Look at this list below and tell me it's not a perfect list! You can't! You have to read this!

second chance
the parent trap
single mom / single dad
forced proximity
house renovations
no third act break up

This book was absolutely, amazingly beautiful!

From page 1 I was hooked. Then a struggled to not scream at the MCs to stop being so stubborn. Struggled to not sob in public because their love is just so apparent and I want it so bad for them.

The end of chapter 29 had me crying in my bed and instantly binged the rest.

I have a new favorite auto buy author and I couldn’t be happier!

Thank you NetGalley, Juliana Smith and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-Op.

this book hit right in the feels. I liked this more than I expected! This is a solid 4 star book for me and I had a really good time reading it. It was my first book by this author but I am looking forward to reading the first two books in this series of standalone novels! The parent trap twist to this story was honestly so fun and refreshing.

The second chance trope is one of my favourites and it was done so well. I loved how realistic and human it was depicted as. Both were drowning in their marriage and in the words of Marigold: one of them had to leave or otherwise they would have taken the twins with them. It was truly heartbreaking to find out how it ended all that time ago but as I said I feel like it is a very common problem in a relationship.
Mari and Liam are childhood friends to lovers (and may I add, the prologue already had me sqealing!!) and started their whole life quite young with getting pregnant at 25, but life caught up with them too quick and Liam got lost in his work while Mari was overwhelmed at home with he twins. I think this is an important topic to portray because I feel this is a very common phenomenon so it was really amazing to read about. I think many mums, young or old, will find themselves in Marigold. It borderline was a miscommunication trope but, again, the situation both Mari and Liam were in, was filled with anxiety, dread and helplessness. They both clung to something that was still there but was crumbling more and more each day. To save themselves from drowning one had to be the bigger person and leave. While both still tried to get along for their boys, they kept each other at arms length, but the twins had a different plan.

The tension between Mari and Liam was amazing and I caught myself giggling so many times. Liam is a MAN obsessed and the way he talked and thought about Goldie, which is the sweetest nickname ever, was beautiful. He is in awe of her as a person, a mother and the woman she has become. He is mature and his actions speak louder than words. He is the most supportive dad and I adored how he was around the boys.
Marigold is a strong mum, trying her hardest to provide her boys with the best life possible while staying positive throughout it. She is truly a superhero mum, I loved her relationship to the boys.
Both of the main characters felt a little one dimensional though, which has to be my only critique. There wasn't much to Mari or Liam other them being parents, there was no depth to them which I think would really have elevated the story for me.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!

I love love loved this book! Julianna makes such warm and fuzzy books. I have kids so the fact the main characters were parent trapped was so cute. I love the Wells family so much but Liam and Marigold are my favourite - so far!!

5 stars 💐

❛❛ most people would never find a love like this, and yet I was lucky enough to have found it twice with her. ❜❜


・❥ second chance romance
・❥ heartwarming twin sons
・❥ new fav book husband
・❥ marriage in crisis
・❥ closed door
・❥ parent trap
・❥ slowburn
・❥ romcom
・❥ divorced


I was taken aback by this book. although the cover and plot were enticing enough to read it, I didn't have high expectations for it other than having a good time with a lighthearted read when i dived into it. yet, I concluded it with a ribambelle of tears running down my cheeks. It was utterly beautiful; the writing was exquisite, the metaphors and quotes were splendid, the orchestration of events was brillant.

”I knew that laugh. I’d spent years doing anything I could to be the cause of it. be the recipient of that joy. tossing notes in class that said her butt looked good in her flare jeans. dancing like an idiot to make her smile on hard nights. telling stupid jokes while she was in labor to take her mind off the pain. My entire universe used to revolve around that laugh. It’d be a lie if I said I didn’t miss it.”
❤️‍🩹

Liam and Marigold’s bond was bruised with anterior mistakes, suffocated with unuttered epiphanies, tarnished by unexpressed feelings. even so, it was a painfully and crudely real portrayal. their relationship was breathing through the frequent disputes, the digs, the jealousy, longing, pinning, declarations, and long-lost memories of once-in-a-lifetime sort of love. i loved how some of the most important memories that retraced their past relationship were depicted through religiously kept items in the narrative. Liam and Marigold’s love story was more than just a comedy romance, and i simply fell in love with them while they were trying to comprehend that they never really wavered in their love.

