The Barkeep and the Bro

Single Dads Club #3

by A.J. Truman

I’m his boss. He’s my daughter’s ex-boyfriend. This has nope written all over it.

For twenty-five years, I’ve been in an exclusive, all-consuming relationship with Stone’s Throw Tavern, my family’s local bar.

I don’t need a boyfriend. What I need is a new bartender.

And what I get is Charlie, my daughter’s old college boyfriend, a guy who still acts like he’s chillin’ at the frat house. He was canned from his Wall Street job and escaped to small town Sourwood for a fresh start.

He knows bupkis about bartending, but he makes up for it with his cocky charm…and the tight shirts he wears, which secretly drive me wild. Now I’m making up excuses to hang by the bar during his shifts.

There’s a pile of reasons why I can’t cross the line with an employee. Especially this one. He’s twenty years younger than me, and I’m a foot taller than him. Even on a purely mathematical level, this can’t work.

And yet…

The growing heat between the fratboy and me burns like a shot of whiskey. I just need to keep my beer can in my pants, or else I could lose my business and my daughter.


The Barkeep and the Bro will serve you up a glass of age gap, size difference, boss/employee, grumpy/sunshine, small town romance goodness, garnished with humor and lots of heat. And it won’t even ask for ID. This is the third book in the Single Dads Club series, but can be read as a standalone.

Genres: M M Romance, Romance, Audiobook, Contemporary, LGBT, Queer, Contemporary Romance

293 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 25, 2022

About the author

Welcome! I’m a gay male author who writes MM romance filled with humor, heart, and hot guys. My characters fall into bed and fall in love, usually in that order. Think LOL meets DTF.

I live in central Indiana, surrounded by churches and Olive Gardens, with my husband, kids, and cats. When I’m not writing, I’m chasing around a toddler or sneaking off to a movie.

Make sure to sign up for my newsletter The Outsiders to get the latest updates on my books and to start reading free stories.

http://www.ajtruman.com/outsiders/

Reviews

[Imme [trying to crawl out of hiatus] van Gorp · Rating 4 out of 5]

|| 4.0 stars ||

➛First read: May 2023 | ★4.5 stars
➛Second read: October 2023 | ★4.5 stars
➛Third read: December 2024 | ★4.0 stars

Oh my god, this was so adorable! I loved this a lot more than I ever expected to, but I’m really glad I gave it a shot. Something about it was just so charming and enjoyable!

This is a romance that really gives us a lot of great tropes: boss/employee, grumpy/sunshine, bi-awakening, age-gap, size difference, and last but not least, one that I don’t think I have ever seen before: daughter’s ex-boyfriend.
I have to admit that I was quite wary of that last one. I feared it would be extremely awkward or give us waaaay too much angst, but luckily, it was neither. It was actually kind of cute. And the daughter was not a big part of the story at all, so don’t let that little thing stop you from picking this one up.

I truly adored Mitch and Charlie together. They had amazing chemistry, and I loved the way they slowly developed feelings for each other. Sure, Mitch thought Charlie was gorgeous from the very beginning, but their feelings really developed over a longer period of time.

I was also absolutely obsessed with Mitch’s grumpy exterior melting around Charlie’s unwithering charm. I kept on squealing whenever Mitch had his inner monologue about how cute Charlie was, and how much he was basically obsessing over him. ADORABLE!

This was fluffy, but not overly simple or too sugary-sweet. It was just right.

[Kati *☆･ﾟ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4**** stars


This daughter’s-ex-boyfriend romance was a first for me, trope-wise *lol Finally Mitch, the owner of the local bar, also found his HEA, even if it came unexpectedly with his daughter’s college boyfriend, Charlie.

Of course I enjoyed the hell out of NJR’s narration as well as just being there with these lovable characters in that world AJ Truman had created here. This was a great conclusion to a super lovely series.



And…
Amos!! 😍 I looooved seeing him as Charlie’s roommate and friend. I can’t wait for the audios for the South Rock High series to get recorded and released!! I’d love to revisit their story again soon.


