This book finds Rip and Colby suddenly thrust into the role of guardians after their best friends die in a car accident leaving their two children to the pair. Rip and Colby have known each other for years but as complete opposites the two have constantly butted heads and even went on a disastrous date some time ago. They must now work together to create a semblance of normalcy for the kids while battling their own grief.

This book surprised me. I honestly wasn’t expecting to like it as much as I did. I don’t do grief and I don’t do books with children, and this had both. However the realistic depictions of both made this book extremely readable. I hate precocious children and theses kids were not that, they were like actual 2 and 4 years olds. I thought the different types of grief and way of expressing grief were well represented and described in a way that was relatable despite them being so drastically different.

I liked Rip and Colby as a couple. They were opposites and there was some enemies to lovers elements at work. I liked that the two had a history as it made them getting together in the 4ish weeks the book covers realistic. I was pleased to find that this was an open door book because the steamy scenes added to the story and their relationship.

The only thing I didn’t like was the car accident at the end of the book. It felt thrown in and like its sole purpose was to tug heartstrings when the book had already been doing that so effectively. Also Rip is a stupid name for an adult man. Other than that I found this a rather enjoyable and easy read, perfect for a lazy Saturday afternoon.

I have to admit, it's been a bit since I have been able to review Rachel Van Dyken's stories, so when this opportunity presented itself, I jumped at the chance!

The Godparent Trap has all the elements of a fantastic slow burn, heartbreaking, and heart-mending story! As soon as I read the prologue, I knew I was in for a rollercoaster of feelings.

This is the story of Colby and Rip and the heartbreak and chaos that ensues after a horrible tragedy.

I absolutely empathized with Colby, to be thrust into a world where she had no clue what to do. But her love for Viera and Ben helped her overcome her fear of failing them. 

Rip, oh this fella, this straight shooter with math on his mind and order in his stone-covered heart. At least that's the persona he clings to. But with the help of the kids and Colby, he could see what a softie he really was. 

The secondary characters are amazing! Banks was hilarious, and I loved his mugs!

Now when I see a butterfly, it will make me think of my loved ones.

This was exactly like the movie “Life As We Know It“ but with role reversal. I can understand the main male character Rips sadness and anger in the situation but my initial dislike for him was hard to shake off. A personal trauma does not allow you to become an asshole and the way he disregarded Colby‘s job was absolutely disgusting. You’re telling me a grown man never looked at her Instagram followers ever before, it’s a little hard to believe. But when I took away all of my negatives I still enjoyed the book and I finished it in one sitting. However it was really hard for me to overcome my original feelings towards Rip. I still don’t know if he even deserved the happily ever after he gets with Colby.

Thank you #Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I can see why people really like this, and I really wanted to like it, but unfortunately this book just fell short for me. I wasn't really connected to any of the characters and only kept reading for the kids.

If you haven’t added this book to your TBR you NEED to!

The Godparent Trap is both sad and hopeful; heart breaking and heart warming. It will make you laugh but it will also make you cry. Watching Colby and Rip navigate their grief while juggling all of the responsibilities they inherited when Monica and Brooks died was a true journey, and there’s no way that you won’t feel a tug on your heartstrings. But there’s joy and hopefulness and triumph to balance it out (this is a romance after all!)

With emotional depth, steamy romance, and found family, this is a book you will love. My only “complaint” is that I wish it were longer! It felt a tad rushed, and I would’ve liked to see more in certain sections.

✨ARC Review✨

“You always chase the girl, even if she drives you crazy. A true gentleman always apologizes. He doesn’t make girls cry.”

Rip the accountant, and Colby the food blogger, went on one date. According to Rip, it was the worst date he had ever been on, and so they swore each other off. These two are around each other a lot though because Colby’s best friend, Monica just so happens to be Rip’s sister. When Monica and her husband pass away tragically, Colby and Rip are to care for their two children. They are the godparents, and are now forced to endure each other’s company as they live together and navigate co-parenting the children.

Although I felt the ending to be a tad rushed and felt as though it just didn’t fit well with the rest of the book, I LOVED pretty much the first 90%. The two of them have vastly different parenting styles and loathe one another, but it takes being in the other person’s shoes for the perspective to change. They are both handling their grief differently, and there is obviously some feelings that they have held on to and never acted on that are pent up, that makes for good tension. Also, can we take a moment to appreciate Banks, and his hilarious coffee mugs?!?!

What’s On The Pages:
-enemies to lovers
-putting yourself into someone else’s shoes
-managing grief
-hilarious banter
-a little fake dating thrown in to create some friction
-bedtime stories
-butterflies
-the “burn box” (IYKYK)

⚠️CW/TW: (per author) death/grief (specifically death of a parent and death of a sibling), ICU hospitalization, and some bullying

✨Rating✨
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Steam Factor 🔥🔥/5

A special thank you to NetGalley and Forever for this eARC! The Godparent Trap is out July 19th!

