Second Chance at Two Love Lane has a strong beginning that sucked me in, but along the middle of the story I had a hard time keeping interested. When Ella and Hank reunite that is about the point in the story where it fizzles for me. Ella and Hank's story seemed downplayed and their past seemed like a small part of why they were no longer on speaking terms. The characters in Ella's life from her family to her friends in the matchmaking business created a distraction from their romance, but it was just a distraction. It was totally separate from what was going on between Hank and Ella and did not really connect the story. Overall, the story leans more toward women's fiction than contemporary romance. I would recommend for fans of Jennifer Probst.
*ARC provided in consideration for review*

Despite enjoying the first two books in this series, Second Chance at Two Love Lane was definitely just not for me. As much as I love second chance romances (and considering that's in the title, I knew it'd play a big role), I dozed through this book. 

First, let's talk PACING. Because there was none. It was all slow and dragging. Far too much self reflection and indecisiveness from the characters led to a really drawn out romance and not in the good way. Because I really wasn't feeling the love here. And because I wasn't into the chemistry between Ella and Hank, I was bored.

The inconsistent writing set the stage for the rest of the book and ultimately led to a lack of enjoyment on my end. The characters never felt. . . finished, as if the author was still learning about them and hadn't figured out what they did and didn't want. So then I didn't understand their motivations or why they made the decisions they did. And, frankly, the way they acted, I didn't think they should should be together (or with anyone) until they figured out what they wanted.

Neither Ella nor Hank felt real. They read as placeholders for characters that didn't exist for this story so they become caricatures instead.

As for the story itself, it was just as scattered along with being over the top. I mean the entire premise of this series with the trio of matchmakers and that's their main business. . . is that a thing? Do those exist? I've mostly gone with it but then combine it with the whole "we're making a movie in your town and it just happens to include your ex and a potential rival romance?" What part of that am I supposed to get behind? I read romances for escape, absolutely, but I need to feel grounded in the world and this particular story combined with the other issues of the book just didn't work for me.

Though the first two books were good, I wouldn't recommend the third and I hope that if there are any other installments in the series that they can be read without this one. I still look forward to more by Kieran Kramer but this one was a bust.

Title: Second Chance at Two Love Lane
Author: Kieran Kramer
Genre: Romance
Rating: 3 out of 5

Ten years ago, Ella and Hank were both struggling actors with big dreams. Instead of taking a big role, Ella refused as a show of support for Hank. Instead of a proposal, she got dumped when Hank got a big break, something Hank has always regretted. He still loves Ella, but she has a new life.

She acts in community theater, but she’s also a matchmaker at Two Love Lane, doing her best to solve the problems of her clients’ love lives and see them happy. When Hank comes to town to shoot a leading role, he gets Ella a bit part, and wants to make things work between them. But Ella knows he’ll just leave her behind again when fame’s demands take him out of Charleston.

I didn’t realize this is the third book in the series, but they’re written as standalones, so that doesn’t affect anything. For me, the characters weren’t very fleshed out, and some of them came across more as caricatures than anything. Very one dimensional. The entire plot felt very bare-bones and too easy, and one of the subplots seemed rather pointless and did not add anything to the story.

Kieran Kramer is a USA Today best-selling author and has an MFA from The College of Charleston. Second Chance at Two Love Lane is her newest novel.

(Galley provided by St. Martin's Press in exchange for an honest review.)

I don't normally read books labeled as 'romance' but I really enjoyed this one. I found that it was a well-written story that contained a bit of romance. The characters were likable and it was refreshing to read a book where the women seemed respectful of the other women in the story.

Having read the first two books in this series, I was super excited to be given the opportunity to read the third and final installment. Second Chance at Two Love Lane by Kieran Kramer definitely did not disappoint and in fact, was my favorite of the the three books. This is Ella's story, her second chance at love with her old boyfriend. I loved reading about Ella's big Italian family, some of which we met in the previous books, and having her sweet personality spotlighted in this story. Ella never got over Hank, who has since become a huge movie star, and when he comes to Charleston to film a movie, the two are reunited with undeniable chemistry. Will they get back together? You'll have to read to find out! The only thing I wish is that the end of the story had been a bit longer, I felt the wrap up was a bit rushed and I loved reading this story, so did not like that it ended so quickly. I wanted more! As mentioned, this is the third in a series, but you will understand and do just fine if you only read this one. Although, all of the stories are really fun, so I would recommend reading all three.

