What do you think?
Rate this book
The Matchmakers
Single mom Dori Robertson is suddenly under pressure to find a new father for her eleven-year-old son. And he's already chosen the guy—former pro-football player Gavin Parker. As it turns out, Gavin's daughter wants her dad to marry again, too. When the kids join forces, Gavin suggests he and Dori start dating, just to satisfy the kids. Dori figures it's safe enough…until he kisses her!
192 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1986
73 people are currently reading
1783 people want to read
About the author
Debbie Macomber
895 books20.6k followersDebbie Macomber is a #1 New York Times bestselling author and one of today’s most popular writers with more than 200 million copies of her books in print worldwide. In her novels, Macomber brings to life compelling relationships that embrace family and enduring friendships, uplifting her readers with stories of connection and hope. Macomber’s novels have spent over 1,000 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. Fifteen of these novels hit the number one spot.
In 2023, Macomber’s all-new hardcover publication includes Must Love Flowers (July). In addition to fiction, Macomber has also published three bestselling cookbooks, three adult coloring books, numerous inspirational and nonfiction works, and two acclaimed children’s books.
Celebrated as “the official storyteller of Christmas”, Macomber’s annual Christmas books are beloved and six have been crafted into original Hallmark Channel movies. Macomber is also the author of the bestselling Cedar Cove Series which the Hallmark Channel chose as the basis for its first dramatic scripted television series. Debuting in 2013, Debbie Macomber’s Cedar Cove was a ratings favorite for three seasons.
She serves on the Guideposts National Advisory Cabinet, is a YFC National Ambassador, and is World Vision’s international spokesperson for their Knit for Kids charity initiative. A devoted grandmother, Debbie and Wayne live in Port Orchard, Washington, the town which inspired the Cedar Cove series.
In 2023, Macomber’s all-new hardcover publication includes Must Love Flowers (July). In addition to fiction, Macomber has also published three bestselling cookbooks, three adult coloring books, numerous inspirational and nonfiction works, and two acclaimed children’s books.
Celebrated as “the official storyteller of Christmas”, Macomber’s annual Christmas books are beloved and six have been crafted into original Hallmark Channel movies. Macomber is also the author of the bestselling Cedar Cove Series which the Hallmark Channel chose as the basis for its first dramatic scripted television series. Debuting in 2013, Debbie Macomber’s Cedar Cove was a ratings favorite for three seasons.
She serves on the Guideposts National Advisory Cabinet, is a YFC National Ambassador, and is World Vision’s international spokesperson for their Knit for Kids charity initiative. A devoted grandmother, Debbie and Wayne live in Port Orchard, Washington, the town which inspired the Cedar Cove series.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 141 reviews
May 19, 2015
This was an OK book, but with annoying characters. It would have been a decent read if the characters weren't sooooo awful! I should just give this author up!
The mother (heroine) was pretty pathetic, the hero was an a-hole, the son was a little whiney sh*t, and the daughter was the only bearable one!
The mother kept thinking things like: "Her son fulfilled her life! He loved playing sports and she loved watching him!" Huh?! That's a fulfilled life to you?
The little brat of a son kept telling his mom she wasn't pretty enough, made her exercise because she wasn't athletic enough, PUT A PERSONALS AD IN THE NEWSPAPER behind his mom's back - asking for someone to date her... He was constantly rude to her - i.e. She says, "I was thinking yesterday..." And he says, "Did it hurt??" > wtf?!? Little disrespectful douche!! Overall - the kid did everything to make his poor widowed mom feel bad about herself, however the author doesn't seem to notice that this is how she portrayed him - he's supposed to be a good kid!
Finally, the hero was an a-hole just because! He literally didn't have a reason to be mean or rude, yet he was! He conceitedly kept telling the heroine he didn't want anything to do with her and "don't fall in love with me" - while constantly kissing her and trying to get her into bed!! Now, this was written in the '80s and sounds pretty dated - the morals are pretty up there and casual sex is not the norm - however, this guy keeps trying to get this prim and proper old-fashioned woman into bed while telling her "i don't want to date you" !!! Ook!! Anyways, he is also constantly rude and patronizing towards her - for no reason - finally dumping her, again giving no reasons! In the end, he shows up at her door as if nothing happened - no apologies, no excuses, no explanations - and all she can say is "I hoped you would change your mind!" What a pathetic pushover of a woman!!!
