I love my daughter, but finding out she wasn’t biologically mine is the best news ever. I’m a widower who is too scared to have the stupid test that would tell me whether or not I even have the gene that would mean dealing with a horrible illness and certain death. A gene that could’ve also been passed to my child, had she been mine. She’ll need her father, if something ever does happen to … something ever does happen to me…That’s why I search for Maddie’s biological father, and when I find him, ask him to become part of her life.
What I didn’t expect is for him to become my best friend. Shane is fun and easygoing, the exact opposite of me. He makes me laugh. He’s the perfect antidote for my neurotic existence. And he’s bi, like me.
But am I courageous enough to take the leap into falling in love with him?
Dancing with Daddy is a super sweet, full-length, standalone, feel good mm romance. There’s no angst, just two very opposite men who befriend each other super fast then slowly find their way to love…all while parenting the precocious five-year-old who belongs to both of them.
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Susan/Susi Hawke is an instant buy author for me. Dancing with Daddy is another winner. Bradley, oh how I adored his neurotic, safety obsessed self. He’s an amazing dad, a kind heart and generous spirit made me fall in love with him. Shane too was wonderful. He’s grateful for the invitation to be part of their little family; excited to have whatever piece of it they will give him. Shane’s mom gets the grandma of the year award from me. She’s everything a grandma and mom should be. There is no angst in the story, only lots of evolution from kind strangers, to best friends, to becoming each other’s world.
Highly recommended author and book
A beautiful book, Susan as always writes a story that could break your heart.
2 beautiful men and an adorable little girl.
A must read for anyone who wants a true romance.
I needed this book after the last one. I love that most MM romances that I have read there has been little to no drama. I can’t tell you how refreshing that is.
Bradley is a sweet character and I can’t help but melt for the way that he loves his little girl. The revelation he has would have broken many others but for him it was a god send and you can’t help but see it from his point of view as well.
Shane is unique and character he brings the fun and helps Brad not be so stuffy. He shows Brad and Maddie how to have fun. But he is also a hard worker which is what I enjoyed. He is more than just one thing. When he finds out his role in Brad and Maddie’s life he roles with it, with joy and happiness.
Maddie is a cute child who like her father just goes with the flow but asks all the important question. I very much enjoyed this families story.
Michael Dean is a great narrator, I think it’s great that he can give voice to a child, and to an older woman and yet still sound smexy.
I loved this unusual plot line. Brad finds out his daughter isn’t his and this starts everything in motion. Both Brad and Shane are trusting and loving men. I appreciated the fact that they built a friendship first. They really compliment each other. They have such a wonderful future together.
* AUDIOBOOK REVIEW *
So sweet!
I loved this story and I didn’t want to stop listening, it had a lot of feelings and with a sweet girl making it so enjoyable
This was a good storyline that progresses nicely to a good ending
Funny dialogues and characters that’s realistic and each have different personalities.
Narrator:
Love the voice and it’s read with a lot of feelings, but could be just a pinch more clear in pronunciation
Overall 5 stars
Delightful story, by a favorite author.
The blurb for this book states it’s a super sweet, feel good romance with no angst, and Susan Hawke gives us exactly that. This is one of those books you read because you want a book that will hug your heart and gently float you down a river of sweet, sugary fluff. If you want drama, thrills, and intense moments, this won’t be the book for you. If you want (like I did) a book that’s full of adorable kids, a tender slow burn romance, and a second chance at love, then this is definitely the book for you.
Bradley is a widower raising his five year old daughter, Maddie. When a medical emergency reveals that Maddie isn’t Bradley’s biological daughter, Bradley’s reaction is one of joy instead of despair because it means Maddie won’t inherent any hereditary diseases from him. In a moment of reflection, Bradley decides to find and reach out to Maddie’s biological father, Shane. Shane is the sunshine and excitement that Bradley needs in his life. Together, the two men work on building a family while slowly falling in love.
The character relationships are definitely the strongest part of this book. The pacing of the plot is like a gentle breeze – we know that Bradley and Shane are going to get together and fall in love, but it doesn’t have to be rushed and it doesn’t have to be dramatic. Instead, it’s just a soft and gentle love story that is full of tenderness and sweet, fluffy moments (as well as a few really hot and sexy bedroom scenes). I adored this book for that sweetness. It was like a refreshing sip of cold lemonade on a summer day, and the perfect escapism I needed from an extremely stressful week.
