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Jennifer Van Wyk
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A Better Place: A Single Parent Romance Kindle Edition

by Jennifer Van Wyk (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.4 out of 5 stars 672 ratings
I've spent the last two decades putting my dreams on hold to raise my daughter.
But now opportunities arise that I can't deny myself from going after. And a chance meeting with Carly only sweetens the deal.

She says she can only offer me friendship.
That she's not capable of giving anything more than that.

If she thinks it will stop me from pursuing something more, she's underestimated my level of patience when it comes to getting what I want.
When the secret she's so carefully kept hidden threaten to destroy everything she's built, I'll stop at nothing to protect her and her son.

She's built walls to protect herself, but I'll break them down and get her to join me in a better place.
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  1. Print length
    380 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publication date
    November 27, 2019
  4. File size
    4.0 MB
  5. Page Flip
    Enabled
  6. Word Wise
    Enabled
  7. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"This fantastic love story--with the right amount of laughter and angst--had my heart in my throat from the first page. Witty banter with plenty of emotion, its no wonder Carly falls for James." ~Sara Ney, USA Today Bestselling Author"A small town romance with enough swoon factor to fill the biggest city. A Better Place left me with a giant smile on my face and overflowing warmth in my heart." ~ Erin Noelle, USA Today Bestselling Author"I fell in love with Carly and James within moments and rooted for them until the final words. Family, strength, patience, and love-all wrapped up with a hilarious sense of humor. I loved A Better Place." ~ Kim Holden, Author of Bright Side"I absolutely LOVED this story. A Better Place was filled with family and fun, smiles and laughter, heat and passion. It was a refreshing novel that gave a cherished second chance at love to two characters who had my heart from page one. A must-read, endearing novel." ~ Ella from EscapeNBooks book blog"The words in this book are words to remember and live by, to come back to and share with others. This books needs to be read by everyone...prepare to become a huge Jennifer Van Wyk fan!" ~Fun Under the Covers book blog

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B081S8LSB5
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ November 27, 2019
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 4.0 MB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 380 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 out of 5 stars 672 ratings

About the author

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Jennifer Van Wyk

Jennifer Van Wyk

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From the Ground Up was Jennifer’s first published novel and now that she was bitten by the writing bug, has no intention of ever stopping. Jennifer makes her home in small town Iowa with her high school sweetheart, three beautiful, hilarious and amazing kids, one crazy Jack Russell terrier. This is where her love for all things reading, baking, and cooking happen. Jennifer’s family enjoys camping, boating, and spending time outside as much as possible. You'll be her best friend if you can make her laugh and follow up with asking her what to read next. When she’s not writing, you can find her cheering the loudest at her kids’ sporting events (read as: embarrassing them), sipping coffee or iced tea out of a mason jar with her Kindle in her lap or binging on Netflix.

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
672 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book's story incredibly written and serious, with laugh-out-loud funny moments and heartwarming emotions throughout. The romance is well-crafted, and customers appreciate the strength shown by the heroine. They fall in love with the characters, and one review highlights the beautiful relationship between mother and son. The book receives positive feedback for its sweetness.

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24 customers mention "Story quality"24 positive0 negative

Customers praise the book's writing style and serious storyline, with one customer noting it feels like real life.

"...characters in the book as they are all very likeable and real in actions and thoughts. James just might be the best boyfriend ever!..." Read more

"...That being said, if you love a sweet, perfect fairy tale about characters with no flaws and no struggles, this is the perfect book for you." Read more

"...This book can be read as a standalone, but I definitely recommend reading From The Ground Up, if you haven't already, it just enhances this book..." Read more

"10+++++ stars! Y'all, this story is AMAZING! Absolutely a favorite! A page-turner from the very first page, Carly's strength is awesome...." Read more

20 customers mention "Humor"20 positive0 negative

Customers find the book humorous, describing it as laugh-out-loud funny with entertaining situations throughout.

"Absolutely one of the best books I have read this year!!! The dialogue is hilarious and I kept laughing out loud...." Read more

"...And If a book can make you laugh out loud, get mad, smile, and even cry once or twice that is a sign of an excellent book and that is exactly what..." Read more

"...And there are MANY, MANY Laugh Out LOUD moments! The friendship to romance is so well-written, the relationships nuanced and heartfelt...." Read more

"...The bird scene is one of the funniest and best written scenes of any book I've read...." Read more

12 customers mention "Heartwarming"12 positive0 negative

Customers find the book heartwarming, enjoying its emotional content and feel-good moments, with one customer mentioning it made them cry.

"...James just might be the best boyfriend ever! Thoughtful, respectful, sensitive to Carly and oh so romantic in many ways...." Read more

"I really enjoyed this book and all of the swoony, feel-good moments; however, my one criticism is that I just found James to be too perfect...." Read more

"...James is a kind and very handsome man, who is amazing with his niece and all her classmates...." Read more

"...to romance is so well-written, the relationships nuanced and heartfelt. And there's no unnecessary relationship angst!..." Read more

12 customers mention "Romance"12 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the romance in the book, describing it as well-crafted, with one customer noting its nuanced relationships.

