From New York Times bestselling author Emily Goodwin comes a sexy standalone romance about a single dad who has sworn off women and the nanny who is faced with the biggest con she has ever pulled, not falling in love.When Scarlet Cooper takes a new job as a nanny, she assumes she’s going to work for the rich couple who hired her. But instead of pulling up to their million-dollar estate, she finds … estate, she finds herself on the front porch of a humble farmhouse, looking into the eyes of dark and brooding single dad, Weston Dawson.It’s bad enough that Weston doesn’t have a fortune to charm out of him, but he’s also a cop.
After marrying his high school sweetheart only to have her up and leave weeks after their baby was born, Weston has sworn off women for life. All that matters now is taking care of his son, Jackson.
If anyone can break down the tough exterior of the former soldier, it’s Scarlet. But just when she’s close to getting exactly what she wants, she’s faced with a whole new challenge, which just might be the biggest con she’s ever pulled: pretending she doesn’t love him.
more
There are few things I like more than a well-written small town love story. There are few of those I like as much as Side Hustle by Emily Goodwin.
This story blew me away. The characters are so relatable. I was cheering for them from the moment they walked on the page. The setting is perfect (small town Indiana girl here!), the banter hilarious, and the feels on-point.
Goodwin outdid herself with this charming, witty romance. I finished hours ago and still find myself thinking of Wes and Scarlet and smiling. THAT is what you want out of a book like this. THAT is what you get. In spades.
Well done.
I have a weakness… I’m not even ashamed of it a little bit… but give me a hard-working, sexy, and loving single daddy and I’m done for. Stick a fork in me… I’m so done! That sweet love and dedication to their little one and it’s all over for me. Plus, add in that he’s a former soldier turned cop… yup… close the casket and toss the dirt. So done!
But wait… there’s more! I know! It’s killing me too! Add in Emily Goodwin’s emotional and sizzling sexy story and seriously, there’s nothing left of me! Watching Weston and Scarlet battle it out was amazing! The tension between could have been cut with a spoon! I really don’t want to spoil the storyline but it you like a fantastic small town romance with a tone of heat and sexual tension with this fun back-and-forth banter and wit… heck this doesn’t even include the wee soldier, Jackson. Whom I adored!
All I can say is the writing is perfectly on point. It’s a fun and sexy story that’s deep but not Mariana trench deep. Everything was just right!
I received an ARC of this book with the hope that I would leave an Unbiased Opinion. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and my opinions are just that… my opinions.
I want to say Wonderful character for Weston Dawson. What a man! So trusting. Wasn’t a real fan of Scarlet with the way he hustled men to get what she needed…money so she could take care of her father. But because of the way Wes, his son Jackson, and his family treated her, she changed for the better. Not even once did she try to hustle Wes or his family. Although Wes did suspect her when some family heirlooms appeared to be missing (but were really downstairs) she became trustworthy. Although she left him to preserve his chances of becoming the county sheriff…did he find her in time?
I loved this series. I wish it would have found a way to go on.
I absolutely LOVE this series! Everything about it is perfection.
Wes and Scarlet’s story was perfectly imperfect and I loved everything about it. From the woman who was dealt a crappy hand in life and made some mistakes, to the single dad who loves his son unconditionally but his ex-wife is an awful human being, to the insane chemistry Wes and Scarlet have, to the Dawson family dynamic that makes me fall even more in love with this series.
The way Wes and Scarlet find solace in each other is so beautiful. To see a woman like Scarlet, who has made some bad choices throughout her life due to crappy circumstances, learn to love herself and change for the better. On top of loving Wes, Jackson and the Dawson clan is stunning. To see her make the change, to want to be better, to have a reason to be better is beautiful. And Wes, this man is so swoon worthy! This man who is usually quite stoic and serious, changes the day Scarlet comes into his life. Seeing the way Wes loves his son something fierce is awe inspiring, how he’d protect Jackson with his life. And how he learns to let someone else in, with Scarlet opening up the doors to his heart he had kept sealed.
