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The Hawthornes #1
Baby For Daddy's Best Friend
He is everything I’m not supposed to want, but now he is going to be my baby's daddy…
Ash is a walking red flag.
Seventeen years older and my father's best friend.
He is domineering and always in a bad mood.
Tragically widowed, yet still in love with his long dead wife.
His heart doesn’t have the capacity to love anyone else.
But I’ve wanted him since I was sixteen.
Seeing him again more than a decade later all those old feelings just rush back in.
Every time when I look up into his deep green eyes,
dark scruffy beard and kissable dimples,
all I want is to fall into his arms and never leave.
Too much wine and one bed rocking night later everything changed .
Now with a baby on the way it’s time to face the storm…
Ash is a walking red flag.
Seventeen years older and my father's best friend.
He is domineering and always in a bad mood.
Tragically widowed, yet still in love with his long dead wife.
His heart doesn’t have the capacity to love anyone else.
But I’ve wanted him since I was sixteen.
Seeing him again more than a decade later all those old feelings just rush back in.
Every time when I look up into his deep green eyes,
dark scruffy beard and kissable dimples,
all I want is to fall into his arms and never leave.
Too much wine and one bed rocking night later everything changed .
Now with a baby on the way it’s time to face the storm…
245 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 6, 2023
1969 people are currently reading
1194 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 228 reviews
January 25, 2023
Ok, so I am waffling between a 3 and 4 star for this one. I was going to round up because I never abandoned the book and read until the end. However, the description of the book basically tells you everything you need to know. Plus, I wasn’t sure if the dead wife, the first love of the hero, was a little too much for me. I like my heroine to have an edge, and really I don’t think she has an edge over the dead wife. So, our hero was just fortunate to fall in love with 2 women. However, if this were a supernatural love story and somehow the first wife could be resurrected, I think our hero would ultimately choose the first wife. I don’t like having that doubt in me. I want the heroine to be THE ONE!
Heroine: Rye, 29, Has been living in Madison Wisconsin for the past 10 years but circumstances have brought her back to Chicago. Her father is getting married to a very lovely woman, Giselle. The h likes her a lot and so do we. Anyhoo, the bride to be isn’t really interested in planning her own wedding and our h is trying to get into the business of flowers and possible wedding planning, so she is elected. The couple also suggest that the best man, the hero Ash, assist the h. Now the h has been crushing on the hero for the past 13 years (shortly after his wife died). I am not going to say what attracted her to the H, but it comes to light in the last few pages, and it is kind of weird in my opinion. Anyhoo, the h has not really had any long term relationships as none of them match up to her idea of the H.
Hero: Ashton, 46, He is Uber successful and lives in a mansion. He was married to Rose, his high school sweetheart. He knocked her up in high school and they married. He talks about his love for Rose throughout the book. They had 3 sons. The oldest is the same age as the heroine. (He will be featured in the next book: Baby For The Off Limits Single Daddy: A Stuck Together Best Friend's Brother Romance When he arrives at his bff’s house(the h’s dad) to assist on wedding planning, he is struck by the beautiful woman who happens to be there. He is shocked to realize that it is the bff’s daughter. Of course this makes her off limits, so he tamps down his attraction for her by being a little distant. He does apologize, and the two of them enter into a friendly relationship, while squashing their feelings for each other.
🛑Stop here🛑 if you do not want SPOILERS…..SPOILERS NOW!!!!!🛑
One drunken night while wedding planning, they succumb to their mutual attraction and go the whole night. The H, has been almost celibate in the last 13 years, and this is the first woman in a long time to get his motor revving. The next morning is awkward, as both realize that it is taboo for them to be together. Since he is her dad’s best friend. So, basically they stay away from each other for the next month. A dinner party hosted by the h’s dad brings them together again and they have a quickie in a bathroom. No condom was used, but the h says she will take care of it the next am with the plan b pill. She realizes before she purchases plan b, that she hasn’t had her period in awhile. Neither of them took precautions the first time either. So, she goes quickly to the gynecologist who just happened to have a last minute opening and gets a pregnancy test. Then she goes to the Hero, and he is excited that she is visiting him for maybe another interlude like the one in the bathroom. He can’t wait to get her on his desk, but she stops him and tells him they are expecting a baby. He doesn’t handle it well. His reaction leaves her cold, and she decides that she is better off without him. He realizes his reaction was less then stellar. He tries texting, calling, and emailing. She blocks him. He tells his sons and they are supportive of him moving on and tell him to try and get his woman. They meet up again for the first time at the h’s father’s wedding. She gives him the cold shoulder. They have to dance together and she is not receptive. She still hasn’t told anyone she is pregnant, except for her bff in Madison. In fact, she has a plane set the next day to move back to Madison and raise her child there.
The H also has a plan. He is getting his woman back. When he arrives the next day at the h’s home with flowers in hand, he finds out she has left. He tells the father he is in love with the daughter and the father reacts with a punch to the face. The father is shocked to learn he is to be a grandfather to boot!
Anyhoo, the H goes to Madison on a private plane and gets his gal. She moves in with him. She accepts that the first wife will always be part of their lives just like her dead mother is. They get married, she gives birth to a baby girl. The baby is named Ivy(aww) heather(homage to her dead mom) - Rose(homage to her husband’s previous wife)….What? Yep! You heard me, the dead wife. The same one her husband will share a cemetery plot with. Where will she be? I don’t know. Are there pictures of Rose all over the house? Hmm, not sure.
Callie Stevens has probably handled the whole “falling in love more than once in your life” trope more realistically than most authors. I can’t really fault her more realistic handling of the having to accept that there was a love before the current heroine. It’s a me, not you scenario. I just want my h’s to have an edge. At least she gave the H a daughter, since he already has 3 sons to carry on the family name.
Heroine: Rye, 29, Has been living in Madison Wisconsin for the past 10 years but circumstances have brought her back to Chicago. Her father is getting married to a very lovely woman, Giselle. The h likes her a lot and so do we. Anyhoo, the bride to be isn’t really interested in planning her own wedding and our h is trying to get into the business of flowers and possible wedding planning, so she is elected. The couple also suggest that the best man, the hero Ash, assist the h. Now the h has been crushing on the hero for the past 13 years (shortly after his wife died). I am not going to say what attracted her to the H, but it comes to light in the last few pages, and it is kind of weird in my opinion. Anyhoo, the h has not really had any long term relationships as none of them match up to her idea of the H.
Hero: Ashton, 46, He is Uber successful and lives in a mansion. He was married to Rose, his high school sweetheart. He knocked her up in high school and they married. He talks about his love for Rose throughout the book. They had 3 sons. The oldest is the same age as the heroine. (He will be featured in the next book: Baby For The Off Limits Single Daddy: A Stuck Together Best Friend's Brother Romance When he arrives at his bff’s house(the h’s dad) to assist on wedding planning, he is struck by the beautiful woman who happens to be there. He is shocked to realize that it is the bff’s daughter. Of course this makes her off limits, so he tamps down his attraction for her by being a little distant. He does apologize, and the two of them enter into a friendly relationship, while squashing their feelings for each other.
