Not As Planned – Harlow James
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Over the past year or so, I have found myself gravitating to books with similar plots to some of my favourite romcoms, such as Life As We Know It (see my review for the Godparent Trap by Rachel Van Dyken ) so I knew going into Not As Planned that the premise was very loosely similar to the film the Back Up Plan with JLo, but with fun and different twists only Harlow James could include!
Noelle has always been a planner, from a teen she had a life plan and knew what she wanted, and by what age she’d have it. Now coming closer to 30, nothing has gone to plan, she’s dated the wrong men and is left wondering when it will happen for her. She always wanted to be a mother, so she decides, who needs a man, and takes herself off to a sperm bank. A couple of years later, now a single mum to gorgeous Scarlett, Noelle is struggling with balancing her life without a partner’s support. Sure, her friends are her village, but sometimes she feels like she needs the care and help in a way only a partner would, someone who would give the shirt off their back to help her. Until she runs into Grant, who quite literally does that for her, and then some. Grant instantly falls for Noelle and her daughter but has his own past that prevents him from opening up fully, despite the happy families they begin to play. Can they both be honest with each other about what they want from this relationship before it’s too late?
Now this is a first for me, I felt like Grant was too perfect. I needed some more flaws to the man, other than the main secret, to begin with he just seemed too good to be true. He was sweet, charming, caring and would do anything for Noelle, and maybe it’s the drama queen in me, but I needed a bit more of an edge to him. I loved how he was with Noelle, but especially Scarlett, however I wasn’t overly sold on him as a hero, as much as I wanted to love him. Noelle’s realities of motherhood, especially single motherhood, I can imagine are extremely relatable to women in the same situation. Reading the scenes featuring the sleepless nights, the constant diaper explosions and the inability for a moment’s peace did kind of terrify me about the idea of being a mum, but I loved how the message throughout from Harlow that even that darkest days are worth it because of the love for your child. As a couple, I loved how in sync they were almost from the beginning, they intuitively understood each other and fit into the perfect little family very easily.
The story had everything I’ve come to expect from Harlow, the funny cute romantic side, the steamy, sexy, and hot scenes, but also the deeper and more meaningful conversations that help form a real relationship. It’s easy to get caught up in the steam and romance, but without those hard conversations about things you are facing either from your past or your present that could affect your future, you will never fully heal.
These Ladies Who Brunch are one of the best group of friends I’ve read in a while, and I wish I was part of the gang. I’m going to be very sad to see them go, but I am happy we have one more snippet into this world in the form of Jeffrey’s book! But as it’s the last official book of this foursome, I knew it would feel bittersweet, however I have loved reading every one of their journeys to finding love, all whilst supporting and loving each other more and more after every brunch.
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Not As Planned by Harlow James, the fourth book in the Ladies Who Brunch series is LIVE!
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“So you’re single?”
“Are you seriously hitting on me right now while I have breastmilk all over my shirt?”
When Grant Thomas, the handsome stranger standing in front of me in line at the coffee shop, stripped his uniform shirt off and handed it to me, I could have sworn I was on an episode of Punked. Not only was the man Gabe Kapler’s doppelganger, but he was also a pilot and good with babies, which my six month-old daughter could attest to as she settled in his arms while I changed into his shirt, contemplating all of my life choices at that moment.
Being a single mom is a lot harder than I thought it would be, but that was the decision I made when I chose to have a child via sperm donor since I was tired of waiting on Mr. Right.
But suddenly, Mr. I’m-Too-Sexy-for-my-Shirt appears in my life—not only once, but twice—and has me wondering where the hell he’s been and why I didn’t meet him sooner?
Grant demonstrates time and again that he’s invested in me and my daughter, shows up for me when I need him the most, and makes my toes curl in a way I didn’t know was possible.
He’s perfect. Our relationship is perfect.
Until it’s not.
When the inkling that I’m missing something comes to fruition, there’s only one question I need to answer…
Will my heart end up broken like every time before, leaving me destined to be alone?
Or could our path to find one another prove that not everything happens as planned?
Not as Planned is a single mom, strangers to lovers, surprise twist romance with a cinnamon roll hero that will give you ALL the feels and steam up your kindle.
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