This was such a fun read - bingeable just like bacon (and tequilla)!

I wasn't sure what to think BUT I loved this book. It was so raw, and honest and I loved our 'regular-size' characters who have been blessed and cursed by the rom-com gods.

Jack and Sora are a beautiful couple but #gosolo is going to get in the way of that. Add in Jack's ex-girl who he may or may not have slept with a few weeks ago (#drunkmistake) and it's a recipe for disaster. The sexy-romance bits came a bit earlier on that I usually expect in a romance novel BUT it's not all downhill from there - and you don't have to wait for the 65% mark for pecs (win win).

You do have to wait RIGHT until the end for our HEA though, which brings me to potential spoiler territory (you've been warned). This is just as much about loving yourself as loving someone else (okay, maybe 40/60) but that's a pretty valiant split in the contemporary-romance market these days.

Second chance romance - you just keep surprising me and I can't say no!

This started out well and then fizzled for me. I loved the concept and the beginning was funny but as soon as she met Jack, it got very predictable and almost like a slapstick comedy; I was half expecting a laugh track. It dragged for me and I eventually gave up on it. This was a DNF for me but I can see why others would like it.

Thank you for an advanced copy of The Second You're Single!

Star Rating 3 stars
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Pub Date: January 31, 2023

Oh, where to begin with this one...I'll start with the good...

Cara Tanamachi is a brilliant writer! This writing in The Second You're Single is quippy, funny, engaging, and had me laughing out loud several times. The characters she created were at times quirky, emotional, and interesting. she has got some writing talent, and I would definitely read another one of her books. I actually found the main character's obsession with bacon pretty funny, not going to lie. And, I appreciated that our heroine was a plus-sized gal with a complicated history. We need more mid-representation in books! I also enjoyed the second chance elements of this story mixed with a little (long ago) unrequited love. Sigh.

That being said, there were just some elements that didn't work for me in this book, mainly that the main character was supposed to be on a "solo February" journey, but had already slept with the male lead less than 50% into the book. I feel like not making this book a slow-burn was a huge missed opportunity. Also, there was a lot of discussion about "how great" the sex was, but why did the story fade to black? I don't mind a closed door book, but when much of the attraction centers around the quality of the kink, I'd like to see the kink on the page, please. When her boss almost busted her the night after, it made me so anxious for the FMC to be lying!

I had some other issues with the book re: the instant love, the "crazy ex girlfriend," and the third act breakup, to name a few. I also didn't like the dynamic between a plus-sized sister and a size zero sister + the added pressure of their mom constantly fad dieting.

Overall, I thought this book was cute, but it left me a little unsatisfied. I will definitely read more by Cara, though, because her writing talent is so clear!

After seeing several negative reviews, I will admit that I was hesitant to pick this up but i'm so glad I did! Was it cheesy, corny, and totally unrealistic? Yes. But it was lighthearted and the perfect romcom to get lost in. I thought Sora was absolutely hilarious and completely relatable in her endeavors of trying to make it on the dating scene. She has some skeletons in her closet but what woman doesn't? I loved her exploration of trying to work on herself before she threw herself back in to the dating scene. I felt that every single thing about Jack was absolute perfection. A total hunk who bakes and has a heart of gold?! Sign me up please! I loved Sora and Jack's connection and it felt like they had just the right amount of steam. This book did a wonderful job of mixing humor throughout a story of finding and building yourself up. I do agree and think the love of bacon could have been toned down slightly, but overall found this a charming read!

My first DNF of the year. I didn’t get very far into this book, but I don’t plan to continue it.

What is the reason I don’t want to finish it? The MC is incredibly unlikeable. I appreciate having a midsize main character, but this midsize main character is a pick me girl who shames on others for being “healthy”, wearing make up in public, etc. She mentions that she starved herself for Dan, her now ex boyfriend. Ultimately she seems incredibly whiny, vapid and hateful.

She’s given up on relationships and is having a “solo” February after her and her boyfriend (who was married and has kids) broke up with her. The fact that he had specific days/times he wanted to see her wasn’t a red flag that something else was going on??

She also mentions the word “bacon” far too many times to the point that it’s cringy. The humor in the book is very forced.

This book just has made me feel icky after a couple of chapters and I don’t want to finish it.

