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Friendship, Rhode Island #3
In a Second
The last time Audrey Saunders saw Jude Bellessi, he begged her to ditch her wedding and run off with him. She said no. In her defense, she was already in the dress.
Years later—divorced and done with relationships—Audrey runs right into the one man she never managed to forget. Except Jude isn’t the rebellious bad boy she remembers.
Now Jude's an aerospace engineer, a fiercely protective single dad…and, apparently, her fiancé. At least that’s the story he spun for his sick mother.
When Jude asks her to play along for the summer, Audrey knows better. She really does. But unfinished business is a powerful thing—and so is the pull of the boy who once held her whole heart.
Besides, how much damage can one summer vacation with the biggest mistake of her life really do? epic. Catastrophe looks a lot like a mother‑in‑law in turbo wedding‑planner mode, a preschooler who doesn’t miss a beat, and a suspiciously high number of hotel rooms with just one bed.
So why does lying about forever feel like the first honest thing she's done in years?
Years later—divorced and done with relationships—Audrey runs right into the one man she never managed to forget. Except Jude isn’t the rebellious bad boy she remembers.
Now Jude's an aerospace engineer, a fiercely protective single dad…and, apparently, her fiancé. At least that’s the story he spun for his sick mother.
When Jude asks her to play along for the summer, Audrey knows better. She really does. But unfinished business is a powerful thing—and so is the pull of the boy who once held her whole heart.
Besides, how much damage can one summer vacation with the biggest mistake of her life really do? epic. Catastrophe looks a lot like a mother‑in‑law in turbo wedding‑planner mode, a preschooler who doesn’t miss a beat, and a suspiciously high number of hotel rooms with just one bed.
So why does lying about forever feel like the first honest thing she's done in years?
488 pages, Paperback
First published December 9, 2025
658 people are currently reading
2376 people want to read
About the author
Kate Canterbary
48 books5,580 followersUSA Today Bestseller Kate Canterbary writes smart, steamy contemporary romances loaded with heat, heart, and happy ever afters. Kate lives on the New England coast with her husband and daughter.
To get in touch with Kate, please email kate@katecanterbary.com
To get in touch with Kate, please email kate@katecanterbary.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 345 reviews
December 22, 2025
not as good as In a Jam, but not much is 😭😭
safety deets:
- lost virginities to each other
- neither were celibate during separation
- h was married to an emotionally abusive dickbag for a few years. In the middle of the book, her mom sets her up with another OM, and they go one one lackluster date. There was no other information on her partners during their separation apart from this quote: “Not that I wanted to get into the short history of my sex life since Jude but the unimpressive details could fit on a small sticky note. With room left over for a doodle or two.”
- H has only ever loved the h. He is a single father from a ONS, but he had no relationship with the mother. He did sleep with others during their separation, but only one-time casual sex.
safety deets:
- lost virginities to each other
- neither were celibate during separation
- h was married to an emotionally abusive dickbag for a few years. In the middle of the book, her mom sets her up with another OM, and they go one one lackluster date. There was no other information on her partners during their separation apart from this quote: “Not that I wanted to get into the short history of my sex life since Jude but the unimpressive details could fit on a small sticky note. With room left over for a doodle or two.”
- H has only ever loved the h. He is a single father from a ONS, but he had no relationship with the mother. He did sleep with others during their separation, but only one-time casual sex.
December 7, 2025
It really pains me that I did not enjoy this book as much as I hoped to. I related with a lot. Audrey for her experiences in her practice marriage. Jude with his parenthood struggles. The kiddo with communication differences. I understood a lot. But this was not a favorite of mine. And I hate that for me. But I was happy to see the Ines update. And cannot wait to see what happens with Jamie’s story. And Ruth’s story. I just wish I liked this one more 🫣
December 31, 2025
took me over two weeks but I finished it 🤩 I loved so many moments in this story (specifically the wedding dress shopping scene and what came after 😂), but this didn’t come near to the first two books in my eyes 😅
I think it was a mix of the story being too long (480 pages, could’ve been about 350) and just struggling to connect with the characters. looooved percy, but neither the mmc or fmc connected with me very much.
last read of 2025!
I think it was a mix of the story being too long (480 pages, could’ve been about 350) and just struggling to connect with the characters. looooved percy, but neither the mmc or fmc connected with me very much.
last read of 2025!
December 11, 2025
I love Kate Canterbary’s books but I’ve found that her enemies-to-lovers just don’t work for me. I tried her enemies-to-lovers in the Santillian Triplets series (or whatever it’s called) and HATED it because the two mains were just so unbelievably rude to each other I couldn’t imagine them ever meeting in the middle to form a happy relationship. I didn’t feel as strongly about this one but it was close. The MMC didn’t seem like he actually liked the FMC, he just seemed like he wanted to push her buttons, and make her pay for breaking his heart when they were literal teenagers, and also have sex with her. But did he care about her, or bother to learn her history since their breakup? Didn’t seem so to me. He just steamrolled over her and forced her to clean up a mess he made for himself with his dying mother. He didn’t treat the other women around him with a lot of respect, either: his baby mama from a one night stand, his kid’s grandmother, his own mom, the other women at their high school reunion…there are alphaholes and then there are men who just…don’t like women, and this guy seemed like the latter to me.
I just didn’t vibe with this at all and it was such a bummer. I loved In a Rush so much but this was not it for me.
I just didn’t vibe with this at all and it was such a bummer. I loved In a Rush so much but this was not it for me.
December 29, 2025
oh my gosh, i really reveled in this second chance romance. i have loved "up-tight" Audrey forever, she's always baking goodies, is a quiet force, and deserves every good thing.
My favorite parts were Jude's son, the silly dog, the road trip, and watching Audrey learn she's worth everything, even if that meant she'd be on her "own" because she built her life piece by piece.
I've been loving this "fake engagement/marriage of convenience" series by Canterbary and this was a really great twist on that trope too. I can't say WHY but you'll get it when you read.
i do wish Audrey's family had more of a comeuppance but that's my super vengeful sagittarius speaking.
i hope to have a better review when i get a re-read or re-listen in someday soon!
thank you to the author for the ARC; i also pre-ordered a copy with my own money.
My favorite parts were Jude's son, the silly dog, the road trip, and watching Audrey learn she's worth everything, even if that meant she'd be on her "own" because she built her life piece by piece.
I've been loving this "fake engagement/marriage of convenience" series by Canterbary and this was a really great twist on that trope too. I can't say WHY but you'll get it when you read.
i do wish Audrey's family had more of a comeuppance but that's my super vengeful sagittarius speaking.
i hope to have a better review when i get a re-read or re-listen in someday soon!
thank you to the author for the ARC; i also pre-ordered a copy with my own money.
Want to read
September 8, 2025HIII JUST FINDING OUT ABOUT THIS
December 10, 2025
5 stars
A funny, heartwarming and emotional, slow burn, second-chance romance that captured my heart and kept me absolutely captivated. I feel in love with these characters, I felt their wild chemistry, and I loved this book so much.
