This was a really fun reverse age gap, divorced single mom romcom that had amazing banter, great chemistry between the leads and tons of humor and heart. Another win for me by Jaci Burton and just an overall light-hearted, feel-good love story with memorable characters. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

Designs on You is a fun and quick contemporary romance that I read in one sitting. I liked both main characters and their romance. Natalie is a single mom just getting into the groove of her new life without a demanding husband, and Eugene is the younger brother of Natalie's sister's partner. A few years older than Eugene and with two young children, Natalie's hesitant to get involved with the carefree game designer. Eugene, on the other hand, has no reservations, and I love that about him. lol He was interested in her from the start, even before he hired her to design his house.

Natalie and Eugene have a wonderful romance, and Eugene sounds like a total dreamboat boyfriend. Handsome and charming, he gets along really well with her kids and family. They complement each other and fit together so well. However, I totally understood Natalie's hesitancy. Newly divorced and finally forging her own path and following her dreams instead of her partner's, Natalie likes her independence and worries about committing to another man. Undaunted and patient, Eugene works hard to prove to Natalie that she should take a chance on them.

This is a pretty low-stakes story and was a nice palate cleanser for me after a much heavier read. The characters are endearing, the romance is lovely, and the themes of family, friendship, and taking a chance on love are woven well throughout the plot. Thanks to Berkley and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

This was a quick, cute read that is women's fiction with a romance plot. this book is very sweet and I recommend it for anyone that likes short romance books. Thank you Berkley Romance for this arc for an honest review.

4.5 stars. I really enjoyed this story. Natalie and Eugene were so likable and relatable. They clearly have chemistry out of the gate, but because she hasn’t been on the receiving end of that for quite some time she isn’t sure if she is imagining how good it is. Natalie finally has her life back on track after her divorce with her Interior Design business. She is a few years older than Eugene and has her two children to consider, and she doesn’t really seem to think they will be a good match. When her sister pretty much volunteers her to design his renovations for his new house, feelings start to emerge. She hops on the age difference a lot even though it is not that big, and the way he was from the beginning with her two kids should have clued her in that maybe they were a good match. The kids are adorable as is the pup they adopt! I really enjoyed their journey and seeing them fall in love, and of course their sizzling chemistry. Another wonderful romance by Jaci Burton!

this was a cute romantic comedy. I love interior designer and gaming designer so having both of them in this was fun for me. I enjoyed the writing style and plot as well

Designs on You by Jaci Burton is a captivating and steamy romance that explores the dynamics of a slight age difference relationship. Eugene, the charming and thoughtful protagonist, is portrayed as the perfect guy - fun, considerate, and undeniably attractive. On the other hand, Natalie is depicted as a character still navigating her path in life, unsure if she is ready for a relationship with Eugene. However, as their story unfolds, it becomes evident that Eugene is exactly what Natalie needs. I was hooked from the beginning and could not put this one down.

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. Natalie has never been happier since her divorce. Her sister needs her help with her new house. She meets Eugene, who checks off all her boxes. The only issue is that he is younger than her. I liked this book.

Recently divorced and returned to her career, Natalie Parker has a lot going on in her life. With two young children and plenty of design work to keep her busy, Natalie is not in the market for a relationship. Natalie agrees to a backyard project for her sister in her new home that includes a boyfriend, Linc, and lots of dogs. Linc’s younger brother, Eugene Kennedy, who develops video games; he is very interested in Natalie who is resistant to his flirting. Natalie believes their age difference, although it is not actually very great, is a no go.

Eugene thinks that he and Natalie have a chance at something more than a causal relationship. He knows they have a strong attraction, he likes her kids and enjoys being around them, and so Eugene feels that pursuing Natalie is worthwhile. Because of his job, where he basically plays computer games all day long, Eugene does appear behind the curve for maturity at times.

Natalie seems to put a big emphasis on the fact Eugene is younger; however, it is only a five-year difference. Because of issues from her failed marriage, Natalie keeps throwing up roadblocks to Eugene. If she is willing to take a chance on love again, good things might be in store. Fans of this author will most likely enjoy this latest addition.

A lovely reverse age gap romance.

I really liked this one. The development of the relationship was well written and filled with romantic, swoon worthy moments. A slow burn that’s worth the wait!

Would recommend!

Natalie Parker is 34 years old, divorced and has two kids, 7 year old Cammie and 4 year old Christopher. Instead of living a life revolving around her ex-husband, Sean, she is now living for herself. Natalie has a job doing interior design which is what she went to college for. Since she lives in the same house in Orlando, FL, she is still close to her sister Hazel and Hazel's boyfriend, Linc Kennedy.

At a dinner at Hazel's house she meets Linc's youngest brother, Eugene who is 31 years old and is instantly smitten. Their chemistry is off the charts! Eugene being new to town is interesting in pursuing something with Natalie. At first Natalie is not interested, but Eugene wears her down and gets her to agree to a date. Things go wonderfully and the next thing Natalie knows they are dating. Her kids, her sister, her mom all love him. Natalie is worried about their age difference and where they are in their lives. They both agree to keep things simple and fun but soon feelings start getting serious.

Just when it looks like Natalie and Eugene are headed for a happy ever after, things come crashing down. It will take a little inner conversations along with an amount of trust before these two can find their way back to each other but when they do, it's perfect.

