20 Single Parent Romance (Single Dad & Mom) Books To Read
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When reading contemporary romance novels I’m sure most of us have come across single parent romance books. When done right, this trope can be entertaining.
What is single parent trope in romance books?
It is when one of the two love interest has children from a previous relationship but they are no longer with their previous partner. A new love interest enters the picture who is willing to make things work out while caring about the child as if it’s their own.
You’ll get to see famous authors such as Ella Maise and Colleen Hoover in this list of single-parent romance book recommendations.
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20 Single Parent Romance Books To Read
1. To Hate Adam Connor by Ella Maise
With hits like Marriage for One and To Love Jason Thorn, Ella Maise has written another fantastic novel in the interconnected series Love & Hate, this time with a single parent romance trope.
This book follows the story of Lucy who her boyfriend has recently dumped. She decides to move in with her friend, Olive and her husband, Jason in order to move on with life.
Lucy is convinced she is cursed and will never have a happily ever after.
Adam Conner is a famous Hollywood actor, who has just parted ways with his wife. He moves in next door to Olive and Jason, with his five-year-old kid, Aiden.
Although she is determined never to fall in love, she can’t deny her attraction towards the single dad.
Everything goes south when Lucy jumps over the fence and into Adam’s house in order to save Aiden.
Now they are enemies, but it’s difficult for them to stay that way when Aiden is warming up to Lucy. This book has great banter, tension between the two love interest and some ex-drama!
2. Reminders of Him by Colleen Hoover
Colleen Hoover who is famously known for her famous works such as It Ends With Us and Verity, brings us a heartbreaking story of a single mother.
Kenna Rowan is a single mother who yearns for a second shot at redemption.
After serving five years in prison for an accidental crime, she wants to be reunited with her four-year-old daughter, Diem.
No one trusts her. They think she is too dangerous and unpredictable to be around her daughter. This makes fighting for Diem’s custody even harder.
Then she meets Ledger Ward. He is a local bar owner and Kenna’s last hope in reuniting her and her daughter. However, their relationship is forbidden because Ledger is the best friend of Kenna’s ex.
While they work together towards winning Diem’s custody, they grow close.
This story is filled with love, second chances and shocking plot twists. This single parent romance book is not only swoon-worthy but heartbreaking and is bound to make you shed tears.
Read More: 10 Heart-Breaking Books Like Reminders of Him
3. Forever Right Now by Emma Scott
This standalone is a perfect choice for steamy single parent romance books.
Darlene Montgomery is finally out of jail, leaving her substance-influenced life behind her.
After another break up, she moves from New York to San Francisco, hoping her dance career will survive this time.
Finding her way in this new city, the last thing she needs is to get tangled with a brooding stranger who also happens to be her neighbor.
Sawyer Haas has been working day and night to provide for himself and his daughter, Olivia. His bar exam is around the corner, and it could make or break his future career as a lawyer.
Sawyer doesn’t have time to focus on the pretty girl who just moved into his building, a floor above his, but she is tough to ignore. Darlene is the last distraction he needs in his already messy life.
Olivia’s grandparents from her absent mother’s side decide to show up at Sawyer’s doorstep. They want her custody. He is heartbroken but Darlene thinks she can help him. Now he must put all his trust in her if he wants to keep her daughter safe.
4. Ignite by Melanie Harlow
There are many age-gap single parent romance books, but this one is unlike any other!
Winnie MacAllister, a 22-year-old, moves back home to northern Michigan to work on the Cloverleigh Farms with her family.
She has sworn off romantic relationships for a whole year because nothing good ever comes from them. She is a hopeless romantic, so she needs to avoid getting her heart broken.
Dexter Mattews is a 34-year-old firefighter and is newly divorced. He moves into the condo next to Winnie’s, with his twin daughters.
Winnie’s sunshine personality has him under a spell, but he knows he should stay away. He is too old for her.
We get to see Winnie and Dexter try to define what their relationship is, alongside trying to spend some much-needed quality time with his daughters.
This book is part of an interconnected series Cloverleigh Farms, but can be read as a standalone!
Besides being an age-gap and single parent romance, this book is also a small-town romance with a grumpy-sunshine trope too.
5. All Rhodes Lead Here by Mariana Zapata
Mariana Zapata who gave us From Lukov with Love decided to give us another slow-burn romance novel but this time with the single parent trope.
