One Look

The Sullivan Family, Book 1

By: Lena Hendrix

Narrated by: Sebastian York, Charlotte North

Length: 8 hrs and 42 mins

Publisher's summary

I’m a full time single dad. A former NFL player turned coach, tasked with turning around a college team full of kids who either don’t take it seriously or are determined to get injured. I will absolutely not be falling for my new neighbor.

Lark Butler is pure chaos wrapped in gorgeous, infuriating sunshine. She showed up out of nowhere–getting paid to cry at a funeral, no less. Who does that? But somewhere between offering her condolences and crawling out of a literal grave site, we’ve found ourselves tangled in the drama of Outtatowner, Michigan–my coastal hometown with a decades-old feud, and two aunties determined to end it.

I’m finally putting down roots so my daughter has a normal life, so I need to forget about Lark. Forget the way it felt the night we kissed, or what it’s like to finally take something just for me. But when those sparks ignited, it was more intense than either of us bargained for.

Trouble is, I can’t trust her, and she never stays.

She’s burning my carefully laid plans to the ground, and all it took was one look.

©2023 Lena Hendrix (P)2023 Lena Hendrix

Grumpy/sunshine + single dad + quirky small town!

4⭐️ 3🌶️ 4.5🎧

Production: One Night Stand Studios
Narrators: Charlotte North + Sebastian York
Narration type: Dual
Standard length: 8:42
Listening speed: 1.7x
Listened via: Audible

Tropes: small town, single dad, football coach, grumpy/sunshine, nanny, neighbors

📖 Outtatowner, Michigan is a quirky small town with some hilarious traditions and larger than life personality. I could totally picture this town, the people in it with their long standing family feuds and absurd nicknames. Lena made me giggle to myself multiple times while listening to this one. Now for the main characters! The meet cute is definitely one I won’t forget — it’s not often you meet your future partner at a funeral where they are getting paid to cry! Lark Butler, as a struggling actress, takes on paid funeral gigs to cry for the dead. She ends up deciding to stick around in this quirky little town and is claimed as a Sullivan (remember that family feud thing). Wyatt Sullivan, a single dad and college football coach, happens to need an assistant and nanny and Lark just so happens to be living in a cabin right next door. Lark doesn’t expect to fall for his daughter Penny, and for the grumpy coach. Wyatt doesn’t expect to fall for the energetic, full of sunshine woman next door. They were absolute fire once they finally let themselves go. The chemistry was delicious!

🎧 This was dual narration with Sebastian York and Charlotte North narrating. I’ve listened to Sebastian York many times and always enjoy his work. He has a deep voice and very natural speech patterns. His narration while voicing Wyatt was perfection! I didn’t love his narration of Penny — I know it can be hard for men with deep voices to pull off young children. It wasn’t horrible, but not my favorite. Charlotte North is a great pick for Lark! She brought the perfect energy and sunshine personality to the role. The narration overall was wonderful and brought the whole story to life!

When the audiobook is hotter….

So I read this one when it came out and it was hot! I was not expecting the audio to be even hotter! If you like a grumpy/sunshine character and it’s narrated by Sebastian York then all I can say is this audiobook is for you!! Yummm!!!

One Look

This 🎧book is a pallet cleanser after listening to dark mafia books. Cutesy rom com, single dad, retired NFL player now coach hires temp nanny/asst. for the summer…Sparks fly, hot chemistry & a few smexy times did I mention Sebastian York😮‍💨 is the MMC and his voice does it for me every time. Is it worth the credit? Sure if you’re looking for a fun listen this is your 🎧book, enjoy.😘

5⭐️

Absolutely amazing! Loved everything about it! Single dad, small town romance! Can’t wait for the next book!
Narraters did fantastic job!

Excellent performance

When Lena said her first book of her next series was going to be single dad former NFL player, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it. Things Lena does well: dirty talkers and small towns so this was her at her best. How can you not love Wyatt, he is mr grumpy on the outside but a heart of gold on the inside. Lark has the most fun way of being introduced to a town. She comes for a job but quickly finds herself falling in love with the town.

If you enjoy small town, grumpy heroes and lots of spice then seriously do not wait to pick this one up!

This book on audio made me even more excited about it than when I read it the first time. These narrators brought it to life! Sebastian York plays a perfect grump but even better than that, listening to his dirty talk. Charlotte North played Lark wonderfully and I especially loved all her emotions.

Obsessed Doesn't Even Cover It

This story was GREAT! I started the ebook but didn't have enough time to read at the time so I stopped about half-way through and proceeded to circle back to the book over a month later. As a result I just decided to start the book all the way over and LOVED it! There are so many different aspects of this book to fall in love with. The fact that Lark found a family in this quirky little town. The fact that they took college aged boys in an made a pseudo family with them as well... Just, ALL OF THE THINGS! Lark and Wyatt were perfect together, with the way they met being the bet part of all! I am chomping at the bit for the next book!

Loved it

This was a great book and great start to a new series. Can't wait to listen to more from this author.

Fun single dad romance

Wyatt Sullivan is a full time single dad to his cute and adorable 7-year-old girl. Former NFL star turned coach, he now has to turn a college team around. Well, a team in which the players are apparently dead set on getting into trouble or injured. To make matters worse, his new "neighbor" is the alluring dark-haired woman he caught being paid to cry at friend's funeral! huh? Their meet-cute involves Lark Butler literally falling into an open grave!

Soon, they're both tangled in Outtatowner, Michigan's small town drama. He needs a nanny (for his kid and his unruly college boys), she needs a job... Yeah, we all know where this is going. Grumpy meets feisty and sparks will fly!

This was my first Lena Hendrix and I feel in love with her writing! This is absolutely delightful! DILFs are my catnip and Wyatt deserves the acronym! He's a devoted dad to his handful of a daughter Penny ("Why? Why?") and it makes him top notch acronym material.

Lark is that heroine who you want as a friend. You can tell she longs to belong and we root for them to become a family.

If you like a grumpy, dirty-talking hero, a sassy heroine, a lovely kid, fun sibling banter, definitely give the Sullivans a chance.

Narration: Narrated by Charlotte North, who does a great job and you get SebYo as a gurmpy, sexy dad. Enough said.  

Feel Good, But Spicy Single Dad Romance

I really enjoyed this listen from the plot, to spice, to performance. Everything I wanted in a GrumpyXSunshine, single dad, small town, romcom. There was drama, steam, a child named pickle who at times stole the show! Just a delightful audiobook.

Sweet and steamy grumpy/sunshine

Small town, a grumpy, dirty-talking single dad, a cute kid, and steam? Yes, please.
Repeating for emphasis: 
Grumpy. Single. Dad.

I already loved this book, but the audiobook really gave it an extra something.

Lark and Wyatt meet when she comes into town for a funeral. He’s rude-ish and dismissive, maybe because he’s interested; she can’t stop thinking about him. She was supposed to leave, but then she’s offered a job and a place to stay—next door to Wyatt and his daughter Penny’s house, of course.

Their dynamic was fun, and the attraction between them was fire. The more time they spend together, the harder it is to ignore their chemistry, and it’s only a matter of time until they give in, especially when she becomes his personal assistant/nanny.
When they do, Wyatt doesn’t disappoint!
And then feelings get involved, making it the perfect combo of sweet and steamy.

Narration: Sebastian York knocks it out of the park with his grumpiness and brings in the swoon factor. This was the first time I heard Charlotte North, and I think she was amazing as Lark: sweet and vulnerable when she needed to be and strong and verbal about what she wanted.

This is slow burn, but both narrators absolutely embodied the connection between characters. And the steamy scenes… well… you need to hear them!