🛑Stop here🛑 if you do not want SPOILERS…..SPOILERS NOW!!!!!🛑
One drunken night while wedding planning, they succumb to their mutual attraction and go the whole night. The H, has been almost celibate in the last 13 years, and this is the first woman in a long time to get his motor revving. The next morning is awkward, as both realize that it is taboo for them to be together. Since he is her dad’s best friend. So, basically they stay away from each other for the next month. A dinner party hosted by the h’s dad brings them together again and they have a quickie in a bathroom. No condom was used, but the h says she will take care of it the next am with the plan b pill. She realizes before she purchases plan b, that she hasn’t had her period in awhile. Neither of them took precautions the first time either. So, she goes quickly to the gynecologist who just happened to have a last minute opening and gets a pregnancy test. Then she goes to the Hero, and he is excited that she is visiting him for maybe another interlude like the one in the bathroom. He can’t wait to get her on his desk, but she stops him and tells him they are expecting a baby. He doesn’t handle it well. His reaction leaves her cold, and she decides that she is better off without him. He realizes his reaction was less then stellar. He tries texting, calling, and emailing. She blocks him. He tells his sons and they are supportive of him moving on and tell him to try and get his woman. They meet up again for the first time at the h’s father’s wedding. She gives him the cold shoulder. They have to dance together and she is not receptive. She still hasn’t told anyone she is pregnant, except for her bff in Madison. In fact, she has a plane set the next day to move back to Madison and raise her child there.
The H also has a plan. He is getting his woman back. When he arrives the next day at the h’s home with flowers in hand, he finds out she has left. He tells the father he is in love with the daughter and the father reacts with a punch to the face. The father is shocked to learn he is to be a grandfather to boot!
Anyhoo, the H goes to Madison on a private plane and gets his gal. She moves in with him. She accepts that the first wife will always be part of their lives just like her dead mother is. They get married, she gives birth to a baby girl. The baby is named Ivy(aww) heather(homage to her dead mom) - Rose(homage to her husband’s previous wife)….What? Yep! You heard me, the dead wife. The same one her husband will share a cemetery plot with. Where will she be? I don’t know. Are there pictures of Rose all over the house? Hmm, not sure.
Callie Stevens has probably handled the whole “falling in love more than once in your life” trope more realistically than most authors. I can’t really fault her more realistic handling of the having to accept that there was a love before the current heroine. It’s a me, not you scenario. I just want my h’s to have an edge. At least she gave the H a daughter, since he already has 3 sons to carry on the family name.
July 5, 2023
Rye and Ash
She is 17 years younger than him and her father’s best friend. 29 her/46 him She’s liked him since she was 16. Her father is getting married and asks her and Ash to plan it forcing them together a lot. He hasn’t seen her in 9 years and the minute he does he can’t stop thinking about her. They have wine one night and bond and can’t resist their attraction. Hot scene 🔥🔥🔥 where he throws everything off the table to have her now. She gets pregnant and goes to his office to tell him. For some reason he thinks she is there just to have sex with him and is all over her thinking how kinky she is. This was weird to me though he does admit that he no longer wants to hide their relationship. She tells him she is pregnant and he seems to offer to pay for an abortion… and then he walks out. He immediately regrets his actions and realizes he loves her… he has some emotional hang ups due to his wife dying about 10 years ago which she can relate to having also lost her mother. She ignores him and they both don’t want to ruin her dad’s wedding so he only approaches her the day after only to find out she has left. He tells his three grown sons about her and the pregnancy and they encourage him to go after her. He tells his best friend then that he loves his daughter and that she is pregnant- he gets punched hard. But he also breaks down in a deep wrenching cry as he feels he has lost her forever much like he lost his first wife. (This so touching.) Ryes dad embraces his friend, though still angry, but sympathizes due to his own loss of his wife. He tells Ash where she is and says if Rye loves him he will be ok.
Hea with him chasing after her and confessing his love. They move in together and they marry quickly before baby Ivy is born.
She is 17 years younger than him and her father’s best friend. 29 her/46 him She’s liked him since she was 16. Her father is getting married and asks her and Ash to plan it forcing them together a lot. He hasn’t seen her in 9 years and the minute he does he can’t stop thinking about her. They have wine one night and bond and can’t resist their attraction. Hot scene 🔥🔥🔥 where he throws everything off the table to have her now. She gets pregnant and goes to his office to tell him. For some reason he thinks she is there just to have sex with him and is all over her thinking how kinky she is. This was weird to me though he does admit that he no longer wants to hide their relationship. She tells him she is pregnant and he seems to offer to pay for an abortion… and then he walks out. He immediately regrets his actions and realizes he loves her… he has some emotional hang ups due to his wife dying about 10 years ago which she can relate to having also lost her mother. She ignores him and they both don’t want to ruin her dad’s wedding so he only approaches her the day after only to find out she has left. He tells his three grown sons about her and the pregnancy and they encourage him to go after her. He tells his best friend then that he loves his daughter and that she is pregnant- he gets punched hard. But he also breaks down in a deep wrenching cry as he feels he has lost her forever much like he lost his first wife. (This so touching.) Ryes dad embraces his friend, though still angry, but sympathizes due to his own loss of his wife. He tells Ash where she is and says if Rye loves him he will be ok.
Hea with him chasing after her and confessing his love. They move in together and they marry quickly before baby Ivy is born.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 28, 2022
Rye is coming home to spend time with her father, when they ask her to put their wedding together. Her father has found a new love after having lost her mother and she is so happy for them. The only problem is they have asked her father's best friend, Ash, to help her get it done. Ash has been her crush since she was 16 years old, and she doesn't know how to handle being around him so much.
Ash lost the love of his life many years ago, and has raised his three sons on his own. He blames himself for her loss and has refused to let anyone else into his life romantically. But the day he is reintroduced to Rye, he has second thoughts. He can't help but feel it is wrong to want his best friend's daughter, but he also can't help how much he is drawn towards her.
Spending a ton of time together to plan and coordinate the wedding, the two of them get closer and closer to each other. Then one night they can't control it any longer and give in to their building passion. The consequences that follow that night throw Ash into turmoil and blame all over again. Can the find a way past his feelings to a future? Will his best friend forgive for what he has done?
This was a great read and I could not put it down. You are drawn into the story with each passing page! I finished it in 24 hours. Loved it.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Ash lost the love of his life many years ago, and has raised his three sons on his own. He blames himself for her loss and has refused to let anyone else into his life romantically. But the day he is reintroduced to Rye, he has second thoughts. He can't help but feel it is wrong to want his best friend's daughter, but he also can't help how much he is drawn towards her.
Spending a ton of time together to plan and coordinate the wedding, the two of them get closer and closer to each other. Then one night they can't control it any longer and give in to their building passion. The consequences that follow that night throw Ash into turmoil and blame all over again. Can the find a way past his feelings to a future? Will his best friend forgive for what he has done?
This was a great read and I could not put it down. You are drawn into the story with each passing page! I finished it in 24 hours. Loved it.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 10, 2023
An age gap surprise pregnancy
First book I have read of Callie Stevens and it won’t be the last going to have to read on what the Hawthorns get up to. This book I loved if you love age gap romances then this a book you will like, Ash and Rye have chemistry from from the off in this book you will get the back story so no spoilers from me. If you are emotional with heart felt story lines then you might need a tissue at times but it’s well worth a few tears. 5 huge ⭐️ from me
First book I have read of Callie Stevens and it won’t be the last going to have to read on what the Hawthorns get up to. This book I loved if you love age gap romances then this a book you will like, Ash and Rye have chemistry from from the off in this book you will get the back story so no spoilers from me. If you are emotional with heart felt story lines then you might need a tissue at times but it’s well worth a few tears. 5 huge ⭐️ from me
January 5, 2023
Loved This Age Gap
Rye has had eyes for Ash since she was sixteen but now at thirty there just might be a chance even though Ash is best friends with her dad. With Rye back home she is asked to help plan her dad’s wedding along with Ash. Things only heat up from there.
I loved the way this author brought the story to life and had me rooting for this couple all the way through.
Rye has had eyes for Ash since she was sixteen but now at thirty there just might be a chance even though Ash is best friends with her dad. With Rye back home she is asked to help plan her dad’s wedding along with Ash. Things only heat up from there.
I loved the way this author brought the story to life and had me rooting for this couple all the way through.
Read
August 6, 2023if you see that I've read this, no you didn't.
