The writing was written in such a smooth way, that I found myself flying through this story, even when the male lead character was frustrating with his focus on money and how that will solve everything.

Only in the last third of the story, we were able to dig deeper into what was behind Hudson’s drive to provide financially to those he loves.

I enjoyed the roller rink scenes - it brought some adventure, fun and sport spirit to the story.

The writer delivered a story where I could feel the characters' emotions and frustrations with each other and the struggles they faced each day. There were moments where I just wanted to shake the characters to make them talk to each other and finally be honest.

I enjoyed this story more than expected, which is always a good surprise after finishing the story.

*I received a complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.*

A sweet clean second chance romance story is always a favorite of mine. The bridal shop setting was perfect, nothing says love like a shop full of wedding dresses and starry-eyed brides-to-be. Throw in two stubborn people, a misunderstanding that tore them apart, meddling family and friends and you have a Hallmark worthy plot. I was tickled by the skating rink; I skated when I was young and even had lessons. It was soooo much fun and the author describes it perfectly. A con for me was taking the character flaws too far. Dakota needed help but refused, that's ok, but she leaned into it so hard it was annoying before she finally fessed up. Hudson came off as a money-grubbing know-it-all. If it wasn't for the inner dialog you might believe it. As with Dakota, I thought it took him too long to lighten up and explain himself. My gut feeling is that it could have worked out if the awareness and explanations had happened gradually through the story instead of all at once. It was an epiphany, not growth. The best things about the book are the romance, family/friends dynamics and interaction. It made me smile and when I finished the journey I felt pleased. There's a cute HEA too.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson publishing. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I absolutely love a second chance romance and this one right here was so heartfelt.

The small town of Flowering Grove, is where Dakota the FMC owns a bridal shop. Hudson the MMC and Dakotas ex-fiancé, left town years ago and thought he'd never return-until his sister announced she was marrying her boyfriend she's only known for a few months. When Dakota and Hudson are reunited, sparks fly, but they have quite a few issues to work out, and their journey is emotional. This book is a touching tale of rekindled romance, rediscovery, and the transformative power of forgiveness.

Amy Clipston did a wonderful on the characters in this closed door romance. They were so relatable and it fruit like I knew them personally. Seeing Dakota and Hudson fall back in love and rekindle all those old feelings warmed my heart. The small town of Flowering Grove, was the most quaint Hallmark-esque town that want to visit.

With This Ring is a stand-alone clean romance that features themes of forgiveness and healing. Hudson and Dakota were high school sweethearts but things went awry and they split up several years ago. Now he's back in town hoping to talk his younger sister into postponing her wedding and ends up staying at an Airbnb next door to Dakota. Little by little they start spending more time together but have to figure out how to let each other know that they still care for one another!

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review. All opinions are my own.

Publication date: 14 January 2025

With this ring by Amy Clipston

I got this book via @netgalley as ARC and heres my thoughts about it, which are all mine.

Hudson returns to small home town and his Airbnb is next to his ex-fiancee Dakotas house. Their life’s starts to intervene as only small town can happen. They start to realize that they still have feelings to each other and after some trials Hudson proposes Dakota.

Book was beautiful love story in small town. Characters developed themselves in lovely way (as seeing their own faults and work for those too.
Third person narrative is not my favorite and I think theres could be so much more if the narrative would be in first person. And maybe to different time lines would work in this book? (Even I’m not super fan of those, but still a thought.)
Over all, I’m recommending this book, if you want beautiful and happy tear-y book to read!

Thank you Thomas Nelson Fiction and Netgalley this copy.

That's some bad luck.

Yeesh, that's a lot of "nice".

His sister is twenty-three, not eighteen.

Seems like both of them are fuzzy on the timeline of the break-up.

Roller rinks were fun.

Buy a vowel, Parker.

I do not like her mom at all. But she should tell someone about her problems soon.

They both had issues with communication. One conversation fixed seven years of angst.

From the beginning, this story closely resembled a Hallmark movie. Small town girl (Dakota) engaged to high school boyfriend (Hudson). But, it was eventually realized they each had different dreams for their futures. Dakota's dream was to remain in the small town, Flowering Grove, and own her own shop. Hudson's dream was to leave for the big city and big money. As soon as Dakota realized this, she broke the engagement. Unfortunately, she failed to talk to Hudson to see if this could be worked out. He never knew why she broke off their engagement.
Dakota got her dream. Fairytale Bridal Shop. But...right now, her dream is also her nightmare. A water leak, her failure to fully read or understand her lease and insurance has gowns ruined and her facing financial ruin.
Hudson, also got his dream. He and his business partner recently sold their software company and are deciding what to do next when his little sister calls to tell him she's getting married. How can that be? She's only known the guy three months! Hudson rushes back to Flowering Grove determined to put a stop to this. Unfortunately, he still sees his sister as the kid in high school who made some really bad choices, rather than see her as the grown and mature adult she now is. He thinks he can just order her around as though she's still a child. Not gonna happen.
His sister goes to Dakota's shop hoping to find a wedding gown that looks like the one her mother married her father in. Dakota loves designing and alterations. She can do this! Well, Hudson's sister sends Hudson into Dakota's shop without telling him who owns the shop. Clever and sneaky, don't ya think?
I found this to be a super sweet story. Clean, sweet romance. A must read!
I was given an advanced ecopy by the publisher, Thomas Nelson through Netgalley. I was under no obligation to leave a positive review.

