Tag Archives: second-chance romance

Apr2

Here We Go Again by Alison Cochrun

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Here We Go Again by Alison Cochrun

Cochrun, Alison. Here We Go Again. Atria, 2024. 384 pp. ISBN 9781668021194 $17.99.

****

This fantastic sapphic road-trip romance has shades of Mrs. Nash’s Ashes; rather than delivering ashes to a former lover, the goal is for two colleagues and former friends to bring their beloved dying drama teacher Joe across country to the love of his life. Although they both try very hard to avoid one another at their alma mater–where they both teach with Joe–Fuckboy Logan’s true meet-cute reunion with ice-queen Rosemary is when she (accidentally!) runs into Rosemary’s car with her own in an Applebee’s parking lot in their hometown. Joe brings them together again to let them know the cancer he has been fighting has metastasized, and he’s actively dying, and he wants them to take him on an epic road trip before he goes.

Logan, whose nickname is Chicken, has always had wanderlust but never been much more than fifteen minutes from her hometown. Rosemary, a planner, has mapped out every detail of the trip and shows up at Logan’s with a white chocolate mocha bribe. The trip should only take a week, with stops in major cities with good hospitals–just in case–but the best laid plans of mice and men, yadda yadda yadda. Logan agrees, they take off a second-hand van emblazed with the logo of The Queer Cuddler, and have their first fight before they’ve even left the driveway.

Rosemary and Logan are truly opposites attract: Rosemary, sort of WASPy, passes as straight, while ethnic Logan is openly gay; Rosemary has matching luggage and Logan’s belongings are stuffed into a duffle bag; Rosemary brings dried fruit and nuts and La Croix for road snacks while Logan loaded up on Funyans. Joe? Joe’s bringing along his record player and vinyl, a box of books, and a Pendleton blanket. And his dog. And his list of detours. He charmingly milks his death trip to take all the side trips he wants to fit in, smoke all the weed he wants, and to press Rosemary into correcting Logan’s assumption that she is straight.

Lyrics from musicals, literary and dramatic allusions, and pop culture references abound. Logan’s (and her father’s) penchant for substituting names of actors and singers for expletives/using the name of the Lord in vain is a cute tic, but could get a little wearing for some readers. Logan’s Greek Orthodox background adds a layer, as does the scenic descriptions of the landscapes they pass through from the Pacific Northwest to Bar Harbor, Maine. There are many sweet moments, like when they assume they are going to be victims of a hate crime in Idaho, the sublime view of the Grand Canyon, and how much Rosemary and Logan want to make Joe happy. The slow journey across the US mirrors the two former friends slowly becoming vulnerable to each other again in a very beautiful, often humorous, deliciously paced, wholly real way.

I received a free advance reader’s review copy of #HereWeGoAgain from #NetGalley, courtesy of Atria Books.

Mar28

The Breakup Tour by Emily Wibberley & Austin Siegemund-Broka

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The Breakup Tour by Emily Wibberley & Austin Siegemund-Broka

Wibberley, Emily and Austin Siegemund-Broka. The Breakup Tour. Berkley, 2024. ISBN 9780593638644 $17.00

****

This is Taylor Swift fanfiction at its finest: a delightful romance that is in part an homage to Time magazine’s woman of the year who cranks out hit after hit, donates buckets of money to charities, treats her crew and fans like gold, all the while being criticized for her dating life or for detracting from Sunday football.

Riley Wynn, a recently married/recently divorced 30-something musician, performer, and superstar, is a household name. She started out in high school theatre and while in college she met, fell in love with, and performed with pianist Max. They were going to head to Nashville and start touring together when he opted to stay home and take over his family’s nursing home–his music dreams didn’t include fame in their way Riley’s did. Like Taylor, many of Riley’s songs lead fans to search for Easter eggs and speculate who–and what relationship–she’s singing about. Her newest hit is about Max, but everyone THINKS it’s about her movie star ex, and he’s milking it. When Riley invites Max to go on tour with her to play “his” song, he says yes, for the money he will bring in might save his family’s business. Will he, used to playing for the residents at early bird dinner in the nursing home’s dining room, be able to handle stadiums? And, can they make it work the second-time around?