Aurora De La Torre has decided she isn’t going to sit and sulk over her ex-boyfriend. A year later, she finally admits she needs a fresh start and moves to her hometown.
Upon arriving, she rents out a garage apartment but when the landlord shows up angry at her doorstep, she is confused.
Tobias Rhodes, the landlord, found out his son Amos secretly rented out the apartment behind his back.
He and Aurora don’t start on a great foot.
The plot also focuses on Aurora and her journey to find peace while dealing with her ex-boyfriend troubles. Thankfully Tobias warms up to her and decides to stand by her side.
This book does single dad romance books justice as Tobias and Aurora care about Amos and build their relationship.
6. The Gravity of Us by Brittainy C. Cherry
Lucy, a florist, crosses paths with Graham Russel when her flower shop is commissioned with the task of arranging flowers for a celebrity funeral.
A famous author has passed away leaving his son, Graham, behind in an unhappy marriage.
Graham Russel, a best-selling author and a single dad, spends his days locked away in his mansion. He doesn’t care about acting nice or feeling any kind of emotion.
Of course, he turns out to be Lucy’s favourite author and she can’t help but act all giddy. She wants to pull Graham out of his misery and loneliness. We get to see Lucy’s attempts at helping Graham live life again.
Brittainy C. Cherry’s writing style is incredible. Her characters always seem so interesting. The plot also keeps readers hooked and hoping for a happily ever after they aren’t sure they’ll get.
This grumpy single dad romance is sure to make you cry.
7. The Takeover by T.L. Swan
If single mom romance books with enemies-to-lovers tropes are your favourite, pick this book up.
This book is part of a famous booktok series – The Miles High Club, with the first book being The Stopover, the other books can be read as standalones too.
Arrogant and powerful, Tristan Miles has set his eyes on Claire Anderson’s media company.
The first time they met, he tried to take over Anderson Media.
To preserve Claire’s late husband’s memories and to give her three sons a secure future, she won’t let the company end up in Tristan’s hands.
Claire sees Tristan as her enemy, so it’s a shock when he asks her out on a date just three days after the attempted takeover.
Turning him down was the highlight of Claire’s year, but nothing could prepare her when six months later she is attending a seminar in France and the keynote speaker turns out to be Tristan.
Tristan is willing to fight for a second chance and is ready to show Claire he isn’t the man she thinks him to be.
8. Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake by Alexis Hall
If you’re a fan of The Great British Bake Off Show and single parent romance novels, this romantic comedy will be perfect for you.
Rosaline Palmer is a single mother who is raising her daughter , Amelia, alone. She is on the brink of a financial catastrophe and has no time to follow her baking passion.
When a golden opportunity to compete in a beloved bake-off show arises, Rosaline just can’t skip on it.
The prize money could fix 99 of Rosaline’s problems, but with other dedicated and hardworking contestants against her, her chances of winning are slim.
Especially when a particular contestant Alain Pope, the picture-perfect guy, is trying to distract her with his charm.
Harry Dobson, the sweet and shy electrician, also seems to catch Rosaline’s eye.
The LGBTQ+ community has greatly anticipated this book as the main character Rosaline is bisexual.
9. Things We Never Got Over by Lucy Score
Things We Hide From The Light, the second book in the series, will be released on February 21st, 2023!
As Naomi’s twin stirs trouble again, she is forced to run away from her alter which ruins her wedding day.
This time, her twin left behind a niece that she had no idea about.
Even though she barely knows her niece, she grows protective of her quickly and is willing to give her the life she deserves.
Now she travels through Knockemout, Virginia, with her niece in search of her twin.
One should be careful when in Knockemout as it’s not the safest place to be in. Especially when people there are always ready for a good old-fashioned fistfight.
Knox is a barber who loves his peace a little too much. With his dog Waylon, his solitary life is perfect.
Then he witnessed Naomi go through a disaster, and he cannot just leave her to deal with all her problems.
As soon as he helps her out, he’ll go his separate way.
This book focuses on Naomi struggling to play the role of a single parent and solve the mess her sister left her in, and finding love along the way with a brooding barber.
10. It Starts with Us by Colleen Hoover
This novel takes place right after the events of It Ends with Us, so I recommend reading that before picking this one up.
Lily Bloom, a florist, is trying to rebuild a good life for her one-year-old daughter, Emerson. While also trying to navigate through a divorce and setting boundaries with her ex-husband Ryle.
