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The Way Back To Us: A Second Chance Romance
They loved each other once. Then life pulled them in opposite directions.
Kentucky-born Monica Caldwell built her life in New York fearlessly, but not without struggle. Throwing herself into her career not only helped her assert her independence, it assisted in filling the emptiness she felt after her mother's death from cancer. But walking away from Jess Washburn years ago was the hardest choice she ever made.
Jess never forgot her.
Monica tried to forget him.
Now a chance reunion in Paris, Kentucky cracks open old wounds, buried desire, and a truth neither of them saw coming. Because some connections don’t fade with time. They wait. They ache. They demand answers.
Three days in Las Vegas with her father and his new love should have been a distraction. Instead, it becomes a reckoning ... because Jess is there, too.
Caught between the future she’s built and the love she never truly let go of, Monica must decide if she’s brave enough to return to the one place she swore she’d never go back him.
Because sometimes the road forward isn’t about starting over.
It’s about finding the way back to us.A steamy, emotional second-chance romance about fate, forgiveness, and choosing love when it matters most. BOURBON & ROSES SERIES Bourbon in the glass. Roses in the air. Love in the Bluegrass has never been this intoxicating
From the roar of the Kentucky Derby to the quiet hum of Appalachian backroads, love blooms where you least expect it. In this swoon-worthy series of standalone romances, big-city lights meet small-town charm, and every couple finds their own happily-ever-after against the rich backdrop of the Bluegrass State.
From country music heartthrobs to bourbon kings, horse farm rebels to mountain town dreamers ... each story is a shot of passion with a splash of Southern charm. Here, the stakes are high, the kisses are hotter than July, and the only thing smoother than the bourbon … is falling in love.
Opal Nicks delivers page-turning passion wrapped in Kentucky charm - where every hero is worth falling for and every kiss lingers like the last drop in the glass.
Kentucky-born Monica Caldwell built her life in New York fearlessly, but not without struggle. Throwing herself into her career not only helped her assert her independence, it assisted in filling the emptiness she felt after her mother's death from cancer. But walking away from Jess Washburn years ago was the hardest choice she ever made.
Jess never forgot her.
Monica tried to forget him.
Now a chance reunion in Paris, Kentucky cracks open old wounds, buried desire, and a truth neither of them saw coming. Because some connections don’t fade with time. They wait. They ache. They demand answers.
Three days in Las Vegas with her father and his new love should have been a distraction. Instead, it becomes a reckoning ... because Jess is there, too.
Caught between the future she’s built and the love she never truly let go of, Monica must decide if she’s brave enough to return to the one place she swore she’d never go back him.
Because sometimes the road forward isn’t about starting over.
It’s about finding the way back to us.A steamy, emotional second-chance romance about fate, forgiveness, and choosing love when it matters most. BOURBON & ROSES SERIES Bourbon in the glass. Roses in the air. Love in the Bluegrass has never been this intoxicating
From the roar of the Kentucky Derby to the quiet hum of Appalachian backroads, love blooms where you least expect it. In this swoon-worthy series of standalone romances, big-city lights meet small-town charm, and every couple finds their own happily-ever-after against the rich backdrop of the Bluegrass State.
From country music heartthrobs to bourbon kings, horse farm rebels to mountain town dreamers ... each story is a shot of passion with a splash of Southern charm. Here, the stakes are high, the kisses are hotter than July, and the only thing smoother than the bourbon … is falling in love.
Opal Nicks delivers page-turning passion wrapped in Kentucky charm - where every hero is worth falling for and every kiss lingers like the last drop in the glass.
- GenresSmall Town Romance
130 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 30, 2026
About the author
Opal Nicks
55 books31 followersOpal’s steamy stories frequently feature independent, strong-willed females who find themselves surprisingly swept away by alpha males who pursue them with vigor and passion. Ultimately, they can’t resist the sweet satisfaction and protection these men offer. Who could?
On Writing
Opal doesn’t like being restricted to what form her stories take. She breaks rules and bends things a bit to keep the tale the way the characters want it told.
In her writing, Opal Nicks explores many different facets of relationships. She hopes to captivate you with the nuances of love. Whether through a budding early relationship or a tension-filled reunion, she gracefully conveys the power and complexity of love-speak.
