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Feels Like... #2
Feels Like Family
V’s about to start her first teaching job. After years of begging favours, juggling childcare, and working her arse off, she’s finally standing on her own two feet. The only trouble is, they’re a bit wobbly.
She knows she doesn’t want her old life any more, but perhaps the set ideas she had for her new one need some reassessment. In fact, when she’s knocked completely off-balance by Sofia, a hot Italian who’s single-handedly raising the sex appeal of the entire maths department, the whole plan is thrown through a classroom window.
After all, the greatest joy is in the unexpected—she’s got the precocious five-year-old daughter to prove it.
An age-gap romance that’ll add a smile, subtract a frown, and leave you feeling anything but square.
Feels Like Family is the sequel to Feels Like Home, but can be read as a standalone.
She knows she doesn’t want her old life any more, but perhaps the set ideas she had for her new one need some reassessment. In fact, when she’s knocked completely off-balance by Sofia, a hot Italian who’s single-handedly raising the sex appeal of the entire maths department, the whole plan is thrown through a classroom window.
After all, the greatest joy is in the unexpected—she’s got the precocious five-year-old daughter to prove it.
An age-gap romance that’ll add a smile, subtract a frown, and leave you feeling anything but square.
Feels Like Family is the sequel to Feels Like Home, but can be read as a standalone.
310 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 18, 2020
About the author
Jo Cox
13 books28 followersJo Cox writes character-driven fiction about women navigating love, family, and identity. Her contemporary novels centre queer women’s lives and are known for their emotional realism, strong ensemble casts, and relationships that develop with warmth, humour, and depth.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
June 23, 2021
**'Writers should always write to understand as much as to be understood by readers..'
3.5stars!
A nice follow-up or conclusion to this series -- very family oriented storytelling. Highly recommended!
3.5stars!
A nice follow-up or conclusion to this series -- very family oriented storytelling. Highly recommended!
February 7, 2022
No feels for this.
Outlier review here. Looks like everyone else loved this book... But I felt very little for the main characters. I know V is a good person and I grew to like her relationship with her housemates, Jess and Melissa, who are also the main couple of Book 1. They are an unconventional family, one I don't understand because V is the ex in the equation, but I still like the interactions nonetheless. But I just wasn't able to connect with her and wasn't really interested in what she and her love interest, Sofia, have together until much later on.
V and Sofia are colleagues who act on their mutual attraction early on but decide to keep it casual, which is why V keeps their relationship separate from her five year old daughter, Grace, and best friends for the longest time. As a result, I thought the bond that Sofia shares with Grace, wasn't strong. I also thought Sofia wasn't as natural at communicating with children like Jess and Melissa were.
I didn't click with this book like everyone else did but I thought I'd at least like the five year old. I don't. And the only thing that kept me going was to see Jess and Melissa again.
Outlier review here. Looks like everyone else loved this book... But I felt very little for the main characters. I know V is a good person and I grew to like her relationship with her housemates, Jess and Melissa, who are also the main couple of Book 1. They are an unconventional family, one I don't understand because V is the ex in the equation, but I still like the interactions nonetheless. But I just wasn't able to connect with her and wasn't really interested in what she and her love interest, Sofia, have together until much later on.
V and Sofia are colleagues who act on their mutual attraction early on but decide to keep it casual, which is why V keeps their relationship separate from her five year old daughter, Grace, and best friends for the longest time. As a result, I thought the bond that Sofia shares with Grace, wasn't strong. I also thought Sofia wasn't as natural at communicating with children like Jess and Melissa were.
I didn't click with this book like everyone else did but I thought I'd at least like the five year old. I don't. And the only thing that kept me going was to see Jess and Melissa again.
March 1, 2022
This is second in a series and characters from the first play heavily into this story. For one, we got to know V fairly well in the first and that arc continues here. I definitely recommend reading them in order.
I was surprised that this one picks up four or five years after the end of the first. So Jess and Melissa are practically settled. I kid. Their relationship is settled, but during this story, they have twins and get married (in that order, which I find weird). V has finished school and this picks up with her in her first job as an actual teacher. A job where she finds herself attracted to another teacher in her department. Sparks fly, sex is had, emotions grow, it was fairly good.
