Member Reviews
I wanted to like this. I liked how the story started, with the romantic pair, Tate and Sam, hitting it off in London with a couple of good twists. I really enjoyed seeing them bond, connect, and learn about themselves, but when the story jumps ahead to the current timeline that’s when it went downhill for me. That time jump took all my connection to the couple away, as they are now 14 years older and I as a reader don’t know them at all.
Most of the story felt a bit flat to me. I was just watching them do things as opposed to feeling connected or rooting for a good outcome. I think the setup could have had a good payoff but I continued to lose interest and mainly just wanted to see the twists and how the romance was resolved.
I really missed the romance being the core of this story, as it has been for other Christina Lauren titles I’ve enjoyed. This story mainly revolves around Tate with hints at romance and I would have liked this one more if it focused more on the romance with hints of family dynamic.
The family dynamic felt forced to me from the start, with Tate explaining her grandmother, mother, and eventually her father. I did like how there was family drama but again it was difficult to connect with and felt like extra information.
Tate is an actress and the film she’s working on is central to the story, but there are portions of the actual script in the context of the book and I wasn’t sure exactly why they were added. I think the scenes could have been explained as actual dialog and watching her act in real time, since reading the actual script distanced me from her character even further.
3-3.5 stars: This is a perfectly well executed contemporary romance of its kind... second chance love. Young love thwarted. Hollywood affair with complications. However, the thing that is largely missing from this book is the trademark Christina Lauren humor. That is always my favorite note in their books, and that's just not the focus in here. The book of theirs that this most reminds me of is ROOMIES, so if you liked that one, I think you'll also like this. Overall, totally solid, just not my personal fav in their oeuvre
**I voluntarily read an early copy of this title courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review**
I have always enjoyed Christina Lauren books and Twice in a Blue Moon was no exception. It is a bit different than some of their novels in the sense it wasn't as snarky and funny, but to me, that was okay. I felt like this one gave us a glimpse at a different side of Christina Lauren and I'm totally good with that!
When Tate and her grandmother, Jude, took a trip to London, little did Tate know that she was going to meet her first love. When she and Sam met, the interest from both of them was noticeable immediately and the chemistry they had grew by leaps and bounds in a very short amount of time. The two spent two-weeks getting to know one another, sharing hopes and dreams, and secrets, with one another and experiencing firsts with one another. They ultimately fell in love and then it fell apart before it really got started. It was revealed that Tate was the long missing from the spotlight of one of the biggest stars in Hollywood.
Fast forward 14 years and Tate is now a movie star herself and is getting ready to star in the biggest film of her career, one she really connects with, as well as being in a film with her father for the first time. What she doesn't realize is that the man that she fell in love with so long ago is part of the film. While she wants to fight the feelings that she still harbors for him, is that something she can really do? And when she finally hears him out, will that change anything?
I really enjoyed this story, the characters and how the movie played it's own part in the story. While this is a departure from Christina Lauren's previous books, in my opinion it is no less fantastic than their other books.
This is my favorite Christina Lauren book so far. I loved this story and the characters. I think the time shift was done so well. You got a good grasp on the story from both time periods. This was delightful. It was a deeper book than their books usually are and with less sex and witty snark. But I loved it.
I love Christina Lauren, but this one was not a favorite of mine. I adore their writing style and this was no different, but it was more serious than their other books. It wasn’t heavy by any means, but I would have liked something a little funnier.
This book is told in two parts sort of a before and after, and I far preferred the before story to the after story. I liked the characters, especially Tate, but the chemistry between Sam and Tate was lacking for me in the second half of the boo, especially after seeing how they had been together in London. In fact I though Tate might have been better off with her cute co-star.
All in all, I enjoyed this book, but I still prefer Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating and the Unhoneymooners to this one.
Christine Lauren is my new favorite writing duo. I adored this book as much as I did their last one. This book tugged on my heart strings and I just couldn’t put it down, nor did I want to. Tate was the perfect lead character and her friendships were on point with what she needed.
I don’t want to get into the details of this book but I highly recommend it! I am going to add the rest of their back catalog to my ever growing TBR list.
3.85/5 STARS
I love reading Christina Lauren’s love stories. I was super intrigued by the synopsis of this one — first loves who are brought together years later and have to navigate their new feelings.
