Series: Pierce Brothers, #4
Traits & Tropes: forced proximity; grumpy/sunshine; boss/employee
Publication Date: 02.20.23
Genre/Setting: Contemporary; Sydney, Australia
Heat Level: 1.5
Rating: 3/5
Amy Highgate tends to view everything from a positive angle, and she’s determined to do the same with her new nannying job even if her boss is quiet and broody most of the time.
Noah Pierce is content with his bachelor lifestyle and long work hours, but after his closest friend passes away, his life is turned upside down with the guardianship of a baby girl. He has no clue how to be a parent or where to even begin.
Noah is determined to find out who baby Amelia’s father is while Amy is just as keen to convince Noah of his own potential. Unfortunately for Amy, that also means falling for her boss in the process, sending their relationship into dangerously unprofessional territory.
This book dealt with much heavier themes than I’d typically expect of a romcom, but I think they were well done. Grief especially, was handled very well and in a way that even I enjoyed, which has not been the case given that my life has been riddled with grief of late and I haven’t wanted to deal with that in my escapist reading as well. I didn’t even mind the inclusion of an infant as a main character. If anything, this gave Noah’s character added depth and was a catalyst for character development. I enjoyed the way Amy and Noah came together with her encouraging him to come out of his shell and start doing things for his own enjoyment again, to truly live. I loved all this fabulous progression up until about the 80% mark when suddenly Amy came up out of nowhere with all this baggage that she’d been carrying but hadn’t mentioned, which is fine, but it bothered me when she was pushing Noah to confide in her and not shut her out or run away and then that’s exactly what she did herself. I loathe the third act break-up, and this was a particularly crummy way for Amy to do it. Noah was also still feeling a bit down on himself and his parenting abilities and I wasn’t crazy about that either. Of course, everything worked out in a sweet and satisfactory way, but the ending felt rushed, and it did leave me feeling like I wanted a little more solidity for Amy and Noah. As it stood, their love didn’t feel stable, and I wasn’t completely convinced by their HEA. The writing was excellent, nonetheless, and I loved the Pierce brothers. I’ll definitely be reading more of this author.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
https://www.bookbub.com/reviews/3090702684
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5464542953
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