Do Me a Favor is a small town romance for people who swoon for acts of service. This book was so sweet and romantic. The way Cathy Yardley wrote both characters POV had me kicking my feet waiting for them to finally get together.

The standout for me in the book was the main character Willa. Willa is a fantastic romance heroine who breaks the genres typical stereotype. She isn’t sassy or impulsive. She stands up for herself and others in a way that is calm, caring and still strong. She has her own dreams without being highly independent and I loved reading from her perspective.

My only criticism is that at times the dialogue felt unnatural, particularly between Hudson and his kids. As someone who is closer in age to Hudson’s two kids, I found it distracting to read about 23 year olds that didn’t feel very real.

Overall I recommend this to anyone looking for a sweet and endearing romance that’s a quick and easy read.

This was a delectable read. A single divorced dad, handyman and farm owner? Sign me up!

_____

When Willa, a widowed, ghost cookbook writer, comes to the small island where Hudson, a divorced, single dad (who works as a handy man and owns the farm across the street from Willa’s new place) meet, it’s like the world stop for both of them.

Willa is stuck on ideas for a new cookbook she’s been assigned and BOY does Hudson help her *spice* things up!

This is a great story of love and loss, of defeat and triumph, and realizing that no matter how much time you think has passed, there is still SO MUCH life left to live.

This is a definite must read!

Please check trigger warnings before reading as there is mention of spousal death, talks of disease, familial strife, etc.

*thank you NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read, review, and give my honest opinion*

The definition of a cozy romance. I love Willa and Hudson so much. This was unlike and romance I've read.

Hear me out. For the romcom lovers, picture the scene in How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days where we get to see the real side of Andie after Ben takes her to Staten Island to meet his family. It’s fun, it’s loving, but most importantly, it’s REAL. Now imagine an entire book with that vibe- the feeling of rediscovering your favorite food, meeting up with an old friend, of finding a version of yourself again that had been lost for a long time. That, dear reader, is how I’d describe Do Me a Favor.

You have Willa, a widowed cookbook ghost writer in her 40’s who has just moved to into her recently inherited home on an island in Washington, searching for inspiration she’s long lost from her past self. Enter Hudson, the island’s handyman/contractor, the go to for those around him who need help fixing what’s broken. And who better to help Willa repair the holes in her heart than him? But for a feat like that to happen, both characters need to go on a journey of rediscovering their “why” and that’s exactly what we get to see in this story.

I loved every single minute of this book, and you will too if you enjoy stories that include:

-strangers to friends to lovers
-characters rediscovering love later in life
-a loving dog named Noodle
-a full cast of characters that make the story even better

This book had me laughing out loud more than once! The humor in this book is top notch and I'm a sucker for a good slow burn. Chapter 16 was probably my favorite chapter. I highlighted so many quotes in this book on humor alone. Cathy Yardley knocked it out of the park on this one! I absolutely loved the MMC lifestyle and personality. Hudson's mom and daughter were both great. The only reason I am giving this 4 stars instead of 5 is simply because of the reverse age gap(not a big one) and sometimes the MMC seemed to perfect. I will be reading more of Cathy Yardley and looking for her amazing humor!

3.5

i liked it, but nothing much more. i prefer yardley’s last book, personally. something i like about these romance novels that center around “older” adults (40s), is how mature the relationships are. the third act in this one really showed that off.

#netgalley

Do Me a Favor by Cathy Yardley is a small town, later in life romance that focuses around the two protagonists, Willa and Hudson. It is a dual POV romance that is well-written and good for anyone who likes those tropes.

The characters of Willa and Hudson are well characterized and I felt like I had a good grasp on who they were throughout the book. Willa just lost her great-aunt Caroline and moves into her old house after receiving it in her will. Hudson is a local handyman who lives with his parents and two adult children on their family farm. He is trying to get into general contracting on the island. The characters are definitely likable and you will be rooting for them by the end. Their relationship feels very genuine.

The plot of this romance is well-written and interesting. Willa is a cookbook ghostwriter who is writing for a social media star and Hudson is helping her repair her great-aunt’s house. The book really tackles doing things for yourself and following your passions. I really loved some of the messages in this book, but the romance was also really well done and sweet.

Overall, I would give this book 3.5/5 stars. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants a cute, later in life romance. It is pretty quick to get through, but is sweet and well-written. I really enjoyed getting to read this one.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

When I started this book, I got a bad feeling. I was looking for something different than my usual reads and I just got this feeling that this book was not in my preferred genre at all, and I was going to dislike it, and I felt awful. Then I kept reading, and I fell in love.

I don't usually enjoy books about characters 10+ years older than me because I can't relate to them. Then Willa went to the barbeque, had a hilarious experience, and I lost it. I was attached to this book from then on. That scene, the sexy chef guy, and the goats and ice cream scene made this truly funny, heart warming and endearing for me to read!

I did need a bit more spice, though. The romance was so heavy and I wanted the fruits of the labor to pan out. A couple fade to blacks left me feeling undercut and wanting more in an angsty, not so fun way. I think a bit more heat and it would have been a perfect read for me.

