Till Next Time

by Cora Brent

Release Date: December 15

From NYT and USA Today Bestselling Author Cora Brent comes a small town second chance romance that will give you more than one reason to laugh, more than one reason to cry, and more than one reason to blush.

I met Colt Malene when I was fourteen years old.
And it seems I’ve never recovered.
He became the headstrong star quarterback in a town that idolized high school football titles.
Meanwhile, I was the coach’s dutiful perfectionist daughter, never daring to step out of line.
We should have stayed far away from each other but we didn’t.
And the volatile fallout was unbearable.
More than a decade has passed and now my father is dying.
He wants to make amends.
He wants to be forgiven for the role he played in Colt’s ruinous downfall and my painful heartbreak.
To give a dying man some peace, Colt and I agree to a plan.
While Colt is here in town, we pretend to date.
We pretend to like each other.
We pretend that the past is buried and forgotten.
But with one reckless, passionate act we carve a new future.
Leading to a fate we never suspected.
In the middle of a storm we never saw coming.
And an ending no one could have predicted...


*Small Town Second Chance Romance
*Complete Stand Alone

Genres: Romance, Second Chance, Contemporary, Small Town Romance, Second Chance Romance, Contemporary Romance, Sports

354 pages, Paperback

Published December 14, 2021

About the author

I'm a huge fan of insta-love , grunge era flannel, my vintage Kenmore sewing machine, embroidered dishcloths and absolutely everything that has to do with 1980s pop culture (i.e. leg warmers, scrunchies, big hair, early Madonna, boom boxes, wood paneled walls, stonewash jeans, etc).

If you believe in Happily Ever After and improbable love stories, chances are I'll love you too!!

Email: corabrentwrites@yahoo.com

Reviews

[Intel Chicky Reads Romance (Kara Merideth) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic read!

Story: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4.5)
Trope: second chance
Angst: 😱😱😱😱😱
Smexy: 🔥🔥
Triggers: loss of a parent

Ugh! What a beautifully emotional story! Just so well written and with all the angst 💔. The nerdy good girl and coach's daughter paired with the boy from the wrong side of the tracks whose life is heading off the rails who doesn't believe he's good enough for her. Her dad runs him off and he stays gone ten years. Now, her dad is dying and wants to make up for driving him off, but feelings of low self worth are hard to overcome. The characters are relatable and flawed. My heart hurt for them and I definitely shed a couple tears. Just a beautiful story ❤

Till Next Time is a standalone, but best enjoyed after reading Till It Hurts. It is told in first person, from dual perspective.

[SamJ ★Needs a HEA★ · Rating 5 out of 5]

★Book Basics★

Genre : - Contemporary Romance
Series : - Marketed as a stand alone but I would recommend reading Till It Hurts first
Love triangle? - No
Cheating? - No
HEA? - Yes
Would I read more by this author/or in this series? - Yes
Rating - 5 +++ ★

★Review★

Another gorgeous read by this author. This book and what I would consider the first in the series are an absolutely beautiful story of family, love, friendship and loss.

Colt and Susanna had a connection as teenagers and were in love but were ripped apart by circumstances outside their control. Colt spent years as a wanderer alone, feeling everyone was better off without him. My heart broke for him as a teenager but he turned himself around and grew into a wonderful man. Susanna - my heart broke for her in the present and her looking after her Dad who was dying of cancer.

There was so much to love about this book, the friendship between Jace and Colt. Colt and Tori's sibling relationship. Colt and Susanna finding their way back to each other. It was beautiful.

This book made me cry, it made me feel and at the end I had such a smile on my face. Loved it.

[NiCoLeTa E. {Addicted To Books} · Rating 4 out of 5]

***4 "I WANT YOU TO STAY!!!" stars***

NOW AVAILABLE



"Am I breaking your heart?"

After reading "Till it hurts", I was dying to receive Colt's story!!!
And what a beautiful, emotional story was that!!!
Suzanna and Colt couldn't be more different, but they were balancing each other perfectly...
I enjoyed their story very much, even though I might like a little bit more intensity...

"Is love alone enough for two people as unalike as we are?"

Suzanna and Colt were met back in highschool...
He was the quarterback of their school and she was the coach's daughter...
He was popular and she was hiding behind her books...
But in a strange twist of fate, they saw each other and they fell for each other...
But their fall out was very ugly and it changed everything on their lives, especially on Colt's.

"My secret is that I'm crazy about the coach's daughter. Neither of us meant for this to happen."

Ten years later, Suzanna's father is dying and she is taking care of him...
Colt is getting back in town and his old coach wants to make amends with him after the way he treated him back then.
So, Suzanna and Colt's ways are colliding for once again and they realized that they never forgot, but now, they are two different persons and their lives are so far away from each other...
Will they fight the odds and finally be together or they are destined to wish to each other "Till next time" over and over again???

"Colt isn't a man who can be kept, not by me and probably not by anyone else."

I liked Suzanna! She was sweet and caring... A little on the nerdy side, but so adorable...
She and Colt had nothing in common, but he was the only man that was making her heart sing...
Colt was a tortured soul...
Yes, he wasn't having a good background, but he had dreams and hopes and he almost tasted them, but in an instant, he lost everything and he became a different person...
Now, he is making an effort for his loved ones and Suzanna wasn't part of the equation, but he can't put her out of his mind...
Can he abandon the life he had built and put roots back in his hometown for her sake???

