I was falling into a bit of a slump and my mood reading was acting up. So the moment Mountain Daddy by SJ Tilly showed up as available on KU, I immediately dove in. Because SJ Tilly can pull me out of a reading slump.
Mountain Daddy by SJ Tilly
Mountain Daddy by SJ Tilly is the second book in the Mountain Men series. It is a contemporary romance published on July 31st, 2025 and has 534 pages. You can find the book on Amazon, Kindle Unlimited, or the author’s website here.
Premise
Kendra just got handed an eviction notice, her roommate screwed her entirely and now she’s forced to move back to Colorado to live with her dad – who she has a great relationship with, but still not ideal. Desperate for one more night of solitude she stops at the local motel and gets a room before heading to the bar next door. There she meets Luther, and the two hit it off. A one night stand is just what she needs.
That is until a few days later when she bumps into Luther at her dad’s house and finds out “Rocky” – her dad’s bff – is Luther. Sleeping with your dad’s best friend has a whole hell of a lot of challenges.
Triggers
Triggers found in Mountain Daddy by SJ Tilly include:
- Sexually explicit scenes
- Animal injury (They are fine.)
- Reproductive health problems
My Thoughts
Kendra is a smart, educated, but struggling thirty-something, especially after her roommate screws her over. Thankfully her dad offers her a well-paying job with his company and a place to live in beautiful Colorado. So while living with a parent in your 30s isn’t great, she’s choosing to accept it as the new start she needs.
When she arrives near town she decides on a whim to spend the night at a local motel instead of going directly to her dad’s. Despite the good relationship they have she just wants one more night of freedom.
She didn’t anticipate that she’d meet Luther at the bar next to the motel, but the two hit it off right away and the heat explodes off the page. They share one night together, and that’s the end of it. Or … it’s supposed to be.
“You want me to take a tequila shot with you, Doll?” Doll. I flatten my palms on the bar for balance. Yeah, Daddy. I want you to take a shot with me. Off me. Whatever. – Mountain Daddy by SJ Tilly
You see, neither one of them expected to see each other again until Luther and her literally run into each other at her Dad’s house. Her dad calls her Kenny and Luther, Rocky. The two had no idea what they were getting into, but the chemistry between them is unstoppable.
A secret relationship, a town full of people who are catching on, and a dad who has no idea what’s happening results in a laugh out loud story filled with heat, found family, and a bit of heartbreak.
“He’s a pain in the ass,” I sigh. Kendra smiles. “I dunno, I think he’s cute.” I narrow my eyes. “Eat your food.” – Mountain Daddy by SJ Tilly
We get spice early in this story and the spice is extremely good. The scenes continue throughout the book, but there will be interruptions and a lot of sneaking around. Also, the term “daddy” is used as an honorific so if you’re a fan of the term, you will love the spice in this book.
Luther lays a hand on my dad’s shoulder with a wicked grin aimed my way. “That’s right, Kendra. I’m your daddy now too.” I gape. He. Didn’t. – Mountain Daddy by SJ Tilly
Kendra might be 24 years younger than Luther but her life experience hasn’t been the greatest. Meanwhile Luther is reaching the back half of his own life and has lived through enough himself. Unfortunately, this leads to a sort of jaded outlook on life.
Luther questions if he could give Kendra everything she deserves in life, and unfortunately, makes a lot of assumptions. Meanwhile Kendra is basically trying to figure out what it is she wants out of life, because what she was doing before she moved to Colorado wasn’t it.
We see these two characters grow quite a bit, and you know I love a story of a woman figuring herself out and going after what she wants.
As per usual with every SJ Tilly book, her side characters play large roles. We get Jessie, Buddy, Ethan, Doug, and of course Sterling and Courtney from the first book make an appearance too, as well as some of the guys from the lodge.
Overall this is a funny cozy book that will make you laugh, you might even shed a tear or two, and in the end want to put it on your shelf.
Who Would Like Mountain Daddy by SJ Tilly?
Tropes found in Mountain Daddy by SJ Tilly include:
- Found Family
- Father’s BFF
- Age Gap
- Plus Size FMC
Make sure you check out all of my recommendations for the Mountain Men series below:
If you liked Praise by Sara Cate, Wild Love by Elsie Silver, or Love, No Chaser by Liz Zerkel you will likely love this book as well.
Have you read Mountain Daddy by SJ Tilly, or have you added it to your TBR? Let me know in the comments below. I love interacting with other readers over books I loved.