When Allison left town and everything behind her, including her boyfriend Jackson; initially only intending on spending the summer with her Aunt. Then she never came back. She changed her name got a TV show and life was off at breakneck speed for Allison aka Nina. That was until her arm candy boy friend dumped her, publicly humiliated and accused of something she didn't do, she fled. Back home to Ohio and the comfort of her parents home. She needed to hide out away from the cameras and lies. Away from her phone, her agent and all the rest of the insanity her life had become. She was already guilty in the eyes of the public. Coming home the last thing she expected was to find Jackson working on her parents home. They're in Europe on vacation and doing a remodel on their room. Jackson's company is doing the work. Seeing Jackson for the first time, she flung herself into his arms and cried. Wounded little girl. Jackson wasn't quite sure what to make of it, but soon the sniffling was over and Allison straightened herself up and flipped right into Nina mode, wondering what he was doing there and how this work was going o effect her sleep in the morning. Gah! she flipped from Allison to Nina quite a bit in the beginning of the book. These two have quite a history, long term and Jackson didn't want to live in California. Not with him needing to help his Dad back in Ohio and he just didn't like it. She wanted her career. She chose that over him. Can't say I blame the guy for being just a wee bit unhappy. Seeing each other has brought back a lot of old feelings to the surface and I have to say there were a couple of times I thought I was going to have to throttle Jax, fortunately the self talk was just that and he didn't follow through. Allison didn't make it easy either.
I'll be honest here, I had a tough time really liking these two people until well into the book. I'm saying that because this was the first time in any of Jessica's books I haven't liked the main characters straight off. But as usual they really were perfectly written. It was great to see Fox and Catarina again (be still my heart) and while they were brief, their appearance's played well into the plot of the book. The story has a nice flow and I liked the way the story unfolds before us. It certainly kept me glued to my reader. Her books will do that. She knows how to hook you and reel you right in.
Fantastic read.
arc from NetGalley and publisher for an honest review

America’s Sweetheart by Jessica Lemmon was an enjoyable story. What happens when first loves & high school sweethearts go their separate ways and then ten years later are reunited? Major sparks and a renewed relationship. Allison left for California to try to be an actress and she hits it big and becomes famous. Jackson was left behind when he did not follow her but starts his own building renovation business and is successful. They both have led very different lives but still find that the changes they have made do not block their true feelings for each other. This romance is their second chance at love if they can overcome all the issues. Jessica Lemmon is one of my favorite romance writers and I again enjoyed her story.

Allison Murphy left her small Ohio town for the fame and bright lights of Hollywood and she got it as famous actress Nina Lockwood, stealing the hearts of America on her hit TV show, America’s Sweetheart. However, a major scandal has sent her running home to the small town with her tail between her legs to hide out with her parents. Only, when she arrives home, it’s not her parents who give her the comfort she’s looking for, it’s the boy whose heart she broke years ago; but Jackson Burke is far from the boy she left. He’s all man, all grown up and as she spends more time with him all she ever wanted.

The last thing Jackson expected while remodeling the home of the parents of his high school and college sweetheart was to have said sweetheart come barging through the front door on the cusp of a massive emotional breakdown. The last time he laid eyes on Allison was ten years ago when she informed him Hollywood was where she was meant to be. Like the rest of his home town Jackson watched Allison or Mini as he liked to call her, reinvent herself as actress Nina Lockwood burying the Allison he knew and loved. Determined to not let her get to him Jackson plans to simply ignore “Nina” and go on as life as usual, but the attraction between the two is very much alive and Jax soon realizes that the Allison he knew in loved is buried so deep after all.

I love second chance romances and all the feels that come with two people who were never meant to part rediscovering each other all over again. So I wasn’t disappointed with Jax and Allie’s story. These two fell into old routines very easily which screams premature break-up; but as we read their story it obvious that in order for them to appreciate what they had, they had to part when they did. They each grew as people but at the same time they didn’t. They moved on with their lives, but they didn’t. As far as professional lives they grew up and moved on but in love in relationships…they both kind of remained stagnant. Jax and Allie, embarked on relationships; Jax’s more casual than Allie’s but neither saw future’s with these relationships. They decide to not fight their attraction and live in the moment and although they know their relationship has a shelf life, they very easily can see a future with each other.

I liked both characters; Jax just had this charm and boy next door quality that immediately makes you fall in love with him. Reading about him, you know he was most definitely the marry the woman of his dreams and make a family with him type of guy and made him just so damned loveable. Allison however, while I liked her I didn’t love her the way I did Jax. I felt like she was still so unsure of herself after her “incident” that she always seemed to be playing a role. In their relationship the compromises seemed to come from Jax. Even in the end, he made his life in a world he wasn’t totally comfortable in to make her happy and see her dreams come true. She just never seemed to lose that “brat” title for me.
That aside, totally enjoyed this book! This is actually book five in the Real Love Series so I’ve put books 1-4 on my TBR list.

A confession, I'm a Jessica Lemmon fan. When Netgalley agreed to send me an ARC of her latest book I was thrilled. By sharing my thoughts I hope I can help you see what I do in Ms. Lemmon's books. Her newest story, America's Sweetheart, will be in bookstores and on-line on October 2, 2018.

Our hero is Jackson "Jax" Burke. He's a successful, smart, handsome, nice man with a broken heart. As the owner of Burke's Builders he finds himself remodeling the home of his former sweetheart's parents. Weird but doable. He's had a hard time moving on from Allie, maybe not moving on is more like it. Their break-up was bad and it left emotional scars. His love life is practically nonexistent, he turns down a blatant offer from his current blind date. Not what most guys would do so you know he's in a bad place. He's shocked when Allie comes barreling into his life again. It's been ten years but those old feelings overcome his hurt and anger. He's back in a 'relationship' with Allie before you can blink. It's unnerving when his feelings change and grow more adult and deeper than before. Jax has my favorite line, "I don't follow my dick around like it's motorized and speeding away from me in high gear." That one made me laugh out loud.

Our heroine, lets make that female love interest, is Allison "Allie" Murphy. She's Jax's high school/college girlfriend. During a summer break she takes off for an internship with a television network in LA. She convinces Jax that it's only for one summer and their relationship can stand that short time apart. Incredibly she lands a walk-on role on a show called America's Sweetheart that turns into a permanent job.. She changes her name to Nina Lockhart and her career takes off. I'd change my name to Rumpelstiltskin for a chance like that. She and Jax try a long distance relationship but we all know those end in either one person giving in or blowing up. They blew up. She wouldn't come home and he wouldn't move to LA.

Allie (Nina) has a Hollywood incident that threatens to ruin her career. She decides to go home to Mom and Dad and hide until she can figure out what to do. Her parents aren't around but Jax is. To hopefully salvage her reputation they pretend to date and it turns hot pretty quick. It's interesting and entertaining to watch their new relationship change, grow, be threatened again and, of course, work out in the end. If there wasn't a happy ending it wouldn't be a romance book. I think you'll find America's Sweetheart a sweet story and a good read. Enjoy and keep reading.

Allison Murphy left her small town life behind for the the glitz and glamour of Hollywood and never looked back; leaving behind a life that involved a love affair with a man she was certain would follow her, but he just didn't see the same future she did, and it hurt more than she ever thought it could. Once the heartbreak settled she put all her focus into her career, eventually landing the role of a lifetime and earning the success she craved, but that success came with a price, one that has earned her a negative place in the spotlight. Now all the negative attention is more than she can bare, it's caused her to doubt the sincerity of everyone around her, and has forced her to return to a place she hasn't called home in years.... and right back into the arms of the man who broke her heart years ago!

From the very first kiss Jackson Burke was certain that Allison was his future wife, everything about her and their relationship was perfect, then her dream came calling and she walked away... and it crushed him. In the years that have passed he's watched her find the fame she craved, and he can't help but hurt a little to know he was never enough for her, and that the life he dreamed they'd have wouldn't be enough either. He's tried moving on, but every woman he's dated has never compared, and he's beginning to think they never will... she was it for him. But unfortunately she is umpteen million miles away, and he's just a small blip in her past... or is she?

