🧁🩷Book Review:
Title: The Second You're Single
Author: Cara Tanamachi
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/4 stars

Whew, I read some pretty bad reviews on this book, but I loved it! I was entertained throughout the whole story and laughed quite a bit!

Sora Reid loves her bacon and her curvy shape. Writing her #gosolo articles for an online women's magazine, during the month of February (hello, Valentine’s Day), she bans men for the month and chooses to focus on herself. Which is going great until she runs into Jack Mann, a classmate from elementary school.

Jack Mann is an incredible baker with hopes and dreams to open his own bakery. And dang, does he have muscles that completely throws Sora in a tailspin. No men this month! Will she be a hypocrite and break her own commitment or will she make herself miserable? I enjoyed this book, so there!!!

Thank you to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I loved the premise for this book. FMC fed up with relationships and the commercialization of Valentine’s Day creates an empowering, viral #gosolo campaign only to fall in love with her childhood friend?! Sounds amazing!

Unfortunately, I found things to be…lacking? The empowerment I was expecting wasn’t entirely there. While the romance between Sora and Jake was sweet, I didn’t feel the chemistry between them was ever fully present. I appreciated the dual POVs, I love when both characters views are presented to readers!

I’ve seen a lot of reviews mention fat phobia and feelings of plus-size misrepresentation, and I can see where they’re coming from. Aside from the obviously not plus-sized girl on the cover, there were some uncomfortable moments surrounding body weight and body shaming, that might warrant a content warning? Just something to think about.

This was a cute and quick read, and I’m curious as to what other books are in the works for the author.

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s for the complimentary arc. All opinions are my own.

This was an enjoyable romance that I didn't want to put down. I loved the main characters and the story was well developed.

This was such a cute fun read! Perfect for Valentine's Day or anytime you're looking for a sweet romance that will keep you turning the pages until the end.

Thank you NetGalley, the publishers and the author for the review copy!

This book is hilarious, soo cute, extremely fun to read & very enjoyable🤍
Really like it❤️

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/St. Martin's Griffin for a copy of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.

This book was so cute. I love friends to lovers books, and this had the added bonus of it being a reconnection book too. Plus it involved baking, finding oneself, learning it is okay to be single, and a one-eyed pupper. Did I keep thinking of Kingdom Hearts when I read Sora? Sure! But thats a me problem. Sora is a strong woman who really grew as a character and learned to love herself and learn what she needed. Jack is an adorable puppy of a man - plus he BAKES! - and I just wanted to hug him. He also really grew as a character and I thought that was a nice change, since it feels like a lot of the time it is only one of the characters that has a big character development/change. I also appreciated the family dynamics of both characters & their families, the diversity of the characters, and how realistic it seemed. Plus I also hate Valentines Day, so it was nice to see how that was addressed & changed, because I could relate. Overall this was a super cute book and a nice easy romance read.

"You are the one in charge of your own happiness. Not anyone else."

After multiple failed relationships, Sora Reid has decided she's staying single from now on, especially during the most cheesiest holiday of all: valentine's day. She's so dedicated to staying single that she's even gotten her boss to agree to her next blog post: #gosolo. For her blog, Sora's decided she's not going on any dates for a whole month. And let's just say: her words are a hit. So many fellow readers are here for Sora's concept of falling in love with bacon instead of men. A perfect life, right? Wrong. Sora's got her mom pestering her to lose weight. Meanwhile, her sister's wedding is coming up and she's being demanded to find a date. Looks like #gosolo has a bit of a challenge. On top of that, at the supermarket, Sora has a run-in with a childhood classmate, Jack Mann, aka a hot baker😏 and hold on is there chemistry between the two? There may be, but what about Sora's pledge to stay solo? How will her boss and readers take it if they find out Sora's lowkey crushing on a man? Also, is Jack really worth the risk of losing her readers, especially when Sora believes relationships always come to an end? A lot of chaos and entertainment going on here. But I need to give a special shoutout to Jack's niece, Allie. That child, while being a leukemia survivor, is the strongest child you'll ever meet. Also, a best friend shoutout goes to Stella, because that girl is always there for Sora no matter what. A wonderful book with a cute friends-to-lovers trope😍

While the premise of The Second You’re Single was fun, the book didn’t grab me as much as I expected it to. I’m not exactly sure why, because there was plenty I liked–I just didn’t love it.

