Cathy Yardley's Do Me a Favor is a cozy, tender, and emotionally resonant romance featuring mature characters navigating grief, growth, and second chances in life and love. Next door lives Hudson Daws, a divorced handyman and devoted single dad with two grown children, a brood of mischievous goats, and an escape‑artist dog named Noodle. When Hudson loses his dog during a stormy night, Willa finds him—and sparks and favors begin to fly.

I really enjoyed Do me a Favor. This is my second book by Cathy Yardley after Role Playing.

The writing style is simple and clean, but not in a way that feels underbaked. The story is overall light, funny, and cute. Themes of grief are mentioned, but not in a heavy way. The story focuses more on the characters taking care of themselves and their own interests after giving so much of themselves to other people.

Both leads are in their 40’s, and they experienced a budding relationship for the first time in a long time. The romance was sweet, and the characters could be a bit shy. I loved the contrast between the “older” characters and “youthful” relationship dynamic. It shows that we are experience growth and new things at all stages of life.

Overall I totally recommend this is you like contemporary romance. If you read and loved Role Playing especially, check this one out!

One of my favorite things about this book is that the main characters were older. It was more relatable to me since they were closer to my age, and refreshing to see more mature characters getting to fall in love. I also related a lot to Willa feeling like she had to be very independent and learn to accept help. The relationship between Willa and Hudson was a little too insta-love for me and I felt like the supporting characters could have been given more of a role.

Pretty good story. It was a tad boring at times and some of the conflict felt forced. But I did like the main characters

Do Me a Favor is a warm, feel-good romance with a gentle pace and plenty of heart. Cathy Yardley brings together two mature, relatable characters—Willa, a widowed cookbook ghostwriter trying to rebuild her life, and Hudson, a divorced handyman with a delightfully chaotic family life. Their slow-burn connection is charming, and the small-town, farm-next-door setting adds a cozy, lived-in charm that romance fans will appreciate.

However, while the premise is promising and the chemistry between Willa and Hudson is believable, the story doesn't always maintain momentum. Some scenes feel repetitive, and the emotional stakes—especially around grief, career struggles, and family dynamics—don’t always dig as deep as they could. The book leans heavily on slice-of-life moments, which can be soothing, but sometimes at the expense of narrative tension.

Overall, Do Me a Favor is a solid, low-drama romance that’s perfect for readers who prefer emotional warmth over fireworks. It’s comforting and kind, but not especially groundbreaking or unforgettable.

This seems like everything I want in a romance but I did not vibe with the writing. Overall this story and author is not fir me.

The writing, the storyline, and the characters were juuuuuuuuuuuuust not it for me here. Why are we in our 40's acting like CHILDREN?? AND LIVING WITH OUR PARENTS NO THANK YOU

I didn’t expect to like this book as much as I did. It was such a sweet and cozy read.
And even tought I liked it, it was a different experience ro read characters that old.

First and foremost, I love Noodle. And the goats. As a girl who spent tonnes of time on her grandparents' farm, I love these animals. 🥰 The personalities are perfect!

Now, onto our real MCs, though, let's be honest, I don't know anyone who would be upset if the entire book was based on Noodles adventures 😂

Willa, in all her foodie glory, is an utter delight. I needed snacks to get through because all that food talk had me salivating. And naturally, because all the food sounded so good, none of my snacks were up to par. Snacks should be provided 😉🤣

As for Hudson, our friendly neighbourhood handyman, Mr fix-it. The man knows his wood...working 😉

I like the way they mesh together just as much as I like them individually. They share with each other, get to know each other, build each other and up and give one another the confidence they both needed to expand horizons.

Also, there's an absolutely delightful moment in... chapter 21 that I am OBSESSED with. My petty little heart squealed with joy. It was *Chef's kiss* perfection!

I want to thank Cathy for allowing me to be part of the ARC team foe Do Me A Favor. I loved it so much! It was brilliant and funny, and beautifully written.

3.5⭐️
I have pretty mixed feelings about this book. Which is sad because Role Playing is an all-time favorite book of mine.

I love that Cathy Yardley features older characters falling in love and finding themselves - because not all of us do that at 22 thank you very much.

But something about this romance just left me feeling not much of anything for the characters. Which made some of the other issues stick out even more. The main one being how the heroine's late husband's type 1 diabetes was discussed.

I personally did not feel like the way it was described or handled was done very well... It often felt as though it was implied that his diagnosis was a death sentence or that he was forever on borrowed time.

And while I think she was trying to convey that he wasn't managing his illness or taking care of himself well, the way it was worded wasn't my favorite. It almost felt like we were supposed to have negative feelings toward him because of his illness and/or the way he lived his life.

I think Cathy Yardley does a lot of fantastic things with her romances. This one just didn't work for me nearly as well as her last book did. Definitely will be reading more from her in the future though.

I have tried to pick up and read this book so many times but it just never grabs my interest. Unfortunately, I am no longer interested in reading this title. Thank you for the opportunity to be an early reader!