I have been anxiously awaiting for the opportunity to return to this series, and have the chance to get better acquainted with Jackson, and I have to say that he was definitely worth the wait!! He swooped in and captured my attention right from the start and had me hanging on his every word... he had my heart immediately! As soon as Allison blew back into his life and they shared their tension filled reunion, I knew that the story that lied ahead of them would be filled with angst, drama, heartfelt emotion, and hopefully lots of making up for lost time... and all I am going to say is that I got my wish... and then some, it was amazing!! America's Sweetheart is a gem of a tale, the characters personalities shine brightly on every page, and the story line is beautifully crafted; it's reunion story that should not be missed! Highly recommend!

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

Jackson Burke was in love with Allison Murphy in high school and college....hell....he probably still was 10 years later. While in college at the Ohio State University, Allie headed to Los Angeles, CA for a summer internship at a big TV network. What started out as just a summer turned into 10 years now. Allie, now called Nina Lockhart, has made it big as a TV actress and is trying to move into movies. She is even dating the big movie star Xavier McCormack.

Allie has only ever wanted to be a star. She loves the fame and attention. Too bad when her boyfriend throws her under the bus, she high tails it back to the one place she can feel safe, her parents house in Columbus, OH. Imagine Allie's surprise when she enters her parents house to find not her parent there, but Jackson Burke....the only guy she has ever loved. And damn, he looks better than ever!

Jackson was hired to remodel Allie's parent's bedroom while they are on a vacation and he convinces himself he can continue to work with Allie in the house. Yeah, that doesn't last very long and the next thing you know they are sharing a kiss and all those repressed feelings coming roaring back. Maybe they can just be together while Allie is hiding out....maybe they can pretend to be dating so she looks better in the press....whatever they decide to do, neither of them is sure that it will end with their hearts still intact.

As Jax and Allie spend more time together, they both realize they still love each other. They both need to decide what they are willing to do in the name of love!

I just adored Jax and Allie and this was such a fun second chance at love story! It was so evident how much these two still loved each other and their story had such a perfect happy ending.

Apparently, I am late to this Real Love party but I am not new to Jessica Lemmon which is the reason I requested this book on NetGalley for review and was very excited to have to opportunity to read it. The book is very interesting because we receive both character's point of view. The book flip-flops it, which I enjoy. I cannot remember if this is a consistent thing with Lemmon's books since I do read so many different authors. However, I did enjoy that aspect of the book. This book is also part 5 in a series that I did not even realize existed but it was not hard to follow. We meet a couple of other characters but they were not involved enough to throw you off of Allison and Jackson's story. Allison is a huge television star and is running from Hollywood due drama with a fellow actor. She runs to her parents home and into the arms of Jackson, who is her high school sweetheart. He is doing construction on her parent's home and she must see Jackson on a daily basis. She then decides to use Jackson as a way to get back into the good graces of Hollywood. Old feelings begin the follow. Jackson is a sweetheart and is only looking out for Allison's best interest. Allison can seem a little bratty at times but not enough to make me throw the book down, which I have been known to do. I enjoyed this book. It was a quick and relaxing read with hot, steamy love scenes. You can easily pick this up get started without being lost. I plan to go back and read the rest of this series.

This was a cute predictable book that had you rooting for the under dog and cursing the main characters. Overall I really enjoyed it.

Jessica Lemmon writes hot and she writes it well. A great second chance love story. I was graciously provided this arc via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I normally love a good reunion/ second chance story but I just did not like the characters until almost the ending. They were young lovers and their breakup felt a bit contrived to me.

It may have been my mood at the time of reading it so please if you love 2nd chance highschool sweetheart stories with fake relationships this might be for you!

I'm a sucker for a second-chance romance, and love celebrity-romances, too, so I was really excited for the chance to read AMERICA'S SWEETHEART. Unfortunately, this one didn't do it for me. I wish there had been more flashbacks to their past, rather than just what felt like never ending reminiscing without any of the finer details. I also thought the pacing was off, there wasn't enough build up to the characters getting back together. Some of the plot also hinges around a closeted character, which feels like sloppy writing (at best).

