As has been mentioned by several other reviewers, this book very much reminded me of the movie, Life As We Know It, with Katherine Heigl and Josh Duhamel. Only in this book, the main guy, Rip, is the overly serious one, and the woman, Colby, seems to be the less reliable one. I loved the movie, so I had high hopes I was going to love this book just as much.

It is a very endearing story. It’s heartbreaking, as Rip and Colby lose two people who are so near and dear to their hearts, so not only are they mourning this loss, but they are now thrust into an entirely new world of being guardians to two precious children. And they must try and find a way to co-parent these two children while dealing with the complicated relationship they have with each other.

I really didn’t warm up to Rip all that much. He was a jerk to Colby way too often. It would be one thing if he just picked on her and teased her a bit, but he took things too far and so I just didn’t like him. I kind of wondered if Rachel modeled this Rip after the broody ranch hand Rip on Yellowstone, but THAT broody guy really works for me, whereas this broody Rip, not so much. Luckily Colby worked her magic on him.

I loved the kids so much, and I loved the heartfelt message. I know a lot of people aren’t religious, but there were some really good messages throughout that I think are wonderful. It may have a heavy theme attached with death and grief, but in the end, it was truly a feel good story. I’m so happy I read it.

This was my first Rachel Van Dyken book and I really liked her writing style. Even though she’s a new to me author, I liked that she didn’t jump around in her writing, but kept the story focused and as such I will definitely be reading more of her work.

Colby was an independent travelling FMC and her food blog was such a fun job, making her a unique character. Rip, being Colby’s complete opposite required structure and planning for everything in life. Obviously this led to tons of tension between the two when it came to raising their God children.

As a mom, kids are always at the forefront of my mind when a storyline deals with children. I loved that even though Colby and Rip have completely different outlooks on how they should be raised, they came together to provide an environment full of love and support. I also liked how Colby helped Rip loosen up and grow throughout the book.

If you’re looking for a lot of smut, this book is definitely character and story driven, so while the sex scenes were good, they are not the focal point. This was a great book and I definitely recommend it to anyone who loves a forced proximity, opposites attract, emotional love story. Not only will you get a love story between the main characters, but you’ll get a beautiful love story of a blended family just trying to find their way out of the darkness.

This was fun! Overall I enjoyed the characters and their interactions; seeing Colby and Rip slowly come to tolerate and then love each other was funny and heartwarming. I think the premise of two parents dying in a car crash and then needing someone to take care of their children was interesting and a nice change of pace in a romance book. It added a unique twist on the book that I think ultimately helped it.

When your life can’t get any harder and you now have to do life with someone who is your complete opposite. Rip is a straight laced Account who doesn’t break many rules. Colby is a travel blogger with no rules and loves her crazy life. When her best friend and husband die she is now in charge of 2 kids and a house. The best/worst part is her best friends brother is doing this with her. Can they stop fighting long enough to make sure the kids are ok? Between the constant bickering, other people interfering and them not truly knowing each other this a great read. The parenting moments were laugh out funny and the emotional baggage that they both had to unpack was heart wrenching. In all this was a great story with amazing characters and I can’t wait to read more books by this author.

This was reminiscent of the romantic dramedy life as we know it with Josh Duhamel and Katherine Heigl, but in book form which I rather enjoyed. The process of grief is seen as we read and get to know this grumpy/sunshine duo while tension builds until it finally has to break. I felt that rip was a bit mean and unredeemable at times which is why I removed a star from my rating

Colby, a popular food blogger, and type-A accountant Rip have never seen eye-to-eye but when they lose their best friends in a tragic accident, they become co-guardians to their two children. It surprised me that even though the story is rooted in tragedy and processing grief is a huge element, overall the book still managed to come across light and heartwarming as they were all figuring out this new chapter in their lives. What didn't work for me though was Rip. I love a good hate-to-love relationship but it took too long for Rip to evolve from being antagonistic and his behavior was downright hurtful and disrespectful. So when he finally switched to the "love" stage I had a hard time buying it and ultimately it was difficult for me to root for this couple that's supposed to be the center of this book.

When I read the synopsis for The Godparent Trap, it reminded of the movie "Life as We Know It" with Katherine Heigl and Josh Duhamel. The way I could not contain my excitement when I got approved for this book...and it did not disappoint!
The dual perspective of Colby and Rip is just perfect and I love being able to see into their minds as the story unravels. I'm not typically a fan of miscommunication in stories but this was very well done.
A great balance of heavy emotions and romance and cuteness, I loved this story!

This book had the potential for something real special. But I feel like that specialness was lost in this book. If you've seen the move Life As We Know It with Katherine Heigl, then you already know the plot of this story. It was very similar, though it's been awhile since I've seen the movie and I don't remember all the details. However, in this story, I couldn't find myself jiving with some of the writing, and I really didn't care too much for the main characters. This just wasn't the beautifully heartbreaking story I was expecting to find,

This story had me in tears so many times, but it also had me laughing out loud throughout the entire book? my emotions need a checkup after finishing this! The Godparent Trap is pretty much the movie Life as We Know It but in a book. The book was funny and I liked some characters but the characters and dialogues felt flat and weak. The protagonists go from hate to love all of sudden, the way Rip treated Colby at the beginning was really harsh and suddenly he realizes he likes her they forget everything he said… yeah that not convinced me at all. Overall, It was fun, easy to read and page turner but it was shallow and it lacked development.

