Title: Taylor’s Father
Author: Penelope Ward
Genre: Standalone Contemporary Romance
Release Date: February 22, 2026
WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT:
17-YEAR AGE GAP
BEST GUY FRIEND’S FATHER
SINGLE DAD
FORBIDDEN
SECOND CHANCE
PROTECTIVE HERO
SASSY HEROINE
From New York Times bestselling author Penelope Ward comes a new, STANDALONE contemporary romance…
When my best friend Taylor gifted me a vacation at a resort owned by his grandparents, the last thing I expected was to bond with a man seventeen years older.
Tate was also vacationing alone.
He’d come to Midnight Key to clear his head and reevaluate his life.
I’d come to get over my high school sweetheart who’d dumped me.
I’d spotted the brawny, tattooed Adonis in the lobby on the first day and thought he had to be someone’s hot dad.
But then we matched on an app that paired single men and women by proximity.
The problem was? At nineteen—almost twenty—I’d lied and said I was twenty-nine.
Tate outed me on our first date, and I fessed up to my real age.
But we continued to run into each other.
And eventually we found our connection was too magnetic to deny.
While we agreed to only use first names and to part ways at the end of the trip, I’d really fallen for Tate.
I never forgot him and knew he was the one who got away.
Remember that guy friend who gifted me the trip?
Well, four years later, Taylor got married.
He’d been estranged from his dad for years, though recently they’d reconnected.
What I didn’t know was that the man I’d had that torrid affair with at the resort would be standing next to Taylor in the receiving line.
My dream man Tate? Was Taylor’s father.
GOODREADS LINK: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/244954685
BOOKBUB LINK: https://www.bookbub.com/books/taylor-s-father-by-penelope-ward
PURCHASE LINKS – Special release price of $3.99 for a limited time only!
Amazon US: https://amzn.to/48tYHD5
Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/3XHgvo3
Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/4pTsgUk
Amazon AU: https://amzn.to/4a6cQYn
Available to read in Kindle Unlimited
Audiobook: https://adbl.co/4rSO03Q
Special Edition Paperback: https://amzn.to/4pz5H7L
EXCERPT
By Penelope WardThe next morning, I woke up happier than I’d been in a long time.The prospect of seeing Tate again filled me with anticipation. It was a wonder I’d gotten any sleep.
His words from last night still replayed in my head over and over.
“A responsible person wouldn’t be struggling with whether to protect you or eat you.”
God, I hoped he ultimately chose the latter.
We hadn’t even exchanged phone numbers, so I was pleased to see a message come through the dating app from him.
Tate: I’m heading down to breakfast in a few. Care to join me?
Blair: Only if you order me four different kinds of beverages to choose from. BTW, it’s never too early for an espresso martini.
Tate: You’re about two years too early.
I laughed as I typed.
Blair: Very funny.
Tate: See you in a few?
Blair: Maybe…
Tate: Brat.
Blair: You like that about me.
Tate: You’re not wrong.
My mouth hurt from smiling.
When I got downstairs, I saw Tate before he saw me. He sat at a table with a huge pile of food spread before him. How did this man look even more hot today? He wore his baseball hat backward, which was absolutely my weakness. The way pieces of his hair poked out the sides? Scrumptious. Every look he’d rocked was sexier than the last.
I walked over to where he was sitting. “Hey, you.”
He gave me a once-over, and his eyes filled with something that seemed a hell of a lot like desire as he appraised the floral sundress I wore, the top of which was held up by two skimpy strings. My current look wasn’t as dramatic as last night’s, though. Today I had gone for fresh-faced and sassy.
“Well, hello.” He smiled. “How did you sleep?”
“Like a baby…”
“No comment.”
“You’d better not.” I took the seat across from him. “How did you sleep?”
“Best sleep I’ve had in a while, actually.”
“Must have been the company you kept the night before.”
“I did have an amazing time with you last night.” Tate smiled.
He seemed genuine, and I felt myself blush. “Likewise.” I gestured to the food. “Hungry much?”
There were eggs, bacon, a huge stack of pancakes, home fries, and fruit.
“All of this is for both of us. Have you seen that buffet line? I waited for like twenty minutes. Didn’t want you to have to do the same.”
“Well, I guess I win for being fashionably late. Thank you.” I grinned. “Between the variety of drinks the first time we met and this private buffet, I’m starting to think this is your thing—hoarding food.”
He gestured to the plates. “Eat up.”
How I wish I could.
For some reason, I wasn’t all that hungry—at least for food. But it was amusing to watch this big, strong man devour his breakfast.
