Going for Two

Camellia Rom-Com Series #2

by Marie Veillon

Loren Reed is a sucker for a good romance trope—it’s why she returned to Camellia High to teach English lit. Unfortunately, a shallow dating pool, lousy parents, and an overbearing older brother have put a damper on her love life. She’s thirty years old with nothing to show for no rom-com meet cutes, no cinnamon-roll MMCs, no sexy slow burns, and still no prospects.

Well, except for Blake Bourgeois, her childhood academic rival. A former homecoming king turned volunteer football coach and small-town lawyer, he’s also known as Camellia’s most charming, handsome, and witty perpetual bachelor. Even with Blake’s unspoken three-date rule, there’s still a waitlist to get a peek at his spicy abs.

But Blake has a secret—one only Loren knows. Long before he became “Blake the Snake,” he was “The Other Bourgeois,” the one left feeling second-best to his younger brother. And who better to validate his bro complex than Landry Reed’s baby sister? While Loren may be the only woman privy to the man behind Blake’s overconfident mask, the two have never been able to figure out their own relationship. Are they friends or enemies? Allies or lovers?

It’s a good thing Loren’s too smart to fall for a guy like Blake, regardless of how swoon-worthy he may be or how many times he satisfies her peanut-butter fix. She refuses to waste her quirky sunshine on balancing Blake’s grumpy facade—until a little forced proximity makes it too difficult to ignore their undeniable chemistry. Then a risky two-point conversion is all it takes to rock their frenemy-ship and change things between them forever. Suddenly, they’re fake-dating friends without benefits, and the lines have become too blurry to make out whether Blake’s falling first or Loren’s falling harder. Now that Blake’s values have shifted, will it be enough for Loren to take him seriously? And is she as ready for a happily ever after as she thinks?------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Going for Two is the Second Book of Marie Veillon's Camellia Rom-Com Series

Genres: Romance, Enemies To Lovers, Rom Com, Contemporary Romance

402 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 26, 2024

About the author

A former high school lit teacher from South Louisiana, Marie Veillon is still learning to balance her ridiculous accent, Cajun-French—inspired vocabulary, and horrible speaking syntax with writing humorous stories and creating characters and situations relatable enough to make readers forget they aren’t real. She enjoys reading books about her Catholic faith and rom-coms with a guaranteed HEA, watching football, cooking, online shopping, fangirling, traveling, and spending time with her amazing family.

Reviews

[Caroline Rohem · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can't believe I'm giving this rating, because I loved the first book and was really looking forward to Loren and Blake's story. The chemistry between them is insane, and I adore their banter.

But what really threw me off was the surprise pregnancy trope. It's a trope that's really hard for me to like, and the fact that it happened so early in the book made me question their entire relationship. It didn't make me feel confident that their relationship would have progressed without the pregnancy. I think if it had happened after they were already truly together, I wouldn't have been as bothered.

[Savanna Scholet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Y'ALL she did it again! I loved this book so much. The plot had so much that was unexpected. The characters are complex, the emotions are realistic, the banter is 🤌🏼, and the faith aspects are so 🌟. It's there and it's not hidden, but it's so natural and non-judgemental. Definitely another favorite book ever!

[jordan εїз · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.5 stars 🌟 this was just increasingly awful and i don’t have any good things to say about it i fear!!!! i will now list my two main issues with this…book..

1. THE USE OF SLANG AND TIKTOK LANGAUGE
i don’t even know why this was included in the book but the fact that the words simp, rizz, and any other tiktok-esc language was used by 30+ yr olds in this was fucking ridiculous and so so so cringy 😭 grown ass adults are using this slang and they just sound like idiotic 12 yr old boys i’m sorry 😞

2. LORENS PUSH AND PULL
this bitch pissed me the FUCK OFF. i get that he was a reformed player and all but holy shit. you would think after he confessed his love to her like 8 times and said she was the one for him she’s start to trust him…BUT SHE DOESNT!!! she strung him along for god knows how long and couldn’t make up her fucking mind. first it was “🥺but i wanna kiss him🥺” and then “oh my god i can’t be with him because he will just drop me and hate me and use me for sex 💔☹️” THIS CHICK WOULD GET MAD WHEN HE ABIDED BY HER FUCKING RULES AND WOULD SOB ABT HOW HE CLEARLY “doesn’t want her” and “how she feels soooo rejected”. she pissed me the fuck of this whole book idc

so to sum this up, because i never really rant like this, i didn’t like this and barely made it through finishing it. on top of all of my least favorite things abt this, i hated the pacing of this book so much. it was confusing to not know how many months/weeks were passing by 😵‍💫 also what kind of midwife doesn’t believe in birth control/pregnancy prevention ??! 😭 so much about this sucked and i didn’t like it at all 🫠

