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The Kincaid Brothers of Pine Harbour #1
Reckless at Heart
He’s a grumpy silver fox who’s about to become a grandfather, and she’s the sunshiny young midwife who wants babies of her own…
Owen Kincaid knows how hard it is to have a kid when you’re still a kid yourself, and eighteen years after the fact, the paramedic watching his daughter go through the same thing. The last thing she needs is him falling for the new woman in town—her midwife.
Kerry Humphrey finds her new client’s father...unsettling. He's tall and brooding and always there, hovering in the background of appointments. And then there's the crackle of off-limits chemistry every time they’re alone. She hates that, too, but Pine Harbour is a tiny place, and avoiding the young grandfather-to-be in a town of six hundred people and a single Main Street proves impossible.
Everything about their attraction is ill-fated. But it won't go away.
Owen Kincaid knows how hard it is to have a kid when you’re still a kid yourself, and eighteen years after the fact, the paramedic watching his daughter go through the same thing. The last thing she needs is him falling for the new woman in town—her midwife.
Kerry Humphrey finds her new client’s father...unsettling. He's tall and brooding and always there, hovering in the background of appointments. And then there's the crackle of off-limits chemistry every time they’re alone. She hates that, too, but Pine Harbour is a tiny place, and avoiding the young grandfather-to-be in a town of six hundred people and a single Main Street proves impossible.
Everything about their attraction is ill-fated. But it won't go away.
328 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 21, 2020
800 people are currently reading
2970 people want to read
About the author
Zoe York
125 books1,345 followersNew York Times and USA Today bestselling author Zoe York is a busy working mom of two young boys, wife to a very understanding soldier, and creator of modern, sexy, small town contemporary romances.
She lives in London, Ontario and is currently chugging Americanos, wiping sticky fingers, and dreaming of heroes in and out of uniform.
She lives in London, Ontario and is currently chugging Americanos, wiping sticky fingers, and dreaming of heroes in and out of uniform.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 298 reviews
July 13, 2020
I am such a sucker for a grumpy hero and as soon as I read the blurb for this after a friend had mentioned loving it, I was sold.
The end of his Great Bachelor Plans.”
History repeats itself for Owen Kincaid when his 18 year old daughter drops the bombshell that he’s about to become a grandfather at the ripe old age of 37. He’s been there, done that whilst teenage parenthood isn’t at the top of his hopes and dreams list for his only child, Zoe York does an wonderful job of keeping it real, focussing not only on the anxieties that come with it for all involved, but all the good times that follow. And those good times don’t just involve the Kincaid’s newest family member but the midwife who helped bring him into the world.
Never thought I’d be talking about my baby nursing a baby.”
The romance between Owen and Kerry fitted their circumstances perfectly gathering momentum as they move from midwife and Dad of the mother-to-be, to friends and lovers. And once Becca is discharged from Kerry’s care, things crank up a notch moving us into steamier territory as she helps Owen get back on the sexy-saddle after years raising his daughter and his younger brothers.
It’s never boring here.”
This was such enjoyable start to The Kincaid’s of Pine Harbour series and thanks to Owen’s four brothers who all shone as secondary characters, the potential is endless. I’m already looking forward to seeing who falls next.
The end of his Great Bachelor Plans.”
History repeats itself for Owen Kincaid when his 18 year old daughter drops the bombshell that he’s about to become a grandfather at the ripe old age of 37. He’s been there, done that whilst teenage parenthood isn’t at the top of his hopes and dreams list for his only child, Zoe York does an wonderful job of keeping it real, focussing not only on the anxieties that come with it for all involved, but all the good times that follow. And those good times don’t just involve the Kincaid’s newest family member but the midwife who helped bring him into the world.
Never thought I’d be talking about my baby nursing a baby.”
The romance between Owen and Kerry fitted their circumstances perfectly gathering momentum as they move from midwife and Dad of the mother-to-be, to friends and lovers. And once Becca is discharged from Kerry’s care, things crank up a notch moving us into steamier territory as she helps Owen get back on the sexy-saddle after years raising his daughter and his younger brothers.
It’s never boring here.”
This was such enjoyable start to The Kincaid’s of Pine Harbour series and thanks to Owen’s four brothers who all shone as secondary characters, the potential is endless. I’m already looking forward to seeing who falls next.
May 10, 2024
I both liked this book and felt kind of meh in places. The H and h were relatable and interesting with the life changes they were facing. The H thought he was entering the empty nest phase and then his teenage daughter ends up pregnant and he's shell-shocked to be facing grandfatherhood, as well as feeling a lot of complicated emotions that she and the baby will be staying with him still. He'd been a teenage father and had to raise his younger brothers so there was a strong sense that he didn't have as much opportunity to focus on himself in his younger years (he's in his late 30s). Add in that he's a first responder and I appreciated his responsibility-driven nature, while also understanding how he had been looking forward to getting to be a little selfish. The h moved to a new town and found that her focus was shifting as her biological clock was putting a bit of pressure on her, though her changes were far less dramatic than the H's. She's a midwife and in her early 30s and had a cool level of composure and a well of compassion that I found appealing in an FMC, especially in contrast to how gruff the H was at first. This is a small town romance with lots of side character interaction and a relationship-focused story.
Written in third person, dual POV. No ow/om drama and neither were virgins (I don't remember specifics on how long it'd been for H but it had been a long time and h mentions that she hadn't been with anyone since she moved to town).
There's an immediate level of attraction between the H and h, in spite of the h being the daughter's midwife. Due to feeling the inappropriateness of said attraction, the H does not come across the best at first, but he eventually shows what a decent guy he is and the h ends up with quite the crush. Both resist those feelings, though there are a couple of chemistry-laden moments of tension building, until the daughter is discharged as a patient and then passions explode in a big way. Lots of steamy times, some cute dating, and even mid-day makeout sessions. They made a sweet couple. But they're a couple with diametrically opposed future plans, one wanting a family of their own and the other over that phase. I did not like how the author handled this and the way it built up with them falling deeper with each other while also having the mindset that they could have what they wanted for now. Of course a reckoning is coming and it led to a third act breakup that was very painful.
I did enjoy the side characters, esp the H's daughter, who at times was very young and other times showed deep maturity. The daughter, her son, and her boyfriend are side characters in another book by this author under a different pen name (The Playing Game) and I had been intrigued by their story in that book, so getting their start was lovely, even if it was full of challenges for the teen parents. The H also has a boisterous group of brothers and the h has some delightful friends. Some texting conversations between the main characters and the main characters and side characters added a nice touch. The H also had some tension with his brothers because he worried about all of them, the same way he worried about his daughter.
Ultimately in order for there to be a HEA, you know that one of the main characters is going to have to compromise, based on the conflict. The realization process for that character felt not totally natural but the explanation behind it did make a sort of sense. The making up and getting back together then comes very quickly, as does the HEA. I did think the holiday scenes were very cute esp the exchange of gifts. The epilogue is a few months into the future and mentions their wedding, honeymoon, and some extra funniness with his brothers via text (with a bit of a lead-in for the next book apparently). I wouldn't reread this book personally, but I did like it and it made for a nice palette cleanser from the mountains of world building from the book that I read before this one.
Written in third person, dual POV. No ow/om drama and neither were virgins (I don't remember specifics on how long it'd been for H but it had been a long time and h mentions that she hadn't been with anyone since she moved to town).
