I love that Cathy Yardley continues to write romances featuring MCs who are in their 40's. In this book, Willa is 46 and Hudson is 41. Both have lived full lives up to the present, but they both find themselves at a crossroads in life. In Willa's case, she spent the last few years as a caretaker to her sick husband, and now after his death, finds herself broke and with no career prospects other than trying to claw her way back into the periphery of the food scene. In Hudson's case, after becoming a father at 19 and a single parent in his early 20's, his twins are now adults, he's obtained a general contractor's license, and is thinking again about his old dream of becoming an antiques and restoration expert.

They meet soon after Willa arrives on the island, thanks to Hudson's goofy pit bull who gets into Willa's garage on a stormy night. Willa is guarded and private and was raised not to rely on or accept favors from anyone outside of her family. However, that doesn't really fly on the island, where all of the locals know each other and are linked by strong family and friendship ties. Willa soon finds herself drawn in by the friendliness of the islanders and by Hudson and his family in particular, not to mention the powerful attraction between them. After previously rejecting every advance that came his way from women on the island, Hudson finds himself breaking all of his self-imposed rules, wanting to pursue a deeper relationship with this intriguing woman.

There was plenty of attraction between them and I loved how they were both so supportive of each other's dreams and desires. Both of them were givers who'd delayed and pushed their own dreams aside to take care of others so it was good to see them finally doing something for themselves. The romance happened fast and it seemed like they were making commitments very quickly at the end, but I can understand it since they both had a lot of life experience and knew what they wanted. My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.

I really enjoyed Cathy Yardley’s book Role Playing, so I was super excited to pick up her latest book. It’s another sweet romance between older characters that also has a lot to the story outside of the main relationship. Willa has inherited her great aunt’s house on a small island in the Pacific Northwest. She’s trying to get her life back together after the death of her husband when she meets Hudson, a local handyman. The two become closer as he works on fixing up Willa’s house.

It’s great to see a romance between characters in their 40s who are dealing with different life issues. Willa is getting back into ghostwriting cookbooks after being out of work for a while taking care of her late husband. And Hudson has complex relationships with his different family members and what he wants to continue doing as a career. While he’s a handyman he has taken the step recently to become a contractor, but he also has some secret passions that he hasn’t been pursuing.

The romance between Willa and Hudson is a slow burn. There’s definitely attraction between the two of them right away, but actually expressing that to one another and progressing to a physical and romantic connection takes time. I liked seeing all the scenes of them getting to know one another, and Willa getting to know Hudson’s family. There are a lot of lovely scenes on his family farm and of them sharing food with one another.

Overall this was just a super adorable romance that occasionally dealt with some heavy topics as well. I absolutely flew through it. It’s not the steamiest book on the block, but I feel like Cathy Yardley still did a great job of showing the chemistry and connection between the characters. I’m definitely looking forward to reading more from her in the future.

Thank you Netgalley for allowing me to read and review this book. These opinions are completely my own.

Sadly this romance was not for me, which is strange because I usually relate to books featuring animal lovers a but more.

**Updated Review**

When Willa finds herself to be the new owner of her great aunt’s home, she decides a move to the Pacifica Northwest is just the fresh start she needs. The emotional loss of both her husband and way of life have left battling for purpose. Hudson has spent his entire life in the same place. While he’s always putting everyone else first and ready to help wherever he’s needed, he dreams of something more. A chance meeting, with the help of a furry friend, has these opposites entangled whether they want it or not.

Do Me a Favor is an opposites-attract, contemporary romance. This stand-alone does contain some open door content but it is not particularly spicy or aggressively descriptive. This is a story of starting over with MCs who are over 40.

I don’t know if it’s necessarily considered a meet-cute but I love when the main characters’ first interaction involves an animal, especially an animal being an absolute menace. The push and pull between these characters is so good. Willa needs to learn how to let others help her and Hudson needs that push to do something for himself. They balance each other and that stability that grows between them makes for the most genuine connection.

Is diabetes a death sentence? No, not necessarily, but it can be if not managed properly, as seems to be the case here. I appreciate the thoughtful but realistic way in which the author portrays a condition that affects so many but isn't commonly written about in this way. It’s an important reminder that chronic illnesses can affect each person differently.

The audiobook is excellent! The narrators, Elyse Dinh and Teddy Hamilton did a fantastic job bringing the story to life. Elyse Dinh also narrated another of Cathy Yardley’s books, Role Playing, and I was glad to see her cast in this one as well. I’ve never heard a bad book narrated by Teddy Hamilton and Do Me a Favor is no exception.

