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Home to Oak Hollow #5

Lessons in Fatherhood

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More surprising than being a father

Is what it takes to be a dad


Nicholas Weller is stunned to discover the adorable baby abandoned in the middle of his art gallery is his son. Asking teacher Emma Blake for help is a plea of desperation—he barely knows her, after all—and clearly, she has her own misgivings. But under Emma's tutelage, Nicholas is soon juggling diapers, formula…and unexpected feelings for her. He’s passing the lessons on fatherhood, but is he ready to graduate to family man?

From Harlequin Special Edition: Believe in love. Overcome obstacles. Find happiness.

233 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 26, 2022

21 people are currently reading
26 people want to read

About the author

Makenna Lee

55 books339 followers
Makenna Lee is an award-winning romance author living in the Texas Hill Country with her real-life hero and their two children, one of whom has Down syndrome and inspired her first Harlequin book, A Sheriff’s Star. She writes heartwarming contemporary romance that celebrates real-life challenges and the power of love and acceptance. She has been known to make people laugh and cry in the same book. Makenna is often drinking coffee with a cat on her lap while writing, reading, or plotting a new story. You might also find her studying herbal medicine or listening to Celtic music. Her wish is to write books that touch your heart, making you feel, think, and dream.

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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
Profile Image for Tina Loves To Read.
3,252 reviews1 follower
July 29, 2022
This is a Romance, and this is the 5th book in the Home to Oak Hollow series. I have read and reviewed three of the other books in this series, but I do feel that you can read this book as a standalone without any problems. This is a single father romance book, and it is so cute. I really loved the romance in this book, and I love the characters in this book. This book pulled me into the storyline so fast, and I loved every second I spent in this book. The ending was so great. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Harlequin Special Edition) or author (Makenna Lee) via NetGalley, so I can give an honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.
Profile Image for Susan Peterson.
1,964 reviews379 followers
July 26, 2022
If you want to read a book that will touch your heart with goodness and light, then I urge you to read Makenna Lee’s books! Lessons in Fatherhood is the 5th book in her Oak Hollow series, set in a fictional town in the Texas Hill Country. Each book is a standalone, but I do love catching up with the characters from the previous novels when I return to Oak Hollow.
Emma and Nicholas (and baby Jax) are the stars of this book, and I was drawn to them and their story from the very first page. They each have back stories that have formed who they are when they meet, with a lot to overcome before they can let their feelings take flight. They start off as business rivals, but things change when Emma agrees to teach Nicholas how to be a dad after an abandoned baby turns out to be his son. It was delightful to watch Nicholas blossom as a dad under Emma’s tutelage; and even more delightful when they realize that their feelings for each other were blossoming, too. Lessons in Fatherhood filled my own heart as these two charming characters found trust, happiness, love, and family.
Profile Image for Amanda.
2,415 reviews103 followers
July 18, 2022
[I received a digital arc for an honest review]

Lessons in Fatherhood
is a stand alone in the Home to Oak Hollow series by Makenna Lee. It gave me everything I expected from a Harlequin Special Edition and the warm family feelings I love about Makenna Lee's stories.

School teacher Emma Blake tolerates the new to towner , Nicholas Weller, who is opening an art gallery next door to her shop. He seems stuck up with his designer clothes and fancy car. Nicholas is only in Oak Hollow temporarily to prove himself to his father, but when a baby is dropped in his gallery his world is turned upside down. He finds himself a new single father and knows absolutely nothing about parenting. He turns to Emma, who has a natural way with his new son. When she agrees to teach him parenting 101 they get to know they are more than the first impressions they put off. With Emma still healing from losing her family four years ago, will she risk letting herself get attached to Nick and his son.

"Hmm. You continue to surprise me, Nicholas Weller?"
"In good ways, I hope?"


This is a sweet romance. Nick, who you assume is a wealthy playboy very quickly worms his way into your heart with his determination to be a good father to his son. I love how patient he was once slowly realized Emma's devastating past. He never pushed her, simply let her know that he had feelings for her and was there for her in any way she may need. Emma stole the show, though. She is such a strong character, full of love. I can't even imagine going through what she did and getting to the point she was at. It was emotional to watch her honor those she lost and open herself up to loving again. The romance between them is a slow burn that's sweet and tender, with off page intimate scenes. They go from tolerating each other to friends to more, quickly becoming a family unit.

He leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers. Softly. So sweetly. "When I kiss you, it feels like something that is ment to happen."


Overall , Lessons in Fatherhood is a charming small town romance between two people healing from different types of hurts in their past. A single parent romance filled with parenting 101, friendship, bunnies and a happily ever after.
Profile Image for Aly.
2,889 reviews87 followers
August 24, 2022
I loved every book in the Home To Oak Hollow series and this one is no exception.

Emma Blake is a kindergarten teacher and she also work with a friend in her grandma's vintage shop that she inherited. Nicholas Weller, a newcomer who haven't made a good first impression, if you ask her, is opening an art gallery next door. Hearing a baby crying outside the store, Emma goes to see what's happening at the same time that Nicholas is coming back from the café. He says the infant is not his, but a note tell him that surprise! he's a father. The whole truth is soon revealed to them and more complicated than expected. Even before he ask her for help, Emma knows Nicholas is going to need it. The deal is one week of baby lessons and he'll give her a hand with yard chores. After a few days, no one is ready to end this cosy situation. But can Emma take the risk to lose a second family again?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Susan.
4,777 reviews123 followers
July 26, 2022
Terrific book. Emma is a kindergarten teacher working in the shop she co-owns with a friend on summer break. She is still recovering from the devastating loss of her husband and daughter. Nicholas is a wealthy newcomer to town who is turning the shop into a combination art gallery and wine tasting room. He rubs Emma the wrong way with his expensive clothes and fancy car.

She is furious when she sees him leave his shop and shortly afterward hears a baby's cries coming from it. How could he go off and leave an infant unattended? But nobody is more shocked than Nicholas when he returns to find Emma and the baby. The infant wasn't there when he left and had no idea who it was until he read the enclosed letter. Stunned to discover that the baby boy is his son, Nicholas asks Emma for help. I had to laugh at his panicked reaction to his sudden fatherhood - it reminded me of the movie Three Men and a Baby.

Emma takes pity on Nicholas and offers to give him lessons, even offering him the apartment over her garage to live in while he learns. Emma was a bit wary of what she got herself into, believing Nicholas to be the wealthy bachelor playboy his appearance suggests. She is pleasantly surprised by his determination to be a good father.

I enjoyed watching the relationship develop between Nicholas and Emma. Each had preconceived ideas about the other, and spending time together smashed them to pieces. Nicholas was adorably determined to be a better father than his own, and his commitment was fantastic. Emma is patient and helpful with his first fumbling attempts, and it isn't long before he's handling things like a pro. Simmering underneath their rapidly growing friendship is an undeniable attraction. But as much as Emma adores baby Jax and likes Nicholas, she is wary of risking her heart again. Nicholas won my heart with his patience and caring as he learned of her past losses.

The more time they spend together, the deeper their connection grows, and the more Emma thinks she may be ready to risk her heart again. Nicholas also looks at his plans for the future and realizes that being a father has given him a better understanding of what he wants for his son. But when his parents unexpectedly show up in Oak Hollow, Nicholas has some decisions to make. Emma, expecting the worst, pushes him away to protect her heart, leaving Nicholas lost and wondering what happened.

I loved the ending and seeing Nicholas get unexpected help from his sister as he reevaluated his priorities. Though I still don't like his parents, they did redeem themselves somewhat in the end. Meanwhile, Emma also had to consider whether she wanted to take another chance on love. I loved Nicholas's big moment, which was sweet and romantic.