For way too long, I didn't get much of a sense of connection between V and Sophia. Sophia is self-contained and very neat and put together. It seemed like a lot for her to take on V and her messy life. Life that includes a high-energy five year-old. Add V's insecurities over finally getting the adulting thing down and it just seemed like a strange match.
I'm not sure that got better or if I just got used to it, but I think it worked out. It helps that I liked Sophia and getting to know her and the insecurities that she keeps well-buried. Indeed, I'm glad she attached to V because her emotional state would be easy for someone unscrupulous to exploit—as it seems her ex had, in fact, done. I liked more than a little that Sophia never used her past relationship as a reason to shy from the new one, as that would have been a default for many authors. And I liked how it contrasted for her relationship with V.
While reading, I just rolled with all the extra folks wandering in and out of the narrative. In retrospect, it seems a bit haphazard and incoherent. Which is very lifelike, but doesn't do much for the story. I suppose I was just that engaged with Sophia and V and their contrasting personalities coming together (once it came together, I mean).
I guess what I'm saying is that so much of this story works only so long as you buy into the author's tale. Which is another way of saying that some core elements were shall0wly supported and my enjoyment was due largely to me wanting to be engaged. So it's a wobbly, and mostly personal, four stars. Your experience will almost certainly vary depending on how well you connect with the characters/story.
A note about Steamy: There are hundreds of explicit sex scenes, putting this in the high end of my steam tolerance. Okay, it was probably only about a half dozen, but I frankly skimmed a few and skipped the last, completely gratuitous, one. The first couple did well laying down a framework for their relationship, but after that it just became more of the same.
I was surprised that this one picks up four or five years after the end of the first. So Jess and Melissa are practically settled. I kid. Their relationship is settled, but during this story, they have twins and get married (in that order, which I find weird). V has finished school and this picks up with her in her first job as an actual teacher. A job where she finds herself attracted to another teacher in her department. Sparks fly, sex is had, emotions grow, it was fairly good.
For way too long, I didn't get much of a sense of connection between V and Sophia. Sophia is self-contained and very neat and put together. It seemed like a lot for her to take on V and her messy life. Life that includes a high-energy five year-old. Add V's insecurities over finally getting the adulting thing down and it just seemed like a strange match.
I'm not sure that got better or if I just got used to it, but I think it worked out. It helps that I liked Sophia and getting to know her and the insecurities that she keeps well-buried. Indeed, I'm glad she attached to V because her emotional state would be easy for someone unscrupulous to exploit—as it seems her ex had, in fact, done. I liked more than a little that Sophia never used her past relationship as a reason to shy from the new one, as that would have been a default for many authors. And I liked how it contrasted for her relationship with V.
While reading, I just rolled with all the extra folks wandering in and out of the narrative. In retrospect, it seems a bit haphazard and incoherent. Which is very lifelike, but doesn't do much for the story. I suppose I was just that engaged with Sophia and V and their contrasting personalities coming together (once it came together, I mean).
I guess what I'm saying is that so much of this story works only so long as you buy into the author's tale. Which is another way of saying that some core elements were shall0wly supported and my enjoyment was due largely to me wanting to be engaged. So it's a wobbly, and mostly personal, four stars. Your experience will almost certainly vary depending on how well you connect with the characters/story.
A note about Steamy: There are hundreds of explicit sex scenes, putting this in the high end of my steam tolerance. Okay, it was probably only about a half dozen, but I frankly skimmed a few and skipped the last, completely gratuitous, one. The first couple did well laying down a framework for their relationship, but after that it just became more of the same.
July 31, 2021
A very enjoyable read!
Friends to lovers, an ex lover/best friend, a meddling mother, chosen family, a hot Italian, a cute daughter and adorable pets. Plus, a warm atmosphere, great banter, steamy scenes, a little drama, amazing characters you care about and the writing style is easy to follow. All this gives a heartwarming romance and I highly recommend both books (Feels Like Home/Feels Like Family) in this series.
Friends to lovers, an ex lover/best friend, a meddling mother, chosen family, a hot Italian, a cute daughter and adorable pets. Plus, a warm atmosphere, great banter, steamy scenes, a little drama, amazing characters you care about and the writing style is easy to follow. All this gives a heartwarming romance and I highly recommend both books (Feels Like Home/Feels Like Family) in this series.
May 4, 2021
Family makes a home.
