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Forty Love
It's never too late for a comeback!
Single mum Jules lives next to a tennis club, but has no plans to play. Especially when her old school crush, handsome doctor Sam Delaney, returns thirty years after he left and is now displaying a killer forehand in direct view of her bedroom window.
But when she's hit by an unprecedented wave of anxiety - brought on by her 19-year-old daughter's solo trip around the world - she's in urgent need of a distraction and rashly agrees to join an amateur women's tennis team. They are desperate for players. The fact that she doesn't really play doesn't seem to matter . . .
As rallies are hit and friendships are formed, Jules is astonished to find herself in the grip of a passionate, all-consuming relationship . . . and not only with the tennis. But will these sexy encounters she keeps stumbling into with Sam put her on course to a devastating double fault?
Single mum Jules lives next to a tennis club, but has no plans to play. Especially when her old school crush, handsome doctor Sam Delaney, returns thirty years after he left and is now displaying a killer forehand in direct view of her bedroom window.
But when she's hit by an unprecedented wave of anxiety - brought on by her 19-year-old daughter's solo trip around the world - she's in urgent need of a distraction and rashly agrees to join an amateur women's tennis team. They are desperate for players. The fact that she doesn't really play doesn't seem to matter . . .
As rallies are hit and friendships are formed, Jules is astonished to find herself in the grip of a passionate, all-consuming relationship . . . and not only with the tennis. But will these sexy encounters she keeps stumbling into with Sam put her on course to a devastating double fault?
328 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 5, 2026
About the author
Jane Costello
19 books1,144 followersI’m the internationally bestselling author of 15 novels, five of which have been published under the name ‘Catherine Isaac’.
The latest of my ‘heartwarming and hilarious’ romantic comedies is ‘IT’S GETTING HOT IN HERE’, the first book I’ve written that has a 40-something main character. My novels have been translated into 26 languages, selected by the Richard & Judy Book Club and I’ve been honoured to win a Romantic Novelists’ Award - twice!
I was born in Liverpool, where I still live with my husband and three sons. When I’m not writing, you’ll usually find me on the tennis court, wishing I’d started to play about 25 years before I did.
The latest of my ‘heartwarming and hilarious’ romantic comedies is ‘IT’S GETTING HOT IN HERE’, the first book I’ve written that has a 40-something main character. My novels have been translated into 26 languages, selected by the Richard & Judy Book Club and I’ve been honoured to win a Romantic Novelists’ Award - twice!
I was born in Liverpool, where I still live with my husband and three sons. When I’m not writing, you’ll usually find me on the tennis court, wishing I’d started to play about 25 years before I did.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews
May 20, 2026
This was just what my heart needed. 48 year old gets her second chance at love. I love the love story but really love all of the bits about being gentle with yourself, being a mother to a daughter, perimenopause... All of it. It was witty and snarky and heartwarming and I adored it. The audio is WONDERFUL.
May 14, 2026
I haven’t played tennis since high school, so naturally after finishing this book I immediately asked my husband if we could go play this weekend… and then bought myself a new racket and tennis balls. Truly the only reasonable response.
I loved Jules. She has this chaotic mom energy that felt real to me. The overthinking, the spiraling, the trying to hold everything together while falling apart a little on the inside. I found her endlessly charming and entertaining to follow.
But beneath the humor and romance, there’s a deeper story here about grief, reinvention and trying to figure out who you are after years of putting everyone else first. It was lovely watching Jules slowly build a life for herself again through friendship, tennis, work and love. This book left me smiling and apparently one step away from joining a tennis league.
Rating: 3.5 ⭐️
I loved Jules. She has this chaotic mom energy that felt real to me. The overthinking, the spiraling, the trying to hold everything together while falling apart a little on the inside. I found her endlessly charming and entertaining to follow.
But beneath the humor and romance, there’s a deeper story here about grief, reinvention and trying to figure out who you are after years of putting everyone else first. It was lovely watching Jules slowly build a life for herself again through friendship, tennis, work and love. This book left me smiling and apparently one step away from joining a tennis league.
Rating: 3.5 ⭐️
May 9, 2026
I was a fan of Costello’s book “It’s Getting Hot in Here” and this was one of my most anticipated reads for this year. Sadly, this one was not for me. Widow Jules is going through empty nesting as her 18 year old daughter goes backpacking around Europe. She lives next to a tennis facility and she (for no reason) decides to join a tennis team even though she hates sport and exercise. The first 30% of the book I really appreciated the set up and character building. I think Costello really writes the perimenopausal experience well, she nails the low grade anxiety and irritability.
I think the tennis action got a little boring and the plot was extremely repetitive.
I think the tennis action got a little boring and the plot was extremely repetitive.
December 8, 2025
3.5 stars rounded up. Thank you to NetGalley and Zibby Publishing for the ARC.
I really like that it is about a woman in her late forties trying to move forward after grief. The boyfriend sounded like a dream man--intelligent, talented, kind, athletic, and hot! The story itself was just nice...nothing that felt outstanding, but in a way that was a perk because it felt quite believable. Pick up when you want a low spice, realistic romance.
I really like that it is about a woman in her late forties trying to move forward after grief. The boyfriend sounded like a dream man--intelligent, talented, kind, athletic, and hot! The story itself was just nice...nothing that felt outstanding, but in a way that was a perk because it felt quite believable. Pick up when you want a low spice, realistic romance.
May 21, 2026
Forty Love by Jane Costello is a heartwarming later in life journey of self discovery story. The novel features Jules, a middle aged widow and single mom on the verge of empty nesting. She is at a crossroads in her personal and professional life and decides to join a tennis club in order to get her groove back. Over the course of a season she finds friendship, a romance, and her self confidence.
As a middle aged empty nester myself, it was easy for me to relate to Jules. It was refreshing to see an older protagonist find friends and a renewed purpose through a new hobby. I enjoyed watching her navigate her grief, her changing relationship with her daughter, and her growing feelings for an old crush. Sam is charming as her love interest, but almost takes a backseat to Jules’ journey of self discovery.
I listened to the audiobook narrated by Anna Spearpoint. Although I might have preferred a cast of voice actors for the various characters, this narrator is warm and expressive. Ultimately I’d recommend this breezy and enjoyable story that also has a lot of heart 3.75/5⭐️
Thank you to Zibby Publishing and Librofm for a gifted listeners copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own
As a middle aged empty nester myself, it was easy for me to relate to Jules. It was refreshing to see an older protagonist find friends and a renewed purpose through a new hobby. I enjoyed watching her navigate her grief, her changing relationship with her daughter, and her growing feelings for an old crush. Sam is charming as her love interest, but almost takes a backseat to Jules’ journey of self discovery.
I listened to the audiobook narrated by Anna Spearpoint. Although I might have preferred a cast of voice actors for the various characters, this narrator is warm and expressive. Ultimately I’d recommend this breezy and enjoyable story that also has a lot of heart 3.75/5⭐️
Thank you to Zibby Publishing and Librofm for a gifted listeners copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own
May 26, 2026
This book was so cute! Main character Jules is a 47 year old woman whose husband died 5 years ago. She threw herself into parenting their tonnage daughter and work, but with her daughter graduated from high school and work getting stressful, she has to find something else to occupy her time which ends up being tennis. Not to mention the reappearance of her teenage crush in her life at the tennis club…
This really was just the perfect light and funny read I needed during a stressful and busy time. But with enough depth too as it takes on middle age, motherhood, friendship, family, and more, along with romance and tennis! If you miss Sophie Kinsella, or if you loved British chick lit during the early 2000s but would like it to be about middle aged women now that you’re older yourself - then this book is for you! I enjoyed Jane Costello’s book It’s Getting Hot in Here last year, but this one was even better.
Thanks to NetGalley and Zibby Publishing for my e-ARC (out now); all opinions are my own.
This really was just the perfect light and funny read I needed during a stressful and busy time. But with enough depth too as it takes on middle age, motherhood, friendship, family, and more, along with romance and tennis! If you miss Sophie Kinsella, or if you loved British chick lit during the early 2000s but would like it to be about middle aged women now that you’re older yourself - then this book is for you! I enjoyed Jane Costello’s book It’s Getting Hot in Here last year, but this one was even better.
Thanks to NetGalley and Zibby Publishing for my e-ARC (out now); all opinions are my own.
May 28, 2026
This book completely won me over. I found myself laughing out loud more than once. It wasn’t all fun and games; there was emotional depth to Jule and her struggle. Watching her navigate widowhood while also facing her daughter leaving home gave the story an authenticity that every mother can relate to. The author created a perimenopausal character who felt honest, as it is something that I am dealing with, and it is quite a challenge. This book reveals the truth about getting older. The search for happiness or how our perspective on what it means does change and challenges us to find balance. It is incredibly freeing to let go and find the real pieces of you.
I also absolutely adored her snarky brother. He brought so much humor to the story and lightened the heavier moments. While tennis plays a major role in the plot, I genuinely enjoyed that aspect too. Seeing Jules reconnect with herself through the sport and fully give herself over to something she loved was empowering. A clear message that age should not stop us from continuing to do what we love.
I also absolutely adored her snarky brother. He brought so much humor to the story and lightened the heavier moments. While tennis plays a major role in the plot, I genuinely enjoyed that aspect too. Seeing Jules reconnect with herself through the sport and fully give herself over to something she loved was empowering. A clear message that age should not stop us from continuing to do what we love.
May 17, 2026
Sounded hood hut honestly I found it so boring. I had to DNF just before the end because the plot was soooo slow moving. Hard pass for me.
May 18, 2026
Forty Love by Jane Costello
Published by Zibby Publishing on May 19th
Narrated by Anna Spearpoint
3.5 ⭐️
📖 Jules is dropping her daughter off at the airport on her 6 month European backpacking trip and will be an official empty nester. Even more empty, as she is widowed. A quiet rediscovery of herself, amidst some work strife, perimenopause anxiety, a renewed love for tennis and an old boyfriend reentering her life gives her more than enough to focus on while her daughter is away.
💭 This is a very light and sweet British romance. It was refreshing to have an older and more mature FMC. It’s not a passionate or sexy novel - it’s slow and soft in an emotionally thoughtful and mature romcom. This is a good option to toss in your beach bag and leave any troubles behind.
🎧 Narration was great, I really enjoyed the audio production. Either mode of consuming is recommended.
Thank you to Zibby for the gifted book and box of goodies and to Libro fm for the advanced listening copy.
Published by Zibby Publishing on May 19th
Narrated by Anna Spearpoint
3.5 ⭐️
📖 Jules is dropping her daughter off at the airport on her 6 month European backpacking trip and will be an official empty nester. Even more empty, as she is widowed. A quiet rediscovery of herself, amidst some work strife, perimenopause anxiety, a renewed love for tennis and an old boyfriend reentering her life gives her more than enough to focus on while her daughter is away.
💭 This is a very light and sweet British romance. It was refreshing to have an older and more mature FMC. It’s not a passionate or sexy novel - it’s slow and soft in an emotionally thoughtful and mature romcom. This is a good option to toss in your beach bag and leave any troubles behind.
🎧 Narration was great, I really enjoyed the audio production. Either mode of consuming is recommended.
Thank you to Zibby for the gifted book and box of goodies and to Libro fm for the advanced listening copy.
May 22, 2026
I laughed, I cried… it’s a fun read for anyone, but as a new tennis player in my 40s it was especially fun to read!
May 13, 2026
Thank you Zibby Publishing for the ARC and Libro.FM for the ALC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
This is my first Jane Costello book and she's made a fan out of me! I'll definitely dive into her backlist after posting this review. The audiobook really brought this story to life; while this was an immersive read, I listened to most of the story on audio and I have zero regrets. The narration was fantastic and had me laughing from the beginning--British humor just does it for me!
While Forty Love is a second-chance romance, I'd argue that the romantic storyline takes a backseat to the journey of self-discovery and finding joy in one's 40s. While I'm not quite there yet, I appreciated what Jules experiences and the way Jane wrote her character makes her grief, life experiences, and insecurities feel not only seen, but deeply relatable. I love the relationship Jules has with her daughter (and how honest they are with one another), as well as the friendships she has with her new tennis team. The support, camaraderie, and affection they have for one another speaks volumes-I wish to have and maintain these types of friendships myself!
I highly recommend this read to women looking for a charming and sweet story about a single mom discovering a new way of life and path forward. Bonus points for the second chance romance bits!
This is my first Jane Costello book and she's made a fan out of me! I'll definitely dive into her backlist after posting this review. The audiobook really brought this story to life; while this was an immersive read, I listened to most of the story on audio and I have zero regrets. The narration was fantastic and had me laughing from the beginning--British humor just does it for me!
While Forty Love is a second-chance romance, I'd argue that the romantic storyline takes a backseat to the journey of self-discovery and finding joy in one's 40s. While I'm not quite there yet, I appreciated what Jules experiences and the way Jane wrote her character makes her grief, life experiences, and insecurities feel not only seen, but deeply relatable. I love the relationship Jules has with her daughter (and how honest they are with one another), as well as the friendships she has with her new tennis team. The support, camaraderie, and affection they have for one another speaks volumes-I wish to have and maintain these types of friendships myself!
I highly recommend this read to women looking for a charming and sweet story about a single mom discovering a new way of life and path forward. Bonus points for the second chance romance bits!
May 21, 2026
4.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Thank you Zibby & Libro.fm for the gifted copies!
Forty Love
Jane Costello
Publishing Date: May 19, 2026
🎧 Narrator: Anna Spearpoint 🎧
I prioritized this one after winning a LFL giveaway from Zibby, and I’m so glad I did! This was such a fun and relatable romance!
Jules is a single mom and widow in… middle… age. I refuse to concede to the fact that being in your 40s means that you’re middle aged… but regardless of this, Jules is going through it. Her daughter is going off on an international vacation, leaving Jules an empty nester.
This book had me laughing right out loud. Jules and her situation are so genuine and relatable. It felt so authentic and refreshing. Underneath all the humor there is grief and loss and a ton of heart. The mom energy was on point. The anxiety, the spirals, the selflessness, the loss of self, the love.. it was all so real. Aside from all this you’ll also find:
🎾 Found family
🎾 Small town
🎾 Single mom
🎾 Second Chance Romance
🎾 Tennis
🎾 Perimenopause Rep
🎾 Mental Health Rep
🎾 Self Discovery & Reinvention
🎧 Anna Spearpoint’s narration was great! Highly recommend this format!
I am so happy to have read this one and definitely want to check out this authors other work!
Thank you Zibby & Libro.fm for the gifted copies!
Forty Love
Jane Costello
Publishing Date: May 19, 2026
🎧 Narrator: Anna Spearpoint 🎧
I prioritized this one after winning a LFL giveaway from Zibby, and I’m so glad I did! This was such a fun and relatable romance!
Jules is a single mom and widow in… middle… age. I refuse to concede to the fact that being in your 40s means that you’re middle aged… but regardless of this, Jules is going through it. Her daughter is going off on an international vacation, leaving Jules an empty nester.
This book had me laughing right out loud. Jules and her situation are so genuine and relatable. It felt so authentic and refreshing. Underneath all the humor there is grief and loss and a ton of heart. The mom energy was on point. The anxiety, the spirals, the selflessness, the loss of self, the love.. it was all so real. Aside from all this you’ll also find:
🎾 Found family
🎾 Small town
🎾 Single mom
🎾 Second Chance Romance
🎾 Tennis
🎾 Perimenopause Rep
🎾 Mental Health Rep
🎾 Self Discovery & Reinvention
🎧 Anna Spearpoint’s narration was great! Highly recommend this format!
I am so happy to have read this one and definitely want to check out this authors other work!
May 17, 2026
I went into Forty Love expecting a fun tennis romance and ended up getting so much more. This was such an unexpected hit for me, 4.25 ⭐️.
Jules is a widowed empty nester whose daughter heads off on a solo trip around the world, leaving her feeling a little lost and unsure of what comes next. In an attempt to distract herself, she joins a local women’s tennis team despite barely knowing how to play, and reconnects with an old crush along the way.
What I loved most was how relatable Jules felt. I always enjoy reading about FMCs in their 40s, and this really captured that feeling of trying to rediscover yourself after your kids start growing up and needing you less. The romance was definitely there, and Sam was absolutely swoon worthy, but to me the heart of the story was Jules finding confidence, friendship, joy, and a new version of herself through tennis and more. Forty Love has the perfect balance of rom, com, and relatability.
I also preferred reading this one in print. Nothing against the narration at all, I just found myself really enjoying sitting with the story.
Thank you to Zibby and Libro.fm for the gifted advanced copies. All thoughts are my own.