I have read a lot of Cathy Yardley’s work and she continues to impress me with the depth of her writing in each book. Her MCs are complex but relatable. Even the side characters have layers that leave readers wanting to know even more about them. I’m grateful to have received an early copy of Do Me a Favor and I know I’ll be rereading it before the end of the year.

I voluntarily read, listened to, and reviewed advanced copies of this book and audiobook. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Willa and Hudson were perfection. I absolutely adored this romcom. The witty banter and character development was spot on. Another great read from this author. My new go to!

This was such a charming read! The small town trope will forever hold a special place in my heart, especially with how the family and friends rallied for our MC's in this one. It is so nice to see two characters in their forties without the cookie cutter romance plot. This book is a great example that experiencing true love, starting anew, following old dreams and finding family can happen at any age.

The first bit was slow going, but as I read on I ended up appreciating the pace set for Willa and Hudson's blossoming relationship. Their characters complimented one another so well. The supporting characters were well-developed and added to the charm of the small town and found family theme throughout.

One thing that left something to be desired was the ending. I feel the reader, and these characters, deserved a bit more. The conflict resolution and the characters HEA felt rushed and squeezed into the end of the story.

Overall, Yardley’s writing is whimsical and intentional. Her characters feel very authentic and relatable. I would still recommend this one to any romance reader.

in a genre where lead characters tend to be in a particular age bracket, I appreciate cathy yardley's efforts to offer more variety and representation, crafting stories that can highlight different themes. willa and hudson, having been respectively widowed and divorced, forming a new connection looks different than it would for an individual in their twenties.

3.5 ★

a solid follow-up to role playing, do me a favor has a wonderful charm and tenderness to it, that small-town appeal that so many of us love and adore. set on an island in the pacific northwest, this is a story about reclaiming dreams and the importance of the family we choose.

both willa and hudson were the sweetest characters, deserving of the comfort they found in each other. since witnessing two good people find each other and fall in love doesn't get old, it was gratifying to invest in their low-stakes romance that resulted in personal growth for both parties. it was also quite cute to see how their friends and family, especially hudson's, championed their relationship.

with 20% remaining in my read, I hoped this would be a four-star read. however, the handling of the conclusion resulted in some bothersome pacing issues. there were so many developments packed into just a few chapters, events that should have been expanded rather than rushed through. that would probably be my only complaint.

thanks to montlake and cathy yardley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Willa inherits her aunt’s house on a small island off the coast of Seattle. Her husband died two years ago and she is still trying to recover financially and emotionally. The house is a fresh chance for her and she'd like to get her career as a ghostwriter for cookbooks back on track. She meets next door neighbor Hudson Daws who is the island handyman. His parents helped him raise his now two adult children and they all live together on a small farm property. Hudson has never had a relationship with someone living on the island and Willa hasn’t been with anyone since her husband.

I love that they are in their 40s and still trying to change and find new happiness. Both have lessons to learn and baggage to put away to find a future together. I liked that we got both MC’s perspectives. And side characters, mainly his family, added a lot. And rescue dog Noodle gets his own nod. Some spice on the page. Overall this is adults being supportive and kind to one another. Very sweet romance.

Oh we do love a next door neighbour romance and when it is for older mcs, it's even better! Willa moves from California to the Pacific Northwest to start over. Hudson is the handyman next door. Cue sparks! This book covers grief in such a beautiful way. I am intrigued to read some of Cathy Yardley's other books now.

This was a cute book. A second chance at love for two lost people. When he offers to help remodel her home she gets some much needed inspiration for her sexy cookbook.

I liked these characters and their individual stories. I rooted for them the whole time.

Thank you NetGalleg for the ARC.

Really enjoyed the book. Liked that there were "older" characters, and a slow burn romance. Overall a cute romance!

Thank you so much to netgalley and the publisher for the arc of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I requested a bunch of romance on here because I wanted to try it out. However, romance is just not working for me at the moment. I think its more me than the books themselves so I will be giving this one a neutral rating.

I just couldn't connect with the characters on this one. I felt disconnected and bored so this book just wasn't for me. I bet there is an audience for this one and I hope they love it.

Willa & Hudson ❤️

⏲️After cookbook ghostwriter Willa’s husband dies, and her great aunt leaves her a Victorian home on an island near Seattle, she moves in, trying to find her new path in life. Only problem is that the book she’s trying to write has very little theme, apart from the YouTuber who likes to cook shirtless.

🐾Even the neighbour’s dog Noodle appears at Willa’s house, the island’s handyman Hudson comes to fetch him. Hudson’s spent his life looking after those around him. Divorced at a young age with now grown up twins, he’s immediately drawn to Willa.