There's an immediate level of attraction between the H and h, in spite of the h being the daughter's midwife. Due to feeling the inappropriateness of said attraction, the H does not come across the best at first, but he eventually shows what a decent guy he is and the h ends up with quite the crush. Both resist those feelings, though there are a couple of chemistry-laden moments of tension building, until the daughter is discharged as a patient and then passions explode in a big way. Lots of steamy times, some cute dating, and even mid-day makeout sessions. They made a sweet couple. But they're a couple with diametrically opposed future plans, one wanting a family of their own and the other over that phase. I did not like how the author handled this and the way it built up with them falling deeper with each other while also having the mindset that they could have what they wanted for now. Of course a reckoning is coming and it led to a third act breakup that was very painful.
I did enjoy the side characters, esp the H's daughter, who at times was very young and other times showed deep maturity. The daughter, her son, and her boyfriend are side characters in another book by this author under a different pen name (The Playing Game) and I had been intrigued by their story in that book, so getting their start was lovely, even if it was full of challenges for the teen parents. The H also has a boisterous group of brothers and the h has some delightful friends. Some texting conversations between the main characters and the main characters and side characters added a nice touch. The H also had some tension with his brothers because he worried about all of them, the same way he worried about his daughter.
Ultimately in order for there to be a HEA, you know that one of the main characters is going to have to compromise, based on the conflict. The realization process for that character felt not totally natural but the explanation behind it did make a sort of sense. The making up and getting back together then comes very quickly, as does the HEA. I did think the holiday scenes were very cute esp the exchange of gifts. The epilogue is a few months into the future and mentions their wedding, honeymoon, and some extra funniness with his brothers via text (with a bit of a lead-in for the next book apparently). I wouldn't reread this book personally, but I did like it and it made for a nice palette cleanser from the mountains of world building from the book that I read before this one.
August 4, 2020
5 - "It’s never boring here…" Stars!
It’s been years since I read anything by this author, but the blurb for Owen and Kerry’s story grabbed my attention, and I couldn’t wait to dive into their story. Six hours later, most of the day had passed and I finished with a smile.
She liked his brittle crust, the way he wore it like a Viking going into battle…
I love me a grumpy hero, and Owen Kincaid has more than a few reasons for being so, having spent half of his life bringing up his daughter, Becca is finally reaching the age where she will likely pack up and head off to college. As much as he loves Becca, her going off to live her life, also means he can start to have a life of his own too, something that has mainly been put on hold for the last eighteen years.
"I’ve waited a long time… For it to be my turn again."
I loved how Zoe gave him two personas; all-alpha man forced to grow up quickly due to fatherhood at a young age, but also because he was also the main caregiver for his brothers at the same time after their parents passed away. The responsibility is not something he has shied away from, but having done it for so long, he is struggling to loosen those strings as well. Then on the other side you have a fully grown man who has still not experienced a lot of things that most men go through as a right of passage in their late teens and twenties, and the contrast between the two made Owen someone I wanted to hug and do deliciously naughty things to in equal measure, pretty much the same as Kerry!
It was the most perfect thing in the world, if only for right now…
The first half is slow burn romance at its best, with Kerry being Becca’s midwife, Owen very much starts out hiding his attraction, but the longer the pregnancy progresses, the more the feelings grow, so much so that as soon as Kerry signs off on Becca’s maternity care, all bets are off, and full shenanigans begin. I loved it because of the build up to them having their own time really gave you a chance to get to know them, and even though its clear they both have expectations for a casual type of arrangement and it’s what they both agree on, due to them both want different things in the long term. It doesn’t take long for both of them to realize that the expiry date they believe is coming is something they don’t want anymore.
Full on feels for this reader with this one, I loved the Owen & Kerry, I also loved the secondary characters, and the Kincaid brothers are all single so there are plenty of books to come (YAY!). It was also good to see that this is a spin-off series from the original Pine Harbour books, of which upon checking my Kindle I have a couple of, so while I wait for the next Kincaid book I can revisit the locale and get to know Zoe’s original characters.
"The only thing I don’t regret in all of this is waiting for you…"
ARC generously provided by the author, via Netgalley in exchange for the above honest review.
It’s been years since I read anything by this author, but the blurb for Owen and Kerry’s story grabbed my attention, and I couldn’t wait to dive into their story. Six hours later, most of the day had passed and I finished with a smile.
She liked his brittle crust, the way he wore it like a Viking going into battle…
I love me a grumpy hero, and Owen Kincaid has more than a few reasons for being so, having spent half of his life bringing up his daughter, Becca is finally reaching the age where she will likely pack up and head off to college. As much as he loves Becca, her going off to live her life, also means he can start to have a life of his own too, something that has mainly been put on hold for the last eighteen years.
"I’ve waited a long time… For it to be my turn again."
I loved how Zoe gave him two personas; all-alpha man forced to grow up quickly due to fatherhood at a young age, but also because he was also the main caregiver for his brothers at the same time after their parents passed away. The responsibility is not something he has shied away from, but having done it for so long, he is struggling to loosen those strings as well. Then on the other side you have a fully grown man who has still not experienced a lot of things that most men go through as a right of passage in their late teens and twenties, and the contrast between the two made Owen someone I wanted to hug and do deliciously naughty things to in equal measure, pretty much the same as Kerry!
It was the most perfect thing in the world, if only for right now…
The first half is slow burn romance at its best, with Kerry being Becca’s midwife, Owen very much starts out hiding his attraction, but the longer the pregnancy progresses, the more the feelings grow, so much so that as soon as Kerry signs off on Becca’s maternity care, all bets are off, and full shenanigans begin. I loved it because of the build up to them having their own time really gave you a chance to get to know them, and even though its clear they both have expectations for a casual type of arrangement and it’s what they both agree on, due to them both want different things in the long term. It doesn’t take long for both of them to realize that the expiry date they believe is coming is something they don’t want anymore.
Full on feels for this reader with this one, I loved the Owen & Kerry, I also loved the secondary characters, and the Kincaid brothers are all single so there are plenty of books to come (YAY!). It was also good to see that this is a spin-off series from the original Pine Harbour books, of which upon checking my Kindle I have a couple of, so while I wait for the next Kincaid book I can revisit the locale and get to know Zoe’s original characters.
"The only thing I don’t regret in all of this is waiting for you…"
ARC generously provided by the author, via Netgalley in exchange for the above honest review.
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May 29, 2020It is a joy and a relief to say this book is done, and I love it. An excerpt:
Owen changed his shirt three times. He fixed his hair twice, and on his second stomp back to his bedroom from the bathroom, Becca wandered into the hallway with Charlie asleep in a wrap on her chest and gave him a curious look. “What’s going on?”
He hadn’t been subtle about the nervous energy. He gestured for her to follow him, and pointed to the two shirts on his bed, both button-down, one blue, the other dark grey. Then he waved helplessly at the black Henley he was currently wearing. “What’s better for a date?”
“You have a date?”
“Yeah.”
She glanced at the clock on his bedside table. “Is it a date for tonight?”
“I’m picking her up in fifteen minutes.”
“Oooh, a secret date.”
“I was going to tell you.”
“Really? When?”
“At some point between now and thirteen minutes from now when I leave the house.”
“So she’s local.” Becca’s eyebrows wiggled. “Interesting. Do I know her?”
Warmth crawled up his neck. “Yes.”
“Is it someone from the army?”
“I’ll tell you if you stop asking questions.”
“But this is fun. Is it—”
“It’s Kerry.”
Becca blinked at him. She stood there, her mouth hanging open, and she just stared. Then she rocked back on her heels. “My Kerry?”
That tripped him up. He frowned and thought twice about pointing out that technically, Kerry wasn’t her midwife anymore.
Becca matched his frown. “When did you ask her out?”
“Yesterday.” He held up his hands. “Bec, if you have a problem with this—”
She shook her head violently. “No, that’s not… You like Kerry?”