I just loved this very steamy, fun slight age difference romance. Eugene was the perfect guy...thoughtful, fun and hot! Natalie was still trying to find her way and may not have been ready for Eugene but he was exactly what she needed. Overall this was a fun follow up to Housebroke which was Hazel and Linc's story.

Actually meant to hit “will not be leaving feedback” — couldn’t get past the first 10 pages of incredibly stiff writing.

I thought this was such a cute and easy read. If you are looking for a sweet romance about a single mom, this is the one for you!

This is a standalone book by Jaci Burton, however, the characters from her book released last year, Housebroke, do make an appearance and have ties to this book.

This was a cute, not too deep, contemporary romance. The romance between Natalie and Eugene was heartwarming. I loved how Eugene understood that Natalies kids would come first to her when she was dating. It was refreshing to read and see that there were not hurt feelings on his part because of this, and he supported this. I really enjoyed Natalie as a character. She was a strong woman who sacrificed a lot for her family, and now that she is divorced, she is putting her degree to work and providing for her children. Eugene was a fantastic character as well. He listened, and genuinely tried to connect with Natalie and her children. The relationship between Natalie and Eugene was wonderful. I love how they kept things slow and then added on to the relationship piece by piece as they became infatuated with each other.

If you are looking for a sweet romance about a single mom, then check this one out.


Couple points that were distracting but i'm only leaving on netgalley as they may be because of the point of the editorial process this book was at.

When Eugene and Natalie were on their first date. Eugene says he puts on jeans and a t-shirt. Later, at the bar, Natalie comments on his button down shirt.

Later in the book, Natalie mentions her favorite drink is a caramel macchiato and it's a splurge drink for her. Further in the book, Eugene mentions he brings Natalie her favorite drink; it's a latte.

DNF. I couldn't get into Designs on You. I just didn't like the writing voice. It was hard for me to relate to the main characters with the third-person narrative. Along with that, I felt like there were a lot of additional writing details that didn't need to be added in. I wasn't the biggest fan of Natalie. I found her unnecessarily antagonistic towards Eugene. I sort of felt bad for him. Perhaps the story got better after I put it down. Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the ARC.

This was a quick, cute read that is women's fiction with a romance plot. The fmc is a divorced single mom that is just getting her life back and trying to grow into her new life after her ex took a lot of her dreams and aspirations away. The mmc is a a video game designer and he hires the fmc to design his house.

I liked the journey and character development that the fmc went through and how it impacted the romance. This is an instant love kinda book because they are attracted to each other immediately and the mmc gets close to her and her kids. This book is very sweet and I recommend it for anyone that likes short romance books. Thank you Berkley Romance for this arc for an honest review.

I enjoyed this offering from Ms. Burton. Mix an older professional woman (Natalie) who is also divorced and a mother of 2, with younger video game developer (Eugene) and watch the sparks fly. Natalie resists her interest in Eugene but he keeps trying. I enjoyed the banter and friendship that develops between the 2 throughout the book and also the addition of interaction with Natalie's children. Pick this one up in December when it becomes available for another fun read from Jaci Burton!

Natalie is a divorced mom of two young children. Her ex always put her and the kids second. She stayed home and kept house and raised the children. Now she is using her interior design degree and works with another woman and is loving it. Eugene is a video game designer and needs someone to decorate his new house. He’s handsome and a little younger than Natalie but the sparks fly every time they are near. Which is a lot because Eugene’s brother is living and dating Natalie’s sister. When it’s suggested Natalie do the decorating she reluctantly accepts. They start dating but Natalie is right where she wants to be in life and doesn’t believe it will last long. What she doesn’t realize is Eugene now’s what he wants it’s Natalie. Can he convince her to give them a chance ?

Good story. Natalie is smart, sexy, and witty. Eugene is handsome and into video games and having fun. Sex. Two adorable kids, and a pup.

* Voluntarily read and reviewed for Netgalley *

My first from Jaci Burton and I absolutely loved it!

This was a great finding your home and finding yourself in your mid-30s while dealing with real life situations such as children. I really loved this and needed to read it.

I’m turning 30 in a few months and while I’m not quite there yet, I’m starting to feel the adultness of it all so this has made my anxiety a bit better about it.

"Designs on You" is a touching narrative that explores the themes of self-discovery and starting anew. The story provides a charming getaway, highlighting the pleasures of grown-up life and the quest for contentment amidst the hurdles that life throws our way. At the heart of the tale is a newly single mother who sets out to build a rewarding existence for herself and her offspring. She realizes that her longing for intimacy doesn't necessarily mean needing a man in her life. Enter the endearing younger man who appreciates her for who she is, without pressing his own desires, and who comes to adore her children as if they were his own. The protagonist, Natalie, confronts the complexities of adult life in her mid-30s, an epiphany that strikes a chord with many readers. The book serves as a poignant reminder to savor the simple joys of life—like late-night gaming, sharing love, and embracing the happiness that one deserves. Natalie's new beginning as a single mom and an interior designer, along with Eugene's steady involvement in family gatherings as the brother of her sister's boyfriend, paves the way for an engaging plot when he buys a new house and naturally seeks Natalie's design savvy.

Great book about a woman and mother freeing herself and finding herself. Our main character has just gotten a divorce from her long time husband and is trying and succeeding to make a wonderful life for herself. She has realized that she really doesn’t want a man but misses the intimate side of things. Enter our younger male lead who sees her for herself and doesn’t try to make her conform to his wants. He ends up loving her kids just as much as she does.