This was a good read which is about a woman who goes home on an unpaid leave where she has a reunion with Durham's favorite son. This book had a good storyline but I have to say that I didn't really enjoy the characters as much which I will get to later. The author's writing for the story was great as I enjoyed the conflict between the characters where one of the MC had to go back home. I enjoyed the setting of this book taking place on the east coast of the US which sounded relaxing to me. The pacing was also great from the starting to the ending. The writing for the story was great but it was the characters for me.

The main characters in this book are McKenna and Henry. McKenna is in her 30s who is really into her lawyer job but doesn't care much of her family and doesn't have a life. I have to say that she kind of annoyed me and acted more like in her 10s than she did in her 30s. Then there is Henry who is her formal rival and is back in town to premiere his masterpiece. I enjoyed his character more than McKenna. Both had character developments in the book but they weren't the best. There are amazing side characters in this book like McKenna's family who brought the family drama into the story. I love how the story also focused on family relationships as McKenna was strained with her family so seeing that development grow strong touched my heart. Though the romance in the book was kind of an oof as it was super rushed and felt forced. It was a childhood frenemies to lovers / "I had a crush on you" romance with 1/5 level of seaminess.

The ending was good with a happily ever after. I think this book could have been so much better if the characters were revisioned. I just didn't enjoy McKenna's character and if you don't enjoy the MC, then it's hard to get into the rest of the book. Also I'm a huge romance fan and it lacked in this story. Other than that I enjoyed the storyline of the book and the family relationship growth.

This is my third book from this author, and I’m definitely a fan. Laugh-out-loud funny, some teariness and just all-around sweetness made this one a winner for me.

McKenna and Henry were scholarly rivals in school until he moved away senior year. She became a high-powered lawyer in NY while he’s a famous documentary writer (think Ken Burns). Sparks fly when they unexpectedly meet up 20 years later, but Amelia is guarding a secret that she believes will test the strength of their newfound relationship.

McKenna has overachiever/tunnel vision that she must re-examine when she is forced to step away from her day-to-day life for awhile. Has she sacrificed love/family for her dreams/goals? Henry. Well I won’t give anything away about Henry except that he’s just wonderful, and the two of them together are just lovely.

On a side note, McKenna’s family (the Keatons) are a riot, and everyone should have such a loving, supportive family like them. I adored every single one of them (as well as the leads).

This was simply wonderful feel-good fun.

My sincere thanks to #NetGalley and #ThomasNelson for providing me the free early arc of #TheDo-Over for review. The opinions are strictly my own.

The Do-Over felt a bit Sophie Kinsella-ish for me. I enjoyed reading most parts of this book but there are parts that I really didn’t get and sometimes I find unnecessary. I also find it weird that I liked the other characters more than McKenna, the main character.

The romance part is adorable, it made me feel giddy with excitement and I liked it! I enjoyed reading about Henry and McKenna’s relationship and how it developed from a simple crush to so much more.

I liked this book and I enjoyed reading it! There are parts that could be better but it’s still worth the read. If you’re looking for a book that’s light and easy to read, give this one a try.

I’m not sure how I feel about this book. At some parts of the book I did get bored with the writing. I almost DNF’d this book but went ahead and finished it. I will say that I liked Henry’s character but I couldn’t connect with McKenna.

This was another fun romantic comedy from Bethany Turner. She has a real gift of bringing a story to life. This novel had the feel of so many of my favorite romantic comedy movies. It was unique in its own right, but there was just something nostalgic about it that I really enjoyed.

I really enjoyed McKenna's narration style. While she wasn't always the most likable person, she was always engaging and entertaining. She was very self-involved and solely focused on herself and her own goals, at the detriment to pretty much all of her relationships. Family, friends, etc. So it was very interesting seeing her head back home and come face-to-face with some of those issues. I do wish that she hadn't kept her secret from so many people for so long. I totally understand why she did it, but it still frustrated me to no end.

Now, Henry Blumenthal? Wow! What a swoonworthy hero! I mean, how could I resist the awkward smart guy who grew up to be such a ruggedly handsome documentarian? So irresistible!

