When the world labels a man and judges them blindly, is it possible to ever find love?Firefighter Eric is on the front line, battling the threat of nature’s destruction in the California grasslands alongside his CalFire team. Focused and calm, even in the direst of situations, he has a strong affection for his fire truck, loves his career, and has best friends he can rely on. All he needs now is … he needs now is love, but that seems to be impossible to find. At his friend’s wedding. Eric falls in lust at first sight with the shy, slim and sexy Brady, even if Brady isn’t the type of guy he usually goes for. What Eric longs for is an equal in his bed, not a smaller guy who might want Eric to role-play big strong firefighter every time they have sex. He wants to find someone he can be vulnerable with, someone who will love him for his soft heart and quiet ways.
Brady’s life plans grind to a halt when his niece and nephew lose their parents in a tragic accident, and he becomes a dad overnight. His Developmental Coordination Disorder rules his life, but he fights both DCD and the fears that chase him every day, to give Maddie and Lucas a home. Agreeing to go to a friend’s wedding is a decision he regrets long before he even gets there. But, he refuses to give in to his fear, even if he might do something that makes him a target for people’s comments and laughter. Meeting Eric, a huge man with a gentle voice and a flair for chivalry, he falls hard. Now, if only he can let himself get past his panic that Eric would never want someone like him, then maybe he could fall in love for real.
Word Count: 55,000
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This sweet single dad romance was the perfect amount of patience, love and steaminess. Eric and Brady made each other better people which meant being a stronger couple to raise Lucas and Maddie. The personalities and temperament of each child was realism at its best. I love this single dad series!
4.5 stars
Heat Level: 3.5
Such heart, I loved it!
Oh, boy – cue a bit of a book hangover from all the feelings and not getting to see a certain ending happen on page
I’ve really enjoyed this series so far and feel this one was even better than the first with so much heart, emotions and care you can’t help but fall for the friendly giant Eric, pure-hearted Brady and his adorable, occasionally difficult, but loving kids!
As with book one, this book continues on with the first responders’ trio and Eric’s love story. Eric has so much love to give and wants nothing more than to be equal and not taken as token muscle with his 6’5″+ frame. He finds himself smitten with Brady who is trying to raise his sisters pre-tweens with his DCD, anxiety and other issues. He doesn’t think he’s ready to date or connect with anyone but his body has other ideas and sparks fly between Eric and Brady and continue into more. The organic connection between Brady and Eric is great and shows more depth and care as the story progresses. Eric fits in perfectly with Brady’s little family and while I feel this all could have been expanded to include Eric meeting Brady’s best friend and other meet and greats and Brady coming to terms with more and getting to know Eric’s family etc. I did, however, I like the acceptance of the kids as they take Eric in, no questions asked.
The kids are just wonderful! At an awkward age, RJ does a great job encapturing this age, attitude, and emotions. I love the progress Brady is able to make with these kids and definitely feel this is a family story, not just a romance.
I loved Eric and Brady’s connection and wish we could have seen how romantic Eric could’ve been with a proposal but alas at least we know Brady said yes! I look forward to seeing more of Eric, Brady and the kids in Book 3 and can’t wait for Leo’s story!!!
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This is the second book in the Single Dads series. It is a MM contemporary romance that touches on some emotional subjects. I am loving this series. This books characters are well developed, and I loved catching up with the characters’ lives from the first book. The pace is fabulous, it was hard to put down. Even though this is the second book, it can be read as a stand-alone book.
Everything about this story made me emotional. EVERYTHING. From what happens at the beginning..big , fat , happy tears. Awww moments when we get to visit with Mia and finally meet Brady, Brady’s niece and nephew, Lucas and Maddie. These kids and their uncle have been through a great tragedy but are together and quite frankly make a great family. Enter Eric …can it be anything but amazing? Sure issues crop up. You’ll learn about things when you read this. I don’t want to spoil anything else.
Just know this…these two men…the connection, attraction and caring are off the charts!
