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Burke Sisters #2
Twice in a Lifetime
Police detective Callie Burke returned to western New York after a bad breakup. She immerses herself in work as a way of avoiding any personal connections. But as her feelings for her sister’s boss and late friend’s widow move beyond friendship, she isn’t quite sure how to handle it.
Bar owner Taylor Fletcher lost her firefighter wife almost four years ago. Dating is the last thing on her mind. She gave her heart away once and isn’t willing to risk that kind of pain again. But now Callie, a woman she isn’t even sure she likes, is getting under her skin.
Because of a threat on Taylor’s life, they spend more time together, and both begin to feel things they never expected. Callie’s never had the once-in-a-lifetime type of love. Taylor has, but Callie makes her wonder if it’s possible to find that kind of love twice in a lifetime.
Cover Artist: Tammy Sedick
Genres: Contemporary / Romance
Bar owner Taylor Fletcher lost her firefighter wife almost four years ago. Dating is the last thing on her mind. She gave her heart away once and isn’t willing to risk that kind of pain again. But now Callie, a woman she isn’t even sure she likes, is getting under her skin.
Because of a threat on Taylor’s life, they spend more time together, and both begin to feel things they never expected. Callie’s never had the once-in-a-lifetime type of love. Taylor has, but Callie makes her wonder if it’s possible to find that kind of love twice in a lifetime.
Cover Artist: Tammy Sedick
Genres: Contemporary / Romance
242 pages, ebook
First published February 1, 2018
27 people are currently reading
145 people want to read
About the author
P.J. Trebelhorn
13 books75 followersPJ Trebelhorn was born and raised in the greater metropolitan area of Portland, Oregon. Her love of sports — mainly baseball and ice hockey — was fueled in part by her father’s interests. She likes to brag about the fact that her uncle managed the Milwaukee Brewers for five years, and the Chicago Cubs for one year.
PJ now resides in western New York with Cheryl, her partner of many years, and their menagerie of pets. When not writing or reading, PJ spends her time rooting for the Flyers, Phillies, and Eagles, or watching movies. (from the publisher's website)
PJ now resides in western New York with Cheryl, her partner of many years, and their menagerie of pets. When not writing or reading, PJ spends her time rooting for the Flyers, Phillies, and Eagles, or watching movies. (from the publisher's website)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
January 14, 2018
'Netgalley ARC provided by The Publisher in exchange for a fair and honest'
This book is an engaging,at times melancholy,fast-paced,riveting page turner that poses many emotional questions back & forth for both leading characters of first how do they both moved on and how do they each deal with being together plus having feelings for each another. Additionally its a winning book because P.J. Trebelhorn does an excellent job creating some very funny,likable and relatable characters with great mature dialogue plus each individual/supporting character that was written into this storyline appear as someone so uniquely important yet very integral to their love story which was so absolutely beautiful and heartwarming to read. The subplots that surround this roller coaster push-pull,fairy-tale relationship was very dicey,frenetic,painful,crazy,intense and even stalkerish but eventually was interesting and helpful to this story. For readers its so much more than a standard love story: there is strong tangible friendships shown,we also learn of her(Taylor)sorrow & heartbreak over the years after her wife died,nice family structure & support system,enjoyable relationship & bonding between both sisters. You will not be disappointed..recommend to everyone!
This book is an engaging,at times melancholy,fast-paced,riveting page turner that poses many emotional questions back & forth for both leading characters of first how do they both moved on and how do they each deal with being together plus having feelings for each another. Additionally its a winning book because P.J. Trebelhorn does an excellent job creating some very funny,likable and relatable characters with great mature dialogue plus each individual/supporting character that was written into this storyline appear as someone so uniquely important yet very integral to their love story which was so absolutely beautiful and heartwarming to read. The subplots that surround this roller coaster push-pull,fairy-tale relationship was very dicey,frenetic,painful,crazy,intense and even stalkerish but eventually was interesting and helpful to this story. For readers its so much more than a standard love story: there is strong tangible friendships shown,we also learn of her(Taylor)sorrow & heartbreak over the years after her wife died,nice family structure & support system,enjoyable relationship & bonding between both sisters. You will not be disappointed..recommend to everyone!
January 31, 2018
3.5 Stars. This is a perfectly nice story but nothing that really wowed me. This is book 2 in the Burke Sisters series. This is one of the rare times I would say if you are new to the series, you don’t have to read book 1, The Right Kind of Wrong, first. While the characters that were in book 1 are in this book, there is no major ongoing storylines that you would be lost about if you started the series here.
This book stars Callie Burke who is a homicide detective. After breaking up with a long term girlfriend, Callie wants to find the kind of love that her sister has. The only problem is the woman she feels connected to is the widow of her best friend. Taylor lost the love of her life to a fire. It’s been years, but she hasn’t dated anyone since. She does know one thing; she never wants to date someone who works a dangerous job ever again. She can’t take another loss. Is there some way for Taylor and Callie to be together, or will Callie’s job be too much to overcome?
