More than I Could

By: Adriana Locke

Narrated by: Maxine Mitchell, Tor Thom

From USA Today best-selling author Adriana Locke comes a grumpy, blue-collar single dad that falls hard for his new nanny. This small-town romance is a standalone novel with tons of heat and even more heart.

This grumpy single dad falls hard for the nanny.

Chase Marshall is many things:

• An attentive single dad.
• Jaw-droppingly gorgeous.
• My employer for the next 30 days.

He’s also the bane of my existence.

He swears I’m a never-ending headache—the most infuriating woman he’s ever met.

If I’m so irritating, then what’s up with the lingering looks when he thinks I’m not watching?

The seemingly innocent touches while making breakfast?

The smirk that graces his kissable lips after one of our verbal spars after his daughter has gone to bed?

One minute he’s coming to my rescue. The next second he’s complaining about how I fold his work shirts. Fine. Fold them yourself.

It turns out that the only time I don’t get under Chase’s skin is when I’m under him.

And that’s where things get complicated.

©2023 Adriana Locke (P)2023 Adriana Locke

Need more of these characters!

4.5 out of 5 stars.

Megan Kramer went from working as a designer for a nail polish company to babysitting a 14-year-old. While I reminders of the pandemic can be a bit triggering, weaving it into the reality of job insecurity made this story relatable and realistic. I loved the banter between Chase and Megan as well as the wary attitude of 14-year-old Kennedy. Megan and Chase were a perfect fit. The chemistry and attraction was there from the moment they met on the side of the road. What a first impression! Grumpy cat. LOL I loved that Megan didn't try to mother Kennedy; she used her own life experiences as the daughter of a single mother to help guide Ken. And then the realization that the one place she's felt like she belonged was with Chase and Kennedy...

“One day, you’ll wake up and realize that a piece of your heart resides outside your body. You’ll feel a draw to that place no matter where you are in the world. You’ll only feel whole and content when you’re there—and that will be your home. That’s where things make sense. That’s where you’re meant to be.”

But first Chase had to grovel. Thank goodness for brothers like Gavin and daughters like Kennedy to help him see the error of his ways.

ETA: Maxine Mitchell and Tor Thom added so much life to the characters and the story. Reading the book was a great experience, but listening to it brings the story to a whole other level. Chef's kiss to the narrators!

I received an advance copy of this book at my request and voluntarily left this review.

Sweet small town romance

This grumpy/sunshine, single dad romance was such a great story!

Megan and Chase’s story had the chemistry, intense sexual tension and great banter. I loved seeing how she changed Chase’s life in a positive way. I loved Megan’s interaction with his daughter Kennedy. The Marshall family were a great bunch and I would love to see more of them.

Tor Thom and Maxine Mitchell did a really great job narrating and bringing life to the characters.

5 stars across the board!

This book grabbed me from the very beginning. Single Dad tropes are one of my favorites and throw in a nanny and it’s bound to be a slow burn with plenty of tension. I loved that these characters are you’re average working people. It’s refreshing and relatable. Grumpy, protective Chase had my heart from the start. And the tension building between him and Megan is delicious. Even though Megan is a bit lost as she’s trying to figure out what to do with her life while she’s nannying for a month, she has a strength and conviction that matches Chase’s strong will equally. Megan’s relationship with Chase’s daughter is beautiful to see it develop. The emotional slow burn lasted well past the physical slow burn was sated which really carried the story through.

Adriana writes romances that have mature adults who know how to communicate and deal with tough times when life throws them curve balls. No gratuitous melodrama to be had which is refreshing.

Tor Thom is so good in this role as a regular guy. He expresses Chase's longing so well. As always, Maxine Mitchell’s male voices are like music to my ears. So sexy. And her portrayal of Megan is ideal for this strong woman. Both narrators are so well matched.

More Than I Could will definitely be on my rereads in the future.

sweet

This is a sweet romantic story.. Start off kind of like a love at first sight thing because they both have quite a reaction to one another when they first meet. Though he is extremely grumpy, so there is that.. There's definitely chemistry, there's sweet romance. There's some sexy times and there is definitely a bit of humor in this Story. It's a story that when I ended. I was smiling from ear to ear.
I definitely would recommend.. listening to this on audio was fabulous. Tor Thom definitely played his part well. But Maxine Mitchell, she is the Queen. She does such a fabulous job with her male voice. The female's voice, the kids' voice. She is just the best. Both of them. Did a fabulous job and really heightened the story. Get get a chance, listen to It..

Single dad, unruly teenager and meddling moms!?!

This is my second Adriana Locke book. I listened to the audiobook and the narrators were perfect for these characters. Chase is a grumpy single dad of a teenager who just has too much going on. Megan is between jobs and helping her mother out. Surprise to both of them when Megan is the “nanny” that is there to help with his teenage daughter. Sparks between the two of them fly immediately. They each have their reasons for not wanting a relationship and that puts a strain on things. The characters were complex and I loved the flow of the story as well as the character development of all the characters.

The audiobook is narrated by the Queen herself, Maxine Mitchell and Tor Thom. Maxine’s effortless shift from female to male voices is always amazing. Tor Thom held his own against Maxine and gave the characters depth and feeling. I recommend this book for you to add to your TBL list.

Perfect blend of Humor, Heart, and Heat!

