First comes love. Then comes marriage. Then comes baby in a baby carriage. Just not necessarily in that order. . . . Braxton: I should probably be dead or in jail right now. Instead, thanks to some tough love, I worked my ass off and now I own a string of tattoo parlors throughout the Pacific Northwest. And yet the one thing I’ve always wanted—a family—still seems out of reach. When my best … seems out of reach. When my best friend gets married, I’m just hoping to blow off some steam with the super-hot maid of honor. But after Cara Thompson tracks me down to tell me she’s pregnant, she’s more surprised than I am when I tell her I’m all in.
Cara: For the first time in my life, I’m living for myself—not for my parents and their ridiculous expectations. I gave up on my MBA, dropped out of the Ivy League, and moved to Portland to pursue my dream of becoming an artist. And what’s the first thing I do? Get knocked up. For a tatted-up sex god, Braxton Henley seems way too eager to “be there for me.” Is this guy serious? Maybe. He sure is patient. Because he won’t back down until I admit what I know in my heart: that our one night stand might’ve led me to the one.
Praise for Knocked Up
“Stacey Lynn always knows how to perfectly balance sexy and sweet, and has a modern writing style that makes all of her stories feel fresh and fun.”—New York Times bestselling author Lauren Layne
“A broody alpha hero with heart . . . I fell madly in love with Braxton from the very first page. Prepare to pull an all-nighter with Knocked Up.”—USA Today bestselling author Stacey Kennedy
“Knocked Up is secret-baby trope perfection! Loved the very sexy, overprotective Braxton. A great read!”—Wendy S. Marcus, author of All I Need Is You
“Braxton is your ultimate tattooed father-to-be—sweet and ever so sexy.”—Stina Lindenblatt, author of the Pushing Limits series
The steamy standalone novels in Stacey Lynn’s Crazy Love series can be read together or separately:
FAKE WIFE | KNOCKED UP
And don’t miss her passionate Fireside series:
HIS TO LOVE | HIS TO PROTECT | HIS TO CHERISH | HIS TO SEDUCE
This standalone ebook includes an excerpt from another Loveswept title.
more
**I read an early copy of this title courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review**
This story just what you would expect from the title – a man and a woman get together for a one-night stand and the woman ends up pregnant.
Cara Thompson has always been the child in her family that was overlooked and never did right in the eyes of her parents. In order to escape that, she leaves the very comfortable life she led with them to move out on her own and prove she could make it doing what she loves, which is art, versus going to law school. When she finds herself pregnant after sleeping with the best man at her best friends wedding, she has a lot to reevaluate, including whether or not to tell the father.
Braxton Henley did not have the easiest life growing up, but because of the one adult who took him under his wing, he’s living his best life. He’s got the view he wants from his home and he’s got MadInk, the tattoo parlor that he owns and operates. He is in a good place in his life and is not at all expecting the curve ball that comes at him when Cara stops by to talk with him.
Are these two people that seem so different really all that different at all? And, will they be able to get out of their own way and give in to what they are both feeling regardless of the life they created?
When I read the blurb for this book, I thought it sounded like something right up my alley and I was looking forward to reading it. While I liked the book, there were several things that were inconsistent within the story. The biggest miss in my opinion is the cover of the book. The man used on the cover is good looking, but he looks nothing like Braxton. To me, it’s important to have someone similar on the cover if you’re going with people on the cover. Also, the dog, Lucy, is a huge part of the story and in the beginning she’s referred to as one breed and later in the book, she’s a completely different one.
The story was good enough, but the inconsistencies really put a damper on my overall thoughts on the book.
Cara isn’t one to do one night stands or be wild. She comes from a family with money but she could never do anything right according to her parents even when she was doing everything they wanted and more. When her twin brother passed away he tells her to Live. Live for both of them and be true to you. So at her best friends wedding she meets this guy and throws everything to the wind and has the best night of her life. But now she is pregnant.
Braxton didn’t come from loving parents or from money But was taken in by a guy who taught him the right way to live. And when he passed left him all he had which he was able to by a place to live and a place to run his ink business.
When cara goes to tell him she is pregnant I love how he takes care of her. They both of things they need to work on and from that night but they can’t deny the attraction. Cara didn’t think past telling him she is pregnant but they both get more than what they were ever expecting. Book given to me by author on netgalley.
