads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fabulous book by Jody Holford, author of the Kendrick Place series!

I loved that series and how the characters from each book appeared throughout the others. Since they were some of my favorite books this year I had high hopes going into reading Let It Be Me.

Megan has worked for Adam as his son Charlie's nanny for five years. During that time, though, they have barely gotten to know each other because he is often working and their conversation often centers on Charlie. She is optimistic, caring, and believes in true love.

Adam works hard, wanting to provide the best life he can for Charlie, especially after his divorce. He has very definite views on life and is sure he will never fall in love again. When Megan gets a job teaching and plans to leave, though, he decides she can help him find a wife using a specific set of criteria.

Seeing Megan and Adam grow both individually and as they spent time together felt very realistic. Especially as you learn about their families and life before each other. The plot was well paced and introduced secondary characters that added a lot of humor to the story. I hope that there are future books planned about Megan and Adam's friends.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[LJT · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let It Be Me by Jody Holford is a nicely-written story about a nanny falling in love with her boss. Actually, they fall for each other almost simultaneously, as their business relationship evolves into much more.

The nanny, Megan Carter, and her boss, account manager Adam Klein, really don't know each other very well on a personal level. It is only after Megan gives her notice to pursue a teaching career, do they begin to see each other differently. Adam asks Megan to find him a wife, instead of a replacement nanny, which is quite surprising. Interestingly, Megan meets all of Adam's stringent requirements for a wife, with once exception. Megan wants love and Adam wants a companion. Charlie, Adam's son, truly loves Megan and does not want her to move out and on. Megan treats Charlie as her own, so the feeling is mutual.

I enjoyed this book and the characters came across as genuine, interesting and fun. I would have liked it even more it there was a bit more heat between Megan and Adam. Also, Adam's constant battle with his past grew tiresome overtime. Charlie was a charming little boy and some of his comments were quite comical. Overall, a solid read.

Complimentary copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.

[Bette Stanek · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book that I’ve read by Ms Holford. As soon as I read, “Megan Carter’s spent the past five years nannying for a pint-size boss—the adorable Charlie—while also navigating her full-size boss…” in the blurb I knew this one had to be fun. It was!

Megan got her job as a nanny for Charlie when she was nineteen. She’s grown to love the kid like her own. But now it’s time for her to move on. She’s graduated with her teaching degree and has landed her first job. She conflicted on leaving, she doesn’t want to leave, Charlie doesn’t want her to leave. Alex? Well, he doesn’t really want Megan to leave, but that’s more for convenience's sake. At least at first it is.

Alex was burned by his ex-wife and he knows that love is an illusion. As he is faced with the reality of Megan leaving, he realizes that she does mean more to him than just a fantastic nanny. However, he knows that Megan is looking for it all and he definitely knows that’s unrealistic, but he knows she deserves it. He also knows he can’t offer it to her.

It’s fun to watch the evolution of Alex. There are times I wanted to scream at him and other times I wanted to cheer him on. Let It Be Me is a quick, fun, entertaining read with engaging characters and a fast moving storyline.

[B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite seeming to fit into a formulaic plot of hot guy falling for his nanny, there were several aspects that made this novel stand out. The heroine, Megan is a sweetheart and has a wonderful relationship with the little boy, Charlie, that she’s been taking care of for five years since he was two. Unfortunately, the hero, Adam, is really rather a cold stick of a guy. - Having had one failed marriage, he’s determined never to love again. But he is going to need someone to replace Megan now that she is going to leave to become a teacher. So he decides he needs to be married, but can’t marry “the hot nanny” because Megan will want love and romance, so he insensitively asks her to find him a new wife by going through a dating app to screen possible women.

It’s a silly set-up and you’ll just want to smack Adam upside the head. His best friend, Declan, is much more appealing. In spite of how irritating Adam is through much of the book, I still really enjoyed this story, mostly because of Megan and Charlie and the secondary characters.

I was given a free ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Didi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Let It Be Me is a cute and sweet slow burn romance between a nanny and her boss. The first book in Jody Holford’s new “Love Unexpected” series, it’s not quite friends-to-lovers nor enemies-to-lovers, it’s somewhere in between. I mention slow-burn, though once the sparks caught the fire between the love birds is way off charts!

Just like what’s the series called, the attraction between Adam and Megan blossom unexpectedly after five years of acquaintance. I think more or less it all come through as the result of accidental body part exposure and the case of being reluctance-to-start anew (as in Megan finished teaching school and got accepted full time job as teacher, thus Adam needs to find new nanny to replace her). A bit of a cliché really, but I still enjoy how the plot unfold; especially given how savvy and unselfish our female MC is.

The heroine and her charge are just adorable. The same can be said for the supporting characters, such as Megan’s brother and his boyfriend, Megan’s best friend, even Adam’s best friend; but the hero himself - not so much. He might sound to love his child but Adam strikes me as pretty selfish yet a pushover. That said, I quite approve his taking matter to make necessary changes when needed and how he try to make amend after admit to being wrong.

I think Let It Be Me serves quite nice as an start to a new series, introducing characters that quite possibly would be having stories of their own. I predict at least two names - Stella and Declan - who have interesting background stories. It’ll be interesting to read book about these two character as the next installment.


Advanced copy of this book is kindly given by the author in exchange for an honest review.

[Christine Frieseke-Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really connected with Adam and Megan's story.

Megan works for Adam in caring for his son. She has worked for him for 5 years and they've never spent much time together. As Megan gets ready to quit and move onto being a school teacher, she ends up spending more time with Adam to find a replacement for her. What Adams wants though, is a wife who is more of a partner in raising Charlie than a soulmate. Adam and Megan end up crossing the employee/employer line and Megan falls hard. What Adam doesn't expect is that he falls hard, too. He just won't admit that's what happened.

This story really moved me. The fact that Adam had been brought up with no love and then completely gave up on love and hope in his life when his ex-wife left him broke my heart. For the man he became to be so alone yet such a loving parent. Megan saw all that and just needed him to take a chance on love. It was a very touching story and I fell in love with Adam, too. I really enjoyed Megan's friends and family as well. And of course Charlie who is Adam's son moved me to tears, too. Great story!

[Bette Hansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exceptional story! This book is wonderfully written and the story just blew me away. I loved these characters and it was fun to see them change their view of not only what they want in life but each other as well.

Being nanny for little Charlie was the greatest job Megan Carter could have had while going to school and completely her education degree. Now she's finished with school and ready to move on in her career. Unfortunately leaving the two people who have become so important to her isn't going to be easy. Even worse Adam has asked her to help him find her replacement. Only this new person won't be just a nanny. No Adam has decided that finding a wife is the way to go. No love required, just someone to be there and help him raise Charlie.

You'll want to read this book to experience the journey of Adam and Megan as they both come to realize exactly what is most important in life. I highly recommend this book!