OVERALL RATING –5 stars

RECOMMENDED FOR: those that like frenemies encountering unexpected parenting, cute kids, overcoming grief

First my usual points:
- I do not do spoilers unless warned.
- Read the summary above; it will tell you what the book is about. I will not reiterate.
- This is a standalone
- No errors that I caught as far as editing.
- The author was new to me

BOOK:
- Contemporary romance
- 1st person alternating POVs

Star Ratings - 1 (poor) – 5 (READ THIS BOOK)
· Writing Quality: 5 stars
· Story ingredient: 5 stars
· Ease of reading/Pace: 5 stars
· Plot strength: 5 stars
· Steam Level: 4 stars - High on romance.

Notes/Opinion (personal):

I was new to this author but I love the unexpected parenting troupe. It’s a heavy subject that the book centers around - tragedy and grief – and coming out of it but it’s handled well. There are lighthearted, funny moments and there are the anger, fear and sadness that accompany such events. The frenemies only stem from misperceptions and fears and ultimately the HEA comes amidst the anguish…and it’s beautiful. I loved it in the end.

When I finished The Godparent Trap, I was quick to get on Twitter to express my love for this story. I loved it and knew it was going to take a bit to gather my thoughts. If I'm honest, I have a feeling tis review is still all over the place. The ultimate consensus is that this is a really good one.

When I first read the premise, i was immediately reminded of the movie Life As We Know It. I saw that movie in theatres and had really enjoyed it. The premise for both is that two individuals who sincerely dislike each other suddenly find themselves co-parenting their godchildren when their parents are involved in their fatal accident. While the premise of the storyline are the same this is where most of the similarities end.

Rip and Colby are the godparents in this story. They become responsible for Ben and Viera, two of the sweetest kids. Their parents, Monica and Brooks, had previously tried to set up Rip and Colby which ended in disaster. They are polar opposites - Rip needs control in order to feel secure while Colby is much more footloose and fancy free. When tragedy strikes, they must come together in order to do what is best for the children. If only they could stop bantering.

The bantering is hilarious and does not just have one focus. They banter over the children, how they dress, how they act, and how to process their grief. Grief plays a huge role throughout the book. Both Colby and Rip are grieving in their own way while also trying to help Ben and Viera. I really like how grief was handled and how it was not overshadowed by the romance. The bantering did build a good sense of chemistry and helped form the bond between the characters.

The other thing that is strongly represented is how chaotic parenting can be. The house isn't always cleaned, the clothing can be stained; but the love for the children is always there. Colby and Rip bond over the chaos and learn from each other how to handle it. All of it felt realistic to me.

The Godparent Trap is comedic but, also truly pulls on the heartstrings. The situation that they are in is not an easy one. Honestly, it is one that I cannot even really imagine. The characters feel genuine and experience growth and change together. They come together in the most beautiful way.

This story.. oh it did break my heart just to mend it and make it more robust in the end... so don't let this colorful and optimistic cover fool you. Rachel Van Dyken deals here with some problematic topics!
Colby is the main female lead in this story and she has her life planned as an easy-going one - she travels a lot and there as a food blogger she's eating some amazing dishes! To be honest I'm jealous of her job - sounds miraculous. In this life, she has a best friend who managed to have two children that she can love as an auntie. She's like a tornado going on the way it wants, as no restraints are kept over her head. The only person she can't get along with is Rip - the brother of her best friend - so he will bare him for the sake of friendship!
Already mentioned above - Rip is Colby's polar opposite, he's stoic, has every part of his life planned and no issues can make him sway... so how someone like this tornado girl can be friends with his sister! There is no way - but they will have to somehow coexist for the sake of his sister, as breaking her heart would destroy Rip.
Those two are like Mars and Venus (planets), they should never collide, nor should it be even possible, but what if their world will shake and break apart in one moment... They will end up as godparents to two kids and their custodians - with shared obligations to two little people. Living together becomes hell - kids needing their parents, learning to deal with the grief that consumes even adults - how can children cope? Be ready for tension that will be cracking on age like electricity - whenever Colby and Rip were in the same room and got some funny exchanges between them. They come from two different worlds they will have to change their lives, to make sure they can run everything together. I had some sad moments but also I was laughing out loud during this book!

Started off August with this gem! Thank you @readforeverpub for an advance copy of The Godparent Trap by Rachel Van Dyken! I absolutely adored this close proximity, enemies to lovers, opposites attract romance. If you are a fan of the movie Life As We Know It, you will also enjoy this book. I loved how this book both wades through grief and takes Colby and Rip on a journey through becoming guardians. The romance is a slow-burn but so worth the wait. And I absolutely loved all-buttoned-up and super-serious Rip. Colby was just the woman he needed!!

