Rating: 4.5 stars
Buy Link: Amazon | iBooks | Amazon UK
Length: Novel

Ash has a brand new baby. Little Mia was born via surrogate, and even though Ash and his boyfriend broke up, he decided to go through with solo parenthood. Now he’s alone and exhausted, and when a drunk man shows up at his doorstep at 3:00 am screaming, Ash freaks. Mia wakes up screaming and Ash is angry. Another man, a very handsome man, comes over to get his drunk friend. Turns out the men, along with one other, moved into the house next door the week before. Needless to say, Ash is unimpressed.

Sean is an ER doctor, and he and his friends, a firefighter and a cop, moved in next door to Ash, but hadn’t had the chance to meet their new neighbor. What an introduction! There had been a huge fire and a family of five was killed, affecting all three of the housemates. The next day, bottle of wine in hand, Sean goes to Ash’s house to apologize and finds the man bleeding. Sean patches up his handsome neighbor and thinks about him for the rest of the day.

Ash and Sean begin talking and soon they begin to fall for each other. Their relationship is hot and sweet, and Sean is all in. However, Ash thinks that maybe he doesn’t have room in his life (or his heart) for anyone but Mia. Can Sean convince Ash they belong together, or will Ash let the best thing that ever happened to him (next to his precious little Mia) fade away?

What a sweet little book! I really enjoyed Single and I’m excited to tell you I wholeheartedly recommend it. I’m such a sucker for single dad stories, and I was definitely not disappointed here. I love both Ash and Sean. In fact, I fell for them right away. Ash’s fierce devotion to Mia warms my heart. His vulnerability and anxiety is palpable. This makes for one of my favorite type of characters. Sean? Doctors almost always push my buttons, and I considered myself properly pushed. He’s sweet and caring. He knows he wants to be with Ash almost immediately. Sean has confidence and persistence, and he isn’t afraid to keep asking Ash for dates. One of my favorite qualities he has is his charm. Check this out:

“I reached out and took his hand, and he didn’t fight me, so I tugged and drew the hand to my lips and unfurled the fingers to press a kiss to his palm. Then I folded the fingers back in, and he let out the softest of sighs.”

“You can keep that one for later,” I kept my tone soft, then gave him a cheery wink and left the house without a backward glance.”

I literally swooned. Sean’s so patient as Ash battles his insecurities because he knows they’ll be so good together. Sigh…

The other thing I really like about this story is the single gay dad forum Ash finds online. These men are amazing and supportive, just what Ash needs. He makes a great friend in a man named Brady. They live relatively close to each other, and they chat quite a bit. Brady becomes an important part of Ash’s life. I am picking up the vibe that he may be an MC in a future installment of this brand new series.

The relationship between Ash and Sean is so well written. I already said it was sweet and sexy, and that’s the truth. It also feels very real. Their little moments together are adorable…but oh so hot. I am able to get the feeling of what it’s like to be a single parent…the exhaustion, the worry, the anxiety. Most of all, the love shines through. Sean falls, not only for Ash, but for Mia as well, and Ash finally learns to trust someone in the aftermath of being burned by his ex.

Chapters in Single are alternate POVs. I find a lot of books written this way to be choppy and confusing, but R.J. Scott makes the transitions smooth and perfect. There’s never any doubt whose mind I’m in, and I believe this is the best way the story could be told. I also really like the way Ash and Sean’s relationship has the feeling of a slow burn, even though it’s really not. There’s a nice buildup to their fall, and I was with them all the way. I read Single in one go because it’s so compelling. I honestly didn’t want to let them go when the story ended. Ash and Sean leave me with a feeling of hope for the future. I’m so impressed with the author because of this.

Speaking of the ending, it is perfection…simple and sweet. The epilogue is all of two pages long, and that is such a great choice. There’s just enough detail to leave me satisfied and thrilled for Ash and Sean. They get the most wonderful HEA, and I am able to actually see it all in my mind. I can’t say enough good things about Single. There’s a little something for everyone. I absolutely cannot wait for the next installment in the series. I will most definitely be reading it.