Hope Evans is a marine biologist who specializes in sharks. The only problem is that she's not working with sharks currently because she left her job 3 years ago to help out a friend whose husband had passed away. Can she return to the ocean for a job with her ex-boyfriend Adrian, who now creates viral shark videos?
This second chances romance has some great characters, realistic witty dialog, while providing lots of interesting shark content. I sometimes have a hard time with the miscommunication trope, or in this case non-communication, as a reason why two people who are clearly in love are not together. I looked the other way with this one because I liked Hope and Adrian together.
I enjoyed the author's writing, the cast of characters (except for a few who were introduced but then never really fleshed out), and found the shark science in the background very interesting. I think it's a great summer read and I will be recommending it to many others.

Thanks to Canary Book Press for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

DNF @ 25%
- MF
- Second Chance
- Sharks!
- Forced Proximity

I was so excited for this book! Who wouldn’t want to read a romcom with sharks?

But I lost most of my enthusiasm for this book when I figured out how Hope and Adrian broke up the first time. Which is to say they didn’t. They just stopped talking to each other and then pined for each other for years. This wasn’t even miscommunication it was just lack of communication.

I liked Hope. She was passionate about sharks and so kind and caring. How many people would drop everything to move to a different state and support their recently widowed friend for years!

And I liked Adrian. He was equally passionate about sharks and my heart just for his pain after the nonbreakup breakup. But the two of them had zero chemistry. Or at least I didn’t make it to the chemistry.

I tried for a couple weeks to read this book but I just wasn’t excited about picking it up and ultimately decided to DNF.

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Amazon Review submitted
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TL;DR: This one has a setting and job field I love but the whole book felt like one giant third act breakup… which I did not love.
Source: Netgalley! Thank you to the publisher!

Plot: Hope and Adrian are shark researchers who fell out of a relationship three years ago and end up pushed together again.
Characters: This book was very in the heads of it’s primary two characters. So much so that it really started to feel the same, no matter the heading on the chapter.
Setting: I did like the setting! On the boat or on the pier, it was different and unique enough that I read on for those moments.
Romance: Like I mentioned, felt like one big third act breakup. It got… really exhausting by the end, I’m not going to lie.

Thoughts:

I always hate it when I get my hopes up, and they get drowned. Second Tide’s The Charm is a second chance romance where two shark researchers end up working together and taking a second chance at their relationship. I love sharks! I love romance! I was stoked! But this sadly wasn’t it for me.

The two characters spend so, so much time wrapped up in their own thoughts and by extension with us wrapped up in them that there was very little to be gained from the story. The two are working on tagging sharks, raising awareness of sharks in a social media setting, and just working together. But honestly, the amount of work they did was probably just double digits in a book that was the same thing inner monologue repeating over and over. ‘I shouldn’t be here’ or ‘She’s my ex. Not my girlfriend’ They stumble over the same arguments mentally and have the same hang-ups repeatedly, it felt like we’d just relive the same scenes over and over.

If you like an angsty, very in the mind kind of romance this could definitely work for you. I know readers who love that, but I’m not so much a fan. I loved the sharks, stayed for the little bit we got of that, but wasn’t wild about the rest. I adore this cover though, like wowza.

3 out of 5 Lemon Sharks

3.25 ⭐️
The title and cover alone were enough to make me want to read this book, both are so cute and fun. I really enjoyed the shark researcher aspect of the book, it was super unique and childhood me who was obsessed with sharks loved it. The romance storyline was sweet and the characters were likable. Overall this was a cute and easy read.

This was such a cute book! I’m not normally a second chance romance book, but this one was soo well written and I lived the characters.

This ended up being a really fun read. I thoroughly enjoyed the marine biology aspect of both of the main characters so that was an instant win for me. Second chance romances aren't always my thing, partially because you don't often get all the backstory, but I felt this one had a good balance to where there was enough to know their feelings and foundation of their story, but not so much that it was all about the past. Overall it was a fun story with characters that felt fully fleshed out, and honestly really wonderful.

