Therese Beharrie’s Single Dads Club is a messy (in a good way) slow burn romance with two people trying to build new lives for themselves and be better than their parents, while prioritizing Rowan’s new born son.

Delilah and Rowan have each ended up in Sugarbush Bay after significant upheaval in their personal lives. A few years earlier, Delilah’s mother was convicted of bilking her middle class clients out of their life savings. Delilah fled to her older brother in Sugarbush Bay and has been working to rebuild herself and her life. She’s been made to feel welcome and accepted. When she sees Rowan, obviously new in town and struggling as a brand new father, she goes out of her way to help him. She shows him the same kindness people extended to her. She goes further and introduces him to her brother and his friends, all single fathers.

Rowan’s life blew up when the woman he had a one night stand with tells him that she is pregnant. They try to date, but it’s clear there is no future in a romantic relationship between them. They do decide to live together while they co-parent their infant. They move to Sugarbush Bay to be closer to his grandmother.

There is so much I love here. Beharrie has taken a common trope in romance, surprise baby, and then played with it. The object of Rowan’s affections is not the mother of his child, which let Beharrie, a relatively new mother herself, explore being a new parent without romanticizing it. Beharrie further blesses us by making Rowan and Mckenna committed co-parents. Further, she doesn’t demonize Mckenna for returning to work. Mckenna is not a hindrance to Rowan and Delilah’s relationship. She doesn’t need to be. They are very good at throwing up roadblocks themselves.

Delilah and Rowan were both emotionally neglected by their parents and don’t have good models for healthy, loving partnerships. Honesty and vulnerability don’t come easily, nor does trust in their own ability to be good people. While there is angst aplenty in watching them dance around their attraction and fear of that attraction, Beharrie also infuses them with humor.

I hope we get more of Sugarbush Bay in the future.

CW: emotional neglect, past unplanned pregnancy, anxiety around sex.

I received this as an advance reader copy from Montlake and NetGalley. My opinions are my own, freely and honestly given.

this book was slow but somehow fun at part , i particular didn't care for the characters but it was good plane read. maybe it was the 3rd person pov that din't work For me as im not a big fan but overall the story was good enough too keep you hooked

I enjoyed the plot of this book but not the execution. Rowan’s fear of failing as a father was understanding but it dragged for too long and we didn’t get to connect with other characters especially Delilah. Delilah and Rowan were good friends but I honestly didn’t see any chemistry between them.
This book was set in South Africa but it didn’t feel like it. As someone who has been to SA multiple times this book didn’t make me feel like I was in SA it honestly could’ve been set anywhere in the world.
This book wasn’t for me personally but I hope other people enjoy it

A big thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an arc.
The book started off on a comfortable note, introducing us to the main characters and their lives through their unique perspectives. As their connection deepened, I found myself drawn into the story, eager to uncover what would unfold. However, I couldn't fully embrace their dynamic, and at times, I felt uneasy about the protagonist's personality. While I managed to reach the halfway mark, I must admit that only a portion of the book resonated with me, leaving me less enthused about the rest.

Nevertheless, I recognize that personal preferences play a role, and many readers will likely find this book to be a delightful summer read. So, while it wasn't quite my cup of tea, I encourage others to give it a chance and form their own opinions.

This one had plenty of things I love in a romance - a sweet shy single dad, small town vibes, strong female main character - but I didn't really like how things played out in the story. I needed some more dialogue between our two main characters, Rowan and Delilah, to be convinced of their chemistry. I could tell they had all the moments and foundation to be a couple I would love, I just never was convinced because I felt I didn't see enough of them getting to know each other.

I had conflicting feeling on Rowan because I love a sweet, shy MMC but there were also a couple moments where I had a little bit of an ick. For example, he was mentally calling her "his woman" despite them only have a few surface level conversations at the time. He was a cutie with his son though and I appreciated his desire to be the best father he can be after having a bad relationship with his parents.

This book is full of sweet moments that will make you smile, but I think it could be a case of it just not working for me particularly. I loved the writing style and read it super quick, I was just a bit let down by the romance piece and abrupt ending.

dual POV
3/5 stars ⭐️
1/5 spice level 🌶️

I liked this book. I loved Sugarbushbay, the side characters, the namesake Single Dads Club (I’d totally read Matt’s book).

Beharrie’s writing style is lovely, at times it reminded me of Talia Hibbert. I also liked the South African setting.

