Love, Again

by April D. Berry

Can there be love after loss…with a movie star?

Kate always had a sweet southern heart and lived the ultimate cliché of a happily ever after when she married her high school sweetheart and started a family where she grew up. But after tragedy left her widowed, she became a shell of a person, only holding it together for her son.

When Action Film Star, Boyd Love, returns to their shared hometown after more than ten years away, Kate is surprised to see him and can’t believe he asked her to catch up while he’s in town. After he learns she’s single, he drops a long-kept secret on her, opening a door she thought was forever closed.

But can a small-town widow and an A-List celebrity make it work? Or will their opposite lifestyles, and the miles between them, be too big of a barrier?

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Ebooks, Friends To Lovers, Second Chance, Rom Com, Audiobook

302 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 16, 2021

Reviews

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely adored this sweet second chance romance where Kate, a nearly 30 widow who works in a small town in Georgia at her mom’s flower shop, has a second chance at love when major movie star Boyd Love, who she was friends with in high school, returns to town to care for his mother. There were so many things I loved about this novel. The southern setting was really cozy and sweet, from sweet tea to barbecue parties at the pool with ribs, cole slaw and baked macaroni. Kate lost her husband just over a year before the novel starts and one thing I loved and found really touching was the gentle way that Boyd let her set the pace as they flirted over texts and friendship turned into something more. There were tears at times, and it made everything feel so real. All the characters were really great. I liked Mason and Charlie (I am a sucker for great dogs!), and the scenes cooking with Boyd’s sister Rachel were fun, too. I also liked the movie star aspects of the novel and seeing how Boyd and Rachel deal with the pressures of his job and fame. Recommended for readers who love a fun, steamy contemporary romance read!

[Foxy Vixen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This could’ve been a real cute romance story. But … with no warning at all in thr book blurb about sexual content it was a disappointment.
If you want a sexy book to read to your spouse or listen to the audiobook together, this would be the one. HOT, HOT, HOT!

I adored the son, Mason, all of us wish for a child like him. Charlie the dog was cute also. Boyd Love and Kate reminds us all what early lust is like.


Challenge review question for this book is:
How is nature treated in the book? Not much nature in this book to comment on with the exception of a car drive up a Georgia mountain.

[Ayla Asher · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been in a mood to read sweet, steamy romances lately, so you can imagine how excited I was when this ARC showed up on my Kindle! I recently read Served, and adored it, and was excited to read another book from this author.

This story was a beautiful second chance romance with lots of steam. Furthermore, it made me laugh so freaking hard at several points. Y'all, there's a scene where our heroine doesn't want her sexy movie star lover to "go down there" (if you know what I mean) and she finally tells him it's like a damn forest. TEARS were streaming down my cheeks because I was laughing so hard. :) I mean, we've all been there ladies, am I right??? Needless to say, it was the perfect book for my current reading mood and I can't WAIT for more people to read it.

If you like sweet second chance stories with steam and an awesome HEA, snatch this one up asap!

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could not put this book down!! It just flowed together and I seriously had a hard time with finding a stopping point and doing other things..ya know..like sleep! 🤣

Loved it!

[Nes N · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Check trigger warnings*
✨ 5 ⭐️ / 3 🌶 ✨

Obsessed with Love, Again!! I read this while attending wine tastings on vacation and I could not put it down. I am obsessed with RomCom movies and reading this RomCom was a whole other experience. Took it to another level. It gave me all the feels and I 100% believe this should be a film. Do you love Chris Evans? I do and this gives all the Chris Evan vibes and I'm here for it. Love, Again is a quick read and I promise you will be hooked. Recommend it to all RomCom lovers and any one who loves Chris Evans.

[S.J. Stewart · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really sweet read. It had the small town, school kid crush and kind of a second chance trope mixed with the celebrity trope that I kind of love.

The characters were well crafted. I really liked the way Kate was honest with tackling her grief and the confusion that goes along with that. It was messy, but it was supposed to be which made the characters feel more real. Boyd is just a sweetheart.