Add an evil person who deserves to be roasted on a pit in the back yard, you will find out why and agree with me I am positive.
So please just get this book, enjoy and tell all your friends!
Sweet and Engaging
Eric and Brady were so good together, they complimented each other and had a great dynamic. Their story was a great follow up to book one, I enjoyed seeing them come together and make a family. A very enjoyable read and great addition to the series.
*I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book*
This is a great addition to the Single Dads series. I loved how Brady and Eric’s relationship came together. This is a beautiful story that will pull you in from the first page and won’t let go until the last page. I can’t wait for the next book in this series to come out.
A great addition to the Single Dads series. I just loved Eric and Brady. Eric is such as teddy bear of a guy. His heart is so big and open. I loved how he saw beyond the quick impression of Brady and looked deeper into the character and heart of him.
These two just clicked right off the bat and the chemistry jumps off the page. I liked how even though the relationship happens quickly nothing is swept under the rugs. We see the reality of dealing with health issues, instant family and so much more. This is done with such love and dignity.
I can’t wait for the next book in this series!
At the wedding of his two good friends Eric is given the task to watch over Brady who is not always comfortable in group settings. But when Eric finds himself having more than just friendly thoughts about Brady, Brady’s anxiety makes him walk away. Can the unlikely pair find their own path to love and acceptance? Will Brady’s father role in his niece and nephews life be the only relationship he can handle? Will Eric’s job be too much for Brady to bear? I loved these characters form the opening lines. Although both characters had a lot of personal issues, RJ Scott wrote them in such a way that the reader can connect and understand but never once feel pity. Beautifully written and a wonderful addition to the series.
The second book in the Single Dads series, and this is just as cute as the first. This is a series and to get the feels and the back story, you should read them in order. When Eric is asked to keep an eye out on Brady during Ash and Sean’s wedding, he of course says yes, and figures just a quick check in make sure that he’s ok and move on. What Eric didn’t expect was to look at Brady and immediately feel something more. But how is someone like Eric going to get Brady to talk to him?
Brady is already regretting coming to the wedding, the only reason he was here was not to be rude, but for someone with Brady’s diagnosis a social setting is a lot for him to handle. When Eric comes over to introduce himself, Brady takes notice and for once feels comfortable with someone.. to the point where the two even kiss. The two have a connection… until Brady does the inevitable and makes a fool of himself. After having run out on him, Eric is left for days wondering about Brady, and wanting to know more about him. But will the fact that Brady has two kids stop Eric? or Will Brady even be receptive to Eric’s advances?
This was a super cute story! It gave me all the feels, and at one point had me a bit teary eyed. I do wish there was more about how the family of three expanded and included Eric and all that drama, but thats just me. I give this 4 stars.
Edited 11/30/19 to add my comments on the audiobook:
A wonderful and touching story.
I loved Today when I read it back in August and I loved it even more now, thanks to Sean Crisden’s wonderful performance of the story. His vocal inflections are always just right and the different voices he does for each character helped me to visualize them while I was listening. I can never get enough of the stories that Sean Crisden brings to life for me.
Below is a copy of my review from August 2019:
Today is the second book in RJ Scott’s Single Dad series. You could read this as a standalone story but characters from book one, Single, appear in Today and Single also gives you background on the two MC’s (main characters) in this new story. So, for best enjoyment of Today I really recommend that you read Single first.
The book’s blurb is great so I’m not going to rehash it. Eric is a big burly firefighter but he’s also a teddy bear. This guy is so sweet; he just wants to help everyone. When his friend asks him to watch over Brady at the friend’s wedding, he’s happy to do so. But when Eric meets Brady, he knows that he wants to do more than just watch over him for the day.
Brady suffers from a condition that I’ve never heard of before: Developmental Coordination Disorder. This affects his coordination, his self-confidence and how he interacts with others; he also has dyslexia. Brady didn’t really want to come to his friend’s wedding but he promised he would. He and Eric made this really great, hot, connection at the wedding and then Brady found out why Eric was with him and his confidence was shaken.
