Characters

• Paul Hill
  • A 46-year-old ex-marine and devoted single father to his 10-year-old daughter, Annie Hill. With his grumpy demeanor and commanding presence, he effortlessly captures attention wherever he goes. But beneath his tough exterior lies a heart of gold, especially when it comes to his beloved daughter. Residing in the close-knit town of Summerley, where everyone knows each other very well, Paul has endured his fair share of hardships. The loss of his wife, Jessica, to kidney disease five years ago thrust him into the challenging world of single parenthood. For the past six years, Paul has dedicated himself to raising Annie (the first year spent caring for the ailing Jessica), relying on his savings to make ends meet, all while cherishing every moment with his little girl. As Paul reenters the workforce, he embraces a new role as a personal trainer, offering intense workouts to the fathers in town. However, in his pursuit of providing the best life for Annie, he realizes the need for a nanny to lend a helping hand while he focuses on his newfound career.
  Nicole Ward
  • A mysterious 31-year-old who has fully embraced the allure of solitude. She's rarely seen in town since she relies on delivery services for groceries, essentials, etc to be brought right to her doorstep. With her cozy home as her sanctuary, she has unintentionally earned the reputation of a recluse. But there's more to Nicole than meets the eye. Behind closed doors, she transforms into Raven Ravine, the enigmatic and captivating suspense author who has stolen the hearts of her small town with her captivating novels. The kicker is that no one knows that she is the popular award-winning author. Unfortunately, her writing journey is put on hold when she encounters writer's block. Her agent encourages her to use this as a sign to relax and focus on other things other than writing for the time being. Since Nicole has spent the last few years writing nonstop with mild short breaks (only when she's sending the works to her editing team), she realizes she doesn't know how to enjoy life anymore aside from writing. While wondering what she's going to do to pass the time, she suddenly gets the perfect idea when an opportunity is presented.
  Annie Hill
  • A 10-year-old girl who loves adventure and mystery. She enjoys reading books and watching movies that take her on thrilling quests. While other kids may be interested in popular trends, Annie finds excitement in mystery. She and her late mother used to curl up in bed as her mother would read her Raven Ravine novels. Her father supports her interests of loving mystery and suspense by organizing scavenger hunts in their backyard, creating special memories. Once Annie finds out that she's getting a nanny to look after her, she hopes that the nanny likes to read mystery novels or watch mystery shows. Even though Annie feels different from her peers, she embraces her individuality and finds inspiration in her love for adventure. Annie's unwavering spirit and thirst for suspense gives her the confidence to be unapologetically herself.

Summary

• After six years of not working, Paul Hill is finally returning to work. Being someone who loved intense work outs in the marines, the ex-marine decides to be a personal trainer. The fathers in town, who only have the one lackluster gym in town with mediocre male trainers, sign up with Paul immediately. Paul is excited but also worried since it’s summer and Annie needs a nanny. The only woman Annie has ever been at home with had been her mother, his late wife Jessica, who passed away five years ago from kidney disease.
  Nicole Ward is very misunderstood by the other residents of Summerley. Because she rarely comes out of her home and relies on delivery services? She’s branded a recluse and exudes a mysterious aura. What they don’t know is that she’s popular suspense author Raven Ravine, loved by the town and almost everyone reads her novels. She’s hit writer’s block for the first time in years and encouraged by her agent to take this time to relax. Nicole becomes bored because she’s forgotten how to enjoy life outside of writing.
  A chance encounter one day has Nicole offering to be Annie’s nanny. At first, Paul is reluctant because he doesn’t know that much about Nicole. But he did know her late parents, who he’d been great friends with, so he decides to give her a chance. What he never counted on was falling for the mysterious woman and Nicole never thought she’d find a new purpose for life outside of her writing.

Tropes

• Small Town
  Off-Limits
  Single Dad
  Grumpy
  Age Gap
  Dominant Alpha Male
  Nanny
  Ex-Marine
  Neighbors to Lovers

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