The exact plot of this book has been done time and time again. I can think of 3 movies from the 2000’s alone with this storyline. With that being said, it’s done here in an enjoyable way making for a quick read. The story goes exactly in the direction you would expect but it’s a good story.

I couldn’t put this book down, it had me right from the beginning. My family’s been on the other end of that phone call, fortunately for my family we had a better outcome. I was overwhelmed with feelings all the way through this book. The emphasis author Rachel Van Dyken put on the memories of family & previous tragedies was beautiful but sad. Rip & Colby are wonderful together & their chemistry ignites every time they are near one another. This entire book was heartbreaking because of the all consuming loss they all faced. The grief handled differently by Colby & Rip, as well as with little Ben & Viera was evident, as was how Colby kept their parents alive in their hearts & minds. I thought that the scene when Rip has finally realized his love for Colby & is visited by a blue butterfly reminding him of his late sister, during a terrifying moment of fear at possibly repeating tragedy again was very poignant & heart wrenching. I also loved the fact that a special Angel was with Colby as she rescued a family from a burning vehicle. This entire book from start to finish was beautifully written about such a heartbreaking & life altering experience. This is why I love reading books written by author Rachel Van Dyken, she puts her heart & soul into them.

I adore RVD and her writing and have been a fan for years. The Godparent Trap was SO good. I did not want to put it down and only did because you know, real life!

Colby is a food blogger and travels around the world to do her work. She loves what she does and she's good at it. Rip is an accountant who likes things to be very orderly and in their place. He's very much a rules guy. When the unthinkable happens and Rip's sister and Colby's best friend, along with her husband are killed in an accident, the two become instant co-guardians to their young son and daughter.

Now an instant family, Colby and Rip have to navigate a whole new world. The kids, along with Colby and Rip, are grieving, emotions are high, past hurts enter into the picture and they are on a journey that is going to teach all of them new things whether they are ready for them or not, both professionally and personally. The question is, will these two who seem so different be able to find common ground to create a solid base for Ben and Viera?

This was a quick read for me and I was engrossed from the beginning. It is a heavy book at times, but I think given the subject matter, RVD handled it with grace. Not only did I love the kids, Ben and Viera, Banks, Rip's co-worker added his own flare to the story as well!

This is definitely one you should consider picking up!

**I voluntarily read an early copy of this title courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review**

Unfortunately had to DNF this one I just couldn’t connect with these characters.

Thank you NetGalley and to the publishers for giving me this arc in exchange for my honest review!

Thank you so much to NetGalley for allowing me to read an ARC of "The Godparent Trap" by Rachel Van Dyken. It will be released on July 19th, 2022!

Overall, I rated this novel a 4.5/5 stars!

The book follows Rip and Colby as they struggle to adapt to life as godparents to Ben & Viera. Monica was Rip's sister and Colby's best friend, and Brooks was Monica's husband. Monica and Brooks die in a car accident while Rip & Colby are watching them one evening. In the will, it states that Colby and Rip both need to care as guardians for their children, and that the children are unable to be split up.

All of the major and secondary characters in this novel were dumpster fires, and I absolutely loved every minute of reading about the chaos that ensued!

I LOVED this book! I was drawn into the book within the first chapter. It has loss, jealousy, chemistry, and so much love. The opposites attract & "enemies" to lovers trope is always a favorite of mine. But I also really enjoyed the familial love that is ever present in this book. That two people who supposedly can't stand each other, move in together, change their lives and take care of two children because they want, not because they have to.

If you liked Window Shopping by Tessa Bailey, or just books that are the perfect combo of sweet & spicy, this book is definitely for you! I will definitely be seeking out more books by Rachel Van Dyken in the future.

Colby and Rip were appointed the guardian of two kids after their best friend (Colby) and sister (Rip) died along with her husband. Colby and Rip who had previously gone on a bad date struggle with raising two kids from their diametrically opposed lifestyles. Colby's chaos clashes with Rip's mega-organization, and even more chaos ensues.

I was really into this one at first. I loved how they clashed and came together in their grief in the early chapters of the book. But then after they got together, I found that it wasn't really fulfilling anymore. This idea that their dead best friend / sister almost like engineered this guardian setup to fulfill their destined love story just felt sort of icky and over engineered. The last couple of chapters especially just felt like it was trying to pack in a conflict at the end, and really left me hustling to finish this one.

I liked the idea of this and how it wove in grief and the challenges the characters faced, but I didn't love the execution of it.

Thanks to #netgalley and Forever for an advanced copy of this book. Out July 19!

4.5/5 (rounded up)

Ugh I LOVED this book! The relationship was such a well done enemies to lovers, the process of the characters handling the loss of their best friends, as well as raising their friends children was so emotion provoking! I LOVE a book that doesn't have the third act breakup, but felt like the book ended rather abruptly, and should have been a smidge longer.

