Wendy Smith (4)Besprekingen

I am not sure how to rate this one.
Reconciliation marriage is one of my favorite genres.

The reason for the separation in this story is very selfish. That said he wants to make a career for himself which would affect both their futures but he just seems, on the surface of it, to walk away from his young wife and baby daughter.

Something to bear in mind is he is very young to handle the responsibility and this is reflected in the way he relies on his father. But that said, she is also young and while he goes off to live his life, she is left literally 'holding the baby'. He believes he has provided for her financially but still......
There are quite a few misunderstandings and interference which hinder their relationship and lead to a long-term separation spanning years.

I know they are separated and he has hired a P.I. to find her but he has a conversation quite early on about 'getting laid' as it's been 6 months since he has been with a woman so technically he is cheating. Again while she has been left 'holding the baby'. Even if he views himself as single, he isn't, there are misunderstandings from the original separation which may lead them both to believe their marriage is over but he refers to her as his 'wife' shortly after this conversation.
So if being with other women/men is a trigger for you, there are no details or intimate scenes but he is not celibate during the separation.

He does seem genuinely remorseful of his abandoning them, even stating it was the wrong thing to do and tries to make up for it and work at rebuilding his wife's trust.

I think maybe book 2 may affect how i ultimately view this book.

As a side note I was irritated that there is no release date mentioned for book 2 when this ends on a cliffhanger and is a Duet. A fellow reviewer said she thought it would be soon.

I am not sure how to rate this one.
Reconciliation marriage is one of my favorite genres.

The reason for the separation in this story is very selfish. That said he wants to make a career for himself which would affect both their futures but he just seems, on the surface of it, to walk away from his young wife and baby daughter.

Something to bear in mind is he is very young to handle the responsibility and this is reflected in the way he relies on his father. But that said, she is also young and while he goes off to live his life, she is left literally 'holding the baby'. He believes he has provided for her financially but still......
There are quite a few misunderstandings and interference which hinder their relationship and lead to a long-term separation spanning years.

I know they are separated and he has hired a P.I. to find her but he has a conversation quite early on about 'getting laid' as it's been 6 months since he has been with a woman so technically he is cheating. Again while she has been left 'holding the baby'.
Even if he views himself as single, he isn't, there are misunderstandings from the original separation which may lead them both to believe their marriage is over but he refers to her as his 'wife' shortly after this conversation.
So if being with other women/men is a trigger for you, there are no details or intimate scenes but he is not celibate during the separation. But 6 months ago is not manwhore status either. The heroine also tries to move on.

He does seem genuinely remorseful of his abandoning them, even stating it was the wrong thing to do and tries to make up for it and work at rebuilding his wife's trust.

I think maybe book 2 may affect how i ultimately view this book.

As a side note I was irritated that there is no release date mentioned for book 2 when this ends on a cliffhanger and is a Duet. A fellow reviewer said she thought it would be soon.

It's a sweet story.
Heroine has a soon to be ex husband who was very controlling, so dark theme in background but details are vague and it's not really delved into too much.
Ex drama.
Insta attraction, 17 year age difference, she's older than him.
The heroine is separated from her husband, they are in process of divorce. They split up by her choice as he was so controlling, he'd like to try again.
The soon to be ex husband mentions he's had offers of sex elsewhere when the heroine refuses a reconciliation but there is no confirmation he is unfaithful.
However the heroine gets together with the Hero before the divorce is finalised so technically she cheats, even though the marriage is over, legally they are still married.
After meeting they only have eyes for each other.
Hero is not a manwhore type prior to meeting the heroine.
Dual POV.
Towards the end we get extra POV from previous couples, whole chapters are devoted to them, so we are updated with their lives.
HEA.
Epilogue.

This didn't work for me.
To be fair I really don't like this troupe, two girls best friends, one girl marries other friends ex but I liked Copper Creek series some gave it a try.

The writing is good, the author tries to stir up the emotions of the second chance romance.

Second chance romance can be really good or just not depending on the reason for the initial break up.

I felt the heroine made the decision without consulting the Hero and she does it again to add angst at the end.

I was uncomfortable with the Hero and heroine discussing the Hero's relationship with the ex, wedding day, pregnancy etc... It just gives me the ick factor. He'd been the heroines boyfriend, they were so in love and she steps aside for her friend to have him..... just no.

The Hero and his wife had been divorced for 2 years so that worked around a few issues of him moving on.

Small other woman/man drama on both sides.
Ex drama in the sense it's his ex wife, her best friend who is in their past.
No cheating.
No intimate scenes with anyone other than the Hero and heroine.
HEA
Breadcrumbs dropped for future books in series.