“What are your plans today?” I asked as he munched.
“Depends on whether a certain girl wants to hang out with me.”
“I wasn’t gonna be presumptuous. You’re the one who’s been resistant.”
“Only to certain things and for your own good,” he clarified. “I’m not resistant to your company in the least. I quite like it.”
“So what’s another safe activity we can do so you don’t have to feel like a creeper?”
Tate stopped chewing for a moment. “I was thinking maybe we could go kayaking, if you’re up for it.”
My mouth curved into a smile. “I would love that, actually.”
In truth, I could take or leave kayaking. But any activity where I’d be in close proximity to Tate today was fine by me.
“Cool. I already booked it.”
“Now you’re the one being presumptuous.”
“Maybe, yeah.” He winked before stuffing a big piece of pancake into his mouth.
Never thought I could be jealous of a pancake, but here we were.
I reached my fork across the table and began eating off his plate. As I leaned forward, I accidentally rested my foot on top of his at one point. To my surprise, he didn’t move it away. The contact sent a rush of desire through me.
I popped a piece of pineapple into my mouth. “Do anything interesting when you got back to your room last night?”
“Not particularly.” He chewed.
“After what you said about contemplating eating me, I think you might be lying.”
He stopped mid-bite and shook his head. “Even if I did do what you’re implying, I wouldn’t admit it.”
“I’m pretty sure you just did.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Your face is red. You’re fidgeting. The signs are all there.”
I strategically selected a banana, holding it firmly in my hand as I slowly peeled it and took a big bite. Tate’s eyes remained fixed on me the entire time. “It was the only way I could sleep,” I added.
He nearly choked on his coffee.
“What you said riled me up,” I told him.
“Some things can remain private.” He glared. “You know?”
“So, you don’t want to know about my soothing Epsom salt foot soak?”
Tate reached across the table, grabbed my banana, and took a frustrated bite.
Taylor’s Father by Penelope Ward
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
📚🎧ARC & ALC Review🎧📚 (but mostly ALC)
This story will surprise you. #betme
However you think this story is going to “travel” … think again! :)
When a story has an age-gap of 17 years and the word father in the title, my brain tends to go down a certain path. It’s not an uncommon path and I’ve read countless stories that have gone down that path and enjoyed the heck out of them. But every once in a while, a story takes the road less traveled by these circumstances, and if it’s done well, it is gold and it is magic and just satisfies my soul. Taylor’s Father went down the path less travelled and it was gloriously done!
This is where I’d like my review to stop because honestly, I would really love it if every future reader got the “surprise” that I did while reading this journey of two people which most of society would give a side-eye to, but when fate intervened, they said f-it and brazenly grabbed on to their passion and attraction and just went for it. Their chemistry was undeniable, and not just in a sexual nature. Their chemistry allowed for a solid build of friendship and deep emotion. The energy between them was highly charged both in the “before” and the “now” and I just could not get enough of them.
It wasn’t enough that the story carried and inherent dramatic level of drama and angst with the “age-gap” and “friend’s father” circumstances, Penelope threw in some surprises for us readers that quite honestly could have turned this story into a hot mess but she’s good, really good at her craft and I could not be prouder of this story!
🎧 The listening experience of 🎤Jason Clarke as Tate and 🎤Andi Arndt as Blair was one of the best audio experiences of 2026 thus far for me. Their DUET narration brought this story to life for me in such a special way that I just could not stop listening from beginning to end. Yes, one day. Jason’s voice radiates “older male” perfectly and the gravel to his voice just makes every sexual encounter in a book he narrates drive tingles up my spine! He captured Tate’s “everything” perfectly and I know I will turn to this audiobook many more times in the future because of it! Blair is a bright, young, no nonsense chic who saw what she wanted and went for it. She’s both self-assured and vulnerable and I could not have picked a more perfect female narrator than Andi Arndt to capture all of Blair’s qualities!
This was an outstanding experience both in 📚story📚 and 🎧audio🎧 and if it was possible for me to rank it infinite stars, I’d happily do it! Thank you, Hambright PR and Penelope Ward for the opportunity to experience this story before release!
MEET THE AUTHOR:
Penelope Ward is a New York Times, USA Today and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author of contemporary romance.
She grew up in Boston with five older brothers and spent most of her twenties as a television news anchor. Penelope resides in Rhode Island with her husband, son, and beautiful daughter with autism.
With millions of books sold, she is a 21-time New York Times bestseller and the author of over forty books. Her novels have been translated into over a dozen languages and can be found in bookstores around the world.
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