*************
Single Dads Club Series:

Prequel short - Three Nights with the Manny - 3.5 stars
Book 1 - The Falcon and the Foe - 4.25 stars
Book 2 - The Mayor and the Mystery Man - 4.0 stars
Book 3 - The Barkeep and the Bro - 4.0 stars

[Vanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Loved it stars!! ❤️❤️ This was a really sweet, grumpy-sunshine; age-gap romance. Both Mitch and Charlie were well etched out MCs and I loved their interactions.
The plot is low angst and super duper steamy 🔥🔥 Also loved all the supporting characters; especially all of Mitch’s dad friends. I’m tempted to check their stories out now. 😉
Highly recommended to all fans of light and steamy age-gap M/M romances 👍🏻👍🏻

[martina (the life of a chaotic reader) · Rating 5 out of 5]

frat boys with golden retriever energy are one of my favorite things. and damn this one did not disappoint.
i enjoyed it so much, it didn’t want it to end.

"We might as well make hay while the sun shines.”
"What does that mean?"
"It means I'm still horny."

this is the kind of literature i’ve signed up for.

the next series is gonna be jock/nerd i don’t think i’ll survive that.

[Gustaf · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm going to have to be honest here, this is probably my least favorite in the series and it saddens me because I had high hopes. I love the whole forbidden love trope. And dating your daughters ex boyfriend is definitely forbidden.

I did however, have a really hard time with the first 50% or so of this book. It was slow, and I got told that Charlie and Mitch had all this chemistry but I wasn't feeling it. And so it dragged and dragged. When we finally reached the 50% mark and these two did get together thought, I was all there for it. It was sweet and hot and I finally felt that chemistry that I'd been told about before.

Overall I have enjoyed this series a great deal. And I can't wait for the spin-off.

[Drache.... (Angelika)]

Dnf at 41%.
The writing is very simplistic and bland, the author uses lots and lots of abrupt, short sentences.
I don't care for the MCs, they don't feel genuine but are typical stereotypes. There's no chemistry, no attraction beside sexual attraction, no banter.

This sweet little paragraph from one of the MCs (an adult who after college worked for years in the finance sector but then had to find a new job, because his firm had invested millions in a fraudulent startup he had vetted), during a night in town partying with his friends, says it all:

"Asa, Skeeter, and I lined up against the wall of a post office and took epically long pisses. The girls muttered behind us how disgusting boys were. Nobody was stopping them from doing the same thing. I was all for equality among the sexes."

Sorry not sorry but I'm out.

[Kaity · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars but rounding up.

Something about AJ Truman’s writing is addictive even when something is missing with the characters haha

I really loved this grumpy boss/dad of ex girlfriend and sunshine employee/bi-awakened/younger man relationship!

Charlie and Mitch were great together, they complemented each other nicely.

There wasn’t much backlash from Mitches daughter which was something I was worried about.

This book can definitely be read as a standalone, I am also excited for Amos’s book, I know it’s out but if you know me I will be waiting for the audio.

In the meantime I will go back and read Leo’s book because I skipped it. Haha

[Cat the bookworm (semi hiatus ish) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don’t let yourself be fooled by the silly title - the book itself is lovely, and not “bro like” at all.

The “bro” in question is Charlie, a twenty something who lost his job in finance and his girlfriend on the same day, and who ends up in Sourwood, sharing a condo with Amos (the teacher from “Ancient History”, the first book in the follow-up series. But I digress.)

He applies for a bartender job, only to realise the boss of the bar is Mitch, grumpy father to one of Charlie’s ex girlfriends.

So yes, it’s the classic grumpy/sunshine, age gap, boss/employee trope, but it’s adorable to watch Charlie chip away at Mitch’s stony demeanor. And the way Charlie started exploring his bisexuality was hilarious 😅 (without going into details: think of a zucchini. Literally 😬)

I loved to see how Charlie discovered how there’s more to him than the party/frat boy, and how Mitch realises that 40 isn’t too old to be taught new tricks 🔥

What kept me from rating it with 5 stars is the drawn out ending, but I get it that the author wanted to find a scenario where all the “Single Dad Club” couples come together and wrap the series up. All in all an enjoyable read, perfect for the holiday season.

