If you and I haven’t talked much you might not know that I was raised by a single mom. She was honestly sort of that way even when she was still married to my sperm donor to be honest. The wildest thing about their divorce was watching my mom totally put her foot down and say - I deserve better.
And then - she found it. (Right after vehemently saying she was never going to seriously date or get married again. She is a great trope.) She saw a man across a busy restaurant and fell hopelessly and madly in love with one of the nicest humans on the planet. (Why am I a romantic you might ask?) My stepdad - I call him Dad - willingly took on three (mostly well behaved) kids when he fell for my mom. So today - which is my awesome Mom’s birthday - I wanted to take a second and shout out some amazing single parent romances.
Rescuing Emily by Susan Stoker
Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Steam: 🔥🔥🔥
Tropes: forced proximity, miscommunication, funny child, instalove
Subgenre: military romance/ suspense romance
CW/TW: emotional abandonment, kidnapping, manipulation (not my hero/ heroine), financial instability, unplanned pregnancy (before book takes place)
I can be hot and cold on this author but this was one of the first I read by her and it is definitely one of my favorites. There are lots of discussions of raising a child on your own, what being a parent means (ejaculation does not a father make), and sexy neighbor shenanigans. But really this is on here because I love the fact that the leading man realizes that if he wants to date a single mom - she comes as a package deal. This book really does a great job of showing what it is like for a single mom to try to date and for a really great human to step up to the plate and learn to parent on the fly. I also just genuinely appreciate a man who loves his kids like this!
To Sir Phillip with Love by Julia Quinn
Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Steam: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Tropes: epistolary, marriage of convenience, widower
Subgenre: historic
CW/TW: spousal death, suicide, depression, unresolved emotional trauma
This partially epistolary romance is one of my favorite Bridgertons. This has some very troubled kids, an awkward heroine who goes all in with minimal planning and a hero who is emotionally and socially constipated. This is definitely one of the heavier Bridgertons theme wise and does discuss suicide and depression.
Captured by Beverly Jenkins
Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Steam: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Tropes: forced proximity, pirates
Subgenre: historic
CW/TW: racism, mentions of rape, minor violence
Ms. Jenkins is the queen of combining painfully emotional and poignant with historically accurate all while painting a sweeping backdrop topped with a steamy love story. The first of the Le Veq family pirates steals a slave who refuses to stay with him because she doesn’t want to abandon her children who are still enslaved themselves. This one deals heavily with period issues but I just love how determined this mother is!
Untouchable by Talia Hibbert
Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Steam: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Tropes: workplace romance, forced proximity, small town, widower
Subgenre: contemporary
CW/ TW: spousal death, grief, cancer, discussions of depression
This book packs a punch. Nathaniel is a dad who is definitely struggling with day to day operations of a household but really loves his kids. He also isn’t great at taking care of himself. This is a great one because it discusses how as a single parent all too often your needs are on the back burner. Also Hannah is a hoot and this story is ultra sexy.
Harder than Words by Carrie Ann Ryan
Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Steam: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Tropes: childhood best friends, friends to lovers, slow burn
Subgenre: contemporary
CW/ TW: racism, emotional abuse, physical abuse, gunplay violence, financial instability, divorce
Meghan and Luc killed me in this story! There is a beautiful friendship between then, and then so much more! This also really deals with the nitty-gritty of nasty divorces. A lot of Meghan and Luc’s story has to do with asking for help and being willing to be that vulnerable.
The Many Sins of Lord Cameran Mackenzie by Jennifer Ashley
Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Steam: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Tropes: rakish hero, sex then feelings, Scotland
Subgenre: historic
CW/TW: traumatic violence, grief, miscarriage
Ms. Ashley writes quite a few single dads in her historic novels but I think Cameran deserves a specific shoutout. He was a young parent and had literally no role model on being a functioning and loving parent. When he finally decides to attempt love and romance again - much later in life - he and his now adult son have a really fascinating evolution in their relationship. I also really like this one because the child is older - I was a teenager when my mom remarried and because of that I have a very different view of my mom’s relationship than my brother who was a little kid.
Trade Deadline by Avon Gale and Piper Vaughn
Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Steam: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Tropes: childhood friends to lovers, reconnecting with childhood friends, end of career, second chance
Subgenre: hockey romance, queer romance
CW/ TW: minor discussion of divorce, discussion of parental rejection, homophobia
Daniel and Micah are super sweet and gentle romance! Daniel’s life is sort of in flux and after a highly amicable divorce (definitely not like the Carry Ann Ryan book!) he reconnects with a childhood friend - and maybe finds more than friendship there. Daniel’s coparenting status and his divorce influence how Micah approaches this relationship and it is a really cool combination of sexy and sweet. This was also a great bisexual representation!
Bookstagram Shoutout!
Nothing like some crowdsourcing for information. I have read some of these and they didn’t make my list or they are on my TBR.
The Governess Game by Tessa Dare
Through the Storm by Beverly Jenkins
One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London
Can’t Buy Me Love by Janet Elizabeth Henderson
Running after a Heartbreaker by Jami Albright
The Play by Whitney Dineen
Fall Into Temptation by Lucy Score
My Favorite Bride by Christina Dodd
Look the Part by Jewel E Ann
Best Fake Fiance by Roxie Noir
You Had Me at Hola by Alexis Daria
Sleeper/ Troublemaker by Kayley Loring
Irresistible by M. Harlow
For the Love of English by A.M. Hargrove
Hot Single Dad by Clair Kingsley
Hero by Lauren Rowe
Beard (novella) by Clair Rhine
Queen Move by Kennedy Ryan
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