"I can't promise you forever. You won't be able to handle that. You're the type that is going to want forever. And tomorrow you'll hate me."

This was a lovely story...
I loved the flashbacks from the past cause they made me see things better...
If you want to give a chance to Colt and Suzanna, I would recommend for you to read before "Till it hurts" cause it will make you understand Colt better, plus Tori and Jace's story was sooo beautiful!!

"One night would not have been enough.
A hundred nights wouldn't have been enough.
I would have wished forever."

**I received an ARC for the exchange of an honest review**

[Ashley · Rating 1 out of 5]

there will be no next time.

I don’t understand why it takes an unplanned pregnancy to make any headway between a relationship. Susanna, as she’s advertised, was suppose to be and intelligent and independent woman, but there wasn’t a single instance of intelligence shown throughout the book. She’s desperate and needy (most likely due to her virginal status, which is unrealistic by the way) for Colt who seem to have no issue leaving her behind.

I’m in the minority when I say that Colt and Susanna’s story is uninteresting and unnecessarily lengthy. I felt no chemistry nor could I connect with either character as both just came off as whiny and lacking any sort of common sense. The flashbacks were boring and droned on in tangents. There wasn’t anything memorable or scintillating about the so-called “angst” that was inorganically sprinkled throughout the story. With a blunt delivery in writing, Till Next Time proved to be predictable and short on complexities and sophistication. After this disappointing display, there will be no next time for me and will not be revisiting this book nor it’s connecting story Till it Hurts.

[Wendy *cr8zysockbookblock* · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy Cow! This book was AMAZING! I loved Till It Hurts, but this story is on a whole other level. Colt and Susanna’s journey is unforgettable, unputdownable, emotionally gripping and just all around a perfect second chance/fake relationship/opposites attract tale.

Cole Malene is a dream of a book boyfriend. He’s got some issues from childhood that make him anti-commitment. He’s not looking for anything that will keep him in one place too long, but he also has a huge heart of gold. He’s come a long way in repairing his relationship with his sister and his best friend and is a loyal and dependable guy, who while pup sitting his sister and BIL’s doggo while they are on their honeymoon, decided to reach out and visit with his old high school football coach. This coach happens to be the one who he had a major falling out with ten years before, and who also happens to be the father of the one and only girl he’s ever loved. She’s back home now caring for her dad who is losing his battle with cancer and this finds these former lovers thrown together and spending to make her dad happy in his limited time.

Susanna Toledo is beautiful and smart and a dedicated daughter. She is humble and truly doesn’t understand how amazing she really is. When she moves back home to care for her dying father she never imagined she would find herself spending time with her high school forbidden love, Colt Malene. What stays out as a way to make her dad happy by spending time together quickly becomes so much more.

I just love the complexity of these characters and their history. This story hits on all the feels and has so many real life aspects in it which makes it not only easy to follow but interesting and relatable. This book glows flawlessly from start to finish and has a phenomenal cast of characters. Be prepared to laugh, cry, swoon, swear and sigh in giddy happiness. Pick up Till Next Time today!

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[Mo ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 🌟
This was DEFINITELY better then the first book. First of all, I LOVED Colt (MMC) and Susanna (FMC). Honestly they deserved so much better, especially Colt, he deserved the world and it was painful to know that he didn't get that for so many years.
Although everyone got a happy ending, I felt extremely sorry for Colt, especially because in the first book, WE Know how much he loved football and wanted to be a football player so badly. Which obviously didn't happen, instead his bsf got the dream he once wanted. Which is so bittersweet. :(((
But I'm happy Colt and Susanna got their happy ending, they truly deserved the world, especially Colt. 🫶😫💓

The only stuff that annoyed me was the flashbacks, the then and now, but it was interesting getting other point of views of what had occurred in the first book. But it was also annoying, deffo not my fav micro trope. ALSO initially, Colt seemed so uninterested when he was with Susanna, it felt like she was speaking to a brick wall sometimes. He was all standoffish and weird. But they got there in the end, I guess.
Definitely enjoyed this though. 💖

[Kerry Fletcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good lord! This book certainly puts the old chest muscle through the wringer! I'm just starting to breathe properly again, it feels like i haven't taken an easy breath since i read the first word. I'm blown away by this emotionally packed epic love story.

While rubbing my aching chest i'm trying to put into words my feelings. Speechless is one word that keeps coming to mind. I loved this story so much.

These two come a long way from their first meeting. Love at first sight that stayed in focus for both of them over the years. So much so that when they reunite over a decade later they don't quite know what to think or do about the spark that's still there. It's awkward and painful. Both know there are and always have been obsticles in their way and are unsure still how to navigate them. But, both know that they are still the same to each other that they were when they were kids. Their one true love.

Colt struggles to stay in one place. He's allowed the past to dictate his future and although after reconnecting with his sister Tori and his best friend Jace he's a bit better at keeping in touch he's still a loner. He doesn't want any connection to anyone really, preferring to stay on his own. He loves being outdoors in nature, building houses and moving from one place to another. He doesn't want any ties he's always been happy that way or so he thinks until Susanna appears in his life again.