[Ninni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another hit for me! As this whole series has been. Perfect mix of hot and hillarious. We got to meet the couples from the other two books as well. But here it was in a perfect amount. I'm not a fan when authors crowd together couples from other books in a series and they take over the whole story... Now I'm gonna check out Amos story.

[Ed Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. It has all my favorite things. Mitch is a tough, grumpy teddy bear and Charlie is just the right kind of guy to melt his heart. It is also written by A. J. Truman who is definitely one of my favorite writers. I listened to the audiobook and Nick J. Russo was excellent as always.

[BookSafety Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book safety, tropes and tags down below.

This was surprisingly sweet and low angst. Enough push and pull to keep it interesting, but not so much that you get annoyed while reading. Charlie was an adorable character and my heart hurt for him at several points in the book. If you spend enough time being told you’re only good for a fun (and short) time, that you’re not-so-bright, then you start believing it.

«‘You like him,’ he said. I didn’t answer. ‘He likes you too.’ ‘He likes flirting with me and fucking me. That’s all I was good for with girls. It’s the same with guys, too. I’m not the best when it comes to actual, real relationships.’»

Considering it’s a ex-girlfriend’s-dad romance, it wasn’t bad on the angst, and the daughter/ex girlfriend wasn’t a massive part of the book at all. From the little we did see of her though, I didn’t like her at all. A bridezilla, and she said some really hurtful things to Charlie. We were told they made up off-page, but atleast an apology on-page would have been nice.

«‘I’ve wanted him to find someone for years. But he should be with someone more serious, someone more on his wavelength.’ I took my hand back. ‘I think we get along well.’ ‘You’re fun. You’re a lot of fun. But my dad isn’t the type who messes around. He’s built for a serious relationship.’ ‘I can be…’ Breath left my body. ‘One of the benefits of this awkward situation is that I know what it’s like to date you. It’s fun, but it doesn’t go beyond that. Things can only go so far. You’re like a rocketship that just can’t break through the earth’s atmosphere into outer space.’»

God, imagine hearing someone tell you that when you have real feelings for someone. Ouch.

I’m happy we got a cute little epilogue too, getting to check in on Mitch and Charlie six months later. It was entertaining and the spice was really hot.

Book safety

Cheating: No
OM drama: No
Third-act breakup: No
POV: 1st person, dual
Strict top/bottom or vers: Versatile with switching on-page

TW/CW

Explicit sexual content, side character with a *maybe* alcohol problem

Tropes & tags

Ex girlfriend’s dad, age gap, size difference, bi awakening, beard, body hair, boss/employee, workplace sex, bartender, weddings, frat bro, single dad, divorced

[Jazer (catching up on TBRs) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 drunk stars rounded up!

Another great narration! This is the last book of the trilogy and that ending with all 3+1 pairs (I really need to read that prequel with the Manny) with is really sweet and satisfying. Although this is not as giggle-worthy or entertaining as the first two books, Mitch and Charlie are both great characters with great chemistry and depth. There are embarrassingly funny parts that had me laughing out loud but I guess instead of comedic, this one has a more inspiring approach to life-changing events that brought the couple together.

It didn't hit me in the feels as much but I like how this plot progressed and how each of their storyline as individuals were resolved. I especially liked how Charlie's career change brought him a lot of meaningful epiphanies and his positivity helped him thrive while struggling to start anew.

Something that annoyed me even though it's just a very small part was how Mitch's daughter seemed like a very insecure woman. All her reactions were immature, self-absorbed, and didn't fit the image of how successful she was portrayed.

Overall, I enjoyed this trilogy a lot. I love how tight-knit and strong the bond is between the single dads and in extension their partners.

[Mariam, · Rating 3 out of 5]

honestly, I'm just glad it's finished.

🍻 this book was longggg and drawn out and reallyy slow.

🍺 also the smut was kinda meh.

🍷 but at the same time, it was kinda cute. these quotes are so solid

“You gave me a chance when nobody else did.”

“Yeah, this wasn’t the life you chose, but maybe it chose you for a reason“

Boldness had not subsided in me. With Mitch, I had an openness where I could be myself and say what I wanted.