“Yeah.”
“I didn’t see that coming. Has this been happening right in front of me?”
He gave her a rueful smile and gestured at Charlie. “You’ve been busy. And it wasn’t a thing that was actively happening. We’ve been very appropriate.”
“Oh my God.” She made a face. “That means you thought about being inappropriate and had to keep it together. Dad.”
“I—” Owen swallowed hard. He’d gone eighteen years avoiding this exact conversation.
She waved her hands. “Let’s move past that. You want shirt advice?”
“Are we okay?”
“Sure. Please don’t break her heart.”
“I—“ Owen was having conversational whiplash. “Why do you think I would break her heart?”
Becca paused. “I don’t know.”
“I don’t know how to take that.”
“Well, I don’t know why I said it, but I think it tracks.” She pointed to the blue shirt on the bed. “Wear that one. And maybe pick up flowers on the way.”
“From the non-existent Pine Harbour Flower Shop?”
“From the front yard, Dad. Jeez. She’ll love that they’re handpicked. That’s a very Kerry thing to like.”
She wasn’t wrong.
Owen changed his shirt three times. He fixed his hair twice, and on his second stomp back to his bedroom from the bathroom, Becca wandered into the hallway with Charlie asleep in a wrap on her chest and gave him a curious look. “What’s going on?”
He hadn’t been subtle about the nervous energy. He gestured for her to follow him, and pointed to the two shirts on his bed, both button-down, one blue, the other dark grey. Then he waved helplessly at the black Henley he was currently wearing. “What’s better for a date?”
“You have a date?”
“Yeah.”
She glanced at the clock on his bedside table. “Is it a date for tonight?”
“I’m picking her up in fifteen minutes.”
“Oooh, a secret date.”
“I was going to tell you.”
“Really? When?”
“At some point between now and thirteen minutes from now when I leave the house.”
“So she’s local.” Becca’s eyebrows wiggled. “Interesting. Do I know her?”
Warmth crawled up his neck. “Yes.”
“Is it someone from the army?”
“I’ll tell you if you stop asking questions.”
“But this is fun. Is it—”
“It’s Kerry.”
Becca blinked at him. She stood there, her mouth hanging open, and she just stared. Then she rocked back on her heels. “My Kerry?”
That tripped him up. He frowned and thought twice about pointing out that technically, Kerry wasn’t her midwife anymore.
Becca matched his frown. “When did you ask her out?”
“Yesterday.” He held up his hands. “Bec, if you have a problem with this—”
She shook her head violently. “No, that’s not… You like Kerry?”
“Yeah.”
“I didn’t see that coming. Has this been happening right in front of me?”
He gave her a rueful smile and gestured at Charlie. “You’ve been busy. And it wasn’t a thing that was actively happening. We’ve been very appropriate.”
“Oh my God.” She made a face. “That means you thought about being inappropriate and had to keep it together. Dad.”
“I—” Owen swallowed hard. He’d gone eighteen years avoiding this exact conversation.
She waved her hands. “Let’s move past that. You want shirt advice?”
“Are we okay?”
“Sure. Please don’t break her heart.”
“I—“ Owen was having conversational whiplash. “Why do you think I would break her heart?”
Becca paused. “I don’t know.”
“I don’t know how to take that.”
“Well, I don’t know why I said it, but I think it tracks.” She pointed to the blue shirt on the bed. “Wear that one. And maybe pick up flowers on the way.”
“From the non-existent Pine Harbour Flower Shop?”
“From the front yard, Dad. Jeez. She’ll love that they’re handpicked. That’s a very Kerry thing to like.”
She wasn’t wrong.
January 12, 2021
4.5 Real Depth Stars
* * * * 1/2 Spoiler Free-A Quick Review
I admit I hadn't read Zoe York for quite a while. Time slips away and before you know it, you lose track of authors you liked. My Bad... But I found this new series and I was very pleasantly surprised by the level of the story. It had real depth, layers that made sense, and a slow ramp-up to a very strong coming together.
The blurb lays it out, Yay!, and this really delivers a thought-provoking experience. It looks at surprise young pregnancy from a father's point of view. It takes this man who raised his daughter with all the responsibilities plus also stepping up to help raise his brothers, too. Just when he thinks he is going to finally have some "Me Time", his eighteen-year-old daughter drops the hammer that she is pregnant.
What adds to this story is the fact that her midwife wakes the father up to wanting a relationship with her. Both are interested BUT do not act on anything while the daughter is in the woman's care.
It is once that is done, it is game on for the two of them.
Make no mistake, Zoe York writes steamy with the best of them.
This was a very heartfelt tale with the families being so strong. Brothers, friends, etc. all there for support. Naturally, this couple ends up having a real hiccup and it is the coming together in the end with the real discussions that satisfy.
~~~~~ Before Reading ~~~~~
A New Family...
Our Pine Harbor Location...
A Grumpy Man Waiting For His Time To Come...
A Serious Hiccup But A Loving Response...
And Maybe, Just Maybe...
Someone For Him To Love...
For Him To Finally Give His...
Reckless at Heart (The Kincaids of Pine Harbour #1)
Reckless at Heart (The Kincaids of Pine Harbour #1)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Fierce at Heart (The Kincaids of Pine Harbour, #2)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
* * * * 1/2 Spoiler Free-A Quick Review
I admit I hadn't read Zoe York for quite a while. Time slips away and before you know it, you lose track of authors you liked. My Bad... But I found this new series and I was very pleasantly surprised by the level of the story. It had real depth, layers that made sense, and a slow ramp-up to a very strong coming together.
The blurb lays it out, Yay!, and this really delivers a thought-provoking experience. It looks at surprise young pregnancy from a father's point of view. It takes this man who raised his daughter with all the responsibilities plus also stepping up to help raise his brothers, too. Just when he thinks he is going to finally have some "Me Time", his eighteen-year-old daughter drops the hammer that she is pregnant.
What adds to this story is the fact that her midwife wakes the father up to wanting a relationship with her. Both are interested BUT do not act on anything while the daughter is in the woman's care.
It is once that is done, it is game on for the two of them.
Make no mistake, Zoe York writes steamy with the best of them.
This was a very heartfelt tale with the families being so strong. Brothers, friends, etc. all there for support. Naturally, this couple ends up having a real hiccup and it is the coming together in the end with the real discussions that satisfy.
~~~~~ Before Reading ~~~~~
A New Family...
Our Pine Harbor Location...
A Grumpy Man Waiting For His Time To Come...
A Serious Hiccup But A Loving Response...
And Maybe, Just Maybe...
Someone For Him To Love...
For Him To Finally Give His...
Reckless at Heart (The Kincaids of Pine Harbour #1)
Reckless at Heart (The Kincaids of Pine Harbour #1)https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Fierce at Heart (The Kincaids of Pine Harbour, #2)https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
May 27, 2022
In hindsight, I was clearly getting sick when I bought this because I wanted a small town comfort read and it served exactly the function that I wanted. I thought it was handled okay, and it was probably necessary for the relationship, but I'm never going to love someone deciding they are suddenly okay with more kids for love. It happens, it's realistic, but this is a man who had taken the time to get a vasectomy didn't want more kids, and the book ends with them reconciling because he promises to get it reversed. Not my favorite thing.
June 24, 2020
Owen Kincaid is ready to embrace his bachelor life best self, dreaming of turning his 18 year-old daughter's room into a home gym and maybe, just maybe starting to date. But life has a funny way of playing with your plans as Owen finds out he's actually about to take on a new title, that of grandpa.
Owen is determined to be there for his daughter, even if some of his own experiences as a teen father cause him to worry, even if his daughter's midwife is making him have some very un-grandfatherly thoughts.
Deftly navigating issues of pregnancy, professionalism, and the hurdles life throw's in our way, this is a heartfelt and deliciously steamy romance. I adored Owen and Kerry's heated banter, figuring out they really do like each other, and fighting to stay away until it is okay for them to try. Oh the pining and the very real fear of falling in love with someone who you know is wrong for your long term plan. I always worry a bit about characters changing their mind about babies, but York did an amazing job navigating this plot point.
While York has many other romances set in Pine Harbor and other characters/couples do show up in Reckless Heart, this is an amazing place to start even for a newbie.
Thank you to Netgallely for the ARC!
Owen is determined to be there for his daughter, even if some of his own experiences as a teen father cause him to worry, even if his daughter's midwife is making him have some very un-grandfatherly thoughts.
Deftly navigating issues of pregnancy, professionalism, and the hurdles life throw's in our way, this is a heartfelt and deliciously steamy romance. I adored Owen and Kerry's heated banter, figuring out they really do like each other, and fighting to stay away until it is okay for them to try. Oh the pining and the very real fear of falling in love with someone who you know is wrong for your long term plan. I always worry a bit about characters changing their mind about babies, but York did an amazing job navigating this plot point.
While York has many other romances set in Pine Harbor and other characters/couples do show up in Reckless Heart, this is an amazing place to start even for a newbie.
Thank you to Netgallely for the ARC!
February 9, 2021
While this isn’t a new favourite, it fulfilled plenty of romance tropes I love.
• single dad
• small town
• bantering brothers
• heroine looking for a fresh start
I wasn’t completely sold on the first half of the romance between Kerry and Owen, but the latter half really pulled me in.
After having a child at a young age himself, single dad Owen is completely floored at the idea of his eighteen-year-old daughter announcing she is pregnant. As his life is repeating the same scenario again, I adored the honesty of his slight resentment towards bringing another baby in his life. And it was incredibly refreshing to see Owen share an open and mature relationship with his ex-wife!
On a dating hiatus, his life gets turned upside when meeting the midwife of his daughter, Kerry. I adore a hate-to-love situation, especially with Owen being the grump that he was, but I felt their initial interactions were glossed over or discussed after the fact. I missed a strong connection between them early on.
But as they settled into a relationship, I enjoyed their story. With Owen being 37 and done with having children, I loved the conflict surrounding this romance as Kerry is hopeful for children. I was eager to see how they’d make it work and I appreciate their communication towards the end.
And the brotherly banter was fantastic! Owen, being the oldest of the five brothers, had a sense of protectiveness and I adored seeing a glimpse of their lives (and future stories)! Overall, this one ended up being a winner. I look forward to reading more in the series.
3.5 stars
• single dad
• small town
• bantering brothers
• heroine looking for a fresh start
I wasn’t completely sold on the first half of the romance between Kerry and Owen, but the latter half really pulled me in.
After having a child at a young age himself, single dad Owen is completely floored at the idea of his eighteen-year-old daughter announcing she is pregnant. As his life is repeating the same scenario again, I adored the honesty of his slight resentment towards bringing another baby in his life. And it was incredibly refreshing to see Owen share an open and mature relationship with his ex-wife!
On a dating hiatus, his life gets turned upside when meeting the midwife of his daughter, Kerry. I adore a hate-to-love situation, especially with Owen being the grump that he was, but I felt their initial interactions were glossed over or discussed after the fact. I missed a strong connection between them early on.
But as they settled into a relationship, I enjoyed their story. With Owen being 37 and done with having children, I loved the conflict surrounding this romance as Kerry is hopeful for children. I was eager to see how they’d make it work and I appreciate their communication towards the end.
And the brotherly banter was fantastic! Owen, being the oldest of the five brothers, had a sense of protectiveness and I adored seeing a glimpse of their lives (and future stories)! Overall, this one ended up being a winner. I look forward to reading more in the series.
3.5 stars
June 3, 2020
With the finish line in sight, Owen Kincaid's Great Bachelor Plan comes to an abrupt halt when his sweet daughter announces that she is pregnant. One can only feel for Owen as he had to carry a load of responsibility long before he was ready for it, not only for his own teen marriage to his pregnant girlfriend but also for his brood of younger brothers when his parents died. He is viewed as a Neanderthal, grumpy, and an alpha male, but despite the name-calling, he is a caring man at heart who just longs for the freedom to choose for himself. Kerry is the midwife who takes care of his daughter and although their initial meeting is less than stellar, there is nevertheless an attraction that they battle to keep under control, especially whilst Becca is Kerry's client. The plot of this story is emotional and touching, drawing the reader into the lives of the characters as they battle their way through the difficulties facing them. Yet there is humour and lighthearted moments too, especially when the mischievous Adam enters the scene. I thoroughly enjoyed this well-written romance and found myself identifying with the characters in so many ways. I received a copy of this book as a gift and this is my honest and voluntary review.
July 28, 2024
3 ⭐️
Had to push through tbh...
– Dual pov, third-person
– Both celibate for awhile
– H shares custody of their daughter from teen pregnancy/ h is daughter's midwife
– No cheating or OW/OM drama
– Third-act breakup
– HEA ending + epilogue
Had to push through tbh...
– Dual pov, third-person
– Both celibate for awhile
– H shares custody of their daughter from teen pregnancy/ h is daughter's midwife
– No cheating or OW/OM drama
– Third-act breakup
– HEA ending + epilogue
June 7, 2020
I love Pine Harbour and a huge fan of the series, and over the moon excited to start this next adventure with the Kincaid family! It's a thrill to see familiar faces from the previous books and the way they're looped through the Kincaid story.
Owen Kincaid the oldest of the brothers who has to be one of the surliest men I have had the pleasure to meet in print, firefighter/paramedic, single dad to his soon to graduate high school and head off to uni daughter, and general all around fixer to those in his circle. He's got his bachelor future all mapped out until he hears the words from his daughter "I'm pregnant." Hearing those words, all the room gets sucked out of the room, his emotions are twisted and he sees those plans for his future fly right out the window.
Midwife Kerry Humphrey is moving to PineHarbor, after being recruited by her close friend Jenna Foster the two open a clinic in town making it more convenient for locals for health care access. Kerry is a breath of fresh air and truly has a heart for people and what she does. Her first encounter with the ogre side of Owen happens at the pub in Lion's Head and it won't be the last. Kerry is his daughter's new midwife. It was a treat to watch their relationship unfold throughout this well written story and along the way get a great glimpse of the rest of the Kincaid brothers who befriend Kerry.
I have to say this was a tough one to put down, but a girl needs to shower and sleep... the book, the characters, the well woven plot, the way she tugs the emotion out of both the characters and the reader is why Zoe York is one of my top favorite authors. The triple treat is the link to her website complete with a little map of Pine Harbour so at least I won't get lost on the peninsula somewhere!
Yes you must read this engaging, insanely good book. Showers of stars for this gem.
Owen Kincaid the oldest of the brothers who has to be one of the surliest men I have had the pleasure to meet in print, firefighter/paramedic, single dad to his soon to graduate high school and head off to uni daughter, and general all around fixer to those in his circle. He's got his bachelor future all mapped out until he hears the words from his daughter "I'm pregnant." Hearing those words, all the room gets sucked out of the room, his emotions are twisted and he sees those plans for his future fly right out the window.
