Family Camp

Daddy Dearest, Book 1

By: Eli Easton

Narrated by: Matthew Shaw

Length: 7 hrs and 10 mins

Publisher's Summary

When Geo signs up for Family Camp, he envisions nature hikes, s’mores, and a chance to win over his recalcitrant new foster kids, Jayden and Lucy. He’s tried to become a dad for so long, and he hopes the three of them can be the family he’s always wanted. What he doesn’t anticipate is the prickly and gorgeous camp counselor who constantly comes to his rescue.

Travis spends a week every year at Camp Evermore, the camp his adoptive parents own. As a pro baseball player, his presence guarantees a full campground and excited campers. He has one rule: Never, ever mess around with anyone at camp. His profession demands he stay in the closet. But one sweet and funny new dad is about to test all his resolve.

Sparks fly for Geo and Travis, and not because of the nightly campfire. Having been a foster kid himself, Travis is drawn to Geo’s sincerity and big heart and to his kids. The four of them just fit. But will this be a summer romance? Or can they find a way to be a family long after Family Camp is over?

About the Daddy Dearest series

The Daddy Dearest series will consist of stand-alone contemporary novels focusing on single gay dads who find hot romance. Expect laughs, sweet and sexy slow-burn romance, and lots of family feels!

©2019 Jane Holmes (P)2019 Jane Holmes

I loved the book and the audio made it even better

I loved this story when I first read it back in March 2019 and now I love it even more after listening to the great narration by Matthew Shaw. I don't normally re-read books but I do enjoy listening to the audio of books that I've already read really enjoyed.

When I listen to a story that I've already read, I always think that I won't need to pay that close of attention to it and can get other things done while listening; that was not the case with Family Camp. The narration was so good that it held my attention right from the get-go. Great job on the story by Ms. Easton and great job on the narration by Matthew Shaw.

Below is what I wrote about the story when I first read and reviewed it:

I'm a relatively late-comer to Eli Easton's writing so I'm just now beginning to realize how versatile of a writer she is. I've read one of her books with dog shifters, one with a mail order bride that isn't at all what you might think, one that was heartbreakingly realistic and a fantastic historical Christmas novella. I consider each of these to be wonderful books but oh so very different types of stories.

Now we have Family Camp and what a great story it is! I'm a sucker for gay romances that include kids. The fact that Geo is fostering two of them, and wants nothing more than to give them a stable home-life and environment, really got me in the heart.

The two MCs (main characters) don't exactly get off on the right foot with each other when Travis, a hunky pro baseball pitcher, misinterprets something that Geo says. Once that misunderstanding is straightened out the sparks really begin to fly.

Family Camp really is all about family. Geo becomes friends with several moms and the kids during the course of the week. Travis's family runs the camp and his parents and several of his siblings are integral to the story. There are a lot of fun things in the story and Geo's sense of humor is really delicious.

The book is also a coming out story. As a pro baseball player Travis has hidden his sexuality from everyone but one of his sisters (she guessed his secret). He's denied himself any kind of romantic relationship but he is so drawn to Geo that he just can't resist.

I won't say any more about the coming out part of the story as it would be too spoiler-y, but it's one of the better ones that I've read lately.

If you like a great feel-good romance, with just the right amount of angst, I think you will love Family Camp. I'm looking forward to reading more books in this series.

A copy of this audiobook was provided to me but my review was voluntary and not influenced by the author.