Jules is a widowed empty nester whose daughter heads off on a solo trip around the world, leaving her feeling a little lost and unsure of what comes next. In an attempt to distract herself, she joins a local women’s tennis team despite barely knowing how to play, and reconnects with an old crush along the way.
What I loved most was how relatable Jules felt. I always enjoy reading about FMCs in their 40s, and this really captured that feeling of trying to rediscover yourself after your kids start growing up and needing you less. The romance was definitely there, and Sam was absolutely swoon worthy, but to me the heart of the story was Jules finding confidence, friendship, joy, and a new version of herself through tennis and more. Forty Love has the perfect balance of rom, com, and relatability.
I also preferred reading this one in print. Nothing against the narration at all, I just found myself really enjoying sitting with the story.
Thank you to Zibby and Libro.fm for the gifted advanced copies. All thoughts are my own.
May 20, 2026
Thank you so much to Zibby Publishing for the advance reader copy of Forty Love by Jane Costello!
It is safe to say that I loved this book from the very first page. As someone who has played tennis since the age of six and now works as a tennis coach, I cannot begin to describe how accurate Jane’s depiction of a women’s tennis team felt. The dynamics, personalities, and love for the sport were written in such an authentic way that I felt right at home.
I came into this expecting a fun, easy rom-com, but this book turned out to be so much more. Jane touches on topics like becoming an empty nester, raising a child with ADHD, dealing with grief, and navigating a career pivot in middle age. The writing is spectacular, and every character feels important and fully alive on the page.
I was so happy for Jules. She finally started figuring out her tennis game, found herself a hot boyfriend, and opened her own business after dreaming about it for over two decades. But more importantly, she rediscovered her love for tennis and found the right people to share it with.
Also… can I come play a match with her team, please? I want tea and cake afterward too 😂
It is safe to say that I loved this book from the very first page. As someone who has played tennis since the age of six and now works as a tennis coach, I cannot begin to describe how accurate Jane’s depiction of a women’s tennis team felt. The dynamics, personalities, and love for the sport were written in such an authentic way that I felt right at home.
I came into this expecting a fun, easy rom-com, but this book turned out to be so much more. Jane touches on topics like becoming an empty nester, raising a child with ADHD, dealing with grief, and navigating a career pivot in middle age. The writing is spectacular, and every character feels important and fully alive on the page.
I was so happy for Jules. She finally started figuring out her tennis game, found herself a hot boyfriend, and opened her own business after dreaming about it for over two decades. But more importantly, she rediscovered her love for tennis and found the right people to share it with.
Also… can I come play a match with her team, please? I want tea and cake afterward too 😂
November 5, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for a review. I’m giving this book 3.5, 4 stars rounded up. It’s a single POV book and while I do enjoy dual POV books, I think this books does really well with the single POV of the FMC. I appreciated that the main characters are a bit older in life so it added some level of maturity which can be lacking in some books and there was a healthy balance of the relationship side for the FMC and her personal side with friends and family. There was no heavy drama and I think it’s because of the maturity of the characters. However, this book wasn’t serious, it was still a light read and I enjoyed the tennis plot as well! This book was balanced out very well.
May 20, 2026
There’s something 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨 and 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭 in Jane Costello’s books … she combines 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 in a tender and hopeful way.
Our FMC, Jules, is 𝘢 𝘸𝘪𝘥𝘰𝘸 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴 (an age I love reading about!), experiencing the “empty nest” syndrome and wondering what to do with her life, now that she has less responsibilities to keep her (and her mind) “occupied”.
I loved watching her 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱𝘴， and how 𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘴 helped her rediscover a sense of purpose while becoming part of a warm and supportive community.
The first part of the book felt a little slow, but once everything was established, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘧 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘶𝘯. I was rooting for Jules and hoping she would finally find the happiness she deserved.
💕And there’s also 𝘢 𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘵 𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 with her high school crush ☺️ A relationship that develops gradually and feels realistic, especially since Jules first needed to accept the idea of moving on before truly opening her heart again, and also putting herself first after years of being there for everyone she loved.
With a little push from her brother, her daughter and her friends, 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘢 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 “𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘣𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨”．
📖 Overall, 𝙁𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙮 𝙇𝙤𝙫𝙚 is a feel-good read that leaves you with a feeling of hope and tenderness.
𝙈𝙖𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙁𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙮 𝙇𝙤𝙫𝙚:
✨Second chances in 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 and 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦
✨Friendship and community
✨Fun moments
✨Self-discovery in midlife
✨Rediscovering passion and purpose
I received an ARC from Zibby Publishing in exchange for an honest review
Our FMC, Jules, is 𝘢 𝘸𝘪𝘥𝘰𝘸 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴 (an age I love reading about!), experiencing the “empty nest” syndrome and wondering what to do with her life, now that she has less responsibilities to keep her (and her mind) “occupied”.
I loved watching her 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱𝘴， and how 𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘴 helped her rediscover a sense of purpose while becoming part of a warm and supportive community.
The first part of the book felt a little slow, but once everything was established, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘧 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘶𝘯. I was rooting for Jules and hoping she would finally find the happiness she deserved.
💕And there’s also 𝘢 𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘵 𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 with her high school crush ☺️ A relationship that develops gradually and feels realistic, especially since Jules first needed to accept the idea of moving on before truly opening her heart again, and also putting herself first after years of being there for everyone she loved.
With a little push from her brother, her daughter and her friends, 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘢 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 “𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘣𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨”．
📖 Overall, 𝙁𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙮 𝙇𝙤𝙫𝙚 is a feel-good read that leaves you with a feeling of hope and tenderness.
𝙈𝙖𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙁𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙮 𝙇𝙤𝙫𝙚:
✨Second chances in 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 and 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦
✨Friendship and community
✨Fun moments
✨Self-discovery in midlife
✨Rediscovering passion and purpose
I received an ARC from Zibby Publishing in exchange for an honest review
April 5, 2026
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley.
Forty Love is a wholesome story about single mum Jules finding herself and maybe love again while dealing with the anxiety of her 19 year old daughter travelling around Europe and the grief of losing her husband.
It touches on a few different themes but none of them are explored in much depth. The romance doesn’t start until around 50% and it doesn’t quite develop enough. The romance was the weakest part of the book for me.
That said, I really enjoyed seeing Jules rediscover her love of tennis and build strong female friendships. It was refreshing to see a woman not defined by motherhood or reduced to just a love interest, but one who is genuinely thriving. I also loved that she’s a 47 year old perimenopausal woman, which is a demographic that’s often overlooked in romance books.
An easy, comforting read, but I was left wanting a bit more from it.
Forty Love is a wholesome story about single mum Jules finding herself and maybe love again while dealing with the anxiety of her 19 year old daughter travelling around Europe and the grief of losing her husband.
It touches on a few different themes but none of them are explored in much depth. The romance doesn’t start until around 50% and it doesn’t quite develop enough. The romance was the weakest part of the book for me.
That said, I really enjoyed seeing Jules rediscover her love of tennis and build strong female friendships. It was refreshing to see a woman not defined by motherhood or reduced to just a love interest, but one who is genuinely thriving. I also loved that she’s a 47 year old perimenopausal woman, which is a demographic that’s often overlooked in romance books.
An easy, comforting read, but I was left wanting a bit more from it.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Jane Costello’s Forty Love emotionally ambushed me with perimenopause panic, second-chance romance, empty-nest anxiety, awkward tennis lessons, and the deeply unsettling realization that maybe reinvention doesn’t actually belong only to twenty-somethings in New York City apartments having existential crises over oat milk and career paths. Apparently women in their forties are allowed to rediscover themselves too, and honestly? About time. Published by Zibby Publishing, thank you so much to the publisher for the gifted ARC and audiobook because this story felt warm, funny, comforting, and emotionally honest in a way that completely caught me off guard.
Jules Lawrence is one of those characters who immediately feels real. Not polished. Not unrealistically fearless. Not magically thriving through grief and change with glowing skin and perfect emotional regulation. She’s anxious, overwhelmed, grieving, lonely, hormonal, exhausted, and trying to navigate life after losing her husband while also preparing for her nineteen-year-old daughter to travel abroad and eventually leave home. Her entire identity has revolved around taking care of other people for years, and now suddenly she’s standing in the quiet aftermath trying to remember who she even is outside of motherhood, responsibility, and survival mode.
And honestly? Jane Costello captured that emotional limbo so well.