I read this book through in one sitting. Really enjoyed it.

[Constance Bell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kate is a widowed mother in her late twenties who has seemingly given up on love, and herself in that aspect. She lives for her son, Mason, and works at her moms flower shop.

When her high school friend, now movie star and heartthrob Boyd Love shows up in her moms flower shop, an unexpected whirlwind romance blossoms, and Kate finds herself feeling things she thought were long gone. However, can she handle the stress of a relationship with a highly successful and well-loved, heartthrob as her partner?

I loved April D. berry’s debut, Served, and couldn’t wait for this gem to be released! Another home run, as #aprildberryauthor knocks it out of the park with #LoveAgain

[KayKat · Rating 5 out of 5]

So Great!

I absolutely loved this book! This is now one of my favorite romances. Everything in this book was perfect. Romances don't usually keep guessing but this one did. And the ending was absolutely beautiful. I highly recommend this book!

[Allie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is the perfect mix of older love (this isn’t a college romance, this is people in their 30’s which I nice for a change) spice, Ron-com cheesiness and an incredible lesson. April D Berry outdid herself. The book ends perfectly where you don’t even want a sequel because it’s perfect the way it is

[Elaine Schroller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a good read!

I laughed out loud many times and cried more than once. Kate is such an engaging character - real and complex - and I cheered her on from page one.

[Martha Shiels · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super fun very sweet. A great feel good book, felt like a modern day fairy tale

[Heart&SoulBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a sweet second chance romance. The girl who had it all in high school, married her high school sweetheart and is now widowed and alone. The guy who was hopelessly tormented in high school by everyone but her and is now a famous movie star. It’s cute, it’s fun, it does deal with some series issues such as loss of a partner and illness of a parent. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

[Patti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok I loved this story. I was sad it was over. What a great book. I such not be surprised though, I have love every books of April’s that I have read so far!

[Gina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet and steamy! Couldn’t put it down.

[Krista Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I throughly enjoyed this story, it fell flats a little. Also it is smut smut smut’ it was a sweet story that was so fun to watch unfold!

[Jessica Goodman · Rating 2 out of 5]

This could have been much shorter and turned into a Hallmark movie script. I thought it was quite predictable and didn’t really treat serious issues well. The main widowed character went from deep grief to attached to the new interest in about 4 pages. I would skip it.

[Cassie Marks · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the premise of the story, but the writing needs finessing ( too many repetitive words). Loved the narrator for the audible version, this was my first time hearing them and thoroughly enjoyed their performance.

[Cat · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first book by April D Berry and I found it to be a touching,sweet and steamy romance.
Kate is a single mum not by choice though her husband was killed and she was now trying hard to carve a life out for herself and her son Mason.
Kate was finding it difficult to move on until she meets an old high school friend who comes into the shop she works at with her mum.
Boyd Love had a terrible time at high school constantly being bullied,there was only Kate who was kind to him..Now Boyd was very different and highly successful as a Hollywood Action superstar.!!
Boyd had always had a crush on kate but she had a boyfriend in high school that boy she married,but now she was single and free...The only catch was Kate had alot of insecurities and guilt,could she fall in love again and with him?..He was willing to try.
Kate couldn't believe someone as gorgeous and famous could want someone like her she was just ordinary,they were from completely different worlds.So could she let herself love once again and could she fit into his world..
With Paparazzi hounding them and trying to adjust to her new relationship with Boyd, Kate let her hang ups cause problems.
Boyd is like the perfect man I loved the way he adored Kate the adoration he showed her even when Kate didn't believe she was right for him...I liked the change in Kate as she accepts Boyds love she starts to go out of her comfort zone and in some ways Boyd brings her back to life.
There are some amusing moments in this book to and the side characters in this book are characters you can easily love.
I listened to this book on audio and Eliza Summers did a great job at portraying all the characters male and female..Her voice was expressive and easy to listen to.
April D Berry has created a lovely romance with some steamy moments,I enjoyed her writing and the realness of the story.
Love Again is a great comfort read and I liked it very much.
Brilliant.
5 Stars.