I LOVED the first part of the story, where Tate and Sam meet and fall in love in London. I didn’t feel as strongly about the next part - some things felt rushed or disconnected - but the ending definitely made up for it.
I loved reading about Tate and Sam and I definitely found myself rooting for them. While Josh + Hazel remains to be my favorite Christina Lauren story, Twice In A Blue Moon comes in a close second
First, let me just say I adore Christina Lauren’s books. They are absolute favorite rom-com books. They usually have me laughing, crying and turning the page to see what happens next. However, this one was different. It felt rushed and hurried. It starts off with Tate going to London with her grandmother for a graduation present. There she meets a young man and his grandfather also on vacation from America. The attraction is instant and they are falling in love. However, she is hiding a big secret. Something happens for them to not be together. For 14 years they lead separate lives into one day they meet again and maybe get a second chance.
The story was just lackluster and didn’t leave me feeling connected to any of the characters. I honestly didn’t care if they ended up together or not.
The inside world of a Hollywood film star is the center of this compelling romance-starting with her first love at 18 on an adventurous trip to London with her grandmother to the set of her current movie, Christina Lauren again delivers an awesome story! There's just enough juicy details of Hollywood actors and film sets to be thrilling. The dialogue is always so brilliant in their books, and the strength of their characters make their novels stand out and feel real.
This book got me from the beginning and kept my attention until the end. I loved the premise of the book; first live gets second chance but, when we find out why love didn’t work the first time I began to be conflicted on a second chance. No need to worry Christina Lauren keeps you intrigued and engaged all the way until the end. I absolutely adored this story!!!
I loved the premise of having your first love reenter your life years later. TAte and Sam meet when they're 18 and 21 and quickly fall in love only to have Sam betray her. Fast forward 14 years and they meet again. The beginning definitely read like a YA book and it reminded me why I've struggled with these authors writing style in the past. I'm looking for more structure and a fast-paced, yet well-plotted romance and I didn't get that here. I found that the story unfolded slowly, the characters felt flat and I didn't feel any chemistry between them until maybe the last 5% of the book. Way too long to wait. Overall, this wasn't for me,
Okay! I can definitely see why a lot of readers have mixed feelings with this one. I really loved the idea of the story and I did love a lot parts of the book, but I felt like it wasn’t as much about Sam & Tate as it was about Tate & her dad. Or even just Tate and her other relationships with her friends. I felt like just when Sam and Tate’s relationship was going to reveal more and have more intimacy, the book was almost over. I wanted more of their relationship.
Now don’t get me wrong I really liked the book itself, the story was great! But for a second chance romance, I wanted more romance!!
Can you forgive your first love, your first everything, who hurtfully betrayed you when you discover it’s for a totally understandable reason? That is the question at the center of Christina Lauren’s heartfelt Twice in a Blue Moon.
The first part of the novel shows Tate and Sam meeting in London, Tate with her grandmother and Sam with his grandfather. Tate and Sam are immediately drawn to each other, their nighttime star gazing in the garden behind the hotel is sweet, and filled with all of those out-of-control emotions that teenagers experience. First love. Sam disappears and Tate discovers that he has outed her to the press as the daughter of famous actor Ian Butler. She was used.
Years later, Tate is starring in a film with her father, a film that could conceivably bring her accolades and put her solidly on the A-list when she sees Sam. The past is the suddenly the present, or is it?
The only Christina Lauren novels I’ve read have been romantic comedies. This wasn’t one of them. Not that that is a bad thing, but my expectation felt battered when flung aside. However, that writing and romance is just so solid in Twice in a Blue Moon that I (almost) didn’t care that it wasn’t a rom-com.
One of the elements that has always turned me off about female characters in romances and women’s fiction is that they react first and think seldom, if at all. In a new wave of novels, where angst is not a celebrity, women actually think before reacting. All of this is to say that Tate behaves as a modern thinking woman would/should. She asks questions. She realizes that life is short and that you might only have one chance to do things right. She doesn’t throw tantrums (❤) and storm off slamming doors.
If there are soulmates, Sam is Tate’s, despite not thinking things through during their first relationship. Even the second time around, they are as strongly drawn to each other as they were the first.
