hard to review

This was … hard to review.

On the one hand it was a relatively low angst story about a man finding family. That includes trusting himself as a new father and finding a loving partner in a nearby neighbor.

The romance, however, was very lack luster and most of the story is really about becoming a new dad.

It’s not bad that it’s about becoming a dad – but if you’re after a hot romance, this ain’t it.

It’s sweet and the baby stuff is cute but I do wish it’d had more about the budding relationship with our MCs.

Sean Crisden does a lovely job with the narration and he kept me engaged.

3 of 5 stars for the story

5 of 5 for the narration

Overall 4 of 5 stars

1 person found this helpful

Good start to the series

Single new dad Asher is not looking for a relationship or a hookup or anything at this point of his life. He's barely getting by taking care of his 6-week old daughter with the occasional help of his twin sister and the last thing he wants is to complicate matters even more by getting involved with his new neighbor ER doctor Sean. Sean has never wanted a relationship before, but there's something about Asher and baby Mia that calls to him and he doesn't want to let go of the chance of more between them.

This was such a sweet, very slow-burn story. It dragged a bit at first, almost as much as Asher did in accepting that accepting other people's help didn't mean that he wasn't a good dad or that he could balance being Mia's dad and starting something with Sean. Really, there was a point when I wasn't sure why Sean kept trying, because Asher was being sooooo difficult I wanted to scream. *sighs* As you might have inferred by that last statement, Sean was my favorite and I loved his roommates, too, Erik and Leo and I'm very intrigued by them and want to know them better. Now, Asher wasn't that bad. I could relate to him somewhat, and I eventually warmed up to him, but really, I would've given in way sooner. Hahahaha! 

I love Sean Crisden's voice, so it was a delight to listen to this story come to life in his voice. He brought forth all of Sean's eagerness to help Asher, to make him see they could be so good together, and Asher's exhaustion and desperation when he couldn't manage in those first days to be what he thought his daughter needed. Recommendable!

1 person found this helpful

Great RJ Scott read perfectly read by Sean Crisden

Honestly I don't think there's much I can add to my original ebook review back in June that would fully express how much I love Ash, Sean, Mia, and the whole gang. Sean Crisden once again brings RJ's words and characters to life in a way that almost reminds me of the old radio shows from the 30s & 40s that I collect. There's no sound effects but he puts so much into the individual characters that sometimes I swear I'm hearing the background noise, the footsteps, the door knocking and creaking open, the cars on the street.

Now I don't normally listen to a book this close to having first read it but the opportunity arose and you know what? Single is just as good in audio as it was on my kindle.

1 person found this helpful

Enjoyable story with solid narration

The setup may seem familiar—single dad who is completely devoted to his child meets hot, caring guy but doesn’t want to compromise where his child is concerned. But RJ Scott takes this and gives it her own touches to keep things fresh and appealing…not to mention she’s drawn me in to this new series, so now I’m excited for the next book already.

Both Asher and Sean’s character were just right. The desire Ash had to start a family gave him the strength to push on even when his ex bailed on him. The descriptions of of his physical and mental state while trying to care for a newborn on his own were spot-on (from what I know of friends and family who have had kids), and that contributes to his likability as a character. Sean might very well be a just-about-perfect man (because nobody’s perfect, but Sean comes awfully close). He’s kind, understanding, protective, giving, and definitely has the caregiver part down pat…which you might expect given he’s a doctor.

I really liked that things developed slowly between them, and that Sean—who had been mostly the hookup type—was affected enough by Ash to find himself wanting something committed instead. Slower relationship development didn’t mean less hot though—it just meant when those moments came up, the intensity left me just as breathless as the characters.

There is a good, solid cast of supporting characters. Ash’s sister is a solid support system for him as he’s learning the parenting ropes. I was a bit wary of his mother due to the reason behind their estrangement, but that eased off my mind as the story progressed. And Sean’s housemates Eric and Leo, as well as some of the guys from Ash’s single dad support group, have my interest piqued for future stories in the series.

Single was a 4.5-star read for me, and will definitely be enjoyed by any M/M romance fan. I’m not usually one to pick up a book with kids in it, but Ash’s daughter Mia’s role does not eclipse the romance; she actually enhances the story without the over-cuteness I’ve sometimes found in other books with babies and children in them. Though Ash and the others try to rein in the language with Mia around, there’s still enough adult language—and Ash and Sean get up to enough intimate contact—for this story to be for readers 18+.

The narration: Sean Crisden really did these characters justice with his narration. The opening scene was my favorite in particular, but overall he did a great job capturing emotions and giving the characters their own voices. I hope he’ll be continuing to narrate the series—I’m already looking forward to hearing the next one. 5 stars for the narration!

1 person found this helpful

Nice Beginning.

This is a nice beginning. I have high hopes for the next book. I'm new to this author and I look forward in listening to more books by her. This story was nice and sweet. I loved the characters especially, the bestfriends and Asher's sister. The only little complaint I have about this story, is that I feel Asher acted a little to extra regarding Mia. Dont get me wrong I totally understand being a single parent and wanting to protect your child but in some of his concerns he was a little to excessive. Sean Crisden is one of the best voice actors out here, and as always he brings these characters to life. I hope that we will not have to wait a long time for the next book to become available on adubile. I recommend this book.

1 person found this helpful

Cute Single Dad Story

Here is another one of those what I like to call 'comfort food for the brain' stories. It leaves you with all the warm and fuzzies. I will definitely keep this book in my library for those moments when I need a straight forward romance story. The characters were written okay.

I have listened to Sean Crisden narrate several books and he is always great to listen to as a narrator.

An enjoyable story which also kind of sets up the characters for book 2 in the end. Or at least I believe it does.

Worth a credit.

1 person found this helpful

enjoyed it - solid 4 stars

📖 Story comment: Low drama, sweet story, good pace, likeable characters, nice flow.
Good book for a lazy Sunday. I enjoyed the "reality" of Ash struggling to be a new dad, the insecurities, lack of sleep and constant self doubt. I enjoyed the slow build of the relationship and watching Sean break down Ash's walls and let him in.

I really enjoyed the "single dad" theme of this story and look forward to Eric and Leo both finding their families 😊.

🎧 Narrator comment: Sean Crisden is among my favorite narrators. His rhythm, changes in pitch and intonation, the cadence of voice in narration all work to bring the story to life. Each character had his own voice and I felt their emotions to be completely immersed in their story.

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📌 Where does it fall on my personal scale? 7.5
• 1 not my thing • 2 didn't like the narration • 3 didn't keep my attention • 4 was good, but once was enough • 5 enjoyed it • 6 will listen again if i'm in the mood for the narrator • 7 goes on the "re-listen" list [4⭐] • 8 kept me up past bed-time [4.5⭐] • 9 recommended to family/friends [4.75⭐] • 10 own it in multiple formats [5⭐] • 11 keep a copy with me at all times [5⭐]
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Good book

This is a good overall book that is enjoyable from beginning the end. pick up this book and will never regret it

Easy Feel Good romance

Not much drama, and what there is gets resolved pretty simply. It's not exactly the kind of book you listen to over and over, but if you need something wholesome and not too intense this is pretty much it. It touches on serious topics, but doesn't dwell on them at-all. I wish there was a little more introspection and character development, but neither character came off as shallow or stereotyped. A lot of names get thrown around, but only like 6 or so actually impact this story, so don't worry too much about the others. Sean is a great narrator - I actually followed him this book from elsewhere.

Loved it

A great Novella by RJ Scott. I loved Ash. He was a great character and the depiction of him as a single father was spot on. Looking forward to the rest of the series. Great narration by Sean Crisden.