Book Review - Can I Give My Stepkids Back? by Aurelie Tramier

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Title: Can I Give My Stepkids Back?

Author: Aurelie Tramier

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton

Publication Date: 25th February 2021

Rating: 5 Stars

As a childcare centre director, Morgan has to deal with kids every day but would much rather run her own boarding kennel. Snoopy - Morgan's beagle - is indeed the only living being she has considered family these past few years. When her sister and brother-in-law die in a terrible car crash, she has no choice but to adopt their two children.

The unexpected addition to her household is clearly unlikely to get her closer to her canine goals. And as if this wasn't enough, she seems to be getting it all wrong with her "stepkids", ordering bedding her new son Elliot finds terribly childish, and forgetting to bake a cake for school on Lea's birthday. Grandma Catherine is convinced she'd do a much better job...

When Snoopy sprains his leg, the kids are swept off their feet by the handsome single vet who's nursing him back to health. They're convinced he and Morgan would be a match made in heaven. Now they only need to convince Morgan...

From a rather emotional and rocky beginning this grows into such a beautiful and loving story that I couldn't get enough of.

Morgan especially changes over the course of the book and for the better as although I was intrigued by her, it took a while to really like her.

Where as Eliot whose 10 the chapters from his point of view are heart wrenching, realistic and just seem so tender.

He and sister Lea are suddenly thrust into the care of aunt Morgan after their parents die. Morgan has never really known what to do with kids and is grieving herself too. 

Yet this is her dying sisters wish so has to somehow do her best. And slowly they all get used to each other. We also understand more of her past that has moulded her, and explains a lot.

I loved a lot of the secondary storylines too, some really great characters.

I found this was a fast read, that I didn't really want to put down, and was thinking about when not reading.

Thoroughly enjoyable book. 

Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily,