Totally my fault, but I wish I had known this is the second book in a series. While it was easy to understand, the backstory would have helped me enjoy it more. Josh and Gemma is a fun romance, a bit of humor, a bit of tension, a bit of sex, etc. It's an interesting premise that's well carried out. I enjoyed the narrator. It was a good audiobook take on a walk. Now, I need to go back and find the first book.

Josh and Gemma the second time around is the follow up to Josh and Gemma make a baby. It is not very usual in romance to have the next book in a series to contain the same main characters. Sarah Ready excited this very well.
You could read this book without having read the first but you understand the backstory a lott better if you have read it before starting this one.

The Book handled some emotional topics. The characters really came to live. It included a great story arc for a dreadful character from the first book. It included some steamy scenes near the end.

The narrator did a great job on this one.

Thanks to Netgalley for the audio version of Josh and Gemma the second time around by Sarah Ready

Let's start by saying that it is absolutely my fault the fact that I didn't realise this was the second book in a series.... lol It took me about half the book to realise why some things didn't make any sense at all!
Once I understood there was a story prior to this book it helped a little, but it is hard to get invested in a character whose backstory you have no idea about - their relationship and their chemistry was a total mystery to me and I found it hard at times.
However, the audiobook was super fun and easy to listen to and got me entertained throughout! I really enjoyed the writing and storyline even though I am not usually a huge fan of stories involving pregnancy.
I would definitely recommend reading the first book (as a normal person would do!) but overall I did enjoy this!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC copy of Josh and Gemma the Second Time Around.

This book starts off strong picking up where the first book left off. Josh and Gemma are headed in the right direction until something totally sideswipes their plans. They're thrown in sort of a spiraling spin and have to decide whether love is enough, if it's even truly there anymore, to pull them out of this cycle. Their family and somewhat of a nemesis provide a buffer for them while also revealing secrets about themselves that will surely shock the reader. In true Josh and Gemma fashion though they will surprise you and make that smile of yours return.

I have to say that this book was a little more serious than the previous one but still included a good bit of humor. There are outlandish moments and I feel they make the book interesting and funny. I didn't expect the turn the book took nor how Ian played a part in all of the chaos.

I think this book would be appealing to readers who enjoy reads by Christina Lauren. The first book is seriously LAUGH OUT LOUD hilarious and this one is almost as comical.

*3.75 stars*

I really enjoyed the first book “Josh and Gemma Make A Baby” so I was excited to see a follow up to that book. At first I was a bit thrown through a loop with the Coma, recovery process/setbacks and the weird return of Ian always being around - especially in the recovery facility. It wasn’t heading in the direction I was hoping after the fun and enjoyment of book one. But all started to fall into place and made better sense towards the end - especially the “why” of the return of what I thought was the most hated Ian. I think my favorite character in this book was Josh, where book one was Gemma. He was so sweet, caring and understanding throughout the entire book and I really loved the ending!

3.5 stars.

I got smart and actually read the first book instead of accidentally starting with the second book in a series. This seems to happen a lot when I get an ARC - it often turns out it’s not the first book in a series.

Anyway, this book used the same narrator from the first book, and it still had the same issue of the voice actor not doing a very good job of differentiating between the male characters because their voices sound extremely similar. Otherwise, I don’t have any other complaints in regards to the narration.

I found this book to be MUCH more exciting than the first book. This helped move the story along, and I wasn’t stuck hearing about the characters’ mundane lives.

I do wish there had been more focus on bringing Josh and Gemma closer. I felt the methods used to help them fall in love again were on the weak side. There simply wasn’t enough content there to make it seem realistic. I found there to be too much other “stuff” that didn’t make me believe that Gemma had really gained her feelings back for Josh in such a short time.

Besides that, I enjoyed this book and would certainly read another in the series.

I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

“Don't think that just because one thing is the truth that something else can't be as well “

The story opens with Josh and Gemma's wedding that didn't quite go plan... You watch the couple deal with the aftermath and how to come back together. I was invested in the story from the end of the prologue!

I really loved both Gemma and Josh. Super lovable and easy for us to empathise with their situation and really root for them. Baby Hope is the cutest to gonna lie!
There were also some spicy moments which were fun!
I do not vibe with Ian – he’s a jerk.
Erin Mallon was a fantastic narrator!

“…. Sometimes things have to get really, really bad before they get better.”

What to expect in Josh and Gemma the Second Time Around
- Real-life problems
- Lovable characters
- Cute moments and sad moments
- well-placed humour
- Satisfying emotional arc
- Happily ever after
- Great audio narration

I’m going to be totally honest; I did not realise this was a sequel until I was about halfway through, but no joke, it didn’t take anything away from my enjoyment of the book. I do think I’ll go back a read book one though as I’ve heard its even better than this one.
I do recommend this book even if you haven’t read book one. Josh and Gemma the Second Time Around is a great romance book with hard hitting subjects and a love that defies it all.