The love story was cute up to a certain point. I liked the banter but overall it was lacking a kick and in the end it let me down a little.

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I need to start this review by letting you know that I cried through approximately 70% of this book. Do I know why? I mean... not really, honestly. It is not a sad book. But there's something about Beharrie's writing in this book that gave me some of the same feelings that Love at First by Kate Clayborn did. There's this crippling sense of loneliness in Rowan that he almost doesn't seem to recognize? And then, Delilah has this sense of inadequacy that she is trying so hard to just keep doing to cover it up. There's talk of therapy and that talk of therapy was incredible. There is friendship in so many forms here. There is so much about dysfunctional family relationships too and repairing some relationships that you think have been broken.

Also, the mother of Rowan's child is in this book and they are friendly and they live together and it is essentially not a big deal in terms of Rowan being able to have a relationship with Delilah. The fact that Beharrie wrote a family unit like this into this book? Incredible. Oh and while it didn't impact me the way I imagine it would a parent, Rowan spends so much time worrying about whether or not he'll be a good dad. Whether or not he is a good dad. How to parent. Is it always this hard? And that's where Delilah introducing Rowan to her brother comes in and thus the Single Dads Club. I just... Y'all. This book is amazing. The character work is incredible and I loved it so much.

If you want to know the plot... Well, there really isn't much of one? It's just small town living. A slice of life. I mean, there's a festival and things, but it's not really a plot heavy book. Oh, and I used this book for Anti Hero on the #SpringIntoLoveBingo board because Delilah really seems to think that she is always going to be the problem, but also, Rowan seems to feel that way a little bit too? I didn't absolutely adore the end section of this book because the conflict felt a little too... silly for me, but aside from that, I loved everything about it even if I did feel emotionally destroyed after finishing it.

Rowan Quinn knows fatherhood is a role he doesn’t want to take on—until he unexpectedly finds himself a single dad. He uproots his perfectly constructed life to move to a tight-knit coastal community in South Africa where, with the help of his grandmother, Rowan has a shot at giving his son the family he never had.

Once footloose and fancy-free, former heiress Delilah Huntington is now a waitress in Sugarbush Bay determined to build a better life and a better self. So when she meets introverted Rowan, she makes it her personal mission to induct him into the town’s circle of single dads to give him the support he needs.

The more Delilah lends her help to an out-of-his-depth Rowan, the more Rowan begins to realize that family is what you make it…and, just maybe, Delilah could be part of his.

I floved this book so hard. The story was fantastic and amazing. Great character growth and development. Will recommend to those who love stories like this.

What I liked:
• The process of how Delilah and Rowan’s relationship grew from strangers to friends to lovers.
• Rowan’s introvert side and socialising struggles and Delilah’s sunshine persona.
• The formed friendships.
• The focus on single parents and the struggles/doubts.

I originally was drawn into Single Dads Club from the gorgeous cover and the synopsis. I had the impression this would be all romance, but after finishing it, it felt like it was so much more.

The characters in this book were all loveable within their own right and the friendships that were formed were all lighthearted, fun and beautiful. They all had their own distinct personalities, which bought more joy when reading. I love a small town romance, especially when the community is dedicated to helping one another. It also adds an extra refreshing level to a story and this book had that exact vibe.

Delilah and Rowan made such a sweet couple and I loved reading their journey. With that being said, as much as I liked the grand gesture after the third act breakup, I needed a bit more grovelling as the same mistake had been made a couple of times overall. They both had a lot of issues regarding their familial pasts, which was affecting their futures, so it was really inspiring to see them overcome that.

The Singles Dads Club. I adored this dynamic and group! All four men were brilliant and I honestly have chapter 24 down as my favourite in the entire book! When I said this book was more than romance, this is what I was referring to. It’s always powerful and inspiring when an author shows the hardships of parenthood and the doubts that form, but to see it from a male’s perspective too makes it more refreshing and eye-opening as single dads are not as recognised as single mothers.

I really enjoyed the whole plot, both romance and the parental/life’s struggles. It all made for a beautiful, lighthearted, sweet read. I really hope there will be a sequel to this book to look more into the lives of the other dads, but in the meantime, I’ll be making sure to pick up a physical copy once released and I urge you to do the same!

Thank you NetGalley, Montlake and Therese Beharrie for accepting me as an arc reader in exchange for an honest review.

