DNFed - I chose to DNF this book in the past. I am typing as a review so it doesn't harm my %. I haven't chose to pick the title back up.

Absolutely loved this story. For me the romance was everything I look for. The chemistry was electric, the kissing perfect and the sheer intensity they both had for each other was something special. **SIGH**
I was all in from the very beginning and I liked how the author wrote about these difficult subjects. Taking me on their healing journey. I liked this so much that I bought another novel by this author right away.
Highly recommend this one.
Thanks C. L. Walters via NetGalley.

This book felt very surface level, which I did not like because of the heavy subjects it was tackling. The book reads as YA because the characters felt very juvenile. The second chance romance was sweet but nothing special.

This is an important read

I’ll have my daughter read it when she’s older. Someone who says they love you but they pressure you or don’t make you feel good isn’t love. You should feel safe with your significant other.

Seth and Hannah’s relationship models a good one and it’s good to read how they overcome their i obstacles and have healthy conversations about it. I liked their characters. I also really liked Trace and Jewels. The friends of Seth and Hannah. Everyone needs such supportive friends.

I love myself a good second chance slow burn romance. The main characters had great chemistry and I really liked to their love evolve. I was a little thrown off by the writing style. Some of the descriptions were really odd and I focused more one those than the actual romance in the scene. I also believe I would have enjoyed it a little more had I known that this was a spin off to another series.

When I requested this book from NetGalley, I had no idea that it is, in fact, a spinoff of a previous series. When it comes to contemporary romance novels, I tend to prefer to read them in the order they were published even if they can be read as standalone. Nonetheless, I dove into this one and found it to be what the other reviews say, a wonderful exploration of love and healthy relationships under adverse circumstances and hardships.

The primary reason for my "mid" rating would be the fact that this book is categorized as New Adult, when it feels much more like Young Adult. As a woman in her mid-20s, I personally don't love to read books that feel that "young," and I did feel as though the characters and the writing felt a tad juvenile.

All in all, a great second chance romance if you're down for a book that leans on the younger side.

This book was a very mature look at relationships. I liked how the author portrayed the relationship between Hannah and Seth, how they handled conflict realistically and respectfully. This was the first book I've read by this author and I plan to read more of them. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced reader copy.

I adored this book. I have added so many of C.L. Walters' books to my TBR because I'm obsessed with her prose. This story felt like coming home. I cannot recommend this book enough.

This is a good book. The are Hannah and Seth. They have known each other all their lives. A few years after high school graduation they saw each other at college. It was like they never had been apart. There was an instant attraction. They each had issues but together they worked them out and fell in love.

HI YES HELLO I ADORED THIS BOOK! Second-chance/friends-to-lovers/childhood friends-to-lovers is my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE BOOK TROPE and boy oh boy did I love this one. Walters wrote such wonderful, funny and insightful characters and I'm going to be thinking about Mr. Seth Peters for a long while (and forever wanting to give him a hug).

I love that this seems a more mature romance - in that while other romances have adults, those adults tend to do not-very adult things. But Hannah and Seth showed what it was like to engage in a healthy relationship and recognize things within themselves they need to work on, while also recognizing how badly they wanted it to work between them. There was no petty words or fights when miscommunication arised, they worked it out in a way that is more realistic to adult relationships I strive for and am drawn to. And the issues these two are dealing with separately just make me ache for them - especially Seth as I can relate on a very personal level.

I could go on and on about this book, but I'll stop myself. Thank you so so much to the publisher, author & NetGalley for allowing me to read this gem. Definitely will be a reread in the future.

When Hannah and Seth re-encounter each other at a university they both attend, they re-flame a spark. Once being high school classmates, and meeting one 4th of July, everything comes back the moment they run into each other again. In a Begin Again Taylor's version, this second chance romance was filled with emotional maturity, with Seth knowing more about his emotions and how to acknowledge them, and Hannah being able to love again, and knowing what she deserves.
I enjoyed reading about how these two characters were given second chances to something they did not get the chance to discover, and how both of these characters were able to portray real emotions, and this really showed a portion of what we feel when we start to love again after any type of hardship.

DNF

I wanted to love this book but I could not get into it. I got 6 chapters in and could not continue. I really wanted to enjoy it.