SECOND CHANCE AT TWO LOVE LANE by Kieran Kramer is the third novel in the Two Love Lane series. The star of this sweet romance is Ella Mancini, one of the three friends that run a matchmaking company in Charleston.

Before getting involved in matchmaking, Ella was acting in local theatre. She was convinced she was going to get a ring from fellow actor Hank Rogers but, instead, he left to pursue his acting career on a larger scale. Luck was on his side and he soon hits it big. When his most recent movie heads to film in Charleston, he plans to contact Ella just to ask a very simple favor concerning a friend. Instead, circumstances find him sharing a house with her. Since she’s still interested in acting, he arranges for her to have a small part in the movie. The leading lady takes it from there. Convinced that Ella and Hank would make a good couple, she tries some matchmaking of her own!

Ella and Hank are both very likeable characters, and while I found myself hoping that they would get together, I have to admit that I found their story a bit difficult to get into. The pace is very slow and not much really happens. What does happen often seems contrived and hard to believe. Even the movie making aspect of the story seems unreal.

What I really did like about this story was the setting. The author does a very good job of incorporating Charleston into the story and everything has a definite southern feel.

I’m giving SECOND CHANCE AT TWO LOVE LANE three stars. While the pace is slow, the characters are likeable and it’s an easy summer read. It is also a good standalone story in spite of being the third book in the series.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book.

I loved the connection between Hank and Ella. Even after years apart, they can still clearly read each other. They both want the best for each other without bitterness. Truly nice people.

The title says it all. “Second Chance At Two Love Lane” is about second chances at love. But, this one has a twist. The lovers – Ella Mancini and Hank Rogers parted by choice so that they can follow their own dreams.

But fate had something else instore for them. Both might be older and wiser, but the same question still bothers them – will they give up their careers for a chance on love.

Poignant and sweet, “Second Chance At Two Love Lane” is a slow burn romance which surprisingly is very fast-paced in terms of the storyline. Author Kieran Kramer is concise and knows her way around words. A true wordsmith, she can express so many things with just a few words.

So, you better watch out David Gates! Kieran does not need a picture to paint a thousand words. She can use just a few to paint a picture!

Kidding aside, Kieran Kramer knows her craft and it shows in “Second Chance At Two Love Lane” which catches your attention on the first page and keeps you interested until the last.

“Second Chance At Two Love Lane” is Rated T for Teens.

Second Chance at Two Love Lane Kieran Kramer
Book #3: Two Love Lane Series
Source: NetGalley
My Rating: 3/5 stars

**MINI-REVIEW**

The Bottom Line: In the interest of fairness and complete honesty, I purchased and read the first two books in this series prior to diving into this installment of the series. Furthermore, I will be the first to admit, on occasion, I love a sappy, sweet, give me cavities and/or a diabetic coma kind of read, but I think this book (and series) are a bit over the top, even for me. I have absolutely no complaints about the mechanics of this read as the author’s technical writing skills and editing are quite good. What somewhat put me off this book (and the series) are the main characters and quite unrealistic plots. Each story, including this one is a bit too far-fetched, even for fiction. I’m willing to go a long way down a path with an author, but this path has too many improbabilities for me to feel this could be real. With all that being said, I did find one bit of this book (and series) utterly and completely wonderful. Ms. Thing!!!! Even though Ms. Thing is a relatively minor character in the book (and series), she has a huge personality and an even greater impact. As the matriarch of the group, Ms. Thing provides emotional support to the women and clients of Two Love Lane. She also provides tea, homemade cookies, sage advice, loyalty, friendship, and genuine care and concern. Upon reflection, I think I only read all three books because of Ms. Thing and her big, bright, beautiful personality. If you’re a fan of the super-sappy, super-sweet reads then I’m going to recommend this series to you. However, if you like a bit possibility and probability in your romantic fiction, I’m going to have to steer you in a quite different direction.

A cutesy, sweet, fun romance. I love the concept of matchmakers in 2 Love Lane. Through a series of bizarre, amusing events, the heroine, Ella, ends up with a part in a movie with her ex and her nemesis. A cute rom-com.