This was a delightful read. As in their other novels, Wibberly and Siegemund-Broka alternate chapters in male/female point of view. They capture emotion and dialogue beautifully, and the behind-the-scenes on tour and glimpse into the music industry is fun. The tone, pacing, some repetitive elements, and some simplicity made this read like a new adult or young adult read to me: I found the characters, Riley in particular, immature compared to their other books, and it detracted slightly for me. That said, it’s a great crossover for older teens.

I read #TheBreakupTour via Libby from my local public library.

Feb22

The Predictable Heartbreaks of Imogen Finch by Jacqueline Firkins

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The Predictable Heartbreaks of Imogen Finch by Jacqueline Firkins

Firkins, Jacqueline. The Predictable Heartbreaks of Imogen Finch. St. Martin’s Press, 2023. 352 pp. ISBN 9781250836526 $18.00.

***

Poor Imogen. She’s been dumped seventeen times and is returning to her coastal home to lick her wounds, when she encounters the One That Got Away: Eliot, back in town for his father’s funeral. He’s determined to help her crack her mother’s prophecy that she will never be first in anything she tries (hence, all the breakups–they all leave her for someone else) with a series of summery challenges to win SOMETHING.

Chapters of the present-day narrative’s experiments with games, contests, and competitions are interspersed with scenes from relationships gone wrong and Imogen’s texts with her bestie Frannie, sprinkled with humor, pathos and spice in equal measure.

The will they/won’t they is a strong pull as the author explores Imogen’s history and personality, asking the central question of whether Imogen’s mother is clairvoyant… or if Imogen just has really bad timing. Eliot doesn’t seem to believe in the curse, even as he helps Imogen to break it. To what degree is her mother’s prediction a self-fulfilling prophecy? What’s the flaw in Imogen’s selection of partners? To what degree are we responsible for the role we play in our own recurring disasters in our lives? The amount of angst in this book makes it less a romance than women’s fiction, and with the strong focus on the female protagonist, Eliot comes off less well developed and a little hero/savior complex for me. Still, it was a quick and enjoyable read.

I received a free advance reader’s review copy of #ThePredictableHeartbreaksOfImogenFinch from #NetGalley, courtesy of #StMartinsPress.

Feb18

Effie Olsen’s Summer Special by Rochelle Bilow

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Effie Olsen’s Summer Special by Rochelle Bilow

Bilow, Rochelle. Effie Olsen’s Summer Special. Berkley, 2024. 384 pp. ISBN 9780593547908 $18.00

***1/2

In this swoony friends-to-lovers culinary romance, professional chef Effie returns to her hometown in Maine and reconnects with Ernie, the best friend she hasn’t spoken to since graduation when he made things weird. The local farm-to-table restaurant just happens to need help, and she becomes gainfully employed while she contemplates her next move.

The descriptions of coastal Maine in summer, culinary lifestyle, and restaurant characters and antics are warm and engaging; the details of what exactly happened between the two friends, and strange things afoot at the restaurant propel the narrative. The romance is a slow burn, with a first kiss not until 50% of the way through, followed by Effie pulling back, followed by steamy sexting.

Fans of Ruby Spencer’s Whisky Year will appreciate the small town setting, food descriptions, and richly detailed personalities.

I received a free advance reader’s review copy of #EffieOlsen’sSummerSpecial via #NetGalley courtesy of #BerkleyPublishingGroup.

May29

Meet Me at the Lake by Carley Fortune

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Meet Me at the Lake by Carley Fortune

Fortune, Carley. Meet Me at the Lake. Berkley, 2023. 336 pp. SBN 9780593438558 $18.00

***

No matter what you put in your 10-year plan, does it really come out like you thought it would? A chance encounter leads to a full day spent together and changes college student Fern’s trajectory. Perhaps it was inevitable that she would inherit the family resort her single mother successfully manages, and Fern even majored in business, but she would rather live in the city and run her own coffeeshop than return to the bush. When she has the audacity to call muralist Will’s wall art “basic,” they form a quick bond and agree to spend the day together.

Through a tour of Toronto, Vietnamese sandwiches, an art museum stop, a ska concert and the world’s biggest plate of nachos, they share their hopes and dreams, most embarrassing moments, and very little about the people they are in relationships with, Will reminds her that it is her life, not her mother’s. Their day morphs into evening and although they are each seeing someone, recognize the kindred spark and make a plan to meet at Fern’s family’s resort a year from the date of their first encounter. Will doesn’t show up, and it’s heartbreaking but also part of what Fern needs to speak up for herself and advocate for her needs.

When her mother dies, Fern inherits the property and business. Selling it would be finance the coffeeshop of her dreams–and destroy the dynasty, put people of work, and threaten the good relationship she has with her ex-boyfriend who is the acting manager. Too introverted to hostess like her mother, Fern refuses to greet guests and make announcements in the dining roof, and hides behind the check-in desk. A chance encounter with a guest is revealed to be Will, checking in for a month-long stay, has her re-evaluating again. The artist was acting as business consultant to Fern’s mother, and now Fern needs to decide if she’s going to sell, or stay–and if she can forgive Will, or not.

Chapters alternate between past and present to relay the narrative in a carefully controlled way. The chemistry and dramatic tension are spun out in a way may leave some readers frustrated. The delicate handling of mental illness and grief add depth this second-chance romance.

I received a free advance reader’s review copy of #MeetMeAtTheLake from #NetGalley.

Oct10

Do I Know You? by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka

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Do I Know You? by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka

Wibberley, Emily and Austin Siegemund-Broka. Do I Know You? Berkley, 2023. 352 pp. ISBN 9780593201954 $17.00

***

Is it a second chance romance when the couple is question is already married and still together? After five years, Graham is withdrawing and vibrant Eliza, an audiobook narrator, isn’t sure why. When his parents gift them a second honeymoon getaway at a romantic resort that is also hosting a dating seminar the same weekend, Eliza books her own room to get a little space. Assumed single and introduced to one another at the bar by another well-meaning stranger, the two decide to take on a little role-playing in the hopes of rekindling their romance.

My initial thought was that there might be some sexy pretend-to-go-home with a stranger games, but authors Wibberley and Siegemund-Broka do not take the easy way out in this angsty tale of longing. Told in alternating points of view, we learn of Eliza and Graham’s insecurities, hurts and baggage as they fake date, reconcile and try to heal their marriage. The writing is deep and introspective and the resolution satisfying, but I didn’t like it as much as The Roughest Draft, which knocked the narrative, plot, pacing, sexual tension and characterizations out of the park.

I received a free advance reader’s review copy of #DoIKnowYou from #NetGalley.

Sep27

One Night Stand After Another by Amanda Usen

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One Night Stand After Another by Amanda Usen

Usen, Amanda. One Night Stand After Another. 210 pp. Independently Published, 2022. ISBN 9798843334680 $13.99

**

Plot what plot? I am not adverse to sexy stories, bring them on! But this one straddling the line between romance and erotica. In this second-chance romance, crochet artist Clara has a run in with a high school flame at another ex’s wedding, and Zane makes it his mission to help her launch her business in between his own restaurant dealings. The road trip plot helped further the story. I cringed at how hard Zane had to work to gain Clara’s attention and affection and the over the top gifting of yarn and meals and hotels reminded me too much of my first relationship and accusations of attempts to buy my affection (it worked, but love bombing is an immature and not necessarily sustainable and very superficial way to relate to another person).

I did not find a strong enough story between the blow by blow by blowjob details. This novel opens with a dirty fantasy… and the fantasies are more detailed and better-written than the actual sex between the characters, which is an interesting choice/commentary on reality of relationships. I love books about love, sex and food, and the crochet as wearable art is unique. This one should have done it for me, but just didn’t. Independently published, and it shows.

I received a free reader’s advance review copy of #OneNightStandAfterAnother from #NetGalley.

Sep26

Just My Type by Falon Ballard

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Just My Type by Falon Ballard

Ballard, Falon. Just My Type. G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 2023. 368 pp. ISBN 978-0593419939 $17.00

***

Serial monogamist and relationship columnist Lana Parker was expecting a proposal when her boyfriend of four years tells her it’s just not working, and even though she agrees, she’s still low-key devastated, exacerbated by an out-of-the-blue text from Seth Carson, The One That Got Away (and Broke Her Heart) when their high school relationship ended abruptly. The morning after she drowns her break up sorrows in alcohol with her bestie May, she gets an alert on her phone about a mandatory on-site work meeting, and drags her hungover ass in… only to learn her ex is joining their team as part of a publishing merger. Her boss smells the unfinished business vibes between Seth and Lana, and sets up a competition between them: Seth, the player, has to embark on a long term relationship and NOT have sex, while and Lana, the afraid to be alone heroine, has to remain single and have a one-night stand (a challenge she issues for herself). They must detail their experiences in weekly columns, tallying likes and comments weekly, and then the public will vote for a fan favorite to get a promotion to their own serious journalism column.

Pop culture and LA references abound, and Lana is a self-professed sci-fi geek who dreams of moving to an entertainment features column instead of giving dating advice. She’s a great friend and a decent writer but too easily manipulated, and her behavior towards Seth is not completely unwarranted, but I have trouble with women that are too mean and too immature and too inconsistent, and she occasionally veers into pretty unattractive behavior to someone she supposedly is still in love with. On the other hand, I loved the fake date setups and their boss trying to throw them together, but didn’t love that it was for hits and sales, rather than for its own merit and their happiness. The therapy sessions, group chat (Get a Room!) with the other journalists, and the great chapter headings that excerpt former and new columns are a nice touch.

I received a free advance reader’s review copy of #JustMyType from #NetGalley.

Mar31

A Thousand Miles by Bridget Morrissey

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A Thousand Miles by Bridget Morrissey

Morrissey, Bridget. A Thousand Miles. Berkley, 2022. ISBN 978-0593201176 368 pp. $15.99

***

Lots of drama fills this road trip tale about estranged lovers who made a promise ten years ago to retrace their epic travels from Illinois to to a decade after the first trip. Ben unexpectedly calls in this favor when his beloved Gam dies and her house needs clearing out. With some degree of shock–perhaps because of how quickly they fall into their old, familiar banter–Dee agrees to make the journey, since her hiatus lines up with teacher Ben’s summer break. Plus, there’s the matter of the Time Capsule they buried in Ben’s grandmother’s backyard…

Told in alternating voices, the narrative included occasional text exchanges and podcast scripts. The road trip includes obligatory planning the route (and side trips) in a greasy spoon, choosing snacks, and road trip games, including the License Plate game and the classic Truth or Dare that gives the characters space to unload some baggage and relive old memorials, while the ceremonial “recreating the previous road trip” activities they pursue, like bowling, allow them to get closer physically and emotionally.

Morrissey uses classic tropes to her advantage: there’s Hurt/Comfort when Dee gets ill, Forced Proximity in shared hotel rooms, and Only One Bed. After a few kisses and more than 500 miles, brash Dee finally gets up the nerve to ask what went wrong between them, and they resolve their relationship.

Now a podcaster, Ben is often referenced as Name Redacted on her podcast, Did I Forget to Tell You? The wondering why they haven’t talked in ten years while Dee still rewatches the old YouTube videos they made together in high school is an intriguing pull through an otherwise straightforward nostalgic plot. This is a must-read for fans of second-chance romance, and anyone who sometimes lives in their heads, wondering about The One That Got Away.

I received an advance reader’s review copy of #AThousandMiles via #NetGalley.