This was a very sweet read. I love the single Dad trope and boy did I feel for Rowan. All his parenting anxieties were valid and so real. I also really enjoyed the connection between Rowan and Delilah. Everything felt very realistic. It was a little strange that Rowan was still living with his baby Momma but I digress.
This was a slow burn romance but it also felt like so much more.
Overall, this was a good read and I'm glad I decided to read + review it.

Thank you for the eArc!

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher and all opinions expressed are entirely my own.

This is a single dad romance book set in Cape Town. The book follows Rowan a single dad with the cutest baby ever in a small community in South Africa. While there he enjoys the small town , the café and the waitress that makes his morning bright (Delilah) . Delilah makes it her mission to introduce Rowan to the single dad community. Like every classic rom-com, the more they spend time together the more they fall for each other. The author did a wonderful job of creating a lovable community, lovable characters and making me give single dad romance books a chance.

I really enjoyed the whole plot, both romance and the parental/life’s struggles. It all made for a beautiful, lighthearted, sweet read. I really hope there will be a sequel to this book to look more into the lives of the other dads.

First of all - apologies for not getting to this prior to the books release.

I loved being brought into Sugarbush Bay, and especially welcomed into Rowan and Delilah’s lives. Their problems were very realistic and I loved that there wasn’t a lot of miscommunication between them, which is quite often an easy trope for authors to utilise to create conflict.

All the characters in the book seemed to speak honestly with one another and if anything, the only issues with their communication was keeping things to themselves - and in 90% of the circumstances it was fair enough, no one else has a right to know every thought that goes through your mind and the characters in this story did very well in toeing the line of privacy and vulnerability.

In terms of the romance in the story I feel like a little epilogue that showed Rowan and Delilah a month later interacting, such as Rowan, Declan, and McKenna going for a coffee and Delilah interacting with them as one big happy family would’ve been really sweet. Plus a bit sad that with the level of spice in the book in the lead up to Delilah and Rowan’s relationship that we never see him overcome his fear. At the same time, it’s quite realistic that we didn’t as their relationship is only part of him overcoming it.

All the side characters felt useful to the storyline and the reader sees just enough of each of them to want to know more. I think this book is a great entry novel to a series surrounding the whole town, and I would love to see each of the Single Dads Club and their friends find a happy ending within Sugarbush Bay, especially McKenna - as she still seems a bit lost since leaving Cape Town.

I really enjoyed this. We follow Rowan, a new dad, as he navigates to his new life. And then we have Delilah, a waitress with a heart of gold who has a crush on Rowan. Rowan is an introvert and finds it hard to make friends so who better to help than the girl everyone adores to help him right? We get to see this friendship bloom into something more with time and let me tell you, it was amazing. I loved how they dealt with the traumas and how it was so therapy positive. And the relatioships they both had with the people around them, special Rowan with the boys. And then ofc i loved Rowan and Delilah. I was giggling with them, there were such cute scenes and there i was with my feet up. Gotta say i wanted a bit more of them, i turned the last page and was like is it done? No it cant be but it really was. Other than that it was amazing.

Absolutely loved this book!

Therese you are amazing!

I was hooked throughout and couldn't put this book down.

Thank you for accepting my ARC request

Rowan and Kiara had a one night stand in nine months later had baby Declan after she goes back to work he takes the baby to South Africa to live with his grandmother and struggles with being a good single father and dating. I really feel like we got to know Rowan and Delilah and I love the both of them I have never read a book from this author before but will definitely be reading more from her in the future I felt like we got to know the characters really well and see why they reacted to certain situations I think the author did a great job with that I love the end this was just such a great book if you love Love then you love single dad’s club by Terese Bihari it’s a great read Anne it’s set in South Africa love that! I received this book from NetGalley and Montlake books but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

This was a fun and easy read with a therapeutic vibe. Understanding the traumatic issues from Rowan and Delilah's childhood shows how they dealt with them in unhealthy ways, but with the help and support of family, friends and community things changed. It really does take a village. Thank you Netgalley and Montlake for the ARC in exchange for my review.

Huge thanks to Montlake and NetGalley for the chance to read and review this book. I LOVED this book! I instantly fell in love with the characters and would really love to see a sequel to this book about what else happens with the characters. So cute! Quick and light reading.

