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After Everything
Emma Peterson thought she had built the perfect life... until she found the messages.
Her husband’s betrayal shatters everything she believed in.
She walks away without a scene, determined never to look back.
Years later, Emma has rebuilt her world from the ground stronger, wiser, and finally free.
But when fate throws her ex back into her life, she’s forced to confront the one question she’s never truly
Can you ever trust someone who once broke you completely?
Because some betrayals change everything.
And some people do, too.
Perfect for fans
• Second Chance Romance with Real Consequences
• Strong Female Protagonists
• Heartbreak, Healing, and Hope
Sometimes the hardest person to forgive is the one who finally deserves it.
Her husband’s betrayal shatters everything she believed in.
She walks away without a scene, determined never to look back.
Years later, Emma has rebuilt her world from the ground stronger, wiser, and finally free.
But when fate throws her ex back into her life, she’s forced to confront the one question she’s never truly
Can you ever trust someone who once broke you completely?
Because some betrayals change everything.
And some people do, too.
Perfect for fans
• Second Chance Romance with Real Consequences
• Strong Female Protagonists
• Heartbreak, Healing, and Hope
Sometimes the hardest person to forgive is the one who finally deserves it.
376 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 15, 2025
460 people are currently reading
118 people want to read
About the author
Grace Mitchell
3 books18 followersGrace Mitchell believes love stories don’t have to be perfect... just honest.
She writes contemporary romances about second chances, forgiveness, and the kind of heartbreak that changes you for the better. Her books explore the messy, beautiful parts of being human: regret, resilience, and the courage to try again.
When she’s not lost in fictional heartbreak, Grace spends her days chasing good coffee, long walks, and the next line that might break her heart a little.
She writes contemporary romances about second chances, forgiveness, and the kind of heartbreak that changes you for the better. Her books explore the messy, beautiful parts of being human: regret, resilience, and the courage to try again.
When she’s not lost in fictional heartbreak, Grace spends her days chasing good coffee, long walks, and the next line that might break her heart a little.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 90 reviews
December 14, 2025
4 Stars
I am really feeling the cheating/marriage on the rocks trope right now for whatever reason and the blurb on this fit the bill. The grovel/angst here was delicious. Exactly what I was looking for.
This is definitely not for everyone, as many would - understandably - not label this romance. And it's not, per se. It's truly just about the FMC discovering her husband's infidelity, the ensuing divorce, and how all of this impacts their lives. But I really enjoyed it for what it was.
I am really feeling the cheating/marriage on the rocks trope right now for whatever reason and the blurb on this fit the bill. The grovel/angst here was delicious. Exactly what I was looking for.
This is definitely not for everyone, as many would - understandably - not label this romance. And it's not, per se. It's truly just about the FMC discovering her husband's infidelity, the ensuing divorce, and how all of this impacts their lives. But I really enjoyed it for what it was.
October 30, 2025
I’m not sure if this book was written by AI or just poorly edited, but it feels artificial. It’s overly detailed without offering any real substance — character names, locations, and even descriptions constantly change. Scenes repeat or lack depth, and it all ends up feeling messy and inconsistent.
The story follows Emma and David. They meet while he’s in law school and she’s an undergrad. Emma puts her medical ambitions (she’s a nurse but was going to med school) on hold for him, moves across the country, and they get married. After eight years together, David starts acting “off” — all the classic signs of an affair.
Emma works exhausting 12-hour hospital shifts but still takes care of David in every way. He, meanwhile, is emotionally and physically absent. Eventually, Emma discovers he’s been lying about work and having a full-blown affair with his co-counsel, Sarah — complete with dinners, hotels, gifts, lingerie, and “I love you” texts. He even brings Sarah to their house while Emma’s at work. It’s a total betrayal for FIVE months.
When Emma confronts him, David gaslights her. He claims he was lonely, unhappy, that Emma was too busy, and that Sarah just “gets” him. Emma later finds out Sarah isn’t just a coworker — she’s David’s ex from college, something he lied about.
Emma finally kicks him out and files for divorce. Her heart is shattered, but David is shocked that she actually left. Four days later, he’s in a hotel begging Sarah to see him — so clearly, not that heartbroken.
Then karma hits. Sarah dumps him after someone at her firm (owned by her father) sees them together. She calls it “just an affair” and moves on to protect her career. David loses everything — his wife, his affair, and eventually his job. Sarah, of course, faces zero consequences because Daddy saves her.
Three years later, Emma has rebuilt her life.
She’s now a Nurse Practitioner at a women’s clinic, finally focused on herself. She’s happy — not perfectly, but content. When she unexpectedly runs into David, he’s a shadow of his former self: doing pro bono work for abuse survivors, in therapy, lonely, and living in a shabby apartment.
Their paths cross again when David needs medical support for a domestic abuse case and Emma’s clinic is the only one available.
They end up working together for about ten months on multiple cases. Oddly, every client has a Hispanic name — it feels weird and stereotypical.
David apologizes, saying he was chasing success and lost sight of what mattered. You can feel some remorse, but it’s hard to fully sympathize. He seems more pathetic than redeemed. The author tries to convince us that Emma was his “one true love,” but that’s hard to buy after how equally he pursued both women before.
Remember, we saw his point of view where he seemed *equally* upset he lost both Emma and Sarah. So now Emma's the one that got away?
Then, out of nowhere, Emma gets a call from a recruiter offering David a big job in New York — why the recruiter would call her makes no sense. She jumps to conclusions, accuses him of chasing money again, and storms to his office… only to find out he turned it down because he “couldn’t leave her.”
Boom. They’re back together. Epilogue: they remarry, and Emma now runs three clinics serving domestic violence victims — which seems like a conflict of interest since many are David’s clients.
In the end, the book is messy, inconsistent, and emotionally flat. There’s no real connection between characters, and the writing feels robotic — like an algorithm trying to mimic drama without understanding human emotion. It's like are they back together because they couldn't find someone else to make them happy or because they truly loved each other?
The story follows Emma and David. They meet while he’s in law school and she’s an undergrad. Emma puts her medical ambitions (she’s a nurse but was going to med school) on hold for him, moves across the country, and they get married. After eight years together, David starts acting “off” — all the classic signs of an affair.
Emma works exhausting 12-hour hospital shifts but still takes care of David in every way. He, meanwhile, is emotionally and physically absent. Eventually, Emma discovers he’s been lying about work and having a full-blown affair with his co-counsel, Sarah — complete with dinners, hotels, gifts, lingerie, and “I love you” texts. He even brings Sarah to their house while Emma’s at work. It’s a total betrayal for FIVE months.
When Emma confronts him, David gaslights her. He claims he was lonely, unhappy, that Emma was too busy, and that Sarah just “gets” him. Emma later finds out Sarah isn’t just a coworker — she’s David’s ex from college, something he lied about.
Emma finally kicks him out and files for divorce. Her heart is shattered, but David is shocked that she actually left. Four days later, he’s in a hotel begging Sarah to see him — so clearly, not that heartbroken.