[Lyn❤Loves❤Listening to Real Voices Only!!!!❤️🎧📚 Addict ON HIATUS · Rating 3 out of 5]

Audio - 4.5 stars
Story - 3.5 Stars

[Ky · Rating 4 out of 5]

* 4 stars *

This is a sweet age gap story with some family drama.

Mitch desperately needs a bartender and Charlie desperately needs a job. So what if Charlie has never worked as a bartender before and he's Mitch's daughter's ex-boyfriend? It's a solution for both their problems, so Charlie starts working at the bar.

They have many differences but they manage to find common ground and their attraction starts to show. They become closer and at some point stop resisting what they both want. In order to truly be together though, they'll have to deal with the people around them. Family and friends are very present in their lives and some of them aren't exactly over the moon when they learn that they're together.

Charlie's old friends in the city weren't the most likeable of characters and I felt bad for him when he started to realize that. But on the bright side, his new roommate seemed like a great guy and they developed a nice relationship. He also invited Charlie into his friend circle and Charlie, who was a naturally extroverted guy, became part of that circle effortlessly.

All in all, Charlie's new beginning turned out to be the best thing he could have done at that point in his life and I'm glad that everything worked out. He was a very likeable character, genuinely nice and caring, a fun guy to be around and one that gave everything he had in his friendships.

Mitch was a guy set in his ways, he was older, grumpier, more difficult to adjust to change. But he was looking out for everyone and he adored his daughter. He was content with his life but not exactly happy with it. I think he was lonely and he wanted a partner to share everything with.

The two of them together made sense, it was a case of opposites attract but they completed and complimented each other well.


~ I read an ARC of this book. ~

[sil ♡ the book voyagers · Rating 4 out of 5]

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ In the mood for a cute, low-angst MM romance with the ex-gf's father trope? °❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

I saw a TikTok made by user @jesslynnshades where she recommends low on angst MM romances and most of them I've read so I wrote down all the ones I didn't and one of those was this book, The Barkeep and the Bro. I love low on angst romance books (because I get nervous when it's angsty lmao) so of course I wanted to read this one and it SOUNDED SOOOO GOOD.

And it was yall. Very good!

The story follows Mitch, a grumpy bar owner who is also a single dad. He lives in a cute cottage away from everyone, has a couple of best friends who are also single dad. His best friends are all paired up now and he feels a bit left out but he knows that his life is the bar and there's no time for romance. Not for him. Until a fratboy, a flirty cute fratboy arrives at his bar's door asking for a job. Everything sounds nice and great, right? Easy, right? But he realizes Charlie is none other than his daughter's ex boyfriend.

I loved Mitch and Charlie, together and as separate characters. Mitch just needed someone to make him smile and be there when the time was right. While Charlie needed someone who saw him for who he really is and not someone who only parties and has fun. They both complimented each other so well and I was half in love with their romance from the very first page. I couldn't stop reading and was having the time of my life. I truly wanted this to never end 𓍯𓂃𓏧♡

If you love the tropes:
ㅤ♡ grumpy x sunshine
ㅤ♡ ex's dad
ㅤ♡ workplace
ㅤ♡ "found out I like boys because of you"
ㅤ♡ bi-awakening
ㅤ♡ forbidden
READ THIS!!!

[Jordan Fischer | julietfoxreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG y'all, The Barkeep and the Bro by @ajtruman_author was SO freaking DELIGHTFUL. I had it on my SOUPtember TBR because there is a caretaking/soup scene in it, but honestly, even if you are not a soup scene connoisseur like me you will absolutely LOVE this book. It's funny, sweet, spicy, and the perfect low angst read.

TBATB had such a perfect grumpy/sunshine dynamic with the added twist that Mitch is Charlie's ex girlfriend's dad and later his boss. I LOVE a golden retriever MMC and y'all, Charlie is just the best. He's a little bit goofy and overly trusting, but he also wants to do everything right and for everyone to love him. I love that while his life is falling apart a little bit, he decides to really feel out what he wants, and ultimately decides that what he wants is... Mitch. And bartending. And he embraces that! Mitch is kind of stuck at the beginning of the book too. He's finally at a place in life where his obligations are changing and he can start prioritizing himself a little more, and I love that he realizes one way to do that is to go after Charlie despite his very reasonable reservations.

