This is the perfect book to get you in a cozy, warm, delightful vibe just ahead of Valentine’s Day! Narrated from a dual point of view, the story follows Sora, who is going through a rough break-up just before Valentine’s Day and Jack, who went to the same kindergarten as Sora and has been having a crush on her for the last couple of decades, and is also going through a breakup. As luck has it, they rediscover each other just as Sora goes on a public February #GoSolo pledge through the magazine she is working for, and Jack is preparing to launch his own pastry business with a looming ex-girlfriend following him at every step!

On top of the comical situations in which both main characters constantly find themselves, the setting is very similar to our current days. Both Sora and Jack live around the Chicago area, there is are references to the recent CoVid-19 pandemic, and the social media atmosphere is similar to what we see on our virtual channels.

Thanks to the narration duo (Michael Braun, Cindy Kay), get a pretty good cross-reference of both characters and how they see each situation that they are going through.

Special thanks to NetGalley, @BolindaAudio, RB Media, Recorded Books, and the editorial team for giving me the opportunity to review the ARC in audiobook format and to you, my reader, for taking the time to read this honest personal book review.

If you are interested in other of my book reviews, make sure to follow me on GoodReads! #TheSecondYoureSingle #NetGalley #LifeLongLearning

❤️Sora Reid is determined to #gosolo for the entire month of February. This means no dating, no sex, and definitely no feelings. zero support for the commercial love machine that is Valentine’s Day. She unexpectedly goes a bit viral with her campaign, leading to some glorious publicity for a freelance writer and an unexpected following that is very dedicated to the cause. Romance is not welcome, to say the least, but then Jack and his platter of raspberry tortes come along. What’s a girl to do?

❤️The Second You’re Single is a cute story with some truly funny moments. It just didn’t really leave me with that *feeling* you get from a good romance. This one was just a little too insta-lovey for me. But if you’re looking for a light Valentine’s Day read with low conflict and low spice, definitely check it out!

❤️CW: Discussion of past miscarriage

❤️Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the complimentary advance copy of this work! My opinions are my own.

Sora is at a standstill. She’s divorced, living in a condo she doesn’t like, doing a job she’s meh about, and going on tons of terrible dates. This is why she decides to pitch an article series called #SoloFebruary to her boss.

Of course, then she bumps into a former classmate turned hunky baker. And he’s head over heels for her. This bakery romance is perfect for Valentine’s Day!

Thank you NetGalley, the publishers and the author for the review copy!

This book is hilarious, soo cute, extremely fun to read & very enjoyable🤍
Really like it❤️

Overall, I really enjoyed the story line of this book, it is a great read for Love Month! The couple was easy to root for and you could feel their chemistry (childhood crush). My only real complaint is I didn't enjoy all the talk about food and body insecurity, it seemed really unnecessary. There wasn't really a point to it, no epiphany about body acceptance. I understand we as women absolutely struggle with this at every size, but it detracted from the story because it was talked about a lot.
The narrators did a fabulous job on this adorable, mild spiced rom-com.

Thank you to RB Media, Recorded Books and NetGalley for this ALC!

Thank you RB Media and NetGalley for the audiobook and ebook ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I listened to both the audiobook and read the ebook (depending on where I was) and I have to say that the audiobook was a lot more enjoyable than reading the book. The one thing I can say is that I truly enjoyed Cara Tanamachi's writing style. She is witty, and there were honestly times where I found myself laughing out loud to some of the things that were happening in the story. However, I really didn't like Sora as a character. The obsession with the bacon was a bit much for me, and the constant description of the character's eyes became too much at one point. While all the characters were problematic in their own way, Sora was a bit much. Jack was good. There was a lot of potential for his character and there were a lot of his moments that had me gushing.
All in all, it's a cute story, but I think there is a lot of room for improvement.
I'd definitely read something else by this author at some point, but the story line of this one just wasn't for me.

I tried to get through this book but couldnt connect to the characters and didnt like yhe narrators. So i will shelf it when j am in the mood to read this and give a better review

While this book got off to a slow start, it more than made up for by the end with the richly developed characters, realistic and layered storylines, and of course, a HEA to win them all.

Sora Reid might not want to admit it, but she's in a rut. Everything in her life is in a stall: she's still in the same condo she bought with her ex-husband, her family bullies her like they always have, she dates total duds, and her big time dreams of becoming a writer are on the shelf while she freelances for a lucrative but dull lifestyle blog. She doesn't seem to take anything seriously, especially herself. She decides to write a piece during February about #goingsolo - swearing off dating, relationships, coupling, all things romance for the entire month.

