Second Time's the Charm

by Stephanie Rose

The only woman I’ve ever loved is the one I can’t have.

Going from uncle to father overnight meant me moving back to my hometown after two decades away. Now, I’m trying to pick up the pieces and do right by a little girl who just wants her mom.

When my twentieth high school reunion rolls around, I come face-to-face with Emily, the ex whose heart I broke before she could break mine. Old feelings come rushing back, but I don’t have time to grieve, let alone start a relationship.

Regardless of the palpable temptation to restore what we lost, all I can offer Emily is an apology and friendship.

But the lines I’ve drawn start to blur when she becomes my niece’s soccer coach and I spend the entire season on the sidelines pretending I’m not wondering what might happen if we had a second chance.

Everything changes in one liquor-fueled night of confessions. I have no choice but to fight for Emily, for what we could have together. I’ve already wasted too much of my life without her in my arms, in my bed.
Maybe the second time’s the charm…

Genres: Second Chance, Romance, Contemporary Romance, Friends To Lovers, Second Chance Romance, Slow Burn, Sports

Kindle Edition

Published May 10, 2024

About the author

Stephanie Rose is a badass New Yorker, a wife, a mother, and lover of all things chocolate. Most days you'll find her trying to avoid standing on discarded LEGO or deciding which book to read next. Her debut novel, Always You, released in 2015 and since then she's written several more—some of which will never see completion—and has ideas for hundreds to come.

Reviews

[Gigi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a total sucker for second-chance romances, especially when there's a single parent involved and a good dose of angst! This was my first time reading a book by Stephanie Rose, and it totally blew me away! The chemistry between Emily and Jesse is sizzling, and despite the initial heartbreak, their love shines through. I was hooked from the start and couldn't put it down. Stephanie created a wonderful world with lovable characters you can't help but cheer for. Overall, it was a enjoyable and easy read, and I can't wait to read more from this author!

Recommended for those who:
💔 Dislike third-act breakups
🏝️ Are familiar with Long Island
🥃 Enjoy drunken confessions
❤️‍🔥 Love a good dose of pining

[JP · Rating 5 out of 5]

Are you in the mood for a second chance? I am! This is one of my favorite tropes and I loved it. I especially liked the fact that the author didn’t spend a ton of time on the past. She gave me enough details for me to understand them and she focused on the future. I also loved how comfortable the entire thing felt. Yes there was some fears and sadness but overall it was just a “I’m so glad they made it” feel. SR writes for me a perfect amount of intimacy. Lately I have felt like some romance is forced in a way that can be uncomfortable. The epilogue was my favorite part of this book. 🥹 Absolutely felt so good when I finished this and hope you enjoy as much as I did.
Thanks HambrightPR and Stephanie Rose for this one! I loved it 💗

[Elyvia (eliv_bookstagram) · Rating 5 out of 5]

🎧𝗔𝗟𝗖 𝗥𝗘𝗩𝗜𝗘𝗪 - 𝗦𝗘𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗗 𝗧𝗜𝗠𝗘'𝗦 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗠
⏳𝟭𝟬𝗛 𝟬𝟰𝗠
🎙️𝗔𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗿 𝗛𝗮𝘆𝗻𝗲𝘀𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗴𝗲 & 𝗖𝗝 𝗕𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗺

💜𝚂𝚎𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚍 𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚁𝚘𝚖𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚎
⚽️𝙷𝚒𝚐𝚑 𝚂𝚌𝚑𝚘𝚘𝚕 𝚂𝚠𝚎𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚝𝚜
💜𝚂𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚕𝚎 𝙿𝚊𝚛𝚎𝚗𝚝 (𝙶𝚞𝚊𝚛𝚍𝚒𝚊𝚗)
⚽️𝙸𝚝’𝚜 𝙰𝚕𝚠𝚊𝚢𝚜 𝙱𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚈𝚘𝚞

⁀➷ “𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐡, 𝐢𝐭’𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲 𝐟𝐮𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬. 𝐈𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐞 𝐚 𝐡𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐝, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐞. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐨𝐧𝐞.”