Midwife Kerry Humphrey is moving to PineHarbor, after being recruited by her close friend Jenna Foster the two open a clinic in town making it more convenient for locals for health care access. Kerry is a breath of fresh air and truly has a heart for people and what she does. Her first encounter with the ogre side of Owen happens at the pub in Lion's Head and it won't be the last. Kerry is his daughter's new midwife. It was a treat to watch their relationship unfold throughout this well written story and along the way get a great glimpse of the rest of the Kincaid brothers who befriend Kerry.
I have to say this was a tough one to put down, but a girl needs to shower and sleep... the book, the characters, the well woven plot, the way she tugs the emotion out of both the characters and the reader is why Zoe York is one of my top favorite authors. The triple treat is the link to her website complete with a little map of Pine Harbour so at least I won't get lost on the peninsula somewhere!
Yes you must read this engaging, insanely good book. Showers of stars for this gem.
July 17, 2020
The Kincaids of Pine Harbour is my new favorite family. I can't wait to read the rest of the brothers' stories, but Owain is definitely a romance hero that will stay with me for a while. He's gruff. He's charming. He's sexy. He's an excellent lover. At least Kerry thinks so, but it takes a while before she finds out because these two are like oil and water when they first met, but the sexual chemistry is through the roof. I love the secondary characters. I love the setting. I love the realistic every-day life problems that the people of the town deal with. Most of all, I love the slow, slow buildup to these two wonderful characters discovering they are right for each other and finally figure out to make it work to be together.
Many of today's romance novels have heroes and heroines who are in their early to mid-twenties. It is refreshing to read about a couple who are in their 30s and trying to figure out how to make the demands of their careers, their everyday life, their other responsibilities to work while also having a romance. Plus, I love the Canadian setting and the town of Pine Harbour. Pick up this book! You will not be disappointed!
Many of today's romance novels have heroes and heroines who are in their early to mid-twenties. It is refreshing to read about a couple who are in their 30s and trying to figure out how to make the demands of their careers, their everyday life, their other responsibilities to work while also having a romance. Plus, I love the Canadian setting and the town of Pine Harbour. Pick up this book! You will not be disappointed!
March 30, 2023
I needed a break from the snail book, something to reset my brain a little - my husband reports I am now dreaming about studying Spanish because spending 5 hours a day actually studying it isn’t enough - so I picked something at random on my Kindle last night. That’s always a fun adventure since I buy a lot of books on sale just in case the world ends and my TBR starts to dwindle from actual use.
Anyway, this was fine. I object to the “silver fox” and “grumpy old man” designations of Owen as he is a whopping 37 🙄. Fans of grumpy/sunshine, cinnamon roll heroes will go for this, especially if you also like giants who thirst after babes so short they have to tiptoe to reach the top of a medical filing cabinet. The depictions of parenting a teen felt real, and it’s nice to see positive depictions of coparenting in books.
I don’t think I’m engaged enough to read more of the series, but it was fine. I’m going 2.5 rounding up for a refreshing lack of evil exes.
Anyway, this was fine. I object to the “silver fox” and “grumpy old man” designations of Owen as he is a whopping 37 🙄. Fans of grumpy/sunshine, cinnamon roll heroes will go for this, especially if you also like giants who thirst after babes so short they have to tiptoe to reach the top of a medical filing cabinet. The depictions of parenting a teen felt real, and it’s nice to see positive depictions of coparenting in books.
I don’t think I’m engaged enough to read more of the series, but it was fine. I’m going 2.5 rounding up for a refreshing lack of evil exes.
August 8, 2020
Owen doesn’t regret becoming a teenage father to Becca but now that she is preparing for college he is beginning to look forward to the freedom that he never experienced until his daughter rocks both their worlds when she tells him that he is about to become a grandfather.
Kerry has recently moved to town to be closer to her best friend and is Becca’s midwife. From their first meeting the sparks of antagonism fly but they are just masking the attraction that they are both determined to deny due to the professional relationship.
Once their professional relationship comes to an end a personal one begins and although they were at different points in their lives they prove that with love anything is possible. This is a heartwarming story about love, family and the true to life challenges that we all face.
Kerry has recently moved to town to be closer to her best friend and is Becca’s midwife. From their first meeting the sparks of antagonism fly but they are just masking the attraction that they are both determined to deny due to the professional relationship.
Once their professional relationship comes to an end a personal one begins and although they were at different points in their lives they prove that with love anything is possible. This is a heartwarming story about love, family and the true to life challenges that we all face.
July 9, 2020
“I tell myself not to put the cart before the horse, and I don’t even have a horse, you know?”
Owen and Kerry had good chemistry. Their banter, awkwardness, slow-burn romance was enjoyable. The second half of the book was engaging and therefore felt fast-paced. There was more focus on Owen’s story and his relationship with his daughter than Kerry and her journey. Their relationship development was quick but sweet and comfy. The conversations between all the Kincaid brothers were homely and entertaining. This was a meaningful book. I had fun reading it. I’m looking forward to reading Adam’s novel. I recommend ‘Reckless at heart’ for readers interested in a comfy, slow-burn romance.
ARC provided by NetGalley. Thank you.
Owen and Kerry had good chemistry. Their banter, awkwardness, slow-burn romance was enjoyable. The second half of the book was engaging and therefore felt fast-paced. There was more focus on Owen’s story and his relationship with his daughter than Kerry and her journey. Their relationship development was quick but sweet and comfy. The conversations between all the Kincaid brothers were homely and entertaining. This was a meaningful book. I had fun reading it. I’m looking forward to reading Adam’s novel. I recommend ‘Reckless at heart’ for readers interested in a comfy, slow-burn romance.
ARC provided by NetGalley. Thank you.
February 21, 2022
Perfectly ho-hum, by-the-books contemporary. It reminds me of a lot of the contemps I read when I first got into the genre, except more buttoned up and very practical? There was nothing wrong with this, but I don’t think I felt any chemistry between the leads.
This book does deal with a topic I don’t think gets written about a lot — what to do when one lead wants babies and the other is a single parent and doesn’t want kids anymore — and for such an emotionally loaded topic, I wanted more angst? But I didn’t get it.
This book does deal with a topic I don’t think gets written about a lot — what to do when one lead wants babies and the other is a single parent and doesn’t want kids anymore — and for such an emotionally loaded topic, I wanted more angst? But I didn’t get it.
April 8, 2021
One of my all-time favorite books. It's pure small town perfection with a unique story line that kept me glued to the pages. I honestly did not want this book to end. I couldn't get enough of the Kincaid's.
March 21, 2021
Rating: 3 stars
What I Liked: There was a lot to like about this book. The writing is very good; there’s some lovely bits of description and the way York writes really tugged at my heart strings at a few points. The plot is interesting - I’ve read variations of plots like this, but this one felt different and I think it was pulled off very well.
I liked both main characters, Kerry and Owen, and I liked the dynamic between them. They had a lot of chemistry, particularly later on, and the sex scenes were hot and well-written. I also thought that York wrote the emotional side of their relationship very well; I liked how the depth of their feelings was shown through little scenes of domestication rather than grand gestures. The last part of the book also worked well for me:
The main part of the book I really enjoyed, however, was the teenage pregnancy storyline. The way the storyline was handled was so good: there was no judgement, no censure, just concern and acceptance and offers of help from all of Becca’s family. Owen’s relationship with his daughter, Becca, was absolutely lovely, and I adored every single scene where we got to see them interacting together. Alongside this, I really enjoyed the way his relationship with Becca’s mother was presented. I liked that they were friends and that Becca was close to both of them in different ways.
I also thought that the birth scene was lovely in itself: it was bittersweet and emotional and the writing was particularly gorgeous in that scene
Finally on the note of Owen’s relationship with Becca: I liked that
The side plot involving Becca and the baby’s father was okay, too.
