Perfection isn’t real, but this book was close. A love letter? A reputation that isn’t doing well? A rom com star? A one night stand? I enjoyed this book from start to finish!

Thank you @BerkleyRomance for the gifted copy! Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the eARC!

Take Two, Birdie Maxwell is a trope-filled romance novel that takes the two main characters and the reader on a journey to discover who sent Birdie Robinson, aka Birdie Maxwell, an anonymous love letter. Partnered with her childhood crush/one-time hook up/best friend’s brother/journalist the search is on.

This is such a fun, chaotic, and did I mention trope-filled (one bed, road trip, second chance, childhood friends to lovers, best friend’s brother) romance. I laughed, I was interested in the mystery and pleasantly surprised by some of the turns. This book is messy and chaotic, much like the titular character at the time of the novel. What a fun read!

Take Two, Birdie Maxwell is a dual POV, second chance, forced proximity, road trip romance. Allison Winn Scotch

Premise:
Birdie Maxwell, Hollywood’s biggest rom-com star, has fallen from grace after an altercation with a popular director goes viral. With nowhere to turn, she travels back to her rural hometown where she reunites with her angry sister, childhood best friend and childhood crush, Elliot O’Brien (who also happens to be her best friend’s twin brother). After a disastrous first day home, Birdie finds an anonymous love letter and decides to contact her previous exes to win back the public and fix her career.

Elliot O’Brien, who has been harboring an unrequited crush on Birdie forever, is struggling with his own work problems. To break the best journalistic stories, he is blurring the ethical line and facing termination. Helping Birdie find the author of the anonymous letter, will also help him break a story and resolve the tension with his boss.

My thoughts
I really enjoy the forced proximity X road trip trope, so I was really looking forward to reading this book. Although there were some things I enjoyed, I had a hard time connecting with Birdie. In addition to the romance between Birdie and Elliot, there is a large focus on Birdie discovering her true self and her true wants outside of the persona and lens of Hollywood. But by the end of the book, I felt like I didn’t know Birdie much better than I knew her in the beginning. I wanted to see more depth, candidness, and authenticity.

I found this book to be quirky and chaotic, but not always in a bad way. I could see this being a movie with a fast-paced plot and unique humor. The mystery woven through the book kept me engaged as Birdie tries to discover the author of the letter. I rated Birdie 3 stars.

Tropes & Things
• people pleasing celebrity X playboy journalist
• Best friends (twin) brother
• Road trip romance
• Second chance
• Lots of secret pining X 2
• Resolving estranged relationships
• a surprising reveal

Miscommunication is one of my least favorite tropes (that prize goes to surprise pregnancy🤰🏼) but Allison Winn Scotch's charming 𝗧𝗔𝗞𝗘 𝗧𝗪𝗢, 𝗕𝗜𝗥𝗗𝗜𝗘 𝗠𝗔𝗫𝗪𝗘𝗟𝗟 won me over. It's a best friend's brother, one-that-got-away, second chance Hollywood romance with delightful characters, great banter, and a mystery around an anonymous love letter. Now can we get a sequel with Mona's story please?

Thanks to Berkley Publishing for the copy to review.

This was such a fun second chance hollywood esque romcom!!

Birdie Maxwell is Hollywood’s biggest IT girl actress, and when a PR nightmare on set of her newest movie threatens to de-rail her reputation, her childhood best friend’s brother, Elliot makes it is mission to help her find her secret admirer and set her reputation right.

Elliott and Birdie had such a long past of friendship and the type of bickering which comes with growing up together and this back and forth tension through the book was silly! I liked their dynamic and the fact that they both were pining in their own ways. This book hooked me IMMEDIATELY!! I was so excited and thrown into this story, it was quick and fun and I was never bored!

I did find that the miscommunication became a bit too much even for me towards the last third of the book, if miscommunication isn’t for you this might not be the best book for you.

