10 Must Read Second Chance Romances!

It's no secret that second chance romance is one of my top 3 favorite tropes. There is just something about a couple returning to each other years later, and finding their happily ever after together. Let's just say it's the romantic in me.

There were a couple of books that I wanted to put on this list, but they were the second half of duets. Therefore you'd have to read book one to get to the second chance romance in book two. If you're curious about what those recommendations were, well they are: The Love Duet by Xavier Neal, Next Life Duet by Brit Benson, and the Blood and Bone duet by Paula Dombrowiak. All three are fantastic, and I highly recommend them.

I'm not here to talk about duets though. Let's talk about the standalone romance novels that I think you should read. (full disclosure: these are standalones, but they are part of larger interconnected series.)

There are some authors who I could reference multiple times, but I'm going to do my best not to repeat. Well except for one time. But they are from different series, so I'm calling it good.

Do you read second chance romances? Any favorites? Have you read any of the books I'm about to mention? If you don't like the second chance trope, why not? I'm just curious. I know we all have our preferred tropes.

Happy Reading,
Laura

Southern Sunrise by Natasha Madison

I was absolutely smitten with Ethan and Emily's story. These two were high school sweethearts, but then something happened, and Ethan left to join the military. He's back now, and he ran into Emily at his mom's house. Or rather what was his mom's house. This book had me crying, laughing, swooning, and not wanting it to end. There was just something about getting to see Ethan all grown up, and falling in love that I just could not get enough of. Life hasn't been easy, but his sunrise is near, and he's determined to win her back.

Rules for Dating Your Ex by Piper Rayne

Sedona Bailey's story was one of my favorites of the series! We had watched this relationship happen throughout the series, and to finally get this was just perfect. Sedona and Jamison had been high school sweethearts. They moved away together when he became a professional soccer (football) player. Things had been going great, until they weren't. It was that difficult time when Sedona fled back to Lake Starlight. Her family welcomed her home, helped her through the heartbreak, and was by her side when Jamison reappeared. Don't worry there is no need to read the previous books in the series, but if you want to it's a fun read. This book was a quick read, it was emotional, and it had me loving this family even more. 

Making Spirits Bright by Aven Ellis

It is no secret that I am a big fan of Aven's storytelling. Jack and Aoife had been introduced in Connectivity 2.0, and we heard all about what went down in their relationship. We heard about the heartache, and learned why Aoife has the trust issues that she does. Making Spirits Bright is their second chance, and oh what a story it was. Now personally this one moved a bit slower for me than I'm used to, but it didn't detract from my enjoyment. Getting to watch these two reconnect, heal, and grow was just wonderful. Aven continues to blow me away with her books.

Mine to Have by Natasha Madison

Mine to Have is the first book in the Southern Wedding series, and it was fantastic. Yes there is a prequel called Mine to Kiss, and for the full effect you should read that first. Especially since it tells how Harlow and Travis met, fell in love, and ultimately broke up. Mine to Have is their reunion, and I could not put it down. This was my favorite of the series (thus far), and a lot of that had to do with the fact that it was a spin off of the Southern series. So I was familiar with Harlow. LOVE LOVE LOVE this book.

Missing Maverick by Anna Brooks

Oh Maverick! Snippets of his story were shared in the previous two Ryder Ranch books, but this is all about him and Cricket. She's returning home, and things are about to steam up. Well that is if forgiveness can happen. The heartache was strong, as was the feeling of abandonment. 

Never Too Late by Rue Lennox

Oh Rue...the ride you took me on with this book was good. Jake and Margot/Lilly have known each other for many years. They had a brief relationship in which hearts were shattered, and Lilly ran. Now she's back, and having to work near Jake on a frequent basis. Jake is determined to win her back, and keep her safe. The relationship happened fast in this book, so the storyline is really more about the suspense element, and that was intense. This was a binge read for me, and that's how it usually is when I read Rue's stories. Pack your bags, and head to Birch Maine to meet these characters. I'm sure you'll fall in love.