Then karma hits. Sarah dumps him after someone at her firm (owned by her father) sees them together. She calls it “just an affair” and moves on to protect her career. David loses everything — his wife, his affair, and eventually his job. Sarah, of course, faces zero consequences because Daddy saves her.
Three years later, Emma has rebuilt her life.
She’s now a Nurse Practitioner at a women’s clinic, finally focused on herself. She’s happy — not perfectly, but content. When she unexpectedly runs into David, he’s a shadow of his former self: doing pro bono work for abuse survivors, in therapy, lonely, and living in a shabby apartment.
Their paths cross again when David needs medical support for a domestic abuse case and Emma’s clinic is the only one available.
They end up working together for about ten months on multiple cases. Oddly, every client has a Hispanic name — it feels weird and stereotypical.
David apologizes, saying he was chasing success and lost sight of what mattered. You can feel some remorse, but it’s hard to fully sympathize. He seems more pathetic than redeemed. The author tries to convince us that Emma was his “one true love,” but that’s hard to buy after how equally he pursued both women before.
Remember, we saw his point of view where he seemed *equally* upset he lost both Emma and Sarah. So now Emma's the one that got away?
Then, out of nowhere, Emma gets a call from a recruiter offering David a big job in New York — why the recruiter would call her makes no sense. She jumps to conclusions, accuses him of chasing money again, and storms to his office… only to find out he turned it down because he “couldn’t leave her.”
Boom. They’re back together. Epilogue: they remarry, and Emma now runs three clinics serving domestic violence victims — which seems like a conflict of interest since many are David’s clients.
In the end, the book is messy, inconsistent, and emotionally flat. There’s no real connection between characters, and the writing feels robotic — like an algorithm trying to mimic drama without understanding human emotion. It's like are they back together because they couldn't find someone else to make them happy or because they truly loved each other?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 8, 2025
Meh. I didn’t enjoy it very much.
I don’t know if it was the style, the content or how it was written but it didn’t made me feel a lot despite the cheating.
The heroine has been married for eight years with her husband, who’s a lawyer hoping to climb the social ladder very fast.
She is a nurse, and gave up her dream job to stay by his side.
She finds out he’s been cheating with his ex gf now daughter of his boss, and it’s been five months.
He doesn’t deny and blames her job.
It also looks like he was in love with ow, and when ow realizes she could lose er job because of this clandestine affair, she dumps him, and he’s sorry.
So, even after being caught and dumped by his wife he was trying to reconnect with ow and didn’t want to end their affair.
Heroine divorces his story ass. He loses his job, his wife, his mistress and also his friends and parents.
He works on himself and three years later he meets the heroine again, that now has completed her studies and has the job she liked.
He’s a lawyer, not so successful now and they reconnect.
Ok he’s changed, ok he’s not the same man but I didn’t care.
I don’t believe he only loved her and not ow, I believe that if ow was willing to be with him, and if he hadn’t lost his job, he would have been married to her and be very happy with his choice and career.
It’s just because he lost both ow and job that he decided to make the best of what he had, and so he settled on the heroine.
I also didn’t like that the heroine didn’t move on.
I don’t know, but it looks like there are not men available around and she had to take the cheater back.
In my opinion this story was not very well done.
I was left with the impression that every choice the hero made was a consequence of ow dumping him.
So ow was really the main character and not the heroine.
And no, I don’t like when a woman doesn’t have at least a couple of other partners after she’s cheated on by her husband. Fair is fair.
I don’t know if it was the style, the content or how it was written but it didn’t made me feel a lot despite the cheating.
The heroine has been married for eight years with her husband, who’s a lawyer hoping to climb the social ladder very fast.
She is a nurse, and gave up her dream job to stay by his side.
She finds out he’s been cheating with his ex gf now daughter of his boss, and it’s been five months.
He doesn’t deny and blames her job.
It also looks like he was in love with ow, and when ow realizes she could lose er job because of this clandestine affair, she dumps him, and he’s sorry.
So, even after being caught and dumped by his wife he was trying to reconnect with ow and didn’t want to end their affair.
Heroine divorces his story ass. He loses his job, his wife, his mistress and also his friends and parents.
He works on himself and three years later he meets the heroine again, that now has completed her studies and has the job she liked.
He’s a lawyer, not so successful now and they reconnect.
Ok he’s changed, ok he’s not the same man but I didn’t care.
I don’t believe he only loved her and not ow, I believe that if ow was willing to be with him, and if he hadn’t lost his job, he would have been married to her and be very happy with his choice and career.
It’s just because he lost both ow and job that he decided to make the best of what he had, and so he settled on the heroine.
I also didn’t like that the heroine didn’t move on.
I don’t know, but it looks like there are not men available around and she had to take the cheater back.
In my opinion this story was not very well done.
I was left with the impression that every choice the hero made was a consequence of ow dumping him.
So ow was really the main character and not the heroine.
And no, I don’t like when a woman doesn’t have at least a couple of other partners after she’s cheated on by her husband. Fair is fair.
December 3, 2025
A bit of a karma tale.
Cheater’s life falls apart.
There’s a strong redemptive arc, but there’s a level of emotional disconnect on her part that in the end doesn’t feel resolved.
Cheater’s life falls apart.
There’s a strong redemptive arc, but there’s a level of emotional disconnect on her part that in the end doesn’t feel resolved.
December 10, 2025
A second chance at redemption following infidelity, After Everything introduces us to our couple, David and Sarah who’ve been married less than 10 years. Sarah is a nurse in a hospital ER, where David is vying for parter at the law firm he works for. Together since college we learn of all Sarah has sacrificed to be married to David and it’s revealed how much he doesn’t deserve her. At all. There were lies told early on in their relationship that Sarah comes to find out after the cheating, setting us up for years of both Sarah and David, picking up the pieces of their lives, building everything they’ve lost in the real world after college. The OW shows her spots early and isn’t around for too long, but this is where David underplayed their friendship all along to Sarah. I respected the life David built for himself and how he didn’t do it to look good for Sarah, or his parents or people in his field of law, he did it to live a life that means something in the long run. We get the hard won HEA and they were a better couple for it. I’ll definitely check out more books by author.
November 10, 2025
So getting recommations based on my reading from Kindle Unlimited is typically more miss then hit for me but this one hit the spot. I dont mind cheating between the mmc and fmc if theres a ton of healing, reconciliation, therapy and grovel. However books that have a redemption theme with emotional or physical cheating that is done successfully by the author to not make me believe the fmc is a doormat amd the mmc is a douchecanoe is also hard to pull off.
This Author did pull the redemption pretty successfully in my eyes. There was an asshole husband who was a cake eater ( he wanted his cake amd wanted to eat it too woth two women when he made vows to one of them.
His wife goes nuclear wn she discovers the betrayal amd they divorce before his life becomes entwined again with the fmc. Well written and entertaining.
This Author did pull the redemption pretty successfully in my eyes. There was an asshole husband who was a cake eater ( he wanted his cake amd wanted to eat it too woth two women when he made vows to one of them.
His wife goes nuclear wn she discovers the betrayal amd they divorce before his life becomes entwined again with the fmc. Well written and entertaining.