Trigger Warning:
Traumatic Brain Injury, Premature birth, Miscarriage, infertility

Thank you NetGalley for this #gifted copy!

Josh and Gemma the Second Time Around is a wonderful sequel. It was great to get introduced to the characters again.
This author never fails. I love love it. You all should read this. Gives you feels.

I loved the first book in this series. I was pregnant and I found it while I browsed on the internet and had to read it immediatly. I was expecting something completely different, but I really liked that IVF was presented in books. Therefore, when I was browsing NetGalley and realized that there was a new book of the series, I automatically requested it. Then I thought that maybe I shouldn't have, because I have good memories about Gemma and Josh, and maybe this story will ruin it. And unfortunately I have to say that it would have been better to leave it as it was.
That's why I started reading the book with mixed feelings. About 10%, I thought that it was unnecessary to be afraid and that I would like it. I admit, after reading the synopsys, I thought that it would be about the difficulties of becoming a parent. This is a difficult stage, and as a new mom, I would have preferred to read about it. But no... Instead, the issue in their relationship is kind of funny. IT wasn't realistic at all, the whole reason is almost stupid. And from there the book went downhill for me. Even with the first book, the story wasn't completely realistic, but it was fun, and I never expect books to be realistic, just fun... But here I just asked myself that "What the hell?", I wasn't having fun at all. The writer didn't deal with the baby at all, sometimes she appeared as a bio decoration, but Ready didn't know what to do with her at all. Many characters disappeared from the book, like her friends. They were an integral part of the first book and I really loved them, and they appeared maybe once in this one. Instead, she brought two old characters to the fore, Ian and his mother. I liked her relationship with her mother. Although, I have to say that she was just a typical mother character. But what I didn't like was the whole Ian thread. It was almost a bad joke. Even if the writer had only made him more human, it would be okay, but his story with Josh has become too much. Also, being reintroduced as a third person in their relationship was annoying. The first book wasn't about reality either, but it was fun, here I just rolled my eyes. Unfortunately, this book also spoiled the experience of the first book.

Josh and Gemma are finally engaged while pregnant with their first baby. Well, after a whole lot of drama and banter (read prequel). But on their wedding day, things take an unexpected turn, neither of them realizing that their lives will never be the same again.

I didn't realize how much I was missing the prequel to this book until I grabbed this one. Listening to Erin Mallon breathing life into Josh and Gemma once more, was such a beautiful experience.

I was really not expecting a sequel to Josh and Gemma Make a Baby. Honestly this book was very much different from the previous one. While the prequel feel is more of a breezy novel with banter and fun this has a serious twist here it is wonderful to reunite with our favourite characters.

Saying anything at all about this book is a potential spoiler, so all I'll say is go get yourself a copy of this book and the prequel, if you haven't read it yet.

Thank you so much Sarah Ready and NetGalley for letting me listen to an ALC in exchange of my honest review.

Josh and Gemma the Second Time Around is a wild sequel (I didn't read part 1 but didn't feel like I was missing out on too much) that will have you riding a rollercoaster with both Josh and Gemma as they end up not getting married, end up with a medical emergency, the birth of their baby and a whole slew of craziness. But you will probably fall in love with Narrator Erin as well as author Sarah Ready.

The writing style is different than I am used to but while listening it was fantastic. It was great to listen to while road tripping.

I listened to the book, but gave review on the ebook as I sometimes read along.
https://www.netgalley.com/book/276075/review/297974

Note on the audiobook:
Good pacing, easy to follow, kind of okay.
But I hated the girl who read aloud, I just didn't liked the voice of her. Couldn't match the sound with the image I had of Gemma.

TRIGGER WARNING:

Traumatic Brain Injury, Premature birth

Josh and Gemma The Second Time Around follows them after marriage and the end of Gemma’s pregnancy.

The prologue had me hooked. This propelled me to immerse myself in their story and wow, was it an action-packed and emotional rollercoaster!

I listened to the audiobook. It was a quick listen, and the narrator was perfect for Gemma’s voice and also Josh.

Baby Hope was just the cutest. Her name choice was soo apt given how she came into the world and I was happy Gemma had support from her mmum, but I did NOT like Ian, or his attitude and views towards his work at the rehab facility Gemma was in. I’m a person with multiple, severe and complex disabilities myself (although I don’t have TBI) and found this shocking. I’m glad Gemma did not want much to do with him. Because I didn’t either.

I was rooting for Gemma and Josh through the ups and downs of their marriage and life. I felt so many emotions: sadness, happiness, anger and hope.

Thanks to Sarah Ready for raising awareness of Traumatic Brain Injury and premature birth. May this awareness go a long way to help those with TBI and those Thanks to Sarah Ready for raising awareness of Traumatic Brain Injury and premature birth. May this awareness go a long way to help those with TBI and those who were born prematurely. I was born prematurely and Hope’s story made me emotional as did Gemma’s.

I would have liked to experience more of Gemma’s experience in therapy, as I felt that was skimmed over.

This audiobook is beautiful. Thanks to Sarah Ready and Swift and Lewis Publishing for my eARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.

Is love better the second time around? Sometimes yes, sometimes no, but in books it usually does so I was ready for a sweet story with the inevitable happily ever after. I love the concept and was excited as to what was next for them as in the first book it took me a good part of it to even like Gemma. I thought this would be a nice continuation of their love story. That did not happen. My first thoughts were that this was mostly the movie “The Vow”. The names and places were different, but otherwise, it was the same. Been there, read and seen it. I slugged though this, but with the exception of Josh, I didn’t find anyone terribly likable. Gemma, experiencing terrible trauma reverted back to her immature childish, selfish ways, her mother was wonderful with the baby, but stop already with the matchmaking and inappropriate meddling and inviting the enemy into the house, her brother, well just no and Ian. I was bummed that Josh didn’t actually punch him out. I love almost every happily ever after I have ever read, but this was the first one I wanted there to not be one. Josh deserved better. Lots of emotions were evoked when listening to this book, but mostly they were negative. The saving grace was the narrator. It kept me listening.

Thank you to NetGallery, the author and the publisher for giving me this ARC for exchange to my honest opinion. This one was fun and fast read even if you haven’t read the first one. I loved Josh and Gemma so much and the side characters as well !

I've no idea of why I requested this book when I didn't really enjoy the first one.

Erin Mallon as the narrator though was top notch. Such an easy voice to listen to and I had no problem in knowing which character was speaking.

I was so excited to read the sequel to Josh and Gemma Make a Baby, and really enjoyed this second book,
JOSH AND GEMMA THE SECOND TIME AROUND.

While I didn't quite enjoy the sequel as much as the first book, I appreciated being reunited with these beloved characters, and thought the audiobook was great!

Pregnant and so in love, Josh and Gemma are preparing for their upcoming wedding until things don't go as planned.

*many thanks to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy for review

"The best gift that someone can give is love"
Josh and Gemma’s love story continues in The Second Time around. Not wanting to give away too much of book 1 or 2, I’ll just say that Josh and Gemma's story is a reminder that love is not linear. It’s common for traumatic events to test loving relationships and this love story was not immune. This story follows healing, self-discovery and the road to Josh and Gemma 2.0.

The author lightened the heavy topics with well-placed humor. Much like with the first book, I found myself laughing out loud - I mean, the Jell-O mold scene! The levity didn’t erase the challenges woven throughout the book. It was an emotional read but didn't leave me out of commission for days.

“Don't think that just because one thing is the truth that something else can't be as well “
After the first of this series, I didn't think I could toleratate Ian again but, surprisingly, the author had me sympathizing with him!
At the conclusion of this novel, I am left wondering we will hear more about the other characters in this story Gemma's friends and siblines? Ian's love story perhaps?

Erin Mallon's narration was another winner! Her tone enjoyable and brought the characters to life in all the humorous, serious and sentimental scenes.

HIGHLY RECOMMEND this series to anyone who enjoys rom-coms with a some emotional waves throughout the storyline.

I haven’t listened to this book as I didn’t realise it was the 2nd in a series I need to listen/read the first book first

"Josh and Gemma the Second TIme Around" a sequel to "Josh and Gemma Make a Baby" is a story that focuses on second chances in life and love.

In this sequel, the readers are treated to 2 and a half chapters of bliss between Josh and Gemma before their world is turned on its head. It’s important to note that one of the main characters undergoes many physically perilous trials, so readers please beware of potentially triggering material. Overall the characters are shells of the ones we met in book one, and the miscommunication issues between Gemma and Josh throughout are almost indigestible. Really, the main star in this story is Ian Fortune, who makes a wholly unnecessary return. There are also six chapters in this book that contain ONE word a piece. It's perplexing and unnecessary.

The narrator for this audiobook Erin Mallon was a bright spot, just animated enough, making it an easy listen!

While the content of "Josh and Gemma the Second Time Around" wasn't my favorite, I do enjoy Sarah Ready's writing style, and tidbits of humor. I look forward to reading some of her other titles.

Thank you to Swift & Lewis Publishing LLC and Netgalley for an early audiobook review of "Josh and Gemma the Second TIme Around".

**Posted to Goodreads on 2/12/2023