Saving Cate by Ellie Masters

I can't even fully put this book into words. Cate is a wilderness guide, and lives in a small town. Her ex, Caleb, is in the military and things did not end well between the two of them. Well now he's back, and he hears about some trouble. He is determined to protect Cate, and hopefully win her back. This book took me on an emotional rollercoaster. The suspense element was delightful, and I could not put the book down. Highly recommend books by Ellie Masters whether they are second chance or not.

The Trailblazer by Gina Azzi

I LOVE THE BOSTON HAWKS! This is the series that hooked me on Gina Azzi's writing, and has since caused me to read the majority of her backlist. (as well as staying on top of current releases.) The Trailblazer is all about Declan and Vivi. Vivi's grandpa has recently passed away, and in order for her to receive her inheritance she must marry. Henry is who she said she'd marry, yet on her wedding day she spots the man who broke her heart all those years ago. This freaking book had me BAWLING toward the end. So many emotions were felt, and I was fully immersed in the story. If you're a hockey romance fan, grab this one.

Vegas Aces: The Wide Receiver by Lisa Suzanne

Well would you look at that - a series is on my list. Not just any series though, oh no this is Tristan and Tessa's story. Yes it encompasses all 5 books. Yes there are 4 cliffhangers. Yes it is a wild ride. Yes it has emotional moments. Yes there are secrets. Yes there is drama. Yes it is small town at times. Yes it is steamy. Yes you'll fall for these two. Tristan and Tessa were neighbors, and then they fell in love. One day Tessa upped and moved to live with her Aunt, and cut off all communication with Tristan. He knew nothing except she left him when he was planning forever. Now it's years later, she's returning home and he's home for the offseason. Sparks are about to fly.

Wild About You by Rebecca Jenshak

Yep, another hockey romance made my list. I regret nothing. Heck this entire list probably could have been hockey related, so be thankful it's only two books that I'm featuring. Tyler and Piper have been broken up for 4 years now. He's a rookie with the Wildcats, and Piper is working at the nearby high school. Piper also happens to interact with Everly. Everly just moved in with her big brother (Tyler) after some issues back home in Iowa. It is a meeting about Everly that puts Tyler and Piper back on each other's radar. This relationship is one of my favorites of the Wildcat Hockey series. Rebecca Jenshak writes these amazing stories that are enjoyable, with relatable characters, and feature a bit of emotion. I can't get enough.

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What I Read Last Week

Happy Monday! 

Last week went by in a flash. Honestly my nose was in my kindle for the majority of it. Or at least it seems that way. Also, I can say with confidence that my minor reading slump is officially over. HOORAY!

Why do I say that? Well I read 8 books last week. Four of them were read in 2 days. I know. Trust me. I know. I also ignored all daytime responsibilities, okay after dinner responsibilities as well, to accomplish that. I regret nothing.

What did you read last week? Any standouts? Any duds? Have you read any of the books I've mentioned below?

Hope you have a great reading week!
Laura

The Wolf Hotel by KA Tucker {a review}

I did it again.

I binged an entire series in a matter of days. 

Two days to be exact.

I regret nothing.

For a while now I've been hearing people recommend The Wolf Hotel series by KA Tucker. They've said it's a good story, and quite steamy. So I cashed in some of my Ibotta balance, and downloaded the series. Since I had just finished reading a book, it was the perfect time to start The Wolf Hotel. Also, did you know that this series was originally called Wolf Cove, and was published under KA Tucker's pen name of Nina West? I did not know that until I went to review on Goodreads, and I was confused by my "current read" title. Thankfully a quick look at the reviews had me certain I was in the right place.

Before we jump into my review, allow me to share the tropes that are featured in this series. 

Virgin Heroine

Age Gap

Billionaire

Workplace
Forbidden
Love Triangle
Opposites Attract
Proximity

I'm sure there are others, but those were the first that came to mind.

Now, onto my thoughts...

