5 star series! I absolutely fell in love with the Romano sister, and Love Around the Corner was the perfect ending to this series. I had been waiting for Gemma's story and it did not disappoint. A second chance romance was the perfect trope for her. I loved finding out more about Gemma's back story and the man who captured her heart in high school. Brendan was just the right match for Gemma. This book wrapped up the series and all the characters so well. I was sad to say goodbye to them all and was weeping at the end of the book. What a perfect end. I hope to see more from Amanda Weaver!!

I wanted to love Love Around The Corner, but I didn’t realize it was part of a series. I did enjoy the authors writing in the small part I read, but I prefer to read series in order. DNF at 15%, I will read it again after I read the first two books!

*~~*ARC kindly provided from the publisher/author to me for an honest review *~~*

Full review to come

5 stars

4 stars

Love Around the Corner by Amanda Weaver is a very entertaining read.

The storyline is well written, entertaining from start to end and all the characters are likable and added to my overall enjoyment.
I loved watching Gemma and Brendan's relationship unfold, they made me smile and swoon and loved how they were able to push through their differences to find their happily ever after.

Another wonderful read by the talented Amanda Weaver and a great addition to The Romano Sisters Series.

*Thank you to the publisher via Netgalley for the ARC.*

Love Around the Corner contains one of my favorite romance tropes. I'm a sucker for a second chance love story, and this is certainly about second chances. This isn't a bad read by any means, but there's really nothing about it that stands out. It's pretty standard as far as this type of romance goes - a relatively quick, easy read. I'd say it would be good for a beach read or a decent way to while away a weekend, but it's not something that will come to mind down the road when I'm thinking about this particular trope.

A second chance romance is always bitter-sweet, and most times, the angst is what makes the story.

So the angst isn’t very debilitating like some other angsty stories, this is a romance after all. But the frustrating little clenches of the heart here are what made this story so so so sweet for me.

Gemma, the older sister in the Romano family seemed to have always been single, more focused on raising her little sisters than anything else. But she did have a love interest, one that after her mother’s death, made her feel like life could actually go on and feel somewhat happy.

And then Brendan left town one day, only to return 14 years later, as if nothing ever happened. Like he didn’t completely shattered Gemma’s heart.

As his reasons for leaving unfold throughout the story, and we realize things aren’t always as cut and dry, the Romanos are facing the hard reality of their bar might have to close for good. Business around the neighborhood aren’t good; small, family oriented neighborhood gems are struggling and in their stead, the new big chains are moving in.

When Brendan shows up and does his best to reconnect with Gemma, she slowly comes to realize her passion for cooking might actually have merit and before she knows it she actually has clients seeking her services. High profile clients.

But when her father decides to sell the building where the bar is to Brendan, that’s the straw that breaks the camel’s back for Gemma. She somewhat unhinges and her newly kindled relationship with Brendan completely falls apart.

Weaver has done a beautiful job with this one, I actually thing it’s my favorite of the Romano stories. Like in my opening few lines, it’s bittersweet, a little angsty, the drama follows every facet of the story closely but subtly, and it’s packed with emotions of every kind. And of course, unless it wasn’t obvious, there is a very happy ending.

So the Romano sisters are all paired now. And what pairings… love them all.

Super cute, indulgent romance. While the plot was totally predictable, I still couldn't put it down and found myself devouring it in a single day. Fun, fluffy, steamy, and oh-so-romantic. It's a fun read and perfect for a beach read or rainy day in read and just have time to get lost in the sweeping romance of Gemma and Branden.

I’m a fan of second chance romances, especially when they feature teenage romance/first love that went awry. That’s the plot of Amanda Weaver’s Love Around the Corner, the third story in her Romano Sisters series. I haven’t read the first two, but after reading this one, they will definitely go on my to-read shelf!

Gemma Romano can see the changes happening daily in her Brooklyn neighborhood. Older couples are retiring and closing down their businesses, old friends are moving away and her family bar, Romano’s, needs a rapid influx of cash to upgrade and repair part of their building if they’re going to survive. Opened in 1934 and handed down to her father, Gemma sees it as her inheritance and responsibility, even if her sisters have taken their lives in new directions.