With that being said, this is very second chance and both main characters I loved! The dual POV served as a fun way to read this story and stay connected to both of their emotions and feelings towards each other.

Thank you Netgalley and Berkley for the arc!

A fun Hollywood romance! Birdie is a PR nightmare and I’m always here for that, in real life Hollywood and in fiction. The banter between Birdie and Elliott was fantastic. And I enjoyed Birdie finding herself and figuring out the direction she wants her life to go!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Pub for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Positives: the writing is good! The romantic tension (which I adore) is sizzling, and the entire premise is really fun. I really loved the idea of her going off to interview her exes. And I thought that Elliot was a great counterbalance to this wild and free person that is Birdie.

Cons: I am a very dialogue driven reader, and this just doesn’t have the dialogue I crave. That does not make this a bad book, it just means it’s not a writing style I prefer. Like I said, the writing is good overall. I also disliked the main character. She entertained me, for sure, but she seemed pretty self-centered (which I think was purposeful). For me, it made me not root for the romance, but that’s just personal opinion!

Short synopsis: Birdie Maxwell, Hollywoods Rom-Com sweetheart, is trying to get her career back on the right foot after problems behind the scenes. Finding an unsigned letter declaring their love for her, Birdie reunites with previous lovers to find her happily ever after.

My thoughts: I am a sucker for Celebrity, and second chance romances. So I had to get my hands on this as soon as I saw it.

This would make a GREAT movie, the banter, the search for the letter writer, the best friend and sister aspect. I totally guessed wrong on who wrote the letter, which made this so much fun!

I loved the search for romance and ultimately Birdie’s growth through the book, but something just didn’t quite work for me. She seemed a little too self centered and oblivious, and the lack of communication got a little old to me. I didn’t quite believe the feelings between Birdie and Elliot, but at the same time I was rooting for them.

The audio was very well done, multiple narrators that brought the characters to life to tell the story.

Read if you love:
- second chance romance
- Best friends brother
- Celebrity romance
- Family and hometowns
- Roadtrips

Thank you Berkley Romance for my gifted physical and digital copies.

Take Two, Birdie Maxwell
Allison Winn Scotch

📖 Birdie is a beloved Hollywood romcom starlet, until a viral feud lands her in hot water. To escape the media frenzy, Birdie heads back to her hometown, and stumbles upon an unsigned love letter from a man from her past, with no idea who it could be from. Enter Elliot, her childhood crush and best friend’s twin brother, who is now a journalist. When Birdie and Elliot team up to chase down the mystery man behind the letter, it's not only their careers they're hoping to revive.

💭 You heard right! This is a rom com book about a rom com star! With RV road trip shenanigans, tension and pining of the unrequited love variety, entertaining meet-ups with Birdie’s exes, and some super hot steam, this was an enjoyable read that moved at a great pace. Though I found myself frustrated a time or two at the lack of communication (just tell him/her already 😩), this was a fun, lighthearted read that'll be sure to scratch that rom com itch. 💕

**Review posted to IG yesterday 3/13.

There was so much to love about this one - the tropes, the wonderfully real character, the Hollywood setting - so why didn’t I love it?

I think for me this story felt a little unbelievable, and it was hard to shake that feeling as I read. The characters read as much younger than mid-30’s and the plot seemed really far fetched. It took me a little too long to really get myself into the story, and I think that’s why I liked this instead of loving it.

But that being said, I DID very much like it! I enjoyed the journey and I think Birdie and Elliot definitely belong together. This was so close to being a love for me and I’m sad it wasn’t.

Thank you @berkleypub and @prhaudio for my complimentary copy. My thoughts are my own.
#penguinrandomhousepartners

The premise of this book drew my attention and the story held me captivated from the first page! When America’s favorite rom-com actress suffers a serious blow to her reputation, she returns home for the first time in years, and she doesn’t exactly get a warm reception! When she discovers an unsigned love letter, obviously from one of her exes, her agent decides that Birdie needs to set out on a journey to discover her true love, with a camera in tow! If done correctly, Birdie can perhaps rebuild her reputation.