Many thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

This was cute and sweet but there was too little conflict despite the heartache the heroine went through. There were some really funny and sweet moments but yeah, I wish there was more conflict whether it's internal or external.

This is the third book in the "2 Love Lane" series. I enjoyed the other two but found this one quite long and repetitive. It's the love story of Ella and her ex boyfriend Hank. They meet again ten years later after Hank returns to Charleston. He is now a famous film star and has always loved Ella. Sorry, but the story was very predictable.

I've been on a bit of a cutesy book binge lately. From Sophie Kinsella to Josie Silver to Sally Thorne, I've been devouring rom-com books by the pound. When I saw the summary for this book on NetGalley, it was a no-brainer to me. It sounded right up my alley, a story of two exes finding each other a decade later with some fun complications. It's a pretty by the books, told by many different novels, premise. Unfortunately, this book really did not come anywhere close to meeting my expectations.

Second Chance follows Ella, a successful matchmaker and former wannabe actress who does local theater gigs on the side. When her ex, Hank (who made it big in the acting business), shows up to film a movie in her city, she's forced to confront her lingering feelings for him after a decade of separation.

My biggest issue with this book is the writing. To me, this book read like an early draft. It's rough and unrefined: the plot was inconsistent and scattered, the characters had no real definition, and there were way too many cringe-worthy unrealistic moments in the book. Circling back to the plot: it was all over the damn place - one minute the focus is on the relationship between Ella and Hank, the next it's on talking about her grandmothers affair (which doesn't add anything to the book) and then the focus shifts to the insane con job that is Two Love Lane (we'll get back to this later). It was almost like the author wrote down some event and drew them out of a hat, there was no rhyme or reason. Also, the exposition was about as subtle as a brick through a window. For example, there was one passage where Ella's friend explained Ella's past to her (and rubbed in how she had turned down her big break while, in a moment where she was supposedly comforting Ella).

Let's talk about Two Love Lane (the matchmaking company). While I don't believe in matchmakers, power to someone with the disposable income to spend on the old fashioned version of having your friends set up a Tinder profile for you. Also, if you've read any of my reviews before, you'll know that I adore books that focus on a career driven woman. However, I cannot get behind a book that focuses on such a nonsensical and borderline con artist den like Two Love Lane. One of the subplots follows a woman who is using the services of Two Love Lane and believes she's cursed. Instead of gently steering her towards her happily ever after, she gets treated poorly and is told she has to make thousands of baked goods to cure her curse. 

The characters of this book range from weird to boring. I don't think I could pick one character out of this all that I really enjoyed. It was clear, however, that the author likes Samantha Drake better than any of her other characters - she's given an oddly large amount of focus in this book (people are constantly comparing her to Meryl Streep and talking about how many Oscars she's won). At first she angled to be Ella's competition in the game for Hank's attention, but all of a sudden the book switched directions and she became Hank's confident and co-conspirator (she agreed to help manipulate Ella into getting back with Hank). As for the two leads of this story, I really don't have much to say about them. They were one dimensional walking stereotypes and lacked chemistry. I wasn't rooting for them to get back together, I was mostly rooting for Ella to get away from her crazy family.

Nothing about this book worked for me. The characters were bland and flat, the plot was scattered at best, and the exposition was blatant (and very tell not show). Maybe with a few more rounds of revisions by new eyes this book could be a fun read, but given the way the book is now, I won't be recommending anyone take a trip to Two Love Lane.