November 15, 2025
Not as good as her second. I feel David would have gone back to Sarah the ow he cheated with given the chance. How he spoke of her at the beginning and middle sounded like he still cared for her. As for the h Emma? I felt zero emotion from this character. There was a complete disconnect from beginning to end and a coldness that couldn't be shaken. This is first book I believe. But after reading second book first there's definitely too much a similarity with how the story went. Just change names, location, and jobs, and they're basically the same story.
Read
October 28, 2025I got bored and DNF
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October 26, 2025This is the author's first book. Well written, no major flaws, good storyline. I love a cheating book and the first few chapters are good and angtsy.
It's stated several times that Emma moved across the country for David, but never where they came from or where they are. Pennsylvania? A UVA college sweatshirt is mentioned. Is that where they came from? PA isn't that far from VA. But it can't be PA because why would Emma give up her scholarship to medical school at Penn?
Emma's sister practices law in Boston. How does she represent Emma in her divorce when they live in _________? Is she admitted to the Bar in that state?
David was friends with Sarah in law school. He met Emma when he was in law school and she was in undergrad. Wouldn't she have met his law school friends or have heard of them?
Chapter 27 states it's from David's POV, but it's from Emma's.
Why would a headhunter call a work colleague to leave a message about a job offer? That was weird. Like really weird. And why are major corporate firms after a disgraced attorney who now practices family law? It is never explained.
Does David change? Yes. Does he deserve a second chance? I didn't think they had enough interaction for her to decide.
It's stated several times that Emma moved across the country for David, but never where they came from or where they are. Pennsylvania? A UVA college sweatshirt is mentioned. Is that where they came from? PA isn't that far from VA. But it can't be PA because why would Emma give up her scholarship to medical school at Penn?
Emma's sister practices law in Boston. How does she represent Emma in her divorce when they live in _________? Is she admitted to the Bar in that state?
David was friends with Sarah in law school. He met Emma when he was in law school and she was in undergrad. Wouldn't she have met his law school friends or have heard of them?
Chapter 27 states it's from David's POV, but it's from Emma's.
Why would a headhunter call a work colleague to leave a message about a job offer? That was weird. Like really weird. And why are major corporate firms after a disgraced attorney who now practices family law? It is never explained.
Does David change? Yes. Does he deserve a second chance? I didn't think they had enough interaction for her to decide.
November 20, 2025
I was pleasantly surprised by this one. I love a betrayal and redemption story that is not saturated and bogged down by a ridiculous, dramatic and overly drawn out grovel and instead the character(s) show growth and change and thereby earn their redemption. David did this in spades. I ate this one up with a spoon.
Excited to see what else this author has planned for the future.
Excited to see what else this author has planned for the future.
October 22, 2025
Emma and David have been married for eight years. She put his dreams before her own—moving for him, supporting him through law school, and giving up med school so he could chase his career. Now he’s on the verge of making partner at a top firm when Emma discovers, through his iCloud, that he’s been having an affair for five months with Sarah, an old college friend.
The confrontation scene was intense. Emma doesn’t let him gaslight or excuse his actions—she kicks him out that night and files for divorce four days later. Sarah eventually ends things once rumors start spreading, and David loses everything: his wife, his mistress, and his job.
There’s a time jump of a few years, and both characters have grown. Emma is thriving—she’s back in school, advancing her nursing career, and working in women’s health. David has been in therapy and runs a small pro bono practice. Their paths cross again through their shared work supporting women affected by domestic violence, and their slow reconnection feels cautious but mature.
When they finally sit down for coffee and talk about the affair, David’s remorse feels real. He doesn’t try to justify it but admits:
> “Because it was easy. We had history. We understood each other’s work, our stress levels, the pressure of the job... I knew I was failing you. And instead of fixing that, instead of being honest and either changing or ending things properly, I found someone who didn’t expect anything from me.”
And when asked if he loved Sarah, he’s blunt:
> “No. I thought maybe I did, at first... But no. It was just escape. Novelty. The thrill of something forbidden.”
You can feel how much he regrets everything, but honestly, if Sarah hadn’t ended things, I’m not sure David would have stopped. That makes it hard to root for him completely, even though his growth later on is clear.
By the end, he turns down his dream partnership offer because he’s content with the life he’s rebuilt. The epilogue, though, felt a little too rushed—they’re living together and engaged within a year, which didn’t quite match the careful pacing of their reconnection.
Overall, it’s a solid second-chance romance that explores accountability and healing after betrayal. I could feel Emma’s pain and David’s remorse, and the emotional moments landed well. But something was missing—there wasn’t enough angst, and absolutely *zero spice* for a story built on this much tension. Still, it kept me hooked, and I appreciated the message about growth and forgiveness.
The confrontation scene was intense. Emma doesn’t let him gaslight or excuse his actions—she kicks him out that night and files for divorce four days later. Sarah eventually ends things once rumors start spreading, and David loses everything: his wife, his mistress, and his job.
There’s a time jump of a few years, and both characters have grown. Emma is thriving—she’s back in school, advancing her nursing career, and working in women’s health. David has been in therapy and runs a small pro bono practice. Their paths cross again through their shared work supporting women affected by domestic violence, and their slow reconnection feels cautious but mature.
When they finally sit down for coffee and talk about the affair, David’s remorse feels real. He doesn’t try to justify it but admits:
> “Because it was easy. We had history. We understood each other’s work, our stress levels, the pressure of the job... I knew I was failing you. And instead of fixing that, instead of being honest and either changing or ending things properly, I found someone who didn’t expect anything from me.”
And when asked if he loved Sarah, he’s blunt:
> “No. I thought maybe I did, at first... But no. It was just escape. Novelty. The thrill of something forbidden.”
You can feel how much he regrets everything, but honestly, if Sarah hadn’t ended things, I’m not sure David would have stopped. That makes it hard to root for him completely, even though his growth later on is clear.
By the end, he turns down his dream partnership offer because he’s content with the life he’s rebuilt. The epilogue, though, felt a little too rushed—they’re living together and engaged within a year, which didn’t quite match the careful pacing of their reconnection.
Overall, it’s a solid second-chance romance that explores accountability and healing after betrayal. I could feel Emma’s pain and David’s remorse, and the emotional moments landed well. But something was missing—there wasn’t enough angst, and absolutely *zero spice* for a story built on this much tension. Still, it kept me hooked, and I appreciated the message about growth and forgiveness.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 18, 2025
This is one of those stories that leave one feeling upset and dissatisfied.
When the characters and their reactions (more than actions) don't resonate, don't feel organic you keep feeling antsy throughout the read, scoffing to yourself.
He is that kind of a self-seeking and pompous man who even when is declared 'redeemed', annoys the F out of you, with this shallow smugness that you can still discern beneath the new skin.
Yes, there's a redemption arc - from chasing being a partner in his law firm and other material stuff, he goes to working pro bono!
Seemed pretty artificial, this turnabout.
Plot - Married for 8 years. She supported him in law career while not taking up a career as a doctor (she got accepted too at a med school) and becoming a nurse instead.
Cheater gets caught via iCloud texts, he blames her busy-ness, she dumps him asap.