Thank you to St. Martins Press Griffin, NetGalley and Cara Tanamachi for an eBook ARC in exchange for an honest review. This book will be published January 31st, 2023.

I soooo enjoyed this debut romcom from a new auto-buy author for me!! This dual POV, fade to black, childhood friends to lovers romance gave me all the feels and had me laughing from beginning to end. I really loved both the main characters Jack and Sora and was rooting for them to get their HEA! I mean a guy who's secretly had a crush on you from kindergarten AND he's a baker?!? Yes please!

Sora was also really likeable and I related with her struggles as a freelance writer for an online women's magazine, trying to get that full-time job with benefits even though it wasn't bringing her joy. Add in the fun twist where she ends up having to commit to being single for #SoloFebruary even though Jack comes along and tempts her at every turn.

I didn't love the miscommunication, third act break up - I really hate when things could be resolved so much quicker if the two MCs just talked to one another. But other than that I was here for this story from start to finish, adorable rescue pitbull included! Recommended for fans of the movie How to lose a guy in 10 days. Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

The Second You’re Single
Cara Tanamachi
3.5⭐️

The Second You’re Single was a quick, easy, enemies to lovers romance. I was intrigued by the premise of a Solo February and went in with high hopes. Parts of the dialogue and banter were funny, I liked the drama, and yes to a hero who bakes. Even with all of that I struggled to really connect with the MC’s. They were both likable however together they just didn’t quite work. There was a huge lack of communication which was frustrating. Also, there was an uncomfortable amount of body shaming. At first I kinda chucked at it, but as it went on, it just became too much. And the bacon… 😂

While I am happy to have had the opportunity to read this debut, I just didn’t love it.

That doesn’t mean you wont. If you’re in the mood for a light, insta-love story with lots of bacon 😂, this one might be for you.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Muddled and mildly offensive at points. Sora comes off as extremely judgemental and not a character you want to root for. The insta love was irritating. Not for me.

Sora hates men, loves bacon, and misunderstands all of the people in her life. Jack loves Sora, resents his ex, and makes baked goods with bacon.

Sora and Jack met in kindergarten and were the best of friends until they were separated in fifth grade. Now as adults they meet again in a grocery store bakery and the sparks fly. Unfortunately, Sora has just sold her boss on the idea of Solo February in which she will write articles focusing on her journey to stay single and work on herself throughout the month.

This rom-com felt a bit dated to me, like something we were all reading 10-15 years ago. All the jokes are made at the expense of the MCs and their “banter” is mean-spirited. Too much time is spent with Sora’s obsession with bacon and her size, plus she is always describing other people by their body size and eating habits. She is also very, very bitter about men and relationships with men, even making a joke that she should quit men and become a lesbian.

Rom-coms have come so far that to see this being published in 2023 disappoints me. This will find an audience with readers; it just wasn’t a good fit for me.

I received a digital ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Sora Reid’s last relationship ended in undesirable circumstances. She is still freelancing for a magazine where she doesn’t get to write what she wants. For Sora it seems obvious that it is time to start re-evaluating her life and making better choices. So she pitches the idea of Solo February. A month without scummy men/significant others that take the focus away from you.
It was the perfect plan for Sora to start focusing on herself. Until in a blast from the past in the form of a surprisingly attractive package appears before her. Now, Sora has to decide which is best for her. Solo February, which is growing in popularity. Or Jack Mann, the man that seems made for her.
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The last time I gave up soda for Lent. Suddenly, all I could see were Squirts (my favorite soda) every where. I found it hilarious that Tanamachi took this approach with finding love. Maybe because of this I found this book fun. Also with the book boyfriend for the ages that is Jack Mann it had my heart at flutter. I was engaged from the first.
There is one thing I did not like about the story. That’s that like I’m so many other books where the main character is not a size 4. There is usually a mother that is there to amplify the character’s own insecurities. That was so with Sora and her mother. I think that this dynamic is toxic and it makes the characters lose out on better relationship with mothers.

This book was not for me. I didn't enjoy the writing style as well as the storyline. Deciding that maybe continuing to sleep with a married guy is a bad idea? Gee, ya think? The story and the characters are so cringey. I DNF'd after 10ish chapters.

The Second You're Single by Cara Tanamachi is a fast read about a freelance writer, Sona who decides to celebrate being single for the month of February. This however falls apart when she starts falling for Jack, a baker and friend from childhood.