Knocked Up by Stacey Lynn was a fun read with great characters and an easy story to get lost in. Braxton turned his life around and is now a successful businessman running tattoo parlors. But he is ready for more. But when he gave in and had some fun at his best-friend’s wedding with the maid-of-honor, he did not expect the consequences. But he is ready to be all in.
Cara is doing what she wants and ready to live her life her way. The last thing she ever expected was to end up pregnant after one night at a wedding. But Braxton keeps insisting he is all in and ready to step up. Is he for real?
Knocked Up was such a fun and light read. I loved the chemistry and banter between Braxton and Cara. They did not always agree but wanted to do the right thing.
Read and reviewed for Sultry Sirens Book Blog.
Happy reading!
“I’m falling in love with her and it’s the easiest thing I’ve ever done in my entire life.”
Smart, sassy, charming, clever, and ALWAYS entertaining, Stacey Lynn delivers another KNOCK OUT romance with her latest romance, KNOCKED UP! Accidental pregnancy romances seem to be all the rage nowadays, but Ms. Lynn brought a little extra to Braxton and Cara’s love story. Most of the time, the hero is so quick to run away from an announcement like this, but he eventually finds his way to the love of his life and his HEA. But with Braxton and Cara’s story, Braxton was ALL IN, almost instantly! I loved that! I loved how charming and protective he was. I loved when he was gruff and I loved when he was sweet. He was the ultimate gorgeous hero package! Cara knew the score when she found out, but she did not expect Braxton to be so eager to take care of her, like any of us girls would be. Their hesitant but ultimately deep relationship flourished with each turn of the page, making their bond deeper in every single way.
Braxton and Cara’s happily ever after was so special! I loved the journey, the excitement, the ups and downs that are to be expected with this type of predicament. And it doesn’t hurt that Stacey Lynn is an amazing and talented writer, giving her fans exactly what they want, word by word. Overall, I think this was a great, entertaining, sexy, sweet, and lovely read. I had the best time diving in to this book, and I know you will too! If you’re stacking up your Summer TBR, make sure you add KNOCKED UP to the top of that list!
* A review copy was provided by the author/publisher via Netgalley for the Blog Tour *
Knocked Up is my first novel by Stacey Lynn, but it won’t be my last. I found this book to be thoroughly enjoyable and entertaining.
This was a story of opposites attract. Two of the most unlikely characters to be attracted to each other and find their HEA.
If you are a fan of the “surprise” pregnancy story, then this is one you will want to read. I will state that I feel this story takes on the insta-love aspect a little. But I found that it worked with this story and the characters in it. This was a pretty easy read and not overloaded with a lot of excess drama. Just enough to keep you attention and having you keep turning the pages.
Knocked Up is the second book in Stacey Lynn’s Crazy Love Series. It is a complete standalone. I haven’t read Fake Wife (which is book 1) and I don’t feel like I missed anything or that I was lost following the story. I actually don’t even believe we see any of the characters from book 1 in this book. What I did find though is now that I have read book 2, I am going to go back and read Fake Wife, because I really enjoyed the writing style of this author. This story is written in Dual POV.
Knocked up is the story about Braxton and Cara. Braxton and Cara met at their Best Friends wedding and found they were attracted to each other and spent the night together. Cara not being one to have one night stands, freaks out and leaves without saying goodbye. Much to Braxton’s surprise. Fast forward some time and Cara ends up on Braxton’s doorstep to break the news of her upcoming arrival….their baby. From here we get their journey to finding a new relationship. This news is welcomed by some but not others. Can Braxton and Cara find their HEA?? Will they be able to adapt to their new way of life?? Read this entertaining story to find out.
I would recommend this book to anyone who loves an opposites attract romance. And if the surprise pregnancy is a storyline you enjoy this one is worth the read.
Knocked Up is book 2 in the Crazy Love Series of Standalone books. I didn’t read Fake Wife book 1 in this series but, would love to at some point if I can fit it in on my crazy life right now.
This book is Cara Thompson and Braxton Henley’s story. They met at a friend’s wedding and of course had a one night stand. Never to meet again or so they thought. Neither thought that she would get pregnant from that night.
Knocked up is told from each of their Points of View which was intriguing. When she tells him she is pregnant he accepts it and embraces it after the initial shock. Of course he has to convince her to get married.
This was an enjoyable story and I love reading Stacey Lynn’s books!