Book 1, was filled with a ton of angst. It is the kind of angst that can drive me nuts, like miscommunication and waffling back and forth. But for whatever reason, I really liked the story. I found I even developed a character crush on Grace, I just thought she was great. I was hoping this book would be similar, but it really wasn’t. For one, the angst was way down compared to book 1. It does have some, but nothing like its predecessor. Normally I prefer my books with a little less angst, but I just felt like this story was missing something. The other issue, I didn’t connect to either of the two mains like I did with Grace. I did like Callie, but I didn’t feel any emotional connection to her character. It was nice to see Grace again, but she wasn’t really in this book enough for me. And her girlfriend Quinn was pretty awful in this book, not sure why she went through such a personality change.
Like I said above this was a perfectly nice story, but it just didn’t really do anything for me. I like the way Trebelhorn writes, this just wasn’t a favorite of mine. If you enjoyed book 1, you will probably like this one too. It’s not a book I can rave about, but it is a decent read.
An ARC was given to me from BSB, for a honest review.
This book stars Callie Burke who is a homicide detective. After breaking up with a long term girlfriend, Callie wants to find the kind of love that her sister has. The only problem is the woman she feels connected to is the widow of her best friend. Taylor lost the love of her life to a fire. It’s been years, but she hasn’t dated anyone since. She does know one thing; she never wants to date someone who works a dangerous job ever again. She can’t take another loss. Is there some way for Taylor and Callie to be together, or will Callie’s job be too much to overcome?
Book 1, was filled with a ton of angst. It is the kind of angst that can drive me nuts, like miscommunication and waffling back and forth. But for whatever reason, I really liked the story. I found I even developed a character crush on Grace, I just thought she was great. I was hoping this book would be similar, but it really wasn’t. For one, the angst was way down compared to book 1. It does have some, but nothing like its predecessor. Normally I prefer my books with a little less angst, but I just felt like this story was missing something. The other issue, I didn’t connect to either of the two mains like I did with Grace. I did like Callie, but I didn’t feel any emotional connection to her character. It was nice to see Grace again, but she wasn’t really in this book enough for me. And her girlfriend Quinn was pretty awful in this book, not sure why she went through such a personality change.
Like I said above this was a perfectly nice story, but it just didn’t really do anything for me. I like the way Trebelhorn writes, this just wasn’t a favorite of mine. If you enjoyed book 1, you will probably like this one too. It’s not a book I can rave about, but it is a decent read.
An ARC was given to me from BSB, for a honest review.
January 16, 2018
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I didn’t realise when I requested this that it is the sequel to The Right Kind of Wrong. I thought that was an average book, I enjoyed this one more, but it didn’t blow me away.
The book features Callie (sister of Quinn from Right Kind of Wrong) who is a cop, and Taylor, Quinn’s boss and widow of Callie’s late best friend. I liked both characters, but Taylor’s back and forth about moving on from her wife and her problems with Callie’s job got tedious. Callie on the other hand was a sweetie. The secondary characters were ok, both families provided a bit of rounding out of the story, but weren’t given much to do other than dispense advice. Quinn also acted like a git for portions of the story, and I was glad other characters called her out on it. The stalker storyline was also overdone, and frankly unnecessary, it didn’t add anything to the story from my perspective. I also thought the breakup was ridiculous but thankfully short-lived.
These two were more interesting than Grace and Quinn and they didn’t have endless communication breakdowns, so I enjoyed it more than the first book. 3.5 stars but I’m rounding down because I can’t give it 4.
I didn’t realise when I requested this that it is the sequel to The Right Kind of Wrong. I thought that was an average book, I enjoyed this one more, but it didn’t blow me away.
The book features Callie (sister of Quinn from Right Kind of Wrong) who is a cop, and Taylor, Quinn’s boss and widow of Callie’s late best friend. I liked both characters, but Taylor’s back and forth about moving on from her wife and her problems with Callie’s job got tedious. Callie on the other hand was a sweetie. The secondary characters were ok, both families provided a bit of rounding out of the story, but weren’t given much to do other than dispense advice. Quinn also acted like a git for portions of the story, and I was glad other characters called her out on it. The stalker storyline was also overdone, and frankly unnecessary, it didn’t add anything to the story from my perspective. I also thought the breakup was ridiculous but thankfully short-lived.
These two were more interesting than Grace and Quinn and they didn’t have endless communication breakdowns, so I enjoyed it more than the first book. 3.5 stars but I’m rounding down because I can’t give it 4.
February 23, 2018
When I started to read this book I hadn’t realised it was connected to PJ Trebelhorn’s other book, The Right Kind of Wrong. Quinn from The Right Kind of Wrong is Callie's sister from this book, so as soon as I realised, I put Twice in a lifetime down and re-read the the first book in the Burke Sister series and I would suggested that readers do the same.
Callie has always thought her best friend’s wife, Taylor dislikes her and it seems to have gotten worse since her friends death. Taylor can’t possibly have a relationship like the one she had with her late wife, Andrea so why can’t she stop thinking about Callie. When Taylor attracts the attention of a patron in her pub and it is unwanted and obsessive, Callie steps in to make her feel more at ease. As they spend more time together they begin to enjoy each others company but can Taylor ever see Callie as someone she could have more with?
Fantastic storyline that I enjoyed even more than the first book in the Burke Sister Series. I particularly loved Callie and her cocky and feisty personality. I think keeping the protagonist’s, Grace and Quinn (from The Right Kind of Wrong) still prominent in this story was crucial and it worked well to build on Callie and Quinn's dynamic that I enjoyed so much in the first book.
I think Taylor’s loss was evident from the get go and PJ Trebelhorn really allowed the reader to feel Taylor's grief as well as being present for the awakening of feelings that were growing for Callie. The chemistry between them was electric and it builds at a steady pace throughout.
The only thing I think brings down the book is the fact that it has no epilogue however I am going to ignore that in the hope that there is a third book that will build on Taylor and Callie’s relationship. If thats the case I will happily re-review and give this book 5 stars.
4.5 stars
Callie has always thought her best friend’s wife, Taylor dislikes her and it seems to have gotten worse since her friends death. Taylor can’t possibly have a relationship like the one she had with her late wife, Andrea so why can’t she stop thinking about Callie. When Taylor attracts the attention of a patron in her pub and it is unwanted and obsessive, Callie steps in to make her feel more at ease. As they spend more time together they begin to enjoy each others company but can Taylor ever see Callie as someone she could have more with?
Fantastic storyline that I enjoyed even more than the first book in the Burke Sister Series. I particularly loved Callie and her cocky and feisty personality. I think keeping the protagonist’s, Grace and Quinn (from The Right Kind of Wrong) still prominent in this story was crucial and it worked well to build on Callie and Quinn's dynamic that I enjoyed so much in the first book.
I think Taylor’s loss was evident from the get go and PJ Trebelhorn really allowed the reader to feel Taylor's grief as well as being present for the awakening of feelings that were growing for Callie. The chemistry between them was electric and it builds at a steady pace throughout.
The only thing I think brings down the book is the fact that it has no epilogue however I am going to ignore that in the hope that there is a third book that will build on Taylor and Callie’s relationship. If thats the case I will happily re-review and give this book 5 stars.
4.5 stars
January 20, 2018
Review of 'Twice in a lifetime' by PJ Trebelhorn.
This is book number 2 in the Burke sisters series which started with 'The right kind of wrong'. The story catches up with the main characters of the first book but it can be read as a stand alone. Bar owner Taylor Fletcher lost her firefighter wife on duty and is not looking for a love interest, let alone one with a risky job. But when her late wife's best friend, Police Detective Callie Burke, returns to town, Taylor starts questioning herself. Will she decide to risk her heart again provided she survives a dangerous threat to her life?
Good romance with a bit of action in the form of a lesbian stalker. The plot touches a few sensitive issues such as bereavement, friendship, first responders' duty and second chances. The author does a good job at portraying the main characters with their flaws and feelings though sometimes Taylor's indecisiveness is frustrating to read. The stalker subplot adds a bit of action but has its ups and downs in terms of realism.
Overall, an ok read if you like a romance with a bit of drama. 3.5 stars.
ARC provided by Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
See all my reviews at
www.lezreviewbooks.wordpress.com
This is book number 2 in the Burke sisters series which started with 'The right kind of wrong'. The story catches up with the main characters of the first book but it can be read as a stand alone. Bar owner Taylor Fletcher lost her firefighter wife on duty and is not looking for a love interest, let alone one with a risky job. But when her late wife's best friend, Police Detective Callie Burke, returns to town, Taylor starts questioning herself. Will she decide to risk her heart again provided she survives a dangerous threat to her life?
Good romance with a bit of action in the form of a lesbian stalker. The plot touches a few sensitive issues such as bereavement, friendship, first responders' duty and second chances. The author does a good job at portraying the main characters with their flaws and feelings though sometimes Taylor's indecisiveness is frustrating to read. The stalker subplot adds a bit of action but has its ups and downs in terms of realism.
Overall, an ok read if you like a romance with a bit of drama. 3.5 stars.
ARC provided by Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
See all my reviews at
www.lezreviewbooks.wordpress.com
February 7, 2018
IDK, was ok. As with all romances now adays I play a little, when is the breakup going to happen game. This time it was at 87%. I was off by at least a dozen percent. Usually it's between 60-80. So that was a swing and a miss on my part. It's not even really like they were even together really. There's so much push pull drama it really was no big deal. Although I did feel bad for Callie. Taylor never really treats her all that well.
There isn't really a plot per se in this. There's a couple of sub plots like a stalker, the previous wife, the job, bizarre hating sister, etc, but nothing but dramatic scenes really push the story along. The lack of that arc really doesn't give a lot of buy in to what's going on. There's not enough time given to the feels to make you really care what happens. At least in my opinion that is. I know *that* never coincides with the majority.
Pretty much skipped over the end, once the bar scene happened. The last few percent were pretty predictable.
There isn't really a plot per se in this. There's a couple of sub plots like a stalker, the previous wife, the job, bizarre hating sister, etc, but nothing but dramatic scenes really push the story along. The lack of that arc really doesn't give a lot of buy in to what's going on. There's not enough time given to the feels to make you really care what happens. At least in my opinion that is. I know *that* never coincides with the majority.
Pretty much skipped over the end, once the bar scene happened. The last few percent were pretty predictable.