Colby's living her best life: as a popular food blogger, she gets to fulfill her dreams of exploring the globe. But her world comes crashing down when a tragic accident leaves her co-guardian of her best friend's two adorable children. Not only does she need to put down roots—fast—but she'll be sharing custody with the one man she can't stand sharing a continent with, let alone a house.

Accountant-extraordinaire Rip values rules and plans. But when he loses his sister and his best friend and becomes an insta-guardian all in one night, Rip sees his organized life imploding. What he really doesn't need is his sister's irresponsible, flighty—albeit kind and gorgeous—best friend making it worse.

Rip doesn't trust Colby to take their new responsibilities seriously, while Colby can't believe Rip thinks children will thrive under his rigid control. Yet soon Rip and Colby discover they need each other more than they hate each other. Could it be possible that following their hearts is just what their new little family needs?

3.5 stars!

If you’ve watched “Life as we know it” then you’ll get an idea of how this book was.

Colby and Rip have different ways of raising these kids that were thrust into their lives. They eventually find ways to work together and become a family. But it’s definitely not without a lot of drama first. And of course with drama, there comes a little romance.

Cute story filled with love and a wide range of emotions. The Godparent Trap was a quick read that was fun to dive into and escape the real world.

One of the things I enjoyed most about this book was that it is so similar to "Life As We Know It" (and I love Josh Duhamel in movies), but Rip in this book wasn't just grumpy. It felt like he took grumpy to a new level. Also, and this is a personal thing, but I don't think I would have had a character that goes by Rip in a book where the main plot point is death of a sibling and a friend.

What a wonderful story— I loved the whole book! It was a joy to read. There was love and happiness in the midst of tragedy.

Colby and Trip’s chemistry was adorable. They were dedicated godparents and loved each other through all the chaos. I thought it was so sweet. I’ll have to get this one to keep for my shelf.
It reminded me of the Kathrine Heigel movie Life As We Know It.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I absolutely love Rachel Van Dykens books! This was such a good read. Colby is best friends with Monica and her husband Brooks. Rip is Monica’s brother and Brooks best friend. After a failed date the uptight Rip and chaotic Colby don’t get along. Rip is pretty much a jerk to her. And despite his actions Colby has always had a crush on him. Then a horrible accident happens and Monica and Brooks pass away. Leaving Colby and Rip to take care of the their two children. This had all of the emotions, it tugged at your heart strings, and the next minute had you laughing. I enjoyed this book so much!

I absolutely loved this! This definitely filled my grumpy x sunshine heart. With the heartbreaking and tears of the events that happened in this book, the positive importance of this book was really apparent. I absolutely loved Colby; how she’s carefree with the biggest heart, also she was hilarious! I liked how she brought Rip out of his tough exterior and shell. She reminded him that it was okay to be free and fun and to live life. Rip was a sweetheart as well, despite his grumpiness. I liked how he realized that life wasn’t always about structure or being serious, and how it was okay to go against what’s planned. Their relationship was the cutest, and i really loved their development and how they became to be. The tension was well written and they were such a great pair for one another!

Cute and funny but also had me tearing up more than I expected! Opposites attract when they become co-parents of two young kids after their best friends pass away. Enjoyed the witty banter, forced proximity and chemistry in this book!

It reminds me of that movie that I can’t remember the name of but omg so so good! I loved every second of it! Such a feel good

Enemies to lovers book that’s sad and heartwarming. It reminded me a lot of a movie with kath Heigl. No complaints it is an entertaining summer read.

This book made me go through a rollercoaster of emotions and I enjoyed every seconds of it. I loved how this book explored so many different themes. And I loved the romance in this one, it was just so cute and the characters were perfect for each other.

En bref, malgré le thème assez sombre étant donné que les parents décèdent et que nos deux héros doivent prendre leur suite, j'ai adoré les voir se battre pour leurs convictions et tout ce qui compte pour eux. Colby et Rip sont très différent l'un de l'autre mais dans un sens ils sont aussi complémentaires et on ne peut que sourire en les voyant aller au bout de leurs idées. Ils vont avoir quelques disputes mais aussi quelques moments forts et j'ai apprécié de les voir se rapprocher au fur et à mesure que l'on va découvrir leur histoire. Le final est vraiment chouette et même s'il n'y a pas de grande surprise dans l'intrigue, j'ai adoré les rencontrer et apprendre à les connaitre !!

