Note: I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving this honest review.

Release Date: September 16, 2021

Blurb

He’s a single dad trying to make it in the Major Leagues and she’s a substitute teacher looking for her next adventure. 

Owen Thatcher has been ghosted by his ex, leaving him to pick up the pieces of their family in the midst of being traded to a new team. After striking out with nanny after nanny, he’s desperate to create a stable life for his two kids. 

Sophie Callahan comes from an affluent family but this free spirit is nothing like the stereotypical trust fund baby. While she waits on the perfect job to open up, she’s making it work as a substitute teacher.

But a ruggedly handsome baseball player makes her an offer she can’t refuse. 

And it’s a whole new ball game when these attractive, available adults are under one roof.

Review

Owen and Sophie have SERIOUS chemistry, and that made this book super fun and easy to read! Not only that, but Sophie shows love to Owen’s two children in a wholesome way, and it’s such a joy to experience with these characters.

Owen’s dealt with his share of letdowns, but he’s trying his best as a single dad to his two sweet children. The mother of his children has abandoned them, he gets traded away from his support system, and he can’t seem to hire a nanny no matter how hard he tries. As a professional baseball player, he needs to trust the person he leaves with his kids for long stretches at a time.

Enter Sophie: a substitute teacher trying to break the mold and shed the expectations of her affluent family in New Orleans. Her name means something to other people, but she wants to be useful on her own. While she’s trying to land a teaching job, she meets Owen’s daughter at school, and the connection (to the whole family) is instant.

Owen gets Sophie to agree to a substitute nanny position because he’s really in a pinch, and their story blossoms from there. Both adults want to show the kid’s stability, but that doesn’t stop the heat from rising, and eventually boiling over. The longer their relationship goes on, the more each of them are invested, and the more they feel like a family.

Until the return of Owen’s ex, mommy dearest. This complicates everything. Owen wants her to be a part of his children’s lives, but he’s unsure of her motives. He leaves her at his house with Sophie all on her own, and Sophie gets to witness her disinterest, which results in some strong feelings – mostly frustration, anger, and heartbreak.

This book had real heart and the dynamics of creating an unconventional family really warmed my heart. It just goes to show that you don’t have to be blood relatives to love someone with your whole heart.

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Buy The Setup and the Substitute on Amazon or read it for free on KU!

Meet Jiify Kate:

Jiffy Kate is the joint pen name for Jiff Simpson and Jenny Kate Altman.

Together, they spend their evenings and weekends spinning tales and hoping one day they hit a best-sellers list.

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