I read the first book Josh and Gemma make a Baby and really enjoyed it. I’m a shameless lover of the pregnancy trope so I went into this book hoping for more of it. Whilst I did enjoy reading this book I have to say I still prefer the first one. I was kind of expecting this to be more about Josh and Gemma navigating new parenthood but I found some of the drama to be a bit unnecessary for a follow up.

I was definitely surprised by the twist this book took. Was not expecting all of this. I would have liked this story to maybe focus on a different aspect of their relationship but that’s just me being nitpicky.

Overall I’d you enjoyed the first book I would recommend you give this one a go too to see where Josh and Gemma end up and find themselves in their new relationship.

3.5 stars

This was such a fun read! I can't wait for more by this author. I would absolutely recommend! If you are looking for a book to get you back into reading. This is it!

🌟🌟🌟🌟

I absolutely loved "Josh and Gemma Make a Baby," so I was thrilled to read this highly anticipated sequel. Sarah Ready did not disappoint! "Josh and Gemma the Second Time Around" is a captivating and gripping love story that kept me on the edge of my seat. The unexpected twists and turns kept me guessing until the very end.

The characters are so well-developed and relatable, and I found myself rooting for them throughout the entire book. Gemma is upbeat and positive to a fault, while Josh is laid-back and always finds humor in life. Together, they make the perfect couple, but their love is put to the test when their lives are turned upside down.

This book is a must-read for anyone who loves a good love story with unexpected twists and turns. I highly recommend "Josh and Gemma the Second Time Around" to anyone who wants to be swept away by a beautiful and heartwarming romance.

After loving the first book I was so excited for book two and let me tell you it did not disappoint. I was so happy to join Josh and Gemma’s world again. It hit me with every feel imaginable. There were a few times I spent gasping. These characters just make me feel warm and fuzzy and I couldn’t be happier than how this book turned out. Praise for the author again! Perfect!

This book does not work as a standalone. I tried to read it the first time by itself and wasn’t able to enjoy it. Then, I realized it was book 2, picked up a copy of Josh and Gemma Make a Baby (a cute, non traditional romcom) and when I tried this one again it came to life in front of me. I appreciate the depth and redemption arc that Ian (the villain) has. I love the vulnerability that Josh has. But more than those I love the courage that Gemma has.

This book starts a few months after the first book ends with Josh and a very pregnant Gemma getting ready for their wedding. Of course it can’t be as simple as that…nope, I’m the middle of saying their vows Gemma loses consciousness and remains comatose for months and when she finally wakes up she struggles with emotions. In this case, most pointedly she no longer is in love with her fiancé/baby daddy.

This book is not a “warm and fuzzy” type. It covers heavy topics, will make your tear up, but the emotional journey that Sarah Ready wrote is incredibly satisfying to read. This series really is the journey of a woman/couple who face real problems and have to learn how to get through them while hoping they get what they want on the other side.

Sarah Ready: thanks for writing this character/story.
NetGalley & the Publishers: thanks for allowing me to read this ARC.

Before I begin, I want to state that I would not have requested this book if I knew it wasn't standalone. I couldn't enjoy it fully because I wasn't familiar with the first book.

The pacing of the book felt off. The story dragged on unnecessarily in some parts while rushing through potentially significant moments in others. This erratic pacing disrupted the flow of the narrative and made it difficult to fully immerse myself in the story.

Perhaps, If I read the first book I will come back and read this book again. It was definitely not a bad book whatsoever!!! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this book in exchange for my honest review!

A nice twist on a classic rom-com type book. I would read a third if there ever is one!

I was provided with an advanced copy through NetGalley in exchanged for my honest feedback. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

For fans of the original book, this is a sweet addition to the characters story. You can't help but root for Josh and Gemma!

Absolutely loved this book!

Sarah Ready you are amazing!

I was hooked throughout and couldn't put this book down.

Thank you for accepting my ARC request.

A delightful sequel that weaves twisted, life-threatening, and heart-warming moments, leading to a captivating and lovable happily ever after.

It was an incredible delight to stumble upon the sequel to Sarah Ready's "Josh and Gemma Make a Baby," a book that I truly loved and treasured last year. Needless to say, my excitement was high as I eagerly dived into this new installment. I had already imagined the perfect happily ever after for Josh and Gemma after the conclusion of the first book; a blissful marriage, the arrival of a new bundle of joy, overflowing happiness, and a smooth journey. However, what I encountered was an unexpected and significant obstacle, threatening to disrupt their idyllic path to their happily ever after.

As the story unfolds, we find Josh and Gemma, with Gemma eight months pregnant, standing at the altar, prepared to exchange their long-awaited vows. Yet, fate intervenes, turning their world upside down and halting all their plans for the future. Three months later, not only has the world transformed, but Gemma herself has undergone a profound change in her perception of the world and its inhabitants. It becomes the final test for her relationship with Josh, testing their ability to navigate these newfound challenges and regain the path to their desired happy ending.

