This was a sweet debut from Cara Tanamachi, and I loved the Valentine's Day themes of this rom-com. It was also great to follow Jack and Sora as two recently reunited friends from elementary school. However, while the romance was enjoyable, it felt very fast-paced and lacked proper development. Even while being friends from elementary school, Jack and Sora had barely reunited for a month before professing their love for one another. I was also off put by Sora's focus on the appearance, weight, and diet of every single person she encountered in this novel. Additionally, she and her mom explicitly state that Sora feels fat / big boned, but later on Sora claims she's a size 14, which was confusing. The cover image does not depict a fat woman either, so overall it seemed like this book portrayed a not fat woman believing she was fat when she wasn't and feeling down that she felt that she was fat, which was really disappointing. Thus, I'd give this novel 3 stars.

This was a cute rom-com and easy read from a debut author. Freelance writer Sora has had it with bad relationships (100% relatable) and decides to vent her frustrations through her work by starting a Solo February challenge. Of course the challenge catches on, since women everywhere can relate, and Sora gets to enjoy thriving in her chosen profession. Enter Jack, her childhood friend who has become a dreamy baker in her local grocery store, reminding her of the old adage that love shows up when you least expect it. Join Sora as she navigates work, love, friendship, and family and battles with keeping her word to her readers or following her heart.

What I liked:
- Cara Tanamachi's writing style was enjoyable and compulsively readable. I look forward to future books by her.
- The disappointment with men and relationships was so relatable and through Sora's exploration of the topic I ended up with a lot of good quotes and advice that isn't new but resonated again.
- Dual POV --- I always enjoy the chance to see a story from more than one point of view
- Dreamy Baker!!!
- Adorable half-blind rescue pup
- Sister relationship --- competitive but close and truly there for each other
- The (re) meet-cute

What didn't work for me:
- Sora's obsession with her own weight and the weight/eating habits of others
- The bacon obsession was a bit extra!
- Unnecessary angst --- The Mal issue and the Solo February issue could have both been solved with a bit of open and honest communication and it made both MC's seem silly and cagey and immature.
- The insta-love and the inability to wait for a few weeks were both unbelievable for me and took away from my enjoyment of the characters and the story.

Bottom line: This isn't a book I'd really recommend to friends, but I don't regret reading it, it had several good aspects, and I will be reading future books by this author.

A perfect read for February! This was a very moving story about overcoming loss and finding yourself--and your soulmate. Some absolutely hilarious lines (especially the line about the pinata for bears). And I’ve always loved that concept of Kintsugi and it was perfectly woven into this story.

Sora has sworn off men for the month of February after a string of bad and disastrous relationships. She’s a freelance writer, and has decided to start a #GoSolo movement for the most romantic month of the year. Of course as soon as she’s sworn off men and dating, she runs into her old childhood friend Jack and the sparks fly. Overall, the premise of The Second You’re Singly by Cara Tanamachi is cute, but I’m not sure it was executed as well as it could have been – just sort of fell flat. I enjoyed reading it, but there were a few things that were a little off putting to me as a reader. I didn’t enjoy all of the negative talk about people’s bodies throughout the book – not only the FMCs but how the MMC was bullied as a child because he was chubby, and pretty much anyone that was skinnier than the FMC it was mentioned and how she felt they were judging her for what she looked like (when I didn’t really feel like it was necessary). I did appreciate seeing some ethnic diversity in our characters, and definitely want more of this in the future for our romance books. Overall, it was a cute read.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book provided to me through NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Cara Tanamachi and St. Martin’s Press for giving me the opportunity to read this book!

The Second Your Single by Cara Tanamachi
Publication Date: January 31, 2022
Contemporary Romance

This book is truly remarkable. There is not a single likable female character. They are shallow, judgmental and vapid. If you find relentless discussions of physical appearance or weight to be triggering then steer clear of this one. There is zero body positivity here. Women are judged and tried for their looks. Everyone is described based on their appearance. I recognize that every steamy romance novel has some commentary about the guy’s massive package but in this case it went on for pages. I wish that was an exaggeration.

The first word used in the synopsis of this book is cheerfully. There is absolutely nothing cheerful about this book. The characters are horrible people. Women lose sight of what’s important in a relationship. A character takes a temper tantrum because her sister doesn’t have a date for her wedding and it will throw off her seating chart. Another character is rejecting a relationship with his young child who has survived cancer because there’s a high probability of it recurring and what if she doesn’t make it next time?

Sora, the main character, makes fun of women who do aerial aerobics as a form of weight loss. As a reader who is definitely not a size zero I felt like I was being judged which I was barely handling until the 200th comment about the correlation with bacon and “obesity.” At which point I did what any reasonable person would do, I gave my Kindle the finger and made myself a bacon and egg sandwich (extra extra bacon) instead of wasting another second on this pile of anti-feminist anti-garbage.

I thought I would be enjoying a book that attempts to celebrate women being single and being okay with that status. This should have been a story about how Sora was finding herself and becoming happy with herself and along the way she found someone to share that experience with. Instead he walks into her life immediately during Solo February and she only sticks with it because of her job. The male interest has been in love with her since they were children despite not having seen each other for decades. What did they have in common? What made them compatible?