Michael Dean narrates the audiobook, and like all of Michael Dean’s productions, it’s very well done. Michael’s character voices are consistent and easy to listen to. The overall production was polished and met the high quality I expect from both Michael Dean and Susan Hawke. I definitely recommend this audiobook.
Brad and Shane couldn’t be more opposite. They are totally perfect together and balance each other. Add in the adorable little Maddie and the story just gets better. I loved it and highly recommend!!!
Dancing With Daddy is a feel-good book that will tug on your heartstrings and leave you with the warm contentment of a well-written, low angst story.
Shane and Bradley’s romance comes about unconventionally but is believable, sexy, fun, and satisfying. Their passion is strong, and their road to HEA is unmarred by the trouble and dissension I have become accustomed to in most books. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy the other books, but this is just what I needed to read at this time—something I could wrap around myself and take comfort in.
Dancing With Daddy is a sweet story about a unique family dynamic and the journey they made to a HEA for all of them.
I will read this one again. And again.
Bradley has a darling young five-year-old daughter Maddie. Shane is a lovely and creative man who finds out his has a daughter Maddie. Brad invites Maddies biological father into his home and the two quickly become friends.
This was such a feel good family story I definitely recommend this book.
A single dad just trying to look out for his daughter. Widowed and juggling work while raising his daughter on his own. Finding out that his daughter is not his biological daughter was a relief. Bradley thinks he will inherit a disease that killed his father, thus the relief when he found out she’s not his biological daughter.
Shane was a product of foster homes though he got adopted before he turned 10. Having parents who travelled a lot just added to his ability to move around a lot when he became an adult. Finding out that he has a daughter made him readily uproot his life in order to travel to another city and start over.
This is a very sweet, angst level is not that high, love story between two men who started out as strangers, then friends, then lovers. It highlights friendship, finding the right person for you, and leaps of fate. I love it!
Dancing with Daddy is the first book by Susan Hawke that I have read and I am definitely going to check out some of her other books!
This story is well written, with interesting characters and a unique storyline with an unusual twist. I love M/M romance and this had that slow burn quality as Brad and Shane get to know each other as friends that gradually turns into so much more. The way in which they are connected and the past they share is where the interesting twist comes from. They have a bond that has opened the door to them to becoming one happy family with young, sweet Maddie, who has stolen my heart!
I thought Dancing with Daddy was a sweet, slow-burn love story. I thought the meet-cute was original and definitely fit with the characters. I thought Maddie was an adorable, realistic little girl. Shane and Brad were adorable together. I loved that they built a great friendship. It was a sweet romance and I liked Peaches and Audrey too. They were great secondary characters. I really enjoyed reading this story and definitely recommend it.
So sweet and so good!
My review is coming at the tail end of this blog tour so I’ve been able to skim over a few of the previous reviews. Many didn’t seem to appreciate that the author intended this to be a no-angst, super sweet escape from the days of self-isolation due to the corona virus crisis. I found the story utterly charming and, yes, pretty much unrealistic but also just what I needed to read right now.
Unlike other reviewers, I did feel like there was chemistry between Bradley and Shane. I also loved how the carefree persona of Shane was able to help bring Bradley out of his shell and add a playful element to the story. The side characters of “Peaches,” an older lady friend of Shane’s back in Texas, and Shane’s mother, were perfect touches that added to the sweet flavor of this story.
I should also probably say that the story is told in first person POV with the chapters alternating between Bradley and Shane. I’m not a huge fan of first person POV but when it’s done well, like this one, I do enjoy it especially when we get to hear from both characters.
If you’re looking for something with hot and sexy time between the sheets you won’t find it here. But if you’re looking for a super sweet story that you know in advance doesn’t have the usual moment of conflict found in romance books this will be the perfect story for you. I loved it!
A copy of this book was provided to me but my review was voluntary and not influenced by the author.
***Reviewed for Xtreme-Delusions dot com***
Quick read, likable characters, definitely a possible real-life scenario. I thoroughly enjoyed it!
Such a wonderful book it had everything I love, slow burn , two gorgeous men and one sweet little girl.
