Prof. Bethan Carew
stepfamily researcher
Patient; stepfamilies take years
Blended
Joel marries Fiona and inherits her teenagers’ suspicion. Over years he learns stepfamily dynamics, earns a place he cannot demand, and discovers that being trusted matters more than being called Dad.
Planned · not started yet
Relationships, parenting & family Family duty Belonging Family home Warm Tense
The premise
Joel marries Fiona and inherits her teenagers’ suspicion. Over years he learns stepfamily dynamics, earns a place he cannot demand, and discovers that being trusted matters more than being called Dad.
The protagonist
Joel Akinyemi-Tavares — Stepfather moving in with two teenagers
The council
Every council member is an original fictional character. None represents, quotes or is endorsed by a real person.
Idris Shah
school counsellor
Warm; teenagers test boundaries to find safety
Nora Pettigrew
parenting educator
Practical; let the biological parent lead discipline
How the story moves
Told by Joel and each teenager over three years; the ex-husband’s return in Book 3 tests everything.
What readers take away
- Stages of stepfamily development
- Discipline roles for step-parents
- Loyalty conflicts
- Co-parenting with ex-partners
- Adolescent development
- Building connection slowly
- Family meetings
- Planning for adult children leaving home
- Plan a shared family calendar
- Handle holidays across households
- Recognise when to seek family therapy
- Support step-siblings
The books
- 1Moving in Planned
- 2Rules Planned
- 3The ex Planned
- 4The wedding Planned
- 5Leaving home Planned
Book titles are working titles and may change before publication. No book is on sale until the complete series is finished, checked and released.