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for providing an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book reminded me of How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days meaning Sora is writing dating puff pieces about dating but wants to write other things. The banter between her Jack was just so sweet. I loved them together. Oh the epilogue was chef's kiss sugary sweet.

A few things that made me uncomfortable was the way Jack's weight was described on page beer belly but not in a gross way 😐 it came up a few times. Like um the last part wasn't necessary and I think having male characters with varying body sizes is as important as female characters. The other thing that I thought was a little wonky on page was the way the characters' ethnicity were described as 1/4 and 1/2 "melting pot" yikes.

Other than that I do think it was a decent exploration of dating can oscillate between hopeful, dreadful, to bitter in the span of seconds. So the real issue is the pressure of not being single at the risk of ignoring attributes that you need to be in a healthy relationship. Taking a detox aka Solo February can't be all or nothing bc life and people change. I think that underlying theme got lost a bit.

I wanted to love this book because it’s set in Chicago and the premise seems cute, but all of the characters seem to have about two or theee traits that define them. Sora, our main character, wears size 14 clothing, has had terrible luck with men and treats herself poorly as a result, and LOVES bacon. (I almost DNF’d this because of the amount of times she brings up bacon.) Jack has some kind of insta-love for Sora and used to be chubby as a kid, which he thinks about often. There are some sweet moments—mostly around family—but the romance is not compelling.

I really wanted to enjoy this book, and some parts I really did. But the one thing I wrote down the most during this is: what is with all the damn bacon references.
Sorta herself was unlikeable, even though it was all explained once we met her mother and sister. This book found a way to make every single woman character insufferable. Jack was a great MMC aside from the “chubby as kid then lost a lot of weight” gimmick.
Long story short, I did enjoy the middle portion of this book and even managed to laugh a few times.

The book begins with February and Valentine's Day approaching, Sora, a now single woman (divorced and her most recent boyfriend was married unbeknownst to her), is a online writer and has decided to boycott Valentine's this year. She's going to write articles all month about spending February solo which shouldn't be an issue with her recent breakup. Only problem, she re-meets a guy she went to elementary school with, Jack, and there's attraction. So, how to get through the month of February solo when Jack has reentered her life. There's side story with Sora and her Mom and sister and their deceased father and how her family dynamics have affected how she sees herself. Good read.

The second you're single has an interesting premise and is a fun twist on Valentine's day rom-com. It reads like a classic holiday movie and was an entertaining read. The biggest problem was how all the characters COULD have been fantastic, but they become stuck with two character traits. The plot also has this problem and is stuck at the hallmark movie level of depth. You can only have the main character talk about how much she loves bacon so many times before it becomes tiring.
I did love books like this and still had fun reading it, it just was not what I was expecting. I wish the author had leaned back on some of the positivity sections because it just became uncomfortable to read and alot of the messages just slap you in the face.
Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a free ARC copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Sora and an old flame Jack have both been burned in failed relationships but manage in the end to find each other again and perhaps get a chance to see things differently.

I like the plot that focuses on the excesses of the Valentine's Day traditions of romantic love, chocolates, red roses, etc. Sora decides to publicize and write about her decision to go solo in February and #gosolo articles are a hit online with similarly discouraged young women who can relate to the sentiment.

When true romance interferes with Sora's plans to #gosolo, there is a plot twist that should delight romance readers.

Super cute and delightful just in time for February,

The Second You're Single is all about self-exploration and timing.

Jack was fantastic and def going to be a top-book boyfriend.

Sora's relationship woes are totally relatable!

Their banter and chemistry is def making it in my top fave ships!

Quick Summary: A hilariously clever romantic comedy of errors

My Review: The Second You're Single by Cara Tanamachi was a good time in book form. I absolutely loved both the digital e-book and the audiobook. If I had to choose which gave me a rip roaring stitch in my side, I would have to say the audiobook would take the cake...or rather eat the bacon...hands down. (You see what I did there? Lol)

Seriously though, this book was charming.The character struggles, the family stress, the relationship conflicts, the sweet meets, and more totally won me over. I was here for this very relatable story. I adored Sora and Jack and fully appreciated their meet-cute, their immediate playfulness and natural banter.

My Final Say: This book was an enjoyable treat. Readers should munch on it responsibly. Only those looking for a humorous take on life, love, family, and the whole maneuvering the relationship scene will get this one.

Other: Unfortunately, I have seen several low ratings and reviews on this book. That's very unfortunate. I don't get it. I truly think this book should be given a genuine chance. It's quite lovely.

Rating: 4.5/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: A
Status/Level: ✨
E-book and Audiobook: Yes

Sincere appreciation is extended to the author, to the publisher, and to NetGalley, who provided access to this title in exchange for an honest review. The words I have voluntarily shared are my own and have not been influenced by the aforementioned in any way.

* A Goodreads review has been posted.

1.5 stars (rounded up).

I felt the feminism leaving my body the longer I read "The Second You're Single." TW: cheating, miscarriage, divorce, toxic family, fat shaming, body shaming, stalking/mental abuse?

