Deserving You (Watercress Falls #2) by Aria Bliss

Deserving You (Watercress Falls #2) Reviews

• 
  Tina Loves To Read

  This is a Cowboy Second Chance Romance, and this is the second book in the Hearts of Watercress Falls series. I have to say I loved the characters of this book so much, but my favorite character of this book was Matthew's little girl. That little girl put so much life into this book, and she also helped Jessica and her Dad give each other another chance. I also love the setting in this book, and the flashbacks in this book was done so well. If you love second chance romance set in a small town then this is the book for you. I loved it so much. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Misadventure Press) or author (Aria Bliss) via Booksirens, so I can give an honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.
• 
  VoraciousReader

  Matthew was a weak, whiny crybaby who kept breaking up with and pushing away Jessica, the love of his life, because he had "issues". Then, he cheated on her because he saw another man kiss her on the cheek. He got the OW pregnant and married her without even telling Jessica.
  
  Some other things that bothered me:
  
  1. "I'll always love Jessica. She's my soulmate." If that was true, why did you cheat on her, you dumba$$?
  2. How could both Ryan (Jessica's brother) and their uncle have stayed such close friends with Matthew after the way he betrayed Jessica?
  3. If you're going to have a four year old character in your book, research how a four year old talks and acts. Emmie acted WAY older than a four year old child.
  4. Another book where the h's friends try to push her into forgiving the guy that broke her heart instead of supporting her decisions that way that true friends should.
  DNF
• 
  Jena

  avoid.
  MCs are high school sweethearts.
  H cheats and gets ow preg and marries her during college.
  
  Beeg has all the spoilers.
• 
  Beeg Panda

  🙄How is it that 20-odd year old heroes can’t fight for / wait for / go after their heroines, but they can MARRY the pregnant ow that they slept with when the heroine turns her back for one goddamn second????
  
  🙄If this ow didn’t die (at childbirth), they’d STILL be married cos his whiny ass STILL didn’t go to the h when he became a widower.
  
  🔷 Emily:
  - the ow
  - his deceased wife
  - collateral damage
  
  🔷 Emmie:
  - H and ow’s daughter
  - light of his life
  
  🔷 Jessica:
  - the h
  - convenient twofer
  
  🔷 the hero:
  - I forget his name
  - bleh
  - not a bad guy but don’t expect to be the love of his life
  
  🔷Plot:
  Before:
  - high school sweethearts and neighbours
  - he cheats, gets ow pregnant and marries her
  - h leaves town
  Now:
  - he wants to buy her family home cos his daughter wants to live in it
  - he wants h to live in it with them
  - it’s the h’s last link to her family and she doesn’t want to sell it nor live in it with him
  
  🔷The Hxh, since childhood, had a beautiful bond (truly very well written; I loved the unfiltered intensity and adoration; all dark and light and everything in in between) before he buggered it up. In his defense, he was a very very broken boy. He had an awful childhood and never felt deserving of her. He knew she was going to leave his ass in the dust after college because she had big goals for the future. (That in itself is a red flag because she always planned to take over her family’s business after college and after starting her own company. He knew her intention was to come back) So he messed up spectacularly and she hightailed it out of their town and didn’t return until years later. The standard small town second chance romance trope.
  
  
  🟩THE RECEIPTS:
  
  🟩BEFORE:
  Him:
  “We both leave for college tomorrow, in separate states, and I think we should take a break. Allow each other to have fun in college.”
  “I’m not doing this for me. I’m doing it for you. You deserve better than me.”
  
  Her:
  “Are you breaking up with me?”
  
  Him:
  “No. Maybe. Not really.”
  
  Her: [and here’s how we know he cheated on her]
  Even after Matthew broke up with me before we left for college, I still planned on coming home and marrying him. I saw him every holiday and break. Even though he broke up with me, he still made love to me like I was his forever. And I let him. I understood his struggle with self-worth. I held onto the truth that one day he would marry me. Our time in college was nothing more than a temporary setback. I believed that with all my heart. Up until the time he married Emily.
  