Susanna has uprooted her entire life to return home to look after her sick Father. She's had a tense and distant realtionship with him for many years but knows she could never forgive herself if she wasn't there for him. Her Dad used to be Colt's High School Football Coach and when Colt comes back to town for his Sisters Wedding he invites him over. Susanna is nervous but desperate to see him again and when she opens the door to him she's flooded with the same feelings she's always had for him. Her whole being lights up around him but maybe too many years have passed for her to do anything about it.

Right from the very first word you're put on edge. You feel absolutely everything. I knew this was going to be heartbreaking but blooming hell i didn't expect to feel every single thing! This author has such a talent for that. I felt their first fluttering of love, to their pain of being seperated. I felt their awkwardness and hope at being reunited to the realisation that life was again in their way. I broke my heart and shed tears at Colt's past and how he held on to that pain throughout his life. I grieved with Susanna and felt her sorrow for time lost with the important people in her life. But when that final page was turned i felt pure unadulterated joy! I'd lived a whole other lifetime and was left feeling so freaking happy i shed another tear.

To say i loved it is an understatement. To say i adored it gets closer but no words can describe my feels. I'm blown away. And when i think about how it ties up with Till it Hurts too and how it extends that but doesn't detract from Colt and Susanna's story i'm blown away once again. This author has outdone herself with this world and it's even prompting me to say that this is my favorite of all her books. I'm a massive fan of her's so this is a bold statement but i stand by it. It is. Outstanding!

[Desi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me gustó mucho la historia y los personajes.

Me dio mucha cosita todo lo relacionado con Colt y su papá... :(

Y bueno de la madre, ugh, esa no se merecía ni que la escucharan.... mala persona, mala madre, mala todo!!

[Cali Gal’s · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do you ever wonder about the timing that a certain book comes into your life? How something you are going through parallels major events in a storyline? I definitely did with this book. Am I sounding to far out there? *Shoulder Shrug* I can only call it like I see it or in this case feel it. Yikes I might have shed a few tears because of this one.

This story goes back and forth in time giving me all the details of Colt and Susanna’s relationship. As I kept reading, I would stop to highlight words that brought out all the emotions. The adults aka parents did these two wrong as teenagers, both as a couple and as individuals. The by product of it was destroyed relationships.

Plan to hate Colt’s mom. I couldn’t stand her in Cora Brent’s previous book and I hated her more here. Susanna’s dad made me want to weep. I guess I could forgive his missteps as a parent because you could see how much it cost him. Ugh I can’t help but well up thinking about it.

This book is a special kind of love story, about forgiveness in all its shades and colors. It really looks at relationships in a real way and how there often isn’t an easy fix. Sometimes the resolutions happens after a person is gone.

My dad passed away two days ago and this book was so cathartic. Seeing this couple mature and how they were able to define their relationships with their parents gave me the insight I needed. Experiencing Susanna’s loss as she let go of the past made me think of my life and our similarities.

By the end of this book Colt had my momma bear protective instincts on high alert. He was done wrong as a child, lost his way to anger for awhile but eventually comes full circle. Sigh. Growing up especially after suffering trauma as a child can be so difficult but he finds himself in a beautiful way.

These two have me filled with angst, anger, sadness, and of course they know how to heat up the page. Fanning myself. Most importantly, thanks Ms Brent for all your words and the healing journey your story took me on. Best five star story when I needed it most. Happy Emotional Reading! XOXO

[Kari Hansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a teenager Susanna fell in love with Colt but outside forces conspired against them so even though it ended before it really began that didn’t diminish the love or the heartbreak. It would be a decade before she returned to her hometown so that she could be there for her father, but will this be their chance to right the wrongs of the past or is the pain too much to overcome?

Colt was the football player with the reputation who should have known better than to stay away from the coach’s daughter who always followed the rule, but the heart doesn’t always agree. He doesn’t allow many people close, but Susanna always had a way of breaking through his walls and they are both about to find out that time nor distance has changed anything when it comes to each other.

Colt and Susanna take us on a heartbreaking and inspiring journey as we get the full depth of the turmoil of their past as well as the challenges in the present as they take us on a ride you won’t soon forget.

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't know how she does it, but this author has a unique ability to give readers just the right amount of everything. The right amount of family drama, the right amount of teenage angst, the right amount of steamy sex, the right amount of true-life despair and tragedy, and finally, the right amount of HEA to make the journey worth all the tears. This book had me on the verge of so many emotions, it was unreal. I wanted to cry during scenes between a terminally ill father and the daughter to whom he had much to apologize for before he dies, and the sadness of a man who had been unable to commit, to stay put long enough to grow real roots until it's almost too late. The romance was beautiful when it happened, and the secrets revealed had a more positive impact on everyone's futures. I absolutely LOVED this book!

***** 5 ***** "it's always till next time, never goodbye" stars

[Anne OK · Rating 3 out of 5]

From eyeing other reviews, it appears that I am definitely in the minority on this book. I really liked these characters and felt their pain, enjoyed their happiness and cheered them along. But it was a slow-go and much less than I expected.

A lot of repetitious backtracking from the first book “Till It Hurts” when Colt, Jace and Tori were best friends. Susanna wasn’t a part of their group but appeared as the shy and smart overachiever who was the Coach’s daughter and forbidden and hands-off to Colt, the wild and carefree football star.

Now, the gang finishes up high school and move onto "real life." Instead of the threesome - it's a foursome with Susanna back home to take care of her ill father. Colt is away in Montana working construction projects and Tori and Jace are getting married -- bringing Colt home for his sister's wedding and a reunion with Susanna. Thus, begins the new saga.

