125Pages

This Was Not the Plan sounds like a it will be a basic overwhelmed single parent tale. Luckily it was so much more. Charlie has been just fine since his wife died. His sister moved in and took over care of Caleb so he could continue on his upward path to partner. He has a plan and as long as he sticks to it everything will be fine. But in one instance, everything changes and as his world falls around him, he will realize what is truly important.

Cristina Alger is a writer that can craft a rich tale out of a few mundane facts. The world she created in This Was Not the Plan was rich. The pacing was quick and never lagged and the plot was solid. The characters are where she truly shone. Charlie played the dissociated father perfectly, the side characters were well fleshed out. Caleb, in particular was a standout. A young boy who is trying to figure out his place in the world, he was a standout. The writing was great. Nuanced and vibrant, it took the story to a deeper level than I imagined.

I went into This Was Not the Plan thinking it would be a typical single parent romance and it was not, in such a good way. The interplay of the characters was fantastic and the dialogue was the key to making this a great read. I was expecting a HEA ending and I am so glad I did not get the one I assumed was coming. Cristina Alger crafted a fun and inventive read and I am glad I had a chance to enter into the world she created.

I received this book for free from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.