I love Kieran Kramer’s Two Love Lane series! Ella Mancini and Hank Rogers are featured in Second Chance at Two Love Lane. I enjoyed reading every page of this fast- paced story and adored the characters!
The prologue scenes which featured Ella, her father and Hank were full of love and emotion and set the scene for the novel perfectly. To celebrate Ella’s birthday, Mr. Mancini treats her to a Broadway show and to a special dessert. Mr. Mancini understands Ella’s creative spirit, her desire to act and he enjoyed making memories with his daughter. Hank introduces himself to Ella and tells her that they will meet again.
Ella Mancini and Hank Roger dated when she returned to New York after college. Things ended badly when Ella turned down an acting role because she thought Hank was going to propose. Hank chose acting over Ella and is now a big movie star. Ella moved to Charleston, South Carolina and opened Two Love Lane, a matchmaking business with her college friends Macy and Greer. Ella keeps busy with her Two Love Lane clients and she performs in Community Theater. She has been offered a small role in a movie that is filming in Charleston for one week. Guess who is the leading man?
Kieran Kramer descriptive writing style, subtle humor and crisp dialogue blend perfectly in this novel. I adored the scene when Ella and Hank ran into each other. In less than 30 seconds he annoyed Ella by inviting her to lunch to catch up and then offered her a role in the movie. I imagined Miss. Thing dressed up as Queen Elizabeth and Ella’s Nonnas taking over Ella’s apartment to watch reality tv. I loved Ella’s Nonna Sofia and Nonna Boo; they reminded me of my great aunts. Nonna Sofia’s story of her shoe subtly introduces her desire for Ella—for Ella to marry the man of her heart. And of course, Hank hears every word.
Second Chance at Two Love Lane is a charming, engaging read. The Charleston setting oozes southern charm and old world traditions. Loved the friendship between Macy, Greer, Ella and Miss. Thing which has been an important part of each story in the series. They believe in the art of matchmaking and give each client a chance at love. The Mancini women, especially the Nonna’s, add so much depth and humor to the storyline. Everyone could see that Hank and Ella loved each other and deserved a chance at love—even Hank’s co-star Samantha played matchmaker for the couple. I loved that the story took place in seven days and that Kieran Kramer was able to write a fantastic story for Ella. Both characters had to learn to talk honestly with each other before they could move forward. The conclusion took me by surprise—in such a good way! The last few pages of the book are full of drama, emotion and a fabulous game of scrabble! I laughed and cried until the very last word!
Second Chance at Two Love lane has all the feels—it’s romantic, funny and heartwarming!

Dumped because Hank wanted to pursue stardom more than stay on with her, Ella, who is a professional match maker at Two Love Lane dating agency and part-time actress, now has a bit part in a film where Hank is the lead male. What happens when “the girl he used to know” comes back into Hank’s life? Can the pair patch things up and get together again? There are a lot of issues at play here. Ella is not sure she can trust Hank and run the risk of being hurt again. For his part, Hank wants back in Ella’s life and has agreed to do the film if Ella is given a small part. However, he only has a short time in which to make his play for her and hopefully succeed. In addition, there is the film and the rest of the crew. Many compare well-known Samantha Drake, who is in the film, to other well-known, award winning actresses, so Ella is excited to have gotten a role in a film, working right alongside Samantha. However, just how genuine are Samantha’s motives? Is she ready to help Hank out in this, or does she have a hope of winning him for herself? There definitely is a lot of real angst in this story, as the characters each work toward their own known, and perhaps hidden goals.

I read and enjoyed the first book in the series. I am not sure I enjoyed this one as much. There was a lot of ruminating, on the part of Hank and Ella, about how attracted they were to each other, how much they thought of each other, how much they loved each other, etc., but they never did seem to get things together enough to actually communicate these feelings, which only frustrated me to no end. I just wish the pair, Ella and Hank, had been more straight forward with each other, rather than just working through their thoughts and feelings separately, without really letting the other know them. The setting in Charleston was pretty good, as this is one of the places where you expect magical things to happen. However, there was a lot of “beating around the bush” throughout, which made me tired and wanting to end it all, however it was destined to end. There are a lot of other quirky characters in the story who came across as interesting and fascinating, as well as other match making episodes. This is a good, feel-good romance to the reader who enjoys this type. I guess I got a bit lost because I am more of a to-the-point person. Still, I think the book fits well into the series. I received this from NetGalley to read and review.

“Second Chance At Two Love Lane” by Kieran Kramer is a first-rate romance in which two former lovers have a rematch in a charming Charleston setting. Loved the characters, the story, the romance, and the immense fun! 5/5

Pub Date 28 Aug 2018   

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are fully mine.

#SecondChanceAtTwoLoveLane #NetGalley

Another romance book where the reader knows where the characters will end up, but the book is more about the journey then the predictability. Ella Mancini is a matchmaker at Two Love Lane and she is the final of the main three to find love. She is doing some community theater in Charleston, SC while doing the matchmaking business and in walks a former love who is going to shoot a movie in Charleston and maybe he isn't there just for work!