The messy truth about love was the perfect title for this novel. It explored the relationship of Seth and Hannah and the experiences that shape them. The novel showed the two narratives of the MCs - showing the trauma each has associated with death and how it has impacted their relationships, not only with each other but with, more importantly, themselves. Having found each
other again at university after having a steamy encounter prior to their high school graduation, they try to reconnect but struggle to move on from their past.

The author discusses their trauma and has the characters deal with it in a mature way, proving it isn't anything to be ashamed of.
Having experienced trauma and its responses similar to the characters in the novel, I appreciated the author's normalization of therapy throughout it and reframing thoughts and emotions as it is something my therapist has made me very familiar with also. The novel definitely sparks a conversation regarding mental health and healthy emotions, as well as feminist themes of reclaiming your own power.

The novel wraps up with a happy-ever-after, or more likely a happy-for-now ending.

I'm a sucker for the second chance trope and this one was beautiful. A word of caution for this book - there are a few triggers that may be hard for some viewers such as sexual assault and alcoholism. Seth and Hannah were incredibly strong characters with problems they needed to conquer alone and together.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this fabulous book to review.

The Messy Truth About Love by C.L. Walters was a good read about second chances and learning to be the person you are and forgiving. I was hoping for more of a romance read with this book, but it gave young adult reads instead. I've moved past that stage in life and want more of the steam with the romance. I also found out this was a spin on a previous series which I didn't know about. Not sure if that would have impacted how I read this book but definitely want to pass that along for other readers.

This is a beautiful story about second chances, learning to forgive yourself and opening up to others. It brings two young people full circle. They hadn't seen one another since shortly after their high school graduation. Even though they both were interested in each other, things fell apart after they left for college. When they meet up again a few years later, they've both lived through some things and aren't the same people. However, one thing that hasn't changed is the way they care about one another. But to make things work this time, they will need to trust each other and share their heartbreaks and secrets. Otherwise their messy histories will once again blow their potential future apart and they'll lose their opportunity yet again.

Heartbreakingly real and poignant, this book reaches into the reader's chest and pulls their heartstrings. It really does show how hard it is for a young person to trust someone else with their deepest regrets and secrets. It's a huge leap of faith that the other person will support you instead of abandoning you.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to read and review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

I wish I had read C.L. Walters other books first to connect stronger. For me, Seth and Hannah just were not characters I connected to despite loving a second chance romance. I will say that this book was a slow read for me and I really struggled with the ex boyfriend, though that was the point. 3 stars.

A copy of this book was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Trigger Warnings: Abuse, Alcoholism, Sexual Assault

The Messy Truth About Love by C. L. Walters is a new adult novel. This book in particular is about two young adults second chance at love with one another.

Seth Peters (some may have read ‘The Ugly Truth’ in the Cantos Chronicles series) left everything behind to start anew after a traumatic event. By chance, he meets his high school crush and seizes the opportunity to find out whether they can be more than friends. Luckily, signs point to yes.

Hannah Fleming just broke up with her cheating boyfriend and finally realizes that she is better off without him. Meeting Seth again, they connect on so many levels. Both have and are still facing demons from their past and are trying to work through them.

Together, Seth and Hannah’s relationship that is blossoming is cute. On the other hand, the constant appearance of her ex-boyfriend is quite toxic as you read on. Quite disturbing actually, if I must say.

I highly recommend this book for those who love a second chance romance. While it takes place after events of series, it is not necessary to have read those books before.

Delightful, emotional, and unputtable down.
Ms. Walters's The Messy Truth About Love is a beautiful and very relatable story.

When I requested this book I had been unaware that it was a spinoff of another series that Walters had written. Potentially if I had already read these novels I would have connected to Seth and Hannah a little more, but overall it is a book that can still be followed easily without reading any other books.

To begin with, I really enjoyed Seth and Hannah bumping into each other and I love a second chance romance. However after a while I found the book really fell into a repetitive rut that I struggled to get past and found myself skimming pages to see if there was any plot development.

I think the key part of this problem is that the book is being called New Adult when really it feels much more closer to Young Adult. The character's perspectives and thoughts feel quite juvenile. Some of the writing style was slightly strange and I found myself paying attention to this rather than the romance (for example, "he exerts a gentle pressure with his hand in my hair"; "I was cognizant that I was afraid to scare her away with my exuberance").