I liked this story. The characters were relatable. The story was believable, and the I was able to read this book in one sitting. (I may have not slept that night). I definitely recommend.

4 1/2 Heart Breaking Stars!

Jake and Molly grew up together on the Ocracoke Island and have been in love since they were teenagers. But when they are 18; Jake suddenly leaves the island, and breaks Molly’s heart. They were supposed to get married ... Jake taking over his father’s medical practice and Molly taking over her parent’s bed and breakfast. But that didn’t happen! Twelve years later, Jake’s father dies and that forces him to come back to deal with his father’s affairs. Now Molly is running the bed and breakfast and engaged to Jake’s old friend Dean. But when a devastating accident pulls Dean and Molly apart ... can Jake convince Molly to spend one night together, so they can get each other out of their systems? Will Molly take that chance with Jake ... knowing he’ll break her heart again?

I just loved Molly ... she is just so sweet and loved to take care of everyone. And even though Jake broke Molly’s heart, I couldn’t help but love him because even after he left, he never stopped loving Molly. My emotions were all over the place while reading this book ... one minute my heart would hurt and next I’d be laughing. I laughed so hard when Molly dropped her phone face up while she was talking to some guests ... I won’t say any more and wreck it for others ... but you’ll see when you get to that part. I highly recommend you read this book and I can’t wait to read the next book in the series.

I received a copy courtesy of Kobo Writing Life through NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.

The Choices I’ve Made is an angsty romance that grips you to the core. It is a romance built on flawed characters who are struggling with real life decisions. This extremely talented author has written a truly beautiful storyline which is emotional, raw, powerful, gritty, and loving. I highly recommend this!

A new author to me and I really liked this book very much and will look forward to reading more from you from this author thank you for my arc

Jake and Molly were always together as children, then as a couple. Jake makes a choice to leave after an accident that shatters both of them. Years later Jake is back in town and Molly is unforgiving of his mistakes. Will they be able to set things right? A wonderful second chance romance.

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I loved all the angst and the suspense in this wonderful second chance Romance. This was a story about high school sweethearts where Jake left town as soon as he graduated to leave the tiny island they grew up on. He went to medical school and was in a high level surgery position in a big city hospital. Then his father the island doctor died and left him the practice. He returns to the island to see his lost love Mollie. Mollie didn’t leave the island but took over running the family inn. Mollie is engaged to hers and Jake’s best friend Dean. Jake and Dean are on the ferry taking Jake to his father’s funeral when there is an explosion. Dean is injured and he loses his arm. Dean ends up breaking off the engagement because he knows Mollie and Jake belong together. Dean is very interested in his nurse in the hospital, Cora but he learns she is married. The book takes us through more angst between Mollie and Jake as we hope for the HEA. I gave this 5 stars and read the other 2 books in the series.

I really loved this book. I loved getting to know Jake and Molly, and how their hometown became its own character. I really got a feel for their situations, their personal feelings, and their chemistry together. The characters were well developed, had their own conflict, and there was always a hint of hope throughout.

There was tension to keep me busy and I really liked how stories developed, the plot twisted, and the relationships evolved. I really liked the dual perspective and how it balanced the past and the present. The story didn't feel repetitive or too focused on one topic. It had good movement and I appreciated how when Jake or Molly started a chapter they didn't rehash was just happened, more moved on into the next day and I liked seeing that progression with the point of view changes.

I would definitely recommend this book to fans of the romance genre, especially those that like slow burns, old flames, and romance stories with just a hint of sexual intimacy.

Second chance romance but I don't think there was enough glimpses into the past to get a real feel for Jake and Molly's romance. I feel like Molly really wants to do something different because she hasn't lived her life outside of the expectations she put on herself. Jake had a lame reason for not sticking around to make it work.

How do you talk about a book that resulted in numerous bouts of tears? How do you put into words the breaking of an already broken heart? Apparently, J.L. Berg has it down to a science.

The Choices I've Made is a second chance romance that packs some serious heartache from the beginning to the end. Heartache born from an unparalleled love separated by pain. This book may have a happy ending but tissues are a must!

When Jake comes back home to Ocracoke Island for the reading of his father's will, he knows he'll end up seeing his first (and only) love again, Molly. But first, he runs into his old friend, Dean, and the two are soon enjoying some reminiscing. When a tragedy happens and Jake's medical skills are called upon, Molly's back in his orbit, under less than ideal circumstances.

The two realize, even though so many years have past, that the love they once shared is still there. Can they possibly find love and happiness again? Can Jake redeem himself after having left Molly behind? Can Molly possibly fit into his high stress life as a top notch surgeon, or can he be content with the life as a small town family physician, as his father had wanted?

Second chance love is one of my favorite tropes, and J.L. Berg has done it so well here. Jake and Molly's journey back to each other is highly readable, a little bit melancholy, and the two make for a pretty amazing couple, once they work everything out.

I liked and enjoyed this one, really a great series that leaves you wanting more. wonderful characters written so well. cant wait to read more.

While this can be read as a stand alone, the tragic accident in the beginning of the book is going to leave you eager to read the second book in this series. You're going to want to know Dean's story and in my opinion that book is much better than this one!