Happily, day later the ow, his colleague (and school sweetheart or not, not clarified) too dumps him - his career spirals as does his life - he is in full self pity mode - his mother and therapist b*tch slap him a bit to put some sense in him.
Three years later - she is an NP now, while he is suddenly the male version of mother Teresa doing pro bono cases for helpless abused women. *serious eyeroll*
He can barely pay rent? So from being stupendously materialistic , he becomes this impractical nimwit? He then (of course) declines a multi-million dollar offer too.
So Cheesy!
To end this cr*pfest - He is redeemed in the fmc's eye, even though she keeps protesting that she cannot trust him fully, can't say ILY blah blah.
I am 100%+ certain that if the ow had not dumped him, he would have happily never looked back at the fmc. He is definitely the have the cake and eat it too kinda AH!
After the wife leaves him, he contacts her and wanted her to feel sorry for him -
They demoted me.
Sarah (ow) won't talk to me either. I lost everything, Emma. You, her, my career. Was that what you wanted?
Would you ever want to get back with such a man, even tied up in a new 'redeemed' ribbon?
I would thank Sarah till my last breath.
When the characters and their reactions (more than actions) don't resonate, don't feel organic you keep feeling antsy throughout the read, scoffing to yourself.
He is that kind of a self-seeking and pompous man who even when is declared 'redeemed', annoys the F out of you, with this shallow smugness that you can still discern beneath the new skin.
Yes, there's a redemption arc - from chasing being a partner in his law firm and other material stuff, he goes to working pro bono!
Seemed pretty artificial, this turnabout.
Plot - Married for 8 years. She supported him in law career while not taking up a career as a doctor (she got accepted too at a med school) and becoming a nurse instead.
Cheater gets caught via iCloud texts, he blames her busy-ness, she dumps him asap.
Happily, day later the ow, his colleague (and school sweetheart or not, not clarified) too dumps him - his career spirals as does his life - he is in full self pity mode - his mother and therapist b*tch slap him a bit to put some sense in him.
Three years later - she is an NP now, while he is suddenly the male version of mother Teresa doing pro bono cases for helpless abused women. *serious eyeroll*
He can barely pay rent? So from being stupendously materialistic , he becomes this impractical nimwit? He then (of course) declines a multi-million dollar offer too.
So Cheesy!
To end this cr*pfest - He is redeemed in the fmc's eye, even though she keeps protesting that she cannot trust him fully, can't say ILY blah blah.
I am 100%+ certain that if the ow had not dumped him, he would have happily never looked back at the fmc. He is definitely the have the cake and eat it too kinda AH!
After the wife leaves him, he contacts her and wanted her to feel sorry for him -
They demoted me.
Sarah (ow) won't talk to me either. I lost everything, Emma. You, her, my career. Was that what you wanted?
Would you ever want to get back with such a man, even tied up in a new 'redeemed' ribbon?
I would thank Sarah till my last breath.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 4, 2025
Broken…
At the end, they say that broken things can become stronger when they are mended right. I’m not sure that’s true; melted down and shaped into something new can be stronger.
David is the MMC and a lawyer. Emma is the FMC and has been working as a nurse of some kind. She gave up medical school to follow him to his new job. They’ve been married for eight years, but recently he’s been working late. We all know what that means… an affair.
The second chance part is pretty good. There isn’t a huge grovel, but there is a recognition of what he did wrong, and an ongoing effort to become a better man. In the meantime, she goes back to school and becomes a nurse practitioner.
Now it’s three years later…
KU read, and this is a pretty good story. It seems more like real life than the fiction it is. I really liked this and I’m looking forward to more from this author.
At the end, they say that broken things can become stronger when they are mended right. I’m not sure that’s true; melted down and shaped into something new can be stronger.
David is the MMC and a lawyer. Emma is the FMC and has been working as a nurse of some kind. She gave up medical school to follow him to his new job. They’ve been married for eight years, but recently he’s been working late. We all know what that means… an affair.
The second chance part is pretty good. There isn’t a huge grovel, but there is a recognition of what he did wrong, and an ongoing effort to become a better man. In the meantime, she goes back to school and becomes a nurse practitioner.
Now it’s three years later…
KU read, and this is a pretty good story. It seems more like real life than the fiction it is. I really liked this and I’m looking forward to more from this author.
October 17, 2025
I'm not sure about this one. The story was fine and despite my suspicions about it, I can't prove them. I did find the use of em dashes and ellipses excessive, sometimes several per page. I'm old enough that I use em dashes myself sometimes, but there are a lot. The cover art is a red flag.
There was a scene right after the FMC had done an exam for a patient. She told her the documentation would take about an hour to complete. Then she told the MMC (who was there because the patient was his client for a DV case) that it would take her thirty minutes. Then he asks her shortly after that how long it will be and she says thirty minutes, maybe forty. 🤔 Three different estimates over the span of three kindle pages, which are short.
There was a scene right after the FMC had done an exam for a patient. She told her the documentation would take about an hour to complete. Then she told the MMC (who was there because the patient was his client for a DV case) that it would take her thirty minutes. Then he asks her shortly after that how long it will be and she says thirty minutes, maybe forty. 🤔 Three different estimates over the span of three kindle pages, which are short.
November 5, 2025
2.5 stars. Not sure why I rated it 3, in hindsight, but I'll stick with it. This was hard to get through. Emma and David were married, with him a successful attorney, while she gave up a free ride to medical school to be an ICU nurse. Everything is derailed when Emma learns David has been cheating with his co-counsel on a file, who also happens to be a former college "friend" (in quotes because even though they apparently never got romantic, there were definitely some feelings there) of his. She immediately kicks him out and begins divorce proceedings.
The thing about this story is it wasn't all that satisfying. David's first move when Emma kicks him out is to insist he can "fix it." Which... no... His second move, upon finding himself in a hotel room, is to call OW because he loves them both and is freaked out about his wife kicking him out, so of course y'gotta call your girlfriend. The thing is, being with him is going to sink the girlfriend's career so she dumps him like he was nothing -- which... fair. So both David and OW are true pieces of shit.
And I guess that's the issue, if his girlfriend hadn't dumped him and moved to another state, would David have ever even cared about Emma divorcing him? Added to it is that OW never sees any negative effects. And, okay, that's probably true to life, but I want a bit of fantasy in these books. As much as David got kicked around by life and the career that used to be so important to him, I'd have liked his bitchy girlfriend to get a bit of karma sent her way too.
In the end, David does get quite a bit of comeuppance and turns into a better person, but the romance isn't really there. He has very few run-ins with Emma, and you know me -- I like the DRAMA in these second chance stories.
I've seen the accusations of AI writing in other reviews and, even though I don't really know for sure, I could see it being the case. There was so much of tell, not show, happening here, and even though I'm all about Emma getting her groove back and rising above the petty stuff, I've still got to feel like it's a happy ending for her to get back with David, rather than just a "I'll be fine whether you're there or not," sort of ending, which is how this felt. I just never felt any kind of urgency for the two leads to get back together -- and I'm honestly not sure if Emma did either.