This is the third book in the Friendship, Rhode Island series, and there is some character crossover (including cameos from Kate’s earlier books, which is an awesome treat for longer-term readers) but this one can easily be read as a standalone.
Audrey and Jude were high school sweethearts. They were madly in love and planning for a life together when they were brutally torn apart. Their final heartbreaking moment saw Jude plead for Audrey to run away with him moments before she was set to marry somebody else, and she turned him down. Now, it’s 12 years later and they are reunited at their high school reunion. Audrey is now single and Jude is a devoted single father, and he needs Audrey to help with him keep a promise he made to his sick mother by pretending to be his fiancée. It’s a mess of a situation, but so much fun as Jude and Audrey take off on a road trip from hell, sparking a reconnection that takes us on a journey of ups and downs that had me glued to my kindle.
It's a great set-up, and this is just the beginning of the story. This is a looooong book (500+ pages) and when I started I wondered where the story was going to go to warrant such a long book. But I was hooked and struggled to put the book down as I got swept up in Audrey and Jude’s tumultuous reunion.
This is not an easy coming together. It’s angsty and awkward, and full of all of the embarrassing and uncomfortable moments you would expect when reunited with your teenage love. But alongside that is the banter and loaded moments, and the excited anticipation of waiting for Jude and Audrey to come back together – seeing the longing, the anger and grief of years missed, the depth of their feelings and the epic sexual tension builds a wonderfully emotional whirlwind, and I couldn’t get enough.
Though the feels are there from the very beginning, the romance is a slow burn. There is a lot of anger and confusion between them, and they have a lot to figure out as they unpack all that happened in the past. They have ups and downs and the story has unexpected twists and turns as they deal with dramas happening in the present, but their love for each other shines, and I loved watching them work through it all to find their way back to each other.
Oh Jude, how I adore you! He’s a strong man who lives for his son, and he knows that this is the chance he’s always wanted to win back the girl he’s always loved. He makes mistakes and he owns them, and I loved how willing he is to put himself out there for her. I highlighted so much in this book, and every single one of those highlights was Jude’s inner monologue and his epic declarations which had me swooning madly.
Audrey is a great heroine. She’s not perfect, she’s real and relatable, and she and her friends are freaking hilarious together. Jamie and Ruth are complete scene stealers who bring so much laughter to the story, and I laughed so many times at their antics. Characters from previous books appear, and as awesome as the girls are, the guys and their protectiveness over Audrey made me laugh as well. And little Percy, Jude’s son, is just adorable and brings so much heart to the story.
This is such a gorgeous read. It’s emotional and funny, with wonderful characters, great banter and relationship dynamics, and a love story that owned my heart. I loved this one so much.
5 stars.
An Advanced Reader Copy was provided by the author for an honest review.
A funny, heartwarming and emotional, slow burn, second-chance romance that captured my heart and kept me absolutely captivated. I feel in love with these characters, I felt their wild chemistry, and I loved this book so much.
This is the third book in the Friendship, Rhode Island series, and there is some character crossover (including cameos from Kate’s earlier books, which is an awesome treat for longer-term readers) but this one can easily be read as a standalone.
Audrey and Jude were high school sweethearts. They were madly in love and planning for a life together when they were brutally torn apart. Their final heartbreaking moment saw Jude plead for Audrey to run away with him moments before she was set to marry somebody else, and she turned him down. Now, it’s 12 years later and they are reunited at their high school reunion. Audrey is now single and Jude is a devoted single father, and he needs Audrey to help with him keep a promise he made to his sick mother by pretending to be his fiancée. It’s a mess of a situation, but so much fun as Jude and Audrey take off on a road trip from hell, sparking a reconnection that takes us on a journey of ups and downs that had me glued to my kindle.
It's a great set-up, and this is just the beginning of the story. This is a looooong book (500+ pages) and when I started I wondered where the story was going to go to warrant such a long book. But I was hooked and struggled to put the book down as I got swept up in Audrey and Jude’s tumultuous reunion.
All I knew was that the woman fucked with my brain chemistry. I never wanted to see her again and I wanted her back more than anything else in the world, and that was a real fucking problem.
This is not an easy coming together. It’s angsty and awkward, and full of all of the embarrassing and uncomfortable moments you would expect when reunited with your teenage love. But alongside that is the banter and loaded moments, and the excited anticipation of waiting for Jude and Audrey to come back together – seeing the longing, the anger and grief of years missed, the depth of their feelings and the epic sexual tension builds a wonderfully emotional whirlwind, and I couldn’t get enough.
I intended to fake loving bliss with Audrey next week. She was worried we wouldn’t be able to pull it off. I was worried I wouldn’t be able to stop.
Though the feels are there from the very beginning, the romance is a slow burn. There is a lot of anger and confusion between them, and they have a lot to figure out as they unpack all that happened in the past. They have ups and downs and the story has unexpected twists and turns as they deal with dramas happening in the present, but their love for each other shines, and I loved watching them work through it all to find their way back to each other.
My chest cracked open as she turned away. I reached for her arm. “We weren’t over,” I said, pulling her back. “Not then. Not now.”
“The only place I belong is with you, and you fucking know it.”
Oh Jude, how I adore you! He’s a strong man who lives for his son, and he knows that this is the chance he’s always wanted to win back the girl he’s always loved. He makes mistakes and he owns them, and I loved how willing he is to put himself out there for her. I highlighted so much in this book, and every single one of those highlights was Jude’s inner monologue and his epic declarations which had me swooning madly.
“I fucking love you and I’ve been waiting to get you back for a literal fucking decade and now that I have you, the only place I want to be is inside you … No one will ever be able to convince me that we weren’t made for each other … I touch you and I feel like I know how to exist in this world. Like I’m awake and alive again.”
Audrey is a great heroine. She’s not perfect, she’s real and relatable, and she and her friends are freaking hilarious together. Jamie and Ruth are complete scene stealers who bring so much laughter to the story, and I laughed so many times at their antics. Characters from previous books appear, and as awesome as the girls are, the guys and their protectiveness over Audrey made me laugh as well. And little Percy, Jude’s son, is just adorable and brings so much heart to the story.
“I thought I knew what it meant to love you, but seeing my son love you a little more every day? And seeing you love him right back?” I pressed a hand to my chest. “I wasn’t prepared for how hard it would hit me. How inadequate it feels to say I love you. But I need you to know there’s nothing I won’t do for you two.”
This is such a gorgeous read. It’s emotional and funny, with wonderful characters, great banter and relationship dynamics, and a love story that owned my heart. I loved this one so much.
5 stars.
An Advanced Reader Copy was provided by the author for an honest review.
January 1, 2026
This was a very good book but very much not a 5 star book. So, here’s the thing. I loved the second chance romance between Jude and Audrey. (I really don’t remember Audrey at all from the previous Friendship books but whatever). The romance itself was angsty and horny and full of yearning and just two hurt people with a shitload of baggage figuring out how to build a life together. I loved Percy and Bagel the beagle, the dog brother. All of that was great. The romance was satisfying. BUT. The book was not.
Audrey’s family is a toxic, shit stain on humanity, specifically her father and her sister (but really, her mom shouldn’t be excluded from this, she’s also terrible). The fact that the book ends with these people getting away with all the abuse they inflicted on Audrey and Jude and the manipulation and lies and deceit and they just get to live their lives, like fuck no. I wanted retribution. I wanted revenge. I wanted justice. I wanted their fancy house to burn down and for Jordan to uncover some criminal misdeeds about Audrey’s father when he was hacking into the email stuff that would result in a prison sentence for him. A lengthy one. I wanted her sister’s life to fall apart. And I’m super irritated that I didn’t get that. One could argue that Audrey and Jude finding their HEA and living their lives happily together is the real revenge but fuck that, I wanted these people to truly suffer for their abusive, and lets make this abundantly clear, it WAS abusive, behavior.
Additional notes: There’s a scene in this book where Audrey and Jude are having it out over the demise of their relationship and she’s asking why he didn’t fight for them and he replies they weren’t over, they’re still not over and that whole scene is basically like the Allie and Noah rain fighting scene in the movie The Notebook (I can only reference the movie, I’ve never read any of that man’s books). It’s an iconic scene and that scene immediately popped into my head when I read the Jude/Audrey scene in this book.
Secondly…STREMMEL. And then SHAPIRO. AND an inside joke about appropriate closure techniques that’s a direct callback to The Worst Guy, my absolute favorite book by this author. I had the biggest grin on my face. Every time Stremmel makes a cameo in a different Canterbary book, I get so giddy.
Anyway, the book was good but I wanted to see Audrey’s family be yeeted off into the sun. The fact that her mother calls her and doesn’t berate her and she’s thinking that’s progress, oh, honey, no. Raise the bar babe, your family is a bunch of evildoers, you deserve much much much better.
Audrey’s family is a toxic, shit stain on humanity, specifically her father and her sister (but really, her mom shouldn’t be excluded from this, she’s also terrible). The fact that the book ends with these people getting away with all the abuse they inflicted on Audrey and Jude and the manipulation and lies and deceit and they just get to live their lives, like fuck no. I wanted retribution. I wanted revenge. I wanted justice. I wanted their fancy house to burn down and for Jordan to uncover some criminal misdeeds about Audrey’s father when he was hacking into the email stuff that would result in a prison sentence for him. A lengthy one. I wanted her sister’s life to fall apart. And I’m super irritated that I didn’t get that. One could argue that Audrey and Jude finding their HEA and living their lives happily together is the real revenge but fuck that, I wanted these people to truly suffer for their abusive, and lets make this abundantly clear, it WAS abusive, behavior.
Additional notes: There’s a scene in this book where Audrey and Jude are having it out over the demise of their relationship and she’s asking why he didn’t fight for them and he replies they weren’t over, they’re still not over and that whole scene is basically like the Allie and Noah rain fighting scene in the movie The Notebook (I can only reference the movie, I’ve never read any of that man’s books). It’s an iconic scene and that scene immediately popped into my head when I read the Jude/Audrey scene in this book.
Secondly…STREMMEL. And then SHAPIRO. AND an inside joke about appropriate closure techniques that’s a direct callback to The Worst Guy, my absolute favorite book by this author. I had the biggest grin on my face. Every time Stremmel makes a cameo in a different Canterbary book, I get so giddy.
Anyway, the book was good but I wanted to see Audrey’s family be yeeted off into the sun. The fact that her mother calls her and doesn’t berate her and she’s thinking that’s progress, oh, honey, no. Raise the bar babe, your family is a bunch of evildoers, you deserve much much much better.
December 9, 2025
4.25 stars.
Kate Canterbary is one of my favorite authors, and she has hit it out of the park once again with her newest novel, "In a Second." Her writing is so authentic, so genuine. Her characters feel like real, people with fully fleshed-out lives, like people that I have known all my life. Once you pick up one of her books, you'll have a difficult time stopping, which is what happened to me while reading this one. I loved Audrey and Jude and their second-chance, forced proximity journey back to one another. Jude has never stopped loving Audrey, even when she up and married another man and moved to California without so much as a word or an explanation. Little does he know that she did not have a choice in the matter, thanks to her controlling, overbearing parents. Many years later, his feelings haven't dwindled. Thankfully, Audrey has escaped the clutches of her horrible ex-husband and a relationship that broke her in more ways than one. She has built a new life for herself as a teacher. She has a strong support system of fellow teacher-friends. Jude desperately needs Audrey's help with a task that will force her to be his fake fiancée for a weekend. When it comes time to take their trip, everything that can go wrong does go wrong, and then some. Forced to confront the ghosts of their past and the feelings that never left either one of them, Audrey and Jude rediscover one another in many different ways and uncover secrets that may change everything about their past and their future. I loved their reconnection so, so much. It was equal parts zany and hilarious, heartfelt and angst-filled. The insanely good banter. The sizzling tension. The soul-deep connection. The shared stories. The long-kept secrets. The kissing in the rain scene! The breath mint scene! The connection between Audrey and Jude's son, Percy! I adored this one. It is another amazing entry in an incredible series that has my whole heart.
Thank you to Kate Canterbary for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.
Kate Canterbary is one of my favorite authors, and she has hit it out of the park once again with her newest novel, "In a Second." Her writing is so authentic, so genuine. Her characters feel like real, people with fully fleshed-out lives, like people that I have known all my life. Once you pick up one of her books, you'll have a difficult time stopping, which is what happened to me while reading this one. I loved Audrey and Jude and their second-chance, forced proximity journey back to one another. Jude has never stopped loving Audrey, even when she up and married another man and moved to California without so much as a word or an explanation. Little does he know that she did not have a choice in the matter, thanks to her controlling, overbearing parents. Many years later, his feelings haven't dwindled. Thankfully, Audrey has escaped the clutches of her horrible ex-husband and a relationship that broke her in more ways than one. She has built a new life for herself as a teacher. She has a strong support system of fellow teacher-friends. Jude desperately needs Audrey's help with a task that will force her to be his fake fiancée for a weekend. When it comes time to take their trip, everything that can go wrong does go wrong, and then some. Forced to confront the ghosts of their past and the feelings that never left either one of them, Audrey and Jude rediscover one another in many different ways and uncover secrets that may change everything about their past and their future. I loved their reconnection so, so much. It was equal parts zany and hilarious, heartfelt and angst-filled. The insanely good banter. The sizzling tension. The soul-deep connection. The shared stories. The long-kept secrets. The kissing in the rain scene! The breath mint scene! The connection between Audrey and Jude's son, Percy! I adored this one. It is another amazing entry in an incredible series that has my whole heart.
Thank you to Kate Canterbary for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.