When Brendan Flaherty shows up in the bar one day, it’s a blast from the past, and not a pleasant one. High school promises turned into heartache when he walked away from her and their (now admittedly) fanciful dreams of the future. Brendan never told her why he’d left and she’d had to assume that he hadn’t felt the same way she did. Worse, he’s a property developer now, the kind who is swooping in to take advantage of the stores ready to close with easy cash and plans to gentrify the neighborhood. She’s determined not to give him the time of day, even if some of the better memories of their time together start to surface.

Brendan is back for multiple reasons; to take care of his ageing mother, to stop other property developers from taking over the area by helping the older shops looking to sell, and making them into small apartments that will blend into the neighborhood (unlike his uncle who would gladly put steel and glass high rises everywhere), and to get Gemma back. He knows that he hurt her and he will need to explain his actions and work hard to get her to trust him again. But he’s willing to do whatever it takes. Can he convince Gemma to give him a second chance?

There are three aspects to this story that bring it to life and give it DIK status. The first is the depiction of the setting in Brooklyn, New York. The author deftly describes the multi-ethnic nature of the area, the mom and pop shops and the struggles of the families to keep their businesses running. The younger generation isn’t always interested in taking over the shops, seeing how hard their parents and grandparents have had to work and wanting to pursue their own dreams. Everyone has difficult choices to make but they still support each other as a community. It feels very real.

Secondly, family is all important. Gemma and Brendan share a bond in having both lost a parent at a young age (it’s what brought them together in high school). As the eldest child in their respective families, they’ve taken on the responsibility of caring for their younger siblings and being a support for their remaining parent. Brendan had to choose between Gemma and his mother and brother as a teenager, a choice with only one realistic outcome. Gemma became a substitute mother for her younger sisters and has seen them take wing, consistently putting aside any thought of a future other than working with her father at Romano’s. In this story, she gets a chance to pursue her love of cooking, first for family and friends and then as a side gig to make money to help the bar. She’s never contemplated a career in that field because her career path has been laid out for her for years – until Brendan’s return upends her plans. You feel for Gemma and Brendan and the hard decisions and choices they’ve made.

And thirdly, of course the romance is center stage through it all. Combining teenage love, enemies-to-lovers and hero-in-pursuit tropes is like a big red blinking light for me. All my favorites in one place! Gemma and Brendan’s high school romance was a secret one, so when he left, Gemma had no one to commiserate with her, and instead focused all her energy on keeping everyone around her safe and happy. Their initial meeting again as adults is fraught with complicated feelings. Sexual attraction has never been an issue and Gemma thinks she can have an affair with Brendan (again, a secret one) while guarding her heart. But Brendan is determined to prove himself worthy of a second chance. I love how the author shows them dancing around their feelings and developing a friendship, learning to trust each other and telling the truth about what really happened when Brendan left and what is happening now. It doesn’t come without some costs and some mistakes but they don’t give up in reaching for a happy ending.

If you’re a fan of Kate Clayborn’s and Lucy Parker’s contemporary romances, you’ll find a lot to like in this one by Amanda Weaver. Love Around the Corner has a good balance of sex scenes with interesting plot and character development, no easy answers, some scenes to leave you with a few tears and an overall satisfying happy ending for all. I’m looking forward to catching up on more by this author.

Love Around the Corner is the third and final book of The Romano Sisters series. I have loved each of these books but really liked reading Gemma's story the most. This is a second chance romance and possibly my favorite second chance I've read. I didn't love Gemma in the other books as much and wasn't sure how I would feel about her in this book but she definitely surprised me! She is such a selfless person, caring for her younger sisters after their mom passed away and committing herself to the family business.

When Brendan walks back into her life after 14 years, the tension was palpable. You can tell they had such passion for each other when they were in high school and that it hadn't waned in the years away. Gemma is wary of Brendan because he left her all those years ago but decides to give into her lust for him. I loved this. Gemma is abashedly sexual and while she gives up so much for her family, she takes this one thing for herself. Loved.

Gemma Romano has been taking care of her family and helping with the family bar for what seems like forever, but much like her sisters finding love and moving away, the bar seems to need life support as the business breaths the last gasps before things go into the red.

In spite of all of this, Gemma keeps a positive attitude. She's tenacious about her family and the business until her past walks into the bar one night. Fourteen years ago, Brendan Flaherty walked out of her life and she hasn't forgiven him yet.

Brendan is really an awesome hero in this story. He's had his share of big bumps in his life, and he hasn't forgotten what he had with Gemma. I loved how he woos her back. Gemma can't resist him for long, starting out by playing the old game of "let's just have a physical relationship" which all romance readers know usually ends up being so much more. Some love is just meant to be and I loved that about this couple.

Both Gemma and Brendan have a few more bumps in the road to get by together, like multiple hits to the already-in-trouble bar and Brendan finding out just how much of a snake his relative can be. When Gemma gets left out of a major decision she's quite upset about it with good right. There's just the right level of conflict that had me a bit choked up at the end.

I adored Gemma and Brendan together, and I especially loved how the sisters came together to help Gemma work through what she needed to do. There are some strong non-family relationships here as well, with the long-time patrons and neighbors of the bar. Love Around the Corner beautifully captures how hard it can be to accept letting go of the past for the promise of a future. I just absolutely loved everything about this story.

An ARC was provided. This is my honest review.

Love Around the Corner was a solid conclusion to the story of the Romano sisters. Gemma has been a rock for her family - always there to keep everything running at the family bar and in their lives. And then one night, Brendan walks into the bar. Brendan - the man she loved who left her 14 years ago without a reason. Now he’s back to live in Brooklyn again and wants the chance to be part of Gemma’s life again.

I enjoyed seeing Gemma grow and change through this book. I also really appreciated the recurring theme of it being okay to feel all your feelings. This is a message that keeps coming up in the books I’m reading right now and I love that.

The first book in this series - The One I Love to Hate - is still my favorite and I really enjoyed seeing a side story with some of the characters from that. I will miss the Romanos and their friends/family and am glad I’ve read this series.

Thank you to Carina Press and Netgalley for the advance review copy.

I adore a good second chance romance and Love Around the Corner hits all the right notes. Gemma and Brendan’s story is chock full of emotion; love, fear, hope, distrust, and the terrifying sensation of taking a risk for a chance at something more all blend together wonderfully to create a satisfying romance.

Since the death of her mother, Gemma Romano’s focus has been on her family. She’s never truly allowed herself to dream, instead putting all her time and effort into making sure her sisters succeed and that she keeps the family bar running. The only moments she stole for herself were fourteen years ago when she lost her heart to – and then had it broken by – Brendan Flaherty. Gemma is sometimes a prickly heroine, but she’s easy to like and respect. She works so hard to keep her beloved family bar up and running, but times and her section of Brooklyn are changing and old fashioned bars simply aren’t drawing in new customers. I hated watching her struggle, especially when it’s clear she’s doing it out of a combination of love, fear of letting go, and a sense of responsibly, rather than true passion. I wanted to see her spread her wings, to take a chance on herself and her incredible talent in the kitchen.

Gemma is forced the face the music when Brendan comes back into town. Her first love is all grown up and hotter than ever, but he’s also a property developer – aka the enemy. Of course, Brendan isn’t the bad guy she wants to paint him as. Like Gemma, he’s done what he’s had to do to support his family from far too young an age. It was easy to adore Brendan, especially when he was so clearly head-over-heels for Gemma. They may not have been equipped to handle the curveballs thrown at them as teens, but those times serve as a solid foundation for their second chance at love. Ms. Weaver does an excellent job at conveying the depth of emotion that time, distance, and hurt feelings couldn’t break down. It’s clear Gemma and Brendan are one of those couple that are simply meant to be, even if Gemma is resistant and afraid to risk her heart.

Love Around the Corner is the third book in the Romano Sisters trilogy, but as I haven’t yet read The One I Love to Hate or Love and the Laws of Motion I can safely say this book stands on its own. That being said, after enjoying the family dynamic so much in this story I will definitely be picking up Jess and Livie’s books. Familial love is just as important to Love Around the Corner as the romance and it makes Gemma and Brendan’s world all the warmer for it. I truly enjoyed Gemma and Brendan’s book. It’s heartwarming, sexy, vibrant, and hopeful.

Thank you netgalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Decent romance. The heroine's first love returns determined to win her back despite the abrupt way he left her. They slowly begin to rekindle their romance. This was nothing remarkable but a quick, easy read if you're looking for one.

