I just finished "First Love Second Draft" and I've got to say, this book really hit home. The story follows Gracie Parker, who's honestly a mess right now - she's got writer's block, she's nursing an injury, and she's trying her best to keep old wounds buried. Then who should show up but Noah Parker, her ex-husband and former baseball hotshot, who's dealing with his own career crisis. Talk about awkward timing!

What really worked for me was how the book balanced its lighter moments with some genuinely touching scenes. I found myself completely invested in Gracie - she's got this fantastic dry humor and fierce independence that I loved, even though sometimes I wanted to reach through the pages and give her a good talking-to! And Noah? He completely won me over. Instead of the typical arrogant athlete stereotype, we get this genuinely vulnerable guy who's actually willing to own up to his mistakes and do better.

The way these two circled each other felt so real - their chemistry practically leaped off the page, but there was nothing easy about their path back to each other. Every conversation felt loaded with history, and when they finally opened up to each other, I'll admit it - I got a bit misty-eyed.
There were times when the story dragged a bit, especially when we got stuck in Gracie's head for too long, but it always managed to pull me back in. I particularly enjoyed how baseball wasn't just window dressing but actually tied into Noah's character development. Plus, the banter had me literally laughing out loud at points!

For those wondering, it's a clean romance that really digs into themes of second chances and facing your fears. My book club had a blast discussing it (there are even discussion questions included - bonus!).

I'm giving this one 4 stars (really 3.5 rounded up). While it's not perfect, it's exactly what I needed - a sweet, uplifting story with enough substance to make it memorable. If you're into romance with a dash of sports and characters who feel like real people, definitely give this one a shot.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Tyndale House Publishers | Tyndale Fiction for sharing this uplifting romance's digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest opinions.

This book is really good but slow for me. The character growth was never happens after one point. its second chance clean romance. I love the side characters more then the main characters. Overall its a good read but want more from main leads,

This was a sweet second-chance love story. There was a lot that I liked about it… the small-town vibes, the references to “the boys at the firehouse" (which was a funny callback that came up multiple times), and the secondary story about Matt and Rachel. But to be honest the main romance storyline didn’t completely work for me. Some of the details related to baseball rubbed me wrong, and some aspects of Gracie as a character and her marriage with Noah bothered me as a reader (counseling probably would have helped and that was never mentioned in the book). I also think the publisher could stand to include some content warnings in the beginning of the book regarding the infertility storyline.

Love a good sports romance! This was cute, easy to read and I flew through it. If like cutesy romances, this is your book!

A cute Hallmark-y romance. If you like a dependable romance without too many twists and turns, this is a great read for you. I found the characters to be a bit too predictable for me. But it definitely will appeal to you if you enjoy a comfort romance.

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for an arc. All opinions expressed are my own.

What a sweet book! I am a sucker for a romance book involving an author as the main character. When their dreams become a reality, I truly live for it.

I found the 2 main characters to be immature for how old they were supposed to actually be. Good premise for a romance, but felt the characters needed better communication. This includes the family and other side characters as well.

Gracie and Noah were each other's first love and lost the spark somewhere along the way. Gracie's publisher is running out of patience and Noah's pitching arm is running out of steam. Noah is determined to win back Gracie's affection while her only goal is to turn her manuscript on time. When Gracie's newest romance doesn't hit the mark with her agent, Noah steps in with an unexpected offer that could change everything for the both of them.

Oh my gosh, I can't believe how adorable this book was! Honestly, when it comes to the romance genre, it is unlike anything I have ever read! This is a second-chance romance in which the characters are ex-spouses. At first, I didn't think this premise would work, but I was willing to give it a try. I am so glad that I did! The re kindling of their love had me flipping the pages like crazy. I though the ending was excellent and exactly what I wanted. I will be on the lookout for more books by Becca Kinzer in the future!

I enjoyed the premise and the secondary love story! Church plays a large role for the characters, so I think this would be a good fit for someone looking for a Christian romance.

I loved this book. It is so funny and so heartwarming. It’s about forgiveness and second chances. This is a clean romance. Gracie is incredibly stubborn but I like how she and Noah both admit their mistakes but only when they truly communicate with each other. Matt and Rachel’s story was so adorable. Lots of smiles while reading this. Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC

This felt like a hallmark movie but in book form, which is honestly a compliment! The plot was predictable, if a bit hokey, and the characters were a little bit caricaturistic in the roles that they were playing, but it was cozy and comforting for exactly those reasons too. Plus, even if I had a feeling how it was going to go, I was hoping for a happy ending for Gracie and Noah.

Thank you Tyndale House publishing and NetGalley for the ARC.

This is a second chance, clean romance.
I enjoyed this book, but the pacing was a little slow. The characters never had a true conversation, with back and forth dialogue to clear up their differences. The book was filled with loveable side characters, and even a second story line which I found a little odd, but still very endearing.

The banter in this book is top notch, so if you are looking for a witty clean romance I think this would be a good book for you!

This was a great Hallmark like second chance romance. It was sweet and wrapped up nicely in a cute bow. I would recommend this to any of the midlife romance book lovers!

I am not the biggest fan of second chance but wow. This was so precious. I love a sports romance, I love a romance writer romance (??) and add this together- my heart melted.

A cute Hallmark movie type book! A nice midlife romance between a romance writer and her baseball superstar ex husband! There are no huge surprises and it ends as every romance should with a beat and tidy bow. It could be the formatting of the ARC, but at some points it seemed to be operating in Hallmark movie land where things are rushed but no one questions it.