Category: Second Chance Romance

I’m single . . . so single it’s painful
Yup, ladies, Brig Knightly–that’s me–is still a lonely bachelor, stumbling through the streets of Port Snow, looking for the girl he’s supposed to end up with
That is until my brother, Rogan, presents me with the opportunity of a lifetime. The Summer of Love, a secret pen pal program in Port Snow is looking for applicants and I’m the perfect fit
I couldn’t sign up fast enough
I found myself quickly falling in love with a pair of red lips at the bottom of a letter. Just like in the movies . .
Life could not have been better, that was until I started hanging out with Ruth Barber. Starting a new business right next to my shop, I found myself gravitating toward her. Her smile, her humor . . . her tea sandwiches
My attraction for Ruth came in full force, leaving me dazed, confused, and *ahem* excited
As new feelings for two women come to a screeching halt, I have to figure out who to choose. But when I discover my pen pal is Ruth, it might be too late
All I want in life is to experience that swoony feeling . . . but I think I might have just missed my chance.

RELEASE DATE: August 6, 2020

Not my first read by the author, and not my last. I have fallen in love with this series from book one, and I have been waiting for the youngest brother’s story and it did not disappoint! HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMEND this series & this book!!

WOW. I was not expecting that, I mean Brig is the youngest brother of them and the most ‘I WANT TO FIND LOVE’ silly, sweet, big heart and still very handsome and sexy in his own way. Ruth is, she surprised me each time, my heart fell for her at every corner fallen and by gosh, can you live through a character? Because i sure as heck did with Ruth. She’s had a secret for a long time, the secret being only to Brig who is a clueless idiot. Talk about a town effort. Yes, you will get lots of laughs here but also sweet moments that will keep you wanting to read more and need more. I was very captivated by this one, I even cried my eyes out. I really wish there is it will be more because I don’t want it to end please. And I am saying this because of the way this book ended, I’m kind of hanging there….

TOP 2020 MUST READ
Romance: ♡♡♡♡♡
Steamy: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Triggers: NA
Standalone/Series: (Getting Lucky #4) Series
Type: All Tags on top of this page!
Recommended: ☑ HIGHLY ☑

2020 ARCs, 5 STAR, Enemy-To-Lovers, Forbidden Romance, JULY 2020 Reviews, Office-Romance, Second Chance Romance, Sizzling

R E V I E W ➠ The Rivals by Vi Keeland

July 23, 2020July 23, 2020by The Guide To Romance Novels2 Comments

The feud between Weston Lockwood and me started at the altar.
Only neither of us attended the wedding, and the nuptials happened decades before either of us was born.
Our grandfathers had been best friends and business partners, at least up until my grandfather’s wedding day—when his bride-to-be blurted out she couldn’t marry him because she was also in love with Weston‘s grandfather.
The two men spent years fighting over Grace Copeland, who also happened to be their third business partner.  But in the end, neither man could steal half of her heart away from the other.
Eventually, they all went their separate ways. Our grandfathers married other women, and the two men became one of the biggest business rivals in history.
Our fathers continued the family tradition of feuding. And then Weston and I did, too.
For the most part, we kept as much distance as possible.
Until the day the woman who started the feud died—and unexpectedly left one of the most valuable hotels in the world to our grandfathers to share.
Now I’m stuck in a hotel with the man I was born to hate, trying to unravel the mess our families inherited.
As usual, it didn’t take long for us to be at each other’s throats.
Weston Lockwood was everything I hated: tall, smart, cocky, and too gorgeous for his own good.  We were fire and ice. 
But that shouldn’t be an issue. Our families were used to being at war. There was just one minor problem, though. Every time Weston and I fought, we somehow wound up in bed.

RELEASE DATE: July 13, 2020

Not my first read by the author, I have read all her books and she’s a part of my BEGINNER TEAM, so it means I’ve been reading her books for years and probably will always read her books. Her writing style is to my liking in all of them and every time she comes out with a new book I get super excited!

Not your average office-romance, no these are not just 2 people that have known each other since they were young but they are part of the bigger rivalry for many years. Weston is a man that carries a lot of burden on his shoulder, the guilt, the unease, broken in a lot of ways. Very sexy tall, dark and handsome, yes, but broken. Sophia is a woman that learned her lesson at age 18, and never again. Or so she thinks, but lines can’t be blurred with the one man she despises, for many years, even if that’s what she has to keep telling herself. When they both fall on old ways, new ground rules are set. that only brought out the fun in the story, until well when all you know is to lie and hide people from yourself, does Weston fall on his old ways? This book is seriously ALL VI writing, so there is JUST that that you’ll love, it’s fun, the banter, sexual tension but also lies and betrayal. After all, was it all really fate?

Romance: ♡♡♡♡
Steamy: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Triggers: NA
Standalone/Series: Standalone
Type: All Tags on top of this page!
Recommended: ☑ HIGHLY ☑

2020 ARCs, 5 STAR, Friends-To-Lovers, JULY 2020 Reviews, New To Me Author, Rom-Com, Second Chance Romance, Sizzling, Slow Burn, Sport Romance

R E V I E W ➠ Homecoming King by Jami Albright

July 12, 2020by The Guide To Romance NovelsLeave a Comment

The king of the gridiron is about to get sacked by a beauty queen with a grudge as big as Texas.
Cash King rolls into Ryder, Texas looking for a little TLC and an ego boost from the townspeople who call him their favorite son. But that ain’t happening. Which is just the cherry on top of the crap sundae that is his life.
His football career is hanging by a thread.
His mom isn’t speaking to him.
His hometown is out for his blood.
And Tiger Lyons, the girl he did wrong in high school, is supervising the renovation of his new home … and living in his pool house.
How’s the league’s premier quarterback supposed to rehab his battered body and regain his starting position, when the woman who still owns a piece of his heart—and now hates his ever-loving guts—is in his face 24/7?
Don’t miss Homecoming King—a hilarious enemies-to-lovers, arrogant football player with a heart of gold, sassy heroine rebuilding her life, small-town sports romcom.

RELEASE DATE: July 7, 2020

NEW to me author and books. Author contacted me for a read/review & after reading more information on it, I was all too happy to read. The blurb really got me hooked by the story kept me going.

I am going to start with the hero and heroine’s names: Cash King and Tiger Lyons if that doesn’t crack you up, I don’t know. This was a rom-com but with SO MUCH DEPTH! Cash not only was funny, but charming, sexy and carried a huge chip on his shoulder…while Tiger was sweet, funny, adorable and very insecure. It felt like a 2nd chance not just for them but for themselves..really enjoyed readying their story. The tone was great I connected right away, the characters and side were relatable and fun to read along with the events. I really am glad I gave this a chance, thank you to the author for my ARC. I will be adding and reading more books by this author.

Tiger is home for me.
A safe place where I’m loved for just being me.
-King

Romance: ♡♡♡
Steamy: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Triggers: NA
Standalone/Series: Standalone
Type: All Tags on top of this page!
Recommended: ☑ HIGHLY ☑

2020 ARCs, 5 STAR, Angsty, Friends-To-Lovers, JUNE 2020 Reviews, Second Chance Romance, Slow Burn, Small Town Romance, Tear Jerker, TOP 2020 MUST READ

R E V I E W ➠ Southern Sunrise by Natasha Madison

July 1, 2020by The Guide To Romance NovelsLeave a Comment

Buried secrets never stay hidden in the South.
Emily
I fell in love with him when I was fourteen. Under the stars, he told me he loved me, and under the stars we promised to love each other always. But under the stars, he broke my heart by walking away.
He left me without a second glance. I was just an afterthought.
Now he’s back, but this time, I’m not falling for his Southern charm.
Maybe.
It’s time I get my happily ever after, even if part of me wishes he was still mine.
Ethan
I found out on my twenty-first birthday that everything I thought I knew was a lie, and the man I had grown up thinking was my father wasn’t.
The pain I felt blinded me, making it impossible to hear what anyone said.
I left them all behind, including her, my best friend and the woman I was going to marry.
Five years later, I’m back, only to find the woman I still love has another man’s ring on her finger.
She’s going to marry my best friend unless I stop her. And this time, I only have until sunrise to change her mind.

RELEASE DATE: July 7, 2020

Not my first read by the author and not my last. I have read almost every singe book by her and of course have read the other books in this series!

