Good Buddy isn’t just a romance—it’s a deeply moving portrait of devotion, fatherhood, and the quiet courage it takes to love someone through the hardest moments of life. Jonathan “Buddy” Cordova might not wear shining armor, but he’s one of the most genuine, endearing heroes you’ll ever meet. A small-town criminal defense attorney barely making ends meet, Buddy is painfully awkward, emotionally wounded, and, underneath it all, filled with a deep reservoir of kindness. When he falls for Julie Saint—a graceful, strong kindergarten teacher and widowed mother—he doesn’t just fall for her. He falls in love with her daughter, her pain, her world.

The writing is luminous—poignant without being sentimental, emotionally layered without veering into melodrama. The novel explores what it really means to be a father—not through biology or legal rights, but through showing up day after day, with love, sacrifice, and unwavering presence. Buddy doesn’t just love this child. He chooses her, again and again, even when the world doesn’t make it easy.

When tragedy strikes, and Buddy’s past crashes into his present, the emotional stakes rise with heartbreaking clarity. The decisions he must make are soul-crushing, but the grace with which he navigates them is what makes him unforgettable. This isn’t a story about grand romantic gestures. It’s about quiet, everyday heroism—the kind that rarely gets noticed, but changes lives forever.

Good Buddy is a love story about family in all its messy, painful, beautiful forms. It’s a tribute to step-parents, to second chances, and to men who may not be born into the role of "father," but earn it with every fiber of their being. Warm, wise, and ultimately redemptive, this book will stay with you long after you’ve turned the last page.

I had a difficult time getting into this novel, however once I did I found it to be a lovely story.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ArC of this book. I enjoyed this book however, it was a bit slow for me. I would recommend to others though, as the storyline had potential.

Interesting take about what makes a good husband and stepfather from a different point of view.
The book started off a bit slow from my point of view,but once you got past the next few chapters became interesting and moved faster with the storyline.
Loved the way it went from past to present and got the main characters point of view on various dilemmas,such as domestic abuse,death, crime and how far people will go to protect the people they love.
Buy it and see for yourself you won't be dissapointed.........

Description
What really makes a father? What kind of love resides in the heart of a man who takes on the raising of another man's child and all the responsibilities…but under the law, none of the rights? Jonathan "Buddy" Cordova is a small-time criminal defense lawyer living paycheck to paycheck and practicing law out of his house in Fayetteville. Viewing himself as a modern-day Atticus Finch, he represents the poor, the indigent, the "probably guilty"―the kinds of clients who usually end up in jail. He's shy, painfully awkward around pretty women, and carrying a dark secret, but can't help falling for Julie Saint, a kindergarten teacher and army widow with a small daughter. Consumed with love for his ready-made family, Buddy relishes his new role of husband and stepfather. Bonded over their mutual childhood losses, he and his stepdaughter become the best of friends. But when tragedy strikes, and the past returns for its reckoning, Buddy must find the strength to do what's right for his new family, even if it breaks his heart.

This was a book with huge feelings. It was heart-wrenching, full of hope and families. WOnderfully good.