Special thanks to the author for providing me a digital ARC of this book via the publisher on NetGalley!

TL;DR: Do Me A Favor was a sweet, wholesome and sexy romance featuring older protagonists who just needed a bit of a push to love themselves first. This was a really enjoyable romance to devour (and I didn’t put it down until I finished it)! It gave me great comfort to read and I would recommend it to those who love a soft love story that balances the romance and character growth beautifully, plus a HEA for characters who couldn’t be more deserving of one.

I love Yardley’s writing. I’ll probably say this a million times in my review but there’s such a comforting and cosy quality to her words that makes it so nice to sink into her stories. 

I think what’s also done so well is the balance of the romance and the character’s personal journeys. Hudson and Willa had events happen in their lives that took them down paths that were different to what they initially planned. Hudson was left to raise his twins “alone” on a farm but got the support of a wonderful small island community and his adorable and doting parents. Willa had plans to take the culinary world by storm but ended up marrying young to an older man with chronic illness who lived a fast-paced, if not reckless, lifestyle. **Just a quick note here to say that, I’ve seen some reviews where people have commented specifically on the rep of Willa’s husband’s illness (Type 1 diabetes) specifically saying that the rep was not good. I cannot speak on this as it’s not my experience but if this is something that could concern you, I’d advise checking those reviews out beforehand.**

Both our MCs are caretakers who put other’s needs before their own and I think this will be relatable for a lot of readers. They had plenty of growing to do—well, it was more like growth in coming to terms with where they are in life and figuring out where they want to go from here as they no longer have the same responsibilities as their younger selves. They’re both in their 40s and contrary to what society says, life does not begin to end at this age. 😂 I honestly love that Yardley’s romances have older protagonists (42M, 46F) and how she creates these realistic down-to-earth characters who are so relatable in their life situations and struggles. Again, there’s a very comforting quality to Yardley’s writing that always makes reading her books feel a little like coming home or receiving a warm hug and I love it so much!

Hudson put his dreams on hold to raise his kids and while he wouldn’t change that for the world, even after they were grown, he continued to shove aside his aspirations to maintain the equilibrium they’d achieved. Although he’s happy living his small-town successful handyman life, he’s been made to feel like he’s not enough and like he should be ashamed of who he is and what he does. I wanted to Godzilla stomp all over those naysayers who made this sweet, loving, cinnamon roll of a man doubt himself when he’s so talented and wonderful. I loved his relationship with his kids and parents—it’s so wholesome and heartwarming. The meddling done by his daughter and mother was funny and made these people feel even more real!

On the other hand, following the devastating loss of her husband, Willa has to rebuild her life and make bank to survive. She wouldn’t trade the years she had with her husband, despite it not having been ideal in many ways, but now she needs to relearn to live for herself and to put her needs first. She also wants to remember what it’s like to feel sexy in her own skin again and I loved the journey she goes on to rediscover her passion, sexiness and joy. I kind of wish we got some of the recipes she worked on in this book and I enjoyed seeing her reconnect with the friends she thought would no longer be there after years of silence.

The romance that grew between Hudson and Willa was so sweet and genuine! Although they have an instant attraction their romance isn’t a hot and fast burn but rather a slow and steady build. It’s so satisfying to see Willa learn to open up her heart again and find joy in her body and sexuality, and Hudson was really the perfect partner for her. I adored him! He’s a charmer and a sweetheart and I couldn’t get enough of his acts of service and devotion to Willa, but also his love for his kids and family and how naturally they all came together to make this hybrid loving family. There’s so much affection in his actions and we love a man who can walk the talk!

Overall, this was such a great, cosy, heartwarming, feel-good romance. I’m a fan of Yardley’s writing, characters and stories. They’re full of heart and emotion and I can’t wait to read more by this author in the future! 😍

Have you read Do Me A Favor or is it on your TBR?

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