There’s something incredibly comforting about reading a romance centered on characters who already have history, scars, responsibilities, regrets, and emotional baggage instead of pretending life magically stops being complicated after thirty. Jules isn’t trying to become a different person. She’s trying to reconnect with the version of herself she lost somewhere along the way, and that made this story feel so grounded and emotionally relatable.
The tennis storyline ended up being one of my favorite parts of the book, which is funny because I went into this fully expecting to care approximately zero percent about recreational tennis. 😂 But the amateur women’s tennis team becomes so much more than a quirky backdrop. It’s friendship, community, confidence, laughter, emotional healing, and proof that sometimes trying something uncomfortable can quietly crack your entire world back open again. Watching Jules slowly rebuild her confidence through these messy, hilarious, imperfect matches genuinely made me emotional. The friendships in this story felt just as important as the romance, and I loved that.
And then there’s Sam Delaney.
Listen. Jane Costello absolutely knew what she was doing bringing back the handsome old crush who casually reappears next door serving emotional tension and tennis forehands directly into Jules’s fragile emotional state. Sam could have easily become too perfect, but instead he feels mature, kind, grounded, and genuinely safe in a way that works beautifully for this story. Their chemistry isn’t explosive toxic drama disguised as passion. It’s softer than that. More emotionally intimate. More layered. It’s about timing, grief, missed opportunities, healing, attraction, vulnerability, and allowing yourself to believe happiness might still belong to you after heartbreak.
The romance itself is definitely more mature and slower paced than a lot of modern rom-coms, which honestly worked for me because it matched the emotional tone of the story perfectly. This isn’t a high-spice, high-chaos romance filled with manufactured drama. It’s a deeply human story about starting over later in life and learning that wanting joy for yourself isn’t selfish.
“Life and love don’t stop at forty.”
That line completely captures the heart of this novel.
I also absolutely have to talk about the audiobook because Anna Spearpoint elevated this entire experience for me. Her narration felt so natural that after a while it stopped sounding like someone reading and started sounding like Jules herself sitting across from me over coffee venting about motherhood, hormones, anxiety, tennis disasters, and complicated feelings about attractive men. 😂 Anna Spearpoint perfectly captures Jules’s humor, vulnerability, insecurity, warmth, and emotional exhaustion without ever making her feel pathetic or overly dramatic.
Her comedic timing especially shines during Jules’s anxious spirals and internal monologues, but it’s the quieter emotional moments where the narration really hit me. There’s so much humanity in her performance. She understands when to lean into the humor and when to let the emotional weight sit quietly for a second. That balance made this such an immersive audiobook experience for me.
This story also deserves credit for portraying perimenopause, grief, motherhood, anxiety, and middle-aged reinvention without reducing any of it to a cliché or a punchline. There’s humor throughout the book, but there’s also honesty. Jules’s fears feel real. Her loneliness feels real. Her hesitation about moving forward after loss feels real. And that authenticity is exactly what made the emotional growth so satisfying.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
If you love women’s fiction with heart, emotionally mature romance, second chances, friendship-focused storylines, comforting humor, and characters who feel like actual adults navigating real life instead of perfectly curated fantasy humans, Forty Love absolutely deserves a place on your summer reading list. This feels like the kind of book you read outside with a cold drink, a breeze coming through the patio curtains, and the sudden realization that maybe life still has a few beautiful surprises left after all.
Have you ever read a book that made getting older feel hopeful instead of terrifying? 🎾✨
#FortyLove #JaneCostello #ZibbyPublishing #AnnaSpearpoint #AudiobookReview #BookReview #WomensFiction #RomanceBooks #SecondChanceRomance #MidlifeRomance #ContemporaryRomance #AudiobookListener #Bookstagram #BooksCoffeeBrews #CurrentlyReading #SummerReads #WomenOver40 #CozyReads #TennisRomance #AdultFict
Jules Lawrence is one of those characters who immediately feels real. Not polished. Not unrealistically fearless. Not magically thriving through grief and change with glowing skin and perfect emotional regulation. She’s anxious, overwhelmed, grieving, lonely, hormonal, exhausted, and trying to navigate life after losing her husband while also preparing for her nineteen-year-old daughter to travel abroad and eventually leave home. Her entire identity has revolved around taking care of other people for years, and now suddenly she’s standing in the quiet aftermath trying to remember who she even is outside of motherhood, responsibility, and survival mode.
And honestly? Jane Costello captured that emotional limbo so well.
There’s something incredibly comforting about reading a romance centered on characters who already have history, scars, responsibilities, regrets, and emotional baggage instead of pretending life magically stops being complicated after thirty. Jules isn’t trying to become a different person. She’s trying to reconnect with the version of herself she lost somewhere along the way, and that made this story feel so grounded and emotionally relatable.
The tennis storyline ended up being one of my favorite parts of the book, which is funny because I went into this fully expecting to care approximately zero percent about recreational tennis. 😂 But the amateur women’s tennis team becomes so much more than a quirky backdrop. It’s friendship, community, confidence, laughter, emotional healing, and proof that sometimes trying something uncomfortable can quietly crack your entire world back open again. Watching Jules slowly rebuild her confidence through these messy, hilarious, imperfect matches genuinely made me emotional. The friendships in this story felt just as important as the romance, and I loved that.
And then there’s Sam Delaney.
Listen. Jane Costello absolutely knew what she was doing bringing back the handsome old crush who casually reappears next door serving emotional tension and tennis forehands directly into Jules’s fragile emotional state. Sam could have easily become too perfect, but instead he feels mature, kind, grounded, and genuinely safe in a way that works beautifully for this story. Their chemistry isn’t explosive toxic drama disguised as passion. It’s softer than that. More emotionally intimate. More layered. It’s about timing, grief, missed opportunities, healing, attraction, vulnerability, and allowing yourself to believe happiness might still belong to you after heartbreak.
The romance itself is definitely more mature and slower paced than a lot of modern rom-coms, which honestly worked for me because it matched the emotional tone of the story perfectly. This isn’t a high-spice, high-chaos romance filled with manufactured drama. It’s a deeply human story about starting over later in life and learning that wanting joy for yourself isn’t selfish.
“Life and love don’t stop at forty.”
That line completely captures the heart of this novel.
I also absolutely have to talk about the audiobook because Anna Spearpoint elevated this entire experience for me. Her narration felt so natural that after a while it stopped sounding like someone reading and started sounding like Jules herself sitting across from me over coffee venting about motherhood, hormones, anxiety, tennis disasters, and complicated feelings about attractive men. 😂 Anna Spearpoint perfectly captures Jules’s humor, vulnerability, insecurity, warmth, and emotional exhaustion without ever making her feel pathetic or overly dramatic.
Her comedic timing especially shines during Jules’s anxious spirals and internal monologues, but it’s the quieter emotional moments where the narration really hit me. There’s so much humanity in her performance. She understands when to lean into the humor and when to let the emotional weight sit quietly for a second. That balance made this such an immersive audiobook experience for me.
This story also deserves credit for portraying perimenopause, grief, motherhood, anxiety, and middle-aged reinvention without reducing any of it to a cliché or a punchline. There’s humor throughout the book, but there’s also honesty. Jules’s fears feel real. Her loneliness feels real. Her hesitation about moving forward after loss feels real. And that authenticity is exactly what made the emotional growth so satisfying.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
If you love women’s fiction with heart, emotionally mature romance, second chances, friendship-focused storylines, comforting humor, and characters who feel like actual adults navigating real life instead of perfectly curated fantasy humans, Forty Love absolutely deserves a place on your summer reading list. This feels like the kind of book you read outside with a cold drink, a breeze coming through the patio curtains, and the sudden realization that maybe life still has a few beautiful surprises left after all.
Have you ever read a book that made getting older feel hopeful instead of terrifying? 🎾✨
#FortyLove #JaneCostello #ZibbyPublishing #AnnaSpearpoint #AudiobookReview #BookReview #WomensFiction #RomanceBooks #SecondChanceRomance #MidlifeRomance #ContemporaryRomance #AudiobookListener #Bookstagram #BooksCoffeeBrews #CurrentlyReading #SummerReads #WomenOver40 #CozyReads #TennisRomance #AdultFict
May 15, 2026
Originally posted on Dreaming With Open Eyes
Warm, witty, and wonderfully refreshing — a second-chance romance that proves life doesn’t stop at forty.