🍪If Willa can’t make a life out on the island, it’s going to be hard to keep a relationship with Hudson going.

📚 I adore Cathy Yardley’s writing and was so excited to read her latest instalment. The pair of forty somethings who are very different, but who are drawn to parts of each other makes for a heartwarming, comforting story. The side characters support their relationship, rooting for them to succeed. The ending wasn’t what I expected, although the pair get together (thankfully) in the end.

Read an eARC copy courtesy of Netgalley and the publisher
My rating 4/5 - ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Pub Date 23 Jul 2024

I love a romance with mature MCs. Makes me feel seen. This book is fun, spicy and charming. And the secondary characters are so well-rounded, I’d happily read their own books.

Do Me a Favor is a very touching and funny romance involving a couple in their 40s. One is widowed and the other is a divorced single dad with grown children. They both have baggage that is to be expected with people who have lived for multiple decades. Loss is an issue that permeates this book. But they are kind and caring with and respectful of each other. It is sexy and funny. I really enjoyed the novel and look forward to more from the author.

Thank you to Montlake and NetGalley for the advance reader copy. All opinions are my own.

A nice romance between 40-somethings who are both dealing with challenges. Willa is a recent widow, she's got writers block of a sort. and she's new to the neighborhood. Hudson is a single dad who works as a handyman. They meet cute then start a relationship based on well, favors and then they realize their feelings are deeper than they expected. I liked this more than I expected given the tropes and that's because of the storytelling and the characters. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

4.5 ⭐s!

Another Cathey Yardley book with MCs in their 40’s? After reading Role Playing, the decision to accept this ARC was a no-brainer. It didn’t disappoint!

Do Me a Favor is about a widowed cookbook ghostwriter and the divorced handyman who lives next door and how they both learn it’s never too late for a fresh start. I love that. And more so, I love that both MCs are in their 40’s (she’s 46 and he’s 41, if that makes a difference). Both have lived through a lot, but together realize there’s still so much *more*.

I also really enjoyed reading about the different family dynamics. Willa’s mom is an immigrant from Saigon, and her dad’s family came from Poland a few generations ago. I thought Yardley depicted this whole dynamic really well. The expectations and all that. Those really don’t go away, no matter how old you are.

Hudson, on the other hand, comes from a tight-knit family in a small town/island. He basically was a single father to his twins since he and their mom divorced when they were 3, raising the kids with the help of his parents. It takes a village, and he had that. I loved that dynamic, too.

Watching how these two seemingly opposite people—worlds— not only collide but really, truly work was heartwarming. This was sweet, tender, and low angst but not lacking in swoon worthy moments.

What do I have to do to get an epilogue?! Lol. Thank you so much for the ARC!!

Overall this was a cute romcom! Willa and Hudson really grew on me throughout the book. At first I didn’t care much about either of them, but towards the end I was rooting for not only their relationship but for them as individuals.
My biggest complaint with the book was hearing about Steven’s poorly managed diabetes. I have several friends with diabetes and they’re all able to enjoy life without neglecting their symptoms.

Thank you Montelake for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I liked her book she wrote last year called Role Playing. I liked that the couple was older and it is the same in this book as well. Although the first book was about gaming which is probably why I enjoyed it so much! So I decided to request this one.

The book is told from two point-of-views and they come from Willa and Hudson. They were decent characters and have a lot going on familywise for both. I liked that Hudson had adult children and I am sure that is relatable for many. It’s something you don’t see in a lot of books. He is still parenting them as well, haha. Willa is a ghostwriter who just inherited a house and is dealing with family drama because of it. I don’t blame her for wanting to hold onto it and get some peace far away from home.

Their interaction starts with a lost dog and from there they spend a lot of time together. She interacts with his family and really gets to him on a deeper level because of it. I did think their relationship was cute and as a handyman he was there for her even when it came to a skunk!

One thing that I wasn’t a fan of was the weird third act breakup situation. I understand why Willa felt the way she did but it just added unnecessary drama and I just didn’t like how she decided to share her feelings. Another thing that didn’t feel right was how Willa talked about her husband who passed and had Type 1 diabetes. I can’t speak for those who do have it, but many have shared their issues with it in their reviews on Goodreads.

Overall, this was a cute book! He was a great handyman and I am glad they both found love.

First thing first, the food and recipes written about in this book was done so well, I would love to have a companion recipe book!

With two main characters in their forties, this book delves into leaning into taking care of those we love but also doing something for ourselves that we’ve put on the back burner while supporting our loved ones.

Hudson is a complete flirt and I loved it. This book has great communication between the main characters, and for the most part they are dealing with external drama.

This authors writing is always a treat to read!