  Her: I’ve lost count of how many times that man broke up with me or told me it wasn’t our time yet. One minute he’d tell me he planned on marrying me someday, and the next he told me we couldn’t be together. He broke my heart every time he pushed me away.
  
  
  🟩PRESENT:
  Him:
  LOOKING BACK ON THAT day now, I see how stupid my logic was. I was a scared boy who still didn’t know his place in this world. So, I hurt the one person who loved me the most.
  
  Her:
  “…When you broke up with me, I didn't just lose the love of my life. I lost my best friend. I've had to live with that loss for fourteen years.
  
  Them:
  “why did you marry her?” My voice cracks, but I get it out despite my difficulties. His hand on my neck stiffens, and he looks away from my gaze. “I didn’t have a choice. She was pregnant.”
  
  “So you knocked up some girl and forgot all about me. Is that how it was?”
  
  “…I did what I thought was right. Besides, at the time I thought you had moved on…I saw you walk out with David’s arm wrapped around you.”
  
  “David is just a friend…So, after that you started dating Emily. Why? To get back at me.”
  
  “It wasn’t like that. She was the first woman I dated since you. She was the only woman I’d been with besides you. I thought I’d lost you.”
  
  “Did you love her?”
  
  His eyes close and his shoulders sag. “She gave me Emmie [H and ow child]. How could I not love her?…“Jess, I wasn’t in love with her. The only person I’ll ever be in love with is you.”
  
  
  🚩His first priority since ow fell pregnant, was being a good dad. I don’t blame him; I just wish he put some of that drive into his and h’s relationship. Into talking to her. Explaining. Communicating. Sharing. Making a damn effort!
  
  🚩Almost every. single. big. decision he‘s made since ow fell pregnant was based on his determination to be there for his child.
  You say that like it’s a bad thing, Beeg
  I say it’s a good thing if he used even half that dedication to hang on to his relationship with the h
  
  🚩🚩🚩🚩
  1. He married the ow
  2. He ghosted the h
  3. Was never going to leave the ow
  4. Where he worked, lived, everything chosen with his daughter in mind
  4. He’s trying to buy the house the h grew up in because his daughter wants the house
  3. When he does run after the h, it’s not the h he’s actually running after. He’s chasing behind/following the h cos she’s on her way to her house where his daughter is. He naturally wants to protect the child in case the h makes a scene. He’s definitely not running after the h because he’s finally fighting for her.
  4. “After Emily died, I’d hoped beyond hope that Jessica would come home and give me another chance. Now that she’s here, and I see how much Emmie adores her, all I want is to keep her.“
  
  ❌Lovely.
  
  
  🔷He constantly lies to himself and others when it comes to his intentions to the h. I can list MANY times where he says/thinks one thing and then doesn’t follow through. From paragraph to paragraph, scene to scene, chapter to chapter. Says he’s doing everything he can to win her back but then literally does the bear minimum to win her back. Pisses me off, cos he stuck to his guns when it came to his new family but never for the h.
  
  🔷He constantly messes up either inadvertently or because he’s slow on the uptake or he’s just downright oblivious. But the blows keep coming.
  
  🔷Its not that he doesn’t care about her, he does; it’s just that he allows other factors to get in the way
  
  🚩Can a man be more disinterested:
  - (the h is now back home after a long absence) “I don’t even know where she’s staying.”
  
  🚩Don’t do me any favours, buddy:
  - “Calling her to invite her to a dinner”
  “Did your mom ask you to call me?” “Yes,” I answer, deciding honesty is best. “She said she invited you, but you didn’t give her an answer. She asked me to follow up. So, I am.”
  