Eric and Brady are really hot together and I felt their connection right from the get-go. Brady is a single dad to his niece and nephew but Eric likes kids so that’s not a problem. The biggest obstacle to their relationship is Brady and his lack of confidence in himself. It was wonderful to watch him evolve over the course of the story. RJ did a great job without making the evolution too quick or unbelievable.
I loved the first book in this series but I think this one was even better. RJ Scott is in no danger of leaving my top ten list of favorite authors.
An advanced 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***
If I had to choose only one word to describe RJ Scott’s Today, Eric and Brady’s book,it would be COURAGE.
And one might say that Eric,being a firefighter and risking his life every time he goes to work,is the one who’s the bravest, but to me it’s Brady. For having raised his nephews despite his disorder,for the way he confronts life no matter how hard DCD makes arriving at the end of each day,for doing his best to always have a smile on his face regardless of a debilitating anxiety. And,he’s so brave for opening his heart to love,letting Eric in.
Once again,I’m amazed by how brilliant RJ Scott is at writing characters . Not perfect,but solid and relatable, so easy to get into the reader’s heart and remain there indefinitely. Brady and Eric have become so dear to me,both so kind,selfless and giving. They seem an unlikely couple on the outside, but obviously perfect for each other and so beautiful together.
And their romance,in my opinion, is on of the most touching one this author has written. Absolutely a must read!
Oh my goodness, if there’s one thing Rj Scott does so very well it’s write about triumph over adversity. In this case, all Brady’s many and diverse problems take a back seat to his self esteem. When he meets Eric ( Who incidentally I fell for in book 1, with the vomit in the bushes incident), he realizes that with someone in his corner, he’s stronger, more capable than he ever thought. This book is most definitely a feel good love story, it has its moments of danger, panic, worry and excitement. But through it all the love is key.
LOVED, absolutely loved this book. I really liked book one in the series and thought it might be my favourite RJ book but this one’s just gone to the top of the list.
Brady and Eric were a wonderfully matched pair, such depth of character in a relatively short book but packed with all the emotional feelings I expect from this author.
I loved how Brady’s condition was treated with empathy and with understanding by not only the author in choosing how to write it, but also with how Eric responded and dealt with the additional requirements that Brady’s family would bring.
The relationship itself happened pretty quickly though and I think that a little bit more background for Eric’s fears might have helped. But, having said that, some people simply do just click and I very definitely felt that they did slot into place in each other’s lives like a jigsaw.
The kids were present but never overtook the narrative and I liked seeing Ash and Sean, as well as Leo, and we got an introduction to his love interest which really fascinates me to see where that’s going to go.
This series has been a big hit for me so far.
**********Contains Spoilers**********
Wow, RJ Scott doesn’t disappoint with this book. I loved the connection between Eric and Brady even though it’s quite slow moving compared to Ash and Sean’s relationship due to Brady having DCD so he doesn’t deal with spontaneity well. I loved how perfect they were for each other as they’re exactly what the other needs, as Brady doesn’t mind calling the shots and sees Eric as more than someone that can throw him around and be all protective especially because he’s a firefighter. Eric makes Brady strong by showing him how proud he is of him, what he thinks of him, talking with him about what his thoughts are on certain things, he gets him out of his head and takes him out of his comfort zone in small increments but is by his side during this and gives him a safe word he can say so Eric knows to get him out of the situation straight away. I loved the relationship between Brady, Lucas and Maddie, sometimes they say horrible things to him but they apologise straight away, they’re very protective of him due to his DCD and don’t want him overwhelmed but him getting out of his comfort zone. Brady thinks that he’s not a real dad and that he’s just their uncle but I think most of that is in his head as Maddie and Lucas love their uncle/dad. Man what Jason did to save Eric when the fire burned was so heroic but he really doesn’t like the attention he’s receiving afterwards so I wonder what’s up with him and I’m really looking forward to reading his and Leo’s story. I’d definitely recommend this book, series and author to everyone.
