4.5 stars! Hallmark vibes are strong in this beautifully written story of second chances. I couldn’t put it down! I will definitely be reading more from this author!

Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books for review from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including Netgalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255.

I love second chances in a small town with the most delightful cast of characters. Tucker and Emma spent summers together until some unfortunate events happened that drove them apart. I love how they come together once again with the help of his grandma's potential property sale.

This is Adams debut novel and it was wonderful. The setting was so cozy and the plot flowed along at the perfect pace. I loved the bumps in the road and especially the interactions, forced as they were at times. The characters weren't perfect, but they were very likable.

Charming, sweet, and witty, this story read like a heartwarming holiday movie and the characters seeped deep into my heart.

Content: mild romance; very, very mild religion

*I received a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own and were voluntarily given.*

Read if you love:
- Lost young love
- Southern charm
- Small town antics
- Meddling grandmas
- Second chances
- Strong heroines
- Friendly rivals

This was fun, adorable debut reminiscent of a Hallmark movie. Tucker and Emma grew up together as best friends, but fell in love the summer before Tucker went off to college. Flash forward twelve years later and they're no longer together. Wait, what? Yup, I was already in love with Tucker and Emma after the prologue and then crushed by Chapter 1.

Engaging Emma was so enjoyable. To find Emma thriving and running her own business after twelve years and a broken heart was so satisfying. She and Tucker butting heads over the sale Stony Creek Farm made for some great banter and really highlighted the chemistry that never truly died between them. They had a lot of obstacles between them but those didn't stand a chance when going up against Grandma Lil and the charming town folk of Normal, Missouri. Emma's best friend Nina was my favorite and I hope she gets her own story. I highly recommend this fun, quick read if you love second chances!

Once again, we have a case of meddling parents breaking up a childhood romance. But the teenage lovers get a second chance…if they can get over the misunderstanding and their hurt feelings. Throw in a meddling grandmother and, naturally, things progress.

Naturally, Tucker and Emma fight their attraction, thinking it just a remnant of their past. It won’t be a big spoiler if I tell you that they fight it unsuccessfully. They also get the opportunity to see each other as adults and have that solidify their teenage feelings.

Side characters are fun, although Emma’s best friend is a bit overprotective. I feel like they all had enough of a personality to be more than wallpaper. Problems are solved fairly realistically.

Possible Objectionable Material:
Scheming parents. A few mild innuendos.

Who Might Like This Book:
Fans of second-chance romances, small towns, and charming old ladies.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book also reviewed at https://biblioquacious.blogspot.com/2022/05/its-been-roughsix-weeks-but-yearbook-is.html

Engaging Emma is a sweet second chance romance. I couldn’t put it down! Emma and Tucker were childhood friends. Their friendship buds into romance as teenagers, but circumstances keep them apart. Later Tucker returns to Normal, Missouri to help his grandmother sell her property, and they have to decide if they will take a chance again. There are secrets about what kept them apart that come to light as the story goes on. If you enjoy second chance romances, strong female leads or storylines like Hallmark movies you will enjoy this book. I loved it and can’t wait to see more from this author!

This debut novel from Elle M Adams is one not to be missed!

I'm becoming such a huge fan of second chance romance and this book had everything I was looking for in that trope. It was believable, enjoyable and all around fantastic. I was a little worried after the first chapter not feeling like I had enough context on how they fell in love the first time, but bits and pieces are thrown in throughout the entire book and helped round out those earlier years.

The pacing was perfect for a relaxing read. This is a curl up in a cozy blanket kind of book that you want to savor from start to finish.

I loved the characters. I thought both main characters were relatable and had so much personality. Emma's spunk was paired perfectly with Tucker's stubbornness! The grandma... she was such a favorite character of mine. Her one liners were epic. Everyone needs a grandma like her. The side characters were fun and I'm feeling like some side character spin offs are in our future. I'll be here for each and everyone of them if that is the case!!

I can't wait to see what comes next from this author!

Thanks to NetGalley for the copy. All thoughts in this review are my own.

This debut novel didn’t disappoint this hopeless romantic. Tucker and Emma’s childhood friendship blossomed to love in their late teenage years. However, 12 years later Tucker is a successful doctor in Los Angeles, and Emma is struggling to keep her business afloat in Normal, Missouri.

When Tucker’s grandmother requests him to return to Normal to help her finalize some plans, his past catches up with him. Emma is no longer the girl he left behind, but a beautiful woman trying to change his family’s property to a bed and breakfast.

I adored this book so much. It’s emotional, endearing, and funny. A perfect rom-com.