More Than I Could is the perfect blend of humor, heart, and sizzling heat! There’s just something about a single dad romance story that just makes me swoon and hits me with all the feels. Chase and Megan's first meeting, or even their second meeting doesn't end very well. Megan has traveled the world and is now between jobs. She traveled across the country to help her mother's friend watch her fourteen year old granddaughter, Kennedy, while she is away and her son is at work. Chase wasn't happy to find out the first woman he has been attracted to in years is staying with him for a month. But once they give each other a chance, the sexual tension and desire between them burns sizzling hot. Chase's main focus is on his daughter, but he soon breaks all his rules when he can't stop from acting on their fiery attraction. They are so good together, and with Megan and Kennedy having similar teen struggles, form a sweet bond as well. Just as Megan finally feels like she found a place that feels like home, her time there is coming to an end. Will they find the courage to ask for what they want, or will Chase let Megan go, breaking all their hearts? Chase and Megan's story is so fun, emotional and sexy. The more they open to each other the more they learn about themselves. Chase's daughter, Kennedy, was such a sweetheart, even as she struggled to be heard. I loved the evolution of their relationship and the beautiful family they were making. Chase is so grumpy, and has his flaws, but is attentive, caring, and swoony. Megan is so perfect for him with her strength, determination and devotion to his daughter and him. I loved Chase's family and their quirky friends who made this story even more fun and heartwarming. This is such touching, and heartfelt romance with great characters, hilarious banter and sizzling passion! I am so in love with Peachwood Falls! It's the kind of place that draws you in, and makes you feel right at home. I fell in love with all the characters in this witty, steamy, and unputdownable love story, and I would love it if they get their own story as well!
I really enjoyed both Maxine Mitchell and Tor Thom's performances. They are both excellent narrators and their voices complimented each other well. I love Mitchell's authentic male voice, which is only one of many reasons why she is one of my favorite narrators. Mitchell and Thom did a fantastic job bringing these characters and story to life.

Fantastic!

Wow! The narrators did a superb job on this. Maxine Mitchell and Tor Thom are two of my favorite narrators and they surely brought the heat and emotion to this book. This is a beautifully written single dad romance full of humor, spice and a little angst. What an emotional ride. I need a fan. From the moment Chase and Megan meet you can feel the air crackle between them. As they get to know each other they connect on such a deep level. Add in a sassy teenager who Megan connects with and there is no hope of life being the same again. They are truly two peas in a pod and complete the other. This is one of those books I will be listening to again. More than a five star read.

I was sent a free audiobook from HCB and am voluntarily leaving this honest review.

A Small-Town Single Dad Romance

More than I Could by Adriana Locke is a small-town single dad romance that I listened to on audio narrated by Maxine Mitchell and Tor Thom.

This is the second book of Adriana's that I have read, and it definitely won't be my last. I was pulled in from the first chapter and couldn't wait to see how everything was going to play out. I really enjoyed the relationship between Chase and Megan. I liked that we got both of their points of views throughout the book. It really brought the story to life.

Tor and Maxine did an amazing job on the narration. They both really know how to bring a story to life. I look forward to listening to more of their work in the future.

I would recommend this book if you're looking for single dad romances, nanny romances, small town romances, or contemporary romances.

Sweet, Steamy, and All the Feels

More Than I Could was a sweet and steamy, grumpy/sunshine romance that will give you all the feels. Chase and Megan instantly create sparks from their first interaction and when it’s revealed that Megan is going to be Chase’s nanny for his fourteen year old daughter, the chemistry abounds. I loved watching these two navigate their feelings.

Megan was at a crossroads in her life. She had recently been laid off from her dream job and she wasn’t sure what was next in her life when she agreed to stay with Chase’s daughter. She has a fear of commitment and tends to date men that she knows there is no future. With Chase and his daughter, she begins to feel a sense of family and belonging that’s foreign to her.

Chase is the ultimate grumpy hero. With his family’s help, he’s been raising his rebellious teenage daughter and works hard to provide for his family. Megan makes him feel all sorts of feelings that he is not comfortable with and he doesn’t know how to handle it.

I loved the snarky banter between Chase and Megan. It was a lot of fun and you could feel the electricity between them. Their open and honest communication with each other was so refreshing and I loved how they learned how to trust and lean on one another. Their relationship was fast-paced, but it felt so right. And I loved how Megan related to Kennedy. She was just what Kennedy needed in her life.

The audio of this title was narrated by Tor Thom and Maxine Mitchell. This was such a fun listen. These two had me chuckling and reliving this great story all over again. I loved how they brought the book to life in such a delightful way and made me fall in love with the story once again.

Full of laughs, family, heat, and a lot of love, More Than I Could was a delightful, heartwarming read that will make you smile. I loved Chase, Megan, Kennedy and all of the Marshalls. I’m really hoping to see this family again in the future.

Loved!!!

I loved it! Tor Thom and Maxine Mitchell did such an amazing job of narrating More Than I Could. I had labelled it feel good, cute, steamy, sweet and sexy and it is all of those things but it also has an emotional component to it that was brought to the forefront and really shone in the audio. I loved how the narrators drew out the emotional aspects in this book making me experience them in ways I hadn't while reading the ebook. Kudos to them for bringing this book, story and characters to life for me in a brand new way. I highly recommend it.