Review by Veronica

‘Oh my God. Oh my God. I’m so sorry,’ She rushed forward, panicked hands fluttering all over him, uncaring where they touched as she sought to dry him off. ‘What a day. What an absolute mare of a day.’ 

He swept his sodden hair off his face. Okay, so it wasn’t the introduction he’d expected, but if she kept patting him up and down like that, he’d have more than just a soaking to worry about. 

‘I think a towel might do a better job, don’t you?’

Unexpected Family for the Rebel Tycoon is an easy, breezy category romance and the perfect book to escape in for an afternoon.

Everyone’s heard of Matteo De Luca: tycoon, soccer player and international thrill seeker. Until an injury sees him permanently benched—and bored! So bored that when his neighbor’s kid drives off another nanny, Matteo volunteers to step in, adding “manny” to his CV. After unexpectedly becoming her nephew’s guardian, it’s clear Porsha’s defenses are high. But as Matteo gets to know the woman beneath, a startlingly intense connection emerges… Could this be his biggest adventure yet? 

For whatever reason, I stopped reading contemporary category romances. I used to devour them when I was in university. But when I was done school I stopped reading them, which is a shame because they are fun, fast reads. For those unfamiliar with the term category romance, think of books that are short (less than 250 pages), cheaper in price, and come out more frequently. They have also been called a series romance, but it’s not a series in that typical bookish sense that many would associate with that word. Book series in most rom-coms, historical, and fantasy genres have something linking them, whether it be the world they are set in or the characters that exist within the overarching storyline. This isn’t the case when it comes to category romance series. Different authors often write these books; the stories are stand-alone and have no connection to each other. The word “series” refers to the fact that these books are released under a specific category, and often, a certain number of books will be published in that category every month or quarter. Publishers known for releasing category romances are Harlequin and Mills and Boon. There are many different categories depending on what you like to read: historical, spicy, sweet, thriller/action romance, etc. There really is something for everyone. 

Now, let’s talk about Unexpected Family for the Rebel Tycoon. I enjoyed this book. It’s a quick and easy read. I could just sit back and get lost in the story without having to overthink what I was reading. Like in most category romances, the story moves along at a brisk pace, which means that I never find my mind wandering. I am a sucker for a single parent or, in this case, single guardian romance, especially when the love interest is a rich, charismatic millionaire. The beginning of this story was great. Matteo is minding his own business in his backyard when, all of a sudden, a bra falls on his head. Matteo goes over to his neighbours to return the bra, only to face a chaotic scene. Poor Porsha is at her wit’s end; her nephew Finlay has run off another nanny, and she has no idea how she is going to balance her work life and taking care of her nephew. I was instantly drawn into this story, and I didn’t want to put it down. It has humour, drama, warmth, and, of course, delicious romance. 

I loved the characters. Finlay was adorable, and he gave this story a joyous tone to it at times. He is a kid bursting with fun and chaotic energy, and watching him interact with Matteo was delightful. Matteo was a bit of a surprise to me. I was expecting a hero who was a bit more gruff and standoff-ish. But that was not the case with Matteo’s character. He was warm, charming, and just that perfect hero for Porsha and Finlay. Porsha was also a great character. She is learning to balance this new responsibility of being her nephew’s guardian. She has a lot on her plate, and it was wonderful watching her learn to trust Matteo and share some of that responsibility with him. The romance was enjoyable. It’s a short read, which means things happen fast, but that’s ok. I really loved the chemistry between these two and loved the banter that existed between them. 

Unexpected Family for the Rebel Tycoon is an easy, breezy read and reminded me why I love category romances so much.

Thank you, Harlequin, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.