V and Sofia make a really great couple and are super hot together. They both were shy about starting a relationship. Sofia has a past that is slowly becoming an issue that they need to get past. Grace is the perfect example of a six year old precious and precocious. I would love another book with all of these characters.
V and Sofia make a really great couple and are super hot together. They both were shy about starting a relationship. Sofia has a past that is slowly becoming an issue that they need to get past. Grace is the perfect example of a six year old precious and precocious. I would love another book with all of these characters.
June 6, 2022
4.5 star rating
I think the momentum of the romance was just perfect even though I was wondering how the story will proceed early on.
This is a story of V ( I don't think we were ever told her full name) and her initial thought on casual relationship turned serious and really romantic relationship.
It was an enjoyable tale, add on children and animals and it is a Hallmark experience.
I think the momentum of the romance was just perfect even though I was wondering how the story will proceed early on.
This is a story of V ( I don't think we were ever told her full name) and her initial thought on casual relationship turned serious and really romantic relationship.
It was an enjoyable tale, add on children and animals and it is a Hallmark experience.
July 16, 2021
I love it when main characters communicate like the adults they are. This is such a feel good story that I enjoyed very much.
December 18, 2020
After loving Feels Like Home (just like I love all of Jo‘s books) I was very excited about this sequel. A sequel that’s about Jess‘ longtime friend V. The story is set a few years later and the characters have definitely grown during this time. Even if V still believes at the beginning that she is only good for affairs and that she is only good for a life together with her daughter Grace. I just loved to see them together. Especially the scenes together with Melissa and Jess, not to forget Hal the dog. What’s a good book without a dog? Lol
I am a big fan of Jo‘s humour and in those scenes you get to see the whole range of it. The moment V meets Sofia in her new job, while Sofia is the head of department, the heat definitely turns up a bit. Even if only very slowly at first.
I won’t reveal to much about what happens, because everyone needs to read and decide for themselves. But what I can say is that I loved the whole story and how it was built up. How V and Sofia started out as an affair and then slowly got closer and closer, while in the end a new family was built (ok I just revealed that, lol). Jo did such a great job in showing what it needs to build a family, especially when a child is involved. It’s not just the couple that has to be a match, it’s also the child that needs to be considered. And let me tell you for all the lover of the heat department, there are some really hot scenes in it too. Lol 🔥
I also loved to see Melissa and Jess again and how their relationship grew through the years. It’s like a meeting of some old friends after you haven’t seen them for years.
I am so proud of you Jo and I highly recommend this book.
I am a big fan of Jo‘s humour and in those scenes you get to see the whole range of it. The moment V meets Sofia in her new job, while Sofia is the head of department, the heat definitely turns up a bit. Even if only very slowly at first.
I won’t reveal to much about what happens, because everyone needs to read and decide for themselves. But what I can say is that I loved the whole story and how it was built up. How V and Sofia started out as an affair and then slowly got closer and closer, while in the end a new family was built (ok I just revealed that, lol). Jo did such a great job in showing what it needs to build a family, especially when a child is involved. It’s not just the couple that has to be a match, it’s also the child that needs to be considered. And let me tell you for all the lover of the heat department, there are some really hot scenes in it too. Lol 🔥
I also loved to see Melissa and Jess again and how their relationship grew through the years. It’s like a meeting of some old friends after you haven’t seen them for years.
I am so proud of you Jo and I highly recommend this book.
April 22, 2025
I read book 1, Feels Like Home from my TBR shelves and loved it so much, I bought book 2, Feels Like Family! What a gorgeous age gap love story. In this book we follow V and Sophia, and of course Gracie. We also continue knowing what happens in Jess and Melissa's lives. A complete book! A loving book! I highly recommend both books! 5 stars!
January 30, 2024
This is the follow on from Feels Like Home, Jo Cox’ first book, and in that we had V and her young daughter Grace living with Jess (and later Melissa, in their new home).
After putting her life and career on hold because of a surprise pregnancy, then the birth and early childhood of Grace, V has finally finished her teacher training, and is just beginning her first real job as a maths teacher in a middle school. The new head of department is Sofia, who V finds an instant attraction to. Sofia is a sexy but very private Italian woman, and the two become very good friends.
