Chloe Liese has done it again with Once Smitten, Twice Shy! This heartwarming story combines friends-to-lovers and fake dating tropes in the sweetest way. Juliet and Will are both hesitant to open their hearts after past pain, but their journey of "practicing romance" together is full of humor, tenderness, and personal growth.
I loved the thoughtful representation in this book—Juliet lives with chronic illness, and Will is autistic. Their mutual understanding and support were beautifully written, showing how love thrives on acceptance and kindness. Their chemistry is undeniable, and their open communication felt refreshing and real.
The ending wrapped up not just Juliet and Will’s love story, but also brought closure to the Wilmot sisters’ series in a heartwarming way. While I wish there had been more sisterly moments, this was a satisfying and emotional conclusion. Liese’s books always leave me smiling, and this one is no exception!

Once Smitten, Twice Shy by Chloe Liese is a tale of star-crossed lovers who discover that embracing romance can lead to a perfect happy ending in this steamy reimagining of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night. The story feels like a comforting embrace: simultaneously familiar and exhilaratingly fresh.

The final book in the Wilmot series, and gosh, it was worth the wait.

Will dubs himself as socially awkward and not great with words, but in time, it's clear he just didn't find his perfect match. Juliet was sweet and patient, but if you haven't read the prior books, you may not feel a connection to her.

Together, these two were so wholesome and sweet. I loved how vulnerable and honest they were and how they simply communicated. Will was the definition of a green flag, and I absolutely loved them!

➸ Twelfth Night Retelling
➸ Grumpy x Sunshine
➸ Practice Dates
➸ Mutual Pining
➸ Neurodivergent Rep
➸ Chronic Illness Rep
➸ Bi Rep
➸ Dual POV

“I finally made you smile.”
“Finally? Juliet, all you’ve got to do is walk into a room, and I’m grinning like a fool.”

“I’m in your corner just as much as you’re in mine, okay ? On the hard days, I’ll be the arm to hold on to, the pair of hands to do what you can’t, the feet that carry you when yours won’t take another step. And on the gentle days, the feel-good days , I’ll be there, too, grateful that I get to be your friend and see you shine.”

“Like I could ever want anyone but you.”

This was cute. Good disability rep. The characters were fun

If you’re looking for a no-drama and no third act breakup this is the book for you

if chloe liese writes it, i’ll read it. i’ve loved her writing ever since i read the bergman brothers series.

the wilmont sisters series was another great series and this book was a farewell to these lovely characters. i absolutely adored everything about this. will was adorable and ugh i loved juliet they were so great together and so good for each other.

chloe writes such good slow burn that just makes you yearn while focusing on more important details. i look forward to whatever else chloe has up her sleeve.

Huge thank you to @berkleypub @berittalksbooks @thephdivabooks @dg_reads and @netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
.
Now this is the perfect way to kick off 2025! I adore Liese’s books and this series. This was the perfect conclusion and I’m not going to lie I’m so sad that it’s over! While you don’t have to read the previous books I definitely recommend them.
.
Juliet’s happily ever after may actually be my favorite of the three books. This book starts off with her still hiding out in Scotland healing from heartbreak where she meets the handsome, shy Will. She’s not ready to put herself out there yet but when they meet months later in her very own backyard she is beginning to see a glimpse of a possible happy future. Let me tell you Will is the ultimate book boyfriend. There are so many swoon worthy moments in this book. It’s just a perfect romance. One of my favorite aspects to Liese’s books is that she writes so many diverse characters. If you are looking for a book with a HEA this is it!
.

This book is the biggest green flag I’ve read in my life. I genuinely loved Will and Juliet’s dynamic, the communities they surrounded themselves with, and how caring they were not only with each other, but in general. This is the definition of a romance steeped in acts of service and gentle love 🩷 Chloe does an incredibly job in crafting a world that shows the best of friendship and beautiful representations of what it means to be seen by those around you 🥹

Chloe Liese is always an auto read no matter what. The Bergman Brothers books will always be favorites, and I find them hard to live up to. While I very much enjoyed Once Smitten, Twice Shy, I did find it missing that same magic that come with the Bergman Brothers. I enjoyed Juliet and Will and their journey together and always love a Shakespeare retelling. I love the fake dating trope and it was executed well. Overall, it was a great book, I think I am just falling into the issue of comparison!

3.5 stars rounded up to 4! I’m so sad this series is coming to an end, but what a great way to wrap up the Wilmont sisters’ stories. This series has been such a delight to read. All of the stories have been funny, heartfelt, and so romantic!

Once Smitten, Twice Shy follows Juliette and Will as they fake date in an attempt to get ready to ease them back in to the world of dating. Even thought the relationship isn’t “real” it’s so evident that these two are made for each other. Liese does a fantastic job of describing the hesitancy and fear to try again after you’ve been hurt and the freeing feeling of falling in love.