💓𝐏𝐞𝐭𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞: 𝐋𝐞𝐠𝐬
❝ ᴊᴇꜱꜱᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴇᴍɪʟʏ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ʜɪɢʜ ꜱᴄʜᴏᴏʟ ꜱᴡᴇᴇᴛʜᴇᴀʀᴛꜱ ᴜɴᴛɪʟ ʜᴇ ʙʀᴏᴋᴇ ʜᴇʀ ʜᴇᴀʀᴛ ʀɪɢʜᴛ ʙᴇꜰᴏʀᴇ ɢʀᴀᴅᴜᴀᴛɪᴏɴ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴡᴇɴᴛ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ꜱᴇᴘᴀʀᴀᴛᴇ ᴡᴀʏꜱ. ꜰᴀꜱᴛ ꜰᴏʀᴡᴀʀᴅ 20 ʏᴇᴀʀꜱ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇʏ ʙᴜᴍᴘ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴇᴀᴄʜ ᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ʜɪɢʜ ꜱᴄʜᴏᴏʟ ʀᴇᴜɴɪᴏɴ. ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʜᴇᴍɪꜱᴛʀʏ ɪꜱ ꜱᴛɪʟʟ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ, ʙᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴀɢʀᴇᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴊᴜꜱᴛ ʙᴇ ꜰʀɪᴇɴᴅꜱ. ᴛʜᴇɴ, ᴡʜᴇɴ ᴇᴍɪʟʏ ʙᴇᴄᴏᴍᴇꜱ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴏᴄᴄᴇʀ ᴄᴏᴀᴄʜ ꜰᴏʀ ᴊᴇꜱꜱᴇ’ꜱ ɴɪᴇᴄᴇ, ᴛʜᴇʏ ꜰɪɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇᴍꜱᴇʟᴠᴇꜱ ʜᴀɴɢɪɴɢ ᴏᴜᴛ ᴍᴏʀᴇ. ᴡɪʟʟ ᴊᴇꜱꜱᴇ ʟᴇᴛ ᴛʜɪꜱ ꜱᴇᴄᴏɴᴅ ᴄʜᴀɴᴄᴇ ꜱʟɪᴘ ᴀᴡᴀʏ ᴀɢᴀɪɴ?❝

💭I love second-chance romance, it’s a trope that has always drawn me in, and this was a delight to read! I love the fact that they meet again much later in life, but clearly, it’s always been them for Emily and Jesse, neither has ever settled down cause there’s never been a right person until they meet again. Jesse was a bit frustrating at the beginning, but I get where he’s coming from. And I like that Emily didn’t just give in right away and demand an explanation for his hot and cold behavior, you go girl! This was quite emotional too, Jesse is dealing with grief and guilt, also for suddenly being a guardian for his niece. He’s got a lot on his plate but he knows he can’t miss this chance with Emily or he’ll never get another one.

🎧𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗼𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄🎧
Alistair is new to me, and I have to say, I really enjoyed his performance! He brought a lot of depth to the characters and made the story even more engaging. Carly, of course, was fantastic as always. Overall, listening to this audiobook really enhanced my experience with the story. It just felt so much more immersive, and I found myself getting completely lost in it. Definitely an amazing experience!

𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 𝟰.𝟱⭐️ | 𝗦𝗽𝗶𝗰𝗲: 𝟮🌶️ | 𝗡𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: 𝟱🎧

✨ 𝚃𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚔 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚝𝚘 HAMBRIGHT PR 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚐𝚒𝚏𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝙰𝙻𝙲, 𝙸'𝚖 𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚟𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚛𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠 𝚟𝚘𝚕𝚞𝚗𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚒𝚕𝚢 ✨

[My Own Bookshelves · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love a second chance on wrong time then/right time now, this is it for you.

Although the characters don't think it's a right time. Lots of baggage they carry along with stinging hurts from the past, new guardianship and wondering if they are really built to have an HEA.

Stephanie Rose brings all the feelings of young love and letting go to move forward into a deeper relationship. The time is right now and worth the wait. Jesse and Emily slow burn to something lovely and readers will be swoon over.

