Champion boxer Sullivan "Sully" Reece's plans were upended when his supermodel ex-wife, Anouk, informed him that she needed a "break" from parenting and was handing over
full custody of their daughters to him for the summer. Sully adored his girls, 5-year-old Skyla and 4-year-old Claire, but their behavior was out of control and all of his efforts at discipline failed. Not only that, Sully was supposed to be training for an upcoming fight against a dangerous young
challenger who was determined to take his heavyweight title from him.
What Sully needed was a nanny, and his neighbor, Cinda Wessex, knew the perfect candidate: Angelina Rappaport, who had recently left her job as a preschool teacher's assistant. Angelina planned to enter religious service in the fall, training to become a nun in accordance with her mother's long-held wishes for her. The problem was that Angelina herself had some doubts about becoming a nun, and when she expressed them, her mother threw her out of their house. Sully's job offer couldn't have come at a more perfect time, and while Angelina was nervous about spending so much time with a single, attractive man, she immediately fell in love with his daughters and knew that she could help their family.
Sully and Angelina were super cute together, and I particularly loved that he called her his Angel. Maybe it was just that she was so sheltered and innocent compared to most women her age, but there actually was something kind of otherworldly about
her, so the nickname was a perfect fit. She flourished when she was out from under her mother's roof, and it was wonderful to see her gradually grow more sure of herself and her choices. Angelina had always loved kids and secretly longed to be a mother, and if given the option, would have chosen to be a teacher rather than a nun. She was wonderful with Sully's daughters Skyla and Claire, proving to be exactly the missing piece their family needed. As for Sully, while he may have been a tough boxer on the outside, he was a total softie on the inside. His generosity knew no limits, even if it should have at times since he had a tendency to spoil his daughters. However, my absolute favorite thing about Sully was that he read (and enjoyed!) romance novels. (Be still, my heart!)
Overall, I loved this delightful modern take on "Rapunzel" and highly recommend it for all contemporary romance and romantic comedy fans. The Eastport Bay Billionaires series has been fantastic so far and I can't wait to find out what's in store for us next!
*Review copy provided by the author/publisher via Give Me Books Promotions. All opinions expressed are my own.
About "The Baby-Whisperer and the Brute"
You can’t appreciate all the implications of the word “conflicted” until you come face to face with the guy you’ve been secretly lusting after for weeks... and then learn he’ll be signing your paychecks.
—Angelina Rappaport
Some people might call me sheltered. That doesn’t begin to cover it. I’ve been practically sequestered my whole life. Constantly warned by my eccentric and reclusive mother against the “dangers of the world,” I was only allowed outside my home to attend a strict girls’ school. No parties. No sleepovers. NO boys.
Ever.
Even now in my early twenties, the extent of my social life is spending time with the adorable three and four-year-olds at the preschool where I work. I’ve hardly ever spoken to a man, except for exchanging morning greetings with the fathers of my students.
And soon, I’ll obey my mother’s wishes and enter religious service, training to be a nun.
But gazing out my bedroom window in the turret of my family’s crumbling seaside mansion, I secretly dream of a different life, one that involves freedom, adventure, love, and children of my own.
I at least want a kiss before I give up and follows my mother’s plan for my life.
Sullivan Reece
As a heavyweight boxing champion in prime condition, I can easily go twelve rounds with the toughest fighters on the planet—but when it comes to my two little girls… I’m a lightweight.
Now that my ex has declared herself “done” with mothering, and my spirited and mischievous daughters are living with me full-time, I’m realizing just how much I don’t know about raising kids. My own upbringing in a tough neighborhood left a lot to be desired—I basically raised myself, and honestly, didn’t do all that great a job of it.
And then there’s my demanding training schedule and the travel required for my career. What I really need is a live-in nanny. Yesterday.
But as newcomer to Eastport Bay, I have no idea where or how to find the right caretaker for the two most important people in my life. So when my neighbors say they know the perfect person, I jump at the chance to hire her. She has experience with children, she needs a place to live, and she’s exactly the kind of classy role model I want for my daughters.
There’s just one problem… the new nanny is everything I’m not—sweet, innocent, good. It goes without saying she’s completely off-limits.
Oh, and she’s a total knockout.
The Baby-whisperer and the Brute is a full-length small town rom com fairytale retelling of Rapunzel. It’s a standalone single dad/forbidden love/forced proximity/slow burn romance with no cheating or cliffhangers but plenty of humor and heat and a gentle bruiser with a heart of gold.
Read an Excerpt from "The Baby-Whisperer and the Brute"
Sully
“So how are the girls?” Wilder asked. “Any great escapes lately?”
I chuckled. “Not one. You did a solid job. Though I could probably leave the doors unlocked these days and not worry about it. Their behavior’s gotten way better lately.”
“Oh yeah? They get used to the new living arrangements?”
“That… and I hired a nanny. She’s amazing with them. They’re like different kids. They absolutely love her.”
He studied me with an amused half-smile. “What do you think of her?”
Shrugging, I looked away at a TV screen, making my tone as blasé as possible. “I like her. She’s good with them. And she’s… nice.”
Wilder sat back in his booth seat, folded his arms across his chest, and shook his head, laughing softly. “Oh man… you’ve got a thing for the nanny.”
My eyes lasered to his, my tone suddenly harsh. “I do not. That would not be… smart.”
He shook his head, still grinning. “No. But it would be understandable. I mean, she’s there in your house every day, taking care of your kids, making your life easier. Is she young?”
I gave him a grudging nod. “Twenty-three.”
Wilder nodded. “Mmmhmm. What’s her name?”
There was a long moment when I hesitated, sizing up my friend across the table. “Angelina.”
Wilder, who’d been in mid-sip, choked on his beer. “Angelina the hot preschool teacher? Oh, dude—you are in so much trouble. That woman is smokin’.”
I battled a surge of possessive animosity, actually had to suppress a growl.
“I hadn’t noticed,” I lied through gritted teeth.
“She’s also planning to become a nun—did you know that?” Wilder said, clearly not buying the lie.
“Maybe. She might become a nun. She’s weighing her options right now.”
Wilder nodded, his lips twisting in a thoughtful expression. “I see. And do her options include being Sullivan Reece’s new woman?”
I frowned. “Of course not. She’s my kids’ nanny. And she’s gonna be a nun.”
“Might be a nun,” Wilder corrected. He took another drink. “Say you did have a thing for her… would that be so bad? She sounds like the total package. It’s obvious you like her. Yeah, it’s inconvenient that she’s the nanny, but it’s not like it would be the first time in history. I mean, it’s practically a celebrity rite of passage.”
“Yeah, it would be that bad,” I told him, finally starting to crumble under the strain of interrogation.
Rubbing my forehead, I stared down at the scarred wood tabletop. “No matter how amazing she is, how sweet and funny and smart and yeah, ‘smokin’,’ I can’t go there. I don’t want to be that guy. If I ever made a move… tried to take it to another level, and it didn’t work out… my kids could lose their nanny.”
“So get another one. Date Angelina and hire someone else.”
I shook my head adamantly. “No. There’s no one like her. She’s the best person to care for my girls, and they deserve the best. I’d be the world’s worst father if they lost her because of my selfishness. I’m just gonna… you know, get over it, put her out of my mind… move on.”
My tone of voice wasn’t convincing even to myself, but what else was there to do?
No comments:
Post a Comment
Comments make my day! While I do not expect everyone to agree with my point of view, please note that I reserve the right to delete any nasty or uncharitable messages, as well as spam. Open discussion is welcome and appreciated, but personal attacks are not. Thanks for understanding and have a nice day. :-)