The book had innumerable missing words and silly little editing problems that could certainly have benefited by a final line-by-line editing job.

I struggled with a bit of boredom throughout this book. Tons of angst throughout, both romantic and family relationship-wise. Getting to the meat of the current story was a long haul. Finally, after some real drama and another round of particularly hard times, it picked up the pace and finished with a standing ovation – yet not enough to really wow me.

 

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Is love alone enough for two people as unalike as we are?”

Oh, wow, what I can say about this book. Till Next Time is an angsty, emotional book that will pull at your heartstrings. I absolutely loved it! It gave me all the FEELS and was so moving!

“He was my first major crush, my first kiss, my first and only love. And my first and only heartbreak.”

My heart broke for both Susanna and Colt throughout the book. The obstacles that they had to overcome were many and varied, but Cora Brent captured their every emotion throughout their difficult journey. My heart felt like it was being torn out of my chest at times and there’s no higher compliment I can give than that when reading a book.

“All the detours in our lives have led us back to each other. This can’t be for nothing. We belong together, just like Tori and Jace.”

Full of heartbreaking and raw emotion as well as so much joy, I was captivated by Susanna and Colt’s story. Their story was alternatively sweet and painful and filled with so much love that I could not turn the pages fast enough even though I didn’t want the story to end.

[EpicRomanceReviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

❤~🌟~❤ 4.5 HEART-SHATTERING STARS ❤~🌟~❤

“Colt Malene was my first crush, my first kiss, my first love. And my first and only heartbreak….”

You know when you read a book blurb and it speaks to you on such a deep visceral level that it steals your breath? Well, that’s what happened when I read the premise of Cora Brent’s book, TILL NEXT TIME. And omg did this second chance romance pack a punch!

PREMISE:
Susanna Toledo and Colt Malene fell hard for each other back in high school. But their love was oh so forbidden. He was the rebellious star quarterback from the wrong side of the tracks and she was the coach’s studios, rule-abiding daughter! On paper the popular jock with the bad rep and the nerdy good girl should have nothing in common but fate had other plans in mind for this star-crossed duo. Sparks flew and before they knew it they were hopelessly smitten. But Colt knew this adorably bespectacled, “crazy smart” beauty was off limits and besides, he’d never be good enough for her. And he wasn’t the only one who felt that way! For when Coach Toledo caught wind of their dalliance the fallout was devastating! Especially for Colt. In the tumultuous aftermath, they were torn apart, leaving them heartbroken and emotionally shattered.

Ten years later, Susanna’s father is succumbing to cancer and she’s returned home to Arcana, Texas to take care of him. She never expected to see her high school love again, but she never ever forgot him. Or got over how it all fell apart. But she knows he’s back in town for his sister and best friend’s wedding and that he has agreed to dog sit for Jace and Tori while they are on their honeymoon. And even though she has mixed feelings about seeing Colt after all these years, she can’t keep her eyes off him when they finally come face to face again. He’s always been a bit rough around the edges, but holy smokes! He’s big and brawny and even more drop dead gorgeous than ever. But he’s also tight lipped and bullheaded and maddeningly closed off…worlds apart from the sweet, fun-loving, extroverted boy who once stole her heart.

But there may hope on the horizon for this this beleaguered duo because her dying dad wants to make amends for the way he treated his former prodigy all those years ago. So even though they are both completely different people now, in order to make her dad’s remaining days peaceful, they agree to pretend to date for his sake. But then one night of forbidden passion sets them both on a collision course with destiny neither ever envisioned! Can these two wounded souls right past wrongs and finally reclaim their long-lost love?

MY MUSINGS:
Holy moly! This slow burning, small-town romance about love lost then found again decimated me! And oh what a gloriously tumultuous ride it was! Cora Brent is a new to me author but she is definitely on my radar now after penning this beautiful, angst-ridden story! There is just something so timeless about a forbidden love tale about two protagonists who come from two different worlds who fall in love against all odds. And this saga about the coach’s brainiac daughter and the popular jock with the tortured past just delivered big time!. It has angst. Pain. Loss. Hope and heartbreak. Swoony romance. Steamy sexy times. And is jampacked with so much bittersweet emotion it drowned me in ALL THE FEELS!

I love how the author crafted this story, with alternating chapters in the present and the past to infuse this tale with so much rich history and fascinating nuances, providing a wealth of rooting value to this second chance romance. Both Colt and Susanna are so real and relatable and beautifully flawed. For starters, Colt is the epitome of the foul mouthed, ferociously sexy blue collar book boyfriend carrying the weight of the world on his big, broad shoulders. For beneath this rugged tough guy’s charming smirk lurks a sweet, tortured soul. And courtesy of his rotten home life, he never felt truly worthy of Susanna. However, despite everything, she was the only girl he confided his secrets to back in high school and who had the power see the real vulnerable boy hiding behind the rebellious exterior. And for a while they shared something “wild and wonderful until it ended horribly in a whirlwind of painful drama.”