I frantically flipped the pages of this book over the course of one day, so it was highly readable & I definitely fell hard for the plot but overall it was extremely predictable even though it was very emotional at times. The children were adorable and I loved that storyline as much as it broke my heart for them to be without their parents. I don't read fiction in order for it to be realistic, so I didn't mind that, overall, things seemed to be much easier for Rip and Colby than I think they'd be in real life if a situation like this were to occur, but I did find the pacing to be a bit too quick for them to go from enemies to lovers in that kind of time frame while supposedly grieving.

A cute story with a mostly happy ending & definitely a great escapist read. TW for loss of siblings/parents unexpectedly.

3.5/5 stars | i had high hopes for this book, the cover and title made me very intrigued. i did have a fun time, i caught myself smiling, laughing and even crying at some parts. but overall it was a very heartwarming book but it wasn't the best book i've read and i feel like some parts could be better.

This was a great book with such a cute premise! Definitely had some sad moments attached overall but I did really enjoy it!

thank you to netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an arc for an honest review!

I really enjoyed watching Colby and Rip figure out their roles and dynamics within the household, as they both came to recognize the importance of what is done for the family in and outside the house. However, I just didn't feel super connected to them as a couple, the pacing of their relationship development just felt off.

This was my first book by Ms Van Dyken and I had really nice time reading it. The plot was great and had such fun moments, it kept me intrigued and anxious to see what happened next. The story gave me vibes of the movie "Life as We Know it" and that was a movie I really enjoyed. The characters were well-developed and endearing, with relatable and realistic qualities and you can't help but fall in love with them. I really got drawn into Colby and Rip's story and couldn't wait to see how it ended. It was a charming and entertaining read and I enjoyed it all the way through. Both hate each other on the outside, but secretly pine for each other. They don't think the other can handle the new responsibility they have been left with, but they soon learn that they both have a lot to learn and the "hate" quickly turns to respect as they learn to navigate their new family. They begin to see each other in a new light and I loved watching their already strong feelings for each other blossom and grow into so much more. Wonderful characters and an engaging storyline will keep you captivated till the end. This is a lovely, heartwarming story and am happy to to have had the opportunity to read it. I am hoping to read more by this author in the future.

I received a complimentary copy from Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

The Godparent Trap really had me feeling all of the emotions. It was a very cute read that made me laugh, cry, & a mix of emotions in between. I enjoyed Rip's character growth through out the book. He went from insufferable to adorable with excellent pacing throughout it all. I felt like the deeper aspects of this book were handled very well. I loved the story, the characters & the side characters also.

This is a story about grief and overcoming it. There are moments of sadness in this story; bit also moments of hope. The book is written in 2 POV and each POV describes the same event. A great enemies to lovers story.

The Godparent Trap
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 stars
by: Rachel Van Dyken
Genre: Romance/Contemporary Romance/Adult Fiction
Thank you @netgalley for this copy

I fell in love with this book very early on. I laughed and I cried; it was an emotional rollercoaster for me. I'm not for sure why exactly it's tugged on my heart strings but I think all my feels went to the children in this story.

Colby and Rip's lives are turned upside down and will never be the same. Colby's best friend, Monica, and Monica's husband, Brooks, are tragically killed in a car accident while on vacation. Colby and Rip are actually watching their children when all of this takes place. Monica is actually Rip's sister as well.

This leaves their children without parents. Brooks and Monica passed on that responsibility to Rip and Colby in the event of this type of situation. Problem is, Colby and Rip cannot stand one another. They need to rely on one another to make this work and to help navigate the children through this hard time. Can they let their animosity go for the sake of the children?

LOVED, LOVED, LOVED this book!

Published July 19, 2022

When I read saw the title, I immediately thought "hmm, must be the same as Parent Trap but only with Godparents." This is more emotional than I anticipated. The pain of losing a sister, a best-friend in top of still morning your parents. I've lost a parent and after so many years, I'm still grieving this loss. They say grief is just love with no where to go... I can relate to where Rip's head is at. He want's things in order, he's a planner, he likes control... but Colby is his opposite. And the only thing they have in common is their love for the kids, so they're determined to make it work by hook or by crook. I know I said it's more emotional than I anticipated but Colby brings humor.

I've read this overnight and enjoyed every page from start to finish.

The Godparent Trap by Rachel Van Dyken. Pub Date: July 19, 2022. Rating: 🌟🌟🌟. When a mother and a father both tragic die, two adorable children are left behind. One uncle and one best friend step in to try and co-parent and be guardians of these newly orphaned children. Colby and Rip know each other, but they don’t necessarily like each other. But, as the story progresses feelings start to catch, relationship rhythms take hold and the book tries to navigate feelings of grief and potential new love. A cute and sweet story! Thanks to #netgalley and #foreverpublishing for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review. #thegodparenttrap #bookstagram #bibliophile #bookworm #igreads

Looking for a book that is heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time? The Godparent Trap is perfect for you!

Colby has been traveling the world as a food blogger when she hears her best friend and her husband have been killed in a car accident. She has been named as a co-parent of two young kids with her sworn enemy Rip. They will have to work together to take care of these two little kids while grieving for their best friends.

This book is similar to the movie Life As We Know It with Katherine Heigl and Josh Duhamel, but it’s just adorable and steamy. I found Colby and Rip’s attraction to each other very genuine and they definitely helped each other through this very hard time. It was a very sweet story.

Thank you so much to @readforever and @rachvd for my gifted copy. The Godparent Trap is on sale now!