What I Didn’t: There was just something very slow about the book. I would definitely categorise it as a slow burn: Whilst I enjoyed pretty much all of what I read, I felt no burning urge to keep on picking it up and find out what happened next. Once I got reading it I was engaged, but once I put down I felt no urgency to return to it. There’s something off about the pacing, too; some parts felt like they went quickly, others quite slow. There’s a surprisingly large time span this book covers.
Also - the forbidden part fell a bit flat for me.
Overall: It’s a lovely book. It’s quite emotional but not too angsty and there’s some really lovely, sweet family relationship stuff in it that I really enjoyed.
Would I Recommend It?: Yes, if you want a gentle, slow burn, small-town romance with a grumpy older hero and an element of a forbidden romance.
Would I Read Something By The Author Again?: Yes.
Content Warnings:
What I Liked: There was a lot to like about this book. The writing is very good; there’s some lovely bits of description and the way York writes really tugged at my heart strings at a few points. The plot is interesting - I’ve read variations of plots like this, but this one felt different and I think it was pulled off very well.
I liked both main characters, Kerry and Owen, and I liked the dynamic between them. They had a lot of chemistry, particularly later on, and the sex scenes were hot and well-written. I also thought that York wrote the emotional side of their relationship very well; I liked how the depth of their feelings was shown through little scenes of domestication rather than grand gestures. The last part of the book also worked well for me:
The main part of the book I really enjoyed, however, was the teenage pregnancy storyline. The way the storyline was handled was so good: there was no judgement, no censure, just concern and acceptance and offers of help from all of Becca’s family. Owen’s relationship with his daughter, Becca, was absolutely lovely, and I adored every single scene where we got to see them interacting together. Alongside this, I really enjoyed the way his relationship with Becca’s mother was presented. I liked that they were friends and that Becca was close to both of them in different ways.
I also thought that the birth scene was lovely in itself: it was bittersweet and emotional and the writing was particularly gorgeous in that scene
Finally on the note of Owen’s relationship with Becca: I liked that
The side plot involving Becca and the baby’s father was okay, too.
What I Didn’t: There was just something very slow about the book. I would definitely categorise it as a slow burn: Whilst I enjoyed pretty much all of what I read, I felt no burning urge to keep on picking it up and find out what happened next. Once I got reading it I was engaged, but once I put down I felt no urgency to return to it. There’s something off about the pacing, too; some parts felt like they went quickly, others quite slow. There’s a surprisingly large time span this book covers.
Also - the forbidden part fell a bit flat for me.
Overall: It’s a lovely book. It’s quite emotional but not too angsty and there’s some really lovely, sweet family relationship stuff in it that I really enjoyed.
Would I Recommend It?: Yes, if you want a gentle, slow burn, small-town romance with a grumpy older hero and an element of a forbidden romance.
Would I Read Something By The Author Again?: Yes.
Content Warnings:
January 20, 2024
This started off really promising and built a lot of tension only to then not quite deliver in my opinion. I liked some of the emotional moments but it did drag quite a bit. Don’t think I’ll continue the series.
January 7, 2021
Before The Kincaids of Pine Harbour there were eight others. Pine Harbour:
The Fosters: Dean, Jake, Matt and Sean. A cop, a contractor, a paramedic and an adventure racer. All soldiers.
Their best friends are the Minellis: Zander, Rafe, Tom and Dani. A full-time soldier, a law enforcement officer, a park ranger and a paramedic. Dani’s the only girl in the bunch. When Rafe got married, she was thrilled to have a sister–and even though he and Olivia split, Dani’s not giving up that bond. (And neither is Rafe, for that matter).
Reckless At Heart
Kerry enjoys her extracurricular fun and had been taken aback as her biological clock had begun ticking, a year ago. Throughout her career, she had thought that babies were mildly interesting—recently, her feelings were erupting.
Owen has a daughter, raised his younger siblings, is now a grandfather at thirty-six...and he wants unencumbered freedom to enjoy this new chapter of his life. Counting down the months to freedom, to his own chance to enjoy life to its fullest...until his dream is abruptly ended by an unexpected, unplanned teenage pregnancy. Having looked forward to the day his daughter moved out, trying to hide his resentment of having the next stage of his life, his freedom, derailed.
At nineteen, Owen and his then girlfriend Rachel became pregnant. Their ‘blink-and-you-missed-it’ marriage burnt out. Years later he went away to school to improve himself, indulged in random hookups with strangers. Rachel remarried with three children, they’re now both navigating the realities of a second-generation, unplanned, teen pregnancy. He had a daughter, and she had three half-siblings, part of which Rachel and Hudson have included him to join. Despite failures as spouses, they’d become good friends. Friends who knew each other well enough to guess what the other was trying—and failing—to say.
When he broke up with Rachel, his brothers were his confidants. It wasn’t having Becca so young that he resented, it was then having two young brothers dumped in his lap when their parents died. Having another two teenagers who knew keenly he was not their parent. A house he couldn’t afford, that had to be sold, and then years of renting before he could buy his little bungalow.
Seth (two years Owen’s junior) the first one he confided in when Rachel got pregnant left home to be a pilot; Josh the rebel ran away and has been a mechanic on the racing circuit for a decade is moving back; Will’s a headmaster and Adam, the youngest is following in Owen’s footsteps. The brothers make an impromptu visit for a family reunion. A surprise visit courtesy his brothers, without cajoling or bribing, to a town they’d both flipped the bird to, many years before.
Adam had only been nine when Becca was born, when Owen had been thrust into being a parent, a grown-up. And even though he was now twenty-seven, Adam had joined the army right out of high school, did a couple of tours overseas, and as his contract came up, he got out unexpectedly.
Owen and Kerry had an auspicious beginning, agreeing to friendship and maintaining a distance until such time as there’s no conflict of interest (she’s his daughter’s midwife). Kerry at thirty-three, is at crossroads, needing room and space to regroup.
Slowly they slowly reveal a bit of their inner selves...Owen has never been free for an entire weekend. No pager, no phone, no kid responsibilities.
“You’ve never done that?”
“No. Time away from Becca was time for work.”
“Vacation?”
“Becca time.”
As long as he’s been an adult, every room in his house has been filled with growing people. One day, they’ll finally be gone, his is a wish list of a college kid, looking forward to the independence a full-time job might offer him. Almost two decades delayed, and now further delayed. Kerry’s heart ached for that kid, the man, who still worried he shouldn’t want anything fun in his life.
Twenty-one when his father died. His mum needed him. He had Becca, and Rachel and himself were traversing co-parenting, and suddenly there were four younger brothers to take care of, too. His mum never recovered from losing their father. Six months later, she was gone from a stroke.
Suddenly thrust into responsibility with a toddler, two teenagers who saw themselves as his equals—and he was barely past being a teenager himself. Barely working part-time as a relief paramedic, supporting everyone with the job that killed his father. Somewhere in there, he became resentful of his brothers and got a vasectomy when Adam was in his last year of high school.
Rock meet hard place, Kerry wants babies and Owen has had a vasectomy, a vital factor withheld from her.
The Fosters: Dean, Jake, Matt and Sean. A cop, a contractor, a paramedic and an adventure racer. All soldiers.
Their best friends are the Minellis: Zander, Rafe, Tom and Dani. A full-time soldier, a law enforcement officer, a park ranger and a paramedic. Dani’s the only girl in the bunch. When Rafe got married, she was thrilled to have a sister–and even though he and Olivia split, Dani’s not giving up that bond. (And neither is Rafe, for that matter).
