*sigh* This story was okay. It was funny and cute and was set in a quaint little beach town. I liked Paige. She felt real and flawed, stubborn and independent. I liked getting to know her, which is why I thought she could do better than Lucas.

Of course, Lucas was handsome, sexy and troubled. But he also came across as rude and cruel, at least to me. I didn't approved of the way he referred to women or the way he thought of Paige (even after he had developed feelings for her). But I put that aside and read on wondering if he would redeemed himself by the end of the book.

Sadly, that didn't happen, which it turned out wasn't a big deal because the romance didn't feel real to me. I could sense some of the connection Paige and Lucas shared but it wasn't a deep one, so it sort of got lost in with my dislike of Lucas. As for the chemistry and the romance itself, the romance was slow burn and fade to black while the chemistry alluded to in the story felt non-existent to me.

I wouldn't say this book was a total flop, it just wasn't the story for me.

Paige has always focused on her career but even more so after her engagement ended. The last thing she wants is to see others celebrating love and romance so after much convincing by her assistant she arranges a getaway. She believed that she planned her stay at the perfect place but when she arrives she is taken aback not only by where she is staying but the irate and grumpy owner as well.

After the death of his wife Lucas isn’t about to let any woman break through the walls he has built around his heart. Finding out that he has a guest he knew nothing about the sparks of antagonism fly as their lifestyles couldn’t be more different and neither is looking for love or a relationship, but they might just find out the best things in life happen when you least expect it.

This is a heartwarming story about two people who find out that even though they have given up on love that love hasn’t given up on them and their journey is sure to bring a smile to your face.

Happy Singles Day was the refreshing, heart-warming, and fun book I needed at the moment! Well-written with lively characters, I enjoyed this slow-burn romance set in a sleepy beach town during winter.

Paige, a professional organizer, needs a vacation. When she impulsively books a room for a week at a bed and breakfast, she has no idea that the beautiful rental property hasn't seen a paying customer in several years. The owner's sister secretly listed the room knowing her brother, Lucas, needed the money. Since his wife died two years ago, his heart hasn't been in the business they started together; his full attention has been on raising his five-year old daughter and making it through each day. But he reluctantly knows it's time to move forward.

When Paige arrives at the inn, she quickly realizes the pictures on the bed and breakfast's website aren't quite up to date. Not only is the vision she'd imagined of a relaxing vacation dissolving, she's greeted by a grumpy--although gorgeous--host who clearly doesn't want her there. But thanks to a drenching storm, she's stuck on the island for at least a few days.

In the beginning, I wasn't loving Lucas. His rude behavior was off-putting, but the author does a good job of explaining his abruptness, building it into his character and illustrating how he'd built walls around himself and his daughter in response to his grief. But by the end of the book, I was a Lucas fan.

Despite the fact that the bulk of the novel takes place during a single week, I was impressed with the author's ability to make this romance a slow-building one. I enjoyed the localized setting, the stormy weather, the small cast of characters, and the breathing room it created to sit back and let the story happen. And that ending! It could have easily become schmaltzy, but it had me glowing with joy.

This is a perfect cozy-by-the-fire-read to get lost in when you need something hopeful and happy. I would love to see this one become a series, as well. Now I need a book about Lucas' book-store owning sister!

I absolutely loved this book. It was a fun quick romance story and a great way to get lost in a book. I love the characters and the setting was just perfect. It made me want to jump into the book just so I could stay there. The story was a slow burn, sweet, heartfelt and feel good romance.

How would you give a professional organizer an anti-vacation? Have her be housebound with the most disorganized person she has ever met. She is revolted and thinks he’s a slob. He is disgusted and thinks she’s uptight. But there is one thing on which both agree: the other is hot.

Walker has done a realistic job of portraying a grieving person and how grief catches you unawares at times and grips you in its talons. Lucas’ journey from recovering his heart from one person and then giving it into the safekeeping of another is a wonderful exploration of trust. While Paige has a similar journey, his is the harder path. Ultimately, it is your personality that affects how you feel your emotions and how you bear grief. Walker does a wonderful job revealing Paige and Lucas’ personalities through how they handle loss.

Paige and Lucas bond over Lucas’ daughter and nearly drowned puppies as much as each other. Happy Singles Day is a soft-focus story that Walker tells really well. It’s the kind of tale where readers can get really invested in the characters and find themselves cheering the protagonists on to their HEA.

Full Review: https://frolic.media/book-of-the-week-happy-singles-day-by-ann-marie-walker/

3.5 stars
This book is charming.
It has great characters, a beautiful setting and PUPPIES!
It was a nice read, on a cold day.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an arc in exchange for my honest review.