I found the story ok, I do like a second chance romance and enjoyed the forced proximity accept of it. Also the lovers to enemies to lovers again was a fun twist to the story. I didn't enjoy the miscommunication accept as it was sad to see 7 years of their lives wasted and lost just over not saying one or two sentences to each other and explaining themselves. It was ok and I did recommend it on my Instagram account. It was nice to have a kisses only romance.

This was such a great read!!

I loved the slow burn, second chance romance and the small town romance setting! The characters were so likable and relatable! The author did an amazing job of showing their character growth through their journey of forgiveness and learning to trust again, I will definitely be reading more books by Amy Clipston!

Thank you TNZ Fiction and Thomas Nelson for the physical galley and Netgalley for the eARC!

With This Ring is a sweet, clean second chance romance all about forgiveness, love, and finding out what is truly important in life. Amy Clipston has been a must read author for me and will continue to be!

This story is set in the small town of Flowering Grove, NC and centers around Dakota and Hudson. Dakota loves her town and is living her dream running the Fairytale Bridal Boutique, but finds herself down on her luck when water pipes leak and ruin a good portion of the wedding dresses. The last person she wants to see is Hudson, the man who broke her heart 7 years ago, yet here he is.

Hudson is a successful businessman back in town from the big city for his sister’s wedding. He lost both parents at a young age and strove to take care of his aunt and sister almost to a fault. Hudson’s sister chose Dakota’s shop to make her custom wedding dress, which means there is no avoiding Dakota…

As the two navigate seeing each other after so long, they talk about what broke them apart and discover that their feelings for each other never really went away. Can they work through and move past their past and find their own happily ever after?

Both characters have plenty of issues and flaws which made them seem real. There were a few times when I just wanted to yell at both of them to get over it and just talk to each other. Dakota is one stubborn girl, not wanting to ask for help from anyone. I liked seeing her realize that sometimes it’s ok to ask for help and let them help. Hudson was wrapped up in his grief while also refusing to acknowledge it. I liked seeing Hudson open up about his grief and work through it. I did love the strong sense of family and forgiveness in the story!

TW: Loss of Parents (past)

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Hudson and Dakota were high school sweethearts who eventually became engaged but before the wedding, they broke up. Dakota stayed in their hometown and opened a bridal shop while Hunter made his fortune in NYC as the co-founder of a successful business that recently sold. Now their two worlds have collided as Hunter has temporarily moved home to try to talk his sister (and Dakota’s client), Layla, out of marrying her fiancé and it becomes apparent that he and Dakota have unfinished business to take care of—both as individuals as well as with one another. This feel-good clean second chance romance deals with their personal journeys that eventually lead them back together. It’s a slow burn romance that moves a little slow but definitely has kisses with some sizzle. I enjoyed it! Rating 4.5. I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions expressed are completely my own.

With This Ring is about second chances, forgiveness, sweet romance and a Wedding. An uplifting clean romance. Another winner for Amy Clipston. Thank you to Thomas Nelson Fiction.

Amy has written a lovely, cozy, and heartwarming story! It’s a sweet slow burn, second chance romance, with a wonderful small town backdrop. I thoroughly enjoyed it!

I loved the growth of the main characters, and how they both came to realize they weren’t without fault. The romance between Dakota and Hudson was sweet, especially when Hudson kept helping Dakota, even though he was still hurting over their breakup.

✨ After a painful broken engagement to her high school sweetheart, Hudson, Dakota built a new life as the owner of Fairytale Bridal Shop. But her world is turned upside down when Hudson returns to town.

Wealthy and single, Hudson Garrity returns to his hometown to prevent his sister’s marriage. He soon finds himself entangled in family chaos and face-to-face with Dakota Jamison, the girl who broke his heart.

As Hudson and Dakota reunite, they’re faced with the pain of their past and the uncertainty of their future. Will they continue to believe the lies they’ve told themselves, or will they find a way to rekindle their love?

Relatable characters and heartfelt, emotional moments make this a touching, engaging, and uplifting read.

