Single

Single Dads, Book 1

By: R. J. Scott

Narrated by: Sean Crisden

Length: 4 hrs and 35 mins

Publisher's Summary

Reeling from the painful rejection of a man he thought he loved, Asher is left holding the baby.

Ash wants a family, and is determined to continue with a surrogacy he'd begun with his ex. Bringing baby Mia home, he vows that he will be the best father he can be. Nothing in this world matters more to him than caring for his daughter, not even accidentally falling in lust with the doctor next door. Challenged by his growing attraction to Sean, and confronted by painful memories of his family, Ash has to learn that love is all that matters.

When ER doctor Sean moves in with his friends next door to sexy, single-father Ash, he falls so quickly it takes his breath away. The sex they have is hot, but Ash is adamant his heart is too full with love for his daughter to let anyone else in. Why is Sean the only one who sees how scared Ash is, and how can he prove to his new lover that he desperately wants the three of them to become a family?

©2019 R. J. Scott (P)2019 R. J. Scott

hard to review

This was … hard to review.

On the one hand it was a relatively low angst story about a man finding family. That includes trusting himself as a new father and finding a loving partner in a nearby neighbor.

The romance, however, was very lack luster and most of the story is really about becoming a new dad.

It’s not bad that it’s about becoming a dad – but if you’re after a hot romance, this ain’t it.

It’s sweet and the baby stuff is cute but I do wish it’d had more about the budding relationship with our MCs.

Sean Crisden does a lovely job with the narration and he kept me engaged.

3 of 5 stars for the story

5 of 5 for the narration

Overall 4 of 5 stars

Good start to the series

Single new dad Asher is not looking for a relationship or a hookup or anything at this point of his life. He's barely getting by taking care of his 6-week old daughter with the occasional help of his twin sister and the last thing he wants is to complicate matters even more by getting involved with his new neighbor ER doctor Sean. Sean has never wanted a relationship before, but there's something about Asher and baby Mia that calls to him and he doesn't want to let go of the chance of more between them.

This was such a sweet, very slow-burn story. It dragged a bit at first, almost as much as Asher did in accepting that accepting other people's help didn't mean that he wasn't a good dad or that he could balance being Mia's dad and starting something with Sean. Really, there was a point when I wasn't sure why Sean kept trying, because Asher was being sooooo difficult I wanted to scream. *sighs* As you might have inferred by that last statement, Sean was my favorite and I loved his roommates, too, Erik and Leo and I'm very intrigued by them and want to know them better. Now, Asher wasn't that bad. I could relate to him somewhat, and I eventually warmed up to him, but really, I would've given in way sooner. Hahahaha! 

I love Sean Crisden's voice, so it was a delight to listen to this story come to life in his voice. He brought forth all of Sean's eagerness to help Asher, to make him see they could be so good together, and Asher's exhaustion and desperation when he couldn't manage in those first days to be what he thought his daughter needed. Recommendable!

Great RJ Scott read perfectly read by Sean Crisden

Honestly I don't think there's much I can add to my original ebook review back in June that would fully express how much I love Ash, Sean, Mia, and the whole gang. Sean Crisden once again brings RJ's words and characters to life in a way that almost reminds me of the old radio shows from the 30s & 40s that I collect. There's no sound effects but he puts so much into the individual characters that sometimes I swear I'm hearing the background noise, the footsteps, the door knocking and creaking open, the cars on the street.

Now I don't normally listen to a book this close to having first read it but the opportunity arose and you know what? Single is just as good in audio as it was on my kindle.

Enjoyable story with solid narration

The setup may seem familiar—single dad who is completely devoted to his child meets hot, caring guy but doesn’t want to compromise where his child is concerned. But RJ Scott takes this and gives it her own touches to keep things fresh and appealing…not to mention she’s drawn me in to this new series, so now I’m excited for the next book already.

