<strong>America's Sweetheart</strong> is the fifth book in Jessica Lemmon's <a href="">Real Love</a> series and it features a second chance romance that I enjoyed a lot. The hero, Jackson Burke is a character that we met in the last book <a href="http://bookbinge.com/2018/05/review-rumor-has-it-by-jessica-lemmon/">Rumor Has It</a>. He was Barrett Fox's best friend and we see him get his happy ending here with his high school sweetheart, Allison Murphy.

Jax and Allie broke up because Allie moved to California to pursue an acting career and Jax didn't want to live in California. It was too hard for them to maintain a long distance relationship so they ended things and Allie went on to make a name for herself in Hollywood. She's known to the world as Nina Lockhart but when a scandal breaks, she runs back home to regroup and figure out her next move. She didn't expect to run into Jackson Burke at her parent's house and she definitely didn't expect to fall right back in with him but she needs a friend so why not?

Jax moved on from Allie when she went away. Sure, it sucked when they broke up but he wasn't going to stop her from pursuing her dream but he also couldn't live there with her since he had his own plans that kept him closer to home. He's not doing too bad for himself. He worked for his father's construction company and learned all that he could so that he could branch out on his own and he's the owner of his own contracting business and his current job is renovating his ex-girlfriend's parents bedroom. Sure, it's weird but he'll do a good job for them because that's how he rolls. He wasn't expecting to run into Allie again after so many years apart while he was working on her parents house but when she's back in town, their friendship sparks back up again and before either of them know what's what, they're falling in love with each other all over again and that spells trouble because how could they possibly think anything would change this time around?

This was one of those character-driven romances that hit just the right spot for me. I enjoyed how effortlessly cool Jax was even though Allie was the celebrity, not him. I loved that he didn't give a shit what anyone said about him. His masculinity was so sexy and I could see why Allie lost her head over him every time they were in each other's orbits. The chemistry was evident between them and I thought it was sweet.

Allie was an enjoyable heroine though I thought she spent too much time worrying about what was being said about her online and in the end when she should have stood her ground and didn't, I was a bit disappointed but her grand gesture more than made up for her earlier screw up and I thought it was a pretty great romance all around. Nothing earth-shattering going on here, just two old sweethearts finding their way back to each other.

Good stuff!

<strong>4 out of 5</strong>

What a fun and flirty second chance romance! I thoroughly enjoyed this story. 

I fell head over heels in love with Jax because he's so confident in his own skin. He doesn't care what others think, he just does his own thing. And I admired Allie because she chased her dream of becoming an actress and made it happen.

It's obvious to see they still have feelings for each other and the physical attraction between them sizzles. But will it prove to be enough when it's time for her to go back to California?

This might be my favorite Jessica Lemmon book yet. Favorite trope? Check. Lovable characters? Check. Sizzling sex scenes? Check. I highly recommend this sweet and sassy story.

Allison and Jackson have been apart for a decade. They were each other's first loves, etc. but a long distance relationship was too much for them to handle at the time. Allison shows back up to their hometown and tries to hide out at her parent's house. What she doesn't know is that Jackson is the contractor doing the remodel currently being completed while her parents are away. Neither one expects to see the other and to say each is surprised is an understatement.

Jackson does not harbor ill feelings towards Allison but the same cannot totally be said for Allison. She still tries to blame their breakup on his refusal to move to LA when her career started to take off. Jackson doesn't hesitate to let her know when she oversteps her bounds and is not really quick to allow her to control all of their interactions. Both did a good job in the beginning of treading lightly around the other. It was quite interesting to see how both of them claimed they were going to keep their heart out of it this time, when it was clear their hearts were still involved from the first time.

The story flowed well, was interesting and showcased how love can conquer long distance, a decade apart and two stubborn souls. If you are looking for a second chance romance with some Hollywood drama thrown in, this one is for you.

I received an ARC from NetGalley for my honest review.

America's Sweetheart (Real Love, #5) by Jessica Lemmon.. I have read all the books in this series and have loved them all. This Jackson Burke (Allison's first love) and Allison Murphy (aka Nina and Mini)
Allison comes home as a disgraced starlet(framed by her ex-actor boyfriend) and runs smack into Jackson (her high school boyfriend) The fun starts here can these two find their way back together? There are plenty of laughs, tears, interesting friends and family, steamy sex and of course a very HEA. Here's hoping that Jackson's twin will get her own story.

