Title: The Reluctant Dad
Series: Father’s Day 2013 Collection
Author: Parker James
Genre: Contemporary, Father’s Day, Gay, Holiday Story, Romance
Length: Novella (39 pages)
Publisher: Silver Publishing
Product link: https://spsilverpublishing.com/the-reluctant-dad-ebook-p-1497.html
Heat Level: Low
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥3Hearts
Blurb: Channing and Jon’s marriage is tested when Jon suggests they adopt a baby. Channing struggles with indecision and a lack of confidence in his abilities to raise a child–again.
Channing, nutritionist and personal trainer, loves life with his husband of four years, Jon, a pediatrician. Jon surprises Channing with a desire to adopt a friend’s baby and Channing is thrown into a tailspin of indecision.
Channing already has a child–a twenty-year-old daughter whose transition from childhood to adulthood brought difficulties and pain for both. He struggles with the choice between making his husband happy by parenting a newborn or being satisfied with the experience he already has where the worst perils of fatherhood are already behind him.
Channing has to choose whether to ultimately break his husband’s heart… or go after a complete love he never knew could exist.
Reviewer: Pammie
Review: Channing is thrown into a complete tailspin, when Jon casually announces over lunch that he wants them to adopt a baby. Channing has already raised one child. A daughter conceived when he and a friend were exploring their sexuality. He was assuredly gay, she straight. They remained friends, and Channing took his role as father seriously.
The first thing in Channing’s mind is re-living how he and Jon met. The next is visiting his daughter, Audrey. To his surprise, she’s delighted at the prospect of Jon and him adopting a baby.
Channing is still in turmoil when he arrives home, unsure whether he wants the responsibility of a child for a second time. Jon welcomes him home, but when he proposes a toast to the new baby, Channing blows.
However, his anger pales in comparison to Jon’s. Jon storms off to bed, leaving Channing stunned.
By the time Channing is ready to go to bed, hours have passed. Channing has analyzed everything about their relationship, and his role in raising Audrey. However, it’s his response to seeing Jon in bed that makes him realize that their relationship isn’t just one thing or another; it’s a whole thing – complete love.
I felt more for Channing than Jon in this story, but then it was told from his perspective. I could empathize with his shock and insecurities, the way adoption was dropped into his lap. The epiphany he has when going to bed seemed a little out-of-place, but I liked that their love is strong enough so that Jon, although upset, doesn’t turn Channing away. A short, sweet Father’s Day treat.