May 21, 2018
This book was provided for free by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I'm really disappointed that I just couldn't get into this story! I've known Trebelhorn by name in the lesfic world for a long time, but this is my first work of hers. I was just super bored by it. I thought all the characters sounded and acted the same, to the degree that I had trouble telling Callie and Taylor apart for a large part of the book. I never got any picture of their distinct likes/dislikes, personalities, etc. It felt like a very safe, by-the-books romance that never engaged on a meaningful level.
The best parts let us see the deeper side of each woman, but they were rare, sandwiched in with melodrama and rehashed conversations. My favorite part of this story was the time right after Callie and Taylor get together for the first time and they allow themselves to be soft and vulnerable together, even if it didn't last. That's the only time I felt a real connection between them. There was too much paper-thin drama involving Taylor not wanting to get involved with another woman in a high-risk profession, though we never get deep enough into her head to tackle that hang-up and really understand it. The kisses, touches, and lingering looks were very well-written and effective, but I can't get all weak-kneed over a romance that lacks any chemistry but physical.
I think I'd really enjoy Trebelhorn's crime/mystery works based off the brief (but intense) scene towards the end of this book, but I think this story just played it too safe. I just never became engaged with the plot, the characters, or their connection.
I'm really disappointed that I just couldn't get into this story! I've known Trebelhorn by name in the lesfic world for a long time, but this is my first work of hers. I was just super bored by it. I thought all the characters sounded and acted the same, to the degree that I had trouble telling Callie and Taylor apart for a large part of the book. I never got any picture of their distinct likes/dislikes, personalities, etc. It felt like a very safe, by-the-books romance that never engaged on a meaningful level.
The best parts let us see the deeper side of each woman, but they were rare, sandwiched in with melodrama and rehashed conversations. My favorite part of this story was the time right after Callie and Taylor get together for the first time and they allow themselves to be soft and vulnerable together, even if it didn't last. That's the only time I felt a real connection between them. There was too much paper-thin drama involving Taylor not wanting to get involved with another woman in a high-risk profession, though we never get deep enough into her head to tackle that hang-up and really understand it. The kisses, touches, and lingering looks were very well-written and effective, but I can't get all weak-kneed over a romance that lacks any chemistry but physical.
I think I'd really enjoy Trebelhorn's crime/mystery works based off the brief (but intense) scene towards the end of this book, but I think this story just played it too safe. I just never became engaged with the plot, the characters, or their connection.
May 18, 2018
I love cop lesfic stories. I enjoy most of them.
But this is not a cop lesfic. It's a romance where one character happens to be a cop and this serves only two purposes in the storyline:
- getting the two main in close quarters
- while ensuring that the love will blossom slowly and painfully
So Callie is a cop because it's written many many times but we don't FEEL it.
Here cops are good guys but thrill seeker
Criminal and murderers are the epitome of bad people. So they don't have names, stories or depth.
The plot could have been great but the writing made my eyes blurr with repetitions, childish phrasing and... I will stop there.
But this is not a cop lesfic. It's a romance where one character happens to be a cop and this serves only two purposes in the storyline:
- getting the two main in close quarters
- while ensuring that the love will blossom slowly and painfully
So Callie is a cop because it's written many many times but we don't FEEL it.
Here cops are good guys but thrill seeker
Criminal and murderers are the epitome of bad people. So they don't have names, stories or depth.
The plot could have been great but the writing made my eyes blurr with repetitions, childish phrasing and... I will stop there.
May 15, 2020
I always dislike giving a below 3 star rating, but I didn't feel much when reading this book - I didn't really feel for Taylor as a widow, or Callie as a person. I noticed that there were quite a few repetitions within the book, and I think this could have been polished a bit more before publication to remove descriptors and replaced with more story building.
January 15, 2018
Callie Burke has a history of flings and a reputation as well. No one seems to have noticed that she’s wanting to settle down, and isn’t the reckless detective and gadfly she used to be. When she is shot in the line of duty, it falls to her sister’s boss to look after her for a few days while her family is out of town.
Taylor Fletcher is a great boss to Quinn, Callie’s sister. Taylor’s wife died a few years ago, so it’s been a quiet spell for Taylor, dealing with her grief and the running of a business filling her life. When looking after Callie awakens feelings she’s long buried, Taylor has to deal her own expectations as well as others. Will Callie and Taylor find common ground, or will Callie’s reckless reputation and high-risk job smother their spark before they realise there is a flame between them?
Trebelhorn has written several lesbian romances before this book, and her work is entertaining. There were several strands woven into the plot of this book, and I’ve only covered some in the brief précis above. Trebelhorn handles most of them well.
I did struggle at bit at the start. I find it hard to put my finger on it, but there were elements in the writing that were a bit jarring, and the prose didn’t flow as well as some of her books normally do. I wonder if it wasn’t the dialogue, as some is a bit sharp at the start, without much apparent cause from the characters. It did settle down and the prose flowed better after the first third of the book.
I liked both main characters. Callie is supposed to be reckless by nature, even if she is changing, but there wasn’t a lot of evidence of it in her behaviour. She was smart and kind and that’s a good combination. Taylor was a bit harder to read, but her reticence to jump into a romance is easy to imagine, considering her backstory.