This is a sweet, warm story with very little angst. There are many funny moments, and many deep thoughtful moments, especially where Grace is involved.
This feels a bit unfinished, and I am wondering if there is another book planned for this series. In this one we get the wedding of Jess and Melissa from the first book, and I feel there are incomplete loose ends from this book that hopefully will be tied up neatly in a later story. It feels very much as a series of books that run into one another, with many overlaps.
After putting her life and career on hold because of a surprise pregnancy, then the birth and early childhood of Grace, V has finally finished her teacher training, and is just beginning her first real job as a maths teacher in a middle school. The new head of department is Sofia, who V finds an instant attraction to. Sofia is a sexy but very private Italian woman, and the two become very good friends.
This is a sweet, warm story with very little angst. There are many funny moments, and many deep thoughtful moments, especially where Grace is involved.
This feels a bit unfinished, and I am wondering if there is another book planned for this series. In this one we get the wedding of Jess and Melissa from the first book, and I feel there are incomplete loose ends from this book that hopefully will be tied up neatly in a later story. It feels very much as a series of books that run into one another, with many overlaps.
June 7, 2021
Feels Like Family is the sequel to Feels Like Home. Here I thought Book 1 gave me all the feels but then this one went and gave me double the feels. In this story, Jess’ best friend V from Book 1 gets her own romance in the form of an irresistible Italian colleague named Sofia. The chemistry between V & Sofia is explosive and so much fun. I loved how their relationship developed start to finish. The dialogue is so beyond witty and the humorous sarcasm between friends and lovers is written perfectly. This series was truly a pleasure to read.
April 16, 2025
What can I say… I love this author
December 25, 2020
Loved!
This is the 2nd book in the series! This story is about V and Sofia! It has all the feels! It’s sweet, fun and steamy! Jess and Melissa from the 1st book reappear in this one which makes it even more enjoyable!
This is the 2nd book in the series! This story is about V and Sofia! It has all the feels! It’s sweet, fun and steamy! Jess and Melissa from the 1st book reappear in this one which makes it even more enjoyable!
June 6, 2022
I loved this!
Just happy soft queerness that made my heart happy.
Just happy soft queerness that made my heart happy.
October 23, 2023
This was a great follow-up to Feels Like Home. Again it had wonderful characters and a unique story, on top of more than a bit of fun follow-up with the characters from before. With kids everywhere! OK, the babies were maybe mostly props, but the kind of props that keep you up at night and provide the occasional explosion of poop to keep everybody on their toes. 🤣
It was still pretty low-angst… I never much felt like I was agonizing over anything, or that I couldn’t put the book down because I had to know how something or other was going to be resolved. But it was a happy kind of low angst, where things go well and it’s just an enjoyable ride. I’m not always in the mood for that… sometimes I want some good struggles… but this would be a fine one for when I am.
The stack of tins under the sink, though… that went right on over my head. 🤣
It was still pretty low-angst… I never much felt like I was agonizing over anything, or that I couldn’t put the book down because I had to know how something or other was going to be resolved. But it was a happy kind of low angst, where things go well and it’s just an enjoyable ride. I’m not always in the mood for that… sometimes I want some good struggles… but this would be a fine one for when I am.
The stack of tins under the sink, though… that went right on over my head. 🤣
January 22, 2021
Low drama but high on feeling
This book, and the first, both stood out to me be sure while I really got to know these characters intimately and was rooting for them, there wasn't a huge amount of drama. I fell for the characters early on, then I was super proud of them as they supported each other in overcoming their own issues and growing into better versions of themselves.
That's not to say there wasn't some strong emotion going on throughout, there certainly was, and the characters slip up here and there, but they make steady progress towards happiness and the story felt well paced, and always engaging.
This book, and the first, both stood out to me be sure while I really got to know these characters intimately and was rooting for them, there wasn't a huge amount of drama. I fell for the characters early on, then I was super proud of them as they supported each other in overcoming their own issues and growing into better versions of themselves.
That's not to say there wasn't some strong emotion going on throughout, there certainly was, and the characters slip up here and there, but they make steady progress towards happiness and the story felt well paced, and always engaging.
April 29, 2021
Excellent!
