Mack Daddy

From New York Times bestselling author, Penelope Ward, comes a sexy, STANDALONE second-chance romance.

They called him Mack Daddy. No, seriously, his name was Mack. Short for Mackenzie. Thus, the nickname. Perfect, right?

So was he: perfect. The perfect physical male specimen.

At the private school where I taught, Mack Morrison was the only man around in a sea of women.

Everyone wanted a piece of the hot single father of the sweet little boy.

I was riddled with jealousy, because they didn’t know that—to me—he was much more.

They didn’t know about our past.

He’d chosen my school for his son on purpose, because Mack and I, we had unfinished business.

As my friend Lorelai so eloquently put it: “Unfinished business between two people who are clearly attracted to each other is like an eternal case of blue balls.” And I was suffering in pain from my case.
I was still intensely attracted to Mack. I tried to resist him, immersing myself further into a relationship with another man just to protect my heart.

Not to mention, getting involved with a parent was strictly against school rules. But seeing Mack day in and day out was breaking me down.

And soon I might be breaking all the rules.

Author's note – Told in alternating points of view, Mack Daddy is a full-length standalone novel.

This is a story of friendship, love, and second chances. Mack and Francesca were college friends. They seemed like opposites, but developed a true friendship and gradually more unresolved feelings for the other. She was shy, awkward, quirky, nerdy, and her anxiety affected her interactions with people. Mack was bold, unfiltered, cocky, and gorgeous. He challenged her to step out of her comfort zone, take chances, and be who she wanted to be. She grounded him. He struggled due to factors in his life not easily changed. And eventually, circumstances made them lose touch.

But now eight years later, he is back. He has managed to get his son into her first grade class. Part of it is for his son and part of it is because of their unfinished business. He wants her back in his life...and he hopes he does not have to settle for just friendship. The older Mack is still funny, outspoken, and incredibly hot, but he is also caring, protective, and vulnerable. He is the most sought after DILF at the school, but he has his own agenda. He knows what it is like to lose someone he cares about and is fearful of not being able to change it. And other worries in his life add more stress. 

Frankie has matured into a strong woman and role model. She is honest, caring, and was living a good, stable, and happy life. But Mack coming back threatens to breaks down walls she put up a long time ago.

Their lives are no less complicated now...maybe even more so. There are other people involved, some who do not want to see them happy. And he has to keep his son a priority.

This is humorous, passionate, angsty, frustrating, and emotional. These two had a truly rocky road while trying to find their way to happiness and it was easy to lose hope. I cold feel the strong connection, need, and longing between these two, but it seemed like they would take one step forward and two steps back. I got frustrated with each of them at times due to their choices, and also at the problems they faced.

It was told in dual points of view in present and flashbacks. The past is gradually revealed to us as they are reuniting in the present. There were antagonists that made my blood boil and some side characters that had me grinning. Mack was quite entertaining during a lot of the book with his sense of humor and big mouth. But he was also emotional, tender, and protective, so he really touched my heart. Situations in his life kept trying to chip away at any bit of happiness he could find. Frankie was confused and torn between the life she was living and a promise of something different. But Mack would be the biggest risk of her life.

It's about timing, soul mates, true love, and navigating life. The characters were flawed. Their circumstances were far from perfect. Taking risks, fighting for what you want, and choosing the person alongside you is so important. There were some surprises and twists. There are some tough subjects and choices.  It was a bit different having  a story where the main characters had significant others when the story took place--him in the past and her in the present. There were a few things that I would have liked handled differently, and sometimes there seemed to be so much going on that it was a bit overwhelming. 

Overall, it was full of tension, drama, and emotional turmoil, but also humor, fun, and intense feelings. In other words, it was quite a roller coaster ride, but it was also entertaining and intense along the way.

I was gifted an arc in exchange for an honest review. 

Penelope Ward