Okay, okay, okay…what just happened? I started reading this around 8pm and its almost 1am i am now finished and I’m…I have just cried on and off for hours. Have your tissue handy because this ones a heart-breaker. So by now we all know this is the love story of Ethan who is Savannah’s son, i feel like by this point you probably don’t want to start the series with this book so we all know who he is. I want sure what to expect to be honest, then i thought i knew what to expect then i was broken into pieces, felt every single word and cried right along. Sometimes trying to find yourself or who you are comes at a cost, and Ethan paid BIG! Emily, beautiful Emily… forever will love her, i felt every single break of hers, every year gone by alone, gah just so tragic but beautiful.

If you want angst mixed with heartbreak, throw in some curves on the road AND then have it all try and find the same path… this is for you. I am so glad Ethan and Emily got their story, probably a critical and important one at that. not the end but I’m throwing this into my “when I’m feeling sad’ pile so i can extra FEEL it when i re-read!

TOP 2020 MUST READ!
Romance: ♡♡♡♡♡
Steamy: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Triggers: NA
Standalone/Series: #4 of Series
Type: All Tags on top of this page!
Recommended: ☑ HIGHLY ☑

2020 ARCs, 4 STAR, Enemy-To-Lovers, JUNE 2020 Reviews, MUST READS!, Second Chance Romance, Single Dad, Sizzling, Slow Burn, Small Town Romance

R E V I E W ➠ The Player Next Door by K.A. Tucker

June 17, 2020June 19, 2020by The Guide To Romance NovelsLeave a Comment

Scarlet Reed has returned to Polson Falls, convinced that twelve years away is long enough to shed her humiliating childhood identity as the town harlot’s daughter. With a teaching job secured and an adorable fixer-upper to call home, things in her life are finally looking up.
That is, until she finds out that Shane Beckett lives next door.
Shane Beckett, the handsome and charismatic high school star quarterback who smashed her heart. The lying, cheating player who was supposed to be long gone, living the pro football dream and fooling women into thinking he’s Prince Charming. Shane Beckett, who is as attractive as ever and flashing his dimples at her as if he has done no wrong.
Scarlet makes it abundantly clear that old wounds have not been forgotten. Neighbors they may be, but friends they most certainly are not. She won’t allow herself to fall for the single father and firefighter again, no matter how many apologies he offers, how many times he rushes to her aid, or how hard he makes her heart pound.
But as she spends more time with him, she begins to fear that maybe she’s wrong. Maybe Shane has changed.
And maybe this time she’s the one playing herself—out of a chance at true happiness.

RELEASE DATE: June 16, 2020

This is a new to me author and what caught my eye was the blurb, something i was excited to read. that said, it being a new to me, I wasn’t sure of the style of writing…it’s always works out or not when it’s a new author and can’t blame anyone when a reader can’t connect with anything regarding the book. Unfortunately i was not able to fully connect with the heroine and hero himself. It came down to the style of writing and over all characters for me. Nothing in particular just the overall. Now that said, the plot was great, little predictable but teacher romances can happen like that. It’s a second chance, little enemy to then friends to lovers, single dad, forbidden relationship. The hero and heroine dated for a summer in HS, after having her heart straight up broken she moves away in hopes of better and for 12 years she did. i forgot to mention that heroines mother was a harlot. It’s complicated.
the hero kind of reminds me of the everyday jock that has it all, grown up but still tendencies and actions of a young adult type. Just could not connect with them and some of their actions. the story line definitely knew what was coming for most of the book, transitions were smooth. I’ve wanted to read this author for a while now and glad i gave it a chance.

Romance: ♡♡♡
Steamy: 🔥🔥🔥
Triggers: N/A
Standalone/Series: Standalone
Type: All Tags on top of this page!
Recommended: ☑

2020 ARCs, Friends-To-Lovers, May 2020 Reviews, Second Chance Romance, Single Dad, Sizzling

R E V I E W ➠ Layover Lover by Jeannine Colette & Lauren Runow

May 17, 2020by The Guide To Romance NovelsLeave a Comment

Flying the friendly skies has been more than just a job to me. It’s my home.
Ten years ago I ran away from everything I’ve known and vowed never to return. That is until my flight is canceled due to weather, and I’m stuck in San Francisco.
Fate is not on my side when I end up in an Uber rideshare with the one man I thought I’d never see again.
Zack Hunt was my high school sweetheart, and the boy I walked away from without a note saying goodbye. Except, he’s no longer a boy. No, this man is gorgeous, intense, and heated at the sight of me.
The anger searing off him is nothing compared to the way my heart pounds from seeing him again. Words are said. Feelings are crushed. But when he invites me into his bar to hash out our past, I find myself following him in, desperate for more.
The line between past and present is blurred when Zack challenges me to a dare—come back home with him to see what I walked away from.
Call me a glutton for punishment, but I do.
Then I challenge him right back to live a day in my shoes.
We drive home to rediscover the past
We fly abroad to live in the present.
When we stop moving, we realize we may never have a future.
Layover Lover is a second chance romance, aligned by fate. Can two lost souls really find love again on a layover? Or do they need to keep flying?

RELEASE DATE: May 31, 2020

“You’re a goddamn sire. A temptress. And I have no control.”
-Zack

Not my first read by either author and I have to say that I have loved everything I have read by them together or alone. So it comes with heavy heart when I have to say that this was not my cup of tea, and I’ll explain why.

I want to start off by saying that i am not a big fan of the hero pinning after the heroine in any type of shape or form, that said this unfortunately was not my cup of tea if you will. I have huge respect for the authors and have read their books before but I just could not get into liking the heroine here is why: she did not budge not even a milometer…it made me feel sorry for the hero and that’s a turn off. I get that she is a flight attendant but there was no budging even after the hero gave a lot AND HE GAVE A LOT, ALWAYS! Not a bad thing just my personal opinion and feelings. I wish the authors nothing but the best always.

Romance: ♡♡♡
Steamy: 🔥🔥🔥
Triggers: N/A
Standalone/Series: Standalone
Type: All Tags on top of this page!
Recommended: ☑

2020 ARCs, Angsty, Friends-To-Lovers, May 2020 Reviews, Second Chance Romance, Sizzling, Small Town Romance, Surprise Baby, Tear Jerker

R E V I E W ➠ Fight For Me by Corinne Michaels

May 14, 2020May 15, 2020by The Guide To Romance NovelsLeave a Comment

I fell in love with Sydney Hastings when I was ten years old.
At sixteen, we whispered promises of forever.
When I was twenty-two I broke them all. I left her and promised never to return.
After my father’s death, I’m forced to go home to Sugarloaf for six months. She’ll be everywhere, no longer just in my memories and regrets.
When we’re together, it’s as though time never stopped. She’s still the one I want, but I don’t deserve her. Instead of apologizing, I take that beautiful, broken woman in my arms. But after that, it’s her turn to leave me.
Now I have to fight. For her. For us. For the life we both want …

RELEASE DATE: May 19, 2020

Her head is in my hands, and my heart is at her feet. She has no idea how badly I want to be the man she still sees.
-Declan

Not my first read by the author or last, I’ve been a huge fan for many years. I was WAITING FOR DECLAN gah *sigh* absolutely everything about it kept me captivated through out the whole book. What a start…and then I finished it and I am now asking myself what in the heck just happened? Wha…why? *breathing*

Well this will be really hard to keep spoiler free but I shall. If you’ve read book one you know this was going to be a second-chance and if you didn’t, now you know. It was so intense to a point I wanted to throw my kindle, then it just took a turn and BAM, I was balling my eyes out into my chips I was eating. It feels like I just got off a roller coaster ride and wasn’t sure that I ever even got on one. It was intense, heart-breakingly beautiful, angsty, sorrow and romantic in it’s own way! You kind of come out breathing little faster, but by gosh did it mend my heart! You don’t want to miss Declan and Sydney’s story…one for the books!!

TOP 2020 MUST READ!
Romance: ♡♡♡♡♡
Steamy: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Triggers: N/A
Standalone/Series: Book #2
Type: All Tags on top of this page!
Recommended: ☑ HIGHLY ☑

2020 ARCs, Friends-To-Lovers, May 2020 Reviews, Second Chance Romance, Single Mom, Sizzling, Slow Burn, Small Town Romance, Sport Romance, Sports Romance

R E V I E W ➠ Clutch Player by Nikki Ash

May 14, 2020by The Guide To Romance NovelsLeave a Comment

Clutch player: an athlete who is good under pressure and performs highly impossible plays in a quick and almost impossible amount of time.
Harper
I fell in love when I was sixteen. Landon was my entire world and I thought he would be my forever. But I was young and dumb, and with one error in judgement, I destroyed any chance of a future we could’ve had together, along with our hearts.
Twelve years later and I’m going through the motions of life, but not actually living. Which is why I let my friends, Bridget and Simon, set me up on a blind date. Turns out, it’s not so blind after all. Because the man sitting in front of me is the same man who’s held onto my heart all these years.
Landon
They call me a Clutch Player because I’m good under pressure and quick on my feet. I was also quick to fall in love. The first time it was with baseball, the second was with Harper. And for a short time I had them both.
Until I lost Harper and all I had left was baseball.
For years, I focused on my career. I had accepted that baseball was my one true love.
Until I saw her again. I never imagined we’d ever get a second chance, but now that she’s sitting right across from me, I know there’s no way in hell I’m going to let her go again.

RELEASE DATE: May 17, 2020

“It’s us, Harp. It feels like this because it’s you and me.”

Not my first read by the author but it has been a while, I really really loved this one too. The romance on this was off the roof, you will fall in love with the hero instantly…this is a heartbreaking story of mistakes being made, misunderstanding and priorities being thrown around instead of organized. Sweet, beautiful, sizzling and captivating. It went really well with the Cocky Books and your heart will melt with the epilogue!!

Romance: ♡♡♡♡♡
Steamy: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Triggers: N/A
Standalone/Series: Standalone
Type: All Tags on top of this page!
Recommended: ☑

2020 ARCs, Angsty, Dark Romance, Enemy-To-Lovers, May 2020 Reviews, MUST READS!, Second Chance Romance, Sizzling, Slow Burn, Suspense Romance, Tear Jerker, Triggers

R E V I E W ➠ Black Tangled Heart by Samantha Young

May 10, 2020by The Guide To Romance NovelsLeave a Comment

To my siblings, Jane was a friend. A pseudo-sister, the girl we grew up with.
To me? She was everything.
Our passion consumed us.
When our world fell apart, I thought our love would be the thing that held us together.
She was the love of my life. But she abandoned me when I needed her most.
And I’ll never forgive her.
For years I’ve been planning my revenge against the people who took everything from me.
Jane won’t be an exception. I’m coming for her.
She knows it.
She says she wants to help me serve my version of justice on the people who hurt me.
I’ll let her.
She probably thinks it will save her from me.
It won’t.

RELEASE DATE: May 14, 2020

Not my first read by the author, she happens to be one of my firsts many moons ago. So I am very familiar with her style but HELLO was I shocken with this. I did not know that enemy-to and ANTI-HERO came from the sweet Samantha! Okay, I kind of am not suprised but it was really really good. I haven’t read her books in a while therefore this was a good shock for me. I will note that I have not read Book 1 & 2 in this series but I have read the 2.5 Book Hold On.

What captures me the most in this story is that it was so relatable that I didn’t even know I was just reading at times, the events and actions…it was…it broke my heart but I was still lusting after it. First you get hit with the before, and it’s fierce young love then you get hit with the ugly and real…and then finally the present. I don’t do spoilers and if I don’t want what I type I might blur something out…it’s really one of those books that you do NOT want the spoilers because it’s that amazing! All I will say is don’t always believe what other’s say!

H A P P Y – R E A D I N G!

MUST READ!
Romance: ♡♡♡♡
Steamy: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Triggers: Yes (but would be spoilers)
Standalone/Series: Standalone
Type: All Tags on top of this page!
Recommended: ☑ HIGHLY ☑

2020 ARCs, April 2020 Review, Friends-To-Lovers, Second Chance Romance, Sizzling, Small Town Romance, Sport Romance, Sports Romance, Tear Jerker, TOP 2020 MUST READ

R E V I E W ➠ Unforgettable by Melanie Harlow

May 2, 2020by The Guide To Romance NovelsLeave a Comment