The mother (heroine) was pretty pathetic, the hero was an a-hole, the son was a little whiney sh*t, and the daughter was the only bearable one!
The mother kept thinking things like: "Her son fulfilled her life! He loved playing sports and she loved watching him!" Huh?! That's a fulfilled life to you?
The little brat of a son kept telling his mom she wasn't pretty enough, made her exercise because she wasn't athletic enough, PUT A PERSONALS AD IN THE NEWSPAPER behind his mom's back - asking for someone to date her... He was constantly rude to her - i.e. She says, "I was thinking yesterday..." And he says, "Did it hurt??" > wtf?!? Little disrespectful douche!! Overall - the kid did everything to make his poor widowed mom feel bad about herself, however the author doesn't seem to notice that this is how she portrayed him - he's supposed to be a good kid!
Finally, the hero was an a-hole just because! He literally didn't have a reason to be mean or rude, yet he was! He conceitedly kept telling the heroine he didn't want anything to do with her and "don't fall in love with me" - while constantly kissing her and trying to get her into bed!! Now, this was written in the '80s and sounds pretty dated - the morals are pretty up there and casual sex is not the norm - however, this guy keeps trying to get this prim and proper old-fashioned woman into bed while telling her "i don't want to date you" !!! Ook!! Anyways, he is also constantly rude and patronizing towards her - for no reason - finally dumping her, again giving no reasons! In the end, he shows up at her door as if nothing happened - no apologies, no excuses, no explanations - and all she can say is "I hoped you would change your mind!" What a pathetic pushover of a woman!!!
March 1, 2021
This was long over due. This was an incredible read. The story was beautiful and I am glad that I finally got to read it. A coworker of mine gave me this book after she finished reading and let me have it. I love Debbie Macomber and her ability to write stories. She is one of my favourite and her characters are always relatable. I can’t wait to read more of her stories. This is my short review, stay tuned for my long review. Overall, an amazing read.
July 14, 2023
I love all of Debbie Macomber’s books but didn’t like the beginning of this one. It seemed to be drawn out but it did get better. Later I realized, it’s her first book. She has come a long way from this one and I’m glad I didnt start with this one.
April 30, 2014
digamos que é mais 2.5 estrelas
enfim, uma leitura, mais ou menos previsivel, a não despertar nenhum entusiasmo por ai alem.
nota-se que foi escrito a meio dos anos oitenta, em que socialmente certas "cenas" nao seriam obviamente bem vistas! (nada de cenas hot) :P
para quem aprecia um romance "aguinha com acuçar" é sem duvida uma leitura a considerar.
enfim, uma leitura, mais ou menos previsivel, a não despertar nenhum entusiasmo por ai alem.
nota-se que foi escrito a meio dos anos oitenta, em que socialmente certas "cenas" nao seriam obviamente bem vistas! (nada de cenas hot) :P
para quem aprecia um romance "aguinha com acuçar" é sem duvida uma leitura a considerar.
June 30, 2019
Review of audiobook version of 1986 romance novel
Dori Robertson is a 30-something widow who has very rarely dated since her beloved husband died five years ago. She is in a boring but comfortable rut working as an insurance underwriter while raising her adorable, 11-year-old son, Danny. She has blithely assumed he has no problem with being raised by a single mother until the day he takes her completely by surprise by putting major pressure on her to find him a new father. He even draws up a list of what his ideal father would look like.
Within days of creating the dad list, Danny and Dori encounter a retired, star, NFL quarterback, whom Toby has long admired from afar, who ticks every box on Danny's list.
Gavin Parker is a divorced father in his late 30s. As fate would have it, his 13-year-old daughter, Melissa, would also very much love to see her dad marry again. Her mother abandoned her as a toddler, and she longs for a mother of her own. When Melissa meets Dori, similar to Danny with her father, she instantly pegs Dori as ideal mother material.
