I had no idea this was the sequel to a book before requesting and apart from a couple of references to the first one, I didn’t feel like I missed out on a whole lot of the back story. I thought this was ok. Sure it had a bit of romance but it was more of a comedy for me, although there were a few heavy topics in this too. I thought the characters were ok, Ian was hilarious even if he was meant to be the ‘bad guy’. Overall, this was an easy, fluffy listen.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review. \
*contains spoilers*
I had high hopes for this from the beginning, the initial part of the story was well written, engaging, and tackled a theme which isn’t often covered in books of this genre. I also adore Erin Mallon as a narrator, she really brings stories to life.

However, from the moment Gemma wakes up, the book spins off into an unenjoyable and dragged out version of events, which lacks heart and meaning. The story spent way too much time focused on Ian and way too little time on Josh and Gemma. Josh and Gemma get hardly any time together; they don’t communicate properly and barely speak to one another. I would have enjoyed more time spent on Gemma navigating motherhood and spending time with her daughter and the feelings she had missing out on her daughters first few months. Instead we get pages and pages of Ian’s backstory. The characters were difficult to like in this story, they’ve all had pain and been on a journey but they all could have done better.
Overall this had promise but missed the mark by a long shot.

The audiobook was amazing and I couldn’t stop listening it o it. It was interesting and love every part of it. This books does have abit of spicy scenes.

I didn't read the first book in this series, but I don't think you needed to. You get a great first impression of the relationship between Josh and Gemma right at the start. You definitely feel the tension in the first few chapters, knowing that SOMETHING is going to go wrong for them that would make them have to try again a second time. This book resonated with me a little more than I think it would have a few years ago. Gemma experiences a TBI (traumatic brain injury) and loses her emotions. My sister had a very severe TBI a few years ago, and I found myself really tuning in to Gemma's reactions and nodding along when some of her symptoms after the coma aligned with my sister. I immediately connected with Gemma and her family. It was an emotional ride and I think it had a lot of truth woven into the story about TBIs.
The confusion, the romance, the breakdowns, they were well done and I really enjoyed this story.

It was not a match for me.
I didn’t really liked it.
I found the story good but not enough to have a good time listening to it.
I am sorry.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.
I think it's probably a bad sign when you start thinking that maybe I should not be rooting for these people to get/stay together because they are so incredibly bad at communicating.
I am pretty sure this was something I brought up in my review of the first book but I would have also appreciated more focus being put on the "new parents" aspect of the story since it is a story line that is less common and in more unique to the premise of the last book and also to this one. Also, I would assume that a person who goes through what our characters our going through so soon after giving birth would be greatly focused on their baby. That aspect would only make the situation more complicated and interesting. It just feels like a missed opportunity for story telling and borderline misrepresents the reality of the situation that was set up.
I do think there were some interesting developments to where we left off with the previous book and the pacing was good but overall this was not a satisfying read for me.

I absolutely LOVED Josh and Gemma make a baby! The audio version of this is so fun, and made me so excited to read this follow up! This one had so much drama based around their relationship and it made me so sad at times watching Josh fumble and try to navigate Gemma's feelings. I could have done without bringing Ian back, but I get the purpose. I definitely was hoping for some more steam and romance from this one to really help me understand their love throughout! I am definitely intrigued to see if there will be a third book in the series.

Josh and Gemma are back, this time with a wedding and their happily ever after. Unfortunately things don't go to plan and they have to decide if they are going to fight for that hea. This story is not your typical chic lit. It grips you and takes you on a wild ride that you won't want to get off. Sarah Ready, I am such a fan and will buy anything you write at this point!

I really liked the first book and I enjoyed this one as well! Its different and refreshing and I really enjoy Josh and Gemmas story! I dont think we see enough romances that are centered around families or women and men in a relationship and how it changes when they become a family! I enjoyed this one

Outstanding audiobook. Keput me wanting to listen to more.This is a love story twice over. The first love story we start the night before the wedding, Gemma is pregnant. They couldn’t keep their hands off each other, in love. Day of wedding all is going well, Josh says I do but when it comes time for Gemma, she is overcome by sickness and collapses. She falls into a coma. Doctors can’t say when or if she will wake up. They deliver the baby. Gemma had had eclampsia. She doesn’t wake for months. When she does, she wakes to her former boyfriend using her and her bed as a table to eat his deli sandwich. Shehas no feelings forJosh. She actually has no feelings at all. She was transferred to a long term health clinic. Her ex boyfriend volunteers at the clinic is how he found her and wants to rekindle things? Does she ever find that love she once had got Josh?And will Josh still even want to marry Ggemma since it looks like she has rekindled her romance with former boyfriend, A page turner, no doubt. I would recommend to anyone who enjoys a great romance. Audiobook or book in general. Thanks to the following for the opportunity to review early:
#NetGalley
#SarahReady
#Josh and Gemma the SecondTimeAround
Released January 26,2023

Thank you to my partners, NetGalley and Swift & Lewis Publishing, LLC, and the author, Sarah Ready. I appreciate the gifted ALC, and I am leaving this review voluntarily!

Josh and Gemma stole my heart in the first book in this series, so I was excited to get another story! And it was nothing that I could’ve imagine! I was able to tag team reading and listening with this one and both were equally enjoyable!