Overall, though, this was a banger. I enjoyed it, found it fun and easy to read, and am glad that my horizons of characters I like broadened a bit. Hudson and Willa were so cute, their journey different from my usual pick-ups, with great chemistry and a fun dynamic.

So this was a cute read with older characters, which I appreciated because I’m in my thirties and I just don’t relate to college age romances anymore. I particularly liked Hudson, he was a great hero.

What is surprisingly beautiful and touching second time around romance. Both characters have been unlucky in love, one with a divorce and one with a death, and were not looking for anything on the romantic horizon. What comes from Willa & Hudson meeting is a story of how people will grow and change over time to become stronger than they were in the past.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy.

Willa is 46 years old, which is the same age I am currently… so that was kind of fun. (Romcoms for people in their 40s seem to be few and far between.) She is starting over in the Pacific Northwest after her husband died. Her new neighbor is Hudson, a single father (kids in their 20s) who is instantly attracted to Willa.

Besides the romance, I really enjoyed the food science/cookbook part of the storyline. And the side characters and an adorable dog named Noodle were nice additions as well.

Trigger warning: loss of spouse, diabetes

Thanks to NetGalley and Montlake for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. Watch for Do Me a Favor to come out July 23, 2024.

*3.5

Thank you to Netgalley and Montlake for the arc in exchange for an honest review :)

Are you looking for a sweet contemporary romance with a charming MMC and a sweet FMC?

This book should definitely be on your radar! This is your typical soft hearted romance, we have a fmc who is struggling to get back to her life after the passing of her husband and a single dad mmc who takes care of everyone but himself and bam together they bond a friendship which forms into a romance.

Nothing in particular really stood out to me but that's not an entirely bad thing... I just wish that we would have gotten more relationship development from the main couple.

One of the things I liked how the FMC was a cookbook ghostwriter for a guy who filmed shirtless videos while cooking cause LMAO it reminded me of the tiktoks that I've seen do the very same thing.

Overall it was a cute read!

Thank you to the author and publisher for allowing me to read this ARC on NetGalley.

Overall rating: 3.5 ⭐️s

This book follows Willa and Hudson and their journey from being friends to lovers! I really enjoyed watching their relationship grow. Willa is recently widowed and Hudson is divorced. Willa is still grieving the loss of her husband and adjusting to her life without him. I enjoyed reading about how her character changed / developed. I really liked how this book had a dog that brought them together. If you are looking for a cozy romance this is i!

Trope: friends to lovers
Spice: 2/5 🌶️
Noodle: 5/5 🐶

I really enjoyed this read. It was sweet and witty. Plus, I definitely cried a few times but the ending was so cute.

I really enjoyed this! I've read a handful of Cathy Yardley books over the years and I love that she's moved over to writing characters at a slightly later stage in life that are still figuring things out! Willa and Hudson are super cute, I loved the supporting characters, I reckon I want to live on that island, and loving the lack of third act breakup. Just nothing but healthy communication 👏👏👏

I loved this book!! It was fabulous and well done. The characters were on point and I thought the plot was well developed. I would recommend this book to others.

DNF at 41%
I can't keep reading. I tried, I really did.
I never quite liked the book. From the beginning, I noticed it wasn't for me.
I didn't like any of the MCs and even though they had chemistry, it was all too awkward.
I skimmed a bit pass the 41% mark and nothing kept me interested, so I decided to pass.
The writing was ok, I guess.
I just didn't like them, especially the FMC
PS: what is it with Type 1 Diabetes that suddenly it's popping in so many books? And so terribly depicted at that. In this one they made it sound like it was the most gruelling, difficult and horrible disease to live with. As I've said before, cool that more people know about it and get that's it's relevant, but please, don't exaggerate that much

Thank you Montlake for the ARC for my honest review. Do Me a Favor was a sweet, low-stakes read about two people in their 40s. I didn't get a whole lot of swoon from the two MCs, but there was a pretty funny moment involving edibles. I just felt like there was a lot of telling, rather than showing in this book.

the first 5 chapters were rough to get thru- the writing was repetitive and the story was having a lot of plot holes. I pushed thru and I can honestly say I didn't enjoy the characters or how fast the ending was tied up. it only made me realize the "love story" wasn't even a lasting story to call a relationship. wasn't for me. will not be sharing my review to media outlets because I want to give this book a chance with maybe a younger audience.

This was such a cozy and fun read. Fell in love with Willa and Hudson right away. I loved the food science angle, and would love a recipe or two ;)

Given that Yardley’s “Role Playing” was hands down my favorite read of 2023, I had high expectations, and “Do Me a Favor” did not disappoint in the slightest. The fancy restaurant phone call (trying to keep it vague to avoid spoilers!) was SO Bogwitch coded and you can’t tell me otherwise :)

There was a scene (Chapter 16, AKA Willa’s TED Talk), that had me laughing so hard there were tears streaming down my face. There were a bunch of chuckles throughout. Yardley is great with her inner monologue zingers. The level of geeking out Willa and Hudson did about their respective passions was so relatable.

For me, what sets Cathy Yardley’s books apart from other romance novels is the humanity that pours off each and every page. There are so many small touches that she weaves through her stories to give her characters such clearly defined personalities.

I was grateful to receive an ARC from Net Galley to read and review; all opinions are my own!