The first book in the series is called Tempt Me. It is here that we meet Abbi, and find out why she is applying for a job that would take her to Alaska. We also find out that she has very little experience outside of the jobs/volunteer positions that she held in her small town. Flash forward and Abbi's arriving at the hotel, only to find out that the position she interviewed for, and accepted the job for, had been changed. It was going to be looked into though. Later that night Abbi hangs out with her coworkers, and gets drunk. It is after that little party that she finds herself on the dock, where she is "saved" by a man. He pulls her back from the edge, and helps her back to her cabin. Turns out it's the owner of the hotel, except she doesn't find that out right away. It was quite the meet cute. Oh and she word vomited all over him that night, sharing some of her deepest thoughts and feelings, as well as that pesky little detail about being unexperienced in the bedroom. 

Okay so my thoughts...This was an interesting book. There was a lot of build up, scene setting, and introducing of characters. Once that was out of the way though I found myself a bit intrigued. Abbi had my curiosity, and I wanted to know what was going to happen next. Obviously she was going to get into  a relationship with Henry Wolf, but how was that going to happen? Then there's that little friend group that Abbi stumbled into, and they had my curiosity as well. Abbi was finding a new community of friends, and they were introducing her to a variety of topics and situations. Tempt Me ends with things unfinished. I don't want to call it a cliffhanger because it isn't this big to do, but you are left hanging. So have Break Me ready to go.

Speaking of Break Me, this book had me screaming. I was so invested in everything that was happening. Abbi's new job was perfection. Favoritism? Absolutely. Still though I could not get enough. There's so much that I want to say, but it would be spoiling things. While reading I was getting frustrated with Abbi's lack of confidence. She jumped to conclusions very easily when it came to Henry. Now Henry also irritated me a bit, and his actions didn't always sit the best with me. Also the things that Abbi did in this book seemed very out of character. However she's learning things. Is she going about it the right way? Difficult to say. What happened after the party was VERY steamy, and I found myself yelling at Abbi to NOT DO THAT! While I was yelling at Abbi, I was also thinking "get it girl". Then there was Ronan and Connor, um, was not expecting that. Not at all. But again, she's experiencing "things" and discovering preferences. I experienced such a variety of emotions while reading Break Me. From being happy for the relationship building, to irritation and frustration with our main characters, to being crushed because of what happened, to my jaw dropping from certain scenes, it was a gamut of emotions. That ending though. was not prepared. Not at all. It's what had me picking up Teach Me immediately after.

I'll be honest, Teach Me was my least favorite of the series. Something shifted after Break Me, and I'm having mixed feelings about it. The first half of this book was just meh. It was anything special if you will. Abbi's mom is not my favorite. Neither is Jed. That being said, the way that KA Tucker wrote Abbi's mom did not sit well with me. The words used to describe this woman are distasteful. While she isn't a lovable character, she still could have been described in a more favorable way. The fat shaming was just unacceptable. Abbi continued to frustrate me in this book. She's 21 years old, but is still willingly under her mom's control. She's under her ex's family's control. She doesn't push back, and is just a doormat. It's ridiculous. Not to mention how insecure she is. Now the second half of this book was much better. The storyline became more engaging, more captivating, and pulled me back in. Then there's everything that happened with Margo. Damn. I think one of my favorite parts of this book was how Henry would make time for Abbi. He went out of his way to show his dedication to her, and how important she was in his life. 

Surrender to Me is the final book in Abbi and Henry's story, and it was a wild ride. I loved the relationship that continued to build with our main characters. I loved how Henry continued to show his dedication to Abbi. I also loved how she was dropping everything to be by his side when he needed her the most. I was so glad that we were finally back in Alaska. It felt good to return to where this all began. There was emotional scenes in this book as well. I found my jaw dropping when those happened just because of the disbelief. Those emotional and dramatic scenes definitely helped this book. The return to Alaska also helped. Getting to see Abbi reconnect with her work friends was needed. Getting to see her interact with Ronan and Connor again was very much needed. Abbi wasn't as insecure in this book, and I appreciated that. It was as though she was finally getting confident, and comfortable with who she is. Oh there's so much I want to say, and I don't know how to properly convey it. From the family dramas to the return to Alaska, to the scene in the shed, to the situation at the Mine, to the hot tub scene (and what happened after), there was a lot that happened. I can't even begin to talk about it all. That hot tub scene, and the scene after that, had me blushing. oh. The ending of Surrender to Me though? WHAT WAS THAT? Where is my epilogue? I have questions that need answers. Seriously. I know I'm not alone with missing the epilogue as many people said that on Goodreads.

