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ljrinaldi's review against another edition
4.0
I am a bit of a romance newbe, so I don't know all the troupes out there, but I believe one where people meet again, after a time, are called second chances, and that is what this story is about, a couple that meets up after a one night stand, and a baby have both occurred.
What I like about this one is it is written about the deaf community. The man is deaf, and the woman has been learning how to do American Sign Language (ASL) because she is both interested in it, as well as having a soon to be brother-in-law who is deaf.
The baby, Archie, is super cute, and super not sleeping, which sounds about right.
What I loved about it was how the deaf culture was worked into the story. My Uncle's parents were both deaf, and I had to learn a little bit of finger spelling to talk to them, though they were really good at lip reading too.
It is a good, quick romp, and the only complaint I have is the cover. The cover shows a brunette man, hugging a brunette woman. All very well and good, but the story is about a blond man. Also, there is no baby visible in cover, and the baby is the big part of what brings them together.
But, other than that, a good fun little romp.
Thanks to Netgalley and Entangled Publishing for making this book available for an honest review.
What I like about this one is it is written about the deaf community. The man is deaf, and the woman has been learning how to do American Sign Language (ASL) because she is both interested in it, as well as having a soon to be brother-in-law who is deaf.
The baby, Archie, is super cute, and super not sleeping, which sounds about right.
What I loved about it was how the deaf culture was worked into the story. My Uncle's parents were both deaf, and I had to learn a little bit of finger spelling to talk to them, though they were really good at lip reading too.
It is a good, quick romp, and the only complaint I have is the cover. The cover shows a brunette man, hugging a brunette woman. All very well and good, but the story is about a blond man. Also, there is no baby visible in cover, and the baby is the big part of what brings them together.
But, other than that, a good fun little romp.
Thanks to Netgalley and Entangled Publishing for making this book available for an honest review.
bibliotheracat's review against another edition
5.0
I read an ARC of ABOUT THAT NIGHT by Laura Brown, & I absolutely LOVE this book.
phoenixinthecity's review against another edition
2.0
Izzy gets her HEA here and we have appearances by Gaby and Levi who've provided support to Izzy as a single mother by allowing her to move in with them.
I liked how this started but I was annoyed with the conflict here - specifically, the no dating policy at the NFP that Izzy and Nolan worked at and how they thought it was rational that they would be able to keep secret that Nolan was Archie's father. The villainess in Lisa who had interviewed for Izzy's job but didn't get it so she was intent on undermining Izzy irritated me, too.
What I did like was that even though she couldn't find Nolan after their one night stand, Izzy was teaching Archie to sign because his father was deaf. And I loved the discussion of Nolan's job and how he was trying to make all the websites and social media accessible to the deaf community that they served.
I liked how this started but I was annoyed with the conflict here - specifically, the no dating policy at the NFP that Izzy and Nolan worked at and how they thought it was rational that they would be able to keep secret that Nolan was Archie's father. The villainess in Lisa who had interviewed for Izzy's job but didn't get it so she was intent on undermining Izzy irritated me, too.
What I did like was that even though she couldn't find Nolan after their one night stand, Izzy was teaching Archie to sign because his father was deaf. And I loved the discussion of Nolan's job and how he was trying to make all the websites and social media accessible to the deaf community that they served.
stevienicole30's review against another edition
5.0
Another sweet surprise baby romance! Izzy and Nolan met at an ASL event, and had one night of careless fun. She never caught his name that night. Next thing you know Izzy was a single mom, and she never expected to run into Nolan at work. Laura Brown wrote such a sweet story, and I absolutely loved that it was about the ASL community. Strongly recommend this book. It's a good short read just under 200 pages. Be sure to add this book to your TBR GoodReads Lists.
lauriereadsrom1's review against another edition
4.0
Single mother and recent college graduate Isabel (Izzy) Fineberg found herself in a very awkward situation as the story began. She had just landed her dream internship with an agency providing services for the deaf community and hoped that it would turn into a permanent position, but when she arrived for her first day of work, she discovered that her new boss, Nolan Holtzman, was the man with whom she'd had a one-night stand 18 months earlier, leading to her accidental pregnancy. Izzy had always hoped to find her son Archie's father and tell him about the baby, but the circumstances were far from ideal given their working relationship and the fact that their employer had a strict policy in place prohibiting employees from dating each other.
Despite her misgivings, Izzy did eventually tell Nolan the truth about baby Archie, though they had to continue keeping the secret from their co-workers. At first, Nolan struggled with the idea of becoming a father because of his own rough childhood, but I appreciated that he didn't run away from his responsibilities, instead making a sincere effort to do the right thing. Archie was a super cute, happy baby, and it was fun seeing Nolan learn how to interact with and care for him. He made his share of mistakes along the way, but he did a good job of making up for them, and I loved seeing his love for both Archie and Izzy grow.
The author did a good job of portraying Izzy's struggles as a single mother before Nolan came back into her life; I don't think she would have survived without the incredible support of her sister Gaby and future brother-in-law Levi, who often helped her care for Archie. Gaby and Levi were featured in the first book of this series, which I haven't yet read, but it sounds as if their love story was every bit as interesting as Izzy and Nolan's. I plan to pick it up as soon as I find the time.
