What do you think?
Rate this book
Square One
Holden Russell let his job consume his life for too long, and it took his wife leaving for him to realize it’s time for a change. His marriage is over, but he’s determined to do right by his kids, starting with fewer hours at work and more with them. Except it’s no longer the kids competing with his job for his attention. It’s Holden competing for their attention… with their new live-in nanny. Their very hot male live-in nanny.
Porter Blake never saw himself becoming a nanny, but okay. After burnout and PTSD drove him from his job as a paramedic, he’s desperate for something new, and it turns out the nanny gig isn’t so bad. The pay is decent, the stress is manageable, the kids are great, and their mom is cool. It’s the ex-husband he’s not so sure about.
The situation is awkward enough when Porter and Holden are butting heads. When they find some common ground and their mutual attraction becomes too much to ignore, things are bound to get complicated.
And unless they want Porter to lose his job, they’re going to have to fly under the ex-wife’s radar. Except secrets like this have a way of coming out…
This standalone novel is approximately 115,000 words long.
Porter Blake never saw himself becoming a nanny, but okay. After burnout and PTSD drove him from his job as a paramedic, he’s desperate for something new, and it turns out the nanny gig isn’t so bad. The pay is decent, the stress is manageable, the kids are great, and their mom is cool. It’s the ex-husband he’s not so sure about.
The situation is awkward enough when Porter and Holden are butting heads. When they find some common ground and their mutual attraction becomes too much to ignore, things are bound to get complicated.
And unless they want Porter to lose his job, they’re going to have to fly under the ex-wife’s radar. Except secrets like this have a way of coming out…
This standalone novel is approximately 115,000 words long.
338 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 12, 2019
241 people are currently reading
404 people want to read
About the author
L.A. Witt
220 books2,730 followersL.A. Witt and her husband have been exiled from Spain and sent to live in Maine because rhymes are fun. She now divides her time between writing, assuring people she is aware that Maine is cold, wondering where to put her next tattoo, and trying to reason with a surly Maine coon. Rumor has it her arch nemesis, Lauren Gallagher, is also somewhere in the wilds of New England, which is why L.A. is also spending a portion of her time training a team of spec ops lobsters.
Authors Ann Gallagher and Lori A. Witt have been asked to assist in lobster training, but they "have books to write" and "need to focus on our careers" and "don't you think this rivalry has gotten a little out of hand?" They're probably just helping Lauren raise her army of squirrels trained to ride moose into battle.
Visit her website at http://www.gallagherwitt.com/.
Authors Ann Gallagher and Lori A. Witt have been asked to assist in lobster training, but they "have books to write" and "need to focus on our careers" and "don't you think this rivalry has gotten a little out of hand?" They're probably just helping Lauren raise her army of squirrels trained to ride moose into battle.
Visit her website at http://www.gallagherwitt.com/.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews
August 30, 2019
Manny and Dad fall in love. It’s been done but that’s okay. However, this was just far too slow and plodding. Oh my God, was it plodding. And everything was so perfect. The kids were the best behaved in the world. Ex spouses gushed over each other. The manny was perfect and, apparently worked seven days a week. There was just nothing in this book to pique my interest. Sorry.
December 22, 2023
Two stars because of the kids, everybody else in this book is extremely uninteresting
December 18, 2023
Book safety, content warnings, and tropes down below.
It was him. It was Holden. It was this man who I wasn’t supposed to be with, and who I suddenly couldn’t see myself being without.
Listening to this book was a bit of an impulsive decision, as it was included with my Storytel subscription. I’m very glad I listened though, because it was a very lovely story, and felt like a pretty realistic representation of what a story like this might be like in real life. It’s about Holden who lost his marriage because of being absent a lot, and who sort of lost the relationship with his three youngest children.
Dealing with the guilt from his fuckups, rebuilding trust and relationships, *and* falling for the georgeous live-in nanny your ex wife hired? Can’t be easy. The kids are a big part of the story, and from the (very limited) knowledge I have about kids, it seemed like they actually acted their age. None of that ‘5 going on 50’ stuff a lot of kids in books have going on.