[Malene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Second Time’s the Charm delivered the second chance romance I was searching for. Jesse and Emily were high school sweethearts and meet again after twenty years. Their rekindling was so good especially because of their history but also their chemistry. Jesse is now a guardian to his eight year old niece Maddie and their relationship was so sweet and heartwarming. Maddie and Emily form a bond too and slowly grows stronger as Emily and Jesse find their way back to each other.
The side characters were amazing too. Sabrina and Caden along with Jesse and Emily’s parents. It’s such a strong ensemble which only made the story shine even brighter.
STTC is about second chances and I felt it all. The pain, forgiveness but most importantly the love.

[Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️Happy Release Day!⭐️

📖 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐦 𝐛𝐲 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐩𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐞 𝐑𝐨𝐬𝐞

"𝘐'𝘮 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘯, 𝘣𝘢𝘣𝘺. 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘫𝘰𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘦?"

My heart was in knots for so much of this book. It’s such a touching story about two people getting a second chance at love 20 years after breaking up.

I cried multiple times over Jesse’s sister. 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐦 had plenty of happy moments, but there is a underlying note of grief throughout the book that really made me so emotional.

Jesse and Emily are heart mates and being apart of their journey back to each other was amazing! This book really had appt of great moments where the leads both talked out their feelings instead of going down the path of miscommunication.

All of the side characters were wonderful. Maddie was the sweetest kid and I just wanted to wrap her up in the biggest hug.

The chemistry between Jesse and Emily was off the charts! This is definitely a slow burn but the spice towards the end was worth the wait!

"𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘓𝘦𝘨𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴, 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦, 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘭𝘦𝘨𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘺 𝘧𝘢𝘷𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦. 𝘍𝘦𝘦𝘭𝘴 𝘴𝘰 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘦."

The epilogue and bonus epilogues were the freaking sweetest! The full circle moment at the end with Maddie warmed my heart and had me in the best happy tears! Seriously, it’s freaking precious.

𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐦 releases on May 10! I highly recommend it to all my book pals that appreciate the angst that comes with a slow burn romance! Huge thank you to Hambright PR for my eARC so that I could share this honest review!

𝖳𝗋𝗈𝗉𝖾𝗌:
💕 𝖢𝗁𝗂𝗅𝖽𝗁𝗈𝗈𝖽 𝖥𝗋𝗂𝖾𝗇𝖽𝗌 𝗍𝗈 𝖫𝗈𝗏𝖾𝗋𝗌
🫶🏼 𝖲𝖾𝖼𝗈𝗇𝖽 𝖢𝗁𝖺𝗇𝖼𝖾 𝖱𝗈𝗆𝖺𝗇𝖼𝖾
🎀 𝖲𝗂𝗇𝗀𝗅𝖾 𝖣𝖺𝖽
💋 𝖲𝗅𝗈𝗐 𝖡𝗎𝗋𝗇
🔥 𝖲𝗉𝗂𝖼𝗒 (2🌶️)
🌷 𝖣𝗎𝖺𝗅 𝖯𝖮𝖵

[BookishRaquel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Star Rating: 5/5 ⭐
Heat Rating: 3/5 🌶️

What to Expect:
- Second Chance Romance
- Highschool Sweethearts
- Single Dad/Guardian
- Golden Retriever Hero
- Former Soccer Star Heroine
- Slow Burn
- No Third Act Breakup
- Dual POVs

Second Time's the Charm is a heartwarming second-chance romance that I couldn't put down. I adored Jesse and Emily's story. This book made me feel nostalgic and put a huge smile on my face. Jesse and Emily dated in high school, but Jesse ended things and broke Emily's heart. Twenty years later, they come face to face at their high school reunion. Jesse's life has changed significantly. However, his feelings for Emily have not changed. When he sees her, he hopes to finally have an opportunity to apologize for his actions and rekindle their relationship. I loved this story so much! Jesse and Emily are great as individual characters and as a couple. Their chemistry was amazing! I loved Caden and Sabrina, but Maddie stole the show. The epilogue and bonus epilogue are perfect, and I loved Maddie's POV. Second Time's the Charm is a beautiful story, and I can't wait to read more from Stephanie Rose.