💕 Second chance romance later-in-life | ✨ Perimenopause representation | 💔 Healing after grief | 🫶 Supportive female friendships | 🌍 UK; Roebury, Manchester, London, Spain: La Manga
After absolutely loving It’s Getting Hot in Here, I was so excited to pick up this newest release from Costello and while I don’t think it quite reached the same heights for me personally, I still had a genuinely lovely time with it. This is such a warm, comforting, and heartfelt four-star read.
The story follows Jules, a perimenopausal widowed single mum in her late forties who unexpectedly joins a struggling women’s tennis team while her daughter travels the world. With anxiety creeping in and life feeling uncertain, tennis becomes both a distraction and a fresh start. Things get even more complicated when Sam Delaney — her old crush and now very handsome doctor — returns after thirty years, bringing plenty of unresolved feelings with him.
One of the things I continue to adore about Costello’s writing is how refreshing her characters feel. We rarely get romance or women’s fiction centered around women in their forties navigating grief, menopause, motherhood, loneliness, and rediscovering themselves. Even though I’m younger than Jules and don’t relate to every aspect of her life, I found her incredibly easy to connect with. She’s warm, funny, vulnerable, and self-aware in a way that made her feel very real. Her humor especially made me smile, and several chapter endings genuinely made me laugh out loud.
I also really appreciated the tennis setting. I’m not even particularly interested in tennis myself, but it was such a fun and unusual backdrop for a romance novel. It added energy to the story and helped create such a strong sense of community among the characters.
Speaking of community: the friendship group in this book was absolutely wonderful. Every scene with them felt comforting and uplifting. I loved how supportive they were of one another, and the lack of unnecessary drama was honestly so refreshing. There wasn’t a single character I disliked; everyone brought something special to the story and together they created such a charming cast.
The romance itself was beautifully done too. I’m always a sucker for a second-chance romance, and the flashback chapters worked so well here. Jules and Sam had believable chemistry and emotional history, and I really appreciated how well they communicated overall. Any misunderstandings felt realistic rather than frustrating, which made the relationship much easier to root for.
The writing was superb throughout — warm, witty, and incredibly readable. It didn’t hit quite as strongly for me as It’s Getting Hot in Here but still, this was a joyful, comforting read with heart, humor, and a lot of charm.
I kindly received this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much Hodder & Strought.
Warm, witty, and wonderfully refreshing — a second-chance romance that proves life doesn’t stop at forty.
💕 Second chance romance later-in-life | ✨ Perimenopause representation | 💔 Healing after grief | 🫶 Supportive female friendships | 🌍 UK; Roebury, Manchester, London, Spain: La Manga
After absolutely loving It’s Getting Hot in Here, I was so excited to pick up this newest release from Costello and while I don’t think it quite reached the same heights for me personally, I still had a genuinely lovely time with it. This is such a warm, comforting, and heartfelt four-star read.
The story follows Jules, a perimenopausal widowed single mum in her late forties who unexpectedly joins a struggling women’s tennis team while her daughter travels the world. With anxiety creeping in and life feeling uncertain, tennis becomes both a distraction and a fresh start. Things get even more complicated when Sam Delaney — her old crush and now very handsome doctor — returns after thirty years, bringing plenty of unresolved feelings with him.
One of the things I continue to adore about Costello’s writing is how refreshing her characters feel. We rarely get romance or women’s fiction centered around women in their forties navigating grief, menopause, motherhood, loneliness, and rediscovering themselves. Even though I’m younger than Jules and don’t relate to every aspect of her life, I found her incredibly easy to connect with. She’s warm, funny, vulnerable, and self-aware in a way that made her feel very real. Her humor especially made me smile, and several chapter endings genuinely made me laugh out loud.
I also really appreciated the tennis setting. I’m not even particularly interested in tennis myself, but it was such a fun and unusual backdrop for a romance novel. It added energy to the story and helped create such a strong sense of community among the characters.
Speaking of community: the friendship group in this book was absolutely wonderful. Every scene with them felt comforting and uplifting. I loved how supportive they were of one another, and the lack of unnecessary drama was honestly so refreshing. There wasn’t a single character I disliked; everyone brought something special to the story and together they created such a charming cast.
The romance itself was beautifully done too. I’m always a sucker for a second-chance romance, and the flashback chapters worked so well here. Jules and Sam had believable chemistry and emotional history, and I really appreciated how well they communicated overall. Any misunderstandings felt realistic rather than frustrating, which made the relationship much easier to root for.
The writing was superb throughout — warm, witty, and incredibly readable. It didn’t hit quite as strongly for me as It’s Getting Hot in Here but still, this was a joyful, comforting read with heart, humor, and a lot of charm.
I kindly received this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much Hodder & Strought.
May 29, 2026
4.5 stars! Thank you to Zibby Publishing for this advanced copy! You can pick up Forty Love now.
Though I haven't read a Jane Costello book before, Forty Love IMMEDIATELY charmed me! I love that this story focuses on an older FMC dealing with teenage/adult children, finding romance later in life, discovering your passions, being burnt out/under pressure at work, struggling with grief, building female friendships, and so much more.
Jules might come across as your typical, overanxious helicopter mom, but her struggles are real and relatable. Throughout the course of the story, we witness her confront so many fears and insecurities as she settles into the life she wants to live. And at the heart of that life, of course, is tennis.
I love when sports romance books capture a specific sort of spark or magic where the sport itself isn't the main focal point/doesn't overtake everything. Tennis felt like the natural backdrop to Jules' journey of self-discovery, representing a past she left behind so many years ago and the future she's trying to build with her new tennis teammates and sexy tennis club member, Sam.
In that same vein, the romance between Jules and Sam was wonderful and delicious, but not the main focus! It felt naturally integrated into Jules' overall growth, as she realizes she can move forward with a new man years after her husband's untimely death. Sam not only connects with Jules on a physical and emotional level, but he also invigorates her self-confidence and reminds her why he and Ed fell for her in the first place (I love the inclusion of Sam being an early love/the one who got away).
But I think my favorite part of this story is how Jules realizes that she can and should put her desires first -- namely, her desire to play tennis and really cultivate it as a hobby. From the beginning of the book, we watch Jules stress over her 18-year-old daughter traveling Europe, her job that's going through restructuring, her meh boyfriend (who she's not particularly into), all while swallowing down her own dreams and desires. Playing tennis and forming bonds with her teammates unlocked the parts of Jules she kept hidden from the world, and I just loved seeing that growth happen on page.
All in all, if you're looking for a romance/heartwarming women's fiction book featuring an older FMC and relatable struggles, this is the book for you!
Though I haven't read a Jane Costello book before, Forty Love IMMEDIATELY charmed me! I love that this story focuses on an older FMC dealing with teenage/adult children, finding romance later in life, discovering your passions, being burnt out/under pressure at work, struggling with grief, building female friendships, and so much more.
Jules might come across as your typical, overanxious helicopter mom, but her struggles are real and relatable. Throughout the course of the story, we witness her confront so many fears and insecurities as she settles into the life she wants to live. And at the heart of that life, of course, is tennis.
I love when sports romance books capture a specific sort of spark or magic where the sport itself isn't the main focal point/doesn't overtake everything. Tennis felt like the natural backdrop to Jules' journey of self-discovery, representing a past she left behind so many years ago and the future she's trying to build with her new tennis teammates and sexy tennis club member, Sam.
In that same vein, the romance between Jules and Sam was wonderful and delicious, but not the main focus! It felt naturally integrated into Jules' overall growth, as she realizes she can move forward with a new man years after her husband's untimely death. Sam not only connects with Jules on a physical and emotional level, but he also invigorates her self-confidence and reminds her why he and Ed fell for her in the first place (I love the inclusion of Sam being an early love/the one who got away).
But I think my favorite part of this story is how Jules realizes that she can and should put her desires first -- namely, her desire to play tennis and really cultivate it as a hobby. From the beginning of the book, we watch Jules stress over her 18-year-old daughter traveling Europe, her job that's going through restructuring, her meh boyfriend (who she's not particularly into), all while swallowing down her own dreams and desires. Playing tennis and forming bonds with her teammates unlocked the parts of Jules she kept hidden from the world, and I just loved seeing that growth happen on page.
All in all, if you're looking for a romance/heartwarming women's fiction book featuring an older FMC and relatable struggles, this is the book for you!
May 12, 2026
Rating - 4.5 stars
Fun, relatable and guaranteed to make you swoon!