The kids soon join forces to make their mutual, parental dreams come true, and the weight of their combined nagging becomes overwhelming for both Gavin and Dori. In order to dial down the unremitting pressure, Gavin suggests to Dori that they pretend they are dating. He makes very clear to her that he has no desire whatsoever to ever marry again, after the horrible experience he had with his ex-wife, so the dating can never lead to anything more. But he assures Dori that this will pose no problem. The kids will not end up disappointed, because the more time they and their kids spend together, the more likely it is that the kids will come to see that the two of them are merely human, with feet of clay, and change their mind about pushing their parents to get married to each other. He strongly warns Dori, however, that if the plan is to succeed, it is imperative that she not fall in love with him during the masquerade, because he has no heart to give her in return.
Dori reluctantly agrees to Gavin's scheme, since she has no better plan to offer, but mainly because she finds the opportunity to spend time with Gavin and Melissa irresistible. Unfortunately, it becomes clear almost immediately that Gavin's ploy is doomed to failure. Far from growing tired of their chosen future parents, both Danny and Melissa are absolutely delighted at the possibility of the four of them forming a new family. Danny is crazy about Gavin, Melissa adores Dori and vice-versa, the two kids get along great, and most disturbing of all, the fake romance with Gavin begins to feel far too real to Dori for comfort.
This is a 1986, short, contemporary romance. I experienced it as an audiobook, which I obtained through the public library. Surprisingly, this book has not yet also been re-released in Kindle format.
As is consistent with her brand to the present day, Debbie Macomber wrote this novel as a G-rated romance. Its plot is very much a product of the 80s, with Gavin presented as a domineering, patronizing, misogynistic version of the so-called, "Alpha" hero. Predictably, he remains abrasive until the very end of the book, because his extreme aversion to marriage is the entire romantic conflict of the book. As is also typical of that era, Mr. Alpha is paired with Dori as his complementary, female, opposite number. She is a traditional female, who is endlessly kind, compassionate, and long-suffering. In my cynical opinion, the poor woman displays the patience of Job as she endures Gavin's ongoing, "women cannot be trusted" shenanigans.
Jayne Ann Krentz and many other romance authors frequently wrote this particular combination of romantic protagonists in that era. Though DM never wrote heroes who were stalkers and downright rapey, as JAK sometimes did during the early and mid 1980s.
Fans of DM and anyone who enjoys Hallmark movies will very likely appreciate this romance. To me the matchmaking kids are the best part of the book. They provide many heartwarming and humorous moments in a novel that is a pleasant and undemanding way to pass the time.
The narrator of this book is voice talent, Tanya Eby, who effectively portrays both genders and all ages.
I rate this book as follows:
Heroine: 3 stars
Hero: 3 stars
Subcharacters: 4 stars
Romance Plot: 3 stars
Kid Matchmaker Plot: 4 stars
Writing: 4 stars
Audiobook: 4 stars
Overall: 3.5 stars rounded to 4 stars
Dori Robertson is a 30-something widow who has very rarely dated since her beloved husband died five years ago. She is in a boring but comfortable rut working as an insurance underwriter while raising her adorable, 11-year-old son, Danny. She has blithely assumed he has no problem with being raised by a single mother until the day he takes her completely by surprise by putting major pressure on her to find him a new father. He even draws up a list of what his ideal father would look like.
Within days of creating the dad list, Danny and Dori encounter a retired, star, NFL quarterback, whom Toby has long admired from afar, who ticks every box on Danny's list.
Gavin Parker is a divorced father in his late 30s. As fate would have it, his 13-year-old daughter, Melissa, would also very much love to see her dad marry again. Her mother abandoned her as a toddler, and she longs for a mother of her own. When Melissa meets Dori, similar to Danny with her father, she instantly pegs Dori as ideal mother material.
The kids soon join forces to make their mutual, parental dreams come true, and the weight of their combined nagging becomes overwhelming for both Gavin and Dori. In order to dial down the unremitting pressure, Gavin suggests to Dori that they pretend they are dating. He makes very clear to her that he has no desire whatsoever to ever marry again, after the horrible experience he had with his ex-wife, so the dating can never lead to anything more. But he assures Dori that this will pose no problem. The kids will not end up disappointed, because the more time they and their kids spend together, the more likely it is that the kids will come to see that the two of them are merely human, with feet of clay, and change their mind about pushing their parents to get married to each other. He strongly warns Dori, however, that if the plan is to succeed, it is imperative that she not fall in love with him during the masquerade, because he has no heart to give her in return.
Dori reluctantly agrees to Gavin's scheme, since she has no better plan to offer, but mainly because she finds the opportunity to spend time with Gavin and Melissa irresistible. Unfortunately, it becomes clear almost immediately that Gavin's ploy is doomed to failure. Far from growing tired of their chosen future parents, both Danny and Melissa are absolutely delighted at the possibility of the four of them forming a new family. Danny is crazy about Gavin, Melissa adores Dori and vice-versa, the two kids get along great, and most disturbing of all, the fake romance with Gavin begins to feel far too real to Dori for comfort.
This is a 1986, short, contemporary romance. I experienced it as an audiobook, which I obtained through the public library. Surprisingly, this book has not yet also been re-released in Kindle format.
As is consistent with her brand to the present day, Debbie Macomber wrote this novel as a G-rated romance. Its plot is very much a product of the 80s, with Gavin presented as a domineering, patronizing, misogynistic version of the so-called, "Alpha" hero. Predictably, he remains abrasive until the very end of the book, because his extreme aversion to marriage is the entire romantic conflict of the book. As is also typical of that era, Mr. Alpha is paired with Dori as his complementary, female, opposite number. She is a traditional female, who is endlessly kind, compassionate, and long-suffering. In my cynical opinion, the poor woman displays the patience of Job as she endures Gavin's ongoing, "women cannot be trusted" shenanigans.
Jayne Ann Krentz and many other romance authors frequently wrote this particular combination of romantic protagonists in that era. Though DM never wrote heroes who were stalkers and downright rapey, as JAK sometimes did during the early and mid 1980s.
Fans of DM and anyone who enjoys Hallmark movies will very likely appreciate this romance. To me the matchmaking kids are the best part of the book. They provide many heartwarming and humorous moments in a novel that is a pleasant and undemanding way to pass the time.
The narrator of this book is voice talent, Tanya Eby, who effectively portrays both genders and all ages.
I rate this book as follows:
Heroine: 3 stars
Hero: 3 stars
Subcharacters: 4 stars
Romance Plot: 3 stars
Kid Matchmaker Plot: 4 stars
Writing: 4 stars
Audiobook: 4 stars
Overall: 3.5 stars rounded to 4 stars
July 31, 2020
O.M.GOODNESS. THIS BOOK! NEVER TOO MANY CAPITALS ON THE FIRST SENTENCE OF A REVIEW OF A GOOD BOOK!!! This is going to be short because I have already wrote a review today. This book had me as it's captive by the third page and didn't release me until the last. As my first book by Debbie Macomber I didn't know what to expect... but I did think this was going to be more of an adult book. NOT SO! AT ALL! (never too many capitals AGAIN!)
PARENT NOTE: This book is 100% clean. But it does have kissing and has an adult main character.
SWEARING: Not much if any.
CLEAN: Yes.
AGE RECOMMENDATION: This book is good for anyone, but might appeal to slightly more mature or older ages. I would let my younger sister read this one if she wanted to.
I have a clean romance group you can join to discuss this book... https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
((Follow me or friend me if you are looking for more reviews like this.))
PARENT NOTE: This book is 100% clean. But it does have kissing and has an adult main character.
SWEARING: Not much if any.
CLEAN: Yes.
AGE RECOMMENDATION: This book is good for anyone, but might appeal to slightly more mature or older ages. I would let my younger sister read this one if she wanted to.
I have a clean romance group you can join to discuss this book... https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
((Follow me or friend me if you are looking for more reviews like this.))
December 1, 2021
This is an early Harlequin book by Ms. Macomber. She had only written ten books by this time. It was pretty good, I thought. The premise of the woman's son and the man's daughter bringing the two together was unusual and fun. The only problem I had was the tension that kept them apart. It seemed a bit boring at times. He repeatedly tells Dori that he never wants to get married again. then suddenly changes his mind at the end. My favorite parts were when Dori spends time with the 13-year-old Melissa doing "Mom" things. They go shopping, do some baking, and try out makeup, etc. Meanwhile, Gavin spends time with Dori's 11-year-old son, Danny, doing guy stuff. Gavin being a celebrity former NFL player and present football announcer was interesting. I liked it except for when Gavin would be hurtful to Dori, constantly putting her down as needy and conniving. She didn't deserve that kind of treatment. Also, it was unbelievable at times how well the two kids got along at that age when girls and boys usually don't like each other.