Just finished this beautiful book today and I'm still feeling dehydrated from all the crying so

Single Dads Club is really the answer to my, Tofu, and Mango lamenting "where is the angst?!" in all the books we read and thought had potential lately. Therese isn't afraid to let her characters go through Intense Things in order to come out from the other side truly better people, and I respect that.

Corey's book next, right?

Thanks to NetGalley and Montlake for this read. I enjoyed it. Give me a romance where people paths cross and I am there...leading them to the same destiny.....my kind of read. The story was cute for Rowan and Delilah ( What kind of name is Delilah...read her up in the Bible).

I enjoyed the previous Therese Beharrie novel I read, which was quite romantic and had a paranormal element to it (a ghost main character). It took place in South Africa, with her being there, and I work with/for South Africans, so it was a great read for me, and I rushed out to buy more of her books, and jumped at the chance to get this, her next ARC. This one unfortunately didn’t connect with me….

It was quite slow and perhaps the subject matter just didn’t click (single dad still living with the mother of the baby though they aren’t together but she wishes they were…. Had issues with a lot happening here).

The single dads club is the brother of Delilah, Matt, coming to Rowan’s rescue (at her request), and bringing his single dad friends along - to lend a helping hand and advice they learned in their own single dad journeys. They have a great time and bond and also intervene when Rowan and Delilah start having issues.

I so wanted to love this book as much as the other of hers I read - but I still have the other books I purchased and am really looking forward to reading those, which are more paranormal (not my normal contemporary reads, but I can’t wait to get into And They Lived Happily Ever After (about a magical author). There’s probably a huge audience for this one that adores single dad romance, and I normally can enjoy them to a certain extent, but there were too many problematic plot and character issues for me to get past.

I received an advance copy from NetGalley and Montlake, and this is my honest opinion.

GENERAL INFO

Year Pub: 6/6/23

Date read: 6/9/23

Format: Kindle

Source: e-ARC- Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Page Count: 300

Setting: South Africa-Sugarbush Bay

Genre: CR, AA interests

Tropes: single parent, opposites attract, small town

Standalone/Cliffhanger/Part of a Series: standalone

HEA/HFN ending: HEA

Epilogue Included: no

Character(s)POV Spoken: H/h

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Synopsis/Plot Summary: Rowan Quinn becomes an unexpected father who struggles to connect w/ anyone. Delilah, rich heiress turned waitress offers the poor man (who's her secret crush) some help w/ his baby. Can Rowan and Delilah escape childhood trauma and make a happy family?

M/F-M/M-M/M/F-etc: M/F

Contains Cheating: No

Contains Children: yes, Rowan's newborn son- Declan Black-Quin

Flashbacks: Both remember not being good enough for their parents. Rowan felt unwanted and inadequate. Delilah feels she has to make up for her mother's sins.

Jealy/Possy/OTT H/h : no, Delilah selflessly accepts Rowan's baby mother. Delilah's brother Matt is a little protective.

Amount of Sex In The Book: none, some kissing and touching though

Overall Smex Rating: 2

CHARACTER DESCRIPTION

Hero: Rowan Quinn

Hero Description: Introverted, built his own company. Led a very regimented life until he finds out his one-night stand McKenna is pregnant. He struggles w/ the time and energy it takes raising Declan.

Hero Likability Rating: 4

Heroine: Delilah Huntington

Heroine Description: Heiress turned waitress making a new start. Goes above and beyond to help others. She's reconnecting with her older brother Matt. Their mother was arrested for fraud against innocent hard-working people. She sees Rowan w/ his baby screaming out for help.

Heroine Likability Rating: 4

Secondary characters:
Mckenna- Rowan's old schoolmate, has a high-powered job @ a nonprofit, so she leaves Rowan w/Declan.
Linda-Rowan's grandmother. She is helping Rowan w/ Declan.
Matt-Delilah's older brother kept away by their mother. He is a single dad too w/ a 15 yr., old daughter- Irene.
Geraldine-Delilah and Matt's mother, a broker who frauded hundreds of clients
Lucas and Corey-Matt's friends, members of the single dad's club
Kirsten- Delilah's friend and colleague, a single mom who lost her husband.

H /h RELATIONSHIP INFO

OW/OM/Exes: Mckenna-Her and Rowan tried to have a romantic relationship, but no sparks flew. Delilah had a bf of 3 mos. no one serious.