I had a lot of fun reading this novel and recommend it to anyone who enjoys clean romantic comedies. I'm eagerly looking forward to whatever Bethany Turner releases next.

I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and comments are my honest opinion.

I was unable to finish this book and thus will not be posting a full review to my blog. I am usually able to suspend my disbelief for unrealistic situations but, being an attorney, I could not do it for this book. Every scenario was more unrealistic and damning than the rest. Thank you for the opportunity.

Ms. Turner's swoon-worthy new novel, THE DO-OVER, is simply divine! It stars McKenna Keaton who is a gorgeous attorney and works at a prestigious New York firm. Her life goal is to make senior partner. McKenna's world is shattered when she is accused of embezzlement. Devastated and shocked, McKenna goes home to her parents house and suffers panic attacks. Will McKenna repair the relationships she's neglected and hopefully learn to relax?

Being home awakens a yearning in McKenna and she wants more from life, especially after reconnecting with her old friend, Henry Blumenthal. Henry is now hunkalicious Hank, a famous documentary producer. It's been years since McKenna saw him last and is shocked at how he transformed into a crushingly handsome man! Likewise, Hank is speechless in McKenna's company, because she is absolutely stunning. Their relationship is magnetic and romantic. Will Hank and McKenna hook up and savor the heat? Does McKenna ever discover who derailed her career?

My favorite author, Ms. Turner, has wrote another fantastic romance titled, THE DO-OVER. It's so fantastic, I devoured the book in one evening! The slow evolving romance dance is beautifully sculpted earning high marks as the best ever! The comic timing is perfect along with suspense, suspicion and serious elements expertly woven in. The supporting cast of characters is extensive and adds a complimentary element to the whole plot line. What I love most is Ms. Turner has that unique gift of gab that grabs your attention. It makes me long for more when the story is over. THE DO-OVER is devilishly delicious!

The synopsis of The Do-Over by Bethany Turner sounded really interesting and since I enjoyed Plot Twist by the same author, I was excited to give this one a try.

At first, I felt like it was going to be a great read. I liked how the story started and I thought that McKenna and Henry had good chemistry. I also enjoyed the humor and a lot of the pop culture references, even though I felt there were a tad too many. Sadly, the negatives outweighed the positives for me. I wanted more page time with our main characters. I also didn’t like how McKenna lied to her family about why she was home. I did not see a downside for her to tell them the truth about what was going on with her job. I also struggled to fully connect with McKenna. While this was not the story for me, I’m sure many will enjoy it.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own. This was a clean read even though it is published by Thomas Nelson.

I didn’t exactly like McKenna but i loved Henry.

I have to admit, the plot was pretty interesting. Nothing I’ve read before. The romance was cute but then geh trope I hated the most happened and it was, eh.

I felt like there was a lot of interesting stuff in this book but there was too much stuff and it was hard to keep track of everything. The “big” moments, for me, felt so underwhelming. It kind of just feel flat which sucked but it is what it is.

Nonetheless, I did enjoy reading this book but some parts bored and annoyed me.

It’s a dangerous thing to do… To go from discovering a new author and loving the first book that you read by them, to then immediately reading another one by the same author… In this case, I also loved Plot Twist so much, that it might just be in comparison to that one, that The Do-Over fell kind of flat… None the less, by the end of this book? I was just about ready to go right back to the beginning – and start it all over again…

The story
When McKenna Keaton walks into the boardroom of Wallis, Monroe, and Burkhead, she expects to be named senior partner. Instead, she learns she’s being investigated for embezzlement. To wait out her unpaid leave, McKenna sublets her Upper West Side apartment and goes home to Durham, North Carolina, to save money. Saving face is going to be another thing entirely, but she assumes her problems will blow over soon.

While living in her childhood hometown, McKenna learns about a family curse that—if real rather than imagined—could suggest she has less than a year to live. This information is troubling (of course!), but it’s the reunion with former classmate Henry—Durham’s favorite son—that flips her world upside down. Henry is now a celebrated documentarian, back in town to premiere his latest masterpiece. Vulnerable to (and desperately needing) a distraction as her life falls apart, McKenna begins seeing the shy nerd from high school in a whole new light.