Both Asher and Sean’s character were just right. The desire Ash had to start a family gave him the strength to push on even when his ex bailed on him. The descriptions of of his physical and mental state while trying to care for a newborn on his own were spot-on (from what I know of friends and family who have had kids), and that contributes to his likability as a character. Sean might very well be a just-about-perfect man (because nobody’s perfect, but Sean comes awfully close). He’s kind, understanding, protective, giving, and definitely has the caregiver part down pat…which you might expect given he’s a doctor.

I really liked that things developed slowly between them, and that Sean—who had been mostly the hookup type—was affected enough by Ash to find himself wanting something committed instead. Slower relationship development didn’t mean less hot though—it just meant when those moments came up, the intensity left me just as breathless as the characters.

There is a good, solid cast of supporting characters. Ash’s sister is a solid support system for him as he’s learning the parenting ropes. I was a bit wary of his mother due to the reason behind their estrangement, but that eased off my mind as the story progressed. And Sean’s housemates Eric and Leo, as well as some of the guys from Ash’s single dad support group, have my interest piqued for future stories in the series.

Single was a 4.5-star read for me, and will definitely be enjoyed by any M/M romance fan. I’m not usually one to pick up a book with kids in it, but Ash’s daughter Mia’s role does not eclipse the romance; she actually enhances the story without the over-cuteness I’ve sometimes found in other books with babies and children in them. Though Ash and the others try to rein in the language with Mia around, there’s still enough adult language—and Ash and Sean get up to enough intimate contact—for this story to be for readers 18+.

The narration: Sean Crisden really did these characters justice with his narration. The opening scene was my favorite in particular, but overall he did a great job capturing emotions and giving the characters their own voices. I hope he’ll be continuing to narrate the series—I’m already looking forward to hearing the next one. 5 stars for the narration!

Nice Beginning.

This is a nice beginning. I have high hopes for the next book. I'm new to this author and I look forward in listening to more books by her. This story was nice and sweet. I loved the characters especially, the bestfriends and Asher's sister. The only little complaint I have about this story, is that I feel Asher acted a little to extra regarding Mia. Dont get me wrong I totally understand being a single parent and wanting to protect your child but in some of his concerns he was a little to excessive. Sean Crisden is one of the best voice actors out here, and as always he brings these characters to life. I hope that we will not have to wait a long time for the next book to become available on adubile. I recommend this book.

I loved it!

As usual, Sean Crisden delivered a fantastic audio performance of another great story by RJ Scott. It was a couple of months ago that I read this book. Listening to the audio made me love it even more. My original review of the ebook follows below.

Single is a great book with all the feels and a nice amount of sexy time. I'm a sucker for stories involving single dads, especially if they are struggling a bit.

Ash followed through with surrogacy plans after his cheating ex left him because he really wanted to be a dad. He's planned for everything but real life doesn't always go according to plan. Thank goodness he has a wonderful sister who's willing to help him out. What he isn't looking for is another dad for Mia. But Ash never expected to meet someone like the hot ER doctor next door.

Sean is instantly attracted to Ash and Mia; he loves kids. He has a hard time getting Ash to even agree to have coffee. He knows that he must take things slow if he's ever going to win Ash over.

This book, like most of RJ's do for me, read as smooth as glass and I couldn't put it down once I started. There was just the right blend of sweet, angst and sexy. I loved the interesting cast of secondary characters and look forward to reading the next book in this series.

An advanced 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*** (posting on September 6, 2019)

Cute Single Dad Story

Here is another one of those what I like to call 'comfort food for the brain' stories. It leaves you with all the warm and fuzzies. I will definitely keep this book in my library for those moments when I need a straight forward romance story. The characters were written okay.

I have listened to Sean Crisden narrate several books and he is always great to listen to as a narrator.

An enjoyable story which also kind of sets up the characters for book 2 in the end. Or at least I believe it does.

Worth a credit.