There were some obstacles for them to overcome, some internal and some external. The external ones were less well resolved; a weirdo stalky person was flagged very early on, but the sense of dread didn’t really escalate as much as I thought it might. Perhaps keeping the focus on the romance meant that keeping it light was a better idea, rather than overwhelm the frothy romance with the thrills of a wolf in with the sheep. On reflection, Trebelhorn might have added just enough to justify the climax of the book, without overwhelming the lightness of the romance.
This was a light romance with smart, capable characters.
Advanced reading copy provided by NetGalley for an honest review.
Taylor Fletcher is a great boss to Quinn, Callie’s sister. Taylor’s wife died a few years ago, so it’s been a quiet spell for Taylor, dealing with her grief and the running of a business filling her life. When looking after Callie awakens feelings she’s long buried, Taylor has to deal her own expectations as well as others. Will Callie and Taylor find common ground, or will Callie’s reckless reputation and high-risk job smother their spark before they realise there is a flame between them?
Trebelhorn has written several lesbian romances before this book, and her work is entertaining. There were several strands woven into the plot of this book, and I’ve only covered some in the brief précis above. Trebelhorn handles most of them well.
I did struggle at bit at the start. I find it hard to put my finger on it, but there were elements in the writing that were a bit jarring, and the prose didn’t flow as well as some of her books normally do. I wonder if it wasn’t the dialogue, as some is a bit sharp at the start, without much apparent cause from the characters. It did settle down and the prose flowed better after the first third of the book.
I liked both main characters. Callie is supposed to be reckless by nature, even if she is changing, but there wasn’t a lot of evidence of it in her behaviour. She was smart and kind and that’s a good combination. Taylor was a bit harder to read, but her reticence to jump into a romance is easy to imagine, considering her backstory.
There were some obstacles for them to overcome, some internal and some external. The external ones were less well resolved; a weirdo stalky person was flagged very early on, but the sense of dread didn’t really escalate as much as I thought it might. Perhaps keeping the focus on the romance meant that keeping it light was a better idea, rather than overwhelm the frothy romance with the thrills of a wolf in with the sheep. On reflection, Trebelhorn might have added just enough to justify the climax of the book, without overwhelming the lightness of the romance.
This was a light romance with smart, capable characters.
Advanced reading copy provided by NetGalley for an honest review.
February 15, 2018
Sweet love story with some sexy romps. No surprises.
February 13, 2018
Police officer Callie returns home to work in the small town where she grew up. She runs into Taylor who apparently hates still her. Taylor was married to Andrea, Callie's close friend and firefighter, before Andrea died in a fire she was working. When Taylor and Andrea were married, Taylor was never friendly towards Callie. Now that Taylor has lost the love of her life to a dangerous job, she's certainly not about to get involved with another woman in an equally dangerous job. But an attraction that has been simmering for years has other ideas in mind for Callie and Taylor.
Perhaps because this was the third book I read in a week about women returning to a small town where they grew up and then falling in love, and the first two were incredible and unique, that this one fell a little flat. It was a sweet and simple book with a healthy dose of emotional turmoil. It was really good and I would still recommend it, but it missed a little sparkle.
The romance was really sweet and I really like the way the author took us on an emotional journey and character evolution as the ladies figured stuff out in their own lives. I liked that love didn't magically fix everything, it was very real and heartfelt. I didn't love the stalker part of the story, it didn't seem to fit in the groove of the rest of the story.
I really enjoyed this author's writing, it was the first book I read by her, and I will definitely be going back to check out some of their other books.
I received an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Perhaps because this was the third book I read in a week about women returning to a small town where they grew up and then falling in love, and the first two were incredible and unique, that this one fell a little flat. It was a sweet and simple book with a healthy dose of emotional turmoil. It was really good and I would still recommend it, but it missed a little sparkle.
The romance was really sweet and I really like the way the author took us on an emotional journey and character evolution as the ladies figured stuff out in their own lives. I liked that love didn't magically fix everything, it was very real and heartfelt. I didn't love the stalker part of the story, it didn't seem to fit in the groove of the rest of the story.
I really enjoyed this author's writing, it was the first book I read by her, and I will definitely be going back to check out some of their other books.
I received an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
January 12, 2018
I love P.J. Trebelhorn books, and this one is up there with being a good read. The character's Callie and Taylor know each other from Taylor's ex-wife who passed away. The book is kind of back and forth with Taylor being hot and cold to Callie. Some of it is normal, with the passing of an ex, but a lot of it I wasn't sure why Taylor was acting that way. The book is a lot about letting go of the past and can you have two loves in one lifetime. P.J. did a wonderful job of expressing the sincere pain of letting go, and also honoring the memory of loved ones. This is an awesome read and I highly recommend this book.
ARC provided by the publisher for an honest review.
ARC provided by the publisher for an honest review.
January 29, 2018
Nice story with two characters struggling with issues. Callie Burke is ready for a long-term relationship but her sister Quinn does not believe her especially since she is interested in her boss. Taylor Fletcher is mourning the loss of her wife and does not believe there is another person out there for her. I appreciated Callie's willingness to be there for Taylor even when the possibility for a relationship was bleak. Taylor's uncertainty is understandable considering who Callie is. The story was not as captivating as I would have liked and hoped for.
ARC provided by Bold Strokes Books, Inc. via NetGalley.
ARC provided by Bold Strokes Books, Inc. via NetGalley.
November 22, 2025
3,5/5
I liked this one a little bit more than the first one.And I can say the same about the sisters,I liked Callie more than Quinn,even tho the author tries to point out how they're similar I'm glad they really aren't, at least in their actions.
I enjoyed but not the message.Maybe beacause I'm still young, but I just can't understand what was Grace trying to say,the fact that if Quinn will die she'll be sad but with the right person she'll fall in love again. What kind of relationship is that if you can imagine yourself falling in love with somebody else if something were to happen to you partner. I've been in love countless times and no,until the feelings pass ,especially if you're in a relationship with them,you can't even imagine yourself feeling any type of way towards somebody else ,you just can't.You just happen to realize it when it happens and it's too late.But you can't imagine it,it's painful.
I liked this one a little bit more than the first one.And I can say the same about the sisters,I liked Callie more than Quinn,even tho the author tries to point out how they're similar I'm glad they really aren't, at least in their actions.
I enjoyed but not the message.Maybe beacause I'm still young, but I just can't understand what was Grace trying to say,the fact that if Quinn will die she'll be sad but with the right person she'll fall in love again. What kind of relationship is that if you can imagine yourself falling in love with somebody else if something were to happen to you partner. I've been in love countless times and no,until the feelings pass ,especially if you're in a relationship with them,you can't even imagine yourself feeling any type of way towards somebody else ,you just can't.You just happen to realize it when it happens and it's too late.But you can't imagine it,it's painful.
February 9, 2018
An honest review thanks to NetGalley. This was a great read; I loved Callie. I had read the first in the series before this but to be honest, I didn't remember it much. So it is not necessary to read the first book before this one. This was a great romance even though part of the plot was a bit cliche. I was impressed with the writing and how quickly i was drawn into the story.
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January 26, 2018This was a nice predictable love story. Characters were sweet and dialog crisp, clever and humorous. My only negative was, I thought the stalker event was unnecessary and escalated abnormally.
April 6, 2018
Great book, I recommend it. A good romance.
January 31, 2018
*** Find this review and others on my blog! ***
Thank you to Net Galley and Boldstroke Books for providing me with an e-ARC copy! All opinions in this review are my own and are honest.
The main reason I requested this was because one of my goals for 2018 was to read more diverse romance books and this features a lesbian romance along with a good sounding plot! I didn’t realise that this was the second book in the Burke Sister’s series however the this can be read as a standalone as the first book is about Quinn and Grace’s relationship – Quinn is the Sister of Callie who is one of the main characters in this book.
This was an enjoyable read and I managed to absolutely fly through this in a day. The writing was basic which isn’t a bad thing, like I said I managed to fly through this but there wasn’t anything that made the writing special or rememberable. It was just a nice, easy read and sometimes that’s exactly what is needed so that isn’t a bad thing.
This follows Callie who is a police officer and had recently moved back after her relationship with her ex, Jan didn’t work out and Taylor who lost her partner Andrea (who was a firefighter) a few years ago after she ran into a burning building to save a child. Andrea was also Callie’s best friend and Taylor own’s and manage the bar that Callie’s sister Quinn works at so there is a large amount of cross-over between them all. Callie has always liked Taylor and this story follows them trying to figure out their relationship and if there is a chance for one between them.
This deals with the grief of moving on after your partner died and I think it was dealt with really well. It also deals with moving on with your best friend’s partner as Andrea and Callie were best friends and Callie has always liked Taylor, even when Andrea was alive, so we got to see a lot of guilt which is linked to the death of Andrea for both parties in the relationship. Because Andrea was a firefighter and died through her job, Taylor is reluctant to start a relationship with Callie due to her high-risk job as she doesn’t think that she’ll be able to take it if another one of her partners dies through their job and not knowing if they’re going to be coming home when they’re going to work. This is only strengthened when Callie is shot on the job and we get to follow Taylor’s struggles with trying to overcome this fear of losing another partner through their job.
We also get the added twist of the lesbian stalker who continually visits Taylor at her bar and won’t leave her alone. I liked this aspect of the plot, it added an extra dimension to the plot and helped pull along some of the romantic plot also. I was weary right until the end and I did enjoy the way that this was concluded and the way it escalated was interesting.
I really enjoyed this and would definitely recommend this if you’re looking for a nice, easy quick read to fly through which involves a lesbian romance. It was a great introduction into f/f romance as I’ve never read any f/f and I have another book which I requested and this has made me super excited to get round to reading that!
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Thank you to Net Galley and Boldstroke Books for providing me with an e-ARC copy! All opinions in this review are my own and are honest.
The main reason I requested this was because one of my goals for 2018 was to read more diverse romance books and this features a lesbian romance along with a good sounding plot! I didn’t realise that this was the second book in the Burke Sister’s series however the this can be read as a standalone as the first book is about Quinn and Grace’s relationship – Quinn is the Sister of Callie who is one of the main characters in this book.
This was an enjoyable read and I managed to absolutely fly through this in a day. The writing was basic which isn’t a bad thing, like I said I managed to fly through this but there wasn’t anything that made the writing special or rememberable. It was just a nice, easy read and sometimes that’s exactly what is needed so that isn’t a bad thing.
This follows Callie who is a police officer and had recently moved back after her relationship with her ex, Jan didn’t work out and Taylor who lost her partner Andrea (who was a firefighter) a few years ago after she ran into a burning building to save a child. Andrea was also Callie’s best friend and Taylor own’s and manage the bar that Callie’s sister Quinn works at so there is a large amount of cross-over between them all. Callie has always liked Taylor and this story follows them trying to figure out their relationship and if there is a chance for one between them.
This deals with the grief of moving on after your partner died and I think it was dealt with really well. It also deals with moving on with your best friend’s partner as Andrea and Callie were best friends and Callie has always liked Taylor, even when Andrea was alive, so we got to see a lot of guilt which is linked to the death of Andrea for both parties in the relationship. Because Andrea was a firefighter and died through her job, Taylor is reluctant to start a relationship with Callie due to her high-risk job as she doesn’t think that she’ll be able to take it if another one of her partners dies through their job and not knowing if they’re going to be coming home when they’re going to work. This is only strengthened when Callie is shot on the job and we get to follow Taylor’s struggles with trying to overcome this fear of losing another partner through their job.
We also get the added twist of the lesbian stalker who continually visits Taylor at her bar and won’t leave her alone. I liked this aspect of the plot, it added an extra dimension to the plot and helped pull along some of the romantic plot also. I was weary right until the end and I did enjoy the way that this was concluded and the way it escalated was interesting.
I really enjoyed this and would definitely recommend this if you’re looking for a nice, easy quick read to fly through which involves a lesbian romance. It was a great introduction into f/f romance as I’ve never read any f/f and I have another book which I requested and this has made me super excited to get round to reading that!
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January 29, 2018
How many times is one expected to suspend disbelief in a supposedly realistic fiction and continue to enjoy reading it? Twice in a Lifetime asks for way too much of its readers, as a result of which it fails to deliver its promise of an entertaining read.
The story is full of plot holes and the characters' behaviour/reactions are unconvincing. There are too many big and small questions that niggle. Here is a list of some of them:
The story is full of plot holes and the characters' behaviour/reactions are unconvincing. There are too many big and small questions that niggle. Here is a list of some of them:
January 7, 2018
Book received from Netgalley and Bold Strokes Books for an honest review
This is the first book I’ve read by PJ Trebelhorn and I really enjoyed it. The story has many layers to it, some are given more exposure and some are left as flickers around the edges.
Callie is a homicide detective who has recently returned to her hometown after the ending of her three-year relationship. She often visits her sister Quinn at the bar she works at but is disturbed that the bar owner, Taylor, is quite dismissive of her. Taylor’s wife, who happens to have been Callie’s best friend, was a firefighter who died nearly four years previously in the line of duty. Callie believes Taylor doesn’t like her and Taylor struggles to deal with people in high-risk jobs.
Callie is not portrayed like the stereotypical cop: sullen, brooding, uncommunicative and rushing back to work two days after being shot four times. In fact, she is pleasantly ordinary. She’s expressive of her feelings, charming, has friends she talks to and cries without it being the end of the world. Taylor is more closed as a character but given her recent loss, it fits. The parents and siblings are all integral to the story and give a fullness to the development of the relationship. There is enough tension between Callie and Taylor but adding a stalker to the mix gave it that little bit extra.
It was a good read all round and I’m looking forward to reading more by this author.
This is the first book I’ve read by PJ Trebelhorn and I really enjoyed it. The story has many layers to it, some are given more exposure and some are left as flickers around the edges.
Callie is a homicide detective who has recently returned to her hometown after the ending of her three-year relationship. She often visits her sister Quinn at the bar she works at but is disturbed that the bar owner, Taylor, is quite dismissive of her. Taylor’s wife, who happens to have been Callie’s best friend, was a firefighter who died nearly four years previously in the line of duty. Callie believes Taylor doesn’t like her and Taylor struggles to deal with people in high-risk jobs.
Callie is not portrayed like the stereotypical cop: sullen, brooding, uncommunicative and rushing back to work two days after being shot four times. In fact, she is pleasantly ordinary. She’s expressive of her feelings, charming, has friends she talks to and cries without it being the end of the world. Taylor is more closed as a character but given her recent loss, it fits. The parents and siblings are all integral to the story and give a fullness to the development of the relationship. There is enough tension between Callie and Taylor but adding a stalker to the mix gave it that little bit extra.
It was a good read all round and I’m looking forward to reading more by this author.
January 16, 2018
3.5 Stars.
I liked this one. This is a new author from me and i'll look forward to reading more of their work. I don't often read F/F books because I often find them too fluffy and nice, but the description of this book caught my attention and it was every part as sweet, but interesting as I wanted it to be.