The thing about this story is it wasn't all that satisfying. David's first move when Emma kicks him out is to insist he can "fix it." Which... no... His second move, upon finding himself in a hotel room, is to call OW because he loves them both and is freaked out about his wife kicking him out, so of course y'gotta call your girlfriend. The thing is, being with him is going to sink the girlfriend's career so she dumps him like he was nothing -- which... fair. So both David and OW are true pieces of shit.
And I guess that's the issue, if his girlfriend hadn't dumped him and moved to another state, would David have ever even cared about Emma divorcing him? Added to it is that OW never sees any negative effects. And, okay, that's probably true to life, but I want a bit of fantasy in these books. As much as David got kicked around by life and the career that used to be so important to him, I'd have liked his bitchy girlfriend to get a bit of karma sent her way too.
In the end, David does get quite a bit of comeuppance and turns into a better person, but the romance isn't really there. He has very few run-ins with Emma, and you know me -- I like the DRAMA in these second chance stories.
I've seen the accusations of AI writing in other reviews and, even though I don't really know for sure, I could see it being the case. There was so much of tell, not show, happening here, and even though I'm all about Emma getting her groove back and rising above the petty stuff, I've still got to feel like it's a happy ending for her to get back with David, rather than just a "I'll be fine whether you're there or not," sort of ending, which is how this felt. I just never felt any kind of urgency for the two leads to get back together -- and I'm honestly not sure if Emma did either.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 28, 2025
+1 all the points made in Danny Lea’s review.
This authors romances are character/ emotion driven and have little to not spicy scenes.
G. Mitchel’s portrayal of the relationship “crash” and immediate painful fallout makes me wonder if they’ve experienced first hand or had a front row seat.
The book is well paced through the point the MC’s decide they no longer hate one another, and want to explore what being in each other’s lives might look like. At which point the narrative almost immediately jumps to an HEA epilogue. Again wonder if this experience is close to home for the author, and perhaps still rather recent. No life experience to pull from to really wrap up the “romance” element of the story?
Finally as Danny Lea’s review cited “After Everything” and “Ashes of Us” are the SAME book.
**Pacing is the same with exactly the same key plot points falling in exactly the same cadence.
**Though careers and names have been changed and in book 1 the couple splits after a 8 yr marriage vs couple in book 2 split 5 weeks before their wedding - the entire cast of characters is transposed from book 1 to book two. (Supporting gal pal (sister vs BFF), both sets of parents, the therapist, the OW who exits stage right after the damage is done.)
**And lastly this cast of mirroring characters deliver the same dialog. So many phrases, conversation threads appear almost verbatim in both books.
That being said both books were entertaining. Would recommend readers choosing to pick up one or the other and “call it good.”
I look forward to seeing if this author develops her craft in future books.
This authors romances are character/ emotion driven and have little to not spicy scenes.
G. Mitchel’s portrayal of the relationship “crash” and immediate painful fallout makes me wonder if they’ve experienced first hand or had a front row seat.
The book is well paced through the point the MC’s decide they no longer hate one another, and want to explore what being in each other’s lives might look like. At which point the narrative almost immediately jumps to an HEA epilogue. Again wonder if this experience is close to home for the author, and perhaps still rather recent. No life experience to pull from to really wrap up the “romance” element of the story?
Finally as Danny Lea’s review cited “After Everything” and “Ashes of Us” are the SAME book.
**Pacing is the same with exactly the same key plot points falling in exactly the same cadence.
**Though careers and names have been changed and in book 1 the couple splits after a 8 yr marriage vs couple in book 2 split 5 weeks before their wedding - the entire cast of characters is transposed from book 1 to book two. (Supporting gal pal (sister vs BFF), both sets of parents, the therapist, the OW who exits stage right after the damage is done.)
**And lastly this cast of mirroring characters deliver the same dialog. So many phrases, conversation threads appear almost verbatim in both books.
That being said both books were entertaining. Would recommend readers choosing to pick up one or the other and “call it good.”
I look forward to seeing if this author develops her craft in future books.
October 21, 2025
Great read
Loved it ,lawyer David cheats on Emma whose a nurse , she moved on and he gets what he deserved but along the way and over time she gets involved with his domestic abuse cases helping him keep women safe ,she sees a different side of him and it takes a Lot of hard work from David to let her know he was sorry and she's not gna forget it forgive so soon but in time she sees he's really changed .It was fast and flowed nicely ,good ending and epilogue and Emma definitely wasn't a weak victim ,will try find more books from this author,I like her style of reading and did read It in a day
Loved it ,lawyer David cheats on Emma whose a nurse , she moved on and he gets what he deserved but along the way and over time she gets involved with his domestic abuse cases helping him keep women safe ,she sees a different side of him and it takes a Lot of hard work from David to let her know he was sorry and she's not gna forget it forgive so soon but in time she sees he's really changed .It was fast and flowed nicely ,good ending and epilogue and Emma definitely wasn't a weak victim ,will try find more books from this author,I like her style of reading and did read It in a day
November 5, 2025
Not bad
This book wasn't a bad read. Minor repetitiveness. Glad that the side interest was minimal and didn't go anywhere. It was nice how this author kept my interest and this book did not have sex all through it. She did a good job making the reader really not like him in the beginning and getting us to see his journey.
This book wasn't a bad read. Minor repetitiveness. Glad that the side interest was minimal and didn't go anywhere. It was nice how this author kept my interest and this book did not have sex all through it. She did a good job making the reader really not like him in the beginning and getting us to see his journey.
October 18, 2025
Debut author 5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
What a great debut book, I loved Emma's growth, I felt every emotion and David's regret. It was beautifully written. Each character had personal growth.
Can't wait to read more of your books.
What a great debut book, I loved Emma's growth, I felt every emotion and David's regret. It was beautifully written. Each character had personal growth.
Can't wait to read more of your books.
December 4, 2025
Writing Uneven
The opening pulls you in quick, but inconsistencies and the inevitable HEA are distractingly frustrating. In one chapter, the h has blond hair, then dark hair, then later auburn. There were problems with the timeline... The author writes about three years passing, but then keeps talking about things that happened one year earlier. She writes about five weeks passing and then jumps back to 3 weeks. The couple supposedly dated through college, in law school, and yet, the wife had no idea about his close relationship with sarah? That could be overlooked, perhaps, but then there is the H. During the initial confrontation, he tries to blame her for the affair by saying she worked all the time. Later, it says she only worked part-time in order to support him. Considering the mistress ended the affair, his longing for his wife seems inconsistent. He stated multiple times he was unhappy in the marriage... They did not seem to really resolve that these were two people who were in an unhappy marriage that ended in betrayal, and then they just jumped back into dating?
The opening pulls you in quick, but inconsistencies and the inevitable HEA are distractingly frustrating. In one chapter, the h has blond hair, then dark hair, then later auburn. There were problems with the timeline... The author writes about three years passing, but then keeps talking about things that happened one year earlier. She writes about five weeks passing and then jumps back to 3 weeks. The couple supposedly dated through college, in law school, and yet, the wife had no idea about his close relationship with sarah? That could be overlooked, perhaps, but then there is the H. During the initial confrontation, he tries to blame her for the affair by saying she worked all the time. Later, it says she only worked part-time in order to support him. Considering the mistress ended the affair, his longing for his wife seems inconsistent. He stated multiple times he was unhappy in the marriage... They did not seem to really resolve that these were two people who were in an unhappy marriage that ended in betrayal, and then they just jumped back into dating?