I really loved this book and I can’t wait for Logan’s story in Cheap Trick!
Yay more from the fabulous Dawson family. We get more if Wes Dawson the sexy single father and cop who is going for Sheriff of his small town. Knowing he will need some more help with Jackson his family hires Scarlet as a nanny only Scarlet isn’t really a nanny. Taking care of two younger siblings from a young age Scarlett has conned many men, men she deemed deserving but she her plans on conning her new employer Wes Dawson halts when she meets him and his adorable son. Can Scarlet change her ways for the two of them for her own HEA.
I loved the characters in this book. I felt from the beginning that Scarlet didn’t want to be a con-artist. She had drawn the short stick in life, and did the only thing she could figure out to do. Given the circumstances of her life she could have turned out much worse. Weston is everything I think any woman would want in a man. I especially loved it when Scarlet compared him to Thor!!!
LOVED!! This was a well written story with characters I absolutely fell in love with! Sweet and Steamy! Was and Scarlett are amazing characters!
If you want a book with all the feels then get this book!! Wes is a protective dad, alpha male cop that will have your ovaries melting!! Scarlet ‘the con’ is such a great heroine. She has made bad decisions because of the hard life she has been dealt but after meeting Wes and his son she changed. It was so easy to cheer for these two to take a chance and see where love leads. Oh and did I mention all the sexual tension and buildup…. off. The. Charts. This is the first book I have read by Emily Goodwin and plan on reading more!!
This book was nothing like I was expecting … Scarlet is a .com Artist who is good at what she does and she is so used to taking care of people and that’s all she knows. She applied for a nanny job for some “rich” and what she gets is nothing like she imagined. Weston and his son Jackson will melt your heart and that’s sure what they do to Scarlet. It’s so cool watching her grow!
Side Hustle by Emily Goodwin is the third book in her Dawson Family series. Set around a large and loving family, this is the story of Wes Dawson and Scarlet Cooper. A single father, running for sheriff who is in need of a nanny and a con-artist woman who has always done whatever it takes to take care of her family. Even if that meant breaking a few laws, or posing to be a nanny while hustling the husband for cash. But all her expectations of a con fall to the wayside the moment she sets eyes on Wes, his son, and their peaceful, modest home. Knowing that she can’t go through with her original plan she accepts the nanny gig and ends up falling for the whole family. Now living a life she never knew she could have she is just glad she never actually betrayed Wes’s trust. Until her past manages to catch up with her and threatens to tear it all away.
Well-written and well-paced, this story kept me engrossed through every page. Scarlett’s inner turmoil, the troubles with her father and sister, Wes’ ex and all that emotional baggage he carries. Loved every word. Enjoy!
´¨) ¸.•’¨)
(¸.•´ (¸.•`
~~4 HEARTWARMING STARS!~~
“Weston Dawson has done the impossible: gotten under my skin and is weaseling his way into that dark cavity in my chest that some call a heart.”< SIDE HUSTLE by Emily Goodwin COMPLETELY STOLE MY HEART! What a sweet, sexy, poignant and deeply moving tale! And talk about a wildly addictive opposites attract story with a delicious twist! I love this author’s refreshingly unique spin on the classic single daddy/nanny trope. Scarlet is a con artist who targets wealthy families and swindles a wad of cash out of them before moving onto her next mark. But she gets in way over her heads when a mix-up occurs, and she winds up getting hired as a nanny for a small-town cop who is NOT the rich, entitle A-hole she thought she’d be blackmailing. And she finds herself falling in love…for real! Scarlet’s backstory broke my heart. This scrappy spitfire, who grew up in squalor in the hood, has a callous, anti-love attitude and for good reason. She has had a hard knock life and will do anything to keep her troubled family together--but she does not really discover the true meaning of home and family until she gets a job in the burbs and meets the lovable Dawson clan. And despite all her efforts to stay cold and detached, Weston and his adorable four-year-old son, Jackson, work their