Speaking of Dean; I didn't care for how everything went down between him and Molly. I think she took the easy way out and should have fought harder. It was like she had given up before he did and therefore just accepted what had happened. This part of the book is the sole reason for me not rating this higher than 3 stars.

We learn a lot about Molly and Jake; who they were, who they are now and what they both want. It's a second chance story because they were together all through high school, but then separated because Jake was determined to leave the island to go to college and Molly was determined to stay. The story takes place 12 years after he left and picks up with Jake still not wanting to be on the island and Molly still insisting she needs to be there.

It was interesting to read how much Jake changes from the beginning of the book. The guy who is so determined to spend as little time on the island as possible to how the book ends. His journey to get there is an amazing one and I give the author credit for not letting either character give in and settle.

This book had me from the beginning. And honestly, I was anticipating the rest of the series before I was halfway through with this book. All of the characters were captivating and had me wanting to know their stories. Especially Dean.

I was back and forth with Jake and Molly the whole time. Will they/Won't they? Yes/No? The push and pull was torturous. And absolutely wonderful.

I only had one issue, I would've like to see what Jake and Molly were doing individually during their time apart. Just so I could see what made them come to their final decisions.

All in all, I enjoyed it immensely, and could not wait to dive into the second book in this series.

I was just in the mood for a certain type of romance book and having a trawl on netgalley, I came across this and the second in the same series The Scars I Bare. There is of course, always danger that when you're in the mood for something specific, it just won't live up to what you're looking for. Fortunately, this time, this was exactly what I was hoping it would be.
This is a second chance romance. After the death of his mother, Jake leaves his home, his family, the life he had planned and most importantly, the love of his life Molly. Molly and Jake have been childhood sweethearts and although they haven't seen each other for ten years, they still haven't really moved on, despite trying to.
This story starts with a bang, in more ways than one. I was a little worried that this explosive start would leave to a story that was over the top in every way, but I probably shouldn't have been so concerned. After the initial first chapter or so, it settled into a rhythm of rediscovery and questioning if things have really changed.
The path to the happily ever after is not a smooth one and both Jake and Molly need to evolve and discover themselves before they can finally find out who they are. I loved the fact that Molly wasn't just left behind where they had both grown up, she had her own discovery and growing to do too.
I couldn't help loving both Molly and Jake and feeling their pain as they come to terms with the ghosts of their past. This was just the book that I was looking for and I can't wait to give the second in the series a go.

This book was titled just right. At the start I thought the choices made referred to Jake, but in the end, it was both their choices that needed to be examined and what lead them eventually, finally to each other.

I have to admit I found the story to move slowly... Jake came back to his hometown after his father died and met his former best friend on the ferry. Molly in the meantime, is in the inn waiting for fer fiancee to come home. Jake didn't want to be there and Molly didn't want to leave.

Circumstances gave them the green light to be together, albeit for a short while. But they eventually and painfully figured out that they were still not at the same place they needed to be together. Molly was afraid and Jake too. It made me want to shake them both a little as they were seesawing back and forth with each other. And made me take my sweet time with this book.

But I do like the way they found themselves and each other again. It was sweet and just perfect for them. Wish there was more in the epilogue but I guess we'll get more in the next book.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this copy.

I love books where the characters fell in love during childhood, Is so pure, the way children loves.



I do prefer when they stick together, but I know that sometimes they need to be apart so they can grow to be the person they are meant to be.



I like very much that Jake had to prove himself to be redeemed before Molly´s eyes, because if not, it would be a disappointment.

A second chance love story set in the south on a small island. Jake left everything behind when he went to college, including Molly. Now, back on the island for his father's funeral they find themselves conflicted as pain old and new must be faced while struggling with a love that may never have really faded away.

I liked the author's pacing of the plot. It didn't feel rushed or like there was a bunch of filler to pad it. I was a little surprised at the character of Dean and some of his storyline. It seemed a little too neat and tidy, but I think there will be more on him to come in book two.

Overall a nice read and I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series!

I truly loved this second-chance romance! There were several times in this novel where I felt like a young child that wasn't getting her way, because of numerous obstacles, starts, and stops. However, I applaud the author's blend of conflict, hope, disappointment, and happy endings. This was a page-turner from beginning to end and this novel was sweet, sexy, happy, and sad all wrapped up in a wonderful package. The chemistry between Jake and Molly was undeniable, but the numerous other friends and family members and the bonds between them made this book even better. I can't say I was surprised by Jake's final choices but was pleasantly surprised when I learned about Molly's own journey. 

This is the perfect beach read or just a fabulous escape from everyday life (unless you plan on visiting Ocracoke, you may not want to read this before getting on the ferry, lol). The Choices I've Made is smart, emotional, sexy, and left me feeling incredibly warm and fuzzy. I highly recommend this one, and cannot wait to read the follow-up novels in this series.  

*Thanks to NetGalley for providing this novel in exchange for my honest review!

I was intrigued about this book from the moment I read the blurb! It was romantic, emotional and sweet! I loved the chemistry between the characters and they have some really fun moments it just didn't reach my expectations as a whole !

This was an incredible amazing story about grief and loss. I really enjoyed the way the author was able to write the right amount of angst within this second chance romance story and the way they wrote this story in a way that really made me connect with the characters. I cannot wait to read more in this series.