"...Thoughtful, respectful, sensitive to Carly and oh so romantic in many ways...." Read more

"...The friendship to romance is so well-written, the relationships nuanced and heartfelt. And there's no unnecessary relationship angst!..." Read more

"I loved this small-town romance with the most fantastic slow burn!..." Read more

"...that help the story like her son and his family add a touch of humour , love and sweetness that will leave you smiling! This book is a must read!!!..." Read more

10 customers mention "Strength"10 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the heroine's strength in the book, describing it as a beautiful tale of internal fortitude, with one customer noting how she helped her mother become stronger.

"...Carly is a strong women and great mom to her son Jack. The bond between them so strong nothing could break them apart...." Read more

"...traumatic back story and what I really appreciated was the strength the heroine showed and the honesty that the hero showed by not keeping secrets...." Read more

"...A page-turner from the very first page, Carly's strength is awesome. The meet-cute w/ "Captain" James is hilarious...." Read more

"...than her life that was turned upside down, to me it shows promise and strength and belief in what forging forward can do for the soul...." Read more

9 customers mention "Character development"9 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the character development in the book, with several mentioning they fell in love with them, and one customer noting that the characters were older.

"I was totally impressed with the character's and storyline, anytime a women is shown to be so much stronger than her life that was turned upside down..." Read more

"...You also connect with the characters more because they have back stories and this makes it even more real...." Read more

"...Such a beautiful story with amazing characters! James is a dream , a real life hero, who is ready to fight for her, no matter how long he has to..." Read more

"...She meets the most wonderful man. I really was not expecting such a wonderful story, a beautiful tale of internal strength and true love...." Read more

7 customers mention "Relationship"7 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the relationship in the book, with one mentioning the beautiful friendship between mother and son, while another notes how mature the child character is for his age.

"...Carly is a strong women and great mom to her son Jack. The bond between them so strong nothing could break them apart...." Read more

"...She was perfect, he was perfect, kids were perfect, and they just had a lovely life...." Read more

"...I loved and recommend this book, the kids are truly special. 💕..." Read more

"...He's really mature for his age and it was so encouraging to see a son so protective of his mom and become the man of the house...." Read more

6 customers mention "Sweetness"6 positive0 negative

Customers find the book sweet, with one describing it as "hottest sweetest."

"...This is my second by her and I loved it! James... what a sweet, sweet soul...." Read more

"...I was drawn to the cover and the story. James Cole-Hottest sweetest, most beautiful single dad I could fall for...." Read more

"...story like her son and his family add a touch of humour , love and sweetness that will leave you smiling! This book is a must read!!!..." Read more

"...liked the relationship between mother and son, unconventional but sweet and understandable given what they had been through together." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • June49
    5.0 out of 5 stars Carly and James...power story and my favorite couple this year!
    Reviewed in the United States on August 17, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    Absolutely one of the best books I have read this year!!! The dialogue is hilarious and I kept laughing out loud. I would love to be friends with all the characters in the book as they are all very likeable and real in actions and thoughts. James just might be the best boyfriend ever! Thoughtful, respectful, sensitive to Carly and oh so romantic in many ways. This book isn't all laughs and giggles but also has a very serious storyline to it. Domestic violence and the aftermath women and children go through for years to come. Carly is a strong women and great mom to her son Jack. The bond between them so strong nothing could break them apart. James has been a single father for 20 years raising his daughter alone since she was 3. The attraction between James and Carly is instant and is, for me, a very powerful story. Will not do any spoilers. I will say that I highly recommend this book and it is one I will read over and over again in the years ahead. Now I am going back to read the first book in the series. I had not heard of this author before but will not miss another one her books!
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Anonymous
    4.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful story but....
    Reviewed in the United States on October 2, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    I really enjoyed this book and all of the swoony, feel-good moments; however, my one criticism is that I just found James to be too perfect. I prefer a more flawed character and this seemed too much like a fairy tale to me. We all want the HEA and I am no exception to that but everything was just too perfect. She was perfect, he was perfect, kids were perfect, and they just had a lovely life. I know that there was a traumatic back story and what I really appreciated was the strength the heroine showed and the honesty that the hero showed by not keeping secrets. I hate when authors do the predictable thing and hide things from each other that you know will cause issues in the end, but this didn't happen and I appreciate that. I just needed a little more conflict than I found in the first two chapters.
    That being said, if you love a sweet, perfect fairy tale about characters with no flaws and no struggles, this is the perfect book for you.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Lisa D.
    5.0 out of 5 stars A Must Read! You Will Fall in Love for Sure!
    Reviewed in the United States on August 7, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    WOW! Right from the start this book had me hooked. The opening was a bit intense but definitely got my attention. Carly Hanson and her son Jack needed a fresh start, and end up moving to Michigan. Things are going great until the day she meets one of her student's uncles, Uncle James. James is a kind and very handsome man, who is amazing with his niece and all her classmates. He is also instantly attracted to Ms. Carly Hanson the beautiful teacher. The immediate chemistry between the two is Undeniable. I was very curious as to where it all would lead, especially seeing how Carly did not want a relationship. I love the way they interact with each other, their playfulness, and banter. This book left my heart full of love and happiness. And If a book can make you laugh out loud, get mad, smile, and even cry once or twice that is a sign of an excellent book and that is exactly what this book did to me!! This book can be read as a standalone, but I definitely recommend reading From The Ground Up, if you haven't already, it just enhances this book that much more!
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Carrie Marie
    5.0 out of 5 stars WORTH the read, so much!!
    Reviewed in the United States on August 7, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    10+++++ stars! Y'all, this story is AMAZING! Absolutely a favorite! A page-turner from the very first page, Carly's strength is awesome. The meet-cute w/ "Captain" James is hilarious. And there are MANY, MANY Laugh Out LOUD moments!

