I thoroughly enjoyed this story. A story about what first love means and how it alters your life and future. The main characters of Clara and Benjamin are well developed so it’s easy for the reader to understand what they’re feeling during key moments. There is a bit of suspense in this story about life and love. A climatic event opens the book and its followed by past and present day occurrences that pull it all together. Not in a neat little bow with a euphoric ending, but in a clear-eyes but messy knot that proves what matters most in life. You won’t regret getting to know these characters. This book deserves a read!

This was not what I thought it was going to be. I thought this was going to be a light hearted second chance romance. It was not. It was heavy, with heavy topics, I was so caught off guard.

This book goes back and forth in different years., from when Benjamin and Clara meet in college to the breakup, then to where they are now. As we follow them through many years of their lives. there is still a pull for them, This is not a reomance but a story that contains real life things, alcoholism, abuse, death of a parent sexual assult to a child, cheating, and infertility. I still felt this was a good book. It follows through decades of there lives and this type of content is to be expected.

For me I thought the book was good, even thought here was some slow spots in it.

This one did not quite work for me. I didn't feel enough of a connection from the two main characters or feel any reason that they may feel as connected to each other as they do. I did like the past to present shifts in storyline but overall just didn't connect with any of the storylines.

We all have that one person who crosses our mind from time to time or we still have a soft spot for. What if you found out that person could've been involved in a tragic terrorist attack? Do you set everything aside to find out or keep moving forward with your life? This one was a heart-wrencher and I loved the characters.

Contemporary romance about 2 people who met and 20 years later circumstances bring together again. It was a slow start for me and overall a medium paced book. It was a decent read, but not one I would pick up again.

There are many heavy topics in this book, so please look at trigger warnings before reading this. There weren't any when I read the blurb, and it doesn't seem like this would be a rather dark, angsty novel, so be mindful.

Initially, I found it too unlike what I was expecting to fully enjoy, but the more I stuck with it, the better it became. This is a story about second chances and love and family and heartbreak, and it broke my heart so many times. The author handled sensitive topics very well, and the ending was satisfying.

Two people meet in college and are good friends. This book was full of topics such as assault. and there were a lot of heavy topics such as alcoholism, child sexual abuse, death of a parent, infertility and cheating in this plot.

When I read about the book, it sounded like a light-hearted second chance story but I was left baffled when I learned that Clara was married and Benjamin had a son. The trailer failed to mention these details and there were no trigger warnings either. This story was told throughout the span of twenty something years. I have to admit that Clara & Benjamin's relationship was so different and I disliked Clara more than Benjamin. She was irrational, impulsive, privileged and her arguments were embarrassing. She couldn't change even after twenty years. I didn't feel any chemistry between the main characters and I just wanted to see how it ends but the ending was too abrupt. Definitely would have liked more there.

Not what I expected. I DNF it at 20%. Very slow and just plain boring. There was nothing that would draw me back in to continue reading it.

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and the author for ARC in exchange form my honest review.

Soulmates, meant to be, all that stuff. I thought this was going to be another right person wrong time story, but it was so so much more.
Thank you so much to NetGalley for the act!

Books like this are too much for me! The emotion. Very well written. Heart wrenching story. Makes me fearful for my future, so I like to stay away from these. But good book for those who like this kind.

This story broke my heart in so many ways. From the moment they met, I was rooting for Ben and Clara's love story- and watching them be torn apart by miscommunications was truly devastating. Twenty years later, a tragic event pushes Clara to seek Ben out, and the result is not something anyone could have seen coming. This story dealt with a very tragic, but topical, event that is far too common in this day and age. I think the author handled the topic very sensitively, while also focusing on how our youth can be affected by these events and everything that leads up to them. It was equal parts a love story and a family story, which made the pay off at the end all the more rewarding.

This one hooked me pretty quickly . It was a page turner for sure. There were deeper issues that are discussed in this book which I always enjoy even if it makes it a tougher read .

3.5 🌟
The author says in her notes that this book isn’t a love story, but a story about first love, and that rings true. I think by marketing this book as a second chance romance people may be disappointed. It’s more of a character study of two deeply flawed people who need to learn how to love themselves before they can love each other, and the ripples our decisions make. If anything, it’s more of a right person wrong time.

I can see the reviews now about how much people hate the FMC. Because she isn’t “likable” - they’re both flawed, deeply insecure, and make a ton of selfish decisions. (And that’s the point!). Their relationship wasn’t super healthy. Her anxiety led her to want to find safety in other people and lose herself, and he always felt not good enough. It’s a bit reminiscent of Normal People in that it touches on class issues with him being from a lower-income background, and how things get swept under the rug for “boys with promise” and other gender issues.

Liked the dual POV/timeline and the short chapters made it a fast read. There was a bit too much going on plot wise with the bombing, the stuff that happened in the past, and other plot points. Check triggers.

intriguing story. cool characters. had a good time. interesting plot. cool cool cool cool cool cool cool cool cool cool cool

I received this book complimentary from NetGalley, but all opinions are my own.

This was a heart-wrenching read about changed plans, mistakes that change our destiny, second chances, and loves that will forever change you. It is a great read that keeps you wanting more from this dual POV-told story.

I enjoy second chance romances and this one was deeper than most. While it won’t be for everyone (check trigger warnings) I enjoyed it and would recommend it to others. Thank you for the gifted copy.

This book is a real bummer and not in a good way. The stories were sad and the characters were toxic. I did enjoy the last part and the ending. The connections between the stories and timelines were interesting and well done.

Such an amazing read! I love second chance romance and the way this story unfolded. Definitely recommend!

Thank you NetGalley and Charlotte Rixon!

Love is really all about fate and luck. Missed opportunities and mistakes can change the course of your entire life and that’s the case in this one. The focus isn’t on the love of your life but the one who got away. Heartbreaking at times and hopeful at others this one really pulled at my heartstrings.

Thank you #StMartinsPress and #NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review