November 15, 2025
After Everything was about 32-year-old David Harrison, an attorney, and 30-ish-year-old Emma Peterson, an ICU nurse, who later became a nurse practitioner. (Her age was never given, but they attended college at the same time, so she was close to his age.)
David and Emma had been married for eight years. She had met him in college, but she gave up going to medical school and moved across the country to support his career. She became an ICU nurse and cheered whenever David had a new success at work. But then she found his messages... on HER laptop... to and from a woman named Sarah Oakley, an attorney who had been his friend in college, who worked for another law firm but was co-counsel on the same case as David. It turned out they had been having an affair for the past six months. This led to her divorcing him, which led to his career blowing up in his face because the other woman dropped him like a hot brick and told him he was the only one who had gotten emotionally attached. This all happened just days after Emma kicked him out and filed for a divorce. Not only that, but ten days after Emma kicked him out, the partners of the firm where he worked told him he was no longer in the running for partner, and they went even further by demoting him, and they drastically cut his paycheck. David had succeeded in blowing up the life he had built over the past 8 years...all for a five-month-long affair. Even his friends and family turned on him.
Four months after they split, Emma got a letter from the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing. She had applied for the Nurse Practitioner Program. The letter stated her application had been accepted. While David's life spiralled out of control, Emma was flourishing for the first time since they had married.
Three years after their divorce, Emma and David met up again unexpectedly. Emma had gotten her certification as a nurse practitioner while David had started his own practice, working in family law and doing pro bono work. A few days after seeing each other, David had a client consultation with a woman who was fleeing a marriage of violence. He helped her find a clinic that would work with her to document her injuries...and that led back to Emma, who worked with such cases. This set a pattern for the next nine months they had any interaction.
This wasn't your typical romance. While it had all of the angst, drama, push/pull, and emotional rollercoaster, what it didn't have was any spicy scenes or any tug-of-war between the main characters. While there was some other woman drama in the beginning, it was over before it began. This story was all about how a long-term marriage fell apart, the years in between where the former couple worked separately on themselves, and eventually found their way back to one another.
The character development was pretty awesome, and the maturity level was more than one would expect. However, the best part of the story was the growth that both the MMC and the FMC went through, and how they managed to get past the devastation that had driven them apart in the first place.
I gave this a four-star rating only because I felt like something was missing that kept it from being worthy of five. Whatever it was, I still enjoyed the book and look forward to more stories by this author.
David and Emma had been married for eight years. She had met him in college, but she gave up going to medical school and moved across the country to support his career. She became an ICU nurse and cheered whenever David had a new success at work. But then she found his messages... on HER laptop... to and from a woman named Sarah Oakley, an attorney who had been his friend in college, who worked for another law firm but was co-counsel on the same case as David. It turned out they had been having an affair for the past six months. This led to her divorcing him, which led to his career blowing up in his face because the other woman dropped him like a hot brick and told him he was the only one who had gotten emotionally attached. This all happened just days after Emma kicked him out and filed for a divorce. Not only that, but ten days after Emma kicked him out, the partners of the firm where he worked told him he was no longer in the running for partner, and they went even further by demoting him, and they drastically cut his paycheck. David had succeeded in blowing up the life he had built over the past 8 years...all for a five-month-long affair. Even his friends and family turned on him.
Four months after they split, Emma got a letter from the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing. She had applied for the Nurse Practitioner Program. The letter stated her application had been accepted. While David's life spiralled out of control, Emma was flourishing for the first time since they had married.
Three years after their divorce, Emma and David met up again unexpectedly. Emma had gotten her certification as a nurse practitioner while David had started his own practice, working in family law and doing pro bono work. A few days after seeing each other, David had a client consultation with a woman who was fleeing a marriage of violence. He helped her find a clinic that would work with her to document her injuries...and that led back to Emma, who worked with such cases. This set a pattern for the next nine months they had any interaction.
This wasn't your typical romance. While it had all of the angst, drama, push/pull, and emotional rollercoaster, what it didn't have was any spicy scenes or any tug-of-war between the main characters. While there was some other woman drama in the beginning, it was over before it began. This story was all about how a long-term marriage fell apart, the years in between where the former couple worked separately on themselves, and eventually found their way back to one another.
The character development was pretty awesome, and the maturity level was more than one would expect. However, the best part of the story was the growth that both the MMC and the FMC went through, and how they managed to get past the devastation that had driven them apart in the first place.
I gave this a four-star rating only because I felt like something was missing that kept it from being worthy of five. Whatever it was, I still enjoyed the book and look forward to more stories by this author.
November 26, 2025
So to start, at a minimum parts of this book are written using AI. I'll be generous and not assume all but the ending of of chapters and little inconsistencies give it away. Like this:
"Not happiness. Not yet. But maybe the beginning of something like hope."
Guys if you see weird repeated variations of chapter endings like this. Its AI. Period. Chat gpt loves to end chapters with some variation of this.
Story wise, this didnt work as a redeption for me in the least.
David cheats on his wife with a woman from college he reconnected with at work. He was obviously in love with this woman in college as well but she wasnt looking to settle down. So he ends up with his wife instead. Who puts of her dreams for him. When Sarah reenters his life - he cheats for 5 months. Spending all his time - and both their money - on Sarah. Then he gets caught. Blames his wife for it. Then keeps saying he loves his wife and they need to work it out when she kicks him out.
Yet while the are separated hes is immediately begging Sarah to see him. No urge to end that relationship hits him. when she finally answers his messages he is do excited to finally get to see her.
"Sarah stood in the hallway, and for a second, all I could do was look at her. She was dressed down in jeans, a cream-colored sweater, and her hair was pulled back in a low ponytail. No makeup except maybe a touch of mascara. She looked younger like this, more like the Sarah I'd known in law school, before the power suits and the polished veneer of corporate law. Beautiful. She was so fucking beautiful.
"Hey," I said, and my voice came out rougher than I intended. I reached for her, my hand going to her waist the way it always did, ready to pull her close, to kiss her, to feel something good for the first time in four days."
Sarah though pulls away. She explains their relationship has been found out. It could ruin her career etc.
David keeps saying they can lay low and make it work. He clearly has no desire to end their relationship despite knowing his marriage is over if it continues. He wants Sarah. His concern for his marriage is gone the second she arrives. All he worries about is her.
Sarah informs him that his wife is filing for divorce at one point even. She was seen at the clerks office. That soon everyone will know about the affair.
And Upon learning this, what is David's response?
is it devastation at the knowledge his wife has filed? regret?
nope.
He says exactly this:
"So what do we do?" I asked. My voice sounded strange. Distant. "We can handle this. We just need to—"
He asks the other woman what THEY do now. How THEY can make it work. That's it. He doesnt breath a word of care, or spare a thought on the fact his wife is divorcing him. He only cares about being with Sarah. That she stays with him.