Written superbly this is about one man and his daughter , his daughter’s biological father .
They meet , they connect , their life entwines together is such a beautiful way , I didn’t want the book to end….it is that good.
Such a different story one that you will never forget , sweet, funny, with wonderful secondary characters.
I can honestly say this is such a beautiful read, there is no angst , it was pure joy to read…
A feel good book a breath of fresh air , I have not read any books of Susan Hawke ! I don’t know why she hasn’t crossed my path before !
This is certainly a must read from the first page until the very last word..
RATING 3.5 STARS
Dancing with Daddy is a stand alone M/M friends to lovers story about two men who both share a past with the same woman, but also share the present with an adorable little five year old girl.
Bradley Weston is thirty four years old, a widow, and single father to five year old Maddie. Let me pause here to say that this little girl stole my heart. Bradley’s father died at a young age from Huntington’s Disease. Bradley has never had the nerve to get the test to see if he carried the same gene.
When his daughter has a health scare, Bradley realizes that Maddie is not his biological daughter. To him, this is great news. Now he doesn’t have to worry that he could have passed the gene on to her. He also realizes just how alone he is. That if anything did happen to him, he has no one to care for the little girl that is his world. So he decides to seek out her biological father.
Shane Jackson is twenty nine and is a graphic designer. He can work from anywhere. When he gets the email informing him that he is the father of a five year old daughter, he doesn’t hesitate to take Bradley up on his offer, pack up everything, and move to San Diego to be a part of their lives.
“For the first time in my twenty nine years, I knew in the depths of my being that I’d finally found my home. Not necessarily in this house, but with these people.”
It’s love at first sight between Shane and little Maddie. Shane and Bradley become fast friends, best friends. As the week pass, they find their rhythm and become a sort of family. In time, both Shane and Bradley begin to feel more for each other, but neither of them wants to risk the relationship they currently share.
I’ll stop here. This was a very sweet story. Both men were likeable. My one main complaint is that I am a romance reader. The first eighty percent of this book is the development of their friendship. It isn’t until the final twenty percent that the actual romance begins. But I am rounding up the rating because the epilogue was adorable. Might have even made my eyes water a bit. I just wasn’t able to connect with the characters the way I wanted to since the progression from friends to more took so long. It still was an enjoyable read and I loved little Maddie.
What an excellent read by Susan Hawke.
I’ve devoured most Susan Hawke and Suzi Hawke books, and up until this book, it’s always been in audio. So when I had an opportunity to request an advanced copy from the fabulous GRR, I did so with crossed fingers and bated breath. Happily, I got the book, and I was not disappointed in any way. I’ll go ahead and note this is my opinion without influence and all that other disclosure jazz.
Dancing with Daddy is light-hearted but still unique. It manages to be light while still showing the underlying realities of real life. I love that just because there’s not huge angst or a relationship conspiracy bolder doesn’t mean it’s all fluff. Sometimes you get a happily ever after without the struggle even with all of the hardships life that aren’t relationship related. That’s my story, and I love it when it’s done in books, but only when it’s some well and Hawkes did just that.
I’m sure not everyone will appreciate the supple and nuanced writing this story is, but that’s their loss. It’s well written and just what I needed right now. It is worth noting that unlike her books under the other name, there’s not a large amount of steam. I will say that what steam there is was well placed and hot as you know where.
After my advanced and post-release (just to be sure I still loved it) reads, I can say with the utmost confidence I recommend.
That was a sweet and heart warming story. Bradley and Shane are so adorable and the way they evolve to their happiness is pure gold.
Those two are linked together by the sweetest five year old that steals your heart from the first hello.
The way they meet is unexpected and the way they support each other and interact leads to deeper feelings that at beginning they are afraid to pursue not wanting to loose the easy friendship they share.
In the end they can’t resist the attraction and becomes the love of each other’s live.
It was an amazing story and I really would like a sequel.
A sweet, heartfelt story of two guys and a sweet little girl, with awesome flavor of found family and new beginnings.
What I love most about this book is how mature the MC were. Not in age, but in attitude and approach to an incredibly difficult situation.
You often see single father stories with miraculous maturity coming in after a bunch of stupid moves. Here? A story of balance and goodness. Amazing read through and through!