Both MCs were very likable, and I thought they were sweet together. The well-being of the kids was very much the top priority for both of them throughout (which I appreciated), but they didn’t really seem positive about a relationship or the future together, which resulted in me being negative about it too for a while. Thankfully, the epilogue was lovely and showed how they managed to prioritize each other as well eventually.
Also, I don't want to be hateful, but I do so wish the author would put more effort (or money) into the book covers. They in no way represent the quality of the writing and stories. I imagine a lot of people overlook these books because of the covers. Or maybe that’s just me projecting. Also, if you read Daddy/boy or age play books like I do, you might get why I initially thought it looked like an age play story, lol.
⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
Live-in nanny
Age gap
Single dad
PTSD
Silver Fox
Secret relationship
Slow burn
Secret relationship
Romantic getaway
Mirrored ceiling shenanigans
⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
PTSD
Explicit sexual content
Themes of failed marriage and divorce (not between MCs)
Mentions of past stabbing
Injured child and hospital trip (sprained ankle)
Mentions of absent parent
⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
OM/OW drama: No
Breakup: Yes
POV: 1st person, dual POV
Genre: Contemporary romance, M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Versatile
MCs age: 30 and 44
Kids’ ages: 19, 8, 7, 3 + 14 y/o ex stepdaughter
Pages: 432
It was him. It was Holden. It was this man who I wasn’t supposed to be with, and who I suddenly couldn’t see myself being without.
Listening to this book was a bit of an impulsive decision, as it was included with my Storytel subscription. I’m very glad I listened though, because it was a very lovely story, and felt like a pretty realistic representation of what a story like this might be like in real life. It’s about Holden who lost his marriage because of being absent a lot, and who sort of lost the relationship with his three youngest children.
Dealing with the guilt from his fuckups, rebuilding trust and relationships, *and* falling for the georgeous live-in nanny your ex wife hired? Can’t be easy. The kids are a big part of the story, and from the (very limited) knowledge I have about kids, it seemed like they actually acted their age. None of that ‘5 going on 50’ stuff a lot of kids in books have going on.
Both MCs were very likable, and I thought they were sweet together. The well-being of the kids was very much the top priority for both of them throughout (which I appreciated), but they didn’t really seem positive about a relationship or the future together, which resulted in me being negative about it too for a while. Thankfully, the epilogue was lovely and showed how they managed to prioritize each other as well eventually.
Also, I don't want to be hateful, but I do so wish the author would put more effort (or money) into the book covers. They in no way represent the quality of the writing and stories. I imagine a lot of people overlook these books because of the covers. Or maybe that’s just me projecting. Also, if you read Daddy/boy or age play books like I do, you might get why I initially thought it looked like an age play story, lol.
⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
Live-in nanny
Age gap
Single dad
PTSD
Silver Fox
Secret relationship
Slow burn
Secret relationship
Romantic getaway
Mirrored ceiling shenanigans
⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
PTSD
Explicit sexual content
Themes of failed marriage and divorce (not between MCs)
Mentions of past stabbing
Injured child and hospital trip (sprained ankle)
Mentions of absent parent
⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
OM/OW drama: No
Breakup: Yes
POV: 1st person, dual POV
Genre: Contemporary romance, M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Versatile
MCs age: 30 and 44
Kids’ ages: 19, 8, 7, 3 + 14 y/o ex stepdaughter
Pages: 432
July 17, 2019
I 💜 Mannys
*** 3.75 stars rounded up***
So, I happen to love books that feature mannys’ and age gaps, so this was like a must for me. I did true enjoy the book except for the very end when it came to keeping Porter as their nanny and still paying him. If they are coming together as one unit why can’t he just be a stay at home dad? Why does he need to be paid by Holden and Tiffany? This was just a bit off for me, and I might be the only one that this bothers. But, it does so 🤷🏼♀️.
