Rating: 4.25 stars
Buy Link:
Amazon | iBooks | Amazon UK
Length: Novel


Brady is a member of an online single dads group. He’s raising his sister’s children after she and her husband died. Brady doesn’t consider himself a “dad” and he had to be convinced to join the group. Now, he finds himself at the wedding of a friend he met online. The children are being brats and Brady is feeling nervous and clumsy. This is due to his developmental coordination disorder (it means there’s an issue with his developmental skills and he has difficulty coordinating his movements).

Firefighter Eric is roommates to the groom and he’s been asked to keep an eye on Brady and try to make him feel comfortable. Eric tries to do just that, but Brady is nervous. Eric can be a bit intimidating due to his 6’5″ frame. Nonetheless, as he and Eric talk, Brady seems to relax until he has to meet people. This overwhelms him, so he grabs up the children and leaves.

Eric can’t help himself. He wants to see Brady again, so he finds his address and heads over to Brady’s place. What started as a simple get to know each other chat turns passionate. They can’t seem to keep their hands off each other, and this leads to some mutual satisfaction. Eric tells Brady he wants to keep seeing him, even after Brady explains his DCD. They agree Eric will continue to come visit during the day when the children are in school.

Soon, the afternoon delights begin to become more serious, and the men become boyfriends. Of course, Brady is nervous about it. He worries every time Eric has to go to work, especially since there’s a huge forest fire and Eric’s in real danger. Still, their relationship grows and turns into a deep love. Now, Eric and Brady are making a family with the children and working their way to their Happily Ever After.

Today is a lovely book, inside and out. It’s the second installment of the Single Dads series. I enjoyed the first, so I was excited to read it. All that aside, the reason I chose this book as my Judge a Book by the Cover challenge is because I just love stories involving families, and this cover is perfect with this. Everything about it calls to me…their smiles, their closeness, and their outright happiness. It’s positively beautiful.

As I said, this is a lovely book. On the surface, there are some complications…Brady’s DCD, the children being brats, and Eric’s job as a firefighter…but the men are working through each issue together. As I delved a little further, I decided that Today is simply a beautiful romance. The conflicts play a role, for sure, but watching their fall is the sweet frosting on an already delicious cake.

I really like the way the author wrote the duel POV here. It’s very smooth, and it’s easy to know whose head I’m in with every chapter. I especially like reading from Brady’s POV. His DCD, his worry over whether he’s doing right by his sister’s children, his social anxiety, and his feelings for Eric…they are all there. It’s easy to see everything. There’s quite a bit of detail and the DCD is explained nicely without being overwhelming with medical jargon. With Eric, it’s rather romantic. He loves thinking about Brady, but he’s also very aware about the big fire that’s burning acre after acre. Still, Eric knows he’s in love with Brady, and it was actually sweet.

The plot is well written and it’s obvious R.J. Scott has done quite a bit of research on both the DCD and firefighting. The explanations don’t drone on and on, though. This is a skill I’ve liked about all her books. There’s a balance in each scene, whether it’s Brady dealing with his troubled niece and nephew, or Eric’s awareness that something awful could come about while he’s fighting fires.

The story itself is compelling and it’s easy to get caught up in it. There’s laughter and sadness. There is a scene or two that tissues were a necessity. There’s a point when Brady has a cathartic moment with his nephew, Lucas, and it’s absolutely heartbreaking. I feel as if I was witnessing a life changing moment.

The chemistry between Eric and Brady is… I think “electric” is the word I’m looking for here. Yes, they jump into bed quickly, but that’s ok. Both men have different needs, and they each satisfy the others. The sex is smokin’ hot and the pillow talk afterward is sweet and loving. Also, the connection between Eric and the children is rather nice. When Lucas asks if he’s Uncle Brady’s boyfriend, Eric answers yes emphatically. Lucas responds with a simple “cool.” It’s charming to watch the four of them become a family.

The ending tied up neatly with a big red bow. This is exactly as it should be. Eric and Brady deserve a happily ever after, and that’s what they get. I know I’ve used the word sweet a lot in this review, but that’s the only word I can think about when it comes to Today. I want to mention that even though this book is the second in the Single Dads series, you don’t necessarily need to read the first, Single, to understand what’s going on here. The MCs from the first do make a few appearances, but that doesn’t get in the way of this story. It can be read as a stand alone, but Single is a great book also. I have no trouble recommending Today. It’s fun, emotional, and a delight.

This review is part of our Reading Challenge Month for Judge a Book By Its Cover Week! Leave a relevant comment below and you will be entered to win one of two sets of 3 audiobooks (or ebooks if preferred) from Riptide Publishing! Commenters will also be entered to win one of our three amazing Grand Prize book bundles. You can get more information on our Challenge Month here (including all the contest rules) and more details on Judge a Book By Its Cover Week here