This was such a heartwarming story about love, redemption, and having a second chance at life.
Single Dad+Tortured Hero - Sign me the eff up already. Cherry on top of the cake is there is no third act breakup.

Rafe hasn't had a good life growing up, being known as the grandson of a murderer and treated like he would turn out the same way by the whole town. He got into trouble with the law for a crime he didn't commit and was abandoned by his family at sixteen. He did his best to survive by himself, doing what he needed to, even getting convicted and doing some time over the years.

When he finds out that a random hookup with Dana, who was married, resulted in her getting pregnant with his child, she assures him that she and her husband will raise the child as their own and will want for nothing. Knowing the condition of his own life and his past, Rafe is convinced that the best thing he can do for this kid is to walk away from it's life so the kid isn't tainted by him and everything he comes from.

But fate has other plans and he gets a call five years later that Dana has passed away and he now has custody of his son Oliver. He has no idea how, but he decides right then that he is going to do right by his kid since he is all Oliver has. So he packs up his life in Huston to get a fresh start away from his old life, where he can give Oliver everything he needs. He drives to Hutton, where he knows his brother stays, who he hasn't met in the last 10 years.

Isabella Gentry is a grad student who has moved to Hutton and is now looking for a place to stay. Due to some mix up, she ends up becoming Rafe and Oliver's roommate. Izzy can't help but form an instant bond with Oliver who is nice to everyone but Rafe. Rafe appreciates the help he gets from Izzy, his neighbors and his brother and fiancee while he gets used to his new normal and figures things out with his son. Knowing how much Oliver adores Izzy and given his own past, he knows that he could never be with someone like her, so he stays away from her but can't deny his attraction towards her.

As the story progresses, Rafe and Oliver's bond starts growing and he slowly starts getting more comfortable with Rafe. Rafe gives Oliver all the space and the time he needs to accept him and all the other changes that has happened in his life in such a short span of time. His relationship with Izzy also grows gradually while they both fall in love with Oliver and slowly bond over it. Rafe feels like he could dream of a better life and maybe for once, the things he wants aren't so out of reach after all.

Rafe was absolutely amazing. He was endlessly patient with Oliver and not once did he snap or lose his shit even when he was barely able to function. He made Oliver his only priority and did everything in his power to make him feel comfortable, safe and loved but at the same time didn't push Oliver to accept anything on Rafe's timeline. And though he appreciated the help he got from the others, he never tried to impose or push Oliver onto them to get some free time for himself or take advantage of their kindness. When it came to Izzy, he was at war with his own feelings of not being good enough for her but at the same time not wanting to have regrets by letting her go.

Isabella comes from a family where she was always loved and cherished and her parents are more like her best friends. She was kind, compassionate, understanding, and feisty. She helped Oliver and Rafe out in any way she could, but at the same time she wasn't a pushover and didn't let Rafe get away with things either. As they spend more time around each other, Izzy was able to see the man Rafe really is and not what he had done in his past. She never judged him for it either. She saw how Rafe gave up everything for Oliver and would do so over and over again.

Oliver was the most loved kid and he deserves that and more. He went through hell for a five year old kid. To lose his only parent and then to be thrust into all this chaos and being angry at the world and wanting his mother back but being unable to convey everything he was feeling. He lashes out at Rafe, gives him the cold shoulder, ignores him all cuz of his own grief and pain, but Rafe and everyone else helped him get better and took the necessary steps needed to do what was in his best interest. The progress between Oliver and Rafe was everything when he slowly let down his walls and started including Rafe in his life. The moment when he called Rafe dad for the first time got me so emotional.

I absolutely love Izzy's parents (who also have their own book that I'm definitely going to read). I loved the call between Rafe and Izzy's dad where he gives him advice as a father himself.

Rafe and Johnathan have always had a strained relationship. Rafe is remoreful of the way he treated his younger brother for years and Johnathan is wary of Rafe but gives him the benefit of the doubt for Oliver's sake. The siblings take their time to sort of the issues they've had for so long but they gradually work on it and towards building a better relationship.

Loved Lily and Shaun for how supportive and helpful they were to everyone. If they have their own book, I'm picking that up as well.