*** 3.75 stars rounded up***
So, I happen to love books that feature mannys’ and age gaps, so this was like a must for me. I did true enjoy the book except for the very end when it came to keeping Porter as their nanny and still paying him. If they are coming together as one unit why can’t he just be a stay at home dad? Why does he need to be paid by Holden and Tiffany? This was just a bit off for me, and I might be the only one that this bothers. But, it does so 🤷🏼♀️.
August 13, 2021
I loved the beginning of this book. I really enjoyed getting to know Holden and Preston, the kids and even Tiffany. After the first maybe 6 chapters though... the story got quite boring. And it went on and on and on and on. This book could easily have been 150 pages shorter and we would still have got the same book. But without tons of inner monologue and a little less time on the playground. I know I would've been fine with that.
March 3, 2024
I have never been even slightly disappointed with anything that L. A. Witt has written...until now. I really, really, really disliked the characters.... all of them. Holden is a selfish absentee dad, and his ex-wife is nothing to "write home to mother about" either... but at least she was somewhat sympathetic. Hello, lady...you knew that your husband was bisexual all along when you married him. Did you think he was going to have transplant of some kind??? Porter was the best of the characters. He was understanding and a perfect "Manny", and just judging by the picture on the cover he was a "hottie". It didn't take long for me to lose all sympathy for Holden as he turns out early in the story to be a total jerk. Overall, it was a very disappointing effort from an author that I truly, truly love...but hey, everyone is entitled to at least one bad day...right? Actual Rating: 2.75
May 28, 2019
Really enjoyed this one. Do recommend. :) Gave me allllll the feels.
*disclaimer: I was the developmental editor on this book
*disclaimer: I was the developmental editor on this book
June 23, 2019
DNF @ 15% - Unbelievable Situation and Unlikeable MC
Read the blurb--it has some potential but then you open the book and everything is wrong. Holden is a selfish absentee dad and his ex-wife is no pearl, but at least sympathetic in that she knew her husband was bisexual all along. Porter is an outstanding character and a perfect "Manny" and judging by the cover he is as hot as Holden.
But I lost all sympathy for Holden very early on--he is and always was a bit of a jerk and I really didn't want to read about how Porter and he get together. Very disappointing effort from an author whom I truly love.
Read the blurb--it has some potential but then you open the book and everything is wrong. Holden is a selfish absentee dad and his ex-wife is no pearl, but at least sympathetic in that she knew her husband was bisexual all along. Porter is an outstanding character and a perfect "Manny" and judging by the cover he is as hot as Holden.
But I lost all sympathy for Holden very early on--he is and always was a bit of a jerk and I really didn't want to read about how Porter and he get together. Very disappointing effort from an author whom I truly love.
Read
May 28, 2019Available June 12.
June 30, 2019
I’ve read and enjoyed this author work before. This is a mm contemporary story with the main characters Holden a sales rep and the nanny of Holden’s kids Porter, ex paramedic. Set in USA this book was a real page turner. Loved it.
November 8, 2019
If this has been a novella, I might have liked it, but it was way too long. It took me over a week to read. I never thought it would end. I kept abandoning it then going back to try to make headway. It wasn't fun.
March 5, 2023
A bit slow at times, but overall an enjoyable read.
October 28, 2024
[1.75 star] overall okay, just a teeny weeny bit long-winded.
June 22, 2019
I have enjoyed L. A. Witt often in the past but I have to say I felt this was a slow, repetitive story. The premise of the story was interesting enough.
Witt seemed so focused on her two protagonists and the children she forgot about the character development of the secondary characters she usually provides her readers.
Above all what made me want to hurry it along was how much they talked about the kids. They talked about the kids and talked about the kids and talked about the kids. It was just way too much for me.
Holden and Porter. They were hot when together and there was a well done slow burn. I just wanted them to talk about anything else.
Witt seemed so focused on her two protagonists and the children she forgot about the character development of the secondary characters she usually provides her readers.