Cara Thompson grew up in a privileged world, but it came with a serious price, her parents had her future planned out for her and she was to do as they expected, no if’s and’s or but’s. She tried to follow the path they set before her, but it made her unhappy and it wasn’t what she saw for her future, so she informed them she was paving her own path, and they were to deal with it… which didn’t go over so well, they pretty much disowned her. So finding out now that her path landed her pregnant, unwed, and living with the babies father Braxton will probably earn her some serious favorite daughter points, but she’s found her happiness and that is all that matters.
Braxton Henley spent one of the most amazing weekends with Cara, at his friends wedding, but before morning came around she bailed on him, and didn’t leave him her number for a repeat get-together. The memory of her has haunted him since, she was a one of a kind woman, and he would die to have another chance with her, but her leaving pretty much told him what they shared wasn’t going to happen again.Then she takes him by surprise and randomly shows up at his tattoo shop, with some unexpected news that rocks his world… he’s going to be a daddy. After he gets over the initial shock he starts to really like the idea of sharing this new path in life with her, but she doesn’t seem to have the same outlook on the situation… but he has every intention of changing her mind!
Knocked Up is an enchanting tale that will lure you in from the first page, and keep you captivated until the last… it was unputdownable! I loved the premise of this one, opposites attract sharing an unexpected night, then finding that said night bound them together for the rest of their lives, and eventually creating an happily ever after out of it, ya it was all pretty amazing! After reading the synopsis for this one I knew it was going to be a fun read to devour, and boy was I right, it was sweet, and a little on the hot side! Highly recommend this one, it’s sure to leave your heart happy!
I requested an advanced copy of this title and I am voluntarily leaving my honest opinion
This is what I liked about the book:
* Good and fun storyline that has a steady progression
* Characters is well described and the connection between Cara and Braxton is obvious and I love how Braxton is protective of her.
* I also very much like how he helps her with her feelings of not being good enough.
* No unnecessary descriptions of surroundings and lots of dialogues made this a joyful read
* The love scenes is sweet, intense and tasteful without losing the heat.
I you like a unexpected pregnancy story you will love this 5 star romance.
Knocked up is an easy sweet read.
My issue with the book is that the cover doesnt match the characters. Braxton in the book is described to be tatted up but in the Male cover model looks like a preppy.
Cara and Braxton hook up and have a one night stand at their bestfriends wedding. Cara feeling ashamed even after having the best sex of her (she’s never had a one night stand before ) runs out the next morning while thinking Braxton is still asleep. Little did they both know is that its wasnt going to be the last they see of eachother.
As you can guess from the title Cara gets knocked up, and needs to tell Braxton. Can they make this work and get their HEA?
I received an ARC from Netgalley.com. This is my unbiased and voluntary review
Cara Thompson is the proverbial poor rich girl. She and her twin, Jimmy were raised by nannies, as their high power wealthy attorney parents had no time for them. Jimmy was the “golden child”, while their parents disproved of every decision that Cara made. Both twins were expected to go to law school and then join the prestigious family corporate law firm. Jimmy loved it, but she preferred art. Jimmy recently died of leukemia, but on his death bed made her promise to get away from their parents and live her own life. Which she does. After the funeral she moved out of her parents house, quit law school and has been struggling as a artist and working at Galli’s Galleria. She lets herself loose at her her best friend’s wedding having her first one-night stand with the best man, Braxton Henley. Not knowing one-night stand etiquette, she flees the room before he wakes up, muttering something about her being a disaster, but what he hears is that the situation with him was a disaster.
Braxton is the owner of MadInk, a tattoo parlor. His mother was a drug addict. But a man in the neighborhood, Irvin Teller, took him and his “sister of the heart” Stella under his wing and became their mentor. He also left him the beneficiary of millions of dollars of investments and insurance, half of which he gave to Stella and with which they opened MadInk, a tattoo parlor. He has dyslexia so while he is the artist, Stella handles the books. (This is the second book that I have read this week in which a main character has dyslexia and compensated by becoming an artist. But that was a historical novel, before dyslexia was a diagnosed condition.)
While angry at her departure from the hotel room, he nevertheless has not been able to get her out of his mind, so while he is angry about her supposed opinion of him, he intends to be this baby’s father. The chemistry is there, but can they get over their preconceived assumptions of the other, to build trust and honesty so they can have their HEA?
I enjoyed reading this story. The characters are engaging and real as is the situation. The one con is the cover. Braxton is covered in ink (not something that I personally find appealing, but that is a large part of the story), so why is the cover model not inked? There are lots of models and stock covers with inked men, so why did the publisher chose this one? Pretty sure it wasn’t the author’s decision.
Yes! This “Baby Surprise” romance book is a new favorite I have read by Stacey Lynn. I knew Braxton and Cara would be trouble. Cara with her “classy and priviledged” upbringing and Braxton with his bad boy persona and tattoos. You would not think these two would be anything more than a one night stand. But with a “Oops Baby” on the way, Cora is ready to put on the big girl pants and let Braxton know he is going to be a dad.
Cora has a rough time from the get go. Braxton feels that Cora used him in the past. The chemistry is over the charts and you will go on a heck of a journey with these two. Their friends, Jenna and Dan, are amazing as always. Braxton’s friends are his family and they love fierce.
Knocked Baby is a great book written by an amazing author. The new Crazy Love series are seriously addicting!
Book 2 in the Crazy Love Series and what a great series this it’s shaping up to be. Cara and Braxton met at their best friends wedding in book 1 and what should have been a night of passion with no strings attached turns into so much more when Cara finds herself pregnant after a one night stand and to make matters worse she had sneaked out in the middle of the night without even a goodbye. Braxton is ready to step up and do what is needed but Cara is not so sure so what follows is a lot of old fashioned wooing. Will Cara except her future is with the hot tattooed Braxton…….
I really enjoyed this fun flirty quick read, it had just the right amount of passion mixed in with just a tiny amount of angst, if you love a easy to read romance that isn’t too complicated this will be right up your street. Can’t wat for the next instalment in the Crazy Love Series.
“A one-night stand at my best friend’s wedding isn’t only cliché, it’s so far outside my zone of normal operating behavior I wasn’t the least bit prepared.”
One night of wild abandon with the best man at her best friend Jenna’s wedding leaves Cara with a gift she never expected. “Two blue lines. Two pink lines. One pink plus sign.” Yep, she’s definitely pregnant. Knocked up at twenty-four, with denial and morning sickness quickly becoming her new constant and she has yet to tell the father.
Babby daddy, Braxton (Brax), only recently moved back to Portland and owns the tattoo parlor MadInk. Glorious muscled gladiator body covered with colorful ink and a rugged demeanor on the surface but with the kindest heart hidden underneath. Who couldn’t love a tattooed hottie who fosters animals? When Cara comes into MadInk to break the news, Brax is all in – he’s been dreaming of Cara ever since he woke up alone months ago at his best friend, Dan’s wedding, and wants nothing more than to make a family with Cara.
“I’m falling in love with her and it’s the easiest thing I’ve ever done in my entire life.”
Knocked Up is a fun, cute, easy, surprise baby contemporary romance. I would have liked some more story development in some areas, but overall Knocked Up is a low-angst, sweet-heat read with some fun characters and an adorable rescue pup named Lucy. And while the cover is perfect for a rom-com type book (it’s what caught my attention) it doesn’t at all match Cara and Brax – at least get some photoshopped tatts on him!
Knocked Up by Stacey Lynn is a great read by this author. I love all her books and this one doesn’t disappoint. Cara and Braxton started out as a one night stand at their best friends wedding but turn out to be so much more. This is a beautifully written love story that will grip your heart from the very beginning. I loved this book and can’t recommend it enough!
5 “Be You. Be True” Loving stars!!!!
I absolutely loved Braxton and Cara!!!! I mean seriously what’s not to love? These two were great!
Cara decides to let lose on the night of her best friend’s wedding. She normally is a somewhat goodie two shoes and does everything her parents tell her to. But, she recently has left that comfort zone (well it wasn’t really all that comfortable, but that’s a story for another day) and then decides to throw caution to the wind and have a one-night stand. Well, da da da, she winds up with a little surprise of her own, figure the odds lol. Little does she know this might very well wind up being the best “mistake” she has ever made.
Braxton finally meets the one girl he can’t forget about, they have a fantastic night together, only in the morning he is the one left feeling used and abused. Not one to be given the shaft, he decides to move on and take it in stride right up until she shows up again… Only this time she quite literally rocks his entire world.
