I could not put this book down. I loved it so much! This is my first Jenny Frame and it certainly wont be the last. I'd love to have this book in paperback too, to love forever and ever.

Dale runs a successful auto business with her close friends, she lives for racing her prize Jaguar on the weekends and a different woman in her bed every night. Then ten year old Jake turns up on her doorstep claiming to be her son, and that she's the only one who can help his mother Rebecca. Rebecca, a commercial photographer, is pregnant with her second child, and as it turns out, Dale's second child too. Becca is haunted by her past and burdened with her Father's financial debt. Dale can't find it in herself to walk away from the enchanting woman and her family. But will Rebecca be able to trust her? And will Dale be able to walk away from the kind of life she had before?

This book really had it all. The romance was really nicely paced, full of super sweet moments, and moments of frustration, and sexy moments, those moments where you actually go 'awwww' out loud. There was a little bit of action and mystery. Great friendships, great neighbours, and wonderful family moments as well. A perfect little bundle of everything you could want in a story.

The characters were all really wonderful and unique, with strong voices, even Jake.

I loved the Britney bits too - they were so funny!

I honestly though this was a Swan Queen fanfiction turned novel when I read the description but clear your expectations and clear your schedule because this book will surpass all your expectations. I love love loved it!

I received an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32072896-unexpected" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="Unexpected" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1484969626m/32072896.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32072896-unexpected">Unexpected</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8585317.Jenny_Frame">Jenny Frame</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2074292637">4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
I rec'd an ARC from NetGalley/Bold Strokes Books in exchange for an honest review. Dale and Rebecca are the lead characters in this interesting story with a solid supporting cast. There is angst and some humour interwoven in this (in my opinion too short) romance which will both surprise and satisfy with Dale and "Becca" evolving nicely at the conclusion. Ms. Frame is one of my "go to" authors and she did not disappoint!! 4 stars.
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/31134832-gail">View all my reviews</a>

You can gain fame, fortune and success but if you do not have anyone to share it with, those things can seem hollow and not very satisfying. This is a read about self-awareness, responsibility, encouragement, support, love and above all family. Dale McGuire is quite intriguing with an unfortunate back story. Her drive and determination is to be applauded. Rebecca Harper knows what she wants and is determined to get there even when she encounters some little and big bumps in the road. Jake Harper sees the challenges his mother is facing, writes them down and goes for help. Jake is a cute likeable kid focused on helping his mom and building a family. This is a well written story with characters that are hard not to like and cheer for.

I liked this the most of all of Frame's books. I could see some parallels to her Dylan Morgan online stories (insta-attraction/insta-family).

This one features two women bought together by the son they 'share' through one of them (Dale) being an egg donor.

Becca lives with her son in a secluded spot so as not to draw attention to herself, and doesn't trust anyone, for fairly good reason. Dale owns a business with her best friend/surrogate family, and is shocked to discover she has a son.

The two then meet and spend a fair amount of time together while Dale tries to help Becca out. I liked the way their relationship unfolded, their romance was very sweet and both characters were interesting. Dale's friends were also interesting, and they helped move her side of the story along.

Becca's side was where the story fell down, the debt thing was an ok storyline, but the whole reporter thing was just annoying. Ash came across like an old time villain. I ended up skimming most of her storyline, and if it had been left out it would have made for a better book. Trent was a bit one dimensional as well, until about the 3/4 mark where she does an about face and becomes Dale's champion/buddy, because we were clearly being set up for a sequel that features her.

I did like that there wasn't really any big breakup, and that there were a few times where I thought the plot would go the tried and true trope route and it didn't, so kudos for that.

This is probably a 3.5 star book but I've rounded up because I think it's better than her other novels and it did surprise me a few times.

A superbly executed romance that delivered the character growth, complex feelings associated with sudden parenthood and charm that I wanted from a volume that I thought might descend into the realm of the formulaic. It did not. I loved Dale and Jake far more than Rebecca, but as a familial unit, following the tale to their ultimately happy conclusion was a pleasure.