4.5/5 stars
1/5 spice

Tropes:
Second chance romance
Microbiologist MCs
Forced proximity
Mutual pining
STEM/Shark research
No 3rd act break up
Dual POV

This was a quick read with likable characters and an interesting topic. I'm so glad books like this exist because not only does it highlight a STEM career (microbiology and sharks), but it also has BIPOC characters. I was also really happy that there wasn't a 3rd act break up. Hope and Adrian already went through a separation, and it was great to see how they matured enough to finally communicate all their wants and fears. I was rooting for these two from the start.

Overall, it is a cute read with low stakes and relatable characters. Very low in the spice, no more than heavy kissing, so would still be appropriate for 16+

Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own and offered voluntarily.

Chandra's latest was a delightful blend of sweetness and angst. Her signature charm shines through in the characters of Hope and Adrian, whose second-chance romance kept me invested. The aquatic world setting was a refreshing backdrop to their story.

This was really wholesome, cute, and angsty at the same time!

I've always enjoyed Chandra's writing and I really like the vibes of her characters'

Hope & Adrian's second chance romance had its ups and downs but they never stopped caring for each other. And I absolutely loved the aquatic lifestyle subplot.

Thank you Netgalley and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Comment

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Thank you to Netgalley & the publisher for a copy of this new release in exchange for my honest review.

I requested this book solely because of the title, the cover was a bonus. When it came up on Hoopla I figured why not, I need to get my Netgalley percentage up. I’m really glad I dived in because this was a good audiobook!

The narrators did well, especially the male narrator. I loved the side characters so much. The concept of this book was a lot of fun, and totally unique. It follows two main characters who are essentially marine biologists and study sharks. 🦈 I haven’t heard of or read a book with that kind of idea in it.

The romance was fun between the two, it was a second chance. They dated in the past, broke up, didn’t talk, and now are forced to be around one another. Once they got past the initial irritation, they really did communicate really well. That’s been occurring more in the books I’ve been reading, and I am so here for it.

I hope this becomes a series because I already have an idea of who the next couple could be and I am so here for it!

This was a good second chance stem romance. I don’t read too many second chance romances but the characters won me over with their charming nerdy selves. Hope and Adrian are just meant to be and it’s very entertaining to see how they navigate back to each other.

Second Tide’s the Charm is a light-hearted women’s fiction/romance with marine biology (STEM) content.

Hope lands a perfect summer job on a shark research boat. Unknown to her, the boat belongs to her ex-boyfriend, Adrian. This job will rejuvenate Hope’s career, so she figures she can deal with the uncomfortable situation. Adrian has stayed on track with his career and has even launched a successful and educational YouTube channel about sharks. Even though the attraction is still strong, they are committed to the job and strive to work together.

For readers who enjoy women in science content…and especially marine biology and sharks…this is an interesting read! In fact, I found the shark content to be a compelling part of the story.

Fun tropes include slow-burn romance, second-chance romance, and close proximity. We know in romance there will be a HEA (happily ever after) but getting there is full of twists and turns and ultimately satisfying. The initial breakup seemed realistic to me and I appreciate that the author didn’t rely on cheating or secret keeping or miscommunication and focused on the fallout from “this won’t work” fears. Because the drifting apart was one-sided, better communication (as opposed to no communication) definitely could have helped. Adrian was left in the dark which didn’t seem fair.

One topic the author addresses well is “having it all”…. career + romance with possible long distance complications. Can two scientists committed to their work also find romance? Can two people be in a relationship and give the other person space and freedom to follow his/her dreams? The couple works out these issues in healthy ways.

Throw this one in your beach bag! I’m recommending Second Tide’s the Charm for readers who appreciate women’s fiction featuring smart and career driven women who strive to have it all. Fans of marine biology (sharks) will enjoy the story especially. I also think you’ll appreciate the diverse representation. Limited profanity and closed-door romance (some passionate kissing). I will definitely read more from this new-to-me author.

Thanks #HarlequinTradePublishing @CanaryStreet @BookClubbish for a complimentary e ARC of #SecondTidesTheCharm upon my request. All opinions are my own.

I loved the sharky aspect of this book! It was such a cute second chance romance and I loved the “third act breakup” which wasn’t a third act breakup. I thought it was well written and the shark expeditions made it so much more interesting! I also loved all the side characters and hope to see their books!

I’m an animal lover with a biology degree who loves romances, so this one checked off a few boxes for me.

Hope is a marine biologist who has a chance to work with sharks again. The problem is that she would work on a team with her ex-boyfriend, Adrian.

