Never Say Never

by Samantha Baca

This is a second chance romance that will melt your socks off! Coming in 2022 in the Beautiful Redemption anthology!

Unknown Binding

Published January 1, 2021

About the author

Samantha lives in the southwest with her husband and two children, where she enjoys writing, drinking iced coffee, and watching the greatest show of all time—Friends. With over 30 books published, Samantha enjoys writing across several different genres, from steamy romantic suspense to laugh-out-loud spicy romantic comedies. She also has a sweet spot for holiday stories, so grab a blanket and get ready to binge some of the sweetest—yet spicy—holiday romance your heart can handle!

Samantha loves connecting with her readers, so here’s a list of where you can find her:

Facebook Reader Group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/29457...

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/AuthorSamant...

Instagram:
https://instagram.com/author_samantha...

Webpage:
www.samanthabaca.com

Goodreads:
http://www.goodreads.com/authorsamant...

Books2Read:
https://books2read.com/ap/RQAYK9/Sama...

Reviews

[Lisa Hahn]

This book had all the feels. An emotional roller-coaster with Jake and Bellamy. High School sweethearts and engaged until they weren't. Jake built a life outside of Bells when he went off to college. He comes back with a new girl, who is al about money and status. As Jake and Bells navigate life in the same town, their love made have never died. This is has to be one of my favorite from Samantha Baca. Very well written, great story line and lots of spice .

[Kris]

Jake & Bellamy

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I was ready to RAGE going into this one because that blurb… nope. Absolutely not. I was already annoyed on Bellamy’s behalf, and then Jake proceeded to make me even more… annoyed.

I’m a sucker for a good second-chance romance, and this had all the hallmarks of one I should have loved. Childhood sweethearts, an engagement, separation, years apart, and then being thrown back into each other’s orbit in a small town where absolutely NOTHING stays private.

But Jake…

Let’s just say I didn't particularly like the MMC. He was a bit of a cake-eater, and honestly, if his girlfriend hadn't been such a manky ho, I get the feeling he would have happily stayed right where he was.

And can we talk about the fact that they were engaged and he just left? Who does that?! I really wanted an actual confrontation about what happened between them, and I felt like we never quite got the conversation I was waiting for. There was a lot of potential for some serious emotional fallout, and I wanted Bellamy to make him WORK for it.

That said, this is definitely a case of I liked the story even though I didn't particularly like the hero. The writing was good, the story kept me invested, and I genuinely wanted to see how things would work out between them.

I also really enjoyed the secondary characters and the small-town atmosphere. Fallen Oaks feels like exactly the kind of place where the gossip mill is working overtime, and having Jake's return become everyone's business made for some entertaining moments.

So, while Jake had me wanting to shake him more than once, Bellamy's story kept me reading. I enjoyed the book, I just spent a good portion of it wondering whether Jake had actually earned the second chance he was getting.

Would I read more from this series?
Absolutely.

Would I like to have a word with Jake first?
Also absolutely.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Mamawattto4 Melissa]

Thank you book sirens and Samantha Baca for the ARC

⭐⭐⭐⭐

4 stars

I really enjoyed Never Say Never! I’m a sucker for a good second-chance romance, and this one had all the small-town vibes, complicated history, and unresolved feelings that make this trope so much fun.

Jake and his ex-fiancée have a LOT of history, so when he unexpectedly comes back to town, you know things are about to get complicated. I loved watching them navigate all those old feelings while trying to figure out if they could actually have a future together this time around. There was plenty of emotional baggage to work through, and I appreciated that their past wasn’t just magically forgotten.

I also loved the small town setting and the bed and breakfast storyline. The friendships, the dreams they were working toward, and all the little town gossip added a fun layer to the romance.

This was an enjoyable read with a sweet second-chance love story, plenty of emotions, and characters you can’t help but root for as they figure out whether love really can get a second chance.

Definitely a fun addition to the small town romance shelf! 💕📚

[Mary Gallitano]

"The best things in life are usually the hardest".

And for Bellamy our female lead that's really the case. Her ex-boyfriend Jake shows up after dumping her 4 years ago with a vapid influencer girlfriends.

Bellamy is a strong, intelligent hard working young woman and it's hard to see how Jake could have replaced her with Camille.

Bellamy still has feelings for Jake and the breakup was traumatic for her.

What's even worse is that Jake is now going to be working at the Hardware store where Bellamy works!

She decides to pursue her lifelong dream of opening a Bed and Breakfast with her best friend Madison. Bellamy is a young woman going places, and I admired her grit and determination.

Jake and Camille's relationship falls apart almost immediately. In fact, her parents were placing bets on how long it would last!

Jake begins to realize he still has feelings for Bellamy, but Bellamy is understandably hesitant to let him in.

They both have great friends in the small town who help the find their way back to each other.

A great second chance, small town romance. It's one of the things Samantha Baca does really well.

[Elizabeth]

A second-chance romance.

Jake and Bellamy were engaged when Jake left town for college. Upon his return, he has a girlfriend, is working at the same hardware store, and buys the little house Bellamy had been saving for. I loved that Bellamy was able to pivot from not getting the house she wanted to an even bigger dream of opening a Bed & Breakfast with one of her friends. Yes! She has gumption, even with her heart breaking over the “girlfriend.”

Jake, for all his obliviousness, was able to see the mismatch between him and Camille, and I was happy to see her out of the picture early on. From there, I really started to enjoy the journey Jake and Bellamy take back to one another.

Through humor and emotion, two strong suits of Samantha Baca’s writing, we get a wonderful story of second chances set in a town where everyone knows your business and the gossip flies faster than a speeding locomotive. I enjoyed their reconciliation, the secondary characters, and the town.

[Liz Ranne]

I loved this! It's Jake & Bellamy's story & it was a great one! They grew up together, got engaged & then he just......left!!!?? When he returns to help out his grandpa & they see each other again it's all kinds of awkward; he shows up with a new girlfriend. I had a hard time liking him; I feel like he just would have kept on with the new one if thing's hadn't happened. He does redeem himself to some extent & Bellamy has a hard time trusting him again. Which I completely understand. I loved the story & the spice, recommend this book & author!

[Rachel Stephens]

Small town, second chance, and more.
I enjoyed Bellamy and Jake's story! Overall, it was a sweet read. There was drama, lots of feels, humor, and spice.
I liked seeing Bellamy and Jake's reconnect. The banter and tender moments were great.

I loved Bellamy. She was hardworking, independent, and sweet. She had just a bit of sass, but that was saved mostly for Jake.
I liked Jake, but I didn't love him. I'm a little disappointed that we didn't get an explanation of why he just left.

All in all, I think it was a great read with a happy ending.

[Karrie Lynn]

This was a fun read. Imagine the boy who broke your heart comes back to town with a new girlfriend and he buys the house you have been saving for for years. What do you do? We'll you enlist your best friend and you open up a bed and breakfast which was your dream. Small problem is the boy now works at the same hardware store you work at and you are thrust back into each other's lives. These two fall slowly but all at once and this sweet bed and breakfast sounds dreamy.

[Debdutch]

“Never Say Never” by Samantha Baca

Jake and Bellamy’s second-chance romance is sweet, spicy, and full of small-town gossip. I received a free copy and am voluntarily sharing my honest thoughts.

I enjoyed the story, the bed and breakfast, and watching Bellamy work toward her dreams, but Jake’s actions are frustrating. After everything, I understand why Bellamy struggles to trust him, even though he does put in the work to win her back. The sweet ending wraps things up nicely!

[Kim H]

I love a good second chance romance and this one did not disappoint! It definitely hits all the feels~loss, hurt, betrayal, remorse, deep rooted love, broken heart, and forgiveness!! So much to feel!!! Knowing when to put your heart on the line or when to walk away is always a touch decision and figuring out which one is best is always hard! Great story, wonderful characters, and all the feels!!!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Jenna Miller]

I enjoyed this second chance romance! It was a sweet story with a little bit of spice thrown in there. I always love when the main characters are close to their families and really value the friends in their lives. I just wanted more for this book. Maybe longer to explain more, because at the end it felt a bit rushed!

[Heather]

I enjoyed this second chance romance. Jake puts the work in with Bellamy. I liked seeing her accomplish her goal. The storyline is good and the book was easy to read. The ending was sweet and really wraps up their story. Overall a good read.

[tre.wandereads]

a really good read. there were a lot of emotions going through me while reading this book. it was an unusual story but also felt highly possible to happen. something that really stirs up a lot of strength in the reader as well as the characters. i liked it, despite all the intensity

[Amanda M]

A second chance romance with all the feels. Jake and Bellamy's story is so good. Loved that it was set in a small town. I also liked how the characters found their way back to one another, finally getting their HEA but not without some bumps along the way. It's a great book and a lovely read.

[Reading is escaping reality]

Heartbreak came back into town and she wasn’t ready. He ran, she stayed. The moment that broken them years later, ugh my heart! This was so good, and I didn’t want it to end. It had me hooked from the start!

I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Suze82]

mixed emotions

I must admit I struggled with the main characters, I really couldn´t relate to some of their behaviour, but I loved the small town setting and the supporting friends and family.

[Torey]

Super cute story, love the supportive friends in this story.