Readers looking for a charming romance full of heart and soul will be drawn to the connection between a single dad and a kindergarten teacher. Keep reading to get a tempting taste of Totally Schooled by Nicole Dykes, along with getting my impressions of it, then add this standalone m/m romance to your bookshelf!
I’m a teacher who has only one thing missing from his life: a healthy relationship. I have a plan in place. This should be easy. No more toxic men. No more casual hookups. I want something real. A love that’s equal, not lopsided. I’m a fixer at heart, but I’m done with the hopeless and the selfish.
Rafe
I’m a dad. Pure and simple. The only thing I want is for my daughter to be happy and healthy. I keep my head down. I work like crazy, and I found her a great school in a new place. I don’t have time for anything else but her. She has my heart, leaving little for anyone else.
When this kindergarten teacher and single father come together, something has to give. Lines are crossed. Secrets are shared. Hearts shatter. Who knows? Maybe they can teach each other something.
Rafe
I’m a dad. Pure and simple. The only thing I want is for my daughter to be happy and healthy. I keep my head down. I work like crazy, and I found her a great school in a new place. I don’t have time for anything else but her. She has my heart, leaving little for anyone else.
When this kindergarten teacher and single father come together, something has to give. Lines are crossed. Secrets are shared. Hearts shatter. Who knows? Maybe they can teach each other something.
MY IMPRESSIONS OF THIS BOOK:
I normally like my romances with a bit of angst, but this one called to me from the very start and I quickly gobbled up this sweet and sexy m/m romance. With a story focused mainly on two men with hearts bruised from the past, a young girl ends up being the catalyst in bringing them together in a tale that has them working through their past doubts to make a future together. With each turn of the page readers will become captivated by the pairing and will be further entertained by their interactions with the endearing Hailey.
Rafe and Nolan were a match made in Heaven, a match destined from the moment they met each other. They may have started out as friends but it wasn't long before their insta-lust became too powerful to ignore. As the sweetness increased so too did the steam in this decadently delightful m/m romance. Theirs is a journey that moved along at a pleasant pace with only a bit of frustration along the way. That frustration came courtesy of Rafe's fears and doubts over growing up in a small town with issues over sexuality. It's tainted how he sees himself, and keeps him from fully committing to Nolan through much of the book. The painful way he grew up had me very sympathetic towards his character and desperately wanting him to find unconditional love...which he did with Nolan. But at the same time I wanted to shake some sense into him for not grabbing on to the joy that was clearly right in front of him right from the start. While Rafe sometimes made me want to scream, I found Nolan wonderful. He came from a warm and loving family which led to him having a big and kind heart. Unfortunately there were those who took advantage of that kind heart and it's left him worried about handing that heart to another. Even though he has doubts he still commits to Rafe early on and I wanted to hug him for his belief in love.
On a whole this was a satisfying story with a romance that charmed me. I found the characters endearing, with only a dash of frustration brought to the tale courtesy of Rafe, and it had me rooting for these two every step of the way. While the majority of the story focused on these two there were delightful moments spent with Hailey which showed how good they could be as a family. Fans of m/m romances will find much to enjoy about this book and I recommend it wholeheartedly!
My rating for this is a B+
*I got this book from the author for review in exchange for my honest opinion.
AUTHOR INFO:
Nicole Dykes is a wife and professional assistant/mom to two gorgeous girls. Currently residing in Kansas, she’s a lover of coffee, Kansas City Chiefs, and all things romance.
She currently has over 20 published books with her Monroe and Adamson series being the most popular. She enjoys cranking up the angst level, making her readers cry, and turning those tears into the coffee that fuels her writing.
No comments:
Post a Comment