Some reviewers feel that the sequel was unnecessary, and I understand their point of view. After all, most of us read romance novels for the happy feelings they elicit, don't we? If you're looking for escapist and sweet moments, this may not be the perfect book for you. However, if you want to read an emotionally satisfying journey that depicts a couple overcoming real-life problems, this book is for you. I loved the seamless continuity of plot lines from the first book, particularly the redemptive journey of Ian Fortune, who elicited both scorn and interest in the first volume. Nevertheless, the first book still holds a special place in my heart, particularly Gemma's presence in that book.

Despite the heavier themes, the plot is brimming with love, fun, and laughter. Surprisingly, it has a great depth of emotions, which fosters a better knowledge of what drives commitment and enduring love. I highly recommend reading the first book before delving into this sequel, as other readers have discovered that without witnessing the couple's backstory, it's difficult to properly invest in Josh and Gemma's relationship. Should Ready decide to continue their journey, I will eagerly await the next installment, as I am wholly captivated by their story.

I did not like the start of this book and what was happening. I pressed on and I am glad I did. I had loved the first book so much that the way this one started rubbed me the wrong way. The Josh and Gemma I knew and loved did change but maybe it was for the better?

For the life of me I do not understand why this plot could not have been applied to any random two characters other than Josh and Gemma. At times it felt like a regression, like those TV shows that realise belatedly that maybe the main characters got together too soon so now they have to throw every conceived obstruction in the way to cause romantic tension in their little paradise to prolong the show.
And yet, as is typical with those shows, I simply could not look away. Sometimes I was reading the pages with an extreme prune face and other times it was pure bliss. Either way I lost sleep over this book.
And frankly this book would have been perfect if we simply did not have to deal with the line “Luckily she has a police officer and a lawyer for parents, so their moxie can match hers. Brook claims the terrible twos will be no match for the NYPD.” Why are we still making light of cops in 2023? And comparing a child’s tantrums to the mess that police forces get into? Ay caramba. Cut that out in the next print run. It adds no value to the story.

Book 2 in the series. I found the overall flow to be slightly depressing. If i had gone into the book expecting something different from the first one perhaps I would have been better prepared for the twist.
Still good writing but if you're thinking you'll get a funny continuation of Josh & Gemma's story, you're going to be disappointed.

This is a fun follow up to Josh and Gemma Make a Baby. Basically, having a baby has put a wrench into their perfect lives. I thought it was a more real book, there’s not a lot of time for romance after a new baby comes. I liked the first book better.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed as in this review are completely my own.

This book follows on from Josh and Gemma Make a Baby (can be read as a standalone) as Gemma gets her grip on being in a career as a social media marketer and waiting to give birth to her and Josh’s miracle baby. That is until their world falls apart and tips upside down.

I loved getting to know the characters that I got to know in the first book even more, especially Ian, the much hated MC in the first book.

This book does follow through with some of the themes of IVF and struggling through pregnancy, however, it focuses on a new theme of traumatic brain injury and recovering from this.

TBI is really relatable to me as I was at risk of a TBI years ago when I had a major concussion on. Being able to read someone else going through it and going “omg I know how you’re feeling!” made me feel less alone. It was definitely triggering for me and I spent the first 50% of the book crying but in the end I was grateful for it.

As usual, the writing was beautiful and it was done in a very thoughtful way. Please don’t do anything more to Josh and Gemma, they deserve peace and happiness! 😂

I had no clue what to really expect coming into this book, and I wasnt sure if it was just going to be drama/a break up for the sake of a plot line but I’m glad that it wasnt

I enjoyed the storyline and the growth that we went on with Gemma and also Ian, I didnt expect to enjoy his character so much especially after the previous book.

I did miss the camaraderie between Gemma and the fertility support group from the previous book and wish we got to see that more

I read the first book and I loved it. I had high hopes for this story but it just fell flat. This book is not as romantic as the first. Didn't have as much comedy either. At times it reads more like a domestic drama. It's just an okay story. It's not as comparable to the first. I'm going to pretend it doesn't exist.

Thank you to NetGalley and Swift & Lewis Publishing, LLC for the E-ARC

All thoughts and opinions are honest and my own.

After reading the cutesie will they won't they which was the first book I was excited for this one. But it made me feel a completely different way. This is an outlook on real life and the trials that couples actually go through and I admire the different route the author went down.

Especially with a new baby things can change, and the expression of this throughout was really well written.

Overall I really enjoyed it.

This is a fun but serious read…a woman wakes from a coma having birthed her child and feeling no love for anything and how she fights her way back..again I didn’t realize it was a sequel but it stood alone ok.

I absolutely loved the first book. But given that I adored the characters, this made this book a bit of a tough read. It was still a good book but I did prefer the first