August 25, 2010
While driving her son Danny to school, Dori Robertson never expected him to ask for a new daddy, but he did. Stunned, she forgot were she was and what she was doing. Getting a handle on things, she turned around without looking for traffic. Spilling his drink, Gavin Parker followed the driver that had cut him off. The women and her son seemed to be having problems of her own but that didn’t mean he would let the matter slide. Many different decisions made by Dori and Gavin kept putting them together, but once the kids met, Danny and Melissa seemed to help pull them together even more.
Cute, sweet and quick, just what you expect from Debbie Macomber. Great characterization of the parents and the kids. Always a treat to read her work, this one happens to be a re-release from 1986 as part of the Harlequin “Famous Firsts”. So glad it was re-printed otherwise it might not have come to my attention. Even though it is an older story, it is a timeless one and other than the obvious lack of cell phones, it could just as easily be a current storyline.
Cute, sweet and quick, just what you expect from Debbie Macomber. Great characterization of the parents and the kids. Always a treat to read her work, this one happens to be a re-release from 1986 as part of the Harlequin “Famous Firsts”. So glad it was re-printed otherwise it might not have come to my attention. Even though it is an older story, it is a timeless one and other than the obvious lack of cell phones, it could just as easily be a current storyline.
May 8, 2015
The idea for this book seemed cute enough but turned super corny and unbearable quick. Dori and Gavin act like immature teenagers, not grown ups. The "agreement" that they come to made no sense, especially since he was head strong about her not falling in love (get over yourself buddy), but then kissing her repeatedly. *Spoiler alert* The way it ends is ridiculous. Him saying he doesn't want to see her again, starts seeing someone else, then comes back (after ignoring her for a month) and asks her to marry him. And she says yes! Ridiculous!! This whole book was painful to read, the characters irritating and not very likable and just plain absurd.
January 12, 2011
Single mom Dori Robertson is suddenly under pressure to find a new father for her eleven-year-old son. And he's already chosen the guy -- former pro-football player Gavin Parker. As it turns out, Gavin's daughter wants her dad to marry again, too. Whe the kids join forces, Gavin suggests he and Dori start dating, just to satisfy the kids. After that --- romance is in the air even though Gavin fights it to the bitter end.
January 18, 2016
I was disappointed in this book. I don't like when the female characters are weak and that how Dori was with her relationship with Gavin. She continued to let him call the shots acting hot and cold and treating her badly. I love Debbie Macomber books, but not this one. It wasn't a good lesson for their kids to see a man treat a woman that way.
July 5, 2016
I don't normally read a straight up contemporary romance but I bought this at Goodwill and I needed a book for my listening pleasure during my daily drive to/from work. I really liked it. I actually thought of extra errands to run to stay in my car for a bit more of the story. I loved the kids contribution but I'll admit that i wanted more at the end...at least an epilogue.
June 5, 2011
I wish I could do half stars because this one would probably only rate a 2.5. It was predictable like a lot of her books, which I can kind of deal with, but this one just didn't have intersting enough characters or plot.
August 27, 2011
This was the first romance novel I ever read, and I've managed to keep it through eleven moves and enough years for a baby born the day I got the book to be legal to drink now .... So, yeah, I like it.
August 16, 2015
This was a fun book to read. Enjoyed the plotting and antics of the two children trying to set up their parents . The storyline also tugged at my heart too ... Danny wanted a Dad and Melissa missed having a mother in her life. This was entertaining and humorous too.
September 9, 2010
A very good read for one of the author's older books. Simple, but charming plot with amusing situations.
March 18, 2013
This book was awful! An interesting premise - but so slow, unrealistic & poorly written! I will never read another book by Ms Macomber again!
July 7, 2015
2 Stars = It's Ok
Well it was pure cheese and as it states on the front of the book cover, one of DM's early books. It shows, it would never happen this way.
Well it was pure cheese and as it states on the front of the book cover, one of DM's early books. It shows, it would never happen this way.