Great characters, a truly realistic story. Just an overall good read. A book on finding love after loss, and coming to terms with grief. These two characters meshed so well together and I'm glad that Taylor came to terms with her situation and she found her "Twice in a lifetime love"
Reviewed by Sarah from Alpha Book Club
I liked this one. This is a new author from me and i'll look forward to reading more of their work. I don't often read F/F books because I often find them too fluffy and nice, but the description of this book caught my attention and it was every part as sweet, but interesting as I wanted it to be.
Great characters, a truly realistic story. Just an overall good read. A book on finding love after loss, and coming to terms with grief. These two characters meshed so well together and I'm glad that Taylor came to terms with her situation and she found her "Twice in a lifetime love"
Reviewed by Sarah from Alpha Book Club
August 22, 2018
First of all: I did not know this book was part of a series and it was the 2nd one of that series! Guess I'm buying the first one as well (or my wife would be buying it for me).
I liked Callie a lot, even though she's a cop, I feel her she's more femenine than the ussual butch lesbian cop and I kind of need it a break from the butch lesbian love stories (but just a tiny little bit, since my next one is a butch lesbian one, yay).
I could understood Taylor's feelings, thinking that one in a lifetime love couldn't happen again, it would be hard for everyone in her position, plus her aversion against Callie's job? Also, sneaky Andrea for saying stuff that are not true to Callie and Taylor just because they thought they were cute.
It was a cute story, I loved it and Callie's protectiveness was awesome. Read it.
I liked Callie a lot, even though she's a cop, I feel her she's more femenine than the ussual butch lesbian cop and I kind of need it a break from the butch lesbian love stories (but just a tiny little bit, since my next one is a butch lesbian one, yay).
I could understood Taylor's feelings, thinking that one in a lifetime love couldn't happen again, it would be hard for everyone in her position, plus her aversion against Callie's job? Also, sneaky Andrea for saying stuff that are not true to Callie and Taylor just because they thought they were cute.
It was a cute story, I loved it and Callie's protectiveness was awesome. Read it.
June 10, 2018
Super disappointed with the story. The reviews on this book had me excited! Unimpressed with the story line, it was highly predictable and zero thrill, suspense, or climax. The last little part of the story had a bar scene with a little drama but it was rushed, and the build up to the scene was under written. The author gave us almost zero time to bond with the characters and feel and relate to them. Once I was introduced to the characters and started to learn who they were, it felt monatoned and drawn out. So much could have happened in this story and yet nothing at really. I was very disappointed that the author didn’t grab our attention more, and didn’t give us an opportunity to fall in love with the characters.
October 4, 2021
I can honestly say I'm a little at a loss on this one. I liked it but it didn't wow me. I've read this author before so maybe my expectations were a little too high.
The blurb about the book made me want to grab it and burrow down in my bean bag and read it with a do not disturb sticker on the door. Firstly, don't worry I don't have a bean bag, doubt I could get off it. Secondly, I felt like all the beans had exploded from my hypothetical bean bag when I finished.
I was disappointed. It's not a bad read. Also, I don't feel you need to read book one of this series to read this one. There are the same characters but very little refers back. So you don't lose anything.
Would I recommend it. Sure, because you might like it more than I did. I give it 3.5 stars but will show as 4.
January 22, 2018
This book had a lot of ups and downs and emotions all over with a stalker aspect that brings a crime/thriller feeling to it. Both characters were likable and they had chemistry even though Taylor kept pushing Callie away a lot. It was a bit drawn out and repetitive in my opinion but still a good read and i enjoyed it.
March 29, 2018
A quick, enjoyable read. Engaging premise - woman starts to fall in love with her best friend's widow, and doesn't know what to do with the feelings, but surprise! The feelings are mutual.
It was quick, it was fun, it mostly escaped the "the tall dark bar owner looked longingly at the petite firefighter" tropes. A good read.
It was quick, it was fun, it mostly escaped the "the tall dark bar owner looked longingly at the petite firefighter" tropes. A good read.
August 29, 2018
This was all too insta-lust but with zero chemistry, sexual or romantic. And everyone was so pushy towards the widow, her love interest, her parents, their friends. The stalker storyline is also more than poorly handled, and I hated that killing, even in self defense, had zero consequences on the widow's mental state, and that it was all glossed over in the last chapter.
April 28, 2019
*I got this book as an arc from Netgalley and I'm just now getting to it*
I really enjoyed this book! My biggest issue is that I felt off about the relationship. It was an own personal preference so I didnt take too much off for it. Overall, I really enjoyed it. It made me want to read some more f/f romances and broaden my romance reading spectrum.
I really enjoyed this book! My biggest issue is that I felt off about the relationship. It was an own personal preference so I didnt take too much off for it. Overall, I really enjoyed it. It made me want to read some more f/f romances and broaden my romance reading spectrum.
December 28, 2019
Not bad, I thought cal was somehow aggressive with her flirting she pushed her a lot, at least for me. I wanted to know Taylor's age thought so much. I was kinda surprised that Cal was around her 40tees since the cover was showing young women. Moreover, sometimes I wondered how did the author write this part or this sentence, it seemed so very out of place, if i make sense
Over all recommended.
Over all recommended.
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