
the setup…
What do a gorgeous black-haired woman with blue tips, an old dog, two precocious pre-teens and football have in common? It’s Barrett King, head coach of Buffalo’s NFL team and single father to son Bryce and daughter Maggie. He’s trying to manage it all with his typical stoicism but all is not well. He can’t seem to keep a nanny during the season and with two critical games to go, he needs to focus, especially as his talented but undisciplined star rookie quarterback is out of control. Enter Lily Townsend, the new house sitter next door with an ancient dog named Larry. His kids adore her but she’s grumpier than he is, at least to him. She’s agreed to care for Bryce and Maggie after school but neither of he or Lily want to admit they’ve got chemistry. Go figure.
the heart of the story…
Barrett is grumpy enough but Lily has him beat. Nice turn on the grumpy trope and I loved everything about their “relationship.” She isn’t interested in a romance or setting down roots and he doesn’t do casual. Every interaction was a riot, especially when you add the kids and the dog into this brew.
the narration…
CJ Bloom was typecast as Lily or at least that’s how she sounded. Nailed her! Aiden Snow cannot deliver a bad performance either. This was audio heaven.
the bottom line…
Underneath all the fun are some serious issues, both for Lily and Barrett. There’s a reason why she’s a vagabond and he’s alone. It just added more heft to a wonderful story and romance while delivering lots of joy and fun.
Book Info
- Release Date: November 18, 2025
- Series: The Kings #2
- Narrators: Aiden Snow & CJ Bloom
- Audio Length: 10 hours, 17 minutes
- Publisher: Brilliance Audio
Listen to a Sample!
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Fantastic review, Jo. Loved the sample and I’ve just added it to my KU library! 😀
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Thank you, Nicki💜 Makes me happy☺️ I took a chance on this series and loved both books.
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Great review! I’m glad this one worked for you.
Anne – Books of My Heart
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Thanks, Anne💜
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I love the take on the trope! Nice review Jonetta.
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Thank you, Jodie💜
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