Review: The Single Daddy Club
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 12 3, 2013
Derrick is the first of three books about bachelor friends supporting each other as they are raising children on their own. Derrick is raising his godson Timmy, becoming his guardian after his cousin's death. Anna, Timmy's kindergarten teacher, has been hurt before and wants to avoid romantic relationships. After a heated discussion during a conference to discuss the behavior problems Timmy is displaying in class, Anna reluctantly agrees to help Derrick with some parenting lessons.Donna Fasano has created another sweet romance filled with conflicts, misunderstandings, and passion. I enjoyed watching Derrick become confident in handling Timmy's manipulative testing, which leads to stabilizing his godson's life. Anna's fear of becoming involved with Derrick to keep her secret safe and trying to avoid her growing feelings for him were agonizing to witness. The situations with the students in the classroom setting were like many I have had while teaching. The children's dialogue was realistic, witty, and honest. Donna's descriptive language paints vivid pictures of her characters' feelings, and draws you into the story. I am looking forward to reading Jason and Reece's stories as they search for their happily-ever-after.Two people meet needing help from each other. Jason is bone-tired from handling a high-stress job, raising his toddler daughter Gina alone, and trying to retain a baby-sitter to deal with his changing work shifts. Katherine has never worked a paying job, lived a pampered life, and is now on the run, hiding out, needing a job and place to live. It was fun to watch these two adults come to grips with their love for each other. It was interesting to see them fight their demons, to reveal their true selves, and to fall hopelessly in love. I enjoyed the hostile beginnings with Jason's in-laws and the way Katie dealt with the problem. She is a better person than I would have been. I was glad to see the confidence Katie developed being with Jason and Gina helped her resolve her difficulty with...wait a minute... I don't want to give away too much; you will find out when you read it. Gina, a precocious bundle of energy, steals every scene she is in. It tickled me how she called Katie, Lady, at first, then the nickname stuck. I especially liked the strong friendship between Derrick, Jason, and Reece--how they care for and support each other. That's what helps make this Single Daddy Club a hit! I'm looking forward to reading Reece's story.When Reece Newton the senior claims adjuster for an insurance company meets Maggie Dunlap a private investigator of `wayward husbands', the sparks begin to fly. Maggie's claim for a damaged camcorder during a break in has been denied, labeled possible fraud for being over insured, and she is angry. When Reece hears that there was a recording on the camera to support one of her cases, he agrees to look into it. Reece is also the insurance investigator for Southern Maryland, and a clause in her contract includes coverage for recordings and lost wages. But now Maggie is scared because her home is being invaded on a daily basis, with no evidence of forced entry. Who is doing this... and why? Reece has a reason not to trust conniving women, and Maggie has a reason to be afraid and distrustful of men. It was frustratingly fun to watch Maggie and Reece try to fight their growing closeness as they both maintain they do not want a relationship; stubbornness and distrust get in the way of the desire they feel. This one is a bit spicier than the other books... deliciously so! Jeff, Reece's troubled son, is a part of it, too. It was fun to watch Reece come to see that "the apple didn't fall too far from the tree" and much of his attitude has rubbed off on his son. I loved how Maggie patiently worked to gain Jeff's trust and admiration, which helped change his attitude and win him over. The story about what is happening to Maggie and how it is resolved was fascinatingly scary and helped make this story my favorite of the three. I will miss these three not single anymore daddies, their friendship, and their families. This series is thoroughly enjoyable and would make a great omnibus!*This review is the combination of my reviews for each individual book as it was released*