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title: Going for Two (Camellia Rom-Com #2)
Author: Marie Veillon
Length: 438
Format: ebook arc
Pub Date: February 26, 2024
Genre: RomCom, ChickLit, Contemporary Romance
Rating Out of 5: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Spice Level: closed door
Summary:
Loren Reed, an English lit teacher at Camellia High, navigates a lackluster love life surrounded by a shallow dating pool, challenging family dynamics, and her childhood academic rival, Blake Bourgeois. Unbeknownst to many, Blake carries insecurities from his past as "The Other Bourgeois." Despite their complex relationship, a forced closeness reveals undeniable chemistry, leading to a fake-dating scenario that blurs the lines between friendship and something more. As Blake undergoes a transformation, Loren questions whether she's ready for a happily ever after.

Thoughts:
Wow. I think this book was made for me!! It was literal perfection. I was swooning. I was laughing. I was also stomping my foot in frustration. Loren was adorably quirky (albeit stubborn) fmc. Blake was such a lovable mmc. And Loren and Blake together? 🔥 🔥 🔥 The microtropes in this were 👩‍🍳 😘. Reese’s peanut butter cups (the holiday ones because they have the golden ratio). Ted Lasso references. The phrase “lying parts-down”. And more that I don’t want to spoil! This is the second in the series, but you could totally read them out of order (like me 😅). Being set in a small town in Louisiana was so cool because I could relate to so many things! Another thing I loved was that the main characters are in their 30s. It was refreshing and relatable for this genre. AND another thing I loved was not only the mention of God and Christianity in this book but also how it was used (loved JD’s advice to Blake about the Holy Spirit). Okay and lastly, the minty spice was SO GOOD. I imagine it being such a challenge to get that spice and chemistry just right while being closed-door and Marie achieved this flawlessly. Reminds me of Allison Ashley and Sarah Adams books! I will recommend this to anyone who likes romcoms!

Read if you love:
Dual POV
Closed door but great chemistry and spice (minty)
Forced proximity
Frenemies to lovers
No third act breakup
He falls first
Reformed bad boy MMC
Ted Lasso references
Bookish fmc
Small town romance

Special thanks to the author for the arc in exchange for my honest review!

[ioana’sreadings · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 ⭐️
1 🌶️, kissing, closed door

I really liked this book! It was a fun and sweet read, I was smiling, i was giggling and my feet were kicking in the air. I was happy, except when I was screaming at him to tell her his feelings. I absolutely loved how this book repaired something in my heart and I will 100% read another book by this author.

I adored the relationships between the characters, all of them! The two main characters, but also their friends and family. Ethan has my whole heart.

There was a lot of talk about Christianity and religion, so if you are not comfortable with this, think twice about reading the book.

[Dawn Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book two, but definitely can stand by itself.
It was a cute read. As a reader, there were multiple times where you just wanted to slap Loren and Blake. You wanted them to both spit out what they are feeling. Their love story really was cute. There was no on scene sex but it was talked about and lots of good flirting and steamy scenes. The book did frequently bring up Catholicism. Loved Tenley!

[Joanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️ just absolute perfection
Do I sense a book #3 coming? 😏

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really, really liked this book. It was really fun with great banter. The text exchanges were often so funny, especially the family group chat. I loved the relationships between many of the characters, but the sibling ones were highlights, especially Blake and JD. The characters were engaging. I enjoyed the storyline and the progression of the relationship. There was strong romantic tension between the main characters. I’m not generally the biggest fan of flashbacks, but they worked very well in this story to give the reader background. Blake, well known for either his playboy ways or for his younger brother, and Loren have known each other since childhood, their competitive frenemies relationship going up and down like a yo-yo. When Blake’s brother marries Loren’s best friend, situations occur that challenge their antagonism, what their true feelings are, and their perceptions of each other and themselves. “…maybe all that teasing and taunting we’d done over the years had actually been flirting. Maybe my lingering attraction to her hadn’t been one-sided after all…” Blake (“The Other Bourgeois”) really struggled with living in his younger brother’s shadow. “It’s the same as it was when we were kids. My brother’s perfect, and I’m not, but I wish I were.” I think my only disappointment was that there is a very significant event late in the story that happened almost entirely off the page, and I would really have liked to see more of the characters reactions to the event, even just after the fact. It didn’t feel like we got Blake’s perspective on it at all, and only briefly Loren’s.

This book is the second in the series, and it would still be enjoyable read as a standalone, but the first book adds a lot of context and background, as well as character foundation. It felt as if the author may have been setting Landry up for a book, and I would look forward to reading that. The author provides detailed author’s notes regarding the content. (Both at the beginning of the book, and in the book listing. This story involves elements of substance and alcohol abuse, parental abandonment, death and grief, a playboy lifestyle, and pregnancy issues. There are also elements of Catholic and Christian faiths. The author describes the story as PG-13 (if it were a movie), and I would agree. I would classify the book as detailed fade-to-black, with intimacy occurring between the main characters off the page, but significant and detailed kissing and make-outs (close to leading to more) and frequent thoughts and discussions of sex, as well as innuendo. There is also a moderate amount of harsh language, mostly mild, but some moderate, in strength. As well as a couple acronyms that would include strong harsh language

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a cute story! I loved reading about Loren and Blake—their dynamic had me grinning so many times. Watching Blake slowly break down Loren’s walls was so fun to see, and their chemistry had me making all the reader noises.

There were a few moments where I wasn’t a huge fan of Loren’s brother (he definitely had his frustrating points), but seeing JD and Tenley again made up for it. I also really enjoyed how the story balanced humor and heart—Marie Veillon knows how to make you laugh one moment and melt the next. The ending was absolutely precious and left me smiling long after I finished.

A small-town romance with just the right mix of tension and tenderness, Going for Two brings together dual POVs, accidental pregnancy, frenemies to lovers, fake dating, and even a dual timeline. It’s the kind of story that feels warm, messy, and real in all the best ways.

[Krissi Markos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Y’all!!!! This book!!!!!! If it wasn’t for work and family responsibilities I would have finished it in a day!!
Frenemies to lovers
He falls first
Small town romance
Steamy closed door
HEA!!
Dual POV
Forced proximity
The list goes on!
This is book two of Marie Veillon’s Carmellia series. It follows Loren (Lo) and Blake with a will they won’t they past and their new surprising future! There is a lot of religion, specifically Catholic references and themes throughout, while still being steamy and teasing you with the romance between these two! The story between Lo and Blake are so perfect and real and felt like people I know going through relationship hiccups and navigating a new way of life.

I highly recommend reading Going for Two! It can be read as a stand alone, but reading it after Third and Ten will make it soo much more enjoyable!! 🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤

[barbie · Rating 1 out of 5]

uma das piores coisas que eu li, a fmc é muito burra e idiota ou entao ela fica se fazendo de coitada e o mmc so fala merda e ain nossa eu sou um coitado pq eu era um safado e agora ninguem me leva a serio
gente vamos ter MAIS criterios pra publicar livros serio 4.1 estrelas goodreads??? vcs tao lendo oq monas

[Elisabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

that was a cutie fun book that had such good banter!! more like a 4.5 because so parts were just so cringy but the enemies to lovers and fake dating my were just too good

[Carolyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series is a great reminder that there’s room in the Christian romcom genre for no spice, minty, and everything in between. And, it’s okay for characters to begin their arc with some attachments to their former ways. In fact, it may make their growth even more interesting.

Blake (the Snake) has been pigeon-holed as a player long enough that he’s convinced what everyone thinks about him must be true, disqualifying him for marriage and the family he craves - at least with his childhood frenemy Loren.

Loren’s been a victim of Blake’s reputation too, and combined with issues from her family of origin, trusting Blake is a nearly insurmountable hurtle.

The physical attraction is strong and the innuendos are plentiful, so proceed accordingly. I appreciate the story’s frankness when it comes to sexual attraction, fertility, and childbirth. At its heart, the story is not just fun and flirty but a story of forgiveness, trust, and conversion with a reminder that God can work all things for His purpose.

[Devon Mase · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just want to say thank you first for allowing me to ARC read this great book. This is the second book in the Camellia series. It is interconnected stand alone book so I must admit that I have not gotten the pleasure of reading the first book but best believe its on my TBR. I did enjoy this book but I would say you would probably enjoy it more if you read them in order.

I had a lot of fun reading it and was kicking my feet giggling one moment to really taking in some of the harder topics of this book. I really adored Loren and her peanut butter cravings being a cute pregnant lady. This book IS the accidental pregnancy trope. If you do not like that you might not enjoy this book very much. I am usually not a fan, but I had a wonderful time watching Blake and Loren figure out their relationship and what its like to be parents. Blake and Loren are childhood frienemies to lovers which is very important. I would say Blake's love language is definitely touch and Lorens is acts of service if I had to make an educated guess. There are moments where I struggled because I struggled understanding why they just would believe what the other was saying but that is a part of who they are and the different things they had to face while growing up as frienemies with each other. I will also tell you that there are Catholic/Christian themes which as a Christian I feel are discussed really well. I am not Catholic but man oh man did I get a kick out of Father Conrad.

This wasn't a spicy book despite the topics of sex, fertility and other topics along those lines. The author said it best so I will not even attempt to say it in my own words. It is minty and would definitely rated as a PG 13 if it was a movie. There are fade to black moments as well as quite a few innuendos. (Some of them were actually pretty funny to me lol)

Overall I really did enjoy this book and the characters. I am really interested in to see what is coming next and reading the first one.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one took its time with me—but in the end, I appreciated what it brought to the table. Going for Two is more than your average romance; it’s a thoughtful look at family dynamics, cultural expectations, and the weight of history—personal and shared.

Loren and Blake’s story isn’t about sweeping gestures or heart-racing drama. Instead, it’s rooted in the complicated spaces between who we were and who we’re trying to become. I liked how Marie Veillon explored the layers of Loren’s identity—her frustration with her overbearing family, her religious upbringing, and the quiet pressure to do things the "right" way. And Blake? His slow unraveling felt honest.

This book shines when it focuses on healing—not just romantic connection. If you're looking for something that reflects on love and life in a nuanced way, this might be your next read.

[K.L. Hester · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was such a sweet and fun read! This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2024 and I was lucky enough to be an ARC reader! If you like sweet romance with just a little heat then you will love this book! Marie Veillon does an amazing job of including religious (Catholic) themes without having the entire book focus on the religion. No matter your religious affiliation, you will enjoy this sweet story!

[Abby Huffer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this one! I did not think it was possible to love Blake more than JD but Marie did it in this one🥰 Blake is a secret softy who is the absolute sweetest for Loren. I loved them together and the redemption arc for Blake is sooo good. *note this book is fully closed door but a little more on the minty spice side*.

[Olivia · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a wonderful sequel! I enjoyed both main characters’ perspectives in this one. As an English teacher whose favorite treat is also Reese’s, I related well to Lo and had a hard time putting this book down.

[Kallie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book!
One thing I loved for sure was the way each character would have grown from the beginning of the book, matter of fact from the previous book to the end. It was really nice to read that growth

[Jennifer Charlie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely LOVED this book! I have to say Blake became my new favorite! The way the author writes flows so well and makes for an easy and captivating read! Seriously becoming one of my favorite authors!

[The Cajun Bookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marie has exceeded herself with this book!

Going in make sure you know the following about this book:
-Surprise Pregnancy
-Catholic/Christian themes
-Closed door
-Does not show a main traumatic event

These are the main concerns I see expressed about it so just make sure you are aware before you dive in.

I really liked Blake's character a lot more than his brother J.D. from the first book. He was more likeable to me and more "real". Loren is a jerk and selfish but she comes around in the end.

[TAMMY · Rating 5 out of 5]

awesome read!

I had the pleasure of meeting the author in person at a convention in New Orleans recently, where I picked up the first in the series. I love the characters, it's a great storyline, and a fun read. waiting for the next in the series...hopefully there will be a next?

[Pam Aguillard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing, awesome

Amazing book. Did not want to put it down. I recommend this book to everyone. My granddaughters would enjoy as well. Can't wait for more books from you.

[Carmen · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️ I enjoyed this read but to be honest Loren annoyed me a bit at times. I liked watching Blake fall hard.

[Gayla Worrell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this one more than the first in the serious but I was thrown off by unexpected religious content in both of them. Oops surprise Jesus! Not really my thing but it was fine. I'll read the next in the series if there is one!

[Madeline (bookswithmadi_) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

Well, I did not expect to be as completely enamored with this book as I was. I quite literally, could not put it down. I read it in less than 24 hours because I just could get enough of Blake and Lo.

This had a trope that I was not expecting and I wouldn't have guessed that I would love it as much as I did (don't worry, no spoilers) and now I need a hundred more books with this trope.

Things to love:
-He falls first
-Boy obsessed
-Pinning
-Hot kisses
-Fake dating
-LOTR references
-Redeemed bad boy & bookish girl

Spice and CW: Closed door but on the steamier side. Read authors note at the beginning for more details

[Sarah Beth G. (a.neverending.tbr) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would never have guessed that a book with this trope (no spoilers) would be enjoyable for me but for some reason this worked. There was great chemistry and banter between frenemies Blake and Loren and I really liked the flashbacks to get some of the backstory. I wanted them to make it. This would be higher rated except that I did tire of Loren’s push and pull but I read this very quickly and was pulled in from the beginning.

Content Notes: Closed door but with some spicier moments and fade to black scenes; read author’s note for more detail

[☆Laura☆ · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.6⭐️


Tanto Loren como Blake me deseperaron.


Este libro se centra más en la religión que el anterior.

[Kelsey Gietl · Rating 3 out of 5]

First, the good. This book was well written, included some witty dialogue, and otherwise sweet romantic scenes. You don't need to read the first book to follow the storyline for this one. The redemption/reformed bad-boy storyline is one of my favorites and I was really looking forward to seeing that play out. If you are a mainstream romance reader, this book will probably be a great read for you. If you're a Christian Fiction or Clean Fiction reader, you may want to skip this one. Here's why:

This was my first experience with a book labeled as a "minty rom-com," so I didn't really know what I was getting myself into. The author does provide a disclaimer at the beginning saying it included "closed-door romance with the door cracked open" and "heavy innuendo, discussions of sex, chastity and fertility awareness, as well as semi-steamy scenes, implied nudity, and mild language; however, any explicit spice happens off the page." Since different readers can interpret these things different ways, and this was labeled as a "Catholic Christian Rom-Com," I figured the author was just trying to proactively cover her bases and it probably wouldn't be as sex heavy as it sounded. Unfortunately, that was not the case. Here are a few areas that didn't sit well with me for Christian Fiction:
- Lots of unnecessary profanity
- Lots of sexual talk and emphasis on physical attraction
- The first kiss scene in the Prologue felt cringy for two 13 year olds.
- The sex scene in Chapter 1 was, in my opinion, more than "the door cracked open."
- Discussion of past sexual experience. I don't have a problem with people having a past, but it never felt like they showed any real remorse or learned from those experiences.
- Religion felt like it was thrown in as an oversight or something to do just so you could get married "in the Church." Likewise, the priest character seemed very lukewarm about the faith, like he didn't want to step on anybody's toes. There were so many missed opportunities for showing the beauty of the Catholic faith and a few places where the faith was portrayed incorrectly (for example, marriage prep). I think this book would have worked much better if the religion had been removed and it was marketed as mainstream.

Overall, I wouldn't read another "minty rom-com" from this author, but if she wrote a "sweet rom-com" I might be willing to give her work another try.

[Anastasia Layne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Overall Thoughts:

I don’t even know how to start with this one! Just. So. Good! I laughed, I cried, I swooned, I had my heart trampled all over! It’s been a LONG time since I stayed up late to finish a book, but I was literally not able to put this book down.

First things first, BLAKE! You sweet, vulnerable, ADORABLE man, you. Gah, so wonderful! And the flashback scenes (which, for the record, I usually hate in books) were extremely well done. They created such a great picture of the character’s back stories (especially Blake's) and really help readers to form a bond with the characters.

Did I want to smack the MCs a few times to make them see what was right in front of them? Absolutely. But then I'd be reminded WHY they have the reservations that they do, and I would be a little more understanding.

Similarly to Third and Ten, the first book in this series, there were Catholic themes and messaging scattered throughout (which I wholeheartedly appreciate and adore). The author's blend of steamy scenes-still keeping it closed door and PG-13-and faith elements never ceases to amaze me. The characters are real people living real lives with real struggles and temptations.

Speaking of Third and Ten, JD and Tenley were so wonderful in this book. Seriously, Ten is definitely someone I want to be. Basically anytime the whole gang was together was hilarious. The group texts? Too. Funny!

It’s a struggle to write a review without giving away massive spoilers, but this story is going to live rent free in my head for a LONG time.

Also, this book is downright hilarious, so that is great.

I’ll never be able to gush about this author’s writing style and the way she makes you love her characters. Marie, you are nothing short of remarkable!