One of my favorite aspects of this book is how vulnerable, open, and thoughtful Juliette and Will are with each other. Juliette has chronic pain and Will is neurodivergent. Once they know this information about the other they are genuinely so thoughtful about the other’s needs and limitations. It’s never once treated as an issue that needs to be fixed but instead a feature of the other person. They both make small changes to dates or game nights to accommodate for the other and are so intentional at choosing activities the other can happily take part in.

I think Juliette and Will make a great couple. They have great chemistry and are intensely attracted to each other. They’re endlessly patient, supportive, kind, and gentle. Juliette is the perfect extroverted match for introverted Will and it’s obviously they respect and love each other so well. They had open and honest communication and beautifully showed each other they could trust the other with their hearts and trust they would love and care for them.

I’m so happy we got to see the other characters from the first 2 books. One of the last chapters was so satisfying and wrapped up Bea and Jamie’s story beautifully! I wish we had more Wilmont sister interaction, I kept waiting for a special moment between the sisters and got nothing, I really think this would have added so much to the book. I also wish I knew Juliette a bit more, we get bits of her work life but I feel like I don’t know her as much as I knew Kate or Bea which is a bit sad!

I love this series so much and while I wish there were more books the ending was so satisfying! The last chapter was so heartwarming, it was a beautiful end to Will and Juliette’s story!

Thank you so much to Berkley and NetGalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review!

Juliet & Will's story is adorable. I am a sucker for a fake-dating / let's go on pretend dates to "practice" and then they obviously fall in love in the process.
Once again, Chloe Liese hits me hard in the chest with a story about overcoming your past and figuring out that you are worth it, worth it all.
Will as a character is so sweet and silly. I love him. Will is a guy that doesn't know he's hot, that is very pratical and thinks love is not for him. Juliet was hurt in the past and is swearing off men until she feels ready but then she meets Will and they decide to "practice" until they're both comfortable enough to get back in the "real" dating game.
This book is a cute story that will make your heart swoon. I loved every page of it.
I have to add that their "practice" dates made me laugh out loud they're so funny and clumsy and awkward but also cute and wholesome.

I absolutely devoured this book and loved every minute of it. They were so cute from the beginning and loved watching them fall in love even when they didn’t want to admit it.

If there’s one thing Chloe can write, it’s a tender and vulnerable romance that will leave you full of all the warm and fuzzy feelings. Real rating of 4.5.

I loved seeing our bisexual queen Juliet not only learn to navigate her chronic illnesses, but also learn to mend her broken heart and trust issues surrounding falling in love after the situation with her ex. Her fear of not only loving again for her sake but also her friend group’s sake and the fear of causing tension in said friend group was a vulnerable journey for her to navigate. Watching her grow alongside Will as they both learned to navigate romance was adorable and I knew that their practice wouldn’t allow them to remain “just friends” for long.

I loved the neurodivergence and chronic illness rep and felt so seen by so many details in their story. One quote Will said really stood out to me; “And while I wish you never had to hurt, I’ll never wish you different than exactly as you are.” That’s something I wish that everyone understood with those of us with chronic illnesses. We just want to be seen, understood, and loved. We don’t want people to see us as someone to cure or change because our chronic illness(es)/disabilities make them uncomfortable. I loved how well Juliet and Will balanced each other out and how easily they understood each other and never felt inconvenienced to accommodate each other. It was truly beautiful.

If Chloe writes it I’ll read it. No exceptions. She writes such beautiful stories that make those of us with chronic illnesses and neurodivergence feel hopeful that our happily ever after could be out there. That there’s someone out there that will see us just as we are and not want to change anything. Her books will leave you giggling and kicking your feet with a heart full of hope and warmth. This was a great end to the Wilmot sisters’ stories and I can’t wait to see what she writes next!

Despite loving love, Juliet Wilmont has decided to take a break from love after a bad breakup. However, she can't resist the opportunity to practice romance with Will Orsino. Will is just her type, but he's awkward and doesn't believe anyone could truly love him. Will needs a wife to help with his family business in the long-term, and sweet, outgoing Juliet is the perfect practice partner. However, practice starts to feel very real, and Juliet and Will need to decide if they can get past their romantic baggage and be a real couple.

Chloe Liese is a perennial favorite, and this book did not disappoint. Juliet and Will are so cute together, and the way they fall in love is my favorite way: friends to lovers AND the fake(ish) dating trope. As always, there's some good representation in the book: Will is autistic and Juliet has mixed connective tissue disease; Juliet also mentions in passing that she's bisexual, but that's very glossed over. This is the third book in the Wilmot Sisters series, and while I somehow missed the first two, it wasn't necessary to read those to understand this. There are a lot of background characters that they books seem to share, and reading the other two would probably enhance the reading experience, but it seems to stand alone well. I loved how this book did NOT include miscommunication or a second-act breakup.