After their parting, a lot has changed over the years and Colt’s not looking to put down roots anywhere, especially back here in Arcana. But at the same time, his best friend and sister are here and when fate beckons him back home—albeit temporarily— he never imagined how his path would lead him to the coach he’d had a major falling out with years ago…and the girl whom he never got over . As they are thrown together for the duration of his stay, old feelings are rekindled. But after being to hell and back, will he conquer his demons for good and finally stick around for the only girl he’s ever loved? Sighhh…his journey into self-acceptance and finding his true self-worth and overcoming his tumultuous past is a powerful one and struck an indelible chord in me!

As for Susanna? She’s an endearing heroine! So sweet and self-sacrificing , kind and compassionate…and brilliant to boot! And while she may not have faced the same hardships that Colt did, she has not had the easiest upbringing either. So to say her feelings for her once indomitable father are complicated is an understatement! But she gave everything up to be by her his side in his time of need. And even though she knows she’s where she’s meant to be, being back home is isolating and desperately lonely. There has only ever been one boy who filled the void in her heart. Made it leap with joy. And lament with sorrow. Colt. She’s loved him since she was 14 and deeply regrets her role in how things ended between them. But despite their romantic ruse for her dad’s sake, Colt’s as elusive now as he was back then and she fears he’ll leave her with a broken heart a second time. Bottom line? While the turbulent road that these two embark on is riddled with hurdles, their achingly beautiful HEA is worth every single tear!

My only disappointment in an otherwise stellar read was that after all the tension fraught buildup in the flashbacks, I was expecting it to culminate in a much more catastrophic event that drove Colt out of town all those years ago. But that never really came to pass. So that plot point kind of fizzled for me but wowza there’s a huge climactic TWIST toward the end that left me RIVETED.

FINAL THOUGHTS:
TILL NEXT TIME is an unforgettable second chance romance about abiding love, the healing power of forgiveness and the resilience of the human heart. Now I can’t wait to read Jace and Tori’s story to see how it all began…

HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

[Vfc · Rating 4 out of 5]

This begins with Colt’s determination to leave and to find his wife Susanna and their unborn child.

We are intermittently treated to flashbacks, past to present and throughout the intersecting years.

The indomitable Drew Toledo – high school football coach, teacher and local hero lost his balance three months ago performing a menial task. The fall fractured his left wrist and radius. His hospital scans confirmed that his bones were riddled with a terminal illness, cancer.

The cracks in her parents’ marriage predated their move to her mother’s hometown Arcana. Her father was endlessly working. Her mother was perpetually dissatisfied. Whilst her mother and her were incompatible, she’d adored her father.

He’d already been sick for nearly two years, the day she received the call about the kitchen incident was the day she uprooted her life in San Antonio and returned indefinitely to Arcana, quitting her job and selling her home.

Her father had always been a powerful, dynamic man who could easily intimidate other men by glowering, but those layers of muscle have now melted and all that remains is a shell of the former man. He’s now dying and wants to make amends, but feelings of low self-esteem are hard to overcome. Susanna left the small town with a broken heart. Years later, she has returned to take care of her dying father in his final months of life... and she finds herself looking into the eyes of her past...Colt.

Colt Malene has spent many years escaping his past. When Colt broke his coach’s cardinal rule, he didn’t hesitate to exile him in the most cruel way and no amount of heartbroken tears from his only daughter made any difference.

Colt is in town to bear witness as his best friend Jace marries his sister Tori. He volunteered to dog sit as they honeymoon travelling the western United States in a luxury RV. He’ll be staying only two miles from here, in a house that once belonged to Jace’s grandmother.

Susanna is a twenty-seven year old virgin. Colt hasn’t had sex in four years, he refuses to engage in intimacy and be tied down.

Colts life derailed after Susanna’s father exiled him and he stays gone for ten years.

Colt’s feelings for his old coach are complex. He remembers a man who previously believed in him, telling him in no uncertain terms he is not good enough for his daughter and forces them to break up or ruin Colt’s future.
He made it clear his daughter was off-limits and Colt remembers him discarding him without hesitation when he broke a cardinal rule and fell for his daughter.
He doesn’t blame him for being protective of Susanna based on his track record. But the things he uttered were the worst things he’d ever thought about himself and that was a direct blow to accept at sixteen when his life was already spiralling out of control.

Susanna had a clearer image of Colt than he had of himself…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“What did you do, Daddy?”
He glares. “I let Colt Malene know that he has no f-g place in your life.”
“You have no right!”
“Don’t give me that sh*t. I’m your father. The kid’s no good.”
“I don’t understand. You tried to invite him to move in here so he could stay on the team. Clearly you didn’t think he was that awful if you wanted him in our home.”
“I assumed there wouldn’t be a problem, that he would never…look, I’ve seen the kind of girls he goes for.”
“What kind is that?”
He shifts his weight. “Don’t be dense, Susie. Cheerleaders, the popular girls, the prettiest ones.”
“You didn’t believe Colt Malene would want to look twice at me.”
My father’s eyes flare for a second. He’s shocked that I read his mind. His mouth starts to form words but lies aren’t really his style.“No, I sure as hell didn’t.”

Colt was earnest and humble, their story complicated…spanning years of emotional turmoil, witnessing a mother reject her own son uttering the most vile atrocities, her unnecessary cruelty to him from very young, to teens and into adulthood.
Susanna’s mother was misunderstood and despite their differences, she moved in with Susanna to be there with her ex husband as he transitioned at the end of his life.

Their baby is born during a tornado. A heartwarming story of love and overcoming obstacles.

[Rina | booksofthemuggleborn · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Rating: 5 stars!

**ARC was generously provided in exchange for my honest review.**

After reading Till It Hurts and loving the strong trio of characters, I knew I needed more. Till Next Time is utter perfection that completely transported me back to their small town of Arcana, and to the trio who’ve reconnected as adults.

This story centred around Colt Malene and his life story. I couldn’t put it down! Cora has executed in telling his story and getting me emotionally invested right from the first few pages. The writing is effortless and vivid. It’s exactly the type of drama-filled contemporary romance I love to read. Fleshed-out, heartbreaking, yet nevertheless, inspiring.

Memories of past events weaved in between the present day not only gave Colt’s and Susanna’s personal stories so much depth and dimension, but it provided insight to their perspective households, families, and their developing relationship through their POVs.

The characters are complex and their lives are more than your average teenage rebellion against their parents. You see how much certain events that took place in their past have impacted and influenced their adulthood in the present.

You can’t help but feel for Colt. He had very little positivity in his life growing up, and it’s saddening to see his parents failed him as his much needed support system.

Susanna has her own issues and it becomes evident as the story progresses how much her life hadn’t ended up as initially planned.

It’s well-paced storytelling and these protagonists’ lives are not only touching to learn about, but they deal with life-long insecurities, along with some very heavy, realistic, and quite relatable issues along the way. I love the realism that Cora has imbedded in their story (along with Till It Hurts), it’s why I easily felt an attachment to these characters, especially Colt. They’re a likable pair of people, genuine characters with strong polar-opposite personalities.

The world-building is extraordinary— from Arcana; the little town that’s gradually wearing out over time, to the different backdrops that holds so many memories for Colt and Susanna, to the diverse range of supporting characters who all played significant roles in shaping them into who they are now and bring about contrasting dynamics.

I loved their journey. The highs and lows. It had the right amount of angst, drama, and suspense to keep you reading with bated breath, but also had moments of lightheartedness to keep it from veering towards an overly depressing atmosphere. Colt and Susanna come full circle by the end of the book that leaves you not only happy sighing with complete contentment but a little bittersweet knowing that with Till It Hurts and now, Till Next Time, all three friends have had their story told and we bid adieu to their world.

This is only my second book of Cora Brent’s but after having back-to-back exceptionally quality storytelling, I’ll be looking into her backlist of books for sure. Till Next Time is a must read along with Till It Hurts. You can definitely read them as standalone books without missing a beat as events and relationships are well explained… but I do highly recommend reading the pair!

Colt’s and Susanna’s story was one big “Sliding Doors” moment full of missed chances and what-ifs? The road to their HEA wasn’t an easy feat, but it’s an epic second-chance romance that was a long time coming and well worth the wait!

🚨 Full review on my blog: https://booksofthemuggleborn.wordpres...

[Misty (Reds Romance Reviews) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Colt Malene was the first and only boy to make her young heart skip a beat, he was the boy she wanted to claim as her own. But she was a complication he wasn't so sure he wanted, being that she was the coach's daughter meant that she was off limits. But they went against the rules anyway, and it wound up costing them both dearly. They think about each other often, but haven't spoken in years, too afraid to face the past. But with her father's meddling that is all about to change....

Till Next Time is a beautifully penned story of forgiveness, love, loss, and sacrifice. The pages of this one hold a story that is bound to give your heartstrings a work-out. It alternates between past and present giving you a glimpse into these characters lives, the love they found and lost, and all the trauma they have faced since then. Your heart will break for them and the time they have lost, but once they find one another again, and things start to fall into place your heart will rejoice. I loved everything about this one, all the messy heartbreak stuff, the making amends and of course the steamier side of things... it was all so perfect! Highly recommend!

I requested an advanced copy of this title from the publisher, and I am voluntarily leaving my honest and unbiased opinion.

[Lauren Metcalfe · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a rollercoaster! 😍 Fantastic! I was really looking forward to Colts story after meeting him in Coras book Till It Hurts and I wasn't disappointed! This books has just the right amount of angst, steam, heartbreak, forgiveness and hope.

I loved this book! Cora Brent has a knack for creating real characters that capture your attention instantly, through chapters of them as teens we relived their heartbreaks both together and also alone and learnt how it shaped them as adults. The first chapter of this book had me hooked, once I started I had my eyes glued to the page and couldn't stop. Love isn't always easy and when it's real it's worth fighting for. Susanna and Colt despite the complicated history want to put it behind them but they struggle to find a way to say what they really want. This book was pivotal, powerful and raw.

"I know I have no right to ask you for anything and so I wont"
"No right?" I'm so stunned that I nearly fall over. "Jesus, you think you have no right to ask me to stay?"

You won't be disappointed.

[Tania's Book Blog · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story was so sad yet so beautiful all wrapped one. Susanna and Colt had a connection when they were younger. They were from completely different background/upbringing. She was the shy nerd and he was the jock but yet they understood each other. Something happened between them and they didn’t end their friendship on hood terms. Fast forward a little over ten years and they’re back in the same space but it isn’t happy times. Yet they come to an understanding that leads to more. But still wasn’t East fit both of them; they were terrible at communicating. Then tragedy and Colt thought he lost it all. Susanna was actually brave and for being a shy nerd she spoke her mind. She Gad such a beautiful soul. Colt endured things no one needed to endure and when he finally let it all out he had great support system. These two were amazing and their epilogue was amazing and beautiful.

[Krystin · Rating 2 out of 5]

It had some decent moments but the writing wasn’t great and the dialogue could be really cringey.

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cora Brent graciously provided me with an ARC of "Till Next Time" and I quickly gobbled it down a few days ago, but it took me a while to get the review started because I was, frankly, just speechless by how beautiful it was. If you've read "Till It Hurts" (which I reviewed last month), you'll have already met Colt (and a little bit of Susanna) and know that there's a sad, sad backstory. However, Colt doesn't let his past get him down, and that quality makes him the SEXIEST HERO EVER (honestly, I didn't go through half of what he went through and I'm STILL spittin' mad about it! 🤪). He's introspective enough to forgive what tore him apart from Susanna, and strong enough to move past things that can't be forgiven so that he can carve out a new life. Cora beautifully weaves Colt and Susanna's present with their past, and there is nothing jarring as we travel through their story. So many feels to go with the slow burn. I totally did not ugly cry (this is a lie).

This was a masterpiece and I have the worst book hangover ever. Current mood: can't find anything to read

[Crystal · Rating 3 out of 5]

At some point I became so irritated I wanted to throw my phone at the wall. I love Cora Brent books usually but this one lacked staying power with me. The prologue sucks you in. It is intense emotionally and physically for the H (Hero). I thought it would stay that way but the rest of the book felt like it was struggling to keep up with the prologue; Even at the climax of the story.
The story itself is told through alternate timeline POV'S. Flashbacks to the H & h teen years then to current timeline. I feel that detracted from the story. It goes: flashbacks - current or current - flashbacks pretty much each chapter. The reader is getting into current events only to suddenly be taken back to what possibly precipitated the actions/reactions.
Lastly, I really wondered why the love birds got together. As adults, not seeing each other in many years, both so very different than before and hardly hold really deep conversations because he is not talkative; He shows his affection. Honestly I just never felt their chemistry. They just liked each other since day one.
**RECEIVED ARC FOR HONEST REVIEW **

[Stephanie]

I ended up just calling this one. DNF'ed it after making it at least halfway through. I love Cora Brent, and have been a vocal fangirl of hers for years, but sadly this one just isn't it for me. It was long, without much going on. Much of it seemed very drawn out. I didn't feel any connection to the characters. I read the first one in this series and had been looking forward to Colt's story. Unfortunately, I didn't much care for Colt or Susanna. And, I know this is a personal preference, but I just cannot do the whole virginal heroine/experienced hero trope anymore. I didn't think Susanna being a virgin a) made any sense b) added anything to the story. Tbh, I nearly stopped reading as soon as the virginity angle came out. But I pressed on. After having this one on my "currently reading shelf" since December (every so often going back and rereading a bit of the book, and then going into it further), I had to just pull the plug.

I still think Brent is a gifted author. Again, this one just wasn't for me.

[Dez✨ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Anything Cora Brent I pretty much genuinely enjoy, but this one was not it for me. It was slow and not in a slow burn, worth the wait kind of thing. I never felt a connection between the two mains and did not understand the relationship at all. I loved the idea behind the story after reading the synopsis but there was to much emphasis on the father and some other minor drama and less on the buildup of the relationship.

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Editing

I'm not sure if the time of Covid is to blame, but this book lacked basic editing.
I'm going backwards now to read Jace and Tori's story.

[Marika · Rating 1 out of 5]

⛔️ (in notes)

[Mallora Pedreira · Rating 1 out of 5]

Almost DNF. This was BORING

[Kiley · Rating 4 out of 5]

**This should be read AFTER "Till It Hurts", as it should be considered Book 2 of a duet. It follows the relationship of Tori's brother with his high school sweetheart. This book WILL have spoilers for "Till It Hurts".

Till Next Time was about 27-year-old Colt Malene, a jack-of-all-trades who didn't stay in one place for long, and 27-year-old Susanna Toledo, a chemical engineer.

The prologue opened with the tornado sirens going off and Colt beginning to panic because he wasn't at home with a very pregnant Susanna. They'd fought and he'd left to "go for a drive". His drive had taken him to Tori and Jace's home. Then Chapter 1 jumped back to a year in the past and picked up several months after Till It Hurts ended, with the wedding of Jace and Tori. Susanna was the newest character out of them all, not having been in the first book other than being mentioned a time or two as someone Colt had been interested in.

Like the couple in the previous book, Colt and Susanna were (somewhat) high school sweethearts until things went horribly wrong and her father intervened. Colt left town without finishing high school, and Susanna left for college soon after graduating. She didn't return often, and Colt stayed gone for ten years.

Susanna had quit her job and returned home to help her father, the former high school football coach, who was dying from cancer. He didn't have much time left. Colt had returned to help his sister through a rough spot in the previous book, but he left for months at a time to do jobs in various states.