  
  🔷The heroine is feisty and ambitious. A hard worker with big plans. She’s done well for herself since their breakup. Mostly. The scenes where she gives him a hard time are thrilling to read because THAT’S how it’s done! Kudos to the author. The h’s a lady without balking at causing the occasional public scene. Bummer she doesn’t hold out longer, cos
  1. SHE’s the one who has to come back; he was never going to go after her
  2. she makes all the concessions
  3. she will always come in second
  
  
  🔷93%:
  He turns on the waterworks
  “For the first time since we reached adulthood, Matthew is choosing me. ”She thinks he’s crying because, while she’s now willing to sell her house to him, she not going to live it in with them.
  The woman is deluded.
  Woman, his aim is to please his child, no matter how you spin it.
  His plan is no different today than it was when he first realized he was going to be a dad
  
  
  ❌Between the excerpts above, nothing that is thought or said or alluded to takes away from the fact that she’s a convenience to him. The woman he has residual feelings for. The one who got away. The one he shares an intense physical connection with. The one, who, if she leaves right now, isn’t going to make a big dent in his life at all.
  He’ll be just fine without her.
  
  But well, he does eventually try to make amends her AFTER they’re together again. At least he acknowledges that he has to.
  
  
  ❤️I love so much about this book.
  The side characters, the writing, the intimacy, the dialogue, their interactions, the vulnerability yet determination of the h.
  
  
  🚨They’re both celibate:
  - h for the past 5 years since they broke up
  - H since his wife died 4 years ago because obviously the H must move on but not the h
  
  
  💔If only she was his beginning and end.
  
  
  
  
  🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱
  NTS:
  Neaten review
  
  NTS 2:
  Timeline is vague?
  I’m tired of this week so my thought process is very slow?
  
  Last saw each other was 5 years ago when he got married to ow and she left town
  
  Present is almost 20 years after they
  1st met (at age 12) so they should be almost 32
  
  At age 12 - they meet and fall in love/ become friends
  
  At age 14 - first kisses
  
  At 18 - they lose their virginity to each other
  
  At 18 - he sort of breaks up with her / half-half / almost but not fully just before college
  
  +- college for what…4 years? They’re still seeing each other
  
  Now 22? End of college?
  
  But she says:
  “When you broke up with me (age 18), I didn't just lose the love of my life. I lost my best friend…I've had to live with that loss for 14 years.”
  
  “It hadn’t been my intention to build a life in Seattle. It was a temporary stopping point while I was in college. But when I finished school, I started a business. Once my company, Flathead Apparel, was up and running, I’d planned to move back to Watercress Falls and run it from home. It was my dream to take over the family business, Rush Creek Vineyard, while adding my own line of outdoor apparel to the mix. But that takeover never happened. Fourteen years later, I still live in Seattle.”
• 
  Catbythesea reads

  Matthew is a small town animal vet who wants to buy the home he rents with his 4 year old daughter Emmie. Matthew married Emily because she was pregnant, unfortunately she died during childbirth.
  
  Jessica is an outdoor apparel business owner in Seattle, she owns Matthews home. When her Uncle died she comes home for the funeral unaware that Matthew lives in her childhood home.
  
  This story of love lost with its many complications and confusion will have the reader grabbing the tissues, for me mostly of joy. It’s a wonderful story about getting over what scares us the most to accept the love we all wish for or want and the steamy passion we all dream of.
  
• 
  Tessa

  I'm blaming Shelley for me reading this book so Shelley, when you see this, just know you're entirely to blame🤣🫵
  
  So ya, everybody sucked in this book. I felt bad for the h no one was on her side. She should have just sold everything, changed her name, disappeared, and started over. The H I'm just gonna go with that old saying, "If you have nothing nice to say, then say nothing at all😅
  
  3 rage filled stars
• 
  ♡ Ava Snow ♡

  Found about this when the author posted copies on Booksirens. Immediate download when I saw it was second chance romance and single parent.
  
  The angst was totally heartbreaking and I wanted hard core groveling which I got but in a softer way. I was in the mood for really full on groveling which is why I wasn't able to appreciate this book as much I know deep down I loved it.
  
  Really good plot and the characters. I loved all the family and friends moments and of course the smut and tension was HOT.
  