”we weren’t exactly broken, but we were definitely in need of repair.”


I won't elaborate on this review any further. I'm afraid to divulge and spoil some important details about the book and its characters that would be better left as a surprise, otherwise I could end up writing an essay and ruining the storytelling. (if you’re a fan of Sarah Adams know that this book is for you) 🫶🏼

⚠️ safety spoiler : no cheating during their marriage. Liam & Marigold are separated for approximately 7 years, both were celibate and didn’t go to any date. no ow or om darma. however marigold goes to a single, one date in the book.

—-
many thanks to NetGalley and the author for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review
—-
the cover is so pretty 🥺💐

Liam and Marigold had been inseperable since their drive in movie date when they were 17. Growing into young adulthood together, they built their life together, including starting a family. When their twin sons were born, a wedge created through the pressures of careers and parenthood began to grow bigger and bigger until one day Marigold walked out. Nearly seven years post divorce, the two of them are pushed to reconnect through their sons' school event and Marigold and Liam have to learn if they can recapture the friendship they built their relationship on and maybe start anew again.

This book hurt in the best way possible! Broke my heart and patched it back up even better that I could have hoped!

As someone getting married and planning for a family, I really enjoyed reading this story about two people who created a life together but struggled when it became overwhelming and they didn't have the tools to weather the storm together. I absolutely adored watching Marigold and Liam recognize their past but figure out how they could grow back together and be even stronger. Their twins were also adorable and I loved how much they adored their parents and championed for their family.

What I loved:
-Adorable children inspired by the Parent Trap
-Second chance deliciousness
-Hot DILF
-A mom trying her best and finding herself again
-Co-parenting turned flirting turned falling in love
-Amazing extended family supporting them both

Rock and a hard place:

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - “what makes you so sure you could fall in love with me again?… what makes you so sure I ever stopped?” - Rock and a Hard Place

🤍 second chance
🤍 The Parent Trap
🤍 Single mum/ single dad
🤍 Forced Proximity
🤍 No Third Act breakup

If you enjoy reading a story with these tropes then this book is for you!

I still feel so lucky that I was able to read the ARC for this, so thank you again to NetGalley and Juliana Smith!

After reading Signed, Sealed, Delivered I fell in love with Julianna’s writing and then why I saw posts about Rock and a Hard Place, I just knew that I had to read it!

Rock and a Hard place follows Liam and Marigold’s journey, from childhood best friends, turned lovers, dealing with marriage, children and a seven-year split.

I totally fell in love with Liam and Marigold’s story! I’m a sucker for a relationship where both characters are clearly meant for each other and are supposed to be together but try their absolute best to ignore it. Reading about these two and how happy there were together, it was almost like I could feel those moments when nothing else mattered and it was just Liam and Marigold together.

Girls - if he wanted to he would and oh boy Liam did! I mean, the man renovated his home to match a Pinterest board that Marigold made of her dream home even after they were divorced! This man wasn’t going to give up!

I personally love a Dual POV in romance as it really allows us to build connections with both characters and I think that Julianna wrote both perspectives brilliantly! I’m glad that we finally saw both characters opening up about their challenges and their feelings, especially those that the other wasn’t aware of.

Dallas and Miles were so cute and I really enjoyed the parent trap vibes!

Also, the teaser for Adam’s book?! You can bet I’ll be reading that!

Read if you like:
🩵Second Chance
🩵Forced Proximity
🩵Single Dad/Single Mom
🩵The Parent Trap
🩵Dual POV
🩵Ever After Always by Chloe Liese

Another beautiful book by one of my favorite authors. Juliana’s books will forever have a special place in my heart and RAAHP is no different.

Liam is such a sweetheart. The way that he shows his love for Marigold is so heartfelt and genuine — it’s a dream, really.

Marigold is spunky, creative, and loves with her entire being. She was such a joy to spend time with, and I find her to be one of Juliana’s most relatable characters yet.