The Godparent Trap is an emotional haters-to-lovers, grumpy/sunshine, and forced proximity with adorable kids and a grumpy cat. Rip and Colby, who have known each other most of their lives and have some unfortunate history between them, are forced to live together and raise two kids when their best friends die in a car accident and leave the kids to both of them. We are then taken on an emotional rollercoaster as Rip and Colby navigate parenthood, their jobs, their grief, and learning to get along with each other. While the book deals with the heavy topics of death and grief, there are also many heartwarming and laugh-out-loud moments.

I really enjoyed the story. I thought Van Dyken dealt with the hard topics well and managed to inject enough humor to lighten the mood and keep it from being too heavy. She captured the chaos that is raising young children while still trying to not only keep your job but also your sanity. I liked how opposite the characters' personalities were, but thought Rip was overly harsh to someone who was obviously grieving and doing her best after being thrown into a new and difficult situation. His good friend Banks was hilarious, if maybe a bit over the top. Colby was a lovable hot mess, and although she is almost the opposite of me, I could really relate to her.

The only thing that missed the mark for me was that the ending and the epilogue were a little over the top. The ending was a bit unconventional, which I liked, but it was a bit much. I had to roll my eyes a few times at the epilogue and how everything tied up just a little too perfectly, but it was still very sweet. Overall I would recommend this book to rom com lovers who enjoy grumpy/sunshine, "enemies" (haters)-to-lovers, and forced proximity, as long as you are ok reading about death of a parent/sister/best friend.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review!

“One thing I had already learned was that you had to hold on to the moments – even the ones that drove you crazy. Because you never knew how long you had to enjoy them.” – Colby

Rachel Van Dyken’s newest release The Godparent Trap is a wonderfully entertaining romantic comedy that touches your soul as it leads you to contemplate loss, love, and what family really means. Monica’s best friend, Colby, and brother, Rip, have know each other for years. They continually seem to rub each other the wrong way, as Colby is a free spirited and successful food blogger while Rip is a regimented and rigid accountant, even though they each foster an unexplicable attraction to the other. When Colby and Rip become co-guardian’s of Monica and Brook’s preschool children following a tragic car accident they move in with the kids to give them a sense of normalcy as they try to navigate their differences, a chemistry they can’t deny, and raising two vibrant yet grieving children.


Is it ok to say “wow” in a review? Because that’s the only word I can think of to describe the mish mash of emotions that I felt while reading The Godparent Trap. Rachel so accurately conveyed life with preschoolers as well as how they process the loss of a parent. There is a never ending supply of comedic moments when it comes to raising kids and Rachel tapped into many of them. Children also have a much simpler view of life and the afterlife and their philosophical musings can be so much more insightful. This combination creates a story that not only entertains but makes makes you contemplate the really important things in life. Colby and Rip didn’t see it coming but came to the realization “our friends had become our family”.

” I loved her. And now I Knew I always had. I had just been afraid to love someone I couldn’t control.” – Rip


The one thing you are always guaranteed with a Rachel Van Dyken book is heart-melting and steamy romance. Colby and Rip have always felt the lust but were able to rationalize it away based on how different their personalities and lives were. Living together and sharing a love for Viera and Ben help them to see each other in a different light which allows a love for each other to grow and that simmering flame to combust. I loved this progression in their relationship and where it ended up taking them. You will love it too and I promise you will have a hard time putting down The Godparent Trap!

5 stars
First I fell in love with the cover and then with the book. It remind me of that Katherine Heigl movie, Life As We Know It. Perfect mixture of emotion , love, pain and grieve. I loved them especially the kids. Fictional kids are so adorable.

TROPES: enemies to lovers
co parents
sister's bestfriend

I have never read any book from this author but it will definitely check them out .
I would definitely recommend it

This is both a fun and poignant story. Colby and Rip become guardians of two small children when Rip’s sister and Colby’s best friend dies in an accident. Of course Rip and Colby have totally opposite personalities and a bit of a negative backstory so they seem to clash over everything. The kids are adorable and it was heartwarming to see Rip and Colby learn how to work together to do what is in the best interests of the children. Of course there is a love story and it was great to see it all come together as they become a family. I found the characters and the story very engaging and overall a great read.

This was great. This was the movie Life as We Know it and it was still great and so joyful. Sad to be leaving these characters.

This book is so good I couldn't put it down reminds of movie I watch I loved Colby and rip and they have such great chemistry that it's intense to read and when they finally get together it's magic like really