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krystalframe's review
4.0
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Abandonment
Minor: Miscarriage
_thelitlibrarian's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
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TW: Sexual content, Pregnancy, Vomit, Abandonment, Death of a parent, Infidelity, Miscarriage
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I'm not normally a fan of the single-parent trope, but holy hell Cade has changed that for me. In this second instalment of the Chestnut Springs books, we get a deeper glimpse into a grumpy single father (and older brother of Rhett) as he raises Luke with the help of his family. He thinks he's got it all figured out, that is until Willa Grant walks into his life. After a somewhat meet-cute; where Willa accidentally drops her underwear in a crowded café, Cade picks them up not realizing he just pocketed his new nanny's intimates.
I love the banter between the two of them, it's clear that from the start, Willa is one feisty lady. I loved all of the scenes where she and Cade were alone, especially in the hot tub where they start playing truth or dare. The lust between them is intense, but for obvious reasons, Cade is holding himself back. Not only is there a 13-year age difference between our two main characters, but he's also hesitant to open himself to anyone after what happened between him and his ex. From the start, Willa fits right in, and I loved seeing her interact with Luke and watch her fit right in with their small family dynamic.
Not only does she fit into Luke's life, but she's also a natural when it comes to his extended family and friends. I love how we still got many glances at Summer and Rhett's relationship (so much banter between everyone), and am really looking forward to continuing on with the series and falling more in love with this cast.
Graphic: Pregnancy, Vomit, Miscarriage, Sexual content, Infidelity, Death of parent, and Abandonment
gretchenplz's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
Graphic: Vomit and Pregnancy
Moderate: Miscarriage
bendy_bookworm's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Sexual content and Pregnancy
Minor: Miscarriage and Death of parent
theblacklodgebookshelf's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Vomit and Pregnancy
Minor: Death of parent and Miscarriage
linnea_tornblom's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Pregnancy, Death of parent, Sexual content, and Abandonment
Minor: Miscarriage
apolen's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Vomit, Sexual content, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Abandonment, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Infidelity and Miscarriage
headinthepages's review against another edition
Moderate: Death of parent, Infidelity, Infertility, Medical content, Miscarriage, Abandonment, Alcohol, Body horror, Cancer, Cursing, Death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, and Vomit
dianaschmidty's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Vomit, Toxic relationship, Infidelity, Sexual content, and Abandonment
Moderate: Pregnancy and Grief
Minor: Miscarriage and Sexual assault
weelasswithabook's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
⭐️ Single Dad/Nanny romance
⭐️ Small town
⭐️ Grumpy/Sunshine
⭐️ Age Gap
This was the epitome of grumpy/sunshine. Full stop. Thars how it's done. That's how it should ALWAYS be done. I have spoken.
This was delicious, I know any tropes involving children are divisive, but oh my god little Luke was a heart stealer. His relationship with Willa working as his nanny slowly morphing into a mother/son vibe was so heartwarming.
The tension between Cade and Willa was so taut, that I was on the edge of my seat just desperate for it to snap. Their snarky banter was great, when it headed into flirty territory it was great, when they headed into spicy territory it was great, I have zero complains whatsoever.
Cade was a great example of a grumpy hero done right. He was grumpy (and rightfully so tbh), but he was the actively mean. His shitty hand he'd been dealt affected him very deeply and we get to see the extent of that gradually over the course of the story as we find out more about his role in the family and his relationship with his ex wife.
Willa was the exact opposite of Cade in every way. A total breath of fresh air, she was the whirlwind he needed to shake things up. Adaptable, she just seemed to thrive in the alien environment in the country. Her caretaking skills were just *chef's kiss*
As for caretaking, yall know I love a good caretaking scene when a MC gets sick and the LI has to take care of them 😍 Didn't think a bout of gastrointestinal bacteria could bring two people together now, did you? Well, there it is.
The chemistry between all characters in the book was skillfully done. Everyone had their own Standalone personality even with the larger group of side characters and family members. All of them stood apart and meshed well and I got a real feel for everyone's dynamic with one another. Harvey was the consistent comic relief we all need, so special mention there.
This book made me laugh, I shed a couple of tears, made my pulse race a little *eyebrow wiggle* It was honestly just everything I could ever want from a small town romance.
10s across the board. This was the first Elsie Silver book I read, but it definitely won't be the last.
Graphic: Cursing, Pregnancy, Sexual content, and Vomit
Moderate: Death of parent, Infidelity, Abandonment, Grief, and Medical content
Minor: Miscarriage