The 5 Best Single Dad Romance Books for 2026 (Protective Dads and Soft HEAs)
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I was helping at the library's literacy outreach program last week when one of the teen writers asked me what my favorite romance trope was. Without hesitation, I said "single dad romances," and the whole room erupted with knowing smiles and enthusiastic agreements.
There's something universally appealing about a man who's stepped up to raise his children, who's learned to braid hair or pack lunches or navigate parent-teacher conferences solo. When readers talk about what makes these stories work, it's always the same thing: watching a protective, devoted father let his guard down and fall in love feels incredibly earned. The vulnerability mixed with strength, the sweetness of found family dynamics, the way a good woman can help heal old wounds while he shows her what real partnership looks like—it's romance gold.
Today's list features single dads who are all in on fatherhood and ready (even if they don't know it yet) to open their hearts to love. From small-town charm to emotional second chances, these books deliver protective heroes, soft moments with adorable kids, and happily-ever-afters that will leave you utterly satisfied.
4.23 out of 5 stars
If You Love Me: The Toronto Terror Series
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If You Love Me by Helena Hunting
Tagged As:
single dad, brother's best friend, forced proximity, slow burn, emotional, protective hero, found family, series, HEA, contemporary romance
Plot Summary:
When tragedy strikes, a dedicated single dad finds himself navigating grief while raising his young daughter alone. Enter his best friend's sister—a woman he's tried to keep at arm's length for years out of respect for boundaries and his own complicated emotions. As she steps in to help with his daughter, their connection deepens from friendship into something neither can deny. Between bedtime stories and stolen glances, they must decide if risking everything for love is worth the potential fallout with family.
Why I Love This Book:
Helena Hunting excels at creating emotionally rich romances, and this book is no exception. The single dad is utterly swoon-worthy—devoted to his daughter but clearly struggling under the weight of solo parenthood. Watching him slowly let the heroine into his carefully constructed world is both heartbreaking and beautiful. The slow burn is exquisite, and the family dynamics feel authentic and touching. Plus, the little girl is adorable without being cloying, which is a delicate balance Hunting nails perfectly.
Who Will Like This Book:
Perfect for readers who love brother's best friend tropes with emotional depth and tender family moments. If you enjoy slow-burn romances where the hero's devotion to his child makes him even more attractive, and you appreciate found family themes alongside your steam, this book will capture your heart.
Steam Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️Moderate
4.26 out of 5 stars
Riding the High: Silver Pines Ranch Series, Book 3
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Riding the High by Paisley Hope
Tagged As:
single dad, small town, cowboy romance, opposites attract, grumpy hero, sunshine heroine, ranch setting, protective hero, series, HEA
Plot Summary:
A rugged rancher and single father has built walls around his heart after loss left him solely responsible for his young son. When a bright, optimistic woman arrives at Silver Pines Ranch, she disrupts his carefully ordered world with her warmth and determination. As she bonds with his son and chips away at his defenses, he discovers that maybe opening his heart again isn't the risk he thought it was. Set against the backdrop of ranch life, their romance unfolds with all the sweetness and heat of a Colorado summer.
Why I Love This Book:
Paisley Hope writes the grumpy-sunshine dynamic beautifully, and this cowboy single dad is absolutely irresistible. The ranch setting feels authentic and cozy, making you want to pack your bags and move to Silver Pines immediately. The hero's protectiveness extends to both his son and the heroine in the most swoon-worthy ways, and watching him learn to trust and love again is incredibly satisfying. The balance between tender family moments and steamy romance is perfect.
Who Will Like This Book:
Ideal for readers who love cowboy romances with small-town charm and single dad heroes. If you enjoy grumpy-sunshine dynamics, ranch settings, and protective heroes who fall hard once they finally let themselves feel, this book delivers everything you're craving with a generous helping of heat.