December 3, 2025
Audrey + Jude
-second chance romance
-fake engagement
-single dad
-found family
-one bed
i can't describe what it is...but there is something about the way kate sets up a story that is ABSOLUTELY ADDICTIVE to me!!! like there is always SUCH STRONG tension from the VERY BEGINNING that you can feel between these two characters...but like...its such a secret from the readers even...& then its just the journey of us slowwwlllyyyy investigating & unraveling the truth piece by piece along with the characters & it makes me connect with the characters just that much better & yeah....im just obsessed!!
-second chance romance
-fake engagement
-single dad
-found family
-one bed
i can't describe what it is...but there is something about the way kate sets up a story that is ABSOLUTELY ADDICTIVE to me!!! like there is always SUCH STRONG tension from the VERY BEGINNING that you can feel between these two characters...but like...its such a secret from the readers even...& then its just the journey of us slowwwlllyyyy investigating & unraveling the truth piece by piece along with the characters & it makes me connect with the characters just that much better & yeah....im just obsessed!!
January 17, 2026
it’s totally me, i’m the problem 🥲
this book was honestly great, and if I’d been in the right reading mood, it would’ve been an easy 5-star read. but alas, I am a mood reader, and I was not in the mood.
that said, Percy, Bagel, and the girl gang were absolute highlights and easily my favorite parts. I’m very excited for Jamie and Ruth’s story and will 100% be there for it.
this book was honestly great, and if I’d been in the right reading mood, it would’ve been an easy 5-star read. but alas, I am a mood reader, and I was not in the mood.
that said, Percy, Bagel, and the girl gang were absolute highlights and easily my favorite parts. I’m very excited for Jamie and Ruth’s story and will 100% be there for it.
December 22, 2025
DNF 35% in— she still has no spine and he is still a huge dick (except to his son). I can’t handle it anymore.
Want to read
September 6, 2025oh i am SAT for this
December 9, 2025
In a Second is a story of loss. Lost time and love, lost truth and the missed road not taken. Audrey and Jude were in love in high school, and had plans for a life together. Out of the blue Audrey abandoned those plans, and married someone else after college. We've seen her in other books in the Canterbary universe, the shut down and guarded survivor of an unhappy marriage and difficult situation. She's since grown into her own, separated (somewhat) from her toxic family and building a found family of fellow teachers in the Friendship series. 12 years later she and Jude reconnect, he has for Romance Reasons told his dying mother he and Audrey are engaged, and then oops! his mother recovered but they still need to visit and sell the situation for a week.
While they are spending time together for the first time in years, their bond immediately comes back, but complications ensue, in the form of other obligations and pressures, and years of protective patterns and walls. I loved the way Canterbary has "regret and shame and grief" play such a role in this story. Having a character seemingly betray someone to protect them is a fantastic romance trope and as usual Canterbary has the abilities and finesse to pull it off impeccably. Audrey knows she's destroyed their happiness, but saw no other option than how it played out, and spent over a decade in a fugue state of loss and grief about it. And she didn't even know the half of how horrible it was. I particularly appreciated that after the price they both paid, they acknowledged that no other path would have worked. They were young and outmaneuvered. As a reader I really had to sit with my reaction to Audrey's continued interaction with her family to make sense of it, but that decade of numbness, of being cowed and submission, are hard habits to break when the path is so well trod, and other toeholds feel tenuous.
All the Friendship books have a secret known (or partially known) by one character, which is telegraphed early on and then revealed later to the reader, think of Noah and his logo, or Ryan and his tattoos. In this case Canterbary ratchets up the emotional tension almost immediately, in a way she has truly mastered, "You wouldn't be forgetting our agreement now, would you?" The reader can tell there is a history and stakes we don't know, and it's all delicious anticipation as truths get revealed. The middle section of this book and its emotional edge had me on tenterhooks, and I literally was reading with my hand over my mouth, wanting the best for these characters, and to see them connect.
Canterbary loves to test the limits of her readers. In this case, a situation occurs and we see Jude focused and non-communicative, where the reader (and other characters) are like, wtf man! We are reminded that he's been head-down, one foot in front of the other for years. He hasn't had serious relationships and only relied on himself to see him through, against a lot of opposition at times. Even though I was firmly in the "wtf man!" camp, I got why. Although I would have loved to see a little more on-page atoning and explanation for it.
A theme of this book could really be "the body keeps score." Audrey has gastrointestinal issues stemming from the decade plus of stress and suppression she's gone through since high school, which she must accommodate. Jude has unrelenting tension from the many burdens he's carrying, and an inability to allow others to lessen his load. Which makes the lightness he feels having someone in his corner all the more resonant. Percy and Jude have PTSD from all the medical treatments he's had, and even Percy's selective mutism is a psychological manifestation of a traumatic event. And finally our beloved Jamie, of the happy pan lifestyle and the "there's no situation that could over on this earth that would result in me ever getting married" statements, is taking a long abstemious break to recover from the effects.
The characters from the other Friendship series are very present on page, and really round out universe. Canterbary can try and stop me, but I know who I'm shipping for book four in this series. In addition, there are some thrilling (I said it) cameos from fan faves, and other characters in her universe. Nothing that will leave a first time reader feeling left out, but a delightful reward for the long-time fan of the author.
This book snuck up on me with its more serious subject and deeper themes. Where In a Jam felt like a bit of a romcom with its goats and fun fairs and profane child, and In a Rush was pure "so a handsome and wealthy and famous man loves you and wants to spoil you, what does that look like" bliss, this book is different. It's about forgiveness and rebuilding trust, even when we realize that the stories of blame we thought we knew were incomplete. And about the many burdens and obstacles to love, and how hard it can be to share them instead of tackling them alone. "The notion of someone helping me [...] was so foreign that it felt like an attack. And that made me want to cry." I loved it. I can see rereading this many times, to get to the bottom of character motivations, or just to relive the connection and hope they find together. I wanted to knock this down a star because of the "wtf man!" way Jude behaved, but the more I think about it, the more it all jelled perfectly, so five stars from me.
Thanks to the author for an arc.
While they are spending time together for the first time in years, their bond immediately comes back, but complications ensue, in the form of other obligations and pressures, and years of protective patterns and walls. I loved the way Canterbary has "regret and shame and grief" play such a role in this story. Having a character seemingly betray someone to protect them is a fantastic romance trope and as usual Canterbary has the abilities and finesse to pull it off impeccably. Audrey knows she's destroyed their happiness, but saw no other option than how it played out, and spent over a decade in a fugue state of loss and grief about it. And she didn't even know the half of how horrible it was. I particularly appreciated that after the price they both paid, they acknowledged that no other path would have worked. They were young and outmaneuvered. As a reader I really had to sit with my reaction to Audrey's continued interaction with her family to make sense of it, but that decade of numbness, of being cowed and submission, are hard habits to break when the path is so well trod, and other toeholds feel tenuous.
All the Friendship books have a secret known (or partially known) by one character, which is telegraphed early on and then revealed later to the reader, think of Noah and his logo, or Ryan and his tattoos. In this case Canterbary ratchets up the emotional tension almost immediately, in a way she has truly mastered, "You wouldn't be forgetting our agreement now, would you?" The reader can tell there is a history and stakes we don't know, and it's all delicious anticipation as truths get revealed. The middle section of this book and its emotional edge had me on tenterhooks, and I literally was reading with my hand over my mouth, wanting the best for these characters, and to see them connect.