In the third and final installment of The Wilmot Sisters trilogy, eldest sister Juliet finally gets her happy ending. After wearing rose-colored glasses with her ex-fiance, Juliet vows to be on guard when it comes to romance. She even swore off dating for 6 months, which was hard when she met an American in Scotland who was tall and broad and handsome and danced with her in a bar. But months later, she runs into this same American, who struggles with romance, and just so happens to be her brother from another mother's best friend from college, she strikes up a deal with him: help one another get back in the game as romance work-out buddies. But once they start fake dating, it starts to feel more like real dating.

This was classic Chloe in that it was inclusive and has a character with neurodivergence. While I love that the author includes these qualities in her characters, I feel she went too far with Juliet's character. Juliet struggles with Celiac. Juliet struggles with a connective tissue disorder. Juliet suddenly struggles with bi-sexuality in the sense that people assume she's straight? That last one threw me as I don't remember in past books Juliet being bi-sexual (I could be wrong, perhaps it was mentioned in book one? But I have no memory of it) and it basically came up out of nowhere, and was unnecessary to the storyline. It could be omitted and the book would go on being great. I'm not saying that struggle isn't real, I just don't think there was context prior to this to support this statement. Also, it was a sentence and then gone and forgotten. So, again, unnecessary. Basically, although I love the inclusivity that Chloe gives us, this one was A LOT and had a lot going on it to make it almost distracting. Almost.

I still really loved the story, the heat and intensity between Will and Juliet was palpable and horny, and I was there for it 100%! I loved the communication between the two and that there were no miscommunications or third-act breakups. Will is a super sweet and sexy character, I love his background and his family, and especially his beard. Juliet is fun and charming and easy to love. I enjoyed reading the cast of characters that we've grown to know throughout the series, as well.

One of my happiest discoveries through extensively reading romance has been finding authors who write books that feel custom made for me, and my taste. Chloe Liese is one of those for me.

I loved this book and I loved the characters. I think my favourite thing about this series and this book in particular is the real and soft flow of the story. There is no big drama, no third act ( or any act) breakup, no big twist building up. It's just two people rediscovering the joy of love and falling for each other. Their friends and family are the cherry on the cake and root for them. Platonic friendships and familial relationships that feel warm and leave me with a sense of comfort all over.

Safe. That's how I feel reading Chloe's books but especially this book. As if all my emotions are welcome and safe in the pages.

Juliet and Will won me fair and square and it's just a book I will re-read over and over Again to just feel the happiness it filled me with.

Can't wait for more from her 🩷

I love Chloe Liese's books with all my heart. I read the entire Bergman series this year, having just finished recently. Maybe there were several factors that lead to my not liking this. Maybe it was that I have issues with Shakespeare retellings (sometimes), and believe it takes a certain vision to make it seem ... not so *much* like a retelling. The movie Anyone But You? Perfect. Beautiful. No notes. I have, however, read another Twelfth Night retelling that just didn't hit the mark either. Maybe the issue was that I just finished the Bergman series yesterday, and I miss the characters. Maybe it was the fact that I heard not so good things about the first two Wilmot sisters books. Maybe someday I'll come back to this book when I've forgotten all those things and read it again and find I really like it, and change my tune. Will is sweet, and I always enjoy the way Liese writes her autistic characters. Not one character is the same, and I appreciate that, because autism truly is a spectrum. You can see the stark differences in all her autistic characters. I just could never fully get into the book no matter how much I liked Will and his character.

Once Smitten, Twice Shy is a reimagining of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, which has been my favorite play since I first read it in high school (which, let’s put this in perspective, was like 2001 or 2002). All the little nods to the source material left me giggling and kicking my feet. I love the subtle way Chloe pays homage to the Bard and his body of work.

Juliet is the last single Wilmot standing, and she’s actually having trouble with the standing part. She’s dealing with a recent diagnosis of a chronic health condition, plus she’s still healing from a toxic relationship that ended badly, as those relationships tend to do. As a result, she’s doubting her ability to read people and make good choices.

Will Orsino is in line to take over his family’s whisky distillery once his parents retire, but he knows he can’t do it alone. He needs a partner—someone to help him with the relational parts of the business. His autism means he gets overwhelmed easily by loud noises and unfamiliar situations, and he hasn’t had much success in the dating department, either.

After not one but two random run-ins, on two opposite sides of the world, Jules and Will decide maybe fate wants them to be friends—and maybe they can be each other’s “romantic training wheels.” They agree to a month of practice dates—but what starts as practice turns into something undeniably real.