Book Highlights:
-Second-chance love
-Slow burn
-Strong female relationships
-Small-town setting
-Duel POV

What I loved:
-Jane Austen and Bronte sister references
-Comedic/protective best friend
-Honest/raw arguments
-Laugh-out moments

Thank you Netgalley and Covenant Communications for my ARC!

When Tucker Madsen returns to the small town of Normal, Missouri, his life is established in Los Angeles, with his medical career set to soar and a beautiful fiancée. When he comes face to face with Emma McAllister, his first love, he remembers the pain of heartbreak. However Tucker is determined to help his grandmother sell the family farm and return as quickly as possible. Yet Emma is determined to buy the Madsen farm, with some planned changes that Tucker doesn’t quite agree with.
A great debut novel with the intensity of the feelings that Tucker and Emma shared, leaping off the pages. I loved Tucker’s grandmother who seems to have a plan for the young couple yet appears so innocent in her interaction both Emma and Tucker, giving advice as the couple battle their feelings.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley and Covenant Communications. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Oh wow! I loved this more than I expected! Contemporary romances aren't usually my preferred genre. But this book has me rethinking that! I love second chance romances. Tucker and Emma were great characters. They had great chemistry. That romantic tension was perfectly written! I loved this story and couldn't put it down!

This is a wonderful second chance romance that you don't want to miss. Emma and Tucker's story was a joy to read. It will keep you turning the pages to see what happens next. I loved everything about this book! If you are looking for a clean sweet romance that will leave you with a smile, grab this book! I can't wait to see what this author writes next.
I received a complimentary copy from Covenant Communications via NetGalley and was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

This was a fun debut novel. I have to admit that it took me a little while to get into the story, but once I really started it I ended up enjoying it. Engaging Emma is written by Elle M Adams and it is a clean contemporary romance.
Emma was an interesting character. I did not really connect with her but I was able to get to know her. She had been hurt before and she was just trying to protect herself and build a life for herself. I did feel for her as she worked to run her company well. I loved how she cared for the people around her, especially Miss Lily. Emma had to learn to forgive and also how to let people past her walls. The past did not have to define her.
Okay so Tucker, I did like. I felt bad for him. He tried hard to care for his family but he was also dealing with guilt. Tucker had left his grandmother's town and in a sense never looked back. He wanted to leave those memories behind but he never recovered from his summer romance with Emma. Tucker had to figure out what he wanted in life and make sacrifices for the things that are most important to him.
Tucker and Emma were second chance lovers so they had a lot of hurt to work through. There were things that were out of their control and they had to learn to work together again. It was interesting to read about them interacting and getting to know each other for a second time. They had a lot of ground to cover, but in the end it was sweet.
The side characters were a lot of fun! I thought that Miss Lily, Tucker's grandmother, had quite the personality. Nina, Emma's best friend, was also a nice addition to the series.
Overall, I enjoyed Engaging Emma and I am excited to see what else Adams writes. Engaging Emma is a wholesome, clean contemporary romance.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher through Netgalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion, a positive review was not required.

4.5⭐️
I really enjoyed this book but I think I just wanted a tiny bit more from it to bump it up to that 5 stars!
This is a new, clean contemporary romance about rekindled love with some best friends/enemies to lovers. Tucker and Emma fell in love when they were young, but when he shows back up in town years later, things aren’t so easy. I got a little “Sweet Magnolias” vibe with her updating the old barn/house into a business and loved it. I loved both of the main characters and appreciated their different points of view. I think they both had a good amount of depth and back story that really made me relate and like their story together. It was easy to root for their love story throughout the book.
Ultimately, I wanted even a little more from their relationship. It was a very SLOW slow burn, and sometimes, especially at the end, I just wanted a little more evidence of their love for each other! It was predictable in the very best way and I was so happy with the end result. I think this would make the cutest Hallmark romance and I would love to see these characters come to life!
Overall I really loved this book. I would read it again, and definitely pick up another book from the same author! Check this one out if you like small town, contemporary romances about rekindled love ❤️

I loved this romance story! The author did a wonderful job developing the characters! I was engrossed in the story from the beginning! If you love modern romance stories, this one is for you!!

Engaging Emma was such a sweet modern romance! I loved the small town Missouri setting, filled with busy body neighbors. Emma and Tucker fell in love when they were young, but age and circumstances tore them apart. 12 years later, with lives that took them on different paths, they meet again.

This was the first book I read by this author and I really enjoyed the author’s writing style. It flowed and kept me interested. Both characters were lovable and like most second chance romance novels, I was cheering them on and frustrated with them at times. I loved the meddling strong willed grandma and Emma’s spunky best friend that was watching out for her.