Thanks to Stephanie Rose and Hambright PR for the gifted eARC. Opinions expressed are my own.

[Diana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Second Time’s The Charm is the perfect second chance love story! This book had me in my feels! I loved that this was a couple in their late 30s and it had been 20 years since they were together. It was perfectly done by author Stephanie Rose. First time reader of her work and I devoured it. She just blew me away. And the epilogue… hands down my absolute favorite! 🥹

What to expect:
👨‍👧Single Dad (He's his niece's new guardian)
⚽️Former Soccer Star Heroine
👩‍❤️‍👨High School Sweethearts (reconnecting 20 years later)
👀Golden Retriever Hero (with dirty alpha vibes)
🌶️ALL the Pining!
🥃Drunk Confessions (& kissing 😘)
❤️‍🔥No 3rd Act Breakup

I finished this book a few days ago and still cannot stop thinking about it. 🥰 Highly recommend picking up this gem!

Many thanks to @hambright_pr and @authorstephanierose for the advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

Available May 10th on Amazon + Kindle Unlimited!

[Farah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Exes Jesse and Emily come face to face again at their twentieth high school reunion. Life hasn't panned out the way either expected but can they still be friends?

When I read the tropes featured in Second Time's the Charm, I couldn't resist requesting a copy straight away. This second chance, friends to lovers, single dad romance had me flipping the pages so fast that the book finished before I knew it. It was such a sweet read and our main characters Emily and Jesse were just so cute together. It was adorable watching them make their way towards each other again. When you know, you know right? Absolutely loved the bonus epilogue at the end too.

[brazenandbookish · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Hambright PR and Stephanie Rose for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was my second book by this author and just as enjoyable as my first! This book has some of my favorite tropes: single dad, second chance, found family. I really enjoyed both Jesse and Emily as characters. I loved that they communicated, even when it was hard or they couldn’t understand what they were feeling. I also liked how Jesse’s reasoning for his break-up was honest. This wasn’t a “oh no something crazy and devestating happened that forced me to leave”. This was very much a realistic “I was an 18 year old kid who was scared out of his mind with my feelings for you and the pressures of life, and I didn’t handle it well” which is very realistic and also very refreshing, as so many romance books take the more crazy route for reasons. I loved the discussions on grief and healing. Especially the discussions on therapy and adjusting as a family after the loss of a loved one. Jesse’s dedication to being the best father figure he could be and actively trying to make Maddie’s life as best as he could was beautiful. Maddie was adorable and I loved watching her journey. Caden and Sabrina were great secondary characters. The proposal scene was so cute! Also, the bonus epilogue from Maddie’s POV was so fun! I loved how it closed out the book. Overall, this was an emotional, but super fun second chance romance!

[Kaitie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always fall so in love with Stephanie Rose’s characters. And Jesse and Emily were no different! I’ve been in a reading rut and this was a book I needed. It grabbed my interest and didn’t let go. I love the characters she brings to life and their sweet stories!

[Emily Johnston (Booked.Up.With.Emily) · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I saw that Stephanie Rose was giving us a second chance romance, I immediately got super excited. Second chance is one of my favorite tropes and Jesse and Emily’s story was no exception.

💜Second chance romance
💜High school sweethearts
💜Single parent
💜“It was always you”
💜No third act breakup

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25
Spice level: 🌶️.5
Angst level: 💔.5

Jesse and Emily dated all through high school and when one of them made the decision to end their relationship for a better future, they both are left missing each other. Now here we are twenty years later, and they are coming face to face for the first time since their breakup. After the initial awkwardness and residual anger and hurt passes, the two of them seemingly fall into the comfortableness that they once felt with each other.

But it’s been two decades and things are very different. Both are living much different lives than they had intended – Emily moved back home to be closer to her mother and Jesse is raising his niece after the awful loss of his sister.