Above all what made me want to hurry it along was how much they talked about the kids. They talked about the kids and talked about the kids and talked about the kids. It was just way too much for me.
Holden and Porter. They were hot when together and there was a well done slow burn. I just wanted them to talk about anything else.
January 5, 2021
Oof. Way, way longer than it needed to be. Full of a shit ton of repetitive ruminating. Edit that shit out for Pete's sake. Too much kid presence. I've not grounds to complain on that bc, hello, manny book, I knew what I was getting into going on, but still. I pooped out on all the kid action. And all that lying to Tiffany! Yowsa. How did these guys look at themselves in the mirror everyday?? Finally, MF's narration. He's everywhere in MM romance audiobooks these days and I'm just kinda MF'd out TBH. Ending was cute (albeit a bit too perfect) so at least there was that.
June 19, 2019
A little bit repetitive at times but overall a good story with likeable characters.
August 15, 2021
LA Witt has captured the complexity of blended families and the angst associated with ex husbands, ex wives, children, etc so well. And as always, her books scream sex positivity. No prolonged conversations weighed down by homophobia, clear acceptance of bisexuality without the shaming. Well done. But, there is so much reptitiveness in the story. We hear over and over how Holden is struggling with his role in his family after the divorce and the presence of Porter. Got tiresome at times. Also the inner musings went on forever! I did love, however, Porter and Holden together. Couple of guys with significant issues, trying to make it work. Have to say that I thought that Tiffany and her ultimatum would rank her among the dreaded bitchy ex-wives you see so often in MM reads. But, liked the measured way this was handled. I've been reading LA Witt for years and moved from her MF romance books where she writes as Lauren Gallagher to her MMs several years ago. I don't recall the repetitivess in her earlier works but maybe I've forgotten. What is special about all of her books is her beautiful HEAs. Those HEAs are why I read romance. Glorious professions of love, surrounded by family and friends with a look toward the future.
January 20, 2022
just ok
Enjoyable, though slow paced, very domestic, main characters all likeable- it’s nice that everyone who’s an adult talks to the other adults like adults, and I liked that the many children of the large blended family all have distinct and easily pictured personalities, especially since they have so much page time. The complexities of the situation were handled well and everyone putting the kids first all the time was nice too.
I keep using the word “nice” instead of “great” or “amazing” which is why this book gets a solid 3 stars from me. Suffers a but from telling instead of showing all the way through but especially at the beginning with some rather tedious infodumps. Nothing groundbreaking here, but all the usual tropes about mutual pining and secretly dating are managed well. I just found myself speed skimming through a lot of repetitive inner voice monologues about the same old same old same old low stakes angst - tediously covered twice because each character had to go through their entire (basically exactly the same) mental hand wringing in their subsequent individual chapters -and, I’m sorry to say, the sex scenes, which were pretty average, standard fare and after a while just felt like extra filler.
I’m not sure the employee/employer potential power imbalances were given the screen time they likely deserved, but in the end the biggest conflict would ultimately be how the kids would manage if things went badly, and that did get the level of attention it needed (although it went on way too repetitively and definitely for too long. The book could have done a better story in 2/3 its length, it was just. So. Repetitive. We get it. You’re both still angsting, but exactly the same as you were yesterday…). I don’t know what it means that the family feeling and domestic parenting resonated with me more than the romance. It definitely shows that actual parents were involved in the making of this book.
Enjoyable, though slow paced, very domestic, main characters all likeable- it’s nice that everyone who’s an adult talks to the other adults like adults, and I liked that the many children of the large blended family all have distinct and easily pictured personalities, especially since they have so much page time. The complexities of the situation were handled well and everyone putting the kids first all the time was nice too.
I keep using the word “nice” instead of “great” or “amazing” which is why this book gets a solid 3 stars from me. Suffers a but from telling instead of showing all the way through but especially at the beginning with some rather tedious infodumps. Nothing groundbreaking here, but all the usual tropes about mutual pining and secretly dating are managed well. I just found myself speed skimming through a lot of repetitive inner voice monologues about the same old same old same old low stakes angst - tediously covered twice because each character had to go through their entire (basically exactly the same) mental hand wringing in their subsequent individual chapters -and, I’m sorry to say, the sex scenes, which were pretty average, standard fare and after a while just felt like extra filler.