The chemistry, the angst, the pining between Marigold and Liam is perfection. Juliana is the slow-burn queen!!

Goldie. Period. End of story.

I’m glad we got to unpack the problems in Liam and Marigold’s marriage. The struggles of parenthood are laid bare in this book and they are done so candidly and gracefully.

This book is real, cozy, energetic, and just absolute perfection.

RAAHP comes out February 24th! Thank you Juliana and NetGalley for the eARC!

This was perfect!! I cried like three times! Normally I don’t really like second change romance but this was written beautifully

Liam & Marigold

Tropes:
•Second Chance
•Relationship in Crisis
•Forced Proximity

Quotes:
•“It seemed so unlike her. So unlike the woman who used to be mine.”

•"Sometimes history repeats itself, but sometimes it rewrites itself entirely."

Thoughts:
This book asks the ultimate question “is it broken beyond repair?” How far will you go to fight for the people you love? This book was truly one of the sweetest second chance stories I’ve read. From the beginning we know that Liam and Marigold once greatly loved each other but the hardships of young love, small children underfoot and emotional distance created fractures in their relationship. As a mom I related to so many of the thoughts Marigold had in my earlier years of marriage. If you’re looking for a sweet story of relationship redemption this is the book for you! I can’t wait to read more by Juliana Smith!

(Dual POV and Closed Door)

#julianasmith

"Wells. Her last name is Wells “

The third book in the Wells family series which I am thoroughly enjoying. This one focuses on Marigold and Liam who married young and have two young twin boys and have since divorced. The Wells family, being as they are still consider Marigold a part of their family. Liam and Marigold co-parent as best they can however the tension between them is palpable. They are coerced into hosting a stall together at a school fair. This together with some pushing by their young sons as a part of Operation Parent Trap, results in a heartwarming fun romance which has you smiling throughout.

It is sweet how the story includes flashbacks to their young romance and how they have matured into who they are today. The support that the Wells family provides to Marigold is priceless and beautiful. I loved how Marigold and Liam were able to grow and understand the issues that contributed to their divorce and move past this to a hopeful future

Read this if you are a fan of
- Second chance romance
- Forced proximity
- Parent trap vibes
- Happy ever after
- Sweet, closed-door romance

Thank you to Netgalley, Victory Editing Netgalley Co-op and Juliana Smith for an ARC that I devoured and loved.

“Marriage is not the absence of trouble, but how we handle the trouble. Together.”

UGH this book hit me right in the feels. The first two books of the Wells Family series were so light and fun that I did not expect the heaviness of this book. Don’t get me wrong, this one is still full of cheesy lines (my fave), witty banter, and drooling over veiny forearms. But, Juliana brings in the topic of divorce and how hard it is making your marriage a priority when you’re dealing with toddlers day in and day out. As a mom, this book made me feel so seen and understood. 🥲

Rock and a Hard Place is the perfect second chance romance with ultimate The Parent Trap vibes. Complete with a springtime carnival that is perfect for the upcoming season.

Releases this February on Kindle Unlimited!

I would recommend reading as a series but you could absolutely read as a standalone if preferred.

Can’t wait for Adam’s story! 🫶🏼

this was super cute. i loved the parent trap vibes to it. this was a great second chance romance among a divorced couple who is meant to be. the sparks >>. obsessed. i really liked this one in the series!

I loved this book, it was so cute and I just loved the second chance aspect.

Liam and Marigold divorced after being together for years and had kids, they’re used to *civil co-parenting but when they’re signed up to participate in a project for their kids’ school, they do for the “kids” and they slowly start to feel that love they once felt for each other.

This book was major “the parent trap” vibes and I was so here for it. The storyline felt so real to me as well as the characters and I love that so much!

Made me happy to read about the characters in this series!

Juliana Smith’s Wells family books somehow just keep getting better and better!

Marigold and Liam were high school loves who got married, had twins, and grew apart. Rather than fighting for each other, they divorced. Years later, Marigold still attends family dinners and the pair banter and tease each other constantly, and Liam decides it is finally time to fight for what they nice had.