August 1, 2025
KoboPlus Audiobook
DNF @ 25%
Some of my fav tropes (best friend’s … & age gap) and I still don’t want to finish. The set up is kind of weak and it goes downhill from there.
The description is accurate but in the worst ways. Ash *is*a walking red flag - because he’s a jerk to her and he’s hung up on his dead wife who he internally talks about more than anyone/anything. I absolutely get loving a spouse that was lost… but I want to have an inkling that he’s able to build a relationship with someone else and it’s not here. Also, he’s supposed to be mid40s but acts and thinks like someone barely out of high school
The writing is repetitive, except the timelines which are inconsistent, and at this point I’m just 🥱
Narration:
I enjoyed Scott R. Smith’s performance. While Melissa Connell has a nice voice and emotion - all the characters sound exactly the same and it made the dialogue confusing at times. (but some of that could be the writing so I’d be willing to try another audiobook by her in the future.
DNF @ 25%
Some of my fav tropes (best friend’s … & age gap) and I still don’t want to finish. The set up is kind of weak and it goes downhill from there.
The description is accurate but in the worst ways. Ash *is*a walking red flag - because he’s a jerk to her and he’s hung up on his dead wife who he internally talks about more than anyone/anything. I absolutely get loving a spouse that was lost… but I want to have an inkling that he’s able to build a relationship with someone else and it’s not here. Also, he’s supposed to be mid40s but acts and thinks like someone barely out of high school
The writing is repetitive, except the timelines which are inconsistent, and at this point I’m just 🥱
Narration:
I enjoyed Scott R. Smith’s performance. While Melissa Connell has a nice voice and emotion - all the characters sound exactly the same and it made the dialogue confusing at times. (but some of that could be the writing so I’d be willing to try another audiobook by her in the future.
April 28, 2024
So Rye and Ash are maid of honor and best man and are tasked with planning her dad’s wedding. Her dad and Ash are best friends.
They get close, end up sleeping together, she finds out she’s pregnant and he freaks out cus it’s only been like 15 years since his wife died 🙄 and he reacts like a dick.
I shouldn’t have read this, I hate the dead ex trope. They were childhood sweethearts, she was the perfect mother/wife blah blah blah, and he let us know every other page.
It got to the point I was like dude fuck your dead wife get over it.
After his reaction to her pregnancy she decided to move away as soon as the wedding is over. In the meantime he’s been calling and texting trying to apologise. She ignores him and moves without telling him. He goes to her dad and admits he loves her and she’s pregnant.
“Do I have your blessing to go after her?”
Like honestly wtf, you’re 46. If her dad said no would you just not go after the mother of your child. What a pussy.
As soon as he turns up she’s like wow you came for me, all is forgiven. Like you took a plane trip for nothing sis he’s been ready to be with you.
But even when they had their declarations of love and are making up he was still thinking about his wife.
“Softly, I lean her back onto the creaking pullout couch. Reminds me of all the times Rose and I had to quietly have sex in our childhood bedrooms, making sure we weren’t overheard.” 🤮🤮
They go home and move in together, get married.
And then after the baby is born he thinks to himself “As strange as it is, I wish Rose was here to share this with me. Rye and I wouldn’t have found each other without losing her. And yet there’s a piece of me that wants to feel her arms around me, wants to hear her whisper “You did it.” Again 🤮
And then!!! The dead wife’s name is a middle name along with her dead mom, just so fuckin weird.
They get close, end up sleeping together, she finds out she’s pregnant and he freaks out cus it’s only been like 15 years since his wife died 🙄 and he reacts like a dick.
I shouldn’t have read this, I hate the dead ex trope. They were childhood sweethearts, she was the perfect mother/wife blah blah blah, and he let us know every other page.
It got to the point I was like dude fuck your dead wife get over it.
After his reaction to her pregnancy she decided to move away as soon as the wedding is over. In the meantime he’s been calling and texting trying to apologise. She ignores him and moves without telling him. He goes to her dad and admits he loves her and she’s pregnant.
“Do I have your blessing to go after her?”
Like honestly wtf, you’re 46. If her dad said no would you just not go after the mother of your child. What a pussy.
As soon as he turns up she’s like wow you came for me, all is forgiven. Like you took a plane trip for nothing sis he’s been ready to be with you.
But even when they had their declarations of love and are making up he was still thinking about his wife.
“Softly, I lean her back onto the creaking pullout couch. Reminds me of all the times Rose and I had to quietly have sex in our childhood bedrooms, making sure we weren’t overheard.” 🤮🤮
They go home and move in together, get married.
And then after the baby is born he thinks to himself “As strange as it is, I wish Rose was here to share this with me. Rye and I wouldn’t have found each other without losing her. And yet there’s a piece of me that wants to feel her arms around me, wants to hear her whisper “You did it.” Again 🤮
And then!!! The dead wife’s name is a middle name along with her dead mom, just so fuckin weird.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 12, 2023
I need a rewrite
This was four stars until the end
WHY ARE WE NAMING THE BABY AFTER A PLANT WHEN THE DEAD EX WIFE WAS A FLOWER?!?
WHY ARE WE NAMING THE BABY AFTER THE DEAD MOM OF THE HEROINE AND THE DEAD WIFE OF THE HERO?!
I can’t.
I just can’t. Even for a fictional world that’s too much 🤣
This was four stars until the end
WHY ARE WE NAMING THE BABY AFTER A PLANT WHEN THE DEAD EX WIFE WAS A FLOWER?!?
WHY ARE WE NAMING THE BABY AFTER THE DEAD MOM OF THE HEROINE AND THE DEAD WIFE OF THE HERO?!
I can’t.
I just can’t. Even for a fictional world that’s too much 🤣
April 2, 2023
Pretty boring. He did more crying than she did. The sex was hot but it was too sappy for me.
July 26, 2023
me when the trashy romance I wanted to read was actually trashy: ☹️
August 14, 2023
I've read so many small town romances for a month that I couldn't continue reading them anymore. I want to read smut again that's not closed door or plain vanilla so I gave this one a try. To say I was disappointed is an understatement. Kinda my fault for basing it just on the title alone and it unfortunately falls on my plain vanilla category.
The story was good, only around 240 pages, and straightforward but it's how the male main character was portrayed that I had a hard time reading. There were some instances that I had to look again at whose POV I was reading because the MMC's monologues seemed/sounded feminine. I mean... don't get me wrong, I love reading MMCs when they show their soft and vulnerable side but this one just didn't do it for me—too weak of a Hero that he seemed more out of sorts with his emotions rather than the FMC and he's also immature for a 46-year-old man. Seriously.
So other than that flaw for me, I don't mind reading the other books in this series. I just hope the next MMCs will be written well.
•MMC: 46 y/o, Rich Businessman, Single Dad of 3 Adult Sons
•FMC: 29 y/o, Florist, Wedding Planner for Her Dad and Future Stepmom's Wedding
•Tropes
-Age Gap
-Single Dad
-Father's Bestfriend/Bestfriend's Daughter
-Childhood Crush
-Death of Loved Ones (Off Page)
-Family Dynamics
-Forced Proximity
-Surprise Pregnancy
-Baby Daddy
•Spice/Smut: Tension, 3 Sex Scenes, Steamy to Vanilla = 3/5
The story was good, only around 240 pages, and straightforward but it's how the male main character was portrayed that I had a hard time reading. There were some instances that I had to look again at whose POV I was reading because the MMC's monologues seemed/sounded feminine. I mean... don't get me wrong, I love reading MMCs when they show their soft and vulnerable side but this one just didn't do it for me—too weak of a Hero that he seemed more out of sorts with his emotions rather than the FMC and he's also immature for a 46-year-old man. Seriously.
So other than that flaw for me, I don't mind reading the other books in this series. I just hope the next MMCs will be written well.
•MMC: 46 y/o, Rich Businessman, Single Dad of 3 Adult Sons
•FMC: 29 y/o, Florist, Wedding Planner for Her Dad and Future Stepmom's Wedding
•Tropes
-Age Gap
-Single Dad
-Father's Bestfriend/Bestfriend's Daughter
-Childhood Crush
-Death of Loved Ones (Off Page)
-Family Dynamics
-Forced Proximity
-Surprise Pregnancy
-Baby Daddy
•Spice/Smut: Tension, 3 Sex Scenes, Steamy to Vanilla = 3/5
January 3, 2023
This is the first book I’ve read by this author and couldn’t put it down. The way the words just rolls off the pages and you felt like you were right there with the characters. You fall in love with the main characters as soon as it starts. You definitely need to read this.
February 25, 2024
As much as I enjoyed Rye and Ash’s story there were a lot of editing issues with this book.
May 19, 2024
Rye is moving home and is put in charge of organising her dad's wedding...along with her dad's best friend, Ash, who also happens to be Rye's crush. Complications ensue and Rye is heartbroken. Can Ash fix it before he loses her forever?
March 16, 2024
I got this book on a daily bookbub deal. It’s kinda dumb. Some of it’s sweet and nice but the dumb stuff is annoying and kinda takes away from it.
Rye’s dad is getting remarried a little over a year after being widowed. And his fiancé asks Rye to be her maid of honor. Not only that, they want her to do all the wedding planning with the best man, Ash, her dad’s best friend (also a widow).
Like most dad’s best friend romances I’ve read, Rye has always crushed on him. They hook up with all this alone time wedding planning. And boom, baby. He didn’t react the way she wanted immediately and so she blocks him and ignores all his efforts and doesn’t see him til the wedding where she still tries to avoid him. She packs up and moves away the day after the wedding and he immediately follows her that same day and she just lets all her anger go and they live happily ever after.
What kind of engaged couple wants no part at all in the wedding planning? And I don’t mean that hyperbolically. They literally have a dinner where Ash and Rye explain all the details they booked and planned. That was my first star reduction.
Then Rye doesn’t give Ash a chance to make things up to her at all. He’s a wealthy CEO wanting to be with her and take care of their baby and she instead chooses to run away and live on her friends pull out couch? It was contrived drama and just annoyed me more than anything.
But I do like that they both bonded despite their grief. It was a sweet connection.
I’d only give it 2/5 on the spice scale.
Rye’s dad is getting remarried a little over a year after being widowed. And his fiancé asks Rye to be her maid of honor. Not only that, they want her to do all the wedding planning with the best man, Ash, her dad’s best friend (also a widow).
Like most dad’s best friend romances I’ve read, Rye has always crushed on him. They hook up with all this alone time wedding planning. And boom, baby. He didn’t react the way she wanted immediately and so she blocks him and ignores all his efforts and doesn’t see him til the wedding where she still tries to avoid him. She packs up and moves away the day after the wedding and he immediately follows her that same day and she just lets all her anger go and they live happily ever after.
What kind of engaged couple wants no part at all in the wedding planning? And I don’t mean that hyperbolically. They literally have a dinner where Ash and Rye explain all the details they booked and planned. That was my first star reduction.
Then Rye doesn’t give Ash a chance to make things up to her at all. He’s a wealthy CEO wanting to be with her and take care of their baby and she instead chooses to run away and live on her friends pull out couch? It was contrived drama and just annoyed me more than anything.
But I do like that they both bonded despite their grief. It was a sweet connection.
I’d only give it 2/5 on the spice scale.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 10, 2023
I’d give this 2 1/2 stars
The book was OK personally for me. I didn’t really feel any connection between our main characters and it really pissed me off at overblown. The whole pregnancy situation was. Like I get it, you could be hurtful for the way that he reacted but at the same time, he’s almost 50 and having another baby I understand his worried and the fact that from that moment she was like OK, then we’re done even though he multiple times apologized and said that he wanted to be there, and she just ignored every advance was kind of ridiculous.
Other than that it was OK
The book was OK personally for me. I didn’t really feel any connection between our main characters and it really pissed me off at overblown. The whole pregnancy situation was. Like I get it, you could be hurtful for the way that he reacted but at the same time, he’s almost 50 and having another baby I understand his worried and the fact that from that moment she was like OK, then we’re done even though he multiple times apologized and said that he wanted to be there, and she just ignored every advance was kind of ridiculous.
Other than that it was OK
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 22, 2022
How in the world is this girl 30 and does not have her life together yet. She just was so not 30. Also math was wrong he says he has not seen her since she was 20 at her moms funeral and yet he says that her mom only died a few years ago. A few years and 10 years is a huge difference. Book did not flow properly there was no hook I felt like it was just like every surprise baby story except for the fact she is way old like 30 is way too old for me to believe surprise baby
October 28, 2023
A few issues
I can suspend disbelief for a lot of things but flying between Madison, Wisconsin and Chicago, Illinois is not one. It's a little over a two hour drive, flying would take longer with airport time. People with vehicles, which these characters had, would definitely drive.
Also, I didn't like how long it took for Ash to figure out his feelings and talk to Rye. And then she gave in a little fast without enough grovel for my taste. Otherwise, a decent read.
I can suspend disbelief for a lot of things but flying between Madison, Wisconsin and Chicago, Illinois is not one. It's a little over a two hour drive, flying would take longer with airport time. People with vehicles, which these characters had, would definitely drive.
Also, I didn't like how long it took for Ash to figure out his feelings and talk to Rye. And then she gave in a little fast without enough grovel for my taste. Otherwise, a decent read.
June 29, 2023
No. Dont even think about reading this if you like to read good books. It was cringey and the characters were horrible. It was like reading the old wattpad books that are like “im not like other girls. Im small and petit and i have the bluest orbs anyone could even imagine…”
PLEASE DONT WASTE YOUR TIME ON THIS
PLEASE DONT WASTE YOUR TIME ON THIS
January 11, 2023
Great read, lovely story of the families dynamics. Truly enjoyed it.
“Yo, it’s me,” I said into the speaker.
Delivery out to the lighthouse was now a part of my Sunday routine. Because it was spring and not prime lobster season, Dad and I would take the boat out early Sunday morning. Pull our traps, pick two of the best lobsters from the catch, then I drove out here to deliver them to Mr. Not Ever Charming. After that it was off to The Lobster Pot—our family’s store where we sold frozen and fresh food made with our lobsters.
Sundays were really long days, but weirdly, coming here to sling insults with this guy was kind of a bright spot.
“You realize, yo, it’s me, is not a proper greeting,” said the voice through the speaker.
It was always something with this guy. There was no getting around the fact this dude was a little weird. All the times I’d been out here and he’d never shown his face. Never introduced himself properly. He grumbled and growled, and I rolled my eyes and made fun of him.
It was, believe it or not, the most involved relationship I’d had with a man in quite some time.
God. That’s sad.
I leaned over the open window of my truck and held the button down so I could speak.
“Why do I have to be polite to you when you haven’t even told me your name?”
There was a pause.
“I’m sure you know it,” he said. “I’m sure the whole town knows it.”
I took off my toque and shook out my black hair. It was hot. “Hard to know what’s rumor and what’s not,” I said.
“It’s Mal,” he said.
I nodded. Mal. “That short for something?”
“You’re going to pretend people don’t talk about me in town?”
“Oh, they talk about you, but they don’t call you by your name.” I winced. Shoot. Me and my big mouth.
“What do they call me, Jolie?”
I sighed. Pushed the button. “You know what? They call you Mal.”
They called him the Beast of Calico Cove.
“Mal is short for Malcolm. Malcom Bettencourt.”