Canterbary loves to test the limits of her readers. In this case, a situation occurs and we see Jude focused and non-communicative, where the reader (and other characters) are like, wtf man! We are reminded that he's been head-down, one foot in front of the other for years. He hasn't had serious relationships and only relied on himself to see him through, against a lot of opposition at times. Even though I was firmly in the "wtf man!" camp, I got why. Although I would have loved to see a little more on-page atoning and explanation for it.
A theme of this book could really be "the body keeps score." Audrey has gastrointestinal issues stemming from the decade plus of stress and suppression she's gone through since high school, which she must accommodate. Jude has unrelenting tension from the many burdens he's carrying, and an inability to allow others to lessen his load. Which makes the lightness he feels having someone in his corner all the more resonant. Percy and Jude have PTSD from all the medical treatments he's had, and even Percy's selective mutism is a psychological manifestation of a traumatic event. And finally our beloved Jamie, of the happy pan lifestyle and the "there's no situation that could over on this earth that would result in me ever getting married" statements, is taking a long abstemious break to recover from the effects.
The characters from the other Friendship series are very present on page, and really round out universe. Canterbary can try and stop me, but I know who I'm shipping for book four in this series. In addition, there are some thrilling (I said it) cameos from fan faves, and other characters in her universe. Nothing that will leave a first time reader feeling left out, but a delightful reward for the long-time fan of the author.
This book snuck up on me with its more serious subject and deeper themes. Where In a Jam felt like a bit of a romcom with its goats and fun fairs and profane child, and In a Rush was pure "so a handsome and wealthy and famous man loves you and wants to spoil you, what does that look like" bliss, this book is different. It's about forgiveness and rebuilding trust, even when we realize that the stories of blame we thought we knew were incomplete. And about the many burdens and obstacles to love, and how hard it can be to share them instead of tackling them alone. "The notion of someone helping me [...] was so foreign that it felt like an attack. And that made me want to cry." I loved it. I can see rereading this many times, to get to the bottom of character motivations, or just to relive the connection and hope they find together. I wanted to knock this down a star because of the "wtf man!" way Jude behaved, but the more I think about it, the more it all jelled perfectly, so five stars from me.
Thanks to the author for an arc.
January 7, 2026
'In a Jam' is one of my favorite Contemporary Romance novels, and definitely far better than this third one centering on the same friend-circle, but thankfully ''In a Second' is still miles better than the previous mediocre 'In a Rush'. At least this time I flatout loved the FMC (best female character yet in the series imo) and actually liked the MMC, and I was thoroughly invested in their tumultuous history of twenty years, sixteen looong years of mutual pain-sufferings-scars that inevitably changed them, and the tentative rebuild of their trust and relationship all the way. Additionally, there was no stupid pointless forced third-act breakup just to retched up the melodrama this time, which was a big plus for me.
The only downside was the story could've effectively ended in 300-320 pages with everything tied up in neat little bow, yet for some reason it rambled on for another hundred pages. Also there were some abrupt character-pivots that's a bit jarring and didn't really justify the organic flow of the character-plot development that came before. But that was not really that big issue for me (if I squint hard, I guess I could see the characters' justifications from their POVs).
All in all, a really good new one from my favorite Kate Canterbary to end the year 2025 / begin a new year 2026. Looking forward to read the next one (hopefully) centered on Jamie.
8 out of 10.
The only downside was the story could've effectively ended in 300-320 pages with everything tied up in neat little bow, yet for some reason it rambled on for another hundred pages. Also there were some abrupt character-pivots that's a bit jarring and didn't really justify the organic flow of the character-plot development that came before. But that was not really that big issue for me (if I squint hard, I guess I could see the characters' justifications from their POVs).
All in all, a really good new one from my favorite Kate Canterbary to end the year 2025 / begin a new year 2026. Looking forward to read the next one (hopefully) centered on Jamie.
8 out of 10.
December 25, 2025
TLDR: MMC treats FMC terribly, ghosts her repeatedly, then uses FMC as replacement mom for his son. Bland beige doormat FMC accepts terrible treatment and they live (happily?) ever after.
It’s probably time for me to quit reading this trope. I’m so tired of alpha-hole MC who don’t even do the bare minimum and the FMCs who not only allow themselves to be treated poorly, but hero worship their emotionally abusive MMC. I was hoping for an FMC who respects herself enough to send someone who treats them poorly packing (and for the MMC to have a legitimate redemption arc). Instead I had to read this FMC simp for the MMCs crumbs with no redemption arc to be found.
Neither of these MCs is likable but for different reasons. MMC is an alpha-hole who never really redeems himself. He just keeps taking and taking from the FMC until she relents. (But he mows her lawn…so I guess that’s supposed to make up for his terrible treatment of her).
FMC’s one-dimensional personality can be described as a beige nurturing doormat. She gets walked all over by every person in her life and when she finally puts up boundaries around her family, she runs into the arms of a new crappy guy.
The first 20% of the book is my least favorite trope ever: traveling when everything goes wrong. It went went too long so it seemed like filler to bring up the page count. TLDR: flight delay, car trouble, crappy hotel room, all the delays.
I did enjoy the Arizona visit with the nod to Bluey with retiree best friends Janet and Rita making an appearance. There were one or two funny scenes.
The rest of the book is mostly the FMC pining and whining about the MMC disappearing on her (again).
Then MMC becomes a squatter and moves his son in with FMC while using FMC’s expertise and connections to get his son into a school that will help him thrive.
Ryan Ralston’s sister (MC from In a Rush), Ruby, is inducted (aka awkwardly plot forced) into the friend group. So I assume she’ll be getting a book at some point.
It’s probably time for me to quit reading this trope. I’m so tired of alpha-hole MC who don’t even do the bare minimum and the FMCs who not only allow themselves to be treated poorly, but hero worship their emotionally abusive MMC. I was hoping for an FMC who respects herself enough to send someone who treats them poorly packing (and for the MMC to have a legitimate redemption arc). Instead I had to read this FMC simp for the MMCs crumbs with no redemption arc to be found.
Neither of these MCs is likable but for different reasons. MMC is an alpha-hole who never really redeems himself. He just keeps taking and taking from the FMC until she relents. (But he mows her lawn…so I guess that’s supposed to make up for his terrible treatment of her).
FMC’s one-dimensional personality can be described as a beige nurturing doormat. She gets walked all over by every person in her life and when she finally puts up boundaries around her family, she runs into the arms of a new crappy guy.
The first 20% of the book is my least favorite trope ever: traveling when everything goes wrong. It went went too long so it seemed like filler to bring up the page count. TLDR: flight delay, car trouble, crappy hotel room, all the delays.
I did enjoy the Arizona visit with the nod to Bluey with retiree best friends Janet and Rita making an appearance. There were one or two funny scenes.