Like all of the Christina Lauren novels I’ve read, Twice in a Blue Moon is one you don’t want to put down. The characters ring true, the plot is well-constructed, and the writing involving. I did, however, miss the smart snarky humor of preceding novels. While Twice in a Blue Moon isn’t my favorite Christina Lauren novel, it’s still way beyond a lot of the chick-lit/romances out there.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Something a little different from well loved author, Christina Lauren. In 'Twice in a Blue Moon', we find two old flames find their way back to each other in a topsy-turvy journey that involves Hollywood drama, second chances, and emotional baggage. There are humorous moments that readers will hold on to for dear life when the tsunami of emotions hit. So grab some tissues, open your hearts, and enjoy the imagination of Christina Lauren.
This. Was. FANTASTIC. One of my favorite Christina Lauren books so far. Loved the character development in this one.
This book felt different than most of the CLo I’ve read in the past. My biggest complaint (although there aren’t really many complaints!) was the lack of a quirky leading lady (ahem Hazel). Josh and Hazel will probably always be my favorite CLo book and that’s because I loved Hazel so much! Tate had a different air to her. She has a very broken past but she’s in the limelight, she’s put together, and a lot of what she does is for the benefit of the public eye.
Overall, unsurprisingly, I loved this book! It got me thinking a lot about second chances and the choices we make. I loved seeing Sam and Tate grow and deal with the choices they made in the past. After all, can you forgive someone for making a very harmful choice if their intentions were good?
This one truly one of my favorite Christina Lauren books to date - so, so good! It was heartwarming and hard and relatable, and it has the element of a behind-the-scenes celebrity story that I love so much. Tate as a teenager was equally relatable to the grown up woman Tate, and I really enjoyed that she stayed consistent throughout the story. Sometimes as authors try to grow characters, they lose the essence of the character, and that wasn't at all what I experienced here. Another 5 star, tell all your friends about it, book!
3.5*
I’m a newbie to the delightful, rom-com world of Christina Lauren, having only read three of their earlier works.
So from what I've experienced in their past reads, I was hopeful for something heart-felt to keep me smiling throughout. But lets just say, this book had a very different feel to it.
Tate and Sam have known each other since they were young. Traveling through Britain with their families. Tate, with her grandmother, and Sam with his dad. The two instantly hit it off. Sparks were flying! A whirlwind romance with all the brilliant stars in the sky that only a first love can present. But surely, all good things must come to an end.
And leave it to the cosmic fates that fourteen years later, their two love-struck paths cross once again. Will the spark ignite once again? Is it possible to rekindle the magic of first love? But a bigger immediate question is...can betrayals of the past be forgiven?
If you’re looking for the same chemistry that make their previous books unputdownable, be prepared. It’s a fun and charming read but it lacked the humor and heart I’d grown accustomed to.
A buddy read with Susanne!
Thank you to NetGalley, Gallery, Pocket Books and Christina Lauren for this ARC to read and review.
Tate and her grandmother visit London to celebrate her 18th birthday and while on their trip they meet Sam Brandis and his grandfather Luther. Tate finds herself immediately drawn to Sam and she wants to share everything with him. As Tate finds herself falling more in love, she spills her chest of secrets and tells Sam everything. The quiet world Tate knew, came crumbling down as she is thrown into the spotlight.
Fourteen years later, Tate has the perfect life according to the news thanks to her meticulous and amazing PR Marco. She is cast for a career changing role in a new movie. Tate arrives on scene to find the man who changed her world.
Everyone deserves a second chance at love. I loved this book by the fantastic writing duo Christina Lauren. This book has a more gut-wretching emotional ride and does not have the usual humorous vibe that I am used to with their writing. I was attached the moment Tate arrived on scene. I most definitely recommend if you love a second chance a love story.
4.5 stars rounded up to five
Thank you #netgalley for providing an advanced copy.
I truly enjoyed this book. It was my first Christina Lauren novel. I've heard so many good things about them and I'm so glad I got a chance to read this early. It was such a quick, enjoyable read. I liked the second chance romance and there was a funny little Room with a View moment at the beginning that made my English major heart very happy. I will say that the chemistry between the two characters was a bit lacking for me and the book could have been a bit longer or more drawn out to make me start to care about the romance a little bit more than I did. However, it was still a very good read and I read it in about a day, so that says a lot. Is it the most swoon worthy romance I've ever read? No. Did I enjoy it? Yes. And at the end of the day, that's all I ask for in a contemporary romance. A few hours of entertainment and fun. Again, I need a half star. 3.5 stars for me. Fun, light read. Lacking a bit in chemistry and depth.