#netgalley
Profile Image for Eileen.
2,600 reviews
August 1, 2022
Lessons in Fatherhood by Makenna Lee, book five in the Home to Oak Hollow series, is a cute single father romance, set in the fictional town in the Texas Hill Country. School teacher and store owner Emma Blake tolerates the new to town, Nicholas Weller, who is opening an art gallery next door to her shop. Nicholas is only in Oak Hollow temporarily to prove himself to his wealthy father, but when a baby is left in his art gallery, his world is disrupted and he is confused as he discovers he’s a new single father; knowing absolutely nothing about parenting. He turns to Emma, who has a natural way with his new son, for help as he’s determined to be a good father for his son. When she agrees to teach him parenting 101 they get to know there is more to each of them than the first impressions they gave. With Emma still healing from losing her family four years ago, she forces herself to avoid getting attached to Nick and his son, fearing another loss. Spending time together, helping each other, feelings begin to grow. It’s going to take a lot of patience and willpower before Emma will be able to open up to loving and being part of a family again. Nick was so patient with Emma, especially once he became aware of her devastating past. He never pushed her, he simply let her know that he had feelings for her and was there for her in any way she may need. Their romance was a slow burn, sweet and tender, with off page intimate scenes. They go from tolerating each other to friends to more, quickly becoming a family unit. I highly recommend Lessons in Fatherhood to other readers.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
Profile Image for Lynn Brooks.
3,451 reviews39 followers
July 31, 2022
Heartfelt characters, emotional back stories and just enough adorable sass to keep me hooked page after page! The fifth book in the Home to Oak Hollow series quickly grabbed my attention with a surprise/abandoned baby and I didn't want to put it down even for a minute. I really enjoyed the honest goodness of the main characters and how they each had their own emotional scars to work through.

Nicholas is a genuinely nice guy in spite of his cold upbringing, but finding out he's a dad when he doesn't feel like he ever had an example of one is hard to swallow and he finds himself floundering. Lucky for him he picks just the right person to teach him the way.

Emma has a heartbreaking back story but has such a warm and giving heart that she manages to carry herself forward into whatever life brings her no matter the trauma she herself has suffered. I really liked her.

I highly recommend this book as well as the entire series to anyone who enjoys a small town romance filled with subtle drama, heartwarming characters and happily ever afters freely flowing!
Profile Image for Sage.
59 reviews1 follower
July 1, 2022
Review copied from my bookstagram @readwithsage
_____________________________________________________

Lessons in Fatherhood by Makenna Lee
5 ⭐ wonderful sweet healing read!!!!

@makennaleewriter Can I please live in Oak Hollow? Someway, somehow? 😋 Every single book in this series has grabbed a hold of my heart and just won't let go! And, I think this one is my favorite of the bunch!

Nicholas and Emma are seriously the PERFECT couple! I wouldn't call this enemies-to-lovers, but definitely annoyed-to-lovers! I am not normally a fan of the surprise baby trope, but Makenna Lee pulls it off spectacularly.

Makenna Lee is an absolute auto-buy! And I want to buy a few extras to give away as well bc I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS BOOK!!!!! Makenna Lee has earned herself a spot on my favorite authors list!!!

#readwithsage #makennalee #romance #romancebooks #harlequinbooks #harlequin #smalltownromance #oakhollow #lessonsinfatherhood #returntooakhollow #favoriteauthor #favoriteauthors
Profile Image for Beyond the Pages with Eva K.
2,921 reviews162 followers
September 24, 2022
Quick Summary: A new beginnings love story

My Review: Lessons in Fatherhood by Makenna Lee was a real tearjerker. I loved it. The story was both tragic and beautiful. It was about family, loss, finding love in unexpected places, and fighting for what is truly important.

My Final Say: This book gets a hidden gem rating. 💎

Rating: 5/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: A
Keeper: Yes
Re-read: Yes
Romance: Slow burn

Appreciation is extended to the author, to the publisher, and to NetGalley, who provided access to this title in exchange for an honest review. The words I have shared are my own and have not been influenced by the aforementioned in any way.
Profile Image for Annarella.
14.1k reviews160 followers
July 23, 2022
I think that romances are a good depiction of modern life and this features an interesting novelty: a trendy gallerist who has to face joy and hardship of being a father. Emma Blake, a local teacher, will help him and it's the start of a growing relationship.
This is a sort of enemy-to-lover romance. Nick and Emma are very different and it's a pleasure reading about their growing relationship and I had a lot of fun in reading about the antics of Nick with the baby.
An entertaining and sweet romance that made me smile, root for the characters, and had fun.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
Profile Image for Jenny.
726 reviews19 followers
July 29, 2022
Lessons in Fatherhood was a true delight to read. Makenna Lee’s writing is superb.

