This second-chance contemporary romance from Kay Marie is a really fun read.

Emily winds up on a reality dating show where her long lost love is a producer. Books set on a reality tv show usually leave me cold. I always find the juxtaposition of 'fake reality' and genuine characters can sometimes be tricky.

But this one was done well. Emily and Jake are both layered and believable, although sometimes I thought Emily's behaviour was a little all over the place. I raised my eyebrows a few times when she swung from sweet off camera to savvy on camera.

I loved Cooper and Sam (and am hoping they may appear in their very own subsequent story hint hint).

Jake is tortured and sensitive in an extremely hot way. And if I couldn't figure out why he held himself back from Emily for the majority of the book, once explained, it didn't really bother me.

Definitely worth checking out for something funny with swoony moments and a touch of angst.

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This definitely gave me The Bachelorette kind of vibes. I love how this romcom didn’t overdo it with the spice. It was sweet and funny! This is the first book by this author that I’ve read, but it won’t be my last.

**HUGE thank you to NetGalley and Kay Marie for the ARC in exchange for an honest review**

forewarning: minor-ish spoilers with included TW of the book at the end of the review

have you ever wondered what goes on behind-the-scenes of your favorite shows? take the bachelor for example: there are about 30 contestants or so, trying to win the heart of the lead. nothing is private. everything is recorded. you’d think finding love is possible right?

meet the lead, emily, who was roped into a dating show called “the love match,” a show where you are the star of the show, trying to win the hearts of your contestants AND america. it doesn’t sound too bad.

that all changed when she finds out that her ex boyfriend is the producer of the show. the same ex boyfriend that walked out on her seven years ago. now he’s forced to watch her fall in love on screen.

i thoroughly enjoyed reading this book! when i found out that “the bachelor” is the basis of this novel, i was immediately intrigued. although there were some cliche moments, there were also many moments where i was not expecting the book to go?! it was cute, funny, gave me a big sense of deja vu because i haven’t watched “the bachelor/bachelorette” in a long time, as well as give me the feels throughout.

the relationship between the two main characters was so interesting to read because of the history they have. the author knows how to use the appropriate words to just get you in those feelings and i was OBSESSED. each character has their own personalities, especially the male lead jake.

while there were some small grammar mistakes, this book was so so enjoyable to read! it was a treat for myself and a great way to “escape” the busy days of my life; if you love contemporary romance, mixed with “the bachelor/bachelorette,” combined with second chance romance (and a bit of slow burn) please pick this book up! you won’t regret it.

**[book] TW: health scares and domestic abuse**

Emily has spent the last 7 years trying to forget her ex, Jake, who left one night with little to no explanation. When her mother campaigns for her to lead the cast of the reality dating show The Love Rematch, she reluctantly agrees, thinking at least she'll get to showcase her small business. Imagine her surprise when she arrives and Jake is a producer on the show. Now she has to fight her feelings for Jake while trying to fall in "love" with the men on the show.

This book was IT! I love love loved the tension and chemistry between Emily and Jake. Their stories were a lot more complex than a lot of romance books I read, and I appreciated the heavy dose of "real life" stuff while still getting that HEA.

As an avid watcher of The Bachelor franchise, it was beyond obvious that Kay Marie is also a fan. There were so many fun details that only a true fan would pick up on, and I love that.

Second-chance romances are my JAM, and I will read a million of them, but this one was really special. I signed up for her ARC team so fast after I was done because I can't wait to see what's next!

Reviews coming on @pittelsbookclub on TikTok and IG.

Read This Book If…you’re a fan of the Bachelor franchise!

Please note: this was an ARC provided to me by the author in exchange for an honest review.

Genre: romance
Series: The Love Match # 1
Spice Level: 2/5🌶, fade to black
Setting: Los Angeles and around the world
POV: dual, 3rd person, past tense
Tropes: second chance romance, forced proximity, revenge, secret relationship

What I Thought: This was such a cute read! I really enjoyed the brief flashbacks to their earlier relationship, but their antics behind-the-scenes of the reality show were so good! There was tension and sneaking around and everything I want from a secret relationship. There were also some big hurts and sensitive topics that had to be discussed, and I thought the author did a good job with both of those. Overall, I can definitely recommend this read!

Memorable Quote: “You were the sun, Em. You made everything you touched brighter, better, more alive. And I was the dark cloud keeping you from shining.”

The Loved Rematch is a contemporary romance with a second chance in love and a slow-burn romance with reality TV show settings.

Emily one day woke up seeing her mother announce the lack of romance in her life and wanting her to be with a better guy. This led to Emily ending up in the TV reality show “The Love Match” as the new lead, but the thing is, her ex-boyfriend Jake is the producer of the show.

Emily is a small business owner who runs her jewellery shop on Etsy. Most of the time in the book, Emily is driven by revenge against Jake. She’s been through so much, and all she wants is to run her jewellery business successfully. At first, while filming, she was nervous as it was her first time in front of the camera, but later, she came out of her shell and made a few friends with male contestants.

Getting into Jake’s story took me some time. Throughout the book, he couldn’t decide if he wanted Emily back or to stay away from her. As the plot developed, it was revealed why he had walked away from her in the past, but still, he could have talked to her about it.

I like the reality TV settings, and the writing was great. The only thing I didn’t like was the miscommunication between Emily and Jake; it was annoying. Finally, we had Emily and Jake’s happy ending.

Overall, I enjoyed reading this book. I’m excited to see what will happen in the second book.

Emily Ann wakes up one morning to her sister’s ringing to inform her to check the national television’s morning show asap. Her mum is not only in the crowd with a cart-board reading “Emily Ann needs a man”, but is also selected by the hosts to state her case.

Shortly after, Emily Ann is the new lead in the hit dating show she normally experiences from as a spectator from her couch. When she arrives on the set, however, she is confronted with Jake. He’s her high school lover who broke her heart 7 years ago and one of the show’s producers.

So starts this second chance romance set in a ‘The Bachelorette’ reality TV environment where Emily & Jake are forced to work together. No escape from their unresolved feelings or emotional scars. Plus a journey for both them and me as a reader to find our more about what transpired exactly 7 years ago for both of them.

Where I had some difficulty to get into the story via the 3rd person narrative, I did really enjoy the unique setting/premise for this dual POV romance. Some of the couples’ miscommunications involved strong real life topics that could be emotionally triggering for some, so do check the trigger warnings.

Tension, humor and chemistry filled the air in this romance, especially when the reality TV cameras were not rolling. And where I was secretly rooting for Cooper in the beginning, I got really invested in the connection between Emily and Jake when the slow pining developed further and their history revealed.

Thank you to Kay Marie and NetGalley for the chance to read a free advanced copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review

rating: 3.5☆

i wasn't sure how to rate this book but after some thought i decided to give it 3.5☆.

the book itself was really great. it had a lot of potential and i really liked the idea of it. i don't know much about how the productions in hollywood work but it felt very real.

however i didn't really like the miscommunication in this book. emily and jake "hated" each other for 7 years, causing both of them lots if pain that could've been avoided if they just had a talk about what happened that night.

i liked the characters, but once again, i didn't really understand their goals? one minute they're sneaking out together and the next one he's setting her up on a bad date and she's kissing someone else in front of him. i didn't really like that.

overall the book was cute and i enjoyed reading it, but i think sam's story could be more interesting.

thank you netgalley for giving me an arc for this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was the perfect combination of sweet romance and heated arguments. I loved the concept of two people coming back together and realising nothing has changed.

I loved and hated Jake all at the same time but I knew he had a good heart and there was reasons for why he was doing what he was.

Oh and Emily! I just loved Emily with my whole heart, when she was happy I was happy and when she was sad I felt so sad! She’s just the cutest little thing and I loved hearing her story and all the little twists that she’s been through that added to her story and character!

Definitely a 4 star read and I would highly recommend for anyone who loves a romance! Thank you to Net Galley, Kay Marie for letting me read and review this arc.

The Love Rematch has a fun premise and overall I enjoyed it but it’s by no means the most standout romance I’ve read this year. Still if you read a lot of contemporary romance I would say this one is definitely worth adding to your TBR.