Cheating Before/During/Outside H/h Relationship: no

CONTENT WARNINGS/TRIGGERS
h in therapy, childhood trauma (mental abuse)

AUTHOR OVERVIEW
Therese Beharrie
New or read before & any favorites: new author

PERSONAL OVERVIEW

Overall Rating: 4

Do You Recommend This Book: yes

Will You Re-read This Book: yes

Would You Read More Books by this Author: yes


COMMENTS/NOTES: This a feel-good romance between two people looking for acceptance. They want to prove they can do things better than their parents. Rowan has no idea what raising a son means, and he needs help. I loved the sense of community and family. Everyone is so generous; I wish things could be that simple in real life. When I was younger, on my block everyone looked out for each other's kids. Now, people are scared to leave the house. Between the gun violence and Canadian fires blazing smoke in the air, this was a great escape.

I will read anything Therese Beharrie writes, and this may be her best book yet. While the single parent trope in romance novels is not really a personal favorite of mine, I really love the ways that Beharrie both deconstructed the trope and played homage to it here, at the same time. The characters are layered, relatable, and easy to root for. The HEA is deeply fulfilling and earned — can’t wait for what Therese Beharrie writes next! Really hoping we see the secondary characters get their own stories

Let me tell you something about that first kiss it had my month watering!! The tension before the kiss!? Scrumptious! The glancing!? Spellbinding! The kiss itself!? Baby I felt that kiss everywhere!! (which should probably be a sign that I’ve been single for way too long but it is what it is🤷🏽‍♀️🥲) and Lord when he opened his mouth to speak, I damn near fainted.

So the thing is about me is that I dislike slow burns but my belly doesn’t cause when they finally kiss after have the whole build the first 45% of the book, the kiss just evokes way too many feelings!!! And honestly I’m quite contradictory cause if I don’t feel those butterflies i am not rating the book 5 stars.

So long story short I really loved the second half of this book it was so cute and Rowan and Delilah’s story was so sweet!!

I really did enjoy the connection that Rowan felt with Delilah throughout this book. They meet in a coffee shop when he is going in for his morning pick me up. He brings Declan in and grabs coffee for himself and his baby's mother. Delilah can't help but feel a connection to him, even if she shouldn't. After she rescues him, they can't stop thinking about one another.
It seems as though they are destined because they just keep getting thrown together in life and even if Rowan knows his life is way too much of a mess for this, he can't help but feel a pull. As they start spending time together, will Rowan be able to get past his fears and become the man Delilah needs or will he let his fears control him?
This was a really slow burn and it had the addition of the single dad's club, which was so fun. I loved these guys and I really can't wait to read more about them.
I enjoyed this book, but the end felt very awkward to me in the grand gesture. I couldn't really understand the MMC's trauma as well as I wanted to either and I felt like there would be more drama and I usually don't look for that but it just led up to something that never came to frution, in my opinion. I will read more of this series though, because I loved so many of the side characters. 3.5 stars
Thanks to Montlake, Therese Beharrie and Netgalley for an early copy.

Rich-girl Delilah lost everything when her mother was convicted of fraud. Working as a barista, she meets single dad Rowan. She helps him adjust to life with a newborn. Is there room in his life for romance?

I love how deeply the author drilled down into these characters. Rowan struggles with overwhelm and a sense of inadequacy as a new parent. Delilah feels guilty about the life she led at the expense of her mother's clients. There's also a supportive secondary cast that gives the book a small-town family feeling. A great start to the series!

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Rating: 4/5⭐️

Publication Date: June 6th 2023

Author: Therese Beharrie

Review: This was a cute slow burn. I am also not one that generally enjoys a surprise baby trope but when it came to this book I actually enjoyed it. The MC's took it by the horns and rolled with it the best they can, they came from different backgrounds and a newly single dad and former heiress waitress. Very much opposites attract. They might start out going down a different path in life but it eventually comes back to eachother.

Thank you netgalley and Montlake for the eARC in exchange for an honest review #NetGalley #bookstagram #kindle #kindleedition #eread

I am conflicted about this book. I really wanted to like it and, well. I didn’t.

In theory, it’s a straight contemporary romance set in an idyllic small town near Cape Town, South Africa. The protagonists are likable people struggling with childhood trauma, and its repercussions in their adult lives, when they happen to meet each other, and their combustible mutual attraction sends them into a tailspin.