I’m not sure the employee/employer potential power imbalances were given the screen time they likely deserved, but in the end the biggest conflict would ultimately be how the kids would manage if things went badly, and that did get the level of attention it needed (although it went on way too repetitively and definitely for too long. The book could have done a better story in 2/3 its length, it was just. So. Repetitive. We get it. You’re both still angsting, but exactly the same as you were yesterday…). I don’t know what it means that the family feeling and domestic parenting resonated with me more than the romance. It definitely shows that actual parents were involved in the making of this book.
June 23, 2019
True rating ... 3.5 stars :-D!! <<<-- Because this was well written, I read this in pretty much one sitting, and Holden and Porter were adorable!!
This IS a positive rating :-D and I definitely liked this book - though one particular part [involving Tiffany's nosiness] pissed me off!! Overall though, really good and engaging book indeed :-)!!
I'll elaborate much more to shed some light :-)!! Highly recommended!!
This IS a positive rating :-D and I definitely liked this book - though one particular part [involving Tiffany's nosiness] pissed me off!! Overall though, really good and engaging book indeed :-)!!
I'll elaborate much more to shed some light :-)!! Highly recommended!!
January 11, 2023
3.5
listen, I will read anything by L. A Witt and i will have a great time 9/10 times.
BUT i WILL keep thinking about starting a gofundme of something for covers because from what photoshop hell did THIS cover came from i don't know.
it just hurts my feelings because i can't stop ANYONE from judging Witt's books by the covers ((((
listen, I will read anything by L. A Witt and i will have a great time 9/10 times.
BUT i WILL keep thinking about starting a gofundme of something for covers because from what photoshop hell did THIS cover came from i don't know.
it just hurts my feelings because i can't stop ANYONE from judging Witt's books by the covers ((((
June 14, 2019
Great!
I loved this storyline because it was unique to me. I was glad when they finally gave in because it felt like it was never going to happen. It turned out to be a great love story!
I loved this storyline because it was unique to me. I was glad when they finally gave in because it felt like it was never going to happen. It turned out to be a great love story!
added-it
June 9, 2021🎁 FREE on Amazon today (6/9/2021)! 🎁
February 1, 2022
It bored me. I forced myself to read to the end. Mediocre.
3 stars.
3 stars.
August 2, 2021
Sizzling hot with fantastic characters, I was enthralled from the beginning. The chemistry is very convincing and family dynamics added brilliant dimension to the story. I loved this.
July 29, 2019
Holden has lost connection with his 3 kids because he was too wraoped up in travelling for his job. He moves and gets a new job, hoping to reconnect with them.
Hi ex wife has hired a male nanny, causing Holden to feel he doesn't belong. But Porter is a great caregiver, and is glad to help Holden become closer to his kids.
Neither expect their attraction to become a factor in the arrangements and the ex wife warns them both that's not OK. But, it happens anyway.
I like that Holden can put aside his ego to learn who his kids are and what they need. Porter is helpful, kind, and caring, always putting the kids' needs before his own, and even his relationship with Holden.
I don't like their lying. Understandable at first, but once they are regularly spending time at each other's houses, and before they took a holiday, things should have been clarified between the adults. Lying to tge ex and to the kids wasn't necessary.
I also don't get all of Holden's doubts about parenting, since he raised an adult son who's doing all right. Also, the being left out part should have applied whether or not the nanny was male, but that argument wasn't made.
Thr book was too long, with some unnecessary plot pieces, but it works out in the end. Also, the concert at the end was anticlimactic and strange.
KU
Hi ex wife has hired a male nanny, causing Holden to feel he doesn't belong. But Porter is a great caregiver, and is glad to help Holden become closer to his kids.