If you love the Bachelor or any dating reality TV show with a sprinkle of second chance romance, you will love this book. Or even The True Love Experiment by Christina Lauren with a dash of "You Deserve Better" by Sarah Hogle - this is 100% up your alley. Unfortunately, I am not a viewer and did not enjoy The True Love Experiment so this one didn't quite hit the way I thought it would.

What was difficult for me to adjust to was the third POV writing style. Due to the POV, I had a hard time connecting or feeling fully invested in either main character throughout the novel.

The story is told with dual POV and past/present timeline which I think was executed really well. The entertainment value is there. The emotional elements could have been fully fleshed out a bit better. It's definitely a palate cleanser book! I think I'm in the minority therefore if you're looking for a fun non-serious novel, I think this one would be a good one.

I honestly wanted to love this one, but it was just kind of meh for me. It wasn’t terrible but I just didn’t really relate and it fell flat. My fave character was the twin.

If you love reality tv (specifically the bachelorette), then you’ll love this book. A second chance romance with a difference, this book really gave me all the cosy feels. It is quite predictable but I still enjoyed its lightheartedness.

I did not finish this one, it was not for me, I couldn't relate to the characters, and just did not care for the story.

I loved this one. if you’ve ever fantasised what it would be like to be on a dating show like the bachelorette this book is for you. Second chance romance AND dual pov which I loveee. This follows Emily and Jake high school sweethearts who lose touch after Jake disappears and then go 7 years without seeing each other until Emily ends up on the dating show Jake produces. While I thought I knew how it would end the book surprised me and added in extra storylines that made it more heartfelt.

3.5⭐️

I wish I could deep scrub my brain after every second chance + high school sweethearts/"it's always been you" because I subconsciously judge books with this trope way harder than the rest. I'm insanely picky with second chance romances 😩 the time spent apart, the reason they broken up, how long they were originally together, etc. And listen, I'm a miscommunication trope apologist. But this one was one of those painful examples of it.

Overall, I did really enjoy myself and it was a fantastic book. I loved the idea- Emily (who has a sassy twin, I actually loved so much) becomes the lead of a bachelorette-type dating show after her mom, embarrassingly, campaigns for her to find a man. The feminist in me was lowkey raging, but I digress. 🫢 But what's absolutely delicious is that the guy who broke her heart 7 years ago is a producer on "The Love Match". So he has to suffer watching her go on all these romantic dates and kiss all these other men. If it's one thing I eat up it's men suffering in these second chance romances. Anyways, the last 10-15% of the book had me on an emotional tilt-a-whirl. I thought I was getting a cutesy romance 🥹 I was pleasantly bamboozled??

Side note: I think (and hope) if this is part of a series and book 2's leads are who I think they are, I'm 1000% invested.

Thank you to netgalley & Kay Marie for the advanced copy! ❤️

This book had so much potential, but for me it fell flat. I liked probably the first third of it and was just waiting for it to end as it kept going. The story sets up as a second chance between the new dating lead and its producer. This makes me think that there’ll be plenty of longing, tension, and jealously, especially as it’s framed in a she can use this as revenge. And yes there are those emotions, Jake does absolutely nothing beyond staring and longing gazes. These two haven’t had a conversation in 7 years, and they still can’t seem to have one now that they’re working with each other for the foreseeable future. This has led to so much miscommunication it has me rolling my eyes and being like really? every time a new revelation came to light once they finally decided to talk in the last quarter of the book. Because of this it felt like the story just dragged for me. Also, with all this miscommunication and refusal to talk I could not find myself to really care about the characters.

Overall, this romance had potential and started off strong, but lost me by the end.

Read if you like…
•reality tv
•second chance
•hate to love
•dual pov

Fun story!! I wasn't so obsessed with this but it was a really fun read. I love any romance story and this one was a good contender!

I LOVED this book! The best second chance romance I have read in a long time.

Emily is tricked into going on a dating show by her mom on National tv. Jake is her old high school fling, who is conveniently a producer on said dating show.

Insert all the pining, the adorable flashes into their past, the gut wrenching reason they broke up, and the tear worthy pages you get when they rekindle.

Will be recommending this to all my book friends! Thank you NetGalley for the ARC! All thoughts are my own.

I LOVE a reality dating show romance premise and this one really delivers! It goes deep into a producer mindset and has some great tension building. The ending left me already excited for the sequel!!