I honestly don’t have the words to express how much I loved this book — from the very first line to the last period.

I think ‘romance novels where both characters are traumatized’ must be my favorite genre, because they hit the mark every time.

When the story starts there is already a level of attraction between them, but despite that it doesn’t feel insta-lovey (at least to me, it didn’t). The two of them were great together and the angst made me sob uncontrollably for most of the book (I’m very sensitive, so I already tear up even when they simply just allude to past bad memories).

Rowan is a grump, and it was really funny to see him interact with the other guys, but especially with Matt because he’s also a grump. Delilah was friendly and lovely and I was pleased that she never came off as too much, like some other sunshine characters usually do.

I spent most of the book waiting for and hoping that Delilah and her brother would sit down and talk about their past and I’m so glad we got to see that. Their conversation was amazing (and yes, I did cry).

I literally have never highlighted a book as much as I did this one, and now I need to get a physical copy to annotate as well. I really feel like this is going to become a comfort read.

Single Dads Club Review:
I have pretty mixed feelings about Single Dads Club. I definitely had certain expectations on what the book would be about but I was completely wrong. I think my main issue with the book was that the dynamic between the main characters, Rowan and Delilah, just felt odd. But despite that, they were excellent communicators and they had great personal development. They kinda remind me of a couple who theoretically have all the right ingredients for a lovely relationship but I'm just not convinced of their chemistry.

My Issues with Single Dads Club:
When I say this book is a slow burner, I mean, it's a slow burner. And although I don't necessarily think it's a bad thing, I feel it didn't exactly work with Single Dads Club.
Rowan, who unexpectedly becomes a dad and moves to Sugarbush Bay, is anxious about providing the best life for his kid. Delilah works at a cafe and that is where she meets Declan. She's got a bubbly personality and is very caring but also has a past that she tries to shy away from. The two develop a romance but I couldn't help but feel like Declan started liking Delilah out of circumstance and what she could do for him. The whole "she could help me out with making friends and integrating into Sugarbush Bay's community for the sake of my son" just made me think that he was using her in a way.
Then there was the constant back and forth of "we shouldn't act on our feelings for each other" and "we should act on our feelings for each other." It was getting repetitive and I just feel like the dynamic between Rowan and Delilah was a bit odd. It was very hard for me to root for them as a couple.

What I Loved About Single Dads Club:
Despite what I feel about their relationship dynamic, I really like their individual development. They both went through traumatic things in the past and they were aware of how it impacted their actions in the present. AND THEY COMMUNICATED THAT WITH EACH OTHER which was refreshing to see!
I also appreciate the way Single Dads Club highlights what social anxiety feels like. Black men showing signs of social anxiety isn't very common in books and even in general media so it was comforting seeing it represented.

🦇 Book Review 🦇

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

❓ #QOTD If you had to pack up your life and start over somewhere new, where would you go? ❓

🦇 Rowan never thought a one-night-stand, with protection, would leave him with a son, an amicable yet platonic co-parenting relationship, and new home in Sugarbush Bay. He's always struggled to make connections, yet his attraction to barista and neighbor Delilah is almost instantaneous. Along with help from Delilah's brother, Rowan begins to build a home and community for himself, hoping to create a stable foundation for his son--to surround him with the love Rowan himself lacked growing up. Will he and Delilah continue denying their feelings for one another--and their pasts?

💜 Single Dads Club is a light, cute read with an important mental health focus—not only for Rowan, but Delilah as well. Both allow their pasts to define their present, despite trying to break those molds. I was excited to find a story set in South Africa, but I wish it was confirmed Sugarbush Bay WAS in South Africa from the story's start. The story relied a lot on showing rather than telling—for example, we rarely saw the culture, whether in the setting or food. The concept of a single dads club was cute and exciting, while also setting up a potential series focused the other dads and their relationships.

🦇 Delilah and Rowan's attraction toward one another is pre-established from the story's start, which makes their mutual pining a bit exhausting, especially as they continue skirting around their feelings for one another. Once they do admit their feelings aloud, they still don't communicate. Instead, too much of the story relies on exposition, which makes single moments stretch into chapters, dragging the pacing. The title and premise of a single dads club made it seem like the story would focus on the relationship between Rowan and the other dads (and the scenes we got of them were cute), but rather, the main focus was the tension between Delilah and Rowan.