April 26, 2022
I always love reading Debbie Macomber’s books, especially her Christmas ones. But I’m trying to branch out and read her other fiction work! They’re always such easy, feel-good reads that I enjoy immensely.
Dori’s son, Danny, decides he wants a new father for Christmas. He comes up with a plan to get a husband for Dori, and it so just happens that Gavin, an ex-football player, is his next target. He checks off everything on Danny’s list, so this should be easy enough, right? Wrong! When Gavin and his daughter, Melissa, enter into Dori and Danny’s lives, things might start falling into place… or not.
Hohoho, man oh MAN. Gavin made me so angry at times! He changed his mind every 2 pages, was temperamental, and got so angry over what seemed like nothing. Come to think of it, a lot of the characters in this book annoyed me… But overall, I enjoyed this light read and will continue to collect Debbie Macomber’s books until I’ve read them all!
Dori’s son, Danny, decides he wants a new father for Christmas. He comes up with a plan to get a husband for Dori, and it so just happens that Gavin, an ex-football player, is his next target. He checks off everything on Danny’s list, so this should be easy enough, right? Wrong! When Gavin and his daughter, Melissa, enter into Dori and Danny’s lives, things might start falling into place… or not.
Hohoho, man oh MAN. Gavin made me so angry at times! He changed his mind every 2 pages, was temperamental, and got so angry over what seemed like nothing. Come to think of it, a lot of the characters in this book annoyed me… But overall, I enjoyed this light read and will continue to collect Debbie Macomber’s books until I’ve read them all!
October 1, 2018
Pequenos Cupidos - Debbie Macomber
Título original: The Matchmakers
Título: Pequenos Cupidos
Autor: Debbie Macomber
Tradução: Ana Rodrigues
Editora: Harlequin
Ano: 2013
Sou fã da Debbi Macomber, fiquei muito curiosa quando descobri que este foi um dos seus primeiro livros. É extremamente interessante observar os primeiros textos de um autor, neste caso, já era possível percebe o quanto a autora era promissora.
É um romance como todo romance deve ser, com partes hilárias, quase sucumbi ao ditado do "morrer de rir", tive um ataque histérico de gargalhada, depois comecei a tossir e por fim, achei que definitivamente iria morrer sufocada. Tudo porque Debbi foi hilária ao colocar os pensamentos malucos de Dori...
Quer ler a resenha completa e muito mais, visite o blog Momentos da Fogui:
http://foguiii.blogspot.com/2018/03/p...
Título original: The Matchmakers
Título: Pequenos Cupidos
Autor: Debbie Macomber
Tradução: Ana Rodrigues
Editora: Harlequin
Ano: 2013
Sou fã da Debbi Macomber, fiquei muito curiosa quando descobri que este foi um dos seus primeiro livros. É extremamente interessante observar os primeiros textos de um autor, neste caso, já era possível percebe o quanto a autora era promissora.
É um romance como todo romance deve ser, com partes hilárias, quase sucumbi ao ditado do "morrer de rir", tive um ataque histérico de gargalhada, depois comecei a tossir e por fim, achei que definitivamente iria morrer sufocada. Tudo porque Debbi foi hilária ao colocar os pensamentos malucos de Dori...
Quer ler a resenha completa e muito mais, visite o blog Momentos da Fogui:
http://foguiii.blogspot.com/2018/03/p...
September 2, 2025
As one reader stated, the only likeable character in the book was Melissa. Dori came across as weak, Danny was manipulative, and Gavin was a jerk. Gavin ran hot and cold. One minute he was kissing Dori, the next he was pushing her away. Dori just went along with the whole thing.
It is apparent that this is an older book. I am ashamed to say that I would have probably liked it back in the 80's, but not anymore.
I have been reading the older books of Debbie Macomber. They seem to go along the same line. There is a widowed mother who meets a man who does not want to get married. He runs hot and cold, the woman goes along with it, and there is a manipulative child. At the end they live happily ever after. Sounds like a Hallmark movie to me.
Since I own them, I will probably read a couple more of the older books, but I don't hold must hope for them.
It is apparent that this is an older book. I am ashamed to say that I would have probably liked it back in the 80's, but not anymore.
I have been reading the older books of Debbie Macomber. They seem to go along the same line. There is a widowed mother who meets a man who does not want to get married. He runs hot and cold, the woman goes along with it, and there is a manipulative child. At the end they live happily ever after. Sounds like a Hallmark movie to me.
Since I own them, I will probably read a couple more of the older books, but I don't hold must hope for them.
July 10, 2022
Supposed to be a cute story about tricking their kids into believing they are dating. I just kept thinking about what terrible parents they are. Plus he’s a huge JERK! That makes her stupid! He dumped her for no other reason than he wanted to sleep with other women! He told her he moved on and was seeing someone else only a week after asking for time to figure out his feelings. And She took him back! No questions asked. No groveling. All he had to do was show up. “No matter who I kissed it was your lips I tasted. When I held another woman I sensed something was wrong and I wanted only you”. How romantic. Thank you for trying out those other women so you could realize it was me you really wanted. Those were hard lessons he had to learn. What crap.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 26, 2022
I award one star to this book because there isn't anything lower. This book was pure awful. I can't believe I saved it to enjoy at a later time. I have never detested a character as much as I detested Gavin Parker. What an arrogant, selfish, prejudiced, misogynistic boar! If I were Dori, I'd run as fast and as far from Mr. Parker as possible. The entire universe revolved around him and he was entitled to act that way because his wife dumped him. No-no-no-no-no! Both characters needed to grow up. The one highlight of the book was in the last chapter when Danny said no. At least he grew a pair!
January 3, 2018
Sorry, but this is one of the stupidest books I have read. What dreadful characters. The only one that didn`t irritate the sun of me was Melissa. Why on earth would Dori allow her son to push her around? And she is so pathetic and desperate. Why on earth is Danny so whiny? Why on earth would anyone like a man like Gavin??? He is arrogant, prejudiced, arrogant, rude, arrogant. Why?
I absolutely loved Debbie Macomber`s Cedar Cove series. I am glad I didn`t read this book first. I truly am sorry, but not my cup of tea.
I absolutely loved Debbie Macomber`s Cedar Cove series. I am glad I didn`t read this book first. I truly am sorry, but not my cup of tea.
January 19, 2024
my boyfriend was worried that there would be smut bc this is a paperback middle aged woman romance novel (there was not) what there was, however, was a mid un detailed story of a woman and a man who fall in love (incredibly quickly might i add)
truthfully i knew what this book was going into it, and it’s why i read it in the first place. i just needed something to push me through what felt like an almost reading slump.
super fast paced and good for a quickie read, just quickly got bored of it and started another book before even finishing this one. had to come back to it later!
truthfully i knew what this book was going into it, and it’s why i read it in the first place. i just needed something to push me through what felt like an almost reading slump.
super fast paced and good for a quickie read, just quickly got bored of it and started another book before even finishing this one. had to come back to it later!
February 23, 2020
sorry but there really is Nothing to like about this book. the mom was okay but spineless the kids were cute but the dad is a complete and total jerk. he treats the heroine like crap even his "proposal" is obnoxious but hey its okay and she says yes because he "loves her". Sorry dear but that is Not love. and yeah i get it his first wife is a creep so he responds by being a creep himself. not okay at all
June 1, 2021
Take one 12-year-old boy who wants a father; add one 13-year-old girl who wants a mother who loves her; mix with his mother and her father and how they seem to rub each other the wrong way. Then send them on numerous "dates," the better to get their kids off their respective backs. Alas, what starts out as a trick to fool the kids turns out to shaking up their parents.
Isn't that always the way? The kids have it right, the parents wrong!
Cute story.
Isn't that always the way? The kids have it right, the parents wrong!
Cute story.
January 9, 2025
This was a cute little romance. I wasn’t expecting it to be a “sports romance” (meaning with an ex pro athlete as a main character) when I picked it up, but that was a pleasant surprise. The leading fella had some seriously frustrating characteristics and the leading lady got a bit insecure at points, but the charming edition of the kids in the story offset it. Flawed people figuring things out! Recommended.
February 15, 2018
Sweet Romance book by Debbie Macomber. Predictable and very much like watching the Lifetime channel. Two single parents meet when they have a near traffic accident, neither wants a relationship but both their Kids are in a hurry to replace their missing parent. The parents make a deal to pretend to date to keep the kids at bay, but . . . you can guess the end.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 141 reviews