The pros: a cute one-eyed dog, a hot childhood second chance, and a fun premise. I loved the idea of the “go solo” challenge, despite being happily engaged. It’s so important to learn to love yourself first before jumping into a relationship.

Unfortunately, the way that Sora was portrayed as the crazy ex-girlfriend kind of rubbed me the wrong way. The book could have delved into some heavier topics that were mentioned just in passing–like Sora’s miscarriage–and it just left me wanting more than a surface-level love story. I also felt like I couldn’t get behind the romance, because they never seemed to get to know each other.

Even though I didn’t love this one, it might be perfect for a lover of slow-burn second-chance romance or someone looking for a quick Valentine’s day read.

The Second You’re Single by Cara Tanamachi is the perfect read for Valentine’s Day. It is a sweet second chance romance featuring the friends-to-lovers trope. I can see myself revisiting this story year after year.

Sora, a freelance writer, known for her fluff pieces is spending the entire month of February documenting her decision to be single. Jake, a baker at a local grocery store is working tirelessly to open his very own shop. The two attended elementary school together until they were separated by a move. A chance encounter reunites them decades later, but it soon becomes evident that staying strictly friends is off the table. Will they be able to survive Sora’s single February, or will they lose touch once more?

Part of what made this book so endearing was the childhood friendship between Jake and Sora. Jake’s early school experiences consisted of being bullied for his weight. He struggled with self-esteem and sticking up for himself. Sora was the only person to not only befriend him, but speak up on his behalf.

*Tanamachi does a fantastic job of representing diverse characters and disputing the notion that body insecurities are a female issue!!!

Special thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest feedback.

I felt this book had a good premise and I liked some of it but at times I was really annoyed by the main character and her lack of will power. I think it could have been better.

The Second You’re Single was enjoyable as long as you didn’t think too deeply. . I think another rewrite could have helped. Too many bacon comments (and I love bacon!) too much of Sora not really thinking about her actions and not enough of why Jack finds her to be his soulmate from childhood memories. My favorite parts were the articles she wrote to advise others (but had trouble following herself)

Social researchers have taught us that it takes 5 positive thoughts/interactions to balance every 1 negative interaction. This book, the ratio between pos/neg was more like 3/1!

Positives:
I enjoyed Sora take on #solofebruary and to Go Solo to find the good in yourself and how you can be independent in a world that thinks singles are doomed.
I really liked the POV told from Jack.
If you can stick around long enough it does get better.

Not so much:
Sora’s perspective was nauseating. She was entirely wrapped up in BACON and being fat (which obvi she wasn’t) that it was a mega turnoff and you could tell it wasn’t written by anyone who ever had weight issues.
I found the weight and bacon thing was a failed joke attempt and I found myself uncomfortable reading it.

Thank you @smpromance for my gifted copy.

I really enjoyed that this one was more than just a romance, I liked the main character's journey of finding herself throughout this story. I really enjoyed the characters in this one and would definitely recommend.

This review has been added to Goodreads, Literal and Storygraph, as well as Barnes & Noble and Amazon. This will be posted to my instagram (@manymerrybooks) within the week.

Thank you for allowing me to listen to this story!!

This was a first time read for me by this author, so I didn't go in with any particular expectations. The story was entertaining and I enjoyed getting to know the characters. Sora and Jack's chemistry was evident throughout. Sora is a freelance writer and she has had enough of Valentine's Day and the stereotypes that go along with it. She encourages her readers to embrace being single. Jack and Sora went to school together and he has held a torch for since they were kids. They have a chance encounter as adults, and the attraction is strong. But Sora is conflicted, she's just pledged to be solo, so how can she start a relationship? The relationship she's always wanted is within her grasp, so what is she to do?
Jack and Sora were a cute couple and I was rooting for them the whole time. Miscommunication rears its ugly head and causes some complications, but the characters have a chance to grow and self discover, which I liked.
My thanks to Netgalley for providing a complimentary copy. This is my voluntary review.

I was so excited by the summary of this book, but as I started reading, I found that I did not care for any of the characters. The female characters felt very one dimensional, and I had a hard time connecting with any of them. I enjoyed seeing Jack's point of view when he met Sora, but I ended up DNF this book at 20% because I could not get into the story. Cute premise, but it just didn't hit the nail on the head for me.

there were giggles, i enjoyed reading the heartaches of the FMC, Sora and her distaste of valentines day. Writing about being single in February while also falling for a guy. It’s a great premise for a book.

2.5⭐️

There were several problems I had with this book that I could not get past in order to finish reading. The forced humor grated one me, the absurd number of times bacon was mentioned, the problematic discussion of body image and dieting, the insta-love, and the unlikeable characters and mixed feelings I had about the female characters especially were disappointing. I did appreciate the wide inclusion of diverse characters, specifically across various Asian backgrounds and LGBTQ+ characters, but it wasn't enough to make up for the lack of interest I had in getting to the HEA.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the early copy!

This #GoSolo story was a wild romp of romance, comedy, introspection, and learning. As with all things having to do with learning more about yourself, there were ups and downs. There was also quite a bit of comedy between the Heroine and Hero. But, at the end of the story the main female character ended up with her Happily Ever After. This is the kind of book I Love to read!

I liked the premise of this book.
I didn’t love the body comments. It was used repeatedly and I thought the author could have gotten her point across in better ways.

The story is cute and I do like the character relationships. Sora does learn to stand up for herself and the ending is really cute between Sora and Jack.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for letting me read an eARC of The Second You’re Single! I hadn’t heard anything about this book before I requested it on Netgalley, but I thought the summary was super fun and I really liked the cover, so I hit the button to request it and I’m so glad I did!
The Second You’re Single 4/5 Stars
Summary from Goodreads: Cheerfully irreverent, bitingly funny, and filled with romantic charm, The Second You're Single is all about navigating the most romantic month of the year, and how love always seems to arrive when you least expect it.
Freelance writer Sora Reid believes in inertia. She’s the odd one out in a close-knit family of go-getters, including her Japanese-American mom, who hints about her need to lose weight, and her soon-to-be married, overachieving younger sister, who needs her to have a date for the wedding, since a wedding party couples' dance with their Scottish great uncle Bob simply won't do. For Sora, minimal input, minimal expectations is the way to go. She’d rather stay at home with her insufferable neighbor and her adorable pitbull.
The one thing that disrupts her inertia: an intense dislike for Valentine’s Day. What is it with the commercial love machine? Why do we pin our hopes on one romantic day, when staying home with a package of bacon and a bottle of tequila would be way better? Sora’s been betrayed and disappointed more than once and her heart is starting to feel like her Grandma Mitsuye’s antique Japanese ceramic bowl, with its many gold-filled cracks.
When her pledge to stay single in February inspires readers to #gosolo, Sora has a responsibility to empower her readers. But relationships aren’t built to last, so it shouldn’t be that hard. Right?
Enter Jack Mann. A muscle-bound baker who looks like he lifts logs on the weekends, Sora hasn’t thought of Jack since they were in elementary school together. When they see each other at the local grocery store and the attraction hits hard, Sora knows she has to shut it down, quick. She can’t #gosolo AND get the guy. She can’t let down her readers. And relationships always end, so why should Jack be any different–even though he’s confounding all her long-held expectations of love?
The Second You’re Single was a really fun read! I loved the idea of Sora doing a solo February after having so many terrible experiences with men, and then learning about the traumatic experience that happened during her marriage, it made a lot of things start making sense. I also really liked Jack as a person and how close he is to his family and how he has problematic exes of his own. I think it’s super cute that they met up again randomly after not having seen each other since elementary school. There were so many times throughout the book where I just wanted to shake the two of them and be like communicate!!! But that’s what makes a fun rom-com, right? And then, the ending was super cute and fun, so I can’t complain! Overall, I really enjoyed The Second You’re Single and I think y’all should pick it up today!

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