She doesnt. She ends it. And when she leaves he asks if she ever loved him.
She doesnt answer. But thats irrelevant. Because we know he loves her. Clearly, very much.
Um yeah. So....?
Years later him and his wife reconnect. Blah Blah Blah. Suddenly he only wanted her .
Well sure. Sarah dumped his ass and didn't want him. lol
Wow what a charming redemption arc.
He would clearly have been with Sarah if she hadn't dumped him. The writing was very explicit on that fact. He was head over fucking heals for Sarah. She just cared more about her career.
His wife was the consolation prize. Good enough but clearly not Sarah.
And then I'm supposed to buy the flipped switch years later? Like dude I SAW YOU. I HEARD YOU.
Nahhhh
I just felt sorry for the h for taking this man back. I mean Jesus, if she only new the full truth.
oof
"Not happiness. Not yet. But maybe the beginning of something like hope."
Guys if you see weird repeated variations of chapter endings like this. Its AI. Period. Chat gpt loves to end chapters with some variation of this.
Story wise, this didnt work as a redeption for me in the least.
David cheats on his wife with a woman from college he reconnected with at work. He was obviously in love with this woman in college as well but she wasnt looking to settle down. So he ends up with his wife instead. Who puts of her dreams for him. When Sarah reenters his life - he cheats for 5 months. Spending all his time - and both their money - on Sarah. Then he gets caught. Blames his wife for it. Then keeps saying he loves his wife and they need to work it out when she kicks him out.
Yet while the are separated hes is immediately begging Sarah to see him. No urge to end that relationship hits him. when she finally answers his messages he is do excited to finally get to see her.
"Sarah stood in the hallway, and for a second, all I could do was look at her. She was dressed down in jeans, a cream-colored sweater, and her hair was pulled back in a low ponytail. No makeup except maybe a touch of mascara. She looked younger like this, more like the Sarah I'd known in law school, before the power suits and the polished veneer of corporate law. Beautiful. She was so fucking beautiful.
"Hey," I said, and my voice came out rougher than I intended. I reached for her, my hand going to her waist the way it always did, ready to pull her close, to kiss her, to feel something good for the first time in four days."
Sarah though pulls away. She explains their relationship has been found out. It could ruin her career etc.
David keeps saying they can lay low and make it work. He clearly has no desire to end their relationship despite knowing his marriage is over if it continues. He wants Sarah. His concern for his marriage is gone the second she arrives. All he worries about is her.
Sarah informs him that his wife is filing for divorce at one point even. She was seen at the clerks office. That soon everyone will know about the affair.
And Upon learning this, what is David's response?
is it devastation at the knowledge his wife has filed? regret?
nope.
He says exactly this:
"So what do we do?" I asked. My voice sounded strange. Distant. "We can handle this. We just need to—"
He asks the other woman what THEY do now. How THEY can make it work. That's it. He doesnt breath a word of care, or spare a thought on the fact his wife is divorcing him. He only cares about being with Sarah. That she stays with him.
She doesnt. She ends it. And when she leaves he asks if she ever loved him.
She doesnt answer. But thats irrelevant. Because we know he loves her. Clearly, very much.
Um yeah. So....?
Years later him and his wife reconnect. Blah Blah Blah. Suddenly he only wanted her .
Well sure. Sarah dumped his ass and didn't want him. lol
Wow what a charming redemption arc.
He would clearly have been with Sarah if she hadn't dumped him. The writing was very explicit on that fact. He was head over fucking heals for Sarah. She just cared more about her career.
His wife was the consolation prize. Good enough but clearly not Sarah.
And then I'm supposed to buy the flipped switch years later? Like dude I SAW YOU. I HEARD YOU.
Nahhhh
I just felt sorry for the h for taking this man back. I mean Jesus, if she only new the full truth.
oof
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 27, 2025
Beautiful Redemption
I lovvvve a good cheat, grovel story.
This new author did amazing with this story. Especially with the redemption part for the H lead. It wasn’t all beg beg beg, it was a true change and growth arc.
Same for the female lead. She didn't sit around and cry or pine, she grew in her own independence.
And sometimes its nice to read in these stories than lighting the whole world on fire. But really, technically, the h did lol to the H.
My only down side was the ow not getting some kick back for her part which would have been deserved and also, for the H it was kinda left in the air on his feelings to the ow, however time fixed that i think and self discovery. Why i think the ow didnt get what came to her.
But david did. Also at first i didn't want forgiveness for him, but it was written well that he earned it thats why I enjoyed it. Hands down. The time and work into him for his redemption
Also note if the dear author does read this review, this isn't an insult just a suggestion, your book deserves better than an A$-i cover. Though fitting, it cheapens the story i almost didnt read it thinking it was going to be writin the same way (its not you all. Well written. The plot is all in order, good grammar etc) so if you ever can please get a cover desginer, or premade, for your wonderful book.
I lovvvve a good cheat, grovel story.
This new author did amazing with this story. Especially with the redemption part for the H lead. It wasn’t all beg beg beg, it was a true change and growth arc.
Same for the female lead. She didn't sit around and cry or pine, she grew in her own independence.
And sometimes its nice to read in these stories than lighting the whole world on fire. But really, technically, the h did lol to the H.
My only down side was the ow not getting some kick back for her part which would have been deserved and also, for the H it was kinda left in the air on his feelings to the ow, however time fixed that i think and self discovery. Why i think the ow didnt get what came to her.
But david did. Also at first i didn't want forgiveness for him, but it was written well that he earned it thats why I enjoyed it. Hands down. The time and work into him for his redemption
Also note if the dear author does read this review, this isn't an insult just a suggestion, your book deserves better than an A$-i cover. Though fitting, it cheapens the story i almost didnt read it thinking it was going to be writin the same way (its not you all. Well written. The plot is all in order, good grammar etc) so if you ever can please get a cover desginer, or premade, for your wonderful book.
November 20, 2025
Review
I followed the link to this book at the end of her second one, Ashes of Us. Since that was just a couple of hours for me, I'm not going to repeat what I said in that review about my stance on cheating, or why her stories stand out despite the issues with the timeline and such (deepest apologies to the author for that. I would like to promise that I'll edit this later, but my ADHD makes it highly unlikely).
I do want to address what I consider to be a plot misstep, and why I dropped a star because of it. SPOILERS AHEAD
The other woman. After his wife kicks him out, he messages BOTH his wife and the other woman. When the OW shows up at his hotel room, his initial hope is that it's to be with him. It's the OW who walks away, not him.
In a chapter from the wife's point of view (I'm sorry. I am so terrible at remembering names), she goes through a box of his stuff that includes photos of him and the OW in school. Photos that are pretty good evidence that he wasn't honest years ago about the depth of the prior relationship. This is never addressed.
It's hard not to feel, at least a little bit, that he only chose his wife because the OW wasn't interested. Which makes it hard to applaud them getting back together.