Nicholas Weller is in the process of opening his own art gallery, when he finds himself a single father of a baby he didn’t know existed.

Emma Blake owns the shop next door and even though she’s not very fond of Nicholas, she decides to give him some Lessons in Fatherhood.

These two were just the sweetest and baby Jax was adorable!

This is the 5th book in the Home to Oak Hollow Series, but can most definitely be read as a standalone. Though I highly recommend you read all the books in this series. I can guarantee you won’t be disappointed.
341 reviews8 followers
August 8, 2022
OVERALL RATING –4 stars

RECOMMENDED FOR: those that like unexpected single parenthood, overcoming grief, slight opposite attract

First my usual points:
- I do not do spoilers unless warned.
- Read the summary above; it will tell you what the book is about. I will not reiterate.
- This is a standalone but part of a series
- No errors that I caught as far as editing.
- The author was new to me

BOOK:
- Contemporary romance
- 3rd person POV

Star Ratings - 1 (poor) – 5 (READ THIS BOOK)
· Writing Quality: 5 stars
· Story ingredient: 4 stars
· Ease of reading/Pace: 5 stars
· Plot strength: 4 stars
· Steam Level: 3.5 stars

Notes/Opinion (personal):

I enjoy the unexpected parenthood troupe. This did not fail. It was a light read for me with a pretty simple romance. I enjoyed it.
Profile Image for Nancy Reads Romance.
1,103 reviews32 followers
July 24, 2022
This story was the sweetest. Nicolas is developing an art space with a wine bar in Oak Hollow. He comes from wealth. At first, he appears aloof and conceited to Emma. But when he unexpectedly becomes the main caregiver to a baby, Emma is compelled to step in and help. What I loved about this book was the growth in both characters. Emma has to conquer her fears from the past and her trauma. Nicolas has to learn to stand on his own two feet. He falls in love with the small town, the people in it, baby Jax, and Emma. You will swoon over Nicolas--he is sexy and sweet. I read this book in one sitting and it was a beautiful story! 4 stars!
Profile Image for anie.
1,141 reviews46 followers
August 13, 2022
Nicholas has a surprise of a lifetime when he discovers a baby at his art gallery. He has no idea how to take care of one. Emma works next door and is natural with a little baby, so he asks her for help.

She agrees to give him lessons for a little while and even rents him an apartment, but she can't get too close to him or the baby.

She doesn't have the best impression of Nickolas at first, but with time they became friends and more. It's a charming, slow-burn romance. I like the storyline but had a hard time getting into the story.

received from Netgalley, all thoughts are my own
9 reviews
July 21, 2022
Sooo GOOD . As with all Makenna Lee's books, well written, entertaining and heart-warming stories.
I could sit and read the whole book at once it is so much fun, but I try and limit myself because I don't want to finish too soon, either!
If you want to relax and feel good then read one of Makenna Lee's "Home to Oak hollow" books!
1,630 reviews7 followers
December 19, 2022
Nice entry in the series. Nick Weller has come to Oak Hollow, banished from his family for living less than a nose to the grindstone life. Wanting to open an art gallery, he's purchased the property that Emma Blake and her business partner were looking at for expansion of their vintage clothing and original design shop. But outside Nick's door, Emma hears a cry, and investigating, finds a very young infant. And when Nick returns from lunch, he is at a loss on how to care for the baby, after finding out from a note, and the baby's uncle that he, Nick, is the father. So he hires Emma to teach him how to take care of a baby, and rents out her garage apartment. But being close together brings them closer together, until Nick's parents show up.
Profile Image for Dorel.
4,319 reviews36 followers
September 9, 2022
I love ❤️ the baby 👶🍼 on the cover. This book's storyline was okay. I liked Emma's character. Nicholas's character was okay. I loved ❤️ Jax, he's adorable. I liked the ending.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Cris.
509 reviews
July 13, 2024
Interesting rom-com with rather a strange ending. Man obeys parents instead of fighting for the woman he loves. But all does end happily ever after.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews

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