Twice Shy by Sarah Hogle was a very cute romance novel. Both characters were very well written. Additionally, the side characters did not feel flat like they often do in romance novels, which I really appreciated. The premise was very fun, and the romance between the two characters did not feel like it developed too quickly or without a real basis to it. The middle act did feel a little slow at times, however.

Goofy, sweet, a fun escape. What more could you ask for from contemporary romance?

The love interest has social anxiety and claustrophobia. I can’t speak to the accuracy of the portrayal as I don’t have personal experience.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin for the ARC.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me an advanced copy of this book to read and review.

this is the third book of Sarah's that I have not liked, I'm starting to think her books are just not for me unfortunately

Love, renovation style! Why do women only inherit falling apart houses? Why are the only handymen available to help hot, single, and taciturn? Daydreamer Maybell Parrish is co-inheritor with the down to earth groundskeeper in this sunshine/grumpy romance. She suffers from anxiety and it's portrayed really well; overcoming past trauma adds a layer of depth to the character and storytelling.

Maybell Parish has lived a life of quiet disappointments but has always been a dreamer. When she inherits a quaint house in the Smokey Mountains from her aunt, she feels that this might be her chance to shine. Except the house is in disrepair and comes with a grouchy groundskeeper who also has a stake in the property. The premise here was good but the couple spent so much time at odds, it was difficult to believe in their romance. A cute, fun, read but the pacing and tone were a little off. Readers looking for a contemporary romance with some neurodiverse characters will enjoy this one. 3 stars.

I felt like I should’ve been more aware of the underlying themes in this book (child abuse, grief, etc). I couldn’t fully get into the storyline because I felt on edge the whole time and trying to hold up my defenses when these topics would be addressed.

This book was an unexpected gem to read. I had trouble getting into this story at first, but I'm glad I finished the book.

Maybell Parrish has always been a big dreamer and a hopeless romantic. Because in her world she doesn't have to deal with any of the disappointments that her real life has dealt her. When her Great-Aunt dies and leaves her beautiful home to Maybell, she starts to think that her luck has finally turned around. She promptly quits her job and leaves her so-called friend, Gemma, behind without a thought.

But her troubles have only just begun. The house is falling apart and she shares the estate with Wesley Koehler, the surly groundskeeper. Her aunt fooled them both by leaving the estate to both of them equally. Hoping to get them to work together and fulfill her list of dying wishes.

But the more Maybell discovers about Wesley, the more she begins to see beneath his grouchy exterior. And slowly, they both start let down their guards and become more. She begins to understand the real man and he sees the real Maybell.

Cute story.

This story follows Maybell, a sweet, compliant, and unassertive woman who just inherited her great aunt's massive estate. Unfortunately, she is made a coinheritor with Wesley, her great aunt's caretaker, and estate groundskeeper.
Even more unfortunate for her, Wesley is a quiet, grumpy man who barely speaks and avoids contact at all costs. And, as the way romance novels work, these two must overcome their individual shyness and learn to fall in love with both each other and themselves.
If you like slow-burn romance with two sweet and loveable main characters, I highly recommend it
I greatly enjoyed this novel. It was worth the lack of sleep that I got starting it too late at night.
If you liked You Deserve Each Other, then you'll be sure to like this one as well.

My favorite part of Twice Shy was the anxiety representation. There are times that my anxiety makes me worry I'm too much, or not enough, or not deserving of love. This book flipped that idea on its head for me and showed me that we are all worthy of love. I thought Maybell was just okay, but I loved her coffee shop AU daydreaming, and I loved Wesley. Overall, this book felt like it was missing something, but I'm not quite sure what. I liked it though!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my copy!

Will not finish. Gave up at around 47% mark.

I do not have the energy or patience for quirky girls who are Not Like Other Girls.

Edit (Nov 19, 2021): Upon reading other 1-star reviews of this book, I've learned that Maybell is 30 years old. Maybe I missed that tidbit of information because I was blinded by rage and disgust, but knowing that it was a grown ass woman behaving that way (e.g. painting walls with watercolor, ghosting her job instead of quitting properly, digging holes in the dead of night in the hopes of finding treasure)? My hatred for Twice Shy has doubled in size and in intensity.

