3.5 Stars
I was given an ARC of this book for my honest review. Jax and Allie were high school sweethearts and madly in love. During their first year in college, Allie gets an opportunity to intern in Hollywood. She decides that she wants to make it in Hollywood. They initially try the long distance thing, but end up breaking up. Flash forward ten years and Allie, now Nina, is in the middle of a scandal and comes home to find her parents gone and Jax remodeling their home. What I love about a second chance romance is that the characters have matured and are now in the right place to make it work. I would say that is true with Jax. He is a great guy and the perfect book boyfriend. I had a real hard time with Allie/Nina. She seemed like an incredible narcissist and user. Towards the end, she did seem to chance a bit, but I thought that Jax probably deserved better.

Second chance love story about long time loves who operated when one becomes a famous actress and the other stays behind to live the life they always imagined.

Jackson was cute and likable and Allie took a little longer for me to warm up too. She was a little over the top for me in the first half of the story.

I do love second chance romance, so overall it was good.

First, I have to say that I highly recommend America’s Sweetheart. When Jackson and Allie first see each other after a decade a part, I became worried that Allie would be this spoiled famous person, but it couldn’t be farther than the truth. Being home,Allie realizes that this is the first time she can be herself instead of Nina in a very long time. The real allie was great. The fact that she (and Jackson) realize that this second chance is a gift made me love her even more. Jackson was incredible from beginning to end. The two of them together had me smiling from beginning to end. Thank you Jessica Lemmon for a great story! I highly recommend this book.

Allison and Jackson’s story really bega when they were 16 years old. It continued and temporarily ended while they were in college when Allie decided to reach out for her dream of becoming an actress in LA. She wanted Jax to go with her, but he was too grounded for 5he lifestyle. A decad later, Allie is betrayed by her boyfriend, so she escapes for her childhood home in Ohio. She and Jax reconnect and fall in love all over again, but aren’t sure that this time will end differently. Their chemistry was terrific and the dialogue was sharp and witty and completely believable. This was a thoroughly enjoyable read!

I have mixed feelings about America's Sweetheart. I'm not sure I agree with the structure of this book. It started out in Jackson's point of view. I loved Jackson. He was a totally normal, nice guy. He made his dreams a reality with the exception of losing "the one" back in college. Jackson loved his small town life, and he made me love it, too. I felt bad for him that he lost Allie and still hadn't quite been able to move on from her. When she showed up back in town, I was excited for Jackson and what it could mean. I loved how he handled everything and his part in this book. What I didn't love was Allie's personality.

I didn't like what I met of Allie through Jackson's perspective. She actually seemed like a pretty horrible person. I know that's because I didn't know her side of the story. She didn't have a POV at fist. All of her actions really bugged me. It made me wonder how Jackson could still be so attracted to her. I hated her. Then, half way into the book, bam! Her point of view shows up. It threw me off guard because there wasn't a heading or anything letting me know of the change. As I got to know and understand her, I understood she was just as weary and hurt as Jackson. I liked what she learned about herself after returning home. I still wasn't 100% sold on her, but I felt better about Jackson's feelings for her than I had during his POV...until I didn't again. The way she messed with Jackson's feelings and was constantly acting was messed up. Her priorities were never straight. Once they were, I was over her.

To sum it up, I loved Jackson. I liked his relationship with Allie when she wasn't being Nina. I never truly connected with Allie nor did I end up liking her. The only thing that might have made this one better me was if Allie's POV had been mixed in with Jackson's at the beginning. Maybe then she would have seemed like she had more heart or something. If it wasn't for Jackson, I wouldn't have liked this book at all. That makes me sad because I'm a fan of Jessica Lemmon's writing.

This book was difficult for me to rate. I usually enjoy second chance romances, but i couldn't connect with the characters in America's Sweetheart.

The narration style was interesting, with Jackson taking the first half of the book and Allie, the second. It felt rushed, though, like there should have been more scenes with them reconnecting before diving in.

The writing style wasn't bad, I just think this one wasn't for me.

I really enjoyed this second chance at love romance. Allison and Jackson have great history but when Allison goes off to become a star in California Jackson is left behind. Fast forward a few years and Allison returns to her hometown to live down a Hollywood scandal. Loved both of these characters and how they come together again!

This book was such a fun and steamy read! I like how Ms. Lemmon started with the male protagonist POV, and then moved to the heroine's side. While there could have been a bit more conflict/tension (the book resolves itself a bit too quickly and easily), I still enjoyed the story, and would be happy to check out other works by the author.

I received this book for free via NetGalley.

America’s Sweetheart was a light, quick, sexy read. It was enjoyable, but a bit forgettable due to the light storyline. I’d recommend it to a friend looking for something light to read.