Paige Parker is a Certified Personal Organizer. She has built her business up from nothing, and now she’s successful. At work. The rest of her life is mostly relaxing at home with her cat Mr. Rochester and reruns of beloved ‘90s sitcoms. She’s happy with her life, but she is willing (sometimes) to admit that something may be missing. So when her best friend/office assistant (the Rachel to Paige’s Monica) insists that she take a vacation, she decides to consider it.

A little internet research later, and she discovers a concept called “Singles Day.” It’s the da after Valentine’s Day, and it’s a celebration of living the single life without judgement or shame. A quick quiz that’s supposed to match her up with a perfect vacation spot brings her to a site for a little B&B on an island off the North Carolina coast. It has a huge back porch filled with rocking chairs shown with charming pillows and soft blankets that call out to her soul to curl up there and watch the ocean waves go by.

It’s not until she gets there that she realizes that her perfect Singles Day vacation may not go as planned.

Lucas Croft puts most of his energy into raising his 4-year-old daughter. So if his Bed & Breakfast has slipped into disarray, he’d barely noticed. Until Sophie interfered. Knowing that her brother is running out of money, she reactivates the site offering rooms at his B&B, also known as the home he shares with his daughter. Lucas is upset with her, understandably, but he also understands that she was just trying to help him. And if the fancy businesswoman from Chicago is willing to pay three times his usual rate—in the off-season, no less—then who is he to say no?

But when she shows up, with her expensive suitcase and big city attitude, he has second thoughts. He has the one room that’s still set up as a guest room and is relatively clean, but he’s not really prepared to cater to her every need and to cook her three meals a day, especially once she announces she’s vegetarian. So he’s not at all disappointed when she decides to leave right away. And he’s not at all surprised when she comes back, the ferry having closed down once the storm started.

But what does surprise him? The way her wet sweater molds to her curves. And how he can’t seem to think straight once he noticed that. He hadn’t felt that way since his wife died, even though his sister and the rest of the island all seem to be trying to fix him up with any available female. He’d set all that aside. Until now. Paige is a guest at his B&B. He needs to be professional.

The first time Paige showed up and met with Lucas’s unwelcoming attitude, she was done. When she came back, drenched and with the knowledge that she won’t be able to got off the island for probably several days, she was still upset. But a hot shower, a meal, and a good night’s sleep helps improve her attitude.

Plus, she may have snooped a little, overhearing a phone call with his sister where she figures out that she had set up Paige’s reservation without checking in with Lucas. And she sees the family photos around but no family (eventually she finds out his daughter is staying with his sister for the week). And let’s not forget that he is extremely good looking. She can’t stop looking at him and thinking very unprofessional thoughts about him.

Paige is there to relax and celebrate Singles Day. Lucas just wants not to lose his home. But clearly, the storms that are brewing aren’t just happening outside. There is more than coffee brewing inside too . . .

Romance author Ann Marie Walker is back with Happy Singles Day, a charming rom com that brings together an organizer with the chaotic in a fun meet cute story filled with attraction, pop culture references, and rescued puppies. What could be better?

I enjoyed Happy Singles Day. I liked the characters a lot and enjoyed the slow build to the romance between Paige and Lucas. However, it’s a little unbalanced at times, with the emotional swings overly dramatic and the resolutions of the arguments just waved away, more forgetting than forgiving. There is a physical intimacy in them sharing a house together for a week, but the emotional intimacy doesn’t feel as natural. That being said, there is a lot to like in this book, and it’s a sweet story for a rainy day or a long weekend.

Egalleys for Happy Singles Day were provided by Sourcebooks Casablanca through NetGalley, with many thanks.

This book was so dang cute!!!! It honestly would be the perfect script for a tv rom com! Super sweet, super cute, and absolutely adorable!!

I received an advanced copy of this book and I remember when I found it on Netgalley, all I saw was the title, Happy Singles Day, and knew I HAD to read it. Because it’s the story of my life. 😂 This was different than what I was expecting going into it and it was better than I was imagining! I have to say, I’m not someone who gets really excited about single dad tropes, but I adored this one! Their relationship had me laughing and smiling the whole time and it was such a joy to read!

This book is perfect if you love a very soft dislike to love, a hot inn keeper and his adorable daughter, and a strong and resilient boss lady set on a cute island! Overall, this was super fun and quick to read and it was a pleasure reviewing for this author!



*I received an arc from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

"Seems to me you don't need all of your stuff perfectly organized. What you need is one special person to share the mess of life with."

