Publishers Weekly
05/07/2018
Austin’s passionate first Bachelors and Babies contemporary delivers sizzling romance between a vintage car restoration specialist and the owner of a bridal boutique. Hardworking Molly Stiles is determined that nothing will interfere with her plans for the success of her bridal boutique in the friendly town of Misty Bottoms, Ga. Brant Wylder visits Misty Bottoms to attend a wedding and scout for a location for the vintage car restoration shop he runs with his brothers. Sparks fly between Molly and Brant from their first meeting, but the believable, sexy romance between them is complicated by Molly’s reluctance to commit to a relationship. When Brant’s sister is hospitalized after a DUI, he takes in his young nephew, Jax, and together they win Molly’s heart. The charm of small-town Southern life and its amiable residents add appeal to this novel. The bachelor and the boutique owner have powerful chemistry that makes this a winning page-turner. Agent: Nicole Resciniti, Seymour Agency. (June)
From the Publisher
"Austin is a talented writer with a gift for capturing the charming...dynamic and interesting.
" - Kirkus
" A lush experience for readers." - RT Book Reviews
"Austin's sweet small-town romance hits all the right buttons." - Booklist
"The bachelor and the boutique owner have powerful chemistry that makes this a winning page-turner." - Publishers Weekly
"Austin is a strong writer, and this is a book rich with heart and charm." - The Romance Dish
"Austin does small town romance so well you can't stop turning the pages until you get to that HEA. " - Harlequin Junkie
Kirkus Reviews
2018-04-16
A confirmed bachelor meets an attractive woman and gains temporary custody of his nephew, all in the same night.Brant Wylder is visiting Misty Bottoms, Georgia, for a wedding; while in town, he intends to scout a new location for the custom body shop he owns with his brothers. At the reception, he connects with Molly Stiles, owner of the local wedding dress boutique. Although they share a moonlit dance and a sexy kiss, he's called away by a family emergency. His sister has been in an accident nearby, and Brant ends up with custody of Jax, his 7-month-old nephew. The novel does not shy away from accurate and detailed descriptions of life with a baby. Austin (Picture Perfect Wedding, 2016, etc.) is a talented writer with a gift for capturing the charming mood of this idealized, small, white town. When Brant returns to the B&B where he'd been staying with Jax in tow, everyone chips in to help, even though he's a newcomer, which at times strains even the most elastic definition of Southern hospitality. The novel explores Molly's distrust of men, based on her parents' failed marriage and a disloyal ex-boyfriend, but her rigid commitment to a list of life goals she made when she was 13 never seems believable. Austin's exploration of Brant is far more dynamic and interesting, focusing on his relationships with his family, his drive to succeed, and his growing affection for Jax. The plot unspools with very little conflict, and Brant's relationship with Jax influences and changes him more than his low-heat romance with Molly.The romance takes a back seat in this sweet but uneventful story of a man who changes his ideas about family, love, and marriage in the face of unexpected responsibilities.