What a smashing book. It was a rare treat to have an authentic Glaswegian main character. Dale's dialogue and sense of humour were so familiar to me as a fellow Glaswegian, made me long for home :-)
I liked that the storyline for this book was quite unique and although there were parts that were fairly predictable this book kept me hooked all the way through. I highly recommend this book and will be looking out for this author's other books

Nice well written romance. I really enjoyed this read. It was a different perspective on girl meets girl, girl has baggage and girl falls for girl. The characters are enjoyable and there was just enough angst to keep the pages turning. I would recommend.

4.5 stars

Dale McGuire built up her car-repair business from scratch. Now that it is a thriving business, and she has had her fill of fast cars and fast women, she’s looking for something a bit more permanent in her personal life. When Jake, a ten-year-old boy, turns up one day claiming to be her son, Dale’s world changes in a day.

Jake’s mum, Rebecca Harper, is stunned to find that her brilliant son has found his birth mother. On the run from the world after escaping from her father’s crimes, Rebecca is terrified of losing her son to his egg donor parent. Bound by their connection to Jake, both women struggle with the aftermath of the revelation, and their possible attraction.

This is a really unusual story. I really liked the unexpected plotline. Frame uses this to great advantage, while pulling in more standard romantic fiction tropes to ground the story into something eminently relatable. It is cleverly written and conceived.

Dale is a classic working-class lesbian who loves working with her hands. Smart and capable, she’s built a business from scratch and works with her best friends. She has enough swagger to catch the eye on any woman she wants, but is bored by it all, and knows she is missing something.

Rebecca is a more complex story in some ways. Her middle-class upbringing is full of privilege, and she has managed to deal with most of the trauma inflicted on her by a criminal father and a fall from grace for the whole family. The fact that she is still in hiding is an indication of how much is still to come, in terms of plot.

Jake is an interesting creation. Most kids of that age are often not well written, and Jake is better fleshed-out than most. His brilliance excuses his higher knowledge in some areas, and his lack of social skills excuses social faux pas that would normally be difficult to come to terms with for an audience. It’s quite a clever mix.

The romantic elements were all in place, and there was a nice build up between the two main characters, although there wasn’t a huge amount of heat. Being a bit picky, I’d perhaps like a bit more build up in this case, to overcome the difficulties they both had at the start, and I’d give Dale a few more flaws, as she comes across as a little to perfect at times.

This was an easy book to read, and the different plot line kept it interesting all the way through. The resolution was a little quick, and more could have been developed toward the end here, but it is well resolved and works within the context of the romance. I really enjoyed it, and highly recommend it as a romance.

Advanced reading copy provided by NetGalley for an honest review.

Dale is mid thirties but stil acts like she just got out of her teen years... A magnet for women, she uses that without blinking. Is she happy living like that? Not exactly, but her past and her family issues as a burden convinced her that there is no other way for her. So one day, when a cute child named Jake appears at her door claiming to be her son, she's stunned! Surely he couldn't be! Yes, she donated her eggs after a moment of selflessness and/or stupidity, but this can't be the truth! And then she meets Jake's mom Rebecca! Stubborn and independent but in dire need of help because of her health she clashes with Dale at first, but reluctantly agrees for Dale to help with some errands. Rebecca is everything Dale wants in a woman, but is she ready to open herself completely to this woman? Moreover, is Rebecca ready to try a serious, co-parenting relationship with someone that never lasted with the same woman more that couple of nights?
This is a nice book. The characters are nicely written, the plot is good. I particularly liked the development of Dale as a person and as a parent/partner. There is a beautifully written transition from a careless human being to a very responsible adult.

a good read, I really liked.

The plot of this book was interesting and makes the reader believe in fate. Dale donated eggs 11 years prior to this story's beginning. One day a 10 year old boy claiming to be her son showed up at her shop. Dale took him home and the second she met Becca, his birth mother, Dale's life changed. This was a cute story. Becca had secrets and a past that made her fear everyone. Dale spent much time trying to break down her walls. Jake was adorable and brilliant!! The subplot with Ash, in my opinion, was a little unnecessary. The book spent a lot of time on her and her happenings, but with all the drama she brought to Becca, the situation cleared up (almost) too easily. Overall I thought this was a really sweet book with a very happy ending!