way into her heart. He offers her a glimpse at a better life . With him. But she knows she's living a lie and when the ruse is up she fears she will be left out in the cold again . As for our hot, HUNKY man in blue, Weston gives new meaning to the term swoony single dad! As the eldest of the five Dawson siblings, his whole world revolves around his beloved son and his close-knit family. This fiercely devoted father/hardworking cop is running for sheriff to give his son the best life possible which means he needs a live-in caretaker to help him take care of Jackson with the extra hours his campaign will entail. But trusting does not come easy for him. He has been burnt in love--his son's mother abandoned him and Jackson when their son was a newborn and he has his walls up around his heart. Which means the last person on earth he should be fantasizing about is his son's beautiful, kind-natured new nanny! But his little boy adores Scarlet, and against all odds, she brightens up even the cloudiest of days. And before they know it, they are surrendering to temptation and falling head over heels for each other! But when Weston learns the truth about the blonde bombshell who has staked a claim on his heart, can this by-the-book cop ever trust her again? Ahh the conundrum! Though from the blurb I was kind of expecting a bit of an angstier read with a broodier, more alpha hero, I nevertheless relished SO MUCH about this quirky, small-town romance! I adored the caring and honorable lawman daddy, the sweet, spunky, not so wholesome nanny, the breezy, engaging writing, the warm, witty banter, and the captivating romance and scintillating sexy times between the MCs. And, of course, all those swoony father/son exchanges coupled with the scenes of Weston, Jackson and Scarlet bonding as a family melted my heart . Gah…Jackson was TOO CUTE FOR WORDS, and an integral part of the plot, which I loooooved!!! Oh, and the big, close knit Dawson clan was THE BOMB! Overall , this slow burning love story was nicely paced, with such palpable sexual tension that I was itching for the MCs to get together by the time they FINALLY hit the sheets! And the payoff was well worth the wait!!! However, I did feel that the story was a tad too long and dragged a bit in places, with a little too much focus on the day to day domestic routine. But I was still totally sucked in by this story!! I mean what’s NOT to love? Ultimately, SIDE HUSTLE is a delightful page-turner chock full of tender-hearted emotion and homespun charm and sizzling sparks throughout, finally culminating in a riveting climax and a sigh-worthy HEA! BOTTOM LINE: I cannot rave enough about SIDE HUSTLE! This was my first book by Emily Goodwin and now she is an auto click author for me. And my first order of business is to read the first two installments in the Dawson Family series, a best friend's little sister duet featuring Weston’s little sister Quinn and her hot MD man!
I’ve read a few Emily Goodwin books before, so I jumped at the chance to read this one, and it did not disappoint. Scarlett Cooper is a woman who has had to fight her way through life, and she hasn’t always made the best choices along the way. Weston Dawson found himself swearing off women after his high school sweetheart left him a few weeks after their baby was born. Scarlett gets hired as a nanny for Weston’s son, and the attraction is instant, the emotion is present, and the sexual tension is on point. When a blast from Weston’s past shows back up, will it ruin things for Scarlett and Weston?
Emily Goodwin writes a touching story about finding love when you aren’t looking for it, the challenges that you may face as a single parent, and moving past a less than desirable past. Excellent read.
Reviewed by: Lauren L.
We all have favorite romance tropes that we’re partial to and the one that makes my heart skip a beat is the Single Father/Nanny love story. Side Hustle , the third book in the Dawson Family series, features Weston, a single dad raising his precious four-year old son and Scarlett, his new nanny. This story had me in tears more than once, Scarlett’s life was the polar opposite to the happy family Weston was raised in, and her yearning for what she never had was a little heart wrenching at times. I loved this story and especially the entire Dawson family!
“I know the worst thing you can do to someone who’s trying to better themselves is to constantly remind them of the mistakes they made.”
Scarlett Cooper has had to hustle her entire sad life. She dropped out of school to raise her younger sister and brother; her parents were out of the picture due to drugs and alcohol. Scarlett’s a little desperate for money, she needs to help her sister and father, their situation is worse than hers. When she decides to try a con that’s worked for her in the past, blackmailing a cheating father, she signs up for a job as a nanny.
“You stop being afraid of the dark when you learn how to make your own light.”
Weston Dawson is a small town police officer raising his four-year old son, Jackson. His wife, Daisy (he’s still legally married to her), left when Jackson was two months old, came back for his first birthday and stayed a few days and left again. Wes has never forgiven Daisy for abandoning them. When his sister, Quinn, offers to interview and hire a much-needed nanny, Wes accepts the offer, much to his displeasure.
“I get a glimpse of her, and if I hadn’t felt the same thing when I came back after my first tour overseas, I wouldn’t have noticed. She’s struggling, fighting tooth and nail to stay afloat in choppy waters.”
Scarlett thought the new job was working for Quinn and realizes she can’t hustle Weston, especially after caring for Jackson. When she’s included into the Dawson family, and sees how much they genuinely care about each other, Scarlett longs to be a part of their family.
“I came here with the intentions of taking everything from him, and instead he took the one thing I thought I lost years ago: my heart. He taught me how to love, not just other people but myself.”
As Wes and Scarlett begin to confide in and care for one anther they realize they can’t deny the attraction. Things get hot and very steamy; at this point I was cheering for them, while fanning myself off! But soon there’s an unexpected complication, a fly in the ointment you could say. This story is absolutely beautiful!
“He’s uncharted territory and the thrill of setting sail in unfamiliar waters is shadowed only a bit by the fear of not being enough for him. I want to offer him everything. I want to give him all of me.”
Scarlet’s been taking care of her family her whole life. She left school to care for her sister and now she’s taking care of her father, who she’s had to put in a nursing home. So she does what she has to to make ends meet. That means she’s had to do some things she’d rather not do, things that are wrong, not to mention illegal. But a girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do, right?
And then she rolls on up to her latest “job” and she falls in love with Weston and Jackson. She can’t help herself because Jackson, Weston’s little boy, has her heart from day one and Weston? He’s got too big a heart not to fall for. She knows she can’t hustle these two that she’s fallen for, and that’s fine, because she makes enough money as Jackson’s nanny to take care of her dad. And she’s found a big loving family, the kind she’s always wanted in her heart of hearts. But when something (someone) from Weston’s life appears and just may take it all away from Scarlet, can she risk telling the truth? Will she have to sacrifice her joy to protect Weston and Jackson from her own past?
I have to admit I was a bit anxious about Scarlet’s character from the first page. I knew she was a hustler and generally I hate stories about hustlers because they aren’t usually able to redeem themselves in my eyes. But, Scarlet more than redeemed herself, she grew to be the amazing person she should always have been, the person she would have been had her life been different. And it was a beautiful thing to read, her redemption. But really, the best part of Side Hustle for me was Weston and Jackson. Those two are so adorable and sweet, especially Jackson! Side Hustle nailed it on all fronts – it’s sweet and a little emotional, the character and relationship is perfect, and it’s more than a little steamy. I can’t wait to read more about the Dawson family now.
“Is the con artist getting conned? Is the universe finally catching up to me, and this is its way of giving me the middle finger while laughing out a big fuck you?”
It was that cover…sigh. Yeah, I admit I kind of have a thing for a man with a man bun. It got my attention and that’s how I ended up reading my first Emily Goodwin book. Yes, I know it’s the third in the series, but I read it as a standalone. And now, after meeting the Dawson Family, I want to read all of them.
Scarlet has the worst of intentions when she meets Weston, but I like her anyway. She’s had a hard life and it’s made her hard. Well, at least she thinks so. “—when you have darkness inside of you, you have two choices: hate yourself for it or embrace it. I chose the later.” Myself, I don’t think she is dark or hard, I think she is a survivor and she had to make decisions that no teenager should have to. Once you cross the line and have to look in the mirror afterward it becomes easier to forget your dreams and accept what you can’t change. Love is a fairytale she no longer believes in. “Being in love meant having a heart, and I convinced myself mine stopped working long ago.”
Weston is a #SingleDad and a #HotCop. As you can imagine the women of his small town were falling all over themselves to get his attention. But they are wasting their time because he has been burned too bad to consider trying again. If it wasn’t for his job he would never have considered a nanny for his son. He put it off as long as he was able until his sister finally stepped in and took matters into her own hands. He had no idea what she looked like until she showed up, and then he couldn’t forget.
I really enjoyed this story. The dual POV had me seeing things from both sides and I found myself tempted to turn the pages with crossed fingers. I was yearning for an HEA but worried about what would happen when the good guy discovered she was a bad girl. And wait until you meet Jackson. That boy will have you saying yes before you even hear the question, he’s that cute. Did I mention that he has twin uncles? Imagine the fun stories we to look forward to. The line forms here…
Side Hustle by Emily Goodwin
5++++ Stars
OMG! Emily did a fantastic job!! Side Hustle is really incredible!!
Weston and Scarlet~ a lot of feels and emotions
Scarlet is a great con artist.
Weston is a law enforcement officer.
“If losing the race means I get to be with you, then I’ve won.”
“I didn’t play it safe. I listened to my heart instead of my head this time around, and right here in bed with Scarlet is exactly where we’re supposed to be.”
Loved this so much! Totally recommend!!
Side Hustle bring readers back to the Dawson family and this time it’s single father, Weston, and his new nanny, Scarlet that heat up the pages for the readers reading pleasure.
Scarlet is a down on her luck woman who tosses her morals out the window in order to make money she needs to care for her father. While Weston is running for town Sheriff. What an intriguing combination- the cop and the con-woman. Fierce and Full of Heat!!! Scarlet knew she was way over her head the minute she laid eyes on Weston. He’s all alpha-male and she is barely able to to resist- she’s struggling hard. Scarlett should have left the second she realised this wasn’t the gig she signed up for, but now there is too much at stake and Scarlett isn’t about to lose.
Weston Dawson is a small town cop whose running for sheriff and he really has severe trust issues- those trust issues could be because of his wife up and leaving him and their child behind; I think I would have trust issues too. He wants to take more action with his career, but doesn’t want to depend on family all the time for childcare or have to ask for help when he has to work and can’t watch his child. So his sister takes matters into her own hands and thats when Scarlett and Wes met and fireworks wwnt off between them. Wes wasn’t expecting to have feelings for her or really ever have feelings for a woman again. He had just given up on love a long while ago, but Scarlet makes him feel something he thought was dead long time ago. Scarlett is a bad girl who longs to be good. She never had the opportunity to start life on the right foot and she has to survive so she does vad things to survive. Then when she meets and has a chance to spend time with Wes. She longs to be the woman that Wes loves and sees. Will she be able to stop her grift in time and walk the straight and narrow? Or will Wes find out the terrible truth about Scarlett before she has a chance to come clean? This is a beautifully crafted and very emotional written story that deals with angst, drama, betrayal, sadness, anger, heartache, twists, turns, passion, heat, forgiveness and love.
My Rating: 4.7 stars *****
Another Amazing book in the Dawson sibling series. Finally we get to read about poor Wes who is a single dad to a great little boy. Scarlet is a bit of a hustler , she cons men to help pay for her sad life. When these two meet it’s instant attraction, but she’s hired to be his sons nanny, and she is there to pull a con…. Until she can’t. Loved the way these two fell in love with each other. He has the whole perfect family she has always wanted and to her that’s worth more than a con.
This is the 1st book I read by Emily Goodwin. I loved this book’s storyline. I loved the hot & steamy scenes. I loved Scarlet’s character. My heart broke for Scarlet. I loved Weston’s character. I loved Jackson. I loved the ending. Awesome job Ms. Goodwin.