They seemingly fit into each others lives in the present, but will they be able to take the leap and jump head first? Or will their past fears and hurts cause them to stay in the friendzone?

This book was a lot more emotional than I had expected, but in the best ways. I love a man who steps up to raise a family member. The relationship between Jesse and his niece was so absolutely sweet and I loved seeing them grow together. I also loved Emily and hers relationship and how Em was able to fit a hole that was missing in her heart.

There are two man side characters in this book and I loved that we saw them get their HEA as well by the end!

Can’t wait to read what Stephanie puts out next.

[Tamara Hansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Second chance romance about a soccer star whose HS boyfriend breaks up with her before she leaves for college. They reconnect over 20 years later when she moves back home and they both have complicated lives to work through.

Some stories are so therapeutic they feel like a conversation you always wanted to have but couldn’t. This book found its way to me for that very reason. The bonus epilogues were fantastic. Full circle warm fuzzies.

[Esther | esthersreadingnook · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jesse and Emily stole my heart 😫

This second chance story was so sweet. Jesse as a new guardian/dad trying to figure out this parent thing was adorable. The story of his sister passing was so heartbreaking. I can not even imagine trying to grieve a loss like that while trying to learn how to parent your niece.

Emily was so great. I loved how they slowly rekindled their relationship. How Jesse brought her into his new family with his niece, Maddie.

There were so many amazingly touching moments, so many laughs. Such a great balance surrounding the different topics and emotions.

The narration was incredible as well! It helped me absolutely breeze through this book because I couldn’t stop listening!

Thank you Hambright PR and Stephanie Rose for the audiobook 💖

[L.J. Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

The incredibly talented Stephanie Rose has done it again with this beautifully paced, heart-warming story of second-chance love. The way Jesse first lets Emily go so she can have the future she deserves, and then slowly reels her back in when they meet at a reunion twenty years later hits every perfect note.

But this story is about so much more than just high school sweethearts falling in love again. It’s realistic and raw and emotional. It’s full of healing and family and love in all its forms. The way the adults look after Maddie is beautiful, and the way the choose to center their attention on the future is inspiring.

One of my favorite quotes in the book is: “It used to be so easy to love Jesse. The hard part came when I had to figure out how to stop. But as it turned out, I never had.”

I highly recommend this book for its sweet, heart-grabbing, sizzling story.

[TurnPaiges · Rating 5 out of 5]

-High school sweethearts
-Second chance
-Single dad
-No third act breakup
I definitely shed some tears! This touches on real life struggles like grief and loss of a loved one and how it affects family and children. It was realistic, and such a good example of how coming together in grief is more powerful than going at it alone.
I loved the dynamic of these two, my Dad reconnected with a college sweetheart after 20 years as well and reading about Emily and Jesse and seeing them him in these two, hit home for me and just made me love this book that much more!

This was so cute and sweet, I love so much how there is an apparent respect for Maddie and her feelings throughout this book as well.
I loved getting to know these two as young adults from a grown up perspective, and then seeing them mature in adulthood and growing together.

Loved this so incredibly much, special thanks to Hambright PR for the ARC!

[palo.santo.and.pages · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m always excited for a second chance romance and this was the perfect blend of emotional yet sweet. I absolutely loved we got a dual POV and quickly fell in love with all the characters. It was heartwarming to see the characters navigate grief and other obstacles to try to find their way back to each other! 4⭐️

[Emily Larche · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this one! It just came out on May 10th, and if you are a fan of Second Chance Romance, I can’t recommend this enough. High school best friends/ sweethearts reunite at their 20 year high school reunion and their story had me crying and flying through the rest of the book.

[Caitlin ♡]

Dnf @ 62%

Absolutely no hate to this book because I was genuinely enjoying it for the first half, but I just got bored and didn’t want to continue!