Overall, I enjoyed "About That Night" and recommend it for all contemporary romance fans. It was the first book I've read by this author, but it certainly won't be the last.
*Review copy provided by the author/publisher via Grey's Promotions. All opinions expressed are my own.
Despite her misgivings, Izzy did eventually tell Nolan the truth about baby Archie, though they had to continue keeping the secret from their co-workers. At first, Nolan struggled with the idea of becoming a father because of his own rough childhood, but I appreciated that he didn't run away from his responsibilities, instead making a sincere effort to do the right thing. Archie was a super cute, happy baby, and it was fun seeing Nolan learn how to interact with and care for him. He made his share of mistakes along the way, but he did a good job of making up for them, and I loved seeing his love for both Archie and Izzy grow.
The author did a good job of portraying Izzy's struggles as a single mother before Nolan came back into her life; I don't think she would have survived without the incredible support of her sister Gaby and future brother-in-law Levi, who often helped her care for Archie. Gaby and Levi were featured in the first book of this series, which I haven't yet read, but it sounds as if their love story was every bit as interesting as Izzy and Nolan's. I plan to pick it up as soon as I find the time.
Overall, I enjoyed "About That Night" and recommend it for all contemporary romance fans. It was the first book I've read by this author, but it certainly won't be the last.
*Review copy provided by the author/publisher via Grey's Promotions. All opinions expressed are my own.
lowkeyreader's review against another edition
4.0
This is a different kidn of read for me because I never read anything with a hero being deaf. I was glad that I got to read this. I enjoyed Nolan and Izzy's story a lot.
Nolan and Izzy met two years ago and they spent one night together. It resulted to a surprise baby. But the problem is they didn't exchange numbers so it was hard for Izzy to find Nolan. Not until now.
Nolan thinks he’s a screw-up and he would always be one. That’s what’s holding him back from pursuing anything with Izzy and Archie. He is so guarded of starting something more with Izzy because he thinks he couldn't but screw up everything. Their job is also holding them back - there’s a no dating policy - and they really need their jobs for their new life.
Nolan and Izzy met two years ago and they spent one night together. It resulted to a surprise baby. But the problem is they didn't exchange numbers so it was hard for Izzy to find Nolan. Not until now.
Nolan thinks he’s a screw-up and he would always be one. That’s what’s holding him back from pursuing anything with Izzy and Archie. He is so guarded of starting something more with Izzy because he thinks he couldn't but screw up everything. Their job is also holding them back - there’s a no dating policy - and they really need their jobs for their new life.
thebookdisciple's review against another edition
4.0
About That Night is the most charming story I've read in awhile! One night stand, surprise pregnancy, office romance-this book has it all. As someone with hearing loss, I was excited to read about deaf characters and non-deaf characters who support the deaf community. What I especially loved was the story isn't about being deaf; the hero is deaf but that is not the plot of the story. He is simply a man smitten by a woman!
Izzy and Nolan's hot night turned into much more. But, Izzy didn't know how to reach him because she didn't catch his name. So, she had her son Archie and is moving on in life. She has a new job as an administrative assistant and on her first day, she runs smack into her baby daddy...and new coworker! Both are stunned, but Nolan wants to be a part of Archie's life. He isn't ready to give up on Izzy either-but the office has a very strict policy on dating. No inter office dating allowed.
As I said before, I loved that the story has a deaf character but isn't about him being deaf. This is a major distinction for those with disabilities. Being deaf doesn't define Nolan and his story is one of finding love and making a family! The story weaves in the ASL seamlessly so that everything feels normal. To have the focus on their love story instead of Nolan's deafness was heartwarming and charming. This is the representation that is needed! Also, I am trying to learn ASL, so I totally understand Izzy's struggles at times. It's quite difficult-especially when fluent ASL signers go so fast!
See full review on The Book Disciple
Izzy and Nolan's hot night turned into much more. But, Izzy didn't know how to reach him because she didn't catch his name. So, she had her son Archie and is moving on in life. She has a new job as an administrative assistant and on her first day, she runs smack into her baby daddy...and new coworker! Both are stunned, but Nolan wants to be a part of Archie's life. He isn't ready to give up on Izzy either-but the office has a very strict policy on dating. No inter office dating allowed.
As I said before, I loved that the story has a deaf character but isn't about him being deaf. This is a major distinction for those with disabilities. Being deaf doesn't define Nolan and his story is one of finding love and making a family! The story weaves in the ASL seamlessly so that everything feels normal. To have the focus on their love story instead of Nolan's deafness was heartwarming and charming. This is the representation that is needed! Also, I am trying to learn ASL, so I totally understand Izzy's struggles at times. It's quite difficult-especially when fluent ASL signers go so fast!
See full review on The Book Disciple
smhayes_reads's review against another edition
4.0
First off - Thank you to Netgalley and Entangled Publishing for allowing me to read an advanced reader copy of About That Night by Laura Brown.
I love the unplanned baby trope and Laura has done such an amazing job in writing a believable, mature, and heartwarmingly comedic story. Izzy and Nolan are well-written characters, giving readers a great insight into the development and consistency of their lives.
I always love reading diverse storylines, etc, hearing impariments. I believe Laura has done the Deaf community justice.
I love the unplanned baby trope and Laura has done such an amazing job in writing a believable, mature, and heartwarmingly comedic story. Izzy and Nolan are well-written characters, giving readers a great insight into the development and consistency of their lives.
I always love reading diverse storylines, etc, hearing impariments. I believe Laura has done the Deaf community justice.
llamareads's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
4.0
Surprise baby books are not my thing. To be honest, I don’t find much about babies romantic at all and I’m not one of those people who think HEAs have to come with a wedding and 2.5 kids. But I loved Matzah Ball Surprise so I decided to take a chance on this book, and I’m glad I did! Besides the surprise baby, it’s also got the workplace romance and forced proximity tropes.
Nine-month-old Archie might be the result of a drunk hook-up with a guy whose name she didn’t know, but he’s the center of Izzy’s life. So while starting a new job with a Deaf advocacy org is important to her – she wants to be able to financially support her little family by moving out of her sister’s place – it’s also bittersweet. And things only get worse when she realizes her new supervisor is the hot Deaf hook-up – and the father of her kid. Nolan’s been a screw-up for most of his life, but the situation with Izzy takes the cake. How can he possibly go from bachelor pads and video games to being a dad, especially when he never had a father figure in his own life? To further complicate things, the spark of attraction that got them into this mess in the first place is still there. Can they navigate coparenting and working together, or are Izzy and Nolan set for another massive disaster?
Nine-month-old Archie might be the result of a drunk hook-up with a guy whose name she didn’t know, but he’s the center of Izzy’s life. So while starting a new job with a Deaf advocacy org is important to her – she wants to be able to financially support her little family by moving out of her sister’s place – it’s also bittersweet. And things only get worse when she realizes her new supervisor is the hot Deaf hook-up – and the father of her kid. Nolan’s been a screw-up for most of his life, but the situation with Izzy takes the cake. How can he possibly go from bachelor pads and video games to being a dad, especially when he never had a father figure in his own life? To further complicate things, the spark of attraction that got them into this mess in the first place is still there. Can they navigate coparenting and working together, or are Izzy and Nolan set for another massive disaster?
“Father” was a meaningless word to him that could mean sperm donor, and considering Archie’s creation, the same could be said about the next generation.”
Izzy is fiercely independent. Though she’s had to rely on her sister, Gaby (the heroine of the previous book) and her fiancé, Levi, to manage graduating college while pregnant and then with a baby, Archie’s nine months old now and she’s ready to stop relying on them so much. But navigating breastfeeding, working and childcare is hard, and adding in navigating some kind of relationship – coparent or romantic – with Nolan is overwhelming and exhausting to someone who feels like she’s barely holding it together as a twenty-three-year-old single mother. While he doesn’t have the same life complications as Izzy, Nolan’s convinced he’s a screw-up. No matter what good thing he has, he always manages to screw it up, and that’s been true since he was born. He was the result of an unplanned pregnancy and his dad wasn’t present in his life, so he’s worried about how to be a father figure and partly convinced that he’s going to mess up Izzy and Archie’s lives just by being in them. Besides Archie, their relationship is also complicated by the fact that their employer has a strict no dating policy. That, along with Nolan’s self-doubt, provides most of the angst in the story. The way their relationship unfolds slowly was just so sweet, and I loved how consent-focused it was as well.
“The kid resembled the powerful computer character that could unlock worlds and opportunities, but he didn’t have a clue how to unlock him.”
This book was overall less humorous than the previous one, though Archie provided a lot of comedy. Nine-month-olds are, well, chaos monsters (or at least mine were) and there’s a lot of new parent humor that brought me right back to those days, diaper changes and all. I liked that, along with the romantic relationship between Izzy and Nolan, it also focused on the relationship that Nolan has with Archie. There’s a particularly sweet moment where Nolan’s trying to soothe a fussy Archie and suddenly realizes that his son is signing “milk.” It’s a lightbulb moment for Nolan, and it absolutely made me melt.
I loved the seamless integration of Deaf culture from both characters, from the flashing lights to the special baby monitors to the call out to my alma mater (go RIT Tigers!). While Izzy is far from fluent in ASL, she’s able to communicate well, and most of the dialog is in sign. I loved that his Deafness – and their Jewishness – isn’t a problem or a pain point, it’s just another part of who he is.
Overall, I enjoyed this book even more than the first, and I’ll definitely be picking up whatever Laura Brown writes in the future!
I received an advance review copy of this book from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Pregnancy
Minor: Ableism
gigiglorious's review against another edition
4.0
A lovely read. There were a few moments of anxiety that I had to work through despite knowing everything would turn out fine. And the plot did progress very fast, but I was ok with that. I liked this so much I'm probably going to give the first book a try, even though I don't really like fake dating stories at family holidays.