Thank you for inviting me to discuss my recent release, When You Knew
Gentry Cabot, the youngest sibling and former wild child, carries a chip on her shoulder from being raised by nannies. But when a one-night stand with a stranger whose name she doesn’t know results in an unplanned pregnancy, she needs childcare help pronto. Enter Ian Crawford, a humanitarian EMT looking for a quick injection of cash before he heads back to Haiti. Gentry hires Ian on a temporary basis, and once he moves in, these two opposites start to bring out things in each other that neither expects.
Given her past, Gentry is conflicted about hiring a nanny, but she’s determined to build bridges with her family by working at the family business, so she hasn’t much choice. Within a day or two, the benefits overshadow her doubts. Here is her short list of reasons why you, too, might consider getting yourself a “manny:”
1. If you, like Gentry, are a single mom, having a male role model in the house is welcome (especially if you have a son);
2. It’s pleasant to come home to a house that’s been cleaned, and a meal that’s been cooked, by a man. Bending stereotypical gender roles is also beneficial for kids to see;
3. Men bring a different, adventure-seeking energy to parenting, and children benefit from that balance with a cautious mother;
4. Having a man (especially a first responder like Ian) in the house can make you feel safer, and can be very helpful if you are raising a less-abled child and need extra strength to manage certain physical aspects of childcare; and last, but not least
5. If you’re a single mom, there’s nothing wrong with enjoying the company of, and conversation with, a cute guy each day! You never know where it could lead.
While I certainly had fun writing this story, it’s ultimately about family, forgiveness, and finding a connection that makes you the best version of yourself. Here’s an excerpt from when Gentry returns home after her very rough first day back at work. When she comes home, Ian’s smooth handling of things makes her feel like a failure twice over (not that she wants to admit it). Enjoy!
Book Description: When You Knew
An unlikely couple must decide what truly defines family.
Gentry Cabot’s rebellious life comes to a screeching halt when a one-night stand leads to a sobering new reality: motherhood. Exhausted and overwhelmed, the former wild child struggles to raise an infant on her own. After a lifetime of feeling like the odd Cabot out, Gentry knows that what her son needs most is family. For his sake, she plans to rebuild bridges with them, but first she needs a little help on the home front.
Humanitarian worker Ian Crawford has devoted his life to service. Forced to temporarily return stateside, he’s eager to head back to Haiti to expand the nonprofit he just founded in his late father’s honor. He can’t do that without money, so when Gentry offers a hefty paycheck for a short-term gig as a live-in nanny, he can’t afford to say no. Ian expects to deal with a barrage of privileged problems. What he doesn’t expect is how quickly being a makeshift father transforms him.
Despite his growing attachment to Gentry and her child, Ian still has his dreams, and Gentry wants a full-time dad for her son. When the baby’s father reenters the picture, will Gentry and Ian embrace the family they’ve formed or end up worlds apart?