  Matthew was totally gone for Jessica but he did what he thought was best for his daughter whose was adorable btw, no matter how much it hurts. And it did. Jessica was absolutely in love with him and had to work through her feeling after all these years still heart broken. But I was absolutely sold on them when Matthew cried which I didn't expect but was perfect for that moment.
  
  I'm still not completely satisfied and I desperately need strong groveling books. Maybe I'll try and reread an old one.
  
  I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
• 
  Mst

  The bulb had me curious about this book, so I dived in. I would have been fine if this wasn't a HEA.
  
  Matt and Jess referred to each other as their soulmate. A soulmate wouldn't have done what Matt did. A true soulmate would have fought for Jess. Not just assume the worst. They certainly wouldn't turn to another woman whom they didn't love, marry her and get her pregnant. Matt ruined Emily's life. As for Jess, she should have stuck to her guns (cute spoiled child or not) and walked away from Matt.
  
  There was nothing redeemable about Matt. He is a squatter, shattered Jess's heart, and killed Emily. In fact, I didn't care for any of the other characters of the town or Jess's friend/ work partner. I didn't like the way everybody pressured Jess to reunite with Matt. Just no.
  
  All this book did was trigger my pet peeve, separated supposed H soulmates that cave when they get a twitch in their pants.
  
  I do like this author's style of writing so I'll give the first book of the series a try.
  
  I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
• 
  Donna McEachran

  Jessica and Matthew
  
  I keep seeing ads for this book and they kept breaking my heart. The book did that over and over!! So much heartbreak! Love Matt's determination and Jessica's spirit. Also loved the input of Matt's family. Will now read Adam and Camille's story.
• 
  Kims.reading.nook

  Thank you to Author Aria Bliss and BookSirens for providing me with an ARC for not only this book, but the first 5 in the Watercress Falls series. All opinions shared are my own.
  
  I was so happy to continue this series and watch the second Langdon sibling find love. This time, it was a second chance, one true love romance between Matthew Langdon and his childhood sweetheart Jessica. I was hooked from the beginning and loved the dual POV that flipped between current day and their relationship in the past. The 🔥 was amazing and it was such a rollercoaster of emotions as we watch them find each other again.
  
  It was also nice to catch up with the MCs from the last book, Adam Langdon and Camille and see how their relationship is developing. I'm a sucker for a series that follows family members and I've appreciated that aspect of this series in particular. We're introduced to so many characters but they're all important and it isn't overwhelming.
• 
  Laura Finley

  Aria Bliss ventures further into Watercress Falls. Trusting Hearts is the second book in the Rush Creek Ranch series.
  
  Matthew Langdon was adopted by the Langdon family at the young age of twelve. He meet Jessica Evans when he first arrived at the Langdon's family home. Matthew grew up to be a veterinarian, but made some mistakes in his personal life along the way.
  
  Jessica Evans grew up in Watercress Falls with a loving family. Her family ran the local winery. After her and Matthew's breakup to attend different colleges, her life changed. She lost her parents in a bad crash. The one person who had always promised to be there for her was married to someone else. Jessica threw herself into her clothing franchise.
  
  When Jessica returns home for her uncle's funeral, she is meet with some difficult decisions. Matthew wants to reconnect, but can Jessica accept her role in the misunderstandings that took place in the past?
  
  I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
• 
  Connie

  I received a complimentary copy of this book from Book Siren and I am voluntarily reviewing it.
  
  This author is fairly new to me. The first book that I read of her's was the first one of this series. I was completely smitten with her writing style. She just has a way about her story-telling that enchants me into the world of the characters.
  
  This book took some time to read. Why you may ask? Well there were plenty of scenes that I had to read over and over. There were times when I really wanted to despise Matt. But as this story is written in a dual POV format, I was able to see how his earlier childhood really shaped him and made him doubt his self-worth as a person.
  
  I was taken on an emotional roller-coaster ride with this one. I felt totally invested with the characters. I really hated to see the story end. I so look forward to the next book.
  
  While this is a part of a series, you really don't have to read the prior one to enjoy this one. I would highly recommend it though for a better enjoyment. Plus it was also a really great story.
  