Her characters often possess an unbridled energy that gives them strength to take risks and traverse peril—all for love.
On Writing
Opal doesn’t like being restricted to what form her stories take. She breaks rules and bends things a bit to keep the tale the way the characters want it told.
In her writing, Opal Nicks explores many different facets of relationships. She hopes to captivate you with the nuances of love. Whether through a budding early relationship or a tension-filled reunion, she gracefully conveys the power and complexity of love-speak.
Her characters often possess an unbridled energy that gives them strength to take risks and traverse peril—all for love.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
June 13, 2026
THE WAY BACK TO US is Book 3 of The Bourbon & Roses series. It's a short and steamy, unplanned pregnancy, second-chance with their first love romance. Monica and Jess were high school sweethearts in Kentucky. Monica left it behind for New York. She is now a high powered financial planner who is a workaholic. Jess is a hunky bourbon distillery owner, still in their hometown. When they reunite unexpectedly in Las Vegas, both realize they still love each other. Jess is willing to fight for her, but will she lose herself in the process? This was such a beautiful story about rekindled love and finding your way home. Their chemistry was pure fire and we got a very happy ending. I loved that they were able to make it work and both still feel whole in the process.
February 2, 2026
A Love Finally Lived -
After Monica and Jess spent one night together after years apart, they both realise they wanted to be together, but they lived far away from each other each other. However, Jess soon finds himself in Monica’s city not long after they parted ways and they spent time together reminiscing about their pasts and rekindling their bedroom romantic action. Not long after Monica and Jess agreed to be together, she discovered her life was about to change and was weary about telling him, but he was pleased about it.
Unfortunately, Jess and Monica had a the different locations issue they had to deal with, but after they laid all their cards on the table, they agreed to start their life together, as she had made the decision to change her entire life. This was a heartwarming romance story that took me through a myriad of emotions, but left me feeling good by the time I finished reading the book. You won't be able to put it down once you start reading this book.
I received an advanced review copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
After Monica and Jess spent one night together after years apart, they both realise they wanted to be together, but they lived far away from each other each other. However, Jess soon finds himself in Monica’s city not long after they parted ways and they spent time together reminiscing about their pasts and rekindling their bedroom romantic action. Not long after Monica and Jess agreed to be together, she discovered her life was about to change and was weary about telling him, but he was pleased about it.
Unfortunately, Jess and Monica had a the different locations issue they had to deal with, but after they laid all their cards on the table, they agreed to start their life together, as she had made the decision to change her entire life. This was a heartwarming romance story that took me through a myriad of emotions, but left me feeling good by the time I finished reading the book. You won't be able to put it down once you start reading this book.
I received an advanced review copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 9, 2026
Some loves never really end. They wait until you're ready to come back.
Monica builds a life of precision and power in New York, keeping the past locked down and her heart carefully guarded. Jess stays in Kentucky, running his family's distillery and holding on to the memory of the woman who walked away but never fully let go. When fate throws them together on a trip neither of them planned, the distance between who they were and who they are now starts to close fast.
Back in the city, Monica tries to slide into routine, but something's shifted. Jess steps into her world quietly, never asking her to choose but never pretending the pull isn't real. What starts as reconnection becomes something deeper, more grounded. They're on opposite paths, rooted in different places, but the gravity between them is stronger than it used to be.
They don't erase their pasts or force a future that doesn't fit. They make space. They stay honest. They show up. Together. What grows between them isn't perfect, but it's steady, real, and chosen on purpose.
Monica softens without losing herself, learning that presence can be just as powerful as ambition. Jess holds steady but lets go where it counts, opening his life and heart in ways he never has before. Their relationship becomes a quiet kind of brave, built on truth, mutual respect, and a love that no longer needs to prove itself.
A slow burn to steamy, second chance, small town romance with city girl returns home energy, emotionally closed off heroine, steady supportive hero, opposites attract tension, forced proximity, and found family. Exploring reconnection, emotional growth, identity, grief, vulnerability, choice, belonging, and partnership. It’s about trusting what still feels true, letting go of survival mode, and choosing love without losing yourself.
