The godparent trap

Bestseller Van Dyken (the Bet series) tugs hard at the heartstrings with this complex, funny, and poignant romance about polar opposites who are forced to become co-parents. Free-spirited travel blogger Colby Summers and uptight accountant Rip Edison have always mixed like oil and water, but after Rip's sister and Colby's best friend, Monica, and her husband, Brooks, die in a car accident, Colby and Rip accept joint custody of the couple's children, Ben and Viera. Co-parenting two kids under the age of six is a culture shock that only escalates the sniping between the grieving Colby and Rip as they move into Monica and Brooks's old house and adjust to their new normal. But as they learn to work together to care for the sweet, traumatized children, tension turns to lust, then love, then planning for forever--until a shocking incident teaches both that tomorrow isn't guaranteed. Van Dyken creates an irresistible mix of laugh-out-loud and tear-jerking moments in an inspired plot that breathes new life into the unexpected child guardian trope. Stellar supporting characters--especially Rip's business partner, Banks, who collects indecent coffee mugs, and Colby's high school nemesis, Heather--add depth and levity to the story. This is Van Dyken's best yet. Agent: Erica Silverman, Trident Media. (July)

Colby and Rip unexpectedly become guardians to two adorable children when their best friends die in a car crash. The two couldn't be more different and really cannot stand each other. Colby works as a globe-trotting food blogger who desperately needs to put down roots, and Rip is an accountant who lives according to rules and expectations. Rip is not at all convinced that free-spirited Colby will take the responsibility of the insta-family seriously. As they work to make a safe haven for the kids, can these two find a way to accept each other? Van Dyken ("Mafia Royals" series) has written a fun opposites-attract novel. Narrators Maria Liatis and Jacob York bring to life the tension and growing attraction between Colby and Rip. They sensitively capture Colby, Rip, and the children's grief, exploring their feelings with honesty and well-placed humor. This touching book also offers plenty of steamy scenes that will appeal to romance fans. VERDICT Although the book's conclusion is somewhat predictable, Van Dyken's nuanced latest will be a welcome addition to any romance collection.--Elyssa Everling