WOW!!!! At first I wasn't snatched right in. Gave it a couple chapters and I was hooked! This is my first book by Jessica Lemmon. My heart kept bouncing back and forth between Jax and Allie. I was struggling with who to side with. I fell in love with them both! Great American love story!!! I don't want to give details away, but I loved this book! This may have been my first book by Jessica Lemmon, but it won't be my last!

America's Sweetheart by Jessica Lemmon is an adorable lighthearted reunion story with lots of great steamy scenes that will keep you smiling and entertained. America's Sweetheart is the fifth book in the Real Love series, but you don't have to read them in order as they are all stand alone books. This is the first book by Jessica Lemmon that I have read and I am happy that I gave this author a chance.
Jackson (Jax) and Allie (Mini) were high school and college sweethearts who always thought they would be together forever. Well, not so fast, Allie has an opportunity to go to Hollywood where she lands a staring roll on a television series. Fast forward ten years and Allie is in the center of a scandal of Oscar proportions. She flees LA for her small home town— And runs into none other than Jax, who if possible is hotter than she remembers.
Now the fun really begins! I really enjoyed how Ms. Lemmon redeveloped Jax and Mini’s relationship. These characters were very believable and easy to like, especially Jax. The banter between them was well written, at times fun and light, but there were also some pretty salty moments. And I must say that I really enjoyed the off the chart chemistry that these two still have for each other.
If you are looking for a great second chance romance, look no further, you have found your next read. I enjoyed America's Sweetheart and recommend this book. Happy Reading!
***I kindly received an ARC of this book by way of NetGalley/publisher/author. I was not contacted, asked or required to leave a review in order to read this book. I received no compensation, financial or otherwise. This is my honest review.***

4 Stars - I recommend if you enjoy contemporary romance, especially "the one that got away" trope.

This book follows Jax and Allie, high school sweethearts that break up when Allie moves to L.A. to pursue a career in acting. 10 years later Allie is back in Ohio, hiding out from the press after an A-list scandal. Jax is still there, and he's made a life for himself. When Allie's publicist suggests they pretend to date, they're quickly questioning why they broke up in the first place... and what the future holds.

I loved Rumor Has It also by this author, and I couldn't wait to get my hands on this one! It was equally as cute, sweet, and steamy. I am not one to love A-list plots... so that part didn't particularly appeal to me, but I ended up liking it quite a bit more than I thought I would! I loved Allie and Jax, they were such a cute couple and I identified with their long history together, as I married my high school sweetheart. ;) I like Jax's relationship with his sister and family as well. It was also fun to see Caterina and Fox a little bit from Rumor Has It. I would definitely recommend if you are looking for a fun contemporary romance novel! :)

This was a cutesy, fun, hot story about a second chance at love for former high school sweethearts. I enjoyed the author's writing as well as the dialogue. I look forward to more books by this author.

Nice contemporary read. By Jessica Lemmon. I’ve read a few of her books previously.

Interesting characters and nice story/plot development.

America's Sweetheart is the first book I have read by this author and I really liked it! It was a sweet and beautiful second chance romance. I loved Jackson, he was sweet, sexy and swoony. Allie was pretty great as well. Jax and Allie had amazing chemistry and scorching sexy scenes! I loved them together! Great read!

i liked Jax from the very beginning now Allison, not so much. She truly became the spoiled hollywood actress people had come to know. So Jax and Allison were high school sweethearts and in college Allison decided to go to California so her and jax's relationship paid the price. Jax loved Allison and here is 10 years later and although he feels something for her he doesn't want to give her his heart again. For some reason Allison was not very nice to him and I wasn't crazy about her, eventually I tolerated her. Jax was loyal and sweet and kind enough to be there for her when she didn't really deserve it. When they start loving each other again her past comes knocking, how does she react? And, will they break them again? Or do they finally have a chance? I also love Julie, Jax's twin, she was great.

Allie is the perfect America's Sweetheart. It's harsh what happens when she falls out of favor though. Jax does a fine job of helping her get over it.

This was a wonderful reunion story. I like how Jessica brought her two characters back to one another and rekindled their relationship.
There are some really great moments in this book when I laughed out loud and when I smiled and sighed because you wanted these two to have there HEA.

A wonderful read for a hot summer day!