Lily runs into her childhood crush, Atlas Corrigan, after being separated for two years. When he finally gathers the courage to ask her out on a date, she instantly says yes, but she isn’t sure if it’s a good idea.
Lily faces a lot of internal conflict throughout this book as she risks jeopardizing her fragile peace with Ryle by getting into a relationship with Atlas.
This book is about second-chance romance and also focuses on the struggles of single mothers. It provides closure, after reading It Ends with Us.
Read More: 20 It Starts With Us Quotes To Remember
11. Look The Part by Jewel E. Ann
Flint Hopkins, a single dad and lawyer, finally finds a tenant for the floor above his Minneapolis-based law office.
The perfect tenant with a clean record who hopefully won’t cause any mayhem. He couldn’t be more wrong.
Ellen Rodgers, Flint’s new tenant, is a Board-Certified Music Therapist.
All types of loud instruments are used at her place, and Flint is very much aware of it and annoyed.
Being done with Ellen and her drum set, Flint sends her an eviction notice. Ellen’s bubbly personality won’t work on Flint but it does seem to intrigue his little autistic kid, Harrison.
Now, Flint is grudgingly stuck with Ellen by his side. You’ll be in for a rollercoaster of emotions with this single dad romance novel.
12. Ghosted by J. M. Darhower
Jonathan Cunningham is Hollywood’s newly famous darling. His new superhero movie is the talk of the town but he is dreading it.
He is struggling with fame and the scandals that come along with being an actor. The paparazzi makes it unbearable.
To make matters worse, his ex is in the same town his new movie is going to be filmed at.
Kennedy Garfield is a single mother to a five-year-old daughter, she is also an assistant manager at a grocery store.
She is going about her mundane life when fate brings Jonathan back into her life as he is filming in town.
Years ago, they fell in love in high school and decided to run away together, but things don’t always turn out the way you want them to.
Now in the present moment, Jonathan doesn’t know he is the father of a kid he never met before but he is willing to make amends and have Kennedy back in his life.
This second-chance romance plus single mom romance will have you rooting for the characters as they try to find their footing in life again.
13. One Percent Of You by Michelle Gross
Hadley is in her last year of nursing school. She is stressed, especially with having a kid and another one on the way.
People always judge her, but it never bothered her until Elijah moves in next door. Hadley can feel Elijah judging her every move, and he doesn’t hold back from being cold and mean.
He has made it clear he doesn’t like kids but Hadley’s daughter, Lucy, seems fascinated by him.
We get to see him slowly warm up to her kids. Hadley doesn’t want to admit it but she starts to grow a soft spot for Elijah too.
Everything is going well but then Hadley’s ex decides to show up again, wanting a second chance.
If you like slow-burn romance with single parent trope and a little spice then this won’t disappoint. Many readers think this book is extremely underrated.
14. Fresh Meet by Jasmine Miller
Jace Atwood is an Olympic swimmer. His life consists of only eating, sleeping, and sunning laps around the pool.
When a baby is left at his doorstep, his world is thrown off kilter.
This could put his whole career on a hold or completely drown it.
Soon Jace is rushing to find a good nanny so two-year-old baby Tanner can be taken care of when he is busy.
Emilia (Millie) Davis, a twenty-four years old, shows up for the job interview, and her colourful tutus have won his son’s heart.
After losing her job, she desperately needed to find another. Luckily she loves kids and this job would be perfect.
This book involves the forced proximity and single dad trope. These two tropes worked well together to make the perfect romance novel.
15. Down Too Deep by J. Daniels
Most of the time in romance books with single parents, either the mom is single or the dad is single. But in Down Too Deep, we get to see both!
For two years, Nathan Bell has been burying himself in work and focusing on his restaurant, trying to forget about the pain and heartbreak he is going through after the sudden death of his wife.
In the process, he ends up neglecting his two-year-old daughter, Marley. His parents have been taking care of her and now they are tired of Nathan depending on them.
Desperately he wants to turn things around and be a present parent. He doesn’t know how to do so. Here is where Jenna Savage steps in.
Jenna is a single mom who raised her eight-year-old twins, Oliver and Olivia.
The twins take an instant liking towards Nathan and we get to see loads of cute bonding moments between them.
We follow Jenna and Nathan as she gives Nathan parenting lessons.
This story sends a great message about forgiveness, self-reflection and moving on with life.