Jackson’s busy remodeling his ex-girlfriend’s parents’ house while they are on vacation when all of a sudden his now famous ex-girlfriend arrives. By coming home, Allie is hoping to get out from under the media radar that has haunted her since her now ex-boyfriend actor has pushed her into by stealing an Oscar and blaming her. This second chance love story tugs at your heartstrings all the way through it and you want Jackson and Allie to figure out a way to make their love last forever. Jessica Lemmon writes a great second chance romance!

This can be read as a stand alone, but for me I personally enjoyed knowing the background for some of the supporting characters from her previous book. She did it again. Jessica Lemmon finds a way to bring you into the story and feel like you really know these people. It's not over the top mushy, and you don't have any extra fluff just to have words on paper. I don't even really know how to describe it except it just flows. From start to finish. You get both character's point of view, which pulls you in even more.
Part of you really doesn't want to like Allie because, but you do. You see who she is inside, and the connection she and Jax have. It's not forced, it just happens thru some absolutely fabulous writing! I want a Jackson in my life. Seriously.
If you haven't read a Jessica Lemmon book before, you are missing out!

This series has been one of my favorites this year, and I was incredibly excited to get my hands on America’s Sweetheart. Combining two of my favorite tropes: famous person/average person and second chance romance, the set-up for this one was poised to pounce on all of my sweet spots.

Unfortunately, it didn’t quite hit the mark for me. I can’t even put my finger on what my problem was, but I suspect that the problem is me. I didn’t FEEL the connection between Allison and Jackson the way I wanted to. In fact, I sort of felt like I didn’t connect with either of them beyond a surface level, and on top of that, they both took turns driving me a little bit crazy. I have been struggling to connect with some of these “lighter” storylines lately and I think that this set-up just didn’t hook me the way I wanted it to.

In the end it won’t go down as my favorite in the Real Love series, it was still a quick, easy, sexy little escape from reality. The writing is the same smart, witty tone I’ve come to love with this author, and while I may have sometimes struggled connecting with the characters, I still very much enjoyed the writing and storytelling. I will absolutely be back for more.

"Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review."

Loved this book very much. It had just enough comedy & sweet romance and the storyline was great! I highly recommend!

I’m just going to delve right into this one. I did not like either character, like at all. BUT, I found myself very passionate about my dislike which for me is the sign of an extremely gifted writer. The writing was so good and the characters developed so well that I felt like I knew them enough to hate them.

4.5☆
Loved it!

What I liked:
The writing style
The characters
Dual POVs
Second chances
Part of a series: Real Love
Standalone
HEA
Epilogue

I look forward to reading more from this author.

I really enjoyed this story. It is book 2 in a series but easily stands alone. It stars Jax and his college girlfriend Nina/Allie. It was a fun romance about two people who lost each other thru distance after college but still who have love in their hearts for the other.

But can they make it work now 10 years later with their new maturity? And well I really loved every minute of this fun story. Something to keep in mind, the first 40% of the story is 100% Jax's story. We only start seeing Nina/Allie's side at 40% and thats when the book really takes off.

America's Sweetheart - great second chance romance that gave us swoon worthy Jackson!


I loved Jackson immediately- he was the high school jock, goes off to college with sights of bettering himself yet returning to help his family. He has a high school sweetheart that follows him to college and he is head over heels in love with the sweet Allison. Allison, however, has different goals in life and while Jackson is the love of her life, she wants to go to Hollywood and make it big. A call from an aunt leads Allison to her big break in Hollywood, but also a big break-up with Jackson.


So we have Jackson back home with his own construction business, and might I add a great set of friends (please read the previous books in this series). Allison now in Hollywood has become a star with a new name and a new scandal. Running back home, Allison is shocked to find none other than Jackson working in her parent's home. Here is where the starlet was unlikable for me as she treats Jackson with a hauty attitude. Jackson is such a sweetheart that you can't help but to fall in love with him. He takes Allison's treatment yet decides to help her in her time of need. Allison's character wins me back shortly thereafter and then I was ready for these two to get together and the sparks fly. It's obvious that they still have the attraction, but is the love still there. If it is, is it enough to get these two together for good. Oh Hollywood needs it's ego stroked so Allison falls into line and does what is best for her image and career, dragging Jackson along with her. Lines are blurred and Jackson doesn't know when Allison is acting or being her true self. Allison is afraid to let her guard down and do what she actually wants rather than what is expected. This makes for a great story and keeps the interest and excitement into these two and their outcome. Love it! Hoping "big sis" gets a turn.

Jessica Lemmon's America's Sweetheart is an adorable book about reclaiming past love. It was sweet and witty. I am looking forward to seeing what Jessica comes up with next!

A second chance at your first love is a trope I love, and this one was done perfectly. I loved Jax from the start and Allison made me fall for her too. They're a great couple who needed to find there way back to each other.