Right. Malcolm Bettencourt. The rumor in town was the guy who bought the lighthouse—Malcom, I guess he went by Mal, Bettencourt—wrote some software that made it possible to basically flash your credit card at a pad and have it register. Then he sold that product to a bigger company and now he was worth gazillions.
There were a lot of rumors about what happened to him, but most seemed to agree that he’d been in a horrible accident about a year ago.
Now he was living all alone and completely secluded on the edge of Maine.
And possibly grooming me to be a sex slave. Ha!
“Hey. Look at us. First name basis. We’re practically best friends. I’m going to make you a bracelet.”
He made that choking sound again. Was it a laugh?
He buzzed open the gate. “Proceed,” he said.
I scrunched up my face and looked at the camera. “If you’re contemplating closing those gates behind me one day and keeping me as a sex slave, in full disclosure I should tell you I smell like fish. And looks-wise, Verity is the sister you should probably wait for. She’s the looker in the family.”
“Yes, but you’re the clever one,” he said. That deep voice not quite so foreboding.
I suppose. All I knew was that I was the opposite of the pretty Petit sister. I didn’t fuss with clothes or my hair or my makeup. There was no point when I wasn’t either on the boat fishing with my dad or working in the kitchen.
“That’s right.”
If there was one thing guys around here did not like, it was clever girls. I mean, they liked me fine on trivia night down at the One-Eyed Gull. They liked a clever girl when their boat engine needed some work.
But they didn’t want to bang the clever girl.
I drove through the gate up to the house.
Holy wow. The front door was open.
I could see him standing in the shadow of the doorway.
What was this? Actual face-to-face contact?
I hesitated while having a brief conversation with myself.
He’s not really going to kidnap me.
He doesn’t really have fangs.
Right?
I pulled the box out of the truck and cautiously made my way to the steps of the front porch.
The shadows he stood in were so dark I couldn’t see his face. Only the shape of his body which was tall…and big. Like, strong big. Like…kinda hot big. Like he could lift me up with one arm big. I felt a little buzz in my stomach, which was so weird and inappropriate, but whatever.
A clever girl had to get her kicks where she could.
“Well, hello, Mal,” I said with a smile. I heard him suck in a breath.
“Jolie,” he said and pointed to the bottom stone step. “You can leave them there.”
I set the box down, stepped back and turned toward my truck.
“For what it’s worth,” he growled. “I appreciate clever a million times over pretty.”
Keep reading Happily Ever Maybe? >https://amzn.to/3bTS02r
“Yo, it’s me,” I said into the speaker.
Delivery out to the lighthouse was now a part of my Sunday routine. Because it was spring and not prime lobster season, Dad and I would take the boat out early Sunday morning. Pull our traps, pick two of the best lobsters from the catch, then I drove out here to deliver them to Mr. Not Ever Charming. After that it was off to The Lobster Pot—our family’s store where we sold frozen and fresh food made with our lobsters.
Sundays were really long days, but weirdly, coming here to sling insults with this guy was kind of a bright spot.
“You realize, yo, it’s me, is not a proper greeting,” said the voice through the speaker.
It was always something with this guy. There was no getting around the fact this dude was a little weird. All the times I’d been out here and he’d never shown his face. Never introduced himself properly. He grumbled and growled, and I rolled my eyes and made fun of him.
It was, believe it or not, the most involved relationship I’d had with a man in quite some time.
God. That’s sad.
I leaned over the open window of my truck and held the button down so I could speak.
“Why do I have to be polite to you when you haven’t even told me your name?”
There was a pause.
“I’m sure you know it,” he said. “I’m sure the whole town knows it.”
I took off my toque and shook out my black hair. It was hot. “Hard to know what’s rumor and what’s not,” I said.
“It’s Mal,” he said.
I nodded. Mal. “That short for something?”
“You’re going to pretend people don’t talk about me in town?”
“Oh, they talk about you, but they don’t call you by your name.” I winced. Shoot. Me and my big mouth.
“What do they call me, Jolie?”
I sighed. Pushed the button. “You know what? They call you Mal.”
They called him the Beast of Calico Cove.
“Mal is short for Malcolm. Malcom Bettencourt.”
Right. Malcolm Bettencourt. The rumor in town was the guy who bought the lighthouse—Malcom, I guess he went by Mal, Bettencourt—wrote some software that made it possible to basically flash your credit card at a pad and have it register. Then he sold that product to a bigger company and now he was worth gazillions.
There were a lot of rumors about what happened to him, but most seemed to agree that he’d been in a horrible accident about a year ago.
Now he was living all alone and completely secluded on the edge of Maine.
And possibly grooming me to be a sex slave. Ha!
“Hey. Look at us. First name basis. We’re practically best friends. I’m going to make you a bracelet.”
He made that choking sound again. Was it a laugh?
He buzzed open the gate. “Proceed,” he said.
I scrunched up my face and looked at the camera. “If you’re contemplating closing those gates behind me one day and keeping me as a sex slave, in full disclosure I should tell you I smell like fish. And looks-wise, Verity is the sister you should probably wait for. She’s the looker in the family.”
“Yes, but you’re the clever one,” he said. That deep voice not quite so foreboding.
I suppose. All I knew was that I was the opposite of the pretty Petit sister. I didn’t fuss with clothes or my hair or my makeup. There was no point when I wasn’t either on the boat fishing with my dad or working in the kitchen.
“That’s right.”
If there was one thing guys around here did not like, it was clever girls. I mean, they liked me fine on trivia night down at the One-Eyed Gull. They liked a clever girl when their boat engine needed some work.
But they didn’t want to bang the clever girl.
I drove through the gate up to the house.
Holy wow. The front door was open.
I could see him standing in the shadow of the doorway.
What was this? Actual face-to-face contact?
I hesitated while having a brief conversation with myself.
He’s not really going to kidnap me.
He doesn’t really have fangs.
Right?
I pulled the box out of the truck and cautiously made my way to the steps of the front porch.
The shadows he stood in were so dark I couldn’t see his face. Only the shape of his body which was tall…and big. Like, strong big. Like…kinda hot big. Like he could lift me up with one arm big. I felt a little buzz in my stomach, which was so weird and inappropriate, but whatever.
A clever girl had to get her kicks where she could.
“Well, hello, Mal,” I said with a smile. I heard him suck in a breath.
“Jolie,” he said and pointed to the bottom stone step. “You can leave them there.”
I set the box down, stepped back and turned toward my truck.
“For what it’s worth,” he growled. “I appreciate clever a million times over pretty.”
Keep reading Happily Ever Maybe? >https://amzn.to/3bTS02r
August 20, 2023
Trope-y, Parts Not Consistent, But Some Good Relationship Dynamics
As you may be able to tell from the title, this book has several popular contemporary romance tropes, namely surprise baby and forbidden relationship. As I'm really getting into audiobooks, I thought I would give this one a try, even though those aren't my favorite contemporary romantic tropes. I actually enjoyed the first part of the book, where the hero and heroine build a relationship and struggle with their age-gap attraction to each other, with the attendant guilt about the hero being her dad's best friend. They're thrown together as they work on the wedding planning for her father and his soon-to-be wife. I actually thought things were interesting and going well right until they got intimate, but then the book got weird. Given how they were before, how they acted after just made little sense. Yes, true to the tropes, but not true to the characters as portrayed earlier in the book. I disliked how they became distant for a good chunk of the middle of the book. Even though he's older, they're both relatively mature, her 29 years old and him 46.
