Just a Feeling by JH Knight

GoodReads Presents http://www.mmromancegroup.com/just-a-feeling-by-j-h-knight/

just a feelingBlurb

Dear Author,
My name is yours to give, I’m a new father, whose best friend in the world just died and took with her all the magic of being an uncle, leaving only the harsh reality of being a father with no idea how to do that, AT ALL. Thing is, I’m looking for a nanny, my child is a colicky baby trying to wake the dead screaming, I haven’t slept in a while, and this handsome stranger who’s knocking on my door seems to be the answer to my desperate pleas… Only, he seems to know an awful lot of things about me and my baby that even I don’t know, can I trust him? Should I let him near my child?

Photo Description:
A man holds his sleeping newborn. The baby clutches a set of dog tags while resting his chin on the man’s shoulder. The word “family” is tattooed across the father’s back.

This story was written as a part of the M/M Romance Group’s “Love is an Open Road” event. Group members were asked to write a story prompt inspired by a photo of their choice. Authors of the group selected a photo and prompt that spoke to them and wrote a short story.

feeling real

Review

This is a sweet short but full story about Mark, an ex-military man who helped his friend with her pregnancy when she found herself unexpectedly pregnant. There is no “father” in the picture and when she dies in childbirth, he finds himself as the best suited candidate for the job.

Though he loved his friend and knows he wants to be the best dad he can, he’s overwhelmed and not at all prepared to be a father.

Luckily, he finds Ian, a nanny with loads of experience and hires him to help him with the newborn, Leo.

Ian has the patience of a saint and never takes anything personally, though Mark is more often than not, kind of a jerk.

Over time, the two develop deep feelings for one another and we get our HEA.

**

JH Knight is one of my favorite authors out there. She is amazingly talented and has a way of tugging at your heartstrings like no other.

This short story is a great example of her talent.

Though, there is only a small amount of sex in this book, there are lots of wonderful feels. Ian’s family is amazing, and has a vaguely sixth-sense which helps them to know when to do the right thing… just a feeling they call it.

I loved the growth Mark experienced it and my only wish was that we could have seen the couple in action for more than a little bit at the end.

4.5 of 5 hearts

4.5

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One Small Thing Audiobook by MJ O’Shea and Piper Vaughn Narrated by Finn Sterling

Dreamspinner Presents http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6361

OneSmallThingAUDMedBlurb

“Daddy” is not a title Rue Murray wanted, but he never thought he’d have sex with a woman either. Now he’s the unwitting father of a newborn named Alice. Between bartending and cosmetology school, Rue doesn’t have time for babies, but he can’t give her up. What Rue needs is a babysitter, and he’s running out of options. He’s on the verge of quitting school to watch Alice himself when he remembers his reclusive new neighbor, Erik.

Erik Van Nuys is a sci-fi novelist with anxiety issues to spare. He doesn’t like people in general, and he likes babies even less. Still, with his royalties dwindling, he could use the extra cash. Reluctantly, he takes on the role of manny—and even more reluctantly, he finds himself falling for Alice and her flamboyant father.

Rue and Erik are as different as two people can be, and Alice is the unlikeliest of babies, but Rue has never been happier than when Alice and Erik are by his side. At least, not until he receives an offer that puts all his dreams within reach and he’s forced to choose: the future he’s always wanted, or the family he thought he never did.

Review

Rue ends up becoming a daddy when his experiment with heterosexual sex ends up with a broken condom! He elects to keep the baby himself even though he’s really not equipped to handle a newborn. Lucky for him his neighbor – a mostly hermitted writer- needs the extra cash being a babysitter can provide.

Erik is the quintessential nerd and has very few social skills as compared to Rue’s very extroverted personality. Together they find that one nerd plus one flirt can equal one very solid and fulfilling relationship.

**

I LOVED this book! Erik is such a great character – broody, grumpy, awkward. His exploration into gay sex by converting his poorly selling sci-fi into gay-sci-fi is hysterical and hot!

The writing is smooth and flows easily. There is some angst when Rue and Erik need to decide how “real” their relationship is and the baby is there just enough to provide the glue for their new family.

I thought the narrator did a great job with Erik’s stuttering and didn’t make Rue over the top. It was very easy to listen to and added to the overall enjoyment of the book.

5 of 5 hearts

5

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