Do Me a Favor by Cathy Yardley is a fun, lighthearted romance that blends humor with heartfelt moments. The story follows two unlikely characters—Amelia, a no-nonsense woman, and Adam, a charming yet emotionally unavailable man—who agree to help each other with personal favors, only to discover unexpected chemistry. Yardley’s sharp wit and relatable characters make for an enjoyable, fast-paced read. With a balance of humor, romance, and emotional growth, Do Me a Favor is an entertaining and sweet tale about love, self-discovery, and the power of second chances.

This is a sweet and heartwarming rom-com about two people who, despite their different backgrounds and life struggles, find a surprising second chance at love. Willa works as a cookbook ghostwriter and is trying to rebuild her career after the death of her husband, but she seems to be stuck in a rut. Her latest project is a cookbook for a viral cooking sensation who is more famous for his looks than his culinary skills. Unfortunately, the project doesn't seem to be going anywhere. That is, until she meets Hudson, her charming and laid-back handyman neighbor.
Hudson lives a life completely opposite from Willa's past life in California. His chaotic, rustic lifestyle quickly draws Willa out of her shell. His smile is as irresistible as his rugged charm, and before long, the two find themselves caught in a sweet and playful dance of flirtation and undeniable attraction.

The story is enjoyable and has just the right balance of humor and heartfelt moments. Willa is struggling with grief and a sense of loss, not only over her husband’s death but also her waning career. Hudson, too, carries the weight of his own past, marked by a difficult divorce. Despite these emotional hurdles, their connection grows as they lean on each other, both for companionship and inspiration.

This is a delightful story with relatable and endearing characters and will leave you smiling long after turning the last page. It's a perfect pick if you're in the mood for a heartfelt, feel-good romance with a generous dash of humor and charm.

I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

One of the things I've loved about the two Cathy Yardley books I've read is the older main characters. It’s refreshing to not be reading about 20 somethings. In Do Me A Favor readers are introduced to Willa and Hudson, 46 and 42 respectively. They have life experience, exes, children and financial concerns. There is an element of instalove on Hudson's part but it isn't like a novela where two paragraphs later they're fucking each other's brains out. In fact, the sex scenes are fade to black and closed door. While normally this is annoying, Yardley has made the right choice here because it suits the characters.

While I didn't enjoy Do Me A Favor as much as # RolePlaying, it's still a nice, easy read that delivers exactly what it sets out to give.

Cathy Yardley is a favorite author of mine, so it was a privilege to devour Do Me A Favor for an early read and Review.

I love that she writes mature and relatable characters and this kept true that!

Widow Willa in her 40'S moves from California to the Pacific northwest into a house inherited by her estranged great aunt. After a trail of jobs and no true career path from her past she lands back on being a ghost writer for a cookbook.

Hudson her neighbor in his early 40's is the island handy man and general contractor who is blue collar handsome (and owns it I might add) who has built a life and family on the island, always taking care of others but wanting more for himself.

The connection was instant but how the story unfolded was delightful. Discovering and achieving what is important to you in life to be fulfilled while finding the person to help you do that. The side characters, especially Hudson's daughter and parents made this story delectable.

I liked Role Playing by Cathy Yardley much better than Do Me a Favor, and that could be due to how I connected to her FMC through online gaming and becoming more social.

As others have stated, I liked the book but there were certain aspects of the setting that threw me off and took me out of the story. The characters were enjoyable but not my favorite.

Do Me a Favor by Cathy Yardley is a fun rom com with a lovely setting in Puget Sound. I loved that the main characters were older and dealing with their pasts to see if they could have a future together. Great book overall. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.

I absolutely adored this book. The way Hudson and Willa support each other? The way both of them grow, separately and together? Beautiful. A five star romance.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley. Review is based on the final copy. All opinions are my own.
I absolutely adored Cathy Yardley’s prior book, Role Playing, along with the rest of the romance world, so I was eager for what she would write next. But while I was initially super excited to have an ARC of her next book, Do Me a Favor, I soon set it aside, as it didn’t capture that same magic. But recently, I felt pulled to give it another go and picked up a library copy. And while it still wasn’t quite as magical as its predecessor, it’s still a fairly good read once you get into it.
Yardley’s strength is definitely in writing compelling, original characters. Like her prior book, both leads are older, in the mid-to-late 40s, and I appreciate how their life experiences color the narrative. Willa is a widow trying to make a new start after her husband’s death and get back into her former career as a cookbook ghostwriter amid her move to town. I appreciated the glimpse at her life up to this point, and rooted for her as she attempted to get her groove back after falling into a rut following losing her husband.
Hudson, meanwhile, is the handyman next door, living as a single dad with his two adult children and his parents. His family’s situation is as intricate and well-thought-out as Willa’s, with compassion even for his ex-wife, who is far from the often-vilified “Other Woman,” but more someone from his past with whom it didn’t work out due to their respective poor choices.
I generally liked the romance as Willa and Hudson grapple with their respective pasts and try to carve out a future together. While the story suffered a bit in the pacing department, being rather drawn-out in places, I think it helped to contribute to the more down-to-earth, realistic feel of the narrative with deeply flawed, yet sympathetic and lovable characters.
Overall, I ended up really enjoying this and am glad I gave it a second chance. I recommend it to readers in the mood for a slow-burn small-town romance.

amazing and hot, and made me kick my feet in the air like no other. I need these to be real love them.. more books