Sam@WLABB
Written on Jul 9, 2020
The synopsis for this book compares it to 27 Dresses and Three Men and a Baby, and I had no problem finding those threads in the story, but it was the focus on what-makes-a-family and feeling as if you belong that really stole my heart.
Annie was nursing a bit of a broken heart, and let me tell you, each additional detail made my heart break, more and more. She was always the woman the men dated just before they found their "soulmate", and it was easy to see why she started seeing herself as the problem. She was also dealing with a lifetime of feeling as though she never belonged. She had been adopted as an infant by white parents, and though she knew she was loved, she was always aware of her "otherness" and never quite felt like she fit in anywhere. Her time in Rome was not only filled with romance, but also with a lot of soul searching and trying to figure herself out. I loved seeing her connect with the local Vietnamese community, but I especially liked seeing her connect with Emmitt.
Emmitt was also felt a bit on the outside, and was struggling with finding his place within his family. You see, his family situation was a bit unique. He shared his daughter with two other men, thus the Three Men and a Baby parallel. Emmitt was the fun dad and was often absent due to traveling for his job. The other two were the always-home-dads, who took care of the day-to-day things. Though the arrangement had worked in the past, Emmitt now found himself wanting more. He wanted to be a bigger part of his daughter's life, and he wanted to be seen as someone who could be more than the part-time fun guy. There was a lot more to Emmitt than I gathered from my initial impression and I really grew to love him as he worked to change the perception his family held of him.
It was a rocky start between Emmitt and Annie, when he just showed up unexpectedly. With both of them refusing to vacate the house, they were thrust into one of those forced proximity situations. This produced a LOT of fun antics and laughs, while also resulting in some fantastic tension between Emmitt and Annie. The verbal sparring was so enjoyable, and it filled my heart with joy as that sparring turned to flirting and then to more. It was wonderful watching these two find a place to belong, and I loved that they belonged there together.
This book was a delight! It had the perfect combination of warmth, humor, charm, drama, and heat. I loved the what-makes-a-family angle, and am hoping the other two dads get their own HEAs too.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
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