Charming, heartfelt and heartwarming read by a new to me author.

Happy Singles Day takes Paige on a spur of the moment vacation that turns out to be far from what she expected. Trapped on an island off the coast of North Carolina by a storm in a derelict and messy bed and breakfast with a surly yet handsome owner, Lucas, is an absolute nightmare to a professional organizer. But a daring puppy rescue in the middle of the storm sparks a change between them.

While HSD kindles anticipation it doesn't ignite in a clean Hallmark/Netflix-esque romance that delivers love, laughter, emotional healing, a charming cast of characters, and of course a happily ever after.

I loved so much about this book! I loved Paige and Lucas and Sophie and Maddie so much! They were such great characters- it was really easy to relate to the pain of losing someone like Lucas had even if you hadn't lost your spouse, it was really easy to relate to the betrayal of having your fiancé cheat on you like Paige had even if you haven't ever been engaged or cheated on. I thought having Lucas and Paige find each other through the B&B that Lucas and his late wife had bought and renovated was both sad and cute. Paige being so organized and such a workaholic and having internet or power for a couple of days sounds like a nightmare, but having Lucas and puppies there made it sound like a great mini retreat! Samuel was also such a great assistant/best friend for Paige. I really want there to be more books in this series because I'm not done with Aurelia Island or Sophie or Sam. Overall, this was a really cute book about giving love a second chance and finding love where you least expect it, and it was definitely a great read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casa for the digital arc of this title.

One sentence review: Cute single dad, forced proximity, closed door romance with a fabulous setting and puppies!

I really enjoyed Happy Singles Day by Ann Marie Walker. It is a sweet romance that centers around an organization obsessed Paige Parker, and single widower Lucas Croft. Paige decides to take a vacation to celebrate Singles Day. The owner of the bed and breakfast is widower Lucas Croft who is a little gruff and still getting over the death of his wife. As the two get to know one another, due to a storm that keeps them in close quarters, sparks start to kindle.

What really made me love this story though were the little details:

great characters that stay true to themselves throughout the story
an island closed to automobiles
saved puppies with the cutest names
Lucas' daughter Maddie
a bookstore in a fire station

If you are looking for a sweet, closed door romance with minimal drama - this romance would be perfect!

This is such a cute, easy romance book! It gave me major Nicholas Sparks vibes, especially since it takes place in North Carolina but it also felt like the perfect Hallmark movie! I really loved Paige and I could relate to her so much. I absolutely loved all the 90s references and being a FRIENDS fanatic myself, those comments made me chuckle. I love how independent Paige is and how happy she is being on her own after what happened to her. It is always nice to read about a woman who does not feel like she needs a man in her life to make her happy.

I enjoyed the relationship between her and Lucas. Even with all her internal thoughts flying through her head, she was able to truly be herself around him and not be embarrassed by all of the random references. There were a few sexist comments thrown in which lets be real, most people have subconsciously, but they were brought up too much and it irked me a bit. The point was made and it didnt need to be repeated. Also, I felt like the steam was left out! There was so much build up in both of their minds about how much they were feeling but then nothing happened. It was a bit of a let down!

Despite the couple notes, I thought this book was great! It was a light and quick read to make you believe in love. I mean, a Ryan Reynolds look alike inn keeper, an adorable 4 year old, and PUPPIES makes for a great love story that you wish could happen in real life!

I feel like that enemies to lovers trope is becoming a thing in the romance books community lately. There are so many books coming out this year with this trope. And you will neither love it or hate it. It sometimes gets repetitive with enemies to lovers trope that I often bore myself. And I fear that I was going to experience this feeling when I read Happy Singles Day.I tried my best when I started Happy Singles Day but as I read more and more, I started to know that I was not going to enjoy this book. It had a great female character but the male character just ruined the book. He was acting such a jerk throughout the book until the end. Like no. Why are you acting like a child? She is trying to have vacay but instead of acting cordial, you decide to become a jerk. No, I could not. She deserves so much better. I had to say it.

Happy Singles Day! What a great concept and yes you need a cake for that! Ann Marie walker winds a funny,emotional, and romantic tail in Happy Singles Day. Lucas Croft owns a rundown inn and is on the verge of losing it. His sister puts the B&B on a listing to help him in his financial situation with out his knowledge. Paige Parker decides to go on a vacation to said inn and well they don't particularly hit it off, her and lucas. I was pulled in from the get go. The story telling was so vivid that I thought I was watching a movie. I kept thinking I have to sit down and finish watching my movie oh I mean my book, perfect rom com to read by the fire on a cozy stormy night.