  There were some spicy scenes here but they complimented the story not over shadowed it.
• 
  Emily Pennington

  Hoping for a Second Chance . . .
  
  Jessica Evans’ plan had always been to run her family’s vineyard. But her plans were ruined when her childhood love and neighbor, Matthew Langdon, broke her heart by marrying someone else. So she left to avoid the pain of being around him. When her uncle died, however, she had to come home for the funeral and to do what needed to be done about the family estate. Most of the time, she was avoiding Matt, at least until it became clear he and his daughter were living in her childhood home and he had intended to buy it. Because it was tourist season and there were no other places to stay, she would have to spend that time in the same house as Matt.
  
  Matt’s wife had died in childbirth so he and his daughter were close. He ran his veterinary practice and enjoyed the routine. Then Jessica came home. She told someone she may not sell the house but would live there. Could Matt finally have a conversation with her and the two of them clear out all the misunderstandings and incorrect assumptions they had let destroy their future together? She hadn’t known he came to her graduation with an engagement ring to start their lives as a couple. But he saw a man with his arm around her kiss her cheek. Instead of finding out who it was, he left her and married someone else. It wasn’t until the funeral that she introduced him to the man he had been so jealous of -- her business partner and his wife. Will Jessica ever forgive him for all the pain he dumped on her? Can she ever trust or depend on him again? Will the two of them finally talk and figure out if they want this second chance to make things right?
  
• 
  Tracey

  I just can’t get enough from this author.
  
  Her stories are realistic and believable and this one contains an adorable little spitfire who can make the characters and readers smile by just walking into the room.
  
  It also has horses, wine, and handsome cowboys! Who can resist?!
  
  I received a review copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily.
• 
  Serialbookstarter

  4.5 This was angsty… the MCs have a Long relationship. He breaks up with fmc before they head
  Off to separate colleges but they plan to marry down the road… until he gets ow preggers. The fmc is floored and doesn’t have anything to Do With the H for 5 years despite the fact they are still
  In love and his baby momma died in childbirth… he only marries her because she got pregnant. Now the h is back to inherit her family home and vineyard. The H and is little are in the midst of buying the home. Let
  The fireworks begin. Hea
• 
  Aria Bliss

  Author notes: There is no cheating in this book. I don't write cheating stories but I do write emotional ones. This is a second chance romance between childhood sweethearts that breakup before they move away for college at age 18. They remained broken up until the start of this story which begins when they are both 32. They stayed in contact for several years in their early twenties, but started to drift apart and stopped talking altogether by around age 25. It was after that point that the H met the woman he married. The H is flawed with some serious childhood trauma that he's struggled to overcome his entire adult life. He makes some poor decisions due to this trauma, but those decisions do not include cheating.
• 
  Andrea Barth-Leidinger

  What a rollercoaster! I am not big on typical review-words such as late nighter and devouring from first to last letter and such the same. But this one I devoured. From the first to the last letter. I am not fond of second chance romance either, but this one I devoured from the first to the last word. I believe you will think the same thing than me if you chose to read this book, that’s really worth the time and the money. The emotions are overflowing in Watercress Falls, so much that handkerchiefs and laughs go hand in hand. It’s so sad, so cute, so funny and sometimes so much drama…and just to not forget, so sad. Sometimes I didn’t know who to slap first, Matt or Jessie, or than perhaps Adam or Richard. Definitely Richard, I’d say…he earned it anyway anytime! Hopefully Josephs story will come soon so he can step in the light again cause I like his character very much.
  Enjoy your read!
  