Unfortunately I found the plot and characters in this very dry and I can barely remember anything about this after finishing it. I think if you are looking for a sweet and gentle escape, this may be fun to pick up. However, for me it was nothing memorable.

This was a book about Maybell. She is a pretty passive observer of her own life. She daydreams a lot and seems to be letting life pass her by and not standing up for herself. Even when her "best friend" catfishes her pretending to be a hot guy. Maybell's great aunt passes away and leaves Maybell her house in the Great Smokies and it's finally her chance for a new life. She finds more than she bargained for with the house and the hot groundskeeper, Wesley.
You Deserve Each Other was so excellent and I loved it so much! This one I didn't enjoy as much. I thought Wesley was very boring and I wasn't really intrigued with his character. I didn't feel connected to him or Maybell. I didn't really care what happened to them and this ending was really bizarre.

I really enjoyed Sarah Hogle's first book so was looking forward to reading this one. Of course the second book curse was alive and well with this one. I can't put my finger on exactly why I didn't really enjoy this one. It really didn't have much romance in it for starters. I also didn't really connect with either of the characters. One of the things I did really enjoy about the book was that the male character was not this perfect man as most romance novels depict. He had flaws and his flaws were embraced! I think more males need to be written like this (and also have some physical flaws - not just emotional ones!).

Have you ever related to a main character in a book so deeply that you thought that person was real? I have never bonded with a fictional character until now, after meeting Maybell and Wesley.

This book is sooooo CUTE & BEAUTIFUL & HEARTFELT. I seriously cannot stop awwing and ahhing because despite Wesley’s hulk-ish frame, he’s such a big softie! He is socially awkward (like me!), relationship-shy (like me! Also, this is my new favorite term), and appreciates a good cinnamon roll (like me!)

See, Wesley and I are basically twins…in opposite sex, and seeing him overcome his weakness in life makes me so proud. Though Maybell plays a huge role helping him out by realizing her fantasies, I love how much they’re meant for each other. #relationshipgoals #boyfriendmaterial

All in all, I HIGHLY, HIGHLY RECOMMEND picking this book up! Whether or not you’re familiar with Sarah Hogle’s debut, You Deserve Each Other, TWICE SHY is totally worth a read! You’ll be swooned by Maybell and Wesley’s meet cute!

***Thanks to Penguin Random House International Sales and the author for providing me with an e-ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.***

Unfortunately, this one didn't really work for me. It was OK and I finished it, but I kept getting pulled out of the book by all of the daydreams. It just felt a little over-the-top and cheesy to me. I'll admit, it was also not steamy enough for me. I know that others LOVED this book, so I think this is a case of "its not you, it's me". For me, it was OK but I'd pick many others ahead of it.

Sadly this one was not a home run for me. I've tried to finish it several times and just can't quite get into it, even with taking a few breaks. I couldn't quite connect to either of the main characters, and felt like the writing was a bit disjointed. But some of my friends loved this one, so I'm a minority open! Thanks so much to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the ARC.

Inexplicably sweet, from beginning to end. Maybell and Wesley are the grumpy/sunshine pairing of my dreams. Wesley is quite possibly the most precious grump with a heart of gold I’ve ever come across and I want to carry him around in my pocket.

In addition to the main romance, I also really, really loved the glances into the past of Violet and Victor’s romance. I would read a prequel story about those two in a heartbeat — it’s bittersweet that we don’t get to see their romance on the page since they’ve both passed by the start of the story, but Sarah Hogle managed to make me deeply invested in their characters and their romance regardless. We get two swoony romances in one charming story — no complaints here.

I am 100% here for Hogle's brand of female characters who are lost in their own heads and meeting the men that see them. This book was soft and tender with some great sexual tension between the leads. Wes's anxiety rep felt very authentic. I am also here for the 3rd act conflict not ending in a breakup. A favorite read for 2021.

Oh my gosh - why did this story have to end. It was so beautiful and these characters are some of my favorites. I loved this romance so much and I definitely recommend it to all readers.