Thanks Zibby Publishing for the ARC via NetGalley. Also thanks for the ALC via @librofm.
Synopsis -
Jules, a single mum in her late 40s, lives next to a tennis club in the Manchester suburbs. She has no intention of playing, especially now that her teenage crush Sam Delaney, a plastic surgeon, is back on the courts killing his forehand shots right outside her window.
While dealing with anxiety over her daughter inter railing around Europe and a work-related crisis, Jules desperately needs a distraction. Impulsively, she agrees to join an amateur women’s tennis team and her life is suddenly set on an entirely new course.
Review -
🎧What a thoroughly enjoyable audiobook this was! Anna Spearpoint was brilliant as Jules and the rest of the cast. The north-western English accent took a little getting used to, but she portrayed Jules with so much emotion and charm that it felt incredibly cinematic.
I’m now officially a fan of Costello’s writing after loving 'It’s Getting Hot In Here’ last year. Her writing flows effortlessly with perfect pacing while still capturing every emotion Jules experiences.
This has all the ingredients of a wonderful rom-com - an adorable hero, sizzling chemistry, laugh out loud awkward moments and plenty of heart-eyed sweetness. But beneath the humour are several deeper themes that gave the story more substance.
I especially appreciated how relatable Jules was - the job insecurity that comes later in life, the financial pressures of single motherhood, the debilitating worries of raising a teenager, grief of losing a beloved, self-imposed boundaries and the guilt that can come with allowing yourself happiness again.
The tennis elements and games were another highlight bringing in all the fun and light-heartedness. I loved watching Jules reconnect with a sport she once had a passion for, while slowly rebuilding a fulfilling new life from scratch, embracing her supportive community and true love again.
Highly recommend!
Fun, relatable and guaranteed to make you swoon!
Thanks Zibby Publishing for the ARC via NetGalley. Also thanks for the ALC via @librofm.
Synopsis -
Jules, a single mum in her late 40s, lives next to a tennis club in the Manchester suburbs. She has no intention of playing, especially now that her teenage crush Sam Delaney, a plastic surgeon, is back on the courts killing his forehand shots right outside her window.
While dealing with anxiety over her daughter inter railing around Europe and a work-related crisis, Jules desperately needs a distraction. Impulsively, she agrees to join an amateur women’s tennis team and her life is suddenly set on an entirely new course.
Review -
🎧What a thoroughly enjoyable audiobook this was! Anna Spearpoint was brilliant as Jules and the rest of the cast. The north-western English accent took a little getting used to, but she portrayed Jules with so much emotion and charm that it felt incredibly cinematic.
I’m now officially a fan of Costello’s writing after loving 'It’s Getting Hot In Here’ last year. Her writing flows effortlessly with perfect pacing while still capturing every emotion Jules experiences.
This has all the ingredients of a wonderful rom-com - an adorable hero, sizzling chemistry, laugh out loud awkward moments and plenty of heart-eyed sweetness. But beneath the humour are several deeper themes that gave the story more substance.
I especially appreciated how relatable Jules was - the job insecurity that comes later in life, the financial pressures of single motherhood, the debilitating worries of raising a teenager, grief of losing a beloved, self-imposed boundaries and the guilt that can come with allowing yourself happiness again.
The tennis elements and games were another highlight bringing in all the fun and light-heartedness. I loved watching Jules reconnect with a sport she once had a passion for, while slowly rebuilding a fulfilling new life from scratch, embracing her supportive community and true love again.
Highly recommend!
May 11, 2026
Forty Love by Jane Costello ended up being such a comforting, emotionally grounded read for me. I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Anna Spearpoint, & I honestly think the audio experience made me connect with this story even more.
One of my favorite things about this book is that it centers a woman in her 40s. We don’t get nearly enough romances about characters later in life, especially women navigating grief, motherhood, changing identities, friendship, hormones, loneliness, & the question of what comes next after spending years taking care of everyone else first. Jules felt incredibly real to me because she’s messy, overwhelmed, vulnerable, funny, & trying to figure herself out again after loss.
I also really appreciated how mature the romance felt. This isn’t a super dramatic or overly chaotic love story. It’s softer, slower, & rooted in emotional connection, healing, & rediscovery. I loved that the book explored the idea that love, attraction, & reinvention don’t suddenly disappear once you hit a certain age.
And surprisingly, I ended up really enjoying the tennis storyline! I’m not exactly rushing to join a tennis club anytime soon, but it worked so well as a backdrop for friendship, confidence, community, & pushing yourself outside your comfort zone. The friendships in this book honestly felt just as important as the romance itself.
Anna Spearpoint’s narration was fantastic too. She brought so much warmth & personality to Jules, especially during the quieter emotional moments & internal spirals. The narration made the story feel incredibly natural & immersive.
Overall, this was such a warm, hopeful, comforting read about starting over, finding yourself again, & realizing life still has plenty left to offer you after heartbreak.
❤️🩹 Widow FMC
💕 Second Chance
🔥 Slow Burn
🎾 Found Family (in the form of a Tennis Club)
❣️ Single Mum
🫶 Love After Loss
💋 Single FMC POV
One of my favorite things about this book is that it centers a woman in her 40s. We don’t get nearly enough romances about characters later in life, especially women navigating grief, motherhood, changing identities, friendship, hormones, loneliness, & the question of what comes next after spending years taking care of everyone else first. Jules felt incredibly real to me because she’s messy, overwhelmed, vulnerable, funny, & trying to figure herself out again after loss.
I also really appreciated how mature the romance felt. This isn’t a super dramatic or overly chaotic love story. It’s softer, slower, & rooted in emotional connection, healing, & rediscovery. I loved that the book explored the idea that love, attraction, & reinvention don’t suddenly disappear once you hit a certain age.
And surprisingly, I ended up really enjoying the tennis storyline! I’m not exactly rushing to join a tennis club anytime soon, but it worked so well as a backdrop for friendship, confidence, community, & pushing yourself outside your comfort zone. The friendships in this book honestly felt just as important as the romance itself.
Anna Spearpoint’s narration was fantastic too. She brought so much warmth & personality to Jules, especially during the quieter emotional moments & internal spirals. The narration made the story feel incredibly natural & immersive.
Overall, this was such a warm, hopeful, comforting read about starting over, finding yourself again, & realizing life still has plenty left to offer you after heartbreak.
❤️🩹 Widow FMC
💕 Second Chance
🔥 Slow Burn
🎾 Found Family (in the form of a Tennis Club)
❣️ Single Mum
🫶 Love After Loss
💋 Single FMC POV
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
This was a breath of fresh air! A heartwarming romcom with a relatable and resilient FMC in her late 40s who is at a crossroads in her life. She not only finds love but also a renewed sense of purpose and self. Charming, funny, and emotional.
Jules is a widow, and her daughter is leaving the nest and heading to Europe. She's dealing with perimenopause, grief, and looking for purpose after years of caring for others. Jules impulsively joins a local amateur women's tennis team for a much-needed distraction, despite not really knowing how to play. Her old high school crush, Dr. Sam Delaney, happens to belong to the tennis club, and the two reconnect.
I was rooting for Jules right from the start, and really appreciated her growth. She was a refreshingly mature and relatable character whose self depricating sense of humor made me smile. I cheered when she stopped playing it safe and embraced new experiences, friendships, and a second chance at love, all despite her insecurities. And it isn't just her romance with Sam. She forms deep friendships with the other women on her tennis team. There's a found family dynamic among these women, many of whom are at similar stages in their lives. They offer one another a judgment free space where they support and empower each other. Plus, their banter was witty and fun.
The romance is sweet, swoony, and grounded. Sam is emotionally available, and I appreciated that he, too, was mature and supportive. They share a an intense connection that blends both comfort and steamy chemistry.
A romantic and uplifting story with the message that it's never too late to start over.
Thank you to Zibby Publishing for the gifted review copy
Jules is a widow, and her daughter is leaving the nest and heading to Europe. She's dealing with perimenopause, grief, and looking for purpose after years of caring for others. Jules impulsively joins a local amateur women's tennis team for a much-needed distraction, despite not really knowing how to play. Her old high school crush, Dr. Sam Delaney, happens to belong to the tennis club, and the two reconnect.