Today is the second book in RJ Scott’s Single Dads series. While each story has its own couple and story arc – some plot points build off events in previous books, so you’ll want to listen in order. This is another great low-angst (though steamier than the first!) audio.
I’ll admit I was already a little in love with Eric from his appearances in Single but his interactions with Brady sealed the deal. He’s physically a giant of a man who is tired of folks making assumptions based on looks and lineage while Brady struggles with a condition that has him hiding at home most of the time. These two complemented each other so well.
Again, Scott does a solid job of giving the listener children with real emotions, thoughts, and actions as well as parents (and those who want to be parents) the tough work of balancing everyone’s needs. Brady is so sweet, caring, and supportive of his new family and adding Eric just makes it that much better. There’s a bit of a suspense element in the firefighting in addition to Eric’s regular sense of humor rounding out this lovely duo.
I didn’t hesitate to snap up Leo & Jason’s book, Promise.
Narration:
Sean Crisden is a wonderful fit for this series. I loved his jovial portrayal of Eric and giving Brady’s concerns weight without making him sound whiny. This is a solid writer/narrator team.
I enjoyed the story. I love RJ Scouts books. I found the inconsistent through her Hockey and Single Dads series a stumbling block to reading
Erica and Jason was hurt in the last chapter. Jason injury was Third-degree burns to his right side. Erica visit Jason hospital nothing brought up about Jason’s burns – recovery, rehab or scaring. The Jason’s burns are mentioned in the Epilogue center around Jason’s bravery. Next book in the series MCs are Leo and Jason. In the books blurb -nothing’s mentioned about the burns.
There are others in Dads and Hockey series.
Other all I love the story!!!
This is without a doubt my favorite RJ Scott novel. I have read it many times. I experienced a lot emotions reading this story, positive and negative. I can identify with the idea of the good being a part of life along side the bad. These characters don’t have a perfect existence but that is precisely what draws me to this book. They get their happy ending but there are enough rough edges keep the story real.
I love the way that these men seem to fit each other. Eric allows Brady to grow and be himself. He encourages without trying to fix. Together each get to be stronger.
Book 2 in the Single Dads series. This one picks right up where book 1 ended and I was happy we got to see a part of Ash and Sean’s happy day.
I’m not going to say it was insta-love or insta-lust but something in-between for both Brady and Eric. I loved how both men grew together throughout the story, not just Brady coming out of his shell with his low self-esteem but with Eric realizing that he does want and need more than just his job, also that his job does not define him as a big, strong man but it’s the size of his heart and the love he has to share with Brady that does.
While their sexual chemistry if off the charts it doesn’t take them both long to realize that they truly do love each other, inside and outside of the bedroom.
Book 3- I can’t wait for Leo (Fido) to open his heart and find love.
I always perk up when I see a new book by RJ Scott and she delivers once again. Each of these guys is so different, with their own unique problems that readers can get behind.
I love that big, strong Eric doesn’t always want to be the one in charge. A guy of his size, with his job, looking the way he does … you can easily see why people who want to be “rescued” are drawn to him. His instant attraction to Brady sends up some red flags but the pull is too strong to resist.
With Brady’s issues you can easily see why he steers well clear of anyone like Eric. He’s not helpless and it’s hard to have people always wanting to take care of you. Since everything about Eric screams white knight, he’s definitely not interested. Luckily, Eric isn’t good at being ignored.
Not in the mood for a lot of drama, I enjoyed the fact that there was little angst here. Once Eric gets Brady to let him in a bit, things progress pretty easily. There are bumps, especially with Eric’s job and Brady’s reluctance to do anything outside of his house, but they are small ones. All about the sweetness and feels, Today winds its way smoothly from a meet-cute to a warm & fuzzy HEA.
**Review given honestly and freely after receipt of a reader copy. This opinion is completely my own and was not influenced in any way.**