Dana and Erryn review ‘Jake (Single Dads of Gaynor Beach Book #1)’ by Charley Descoteaux. The book was self-published on March 29, 2022 and is 301 pages.
Why Dana read: I’ve been wanting to check out this new to me author, and the blurb looked interesting,
Why Erryn read: I’m invested in this new series.
I’ve known I was bi since middle school, but I never thought I’d act on my attraction to men.
I never thought I’d be raising my two kids alone, either
A grumpy mechanic might not make the best single dad, but the kids aren’t complaining. Maybe because they’re never home. Teenagers.
Then a fresh start falls into my lap when the hottest man I’ve ever seen gets stuck on the side of the road. And if I can’t forget the feel of Micah’s arms around me when he rode on the back of my bike…well, nobody needs to know about that except me.
But then Micah introduces me to worlds I’ve never been a part of before. Worlds with ropes and explosive chemistry and adventures even bigger than our rides in the Southern California sunshine. Pursuing him feels like the biggest risk I’ve ever taken, and that’s before I learn about his past.
I hope we can hang on when the ride gets bumpy.
JAKE is an angsty opposites-attract Romance in the Single Dads of Gaynor Beach world with a grumpy mechanic, a sunshiny high school teacher with a secret, size difference and a few first times, and three teenagers who are more perceptive than their parents bargained for.
Please see the Look Inside feature for possible triggers.
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Erryn’s review:
When I heard about the new Single Dads of Gaynor Beach series, I was intrigued. All these books about single dads? How could each story be unique? Well, if this first one is anything to go off, I think I’m going to settle into these books nicely.
I liked Jake. I do grumpy. I relate to grumpy. That being said, I also liked Micah. His perpetually upbeat attitude, even in the wake of a major problem, soothed me. I also thought the kids in the story were a hoot. Jake alone is raising a son and daughter, while Micah shares parenting with his sister and her wife of their son. A healthy blended family
I’m also a fan of a bit of angst, which this story gave me. I had to say, I didn’t see a solution to Micah’s predicament, but the author offered up a logical one that didn’t feel forced. I’ll admit I was a little surprised at the kink aspect of the story (I didn’t read the blurb), but it worked. I like when relationships are unpredictable. I especially like happy endings.
The next instalment of the series is out soon and I can’t wait to get my hands on it.
Erryn’s Rating:
10/10 Points of Gold (100% Recommended) – Compares to 5/5 Stars
Dana’s review:
This is the first time I have read a book by Charley Descoteaux, and after finishing the book, I know it won’t be the last. I am a fan of series books, because there always seems to be a secondary character that peaks my interest and I hope to see them in further books. The picturesque oceanside town also provides perfect scenery and I look forward to revisiting this town.
When we meet the grumpy mechanic, Jake, I saw less grumpy than I was expecting. He is closed off, and has been since his wife died years before. I just felt like he had sunk into his loneliness and didn’t reach out except to his best friend Ripley, and to his kids; sort of. As the book starts out, it seems like it is an awakening point for Jake. He has realized that he wasn’t as present as he should be over the previous years. I commend him for deciding to be better, even at a time he might have given up.
I have some weird feelings about they family dynamics between Jake and his kids. It’s made clear that Jake has kind of screwed up as lost in grief as he was, and his daughter often had to step in as caretaker to her brother. Even after Jake starts to make amends, she treats her father like a child and yells at him for not leaving a message when he called her after she didn’t answer her phone all day. He meekly took the berating, feeling old guilt, instead of trying to find out why she hadn’t been answering. I realize that both of them are entitled to either bitterness or guilt, but I found myself irked.
Micah’s the father to a son who was carried by his sister’s wife. He’s also an ex-porn star known for BDSM movies, but now he teaches art at the high school. As strange as things might look to an outsider, their family is well adjusted. His son is good friends with Jake’s son, though they don’t know that when they meet at the side of the road when Micah’s car breaks down. Micah’s arms around Jake’s stomach on the motorcycle ride to school puts thoughts into both men’s heads. Jake has been feeling a need to be tied down and/or controlled lately, and Micah has missed the life since moving back to his hometown.
There is a slight age gap and Jake’s kids don’t know he is bisexual, but things seem to be going smoothly until Micah’s past is threatened to be revealed. I have one minor complaint about the security of the schools in this story. It moves the story along and makes it easy for Micah’s blackmailer and also Jake to visit him while he is working, but I was thrown off kilter by how easy it was for an adult to enter the school without being buzzed in and checking in at the office.
Overall, I did really like the book and will happily read more from this author. The kink factor was somewhat light and written well. I really liked all the side characters, including Micah’s sister and her partner, Jake’s mom, all the kids, and even the guy seeing Jake’s daughter. There are some really sweet moments. I really hope that Jake’s bestie somehow finds himself in one of the other books in this series, I will be checking those out as well.
Dana’s Rating:
8.5/10 Pots of Gold (85% Recommended) – Compares to 4.25/5 Stars
Amazon | Twitter: @CharleyDescote | Goodreads
Charley Descoteaux is the author of the Buchanan House Love Stories. Book One is a USA Today Must-Read Romance.
Charley misspent a large chunk of her youth on the back of a Harley, meeting people and having adventures that sometimes pop up in their fiction. She writes angsty and relatable Male/Male Romance with all the feels, and especially loves stories that include created families. Charley has survived earthquakes, tornadoes, and floods, but couldn’t make it through one day without stories.
Rainbow Gold Reviews 