***Reviewed for Xtreme-Delusions dot com***

Family is not of blood but of your choosing

Awwwww ... and awwwwwwwwwwwwww .. and awwwwwwwwwwwwwwww 😍😍😍 Damn, all the good feels in the world. 🥰 Eli Easton has been one of my favorite authors since my very first book of hers and there’s definitely a legit reason for that. She writes one of the best feel- good, heart-warming, all the tingly feels stories. 👏 And “Family Camp” definitely isn’t an exception, it was sweet, warm, romantic and invokes all the right feels in you. 😊 You can’t help but falling in love with both MCs and their misfit of a little adoptive family while reading this very lovely story. 💜


Geo is a very fresh dad with two very uncooperative and mistrustful foster kids. So he decided going to a family camp over their summer holiday is the cure to all his parental problems. 😁 He thought he had given up his sex life for at least another decade when he got these two kids in his life. 😏 That is until a knight in shining armor riding ... I mean driving a car came rescuing to his predicament of being stranded in the middle of the road with no gas in his tank on the road to said family camp. 😂 Talk about chemistry on the first sight, it was sizzling. 🔥 And the knight kept coming to his rescue over his stay at the family camp. Perhaps, the kids needed an another daddy to complete their perfect equation. 😁 And if Geo is honest with himself, he wants kind and loving Travis so desperately for himself and his kids. If only being together after a summer fling would be so easy when said fling happens to be a celebrity Major League Baseball player who’s not out at all. 😉


Although this is kind of an insta-lust/love thing that spanned over a week long vacation at a family camp, it didn’t feel rushed or unauthentic at all. 😌 Travis is tired of not being himself and under public scrutiny all time and Geo is a kind, loving, understanding man who has a heart big enough for his foster kids and Travis. It was the right romance and right chemistry at a very right time. ❤️ I loved the slow-burn, sexy romance between Travis and Geo, all the stolen glances and bashful flirting. 🥰 And when they finally gave into their attraction? It was glorious! 🔥 And I loved those two kids, they are just so vulnerable and scared, my heart aches for them. 😭 And it was so good to see them becoming a real family in the end. 👏 The chemistry and the sex was hot and erotic but not overly done. And their love story is just so adorable. 😍 And bonus point for a perfect epilogue. 👍 Matthew Shaw did a terrific job narrating this story too. It was really lovely listening to his voice. ❤️ I’m really looking forward to more books in this series. 😌




4.5 family is not of blood but of your choosing stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Sweet Love and Lots of fun

4 Blue Roses
3.5 Blue Flames

Narrator Matthew Shaw gave an easy enjoyable performance. His voice is beautiful, and his dialogues are easy to follow and differentiate.

The audiobook is a treat to listen to with sweet love, camping fun and a beautiful HEA
Geo wants to be a dad, and he is on a mission. Adopt a couple of children, be the best dad ever and no sex for the next ten years. Nothing worked out as planned, because a future he never imagined happened, a fantastic even better future. Travis is a baseball player, but his family owns a summer camp and he helps out at the camp once a year during the summer. He meets Geo and the two kids, they have lots of traditional camp experiences, self discovery and forge a strong bond as a family.
The plot is light, funny and heartwarming.
I recommend this audiobook if you like romantic comedies.

Happy Listening

Great new series by Eli Easton!

I loved this!

I’m always reminded – after I read an Eli Easton book – just why she’s one of my favorites.

It doesn’t matter the subject matter or the MCs, she manages to make even the most recalcitrant part of my heart.

In this case it was easy. You have a very loveable – do gooder – teacher – with a dopey sense of humor – trying to do right by a couple of “less than easy” kids and he’s an instant favorite. Next you introduce an – in the closet – baseball player who only wants to be the best because he’s a foster kid at heart, too.

It was a no brainer. These guys are loveable. The kids are great – felt pretty real – and the situation was believable – mostly.

I’m not a baseball fan but I can imagine this is what they’d go through and hopefully – one day – we can have out players without all the media going crazy.

If you’re a fan of the author, sports romance, kids, dopey humor and sweet romance – this is for you!


5 stars

Audio

Matthew Shaw is so easy to listen to. He doesn’t do crazy, over the top accents, but he makes it clear which character is speaking.

He handles the moms and the kids and the MCs all very well and made this great story a great audiobook!

Highly Recommended!

Sweet Romance

This was a sweet, low angst love story, with relatable characters that I fell in love with. I adored Gio and his foster kids. I just wanted to hug Jayden and Lucy! I thought the concerns of Travis, as a professional ball player, was handled well. This story is mostly about the characters and I was hooked.