Of course, as soon as she makes this public declaration, who does she run into other than her kindergarten crush Jack. Over the years, Jack has become a talented pastry chef and a muscled hottie. Timing is everything, but so is karma. He's got a past, too, and an ex who seems to always be right around the corner. Sora and Jack have incredible chemistry, but can they make it work? Challenges abound, between Sora's #goingsolo streak and Jack's ex.


What I liked:
- Without giving too much away, the epilogue was one of the most genuine, beautiful scenes I've read in a long time. Even thought I knew exactly what was going to happen it was PERFECT.
- The scene at the bridal shop where Sora tells Nami exactly what's what with her fiance. Overdue but oh-so-necessary.
- Again - without giving too much away, Jack revealing a little secret right as things get sticky and tricky added an excellent amount of depth to the conflict
- Sora is untidy, eats like a frat boy, and doesn't care too much about her appearance. I liked this and it worked with the story line - it wasn't just for gags or contrast. Part of her character's journey was learning how to take better care of herself so it made for a more robust story line that she would start off this way.


What I didn't:
- Even though Sora's #goingsolo writing thing was successful, I didn't like that her editor and her friend were both so hard on her when she mentioned possibly dating. Especially her friend... that seemed unnecessary but I understand that it was to underscore Sora's commitment to the bit
- the first 3-4 chapters were so incredibly slow. I was doubting things for a while there but things really picked up
- the story line with Jack's brother and the tension with his wife.... it wasn't resolved and it made me uncomfortable. It seemed improbable that a guy like that would miss his daughter's birthday. I suppose it's meant to show what you miss by being afraid BUT it didn't sit right with me.
- MAL. SHE SUCKS. How did she and Jack even get together in the first place? It's hard to see what he saw in her.

What I liked:
- The narrators were great! Cindy Kay and Michael Braun did a great job, especially with the humor.
- The premise was fun. I love a flimsy excuse to keep characters apart, especially when it dissolves quickly. In this case, it's there on the tin - Sora has pledged not to date at all for the month of February and is writing about it for her job. Of course that's when she's reunited with a former friend from elementary school who's grown up to be a sexy baker.
- The friendships were good, too.
- The main characters had genuine chemistry and their banter was cute.

What I didn't like:
- Sora has a near constant commentary about food and bodies. For someone who is supposedly accepting of her size 14 body and refuses to diet, she's talking and thinking about food all the time and judging everyone's bodies. Even when she's thinking they're hot! At one point, she thinks about how Jack has a little beer belly, but not "a gross one."
- All the women except Sora's best friend are awful (or at least not nice), including Sora's mom, who is size 18 and dislikes her body enough to also make Sora feel terrible about hers. (I *know* this is a really common dynamic, but I don't want to read it with everything else.)

I would absolutely try another book by Cara Tanamachi because I think she's got a lot of skill, but the constant body and food talk was really offputting. I came away from every reading session feeling bad about myself and I think readers who have a history of disordered eating should assess their current state of mind before diving into this one.

Thanks to RB Media for a review copy of this audiobook.

After her many failed attempts in love Sora swears of men for the month of February and starts an online community that quickly becomes popular in which other women would join her and take the pledge. But what happens when she bumps into a hot baker in the grocery store 🥵🥵🥵

I loved that Jack was a baker! I really enjoyed this book If you like
Childhood crush
Dual POV
I’d recommend!

I loved the two narrators for this one! They did a great job and were easy to follow along

She cannot find anyone who will respect her, including her sister and her mother. The month of February she decides to not date, but love comes when you least excpect it. The true love might be innocent childhood crush you just have to listen to your heart and not your conspiracy mind.

dnf'ing at 6% and I'm so bummed because I loved the premise <i>and</i> it's set in Chicago. But the heroine is so aggressively nOt LiKe OtHeR gIrLs that she's actually just being misogynistic and cruel.

Thank you to NetGalley and RB Media Audio for the advance copy of this audiobook for review.
The Second You’re Single was a cute, quirky love story. Sora is a single, headstrong woman who despises Valentine’s Day. She thinks it’s a commercial ploy. Many would agree as the trend #gosolo that Sora introduces catches on and goes viral. Sora pledges to stay single for the month of February, but will Jack Mann make her change her mind and make her break her promise to readers?

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

🎧Song Pairing: Valentine - Kina Grannis

💭What I thought would happen:

I won’t lie, I wasn’t truly amped for this one. The cover didn’t really grab my attention but I was curious all the same and let’s just say FOMO gets the best of me.

📖What actually happens:

Sora has experienced a string of bad luck boyfriends and one fucker of an ex husband. She is partaking in a #gosolo campaign coined by her own column and writing about her dry February (just penis, not wine). Finally putting herself first and eating as much bacon as possible along the way.

The problem? Tortes…or more specifically the delicious man who bakes them. This charming hunk coincidentally is a blast from Sora’s past, Jack the boy from fifth grade who always gave her the best Valentine’s Day cards. Can Sora live that solo journey for 28 days without upsetting her readers on her self-help quest?

