5/5 (actually 4.5 out of five)

This ended up easily being my favorite of the Wilmot sisters book. The previous excellent books built up and created such a lovely universe and supporting cast that really came to fruition here. This book also benefited from set up of those previous books. Juliet’s HEA felt so earned. You genuinely root for her and are invested in her before this book even begins. Add in what is easily the most swoon worthy hero of the series!

This retelling of twelfth night is heart tugging, funny, romantic, has great inside romance novel jokes and amazing autism and chronic illness rep. I am so sad to leave this adorable cozy world Chloe liese has created but so happy to see what comes next”

This book, oh, this book.

First, a huge thank you to Berkley for the eARC. I started reading the day I was approved, then luckily had a five hour flight the next day during which I finished the book, cried silently to myself (the acknowledgements!!!) and then immediately had to put together an instagram post to start spreading the love for Chloe Liese's newest book, and the final book in the Wilmot sister's series.

Having read all of Chloe's books to date, I am pretty confident in saying that this is her most vulnerable one so far. She really strips back the layers of emotions for Juliet and Will, with each choosing to trust one another implicitly with some of deepest emotions, fears, and insecurities. What makes it work so well, especially in the context of 'dating for practice' is that there is so much respect between Will and Juliet, along with kindness, appreciation, admiration, tenderness, care, and, yes, attraction.

The neurodivergent rep is so well done (Will is autistic) and I really appreciate how Chloe is able to write such a diversity of autistic experiences across her books. She knows that each autistic person has their own experience and how they engage with the world, and it shows. Chloe also writes Juliet's health issues with kindness, helping to grow readers' empathy and compassion not only for Juliet, but for people who live with chronic diseases/illnesses.

The love story between Will and Juliet is gorgeous. It's slow burn at its finest, culminating in declarations of love that had me swooning. and the epilogue, oh, the epilogue.

How I wish I could go back and re-read this book again for the first time!

50000000/5 stars.

I really enjoy Chloe Liese's writing and was excited for the third installment of the Wilmot Sisters series. I was glad to see Juliet get her happy ending, although I think it would have been interesting for it to be sapphic. The characters were likable and I liked getting to see characters from the previous books as well. The plot was a bit sparse, but that seems to be the overall tone of this series; heavier on character's inward thoughts and lighter on storyline.
I am a big fan of the Bergman brothers series and overall I think I like that series better. Things were almost too good to be true in the Wilmot sisters books and I would have liked a bit more conflict. The ending of this one got really really mushy and the lovey dovey thoughts got to be a bit too much for me, but that comes down to personal taste. Overall, a good read.

Chloe Liese continues to craft beautiful books that are filled with diverse joy!!! This was a warm hug and a love letter to those of us who are hopeless romantics.

I had such a fantastic time reading this one! Jules and Will were so sweet and pure and I was OBSESSED with their friends to lovers romance. I felt that Jules's character was so compelling in wanting to find love again after being in an unhealthy and manipulative relationship. When she allowed her heart to open to love again, I was cheering along side her!

Throughout the entire book I was rooting so hard for Jules and Will. They've both been through so much and it was a joy to see them work together to heal the wounds of their past, especially in love. Chloe truly excels at writing love stories for everyone; the chronic and neurodivergent representation in this book was so amazing.

As someone who knows Twelfth Night so well, I loved the parallels in this modern adaptation and I loved the way that Chloe was able to make the story her own without losing the original plot points. Also some of the She's The Man references had me SCREAMING!!! They were everything.

This was such a perfect way to say goodbye to this story and these characters! Chloe wrapped up this series with such ease and it made my heart so happy.

Thank you Berkley Publishing, Chloe Liese, and Netgalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

My first Chloe Liese book, and I adored it 💕

I loved the representation of both neurodivergency and chronic health issues - it was something that was addressed with so much care and empathy, but also a semblance of normalcy, because it’s a reality for so many of us. It was also something that was explicitly treated not as a hindrance to romantic love; someone who loves you loves ALL of you, not in spite of the things that make you who you are. You will never be too much for anyone who loves you completely. ❤️

3.75! Another lovely story from Chloe Liese! Her writing is always warm and sweet, and a modern take on Shakespeare is so fun. Although it’s not my most favorite of hers but it was such a nice easy summer read.

Chloe Liese only knows how to write absolute bangers (hehe) of books!!!! they always leave me feeling so happy, fulfilled, accepted, and fully loved, and this story is no exception.

Once Smitten Twice Shy follows Juliet and Will, two deeply beautiful people who have know too much pain and cruelty in life to feel they are deserving of true, all encompassing love. they decide to practice dating so they can hopefully find a partner in life, and of course they each quickly realize how wonderful the other is. their attraction, compassion, and connection is quickly proven in this story, as it is their ability to see their own worth in love and life that takes the most of the plot.

I loved how Juliet and Will find every possible way to make the other feel the love, acceptance, security, and fun they each deserve. it makes their ultimate commitment to each other so special as they are able to see how they themselves are deserving of it. through the help of their whole friend and family groups, whom we’ve already met and fell in love with in the first two books of this series, Will and Juliet have the most beautiful love story believing they deserve each other forever.

I absolutely adored this story in every possible way, thank you so much Berkley romance for making my dreams come true with an early copy of this beautifully perfect story. thank you so much for the arc :)

One of my most anticipated books and the end to a very loved series. I love the Wilmot sisters and love watching them fall in love. Unfortunately, Juliet’s book came a little bit short for me. I struggled with the writing sometimes it seemed like it lacked, and I had a little issue with the pacing. Overall it was enjoyable and I’m sad to see this series go!

I can honestly say this is the sweetest, most adorable book of the series! I've been rooting for Juliet Wilmot, twin sister of Bea, since "Two Wrongs Make A Right," seeing her vulnerability and toughness after getting through a toxic relationship. She was brave enough to end things with her manipulative fiancé, and I've been expecting to read her own book, crossing my fingers for her well-earned happily ever after.
It's impossible not to root for her significant other, Will Orsino, a cinnamon bun hiding behind an introverted, quiet, socially awkward exterior - an incarnated duke who cares wholeheartedly for his entire family.

Their paths cross at a pub in Scotland where they find themselves dancing together and come close to sharing a kiss. Juliet walks out because she's not in a good place to start something new, and hiding in a Scottish cottage is her way to heal her wounds after a heartbreaking experience that makes her second-guess men's motives.

But she doesn't count on meeting this ginger-haired, charming, man-of-few-words stranger in her mother's greenhouse, sleeping peacefully on the ground as rain drips down. She attacks him with a shovel, thinking he's stalking her. When she finds out he's the best friend of Christopher (the leading character of the second book, "Better Hate Than Never," her sister Kate's boyfriend), she realizes he's the Orsino that Christopher is always talking about.

The next day, Juliet runs to him for help with the complicated coffee machine at Christopher's house. This turns into a long chat while they sit on an ancient family swing that fails to carry Will. The abruptness turns into flirty teasing, which Will always fails to achieve because he lacks the social cues to conduct a long conversation, affecting his relationship status. On the other hand, Juliet feels too rusty to flirt after closing her heart to love and second-guessing each decision she's made.

Will needs a partner who can help him conduct family business as a sales representative for their famous whiskey distillery, but to find a proper candidate, he has to break out of his shyness and put himself out there with the right cues. Juliet needs to practice embracing her confidence to build a trustworthy relationship. They decide to help each other by friendly courting to practice romance, getting ready for their future entanglements. But they don't count on the growing attraction they feel for each other, which is meant to push their friendship boundaries, and they have to face their mutual blooming intimacy that they can hardly resist.

Will thinks his best friend Christopher sees Juliet as a little sister, which puts her off-limits, and Juliet still gets scared to trust anybody. But what if they take a risk in the name of love that conquers every single obstacle?

Overall: I loved this friends-to-lovers, super sweet and slow-burn romance! It was also fun to see cameos of Bea-Jamie and Kate-Christopher, whose love stories in the previous books were amazing! These neurodivergence-sensitive Shakespearean adaptations to the real world couldn't be written more brilliantly. Even though the Wilmot sisters' saga concludes with this book, I still wish Chloe Liese would reimagine more Shakespearean stories and introduce us to more vivid and memorable characters we can easily engage with! She did an amazing job as always.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for sharing this amazing romance's digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.

I have such a genuine love for Chloe’s love stories. They always hit me right in the heart and make me feel seen and hopeful. This one is not different, while the plot itself wasn’t my favorite in this series, Chloe worked her magic and made me love it.

Do I still wish it was sapphic? I mean yeah haha.

*I received an arc from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review*

soooooo stinking cute!! i absolutely adore chloe liese and this series has yet to let me down! i love how her books always pack something emotional or have more depth than a typical romance, as i feel that makes their relationship as a whole as well as the book more intriguing

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for this advanced copy.

I've been a long-time Chloe Liese fan, and Jules and Will's love story was no different. Will was the softest cinnamon roll, and Jules is someone I saw so much of myself in, this was an easy favorite. Their love is just...easy. Not in the way that love is ever easy, but when you find someone made for you, who completes you and complements you, even the hard stuff is easy, simply because they're at your side. While I'm sad to say goodbye to the Wilmot sisters, this was a beautiful, tender, honest depiction of love. As always, Chloe pains beautiful, real pictures of life with chronic illnesses, neurodivergence, and anxiety.

Another win, and one I can't wait to add to my shelf come January.

I adored this book so much and I feel so happy that I got to read this book early! I've loved this series so much and I truly think Will & Juliet are my second favorite in this series. Chloe's writing is so soft and tender and magical and this book made me feel so warm inside. Anyone who loves a blushing sweet man and a practice dating plan gone wrong would really love this book. I am so so excited to see what Chloe does next. Thank you to Berkeley for this ARC!

A beautiful, poignant, friends-to-lovers romance with witty banter full of double entendres, smoking chemistry, and honest vulnerability. In my opinion, this is the most romantic of Liese’s books, and she just keeps getting better at creating characters who are imperfect but perfectly suited for each other.

After escaping from an abusive relationship, Juliet heads to Scotland to heal her psychological wounds. In an adorable meet-cute, she is asked to dance by Will, who she assumes is a ginger-haired giant of a Highlander but turns out to be American. Although there’s an instant spark, she’s not ready for anything romantic. So, after a dance, she says goodbye, never expecting to see him again. Serendipitously, seven months later, she finds him asleep in her mother’s greenhouse, and it turns out he’s Orsino, the best friend of her childhood next-door neighbor and surrogate brother Christopher. Although there’s an obvious attraction and an ease between them, Juliet is fearful of getting involved with another of Christopher’s friends given her disastrous last relationship, and even though she’s ready to start looking for love again, she feels rusty. Will, who is in search of a wife who can be his partner in his family’s distillery and can perhaps come to love him, needs to learn how to flirt and romance a woman. So, the two agree to practice date each other. Over four weekends, what started out as practice begins to feel real, but will they be able to let go of their fears and insecurities?

Juliet, a self-proclaimed romance junkie who loves historical romances and aspires to write them herself, shares with Will that his plan to marry to carry on the family business reminds her of a Duke who doesn’t recognize that his sense of duty shows his capacity for love. As a part of their plan, she urges Will to read some historical romance to get a sense of what women look for in a partner. However, even without benefit of the books, for a shy, autistic guy, he has some really romantic and poetic dialogue with Juliet. When he serenades her underneath his balcony, you can almost hear the collective swoon that’s coming once this book releases in January 2025.

Like all her previous novels, the characters are dealing with disabilities. Juliet has celiac disease and mixed connective tissues disease which causes considerable pain. Will has autism, and struggles with conversation, reading other people’s expressions and meaning, and loud, crowded spaces. Since they both have relatives with similar disabilities, they have a natural empathy and understanding for the difficulties they face. The kindness, caring, and honesty they share is part of what makes this love story so enchanting.

If you’re a fan of the series, you’ll be happy to know that there are many, many scenes with the couples from Books 1 and 2 including Bea and Jamie’s wedding, which is such a treat. So, even though it’s a standalone, I encourage readers to start with Book 1 to get more of Juliet’s backstory. Since it’s not out until January, you have plenty of time. Highly recommended!

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Berkley through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

Tags: #BookBoyfriend, #BooksAboutBooks, #Disability, #DualPOV, #Humor, #LGBTQ, #Romance, #WomensFiction, #Distilleries, #Sisters, #Neurodivergency, #Autism, #CeliacDisease, #MixedConnectiveTissueDisease, #Redheads, #FakeRelationship, #DatingCoach, #FriendsToLovers, #Writersm #LoveAtFirstSight, #SlowBurn

I flew through this book! Chloe Liese is an auto-read/buy author for me and I’m never disappointed with her books. I loved how swoony the romance was. My only qualm is that the pretend dating didn’t really work for me (shocking, I know). They were obviously into each other from the very start, and so “pretending” to date just felt weird because it was so obvious that they were actually dating and just keeping it a secret. For them to keep this up 3/4ths of the book just felt drawn out. Still, loved it!

Chloe lies, can do no wrong. Juliet and Will's story is a perfect blend of steamy and sweet and watching their guarded hearts gradually open up was utterly captivating. I was completely immersed in their story, and every page was a joy to read.

By far my favorite of the Wilmot Sisters books! Reminded me of Axel and Rooney from the Bergman books in all the best ways while definitely being its own unique story. I love novels that deal with real issues and connected to both characters in their struggles. Tender, poignant, and Scotland-adjacent (love Scottish reads!).