As someone who is neurodivergent with sensory issues and chronic pain, I related to both Jules and Will in so many ways. Chloe’s words were like a balm over the sensitive parts of my heart, soothing and comforting and healing. The sensory issues that Will describes in the book--too much toothpaste making him gag, loud sounds making him shut down--are exactly my lived experience. I felt so seen. Jule's chronic pain is a twin to my own, and buying comfortable shoes specifically to help alleviate the discomfort? I know all about that. Having to creak and groan down the stairs? I know all about that, too.

Chloe writes characters who are perfectly imperfect. Her romances demonstrate that everyone, regardless of disabilities. physical limitations, or orientation, deserve happy endings. The casual but intentional inclusive representation in all of her books is one of the reasons she's one of my favorite authors of all time.

Thank you so much to Berkley Romance for my advance review copy through your Influencer Hub for Underrepresented Voices. Finally getting a copy of this book in my hands meant so much to me.

I absolutely adore the Wilmot Sisters - so Once Smitten, Twice Shy was one of my most anticipated romance reads for 2025. I am not shocked at all that Chloe Liese has once again delivered the most heartwarming of love stories. She writes older characters that feel so real because they go through the aches and pains of normal life like the rest of us. Juliet and Will have both suffered heartache and they're trying to find a way to overcome their fears together. Ensue fake dating and practicing romance shenanigans that will always make for a great reading experience.

I love how gentle Jules and Will are with each other. She's learning to live a life with celiac disease and mixed connective tissue disease and he's navigating social life as a neurodivergent individual. They are so sweet and good for each other. I'm squealing again just remembering all of their adorable moments together. Their chemistry sparked from the second they met and the soulmate behaviour was so strong right away.

And I loved seeing Bea and Jamie, Christopher (love of my life) and Kat, and the entire friend gang again! I love the sisterhood and the friendships in this book. I also loved seeing Will get inaugurated into the male friendships and partner crew. This book was such a sweet way to wrap up a few different character stories. I'm sad to see it end, but so glad I got to experience all the tooth-rotting fluff and healthy couple dynamics (especially in this relationship economy).

Thanks so much to @berkleypub and @berkleyromance for the free book and the opportunity to read and review!

4.5🌟
My First Chloe Liese Book – and It Stole My Heart

Once Smitten, Twice Shy was everything I didn’t know I needed in a romance novel. Chloe Liese masterfully blends neurodivergence, chronic illness, and emotional vulnerability into a love story that feels real, heartfelt, and beautifully inclusive.

The representation in this book was handled with such care and nuance. It didn’t feel like these aspects of the characters’ lives were treated as obstacles to overcome or glossed over for the sake of romance. Instead, they were simply part of who they were, embraced and celebrated. The message that love doesn’t come in spite of these traits but because of the whole person is so profoundly moving. It’s a reminder that true love sees every part of you and treasures it fully.

Then, there’s the romance itself—be still, my heart! This is a second-chance love story with all the warm fuzzies and none of the unnecessary drama. I adored how the characters communicated openly and how Chloe Liese skillfully avoided the dreaded third-act breakup trope. Instead of unnecessary miscommunication, the plot leaned into meaningful conversations and emotional growth, which felt so refreshing and mature.

The two leads, Frankie and Aiden, are magnetic. Frankie is sharp, witty, and fiercely independent, and watching her learn to trust and open her heart again was such a rewarding journey. Aiden, on the other hand, is everything you could want in a romantic hero—patient, caring, and utterly devoted to earning Frankie’s love and trust again. Their chemistry is electric, but it’s the quieter, tender moments that truly shine.

And let’s talk about the writing itself—Chloe Liese’s prose feels like a warm hug. It’s lyrical without being over-the-top, and the way she weaves humor, heartache, and healing into the story is a testament to her talent.

If you’re looking for a romance that is swoon-worthy, deeply empathetic, and full of joy, Once Smitten, Twice Shy is an absolute must-read. It’s more than just a love story—it’s a celebration of finding someone who loves every part of you and makes you believe in second chances.

Thank you, NetGalley and Berkeley Publishing, for the ARC—this book has made me an instant Chloe Liese fan <3

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️.5

This was a really cute book! Will and Juliet were adorable. I’m a sucker for the very specific genre of fake dating where they’re “practicing” on each other and this one was so fun and well done!

Will is a big teddy bear and I loved Juliet. Their dynamic was super sweet- I loved how they listened to each other and helped each other out (Will with his neurodivergence and Jules with her celiac/connective tissue disorder). They were just so soft!

The family dynamics were also really enjoyable! I also loved how rom com movies and romance books were weaved in! And bonus points for the eclipse reference (I was in upstate New York to witness totality this year and it made me smile!)

Read if you like:
- Fake Dating
- He Falls First
- Pining
- Shakespeare Retellings
- Neurodivergent Representation

Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley Romance for the eARC!