Enjoyable and emotional read
4 stars

I was first introduced to Ann Marie Walker with last year’s delightful Save the Date. Having enjoyed that book immensely, I was keen to get stuck into this - her newest offering.

From the description, this book sounds quite similar to Save the Date - cute, quirky, fun and romantic. It *is* all those things, but where the two diverge is that this book has extra depths and a lot more emotional content.

Our story features a rather uptight Paige, a woman who is dedicated to her job after a rather disastrous attempt at love and marriage. She likes organisation, lists, chocolate, Friends and has a good knowledge of the Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles. Simply - she was a woman after my own heart and I loved her. She was no cookie cutter stereotype, though, and she was a fully developed character who felt very real to me.

Lucas is the grumpy (yay!) B&B owner who is none too pleased at having a guest in his house - especially one as annoying and tempting as Paige. I felt we really got to know Lucas as a person, mostly as pertained to his own previous love life and heartbreak. And his heartbreak felt like my own. Even now, I’m finding it hard to choose the words to explain how realistically devastating parts of Lucas’s story were.

Lucas and Paige played well off each other and I truly felt that the pair were exactly what the other needed. In terms of sex, this is a ‘door remains closed’ romance, but you can still feel a satisfying chemistry and connection between our couple. There are plenty of kisses, touches, looks and gestures that build the relationship and the tension.

Ms Walker once again blew me away with the skill of her writing. It was so well crafted that I was in awe. The characters came alive for me and the island of Aurelia all but jumped off the page. Even the secondary characters worked their way into my heart - Maddie, Sophie, Sammy, the puppies, and even Stanley the avocado!

So I loved the characters, the setting, the story, the romance and the love - why didn’t I give the book 5 stars? Well, it kind of goes back to my point about Lucas above. His backstory is tragic and I admit, I absolutely sobbed my way through several passages of the book. I do usually prefer things a bit lighter, but that didn’t affect my rating. It’s just that I felt Lucas was still in love with his first wife. Would have given anything to have her back. It gave me pause in what is obviously Lucas and Paige’s own love story, although I completely understand the difficult emotions his situation must bring.

This is a story about second chances and moving on - and as a result I was left feeling upbeat and happy at the end, if a little emotionally wrung out! I very much enjoyed this story and Ms Walker’s writing style and would happily recommend this story. I’m hoping there will be more to come from this world - a story for Sophie would be awesome - so we’ll get to check in on Paige, Lucas and Maddie in the future. A very high 4 star rating from me.

Reading the synopsis for this one, I had such high hopes. Opposites attract, stuck in an inn together due to bad weather, professional organizer meets messy man… ahhhhhh I was so excited! And for the most part, this was an enjoyable read.

As previously mentioned, Paige and Lucas get stuck together in Lucas’ bed and breakfast and have to learn how to live with each other until the storm lets up. Because of this, we get a lot of great interactions between the two and lots of *tension.* (But if you’re looking for steamy scenes, it’s probably best to look elsewhere.) I genuinely enjoyed Lucas and Paige’s shenanigans and watching them ease into their feelings for each other. I liked how Paige got Lucas to open up and Lucas got Paige to chill out a bit. It was a great opposites attract type romance.

Though this was a quick read, there were a few little things that gave me pause and didn’t love. This is where the review gets potentially *spoilery* – so proceed with caution, or skip to the next review altogether.

Potentail SPOILERS below:

When we first meet Paige she talks about not wanting children. I was really excited by this. It’s not often we see women in romance novels that don’t want children, so it was a breath of fresh air. But lo and behold, when a man actually does waltz into her life, her whole line of thinking changes. Which isn’t entirely fair in this instance, because Lucas already has a daughter. But even so, her whole perspective changes and I didn’t care for that. Now that’s not to say women can’t change their minds. Of course we absolutely can! But it would have been nice to see a woman in a book stick to it for once. This is, of course, a personal preference on the direction of the book and others may not feel the same. Heck, I might be the odd man out on this one. But it just didn’t sit right with me.

SPOILERS OVER

There’s also a lot of gender stereotypes I didn’t care for. I thought the synopsis was just being silly to hook the reader, but the whole “why do women expect us to put the toilet seat down” scenario actually happened. And it was both Paige and Lucas doing it. Multiple times Paige makes comments about “not needing a man” and then completely throws that out the window. She was so wishy washy and continually flipped back and forth – often within the same chapter. I don’t know. Maybe I’m being unrealistic or overly harsh with this review, but there were just so many moments that made me scratch my head or roll my eyes.