[Shelly Rogers · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book! I can not express how much I enjoyed reading this book. Now, full disclosure, I am a dark romance, RH, give me all the trigger warnings reader. HOWEVER, I decided that this year I was going to open up my genre and find new authors and new books. So this is my first April D Berry book, and I can promise you it will not be my last.

Kate. She is our female lead. She's a single, widowed mother. Her son is 10 and she is doing everything she can to get by and make it work, while still being a good mom. Romance is the last thing on her plate. I related so much to this character. I'm a single mother myself and could feel the connection with her. Making the character so relatable made me enjoy this book even more.

Boyd. He's a kid that was picked on in high school for not fitting in the status quo. He wanted to drama while the other boys played sports. Kate was always nice to him, and so he was nice to her. After high school he took off and made it to Hollywood to become an actor. Now very handsome and still holding that "southern boy charm" he comes back to their small town in GA. I'll let you read to find out why of course! But while there, he runs into Kate.

Years have passed and these two have lots to catch up on. Kate is struggling with being able to move on without feeling guilty, feeling the pressure of her "mom" body, and most importantly how her son will perceive it. Boyd has loved her forever and now just wants the chance.

This is a true story of hope for us all. Boyd is not pushy and wants to make Kate as comfortable as possible. I love their story so much. And I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants a feel good second chance romance.

Happy Reading Ya'll!

[Patty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love, Again
By: April Berry
Narrated by: Eliza Summers

I was in the mood for a good and fun romance! I dived into this book and loved this second chance at love. Kate lost her husband in the line of duty. Her high school sweetheart, she has not looked for love, but has concentrated on her son and adjusting to her new normal. Now a year later, she bumps into Boyd. Boyd went to school with her too. He was the actor, the one person that people loved to tease, but Kate was always nice to him. He is now a famous actor and has come home because of his mother's health issues. Bumping into Kate was just a bonus to his trip. He always remembers her as the person who was nice to him. Now there is real chemistry. But is Kate ready to take the plunge again? Will she be able to adjust to the life of paparazzi? Will Boyd be ready to settle down? I loved the ups and downs of this couple. I could feel the hesitation from Kate as she began to find a new life that included love. I could feel Boyd's love pouring off him. And then I was totally invested. I needed to see where it all led. It's a feel good story and was just what I needed.

Eliza Summers is the story teller for this book and she pulls out all the emotions. Her ability to switch between characters, from young to old, from male to female shows her talent. She gives each character the voice perfect for their personality and had the feelings pouring out. I enjoyed her performance.

[kgagnon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this second chance at Love, Again romance! Kate is a young single mom, raising her adorable son, Mason, on her own after losing her husband last year in active duty over seas. She has a great support system in their small Georgia town and works with her mother at her flower shop. She gets a surprise visit from an old school friend, Boyd Love, who moved away to become a major movie star. He is back in town to visit his ill mother but wanted to catch up with Kate. When he finds out she is a widow, he is eager to let her know he has always had feelings for her but never acted on them because she was taken. They connect instantly and start building a relationship together. But can they make something work when they live in different worlds, states apart? I loved Kate and Boyd and cheered hard for their HEA. Kate was a loving and caring mother, daughter, and lover. Boyd was down to earth and so sweet with how patient he was with Kate as she worked through her guilt of moving on from her late husband, as well as helping her navigate the paparazzi, and seeing how she was so worthy of his love. Family meant everything to both of them and their chemistry was palpable.
Eliza Summers did a great job bringing these characters and story to life. She delivered all the fun awkwardness, emotion, and steam so flawlessly, making me enjoy this fun, heartfelt and sizzling romance even more.