Enter Elliot, a successful photojournalist who has his own professional struggles and somehow gets talked into following her and writing her story.

Of course, Birdie and Elliot have a past, and the revelations and mishaps are hilarious as they travel together in an old RV to various locations. I was surprised when the true identity of the letter writer was revealed! Birdie, starts out as a self-centered, immature actress but she becomes more self-aware and rounded out throughout the story. I really liked Birdie and Elliot as a couple!

I enjoyed both the print and the audio versions. I love it when stories alternate between his and her perspectives and the narrators made it a fun listen.

Read (or listen to) this is you enjoy:
*Second Chance Romance
*Close Proximity
*Enemies to Lovers
*Best Friend’s Brother

Take Two, Birdie Maxwell was a sweet second chance romance story written by Allison Winn Scotch.

This story is the love story between Birdie and Elliott, who have both been crushing on each other forever. They went to prom together, but never became burning more because Mona, Elliott’s twin sister and Birdie’s best friend asked them not to. However, they had a one night stand seven years ago and as much as they tried to forget it, they can’t move on. So when famous actress, Birdie receives a love letter from a previous love, she wants to track this man down so she can finally leave Elliott in the past. But Elliott, in need of a good story to save his career as a journalist, offers to help Birdie track the mystery man down, things get complicated. Will they be able to solve the mystery of the love letter to get Birdie her happy ending or will their old feelings get in the way?

Overall, this was a solid read. However it was a bit frustrating as Birdie and Elliott were terrible at communicating their feelings with each other. So many of their problems could have been solved if they had only been honest with each other and those closest to them. While I found the storyline to be predictable, I did enjoy it and was satisfied with the happy ending.

I saw where there was going from a mile away which is fine but I also just didn't enjoy the journey to get there. Second chance romance usually pulls me in and with a bestie like Mona I thought I would be rooting for Birdie and Elliott but there was a lack of chemistry there and I just wasn't that invested. I haven't read any of the author's other books but it sounds like maybe I should try her backlist.

A rom-com within a rom-com within a rom-com. Birdie Maxwell. Elliot O’Brien. Both have a need for professional salvation - Birdie, to restore her damaged reputation, Elliot to get back in good graces with his editor and to salvage his career as a reporter. As America's Sweetheart, Birdie always got her guy. However, her acting career is crashing quickly. Elliot is not doing so great himself professionally.

At some point, Birdie received an anonymous letter from someone not only saying they are not only her ex, but that they want a second chance. Birdie's publicist Imani knows exactly how to spin this situation to Birdie's advantage. Meanwhile, forced to flee back to her hometown, Birdie reconnects with her best friend Mona. Birdie also runs into Mona's twin brother Elliot, the one man Birdie never once stopped thinking about. As things turn out, Elliot needs to play an advantage as well. Just as Imani wants to use the letter when it comes to Birdie's career, Elliot's editor Francesca has a pitch of her own - or so it seems.

This second-chance romance takes the word trope to a new level. With Imani and Francesca each puppeteering their clients, Birdie and Elliot take flight on a whirlwind jaunt with hopes of finding the author of that anonymous letter. Both of their careers can be catapulted during this search - but there is a catch. And it is a big one at that. Both Birdie and Elliot have real feelings for one another - yet neither is prepared to own up to those feelings.

So, traveling in an old RV, with stop after stop, Birdie and Elliot are revisiting her past loves to see if they authored that letter. With family and friends who have the best of intentions, only time will tell whether or not Birdie and Elliot will find their way to each other, and find the true happiness that has eluded them for nearly two decades.

Do you love tropes as much as I do? Well, then definitely do not pass up Take Two, Birdie Maxwell. This was a truly delightful read, with charming characters and an equally charming plot. This book brought smile after smile to my face, even when I deduced the twist, but the book still gained great favor from me, earning a well-deserved 5 Star rating.

Many thanks to Berkley Romance and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

Biggest movie star of the romcoms has been cancelled. What does she do? Run back to the home town she has not been in 6 years and sister and best friend she has not see. She finds a love letter sent to her. Her bright idea was to see which of her exes sent the letter to get back into good graces of her public. Her best friend assigns her brother, journalist who is Pulitzer Prize finalist to go with her and chronicle the journey. Will they explore the spark that always existed between them? Can they get over their differences? Well I am not going tell…they might or they might not…..

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for my complimentary eARC and to PRHAudio for my complimentary audio book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Let me start out by saying I loved The Rewind. The 80's flashback to college filled me with warm memories.
But......Take Two, Birdie Maxwell is one long miscommunication trope and I just needed it to be over.
While the premise sounds fun, America's Favorite RomCom actress receives a love letter and travels the west coast in a run down RV hoping to reconnect with the writer, in reality, it was a long drawn out mystery which did not endear me to any of the MCs. I had a hard time believing Birdie and Elliot were 35 years old.

The grand gesture at the end had all the makings of redeeming this one for me, but ICK, even that was ruined for me.

I had such high hopes for Take Two, Birdie Maxell, but sadly it fell flat for me.

I paired the audio with the arc, Helen Laser and Dan Bittner did a great job with their respective characters. I was so excited to see Andrew Eiden listed as a reader, but he only had a few speaking parts.

Highlights:
Celebrity romance
Second-chance romance
Childhood friends
Road trip
Forced proximity
Miscommunication trope

Birdie Maxwell is the biggest rom-com star and American Sweetheart. Her career and stardom are at the pick until an on-set confrontation with the director of her new movie threatens to destroy her reputation. Birdie returns to her California hometown to hide. While at home, she finds an anonymous love letter, possibly from one of her exes. She decides that finding the person who sent her the letter and reuniting with them will help her prove to everyone that she deserves a happy ending, just like one of her heroines. Elliot O'Brien is a renowned journalist and Birdie's childhood friend. He had a crush on Birdie for the longest time, but they had a falling out seven years ago. Elliot is back in their hometown at the same time as Birdie, so he offers her to help find the ex who wrote the love letter.

I liked the premise because I enjoy second-chance and celebrity romance. I was invested in Birdie and Elliot's relationship from the beginning. As the book progressed, I started losing my patience a little because the narrative relies too heavily on miscommunication. Elliot and Birdie had a lot of chances to clear their misunderstandings, but both chose to ignore them time and time again. I liked the mystery of the love letter and Birdie's quest to find the author. The book is written in dual POV, which I appreciated because we get both Birdie's and Elliot's perspectives. Overall, I enjoyed Take Two, Birdie Maxwell. I recommend it to romance readers who don't mind the miscommunication trope and enjoy second-chance or celebrity romance.

Just an okay read for me unfortunately. The premise was cute, a famous actress in need of a PR makeover gets her old high school crush/boyfriend turned journalist to write a feature story on her trying to track down the author of an anonymous love letter.

What follows is a cute road trip, forced proximity romance with a love triangle between her famous actor ex. There was nothing wrong with this per se, I just wasn't wowed by it. Still an entertaining if predictable read and good on audio. Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Romance for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

In Take Two, Birdie Maxwell, Birdie was a famous actor who returned to her hometown after some bad PR, only to find an anonymous love letter written to her. In an attempt to rehabilitate her image, she embarked on a journey to confront all of her exes to see who wrote it reclaim her spot as America’s sweetheart. This was such a cute second chance romance. Full of charming characters, witty banter and pop culture references, it filled my heart. There was some frustrating miscommunication which is always a pet peeve of mine but it wasn’t too much and didn’t spoil the book at all. Overall just a fun, lighthearted romcom.

Thank you, NetGalley and Berkley for the eARC.

I dnf'd this book at 34%. Both main characters were annoying and the miscommunication was through the roof.