I was rooting for Jules right from the start, and really appreciated her growth. She was a refreshingly mature and relatable character whose self depricating sense of humor made me smile. I cheered when she stopped playing it safe and embraced new experiences, friendships, and a second chance at love, all despite her insecurities. And it isn't just her romance with Sam. She forms deep friendships with the other women on her tennis team. There's a found family dynamic among these women, many of whom are at similar stages in their lives. They offer one another a judgment free space where they support and empower each other. Plus, their banter was witty and fun.
The romance is sweet, swoony, and grounded. Sam is emotionally available, and I appreciated that he, too, was mature and supportive. They share a an intense connection that blends both comfort and steamy chemistry.
A romantic and uplifting story with the message that it's never too late to start over.
Thank you to Zibby Publishing for the gifted review copy
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Thank you @zibbypublishing for my #gifted ARC and amazing PR package and thank you @Libro.fm for my gifted audiobook copy of Forty Love! #ZibbyPublishing #ZibbyBooksAmbassador #librofm #JaneCostello
𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: 𝐉𝐚𝐧𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐨
𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫: 𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐚 𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐌𝐚𝐲 𝟏𝟗, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔
This was a great rom-com with such a sweet message that it’s never too late to start over. I loved how it combined heart and humor and really enjoyed Jules, the FMC. I appreciated how she was in her late 40s and dealing with relatable issues. I loved watching her growth throughout the book and enjoyed how she stepped out of her comfort zone and found new friendships and romance and gave tennis a try. I think it shows that it’s never too late to step out of our comfort zones. I loved the found family aspect of this book and thought the author did an overall amazing job with this one. I love discovering books with relatable characters. This author wrote It’s Getting Hot In Here, which is another great one with relatable characters for readers in their 40s!
🎾Second Chances
🎾Found Family
🎾Single Mom
🎾Tennis
🎾Humor & Heart
🎾Late 40s FMC
🎾Anxiety Rep
🎧Anna Spearpoint did an excellent job narrating this audiobook. I started with the physical book and switched back and forth between the physical and the audio and loved my time listening to her bring these characters to life. She was extremely dynamic in her narration and I really enjoyed discovering a new narrator in Spearpoint!
𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: 𝐉𝐚𝐧𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐨
𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫: 𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐚 𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐌𝐚𝐲 𝟏𝟗, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔
This was a great rom-com with such a sweet message that it’s never too late to start over. I loved how it combined heart and humor and really enjoyed Jules, the FMC. I appreciated how she was in her late 40s and dealing with relatable issues. I loved watching her growth throughout the book and enjoyed how she stepped out of her comfort zone and found new friendships and romance and gave tennis a try. I think it shows that it’s never too late to step out of our comfort zones. I loved the found family aspect of this book and thought the author did an overall amazing job with this one. I love discovering books with relatable characters. This author wrote It’s Getting Hot In Here, which is another great one with relatable characters for readers in their 40s!
🎾Second Chances
🎾Found Family
🎾Single Mom
🎾Tennis
🎾Humor & Heart
🎾Late 40s FMC
🎾Anxiety Rep
🎧Anna Spearpoint did an excellent job narrating this audiobook. I started with the physical book and switched back and forth between the physical and the audio and loved my time listening to her bring these characters to life. She was extremely dynamic in her narration and I really enjoyed discovering a new narrator in Spearpoint!
May 19, 2026
(3.5 stars)
Thanks to Zibby Publishing and Libro.fm for my gifted ARCs & ALC. All opinions are my own.
FORTY LOVE tells the heartwarming self-rediscovery story of Jules, a widow and new empty-nester in Manchester, England. Her only daughter goes off to live her life and Jules is left behind, anxious and on the precipice of major changes at her workplace thanks to corporate mergers etc. When she takes a chance and joins a nearby tennis club, she discovers community, self-confidence, and maybe even love.
There was so much I enjoyed about this book: FMC in her late 40s, finding out who she is and what she wants, working through lingering grief from the traumatic loss of her husband. Jules’s love interest is someone she had a fling with before she met her husband and so there were some light second-chance vibes there as well. In the interest of full disclosure, I have to say this one didn’t fully click with me for some reason, but it very well may have been a mood or timing issue on my end. Overall it was just a touch lighter than I’ve been wanting in my romances lately, even though it dealt with grief and mental health. Even so, I recommend this one to readers who are looking for a fun summer read with feel-good vibes and just the right amount of sports - especially you love stories about women getting their groove back in midlife!
Audio thoughts: I listened to quite a bit of the book on audio and thought Anna Spearpoint handled the story well. I recommend the audio if you enjoy romcoms on audio, especially if you’re a fan of British accents!
Thanks to Zibby Publishing and Libro.fm for my gifted ARCs & ALC. All opinions are my own.
FORTY LOVE tells the heartwarming self-rediscovery story of Jules, a widow and new empty-nester in Manchester, England. Her only daughter goes off to live her life and Jules is left behind, anxious and on the precipice of major changes at her workplace thanks to corporate mergers etc. When she takes a chance and joins a nearby tennis club, she discovers community, self-confidence, and maybe even love.
There was so much I enjoyed about this book: FMC in her late 40s, finding out who she is and what she wants, working through lingering grief from the traumatic loss of her husband. Jules’s love interest is someone she had a fling with before she met her husband and so there were some light second-chance vibes there as well. In the interest of full disclosure, I have to say this one didn’t fully click with me for some reason, but it very well may have been a mood or timing issue on my end. Overall it was just a touch lighter than I’ve been wanting in my romances lately, even though it dealt with grief and mental health. Even so, I recommend this one to readers who are looking for a fun summer read with feel-good vibes and just the right amount of sports - especially you love stories about women getting their groove back in midlife!
Audio thoughts: I listened to quite a bit of the book on audio and thought Anna Spearpoint handled the story well. I recommend the audio if you enjoy romcoms on audio, especially if you’re a fan of British accents!
May 24, 2026
𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗛𝗔𝗣𝗦
Jules is a mess. A widow for years, this fortysomething mom is facing a big change. Beloved daughter, Frankie, around whom Jules’ life has revolved, is preparing for a summer traveling about Europe before her send off to university. Her position as a buyer for a chain of specialty stores is at risk. And the boy upon whom she had her first crush as a teenager has joined the tennis club next door.
Jane is not okay.
Obsessively checking Frankie’s whereabouts by tracking her phone, Jules needs a distraction.
Dusting off her tennis racket, she is emboldened and joins the Rusty Rackets lessons. She’s surprised to find how much she likes it.
She’s also surprised by how strong her attraction is to that one time crush, Sam, who seems to have similar feelings.
But fear ruins chances and insecurities destroys opportunities and Jules has both in spades.
𝗙𝗘𝗘𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗦
What an unexpected delight!
I love reading romance with people in the middle of their lives, and Sam and Jules are both approaching fifty. (Imagine that?!)
There’s both emotion and humor here and while Jules starts out a bit annoying, loved her character growth!
Sam is a walking green flag who would absolute make my tailspin.
𝗩𝗜𝗕𝗘 𝗖𝗛𝗘𝗖𝗞
Just any British romcom that you loved. The ending reminded me of the gang trying to fit into the car at the end of Notting Hill.
𝗥𝗘𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗗
Yes! There’s a little tennis talk but nothing too much, and the romance between two established people is a real joy!
Jules is a mess. A widow for years, this fortysomething mom is facing a big change. Beloved daughter, Frankie, around whom Jules’ life has revolved, is preparing for a summer traveling about Europe before her send off to university. Her position as a buyer for a chain of specialty stores is at risk. And the boy upon whom she had her first crush as a teenager has joined the tennis club next door.
Jane is not okay.
Obsessively checking Frankie’s whereabouts by tracking her phone, Jules needs a distraction.
Dusting off her tennis racket, she is emboldened and joins the Rusty Rackets lessons. She’s surprised to find how much she likes it.
She’s also surprised by how strong her attraction is to that one time crush, Sam, who seems to have similar feelings.
But fear ruins chances and insecurities destroys opportunities and Jules has both in spades.
𝗙𝗘𝗘𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗦
What an unexpected delight!
I love reading romance with people in the middle of their lives, and Sam and Jules are both approaching fifty. (Imagine that?!)
There’s both emotion and humor here and while Jules starts out a bit annoying, loved her character growth!
Sam is a walking green flag who would absolute make my tailspin.
𝗩𝗜𝗕𝗘 𝗖𝗛𝗘𝗖𝗞
Just any British romcom that you loved. The ending reminded me of the gang trying to fit into the car at the end of Notting Hill.