I have mixed feelings about this one. On the surface it was a sweet and cute second chance romance. But Allison was a big stumbling block for me. I'm definitely a believer in following your dreams, but it seems to only be her dreams that matter. She gets mad because he doesn't want to move to California. She says she knows he didn't like it there, but that's still where they end up. She says the Hollywood scene is fake and no one knows her and feels betrayed, but she runs right back to it. I just couldn't like her, and I'm not really sure why he liked her either, except for the obvious lust.

She was his first kiss, first time, first love, and after being absent for over a decade, Allison was back in his life. Her publicist thought dating a small town average Joe would be good for her tarnished image. Jackson agreed to this "showmance", but would he be able to deny the truth of what lies in his heart?

Second chance romances are among my favorites. I live for the history the hero and heroine share, as well as the idea, that some endings are only temporary and forgiveness is achievable.

Both Jackson and Allison had dreams, but while Allison had opportunities to pursue her's, Jackson was limited by his circumstances. When they saw no way to save their relationship, they went their separate ways.

He poured his pain and heartbreak into his work, and enjoyed some success as a business owner in their hometown, but he never forgot what he had shared with Allison, and was sort of never able to move on.
Allison, though enjoying Hollywood success, was also somewhat stunted in her romantic life. Thank goodness the universe (and the unforgiving public) intervened, because Allison and Jackson were reunited and it really did feel so good.

I wanted these two, no, needed these two to find their way back to each other. After reading the flashbacks, and seeing how they fell back into step so easily with each other, I knew they were meant to be together, and I was rooting for one of them to make that bold move, that bold choice, and not repeat their previous mistakes.

This story was sweet and sassy, tender and sexy. I laughed, smiled, swooned, and maybe even shed a few tears, because look -- I'm a hopeless romantic, and I couldn't imagine this fictional world without Jackson and Allison coupled in it.

Jax and Allison were high school sweethearts, they dated into college, were each other's worlds until Allison went to California to intern but the acting bug bit hard! Long distance romance just wasn't meant to be. Jax stayed in Ohio working for his father, continuing life with a broken heart, he even started his own business, which has him working on Allison's parents home. Nina Lockart (aka Allison) comes home as a Hollywood scandal rocks her reputation and acting career, she walks in in full star mode, tears and all falling into the strong arms of her ex. Jax and Allison feel the sparks that never went away but where can their lives intercept, he's blue collar small town guy, not the Hollywood type. But when Allison needs a photo op partner, her sexy ex fits the part well, but is it only acting? What happens when those old feelings come back, or did they never really go away? Fun story line, great chemistry and plenty of heat!

I really enjoyed this slow burn, second chance romance! You could really feel all the emotion and unrequited love between Jax and Allie. I loved the push and pull between them and felt like it really made their relationship feel real. Great addition to this wonderful series.

America's Sweetheart is the 5th book in the Real Love Series by this author, but can be read as a standalone. Some of the characters in these books do cross over, but it isn't necessary to read them in order. Saying that, I would definitely suggest reading all of them because this author knows how to write sweet and sexy contemporary romances! I've given all these books high ratings and I've loved them all, this one included, but I have to say that I wasn't a fan of Allison until about halfway through the book, but then again, that's probably what the author wanted! Of course, I loved Jackson from Page 1 -- he's the perfect combination of swoony/sexy bad boy and sweet/fun boyfriend and at times your heart breaks for him. The book starts out with Jackson's POV and we don't get Allison's POV until about halfway through and that's about when she redeemed herself with me. I love second chance romances and this one pulls at your heartstrings and heats up the pages equally. Another winner in the Real Love Series! I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC for NetGalley.

Jessica Lemmon has quickly become one of my favorite authors. This story follows Allison, who left her sweetheart, Jackson, and found success as an actress in Hollywood. Years later, she is disgraced and returns home to hide and plan her comeback. She didn't expect to find Jackson at her parents' house. Needing support, Allison turns to Jackson. Passion ignites, old feelings return and the reader is taken on a roller coaster of emotions while Allison is figuring her life out. The ending was surprising but was in no way disappointing. The book flowed well, was easy to follow and very entertaining. What I really like about Jessica Lemmon's books is how old characters resurface in her novels so we get another peek at their happily ever afters. All in all, a great read!

This review was made possible with the Advanced Reader Copy that I received from the author (Jessica Lemmon), the publisher (Loveswept), and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a steamy, second chance romance book. I was nicely surprised by the ending and hope that there is a future book about Allie and Jax.

I have read other books in this series and those characters have little cameo appearances in this book. I enjoy losing myself in Ms Lemmon’s books!

4 1/2 Stars! Allie and Jax are high school sweethearts, but when the prospect of fame calls to Allie, she takes off for LA. Not long after, they end their relationship because the long distance is just too much. Ten years later, Jax is remodeling her parents house while they are on holidays and he is caught off guard when Allie shows up in tears. Allie has just been accused of stealing a legend's Oscar award and her boyfriend tells the press that she's going to rehab. So she takes off to the only place she feels safe ... home, but is shocked to find Jax standing in the hallway. They are still both single and still aren't over each other, but will they be able to make this second chance work?

These two are great characters and are easy to love. Their chemistry is off the charts even after 10 years apart ... it's like they were waiting to grow up a little so that they could truly appreciate each other. Ms. Lemmon just has that way of writing to make the banter between characters so realistic. If you are looking for a second chance, funny, swoon worthy romance ... then this is the book for you. A great addition to the series.

I received an ARC courtesy of Random House - Loveswept through NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.

Allison and Jackson were high school sweethearts then they were college sweethearts. When Allie moved to California it was only supposed to be for the summer. Then she got a role as a extra on a TV show. Being a actress was something she dearly wanted and Jackson wanted her to have anything she wanted and needed. He just couldn't live in California though so he left her there and shortly later they broke up. Now some ten years later Allie is back in town hiding from a scandal and Jackson is there for her. When there is some sizzle between them again the question is how much sizzle and is it enough to burn the house down. The answer is yes. Yes it is! Jackson or Jax as he's called is one of those guys whose calm in any situation. I liked Allie and Jackson together but i think they had some communication issues which is understandable considering how they ended it years ago. While it was fun watching these two finding each other again I was taken out of the story several times by the going back from past two present. Overall i enjoyed the story though and loved the ending.



Find out more about Jessica Lemmon and this series here www.jessicalemmon.com

This series are standalone books but still loosely connected. I loved seeing Barrett and ‘Kitty-Cat’ from Rumor Has it, which is one of my favorites in the series along with Eye Candy.

I love second chance love stories and fell in love with Jackson. He and Allison fell in love years before and when she had a chance to go to LA to become an actress, she left college. The time apart was initially only for the summer but she wanted to stay in CA and Jackson didn’t want to move from his small hometown in Ohio. Ten years later when Allison is involved in a scandal, she returns home and sees Jackson.

I loved Jackson, his character, how kind he was and I enjoyed that fact that Jackson didn’t turn into a womanizer after they broke up. He was determined not to fall in love again, knowing Allison would be returning to Hollywood but they couldn’t stay away from each other. There were several sweet, hot sexy times and some were quite poignant.

I know that actors have to portray themselves in a certain way but I didn’t care for some of the things Allison said and did. I didn’t feel connected to her like I did to Jackson until the latter part of the story when she started feeling more like herself before she became a Hollywood star. The story seemed slow in some areas and I didn’t like this story as much as some of the author’s other stories.

I enjoyed the dual POV and especially love the male perspective in stories. I love epilogues and this was sweet HEA and not the usual circumstances between two characters that live in different states.

I want to thank Netgalley, the author and publisher for allowing me the opportunity to read this early copy.

I've loved Jessica Lemmon's Real Love series and America's Sweetheart is another great addition to it. When Allison, a Hollywood starlet, comes home to hide out from a scandal she quite literally runs head-on into her childhood sweetheart Jackson and the sparks start flying immediately. These two had chemistry in spades, whether fighting their attraction, faking their relationship or giving in to their feelings. There's always something special about a second chance romance and Lemmon portrayed it perfectly. With walls built up, both Ali and Jax thought they could escape a short-term fling unscathed but alas, these two fell hard once more for each other. Their relationship was fun and I enjoyed watching them rediscover one another on a different level. Funny and Sexy, America's Sweetheart is told from a dual POV. Although part of a series, it can be read as a complete standalone.

When I requested an ARC of America's Sweetheart I was looking for a lighthearted romance book to enjoy. America's Sweetheart did not disappoint as it is full of romance and a very cute couple. I loved Allie and Jax together. Allie id vulnerable and sweet and Jax is strong and supportive but also completely smitten. Super sweet couple that you find yourself cheering for page after page.

I didn't give the book five stars because, for me, there were too many sexual references and descriptions of their bodies. It got to a point of being just too much in my opinion. It overwhelmed the story. Also, I was hoping that there would be more outside conflict other than just their internal emotions. Going in I assumed that they were going to wind up together so I was hoping to see something else big happen. Make Xavier's story stronger, or have some other ex show up. Not sure what but something to move the storyline along.

With that said I liked the book a lot. I had not realized that this was book 5 in a series. So, that proves that it reads extremely well as a stand alone book. I didn't feel like I was missing something as I read the story. If you are looking for a light read with likeable characters this is a good book to choose.

Allie and Jackson were high school sweethearts on their way to being college sweethearts on the path to forever. Except Allie's dreams lead her to LA and the spotlight of Hollywood. At twenty, Jackson's dreams are decidedly not on a move to Hollywood. With distance and life pulling them in two different directions, Allie and Jackson call it quits, devastating both of them.

Now, ten years later, Allie's (going by Nina Lockhart) run on her very successful television series America's Sweetheart is ending and Jackson has built himself a good life in Ohio starting his his own home remodeling business. When a celebrity scandal sends Allie home for some much needed time away from the spotlight, she finds Jackson remodeling her parents' home.

While they'd like to believe that they're are perfectly fine being without each other. The truth is: the feelings are still there between Allie and Jackson. But when all is said and done, they're still in the same predicaments they were ten years ago, Allie loves being an actress, and Jackson could care less about the limelight. Once the scandal blows over, where will they be left?

I thought America's Sweetheart was simply perfect. I loved everything about this story. Jessica Lemmon proves she's a pro, tugging at the heartstrings while delivering some serious heat between Jackson and Allie. There was undeniable heart-wrenching running through the story as all of Jackson and Allie's interactions simultaneously bring to mind their relationship then and what they could be now if they could just get on the same page.

I loved that Allie's celebrity wasn't bought at the expense of her relationship, despite how it may appear. She was following her dream, and I loved that Jackson supported her 100%. It's not that Allie went to Hollywood and completely did a 180 personality-wise, as I know I've read before in similar celebrity romance stories, but somehow she still gets caught up in the glitz and the glamour, but not as a detriment to who she was or where she came from. And Jackson didn't suddenly turn into a bitter womanizer in the wake of their break-up. In my mind neither of them plays the "bad guy" it was all about the timing. I liked that it was both of them living out their dreams / lives for the past ten years, really figuring out who they are when they're thrown back together. Like the final piece of the puzzle that is Jackson and Allie that needs to be solved.

Second-chance romances are my favorite trope. I love that, typically, there's so much history between the characters, and Jessica Lemmon does a great job of giving readers all the feels, yet focusing mostly on the present.

I really liked the way the story was configured. Instead of every chapter alternating between Jackson and Allie, each character gets about half of the book just for their perspective. It was an interesting way to go about showing us who the characters are. We get used to Jackson's point of view and his feelings about Allie, and his possible misconceptions about her current feelings for him, then we switch and we see things from Allie's perspective and see that she's going through the same emotional dilemmas as Jackson. Proving ever more how these two just fit together.

I think by this point I've read all (or nearly all) of Jessica Lemmon's books, and America's Sweetheart is definitely a standout. She takes a recognizable storyline (the celebrity comes back to town and runs into her ex), but makes it her own and gives it her own spin with characters you root for and grow to love.

4 stars, Loving Jessica Lemmon big time. She has a perfect way to laying out her ideas and creating characters who will grab your interest and then capture your heart. Well done.

I’ve read a few of this authors books, and have really enjoyed them, until America’s Sweetheart. Starts off 10 years in the past, Jackson and Allison are high school sweethearts, now in college, both studying for a business degree, but Allison wants to go to California for the summer during the break to take advantage of a walk on opportunity that her aunt has set up for her with a tv show. Jackson doesn’t want her to take it, they’re inseparable, and he’s afraid he will lose her if she goes, he’s right, she takes off for California and never looks back. The story then picks up to the current time when Allison comes back into Jackson’s life when he’s doing a remodel on her partners home after being humiliated in Hollywood and breaking up with her famous boyfriend. I found Allison to be a self centered, opportunistic and self serving person who I lost interest in pretty quickly. Though I liked Jackson’s character, I found myself getting rather irritated for continuing to fall for her BS, time after time again, stopping the “romance” because they “shouldn’t”, just plain frustrating to read. Slow in parts, then when you start to see the story pick up, it comes to a halt again and goes into the same round about with her staging things and Jackson falling into the trap again. Very disappointed I didn’t like this book more since I adore this author. Maybe the next one....

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC copy of this book.

This was a quick, easy, and funny read. I liked the "star studded" cast and it was super cute. It was a bit too easy for me though - I wanted them to struggle a bit more!!