A really fun read!

Enemies to more, second chance romance, and childhood friends. Great tropes. And this one had a taste of them all. Elle M. Adams did a great job with this book. I loved where the prologue started, because we instantly knew there had been something, but allowed us as we read to read more about the friendship and deeper relationship they had later on.

Emma and Tucker loved each other, but when Tucker leaves for college, Emma is heartbroken that he seems to disappear. She never hears from him again, even after he promised to write. Tucker never hears from Emma and decides to stay away from Normal, Missouri. That is until he is called on by his family to help sell the family farm. Normal couldn't be more different from the life he has created for himself as a successful doctor in California with a beautiful fiancée.

Emma is unexpectedly reunited with Tucker at his family farm, and is completely taken off guard by the emotions that come back so easily and quickly. Filled with hurt, confusion and yet, some attraction, Both Tucker and Emma try and dance around what is going on. It seems that although there are still things that each feel, their history may be repeating itself- toward heartbreak.

Emma and Tucker are infuriating, adorable, witty, and dang... confusing to one another. Everyone can see it but there are past hurts that have to be talked about. I waited for a while for that to happen, and at first was confused why that didn't just happen earlier in the book. However, Elle did a wonderful job at placing clarifying information at the right place and in the right time. There were a few moments that made me think of The Notebook, and it was absolutely done well.

There is a great balance of the tension in this book-both from attraction and from disdain. The tension is also lifted in moments of lightness and wit. I love some good wit in a book, and this has plenty.

Overall, I enjoyed this read a lot. I can't wait to get my hands on a physical copy soon.

"That should be okay. You can fill her in later." She looked up at him, and darn it all, her heart started thumping in her chest. Tucker made her nervous, and she didn't like it. Not one bit. "The sooner we're done, the sooner you can get out of here," she said.

Tucker and Emma have known each other since they were little kids. But Tucker hadn't been back to visit his grandma since his dad passed away. He spent a summer there before going off to college to help his grandma out. While there he become reacquainted with Emma.

They spent tons of time together that summer but have a falling out afterwards. Now years later Tucker has returned again to help his grandma out with selling the family farm. Tucker and Emma run into each other and there is much tension between them.

Emma having been hurt by Tucker and is not to thrilled to see him again. He seems to be trying to get in our way of her dreams yet again.

With plotting grandmas and always being thrown together what could possibly happen?

Sometimes life gives you a little detour before you can receive your happily ever after. There is much growing up that is needed. Sometimes old loves work out or it maybe that it wasn't meant to work out.

I loved this story of Emma and Tucker. It was fun to read something outside of the Regency Romances that I usually read. (I will never stray to far.) But it's nice to mix it up sometimes.

I was able to read a copy for free of this story on Netgalley.

3.5 stars. This was a super sweet, clean second chance romance. It was very well written for a debut novel. I really enjoyed reading the story, it just didn't wow me. I received an advanced copy from the publisher through Netgalley.

A cute story about teenage love, guilt and family bonds.
Emma is a strong, capable, well qualified young woman who's formed a beautiful bond with Miss Lily, who happens to be her teenage boyfriend's grandmother. She loses touch with her then boyfriend and he makes a sudden appearance in her life again. The book follows their story.

I love that the female lead is a strong one. She doesn't need a man to complete her/save her/make her a person. She's got her own goals in mind and isn't afraid to go after them.
I also enjoy the friendships that are formed that become family.

I do think character introductions needs a bit of work - I was left a tad bewildered after one or two characters were introduced for the first time with no foreshadowing.
Overall, cute read.

I loved the setting and the characters in this story! The small town dynamics made for some funny moments, the makeover of a rustic barn into an event center was beautifully described, and the characters were absolutely compelling. It was fun to see how Adams managed a second chance romance with enemies to friends flavor, ending with a well deserved happily ever after!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are completely my own

I was surprised to learn this was Elle M. Adams debut novel. I love to read small town stories and this one about Normal, Missouri was very interesting. Ms. Adams is very gifted in describing the settings in her story. You feel as if you are right there along side of her carefully crafted characters. I liked our heroine Emma. She is a strong, smart, and likable person, who always wants to help others. Tucker our hero, is a family Doctor reluctantly returning to small town Normal to help out his grandmother Miss Lily. He is tall, dark and handsome and the one that got away. My favorite character was the almost 93 year old grandma Lily. She is smart, she is witty and very wise. If you like second chance romances this is a perfect one to read.
I want to thank Covenant Communications along with NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book. The opinions in this review are strictly my own.