The Elevator Pitch: A slow burn to steamy second chance romance where unfinished love is reignited and reshaped into something stronger. Spanning the rush of the city and the calm of small town life, it’s a story about letting go of survival mode and choosing something real. With emotional depth, tension, and heat, it’s about two people rebuilding love on their own terms.
Monica builds a life of precision and power in New York, keeping the past locked down and her heart carefully guarded. Jess stays in Kentucky, running his family's distillery and holding on to the memory of the woman who walked away but never fully let go. When fate throws them together on a trip neither of them planned, the distance between who they were and who they are now starts to close fast.
Back in the city, Monica tries to slide into routine, but something's shifted. Jess steps into her world quietly, never asking her to choose but never pretending the pull isn't real. What starts as reconnection becomes something deeper, more grounded. They're on opposite paths, rooted in different places, but the gravity between them is stronger than it used to be.
They don't erase their pasts or force a future that doesn't fit. They make space. They stay honest. They show up. Together. What grows between them isn't perfect, but it's steady, real, and chosen on purpose.
Monica softens without losing herself, learning that presence can be just as powerful as ambition. Jess holds steady but lets go where it counts, opening his life and heart in ways he never has before. Their relationship becomes a quiet kind of brave, built on truth, mutual respect, and a love that no longer needs to prove itself.
A slow burn to steamy, second chance, small town romance with city girl returns home energy, emotionally closed off heroine, steady supportive hero, opposites attract tension, forced proximity, and found family. Exploring reconnection, emotional growth, identity, grief, vulnerability, choice, belonging, and partnership. It’s about trusting what still feels true, letting go of survival mode, and choosing love without losing yourself.
The Elevator Pitch: A slow burn to steamy second chance romance where unfinished love is reignited and reshaped into something stronger. Spanning the rush of the city and the calm of small town life, it’s a story about letting go of survival mode and choosing something real. With emotional depth, tension, and heat, it’s about two people rebuilding love on their own terms.
February 14, 2026
Amazing series and beyond amazing book. Their love story was not simple - they had history and decisions made. Monica and Jess’s second chance at love requires different approaches, different ways and perspectives. Very emotional and heartwarming read - you just feel those vibes, their considerations and uneasy decisions. He is in Kentucky, she - in New York, both had their careers built strong and anchored. And with unplanned pregnancy- so many decisions to make.
Engaging and very emotional read, strong and stubborn heroine and strong and determined hero. Amazing how book can captivate your attention.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Engaging and very emotional read, strong and stubborn heroine and strong and determined hero. Amazing how book can captivate your attention.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 11, 2026
Kentucky-born Monica Caldwell built a successful New York life to assert her independence after losing her mother, but leaving her former love, Jess Washburn, remains her deepest regret. While Monica attempted to move on, a chance reunion in Paris, Kentucky, reopens old wounds. A subsequent trip to Las Vegas with her father—intended as a distraction—becomes a reckoning when Jess unexpectedly appears. Caught between her new life and the love she never let go of, Monica must decide if she is brave enough to return to the man she left behind. Sometimes the road forward is simply finding the way back to each other.I received a copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 17, 2026
A wonderful second chance story, Neither one forgot the other, When she left it was hard for her, A great story,.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
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January 30, 2026Remember that 80’s song by Toto – Hold The Line? Okay, maybe not. Go crank it. The chorus rings out that love doesn’t always happen on time.
The Way Back To Us is a second-chance romance, but more than that, it’s a story about timing. About the version of ourselves we had to become before love could work the way it was always meant to.
Monica and Jess loved each other when they were quite young. They shared a first love that lasted … until they parted ways to finish becoming adults. They loved each other in that formative, defining way that sinks deep into your bones and quietly shapes every relationship that comes after. But love alone isn’t always enough when ambition, fear, and unfinished growth pull two people in opposite directions.
For years, Monica chose to build a strong foundation—structure, control, and certainty. She created a life that looked successful from the outside and truly was. She established herself professionally, becoming independent and self-reliant. Along the way, Monica convinced herself that what she left behind belonged to a different version of her. A younger, more naïve one.
Jess, on the other hand, never stopped believing that some things are worth waiting for, even when waiting hurts.
This book isn’t about dramatic misunderstandings or explosive betrayals. It’s about the quieter kind of heartbreak. The kind that happens when two people love each other deeply but don’t yet know how to choose both love and themselves.
Writing The Way Back To Us required slowing down. I didn’t expect extreme humor or sharp banter from these characters. Instead, I wanted to watch them struggle with reality—and with the choices they would eventually have to make. And they do. Their internal conflicts mirror much of real life.
This story is for readers who believe that first love leaves a permanent mark, and that timing matters just as much as chemistry. Sometimes, the bravest thing you can do is go back – not to who you were, but to who you’ve become.
The Way Back To Us is now out in the world, and I hope it finds readers exactly when they need it.
Enjoy,
Opal Nicks
The Way Back To Us is a second-chance romance, but more than that, it’s a story about timing. About the version of ourselves we had to become before love could work the way it was always meant to.
Monica and Jess loved each other when they were quite young. They shared a first love that lasted … until they parted ways to finish becoming adults. They loved each other in that formative, defining way that sinks deep into your bones and quietly shapes every relationship that comes after. But love alone isn’t always enough when ambition, fear, and unfinished growth pull two people in opposite directions.
For years, Monica chose to build a strong foundation—structure, control, and certainty. She created a life that looked successful from the outside and truly was. She established herself professionally, becoming independent and self-reliant. Along the way, Monica convinced herself that what she left behind belonged to a different version of her. A younger, more naïve one.
Jess, on the other hand, never stopped believing that some things are worth waiting for, even when waiting hurts.
This book isn’t about dramatic misunderstandings or explosive betrayals. It’s about the quieter kind of heartbreak. The kind that happens when two people love each other deeply but don’t yet know how to choose both love and themselves.
Writing The Way Back To Us required slowing down. I didn’t expect extreme humor or sharp banter from these characters. Instead, I wanted to watch them struggle with reality—and with the choices they would eventually have to make. And they do. Their internal conflicts mirror much of real life.
This story is for readers who believe that first love leaves a permanent mark, and that timing matters just as much as chemistry. Sometimes, the bravest thing you can do is go back – not to who you were, but to who you’ve become.
The Way Back To Us is now out in the world, and I hope it finds readers exactly when they need it.
Enjoy,
Opal Nicks
February 15, 2026
This was a wonderful second chance romance that brings together Jess and Monica. Monica left town and built a life for herself in NY. However, this was after her mother passed from cancer and she needed the escape to cope. However, Jess was in her heart and she struggled to put him in the past for all these years. Jess never stopped loving her and I really liked his steady presence. These two reconnect and the sparks sure flew ;P There was great emotional depth in this read, and also choice, courage, belonging and partnership. Adding in the hot chemistry really rounds out this story of how love and belonging doesn't mean you have to lose yourself. So good and I can't wait for the next book :D
March 26, 2026
They once loved each other but life got in the way. Monica was building her career in New York and Jess stayed in Kentucky running his bourbon empire. Now they have a second chance when a reunion brings them to Paris. He has never forgotten her and still desires her. When he wants a second chance with Monica, will she decide if she is strong enough to return home and be with Jess and pick up where they left off or will she let it slip away? The emotions of what they are feeling, their challenges, and the burden of their decisions are felt throughout the story. What an enjoyable, heartfelt story! Highly recommend.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 31, 2026
Book 3 of Bourbon & Roses story of Monica Caldwell and Jess Washburn. These two get a second chance at love that will make any reader fall in love with this story. Fate is working at bringing these two together along with Monica’s father. I loved how these two compromised to make their life’s work together rather than not.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 13, 2026
Book 3 of the Bourbon & Roses series. Can be read as a standalone.
'Because sometimes the road forward isn’t about starting over.
It’s about finding the way back to us.'
The characters were very well written and developed. Plot was pretty good. World building continues to be solidly drawn. All in all a very good addition to series of. Recommend.
Grab a copy, kick back and enjoy!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
'Because sometimes the road forward isn’t about starting over.
It’s about finding the way back to us.'
The characters were very well written and developed. Plot was pretty good. World building continues to be solidly drawn. All in all a very good addition to series of. Recommend.
Grab a copy, kick back and enjoy!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews