The best part about this was the look on my husband’s face when I told him that he’s older than the hero in this silver fox romance, lol. Kidding. But he was aghast, and it was hysterical. I’ve been meaning to check out this new-to-me author, and the blurb drew me right in. There’s just something about a man who keeps denying that he’s a good guy when his actions show the exact opposite to be true. I loved watching him step up and be a father to a baby that he knew was not his, and there were plenty of quiet, super swoony moments. Though there were moments when the writing was a little odd, I sincerely enjoyed the first half of this slow-burning romance. It’s got great small town vibes, a definite found family quality, and a “broken” hero who was very compelling. He’s overcome a lot of obstacles in his life, and watching him find his HEA was fulfilling. The back half wasn’t as strong for me because the story just got repetitive, but it was a solid series starter and an engaging read.
The story follows Sebastian (35), a man who found his happy place running a bakery in his hometown. Though everyone in town is well aware of his troubled past, Sebastian finds quiet contentment in the life he leads. When a woman takes a tumble in front of his bakery, Sebastian finds himself strangely compelled towards the sexy stranger… at least until she reveals she’s pregnant. Sebastian does not consider himself to be worthy of love or a family, so he pushes Enya (38) away, never planning to see her again. It’s a shock to them both when Enya shows up months later and Sebastian ends up delivering her baby. Though he knows it’s for the best if he stays away, Sebastian can’t seem to help himself when it comes to Enya or her baby girl. Try as he might to keep his distance, everything about Enya pulls Sebastian closer.
I loved that Enya was already pregnant when she met Sebastian and there was no father in the picture, because it showcased all of the ways Sebastian stepped up for her. He’s constantly telling himself that he’d be no good for either of them in the long run, but everything he does says the opposite. The moments with him being the sweetest, most smitten man were plentiful and very enjoyable. I thought they made a great team. Though there is a lot of potentially triggering content in both characters’ storylines, the overall vibes are light. Where this stumbled was the repetitive nature of the story – both characters are feeling the connection early on, so it got old hearing the same old excuses over and over again. There were glimmers of greatness in the story but also many missed opportunities, and I became frustrated with the constant push/pull. These two communicate well about a lot of things, but they also interpreted conversations and actions very differently, which caused some issues. I do think the first half was stronger, and once I started to disconnect from the story, the writing problems started standing out to me – weird comma usage and some seriously strange descriptions. No one should compare slurping soup to anything in a spicy scene. The first half was a solid 4/low 5-star read for me while the second half dragged closer to a 3, but I enjoyed the book quite a bit and I’d definitely check out another. This one likely has the youngest hero of the series, so at least my husband will be feeling better about the next one, lol!
Amazon: https://amzn.to/45f3D9Q
Audio Note:
Samantha Brentmoor was fantastic, Lance Greenfield was terrible. I’ve enjoyed Brentmoor in the past, and she does an excellent job here as well. Her voice is relaxing to listen to, and she brings plenty of emotion to the performance. I should’ve looked a little more thoroughly at the narrators though, because the moment I heard Greenfield’s voice, I remembered how much I despise his narration style. It gives me the ick, intensely. He’s got a nice voice, but he overacts so much that it’s just all wrong and smarmy, taking me out of the story. I ended up listening to Brentmoor’s chapters and switching to the ebook (borrowed from KU, thankfully) for all of Greenfield’s chapters. So I can’t wholeheartedly recommend the audio, but that’s just my personal reaction to his voice. The runtime is 11-12 hours and the romance is a slow burn (after one initial moment between them), so it served as a relaxing workday listen for the most part.
Audiobook: https://amzn.to/3PDJ556
Blurb:
Love wasn’t the daily special when a grumpy small-town baker delivers a baby in his bakery. Now, all he can think about is that sweet bundle and her tempting single mother.
Having a baby in a bakery gives new meaning to taking the bun out of the oven.
I’d been in Curmudgeon Bakery for one of those lemon baby-Bundt cakes I’d been craving since I found out I was pregnant.
The draw had nothing to do with the baker himself. Tall, tatted, and edgy, looking more like a biker than a man who makes baked goods. I hardly knew him other than taking a tumble in a rainstorm in front of his shop . . . and then tossing myself at him after he rescued me.
We shared a moment but it’s not what you’d think.
Months later, he delivered my baby among his cookies and cakes. Talk about a second chance encounter.
Then he whips up a plan to pretend to be my baby’s father, and everything heats up from there.
My body.
My heart.
My willingness to accept a perfect stranger’s kindness despite him telling me over and over he isn’t who I think he is.
I beg to differ.
He’s that sugary drizzle on a citrus-flavored, guilty pleasure that’s bad for the hips, but together—him, and me, and baby—we’re the perfect blend of ingredients that might do all our hearts some good.
+ + +
From L.B. Dunbar comes an all-new small-town romance with a big family and the silver fox swoon one expects from her love over-40 romances.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/45f3D9Q
About the Author:
L.B. Dunbar loves flip-flops, sweet tea, and a little heat in her romance reads. A lover of sexy silver foxes, second chances, and small towns, you’ll find all this and more in her signature work the #sexysilverfox collection. She’s a USA TODAY Bestselling Author as well as a #1 Bestseller in Amazon’s Later in Life Romance with her Lakeside Cottage and Road Trips & Romance series. L.B. lives in Chicago with her own sexy silver fox.
To stay up-to-date about the self-proclaimed queen of silver fox romance, join her on Facebook at Loving L.B. or receive her monthly newsletter, Love Notes.
FB: https://www.facebook.com/groups/LovingLB/
NL: http://bit.ly/LoveNotesfromLBDunbar
IG: @lbdunbarwrites
Follow Jeeves on social media!
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases
Jeeves Reads Romance 