    The friendship to romance is so well-written, the relationships nuanced and heartfelt. And there's no unnecessary relationship angst! These characters are in their 40's, and they act it. They are mature w/o being "mature" - and the struggles that ARE there feel REAL, and genuine.

    The supporting characters (Jack & Lily, especially) are fleshed out & fantastic. Tess & Barrett bring more LOL moments, and I realized that I somehow haven't read book 1, so I will do that soon.

    I could seriously gush about this book for pages, but I'll leave you w/ this - THIS BOOK IS WORTH A READ! : )
    One person found this helpful
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  • Christy D
    3.0 out of 5 stars A Better Place
    Reviewed in the United States on December 4, 2019
    A Better Place is a sweet, second chance love story. Both are single parents with troubled pasts. The story is told in dual POV. It was a cute story but was a little slow at times
    One person found this helpful
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  • Kindle Customer Nanette
    5.0 out of 5 stars THIS WAS A PHENOMENAL STORY ❣❣❣❣❣
    Reviewed in the United States on April 4, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    I was totally impressed with the character's and storyline, anytime a women is shown to be so much stronger than her life that was turned upside down, to me it shows promise and strength and belief in what forging forward can do for the soul. Jennifer Van Wyk has a gifted ability to make her stories show women can reach deep inside themselves and find the God given strength to make life better and that we all deserve that happy place. I loved and recommend this book, the kids are truly special. 💕
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  • Ally.Always.Reads
    4.0 out of 5 stars New obsession alert: Jennifer Van Wyk
    Reviewed in the United States on February 6, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    Seriously. I love Jennifer Van Wyk.
    This is my second by her and I loved it!
    James... what a sweet, sweet soul.

    I have to warn you readers though... these are a little slow to get to the relationship. They’re friends, they stay in a platonic place for a bit. BUT it’s all because of their backstory.
    This is real. This isn’t an unrealistic fantasy. Carly was verbally, emotionally, physically abused by her husband. She came out of that situation stronger, wiser, better but that didn’t mean that she was going to jump into bed with the first man that made her feel like she finally wanted more. She waited. And that’s why I say it’s a little slow but that doesn’t take away from the story. You know the characters. You see them build a friendship. You feel them connect. You’re with them through it all.
    2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Heartbooked
    5.0 out of 5 stars A MUST READ!!!
    Reviewed in Australia on June 30, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    This is a must read. This book had me flipping through its pages without stopping. So beautiful. So amazing. And so deserving of every reader’s eyes out there. Second chance love. The progress of this book from the dedication to the end had me feeling so much because it was full of emotions. Giving this a solid 5..... thank you Jenna Van Wyk for writing such a beautiful book. I don’t want to say anything else because I don’t want to ruin a good read. But I’m officially ‘heartbooked’ (that means this book has reached my reader soul)!!! I absolutely LOVED READING THIS.
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  • Bookie
    5.0 out of 5 stars Romantic, funny, sexy
    Reviewed in Canada on August 13, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    Loved the characters, excellent build up of the love between James and Carly, hilarious chap stick and wax situations and beautiful ending. Can hardly wait to read more of her books.
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  • L beaver
    5.0 out of 5 stars Nicely written
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 19, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    Carly moved to another town after her abusive husband hurt her, she changed her name and settled into her new town with her son. She starts training so that she can protect herself in the future and gets a job teaching. She meets James when he takes his niece to school and she collides with him. There is more than a spark between them and James decides he wants to pursue Carly. She is very guarded but James seems to know and takes things very slowly. There are some funny parts and the relationship between Carly and James is written really well. Carly's son is lovely and the abusive part is tackled well.
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  • Dina
    4.0 out of 5 stars Great
    Reviewed in Canada on August 22, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    Was a really good book. Enjoyed all the characters and the story. Can't wait to read more from this author
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  • Amanda Drummond
    4.0 out of 5 stars Four Stars
    Reviewed in Australia on August 10, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    A nice sweet story about strength and starting over and moving on. Really enjoyed it.
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