From a secret duo of USA Today Bestselling Authors, comes the first COMPLETE STANDALONE in the Single Dads Club set of books.Red Flags… opinions mean shit.
Caterina Santora has her own list of red flags…
She’s too young.
She’s my client’s daughter.
She’s my five-year old’s camp counselor.
Even after repeating this mantra to myself every morning on the way to Lily’s summer camp, guess what happens the moment I see Cat? Yeah, that mantra turns into ride me, doggie style and reverse cowgirl.
Every. Damn. Time.
The fact that she doesn’t remember me from six years before grates on me until I don’t have it in me to leave her alone any longer. I have to have her. But our lives are opposites in every way. In no way compatible.
When we’re together all the complications fade away and I have to keep reminding myself, even if I can have her— I can’t keep her.
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I love reading about a father who loves their child so much and are willing to do anything for them, they always come first. There’s nothing sexier than that.
This is the continued story of Marcus and Caterina and what happens after Cat’s humiliating rejection (from Jailbait: Single Dads Club #0.5).
I loved these two as a couple.
Marcus is a great single dad who’s all about his daughter and Cat is an unselfish person who willing to be there for Marcus and knows his daughter comes first always.
Great chemistry, great attraction, a really great story
Horrible. Poorly written.
Not sure! Lil worried out by characters
Typical romance read. He’s a single dad and they share a past. He rejected her 6 years before . No surprises and lots of mundane details. Just ok.
could not finish – way too formulaic with no real characterization.
Single Dads Club, sign me up! I loved this book so much. Marcus had my heart from the very first page. The love he has for his daughter was so beautiful. Cat was so good for him, despite their past six years ago. (If you read the prequel, jailbait, you learn about their past. But it’s not needed to read this). Lily, Marcus’s daughter, was my favorite. She was too adorable for her own good. The three of them made such an amazing family and I kind of wanted their story to continue. I loved them all so much. Cannot wait to read the next one! Marcus though, is my favorite dad though!
Another fantastic book by the dynamic duo! What a great start to their newest series. Laugh out loud funny, and whoa nelly hot, hot, hot! You catch a glimpse of past characters so it’s fun to see what they are up to also. And can I just finish with “groin cleavage”! Another new phrase to add to my Piper Rayne inspired vocabulary!
3.5*
Real Deal is the first book in a new series by Piper Rayne, all featuring single dads and the women they fall for. I loved the idea of this – the single-dad trope is one I’ve recently started to search out more of, as it doesn’t seem like there are enough of them out there. So I was excited to see that there would be 3 books to this series.
I really enjoyed the Modern Love series and I hoped this would be more of that same funny yet heartfelt feel. I mean come on, single dads- what’s not to love??? I was expecting the swoon factor to be out in full force. But honestly, this has been a hard one for me to review. I keep writing and deleting, writing and backspacing. There are parts of this book that I really loved, but just as many I didn’t.
I loved that Marcus is a doting and caring dad to his five year old daughter, Lily. I loved that she comes first in all aspects of his life. They have a really sweet relationship and you can definitely feel the love between them. But I didn’t love how he would constantly put her off when she asked about her mommy. It bothered me and made me sad for her when he’d push her questions to the side, not wanting to talk about it until he was ready. I realize she’s 5 and wouldn’t understand the truth about where her mom was, I just wish he had sat down and talked with her sooner.
Cat is someone from Marcus’s past, who shows up in their small town of Climax Cove and ends up being Lily’s camp counselor. This causes some tension, because their history is not a pleasant one. But Marcus sees Cat in a different light, now that she’s all grown up. And even with the obstacles he puts out there for himself when it comes to her, he can’t let the attraction go. For Cat, getting over the past is not that easy, since she’s the one who was hurt and humiliated. But once she’s able to forgive him for that situation, a whole new set of issues pop up between them.
Marcus and Cat’s relationship was just kind of iffy for me. I don’t know if it’s the age difference, Marcus’s attitude, or what exactly, but I wasn’t really invested in these characters.
I also have a problem when a character I’ve loved in a previous book makes an appearance and is shown in a completely different light- one that makes me not like them. I find that so frustrating, and so as not to spoil anything I won’t say who it is, but it was disappointing for me.
I wish I could say I’m excited for the next book in the series, but if it’s Dane’s story I’m not sure it will be any better. I don’t mind a goofy, over-the-top friend, but I think Dane’s character was just too over-the-top. Everything with him seemed like it was a joke, and a not very funny one. I’m not sure if it’s possible to make him loveable.
I was just sadly left feeling underwhelmed with the whole story.
Overall, Real Deal is a light easy read, with really not much drama, that I’m sure will appeal to many.
I love Piper Rayne. I recently fell into the Modern Love series starting with book #3 and went back to read the first two books. LOVED it. I can’t say enough about those books. So needless to say, I was really looking forward to the Single Dad Club series.
Marcus is a single dad of a five year old girl named Lily. While taking Lily to camp, he runs into Cat, the girl who at the age of 18 threw herself at the 28 year old soon to be dad. To say they have a history together is an understatement and it’s not something that Cat would like to remember. Cat acts like she doesn’t know Marcus because she is still embarrassed over what happened and the way he treated her. Unfortunately for her, Marcus is not going to let it go. He wants to know Cat in every single way possible. Especially since now that young girl is now a woman.
Cat is a 24 year old working at a summer camp, Camp Tall Pines, before she heads off to New York to show her artwork. Her dad is a customer of Marcus’ boat shop, Kent’s Restoration, and she is Tahlia sister. I love how Tahlia (Cat’s sister) and her husband Lucas (The Boxer) are intertwined into the storyline.
When I started this review, I didn’t feel that there was enough background into what happened between Marcus and Cat six years ago. HOWEVER, while I was writing this review, I received the “Jailbait” prequel from the authors which goes into detail about what happened between Marcus and Cat all those years ago. It totally changed everything for me! It explained so much and made me understand why Marcus is the way he is.
Will Cat get what she wanted all those years ago? Is Marcus looking for something more than a summer fling? Can Marcus let go of everything from his past and finally be able to move on?
I did enjoy all the banter between the guys in the Single Dad’s Club along with watching how the relationship between Cat and Marcus was going to play out. I really loved all of Cat’s friends and like how they all played a part in the storyline. I’m sure we will see much more of them to come.
Also, we learn about the other guys in the Single Dad’s Club, Dane and Garrett, whose books are coming up next. I can tell that I am going to LOVE Garrett but I’m really on the fence about Dane. He seems like such an asshole!! But, once again, I got a glimpse of Dane in the “Jailbait” prequel and I think I get him a little bit more now.
All in all, Real Deal was a good book. For me, there were a lot of highs and along with some lows. There were some laughs, not too heavy on the drama and the sex was mind-blowing. I liked how it flawlessly tied into the Modern Love series.
I look forward to the rest of the books in the series!!
This book was fun from start to finish! It’s not necessary, but I do recommend reading the prequel Jailbait before jumping into this book, because you learn the reason why Marcus ends up in Climax Cove and when you’ll find out exactly what happened between Marcus and Cat then that’s the fuel for her actions at the start of this book.
I love seeing Marcus in the role of single dad, he definitely rocks it! It’s clear throughout the book that his daughter Lily is (as she should be), his first priority. He’s doing the single parenting thing the right way; my only issue is that Marcus’ withholding the information about Lily’s mom from Lily herself, especially since she started asking. Once the truth is revealed I can understand why he didn’t want to tell Lily, but kids are more resilient, especially if it’s told in a way they can comprehend. But he was also carrying the guilt he felt about contributing to the situation in which Lily’s mom ended up, although he did nothing wrong, those were the decisions Lily’s mom made.
Love how this wrapped up, although Marcus had to do a LOT of groveling to get back into Cat’s good graces, but he did a great job making things as right as they could be, and the epilogue was fantastic! I’m looking forward to (and yet cringing at the same time) to Dane’s book, because that dude is off the chain!
If only I were single and Climax Cove were real????
Hats off to the writing team of Piper Rayne. It is still amazing to me after reading their past books The Bartender, The Boxer, The Banker ( who we see glimpses of in this series) that these books are written by two gals as one writer. So perfectly. And Real Deal continues this tradition.
Marcus and Lily are a team. Single hot dad raising his young daughter. It is not the life he would have chosen, but he does it well.
We met Cat briefly in her sister’s Thalia book “The Boxer”. She was younger there. No worries if you haven’t read those, you can always catch up later….lol. I highly recommend it! Cat is a talented artist who is going to share that love of art with the kids at the day camp she will be working at. A very UNIQUE CAMP… Camp for Children of Single Parents Only. Yep if your folks are married you can’t come here. Great idea for a camp started by a single dad.
Funny thing happens on the first day of summer camp….
Marcus sees this vision leaning over into her trunk of her car. All long, tan legs. He can’t stop looking. He doesn’t even notice Lily needs to get to her place in camp. Then the vision stands up and turns around….. Is it? Could it possibly be the one person who Marcus could not stop thinking about even though he sent he packing?
Grab Real Deal and find out. You love it!!! I can’t wait for more Single Dads Club Books!!!