Reckless At Heart
Kerry enjoys her extracurricular fun and had been taken aback as her biological clock had begun ticking, a year ago. Throughout her career, she had thought that babies were mildly interesting—recently, her feelings were erupting.
Owen has a daughter, raised his younger siblings, is now a grandfather at thirty-six...and he wants unencumbered freedom to enjoy this new chapter of his life. Counting down the months to freedom, to his own chance to enjoy life to its fullest...until his dream is abruptly ended by an unexpected, unplanned teenage pregnancy. Having looked forward to the day his daughter moved out, trying to hide his resentment of having the next stage of his life, his freedom, derailed.
At nineteen, Owen and his then girlfriend Rachel became pregnant. Their ‘blink-and-you-missed-it’ marriage burnt out. Years later he went away to school to improve himself, indulged in random hookups with strangers. Rachel remarried with three children, they’re now both navigating the realities of a second-generation, unplanned, teen pregnancy. He had a daughter, and she had three half-siblings, part of which Rachel and Hudson have included him to join. Despite failures as spouses, they’d become good friends. Friends who knew each other well enough to guess what the other was trying—and failing—to say.
When he broke up with Rachel, his brothers were his confidants. It wasn’t having Becca so young that he resented, it was then having two young brothers dumped in his lap when their parents died. Having another two teenagers who knew keenly he was not their parent. A house he couldn’t afford, that had to be sold, and then years of renting before he could buy his little bungalow.
Seth (two years Owen’s junior) the first one he confided in when Rachel got pregnant left home to be a pilot; Josh the rebel ran away and has been a mechanic on the racing circuit for a decade is moving back; Will’s a headmaster and Adam, the youngest is following in Owen’s footsteps. The brothers make an impromptu visit for a family reunion. A surprise visit courtesy his brothers, without cajoling or bribing, to a town they’d both flipped the bird to, many years before.
Adam had only been nine when Becca was born, when Owen had been thrust into being a parent, a grown-up. And even though he was now twenty-seven, Adam had joined the army right out of high school, did a couple of tours overseas, and as his contract came up, he got out unexpectedly.
Owen and Kerry had an auspicious beginning, agreeing to friendship and maintaining a distance until such time as there’s no conflict of interest (she’s his daughter’s midwife). Kerry at thirty-three, is at crossroads, needing room and space to regroup.
Slowly they slowly reveal a bit of their inner selves...Owen has never been free for an entire weekend. No pager, no phone, no kid responsibilities.
“You’ve never done that?”
“No. Time away from Becca was time for work.”
“Vacation?”
“Becca time.”
As long as he’s been an adult, every room in his house has been filled with growing people. One day, they’ll finally be gone, his is a wish list of a college kid, looking forward to the independence a full-time job might offer him. Almost two decades delayed, and now further delayed. Kerry’s heart ached for that kid, the man, who still worried he shouldn’t want anything fun in his life.
Twenty-one when his father died. His mum needed him. He had Becca, and Rachel and himself were traversing co-parenting, and suddenly there were four younger brothers to take care of, too. His mum never recovered from losing their father. Six months later, she was gone from a stroke.
Suddenly thrust into responsibility with a toddler, two teenagers who saw themselves as his equals—and he was barely past being a teenager himself. Barely working part-time as a relief paramedic, supporting everyone with the job that killed his father. Somewhere in there, he became resentful of his brothers and got a vasectomy when Adam was in his last year of high school.
Rock meet hard place, Kerry wants babies and Owen has had a vasectomy, a vital factor withheld from her.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 5, 2021
This was a great book. I loved the setting in a small town and the Kincaid family was lovely. I can’t wait to read the other books in this series.
I liked the hero Owen, he was a bit grumpy and felt like he missed out on a lot because he became a dad at 18. He had big plans when his 18 year old daughter Becca would move out, but then she told him being pregnant. Gone are Owen’s bachelor expectations. The gym he wanted to build in the spare room was now going to be a nursery. And dating had to be postponed just like he did in the previous years. When he met the heroine Kerry he felt an immediate attraction. But because she was Becca’s midwife she was off limits. Not knowing how to act around her, he avoided communication of all sorts with her. When interacting it was grumpy and not more than two words before he fled away.
Kerry was a great heroine. We didn’t learn much about her past. Only that she was a party girl, but now was the time to settle down in a small town to focus on her future. She was looking for something steady and she wanted to have babies. Her biological clock was ticking. Because Owen was all done with babies of his own, you just know this subject will become a dealbreaker in this book.
Their romance was a slow burn, and I liked it. They developed feelings for each other, but didn’t act on it because it wasn’t professional. Only after Becca gave birth and didn’t need Kerry’s midwife duties anymore, they acted on their feelings. From there on it was mainly sexual. Sure on the first date he invited her for dinner, but after that is was all about sex. She was aware Owen is done with raising a family. Because of that she knew their “relationship” had an expiry date, because she wanted to start a family of her own at some point. Their relationship felt more like a friends with benefits or casual relationship than something more serious. They didn’t exchange ILY’s yet and then Owen dropped a bomb on the thing they had. I understood Kerry completely, and although she knew what she was into from the beginning, the news she received was a shocker. Without spoiling too much about the book, you have to read it yourself.
I enjoyed reading this book and the storyline was entertaining. It had some serious and emotional elements, like Kerry wanting to become a mom and Owen becoming a dad at a young age and struggling with his daughter repeating history. There were also some fun elements, like Owen being all shy in Kerry’s presence and picking up a paranormal romance book in the library because he didn’t know how fast to run away from her.
This was a safe book. No OW/OM drama. Owen had a good relationship with his ex-wife and mother of his daughter, Rachel. She is happily remarried with 3 more kids. So no ex drama her. No sex scenes with OW/OM or referring to it. Both had some sort of a wild past, Owen went partying after he divorced Rachel and went back to college. We learned that Kerry was a party girl too and a hit ‘m and leave ‘m kinda gal. Hero was no manwhore. Both were celibate from the moment they met, Owen even long before that. They started their relationship after about a year she was in town. In the meantime no OW/OM, not even dates.
I liked the hero Owen, he was a bit grumpy and felt like he missed out on a lot because he became a dad at 18. He had big plans when his 18 year old daughter Becca would move out, but then she told him being pregnant. Gone are Owen’s bachelor expectations. The gym he wanted to build in the spare room was now going to be a nursery. And dating had to be postponed just like he did in the previous years. When he met the heroine Kerry he felt an immediate attraction. But because she was Becca’s midwife she was off limits. Not knowing how to act around her, he avoided communication of all sorts with her. When interacting it was grumpy and not more than two words before he fled away.
Kerry was a great heroine. We didn’t learn much about her past. Only that she was a party girl, but now was the time to settle down in a small town to focus on her future. She was looking for something steady and she wanted to have babies. Her biological clock was ticking. Because Owen was all done with babies of his own, you just know this subject will become a dealbreaker in this book.
Their romance was a slow burn, and I liked it. They developed feelings for each other, but didn’t act on it because it wasn’t professional. Only after Becca gave birth and didn’t need Kerry’s midwife duties anymore, they acted on their feelings. From there on it was mainly sexual. Sure on the first date he invited her for dinner, but after that is was all about sex. She was aware Owen is done with raising a family. Because of that she knew their “relationship” had an expiry date, because she wanted to start a family of her own at some point. Their relationship felt more like a friends with benefits or casual relationship than something more serious. They didn’t exchange ILY’s yet and then Owen dropped a bomb on the thing they had. I understood Kerry completely, and although she knew what she was into from the beginning, the news she received was a shocker. Without spoiling too much about the book, you have to read it yourself.