𝗥𝗘𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗗
Yes! There’s a little tennis talk but nothing too much, and the romance between two established people is a real joy!
May 26, 2026
Forty Love was such a charming, feel-good romance with a refreshing older heroine at the center of the story. Jules is recently widowed, adjusting to life as an empty nester, and trying to rediscover herself when tennis unexpectedly pulls her back into the spotlight. I really enjoyed watching her grow more confident while reconnecting with old dreams, new friendships, and a former crush who suddenly reappears in her life.
One of my favorite parts of the book was the strong focus on relationships beyond the romance. Jules’ friendships with the women at the tennis club were warm and supportive, and I especially loved the family dynamics with her brother. The romance itself was sweet and nostalgic without feeling overly dramatic.
As someone who enjoys tennis, Chapter 50 was a standout moment for me. The detailed Wimbledon scenes felt magical and completely immersive — it honestly felt like a love letter to the sport. There was also an Ally McBeal reference that made me smile and added an extra layer of fun nostalgia.
I switched between the audiobook and physical book, and the audiobook narration was fantastic. The British accent brought so much personality and humor to the story that I found unable to put it down. I loved the tennis aspect and found the whole story an uplifting, adorable read that perfectly balanced humor, heart, and second chances.
If you enjoy later-in-life romances, tennis settings, and stories about starting over, this is definitely worth picking up.
One of my favorite parts of the book was the strong focus on relationships beyond the romance. Jules’ friendships with the women at the tennis club were warm and supportive, and I especially loved the family dynamics with her brother. The romance itself was sweet and nostalgic without feeling overly dramatic.
As someone who enjoys tennis, Chapter 50 was a standout moment for me. The detailed Wimbledon scenes felt magical and completely immersive — it honestly felt like a love letter to the sport. There was also an Ally McBeal reference that made me smile and added an extra layer of fun nostalgia.
I switched between the audiobook and physical book, and the audiobook narration was fantastic. The British accent brought so much personality and humor to the story that I found unable to put it down. I loved the tennis aspect and found the whole story an uplifting, adorable read that perfectly balanced humor, heart, and second chances.
If you enjoy later-in-life romances, tennis settings, and stories about starting over, this is definitely worth picking up.
November 26, 2025
Je remercie NetGalley pour ce SP. Bien que le livre sorte en mai 2026, il fallait bien le lire avant, non?
Pourquoi je l'ai choisi? car la couverture parle d'elle même: du tennis. Du tennis je fonce!
Roman de deux points de vue, à la 1ère personne. Et là où ce roman est différent des autres lectures qu'on trouve, c'est que les personnes sont matures, donc à peu près de mon âge avec une héroïne préménopausée, veuve et mère de famille. PArfois cela fait du bien de lire ce genre de romance car parfois lorsque c'est à la fac je ne m' y reconnais plus, lol (oui les mentalités ont évolué par rapport à ce que j'ai vécu).
Pourquoi du tennis? car notre héroïne va se retrouver dans un club de tennis (tennis qu'elle avait pratiquer ado) et retrouver son crush de jeunesse, Sam, qu'elle avait perdu de vue.
Un slow burn, sans drama, avec de l'humour, de l'amitié, sans prise de tête, même si on sait que la vie n'est pas rose. On le voit lorsque Jules parle de son mari et Sam , de sa mère.
Un roman donc sans prise de tête, avec du tennis. Parfait pour une lecture de détente, avec des personnages qui ont chacun leur importance. Bien sur des choix devront être faits: Jules va -t-elle saisir cette nouvelle chance avec Sam? Va-t-elle penser à elle, alors que sa fille est à la fac? ça il faut le lire pour le découvrir.
Pourquoi je l'ai choisi? car la couverture parle d'elle même: du tennis. Du tennis je fonce!
Roman de deux points de vue, à la 1ère personne. Et là où ce roman est différent des autres lectures qu'on trouve, c'est que les personnes sont matures, donc à peu près de mon âge avec une héroïne préménopausée, veuve et mère de famille. PArfois cela fait du bien de lire ce genre de romance car parfois lorsque c'est à la fac je ne m' y reconnais plus, lol (oui les mentalités ont évolué par rapport à ce que j'ai vécu).
Pourquoi du tennis? car notre héroïne va se retrouver dans un club de tennis (tennis qu'elle avait pratiquer ado) et retrouver son crush de jeunesse, Sam, qu'elle avait perdu de vue.
Un slow burn, sans drama, avec de l'humour, de l'amitié, sans prise de tête, même si on sait que la vie n'est pas rose. On le voit lorsque Jules parle de son mari et Sam , de sa mère.
Un roman donc sans prise de tête, avec du tennis. Parfait pour une lecture de détente, avec des personnages qui ont chacun leur importance. Bien sur des choix devront être faits: Jules va -t-elle saisir cette nouvelle chance avec Sam? Va-t-elle penser à elle, alors que sa fille est à la fac? ça il faut le lire pour le découvrir.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
What a lovely book this was.
I really enjoyed getting to know Jules and see her slowly come out of her shell and despair of an empty nest, as she rediscovers her love of Tennis.
If you don't know much about tennis, or the scoring has always confused you, don't worry there isn't too much match play itself, but it centres around the friendships that can be formed when you are playing a sport and some of the training.
I enjoyed getting to know Jules and her new friends, and the reintroduction of Sam into her life was fun to see. It's clear she has some sort of attraction to him, like she did as a teen, but life is significantly more complicated now, and she is unsure whether to trust her heart.
I also really loved getting to know her daughter who is on a gap year trip, and keeps updating her mum with her antics, and give or take almost setting off on the whole trip without her passport, and some of the updates really were entertaining, even if they caused Jules to panic more.
Jules; work isn't going as well as it could be, and that storyline I was also rather invested in, and was curious to see how it would all turn out.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this, and it's another really good book from Jane Costello.
Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
I really enjoyed getting to know Jules and see her slowly come out of her shell and despair of an empty nest, as she rediscovers her love of Tennis.
If you don't know much about tennis, or the scoring has always confused you, don't worry there isn't too much match play itself, but it centres around the friendships that can be formed when you are playing a sport and some of the training.
I enjoyed getting to know Jules and her new friends, and the reintroduction of Sam into her life was fun to see. It's clear she has some sort of attraction to him, like she did as a teen, but life is significantly more complicated now, and she is unsure whether to trust her heart.
I also really loved getting to know her daughter who is on a gap year trip, and keeps updating her mum with her antics, and give or take almost setting off on the whole trip without her passport, and some of the updates really were entertaining, even if they caused Jules to panic more.
Jules; work isn't going as well as it could be, and that storyline I was also rather invested in, and was curious to see how it would all turn out.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this, and it's another really good book from Jane Costello.
Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I was first introduced to Jane Costello through fellow Bookstagrammers when we read It’s Getting Hot in Here, and she has such a talent for writing mature woman in a way that feels authentic, fun, flirty and relatable. Her characters aren’t simply starting over but rather navigating the complicated and often uncertain next chapters of life.
While this novel has the charm of a rom-com, it also explores deeper themes that are truly relatable for those of us that are a little bit older. Costello delves into grief, empty nest syndrome and whether and how to move forward after losing a great love. She realistically portrays aging and reinvention and the temptation to stay cocooned in the comfort of the past versus the vulnerability of putting yourself out there again, trying new things, meeting new people, and perhaps rediscovering who you are again. It’s not an easy thing to do on your own.
After years of caring for everyone else and feeling content with the life she built, Jules finds herself at a crossroads, realizing the future may not look the way she once expected. Watching her navigate this path with humor, hesitation and ultimately hope was uplifting.
This was a light, engaging read combining fun and flirtation with meaningful emotional depth. It’s a perfect summer beach read!
While this novel has the charm of a rom-com, it also explores deeper themes that are truly relatable for those of us that are a little bit older. Costello delves into grief, empty nest syndrome and whether and how to move forward after losing a great love. She realistically portrays aging and reinvention and the temptation to stay cocooned in the comfort of the past versus the vulnerability of putting yourself out there again, trying new things, meeting new people, and perhaps rediscovering who you are again. It’s not an easy thing to do on your own.
After years of caring for everyone else and feeling content with the life she built, Jules finds herself at a crossroads, realizing the future may not look the way she once expected. Watching her navigate this path with humor, hesitation and ultimately hope was uplifting.
This was a light, engaging read combining fun and flirtation with meaningful emotional depth. It’s a perfect summer beach read!
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