Seeing the whole Wells family again is always so fun, and I loved all the moments when the siblings were together. Getting a peek back at the other characters made my heart happy!

This book rings with authenticity. The way Marigold loses herself a bit in motherhood, sacrificing all of her own wants and pushing her dreams aside to do what she deems best for her children? Every mom out there is going to see herself in that piece of Marigold and feel completely seen. She is afraid to want anything bigger for herself, just chugging along with the status quo while her kids are still young, and you’ll want all the happiness in the world for her.

The love story also feels real, where two people have grown up from the nervous flirting of the teen years, through the trenches of having babies and toddlers, and to finally understanding what they want their lives to look like and the realization that sometimes you have to fight for what you want. It is sweet and hopeful and charming and has an awesome grand gesture. Also, their sons are the best and very appropriately written for their age! Mischievous and silly, with that sibling bond like no other.

Thank you to NetGalley and Juliana Smith for the ARC! All opinions are my own,

this was a cute story! I love a good marriage-in-crisis trope, even though Liam & Marigold are divorced, it still had that vibe. I loved the twin boys in this story! they are so fun & cute & have that childish innocence & imagination that goes beyond any bounds. Liam & Marigold are cute together, clearly still in love with each other. it made sense why they separated in the first place, but it felt like all the needed was a conversation & maybe some couple therapy to sort through their problems. they were divorced for seven years, and it didn’t make complete sense to me why they so much resentment build & fester for so long before deciding to finally have that hard conversation. overall though I loved their connection, history, dedication to their kids & family, while still being fun & honest & open to rekindling their romance and bring their lil family back together. I also really loved the “parent trap” side from their kids! I love seeing those pre-made plans and how they played out throughout the story. made it really fun & cute 🥰
thanks for the arc!!!

As a big fan of the movie The Parent Trap, I knew I needed to read this

Another fantastic book by Juliana Smith. I've been lucky to receive copies of all the Wells family and as soon as we were introduced to Liam and Marigold I knew I needed them back together.
The characters, the plot and writing were all amazing
Thankyou for the ARC Juliana 🫶🏻

This was so sweet 🥹

The Parent Trap is my favourite movie, so I was excited to dive into this second chance for romance with two mischievous twin boys!

The tension, the flirting and the pining were so good. Their relationship evolved from indifference to pure, deep, devoted love and it was so special to read about two souls getting back what they once lost. I was so glad when they finally laid it all out, said what they should have said 7 years ago.

There were so many cute moments - the bathroom (this one was HOT too!), football games with their boys, the ice cream shop, the end result of their project…

My *only* niggle was that I found their inner monologues a bit repetitive sometimes. Would have liked the tension to be ramped up juuuust that little bit more!

Definitely worth the read for any second chance, Parent Trap, sweet romance lovers 🥰

Thank you for the DRC!

Thank you to Netgalley and Victory Editing for the ARC.

🌟🌟🌟🌟💫 4.5/5 stars

Rock and a Hard Place is the adorably angsty third book in the Wells Family series. It follows Liam and Marigold, who we have known for two books as the divorced couple that spends an odd amount of time together. I have been waiting for their story and when I saw that it would have a Parent Trap component, I needed to read it.

This romance lived up to my expectations and I absolutely loved it. Marigold and Liam had all the angst of a second chance romance with some extra whimsy by way of their adorable twin sons. I loved how dedicated they were to co-parenting and how they put aside their terrible communication skills (ha) when it came to their kids. I was rooting for them immediately and loved how their story unfolded. Another winner in this small town romance series.

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

5 ⭐️

I love this series so much. The Wella fmaily is amazing. I opened this book at 10pm and didn’t stop until I finished at 2am. This might have been my favorite in the series so far. The way Juliana talked about marriage and the struggles couples go through WITHOUT CHEATING(my least favorite troupe) was top notch.

This book is about a second chance romance for a couple that got divorced. They have two little boys(who are the cutest) who parent trap their parents getting back together! Think black cat FMC and golden retriever MMC. Liam is everything and you will love him!

I recommend all the books in this series PLUS any book Juliana writes. You’ll fall in love with these characters