Overall, this was an easy read with lots of cute moments, even though I wasn’t head over heels in love with it.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Mary Jo – ☆☆☆☆
Paige Parker is fine being single and makes no bones about it. With Valentine's Day fast approaching, she's not eager to be interrogated as to why she's still single. Then she finds Single's Appreciation Day, which is celebrated on February 15. Determined to celebrate this day with her first vacation in years, she books a room at a quaint B&B on a remote island off the East Coast.

Lucas is furious with his sister for re-activating the listing for his now defunct bed and breakfast. Yes, he can use the money to pay the upcoming taxes, but he's not up for guests. The house is a wreck – just like his life. Being a single dad to an almost 5-year-old is no easy task and now he has to make nice to some stranger that his sister has virtually laid out a welcome mat for.

Paige's first impression of the bed and breakfast and its owner, Lucas, is not a good one. First, it looks like she is a victim of a bait and switch as the home is a dingier and grungier version of the pictures of it on the website. Second, Lucas is almost as dour as the house itself. While the outside needs a good coat of paint, the inside needs a good dose of organization, which Paige cannot help but want to get started on.

As the days progress, both Lucas and Paige come to know one other in a way neither expected. They say, all things must come to an end, but do they? Can Paige and Lucas compromise to find a life that works for them both?


Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
3.5 stars of island romance

This is a fun read, sweet, cute, and low angst.

Parker is forced into taking a break by her hilarious assistant, and ends up paying a small fortune to go and stay in a B&B on an island for a few days’ rest. The reality is not much like the website, but a storm forces her to stay at least for a while. We really feel how she struggles to relinquish the control and the pressure that normally rule her life.

As we see her come to terms with being stuck, Lucas has to come to terms with having an unexpected guest. They are both two very hurt individuals, who also feel an inconvenient attraction to each other. And so the scene is set for a romance which in no small part relies on Lucas's four-year-old daughter.

This was a well written story, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Thank you, Ann Marie Walker.

What an adorable book that made me miss the Outer Banks. Paige takes a last minute vacation to Lucas’s dormant B&B. Lucas was definitely not expecting a guest nor was the B&B as advertised to Paige, but the 2 make the best of a stormy situation. Lucas and Paige have some serious chemistry that began as annoyance and irritation with each other but quickly grew to attraction in this forced proximity romance with a grumpy hero.

This is a slow, teasing, fade to black which caused me yell at them for closing the door on me after all the build up of sexual tension between them. But with that said, it was a well done closed door romance. Puppies, a cute 4 year old, and a meddling sister and assistant rounded out the fun cast of characters. While this was mostly light and fun, Happy Singles Day also dealt with grief and moving forward after the death of a spouse. This was hard for me to read since it hit way too close to home, but the author wrote about Lucas taking steps forward in a respectful way and didn’t dwell too long on this. Happy Singles Day was my first book by this author, and I look forward to reading more.

Paige Parker rebuilt her life when she walked to find her boss and her fiancé getting it on in her bed. She built her business from the ground up and is now a successful Certified Home Organizer. So when a stray internet quiz and the prompting of her secretary send her on a vacation to honor Singles Day. Lucas Croft started a bed & breakfast with his wife. But at her death, it just became his home as he raised his daughter. His sister lists the place with old photos, and without his knowledge. And now, Paige and Lucas are set to spend the week together.

Why I started this book: Fun cover caught my eye as I was browsing Netgalley.

Why I finished it: This is basically my nightmare situation, not a meet cute opportunity. Lucas is horrible to Paige... its not her fault, blame you sister, refund the money. Except that inclement weather stops the ferry and Paige cannot leave the island. So the first vacation that has taken in three years is in a home with crappy attitudes and worse food. <spoiler>But true love will prevail, after a week together and a month of silence with zero communication, Lucas is ready to change his life and follow Paige back to Chicago.</spoiler>
Okay, so I thought that this book was fine until I sat down to write my review and realized that I was a lot more frustrated than I knew. You mileage may vary but I think that communication is necessary for romance, more than a sexy body.

Paige Parker is so lucky to have a P.A who persuades her to take a holiday. You don't have to be a couple to take

time off.. The host of the Resting Copper Lantern Inn has let the property fall into disrepair after

the death of his beloved wife. Surly Lucas Croft doesn't want any tenants, but a storm means that Paige has no

choice and has .to stay as its impossible to leave the island. . Both are at loggerheads and sparks begin to fly.

This is a very uplifting romantic comedy, as Paige and Lucas discover that they are happier together..