Let's talk about this series as a whole.

I understand why it has the hype that it does. It is definitely a steamy series. While there is a relationship between Henry and Abbi, this entire series really focuses more on Abbi's awakening than anything else. It's why there are so many watching scenes, and getting turned on because of it. She's learning about her body, her preferences, and having experiences as well. Some of those are with Henry, while others are without him. The steam was hot and heavy while not completely overpowering the story. However, I feel like there could have been a slightly better balance. 

The relationship between Abbi and Henry was an interesting one to witness. From their funny meet cute, to the forced proximity, to the heartbreak, to the fight to be together and that reunion, to how forever happened, it was good. Do I wish things were a bit different? Yes. I feel like there was a lot of unnecessary happenings. Abbi's insecurity was just over the top in the first three books. I liked how Henry was able to read Abbi so easily. He knew when she was in her head, and having those thoughts. He was able to pull her out of it, remind her that he was here with her, and this is how it is. He was consistent.

Let's talk about Jed for a moment. Everything to do with this character did not sit well with me. Why was it perfectly fine for him to cheat on Abbi? Why was it looked at as a sign of weakness for him? Why was she supposed to wait for him? That was no okay with me. Then the constant pushing of him back into her life by her parents, his parents, and himself? NO! Abbi is old enough to know what she wants versus what she doesn't. She found someone new, she's moved on, accept it! The religious undertones here did not sit well with me either. Ugh.

Did I enjoy the series? Yes, to an extent. Part of me would have preferred that we were in Alaska the entire time, another part wishes the happenings in Abbi's small town were never included, and then part of me wished for more together time for our couple.

Did I like Abbi and Henry? Yes I did, but they frustrated me from time to time.

Do I recommend the series? Kind of. What I mean is that this is going to be out of the comfort zone for some people, and for others it might be a bit tame. So read the description for all the books, and see if it fits with your preferences.

Will I be reading other KA Tucker/Nina West books? Absolutely. I have my eyes on the Empire Nightclub series.

Have you read The Wolf Hotel series? If so, what were your thoughts on it? Did you feel that Abbi and Henry should have ended up together? Or were you feeling that Ronan was a better fit for her? I'm curious. (oh, and I think that she and Ronan had a good connection, but I see that more as a fling than happily ever after.)

Thanks for reading my thoughts!
Laura

 

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I participate in the Amazon Affiliates program.

Purchases made through links above allow me to earn a small commission.

Thank you!

What I Read 2 Weeks Ago

Hi. 

This post was supposed to be up on April 10, but a reading slump, as well as writers block hit. So that put a damper on things.

Thankfully the reading slump has been broken, and I'm hopeful that the writer's block will resolve itself soon.

The week of April 3, I only read three books. Only isn't the word I should use, and I know that. However when you're used to reading 6+ books a week, three just doesn't seem like a lot.

So what had the reading slump happen? It was two things. First I came off of a 5 star read that caused post book depression. The book was so fantastic, I loved the characters, and I did not want it to end. Yet it did, and I find myself wanting to read it again. I don't re-read books, but this one has me wanting to. You better believe a physical copy is coming to my house. The second thing was a slow moving book. I forced myself through it when I know better. It's not that I wanted to DNF the book, because I didn't. This was a book that I was looking forward to, but I didn't bond with the characters. Add in the slow burn aspect, and yeah. Those two things combined lead to the reading issues. I'm thankful that it only lasted a week.

The tropes I read this week include: Poly Romance, Sports Romance, Workplace, Why Choose, Friends to Lovers, Royal, Brother's Best Friend, Small Town Romance, Suspense, and Billionaire. There are more that I'm forgetting, but those are the basics.

What books did you read April 3-9? Also, have you read a book that TikTok has recommended? Because I did this week, and I freaking LOVED IT. 