Brief Plot: Colby and Rip have never gotten along, but when Rips' sister/ Colby's best friend and Rip's best friend both die in a tragic car accident, and leave their two children to the pair to raise. The two must learn how to balance their new family dynamics without constantly fighting, and as they continue to learn what the others needs are, romance begins to blossom.

Thank you NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for an eARC copy of The Godparent Trap by Rachel Van Dyken. This is my honest review.

Looking for your next book that will suck you in…look no further!! I really enjoyed this book! I laughed through most of it and when I wasn’t laughing I was feeling all the feels. If you like grumpy hero’s you will love Rip! If you are looking for a relatable heroine you will love Colby! The real scene stealers in this book are the kids! This book does deal with a heavy topic but is handled with care. I was happy that with the nature of this story there wasn’t any added drama that wasn’t necessary. By the time I got to the end I wasn’t ready for this one to end! I wanted more from the epilogue! Not in a bad way, I just wanted to see these characters further down the road! I absolutely recommend this book!

Received a arc for a honest review.

I have wanted to pick up a Rachel Van Dyken book forever, and I just didn’t know where to start… when the opportunity for the ARC of her newest book (The Godparent Trap) came up, I was very excited! A standalone, no series connection, so many great tropes, some tragedy and deep emotions to deal with - sign me up!

I’m so grateful to have read this book - the messy relationship and life that was Colby didn’t sound too different from what could have been any one of us, and compared to stick-up-his-bum Rip, brother of her best friend and guy she’d had a thing for since grade school but they’d always clashed (polar opposites), and even tried to date once… the two just didn’t make sense. When her best friend/his sister, and brother-in-law, pass away and leave the two of them their kids, they quickly have to figure absolutely everything out - together!

This one has a lot of emotions (not a ton, just the right amount), a whole lot of heart, and that slow burn, very grumpy sunshine, second chance romance and was just exactly perfect, and the emotional aspect did not overwhelm me like I was a bit concerned could happen.

I completely and wholeheartedly recommend this book to absolutely everybody! A true 5+ star book that deals with so much heartache and loss, second chances and brings everything full circle, and the light back into the lives of those who truly deserve it. If you love second chances, enemies to lovers, forced proximity and can make it through some tragedy and heartbreak, and a super surprise ending, then this beautiful story is for you. I was glad that the broken heart pieces were put back together the way that they were.

(My only thought is, after the surprise twist at the end, it felt like things went too fast to wrap it all up to end the book and get to the epilogue… could have added some more “meat” in there, but that’s maybe just me!)

I received an advance review copy from NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing), and this is my honest feedback.

This book has all the ingredients that make it a successful book brew. There is something for all readers. There is quite a bit of sadness. There is jealousy. There is also joy.
Rip and Colby are so mismatched that they are a perfect foil for each other. He is the weather vane in her storms. Her chaos abuts next to his overly orderliness. Banks adds foppish funniness. There’s even a villainess who wants Rip and adds the rivalry factor.
Some of the scenes are humorous, especially involving the kids.
Tragedy brought them together, but is the new glue going to keep,them together?

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

4.75 stars

Opposites attract
Enemies to lovers
Grumpy/Sunshine
Adorable kids and a crazy cat

What more do you need? I absolutely loved and adored this book. It made me cry, laugh, and smile so big people were looking at me. I loved all the characters. Colby is a walking hot mess. Rip is a neat perfectionist. What happens when their lives are turned upside down and now have to live together and raise 2 kids? I guess you'll have to read this to find out!

I must say I loved Banks, he made me laugh so much throughout this book. He was definitely the best side character. I loved this book so much that I pre-ordered the paperback and I am recommending it left and right. It's that good!

On my serotonin quest, I read The Godparent Trap and it hit some big 2000s nostalgia vibes for me. If you've seen Life As We Know It, the plot will feel familiar.

That being said, I really enjoyed it and powered through the book in less than 48 hours. I think what helped hold my interest was the deeper twist on enemies to lovers. It was nervous crush, wrapped in grief, morphed into enemies. Ya girl likes messy book feelings.

The ending was a bit too "higher power" for me, and caused an eyeroll. But it wasn't so ridiculous I stopped reading or impacted my overall rating. It fit really well with the rest of the book, and still held a great flow and emotional power.

I will caution there's a lot of misogynistic language towards parenting in the beginning and does get called out by other characters. Normally, I wouldn't include this CW, but every mom I know has been drowning for months and don't need the input of a man.

I really liked this book but get ready for the tears because there is a ton of grief. I think this plot was so special. At the beginning I was a little afraid I was going to hate Rip but as the book unravels this story and we learn more abut both Rip and Colby you cant help but love him. This found family is so special. My only dislike was that I felt the plot at the end moved way too fast and it was a tiny bit confusing. I would have loved for them to have expanded on the last 3 chapters a little more cause it just felt too rushed. Otherwise a great romance with a ton of feels.