The way these two came together was awesome, there was some sexy banter, a little comedy, most definitely steam, a little angst and a great overall story. I loved it and would love it if Graham, especially, maybe got his own story… hint hint..
I have read all of Stacy Lynn’s books, have loved each and every one of them, and Knocked Up is definitely no exception! Cara and Braxton are from two different pasts growing up, but both have one thing in common, they have a tremendous lack of confidence that they are good enough for that dream in life they both have, to fall in love with someone to spend their life with. Cara ends up pregnant after a weekend with Braxton at their best friends wedding. Once Braxton finds out, he’s bound and determined to be part of the baby’s life, which shocks Cara, but it’s the start of something pretty special. I loved the care and gentleness that Braxton showed Cara, she was something special to him, and it was something pretty special to watch unfold as you continued through the story. Cara isn’t quite sure how to take Braxton’s care and affection, especially with the crappy way her parents treated her before and after the loss of her twin brother months before. These two characters were fun to read, their heartbreaking pasts, the hot steamy chemistry they had between each other, their hope for the new life they had created, the humor when it came to Lucy, and their great friends really made this book very difficult to put down. Very well written, almost finished the whole book in one night because I just couldn’t put it down. Well worth the read, a great addition to the series!
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC copy of this book
Undying, irrevocable, infatuated, obsessive LOVE for this book!
I want more. I WANT MORE. I. NEED. MORE! Literally, the second I started reading Knocked Up, I knew, just absolutely KNEW, I was going to enjoy it. And by the end, I LOVED it. Fell head-over-heels in love with everything this love story had to offer. Accidental pregnancy, controlling parents, miscommunication, sexy tatted-up hunk of a heartthrob….yeah, you get the idea.
And I’m just putting this out there so that EVERYONE knows….Braxton is MINE!! Now that that’s taken care of and we’re all on the same page, let’s continue with my review, shall we?
Knocked Up was beautifully written with a plethora of emotions pouring from its pages. The character dynamic played out wonderfully, showcasing how two people who appear to be complete opposites, can undoubtedly change anyone perception of what a passionate and loving relationship truly is. Braxton and Cara clashed at the worst of times, but their willingness and desire to work through their issues together as a couple really solidified the strong connection that was established at the beginning of the story. The chemistry was red-hot, and although they may look like an unexpected couple on the outside, it’s the love that radiates from their hearts that assuredly makes this story charming and romantic.
The author hooked me with Fake Wife, but she completely wrecked me with Knocked Up. This fantastically penned and memorable romance is sure to leave you hot under the collar, and incredibly anxious for the next book by the author.
5 Knock Out Stars!
This is a love story that starts backward. A 4 star story that was fun to read but already told many times over.
Cara and Braxton have a one night stand, she gets pregnant. They move in together, then they start dating. They fall in love, get married and have a baby. That’s plenty of an explanation.
It was a quick read that was full of angst and drama. There were from very different backgrounds so opposites attract. Appearances are never what they seem.
Standalone told in a dual POV with an HEA. I recommended this story.
Knocked Up is book 2 in the Crazy Love series and can absolutely be read as a stand-alone. If you didn’t know this was book 2 in a series, I don’t think you would even notice that you were missing out on backstories – HOWEVER, if you are like me, you would want to read more about the secondary characters.
KNOCKED UP is one of those light and easy books to read on a lazy Saturday. Cara and Braxton have best friends in common. They are different in many ways, yet the same in so many more. This is a story about friendship and family by choice vs family by nature. The story of overcoming obstacles to move on in life and of becoming your authentic self.
I read this book cover to cover in a few hours and enjoyed the journey it took me on.
Thank you Net-Galley for allowing me to read/review this story
Cara and Braxton were the Maid of honor and Best Man at their friend’s wedding. They end up having a wild one night stand that ends with Cara freaking out and sneaking out on Braxton in the morning. Fast forward six weeks and Cara is staring at a positive pregnancy test. She goes to Braxton’s tattoo studio to let him know about the baby. After some initial shock and some misunderstandings, they decide to figure out how to co-parent. Braxton was born drug addicted, grew up on the wrong side of the tracks, but was saved by his surrogate father Irvine. Cara’s parents lavished love and praise on Cara’s twin but ignored and belittled her. Both of these characters need to work through their issues to work for their happily ever after. I loved both of the main characters and the growth of their relationship. I received an ARC of this book for my honest review.