Neither expect their attraction to become a factor in the arrangements and the ex wife warns them both that's not OK. But, it happens anyway.
I like that Holden can put aside his ego to learn who his kids are and what they need. Porter is helpful, kind, and caring, always putting the kids' needs before his own, and even his relationship with Holden.
I don't like their lying. Understandable at first, but once they are regularly spending time at each other's houses, and before they took a holiday, things should have been clarified between the adults. Lying to tge ex and to the kids wasn't necessary.
I also don't get all of Holden's doubts about parenting, since he raised an adult son who's doing all right. Also, the being left out part should have applied whether or not the nanny was male, but that argument wasn't made.
Thr book was too long, with some unnecessary plot pieces, but it works out in the end. Also, the concert at the end was anticlimactic and strange.
KU
June 11, 2023
Call me stupid, but uhhh...
She's giving him a choice between breaking up his relationship or quitting his job... because keeping the relationship and his job means they'll break up? Which is... exactly what she's asking them to do?
Yeah, no. I'm not a parent, so my opinion matters not to most people reading this book, but that's a bullshit power-play ultimatum that doesn't even make sense.
Clearly the book was well-written enough to get me all het up about it, but I don't like to have a gross taste in my mouth from what's supposed to be a romance novel. And that taste was there from the first time she *demanded* they never date (which was early enough on that I'm not calling any of this a spoiler).
Okay, now that I've gotten that out, I'll talk about my favorite thing: The audiobook narrator was fucking exquisite. Literal perfection. And not just because he clearly did his homework on western Washington place names, although that's nearly enough on its own to win my heart. Brava. ♥️
She's giving him a choice between breaking up his relationship or quitting his job... because keeping the relationship and his job means they'll break up? Which is... exactly what she's asking them to do?
Yeah, no. I'm not a parent, so my opinion matters not to most people reading this book, but that's a bullshit power-play ultimatum that doesn't even make sense.
Clearly the book was well-written enough to get me all het up about it, but I don't like to have a gross taste in my mouth from what's supposed to be a romance novel. And that taste was there from the first time she *demanded* they never date (which was early enough on that I'm not calling any of this a spoiler).
Okay, now that I've gotten that out, I'll talk about my favorite thing: The audiobook narrator was fucking exquisite. Literal perfection. And not just because he clearly did his homework on western Washington place names, although that's nearly enough on its own to win my heart. Brava. ♥️
June 27, 2019
This was a fun and delightful read!
Honestly, the concept was right up my alley, and the connection between Porter and Holden was just lovely. Great background characters, and I thought the author also did a great job with Tiffany, Holden's ex-wife, making her sympathetic even when she was an obstacle to the men being together. Great build, super hot smut, and generally just really enjoyable. A bit repetitive at times, but honestly it flew by.
Honestly, the concept was right up my alley, and the connection between Porter and Holden was just lovely. Great background characters, and I thought the author also did a great job with Tiffany, Holden's ex-wife, making her sympathetic even when she was an obstacle to the men being together. Great build, super hot smut, and generally just really enjoyable. A bit repetitive at times, but honestly it flew by.
January 29, 2023
So, the co-parenting in this? Chef's Kiss.
That said, while I rarely complain about a book not being about anything, this book was way too long for how little it was about. The emotional stakes were actually very high, but they never felt that way because it kept being dragged out. Is that probably ultimately better for the characters emotionally? Yes. Could the book have used a little more conflict? Also yes.
But really. The co-parenting! I dug it.
That said, while I rarely complain about a book not being about anything, this book was way too long for how little it was about. The emotional stakes were actually very high, but they never felt that way because it kept being dragged out. Is that probably ultimately better for the characters emotionally? Yes. Could the book have used a little more conflict? Also yes.
But really. The co-parenting! I dug it.
June 13, 2019
This book was so good, I wish it would never end
November 27, 2021
This novel is a marvel of dramatic tension, carefully laid-out plot and marvelously written primary and secondary characters. It’s not just about the rising UST between ex-husband and struggling father Holden Russell or exemplary nanny Porter Blake, although there is plenty of that. Porter is fighting to overcome his PTSD, a holdover from his years spent as an emergency medical technician and Holden wants to be the father that his children never knew, due to his many years as an overachieving workaholic.
The two men are also involved in achieving balance with Tiffany, Holden’s ex-wife. Tiffany is a terrific character, an unexpectedly powerful female protagonist in an m/m setting. She’s not merely an adjunct to the plot but a vital part of it. She’s smart, shrewd, hard working, tender and tough with her children when she needs to be. When he sees how sparkling and radiant she is after the divorce compared to how frazzled she was when he was married to her, Holden realizes just how difficult it was for her to manage all their children on her own while he was off on the road. Tiffany shines now because she has help managing her children and she makes it clear that she does not want Holden to ruin things for her.
As for Porter, he adores the children and his commitment to them is obvious in every scene. We see him through his eyes and Holden’s as the book alternates each chapter from his and the ex-husband’s POVs. This alternating literary device gives us added dimensions and depths to each man’s character—his flaws, strengths, inner and outer dialogue. Porter is nervous about butting heads with Holden yet he doesn’t back down from their confrontations. Holden is determined to take his place as father figure with his children but he’s willing to let Porter help when his offspring are fractious and disobedient.
The novel initially makes parenting seem easy but, as it progresses, we realize it’s anything but that. Children test adults about them often and this book doesn’t shy away from how the Russell children can trip up, harass and plain exasperating the three adults bent on bring them up as decent human beings. But there’s a lot of good advice here (if you’re not keen on the romance, this would be a great book on how to bring up your children) which may explain why this book is considerably longer than your mundane Harlequin romance which usually tries to squeeze sex, romance and other aspects into humanity into a typical 250-odd-page book.
This is one of the most delightful m/m novels I’ve ever had the pleasure to peruse. The sex scenes are great (boy, are they ever) but for once they took a back seat to the social dynamics among all the characters involved. If you like the notion of responsible gay male adults slotting mind-blowing sex between scenes of happy domesticity, this is the best novel I’ve ever read that fits the criteria.
The two men are also involved in achieving balance with Tiffany, Holden’s ex-wife. Tiffany is a terrific character, an unexpectedly powerful female protagonist in an m/m setting. She’s not merely an adjunct to the plot but a vital part of it. She’s smart, shrewd, hard working, tender and tough with her children when she needs to be. When he sees how sparkling and radiant she is after the divorce compared to how frazzled she was when he was married to her, Holden realizes just how difficult it was for her to manage all their children on her own while he was off on the road. Tiffany shines now because she has help managing her children and she makes it clear that she does not want Holden to ruin things for her.
As for Porter, he adores the children and his commitment to them is obvious in every scene. We see him through his eyes and Holden’s as the book alternates each chapter from his and the ex-husband’s POVs. This alternating literary device gives us added dimensions and depths to each man’s character—his flaws, strengths, inner and outer dialogue. Porter is nervous about butting heads with Holden yet he doesn’t back down from their confrontations. Holden is determined to take his place as father figure with his children but he’s willing to let Porter help when his offspring are fractious and disobedient.
The novel initially makes parenting seem easy but, as it progresses, we realize it’s anything but that. Children test adults about them often and this book doesn’t shy away from how the Russell children can trip up, harass and plain exasperating the three adults bent on bring them up as decent human beings. But there’s a lot of good advice here (if you’re not keen on the romance, this would be a great book on how to bring up your children) which may explain why this book is considerably longer than your mundane Harlequin romance which usually tries to squeeze sex, romance and other aspects into humanity into a typical 250-odd-page book.
This is one of the most delightful m/m novels I’ve ever had the pleasure to peruse. The sex scenes are great (boy, are they ever) but for once they took a back seat to the social dynamics among all the characters involved. If you like the notion of responsible gay male adults slotting mind-blowing sex between scenes of happy domesticity, this is the best novel I’ve ever read that fits the criteria.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews