Spring's Second Chance

Fun for the Holiday's #5

by J. Sterling

What happens when you call off your engagement to your high school sweetheart and go on the honeymoon anyway? New York Times bestselling author J. Sterling brings you this fun and flirty story about finding love when you least expect it!

I was engaged to my high school boyfriend, about to get married and live a life I no longer wanted. After breaking up, when he insisted that I go on our planned honeymoon anyway... alone.. I wasn't about to say no.

Never in my wildest dreams did I think that I'd meet someone there. I wasn't looking for love, but it sure seemed to be looking for me- in the shape of a six-foot tall, tanned, professional surfer named Diego. Our time together was filled with passion unlike anything I'd known back in my small town.

I went to the North Shore one kind of woman... but I came back completely changed.

Now what am I going to do about it?

Genres: Romance, Audiobook, Contemporary, Short Stories, Ebooks, Contemporary Romance

198 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 1, 2022

About the author

J. (jenn) Sterling is a New York Times and USA Today best selling author of multiple contemporary romances. She lives in California with her only son, Blake. If you can't find her sitting behind a computer screen writing new stories, then there's a good chance she's sitting in the bleachers of a baseball stadium watching him play.

Jenn enjoys traveling to new places, meeting her readers and spending time with the love of her life, the one & only, Jack F'n Carter! Oh yeah, it's true. <3

Stay in touch with Jenn here:
Newsletter: https://view.flodesk.com/pages/619557...
Website: http://www.jsterlingbooks.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AuthorJSterling
Instagram & TikTok: @AuthorJSterling

Reviews

[Christy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars



This was a short and cute novella about a second chance at love. It was fast-paced and I wish we would have gotten more with the couple, but overall I enjoyed it.

Audio book source: Audible Plus
Story Rating: 3.5 stars
Narrators: Jennifer Aquino & Jack DuPont
Narration Rating:
Genre: Romance
Length: 3h 47m

[Jo - •.★Reading Is My Bliss★.• · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Spring has been dating her high school sweetheart since she was 15 years old. It’s six weeks until their wedding day and she is now wondering if she is making a mistake marrying Mitchell.

Spring and her sister Dee have a very successful bakery in their small town. It was a quiet sleepy town, until a travel blogger highlighted its charm and now real estate is at a premium. Needless to say they sell out of food most days and enjoy coming up with new cupcake flavour creations.

When Spring decides to fess up and tell Mitchell her hesitation in marrying him, they agree to end things now - before they commit to forever. It turns out to be a good decision as once they have a truly honest conversation they realise it’s for the best or both of them. Mitchell has one stipulation though - he wants Spring to take the honeymoon in Hawaii she had planned for them.

When Spring arrives in Hawaii she is in awe of everything. She has wanted to visit this beautiful island country for as long as she could remember and it is better than she could have imagined. She does stick out a bit, most people are coupled up so a woman dining and drinking alone raises the interest of one guy in particular.

Diego lives in Hawaii, is a retired pro surfer and frequents the resort Spring is staying at because his brother owns it. He also provides surf lessons to the guests. He has recently gotten out of a long term relationship after realizing he wanted a different future than his ex. Something draws him to Spring and it’s not just how beautiful she is. He offers to show her around the island and the connection they both feel towards each other only grows.

How could this be happening so fast, Spring is feeling all sorts of things for Diego, it’s like he has awakened something in her that had been dormant. Is love at first sight really a thing? She spends her two weeks in Hawaii pretty much by Diego’s side and all they know when she boards her plane back home is that this is not over.

This was another fun addition to this light romance novella series!

[Lina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really cute and short love story. J. Sterling shows us how good it is to give a chance to love, when you're hurt in the past or if you wasn't sure that the person you've been with for a long time was the right person for you.

If you want to read a story with place in Hawaii, while being in the beach mentally, this book is definately for you ❤️.

Special thanks to J. Sterling for providing me with the ARC ❤️.

[Canan]

Kısa, hızlı gelişen hikayeler yer alıyor seride. Çok yoğun, yada kurgusal açıdan iyi diyemem. zaman geçsin diye okudum 😅

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty sweet. I loved the way the break up was handled. I wish everyone was that mature and secure.

Hawaii sounded awesome 👍😎

[Courtney · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

Spring's Second Chance is Sterling's newest standalone in her Fund For the Holiday's collection. It's a very quick, easy read.

Spring ended things with her fiancé and longtime boyfriend when she realized that her heart was no longer beating the same way. It ended amicable and they both walked away without any problems along with him telling her she should still go on the honeymoon trip to Hawaii since it's been a dream of hers.

Diego is a native islander and has finally settled down in his town after traveling the world for his job. He's been helping out around the island giving surf lessons and helping his brother out at the resort he owns. After his high school girlfriend walked away from him, he hasn't really ventured back into the romance area.

This was very cute read. It's definitely more along the lines of insta love/lust during a vacation. I enjoyed the characters as they were very honest with one another and communicated well with everything. The book moves at a very fast pace and delivers on the romance.

If you are looking for a quick, sweet romance, then this book is for you.

[Rina ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one was so cute! It's a story about choosing yourself and not settling for what doesn't bring you joy. Spring gets a second chance at love and doesn't waste a second embracing it. I really enjoyed her story!

[lowkeyreader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Diego and Spring's story is a quick, sweet and lighthearted one. There was an instant connection between them though they have to work on a few things such as that they live in two different places. I loved Spring's sister, Delilah's encouragement for Spring to be with Diego. And her quick friendship with Diego. I think this whole novella is a sweet read.

[Wendy'sThoughts]

December 16, 2021
Enjoy a Novella All About Love and Caring with Holiday Themes.

Kissing My Co-worker (Fun For the Holiday's Book 1)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Dumped for Valentine's (Fun For the Holiday's Book 2)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
My Week with the Prince (Fun For the Holiday's Book 3)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Spring's Second Chance (Fun For the Holiday's Book 4)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Summer Lovin' (Fun For the Holiday's Book 5)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Falling for the Boss (Fun For the Holiday's Book 6)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Coming-Christmas with Saint (Fun For the Holiday's Book 7)

For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways

[Amy | Foxy Blogs · Rating 3 out of 5]

SPRING'S SECOND CHANCE
● Spring & Diego
● baker / surfer
● Spring broke off her engagement with her long-time boyfriend
● she still went on her honeymoon in Hawaii where she met Diego

Audiobook source: Audible Plus
Narrator: Jennifer Aquino & Jack DuPont
Length: 3h 47m

[FG (Lectoradepantalla) · Rating 2 out of 5]

¡2.5 ESTRELLAS!

“Life seemed to have a way of coming together in ways you least expected.”

No fue lo que esperaba.

Spring acaba de cancelar su boda, no podía imaginarse esa vida tan infeliz a futuro. Su ex prometido le pide que vaya de todas formas a Hawái por su luna de miel, así que lo hace. Ella no esperaba que aquí encontraría al que es, posiblemente, el amor de su vida.

“I mean, it’s easy to say you want this and that when you’re seventeen and you haven’t really lived life or figured out who you are as a person. I think it’s easy to grow apart as a couple at the same time you’re finding yourself as an individual. Does that make any sense?”

Me entristece un poco poner esta puntuación, sobre todo porque amo leer estas novelas cada mes. El quinto libro de la serie Fun for the Holidays me ha decepcionado, aunque al final me llegó a gustar su desenlace.

Creo que mi principal problema fue no lograr conectar con ningún personaje ni la relación como tal, porque en realidad el argumento me gustó bastante. De todas formas, recomiendo mucho esta serie, seguiré leyéndola.

[Laurie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Five weeks before her scheduled wedding to high school sweetheart Mitchell, bakery owner Spring Monroe realizes that she made a mistake when she said yes to his proposal and calls off their engagement. Mitchell's a good man and she doesn't want to hurt him, but she feels trapped by their relationship and the thought of spending the rest of her life in their small California town. Fortunately, Mitchell accepts her decision with grace and even insists that Spring go on what would have been their honeymoon trip to Hawaii by herself, knowing that it's always been her dream to visit the islands. Upon arriving at the resort, Spring meets retired professional surfer Diego Peleke and is immediately intrigued by him. Diego is equally drawn to Spring, but he fights the attraction because he's still getting over the end of his own engagement. It's not long before he gives into his feelings, but is his relationship with Spring destined to be nothing more than a vacation fling?

I enjoyed this short, sweet, and steamy story, which featured likeable characters, low angst, and a fun tropical setting. I'm not generally a fan of the insta-love trope, but Spring and Diego seemed to make a good couple, and they were certainly cute together. That said, I was a bit bothered by how much they seemed to dwell on their respective exes. Diego in particular spent a lot of time talking and thinking about his ex, Kaylee, and I really had to wonder if he was actually over her or still on the rebound.

At any rate, I'd recommend this story for romantic comedy fans looking for a quick read and will plan to pick up the next book in the series.

*Review copy provided by the author/publisher via Wildfire Marketing Solutions. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Michelle Patton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spring’s Second Chance is the fifth standalone romance in J. Sterling’s Fun for the Holidays collection. After calling off her wedding, Spring still goes on her honeymoon solo—where she meets Diego. The connection is instant, and sparks fly fast. When she heads back home, they plan for him to visit in three weeks… but can a long-distance relationship actually work?

I really enjoyed this one! The tropical setting, instant chemistry, and second-chance romance hit all the right notes. Sterling does a great job building the story with just the right amount of background so nothing feels rushed or missing. The ending wrapped up perfectly, and I’d definitely love a little more from some of the side characters.

[Martha K · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun, sweet, and with just the right amount of spice. I read this in a couple of hours and enjoyed it very much. The book starts with Spring ending her engagement and at first I thought she was a major a-hole for that move but turns out the dude was READY to start dating. Y’all hear me, he moved on quick! Spring ended up taking their honeymoon trip to Hawaii solo and meets Diego an ex pro surfer and hot af local! I enjoyed their honestly and their chemistry! I wasn’t a fan of Spring and Diego having the exact same story line but in the end it made sense and it is what made their relationship progress in a healthy way.

Now I want to go to Hawaii to find the LOML 🤭

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a super cute vacation novella. It’s the perfect palate cleanser if you’ve been reading anything dark or heavy. This has all the island vibes you could want and is like going on a terrific book vacation without leaving your house.

Spring realizes the future that is mapped out for her isn’t one she wants anymore. Her vacation escape provides the perfect opportunity to meet someone completely different.

Diego is a retired surfer who finds himself falling for a tourist. These two give you all the best insta-love feels and you can totally see their lives intertwining. They have a super steamy week together and the possibility for more definitely exists!

Loved this one. Spring and Diego are great together!!

I requested an advance reader copy of this book and these are my honest opinions.

[Jacki Marchelletta · Rating 3 out of 5]

Spring & Diego - an adorable meet-cute with likable characters! Both recently single after each mutually breaking off engagements to their high school sweethearts. Spring goes on the honeymoon alone and meets ex pro-surfer Diego and it's insta-love. I enjoyed this one.

[Lizzie Flanagan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this actually may have been the best one of these so far. Still quick, cheesy, predictable, and not very realistic, but this one felt a bit more believable and had more of a story than the first few, and I did get invested in the romance pretty quickly!

[Ang Hoehner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Probably the best one in the series so far.

[Shanna · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute, short story. I enjoyed it!

[Erica Chaillot · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the best thus far in the series. I highly enjoyed it.

[Olivia Robb · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was just a standard cutesy little read, definitely not the best in the series I’ve read so far. I hate to be the “oh this is sooo far fetched” person but this one to me was way more fiction than I usually like. It sort of felt like the idea of love was more about what amenities you get out of life with the person you’re with rather than actually loving them. The couple was cute and they were two likable characters for sure, it just sort of felt like a story like this should be a novel, not something that can be crammed into a novella because then it feels rushed and wayyyy too far fetched. Overall, it was a cute easy read, but definitely the worst of the 3 i’ve read so far🌺🏄🏽‍♂️

[Tabitha · Rating 2 out of 5]

So cheesy!

[Lisbeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lectura fácil y ligera, pero demasiado predecible para mi gusto.

[Aimee Buttweiler · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is my least favorite of the series so far. The characters sucked and it felt weird that they kept bringing up their exes. However I’m not mad about a hot, rich surfer guy trying to get me to move to Hawaii. Just say the word and I’m there too

[Haley Turner · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5⭐️. Spring’s Second Chance had potential, but it ultimately fell short for me. While I was hoping for a compelling second-chance romance, the story didn't quite capture my attention the way I’d hoped. The pacing felt slow, and I found it difficult to stay engaged with the characters and plot. On top of that, there was more spice than I typically enjoy, which made it harder for me to connect emotionally with the romance. Overall, it was an okay read—just not one that resonated with me.

[Ahnya · Rating 2 out of 5]

Idk this was definitely a popcorn book, and was okay but I didn’t love it and the amount of times babe was used in such a short book was insane! (Idk I hate babe as a nickname call me weird)

I am gonna read the next book to see if it was just this that through me off

2.5 stars

[Jess (Shepherdjel) · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 Was not a huge fan of this one. I didn't care for the narrating. The story wasn't bad.

[Anastasia · Rating 5 out of 5]

These books are amazing. MUST READ! I love all the feels you get but it’s also a quick read for those that normally don’t have the time to read every day. Each one of these books is a standalone, there is no overlap in characters. We are on book 4 so far and I already want these to go on forever. Lol

Spring has grown up in a small town and has been with her Fiancé since she was 15. Now a few months from the wedding and she is questioning everything. Does she love him as a best friend or is she in love with him. Have they stayed together this whole time, because it’s comfortable and this is what “normally” comes next? She knew something was off and knew she could not marry him. One of the hardest things she has ever done was break it off, but to her surprise, he was feeling the same thing. In the end they were both happy with the decision they made and he told her to still take the honeymoon trip since it was her dream vacation. So that’s what she did, 10 days in Hawaii.

Diego was born and raised on the Island. He loved it. There was no other place he would move too and that was the reason his fiancé left him. She wanted out, she wanted to see the world, but Diego has seen enough of the world traveling as a professional surfer. He is now retired from surfing and living on the island. It’s been 6 months since he was dumbed and hasn’t looked at another woman since. Well that’s until the most beautiful woman he has ever seen walks into his brother’s resort. He didn’t know who she was but usually couples come to the resort so he kept walking and never looked back, until he saw her sitting alone the next day and could not stay away. He was being pulled to her.

They knew their time was eventually going to come to an end, when Spring has to go back to California, but Diego was not ready to ever let her go. He knew she was it, and was willing to leave the island to be with her. He had never once thought of that with his ex, so he would do anything to keep her. Spring wanted to stay, but knew with her store back home and her sister, she could not and could never ask him to leave, because she knew he loved the island. He made her a promise that he would come and visit in the next few months and that they can make this work long distance, but she didn't believe it, long distance with Diego was something she couldn’t do. He was an all or nothing guy and she wanted all.

Received this ARC for my honest review and opinion.

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

How does Jenn do it? She’s got me itching to go to Vail, to Ireland, and now to Hawaii to find a perfect stranger to fall in love with.

I’ve been going into the short holiday romances blind. So I had no clue what this book was about. But let me tell you! The first chapter is like a punch to the emotional gut. Spring is engaged to, basically her high school sweetheart, Mitchell and they’ve been together since they were 15. They’re both now 24. So they’re all each other has known. Spring doesn’t want to marry Mitchell. It’s not cold feet. It’s a strong urge to not tie herself to the only person and place that she’s ever known. And I had a strong relatable moment where I understood her loving the person that she was with, but no longer being in love with them.

Spring takes the no-honeymoon to Hawaii and it’s like the stress of the only town that she’s known melts away. When she sees a stranger, he elicits a part of her that she had never experienced. Diego is that stranger and he has baggage of his own. Spring and Diego have very similar backstory’s when it comes to why they’re both single. And I liked seeing how they both navigated being single for the first time in almost a decade. They don’t know what it’s like to date other people or even if being intimate would dredge up the mistake of being with someone else. I mean, both of their respective exes have already move on so why can’t they? Spring and Diego both treaded new beginnings with caution. I loved that Jenn didn’t have with of them bash their exes.

I didn’t know if this book would be dual POV. I didn’t know if this book would essentially be a fade-to-black moment. But wow! The first scene shocked me and the second scene just defined who those two were together.

Does this book have a guaranteed HEA? Yes!

Will this book make you want to travel to Oahu and stumble across a handsome stranger? Yes!

Add this to your TBR. It'll be on kindle unlimited for a short amount of time!