[Angeles · Rating 2 out of 5]

no amas a una persona que no ves hace 20 años, amas la persona que fue cuando la dejaste so i don't buy it

[PP's Bookshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stephanie Rose brings all the swoon and slow burn perfection of second chance romance in Second Time's the Charm. It starts with the sweetness of young love, moves to heartbreak and resumes years later, with hope and redemption. Jesse and Emily made me laugh and smile and made my heart ache in perfect way. And sweet Maddie has my heart!

Jesse and Emily meet again in their high school reunion and Jesse takes this chance up to explain why he broke Emily's heart all those years ago. His intention was pure. He didn't want to be an obstacle in the way of her brilliant college Soccer career. But it broke Emily badly. The conversation eased it a bit but didn't heal everything. Jesse has a surprise in store when he takes his niece Maddie to local Soccer league and finds Emily is a new coach there. Jesse thinks he should focus on the little girl who just lost her mother but Emily is under his skin. Is it wrong time again?

Jesse a very real kind of book boyfriend. He is struggling with the grief of losing his sister in cancer. He is constantly doubting if he is doing a good job as Maddie's guardian. He has never stopped loving Emily but he is not sure if he can be everything that Emily deserves. But he has not stopped trying. I absolutely adore his dedication for Maddie. I was swooning over the little but significant ways he is showing his love for Emily. He is also surprisingly alpha in bedroom. Sweet nice Jesse turns into this dirty talking beast there! Emily is so warm and lovable. I love when authors give the main characters jobs related to romance book world and Emily is a famous editor. She understands Jesse's reasoning of breaking up all those years ago and she cannot deny that her feelings never went away. But she is a bit scared and I don't blame her. Jesse did an awesome job of winning her back though. Maddie was an important factor here. My heart breaks for her but I am so happy that she has so many awesome people in her corner. Jesse and Emily had to go through some tough times at the end but now they are more mature and their bond is stronger than ever. From their reunion, it was clear that their chemistry and emotional connection is very much alive. And it only became more intense as the book progressed.

I reviewed an early copy voluntarily

[kgagnon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was completely captivated by this slow-burn, second chance romance! Rose has the incredible ability to sweep me up into every story she writes. Her characters are so rich and authentic, I can't help but be drawn in to their beautiful, complex, and riveting stories. Emily and Jesse were in love from the moment they met in High School. Emily was a talented soccer player and Jesse was the computer nerd, and they were absolutely perfect for each other. When Emily was preparing to leave for college, Jesse broke up with her, not wanting to hold her back, breaking both their hearts. Now twenty years later, they meet again, and the attraction, and love they thought was long buried flies to the surface. They reconnect, letting go of old hurts. Jesse knows that Emily is the love of his life, but needs to focus on raising his niece after losing his sister recently. Emily has her own baggage, and knows she could fall even harder for Jesse a second time. She doesn't want to risk her heart being broken for good this time, if she doesn't keep him and his adorable niece at a distance. But can two soul mates stay apart when everything is working to bring them together? I loved how Rose took her time bringing Emily and Jesse back together. They slowly spent time together, learning who they are now, making their connection even stronger and unbreakable. Emily is so kind and sweet, and Jesse is a great guy, and a great Uncle, with a heart of gold. The chemistry and absolute devotion that develops between them is remarkable. This is an emotional and passionate story about forgiveness, love, loyalty, and family. Emily and Jesse's journey is messy, bittersweet, beautiful, and unflinchingly real, and it will leave you believing in soul mates.
Listening to CJ Bloom and Alastair Haynesbridge bring these characters and story to life was perfect. Their dynamic inflections, their distinct tones for young and mature voices, and the emotions they infuse into their characters is all so impressive. I loved reading this book when it released, but listening to these amazing performances made it even more enjoyable!

[Camii · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Me tienes a mí. Desde ese primer día y, decidas lo que decidas, por el resto de mi vida. Mientras yo viva, no estarás sola"

Este fue un libro de segunda oportunidad que demostro a veces por mas lindo que sea el amor jóven eso no es suficiente para vivir una vida juntos, porque ser adulto no es fácil y el miedo que traen esa etapa hace que las pequeñas decisiones nos cambien para siempre.

20 años mas tarde vemos que Jesse es el tutor legal de su sobrina de 8 años porque lamentablemente su hermana menor falleció, el esta pasando por un duelo muy grande y esta en un momento de su vida en el que tiene que aprender a lidiar con la perdida de alguien que amaba mucho y ser el mejor padre para su sobrina y ahí es donde entra Emily.

Emily lleva una vida diferente a la que siempre soño y siempre sintió que las decisiones importantes de su vida fueron tomadas por otras personas y esta vez quiere cambiar eso razón por la que a pesar de no querer a su ex -Jesse- por romperle el corazón decide ir a una cita co n el y se da cuenta que los sentimientos y química todavía siguen vivos y que ella sea la entrenadora de su sobrina (por la cual tiene un amor espacial por su madre) los unió aún mas ♥️😭.


Ame la dinámica de ellos y como pudieron unir su vida con las nuevas cargas que llevaban encima y sobre todo que tuvieran en consideración la salud y bienestar de Maddie que estaba pasando por momentos difíciles y no querían poner mas dificultades en ella. Emily fue una gran compañera para ambos, y ni hablemos de Jesse que siempre dió lo mejor de si mismo para ser el mejor para ambas ♥️.


Que agridulce lo de Tessa, hubiera sido bonito conocer mas de su personaje estando en vida ame cada detalle que compartían de ella a lo largo del libro 🥺🤍

[LAJordan Leigh Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Story Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (0-5)
Narration: 🎧🎧🎧🎧🎧 (0-5)
Overall: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 (0-5)
Steam: 🔥🔥🔥 (0-5)

What I’m Starry-Eyed Over:
🤩 Standalone, second chance at a first (high school) love.
🤩 This second chance romance is perfect for me—all the feels, only a tiny bit wrecked at the beginning, and so much fun right away to get me out of the funk.
🤩 This beautiful and believable HEA totally hit the spot for me, especially with CJ Bloom and Alastair Haynesbridge narrating fantastic conversations and enhancing all the feels.
🤩 Former soccer star FMC, Emily.
🤩 Uncle Jesse, that is all! He is a single dad/actually guardian of his niece, Maddie.
🤩 The fun friends at the high school reunion and in CJ Bloom’s narration, so captivating!
🤩 Oh, my heart, I had tears in my eyes when they first “ran into each other” after 20 years.
🤩 The diner catch-up.
🤩 Amazing mental health/grief counseling representation.
🤩 When Uncle Jesse takes Maddie to see Dr. Asher and asks about dating being right or wrong. Oh goodness, the sweetness.
🤩 When Uncle Jesse buys purple curtains and a purple couch for their new apartment because it’s Maddie’s favorite color.
🤩 When Emily comes to the rescue and Jesse gives us the best drunk scene confession I’ve ever read.
🤩 That little bit of jealousy.
🤩 These two are hot and intimate, but that first time together after so many years apart is perfection.
🤩 I love how the plot shows all the ways they’ll be there for each other and get through anything, together.
🤩 The epilogue & bonus epilogue in audio—thank you!!

What I’m Wishing/Dizzy About:
💫 Two months—we really did have time for some out-of-the ordinary spicy moments. I’m greedy, I admit it. 💁🏼‍♀️

[thebeespot72 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love second-chance romances—especially when the MMC regrets it the most. In “Second Time’s The Charm,” Jesse certainly has all the regrets, but he has his reasons.

Emily and Jesse first met in high school, but they parted ways and were not on good terms. Twenty years later, it’s their High School Reunion, and they both find that their romantic feelings have not faded. But their lives are different now. However, Emily’s feelings from the past breakup keep her on the fence about getting back together. In addition, Jesse is now taking care of his niece, and Emily is growing closer to her, which makes potential breakups hard.

The pining from Jesse is so sweet, and he gets jealous when he feels that he might have missed his chance. And Jesse might be all nerdy on the outside, but he is smokin’ in the sheets.

There is spice in “Second Time’s The Charm,” albeit not incredibly high, but just enough where it’s not the story’s sole focus. It’s a sweet romance without that 3rd act breakup and an HEA. I loved that epilogue!