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first half: the only interesting parts are the ones that include the MMC. Because otherwise, it's a day in the life of the FMC with no change to her routine. It's actually quite boring. I kept waiting for things to happen or for him to come back into the scene.
And their history? Yeah, so I was under the impression when I first found this book on tiktok and read the blurb that it was going to be something like a second chance romance or Friends-to-Lovers. It is neither. She literally barely knew him in high school. They didn't hang out as friends, she was never interested in him in any way. He was just another guy in the hallway. Now, suddenly, he's a movie star back in his hometown and says "I've always liked you, and I've always wanted to be with you." Well, you obviously made a sh!t impression, because she describes him as if she hardly knew him at all, but now she gets all flustered and giddy when she sees him.
There are also several scenes that just didn't really add to the story that I felt could have been left out. There are so many that just seem "why am I learning about this? Does it really mean anything? Because it doesn't look like it."
Don't get me wrong, it's a cute story when you look past that. The ending is cute, but I was bored through most of this book, unfortunately. It took me far too long to finish this book because I just couldn't make myself open up my kindle to read it.

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kate is a widow with an adorable son, Mason, and her life hasn't been easy for a few years. She's working with her mother at her floral shop and she gets an order for a Bob Ross. Bob Ross is dead, so what's up? It turns out that it's Boyd Love, her classmate and friend who is now a Hollywood Star. When he was bullied back in school, she stood by his side and was always there to support him. Boyd never forgot what she did for him or for how much he adored her. When he has the first opportunity to come clean to her, she's shocked, but excited. They have such a long history that there's no "insta" anything, and when they finally give in to their feelings, it's natural and beautiful. Kate has an understandable reaction to being with Boyd because she hasn't been with anyone since her husband died, but her guilt and fear get in her way of a future of happiness. I don't like her thinking when she decides to dump Boyd because he doesn't deserve her selfish attitude. He is a good man who loves this woman and doesn't give up on her. The ending is lovely and I particularly enjoyed catching up with the rest of Boyd's family.
The narration is wonderfully done by Eliza Summers. Her dynamic, emotional voice and solid pace and modulation of the story are perfect from start to finish and the characters feel alive.

[Mscat2u517 · Rating 4 out of 5]

April Berry I am loving your books!! This is the second book I have read by this author and love it. I have the physical book and the audiobook for this book. The audiobook is done in single narration and I didn’t mind it, the narration was good. I loved this story!! This is the story of Kate and Boyd. Kate is a widow that married her HS sweetheart who tragically died. Boyd is a movie star that grew up with Kate and meet again several years after high school when he’s in town visiting family. Kate has a son and between raising her son alone and dealing with the loss of her husband she has a chance run in with a former friend now movie star. She agrees to meet up Boyd to catch up on life since high school but finds herself for the first time since her husbands passing thinking about another man. This story deals with Kate’s feelings and emotions that come along with loving another person after losing who you thought was the love of your life. Boyd is a fantastic guy and the way he cares about Kate and all the emotions she is dealing with while figuring out her feelings is so great!! The way he wants to support her and give her whatever she needs is amazing!! The spice in this book is fantastic!! The emotions I went through reading this book, the laughter, the watery eyes and the sympathy I had for Kate and Boyd with everything they were dealing with has me loving this book!!

[Blanche Maze · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute romance full of feelings

-Indie TBR takeover review-

After marrying her highschool sweetheart and starting a family in her home town, Kate has lived the ultimate dream. But when her husband dies suddenly, everything falls apart, and only her son keeps her afloat. When Boyd Love, movie star and ex classmate shows up in town, he wants to catch up with her after learning she was single. But is Kate really ready to let herself love and be loved again? Is Boyd the man who will help her move on?

This romcom gave me all the feels. It was sweet, cute and hot at the same time and a very enjoyable read. Although Kate sometimes had surprising reactions to what was happening, I liked her. It was a bit confusing at times to follow her feelings, but after what she went through, she was a bit unstable emotionally and her journey was very interesting. I liked the romance in itself, although I found it a bit too fast at the beginning. I would have liked something a little more slow burn, but it was still really fun to read. The spice was on point, with consent and heat - my favorite. I liked how the author put things in perspective with how different Boyd and Kate's lives were and how they managed to make it work. They fought for their relationship and it was super sweet. I also liked the "single widowed mother" aspect of the story that was heartwarming and full of hope.