Book 1
I am not sure how to rate this one.
Reconciliation marriage is one of my favorite genres.

The reason for the separation in this story is very selfish. That said he wants to make a career for himself which would affect both their futures but he just seems, on the surface of it, to walk away from his young wife and baby daughter.

Something to bear in mind is he is very young to handle the responsibility and this is reflected in the way he relies on his father. But that said, she is also young and while he goes off to live his life, she is left literally 'holding the baby'. He believes he has provided for her financially but still......
There are quite a few misunderstandings and interference which hinder their relationship and lead to a long-term separation spanning years.

I know they are separated and he has hired a P.I. to find her but he has a conversation quite early on about 'getting laid' as it's been 6 months since he has been with a woman so technically he is cheating. Again while she has been left 'holding the baby'.
Even if he views himself as single, he isn't, there are misunderstandings from the original separation which may lead them both to believe their marriage is over but he refers to her as his 'wife' shortly after this conversation.
So if being with other women/men is a trigger for you, there are no details or intimate scenes but he is not celibate during the separation. But 6 months ago is not manwhore status either. The heroine also tries to move on.

He does seem genuinely remorseful of his abandoning them, even stating it was the wrong thing to do and tries to make up for it and work at rebuilding his wife's trust.

I think maybe book 2 may affect how i ultimately view this book.

As a side note I was irritated that there is no release date mentioned for book 2 when this ends on a cliffhanger and is a Duet. A fellow reviewer said she thought it would be soon.

Sweet story.
Low angst.

No my fav troupe.
Friends with benefits premise but that doesn't last long.
Heroine is pushing away for a time but due to feeling her life is on hold while business issues are sorted which is fair enough as they live a aeroplane ride away from each other.

No intimate scenes other than the Hero and heroine.
Neither are virgins no detail about previous partners.

Small other women drama.
The Hero owns a bar and a woman comes in for a drink, batting her eyelashes at him and an estate agent tries to find ways to spend time with him but he shuts both down.

Heroine has possibility of interest from other man but she committed to trying with the Hero so it never goes anywhere.

Previous couples from earlier books in series appear at times, small possible spoilers to their plots in this book.

Lots of secondary characters that could have future books in series.

HEA.

Good story.

There are two ways I've seen this sort of second chance romance written. The past in the first half of the book and the present in the second half or flashback scenes.
This book opts for the flashback scenes which I have to say are not my favourite but they are brief and few and far between so it works.

They are together are the past is sorted by 50% so the rest is angst caused by jealous other woman, evil manager and the possibility of issues with his parents.

The initial breakup is caused by misunderstandings.
She does try to contact him about her pregnancy but he has moved and his career has taken off so it's not easy to get communication through.

During the separation, it mentions she dated and is alluded to he did by media attention but it is vague and there seems to be nothing serious.
He doesn't seem the man-whore type.
He didn't get over their breakup and she is cautious.

Secondary characters introduced for possible future books in series.

No intimate scenes other than the Hero and heroine.

HEA.

This didn't work for me.
To be fair I really don't like this troupe, two girls best friends, one girl marries other friends ex but I liked Copper Creek series some gave it a try.

The writing is good, the author tries to stir up the emotions of the second chance romance.

Second chance romance can be really good or just not depending on the reason for the initial break up.

I felt the heroine made the decision without consulting the Hero and she does it again to add angst at the end.

I was uncomfortable with the Hero and heroine discussing the Hero's relationship with the ex, wedding day, pregnancy etc... It just gives me the ick factor. He'd been the heroines boyfriend, they were so in love and she steps aside for her friend to have him..... just no.

The Hero and his wife had been divorced for 2 years so that worked around a few issues of him moving on.

Small other woman/man drama on both sides.
Ex drama in the sense it's his ex wife, her best friend who is in their past.
No cheating.
No intimate scenes with anyone other than the Hero and heroine.
HEA
Breadcrumbs dropped for future books in series.

Second chance romance, sort of.
The Hero of this book loved the heroine when they were younger but she was in love and married his best friend, the heroine at the time never feeling anything more than friendship for the Hero.
There are a few scenes in memory of the heroine with her now dead husband, a few hints at intimacy and strong feelings.
It is a sweet story, some angst but not very strong.
There is ex drama for the Hero.
Ex drama for the heroine in the form of the memory, grief of her now dead husband.
He's been dead 4 years.
No cheating.
Heroine is now a single mother of twin lads.
Her previous mother-in-law provides some drama.
HEA.


ARC.