The newfound family trope is well written with each character also finding their voices.
16. All His Secrets by Maya Hughes
Rhys Thayer is a single dad and a billionaire. No one cares to look past the facade he puts up.
Underneath the three-piece suit and expensive cologne is a man with many secrets.
When he walks into a diner with his daughter Esme, for the first time, she speaks a word to a stranger.
Esme never talks to anyone other than Rhys, leaving him shocked.
Melanie, the waitress that Esme spoke to, instantly adores her. That’s when Rhys decides he needs to hire her as a nanny.
Upon getting the offer, Melanie is over the moon. Luck hasn’t been on her side lately so she immediately says yes to this job offer.
Soon Melanie and Rhys can’t deny their attraction towards each other, but their dark pasts and secrets keep them apart.
17. The Soulmate Equation by Christina Lauren
This book is written by two best friends, Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings, who gave us the Booktok sensation The Unhoneymooners.
Jess Davis, a single mom, loves working as a data and statistics wizard. Her life revolves around calculating and crunching numbers.
Working a very hectic job and being a single parent leaves no room for dating. Plus, it’s too unpredictable. When she is not working, she is spending time with her daughter and her parents.
A new app called GeneticAlly is being labeled as a breakthrough in science.
This app uses DNA information to match people with their soulmates, based on how compatible people are.
Jess is thrilled by this, so she decides to take the test. Her excitement dies as soon as she sees her 98% match rate with Dr. River Peña.
Coincidentally, Dr. River happens to be the founder of GeneticAlly. Jess knows him personally and doesn’t like him at all. She thinks he’s a stubborn jerk.
Jess decides to not go ahead with the match. That’s when the app challenges Jess to get closer to River and win some money in exchange for her efforts.
In desperate need of some extra cash, she takes up GeneticAlly’s offer.
We get to see how Juno is always Jess’s priority and how River and the girls slowly build a wholesome bond.
This sweet romance novel is filled with light humor.
18. Sweet Temptation by Cora Reilly
Cassio, cold and mysterious, is Philadelphia’s underboss and has power over the whole state. When his wife suddenly passes away, leaving him with two children that he can’t raise alone, he is forced to remarry.
Old family traditions need to be followed and Cassio has no choice left but to listen to the head boss’s advice and marry Giulia, the boss’s cousin.
Giulia, 18 years old, never goes against her parent’s wishes and demands. Even though she is being forced into a loveless marriage with Cassio, she is more worried about how she will take care of his two kids.
Cassio has made it clear he isn’t going to warm up to her soon but Giulia is willing to try. She wants to prove it to Cassio that they can be a happy family.
We get to see Cassio try to uncover a mystery that surrounds his late wife’s death, which takes a dark turn as it unfolds.
This book has tropes such as marriage of convenience, age-gap romance, and the single dad romance trope.
19. The Beachside Bed and Breakfast by Hope Ramsay
Single mom Ashley Howland Scott is still mourning the loss of her husband, who died in Afghanistan as a soldier five years ago.
Life doesn’t get easier as she takes care of her son and runs her bed and breakfast on Magnolia Harbor alone.
However, her loneliness starts to fade after spending time with Micah St. Pierre, and she cannot help but feel something stir in her heart.
Micah has some terrible dating experiences in the past. He is not ready do date again.
However, there is one woman that his heart is set on and that’s Ashley.
20. The Match by Sarah Adam
Sarah Adam has also written the Booktok famous novel The Cheat Sheet.
Evie works for Southern Service Paws and she loves her job. She gets to help people choose the best service dog according to their needs.
When Jacob Broaden, a single dad, walks in with his daughter looking for a service dog – Evie is instantly drawn to them because ten-year-old Sam has a condition called epilepsy which Evie does too.
Although she is taken aback when Jacob isn’t the sweetest guy. Soon Jacob realizes maybe he should open up his heart a little for Evie.
The story follows Evie and Jacob as they try to understand their feelings for each other.
The humor is brilliantly written in this single-dad romance novel.
This closed-door romance is easily one of the best single-parent romance books for a young adult audience.
Wrap Up: Single Parent Romance Books
These were the 20 best single parent romance books to add to your bookshelf soon!
The single parent trope books can be a hit or a miss for many people so I’ve tried to include a wide range of books within this trope, whether it’s a young adult novel like The Match or a dark romance novel like Sweet Temptation. There’s a book out there for everyone!
