Seven Year Itch - Cat Dads and Second Changes
First Impression | Synopsis | Book Review | Book Details
First Impression
Bearded grumpy mountain men and cat dads - what is not to love!
Synopsis
When grumpy mountain man Calder needs a no-strings date to his brother’s tropical destination wedding, the last person he expects to end up sharing a room with is Dakota—his sister-in-law’s fiery best friend and sworn nemesis. But when a heated moment in paradise blurs the line between enemies and something much steamier, what was supposed to stay on vacation refuses to be left behind. Now back in his small mountain town, Calder is stunned when newly divorced Dakota shows up asking for his help to get her confidence back. Their hilarious, fiery dynamic starts to shift into something deeper—but with meddling family, unexpected feelings, and plenty of unresolved tension, Calder and Dakota must decide if their vacation fling has what it takes to turn into forever.
If you’re intent on a label, you can call us enemies with benefits.
Enemies-to-lovers? Forced proximity? A meddling family and a mountain man with a soft side? Sign. Me. Up.
This book was an absolute delight from start to finish. From the moment Calder and Dakota are forced to share a room at a tropical destination wedding, I was hooked. Their banter is sharp, their chemistry sizzles, and their emotional growth is surprisingly heartfelt. Calder is the quintessential grumpy, bearded, emotionally repressed cat dad you can’t help but fall for—and Dakota? She’s the kind of fiery, vulnerable, hilarious heroine you want to be best friends with.
The setup delivers everything you’d want: a one-bed trope, forced proximity in paradise, and the chaotic meddling of a family who means well but really should learn to mind their own business. But what elevates this book is what happens after the wedding. Once Dakota shows up in Calder’s small town, freshly divorced and looking to find herself again—with Calder as her reluctant wingman—the story hits a deeper emotional groove. Their relationship builds beautifully from animosity to support to a love neither of them expected. There’s humor, heart, and just the right amount of spice.
Also, a quick shoutout to the side characters (and the quirky pets)—they’re the perfect complement to this romance, adding depth without overshadowing the central love story.
By the end, I was cheering for Calder and Dakota—not just as a couple, but as two fully fleshed-out characters reclaiming themselves after heartbreak.
Note: This is the second book in the series, but I had no trouble jumping in. While there were probably a few subtle references I missed, it reads perfectly well as a standalone—and I appreciated that immensely.
TLDR
A swoony, laugh-out-loud, enemies-to-lovers romance with heart, heat, and a bearded mountain man you’ll want to hug (and maybe yell at a little). Come for the forced proximity and sizzling banter—stay for the emotional payoff. Fans of small-town chaos and second chances will eat this up.
Book Details
- Genre: Contemporary
- Publishing Date/ Release Date: June 10, 2025
- Format: ARC, EBook
- Length: 172 pages
- Tropes: Close Proximity, One Bed, Enemies to Lovers, Small Town Romance, Meddling Family, Second Chances
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