🗯Thoughts:

Welll spank my ass and call me Carol! A romance I finally really enjoyed! It’s been a long time since the warm and fuzzies took hold of me.

I almost 5 ⭐️ this one but I’d say there could have been some character improvements from our humorous MC. She struggles with her mid-sized body shape but very much projects her insecurities onto others and doesn’t quite make an effort to change this mindset. However, as everyone knows this is extremely difficult and body dysmorphia is a cruel mistress. (Love that this book focuses on body image insecurities).

I’ve seen some reviews where people are upset over how often the word bacon is mentioned but hell at least it isn’t MATE. Im a bacon advocate and am fine with the repetitive reminder 🤤

The PERFECT Valentines Day read! This one is now out just in time. Please check it out. The narration is a delight if you would like the audiobook!

Ps if you’re looking for spice this isn’t the habanero adventure you’re probably longing for, but plenty of laughs and cutie cuteness.

⚠️ This book discusses the struggle with weight, Miscarriages and the depression that is associated with it.

***Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review***
While this was a predictable romance, I still found it plenty enjoyable!

I requested this audiobook right before my last exam. The synopsis promised me a light-hearted friends to lovers rom-com story with an interesting premise; perfect to start after exam jitters to relax. On that front the book does not disappoint.

Short synopsis: Sora is a freelance writer who pledges to take a month-long break of dating in the month of February and calls it “Solo February”. She despises sappy love stuff and has a pretty deep hatred for all things Valentine. But then she meets Jack: tall, strong, pastry making Jack. Pretty quickly on she learns he’s an old classmate of hers from grade school. Only problem is, she has promised to go solo for the month and shouldn’t go after him.

Here's how it quickly went a bit ‘meh’ for me. The timeline of their love story is basically only a week to 2 weeks which seems insanely quick to me to go from lust to love. But, you can clearly feel the chemistry between Sora and Jack and the two main characters do get to know each other better again after such a long time (it still feels incredibly rushed though). It was pretty cute, however, how Jack used to have a crush on Sora, and that that flame did rekindle the first time he saw her again.

Another thing I did not like about the book is the constant mentioning of bacon (like I get it, you LOVE bacon), the body-shaming of others, and the self-hatred for her own body. I had hoped it’d be a good representation of the struggles with body image for all sizes, but I quickly on learned Sora is incredibly judgmental of about anyone smaller than her or anyone who’s just trying to become a healthier version of themselves. The parent and sister constantly criticising their own weight and hers, dieting, sporting, etc. did feel incredibly relatable albeit a bit weirdly executed. I feel like the author focused too much on certain stereotypes within this part of the plot.

I do have to admit that the as the story progressed it did get better. So if you’re looking for a light-hearted, sarcastic, but pretty straightforward rom-com: do try this book and see for yourself if you like it.
About the audiobook: I liked the voices of both narrators. It made the dual-pov work for me and it actually felt like you could understand both sides easier.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, and Cara Tanamachi, and Netgalley for an audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This one was a quick read and cute, but it needed more heart. I love the meet cute scenario in the bakery shop, but i found some of the side characters annoying and the overall story just didn’t move me.

4.5 stars ! New to me author. I love this author's writing style. Sora is the heroine. Sora's a writer/blogger that pledges a time out from men/dating. She's just off a recently bad break up (good riddance to her tool of an ex). Sora talks about her mom and sister. They're great and funny supporting characters. The focus is on sister's upcoming wedding. Sora has pressure on her being the maid of honor. She doesn't have a date for the wedding & she has sworn off men for February. She runs into Jack-who's a fantastic baker. Their meet cute is adorable. And funny.
Gah, I love Jack. They have great chemistry. Coincidentally, Jack knew her from their childhood. He remembers her (very) fondly. This is a slow burn, but the build up is so good.
There's a full circle kind of ending to this story. I would love to get the physical book & do a reread.
I listened to the audio- thanks to Netgalley. Dual Narration by Michael Braun and Cindy Kay. Very well cast. I highly recommend.

I really wanted to like this book. I really really did. It has everything I like. Childhood friends who get a second chance at a crush that they did not get to see through before.

There were parts of this book that I liked but overall I felt like the characters were made over the top so they cross from quirky to unbelievable. The sheer amount of times that bacon is brought up kind of made me say okay is this a healthy obsession? One thing I did like about this book was that trauma is discovered, recognized, and healed which I love. I love when it is not just a main female character too because say it with me, leading men can have trauma and still be desirable!

Overall, if you want a quirky Valentine's Day read then this is it. Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read this story.

Sweet and fun, this is a breezy listen with a solid narration. A recommended purchase for collections where contemporary romance is popular.