I received a copy from the publisher and Austenprose PR via NetGalley, but a positive review was not required. All opinions expressed are completely my own.

This is a heartwarming and uplifting read that is a perfect fit for fans of sweet, clean, and contemporary romance, particularly those who enjoy second chance love stories and small-town fiction, as it weaves a tender tale of rekindled romance, forgiveness, and rediscovery.

I enjoyed this book and fell in love with the characters. I cannot count the amount of times I smiled or teared up reading this book. With this Ring was a great heartfelt book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for the arc copy of this book. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Hudson Garrity always dreamed of going to New York and starting his own software company. When he gets the opportunity to do just that, his broken off engagement with high school sweetheart Dakota Jamison solidifies his decision to never return to their hometown of Flowering Grove, North Carolina. Dakota stays in Flowering Grove and opens a bridal boutique, staying busy and pursuing her dream of being a seamstress. Hudson seldom returns to his hometown, never seeing Dakota again as years pass.

After seven years go by, Hudson finds himself back in Flowering Grove with the sale of his company and his sister Layla's engagement news. Hudson is determined to stop Layla and Shane's wedding, deciding to stay in an Airbnb in town next door to Dakota. With the new close proximity, Hudson and Dakota keep running into each other and must come to terms with their feelings and why their relationship fell apart years prior. When Dakota starts dating another man and Hudson's meddling starts backfiring on him, he must decide between staying in North Carolina to fight for those he loves or taking another project out of state with his partner Darren.

This book revolves around the tropes of miscommunication, second chance, and forced proximity. It is listed as adult fiction romance but seems more on the YA side in my opinion. I did find some of the content to be overly descriptive, but can see the appeal of that for readers who picture scenes in their head while reading. Overall, it was a cute book, although frustrating at times. I wanted Dakota and Hudson to get over themselves and make up already, as it was clear they needed to be together. They both had good character development. The romance was very PG and there was zero spice, which I would've liked to see.

3.75 stars.

With This Ring by Amy Clipston is an enjoyable contemporary romance novel with amazing characters.
This is a fascinating, poignant story, as well as somewhat of an emotional experience.
I love all of Amy's books but this one is probably my favorite.
This book is beautifully written with characters that you can connect with and bond naturally.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. I really love this author! Her books are well written! This has been one of my favorite second chance romance books that I have read. I recommend this book to those who like second chance romance books.

Thank you to Netgalley for a digital copy of this book for me to review!

With This Ring by Amy Clipson. I always enjoy a romance by Clipson because they are simpler without the heat and yet, so sweet. Dakota owns a bridal shop, but things aren’t going well. The pipes had burst and ruined a great many gown for the new season. She is working diligently with a steamer to salvage as many as possible. Because she has no gowns from this season, her business has fallen off so now is having trouble making her store lease payment and her house payment. To make matters worse, Layla had come in and wanted a wedding dress just like her mother’s: she had a photo. To start from scratch would be hideously expensive but Dakota thought she could modify one she had in the store. Layla was thrilled. The next day a man came into the store to pay for the dress. It was Hudson, the man who had dumped Dakota years before...back in town! Hudson was bossy and thought he was always right, which caused a problem between Layla and her fiance. In fact, it led to the wedding being cancelled.’

Hudson was a good guy, but he was bossy. He was ruining his relationship with his sister and Dakota told him so. As he contemplated his next move, he though about what Dakota had said, and she was right. Dakota was good at solving other people problems, just not her own. She never wanted to ask for help. She was a bad as Hudson in many ways. She gave in and went to her dad for help. Things took a turn for the better quickly. Layla resolved her problems and the wedding was back on. Things were looking up and Dakota was thrilled. These are all nice people. We see the hidden darkness in several of them, but it rectifies itself. It was a decent second chance romance novel with a lot of other stuff thrown in for good measure.

I was invited to read With This Ring by Thomas Nelson Fiction. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #ThomasNelsonFiction #AmyClipson #WithThisRing

Heatfelt

I greatly enjoyed With This Ring, as it is a very heartfelt, sweet romance that deeply touched my heart. It is the story of Dakota and Hudson, two very wounded people whose previous shattered relationship left them deeply wounded. However, what got them there is a matter of opinion as each one has a different opinion of how things went down. Those hurts and clouded memories bring much unpleasantness, anger, and sadness to their unexpected reunion. As they spend more time together, they each deal with buried memories that come to the surface and begin to bring a new light to their relationship. How they each do so is extremely heartfelt, and sent me on an emotional roller coaster that included feelings that fluctuated between the like and dislike of certain characters.

Dakota and Hudson's story is a sweet, clean story of healing, self-reflection, and the effects of misguided goals and lack of communication. But most importantly, it is a wonderful story of the power of forgiveness and love.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions and comments are voluntary and completely my own.