She takes the chance because she wants to research sharks again. What she isn’t aware of is that Adrian became a popular influencer for his shark videos during their time apart. Oh, and Adrian didn’t know that Hope was joining the team.

This is a cute and entertaining second-chance romance. Hope and Adrian go back and forth about whether they shouldn’t reignite their old romance like a boat tossed about the waves. But it makes for some great tension. Secondary characters, especially Marissa and Gabe, the other shark team members are fun and interesting, which helps to make the story well-balanced.

One of my favorite parts was all the shark encounters and shark facts. It’s not something you usually get in a rom-com.


Thank you @Htpbooks and @harpercollins for this gifted ebook via NetGalley.

Adult | Romance

This story was a cute little thing about two marine biologists. I was feeling the story and honestly wish it focused more on that aspect because the romance was truly in the back burner for me. I enjoyed how mature the two main characters were despite me wanting to smush them together. I enjoyed the slow burn aspects and the reasoning behind this second chance romance.

This was a cute story with likable characters! I think that they had great chemistry and the supporting characters added to the story well.

a second chance romance with all the puns. I am a sucker for both. I will say I don't enjoy reading books that take place near where I live cause I am a bit more nit picky. That being said there were scenes where I was like *eyeroll* okay, but overall the book was a fun read and quick read.

I adore books where people refind each other because it totally relates to my own life and it just makes me so giddy. This was one where they end up working together and rekindling the fire. This was more different where "fate" kind of put them together as our fmc knows what she is signing up for by accepting this job. She could have absolutely found a job elsewhere but she was totally chill with working with her ex. Prepare for nerd facts and LOTS of puns.

If you're looking for a second chance romance Second Tide's the Charm by Chandra Blumberg might be the perfect catch. The story explores the lives of two marine biologists who are passionate about sharks and the ocean, bringing a fresh twist to the romance genre with a profession you don’t see every day. The southern coastal setting adds a breezy vibe and provides the ideal backdrop for the characters navigating both the challenges of their work responsibilities and their rekindled feelings. The author does a great job describing lots of sensory details. I felt like I was at the beach!

One of the standouts in this book is the witty banter between the hero and heroine. Their back-and-forth is fun and engaging, and the secondary characters are supportive, well-developed, and add depth to the story. Plus, the social media component gives it a modern feel, especially with one of the characters having a substantial online audience—it's a nice touch that adds relevance to their lives and careers.

However, I have to admit that the book was a bit of a slow start for me. There was a lot of telling rather than showing, which made it difficult to connect deeply with the characters. I also found myself struggling to fully understand their romantic conflict—it didn't always feel as strong or clear as I wanted it to be.

That said, the second chance romance really carries the plot and kept me turning the pages. The unique setting, profession, and of course, the happy ending made it worth the read. If you’re into slow-burn second chance romance with a dash of marine biology, this one’s worth checking out!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the complimentary copy. All opinions shared here are my own.

[ DNF @ 70% ] I really tried to finish this book given its short-ish page length but couldn't. I didn't particularly like Hope from the beginning. I did like Adrian for the most part. However, it was hard to root for these two to get back together again after six years of a seemingly perfect relationship.

I had thought the story would get better and the plot more interesting as time went on. Unfortunately, this wasn't the case. Instead, I found myself struggling to pick up the book. As days became weeks and then became months, I decided to discontinue reading out of lack of interest.

I liked that the main characters are marine biologists, their enthusiasm to share their knowledge with others, and their passion for advocating for sharks.

In short, I had high hopes for this story as a second chance romance - one of my favorite tropes - but it ended up being a DNF for me.

Thanks again Canary Street Press, HTP Books, and NetGalley for the e-ARC to read in exchange for an honest review!

When I saw this on the Modern Mrs. Darcy summer reading list, I snatched it up. I figured she would have excellent taste in rom com. But this was a big miss for me. This book is the epitome of the overuse of metaphor. It was just one metaphor after another. Plus the characters were not appealing to me, I felt no connection to them, and in fact was annoyed by them. And perhaps this was a fault of it being an advanced digital copy, but the writing felt choppy at times. My hope is that it was missing some section breaks. Overall, a very fun concept that was a flop for me.

Thanks to Canary Street Press for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.