As she waits out the results of the investigation and wonders if her literal life is hanging in the balance, McKenna debates her future and questions her past. She might survive it all in one piece—but a new love and a newly-examined life might be the only things that can save her.

The opinion
Here’s the thing: I absolutely loved all the characters in Plot Twist. However, in The Do-Over I found myself struggling to connect with McKenna. Well, actually – I did connect with McKenna. It’s just that I was also very annoyed by her the entire time. Especially the way that she just basically abandoned her family when it suited her wishes… Only to then come back to them the moment things go wrong? I also found it really difficult to understand the way she treated her younger sister. I can imagine having a certain relationship with them when you’re younger… Even as an adult, though, McKenna never really seems to give Taylor the chance to be that mature version of herself.

Apart from the fact that I just plain old liked basically all of the characters except for the main one? I had some serious issues understanding how an actual, ambitious lawyer could be getting investigated and not even consider seeking legal counsel. Similarly, I can understand not really having an experience in the romantic department. But the complete switch from supposedly utterly capable to basically stumbling about… Being completely socially unaware and just blurting out the weirdest things? It seemed a bit exaggerated and over-the-top. And that made it more difficult for me to really enjoy the book and get into the whole story.

However, from the last quarter of the book onwards especially, the story did redeem itself. For one thing, McKenna was finally acting as the person she’d been proclaiming to be all along. Finally. For another, as most characters grew on me, I was also able to appreciate the main character more. Sure, unhealthy coping mechanismes are something she should probably google at some point… But all in all, at the end of this book, I was left feeling quite fulfilled.

The rating: 3/5
Sure, it was a long and sometimes frustrating road to get there… But I will say this: by the end I was really quite happy with this story. The type of happy that needs more and would ideally like to see a movie based on it 🙂

-Saar

This is my first Bethany Turner novel and I loved it! I laughed and I cried, my husband asked me if I was okay as tears streamed down my face. This needs to be a Hallmark movie!!!

DNF at 40%

Skipped to the ending because I wanted to know what happened with the embezzlement allegations. That part of the story was interesting to me.

The part of the plot about the family curse seemed unnecessary and actually seemed to derail the story. I just wanted to see McKenna and Hank get together and it was taking so long. I don't mind a slow burn, but that wasn't what was happening here. They were just stumbling around each other.

Also, the writing was not my favorite. There were long side tracks that seemed irrelevant, and the whole prologue with family history seemed unnecessary.

McKenna Keaton has had her life figured out since she was forced to move away from New York City as an adolescent—get out of North Carolina, get back to New York, and build a successful career as a lawyer and eventual partner. As she strives to reach this goal, McKenna finds herself sacrificing personal relationships and distancing herself from family. When a possibly career-ending incident occurs, she heads back to Durham and rekindles a high school friendship with now famous documentarian Hank Blume. As McKenna and Hank grow closer, she needs to determine if what once made her happy will sustain her in the future.

This book was a quick, cute read. At times I struggled to empathize with McKenna as she always seemed to look for what people were doing wrong rather than what they were doing right, and she seemed a bit flighty in her affections. I would have liked to see a bit more of the investigation into they form as well. That being said, I enjoyed watching the family dynamics evolve over time.

A successful woman back in her hometown, reconnecting with an old rival from her teenage years, McKenna sounded like an intriguing character. Unfortunately, I found the further into the book I got, the less I liked her. Henry, the love interest, was fine if a little bland. I unfortunately found the whole book a bit lacklustre - I think I'm not a fan of the writing style. The book was mildly interesting enough to finish (eventually), but overall just wasn't for me!

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This rom com is a true gem! Mix of snarkiness, what a real family looks and acts like, throw in some newly discovered love and you have The Do-Over.

McKenna is very career driven and appears to have been that way her entire life. A accusation at work, sends her on a leave of absence for the unforeseen future. Since her little sister is getting married, she decides to take this opportunity (and she can't afford to stay in New York right now) to go home. She doesn't visit home very often, if at all if she can avoid it, so there is a bumpy road at first.

