Title: Birth of a Baby Daddy
Author: Piper Rayne
Series: The Baileys #3
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Contemporary romance, Small town romance
Pace: Medium
Format: eBook, Novel
Year: 2019

Although there was a bit of a teaser at the end of Advice from a Jilted Bride and you kind of had to guess which twin this was about… I already kind of knew. I mean, it could have gone both ways, but something about the reactions and the start of their story made me guess Rome. And, I absolutely loved that, not only was I correct, but also that his story started off with such a wonderful bang. Diving straight in from the scene at the end of Advice from a Jilted Bride, you are just swept up in the chaos of a Baby Daddy getting to know the mother of his child and his daughter.

I loved that this romance was one in which the couple get to know one another through co-parenting. In fact, there isn’t a huge romantic drive at the beginning of the story, it’s more about their daughter and trying to figure out how to co-parent. And, it isn’t until they start to really get to know one another that they start to fall. It’s a great way to go from one-night stand, to co-parents, to lovers, and in doing so, acknowledging and dealing with all of their nonsense and hangups. 

One of the facets of this story that I loved the most was how quickly Harley enjoys jumping on board with welcoming the Bailey family into her daughter’s life. Whilst she shows up with no expectations, and just wants information, she quickly welcomes her daughter’s family without actually putting up many barriers. I’m so used to romances and stories in which the mother is reluctant to open the door to the extended family, and I love that she’s not like this. Completely, totally and utterly putting her daughter’s needs and well-being above all else.

I love that Birth of a Baby Daddy introduces the very first of Grandma Dori’s first great-grandchildren. The whole Bailey clan might want to get to know Calista, but it is Grandma Dori’s intense (and somewhat manic) need to get to bond with Calista that really drives it. Plus, there is this sense of family and love that I can’t get past with this series. It might be about Rome and Harley, but, for me, it’s also about how the entire Bailey clan are able to pull together and support one another.

Image source: Amazon

Title: Advice from a Jilted Bride
Author: Piper Rayne
Series: The Baileys #2
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Contemporary romance, Small town romance
Pace: Medium
Format: eBook, Novel
Year: 2019

I had already guessed that Brooklyn was going to be the next sibling in the Baileys series, I mean, her story arc was already perfectly set up in Lessons from a One-Night Stand. What I wasn’t sure of was how this was all going to unfold. I mean, it was pretty obvious that Brooklyn was going to be left at the alter by a horrible man. Because leaving someone at the altar already puts you into this category, but I didn’t know how she was going to find her forever partner, or how the ex-groom would continue to be vilified. It happened, it happened brilliantly, and I seriously loved this whole story.

The Meet Cute for Brooklyn and Wyatt was brilliant – I mean, she’s in a wedding dress, throwing a book out the door, and then making Wyatt bleed in the very opening portions. Then, they start to get to know one another. I really loved how this wasn’t the most picturesque and romantic of meetings, and honestly, Brooklyn kind of acted like a psycho (understandably). But, it was certainly a memorable meeting. One that will have me giggling anytime I reflect on this story and good jilted bride tales.

Like Austin in Lessons from a One-Night Stand, Wyatt had to stop and seriously reconsider what his life goals were. I also love that he is the big city business man who, ultimately, decides to give it up to follow a happier ever after. I’ve read plenty of stories in which the woman has to give up her dreams and rejig her future to match her partner, but this is one of the few that I’ve read in which the man has to shift his priorities in a way that involves moving to a small town and following love. Which, I absolutely adored. After all, sometimes it should be the man who needs to compromise in a larger manner.

I read Advice from a Jilted Bride in one sitting due to insomnia. And it was honestly a great way to distract myself and keep myself calm. This was a beautiful, cute, and sweet story. It made me smile, laugh and believe in happily ever afters. Which, sometimes is all I really want from a good book. Plus, Jeff is an idiot. I just had to put that out there, because, seriously idiotic.

Image source: Amazon

Title: Lessons from a One-Night Stand
Author: Piper Rayne
Series: The Baileys #1
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Contemporary romance, Small town romance
Pace: Medium
Format: eBook, Novel
Year: 2019

I really loved the story of Austin and Holly. Honestly, I picked this book up when I needed a little bit of a pick me up, and it hit absolutely perfectly. One of the reasons why I enjoy Piper Rayne so much – their writing is always somewhat cheerful and sweet. And it always works as a great pick me up in the darker moments. Don’t get me wrong, Austin and Holly have got their share of challenges and angst (it’d be boring otherwise), but it is that perfect balance of angst that makes you want to keep reading, without destroying your heart in the making. Which some books do, and they also have their time and place.

One of the things that seriously kept me diving into this series was the fact that Holly moved to Lake Starlight to find her father and get some answers about her past. But, there are a whole heap of hints that there is more to it than appears on the surface, and that this is going to be a major point of conflict. It made me continuously inhale Lessons from a One-Night Stand – I couldn’t wait to see what barriers Holly’s parenthood would throw up. And, because it was Piper Rayne, it really didn’t throw up the barriers / work out the way that I had anticipated.

Then, there’s the counterpoint to Holly. Where she eventually falls for the quaint town and has moved there for answers, all Austin wants out of his life is to leave the town that he grew up in. I love how both Austin and Holly have to readjust their expectations for their future. At a point of conflict and turning in my own life, it was a good reminder that the things we need and love aren’t necessarily what we expected. In particular, for Austin, he has to actually sit back and wonder if past dreams are worth chasing, or if it’s okay to create new ones to reach for.

Lessons from a One-Night Stand is a great introduction to the Baileys siblings and the different challenges that they will face. Both having lost his parents at a young age, and being the centre of a small town. It was fun to read how stifled, and yet supported Austin feels by the people around him. As someone who is part of a small community and town, I can completely attest to how this can feel. On the one hand, small communities can really come together to support one another. On the other, sometimes that nosy entitlement can get a bit overwhelming.

Austin might be the first of the siblings to fall into his happily ever after, but I also absolutely adored learning more about the siblings and their lives. It also helps that I read Lessons from a One-Night Stand after starting the Lake Starlight series – so I had a bit of insight into how the next generation was going to unfold anyway. It was fun to read about the generation before, and now I can’t wait to keep inhaling the rest of the Baileys siblings stories.

Image source: Amazon