I found the peripheral relationships something that made this book better than the typical trope-y romance. I particularly enjoyed the hero's relationship with his 3-year-old adorable granddaughter as well as his three adult sons. The brothers acted very much like real brothers would, but they are intensely close and loyal to each other, even if they give each other a hard time … the way real families are. I also liked the family dynamic between the heroine, her father, and her soon-to-be stepmother. Even though both the heroine and her dad have suffered greatly because of the loss of her mother, they both have such open hearts for the woman who has entered their lives at this later stage. Stepfamilies are often depicted pretty horribly in books like this, so it's a delight to see them as so close and caring toward each other. Once the hero and heroine got back together, as they must in a good romance, I liked how they were together and how they blended their unusual family structure. There's a funny bit in the epilogue as they're talking about the atypical generational differences between siblings, aunts, and uncles.
I particularly liked the male narrator’s voice. I don't know if he actually is an older gentleman, but he didn't sound like a twenty-something or thirty-something young man. He sounded mature … and danged sexy! Even though the book had some rough spots, that delightful voice helped smooth over the rough patches!
I received a promo code for this book, but that did not affect my review.
As you may be able to tell from the title, this book has several popular contemporary romance tropes, namely surprise baby and forbidden relationship. As I'm really getting into audiobooks, I thought I would give this one a try, even though those aren't my favorite contemporary romantic tropes. I actually enjoyed the first part of the book, where the hero and heroine build a relationship and struggle with their age-gap attraction to each other, with the attendant guilt about the hero being her dad's best friend. They're thrown together as they work on the wedding planning for her father and his soon-to-be wife. I actually thought things were interesting and going well right until they got intimate, but then the book got weird. Given how they were before, how they acted after just made little sense. Yes, true to the tropes, but not true to the characters as portrayed earlier in the book. I disliked how they became distant for a good chunk of the middle of the book. Even though he's older, they're both relatively mature, her 29 years old and him 46.
I found the peripheral relationships something that made this book better than the typical trope-y romance. I particularly enjoyed the hero's relationship with his 3-year-old adorable granddaughter as well as his three adult sons. The brothers acted very much like real brothers would, but they are intensely close and loyal to each other, even if they give each other a hard time … the way real families are. I also liked the family dynamic between the heroine, her father, and her soon-to-be stepmother. Even though both the heroine and her dad have suffered greatly because of the loss of her mother, they both have such open hearts for the woman who has entered their lives at this later stage. Stepfamilies are often depicted pretty horribly in books like this, so it's a delight to see them as so close and caring toward each other. Once the hero and heroine got back together, as they must in a good romance, I liked how they were together and how they blended their unusual family structure. There's a funny bit in the epilogue as they're talking about the atypical generational differences between siblings, aunts, and uncles.
I particularly liked the male narrator’s voice. I don't know if he actually is an older gentleman, but he didn't sound like a twenty-something or thirty-something young man. He sounded mature … and danged sexy! Even though the book had some rough spots, that delightful voice helped smooth over the rough patches!
I received a promo code for this book, but that did not affect my review.
May 2, 2024
2.3 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Ehhhh, I honestly wanted to like it so much more than I did. We’re supposed to believe that Rye (our FMC) has been in love with this man for 13yrs just because he masturbated at her house one time when she was 16 and she saw?!?!?! Like she’s said multiple times that she doesn’t really date because they’re not Ash, and that she’s even spoken to her therapist about her “crush” on him and it’s just like you felt that deeply about him for over a decade because he BEAT HIS MEAT in your basement shower one time??? Give me a break. Then we have Ash whose bedroom talk just made me cringe. We saw all 46 of his years everytime he opened his mouth for sexy talk. It just wasn’t doing it for me. Then she’s all like “I made him break a bowl, I’m a goddess” and I just laughed. Like please someone stop me from poking my eyes out. Moving on I feel like there was supposed to be some angst in there but it just wasn’t angsty enough for me so it just came off as dramatic. We have Rye crying and moving away just because he took a couple of hours to process that he was gonna be a new dad all over again with a granddaughter older than his baby and not to mention the baby’s mom is his “best friend” (and I put that in quotes because I never saw anything that made me believe they were best friends) daughter. Like the relationship gave best work buddies not best real life friends. We never see them talk as friends, hang out, or do anything. How would you not know what your best friends child looked like? Do you never go to their house, do they not have any pictures anywhere? Are they never posted on their parents social media? Like in this day and age (which I assume this book is supposed to mirror) how do you not recognize your BEST FRIENDS child. Like if they hadn’t made them best friends (the whole point of the book) then I would believe it. The book wraps up pretty quick and easy and everyone lives happily ever after. I get Rye embracing Ash’s love for his dead wife but making her daughter a living memorial for his ex wife was a little odd and ick but it’s fiction so whatever. All in all it was an ok fast read with a couple of grammatical/editing errors but nothing you can’t look past. I enjoyed it enough but I don’t necessarily want to complete the series.
August 8, 2024
When a childhood crush becomes more. How often does that happen?
All of us have had crushes at some point in our lives, obviously. Many when we were children, and on people TOTALLY out of our league. Teachers, celebrities, etc. Perhaps not so much on our parents' friends, but that's what happens with Rye. Ever since she was sixteen, she was attracted to him and had the biggest crush on him. Thirteen years later, she's back in her hometown to live with her dad and his new fiancé and about to plan their wedding. What she didn't expect was they'd asked the best man to provide assistance in organizing it: Her childhood crush, Ash Hawthorne.
They spend months together meeting with vendors and making decisions, and during this time, they're hot and cold. Ash goes from being rude and practically ignoring her, to wanting to kiss her, back to being a jerk. During this stage, they get a bit TOO hot together a couple of times, which leads to an unexpected pregnancy. Things don't exactly go well after that. Ash and Rye have to decide what to do next and if they can make things work between them without ruining any of their relationships with their friends and family.
Ash, despite being the head honcho of a Fortune 500 company and being forty-six years old, doesn't have himself fully sorted out, and I love that. It shows that even when you're older, people struggle. People aren't perfect. People don't always have their lives all together, even if it seems like it. Ash has conflicting feelings and makes wrong decisions, but he's still a good man at heart. He's a family man, he's loyal, and he loves deeply. It's for this reason he's so torn about what to do with Rye. She's his best friend's daughter, the same age as his eldest son. So much could go wrong, but she feels so right. It's an internal struggle that's written about so well and where love triumphs in the end.
This is an age gap, pregnancy romance. The spice is about a 3/5, though when it happens, it's written VERY well.
Five stars!
All of us have had crushes at some point in our lives, obviously. Many when we were children, and on people TOTALLY out of our league. Teachers, celebrities, etc. Perhaps not so much on our parents' friends, but that's what happens with Rye. Ever since she was sixteen, she was attracted to him and had the biggest crush on him. Thirteen years later, she's back in her hometown to live with her dad and his new fiancé and about to plan their wedding. What she didn't expect was they'd asked the best man to provide assistance in organizing it: Her childhood crush, Ash Hawthorne.
They spend months together meeting with vendors and making decisions, and during this time, they're hot and cold. Ash goes from being rude and practically ignoring her, to wanting to kiss her, back to being a jerk. During this stage, they get a bit TOO hot together a couple of times, which leads to an unexpected pregnancy. Things don't exactly go well after that. Ash and Rye have to decide what to do next and if they can make things work between them without ruining any of their relationships with their friends and family.
Ash, despite being the head honcho of a Fortune 500 company and being forty-six years old, doesn't have himself fully sorted out, and I love that. It shows that even when you're older, people struggle. People aren't perfect. People don't always have their lives all together, even if it seems like it. Ash has conflicting feelings and makes wrong decisions, but he's still a good man at heart. He's a family man, he's loyal, and he loves deeply. It's for this reason he's so torn about what to do with Rye. She's his best friend's daughter, the same age as his eldest son. So much could go wrong, but she feels so right. It's an internal struggle that's written about so well and where love triumphs in the end.
This is an age gap, pregnancy romance. The spice is about a 3/5, though when it happens, it's written VERY well.
Five stars!
January 10, 2023
Loved It!
I am a fan of the older man/younger woman trope, and this book did not disappoint. I especially loved that Rye is the daughter of Ash’s best friend, and she is 29 and a mature woman, and Ash is 46, so he isn’t a cradle robber. She has moved back to Chicago after 7 years in Wisconsin and hopes to open her own floral shop. Her dad has been a widower for over two years, and has recently become engaged to a woman who meets with his daughter’s approval. Ash is also a widower since his wife died in a car accident 10 years ago, and has immersed himself in his business and his three sons and his three year old granddaughter, Piper. Ash hasn’t seen Rye since she left for Wisconsin is struck by her beauty and fights his attraction to her because he doesn’t want to lose his best friend. Rye, however has carried a crush for Ash since she was 16 and would do most anything to bed him. When Rye’s dad and his fiancée ask the pair to help plan their wedding and be the best man and maid of honor, Rye uses the opportunity to make her dreams come true with Ash. Hot kisses and having so much in common lead them to a hot night at his place that leads them to the next day in bed too. When Ash screws up and voices regret for sleeping with Rye, and she flies out of his house and ignores for weeks on end. Their miscommunications and misunderstandings plays out in making the storyline interesting and the book a real page turner. There is humor with Piper, the little granddaughter and Ash, and provides insight into what an amazing man her grandpa is, and Rye falls more deeply in love with Ash. When she finds that she is pregnant with his child, she doesn’t envision his response to the news. There is plenty of angst, a few editing errors but such a heartwarming way in which the two men learn to let go and find new love after the loss of their first loves had me overlooking the editing in this 5 star book.
I am a fan of the older man/younger woman trope, and this book did not disappoint. I especially loved that Rye is the daughter of Ash’s best friend, and she is 29 and a mature woman, and Ash is 46, so he isn’t a cradle robber. She has moved back to Chicago after 7 years in Wisconsin and hopes to open her own floral shop. Her dad has been a widower for over two years, and has recently become engaged to a woman who meets with his daughter’s approval. Ash is also a widower since his wife died in a car accident 10 years ago, and has immersed himself in his business and his three sons and his three year old granddaughter, Piper. Ash hasn’t seen Rye since she left for Wisconsin is struck by her beauty and fights his attraction to her because he doesn’t want to lose his best friend. Rye, however has carried a crush for Ash since she was 16 and would do most anything to bed him. When Rye’s dad and his fiancée ask the pair to help plan their wedding and be the best man and maid of honor, Rye uses the opportunity to make her dreams come true with Ash. Hot kisses and having so much in common lead them to a hot night at his place that leads them to the next day in bed too. When Ash screws up and voices regret for sleeping with Rye, and she flies out of his house and ignores for weeks on end. Their miscommunications and misunderstandings plays out in making the storyline interesting and the book a real page turner. There is humor with Piper, the little granddaughter and Ash, and provides insight into what an amazing man her grandpa is, and Rye falls more deeply in love with Ash. When she finds that she is pregnant with his child, she doesn’t envision his response to the news. There is plenty of angst, a few editing errors but such a heartwarming way in which the two men learn to let go and find new love after the loss of their first loves had me overlooking the editing in this 5 star book.
March 21, 2023
short and sweet
Actual rating 3.5
Callie Stevens is a new to me author and I must say I enjoyed this.
One thing I would have loved to have seen with this book is a different beginning. I kinda felt like it dragged out a bit in the beginning I would have liked a twist in there to be that they had hooked up and He didn’t realize she was who she was until they met at the father’s house again before doing their wedding planning stuff. I don’t know, I just feel like there would have been more tension between them with a different beginning. Towards the middle I really started getting into the book however, I enjoyed the complexity of their emotions and Guilt on Ash’s part and the mental and emotional anguish on moving on. I would have liked more intensity there but I still enjoyed it.
At first, I wasn’t even sure how they would match. To me I didn’t feel the chemistry or connection until halfway through the book. I think there is still so much the author could have done with this pair and really getting the readers emotionally involved in their story. I feel like for what the story is there was a lack of drama when the reveal happened. I was expecting more blow back especially from the families but really only got one punch out of the whole situation. All that isn’t to say I didn’t enjoy the book because I did. It was just too fluffy and unrealistic for my taste but still an enjoyable read.
It was a short read but I liked that about the book. I was wanting a short drama filled taboo kind of read and I got one. Just wished I was more emotionally invested in the story. I was also glad to see the book wasn’t set in your typical romance settings either. Its not everyday you read a story set in Chicago and because I live in a different country I enjoyed exploring and learning more about the city. I’m curious to see what other work the author has and I’m looking forward to seeing what she does with Ash’s Sons stories and if we will see Ash and Rye.
Actual rating 3.5
Callie Stevens is a new to me author and I must say I enjoyed this.
One thing I would have loved to have seen with this book is a different beginning. I kinda felt like it dragged out a bit in the beginning I would have liked a twist in there to be that they had hooked up and He didn’t realize she was who she was until they met at the father’s house again before doing their wedding planning stuff. I don’t know, I just feel like there would have been more tension between them with a different beginning. Towards the middle I really started getting into the book however, I enjoyed the complexity of their emotions and Guilt on Ash’s part and the mental and emotional anguish on moving on. I would have liked more intensity there but I still enjoyed it.
At first, I wasn’t even sure how they would match. To me I didn’t feel the chemistry or connection until halfway through the book. I think there is still so much the author could have done with this pair and really getting the readers emotionally involved in their story. I feel like for what the story is there was a lack of drama when the reveal happened. I was expecting more blow back especially from the families but really only got one punch out of the whole situation. All that isn’t to say I didn’t enjoy the book because I did. It was just too fluffy and unrealistic for my taste but still an enjoyable read.
It was a short read but I liked that about the book. I was wanting a short drama filled taboo kind of read and I got one. Just wished I was more emotionally invested in the story. I was also glad to see the book wasn’t set in your typical romance settings either. Its not everyday you read a story set in Chicago and because I live in a different country I enjoyed exploring and learning more about the city. I’m curious to see what other work the author has and I’m looking forward to seeing what she does with Ash’s Sons stories and if we will see Ash and Rye.
October 22, 2023
A wonderful entertaining heartfelt story that's so much more than the first impressions of the title! The title did make me have certain expectations (more fluff, less plot) and I am happy to say the book did not meet those expectations. The story is quite heartfelt and engaging, with both leads having their own struggles to overcome. The story is dual POV, with both perspectives being told in first person.
Ash and Rye were wonderful and complex together. They didn't have the easiest beginning to a relationship with the whole age gap, dad's best friend thing going on. And Ash does his best to put up walls, both for thinking his best friend's daughter is attractive and missing deceased wife. Rye does her best to curb her attraction to Ash and gets thrown through some hoops with the hot/cold behavior of Ash. When the two are together with the walls down, they are absolutely wonderful! They have great chemistry and amazing steamy scenes!
The story is so much more than the title and the characters were wonderful. It's a wonderful series starter and I look forward to getting to know the rest of the Hawthorn clan!
The book contains topics of loss of a spouse (with some discussion on page), loss of a parent, age gap romance, swearing, and steamy scenes.
I enjoyed the narrators! I haven't heard them narrate before and they did a good job. Each helped bring the characters to life! It is narrated in dual POV with the male narrator narrating all the voices and vice versa for the female narrator.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Ash and Rye were wonderful and complex together. They didn't have the easiest beginning to a relationship with the whole age gap, dad's best friend thing going on. And Ash does his best to put up walls, both for thinking his best friend's daughter is attractive and missing deceased wife. Rye does her best to curb her attraction to Ash and gets thrown through some hoops with the hot/cold behavior of Ash. When the two are together with the walls down, they are absolutely wonderful! They have great chemistry and amazing steamy scenes!
The story is so much more than the title and the characters were wonderful. It's a wonderful series starter and I look forward to getting to know the rest of the Hawthorn clan!
The book contains topics of loss of a spouse (with some discussion on page), loss of a parent, age gap romance, swearing, and steamy scenes.
I enjoyed the narrators! I haven't heard them narrate before and they did a good job. Each helped bring the characters to life! It is narrated in dual POV with the male narrator narrating all the voices and vice versa for the female narrator.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 16, 2023
I absolutely loved this book it’s one of my favorite tropes. Ash is Rye’s dads best friend he’s 46 a she’s 29 not really a huge age gap. Rye has had a crush on Ash since she was 16 a when they meet again at her dads he is instantly hooked but he doesn’t recognize her. That’s until her dad says her name he chastises himself for thinking adult thoughts about her. Rye on the other hand is excited to see him again an is happy to have adult thoughts about Ash.
They’re thrown together to plan Rye’s dad’s wedding to Gisele they met in a grief group for people who’ve lost loved ones. One thing leads to another add some wine a you get some fun adult time.
Ash thinks he’s not the right person for her so he brings his son along to one of the meetings he has with Rye to check out something for the wedding an he basically is a bit of a cold jerk to her as his son points out to him once they’re alone an he also tells him she not his type.
Things happen fast but it doesn’t take away from the story. One e Rye discovers she’s pregnant she tells Ash an he’s so overwhelmed he doesn’t take it well per se. Rye decides she can’t stay after the wedding she she goes back to her best friend who she stays with.
Ash realizes he’s in love with her a goes to her dads house to tell her but she’s already gone he finds that out after telling her dad his feelings. He’s told where she is goes to her a they both confess things to each other a tell each other they’re in love with the other one.
The epilogue is such a great addition I loved the name of the baby an how his granddaughter calls Rye grandma is to adorable . This series follows Ash an his three sons they each get a book a you meet some of the characters from the next books in Ash’s book.
They’re thrown together to plan Rye’s dad’s wedding to Gisele they met in a grief group for people who’ve lost loved ones. One thing leads to another add some wine a you get some fun adult time.
Ash thinks he’s not the right person for her so he brings his son along to one of the meetings he has with Rye to check out something for the wedding an he basically is a bit of a cold jerk to her as his son points out to him once they’re alone an he also tells him she not his type.
Things happen fast but it doesn’t take away from the story. One e Rye discovers she’s pregnant she tells Ash an he’s so overwhelmed he doesn’t take it well per se. Rye decides she can’t stay after the wedding she she goes back to her best friend who she stays with.
Ash realizes he’s in love with her a goes to her dads house to tell her but she’s already gone he finds that out after telling her dad his feelings. He’s told where she is goes to her a they both confess things to each other a tell each other they’re in love with the other one.
The epilogue is such a great addition I loved the name of the baby an how his granddaughter calls Rye grandma is to adorable . This series follows Ash an his three sons they each get a book a you meet some of the characters from the next books in Ash’s book.
December 5, 2023
The best man (MFC's dad's best friend) and the maid of honor (MFC) have to work together to plan a wedding for her dad and his girlfriend. They have to do everything for the wedding as the couple getting married wants no part in the planning.
The story was okay, but there were as many scenes with the main characters as there were with other people so I never really felt the build of a romantic relationship or any type of connection with them because the MFC already has been in love with him since she was 16 and he thought she was attractive. They got pregnant after being together one night where she rushes out the next morning and they ignore it ever happened for like 7 weeks until they have a quick romp in the upstairs bathroom at like his dad's engagement party. The next day she finds out she's pregnant after their first time together.
Once she tells him, he's shocked and sort of just accepts the news and excuses himself from the room. He later texts, emails, and calls to apologize but she ignores all his attempts for contact. Eventually she ends up moving back to Wisconsin without telling him, and then when she shows up she's like omg you followed me? And she's so happy that she did. Yet she couldn't text him back? Then when they slept together that time, there had to be yet ANOTHER mention of his dead wife at the start of it and that was just bad timing.
Overall the story was okay, but it was boring. I didn't even end up reading the epilogue because I didn't care at that point.
The story was okay, but there were as many scenes with the main characters as there were with other people so I never really felt the build of a romantic relationship or any type of connection with them because the MFC already has been in love with him since she was 16 and he thought she was attractive. They got pregnant after being together one night where she rushes out the next morning and they ignore it ever happened for like 7 weeks until they have a quick romp in the upstairs bathroom at like his dad's engagement party. The next day she finds out she's pregnant after their first time together.
Once she tells him, he's shocked and sort of just accepts the news and excuses himself from the room. He later texts, emails, and calls to apologize but she ignores all his attempts for contact. Eventually she ends up moving back to Wisconsin without telling him, and then when she shows up she's like omg you followed me? And she's so happy that she did. Yet she couldn't text him back? Then when they slept together that time, there had to be yet ANOTHER mention of his dead wife at the start of it and that was just bad timing.
Overall the story was okay, but it was boring. I didn't even end up reading the epilogue because I didn't care at that point.
March 12, 2024
🎧🎧AUDIO REVIEW🎧🎧
PERFORMANCE REVIEW & RATING: 4 STARS
Melissa Connell and Scott R. Smith are both new-to-me narrators. I think they did a perfectly good job narrating this story. I can’t say they’re and better or worse than anything else, since they’re new-to-me narrators but I’ve got the next 2 books in this series queued and ready to go so we shall see:)
STORY REVIEW & RATING: 4 STARS
I really like Callie’s style of writing. I’ve now listened to 4 of her audiobooks and I enjoyed every single story.
This story is pretty predictable as far as plot-points go, but they were so well fleshed out that that didn’t even bother me one bit! There were a few unique circumstances thrown into the mix which is probably why the predictability didn’t even phase me. I find it refreshing every time I find a story of this nature and it’s not a wham-bam plot. There’s substance to the relationship between the H/h and a true romance journey as well.
There is one *thing* about this story I wasn’t a fan of and that’s putting the H’s deceased wife on a pedestal all the way till the end. He has a past, I get that, but the h is his future and I find stories that continue mentioning a character’s past love #twitchy. I know this is probably more of a me thing, but it just rubs me wrong. *shrug* It’s just a tiny thing, but if the story had been longer, it might have been a big thing. Feel me?
Anywho, I absolutely LOVE age-gap stories, especially with this range, and I’m super stoked I’ve found an author who writes these and does it well! :)
PERFORMANCE REVIEW & RATING: 4 STARS
Melissa Connell and Scott R. Smith are both new-to-me narrators. I think they did a perfectly good job narrating this story. I can’t say they’re and better or worse than anything else, since they’re new-to-me narrators but I’ve got the next 2 books in this series queued and ready to go so we shall see:)
STORY REVIEW & RATING: 4 STARS
I really like Callie’s style of writing. I’ve now listened to 4 of her audiobooks and I enjoyed every single story.
This story is pretty predictable as far as plot-points go, but they were so well fleshed out that that didn’t even bother me one bit! There were a few unique circumstances thrown into the mix which is probably why the predictability didn’t even phase me. I find it refreshing every time I find a story of this nature and it’s not a wham-bam plot. There’s substance to the relationship between the H/h and a true romance journey as well.
There is one *thing* about this story I wasn’t a fan of and that’s putting the H’s deceased wife on a pedestal all the way till the end. He has a past, I get that, but the h is his future and I find stories that continue mentioning a character’s past love #twitchy. I know this is probably more of a me thing, but it just rubs me wrong. *shrug* It’s just a tiny thing, but if the story had been longer, it might have been a big thing. Feel me?
Anywho, I absolutely LOVE age-gap stories, especially with this range, and I’m super stoked I’ve found an author who writes these and does it well! :)
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