  I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
• 
  Jennifer Wilson

  This is the second book in this series, and is about Matthew and Jessica. They were high school sweethearts. This was such a sweet book. Matthew is a single father, who has always loved Jessica. But he always felt that he wasn’t good enough for her. So he ended their relationship when they were kids. Jessica leaves their home town, and makes a career for herself, determined to get over her broken heart. These characters were relatable, in that we all have some of the same insecurities as Matt had, and people sometimes do damage to their relationship because of lack of communication and misunderstanding. I loved watching them realize their mistakes, and build a strong and better relationship. I recommend this book if you love a good second chance romance with wonderful characters.
  *I received this for free in exchange for an honest review.
• 
  Jenny

  extremely good and emotional
  
  This is my first book by this author and it was very good. This author did an excellent job making me feel the heartbreak and anguish along with the love and longing that Matt and Jessica felt for one another. But there are some blaring plot holes that were hard to get over IMO. SPOILERS AHEAD…
  
  They are childhood and high school sweethearts and plan to spend the rest of their lives together. However, Matt breaks up with her so she can experience college and make sure that he’s the one for her. This is the first time he breaks her heart. This happens in so many second chance books, but I can accept that. Anyway, they never truly break up, they are together on breaks and occasional visits. SIX years later he plans on proposing to her at her graduation. He sees her and a guys arm is around her (this guy is just a friend). So what does Matt do?? Instead of asking a simple question and clearing this up in literally two seconds… he walks away from her, immediately starts dating someone else, gets her pregnant and marries this person. All without a word to Jessica. Also another thing I couldn’t get my head around was that..their families are close friends. They all knew he was going to propose. Not one person asked why he didn’t. Not one person asked why he started immediately dating someone else. Not one person asked him what happened with Jessica. Again…ANYONE could have cleared up this misunderstanding and no one said a word. Jessica also never sought him out to find out why he pulled away from her.
  
  On top of that… Jessica’s parents are killed, she’s coming home and she’s texting Matt to tell him she needs him—having no idea that he’s now married to someone else. Does he have the decency to tell her ?? NOPE! She shows up at his house and comes face to face with his pregnant wife. Even then… he doesn’t have the decency to talk to her. Matt’s brother puts her in a car and just drives her away. So all this together is just unforgivable to me, and if I was Jessica I could never get past it.
  
  Emily dies in childbirth. And four years later Jessica shows back up in town because her uncle died and Matt is buying her childhood home. He immediately starts groveling to her and begging her forgiveness. He would do anything to get her back. I get that. But what if Emily hadn’t died? Would he stay married to her even though he wasn’t in love with her? I needed to know that. Emily dying was just too convenient.
  
  Enough of my rant about the things that were hard to accept. The rest of the book was very good. Like I said, I could feel the torment that that Jessica and Matt were feeling. I did love how there was such a natural connection between Jessica and Matt’s daughter. Jessica couldn’t help but fall in love with her. I was riveted by the dynamic between Jessica and Matt and how they put their relationship back together and how Jessica was able to forgive him.
• 
  Elaine Coghlan

  Trusting Hearts ~ Hearts of Watercress Falls #2 by Aria Bliss.
  This is the second book I have read from Aria,(#1 being the first) and I can honestly say that I truly loved this book more than the first.
  This is another great addition to the series, I was entertained and encouraged by how amazingly these seem like real characters facing real-life kinds of struggles.
  
  Trusting Hearts is a second chance romance that is beautifully written, that Aria has given us characters that we can care about. The story pulls you in from the very first page and never lets's go.
  There's depth to this book and I feel hope when I finished the story.
  
  If you’re looking for a sweet romance, then these are definitely the books for you. I can’t wait for the next books to release!
  
  I loved this book and you will too! Highly recommend! Thank you, Aria, for this wonderful book, which I have fallen in love with Watercress Falls.
• 
  Sharon Moritz-rosenthal

  So I am a big fan of this author. I love her writing, her style and the characters and families and worlds she creates. I have read her later works and these are books that she wrote earlier than what I read. I also tend to love second chance romances or he did me wrong type of stories. So when I saw this book to review I was really intrigued by this storyline.
  
  This story is about two people, Matthew and Jessica, who fell in love as teens. But with college coming up they break up. They still love each other but he ends up married and has a baby with someone else. Years later she comes back and he is a single dad and wants a second chance.
  