Delilah’s reaction to discovering that the money her parents have put into her bank account comes from defrauding people who can ill-afford the loss, is to find the most direct way to return it to them anonymously. Her second big decision is to reach out to her older brother, who had moved out and away from their toxic family situation when she was still a preteen, mend some fences, and then move closer to him.

Her third choice, a direct result of guilt on top of trauma, is to remake herself into not just a good person, but a paragon: Delilah aims to become the most unselfish person imaginable. And, after a year and a half, she has mostly succeeded.

Okay, she still goes to therapy, and she still hasn’t opened herself enough for it to actually help her deal with all her emotional trauma, but at least she’s trying.

As for Rowan, I found it incredibly refreshing that, when he and Mckenna find themselves pregnant after a one-night stand, they actually communicate with each other; including hard conversations that go well beyond, “do you want to keep the baby?”

Those conversations are not in the text, but we see their fruit in the decisions they’ve made: to have the baby and co-parent it; when they realize that they need outside help, they agree to move closer to Rowan’s grandmother, since they can both work remote for the most part.

Rowan and Mckenna have little in common, and whatever fleeting sexual attraction led them to conceive baby Declan, it hasn’t translated into anything closer than respect and tentative caring for each other; which they are willing to build into an unconventional yet loving and stable family, for their son’s sake.

Rowan has fairly serious social anxiety; there’s an incident where some otherwise decent folk use his presence to poke fun at someone else, and his reaction was painfully familiar. This anxiety compounds his feelings of inadequacy, stemming from childhood trauma, because he fears that it will become an obstacle for Declan’s own development.

There are other things this book does well, such as creating a sense of community for Rowan and Delilah to move in, and adding secondary characters with lives of their own, who interact with the leads as more than props and background.

We meet Delilah’s coworkers and friends, and they have conversations about their lives, and about Delilah’s, rather than only about her and Rowan’s incipient relationship. We meet the other single fathers of the title’s club, and they talk about the challenges of parenting well while single, as well as helping Rowan with practical things like watching the baby so he can recharge, eat or sleep for a few hours.

(Aside: this book seems to be marketed as a standalone title, but there are not-so-subtle hints about at least two potential future couples here.)

So far so good, yes?

Well, not really.

I thought about prefacing this review by explaining that I don’t usually read straight contemporaries, but that’s not really accurate. What I don’t read much is genre romance without an external conflict of some kind.

It doesn’t have to be saving the world or finding treasure or surviving a plane crash (though all those are fine), but generally I prefer that there be more in my genre romance than two people rehashing their childhood trauma over and over and over in their own heads.

And that’s the big problem for me here.

By the time we are a quarter of the way into the story, the two main characters have spent a couple of pages musing about their traumatic childhoods–three times, each. These internal monologues happen throughout the novel, at basically the same length and frequency, and with little variation in both content and delivery, almost to the last chapter.

Even the banter between the two protagonists, which sometimes is just funny and other times snarky/sarcastic funny, is interrupted more than once by one of these digressions. Which, really; disrupting good banter is a crime on its own, but when there’s no discernible growth, and instead Delilah and Rowan remain trapped in their individual endless loops of trauma and misery, it gets old in a hurry.

Finally, while the small town setting is part of the story, there’s little in the text that distinguishes Sugarbush Bay from a small seaside town in, say, Georgia; only one mention of a distinctly South African dish, and one brief, oblique reference to apartheid. This may have been a conscious choice to widen the book’s marketability, but it left me wanting more in the way of local color.

Add a last minute big misunderstanding and a very public grand gesture involving literally the entire town (reading that scene made my soul cringe so hard it became a kernel–but that is obviously a personal thing, some readers adore last-minute grand gestures), and here we are: I wanted to like the book, because I like the general premise of it, but didn’t really enjoy the execution.

I will, however, try something else by Ms Beharrie, because the good parts here were *good*.

Single Dads Club gets 7.00 out of 10

I got a copy of this book from Net Galley and was delighted. I really enjoy Therese Beharrie's writing. This story was no different.

Delilah and Rowan had a really sweet story. They were both carrying a lot of baggage. As the title suggests, Rowan was a single father. I loved that he had a good relationship with his son's mother. I loved that Delilah cared about his relationship with his son and his son's mother.

The pacing of this book was great. The way their relationship developed seemed fitting. This was one time where I didn't mind the third-act breakup. It made perfect sense given who the characters are. The ending was a little bit over the top but I really enjoyed it.

This was a five-star read for me. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