This book could have been an absolute mess of angst, but it ended up being so sweet and cozy. The fact that Mitch is Charlie's ex's dad was basically a non-issue; Mitch gets over the fact that Charlie dumped his daughter due to Charlie’s honest explanation for why and his daughter is just happy her dad is happy. Charlie ends up loving giving up his finance bro lifestyle. All the other drama just quietly goes away. And despite the lack of any major conflict, I couldn't put this one down! The Barkeep and the Bro is my first AJ Truman book, and it's safe to say he has a new fan. I will definitely be diving right into his backlist now, how did I wait so long to pick up his books!

[Evelyn Bella (there WILL be spoilers) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Telling your ex-girlfriend that you're fucking her dad and then asking if she needs a glass of water to cope is top tier. Charlie is so real for that.

Like it's your wedding day. Focus.

Without a doubt, my favorite thing about Mitch is that he reminds his daughter that she's his daughter. Very much 'I love you to bits, but I'm a grown ass man and you don't get to tell me who I can or can not date'.

De-fanged a situation that (justifiably, if I'm being honest) should have been weird.

Still. There should be a very firm boundary between 'Dad, OMG you're dating my ex whom you couldn't stand when we were still together' and 'Dad, I forbid you to date that guy'.

Mitch set that boundary. Mad respect, because I expected this to have a lot of angsty back and forth over that dynamic but it was barely a blip on the radar and I was pleasantly surprised.

That said, I loved other things about these two.

How they got together? I didn't think remote guided masturbation could be so hot. Add in the boss and ex-girlfriend's dad factor and it gets even hotter.

Loved that they were very much unconcerned about the reasons they probably shouldn't be together.

"I can always get a new job, and you can.....get a new daughter?"

😂😂😂😂😂😂 Not a FUCK in sight.

Very few things to nitpick but I'm devoted so I found a way💀

"Baby I want to destroy your plumbing"

I hope this requires no explanation. Took me out of an otherwise hot scene.

Did not like that one of the MCs from a previous book proposed to his man in this. This is a personal vendetta against cameos so others may find it cute.

Overall, yet another banger in a series of books where at least one MC has a kid and I've surprisingly loved regardless.

This time? Mitch's daughter was old enough to be getting married and lived elsewhere. Definitely not the kind of child to be underfoot. A win for me.

[❀ Jess ( Semi hiatus ) · Rating 3 out of 5]

“It’s you and me,” I said to the zucchini. “I hope Amos wasn’t saving you for a special recipe.”
. . . .

“I went to clean myself and the zucchini off in the bathroom. When I stepped into the hall, I came face to face with Amos. His eyes bolted open, and they locked in on me, then the zucchini.
“Hey,” I said.
“Hi,” he replied just as awkwardly.
“Wha—what are you doing home?”
“Because of the snow, they called a delayed opening. Is that my organic zucchini?”
“It, uh...” Shit, there was no use lying. This was even more embarrassing than my mom finding my special jerkoff sock in high school.
“I was thinking of making a salad?”
“It didn’t sound like you were making a salad.”
“It was, uh, a very intense salad. A lot of vegetables in it.”
“Charlie.” He cocked his head. “I can see the lube on it.”
“It’s salad dressing?”


“Where are you going?” Amos blocked me en route to the kitchen.
“To wash it off?”
“You were going to put that back in the fridge? Charlie! Think of the bacteria! No amount of oven or frying pan heat would sterilize that zucchini. That is going in the trash.”


😂😂😂😂


My ratings always reflect my enjoyment of the story. ❀

[Mx. T *Chaotic Reader* · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another audiobook win from AJ Truman. Charlie was an amazing character, I loved how nothing deterred him from what he wanted. Mitch is kinda grumpy but he also cannot resist Charlie. Their feelings developed slowly over time, and even when Charlie thought he was straight, he didn't have many issues around discovering he liked men (Mitch, in particular). I was grateful there wasn't much drama around Charlie being Mitch's daughter ex boyfriend, but it hurt me to see how everyone undervalued Charlie's reliability, especially her.
Even when both Charlie and Mitch tended to downplay the other's feelings, I was lovely to not have miscommunication ruining everything. The ending gave us all the cheese we needed, with happy moments all around.
I want to live in Sourwood.