3.5 stars = A solid I liked it. A second chance at love for the eldest Romano sister. With family in a supporting role,
this story of endings and new beginnings was a cute romance and worked fine without having read the other two sister's stories.

this is an unpaid review, ARC via NetGalley

This was really cute!

So, amidst a second chance love story, which was so sweet and adorable, hides a little tale about community, friendships, family, and the horrors of gentrification. No, it does not get too into the gentrification of this little Brooklyn neighborhood, but it touches on it in a way that moves the story forward, while at the same time highlighting ways that people with the means, and some without, can make a difference in their communities.

I really enjoyed this book because it was not *just* about the second chance love, but I did like that a low as well. Gemma and Brendan were great together and it made me want to go back and read the first two books in the series, which I do have but for some reason never got to reading. Going to correct that soon. This story flows perfectly well though, without reading the previous books. So if you're on the fence because of that, don't worry. Go forth, read!

Amanda Weaver delivers another enjoyable installment in The Romano Sisters series!

Gemma, the eldest Romano sister, is given a second chance at love when her first everything walks back into Romano's bar 14 years after breaking her heart. Leaving Gemma wasn't an easy decision, but Brendan Flaherty had his mom and brother to look after. Now that he's back in Brooklyn, he's determined to make things right and prove to Gemma that what they had as teenagers was true love and consequently worth another shot.

I do enjoy a second chance romance when it is done right. Fortunately, with love around the corner, this one was done right.
Brendan and Gemma were boyfriend and girlfriend in high school, but he suddenly left, destroying all of their hopes and plans. Now, 14 years later he's back and trying to rebuild their relationship.
For me, one of the key things when it comes to a second chance romance is the reason that they broke up in the first place. Not only has Brendan got a good reason for having left, but in many ways, it's better that they did have time apart, being so young when they first fell in love.
This is a story of two people giving each other another chance, but also having a second chance themselves. Finding out what it really is they want from life and that change doesn't have to be a bad thing.
I really enjoyed this book and the story of Gemma and Brendan finding their way back to one another.
I haven't read the other books in the Romano Sisters series, but I think that they would be worth checking out. Both sisters make small appearances in this book. Overall, a good read.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Having read the first two books in this series I had really looked forward to Gemma's story. As the eldest sister of three myself, a lot of what Gemma has said and done in previous books, and a great deal of her personality resonates with me. Denying yourself in order to make your siblings (and others, especially your parents happy, well that's the burden you bear as the eldest). I thought the author did a tremendous job of getting that across.
Brendan has had his own burdens, although he doesn't realise until he's home how much some of that has been orchestrated for him. What he has realised however, is that community spirit is important to those who are in need, and he intends to give that back to his neighbourhood.
I loved the initial few meetings between Brendan and Gemma, I absolutely love reading stories where couples, be it one or both of them, are reluctant to acknowledge the attraction. A good author makes you ache for the spark to ignite, and I got just what I wanted here.
I thought the story in general was a little bit predictable in that you knew exactly where the drama was going to come from. How it was resolved though, was very emotional. I was so pleased and proud that Gemma finally put herself first, even if her hand was forced.
Overall, an enjoyable book and a very enjoyable series from an author I have come to look out for. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I received this book from netgalley for an honest review. This is the last of a series and I didn’t read the first two, however I was able to catch up quickly. This is Gemma and Brendan’s story, and old lovers reconnecting romance. I liked it as well as the aspects of the Brooklyn neighborhoods. It was a sweet romance and I do recommend it.

This book is the third in a Series about the Romano sisters. Its main characters are Gemma Romano, the older sister, and her first boyfriend Brendan Flaherty. Back in high school they were in love but both were dealt difficult hands. They each had a parent that was gone and both had to step up into that missing parents role. Gemma had to become a mother figure to her 2 younger sisters and Brendan had to step up and be the man of the house to his grieving mother and younger brother. Both sacrificed the love of their life for their family. Now 14 years later Brendan is back in town and he wants to pick up where him and Gemma left off. This was a great second chance romance because you got to see not only the relationship redevelop between these two but you also got to see their individual relationship with their parents and how they bridged that gap from so long ago.

Thank you to netgalley and Carina Press Publishing for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for my honest review.