After a disastrous public relations fail actress Birdie Maxwell heads home to pick her wounds when she finds an anonymous love note. With the help of her best friends twin Elliot, Birdie embarks on an adventure to revisit her former boyfriends and discover the author of the note. Along the way she just might find her true love.

“I think that whoever that first love is, I think you spend the rest of your life chasing that sensation of the thrill of falling. Because it’s before you’ve been hurt, you know? Before your heart has been obliterated and you’ve spiraled into barely functioning and you don't want to eat and you can't sleep either, and you call them a million times and hang up.”

THAT. PART.

Birdie is America’s sweetheart, known for playing out unrealistic romance tropes on the big screen that, of course, always have a fairytale ending. Her actual love life? In absolute despair. When an on-set feud pushes her out of Hollywood, she flees to her hometown to get her life back on track. That’s when she discovers an unsigned love letter from an ex, which sparks a walk down memory (exes) lane to track down the anonymous admirer to help redeem her reputation and career.

Elliot is a star reporter covering the front lines and knows that life isn’t a romcom. How could love be real when he’s festered on his feelings for his sister’s BFF, Birdie, for decades, watching her happy ending play out in dozens of rom coms? With his career in the pits, he returns to his hometown to find that Birdie is also back under similar circumstances. He helps her on her quest to find the letter writer – both for his career – but also as an opportunity to right some wrongs.

First off, if I got an unsigned letter from one of my exes confessing that they still loved me, that shit would stay in the envelope where it rightly belongs!! Anyways. If you’re looking for a second chance romance set in Hollywood with a classic case of right person, wrong time, you gotta add this one to your list.

TAKE TWO, BIRDIE MAXWELL is out March 5! Thanks @forever for the digital ARC.

A perfect anecdote in these difficult times, this story is the rom com that makes you smile. Birdie Maxwell is the sweetheart of the rom com movie scene, until she is filmed berating a director for his misogynistic ways. The public turns on Birdie, and she attempts to clear her image by finding the author of an anonymous love letter sent to her, reviving her image as America’s sweetheart. Enter Elliot, the man she has loved since a teen, her best friend’s twin and famous newspaper writer, and the story really ramps up. A totally enjoyable read, recommended. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Birdie is a much loved actress until she falls from grace in public opinion. Now she is on a road trip to find an ex-boyfriend and also hopefully find redemption in the public's eye. This is a cute second chance romance between Birdie and Elliot. The story uses the lack of communication trope, and if this is something that bothers you, beware. The writing, the characters, and the pacing make for a lovely story. I liked how Birdie is forced to reflect and assess her part in her past relationship issues. It is nice when characters grow throughout the story. Overall, my only complaint was the couple's communication issues and this did affect my enjoyment of the book.

Thank you Berkley Publishing for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

A mysterious love letter sends a movie star and her first love from childhood on a road trip? Count. Me. In! This book was so sweet and I really enjoyed reading it. It’s a love story where you journey with the characters as they unfold their past in order to truly understand themselves at present.

I really wanted to like this book, but everything about it made it so hard. I would give it 2.5 stars. I'm definitely in the minority and I'm sure people will be rooting for Birdie's happily ever after. I was hoping the RV would explode and all the fighting would end. Elliot and Birdie both had the same feelings for each other and both were too stubborn to talk about them. They refused to discuss what actually happened seven years ago. I wanted to love Birdie but she was so annoying. She wasn't actually America's Sweetheart. She wasn't that nice of a person to the people she cared about the most. She never visited her parents or best friend and seemed to actually hate her sister. The constant back and forth between Birdie and Elliot was exhausting. Birdie really twisted what happened between her and Elliot seven years ago. She always brought up that he left and that really wasn't what happened. She concocted some other story in her head and believed it. It was her fault, but has the audacity to blame him. He didn't fight hard enough to stay, meanwhile she invited another guy over before the bed was even cold. Throughout the whole book it was hard to believe Birdie and Elliot were thirty-five, because they acted so immature. Was I surprised by who wrote the anonymous love letter? Yes and no. I was surprised by the reasons behind writing the letter. I honestly thought this person might be confessing their love for Birdie. I really donk think people would have taken Sebastian Carol's side over Birdie's accusations about him. My favorite character ended up being Andie. She actually told Birdie the truth and didn't sugar coat it. She was funny and no-nonsense. She would do anything for her sister. I'm not sure how the two made it to Vegas in one piece after all the 7-Eleven vodka.

Definitely recommend giving the book a try. It just wasn't for me. I didn't hate the book and there were some funny parts. Sweet dreams are made of cheese. I look forward to reading more books by the author.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Berkley Publishing Group through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Take Two, Birdie Maxwell by Allison Winn Scotch is a captivating, heartwarming, and pleasantly surprising romantic comedy that will keep you hooked from start to finish. This delightful novel explores the timeless enchantment of first love and the unpredictable journeys that often lead us back to where we began. I found myself completely engrossed in the story, unable to put it down, and secretly hoping it would never end.

