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Try Again #3
Read and Wright
Colleen Bartlett Hawthorne did everything right. She got the sensible marketing degree instead of the creative writing one she wanted. She worked in her field and had beautiful apartment in downtown Denver. She called her parents every week and visited on Christmas. So when she loses her kind-of boyfriend and then her job and has to move back home to middle-of-nowhere Goodland, Kansas, Colleen feels like a failure. Her mother's criticisms about her weight only makes it worse. Colleens wants to curl up in bed and escape into the romance novels she loves to read--and occasionally write--but she has a plan. She's going to take the freelance marketing world by storm and no one is going to stop her.
Except maybe Courtney Wright, the man who broke her 18-year-old heart beyond repair.
Courtney Wright has the weight of the world--or at least his entire family--on his shoulders. Their well-being, his son's well-being depends on his gym being successful, and Court is barely keeping the lights on when Colleen reenters his life. He can't stop thinking about her, but Colleen wants nothing to do with him. So Court strikes a deal with her, personal training sessions for her marketing expertise, just to keep her close. Will his gamble pay off, or will both of them lose everything?
Except maybe Courtney Wright, the man who broke her 18-year-old heart beyond repair.
Courtney Wright has the weight of the world--or at least his entire family--on his shoulders. Their well-being, his son's well-being depends on his gym being successful, and Court is barely keeping the lights on when Colleen reenters his life. He can't stop thinking about her, but Colleen wants nothing to do with him. So Court strikes a deal with her, personal training sessions for her marketing expertise, just to keep her close. Will his gamble pay off, or will both of them lose everything?
304 pages, Paperback
Published October 18, 2019
14 people are currently reading
26 people want to read
About the author
Marla Holt
28 books175 followersMarla Holt believes in second chances, romance, and the radical notion that everyone deserves a happily every after. She's living her own fairy tale, writing contemporary romance novels in her Kansas farmhouse with her husband, three boys, three cats, and flock of imaginary sheep. Follow her at marlaholt.com or on Instagram as @marlaholtauthor
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
June 29, 2020
Relatable Tear-Jerker
I don't think I've ever encountered a Romance Heroine more relatable than Colleen. The struggle of balancing her own feelings of her weight, with her mother's expectations, and of trying to find a "viable" use for her talents instead of writing were such familiar troubles. Honestly, I love romance book, but I rarely relate to the Heroines. Its more like I'm a voyer enjoying someone else's happiness. But this time, I felt like "hey, that could be me", which made both the ups and downs hit harder.
I do think the ending felt a little rushed, like there could have been more discussion or something, but this is definitely my favorite book of the series.
I don't think I've ever encountered a Romance Heroine more relatable than Colleen. The struggle of balancing her own feelings of her weight, with her mother's expectations, and of trying to find a "viable" use for her talents instead of writing were such familiar troubles. Honestly, I love romance book, but I rarely relate to the Heroines. Its more like I'm a voyer enjoying someone else's happiness. But this time, I felt like "hey, that could be me", which made both the ups and downs hit harder.
I do think the ending felt a little rushed, like there could have been more discussion or something, but this is definitely my favorite book of the series.
October 19, 2019
I received an ARC in return for an honest review.
As with Ms. Holt’s other books in this series, I really enjoy her characters. (Juliet not as much) Colleen and Alex both felt like real characters to me. I could see myself developing friendships and listening to these crazy scenarios they’d get into.
Colleen is an interesting character and her backstory seems believable. Going home after some bad luck among other things, she has to deal with feeling like a failure when she moves back in with her parents.
Then you add in a hot grown up version of her first love. Of course interesting things will happen.
Overall I enjoy these romance novels. The plots and characters are well developed. And even if you can predict the end (as with many romances) the steps getting there are interesting and the characters kept me invested.
The only aspect in this book that was a little disconcerting is the minor grammar mistakes. Though those should be cleaned out by the final edit.
Again overall this book was a fun diversion. And I love good well rounded characters and these books are full of them! So, if you enjoy fun light romances with believable characters check this series out!
As with Ms. Holt’s other books in this series, I really enjoy her characters. (Juliet not as much) Colleen and Alex both felt like real characters to me. I could see myself developing friendships and listening to these crazy scenarios they’d get into.
Colleen is an interesting character and her backstory seems believable. Going home after some bad luck among other things, she has to deal with feeling like a failure when she moves back in with her parents.
Then you add in a hot grown up version of her first love. Of course interesting things will happen.
Overall I enjoy these romance novels. The plots and characters are well developed. And even if you can predict the end (as with many romances) the steps getting there are interesting and the characters kept me invested.
The only aspect in this book that was a little disconcerting is the minor grammar mistakes. Though those should be cleaned out by the final edit.
Again overall this book was a fun diversion. And I love good well rounded characters and these books are full of them! So, if you enjoy fun light romances with believable characters check this series out!
March 11, 2020
Let's see. Boy and girl get together. Boy breaks girl's heart when he leaves her for hateful college girlfriend.
About 9 years later, now woman and man are back in hometown. She is regrouping from lost job, lost relationship. He is raising a child alone after hateful ex-wife has disappeared.
Sparks fly, because duh, this is a romance novel.
I liked this book better than either of the others in the series because it felt the most real. Lots of humor, while not soft pedaling the fact that when he dumped her he did it in the worst way possible and caused real damage.
The heroine is a writer, and the author cleverly gives us a behind the scenes view of how romance authors work, plot their stories, and promote themselves. That was fun!
About 9 years later, now woman and man are back in hometown. She is regrouping from lost job, lost relationship. He is raising a child alone after hateful ex-wife has disappeared.
Sparks fly, because duh, this is a romance novel.
I liked this book better than either of the others in the series because it felt the most real. Lots of humor, while not soft pedaling the fact that when he dumped her he did it in the worst way possible and caused real damage.
The heroine is a writer, and the author cleverly gives us a behind the scenes view of how romance authors work, plot their stories, and promote themselves. That was fun!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
January 14, 2025There I go reading (listening) to my own books again. It was just a natural progression after I finished Sparkle & Shine, you know. Plus, Court and Colleen's story takes place in the fall, so it just seemed like fun. It was. Colleen is fierce. And I want to be somebody's Stella.
03/2023, I missed Court and Colleen, and the narrator.
01/2025, Still love Court and Colleen. And I still need to give Cowboy Flynn his own book.
03/2023, I missed Court and Colleen, and the narrator.
01/2025, Still love Court and Colleen. And I still need to give Cowboy Flynn his own book.
November 11, 2019
Really enjoyed this story. I liked reading about the heroine's family dynamics and how she learned to stand up for herself. Taking control of her life instead of letting life happen to her. The second chance romance aspect of it was done well. I believed the turmoil and the path to forgiveness. It showed life is messy but we can always make the most of it.
June 20, 2020
A surprising and phenomenal romance
I thought I had this story figured out pretty early on but boy was I wrong. The twists and turns in Court and Colleen’s love story are heartbreaking, and their journey back to each other equally gut wrenching. I won’t spoil anything, but if you enjoy deep, real characters and emotional, dramatic second chance romances then this is the read for you.
I thought I had this story figured out pretty early on but boy was I wrong. The twists and turns in Court and Colleen’s love story are heartbreaking, and their journey back to each other equally gut wrenching. I won’t spoil anything, but if you enjoy deep, real characters and emotional, dramatic second chance romances then this is the read for you.
December 25, 2022
Easy read
The story was decent but oh my did this book need an editor. There are so many errors, it's distracting. I don't mind an occasional error but there were multiple spelling and grammatical errors on every page.
The story was decent but oh my did this book need an editor. There are so many errors, it's distracting. I don't mind an occasional error but there were multiple spelling and grammatical errors on every page.
October 19, 2019
This second chance romance isn’t just a meet cute and rekindled flames (tho the flames are there and fueled by desperate time lost 🔥). This book captures how hard growth and self realization is. How hard it is to forgive. This series, and this book especially, capture that relatable struggle.
On to the players. Court has pecs and heart and I love him. Colleen is a woman with walls, sass, and savvy. Court teases her and pushes her to embrace a softer version of herself while she makes him work for what he wants. I adore their dynamic, their push and pull.
This is a satisfying conclusion to the Try Again series, though it can easily be enjoyed as a stand-alone.
Review of the Advanced Reader Copy.
On to the players. Court has pecs and heart and I love him. Colleen is a woman with walls, sass, and savvy. Court teases her and pushes her to embrace a softer version of herself while she makes him work for what he wants. I adore their dynamic, their push and pull.
This is a satisfying conclusion to the Try Again series, though it can easily be enjoyed as a stand-alone.
Review of the Advanced Reader Copy.
December 16, 2019
I love that the author paired her hot AF beard man with a fluffier woman, I love the angst between Court and Colleen, the sizzling appeal between them, the heartbreaking background for their splitting and gah....just loved it all.
I'm really sad to see the end of the Try Again series, and I'm secretly hoping Marla will visit this world again with a mash up of all three books MC's in some type of holiday story. A girl can hope right?!
It's a great ending to the series, so make sure you check out Ethan and Juliet, Sparkle and Shine first, then grab you this book and settle down with your own bearded man-cakes.
I'm off to go snuggle with mine! ;)
I'm really sad to see the end of the Try Again series, and I'm secretly hoping Marla will visit this world again with a mash up of all three books MC's in some type of holiday story. A girl can hope right?!
It's a great ending to the series, so make sure you check out Ethan and Juliet, Sparkle and Shine first, then grab you this book and settle down with your own bearded man-cakes.
I'm off to go snuggle with mine! ;)
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews