Another good book by Nicole McLaughlin with a good plot and very likeable characters that kept me totally engaged until the turn of the very last page!

This is the first time I've read this author and though I couldn't quite take to Jen it was well written.

I received a copy from Netgalley and I voluntarily leave my honest opinion

I absolutely love this series! I read an early copy of this book via Netgalley and just happened to finish it on Valentine's Day. Maybe This Time is the perfect read to make your heart go mushy and to warm you up from the inside out! One of the most satisfying HEA's I've come across lately.
In reading other reviews, it appears that a lot of people are having trouble with the personality of the main character, Jen. Jen is a contradiction. She's hard shelled...both in appearance and in actions. She's got lots of tatoos, dyes her hair different colors frequently, etc. She's been hurt a lot in her life and tries real hard to keep people at a distance with her sarcasm and snark. Under all that she's just someone who's been hurt a lot in her life and aches for love, just like everyone else.
TJ, the hero, is a kind of preppy guy. He's always had a thing for Jen, but never acted on it. When he finally does, he is so protective and loving with her that it melts your heart. They have things to overcome, secrets to be dealt with and truths that need to be told. They really are perfect for each other, if only they can drop their defenses and admit the love that they feel.
The scene at the end of the book in Chicago was my absolute favorite! Oh, my! It was comparable to two people running across a field toward each other with open arms. So great! Absolutely loved this book!

This book reminded me why I love a good ol’ romance to make me feel better. From awkward high school crushes to office relationships this book hit all my buttons.

Jen and TJ didn’t exactly start out as friends but acquaintances, having known each other from their high school years. And though they’ve both been a little in love with one another since then, they never acted on their feelings. The point where we’re involved in the book is where TJ is Jen’s boss and they’re still back and forth with their feelings. TJ is still put together as ever, and Jen is still the smartass who gives him a hard time.

What I loved most about this book was that neither TJ nor Jen came on too strong concerning their romance. They were both hesitant at times, and forward when they needed to be. That balance about their working relationship as boss/employee was most fun for me to read.

I’m not one to usually skip a series start, but I’m not sorry I did. Not because I think the first book is anything bad, in fact, I’m looking forward to reading it now, but because I’m glad I started with a story that made me feel all the nostalgia. Now I know I want to read the previous book.

If you like high school good boy and bad girl who have been crushing on each other find their happy ever after through office romance, then this book will make you smile.

I’m adding four spoonfuls of this book into my hodgepodge.

You can read this book as a stand alone. I enjoyed getting to know Jen and TJ in this book. Jen has a LOT of insecurities and hides behind a snarky attitude. Jen and TJ have loved each other for many years but both have been to afraid to do anything about it. Finally TJ shows that he has feeling for Jen but she does almost anything in her power to not believe it. It takes a long time for her to overcome her insecurities but hey what fun would the book be if it didn't have conflict. The book has a HEA so enjoy the read of reading this book before you get to the end, it's worth it.

I am not sure that I have ever read a book by this author, but enjoyed this one somewhat. I did get a little tired of how long it took Jen to feel she was worthy enough for TJ, but since that was a main part of the story, I could see the reason. This was a cute book, with the relationship being the main goal. I did not feel much emotion for either H/h until the last couple of chapters. Jen was too snarky and insecure, and TJ wanted her too much! It did not feel like a match made in heaven, but I could sense that that was the goal of the book. Enjoyable, but not my favorite book.

Looking at the cover of this book, you would think that it was just a sweet and romantic book about weddings and happily ever after. But trust me, this book has so much more to offer than just a sweet bride chasing her perfect wedding. In fact the last thing that you can call the heroine, Jen Mackenzie, is sweet. She definitely isn’t your innocent, starry eyed bride.

Jen Mackenzie has had a difficult childhood. Having to fend for herself when her mother was more interested in drinking and smoking and men, she has learned to be different and unconventional. Her only saving grace was theatre and singing. In high school, over night, she went from being the weird outcast to the popular girl who all the boys wanted to take to the dance. However, she only ever had eyes for the handsome geek TJ Laughlin. She knew that he would never date someone like her, but she couldn’t stop herself from dreaming. Years later, she finds herself working for him and still feeling his judgement and displeasure. But maybe, there is more than meets the eye and opposites can truly attract!

TJ Laughlin has had a secret crush on Jen forever. She is unlike any other woman he knows and he is sick and tired of pretending to not have feelings for her. He finally decides to open up and admit his feelings and see where it will lead. But with a mother battling cancer and numerous other troubles on her plate, will Jen and TJ finally be able to have their time?

Ok, I’ll admit that there were a couple of times where I found Jen to be a little annoying. But that is only because she is so unlike what we expect heroines to act like and do. She definitely keeps us on our feet and is like a breath of fresh air. This story has plenty of sweet and emotional moments, but don’t be fooled into thinking that it won’t make you blush from time to time ;)
Can’t wait for the next book of the series and see who will tame Jake!!!

And it was time for the next partner of The Stag distillery to find his great love.
In fact, TJ had been in love with a high school friend for years now, but for reasons unrelated to him, Jennifer MacKenzie, aka Jen, was impudent, and most of time she was attacking him with words, thinking he did not consider her worthy of a girl for him.

The years went by and coincidentally Jen went to work as a bartender at The Stag on weekends.
When Tara, the receptionist, took maternity leave, Jen offered to stay in her place for those months, to earn extra money.

Jen had a beautiful voice. At the time of the High School she performed in Grease, as Sandy, and instantly became famous, which angered TJ because even before the fame, he had already noticed her.

TJ came from a wealthy family, but nothing perfect.
He considered himself "the third child", since his parents seemed only to notice his two siblings.
While Jen only had the mother in her life and a few memories of her father through birthday cards that he sent to her, always with fairy drawings. He died of a heroin overdose when Jen was eight.
Now, her mother was struggling with the return of Cancer, and she already showed signs of fatigue over the fight. The mother-daughter relationship was beyond repair. And that reflected in the way Jen ran her own life.

Tired of hiding and being afraid, TJ decides it's time to invest in woo Jen.
They both had fears. She insisted that she had no time or space in her life for a serious relationship.
Plants and flowers make them have something in common, and from there everything begins to flourish.

Jen had the dream to live through her art, performing and singing. A dream that every day became more distant.
But perhaps The Stag was the answer to all the afflictions and future for them.

The plot is interesting and the author has a great writing.
But I confess that, unlike the previous book, this one has a heavy theme. I felt depressed already from the first mother-daughter meeting; the way Jen's mother shows up worrying about her, humiliating her, was not at all pleasant to read.
The romance part, when TJ appears, is always nicer because HE is a docile person.

I think he deserved someone less complicated, although it is said that there is no control of the heart and by whom one falls in love.
I was happy they found love, but I was depressed most time of the reading.
3,5 stars

To avoid misconception, they will not get married in this book, they are in some way part of the wedding business because they provide the wedding or reception venue. Hence, the book cover. I have to say this upfront because some of you might not be into the marriage-storyline, the cover might mislead you and I don’t want you to put this book down only basing your decision from its cover.

It has the frienemies-to-lovers plot but it doesn’t feel forced. I can see people living in this reality. Even their banters sounded natural. And thank heavens TJ is not a billionaire like most male protagonists in a romance book, he is an honest-to-goodness businessman. Jen maybe struggling financially but her situation is believable and not the common over-the-top money problems female characters have.

If you want to read a contemporary romance that is close to real-life events, I recommend you read this one. Even if this book is part of a series, you can read it as a standalone. Each book is about a different couple but the characters are the same.

This is my second Nicole McLaughlin and while I didn't like it quite as much as the first in the series, it was still a solid romance that I stayed up way too late reading. I found myself near tears at one point, which always means the author is doing a great job.

I loved that Jen was unapologetically tattooed, and that she loved to show them off, but I found it a bit off that in private she had some hesitation over the fairies. I loved that she was flawed in so many ways- I have never seen a heroine have her utilities cut off! but that she was also honest about it. I was mortified for her when her mother was being hard, and so so angry with her when she thought TJ had been hiding something (he had) and also that she immediately admitted that she wasn't blameless. I HATED some of TJ's actions but he really made it up by finding her at the end. I missed that it didn't take place at the Stag as much, and it seemed really short, but as an entry in the series. I quite enjoyed it.

Well, this time around I simply didn’t get what I bargained for, my fellow romance book loving friends. Having enjoyed book 1, Maybe I Do, I had high hopes this would be a similar themed read. Jen, the heroine, just didn’t win me over. She had me disliking her the first moment she opened her sarcastic mouth and flew someone the middle finger. Snarky and acting like a snob in her poverty just aren’t traits I find attractive or endearing in a leading lady. Knowing she had hooked up previously one time with a close friend/co-worker of TJ, the hero, and her’s didn’t help either. Throw in the fact TJ is dating/sleeping with another woman while being attracted to Jen, and I wanted out before I was really in this one, folks.

At 40%, I also realized I wasn’t overly fond of TJ’s insecurities and whining about his deadbeat biological daddy drama past. The only good thing you can say is Jen’s life is such a hot mess just being around her makes TJ realize his circumstances aren’t so bad afterall.

By 50%, I realized I was finding this couple exhausting to listen to/be around. Even some of the subcharacters got on my nerves (i.e., Jen’s mom). It’s pretty sad when you find yourself more intrigued by a hot guy Jen flirted with while TJ was nearby on a date with someone else.

I’m sure everything works out swell for this main couple. After all, it took 15 years for them to finally decide to take a chance on each other. I wish this author all the best and hope others enjoy their story. I simply couldn’t justify seeing it through to the very end. Maybe next time will be different in book 3, Maybe for You.

Title: Maybe This Time, Series: Whiskey and Weddings (Book 2), Author: Nicole McLaughlin, Pages: 300, stand-alone but part of a series, snarky heroine, too cowardly in the past to ask her out, OW drama, brief OM wants to date her drama, exhausting/bickering couple.

Book 1 - Maybe I Do (Charlotte and Dean)https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2052298606?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1
Book 2 - Maybe This Time (Jen and TJ)
Book 3 - Maybe for You - Not yet released

(I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I was not given any payment or compensation for this review, nor is there any affiliation or relationship between this reviewer and the author/publisher/NetGalley.)

TJ has had a crush on Jen since high school. With Jen's scrappy,resilient personality is there even a chance of a romance between her and TJ? Her mother is battling cancer, she loses her dream job and she is really struggling financially. Her life's choices are starting to catch up with her but she always seems to land on her feet time and time again. As her new boss can Tj break through her prickly exterior to the soft romantic woman inside and make her see she needs him as much as he needs her and that it's not a sign of weakness?
Pub Date 27 Feb 2018
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a review copy. I was not required to write a positive review.

Jen Mackenzie has known TJ since high school. They have both had feelings for each other since then but, neither has ever acted on them. Jen now works as a bartender at The Stag, a boutique wedding venue. TJ is part owner. Jen is now desperate to cling to the only job she has left. She has had a hard adulthood with trying to take care of a mother with breast cancer, who doesn't really want her around, trying to keep jobs, losing the job she always wanted and, trying to atone for some whopping mistakes she made during this time.
Now, her bartender job is the only thing left. TJ keeps trying to help her and, she faults him at every turn. The interplay between these two is fascinating. Jen can be a bit too abrasive at times but, TJ finally manages to break through those very thick walls! A Very pleasant read!

I felt in love with Nicole McLaughlin’s whiskey and weddings series with book one. I loved the setting and the distillery / wedding venue was so creative and different. I eagerly looked forward to book two. Thankfully, book two did not disappoint. We watch TJ and Jen circle each other in the first installment, this time we watched and they let down their guard and became the couple we knew they could be. There is a lot going on in this book and you need to be prepared with the tissues. McLaughlin definitely makes you work for the HEA, but it is well worth it. I can’t wait to see what the third book brings.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this novel.

Jen is the type of person that I strive to be. Her resilience is extraordinary. Despite life's punches, she never gives up hope. She doesn't wait for good things to come her way, she tries to make them happen for herself. Insecurities be damned. Too bad the blows are coming quicker than she can fend them off. The biggest one? TJ Laughlin. TJ is the one man who can bring her to her knees. He brings all her self-doubt to the surface. Can the one person who sees through the pain, show her how to rise above it? Maybe This Time is a delightful tale of optimism, love and inspiration. Something that we all need at one time or another. A pick me up.

Gritty, tough girl and a quiet, accomplished guy have been in love with each other for years but don’t act on it until something forces their hand. It was a quick, sweet read that I finished within hours.

TJ has had a crush on Jen since high school. He couldn't believe it when she started working as a bartender for Stag Distillery, the company he was a co-owner of. Her attitude has always put him off. Now, one of his best friends has settled down & they've convinced TJ to make a play for Jen. When she has an opportunity to reach for her dreams, can he really hold her back?

Jen has hidden a lifetime of hurt & distrust behind snark & attitude. She's had feelings for TJ since high school but has always felt he looked down on her. Now he's suddenly coming on to her & she doesn't know whether to believe it or not. Does she dare lower her mask to let him see the "real" her? Does she dare chose him over her dreams when he could leave her at any time?

These two come across as total opposites but as you get into the story, you realize they both are hiding behind masks. Jen has tough time trusting anyone. TJ is still looking for his father's approval & acceptance although he doesn't want anyone to realize it. The plot moves quickly. The supporting characters & the interactions between them all adds an additional dimension to this story. I can't wait for the next story.

I was provided a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review.

TJ and Jen went to high school together but now they’re in their early thirties and Jen is a bartender at TJ’s distillery. They’ve been circling each other like cats in heat for the past 15 years, each having their own relationships while still being secretly in love. Luckily TJ finally gets the courage up to say something. Jen and TJ were both just such stubborn people and at first they can’t seem to let their guards down enough to make a go of it. Overall I liked the characters ok but Jen wasn’t exactly what I usually look for in a heroine. I did love how colorful she was and I loved that she had tattoos and wasn’t the conventional good girl. At the same time, for such a strong character, I didn’t like that she needed rich TJ to come swoop in and pay off her thousands of dollars of credit card debt. That being said though, I did like the characters and I especially liked the setting of the distillery in the small town. TJ was such a devoted hero and he really was just so romantic and sweet. I liked this book overall and I’d be interested to read others in the series.

Maybe This Time by Nicole McLaughlin was my book choice for this week's One Wicked Romance a Week reading challenge feature. What can I say? I'm a sucker for enemies-to-lovers, bad girl good guy tropes.

Even though this is part of a series, this is standalone. Fans of Nicole McLaughlin will definitely enjoy this installment. 

Check out the full review at https://aquaintrelleinthecity.com/one-wicked-romance-week-3-maybe-time-nicole-mclaughlin/

Maybe This Time by Nicole McLaughlin
Whiskey & Weddings #2

Jen McKenzie and T.J. Lawrence have known and had crushes on one another since middle school. The timing has never been right before but after fifteen years of interest unfulfilled it seems the time might finally be
time for the two of them to get together. So, with T.J. breaking up with his current girlfriend and Jen not with anyone the two start the mating dance with bickering and b*tching and eventually a bit of romance, support, trust, caring and sharing.

Jen and T.J. both have had issues with their parents though I never really got to the meat of why the two and their parents were not close. Jen has always had the dream of being on Broadway and does have talent but it has, for the most part, not panned out for her and instead she has been on the small stage and teaching closer to home while T.J. has done well in business and with the distillery and is ready to put roots down.

I am not sure why Jen and T.J. are so attracted or why they have not acted on the interest but when they do it seems to work for them and all comes out right in the end…perhaps too easily, in fact.

I enjoyed catching up with T.J, Dean and Jake and wonder how Alex, Dean’s sister, will do in the future. Charlotte’s ex, John, was mentioned in passing and I wonder if he will have a book of his own eventually, too.

All in all this was an alright story of a woman that pretty much put herself first until she needed to step up in a bigger way for her not so appreciative mother it was also the story of two people that have wanted to be close but never felt the timing was right before. Jen was not as hard or as easy as she appeared to be in parts of the book just as T.J. was not as uptight and nerdy as Jen thought he was.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC – This is my honest review.

3-4 stars