The rest of the book is mostly the FMC pining and whining about the MMC disappearing on her (again).
Then MMC becomes a squatter and moves his son in with FMC while using FMC’s expertise and connections to get his son into a school that will help him thrive.
Ryan Ralston’s sister (MC from In a Rush), Ruby, is inducted (aka awkwardly plot forced) into the friend group. So I assume she’ll be getting a book at some point.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 31, 2025
3+⭐️ Still enjoying the author and series, but this one was just ok for me. I liked it, didn’t love it. It felt way too long and there was a lot going on. Some parts were great, some not. Liked both MCs, but he did something (twice!) that I’d have a hard time getting over. Loved being back in Friendship and seeing familiar faces again and will definitely read the next one.
December 22, 2025
Avoidant men can miss me every time
December 13, 2025
Sadly did not finish. Didn’t care for the hero at all. He was a jerk most of the time and didn’t know how to communicate; he would just give digs from his unresolved issues.
January 2, 2026
It's Kate Canterbary so this second chance romance went down pretty easily. If it had been about a hundred pages shorter and it addressed why Audrey still has anything to do with her vile family, it might have worked better for me. I don't understand why she had anything to do with them, especially once she learned about what they did to Jude. There was no redemption there and
I liked watching Jude and Audrey reconnect. However, His actions didn't match his words and that made it difficult to believe he's really been in love with her all these years.
Last but not least: Percy was a bit of a plot moppet. His communication abilities were extremely advanced for only being 4 years old. Why not just make him older?
Characters: Audrey is a 35 year old tall white 4th and 5th grade teacher, food blogger, and former ballet dancer. She has a foster dog named Bagel. Jude is a 35 year old white aerospace engineer and single father. His son Percy is 4, wears glasses, and has selective mutism. This is set in Boston; Hartford, Connecticut; Friendship, Rhode Island; Saginaw, Michigan, and Sedona, Arizona.
Content notes: past emotional abuse by FMC's ex-husband, controlling parents, abuse of power and blackmail by attorney general father (filed a restraining order without FMC's knowledge and threatened to arrest MMC for statutory rape if she didn't go to California for college; he also forced her to marry her ex-husband), infertility, past ectopic pregnancy and ruptured fallopian tube, past emergency hysterectomy due to sepsis (FMC nearly died), child neglect, child custody issues (son's maternal grandmother has partial custody but is not physically able to keep up with him), selective mutism (MMC's son was injured in car accident at 6 months old and had a traumatic brain injury, broken leg, and lost some vision in left eye), ableism, classism, MMC's mother and secondary character are in remission from brain cancer, GI issues, head wound (secondary character), UTI (secondary character), dementia (secondary character), sick parent (secondary character), son's grandmother is injured in a house fire (son has minor injuries), past divorce (FMC's husband was emotionally abusive), past death of son's mother (car accident; son survived the accident), past unplanned pregnancy (son resulted from one night stand and MMC didn't find out about him until after), unplanned pregnancy (secondary character), destruction of property, FMC's father is a corrupt politician, MMC was raised by a single mother, unsafe sex practices (no condom for penetrative sex without discussing STI prevention; FMC discloses her results but MMC does not), on page sex, public sex, alcohol, drinking to get drunk, hangover, ecstasy (taken accidentally), gendered pejoratives, ableist language, hyperbolic language around addiction, reference to FMC's mother having a pacemaker
I liked watching Jude and Audrey reconnect. However, His actions didn't match his words and that made it difficult to believe he's really been in love with her all these years.
Last but not least: Percy was a bit of a plot moppet. His communication abilities were extremely advanced for only being 4 years old. Why not just make him older?
Characters: Audrey is a 35 year old tall white 4th and 5th grade teacher, food blogger, and former ballet dancer. She has a foster dog named Bagel. Jude is a 35 year old white aerospace engineer and single father. His son Percy is 4, wears glasses, and has selective mutism. This is set in Boston; Hartford, Connecticut; Friendship, Rhode Island; Saginaw, Michigan, and Sedona, Arizona.
Content notes: past emotional abuse by FMC's ex-husband, controlling parents, abuse of power and blackmail by attorney general father (filed a restraining order without FMC's knowledge and threatened to arrest MMC for statutory rape if she didn't go to California for college; he also forced her to marry her ex-husband), infertility, past ectopic pregnancy and ruptured fallopian tube, past emergency hysterectomy due to sepsis (FMC nearly died), child neglect, child custody issues (son's maternal grandmother has partial custody but is not physically able to keep up with him), selective mutism (MMC's son was injured in car accident at 6 months old and had a traumatic brain injury, broken leg, and lost some vision in left eye), ableism, classism, MMC's mother and secondary character are in remission from brain cancer, GI issues, head wound (secondary character), UTI (secondary character), dementia (secondary character), sick parent (secondary character), son's grandmother is injured in a house fire (son has minor injuries), past divorce (FMC's husband was emotionally abusive), past death of son's mother (car accident; son survived the accident), past unplanned pregnancy (son resulted from one night stand and MMC didn't find out about him until after), unplanned pregnancy (secondary character), destruction of property, FMC's father is a corrupt politician, MMC was raised by a single mother, unsafe sex practices (no condom for penetrative sex without discussing STI prevention; FMC discloses her results but MMC does not), on page sex, public sex, alcohol, drinking to get drunk, hangover, ecstasy (taken accidentally), gendered pejoratives, ableist language, hyperbolic language around addiction, reference to FMC's mother having a pacemaker
December 9, 2025
I love Kate's writing. Her snark, banter, and inner dialogues are like nothing else. In a Second is a second chance romance about Jude and Audrey, who were ripped apart by circumstance before college. Back together in a fake engagement, these two have to overcome a lot of bitterness and resentment to get things back on track. This one really put me through it with the angst and yearning and the will you guys just hash it all out already?!? I couldn't put it down. I needed things resolved. I needed Percy and Bagel to get to be brothers. I also love this friend group and can't wait to see who gets a story next.
Thanks to the author for the arc.
Thanks to the author for the arc.
December 15, 2025
4.5 stars. Book 3 of the series from one of my all time favorite authors. Thrilled for the few side trips this story takes back and forth from Boston to Friendship, R.I. with all its loveable characters we've met along the way. It's Audrey/Jude's second chance for a happily ever after. They have to work through a lot of past misunderstandings and heartache to get back what was meant to be. It's emotional, with strong supportive friends and humor. Jude's son Percy is adorable and Jaime is at her best here.
December 20, 2025
This book was a big let down because the two books prior to this one were great. The author missed the mark. There wasn't a lot of character building, no back story on a lot of it, and i should have DNF a couple chapters in.
Read
December 12, 2025Unfortunately, DNFing at 29%- the beginning of this book makes no sense and then it turned into The Notebook fan fiction?
December 17, 2025
3.5 stars
This was an ARC from the author. I am very grateful, but my opinions are my own.