Main female character, Sora, frequently has a good inner monolog (though this may read as *~qUiRkY*~ to some). She and the main male character, Jack, have funny banter with one another. This book is a relatively quick read. It also has good representation. That's where the positives end.

I wrote a review recently about a novel that felt like it was paid for by Big Salad because salad was mentioned every single page for the first, like, 20% of the book. Did Big Bacon pay for THIS book to be written?! My god, I don't think I have ever heard someone talk about bacon so much, not even butchers. Sora mentioned bacon at least twice every chapter! I love bacon just as much as the next person, but not enough to tell every single person I encounter about my obsession with or plans to have bacon.

I haven't read such a blatantly fat shame-y/body shame-y book in quite a long time. Sora shames just about everyone she encounters for something. Before she realizes she likes Jack when he comes to her rescue in a grocery store, she says "he has a beer belly, but not gross big." WHATWHATWHAT??? IN 2023??? Jeeeesus! I had to reread the sentence to make sure I didn't misread it. My full-body-man-loving heart was offended. It's really difficult to read books with characters who judge others based on their weight, and who are also harsh on themselves in a mean, self-deprecating way. Sora's mom and sister constantly hound her about her weight and what she eats. The wedding/bridesmaids dress try-on scene? BRUTAL. Painful, really. I cringed the entire time I read it. PLEASE do not read this if you're in recovery for an ED.

Most of the characters in this book are either entirely dreadful or wholly unrelatable. Just when it seems Jack is the perfect cinnamon roll prince we all deserve, we find out he's a liar. The part about Nami (Sora's sister) and her soon-to-be husband was just ridiculous and annoying and feels thrown in at the last minute for more drama. Nami and their mother always talk crap behind Sora's back! No wonder she doesn't want to have anything to do with them! Sora's doggo Larry is the only redeemable character in this mess. Give HIM all the bacon. Also, the relationship between Sora and Jack felt like it moved way too fast. I find it pretty unrealistic that Jack had a crush on Sora since kindergarten.

This is such a disappointing read. Based on the plot summary, I was looking forward to this debut novel. I hate to be the kind of person who gives a debut author a bad rating, but this needed so much more editing and so much less shaming... I am not quite sure how we're still doing this kind of blatant fatphobic in 2023.

Thank you to NetGalley, Cara Tanamachi, and St. Martin's Press/St. Martin's Griffin for providing me with an ARC copy of this book! All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated for my review.

If you love a sassy and sarcastic narrator, and you're anti-Valentines, but secretly a softy, you will enjoy The Second You're Single.

I related to a lot of the Sora's sentiments. I found myself chuckling here and there as I read. I especially appreciated reading a romance novel with diverse characters, specifically a half Japanese character.

I love childhood friends to lovers, however in the case of this book, we do not get to see much of why Jack is enamored with Sora in the present. With that being said, I felt like the chemistry between the two was lacking.

Overall, it was a decent read.

Content warning: This novel explores topic of weight, pediatric cancer, and death of a parent.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advanced ready copy in exchange for my honest review.

Goodreads review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4920471747

Quick, light and set around Valentine's Day but you could easley grab this and you beach bag and take it along. I really liked Jack and that ending was super sweet.
Bacon is my Valentine.

My thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Adorable cover, but this one wasn't for me. Some insensitive body talk early on, but overall I just wasn't feeling the characters and their vibes.

I was first drawn to this book by the super cute cover. The premise sounded fun and I love a MC with a dog. It had potential to be a sweet romance, but sadly it fell short for me.

I found Sora the FMC to be incredibly judgmental and immature. I think the author was trying to be body positive with a size 14 character, but honestly it felt cringy with all of Sora’s negative internal dialogue. She was also oddly obsessed with bacon. I get it she is a heavy set woman who loves bacon and hates women who wear Lululemon and eat kale. It’s hard to enjoy a book when the FMC is so unlikeable.

Jack, the MMC was a more likable character, but still felt cringy for me. He reminisced a lot about being a chubby child and I just wasn’t feeling it. I didn’t like how there was so much focus on weight and body image n the story.

I’m going to end there. Overall, this book was underdeveloped and overly uncomfortable for me.

I bought into this one until about the 80% mark and then I was annoyed. The big fall out could have been avoided, or wrapped up in 5 seconds had they just spoken to each other. I think this took the miscommunication angle and tweaked it just enough to make it annoying and unbelievable.


I received an advance copy. All thoughts are my own.

Sora knows that Valentine’s Day can be the worst of days, if you’re single, if your heart’s been broken, if you have only bad memories surrounding that day. So, she declares #SoloFebruary, and writes a daily column pledging solidarity and support to others who share her aversion to the holiday. It’s all going according to plan until she runs into Jack, an old friend from elementary school, who appears so thoughtful, selfless, and charming, that she begins to wonder if it’s okay to risk her heart one more time. This book is light, funny, and sincere, and I enjoyed the interactions between Sora and Jack. It’s easy to find fun Christmas romance novels, and now maybe start a new tradition of reading Valentine’s Day romances with this book!