Trying to avoid the uncomfortableness of being home, she joins her brother in law at an event for a local guy turned big important movie maker. Not remembering him right away from high school, her brother in law describes his best friend, Henry (now goes by Hank for movie writing).

Once she is re-introduced to him, her world changes. Not wanting to admit she may be in love (remember career driven!?!), the two of them start a family genealogy project that not only sheds light on McKenna's ancestors, but has the two of them falling deeper for each other.

The author did an amazing job with character development, plot/story line and overall intrigue to capture the reader. I couldn't put down and was eager to find out how it ended. Not sure if intentional or because I received an ARC, but the story stopped very abruptly. Story line was tied but just kinda stopped :)

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

A five-star read for me. McKenna may be a little rough around the edges and too career focused, but part of the beauty in this story is the growth and grace she experiences. I love that her family surrounds her, unconditionally, and gives her comfort and space during an intense period of unknown. I cannot imagine the dynamics she shares with her sisters, but the way McKenna explores the relationships is healing on its own. My favorite part of the story though is Hank. Hank is refreshingly honest and quite the storyteller. He has not forgotten his friendship or feelings for McKenna, and I enjoyed how much he compliments her rough edges. While there are many light and humorous moments (ok laugh out loud moments), the story deals with some heavy topics related to identity and life choices as McKenna’s life unravels in a moment’s notice. All in all, a truly enjoyable rom-com and much of what I have to come to expect from a Bethany Turner story.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley and all opinions expressed are solely my own, freely given.

Wow! I can't believe this is the first book that I've read by this author. Jeez, I think I must have been living under a rock or something. This book is absolutely freaking fantastic, and I couldn't put it down at all. It deserves all the stars. I was hooked right from the first chapter, and the title is just perfection too! <3

Rating: 3.7

This is a mash up of EMMA and PERSUASION. In some ways McKenna reminds me of Emma in terms of being self absorbed. McKenna has a single minded goal careerwise with no room for romance in her life though she thought there was the possibility of marrying her boss who praised her work. Henry, now Hank, is a documentarian who had been in love with McKenna since childhood. This is about second chances.

It was hard for me to connect with the characters. I enjoyed the references to pop culture, though. Reading the book, sometimes I really liked the story and other times it was banal.

The embezzlement accusation causes McKenna to relocate home away from NYC. I easily suspected who really embezzled the funds. There were holes in the story. For example, I would have liked to know what happened to Oscar. Did he eventually leave the law firm too? And there is brief mention of Lewisham and Rosarbo.

Thanks to Thomas Nelson publisher and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Content warning: Embezzlement, Falsely Accused of a Crime

McKenna has only wanted one thing out of life, to succeed. So when she is railroaded at her law firm, just when she was sure she was making partner, she has the chance to go home and reconnect with her family that she left behind. Since she has been so busy, she didn't realize how much time had passed and how much her family actually missed her. Her little sister is getting married and McKenna is nearing the big 40. She takes the chance to go out one night with her sister's husband and friend, Jared. He is friends with a documentarian from their high school and there is a big showing, McKenna follows all of Hank Blume's documentaries, but didn't know it was her old friend Henry from school. Not only has he made a name for himself, he has also gotten HOT.
I liked watching Henry with McKenna, it was obvious that he was smitten with her from the get go, most lilkely from a crush that still held on from high school. What I didn't love was McKenna and her oblivousness to most things in life. I did feel that I knew what was happening at her law firm way before the reveal and I had a lot of secondhand embarassment for her, especially where her boss was concerned. I just felt like it might have been how someone would handle things at a younger age but not how someone that age would. She seemed a little too self absorbed, even if she didn't mean to. As the book went on, I did enjoy her more. She did start to open up, but it did take a while. 3.5 stars.
Thank you to Thomas Newton, Netgalley and Bethany Turner for an early copy.

Bethany Turner is so good at writing characters who aren't your typical characters. McKenna is a high-achieving lawyer in NYC who is expecting to be promoted to senior partner when everything gets pulled out from under her. As she returns home for the first time in years, she ends up reacquainting with a frenemy from high school, Henry. I loved some of the banter between McKenna and Henry and the unconventional way they keep being pulled together. A great accidental second chance romance.

I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.