My next sweet small-town contemporary romance as Jen Gilroy, A Surprise for the Single Dad, hits digital shelves May 26.

Although second in my Strawberry Pond series for Harlequin Heartwarming (following The Hero Next Door) it also stands alone.

A Surprise for the Single Dad is my thirteenth published book, and release day nerves are as great as they were with my first book—in some ways greater.

However, unlike my first book which I wrote without a detailed plan, now under contract with a publisher my writing process is more structured.

These days, I start with a few sentences summarizing what the story’s about which, combined with a longer overview, I refer to as I write.

Where did I begin with A Surprise for the Single Dad?

When his sister’s death makes him guardian of his orphaned thirteen-year-old nephew, a veterinarian returns to the small hometown he left more than twenty years before.  

Working together to save the local animal rescue, he and his best friend, a career woman who never wanted to marry or have children, develop unexpected romantic feelings for each other.

From that summary, the rest of the book grew.

Best friends to a surprising romance

As their friendship depends, my main characters, Laura and Trevor, get to know each other in new ways—and wonder why they never saw one another romantically before.

Family, friends and community.

The main characters have strong connections with family, friends and small-town Strawberry Pond.

Trevor and Laura’s relationships with their widowed mothers are particularly important.

Laura also relies on close female friends as she realizes that maybe achieving career goals isn’t all she wants in life—and opens her heart to Trevor and his nephew.

There’s also saving Strawberry Pond’s animal rescue, with the townspeople pitching in to support a common cause.

Grief to healing

Laura lost her dad as a tween and has never truly recovered from that loss.

Trevor is grieving his sister’s passing while trying to be an “instant dad” to his nephew.

Journeys from grief to healing are important in the story, and I’m heartened that Donna’s Book Addiction, an advance NetGalley reviewer, says:

The story balances grief, family responsibility, friendship, and romance in a very natural way, making the emotional moments feel genuine.

Dogs, horses and more

I don’t think I could write a book without animals.

In A Surprise for the Single Dad, as well as an animal rescue being important to the plot, animals also help the human characters grow and change.

Want to read? 

Find out more & pre-order here or ask your library to purchase it. Both help publishers know readers are interested in a book.

I appreciate your support and hope my new book makes you feel cozy, uplifted and leaves you with a smile.

And despite the wintry cover, I wrote it last spring and it’s now out in springtime.

After all, you can escape into a feel-good romance at any time of year!