I'd recommend if you like romcoms with spice and a cute story.

"And it's not fair. But life never is."

TW: death, guns, military loss, sexually explicit scenes

[Astra Penn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love, Again begins as a heartfelt story about loving your first love. Kate is portrayed as hurt yet kind, understanding, and deeply loving toward her son. Boyd, when introduced, is sweet and patient, never rushing her and always focused on her pace, which I really appreciated.

However, as the story progresses, I felt the shift to an intimate scene came too suddenly. The connection between Kate and Boyd had been simple and sweet, and then—out of nowhere—the focus shifted to a more explicit moment. While this might be a personal preference, I felt this rushed the character development and made the emotional depth take a backseat. It would have been nice to see more emphasis on their emotional bond, showing that Boyd simply wanted her in his life without the abrupt inclusion of smut.

That said, I did appreciate how Boyd cared for Mason, especially in the epilogue. Overall, it was a good read. If the story had spent more time on the romance and less on the explicit moments, it would have been even better. The flirty lines were charming, but the shift to intimacy overshadowed them. I’ll definitely check out the author’s other works to see if she has anything a bit less spicy.

[C. Jaye · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book I have read from this author and I was not disappointed! I am so glad that I found April D. Berry through tiktok. After this read, I will be checking out her other books!

This is the first book in a while that has moved me as well as warmed my heart. I had tears in my eyes at one moment and laughing my head off the next. Boyd's passion for strolling through the woods had me laughing my head off (you need to read it to know what I mean!). Kate was such a great character; as a mum myself with similar insecurities, I found her relatable. I felt her struggles with moving on from the death of her military husband, those touches is what moved me the most.
Where do I start with Mr Boyd Love? Oh boy, is he book boyfriend material! He's such a charmer yet has a fantastic romantic edge.... the boxes of roses with the note puzzle inside were a nice touch! Big time SWOON!!! And not forgetting the epilogue.... BIG BIG BIG TIME SWOON!! The ending left me warm and fuzzy inside, like an invisible warm hug.

[Dawna Yorty · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a spicy romance that starts out where a woman loses her husband 2 years prior and and a war that we were fighting in Iraq she then meets up with a friend from high school that she hasn't seen in a long time what happens to be a movie star they get to know each other again and it is spicy between them and there's a connection but she feels like she's cheating on her husband even though she is a widow she also has a son Mason chest to think about Mason accidentally runs into the actor and finds out that they are friends and gets mad at his mom for not telling her that they were friends cuz he's a famous actor and when they become romantically involved and then break that connection it hurt her and it hurts the actor boyfriend and it's very weird you know having that scenario but there are a lot that they go through I'm not going to give away the rest of the book cuz it is very up and down and complicated and I have to say it's like watching them movie as I'm reading it great writing amazing writing!

[gabrielle Mayberry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ugh, April you did it again! You’ve made me cry while reading your book! Okay, so widowed mother “runs into” an old friend from high school while he’s back home visiting his ill mother. She was always kind and stood up for him back then, little did she know he had a big crush on her that he never acted on bc she was dating her dearly departed military husband. The kicker, he’s now no longer the boy everyone picked on bc he did drama and school plays but a hunky Hollywood movie star! There’s so many twist and turns. From grief to health scares and yes falling in love and being afraid to act on it. I literally laughed until I cried at some points cried with the character because I understood what they were feeling. This book has it all!

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute window finds new love.

This book has some spice to it so definitely not for under 18.

This rom-com is a finding love after losing love.

It's cute and a beautiful story. Of a mother trying to get over the loss of her husband. when she bumps into an old friend from school. He tries to win her love while also juggling his movie star career.

It's witty, funny, and I love her mother being so blunt. I'm not usually a Rom-Com kinda person but it is definitely a true love story worth reading. It took me a while to read because of this so only 4 stars because to me 5 means you can't put it down. This for me wasn't a page turner however it was a great slow read for me at night before bed.