Happy Reading,
Laura

Pucking Around by Emily Rath

TikTok made me do it. Seriously this book kept appearing on my For You Page, as did the author, and I couldn't not read it. The premise intrigued me. The why choose aspect intrigued me. Just everything that Emily Rath was sharing, had me curious, and then running to Amazon to download. This book is 700+ pages. That length seemed daunting, and it scared me a bit. HOWEVER once I was reading the story, I had met the characters, and everything was going on, it did not feel like a 700+ page book. I actually found myself wanting more. Ilmari is my favorite, and Caleb is a very close second. Jake is great too, but those other two men just speak to me. There were times that Rachel annoyed me, but those were few and far between. I am #TeamPrice. I am going to buy a physical copy of this book, and I just might read it again. You better believe that I have the next book on preorder already. Also did you see my favorite quotes from this book?

Ravishing Reign by Aleatha Romig

This freaking series....ugh! I didn't know when I started it that it was going to be a quartet. I was thinking trilogy, but obviously didn't know the author's intention. So when I got to the end of this book, and all that shit was going down, I wanted to throw my kindle. I thought I was going to get answers. I thought Roman and Lucille were going to get their happily ever after. But no. I have to wait for one more book. Aleatha Romig is torturing me. I am so invested. Yes this book moves a bit slow, but Roman and Lucille have a hold on me. I need to know what happens next, and how everything ends. 

Make You Mine by JH Croix

I have enjoyed JH Croix's writing and storytelling for a while now. Yes, I've had my ups and downs with some of the books, but I always get pulled back in and find myself remembering what I love. I went into Make You Mine with the best of intentions. I was excited about the book. I was curious about the setting and the characters. After reading their prequel, I needed to know how their happily ever after was going to happen. The story was decent. I loved the setting. I feel like there was room for improvement. The characters were just okay, but I didn't have a strong bond with either of them. I found myself more curious about side characters than the two that I was supposed to be focusing on. I don't know if this is just a first book in the series type issue, or if it something else. Time will tell. Yes I will be returning to Fireweed Harbor for at least the second book, maybe more. My curiosity is still there for the town, and the characters, so that's a good thing. Yeah. 

Thank you Aleatha Romig and JH Croix for providing me with advanced copies of your books.

Please note:

I participate in the Amazon Affiliates program.

Purchases made through links above allow me to earn a small commission.

Thank you!

What I Read Last Week

Happy Monday!

You may have noticed that there were NO posts last week. That wasn't intentional. Not at all. I had hit a reading slump, and a writing slump. Therefore it was difficult to do anything book related. It's bad enough when one hits, but when they both hit at the same time it's some how worse. Thankfully my minor reading slump has passed. I credit the Salacious Players Club for that. More about that later though.

Tomorrow I am going to share the books I read the week of April 3rd. I thought about combining it all here, but I really want them to be separate. I'm weird I know, and I'm perfectly okay with that. It's only 3 books, but doesn't matter.

Let's talk about the books I read last week though. I started off by starting Beautiful Lies by Paula Dombrowiak. Yet I was struggling to get invested in the story. My reading slump had started around April 6, so every book I was picking up just didn't sound good. I seriously tried 4 books, and was about to call it a lot cause. Yet I knew that I would love Beautiful Lies so I chose to put it aside and try something else. I knew that "something else" couldn't be already on my kindle. I had to find something new, maybe something popular. Prime Reading suggested Give Me More by Sara Cate, and I figured why not. Give Me More was just what I needed to snap out of the slump.

Tell me about the books you read last week! Do you have any suggestions for books similar to the Salacious Players Club? What is your solution to snapping out of a reading slump? Now let's jump into my reviews for the books I read last week.

Happy Reading,
Laura

Beautiful Lies by Paula Dombrowiak

Paula's writing always pulls me in. From the very first book to this one, I am just invested in the stories. The characters are almost always likable, or at least they grow on you. (I'm looking at you Jack.) Beautiful Lies was no different. Lake and Adrian pulled me in, and although it was a slow start I did find myself wondering how this was going to work. I see bits and pieces of myself in Lake, so she was relatable. That whole keeping things close to your chest, and not opening up. Oh, and the independence. Yeah. Adrian was good for her. Yes it was younger. It didn't bother him though. He just wanted to be in her life, and he knew he'd have to wait on her to realize things. I want to call this a slow burn, but considering it starts with a one night stand, can I really say that? This book does have a bit slower of a pace. It felt right though. For everything Lake was having to go through the pace was just right. So if you struggle at the beginning, just keep pushing on. You will get invested, and find yourself wanting to know how their happily ever after occurs.

Salacious Players Club by Sara Cate

Ratings: 4, 4.5, 4.5, 4, 3.5

Yes I'm lumping these all together. Should I do that? Eh, probably not. These books all take place at the same place though, and considering I binged the series it just feels right. Now I didn't read these in order. I started with Give Me More, which is book 3. The books can, thankfully, be read as standalones, so I wasn't overly concerned about reading out of order.

Give Me More features Isabel, Hunter, and Drake. Hunter and Drake are best friends, while Hunter and Isabel are married. They are on a road trip checking out other clubs, and Hunter comes to a realization. He's inviting his best friend into the relationship. That is if he wants to. I could not get enough of Give Me More, or the characters. Their story was good, the steam was intense, and I was rooting for them. 

Praise was my next read (well after reading Beautiful Lies by Paula Dombrowiak), and I could not put this book down. That was actually the case with all the books in the series. I regret nothing. Praise is an age gap relationship where Charlotte falls for Emerson. The thing is Emerson happens to be the dad of Charlotte's ex boyfriend. Emerson and Charlotte captivated me. From the way their relationship started, to how it built, to Charlotte's relationship with her sister, to how they finally arrived at their happily ever after. It was such a good story. The steam was amazing as well.

Eyes On Me might be my favorite. I feel like I shouldn't have been as intrigued by this book as I was. That goes with the forbidden aspect though. Not only is this book a forbidden romance, but it's age gap as well. Mia and Garrett have some steamy times together, but it is more than that. Garrett is finally opening up about his struggles, his desires, his wants and needs, and he's finding that Mia is the person most important to him. There is so much I want to say, but spoilers and all that. 

When I started reading Mercy I wasn't certain what to expect. I knew it was Maggie's story, but I didn't know what her preferences were, or who her love interest was going to be. Well when Beau appeared I was shocked, but then I could see how those two would fit together. Even more so after they had both taken that quiz. I really liked Maggie, and you could see that she was struggling with things from her past that were still affecting her today. Or at least in regards to the business that she runs, and the lifestyle it promotes. Yet when her results were revealed, I wasn't surprised at all. I was a bit more surprised by Beau's, or at least pieces of it. I liked watching these two grow individually, and as a couple. The scene when they were leaving Salacious, OH MY WORD. I was not expecting that. Not at all. My jaw dropped, and my heart broke a bit. Trope wise, this book is reverse age gap, friend's son, and proximity. It is so good, and so steamy. That seems to be the theme for this entire series. Also, I really wish that Maggie had been on the cover instead of Beau. It would have fit more with the owners of the company being on the cover.

Highest Bidder is book 5, and it's all about Ronan. Well Ronan and Daisy. This, large, age gap romance has history to it. Daisy doesn't know the full history, she just knows she found paperwork with Ronan's name on it, and wanted to investigate. Falling for him was not in the plans, but it's what happened. Ronan is still struggling a bit with the tragedy that happened 28 years ago, and so he guards himself a bit. Yet there was something about Daisy that pulled him in, and he just had to pursue this relationship. Now I'll be honest, this one wasn't my favorite. The storyline was still decent, and I enjoyed pieces of it, but there was room for improvement. My biggest struggle with this book was Daisy. Not her age, or the "secret" she was keeping, but just her as a character in general. I didn't feel that connection to her. Ronan was far more intriguing and captivating. Ronan just pulls you into his orbit. My other issue, no that's not the right word- but anyway, was not having the previous characters involved in this story as much. It seemed like they would pop up in the previous books, offer advice or humor, and just have that familiarity.

Thank you Paula Dombrowiak for providing me with an advanced copy of Beautiful Lies.

Please note:

I participate in the Amazon Affiliates program.

Purchases made through links above allow me to earn a small commission.

Thank you!