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allisonwonderlandreads 's review for:
Single Dads Club
by Therese Beharrie
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Single Dads Club is a story about two people seeking a fresh start. Delilah left Cape Town to escape the public scrutiny when her mother was arrested for financial crimes. The former heiress was left to deal with the aftermath alone. Luckily, her estranged older brother invited her to stay with him and give his small coastal town, Sugarbush Bay, a chance.
Rowan's well-ordered existence was disrupted when a one-night stand led to him being a father, a title he wasn't seeking even under different circumstances. He and McKenna decide that pursuing a romance doesn't feel right, but they are determined to co-parent and do right by their son, Declan. Rowan doesn't have a relationship with his parents, but he and McKenna move to Sugarbush Bay to be near his grandmother, who's only too delighted to offer her support with childcare. After the cold way his parents once raised him, Rowan is terrified of being a dad and desperate to do it right.
Our two protagonists meet when Rowan and Declan become regulars at the coffee shop where Delilah works as a barista. She develops a crush that becomes something more as their neighbors, not least of whom is Rowan's grandmother, meddle to bring them into each other's orbit. She babysits for the new parents, introduces Rowan to her brother and his other single dad friends, and smooths his way with other people around town since the man is not a social creature by nature. Rowan is drawn to Delilah's energy but is cautious about pursuing anything with his young son in the picture. Too bad for all his plans that it's so hard to resist the charming and kind-hearted Delilah.
My only issue with this one is that the writing gets repetitive. The burning need to overexplain the characters' baggage is something I see a lot in romance, and it never fails to wear me down. In this book, it's especially true in the case of Rowan, whose fears about being a parent are simple at the core of it. In a way, there's more to know about how Delilah got here and why she's acting the way she does, even to her own detriment. Sure, her life is happier now that she's living in a small town where everyone adores her, including her once distant brother and niece, but she's also desperate to be perfect and have earned all that affection, atoning for the life she had before-- a life where everything she took for granted, a life that was cold but easy, was built on the back of her mother's crimes. The concept of Rowan's story-- co-parenting with a woman he barely knows and trying to be a worthy dad with little to no blueprint and little to no expectation of success-- is just more interesting in theory than in delivery. I didn't hate it. In fact, with some finessing, it has the makings of a story that could put a person right in their feelings. I just didn't get there.
Despite that hangup, I found so many other things to love. For example, the author captures sweet moments and funny ones, and there were passages that I highlighted in full because I enjoyed a particular turn of phrase or the buildup to a punchline. I also think that though the individual journeys of each character were overdone, the romance had some excellent features. Their mutual awkwardness is cute. We have a desperately people-pleasing extrovert who can't shut up even when her words have run away from her, and we have an anxious introvert who struggles to read other people or carry on a light social conversation. It's a combination made in heaven. It speaks to the author's skill that their banter shifts so gradually into something more objectively charming and less stilted as they grow more comfortable with each other that it feels natural, and you don't even notice that the change is happening. Also, as I would expect from Beharrie, it's H.O.T. We love to see romance leads out of control for each other. I will say that the final act breakup is very angsty, so prepare yourself for that.
There's more to recommend the story beyond the romance. I especially love a story about the power of friends who show up when you need them in whatever form that may be. We see that with the "single dads club" Rowan is inducted into, and we see that with Delilah's best friend, too. And it's true that both our protagonists have messed-up parents, but one has an interfering grandmother who will meddle and misuse the powers of social media, and the other has a big brother who will commit murders or cook dinners on her behalf, so the family factor is there, too. There's also the sweet element of Rowan building a family with Declan and McKenna in whatever form suits them best. The small town vibe is handled masterfully as well. The coziness and the friendly, nosy neighbors create an environment you want to dive right into.
I enjoy Beharrie's work so much, and I'll always pick up a book with her name on the cover. This is an excellent entry in the single-parent romance trope with a great cast and a cute small town to boot. Thanks to Montlake for my copy to read and review!
Rowan's well-ordered existence was disrupted when a one-night stand led to him being a father, a title he wasn't seeking even under different circumstances. He and McKenna decide that pursuing a romance doesn't feel right, but they are determined to co-parent and do right by their son, Declan. Rowan doesn't have a relationship with his parents, but he and McKenna move to Sugarbush Bay to be near his grandmother, who's only too delighted to offer her support with childcare. After the cold way his parents once raised him, Rowan is terrified of being a dad and desperate to do it right.
Our two protagonists meet when Rowan and Declan become regulars at the coffee shop where Delilah works as a barista. She develops a crush that becomes something more as their neighbors, not least of whom is Rowan's grandmother, meddle to bring them into each other's orbit. She babysits for the new parents, introduces Rowan to her brother and his other single dad friends, and smooths his way with other people around town since the man is not a social creature by nature. Rowan is drawn to Delilah's energy but is cautious about pursuing anything with his young son in the picture. Too bad for all his plans that it's so hard to resist the charming and kind-hearted Delilah.
My only issue with this one is that the writing gets repetitive. The burning need to overexplain the characters' baggage is something I see a lot in romance, and it never fails to wear me down. In this book, it's especially true in the case of Rowan, whose fears about being a parent are simple at the core of it. In a way, there's more to know about how Delilah got here and why she's acting the way she does, even to her own detriment. Sure, her life is happier now that she's living in a small town where everyone adores her, including her once distant brother and niece, but she's also desperate to be perfect and have earned all that affection, atoning for the life she had before-- a life where everything she took for granted, a life that was cold but easy, was built on the back of her mother's crimes. The concept of Rowan's story-- co-parenting with a woman he barely knows and trying to be a worthy dad with little to no blueprint and little to no expectation of success-- is just more interesting in theory than in delivery. I didn't hate it. In fact, with some finessing, it has the makings of a story that could put a person right in their feelings. I just didn't get there.
Despite that hangup, I found so many other things to love. For example, the author captures sweet moments and funny ones, and there were passages that I highlighted in full because I enjoyed a particular turn of phrase or the buildup to a punchline. I also think that though the individual journeys of each character were overdone, the romance had some excellent features. Their mutual awkwardness is cute. We have a desperately people-pleasing extrovert who can't shut up even when her words have run away from her, and we have an anxious introvert who struggles to read other people or carry on a light social conversation. It's a combination made in heaven. It speaks to the author's skill that their banter shifts so gradually into something more objectively charming and less stilted as they grow more comfortable with each other that it feels natural, and you don't even notice that the change is happening. Also, as I would expect from Beharrie, it's H.O.T. We love to see romance leads out of control for each other. I will say that the final act breakup is very angsty, so prepare yourself for that.
There's more to recommend the story beyond the romance. I especially love a story about the power of friends who show up when you need them in whatever form that may be. We see that with the "single dads club" Rowan is inducted into, and we see that with Delilah's best friend, too. And it's true that both our protagonists have messed-up parents, but one has an interfering grandmother who will meddle and misuse the powers of social media, and the other has a big brother who will commit murders or cook dinners on her behalf, so the family factor is there, too. There's also the sweet element of Rowan building a family with Declan and McKenna in whatever form suits them best. The small town vibe is handled masterfully as well. The coziness and the friendly, nosy neighbors create an environment you want to dive right into.
I enjoy Beharrie's work so much, and I'll always pick up a book with her name on the cover. This is an excellent entry in the single-parent romance trope with a great cast and a cute small town to boot. Thanks to Montlake for my copy to read and review!