As this book started, Colt was back in town for his sister's wedding to his BFF. He would stay long enough to watch their dog while they were away on an extended honeymoon. During that time, he made a deal with Susanna to spend time with her to "ease her father's mind", because he knew the older man felt guilty about his part in breaking the two of them up in high school. At the end of the three weeks he was dogsitting, Colt left again for a several-month work trip to Montanna. He had told Susanna he wasn't the kind of man who stayed in one place, thus letting her know up front that they would never be together. Yet, while he was gone, all he could do was regret leaving her behind. But he returned in time to be there for her when Susanna's father passed away. It wasn't until after the funeral that Colt and Susanna finally hit the one spicy scene that took her V-card. Two days later, he left town again, with no plans to return. But three months later, a phone call from Jace had Colt going back home to confront Susanna about the pregnancy, which later led to them getting married. The relationship was rocky from that point on, and the story finally caught up to the prologue...and the tornado that was about to change everything.

Unlike the book before, this story had an OTT of angst, drama, and even more spicy scenes. The emotional rollercoaster had more than its fair share of twists and turns. The push/pull between the two main characters took up 90% of the storyline, as did all of the flashbacks. Most of the book's focus was on the past, which took away from the charm of the story.

Like its predecessor, this book had too much introspection and dialogue and insufficient interaction between the two main characters...or any of the characters. Unfortunately, it made the story drag on longer than was necessary, as did the constant flashbacks. The play-by-play moments weren't fun either. "I lifted the cup. I drank it down. I wiped my mouth...yada yada yada...". They served no other purpose and could have been left out. Most of it was irrelevant because it took the focus off the present circumstances that could have focused on the relationship and the storm.

The author had a unique opportunity to make this book stand out by using the storm as the main focal point, but unfortunately, that was an untapped resource. She made the past the targeted area which left very little time to build the present up into something that would have made this story pop. This also left a lot of unresolved issues at the end of the book.

The two main characters, while fully developed, were a bit stunted in their growth due to being held hostage to their past treatment by their parent(s) and/or each other. Because of the way the book focused on the past, and the fact that the present was so rushed, there wasn't any true growth for any of the characters. However, it was nice to read a story where the characters didn't all hate each other and had very few enemies. That's a rarity in this type of story.

I could only give this a 3.5-star rating, rounded up to 4, due to the way the storyline was written. It just didn't have a free flow, and that just made it a bit disjointed. All-in-all, it was a good story. It just needed to be edited more to have been better.

[Nightbird Novels · Rating 4 out of 5]

Susanna Toledo once left the small town of Arcana with a broken heart and her eyes on the future. Years later, she has returned to take care of her dying father in his final months of life... and she finds herself looking into the eyes of her past... and the boy she could never forget...

Colt Malene has spent too many years running from his past. And while Arcana may hold the worst sort of memories for him, he will always have a reason to return to the place he once called home... 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Till Next Time was a highly emotional, heartbreaking and sweet, second chance romance! Susanna and Colt once shared a young love that was never meant to be... but when they meet again, the wounds from their past will finally start to heal. But after years of unspoken regrets, will there finally be a future between them? Or will their love story come to a bittersweet end...

This story had an incredibly thorough plot that spanned many years, and went through the many seasons of both Susanna and Colt's lives. Getting to know the characters and being able to see their tribulations from their teen years into adulthood, provided a rich and complex, second chance love story.

Susanna was an admirable character who always tried to do the right thing, and although she and her father had their differences in the past, she uprooted her life to be there with him at the end of his life. Her storyline was utterly heart wrenching at times, but it allowed her impeccable heart to always shine through...

Colt had many reasons to avoid all things Arcana, but visiting his old coach at the end of his life was something he needed to do. Letting things go and repairing relationships, Colt worked hard to mend his mistakes of the past. But when it comes to Susanna, time may be running out for him to find a way to finally get it right.

This book was a heartwarming and emotional read. I loved the opposites attract relationship between Susanna and Colt, and the incredible love that they have for each other stood the test of time. The redemption aspect of this story was fantastic, and I absolutely loved not only where Susanna and Colt end up, but the previous characters from the book Till It Hurts end up as well!

I received a complimentary copy of this book for my honest and unbiased review.

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[Yael · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really loved the first book in this duet "Till it Hurts". It's not just a 5 star read, I really think about it sometimes... That's why I was so excited and happy for this book. My main complaint is that the main character, Colt, is utterly unlikable for 95% of the book. I get that he is messed up because of the way he was raised but he comes off as detached and distant which in turn makes the reader disinterested.

The hero, Colt, just can't be bothered. He can't be bothered to say more than four words in a conversation, he can't be bothered to think of an interesting outing for a date, he can't be bothered to even tell her what he wants. The most he does is asks the heroine what she wants and reluctantly does a partial version of this. For about half of the book the MCs are apart and the hero can't be bothered to charge his cell phone or look at his messages. So why should we, the readers, bother?

SPOILERS



I hated that the heroine had to be pregnant for the hero to propose. I hated that he put NO thought about the wedding. I hated that he and his sister let his mother participate even when they knew she was going to make trouble... It was like they didn't care.
I have a very hard time believing that a couple that had so much trouble before the baby would suddenly be happy and in love after the baby is born. The baby adds more stress not less, in my experience and the relationship needs to be solid before extending the family. But here, one conversation with the hero's sister, which the heroine - Suzanna - wasn't even a part of and he has a complete personality transplant where he becomes doting and talkative. Just no.

I have to also say that the writing left much to be desired. We were told what the characters were feeling instead of shown... Everything was very distant - like a report on their activities instead of a novel. The dialogue was forced and awkward... I just can't believe that this is the sequel to "Till it Hurts". I want to shake the author and make her write it all over again...