Matthew Shaw is a new-to-me narrator and he did a superb job. I thoroughly enjoyed his performance, he even sang the camp song! I hope I hear more from him.

Oh good, another closeted sports star

I have less and less patience for MM romance stories written by women who create "gay" versions of straight people. I wonder sometimes if it by design to make a crossover audience possible. Regardless. Everything about the premise of this book is tired. The family run summer camp venue, untrusting foster children, a closeted baseball star, and sadly, even more. Even with decent narration, this book was a slog - very predictable and little reward. Not likely to recommend.

Wonderful Family Trope Romance!

Oh my gosh, soooo funny! Geo's sense of humor is amazing. The deals he makes with himself, "I promise I'll give up watching Project Runway for the rest of my life, if (fill in the blank) works out". Simply adorable.

Really lovely "family trope" romance, beautifully performed by Matthew Shaw.

not good.

couldn't even get half way through first chapter. like listening to a cartoon.. don't waste your money.

Family Bonding

I love the way these two men are drawn togehter. They seem to be a perfect fit. I love that some of what they are facing or have faced in the past seem to work so well together. The start as a family and stay that way.

Very enjoyable

This was such a cute book. It has a great vibe to it. Geo is trying to be a dad, while Travis just wants to play baseball. The kids are so cute,little Lucy just needs lots of love while Jade is trying so hard not to get hurt again. I highly recommend this book to others who love MM romances.

Beautiful!

I have listened to this story twice now and I will revisit it again in future for sure. The story is full of heart and strong loving family ideals. It gives warm fuzzy feels throughout.

Ok

If you want a sweet, easy story to listen to then this would be ideal. The characters are likeable and the story has a predictable hea.

Sweet, but a little to predictable.

Sweet, but a little to predictable. This is a slightly better version of a very common scenario.

A very fun, sweet read!

Loved this. Looking forward to book 2. Although it did seem that the story was complete, so I wonder if the second book will be focusing on new characters, or the characters in this story that I have grown to love.

3.5 Nice story

Sweet story and better written than many out there. Didn’t stand out which is why I’ve given it a lower rating. I give 3 stars for average and “it’s ok” books, so it’s above that.

Heart, feelings and cute kids! I loved it!!

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 5 stars
🔥🔥🔥 Heat Level: 3.5
🎧🎧🎧🎧🎧 Narration: 4.5

Heart, feelings and cute kids! I loved it!!

All the feels!!! A wonderfully sweet story about coming out, finding your family and falling in love despite it all!!

I loved this book, even more, the second time around and found the narration fantastic. The narrator did a great job with the different characters and added another level of emotion and enjoyment. I loved it! I can't wait for more in this series!!

This is the first book of Eli’s that I’ve read and it was fantastic writing. I really enjoyed her style and how she was able to inject so much emotion into her writing without it being over the top or mushy.

I loved Geo and his desire to become a parent. I love his quirkiness, kindness and big heart. Jayden and Lucy are beautiful children and I can’t help but feel for them and every foster kid in the system. I love his patience, which I could use more of and his absolute care for Jayden and Lucy.

Travis was a sexy surprise and while appears as the ‘typical’ closeted athlete, I really enjoyed how Eli wrote him and how we slowly learned more about him, his past, his family and his desires for the future.

The chemistry between Geo and Travis is undeniable (once the initial miscommunication is resolved) and I found their insta-love totally believable. Sometimes I find falling in love in a week or 2 un-realistic (even though that is what happened with me and my partner 😉 ) but Eli’s writing, weaves an emotional tale that includes stolen kisses, lust, laughter and family. I loved Geo and Travis and while I feel strongly that no one should be made to come out until they’re ready I loved that this led to a better future for Travis and Geo and of course, the kids!!

A highly recommended read and can’t wait for more in this series and hopefully a little more of Geo and Travis!

Thanks for reading!