Audrey Saunders has not seen her former boyfriend, Jude Bellessi, since he showed up at the church, only moments before she was due to get married, to ask her to run away with him instead. Because of a whole host of reasons, Audrey couldn't tell Jude why she was getting married, and why she broke up with him in the first place and moved across the country. About a decade later, she certainly didn't expect him to show up at their high school reunion, but there he is, larger than life and handsomer than ever.
While once he was the motorcycle-driving bad boy her parents disapproved of, now Jude is an aerospace engineer and single dad, trying to gain sole custody of his son (it's complicated). He is attending the reunion because he needs a pretty big favour from Audrey, and figures she owes him for the way their relationship crashed and burned all those years ago. Jude's mother was dying of cancer, and he may have lied a whole lot and claimed that he and Audrey were not only happily reunited, but were due to get married. Of course, now Jude's mum is fully recovered and delighted that she will get to plan her son's wedding to the woman he couldn't forget.
Matrimony did not work out for Audrey, and she has no intention of ever getting married again. She does feel like she has a debt to repay, however, so she agrees to play fake fiancée to Jude for a week. After that, she never needs to see Jude again, and she'll go celebrate one of her best friends' weddings. Jude plans to wait a couple of months, then he will tell his mother that they broke up, and that will be that. Neither of them had taken into account flight cancellations, a cross-country road trip, or being trapped in a tiny town in the middle of nowhere, in the most depressing motel room you could possibly imagine - which obviously only has one bed.
This is the third book in the Friendship, Rhode Island series, which all have heroes and heroines who have to go through a fake engagement for complicated reasons. Jamie, who is both one of Audrey's best friends and also a fellow teacher, just laughs hysterically at how optimistic Audrey is about this being a brief transaction, after which she and Jude will never see each other again. By now, it's quite clear that fake engagement equals an eventual happy ever after for all of these women (who all became friends because they worked at the same school).
All of the books in this series are long; it is very rare that a romance needs to be longer than 400 pages. I thought the plot dragged out for too long in In a Jam, and I thought the plot dragged out too long in this one, too. I understand that there is a whole lot of angst to get through on both Audrey and Jude's part. One of the reasons the book is clearly so long is that Canterbary seems to want the readers to not only get the main romance, but also time to reconnect with characters from previous books. Which is fine, but I'm not sure we needed as much of it as here, and I'm not sure I would care for it much if this was the first book in the series that I picked up. I also don't know if we needed as many complications and obstacles thrown in their way as Audrey and Jude have.
Going forward, I'm now very curious whether Canterbary intends to write a romance starring Jamie, who seems very attachment-averse and keeps taking part in polyamorous orgies. She doesn't seem like the sort of person who will want to settle down with one (or several) people, but I would love to be surprised. What I want most of all right now, and the author seems to be heavily setting up for, is a book about Ruth, one of the sisters of Ryan from In a Rush. She's a prominent supporting character in this one, and has clearly got up to some shenanigans which may lead to a HEA eventually.
Judging a book by its cover: This is my favourite of the Friendship, Rhode Island covers so far. It doesn't hurt that it's pretty much all shades of purple. The violets are a lovely touch, once it becomes clear what the colour and flower mean to Audrey.
This was an ARC from the author. I am very grateful, but my opinions are my own.
Audrey Saunders has not seen her former boyfriend, Jude Bellessi, since he showed up at the church, only moments before she was due to get married, to ask her to run away with him instead. Because of a whole host of reasons, Audrey couldn't tell Jude why she was getting married, and why she broke up with him in the first place and moved across the country. About a decade later, she certainly didn't expect him to show up at their high school reunion, but there he is, larger than life and handsomer than ever.
While once he was the motorcycle-driving bad boy her parents disapproved of, now Jude is an aerospace engineer and single dad, trying to gain sole custody of his son (it's complicated). He is attending the reunion because he needs a pretty big favour from Audrey, and figures she owes him for the way their relationship crashed and burned all those years ago. Jude's mother was dying of cancer, and he may have lied a whole lot and claimed that he and Audrey were not only happily reunited, but were due to get married. Of course, now Jude's mum is fully recovered and delighted that she will get to plan her son's wedding to the woman he couldn't forget.
Matrimony did not work out for Audrey, and she has no intention of ever getting married again. She does feel like she has a debt to repay, however, so she agrees to play fake fiancée to Jude for a week. After that, she never needs to see Jude again, and she'll go celebrate one of her best friends' weddings. Jude plans to wait a couple of months, then he will tell his mother that they broke up, and that will be that. Neither of them had taken into account flight cancellations, a cross-country road trip, or being trapped in a tiny town in the middle of nowhere, in the most depressing motel room you could possibly imagine - which obviously only has one bed.
This is the third book in the Friendship, Rhode Island series, which all have heroes and heroines who have to go through a fake engagement for complicated reasons. Jamie, who is both one of Audrey's best friends and also a fellow teacher, just laughs hysterically at how optimistic Audrey is about this being a brief transaction, after which she and Jude will never see each other again. By now, it's quite clear that fake engagement equals an eventual happy ever after for all of these women (who all became friends because they worked at the same school).
All of the books in this series are long; it is very rare that a romance needs to be longer than 400 pages. I thought the plot dragged out for too long in In a Jam, and I thought the plot dragged out too long in this one, too. I understand that there is a whole lot of angst to get through on both Audrey and Jude's part. One of the reasons the book is clearly so long is that Canterbary seems to want the readers to not only get the main romance, but also time to reconnect with characters from previous books. Which is fine, but I'm not sure we needed as much of it as here, and I'm not sure I would care for it much if this was the first book in the series that I picked up. I also don't know if we needed as many complications and obstacles thrown in their way as Audrey and Jude have.
Going forward, I'm now very curious whether Canterbary intends to write a romance starring Jamie, who seems very attachment-averse and keeps taking part in polyamorous orgies. She doesn't seem like the sort of person who will want to settle down with one (or several) people, but I would love to be surprised. What I want most of all right now, and the author seems to be heavily setting up for, is a book about Ruth, one of the sisters of Ryan from In a Rush. She's a prominent supporting character in this one, and has clearly got up to some shenanigans which may lead to a HEA eventually.
Judging a book by its cover: This is my favourite of the Friendship, Rhode Island covers so far. It doesn't hurt that it's pretty much all shades of purple. The violets are a lovely touch, once it becomes clear what the colour and flower mean to Audrey.
December 20, 2025
Slow Burn Romance & All The Feels
If you’re craving an emotional deep dive into a slow-burn romance, In A Second is the perfect pick for you. Kate Canterbary has a remarkable talent for crafting characters who feel like your closest friends. They’re flawed, relatable, and utterly captivating.
This story explores the complexities of love and life through the lens of two people who have never given up hope for their high school first love that ended too soon. Canterbary’s wonderful writing shines through every page, making you laugh one moment and sigh the next. The immersion in Audrey and Jude’s journey filled with unexpected detours will keep you eagerly turning the pages.
What I loved most is how Canterbary addresses real-life issues while wrapping them in humor and heart. This isn’t just a love story; it’s a celebration of second chances and the beautiful messiness of relationships. You’ll find yourself rooting for Audrey and Jude as they navigate their challenges, with every moment feel genuine and impactful.
Audrey’s friends, her chosen family, add a special touch to this book. The bond between Jaime and Audrey is heartwarming, and it’s delightful to see newcomer Ruth seamlessly fold into their dynamic. I loved that Emme, Shay, and Grace are there for her too. The protective guys surrounding Audrey had me laughing out loud, especially the antics of welcome committee Ben and his infamous group chat! This crew exemplifies the idea that the family we choose can be just as important, if not more so, than the one we’re born into.
Longtime Kate Canterbary fans will relish the cameos and connections to her other works. There are plenty of nods that left me grinning! While this book can stand alone, be warned. You’ll want to dive into her other stories once you finish.
So, if you’re ready for a book that beautifully combines slow-burn romance, heartfelt emotion, and plenty of humor, grab a copy of In A Second. Trust me, Audrey and Jude’s story is exactly what you’ve been searching for!
If you’re craving an emotional deep dive into a slow-burn romance, In A Second is the perfect pick for you. Kate Canterbary has a remarkable talent for crafting characters who feel like your closest friends. They’re flawed, relatable, and utterly captivating.
This story explores the complexities of love and life through the lens of two people who have never given up hope for their high school first love that ended too soon. Canterbary’s wonderful writing shines through every page, making you laugh one moment and sigh the next. The immersion in Audrey and Jude’s journey filled with unexpected detours will keep you eagerly turning the pages.
What I loved most is how Canterbary addresses real-life issues while wrapping them in humor and heart. This isn’t just a love story; it’s a celebration of second chances and the beautiful messiness of relationships. You’ll find yourself rooting for Audrey and Jude as they navigate their challenges, with every moment feel genuine and impactful.
Audrey’s friends, her chosen family, add a special touch to this book. The bond between Jaime and Audrey is heartwarming, and it’s delightful to see newcomer Ruth seamlessly fold into their dynamic. I loved that Emme, Shay, and Grace are there for her too. The protective guys surrounding Audrey had me laughing out loud, especially the antics of welcome committee Ben and his infamous group chat! This crew exemplifies the idea that the family we choose can be just as important, if not more so, than the one we’re born into.
Longtime Kate Canterbary fans will relish the cameos and connections to her other works. There are plenty of nods that left me grinning! While this book can stand alone, be warned. You’ll want to dive into her other stories once you finish.
So, if you’re ready for a book that beautifully combines slow-burn romance, heartfelt emotion, and plenty of humor, grab a copy of In A Second. Trust me, Audrey and Jude’s story is exactly what you’ve been searching for!
December 13, 2025
Content warnings: toxic parenting, emotional abuse (in the past), chronic illness, car accident (in the past), death of a romantic partner (in the past), pregnancy loss (in the past), parent with cancer (in remission), hospitalisation of a child, grief
4.5 stars
I adore this series with every fibre of my being, and I really loved the second chance romance in this one. The characters are fantastic and I adored the dynamic between them. There's a small precocious child who often steals the spotlight, and we all know how much I adore that. However. I struggled at times with the small precocious child's vocabulary and dialogue, given that he's FOUR, and I would have liked a little more clarification around how his tablet was providing speech - did he click on pictures of signs that he knew and it constructed a sentence for him? Or was I supposed to believe that this pre-schooler was typing out entire sentences with perfect grammar?
Anyway. That's a minor quibble, and while I did wish there was sliiiiiiightly more examination of Audrey's relationship with her family, I ultimately got a lot of joy out of reading this and being back with this cast of characters was an absolute delight.
4.5 stars
I adore this series with every fibre of my being, and I really loved the second chance romance in this one. The characters are fantastic and I adored the dynamic between them. There's a small precocious child who often steals the spotlight, and we all know how much I adore that. However. I struggled at times with the small precocious child's vocabulary and dialogue, given that he's FOUR, and I would have liked a little more clarification around how his tablet was providing speech - did he click on pictures of signs that he knew and it constructed a sentence for him? Or was I supposed to believe that this pre-schooler was typing out entire sentences with perfect grammar?
Anyway. That's a minor quibble, and while I did wish there was sliiiiiiightly more examination of Audrey's relationship with her family, I ultimately got a lot of joy out of reading this and being back with this cast of characters was an absolute delight.
December 13, 2025
(ARC Review) 5 stars
Ohhhhh boy did I love this. In A Jam is still my fave but this is a worthy successor and if you know me you know what high praise that is.
Audrey and Jude had such a delicious second chance romance. It has so many elements I love- fake engagement, road trip, forced proximity, only one bed, devoted single dad. It’s more than a list of tropes though, it’s a deep and emotional story of these two love birds finding their way back together after her family drove them apart years ago.
I truly loved them both, together and separately. Their journey is not an easy one, they really have to work through their past and present-day troubles. They both make mistakes, especially Jude, but in a way that felt so realistic to me. The journey is also not a short one but I love a long book that keeps me invested in all 500ish pages. I would have gladly read another 500 pages of their love.
I also of course loved revisiting the other characters from this series and broader world. I love that the author’s books have me like Charlie Day in front of his serial killer board. I do think you could read this as a standalone, though I of course recommend reading In A Jam as well
Ohhhhh boy did I love this. In A Jam is still my fave but this is a worthy successor and if you know me you know what high praise that is.
Audrey and Jude had such a delicious second chance romance. It has so many elements I love- fake engagement, road trip, forced proximity, only one bed, devoted single dad. It’s more than a list of tropes though, it’s a deep and emotional story of these two love birds finding their way back together after her family drove them apart years ago.
I truly loved them both, together and separately. Their journey is not an easy one, they really have to work through their past and present-day troubles. They both make mistakes, especially Jude, but in a way that felt so realistic to me. The journey is also not a short one but I love a long book that keeps me invested in all 500ish pages. I would have gladly read another 500 pages of their love.
I also of course loved revisiting the other characters from this series and broader world. I love that the author’s books have me like Charlie Day in front of his serial killer board. I do think you could read this as a standalone, though I of course recommend reading In A Jam as well
January 22, 2026
In a Second was messy and long. There was a lot going on in this one and it included a messy and wealthy family dynamic that I really hated. I hate meddling family storylines and this one had a doozy.
I loved Audrey and Jude, but Jude had some red flags that I hope he dealt with and fixed, for Audrey's sake.
It was a decent story but it took so long for some things to be divulged and I was losing interest in reading it.
I loved Audrey and Jude, but Jude had some red flags that I hope he dealt with and fixed, for Audrey's sake.
It was a decent story but it took so long for some things to be divulged and I was losing interest in reading it.
December 19, 2025
Living up to In A Rush was going to be really hard because that book is going on my best of 2025 list, but this came VERY close. Really loved Audrey and Jude figuring their shit out and the child is ADORABLE. Love this series!
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