Thank you, Hambright PR and Author Stephanie Rose, for the gifted advance reader copy of “Second Time’s The Charm

[Kristina Maysonet · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is every reason why I love second chance romance. All the hurt from the past mixed with deep seated love and the way they could never forget each other! I loved every minute of it!

Emily and Jesse are reunited at their high school reunion. Jesse finds this the perfect opportunity to apologize and explain himself and why he broke Emily’s heart all those years ago. A lot has changed for Jesse, particularly in the last few months. He is now the guardian of his niece after his sister passed away. I thought this added a really compelling part to the story. Maddie played a big part in Emily & Jesse getting back together. I loved that we had the heroine be the athlete in the story, although her soccer days are over, she is now coaching kids soccer. Soccer ended up being just the thing Maddie needed to help her through all this change. I loved all the emotions and the way the story played out. Emily & Jesse are able to pick right up where they left off and together all 3 of them help each other heal.

[Marissa Curry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: ★★★★☆
Spice: 🌶️🌶️.75
Release date: May 10, 2024

Read if you like:
✨Single dad romance
✨High-school sweethearts
✨NO third act breakup 🙌🏻
✨Golden retriever MMC (with alpha vibes 🤭)

This is my first Stephanie Rose book, and I pretty much went in blind. I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised! By 30% I was already telling my friends to add it to their tbr. I laughed, sighed, felt a little heartbroken, and then felt put back together by the end 🙌🏻

It’s easy to depict any sort of high school romance as predictable and kind of corny, but I didn’t find that to be the case here. I loved that Jesse, our MMC, was all about what was best for Emily, even if it took some time for her to find herself and what she really wanted. It’s a great story about family, both blood and found, and making sure you’re happy before you try to make someone else happy.

Thank you soooo much to the Hambright PR team and Stephanie Rose for the eARC 🫶🏻

[sarah_is_booked · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a sweet second chance romance. I loved all of the characters. Jesse did a great job at stepping in to raise his niece after his losing his sister. He has to navigate his own grief and help his niece cope with losing her mother, while learning to be a parent. Jesse accomplished everything seamlessly, and with so much heart. Maddie was such a sweet little girl, and I loved how well she connected with Emily through their mutual hobbies and interests. Once Jesse drunkenly spills his feelings to Emily, their chemistry was electric. They were perfect together and made for such a great second chance romance. I would definitely recommend this beautiful and heartfelt romance. Add this one to your TBR!

Read if you enjoy:
✔️Second chance
✔️Single dad (uncle)
✔️High School sweethearts
✔️It’s always been you
✔️Golden retriever MMC

[Jennifer Wycech · Rating 5 out of 5]

Single dad
Second chance
No third act break up
Dual POV

Dual narration - CJ Bloom & Alastair Hatnesbridge
Great narration I love their voices.

This is a fabulously written second chance romance. Jesse and Emily are sweet. He broke her heart back in high school 20 years ago.

At their 20 year High school reunion they reconnect. Early in this story the present timeline Jesse gets to apologize and explain his reasoning for breaking Emily’s heart years ago.

Jesse is a sweetie pie of a man. A true caring man, putting everyone he loves ahead of his own feelings/needs.

Emily is a strong, smart, and independent woman. She opens her heart back up for Jesse but with caution.

I loved their story and truly enjoyed this audiobook. If you enjoy second chance romances I highly recommend this one.

[MissPetiteBrunetteBookBlog · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emily was heartbroken when her high school boyfriend suddenly broke it off out of the blue so imagine her surprise to see him at their high school reunion. She never wanted to see Jesse again but sometimes time changes everything. Jesse is living back home taking care of his niece. When he sees Emily at the reunion he finally has a chance to explain why he did what he did. Maybe they can have another shot as both never truly stopped caring for the other. This is a sweet small town, second chance romance that pulls at your heart. Jesse is cinnamon roll hero and Emily is just as caring. Told in first person and dual POV.