I followed the link to this book at the end of her second one, Ashes of Us. Since that was just a couple of hours for me, I'm not going to repeat what I said in that review about my stance on cheating, or why her stories stand out despite the issues with the timeline and such (deepest apologies to the author for that. I would like to promise that I'll edit this later, but my ADHD makes it highly unlikely).
I do want to address what I consider to be a plot misstep, and why I dropped a star because of it. SPOILERS AHEAD
The other woman. After his wife kicks him out, he messages BOTH his wife and the other woman. When the OW shows up at his hotel room, his initial hope is that it's to be with him. It's the OW who walks away, not him.
In a chapter from the wife's point of view (I'm sorry. I am so terrible at remembering names), she goes through a box of his stuff that includes photos of him and the OW in school. Photos that are pretty good evidence that he wasn't honest years ago about the depth of the prior relationship. This is never addressed.
It's hard not to feel, at least a little bit, that he only chose his wife because the OW wasn't interested. Which makes it hard to applaud them getting back together.
October 30, 2025
Strong Redemption Arc
This is a cheating second chance romance. The h catches the H through his emails and from there things go down quickly for the MC.
Now, I read cheating romances for the delicious angst and grovel and this had a fair amount of both. It also had a very strong redemptive arc that was plausible to me.
Most recent romances of this type don’t focus on redemption but instead on maximum retribution to an OTT level to bring about the redemption. 60% of this story is devoted to the redemption, but it avoids OTT-ness, which keeps the story grounded.
Unfortunately, what this book lacked was the romance and chemistry needed to want these two to have a second chance. In the end, I bought the redemption because the author and the H worked hard for it, but there was no romance to make me want them back together. I would deem this a redemptive second chance with no romance.
I still rated this 4 solid stars because I think it was a decent read and a wonderful redemption for the H. Not a good romance though, but a solid second chance read. The beginning of the novel is very strong.
4 stars
This is a cheating second chance romance. The h catches the H through his emails and from there things go down quickly for the MC.
Now, I read cheating romances for the delicious angst and grovel and this had a fair amount of both. It also had a very strong redemptive arc that was plausible to me.
Most recent romances of this type don’t focus on redemption but instead on maximum retribution to an OTT level to bring about the redemption. 60% of this story is devoted to the redemption, but it avoids OTT-ness, which keeps the story grounded.
Unfortunately, what this book lacked was the romance and chemistry needed to want these two to have a second chance. In the end, I bought the redemption because the author and the H worked hard for it, but there was no romance to make me want them back together. I would deem this a redemptive second chance with no romance.
I still rated this 4 solid stars because I think it was a decent read and a wonderful redemption for the H. Not a good romance though, but a solid second chance read. The beginning of the novel is very strong.
4 stars
October 25, 2025
The h and H are married. She works in ICU and he is a lawyer on track for making partner when she discovers he has been using her 12 hour shifts to have an affair with an ex from before their marriage. They go through the usual - denial, let me explain, get out, divorce. Most of the story takes place three years later as the h is now a NP after going back to school. She had put her career on hold and turned down acceptance to further study to support the H and his career. Now she works at a women's health centre. The H is in therapy and working on staying sober as he works to rebuild his practice after losing his prestigious position in a law firm. He takes pro bono cases for women who have been physically abused. He begins using the h to get documentation for court appearances. There are no quick reconciliation and AHA moments in this story. There's just a slow change. The one unresolved sticking point for me was the fact that the OW ended the relationship and cut him off. He didn't renounce her so I'm wondering, would he have continued?
November 16, 2025
After Everything was one of those spur of the moment books. I saw this one come up on my recommended books and I was in the mood for a cheating, betrayal and groveling book. I’m pleasantly surprised by how much I liked it! It’s a book I’ve never heard of and a completely new to me author.
The betrayal was a gut punch (which I love) it happened right near the beginning so I was hooked on the book right away. The FMC was strong, she finds herself again and the groveling takes time, it was the right amount. Not overly done to where it was boring and repetitive but just the right amount. I loved the changed behavior of the MMC. After what he did I genuinely thought that there was no way Grace Mitchell could make me forgive him! But she did, it was all written very well! I see she’s written another book so I’ll definitely have to check that out as well!
All in all 4⭐️ and I’m definitely glad I decided to read that spur of the moment book!
The betrayal was a gut punch (which I love) it happened right near the beginning so I was hooked on the book right away. The FMC was strong, she finds herself again and the groveling takes time, it was the right amount. Not overly done to where it was boring and repetitive but just the right amount. I loved the changed behavior of the MMC. After what he did I genuinely thought that there was no way Grace Mitchell could make me forgive him! But she did, it was all written very well! I see she’s written another book so I’ll definitely have to check that out as well!
All in all 4⭐️ and I’m definitely glad I decided to read that spur of the moment book!
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November 27, 2025Iam sooooo conflicted with continuing reading this or not because if the hero is David he look like he never loved his wife in the first place because after his scandal this what he was saying
I wanted Emma. I wanted Sarah. I wanted my
partnership back, my reputation, my life before everything fell apart. But I'd lost all of it.
And for what?
Mf 😠
The good thing I finished the book without dnf it
I would love it if he took offer for his work and see he thrive more
I didn’t felt there was much chemistry between them matter of fact
He was pinning for Sarah that she left him even after years and I wonder if outcome was different if Sarah given him a chance
Heroine was brave to take him back because trusting him again not easy
I wanted Emma. I wanted Sarah. I wanted my
partnership back, my reputation, my life before everything fell apart. But I'd lost all of it.
And for what?
Mf 😠
The good thing I finished the book without dnf it
I would love it if he took offer for his work and see he thrive more
I didn’t felt there was much chemistry between them matter of fact
He was pinning for Sarah that she left him even after years and I wonder if outcome was different if Sarah given him a chance
Heroine was brave to take him back because trusting him again not easy
November 5, 2025
hits all the right places!
I gave out a huge sigh of satisfaction on the last page. It was that good for me, mind you there's no spice. But .... yes to everything else! Im petty, so I want it hurt, the one with a good grovel is hard to find. This one's have em all, h with a backbone, H with humility and great character development. I like how David have some humility to acknowledge he made mistakes instead of bulldoze things and he wanted to change, that's important. Must read if you into cheating romance but don't mind of no spice. I'll be devouring author's other creation right now!
I gave out a huge sigh of satisfaction on the last page. It was that good for me, mind you there's no spice. But .... yes to everything else! Im petty, so I want it hurt, the one with a good grovel is hard to find. This one's have em all, h with a backbone, H with humility and great character development. I like how David have some humility to acknowledge he made mistakes instead of bulldoze things and he wanted to change, that's important. Must read if you into cheating romance but don't mind of no spice. I'll be devouring author's other creation right now!
November 17, 2025
A solid first book effort. I felt for both Emma and David and was interested to see how David did the work of becoming a better person. I wish the author had gone into more detail and written more as I wanted more of both their journeys, together and individually. I did wonder about the DV victim names all being Hispanic/latino. I also wondered why a Law firm would call Emma looking for David. That made no sense. I also did wonder about the ethic of having your ex-wife be the NP documenting your DV cases. However, despite all this I am looking forward to reading the next book this author writes.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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