[nitya · Rating 3 out of 5]

- single dad x his daughter's ex bf
- age gap
- boss/employee
- very steamy
- lgbtqia+ cast
- bi-awakening

This was adorable, hot and had the right amount of angst!! Also part of a series but it works as a standalone.

Content warning: explicit sexual content, annoying dudebros (side characters)

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was another cute addition to the Single Dads Club series ☺️ Daughter's ex-boyfriend isn't a trope you see often, so extra props for that because I love it! Seriously, I need more of this trope in my life. If you're reading this and know any good ones, hit me up in the comments 😂

This was another book I read over the holiday time warp that I'm just now logging, so I've forgotten any specifics that I wanted to say. Overall, I enjoyed Mitch and Charlie as a couple, but they're not my favorite of the series. Nick J Russo did a fabulous job narrating. The audiobook was the perfect thing to keep me going during the clean up and recuperation from all the holiday festivities 👌🏻

[Aimora · Rating 4 out of 5]

I believe this is my first AJ Truman read.

Charlie is a workaholic dad whose daughter is getting married soon and Mitch is the ex-boyfriend of said daughter. Mitch has epically failed at life and needs to start over somewhere and chooses to be a bartender at the bar Charlie owns in order to do so. There is a large age gap and Mitch has always been straight but is now gfy with Charlie.

I was somewhat doubtful about their chemistry but working together everyday does let you get to know someone in a way little else does. Quite enjoyable all things considered.

[Ben Howard · Rating 4 out of 5]

rtc

[❤️Court - Villains Do It Better❤️]

DNF

man I'm shallow because as soon as the hero2 said he was 5'6 and jacked with a big d*ck, I couldn't read it anymore 😭

[Megan (feral hearts club) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series is so much fun! And this book was another hit for me. Loveeee Charlie, I always have a soft spot for frat boy characters. AJ Truman is quickly becoming an auto-read author for me. The perfect mixture of low angst, yet still emotional storytelling, humor, spice and romance hits just right. Throw in the found family and small town feels, I’m hooked.

[Peppa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Best thing about this book was the zucchini scene.

„Please don’t violate any more of my organic produce. They don’t provide the vitamin D you’re looking for.“

⭐️2,5

[Marthea · Rating 3 out of 5]

3+
Ciut lepsza od pozostałych w serii, zatem daję 3+.
I cholernie brakuje mi tych połówek w ocenach, bo czasami trzeba dorzucić te pół, ale zaznaczyć więcej gwiazdek, jak mam w zwyczaju przy takiej ocenie, to już niekoniecznie 😕

[Joyfully Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Joyfully Jay review.

3.75 stars

This is the third book in the Single Dads Club series, and features a new romance for the final uncoupled member of this small-town social club. The forced-proximity, save-the-wedding twist really put this story into rom-com territory, but I did enjoy the development of this age-gap, difficult history romance. Mitch and Charlie are both sweet guys their friends are rooting for to find happiness. It was fun to see the previous “single dads” give Mitch advice on how to proceed with Charlie and his own life path. Charlie’s earnestness is endearing, and Mitch’s reticence belies his own fear of messing up another adult relationship.

Read Veronica’s review in its entirety here.

[True Loveislovereview · Rating 4 out of 5]

You have to be quite in need to hire the ex of your daughter. Okay, it was years ago, still.
Charlie is thankful he could convince Mitch to hire him, he’s without money and without a job.

Mitch learned Charlie all the ins and outs of a bartender and he’s a fast learner.
Charlie is hyper-aware of Mitch and Mitch has to jerk off before work.
Starting something is impossible, to many reasons to keep away.

Charlie started watching gay porn and trying to get some experience and oh boy, that’s it. I laughed so hard. Hilarious.

What a great read, it’s humorous, emotional, hot, sweet, adorable, two great MCs strong, a grumpy, reliable Mitch, and sweet, fun, generous Charlie.
It’s all captivatingly written, I enjoyed it very!