Badass Bloggettes: *** RELEASE DAY REVIEW *** LEARNING AT 40 by L.B. Dunbar

Welcome back to Lakeside Cottage!

BLURB:

She didn’t want a one-night stand. He couldn’t promise more than a ten-day fling. Sometimes compromise is all you need.

Zack Weller is timely, orderly, and meticulous. Too bad his seven-year-old, twin sons are hellions. With his divorce final, a two-week vacation beckons him to his best friend’s cottage. Unfortunately, he can’t help the magnetic pull of memories from the house next door—the one that was once his childhood home—or fight the force of nature in the naked woman sunbathing in that backyard.

River Nagle is a free spirit. She understands the trials and tribulations some people face and offers the compassion to deal with them head on. When she inherits a lakeside home, she takes the blessing for what it’s worth: a gift and a new beginning. Until one day two little boys make themselves at home in the tree fort in her backyard and she meets their hot, growly dad who steals her wine, her time, and her heart.

Newly divorced, single father grump meets a ray of sunshine, next-door neighbor in this small town, second chance romance where learning to love over 40 works with the right teacher.

ADD TO GOODREADS: https://bit.ly/Learningat40-GR

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/3xDaUQD
Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/3qbOIdV
Amazon AU: https://amzn.to/3xyJ5ZD
Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/35AZ1OS

Learning at 40 is the second book in L.B. Dunbar’s Lakeside Cottage series. The friends come back to Anne and Ben’s house at Lakeside to comfort Anne on the anniversary of Ben’s death. Ben wish for the people he left behind is to celebrate life not wallow in his death. To help them, Ben left his friends a note to read on this anniversary. Each note has a suggestion of something to work on to make them happier.

Zack is a complicated man. He often appears to have the weight of the world on his shoulders. He is working hard to figure out how to be a single parent to is twin boys. Zack’s fear is letting people down like his family let him down, but he isn’t having much success so far. Zack married Jeannie after a drunken, one-night stand that go her pregnant. He immediately asked Jeanie to marry him even though they didn’t love each other. Even though it is obvious that they don’t love each other Zack wouldn’t quit; he promised himself he would never abandon his children. Unfortunately, both Zack and Jeanie spent more time advancing their careers than raising their twins. Now Zack is a single dad, trying to learn how to be a hands-on father.

River recently inherited the cottage next door to Anne. Zack is drawn to this woman, but the house where she lives was his family’s home before his world fell apart. River is working through some personal issues too, however, she is doing much better than Zack. It is easy to see from the start that River can be a positive influence on Zack and the boys.

I love this series mainly because the characters are older and act it. This doesn’t mean mistakes aren’t made. Zack’s friends are good, solid men, and women to lean on. Sadly, Zack is so damaged by his childhood and his bad marriage; he doesn’t know which end it up half the time. When River comes into his life at Lakeside, she introduces him to new possibilities. River is a great character with a great attitude. She sees mistakes that Zack is making with his boys, and in his personal life. I love her attitude.

If that isn’t enough, there is the small-town feel of Lakeside. I was not disappointed with Zack’s book. We get both Zack and River’s points of view. There are times that I wanted to give Zack a good talking too, but I never gave up on him. The chemistry with River was hot. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I wish there was a little less sexy time, and more one-on-one time with this couple outside the sex. Their banter is fun and enlightening, and I wanted more. All in all, this is a good series with great characters, realistic situations, and satisfying endings. I’m looking forward to more fun times at Lakeside in the future.

4 STARS