Beating Heart by Laura Pavlov is live!

Oh, I love this book! A sweet, funny and heartfelt single-dad, small-town romance with the most beautifully swoony, sexy and functional love story. Add in six-year old Beefcake stealing every scene he is in, and this is such a gorgeous read!

 

Amazon  |  Audible

Audiobook narrated by Savannah Peachwood & Teddy Hamilton

 

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Blurb

From the moment my son came into the world—my life changed in the best way.
I’d found my purpose.
My reason.
My heart beats for this kid every damn day.
My company is thriving, and life is good.
But then Emerson Chadwick happened.
It must be the universe’s way of messing with me when I least expect it.
Our town’s new pediatrician is gorgeous and brilliant and—complicated.
I’m not looking for complications.
To make matters worse, my little boy is crazy about her, and now she’s moved in next door.
She’s everywhere I turn.
I can’t stay away no matter how hard I try.
But Emerson isn’t here to stay.
This is just a temporary stop for her.
And now my heart beats for her in a way I never expected.
Falling for the girl next door is a bad idea.
Loving her… well, that’s as easy as breathing.

 

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Review

5 stars!

Oh, I love this book! A sweet, funny and heartfelt single-dad, small-town romance with the most beautifully swoony, sexy and functional love story. Add in six-year old Beefcake stealing every scene he is in, and this is such a gorgeous read!

This is book #4 in the Magnolia Falls series. You can read it as a standalone, just beware that there is a lot of character crossover, as Nash and his four best friends are closer than brothers, and the boys and their girls are all up in each other’s lives.

Nash is a hard working single dad to an adorably sweet and enthusiastic six-year-old named Cutler (he doesn’t like his name and refers to himself as ‘Beefcake’, which has been a source of much entertainment through the earlier books). Nash’s one try at a relationship with Cutler’s mother didn’t end well, and he has steered clear of relationships ever since. He’s happily single, with just the occasional hook up, and he’s completed devoted to his boy.

Emerson has just moved to Magnolia Falls after a devastating betrayal and ending her engagement. She’s looking for a break from her life for a while and has taken a six month contract as the small town’s pediatrician while she re-sets. Her first meeting with Nash doesn’t go well when he’s unhappy that she’s taking over from his long-term pediatrician, but it turns out that she’s moving in right next door to the grumpy single dad and his little boy, which puts them up close and personal. And when Cutler claims Emerson as his, there’s no staying away.

“Now that we’re friends, you can call me Beefcake. That’s what all my friends call me. And if we’re going to be neighbors, we should be friends for sure. You can even be my girl.”

It’s a cute set up, and from the very first moment I was all in with these two. It takes no time at all for them to become friends, but they’re both undeniably attracted to each other, and there’s no hiding it.

“Pops didn’t like you when you first moved in, but now I see him looking over at your house all the time when we’re outside.”
When did Cutler start throwing me under the fucking bus?
I raised a brow and looked at him.
“What? You know it’s true, Pops.”

They grow close, and Emerson is quickly accepted into Nash’s friend group as she becomes a part of his life. And though she is only in town for a short time, they can’t resist their growing feelings for each other and they agree to a casual relationship while she’s there. But even before they begin, it’s way beyond casual, and I loved watching these two fall into something they were never expecting.

“You just got out of a long relationship, and I’m the fucking rebound guy. I know that. I signed up for that…
“You aren’t the rebound guy, Nash. You were never the rebound guy.” …
“What am I, then?”
“You’re the man who put me back together and made me realize how good things could be. You’re the man I think about every second of the day. It was never like this for me before.”

The connection between Nash and Emerson is beautiful. I could see it, I could feel it, it’s sexy, sweet, deep, and so, so easy, and every moment of them together is just a dream.

“I don’t know how it happened, but somewhere along the way of keeping it casual, I fell in love with you.”

Little Cutler is right there in the middle of it, and I love that he’s such an important part of the story. His relationship with his Dad is so adorable, and the bond that he forms with Emerson is just beautiful. I loved seeing him interact with them both, and loved the little family unit that they so effortlessly became together.

“I will walk through fire for you and Cutler. You’ve filled a void that I didn’t even know existed. And as corny as it sounds, you complete me, Emerson. You complete us. You are the missing piece that made us a family.”

Nash’s friends and their girls also feature heavily, and I loved seeing these characters again. The guys’ group chats are so funny, and the girls have developed quite the bond as well, and their catch ups and girl talk made me laugh. We also get to meet Emerson’s four fabulously protective brothers and two (male) cousins, who are beautifully set-up for a series of their own, and I’m so keen for more of them.

This book made me laugh and swoon, and even had me tearing up at one point. It’s a beautifully heartfelt story, and another reason why Laura Pavlov is one of the queens of small-town romance. I couldn’t get enough of these three, and I loved this one so much.

5 stars!

 

Magnolia Falls

 

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About Laura

Laura Pavlov writes sweet and sexy contemporary romance that will make you both laugh and cry. She is happily married to her college sweetheart, mom to two awesome almost-grown kids, and dog-whisperer to one temperamental yorkie and one wild bernedoodle. Laura resides in Las Vegas where she is living her own happily ever after. Be sure to sign up for updates on new releases. Laura loves to hear from readers!

 

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