Steam Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️Explicit
SGD 6.28
4.23 out of 5 stars
Happily Never After: A Single Dad Small Town Romance (Heart Springs Book 1)
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Happily Never After by Paisley Nash
Tagged As:
single dad, second chance romance, emotional, small town, protective hero, forced proximity, childhood friends, angst, series, HEA
Plot Summary:
Years ago, they were everything to each other before life and circumstances tore them apart. Now she's back in town, and he's a single father doing his best to raise his daughter while nursing old wounds. Their reunion is complicated by unresolved feelings, past hurt, and the undeniable chemistry that never quite faded. As they navigate co-existing in the same small town, they must confront whether their love deserves a second chance or if some endings are truly final.
Why I Love This Book:
Paisley Nash writes angst with such skill that I was emotionally wrecked in the best way possible. The second chance element adds layers of hurt and healing that make the eventual reconciliation incredibly powerful. The single dad hero is protective and wounded, and watching him struggle between guarding his heart and taking a risk on love again is beautifully done. The daughter adds sweetness without overshadowing the central romance, and the emotional payoff is absolutely worth every angsty moment.
Who Will Like This Book:
Perfect for readers who love second chance romances with serious emotional depth and angst. If you enjoy childhood friends reunited, single dad heroes with baggage, and small-town settings where everyone has opinions about your love life, this book will give you all the feelings alongside satisfying steam.
Steam Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️Moderate
4.39 out of 5 stars
Chasing the Sun: Star Harbor, Book 1
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Chasing the Sun by Lena Hendrix
Tagged As:
single dad, nanny romance, age gap, forced proximity, grumpy hero, protective hero, small town, emotional, series, HEA
Plot Summary:
A successful but overwhelmed single father desperately needs help with his young daughter and hires a nanny who turns his world upside down. Despite their age difference and the professional boundaries between them, an undeniable attraction grows as she becomes indispensable to both father and daughter. Set in the charming coastal town of Sunset Harbor, their forbidden connection intensifies until neither can ignore the possibility that they might be exactly what each other needs.
Why I Love This Book:
Lena Hendrix creates such richly developed characters that you can't help but root for them from page one. The nanny romance setup provides delicious forbidden tension, and the forced proximity means we get to watch their relationship develop naturally through everyday moments. The grumpy single dad is protective and devoted, slowly thawing as the heroine brings light into his carefully controlled life. The coastal setting adds charm, and the emotional beats are perfectly balanced with steamy moments that make your heart race.
Who Will Like This Book:
Ideal for readers who love nanny romances with age gap dynamics and forbidden attraction. If you enjoy grumpy single dads who fall hard, forced proximity that builds delicious tension, and small-town coastal settings, this book offers everything you're looking for with genuine emotion and satisfying heat.
Steam Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️Explicit
4.36 out of 5 stars
If It Makes You Happy
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If It Makes You Happy by Julie Olivia
Tagged As:
single dad, enemies to lovers, small town, forced proximity, banter, rom-com, protective hero, found family, contemporary romance, HEA
Plot Summary:
When a career-focused woman returns to her hometown to escape burnout, the last person she expects to clash with is the attractive single dad who seems determined to get under her skin. Their antagonistic relationship is complicated by the fact that his adorable kid has decided she's the coolest person in town. As forced proximity throws them together repeatedly, sharp banter gives way to unexpected vulnerability, and they discover that sometimes the person who drives you crazy is exactly the person you need.
Why I Love This Book:
Julie Olivia writes romantic comedy with genuine humor that had me laughing out loud. The enemies-to-lovers banter is sharp and witty, and the transition from antagonism to attraction feels natural and satisfying. The single dad is wonderfully complex—protective of his child, skeptical of outsiders, but with a soft heart beneath the gruff exterior. The found family elements are touching without being saccharine, and the small-town setting provides the perfect backdrop for their romance to bloom.
Who Will Like This Book:
Perfect for readers who love romantic comedies with enemies-to-lovers tension and single dad heroes. If you enjoy sharp banter, small-town charm, adorable kid side characters, and rom-coms that balance humor with genuine emotional depth and heat, this book is exactly what you need.
Steam Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️Moderate
