Book Review #bookreview #thegodparenttrap #rachelvandyken #netgalley
This novel explores how a tragic moment can change your life forever and force you to finally look at someone with new understanding and the way you want to live your life in a new way. (Content Notes for death of loved ones that leaves the main characters guardians of two children). Rachel Van Dyken takes this trope which can be found in a handful of movies and romance novels and finds a way to build a new familial relationship with care, humor and lightness, even when there are moments of sadness. Dyken's writing is well paced, accessible and does a good job of balancing the heavy with the light.
Colby, a popular food blogger, and Rip, an accountant, get their lives turned upside down when Rip's sister (Colby's best friend) and her husband tragically die in a car accident, leaving Colby and Rip the guardian's of their two children. This is an opposites attract, unrequited love romance that builds between these two how have both pined for the other from afar, but after one bad date they assumed the worst of the other. In their new guardian ship role they both must learn how to work together while learning how to be a strong support system for two children.
I found that Dyken did a good job of touching on the sadness and tragedy of the situation that spurns the action of the novel while not putting too much of a dreariness and grief over the entire novel. It was definitely entertaining watching both Colby and Rip learn how to navigate their new normal. I love that through these new challenges they were able to come to see the other in a new light and really respect them for the hard worker and caregiver that they both could be. It is also definitely fun to watch them both have to fight their attraction as this forced proximity drives them to constantly be around the other. Dyken also knows how to drive up the heat when these two finally get together and it is perfectly sensual and steamy. The use of the children was done in the perfect way to show lives ups and downs, while learning to be strong and sensitive and okay with feelings. It is also really joyful to see the children be on board with this relationship while building a new family unit with their parents always in their hearts.
If you enjoyed the movie Life as We Know It, you should definitely check this romance out. I really enjoyed this slice of life romance about building a family and learning to see life in a new way.
Thank you to Forever Publishing and NetGalley for an eARC, all thoughts and opinions are my own.