1. Overcoming Obstacles - I cannot even begin to fathom the horror of what Gemma goes through in this book. Ugh. Heart….Wrenching. It is completely unimaginable. And in turn, everyone else has to find a way to help her.

2. An Unexpected Friend - Who would have thought that the one person Gemma would have completely shied away from before becomes the one person who helps see her through her trials and tribulations.

3. Past Heartaches - There is an event in the past that comes to light that tremendously affected two of the main characters. It is a part of the story that had me holding my breath for the outcome.

4. Family - Nothing stands more true than the importance of family in this story. Whether it is biological family or found family, both are the root of the solution that comes to be.

5. One Word - FIJI - A dream vacation of mine. My real life version of Fiji from the end of this story was Belize 🌴 And it was magical.

I just do not think this book needed to be done. It was ok but felt very much like the author was riding on the coat tails of the first book which was really sad.

Wow- this was so much fun that I am going to definitely check out the author’s back list. The quick pace and witty banter was just what I live. The narrator did a good job and I enjoyed this book from beginning to end.

I received an audioARC from NetGalley for this book. Thank you!
I was not aware that there was a book prior to this one before reading, so I went into it missing some context.
It took me a little while to really get into this book. Things picked up fairly quickly though. While it was a fun read, I don't think it is one that will stick with me for a long time. The author tackled some heavier topics than your typical romance novel, and that added some depth that kept me interested beyond the love story. I just didn't love Josh and Gemma together. Something about them did not seem like the right fit to me.

I plan to read the first book in this set as well, and maybe that will give me more context and I'll be bought into the characters more.

Josh's and Gemma's life is very close to perfect. They're happy, getting ready to get married, but tragedy has a way to drop by in their lives. Their relationship is put to the test as they find a wall between them and Ian's presence seems to do more harm than good.
This was an emotional book and I ended up loving Josh. The way he fought and stand by the love of his life, even though Gemma's brother pushed for Josh to get on with his life and quit waiting for Gemma to get better was endearing and heartwarming.
Sarah Ready made a brilliant work expressing in words Gemma's and Josh's emotions, also Gemma's battle to recover glued me to this book.

I'm awarding 4 stars to this book only because I didn't enjoy the narrator of this audio book. Every character had such similar voices that sometimes it got confusing.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for this ARC. The opinions above are my own and given freely.

Josh and Gemma the Second time around is an enjoyable book with particularly compelling characters. Even without experiencing the first book in the series, I felt I knew the characters, their relationships, their quirks, their chemistry etc. It was lovely to leave the book feeling like I'd met new people.
I like that the story explores the questions of 'What is love?' and 'How do we know we're feeling love?', as well as exploring how love changes as a relationship develops.
However, I struggled to understand the difficulty Gemma has with feeling love/recognising her feelings, and therefore the driving force of the plot didn't pull me along with it. I couldn't make sense of how she instantly knew she wasn't feeling love when, as the book goes on to show, love takes many different forms. Perhaps if Gemma had a slower realisation that something about her emotions wasn't right, we'd be able to better appreciate what was troubling her, sympathise with her situation and connect with the storyline.
Unfortunately, the narration wasn't to my usual taste as it sounded quite robotic in parts like AI. Having said that, I definitely warmed to Erin's performance and enjoyed the expression she brought to certain lines.
Our full discussion can be found on the podcast Audiobookish.

I didn't like the narration so ended up DNFing this one. Sorry. Not the fault of the book - from what I've heard, I might well enjoy the print version - so I've given it three stars.

I think if you enjoyed the first book, Josh and Gemma Have a Baby, you will enjoy this one! I went in without knowing there was a book 1, and immediately paused, went to the first and jumped in after. I think reading both back to back helped the flow of the books and you enjoy lingering in their world a little longer.

I didn't enjoy this one as much as the first one but it was still pretty good. I enjoyed seeing the characters come back and see how far they've gone.

"Josh and Gemma the Second Time Around" by Sarah Ready is a heartwarming and humorous romance novel that explores the possibilities of second chances in love. The story follows Josh, a successful businessman who is recently divorced and struggling to move on, and Gemma, a single mother who is still healing from a painful past relationship. The two cross paths at a coffee shop, and despite their initial awkward encounter, they quickly find themselves drawn to each other.What sets this book apart from other romance novels is the depth of character development and the relatability of the protagonists. Josh and Gemma are both flawed and complex individuals with their own insecurities and past traumas. The author does an excellent job of exploring these issues without making them the sole focus of the story. The chemistry between the two leads is palpable, and the author builds their relationship in a slow and realistic manner. There are no instant fireworks or over-the-top declarations of love, but rather a gradual and organic progression that feels authentic. The supporting characters in the book are also well-developed and add depth to the story. Gemma's daughter, Lily, is a particularly endearing character who adds an extra layer of emotion to the narrative. One of the standout features of the book is the author's writing style. Sarah Ready has a natural talent for writing witty and engaging dialogue that keeps the reader invested in the story. Her use of humor is also a strong point, and there are several laugh-out-loud moments throughout the book. Overall, "Josh and Gemma the Second Time Around" is an enjoyable and well-written romance novel that will leave readers feeling warm and fuzzy inside. The characters are relatable, the dialogue is witty, and the romance is satisfying. It's a perfect read for anyone who believes in second chances and the transformative power of love.