Some of my favorite type of books to read is enemies to lovers or in this case, frenemies to lovers. After tragedy strikes, Rip and Colby's lives have been turned upside down. The two must come together in order to raise the kids their best friends left behind when they passed away. Both Colby and Rip love Ben and Viera fiercely, however they can't get their act together when it comes to each other. I couldn't wait to ge to the part of this book when they actually got their act together! There was seriously not once part of this book that I didn't love. There were moments when I wanted to cry and many moments where I was laughing out loud. Overall I loved the book!

This story pulled right at my heart strings and reminded me so much of the movie “Life as we know it” which I loved!!!
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This was such a heartbreakingly sweet story that just really wrecked me. As a parent, one of my biggest fears is something happening to my husband and I, leaving my children without their parents. In this story, Colby and Rip are forced into parenthood after losing their sister/best friends in an accident. Colby and Rip literally despise each other, but must learn to coexist and make the kids new “normal” as easy as possible.
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I loved that this book is told in both Colby and Rip’s POV. I loved the way this enemies to lovers story unfolded. Seeing the two of them begin to realize that there just may be some hidden feelings there really made the story that much more sweet. Banks was another character that I absolutely loved. His wit and cockiness really added to the story and left me laughing out loud many times.
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This book had some incredibly heartbreaking moments, but this story discussed grief in such a beautiful, raw, and vulnerable way.
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Thank you so much to @netgalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. Sorry it took so long 😉

When I started reading this I really thought Rip was the worlds biggest jerk. But the more I read, the more Rip unraveled and the more I learned about him. The way he cares about Vera and Ben. The way he loves Colby. I love the way they balance each other out and we really get a full picture as to how they became Rip and Colby. I want Banks to have his own book. He seems like he would be a really fun character. This book is messy, real and made me cry. I love Rip and Colby. I adore the Ben and Vera. I love how Vera tells Colby she's looking at Ben like a cookie.

I had a really hard time with this book. Honestly, I'm still not sure what to rate it overall. I think a 3? I wanted to love it, I was very excited for the trope and it felt like it could be a fresh take on a romance book. Unfortunately, I wasn't in love with the characters. Obviously there was going to be some sort of grief and tragedy but it felt like it went a bit too far with how Rip was acting. I do think it was very believable but I don't think it was believable for Colby to connect with that as much as she appeared to. This is definitely a heavy heavy book so care should be taken when beginning. I had to start and stop multiple times, although I'm not sure if that was the content or just how it was written. However, I loved the epilogue and the interactions with the kids! Thanks to NetGalley and Forever for this ARC!

It's been almost two year since I read this book and realized I never wrote a review for it. But the crazy part is, I read the blurb and immediately remember this story and even certain scenes between Colby and Rip.

This was a great opposites attract story. Colby is very easy-going, sort of rolls with things while Rip is very rigid and likes things in order. It was blast watching these two navigate a new world for them both.

Colby and Rip had their differences in the past but knew they had to put that all aside for the two kids that are now responsible for. The banter between Colby and Rip had me laughing out loud and just showed how things progressed between them as the story moved along.

The pacing of this story was perfect. It was joy watching these two learn and grow in many different ways and Rachel did a great job of showing the many layers to them both.

Definitely a great read!

The Godparent Trap is pretty amazing. I Loved Colby and Rip. They are Frenemies but end up falling in love. This book beautifully describes how opposites attract and how they fall in love.

I Would Highly Recommend it to all Readers.

Let me start this review by saying that I am a little confused about the proper rating I should give to the book, so I am going with 4 stars.

I did not like the beginning of the book. I am used to the author using a scene we have will read about in the second half of the book as an opener, but in this case I feel like the context was needed because when I started reading the book, I thought that Rip was the abusive partner the heroine has before she meets the hero. When I read the scene in the place it was intended to be, it was cuter and more endearing.
Rip is a very strict person and he doesn't like coloring outside of the lines, which is something Colby loves doing. He wants simplicity, she is chaos. So they are opposites and yet somehow they made it work. They went from two people who were forced to work together and didn't want to, to becoming a team that was like one person. Neither character was someone I could relate to since I fall somewhere in the middle, but I liked both of them. It took me a little bit longer to warm up to rip, but he was a great uncle and later a good partner to Colby. Colby was a good heroine and the only thing I didn't like about her character is how much she thought that Rip's best friend was hot and date-able. It was almost like a love triangle and for a while I thought that Brooks was going to end up being the hero of the novel.

Colby dating and lusting over another dude was not needed and in my opinion, it took time and space that could have been used to expand and explain/ give resolution to everything that went down in the last ~20% of the book. Colby's high school nemesis was mentioned a lot and I thought that something bigger was going to happen with her, but it didn't. Compared to the rest of the book, the last 20% went by too fast and a lot of things were included there, so I do believe that there was a slight pacing issue.

However, I fished the book with a smile on my face and warm feelings so I can't really hold on on the bad stuff, hence the 4 star rating. I hope brooks will get a story as well since he was a very good (and apparently very hot) dude.

It wasn’t my favorite RVD book but it was still an enjoyable read and I recommend it for anyone who loves RVD.

I did not expect to enjoy this so much! It's giving romance movie but ten time better. The kids in this book? Sold me! 10/10. The ending was perfection butterflies and every heart warming emotion to exsist.

I do not feel bad for ending this book 26% in. A man saying that it's easy to stay at home, take care of a toddler and work.

Bye. This is "Life as we know it" but she's the "mess" and he's the put together guy.

#TheGodparentTrap:⁣
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Thank you so much @readforeverpub for my gifted copy.⁣
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“Because now I knew that nothing was promised. It was often messy. But worth it. I didn’t have all the answers. But what I did know? Life isn’t easy. But it’s good. So damn good”⁣
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The Godparent Trap was another book I got, sat on my bookshelf, burned a hole through me begging to be picked up, but I never did. Until last week. The , I flew through it in 2 days because it was so good. I laughed, I cried, I lost my mind crying, and I was happy again. It was a very big emotional rollercoaster and I have zero regrets. ⁣
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Colby and Rip end up being guardians for two of the sweetest kids because Colby’s bestie and Rip’s sister Monica (try to not think of Friends, I dare you) and her husband suddenly pass in a tragic accident. They are somewhat frenemies, but have to band together for this little life they now have. I loved how this book approached easy topic with kindness and compassion, while still giving realistic expectations (chicken in bellies, been there done that)⁣
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I definitely think you’ll need to read this if you want a good cry with a good laugh and then a good hug at the end. I absolutely loved this book and I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to pick it up. Out now.⁣
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QOTD: What’s a book you read that was worth the wait?

Two hearts that will need each other to find a future they desired. An absolutely fast pace love story that will simply make you a fan of all Rachel’s books.

A cute novel about making the best of a horrible situation. I love the way they came together for the kids and ultimately themselves.

stars!!

LOVED this one. Unfortunate circumstances leave Rip and Colby co-parenting Monica’s, Rip’s sister and Colby’s best friend, two children.

Rip and Colby are no strangers, not only did they have Monica in common, but they also went one a date once that did not go well at all. Rip and Colby are also opposites in so many different ways.

I loved seeing these two navigate grief, parenthood, and their relationship with each other. Although there was A LOT that they didn’t agree on, they slowly grew on each other and confronted their feelings. Both kids added so much life to the story as well!

A great opposites attract romance with lots of tender moments.

I enjoyed this book, but even with the TWs, I wasn’t quite expecting how sad it ended up being! That’s not my usual choice for a read, but there were plenty of steamy and funny moments to make up for it. Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC!

I really loved this book and will be reading more of Van Dyken's hilarious and steamy books in the future!

Sweet and heartbreaking. The children in this book deserve the world and the two that are left to care for them give them the world. There are so many goofy and silly family moments that are so endearing. When Colby saves the people in the car accident in the end and rip can’t get to her🥲 All of these scenes gave me chills. I also love a good dual POV.

2.00 stars
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TW: Grief, Death of parent, Car accident, Death, Sexual content, Pregnancy, Vomit
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When I read the synopsis of the book I got excited expecting it to be similar to 2010's Life as We Know It. However the story felt a little flat to me, we have two characters who aren't compatible at all...the romance is truly forced - they're suddenly caregivers to children, so what else are they supposed to do? Without the children, I would have never imagined them together.

I enjoyed Colby as a character who put everything into it, and the kids were pretty cute as well. Things I didn't like: Rip. As a character he's a jerk, putting down Colby because she was struggling with her grief and taking care of the kids (give her some slack). Oh, also apologizing with a text gives me the ick.

If this is a plot you're into, I would suggest watching the movie...they did it better.
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I would like to thank NetGalley, Forever, and Rachel Van Dyken for a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. This book was published on July 19th, 2022.

Truly a classic opposites attract. This book had its sad moments but the levity of these characters was delightful. The swoonworthy moments were fun but also heartfelt as this makeshift family had to go through a lot

This one got me directly in the feels. I laughed, I cried, my heart grew five sizes. I didn't expect to love this one as much as I did, but it was truly magnificent.

That said, I cried a lot, so get those Kleenex ready. But in between the heartbreak, there's also some comedic relief and heartwarming moments. The chemistry is great,

Read this book - you won't regret it!