There are definitely some good parts to this book, however some of the execution was lacking. I struggled with the fat/body shaming in this book and the niece with cancer

After being burned by men who've let her down over and over, freelance magazine writer Sora starts a blog called Solo February where she vows to be man-free and work on herself. Sora is a funny, sweet character so of course as soon as she vows to not have a man, a wonderful one shows up. Jack is a baker who was in love with Sora in kindergarten. I loved that both Jack and Sora were plus-sized characters who loved their physical selves. Both needed assertiveness training lol which provided the main crises for the story.
This was a fun, Valentine's Day-inspired story that reminded me a little bit of the movie "How to Lose a Man in 10 Days".
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in return for my honest review.

The Second You're Single is a promising book that just needed a few changes to make it a solid read. But it's a fun short Valentine's book this year.

Sora has a past of bad relationships. From one to the next, she's realized that she's constantly picking the wrong men, and in order to curb that she decides to #GoSolo this February, to the delight of her best friend and her editor she freelances for. What starts as a journey of self-reflection and love turns into more for Sora as she immediately runs into an old elementary school friend, Jack. Jack Mann has grown up, but one thing he hasn't grown out of is his harboring crush on Sora. The pair immediately fall for one another, but Sora is trying to keep her promise to her new fan base and herself, will Jack wait?

This book had a lot of promise but felt like it was one more edit shy of the whole book. Sora is right about Jack - there simply isn't a man like him in the world. But that's what we come to fun romance books for, isn't it? I found myself swooning over Jack's incredible thoughtfulness and relating to a lot of what Sora said, but the back half of the book still had me bashing my head against a wall when she won't let Jack explain any of the mishap she finds themselves in. Much like a Hallmark movie, the female character once again assumes the worst and completely cuts off communication entirely, only to see reason when his crazy ex shows up. Why do we do this? I found myself pleasantly surprised that Sora wasn't caught out about her budding relationship with Jack and instead divulged the information freely, but I just can't get over this version of female characters written to never hear the man out. Overall it was an okay book, but I wish there had been some extra rewrites at the end.

My Thoughts

Friends and classmates way back in elementary school freelance writer Sora Reid and baker Jack Mann reconnect as adults over his delicious dessert torte samples at her local grocery store on a day when she is feeling particularly out of sorts.

I have to say that the go solo February pledge posts were inventive as a way to document Soras journey as she works out exactly what her own life is missing while her readers/followers share some experiences of their own.

How she and Jack each handle their newfound relationship is at times not quite in sync but when they do mesh it is a joy to behold since both have had too many disappointments in their past ones.
For me the charm of this rom-com romance is how our characters grow as the story progresses as well as how certain side characters manage to break up some of the more serious aspects that are brought to the readers attention.

Not perfect but pretty close enough, at times, for me.
[EArc from Netgalley]

On every book read as soon as it is done and written up for review it is posted on Goodreads and Netgalley, once released then posted on Amazon, Barnes and Nobles as well.

I didn't really like this. Sora was just so annoying to me as a main character. She had basically zero self-control and any growth that happened towards the end of the book felt too little too late. Jack / Sora was just a tad too much instalove for me too.

The "Solo February" idea was a fun concept, but I didn't like how Sora just ignored it and lied to her readers (she seriously couldn't wait a couple of weeks?). She only started seeing the value in the resolution she started when things stopped going her way.

Mal was just too stereotypical as a villain character (and redeemed way too easily, in my opinion).

Overall, not for me.

This was a light, cute second chance romance with highly developed, multi-layered characters.

Full review to come on release day on blog, Amazon and Goodreads.

Would you take a sabbatical from dating if your last few relationships went bad due to your choices? Would you publish an online diary of being single? What would you do if you met an amazing guy from your childhood who you're really interested in but you're on a no man ban for a month? Sora has think and decide about her life choices . This is a cute romance that can be read in a day or so. 3 stars.

I really liked the premise of this book but it just fell flat to me

I started this book and got up to like 15% and really tried to enjoy it but I don’t think it’s for me

Maybe I’ll go back to it when the time is right but today is just not that day

The Second You’re Single is about about navigating the most romantic month of the year I liked it but didn’t love it. Loved the representation though.