I love Kieran Kramer's romance books. They are on the tame side which I like and they have a pretty good plot. On the tame side, I mean that there isn't a ton of sexy times, you can tell that the characters have attraction without it being in your face and awkward! There is also plot. There is a reason characters are doing what they are doing and to be frank they are doing something!

Kramer's characters are great also. From the three main matchmakers at Two Love Lane to the secondary, they are just interesting and full. I wanted to know each one of their backstories, maybe some of them can be the center of future stories!

I hope there is more to this series, maybe another business in Charleston because I love her writing and I want more of it.

A second chance at love and forgiveness? We find this and more in this lovely story based on the wonderful characters from Two Love Lane.

The ladies at Two Love Lane are matchmakers and have made a strong business selling love and creating lasting relationships. Each one has had their own personal history with love and pain. In this novel, we learn more about Ella. Ella once wanted to make it huge on the big screen, she loved to act and her promise to her Father was to never give up on these dreams. She lived with a lot of regret after not only giving up on this dream for love but having that same person turn around and leave her for a dream acting job.

While Ella tries hard to pretend that she doesn’t live with this pain, it has hurt her deeply. When the man who broke her heart appears again in her life, she is not quite sure what to do. Hank helps her to score a part in his movie and begins to try to mend the distance between the two.

Hank made it huge after leaving Ella – he has it all, except for love. Ella was that love of his life. He wants to mend the bridges between them and start the road to healing. Like so many of us, he just doesn’t know how to.

Second Chance at Two Love Lane is a beautiful, well written, witty novel of forgiveness, healing and taking a leap of faith. It isn’t easy to admit fault, to ask for forgiveness but this is what they must do if they want a chance of love in the future. We watch as they stumble, almost give up, cry and laugh as they begin to repair all the damage from the past. This is a truly lovely book from start to finish.

Yawwwwnnn!! If you wondering why I started this review with my mouth open and arms in the air, stay tuned. This story started off promising, but somewhere along the line it became a snooze fest. This story had a good premise and an interesting setting and I was looking forward to indulging in this story. This story starts off with a sweet meeting between Ella and her father. Every year, Ella's father takes her to this special restaurant and this is where she meets Hank. I have to admit that I enjoyed this aspect of the book because it showed the special relationship between Ella and her father and it also showed the development of her passion for theatre. Hank is the busboy at the restaurant and they strike up a conversation and I want to say about 4 years later they meet up again and start a relationship. They both share a passion for hitting it big in Hollywood, but after Hank gets an opportunity, he accepts it and leaves Ella behind in the process. Fast forward ten years later, Ella is doing small plays and a matchmaker while Hank is an A-list Hollywood star. Hank reluctantly accepts a role in Charleston which is where Ella resides. Hank's cousin has recently moved to Charleston and he needs someone to show her around and who better than his ex, Ella, right? In a scratch my back and I will scratch your back fashion, Hank gets Ella a role in the movie if she will show his cousin around and hang out for a week. Okay, summary over, now let's get to the good stuff! (rubbing my hands together with a wicked grin)
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First off, this story started off nice with a little tension to carry it. It demonstrated the family dynamic in this story with Ella, her mother and grandmothers and I was digging it. This is where the niceness ends and the book slowly slides down the scale. I liked the author's writing, but the characters had no chemistry. Both of the characters were not likeable and the story was just dull without a real fight between the characters. Hank did not have to fight for Ella and I don't know about you, but I like for the hero to put up a fight for love. This book takes place on a movie set and I was expecting to be taken into this world, but all I got was pages of monologue and a weird thing about curses. This book started to lose me when it started focusing too much on side characters. As far as heroes go, Hank was gray and not the fifty shades of grey, but he had nothing to offer and no personality. He was a superstar with humbled beginnings and none of that showed through in this story. Ella is no better with her tedious thoughts and lame personality. This is my first time reading a book by this author and I also realized that this is part of a series. One thing that really bothered me was the fact that the author kept using "actor" instead of "actress" to describe females who acted, it annoyed to no end. I know that it was something small, but it just got to me.

I do not recommend this story because it does not offer anything and the characters had no chemistry or personalities. So much monologue………..

I really enjoyed Ella and Hank's story. They were a very good couple together and I thought the story line was well written.