  This is my raw opinion on this story. Matthew has many excuses for what he did to Jessica. Some of it was internal as he was adopted and didn't feel worthy of her heart etc. Many excuses. But what it really boiled down to was trust and lack of communication and youth. If that's all that he and Jessica's family, did I would have been okay with that but in my mind they all betrayed her terribly. They all sided with Matthew who clearly betrayed Jessica by getting another woman pregnant and then marrying her and then not having the guts to tell her what he had done. She shows up after both parents die and needs his help and the woman, he marries is all too happy to say he married her. I am pretty sure that she knew who she was and in the book no one says one word about the character of this woman, but she had to know something about her and she took glee in hurting Jessica. But what was worse, Matthew never told her he married someone else. Then on top of that her beloved brother Ryan stays friends with Matthew through the next five years and her uncle and Ryan both sell her home to this guy who caused her the most pain of anyone and their excuse is we tried calling. What I was mystified by was the fact that Jessica even still loves this guy and even talks to her brother and is not FURIOUS with him and her uncle. Beyond Matthews betrayal she was hugely betrayed by her own brother and uncle.
  
  What I did like about the book was that Jessica does not forgive Matthew right away. She makes him work for it, I guess. I am not sure I would have ever forgiven him for the pain he caused her. This man was the man she wanted to marry through her entire life and he marries this other woman and then gives her a child. I can't even imagine the torture of knowing another woman is carrying the man you loves child within her body. Its not something I could forgive no matter what. But for her brother to stay his friend through that, just the betrayal of that is not something I could ever forgive, and honestly I felt her uncle and brother betrayed her much more than Matthew did. And I hated that the book glosses over their betrayal and its never confronted.
  
  I did keep reading the book even though I was pretty ticked off because I was hoping someone would make it right, but it never happened. I really wanted to like this book because I really do like this author and I love a second chance but this book just annoyed me. I will say the writing was good and had the betrayal not been so bad I might have enjoyed this book.
  
  I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
• 
  Smiler The Avid Reader

  I loved Jess and Matts story. I did write a review earlier as I was confused by the timeline (I hadn’t read book one), but I reached out to the author and she kindly explained it to me. BUT unfortunately the timeline still doesn’t make sense! There’s a few years after graduation and before Jess sees that Matt is married that aren’t accounted for, my brain was glitching whilst reading! The fourteen yrs from the age of 18yrs means they are 32yrs old as written now. The timeline means we’ve lost two years of Jess between approx 24-26rs years old.
  
  The actual Matt and Jess scenes and their reconciliation was written really well. I was hooked and was really invested and rooting for their HEA. But for me personally, the ‘before’ years were a bit vague, without much context e.g Emily (in the first book maybe?). I think that’s why a lot of reviews says Matt cheated, when he actually didn’t, it was the timeline that was hard to follow. The story made it seem that Matt went straight from wanting Jess to being with Emily, when I don’t think that was actually what happened. I think we needed more context in their time apart and in the flash backs to make the story more cohesive.
  
  That being said, I love a good second chance romance. Jess and Matt both had me crying, the writing really got me and I felt every emotion. I’m looking forward to reading other books from the author.
• 
  Jessica

  The one that got away.
  
  There are so many variations to this story and I think almost everyone can relate in some way. That’s the premise of this story and when Jess and Matt have the opportunity to explore a second chance, one would think they’d jump on it. After all, they love each other - right? Even after all these years. But instead of dealing with their issues and talking, they dance around each other, delaying the inevitable.
  
  Although I initially loved the sweet pull between these two characters, I couldn’t get behind the lack of communication. Matthew is a father. Jessica is a successful business owner and comes back home to make real life, big girl decisions. Yet these adults are constantly struggling to communicate. That’s okay. It happens. But then Matt’s entire family gets involved and it is so annoying! Maybe they need that push, but my goodness.
  
  By the end of the story, my favorite character -without question- is Emmie. That sweet girl needs a mommy and a big horse ❤️ Gosh darn it, Jessica belongs with Emmie as much as she belongs with Matthew. The ending is worth the struggle to get through, but I’d love this book more with a little less circular drama.
  
  I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.