Which Allison Temple Book Should You Read Next?
How we doing? It’s been a tough few months. I tried to call my husband today and couldn’t find him in my recent calls where he usually is. Then I remembered that I haven’t needed to call him for over two months because we’re basically living in each other’s pockets.
Let’s just say it’s been a lot.
But some good stuff has come out of it. I released two books. Wrote something new. Found time to read some books I’ve been meaning to get to. Had some great conversations with readers who said “This is the first book of yours that I’ve read, but it won’t be the last.”
I’ve published 6 books in just over two years. When I signed my first contract in 2017, that seemed like a pretty lofty goal. And while I have lived vividly in each book’s world, I know a lot of you are still catching up.
So I thought I’d help you make some decisions. Single dad? I gotchu. Small towns. On it. Let’s talk about what we can add to your TBR.
The Pick Up
An opposites attract small town romance. My first book baby. Single dad Kyle is back in his small hometown with his six-year-old daughter. He doesn’t want to be there, but he’s lost his partner and his way. The last thing he wants is to get attached to his daughter’s grumpy teacher, but it’s hard to keep away from each other when everyone knows everyone.
You’ll like it if: You like goofy heroes, slow burn, pop culture references, and a lot of cute.
Not your usual read? Why you could give it a try anyway: A lot of reviews mention how they don’t usually like kids in their romances, but this one work for them. Caroline is a princess and an astronaut and a whole lot of trouble.
My favourite line: Kyle turned out to be a cuddly drunk. Getting him into Adam’s car turned out to be like getting an angry octopus into a shoebox: Arms and legs materialized out of nowhere.
Top Shelf
I like to say this is my “chewiest” romance. A slow burn strangers-to-friends-to-lovers, Martin is a professor with anxiety who finds himself unemployed and living with his brother after a breakdown. He gets a job at a used bookstore where he meets the residents of Seacroft, and develops a shy crush on Seb, the temperamental artist who lives upstairs. Seb’s basically a cat in human form (that’s a metaphor, this isn’t a shifter romance). He loves his people dearly, but if you piss him off, he’ll scratch your face and pee in your shoes (also a metaphor). Together, they hunt for art and beauty amid lost things in the bookstore.
You’ll like it if: You’re into hurt/comfort, family drama, a little bit of angst, and exploring new things
Not your usual read? Why you could give it a try anyway: If you like old bookstores, small towns, and the feeling of coming home—warts and all—this book has all that.
My favourite line: “Seb can’t even spell subtlety. It’s the silent b. Gets him every time.”
Cold Pressed
Oliver first appeared in Top Shelf, and now he gets his HEA. Trying to get a new business venture off the ground following a bad break up, he gets talked into a blind date, only to find himself face to face with the fire department dispatcher whose car Oliver had towed last week. Nick’s a divorced single dad with a boatload of parenting problems. Romance is not on the table, but a little friends-with-benefits is a fool-proof plan, right? What could possibly go wrong.
Everything, Allison. Everything could go wrong.
You’ll like this if: You like older heroes (Oliver and Nick are 36 and 39, respectively), farmers markets, and man buns (seriously, the man bun energy is hard to resist here)
Not your usual read? Why you could give it a try anyway: As a friends-with-benefits book, this is a steamier read, while still holding onto a sense of reality. Nick and Oliver have real problems, but that doesn’t stop them from getting their hands on each other every chance they get.
My favourite line: “You don’t want to rush this.” “Hell yes I do!”
Hot Potato
For a long time, Kyle from The Pick Up was my most adorkable hero. And then came Avery. Avery is every awkward thing that has ever happened to me, from the time I set a sweet potato on fire in the microwave, to the time I found out I can’t take NyQuil because I lose the ability to distinguish between English and Hindi (seriously, it’s a thing). Avery and Linc’s friends-to-lovers romance is sweet and steamy and has so much heart.
You’ll like this if: You like adorkable heroes. Seriously, that’s the selling feature. Also firefighters.
Not your usual read? Why you could give it a try anyway: I mean, if Avery doesn’t do it for you, I’m not sure what will. He deserves all the love, even yours. Also this book has my favourite supporting cast. Veronica Vasquez is a queen.
My favourite line: “Please don’t rip his arms off. He’s a blogger and a freelance writer. I don’t think he has health care.”
Work-Love Balance
The third single dad book on this list, Nash is the recently-divorced workaholic Executive Director of the Out & About Film Festival. Brady is his much younger smart-mouthed IT consultant. Neither of them have time for…well…anything, but shit happens, and sometimes watching your crush sweat through his shirt at hot yoga before he tells you off for something that was his fault is just the beginning of the road to true love.
You’ll like this if: You live for age gaps, office romances, snarky heroes, snarkier banter
Not your usual read? Why you could give it a try anyway: This is definitely my steamiest book. A few reviewers have mentioned that Nash and Brady might have sorted themselves out faster if they’d screwed around less and talked more, but where would the fun in that be?
My favourite line: “I don’t know. I might be too full to fuck.” Reader, I was not.
Honeymoon Sweet
Doug’s been left at the altar. Tripp’s just realized his latest relationship is as doomed as his last twenty. But what are you doing to do when you’re stuck on a cruise ship for a week with nowhere to go? Pretending to be husbands so old ladies stop trying to set you up with their granddaughters seems like a good plan, right?
You’ll like this if: You’re a fan of fake relationships, forced proximity, trivia nerds, ridiculous pet names and real big heart-eyes romance
Not your usual read? Why you could give it a try anyway: What are you, an ogre? I said heart-eyes romance. There’s a pandemic going on, who doesn’t need something fast and fluffy to get them to tomorrow?
My favourite line: I hate my dog so much right now. If Doug’s going to be buried in anyone, it should be me.
What do you think? Which have you read? Which are you going to try next? Did I miss your favourite line? I hope you’ll give one of my guys a try, and let me know what you think!