I enjoyed reading this book and the storyline was entertaining. It had some serious and emotional elements, like Kerry wanting to become a mom and Owen becoming a dad at a young age and struggling with his daughter repeating history. There were also some fun elements, like Owen being all shy in Kerry’s presence and picking up a paranormal romance book in the library because he didn’t know how fast to run away from her.
This was a safe book. No OW/OM drama. Owen had a good relationship with his ex-wife and mother of his daughter, Rachel. She is happily remarried with 3 more kids. So no ex drama her. No sex scenes with OW/OM or referring to it. Both had some sort of a wild past, Owen went partying after he divorced Rachel and went back to college. We learned that Kerry was a party girl too and a hit ‘m and leave ‘m kinda gal. Hero was no manwhore. Both were celibate from the moment they met, Owen even long before that. They started their relationship after about a year she was in town. In the meantime no OW/OM, not even dates.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 16, 2025
This was so fun, I binged the audiobook in a day and no regrets. I didn't realize Zoe York was Canadian so the Canadian setting was a fun surprise. I really enjoyed this, the forbidden vibes were so fun and the conflcit between Will and Carrie was very real. While I do think it worked out a little too easily, I had such a good time with the story it's easily forgiven. I also loved getting older protagonists, we need more romances with late 30s and 40s main characters. I love reading about actual adults, not early 20 somethings. I'm excited to go on with the series. 4.5 rounded up to 5.
June 20, 2020
First of all, THAT premise? It was an instant SIGN. ME. THE F UP. Former teen dad now facing history repeating itself when his teenage daughter got pregnant? YES, SOLD.
I have so many feelings for Owen Kincaid. He straight up took over Zander Minelli's spot as my #1 Zoe York hero (sorry Zander, still love you and your sexiness). I love his grumpy ways, and his inability to string words around Kerry. I also love Owen's relationship with his daughter. I think I mostly cried whenever he and Becca had their father-daughter talks.
I also have a lot of feelings about Kerry as a character. She's so relatable to me on how she's still figuring out her life as a 30-something year old, how she feels like she's only living in the now while everyone else around her is settling down and planning for the future.
Overall, this was a great start to a new series. Totally worth sleeping late to finish it LOL what is sleep? I love the dynamic between all the Kincaid siblings, and I can't wait for Adam and Josh especially to get their HEAs!
E-ARC is received thanks to the author/publisher via Netgalley.
I have so many feelings for Owen Kincaid. He straight up took over Zander Minelli's spot as my #1 Zoe York hero (sorry Zander, still love you and your sexiness). I love his grumpy ways, and his inability to string words around Kerry. I also love Owen's relationship with his daughter. I think I mostly cried whenever he and Becca had their father-daughter talks.
I also have a lot of feelings about Kerry as a character. She's so relatable to me on how she's still figuring out her life as a 30-something year old, how she feels like she's only living in the now while everyone else around her is settling down and planning for the future.
Overall, this was a great start to a new series. Totally worth sleeping late to finish it LOL what is sleep? I love the dynamic between all the Kincaid siblings, and I can't wait for Adam and Josh especially to get their HEAs!
E-ARC is received thanks to the author/publisher via Netgalley.
June 1, 2020
First, I loved the Pine Harbour series and this is a spinoff of it.
Owen Kindcaid is the oldest brother and has taken care of everyone in his life, his brothers at a young age, his daughter which is a young adult now, his ex-wife... Now, at 37 seven he is supposed to begin a Bachelor Adventure! However, his daughter comes with the words he did not expect to hear "I AM PREGNANT".
He is not ready for that... He is not ready for the charming, beautiful midwife who is in the middle of a baby fever herself. Kerry is a true character, she knows what she wants and is researching how to get it. She did not expect Owen in her way... They want different things but the attraction is too much, he is too much... How to deal with this sexy grandfather?!!
This book is delicate and very true to these characters, the writing is wonderful and I love it so much!
Looking forward to the next Kincaids!
Owen Kindcaid is the oldest brother and has taken care of everyone in his life, his brothers at a young age, his daughter which is a young adult now, his ex-wife... Now, at 37 seven he is supposed to begin a Bachelor Adventure! However, his daughter comes with the words he did not expect to hear "I AM PREGNANT".
He is not ready for that... He is not ready for the charming, beautiful midwife who is in the middle of a baby fever herself. Kerry is a true character, she knows what she wants and is researching how to get it. She did not expect Owen in her way... They want different things but the attraction is too much, he is too much... How to deal with this sexy grandfather?!!
This book is delicate and very true to these characters, the writing is wonderful and I love it so much!
Looking forward to the next Kincaids!
June 4, 2020
Slow going
I love Pine Harbour and all of the books that are set there, but this one was a struggle to get through. I liked the basic premise and the cast of characters, but I missed the flow that I've come to expect from these books. It was a decent read, but not as good as I'd hoped.
I love Pine Harbour and all of the books that are set there, but this one was a struggle to get through. I liked the basic premise and the cast of characters, but I missed the flow that I've come to expect from these books. It was a decent read, but not as good as I'd hoped.
August 7, 2020
I so enjoyed this book! I’m not typically a big fan of small town romances, but Zoe York creates the most vibrant cast of characters, and the story is one that grips you wholly🥰 I’m really excited to see where this series goes!
March 22, 2024
I appreciated and greatly enjoyed how the relationship between Kerry and Owen developed, even more greatly appreciated how it encompassed his entire family along the way.
Great story with quite a lot of memorable moments from start to finish.
Great story with quite a lot of memorable moments from start to finish.
March 2, 2022
Borrrring, I couldn’t finish it
January 25, 2023
DNF bored AF
July 6, 2020
Such a grump man that Owen Kincaid! I would be grumpy as well if I had to raise a child from a young age thinking when she's off to college that I would try to live a life that I've missed out on, yet having those plans derailed. Funny how life had a different plan for him.
Having a child at eighteen is a big responsibility, raising her to the best of his ability Owen Kincaid did the best he could under many circumstances. His daughter Becca is finally at the age where moving out and attending college is the norm but when Becca confesses to being pregnant, also at eighteen, Owen's life has to be rearranged yet again.
The first half of the books is an extremely slow burn romance between Owen and Kerry, Becca's midwife, who is new to town. Having to deal with a grumpy parent, Kerry tried to stay out of his way. Every time they met, Owen would project meanness towards her, but that's because he was attracted to her and didn't know how to react.
After Becca gives birth and is released from Kerry's care, that's when the romance meeter hikes up between the two main character. And boy do they burn up the charts with their pent up feelings.
This story was entertaining to read, even the background characters had their own stories that I hope I get to read. It was beautiful to read how even though the parents were divorced, they still had respect for each other and a friendship that benefited their daughters well being.
This ARC read was given to me by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.
Having a child at eighteen is a big responsibility, raising her to the best of his ability Owen Kincaid did the best he could under many circumstances. His daughter Becca is finally at the age where moving out and attending college is the norm but when Becca confesses to being pregnant, also at eighteen, Owen's life has to be rearranged yet again.
The first half of the books is an extremely slow burn romance between Owen and Kerry, Becca's midwife, who is new to town. Having to deal with a grumpy parent, Kerry tried to stay out of his way. Every time they met, Owen would project meanness towards her, but that's because he was attracted to her and didn't know how to react.
After Becca gives birth and is released from Kerry's care, that's when the romance meeter hikes up between the two main character. And boy do they burn up the charts with their pent up feelings.
This story was entertaining to read, even the background characters had their own stories that I hope I get to read. It was beautiful to read how even though the parents were divorced, they still had respect for each other and a friendship that benefited their daughters well being.
This ARC read was given to me by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.
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