Sweet book

This book is about Ash becoming a new father and learning to do it alone after splitting with his ex. He meets Sean who is a new neighbor and the attraction is there, but he is hesitant to start anything. It is a sweet read low angst with little spice. The narrator did a good job.

enjoyed it - solid 4 stars

📖 Story comment: Low drama, sweet story, good pace, likeable characters, nice flow.
Good book for a lazy Sunday. I enjoyed the "reality" of Ash struggling to be a new dad, the insecurities, lack of sleep and constant self doubt. I enjoyed the slow build of the relationship and watching Sean break down Ash's walls and let him in.

I really enjoyed the "single dad" theme of this story and look forward to Eric and Leo both finding their families 😊.

🎧 Narrator comment: Sean Crisden is among my favorite narrators. His rhythm, changes in pitch and intonation, the cadence of voice in narration all work to bring the story to life. Each character had his own voice and I felt their emotions to be completely immersed in their story.

-------
📌 Where does it fall on my personal scale? 7.5
• 1 not my thing • 2 didn't like the narration • 3 didn't keep my attention • 4 was good, but once was enough • 5 enjoyed it • 6 will listen again if i'm in the mood for the narrator • 7 goes on the "re-listen" list [4⭐] • 8 kept me up past bed-time [4.5⭐] • 9 recommended to family/friends [4.75⭐] • 10 own it in multiple formats [5⭐] • 11 keep a copy with me at all times [5⭐]
-------

Good book

This is a good overall book that is enjoyable from beginning the end. pick up this book and will never regret it

A really enjoyable story with great narration!

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 4.5 stars
🔥🔥🔥🔥 Heat Level: 4
🎧🎧🎧🎧🎧 Narration: 5

Single dad, hot doctor and an adorable newborn! What more could you want!!!

I had heard great things about this new series by RJ and it is just as good as described!

I loved Ash and baby Mia and felt for him just like every other new parent as they try and figure out what the hell to do with a newborn! I found the mishaps and truths comforting and really enjoyed RJ authenticity on new parenting, especially single parenting.

I found Sean totally endearing and loved that he wasn’t afraid to face his feelings and desires even though he hasn’t really had a relationship or deeper connection before. I enjoyed their back and forth between Sean and Ash and loved that they balanced each other out and always took Mia into everything they did and Sean always treated Ash and Mia as a unit. I loved the first responder’s trio; Sean, Eric, and Leo and can’t wait for their stories.

I loved Ash and Sean and my only other comment is that I wanted more! I wanted more background, especially with Sean and felt like to book/story was wrapped up really quickly and those last few chapters felt a little rush, in comparison to the rest of the book. All in all, its still a great story and I’m loving the collection of characters (and kids) RJ has created.

Sean Crisden did a fantastic job narrating this one and I love when the narrator has differing nuances for each character. I look forward to seeing what he will do with the rest of the characters in the series!

A really enjoyable story with great narration, I recommend it!!

Thanks for reading!

A heartwarming first for me by RJ Scott

This was my first ever book/audiobook by RJ Scott and I adored it. It’s the kind of story that leaves a warm squidgy feeling in the chest area and a silly grin on the face.

Don’t get me wrong - the story deals with some serious issues; not least a mother who can’t accept her son’s sexuality or his life choices.

SINGLE is the first in a trio of stories written by the author with three house-sharing gay/bi friends who find love in a variety of ways. Ash and Sean (gorgeous doctor, and first of the three friends) meet when the pals move next door to new father, Ash. Baby Mia, although only six weeks old when the story begins, plays a big part in helping the two find their HEA.

Sean Crisden does a creditable job in his telling of RJ Scott’s delightful story. Quite obviously he is a voice actor of some experience and talent. He has a pleasant, melodic voice with a good range and I had no problem in telling the characters apart. If I had one criticism,however, it was that there were points in the narration where I felt he was talking too fast and I had to slow the narration down. It was for this reason alone that I downgraded his performance by 1*.

Overall, however, I loved this audiobook and will certainly look forward to listening to RJ’s two remaining stories in the series.

A Story of love and devotion

lovely story of love and the ups and downs of having a baby on your own, no fun without sleep