I absolutely adored the characters in the book, and it was such a cute read that makes you swoon and feel so happy. It had some of my favorite tropes so I was totally hooked.

After becoming a teen parent and then being abandoned by his girlfriend and the mother of his child, Gavin put a pause on his own plans and has dedicated his life to being the best dad he can for his little girl, Josie. Now, at 24, he wants to only focus on his daughter and his career, not wanting to let anyone else into his life and give them the power to hurt him and his daughter again.

But when he meets Josie's new teacher, Penny, who has newly moved to New Haven, he can't help but feel attracted to her. And what's more? She has also moved into the house across from him and is now his neighbor. While he tries his best to keep Penny at a distance and avoid her presence, Josie seems enamored with her new teacher and wants her around with them.

Penny moves to New Haven to start fresh and find out where she fits. After having to raise her little sister from the time she was around Josie's age herself, she is going after what she wants. Her initial interaction with Gavin is awkward, and watching his contradicting actions only confuses her even more. But she adores Josie and can't deny her when she tries to include Penny in their plans.

Tropes:
♡ Single Dad
♡ Grumpy X Sunshine
♡ Small Town Romance
♡ Found Family
♡ Slow Burn
♡ Forced Proximity
♡ Dual POV
♡ No third act breakup

There was a lot of push and pull from Gavin's end because of his conflicting thoughts and feelings. He didn't want to put himself in a place where he could be hurt again, while at the same time he also needed to be especially careful with Josie's feelings when she was already grappling with the feelings she had about her own mom leaving her. So the back and forth and the whiplash Penny got from Gavin seemed valid. But as he spends time with Penny, getting to know her and watching how patient and loving she is with his daughter, he starts to consider giving them a chance.

Penny has had a tough childhood and given up a lot for the sake of others in her life. She took care of everyone in her life all her life and never complained once while she did it. When she moves to New Haven, she is apprehensive of how she'll fit into this small town. I loved her bond with her younger sister and how they were both opposites but complemented each other perfectly. I loved the genuine friendships Penny formed with Faye, Dolly, and Lydia, who were more than happy to include her.

Penny and Gavin's relationship came together wonderfully, and while there was a lot of push and pull at first, it only made them getting together that much more rewarding. They seamlessly fit into each other's lives and were so mindful of Josie's feelings. They communicated clearly and openly about everything and took things at a slow pace. Gavin kept showing her how special she is to him, took care of her in a way that no one ever had, put her needs first, made her a priority, did things that bring her joy, and also made the difficult choices for her that he knew she needed to make in order to truly move forward.

Josie was the cutest kid, and I loved how she had no filter and just blurted whatever was going on in her mind. At the same time, she was sneaky, which was so hilarious. My heart also broke for her and how much her mom leaving her affected her. She really was the star of the book. She was so loved by everyone and somehow always got her way. I loved the bond Penny and Josie formed as time went on. It was so sweet, genuine, and felt so right.

I loved the side characters and how Gavin's family welcomed Penny into their family, how supportive they were, and how they talked sense into him when he was confused about his feelings. I'm looking forward to reading this entire series now.

Thank you to Stacey Lynn and Valentine PR for providing me with the eARC in exchange for an honest review.