🦇 Recommended to anyone loves:

☀️ Grumpy vs Sunshine
🌊 Found Family
☀️ Small Town
🌊 Single Dads
☀️ (Excruciating) Slow Burn

🦇 Major thanks to the author and publisher for providing an ARC of this book via Netgalley. 🥰 This does not affect my opinion regarding the book. #SingleDadsClub

This one is just a feel-good book for me. It didn't necessarily wowed or surprise me, but it gave what it supposed to give. We get a low stakes contemporary romance set in a small town with our single dad, Rowan, and our waitress/nanny, Delilah. The characters were okay. They didn't stand out much for a main character and the writing and plot was very straight forward that I kind of want a little bit of drama just so we could explore more emotions and thoughts from our MCs. Overall, this is not a bad book, but it is also not a great one. It underwhelms me but I still can see this being enjoyed by other readers.

I wish you could physically see how excited I am about this book! Let me count the ways:

1: THERAPY!!
2: Communication...failure and then LEARNING TO DO BETTER!
3: Personal Growth
4: Men being men...meaning supporting and uplifting each otherand the ones they love!!

Ok, list out of the way, I loved this. I loved Delilah, I loved Rowan, I loved the brotherly grunting, I definitely loved the baby. The setting was brilliant. It was strange to see the whole town so involved in people's lives but also really sweet and wholesome. So, in conclusion, I love this book. I love this author. I want to live in the world's she creates. And I hope this is just the start to a new wonderful series!!

This wasn’t what I was expecting from this book, but I actually ended up really enjoying it! This was a story about finding love (and finding yourself) after your life changes. The MCs were both incredibly endearing and I thoroughly enjoyed watching them grow and discover new things about themselves and each other.

Honestly, for me, this story could’ve gone on longer as I felt like there was more I wanted from it. Don’t get me wrong, I was happy with the ending, but I wouldn’t be mad at an extended version 😂

I was given an ARC by NetGalley and Montlake. All opinions are my own.

Rowan is new to the world of parenting and uproots his life to move closer to his grandmother to get help raising his son. There, in the small South African town, he meets Delilah who introduces him to a group of single dads like himself.

I liked the premise of Single Dads Club, and loved seeing Rowan grow in confidence as a father, but feel like Rowan and Delilah's romance fell short. I think I would have loved this more without the romance aspect to be honest.

i enjoyed this book and read it in a day but it somehow fell quite flat for me. i think the 3rd person writing didn’t help but it also felt like the characters weren’t developed enough for the story that was trying to be told.

in better terms though, it was a refreshing story and really enjoyable at times.

if you enjoy 3rd person and single parent romances, you’ll devour this :)

thank you to montlake for the arc via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

out 6th june !!

*posted to goodreads, twitter, instagram, storygraph

Rating ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Spice 🌶 🌶

My thoughts ~ Ahhhhh I loved this book so much honestly, the connection and relationship between Rowen and Delilah was so sweet and sincere I feel like it just happened organicly. Another thing I completely adored was Delilah and her love for his son. Delilah was for sure a top teir character. As a mom I heavily respected the author for writing this story so well where there was no bad vibes from either side of the parents. I love that it wasnt in any way a toxic situation...Definitely recommend this book for sure 👌 it was definitely a slow burn and when you got to the spice it got me,definitely a tease.

one thing about me? i'm gonna read a single parent trope and ESPECIALLY if they're black.

Rowan Quinn knows fatherhood is a role he doesn’t want to take on—until he unexpectedly finds himself a single dad. He uproots his perfectly constructed life to move to a tight-knit coastal community in South Africa where, with the help of his grandmother, Rowan has a shot at giving his son the family he never had.

Once footloose and fancy-free, former heiress Delilah Huntington is now a waitress in Sugarbush Bay determined to build a better life and a better self. So when she meets introverted Rowan, she makes it her personal mission to induct him into the town’s circle of single dads to give him the support he needs.

The more Delilah lends her help to an out-of-his-depth Rowan, the more Rowan begins to realize that family is what you make it…and, just maybe, Delilah could be part of his.

This was such a wholesome read and low drama from the main characters which I love in romance books. I loved the authors writing because it made it easy to follow the story and it kept me engaged. It’s dual POV which is my favorite in books. And it also addressed fatherhood, lack of good parenting, family issues and more. 10/10 recommend reading it.