What We’re Reading in February 2025
CURRENTLY READING
Rafe: A Buff Male Nanny
by Rebekah Weatherspoon
Need a little reprieve after taking on the monstrosity from our last book? Well, you deserve one! Let this MMC take care of you. This month, we’re getting cozy with a live-in male nanny so hot, he can turn anyone into a homebody.
We’re delivering a steamy Valentine to your door this month in the shape of Rafe.
Get your copy of Rafe: A Buff Male Nanny (Amazon) and read with us!
What Victoria Loved
VICTORIA’S RATING: 3.5/5
This is book may be short and sweet, but it delivers a spicy punch.
I’m not usually a fan of short timeline love stories (and IRL it would probably raise a lot of red flags), but given the context of their meet-cute, the rave character reviews Sloane receives about Rafe from trusted sources, and the forced proximity… well, I probably would’ve also been inclined to trust he’s a goodie. PLUS how could she say no to the seemingly perfect package that arrived at her door?
Buff [check], tattoos [check], motorcycle [check], great with kids [check], family man [check], knows his way around the bedroom [check, check, check]
With that, I don’t know how Sloane was able to leave her house to go do her day job (as one of the most decorated / accomplished cardio thoracic surgeons in the country at a young and spritely 28….) with this hunk at home cooking, cleaning and caring for her kids. But power to her for rocking life in-and-out of home.
It’s safe to say this book added a point to the pro-column of my “Do I want kids?” list all thanks to Rafe.
While the writing is very straightforward and minimal, Weatherspoon puts a fun twist on tropes and concepts — tackling gender norms and age biases all while pushing the steam.
Note: The books in this series get exponentially spicier as each lady in this friend group gets her time in the limelight, so prepare yourself should you carry on with this series. That said, I think Book 3 might be my fave, so keep on reading!
Turn on the radio, pop on your favorite podcast… or stream our First Time Caller playlist (Spotify).
What the Book Club Loved
FIREWORKS & STEAM: 4.5/5
The steam was the best part of this book… and steamy, it was! Although we wish there was a little more build-up and foreplay.
WRITING STYLE: 3.25/5
Rafe is a snack — there are no major complications, it’s entertaining and easy, and a good palette cleanser after a heavy book or a disappointing read. But that means you have to take everything at face value.
CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT: 3/5
We loved how this book flipped social norms on its head and brought forth (and magnified) a lot of our beliefs. We often support single moms without question, but don’t often think about the practicalities of what that means, like Sloan’s dependence on her network and community, the struggles of finding childcare and the battle for custody. We also had to think about what it means for Rafe and Sloan to be an interracial couple, navigate against the grain and expectations of gender norms, and dig into the emotional ramification of Sloan’s experience with a psychologically manipulative / abusive ex. All things considered, Sloan was a superhero in finding the capacity to care for her kids, herself and her friends. We admire how she made time to maintain those relationships. She was doing her absolute best!
Beyond all that, we felt that Rebekah gave us a realistic portrayal of a caregiver’s role. When something needed doing, Rafe was there. He anticipated Sloan’s and the girls’ needs, showed emotional maturity when needed, and helped to balance Sloan’s mental load by taking care of everything on the home front.
THE LOVE STORY: 2.5/5
We really struggled with the short timeline in this story — it all takes place within 2 weeks — which made it a tad unrealistic. However, when you consider Sloan’s history with her ex-husband, her insanely busy career and the glowing reviews she received from people she trusted (her best friends, parents / past-employers, etc.), it’s easier to understand how she could have felt comfortable with Rafe so quickly. We appreciated their transparency and their communication styles — it also helped to make their relationship more believable as we got some insight into how they would handle conflict / issue resolution and learning how to be in a relationship. If you view their relationship objectively, it’s a relatively healthy relationship that’s actually built on trust, respect and communication. We would’ve rated this much higher if not for the short-timeline… it just didn’t give us enough time to get to know the characters and their backgrounds in-depth.
“Rafe is a sweet snack you’ll devour between books.”
- HANA
If You Loved Rafe, You’ll Love These
A LIVE-IN NANNY, BUT MAKE IT COWBOY: Heartless (Chestnut Springs #2) by Elsie Silver (Amazon)
I’m never one to read book 1 of a series, if I’m drawn to the plot of a book later in the series. And if I'm a fan, I’ll loop back and read from the start. This was the first book I read in the Chestnut Springs series because I was going down a nanny / single-parent rabbit hole and it certainly drew me into Wishing Well Ranch and the Eaton siblings. Broody cowboy dad, age-gap, and a hot tub… need I say more?
VICTORIA’S RATING: 4/5
VERY SPICY FEATURING A LIVE-IN NANNY: The Nanny by Lana Ferguson (Amazon)
I honestly think I would’ve rated this higher if I was better prepared for the steam, but this was my first Lana Ferguson book and it made me an instant fan! The Nanny features a hot-AF DILF desperate for a live-in nanny… and the woman he hires, well, he used to be her biggest fan on OnlyFans. For my gals who love a good sneaking around, age gap, second chance romance, add this to your list.
VICTORIA’S RATING: 3.5/5
SINGLE MOM FINDS A WORTHY PARTNER: The Takeover (Miles High Club #2) by TL Swan (Amazon)
This is one of my favorites of all-time! It’s at the top of my palette cleanser list. The way this relationship comes together is so sweet — especially when the kids get involved. There’s hi-jinx that’ll make you laugh out loud, there are spicy scenes that’ll make you squeal, and there are heartfelt moments that’ll make you shed a few tears.
VICTORIA’S RATING: 4/5
BY THIS AUTHOR:
Xeni (Loose Ends #2) by Rebekah Weatherspoon (Amazon)
Forced proximity, arranged marriage, and jaw-dropping sexy time. If that’s your cup of tea, this should be at the top of your list. Through Xeni and Mason, Rebekah takes readers along their exploration of toys and pleasure. Warning: Do not read or listen to this book in public. Just don’t do it!
VICTORIA’S RATING: 3/5
Meegan (Loose Ends #3) by Rebekah Weatherspoon (Amazon)
Color me learned! This was such an informative book… but also so sweet. Fake dating turns real when Meegan and Olin realize their chemistry is worth exploring further. I appreciated the maturity in which the couple approaches sex and learning about each other’s needs. Rebekah presents an educational introduction to BDSM, multiple partners, and the community, while delivering some of the steamiest scenes I’ve ever read. And I love that it’s in the context of a healthy relationship and not entwined in a character’s dark past. Warning: Do not read or listen to this book in public. Just don’t do it!
VICTORIA’S RATING: 3.5/5
Until the next chapter!
xo, Victoria
P.S. Craving more books featuring these sub-genres, tropes, and themes? Tap the links below.