Such an enjoyable Rom Com!

The now famous, Birdie Maxwell, is on the outskirts of Hollywood after a feud with a well known director. The no longer America’s sweetheart decides in order to win the public back, she needs to orchestrate her own comeback.

Heading back home has her finding an old love letter that sends her on a quest to find who wrote it, while simultaneously endearing herself to the American public, once again.

Who will be joining her on this journey, but Elliot, her long lost but never forgotten first love.

If you dig:

- First Loves
- Second Chance Romances
- Road Trips
- Mixed Signals
- Hollywood Vibes

Then this book is meant for you. Super cute and it will keep you in it to win it, all the way to the last page.

Thank you to Berkley for the free book in exchange for my honest review!

A modern day retelling of Jane Austen's Persuasion? Yes please!

Anne and Ben's story is one as old as time - young love, first love, outside influences tearing them apart. And when they get a second chance, *sigh*

I enjoyed the setting, all the players. I liked the way that the characters we have known and loved (and hated) for years are given a new twist, yet we still know their motives and can love and hate them the same.

It has been a while since I read Persuasion (time to remedy that!), however ugh I had forgotten how much I dislike her father and sister, and this telling amplified that so much hahaha

Get swept away with Ms Elliot and her Wentworth as they reconnect and fall more in love than ever.

I look forward to reading more by this author in the future

I have been reading Allison Winn Scotch for ten years and I think this is my all-time favorite! I was invested in Birdie and just adored Elliot. Told in alternate POVs I love that they both had their own journeys/arcs and that neither of them was just there to serve the other person's growth. And of course their suppressed chemistry was irresistible. And the ending?!? Tears of happiness.

Take Two, Birdie Maxwell is angsty, romantic and full of heart and second chances. Birdie Maxwell is America’s Sweetheart, but after an on-set feud gets her under fire, she returns home—only to find a love letter from a past lover looking for a second chance. So with her first love (and best friend’s brother) Elliot who is a journalist covering the story, she sets out to find a happy ending. This book is witty and beautifully written. Right off the bat, it’s smart and engaging. But I did have some trouble connecting with the characters. So much would be resolved if people just talked, but I think that communication got lost in just about of introspection and dense paragraphs. I wanted to really fall for Elliot and Birdie, but both just let their lives happen to them instead of actually making pushes for positive changes. They pine so beautifully for each other but never do anything so it was hard to really connect with them. Birdie too felt kind of selfish, but I did like her development and how she changed and I loved the development of her relationship with her sister. I wish that had had more time. The love letter mystery did get a little lost too; this is a very character driven novel, which I did enjoy, but the mystery of it just felt like a way to move things along. Still, the writing is lovely, and these characters have so much love. It’s a book that I stayed up til 2 in the morning to finish, I really wanted to know where this story landed.

Birdie Maxwell was the rom-com queen until a video of her berating the director of her next film for inappropriate behavior goes viral. Overnight, she goes from being America’s sweetheart to teetering on the edge of losing all she’s spent nearly 20 years of hard work building. With nowhere to hide, she runs away to the small California town she escaped at 18. The last thing she expects to find is a love letter in her childhood bedroom. When she shows it to her best friend, Mona, they realize that it might be the key to salvaging her career. What she doesn’t expect is for Elliot O’Brien, Mona’s twin, renowned journalist, and the man she’s loved unrequitedly since age 12, to walk into the bar and for Mona to suggest they work together to hunt down and interview all her past loves. The ensuing road trip in Mona’s rickety old RV is road trip rom-com heaven.

There’s a lot going on in this story: a journey of self-discovery and growth for Birdie, a second-chance romance for Birdie and Elliot if they can learn to be open and honest about their true feelings for each other, a nod to the #MeToo movement and how Hollywood so easily forgives and defends abusive men, the challenges in sibling relationships, the price of fame and putting one’s career above all else, and how two people in a relationship can have vastly different perspectives both during and after it ends. Scotch does a great job of balancing emotional plot points with humorous banter, garnering sympathy for characters who often make choices that hurt those they care about, and building up to a resolution that brings both surprises and satisfaction. Recommended read for rom-com lovers.

RATING: 3/5 STARS

This book unfortunately fell flat for me, despite the incredibly cute sounding premise. I couldn't connect to Birdie or Elliot so overall this was not memorable, but perhaps fans of the celebrity, best friend's brother, and road trip romance tropes will like this one.

I really enjoyed this hot mess, reflecting on past loves rom com. Great humor, reality and loved the banter between Elliot and Birdie. The highlight for me was the growth for both Elliot and Birdie; Birdie - totally clueless and unplugged from real life is forced to evaluate herself and her hurtful interactions. Elliot's job is on the line - due to his believe he does it best and is the best.
A very well done review the past and how can I grow from this plot.

Birdie Maxwell, well Robinson is America’s sweetheart. Ok…fine. She WAS America’s sweetheart. Until she went off on the director of her latest film and happened to get caught on camera which quickly went viral. Nobody is concerned that she was standing up for the many woman he was massaging on set. When she heads home with her tail between her legs, she finds a letter from an ex. Which one? Well thats the real question. But whoever it is regrets their breakup and wants to be with her. Could this be what Birdie needs to redeem her career? With her best friend’s brother Elliot, (who also needs to save his career) by her side, Birdie heads to visit her ex’s and find out which one is the mystery behind the letter.

GAH I loved this book so much! My heart went out to Birdie so damn hard. I mean how many times have we seen the woman be the one torn down in the press for calling out mens bad behavior? Only took how many woman to finally bring down Cosby? Oh wait…he is out of prison and still performing so…le sigh. Either way…the relationship between Birdie and Elliot was so clear right from the start, and I won’t lie, there were several times I wanted to knock their heads together and tell them to just admit they loved each other! That would make for a pretty short book though, and the way this one played out made it all the better. The angry ex’s, happy and over it ex’s, the RV rides, and Birdie’s driving skills…it was so just so amazing. Was there a specific person that infuriated me? Yes, but I won’t say more! This was just such a fun and lovable story that made me beyond happy in the end! I have loved Allison Winn Scotch’s books for a while but this is one of my favorites of hers!

I had to DNF this one at about 25%. Didn't feel a connection to the main character and didn't feel like I wanted to continue.

DNF @ 20%

Initially the blurb sounded so interesting, but I didn't feel connected to Birdie nor did I care how it ended up for her.

Rating: 4.5 Stars

After an on-set outburst, the public had soured on American's sweetheart. Looking to lie low, Birdie fled to her childhood home where she found an anonymous love letter from one of her exes. Who could it be? Birdie didn't know, but she thought her search for the second-chance-ex would help rehab her image. She reluctantly enlisted her life-long crush, Elliot, to help her uncover the author of the letter. Birdie's search forced her to face her past and take a long long her her romantic history while considering her possible future.

This was quite a roller coaster ride, but one that I would gladly ride again. We have seen parts of this story before. Hollywood star falls out of favor with the public and must act to save their career, but then Scotch threw in a second chance romance and a personal journey that gave the story the type of depth I seek.

Birdie had been enjoying the limelight for many years. She rose from doing daytime soaps to being the It-Girl of rom-coms. As she thought about the idea for finding the author of the love letter, she kept writing the Hollywood endings she knows so well. But when things didn't pan out in that movie magic way, Birdie had to take a hard look at herself and her past relationships. The rom-com moments were melded so well with Birdie's introspection. Her honesty with herself was sometimes brutal, but I was proud of her, every step along the way, and I was rooting for her the whole time.

One thing I could not help but want, was a union between Elliot and Birdie. Birdie's love for Elliot went way back. In fact, he was her first love, even if it was unrequited. There were moments in their history where something could have happened, but for "reasons", their romance never took off. I loved this aspect of the story because I am total trash for friends-to-lovers and second chance romance. I simply could not resist fate waving its hand. The universe brought these two back into each other's orbits for a good reason, and it would pain me to see them squander this opportunity.

The book was packed with lots of rom-com fun. A road trip, only one bed, and other beloved tropes were employed and produced lots of hilarious and laugh out loud moments. Along the way, I saw less and less of the Hollywood veneer, and more and more of Birdie Maxwell. There were some surprises and a fantastic ending that had the happy tears flowing as well.

Overall: I was delighted to take this personal and physical journey with Birdie. I was fully engrossed and invested from the very beginning to the very end and reveled in seeing Birdie rediscover herself along the way.

I LOVE second chance romance books, it’s one of my favorite tropes so I’m sad to say that this one just wasn’t it for me. I think it’s mainly due to the fact that I couldn’t connect to any of the characters. I did however love seeing birdies growth!

This one was fun. I enjoyed seeing Birdie discover herself more and come to decisions about how she wants to live her life.

The idea of going back to attempt to reconnect with past boyfriends was fun. And it gave a good glimpse of how relationships may look different from the two people in them.

This book is somewhat a second chance romance. Usually I don’t enjoy those because I don’t understand how people can hold onto that love/lust/feeling for so long. But in this case it worked.

I really enjoyed the dynamic between Birdie and Elliot; and Birdie and Mona; and even Birdie and her sister, Andie. It was fun to see them all come together in different ways throughout the story.

This was a really entertaining read. And I would recommend it.