I loved this story. It was good that I reread the first book. It gave me the sense of the characters and what was going in. V being and her daughter Grace are experiencing changes in their lives. V has a teaching job now and meets the sexy head of the math department Sophia. Although keeping their mutual attraction quiet is agreed, they realize that the just having fun idea of their relationship is more than they want to admit. The was such a cute and lovely romance and I didn’t want it to end. I could see another story...
I loved this story. It was good that I reread the first book. It gave me the sense of the characters and what was going in. V being and her daughter Grace are experiencing changes in their lives. V has a teaching job now and meets the sexy head of the math department Sophia. Although keeping their mutual attraction quiet is agreed, they realize that the just having fun idea of their relationship is more than they want to admit. The was such a cute and lovely romance and I didn’t want it to end. I could see another story...
February 25, 2021
Nominally this sequel to "Feels Like Home" is a romance between V and Sofia. In reality the story arc follows all of the important people in V's life, including her daughter, Jess and Melissa's expanding family, Sofia, a couple of minor characters and several four-legged acquaintances. While not quite an ensemble piece, it is much more than the tale of one developing relationship. The HEA aspect is very sweet, but it is also nice to catch up with the rest of the cast from Book 1.
July 21, 2022
I’ve really been struggling with reading lately. Starting and not finishing books because they just didn’t interest or excite me and made reading feel like a chore rather than a way of relaxing and escaping.
This book really made such a difference. Watching the story unfold between the two main characters made me wants to steal away and read a few pages any chance I got. I really enjoyed this one 😊
This book really made such a difference. Watching the story unfold between the two main characters made me wants to steal away and read a few pages any chance I got. I really enjoyed this one 😊
May 10, 2021
Good book
I loved this book. I like how V started teaching Nd met Sophia and they took a liking to each other. I loved it how V finally found someone that would love her daughter as well as her.
I loved this book. I like how V started teaching Nd met Sophia and they took a liking to each other. I loved it how V finally found someone that would love her daughter as well as her.
December 6, 2021
A New Lease on Life
V is starting her new job as a math teacher. The department head Sophia is Italian and they seem to click. Jess and Melissa are getting married and V is building the next chapter of her journey. A sweet romance and a family affair.
V is starting her new job as a math teacher. The department head Sophia is Italian and they seem to click. Jess and Melissa are getting married and V is building the next chapter of her journey. A sweet romance and a family affair.
October 20, 2023
Loved it
This book was as amazing as the first. It is great to see friends be like family. As they say, sometimes your chosen family is better than your blood relatives. Jo you have another winner.
This book was as amazing as the first. It is great to see friends be like family. As they say, sometimes your chosen family is better than your blood relatives. Jo you have another winner.
August 10, 2025
Love it
I'm so glad I decided to read this book it was great love the characters the story line I couldn't put it down It's the first time I read anything from this author but it won't be the last I recommend this book
I'm so glad I decided to read this book it was great love the characters the story line I couldn't put it down It's the first time I read anything from this author but it won't be the last I recommend this book
February 7, 2021
Nice
I really liked this continuation of Jess and Melissa's story. Getting to know more about V and her situation was nice too.
I really liked this continuation of Jess and Melissa's story. Getting to know more about V and her situation was nice too.
February 11, 2021
Romantic and satisfying
Another great read. I really enjoy the characters and feel I know them. More really great dialogue, feel-good and funny.
Another great read. I really enjoy the characters and feel I know them. More really great dialogue, feel-good and funny.
August 7, 2022
Wow fantastic storyline
Wow fantastic storyline I loved the first book but this one has touched my heart it's perfect a must read for sure congratulations
Wow fantastic storyline I loved the first book but this one has touched my heart it's perfect a must read for sure congratulations
January 3, 2024
slightly different tone than the first in the series, small child indeed
January 31, 2025
This was a good read. I loved the chemistry of the MCs, but I also loved their domestic vibe.
July 7, 2026
Much better than book one in my opinion
January 10, 2021
I absolutely loved this book, I think it was better than the first one and sexier as well.
Sofia and V met at the school both of them work at and what it started as a friends with benefits kind of thing it develops into something more. There's a little bit of angst and it was something I wasn't expecting.
Great book, loved the epilogue.
Sofia and V met at the school both of them work at and what it started as a friends with benefits kind of thing it develops into something more. There's a little bit of angst and it was something I wasn't expecting.
Great book, loved the epilogue.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews