4.5 stars

Becca Kinzer has become a favorite author for when I want to swoon, laugh out loud, and cry a little too – all in the same book – and First Love, Second Draft definitely hits the spot! Or, perhaps I should say it hits a home run considering the fact that Gracie’s ex-husband Noah is a baseball star. And Kinzer really does knock it out of the park in this novel (no surprise), particularly when it comes to the snappy dialogue and banter. Not just between the romantic pairings – though the banter there is perfectly fabulous – but also between family and friends. The tight pace of the conversations and the quick comebacks kept me giggling from start to finish, and I confess I even snort-laughed a couple of times… and may have also out loud told Noah’s agent to ‘STOP TALKING” hahaha. If I started quoting my favorite passages, I’d be here all day. But I think for sure a majority of them would involve Gracie’s nephew Matt and his best friend/love interest Rachel (the grocery store scene!!). They are so adorably awkward and so endearing together.

There’s a lot more to First Love, Second Draft than just the hilarious dialogue though. Or the swoonilicious romances (more on the main one in a second). Becca Kinzer does a phenomenal job of balancing the lighthearted or chemistry-laden moments with the deeper, more emotional issues that they’re working through, without either temperament feeling out of place. The acute disappointments and loss, the flawed relationships, the themes of restoration and second chances all fit in almost tenderly with the zany scenarios and toe-curling kisses, like we’re getting a peek at this little slice of life and, really, we are. Perhaps none more so than with divorced exes Gracie and Noah and their forced proximity while Gracie recovers from a very painful injury. And yes, if you guessed that there’s all kinds of opportunity there for laugh-out-loud humor or delicious romantic tension, you would be right on both counts – and I loved every minute (even when I wanted to shake Gracie lol). But there is also beautiful room here for Kinzer to use their forced time together to open up some festering wounds, clear out the scar tissue and infection, and begin the work of truly healing what shattered between them. I loved every minute of that too (even when I wanted to shake Gracie lol).

Bottom Line: In First Love, Second Draft, author Becca Kinzer effortlessly combines yummy romance, laugh-out-loud hilarity, and poignant character growth to deliver a grand slam romcom with lots of heart. From Gracie’s ill-fated romcom drafts (that horse LOL) to Noah’s blatant flirting, the slapstick comedy, some fabulous kisses, and even little quirky bits like the FedEx driver, the mice, the ‘stealthy’ meeting at the diner, etc. there’s so much to smile about. I fell head over heels for the dialogue in this novel, and I was wholly invested in these characters, however purposely-flawed they may have been. In fact, there are no perfect people in this book, except maybe Gracie’s dad Buck who is pretty wonderful, and that means we’ve got several great layers to explore along with the more lighthearted aspects of the story. Another highly enjoyable read from Becca Kinzer – already eager for her next book!

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)

Let me start with this: as someone with toxic ex’s, the second-chance romance trope is not one I enjoy very often lol. For the sake of the story though, I prevailed. Gracie and Noah are a few years post-divorce and life is not going so great for either of them. She’s facing a looming deadline and he’s realizing that sometimes putting your dreams first isn’t always worth the consequences. We get a look into her begrudgingly accepting his help in her hours of need, and journeying down the “has he, hasn’t he changed” road. I enjoyed how much work went into their reconciliation story, and it wasn’t just insta-forgiveness for the sake of a hot fling. The personalities meshed really well and it’s definitely one of those situations where you can feel the chemistry and know their divorce wasn’t from a lack of love. Sports romances are my cup of tea and I love baseball, so I’m glad it was actually incorporated as opposed to just being a gimmick that got in the way of their love. Were there times I felt could’ve been cut down a bit? Yes. I still enjoyed it overall though and liked their happy ending. I’d give them a 3.75, rounding up to a 4 for any potential bias!

Laugh-out-loud plus Faith! 4.5 ⭐️

🌷This book had me laughing at 10% and it kept that going all the way through and yet it was filled with so much faith, grace, redemption and restoration!

🌷Noah and Gracie's story has a lot to overcome and they do it in a beautiful way not only rediscovering themselves, their relationship but also their faith.

🌷Matt and Rachel are the most prone to accidents ever making them hilarious while learning to trust that they can make it and won't turn into grass (you will get this , I promise 😉)

🌷There are a lot of heavy topics in this book ranging from Infertility, miscarriage, death of family members etc however everything is done with tact and the growth that comes from going through these challenges.

🌷Overall I would 100% recommend this book to anyone needed a 2 in one, faith theme, laugh out loud, chaotic, charming and teary story!

🌷My only suggestion is give yourself time to understand the writing style, there are 3 POVs (Matt,Noah and Gracie) and they jump around a lot.

🌷Spice: 0
🌷Language: 0

"Gracie. I say this with all the love in my heart, really I do, but you've been bitter for years. And now your stories all stink. You really need to get over it, whatever the it is."

As a writer, Gracie only has one more chance to get her next book right. She already has a failed marriage, but maybe that is the cause for writing romances with negative plots. She is certain she can figure out something. But her ex-husband is not in her plans.

When he hears that Gracie needs help, Noah knows that he finally has his second chance. He moves back into their former guest house with the hope of caring for her. After all, he still longs to be with her. Will proximity help their cause or drive a further wedge between them?

What I enjoyed about the book ...
Becca Kinzer knows how to write funny scenes. Every time I read one of her books, I laugh out loud often. The predicaments that she puts her characters in add to the storyline. Not all rom-coms are actually funny, but hers are.

The secondary plot with Gracie's nephew was sweet. At times, I liked their story line better. This should definitely be slated as two stories for one.

I really liked Gracie's dad. His wisdom and perspective added to the book. And his roommate was also funny. Parts of the ending I definitely did not expect. Faith was a part of the storyline.

My hesitations ...
The two main characters were SO stubborn. Their reasons for walking away were a bit trivial. They needed big doses of communication and honesty.

Gracie's sister was scary at times and hard to understand. A few of the plot lines felt a bit jagged and unconnected. Baseball is a part of the plot, but more the feelings about the game than the game itself. I think it mostly worked.

Overall, I would say this is a good book worth reading. I am so glad I was able to read an advanced copy through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Warning: this book may be hazardous to your health. It had me laughing so hard, I had a coughing fit…twice… in the first 15 pages! Hilarious banter by Gracie and everyone else. She is a pip!
Gracie is forced to accept help from her ex-husband Noah, when she injures herself. She no longer trusts him but he is persistent in wanting to take care of her. “So long as Noah remained in her life, there was no such thing as breathing easy.” But all is not laughs, this book deals with serious issues such as divorce and reconciliation and trusting God.
I really enjoyed this second chance times two story. Not only do Gracie and Noah creep towards a renewed romance, her nephew Matt pursues his best friend Rachel in hopes of moving out of the just friends spot. Both couples were such fun to watch.
I liked the references to old songs and bookish, authorly ones too since Gracie is an author. The peek into the baseball community was informative. I could not help but remember when I lived in St. Louis and experienced baseball fever during the run at the World Series by the Cardinals.
Now to go back and read the debut by Ms Kinzer. I expect I am in for more laughs.
A complimentary copy of this book was provided by Tyndale via NetGalley. I was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are mine alone.*

I had to restart multiple times because the formatting is so bad to kindle. But overall it was an alright story. I definitely think that it starts off a little slow.

My Quick Takes:
-5/5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- Language 🤐 none
- Spice ❤️‍🔥 none/kisses only
- Content 🤔 divorce, parental death, traumatic childhood, miscarriage

Another 5 star read from Becca Kinzer, who has become an auto buy author for me. Her lighthearted, charming characters always make me laugh out loud throughout the plot, and tear up when the heavier topics hit.

While First Love, Second Draft is a baseball romcom, it’s light on the baseball. The male main character is a retired pitcher and the plot centers around his pursuit of and forced proximity to his ex wife as he tries to win her back.

New with this book, Kinzer added a 3rd point of view that lends itself to a second romance subplot. I really enjoyed getting to know another character in the story from their POV that wasn’t the make or female main character. It was a successful change from the single and dual pov seen in romance novels.

If you want a lighthearted read that’s sure to make you laugh, look no further than Becca Kinzer’s romcom novels!

I enjoyed reading First Love, Second Draft, a delightful sports romantic comedy set in small town Illinois. Gracie is a romance author who split up with her professional baseball player ex-husband, Noah, five years ago. She’s living on five acres in the house where she has happy memories of her marriage.

Gracie is on a tight deadline to finish her contracted romance novel. The story isn’t progressing well and Gracie’s literary agent is concerned the editor will reject it. Gracie fractured her pelvis in an unusual riding accident and requires help to rehabilitate at home and finish her hot mess of a novel. Gracie is shocked when she discovers her nephew has arranged for Noah to rent the cottage on her property and assist her in recovering from her injuries.

Noah is forty years old and his baseball career with the Seattle Mariners is over. They dropped him from the team’s postseason lineup and Noah jumps at the opportunity to return to Illinois and win Gracie back.

Gracie is independent and struggles with impaired mobility from her injuries. She dislikes needing Noah’s help, which creates many LOL hilarious situations. The forced proximity means Gracie and Noah can’t avoid facing the issues that led to their marriage breaking down, including infertility issues.

I loved the charming romantic subplot and quirky cast of characters. I cheered for Noah and Gracie to remember why they loved each other and to put in the work to rebuild their broken relationship. The story includes grief, loss and forgiveness themes. I recommend First Love, Second Draft to contemporary romance readers who like second chances sports romcoms with depth that include a romantic subplot and relevant faith elements in the story.

Many thanks to Tyndale and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy.

3.5 stars
There are parts of this book I absolutely love and parts that didn’t work for me. Overall, I enjoyed the romance between Noah and Gracie and what it took to get them to their HEA. These two have banter right from the start and chemistry. I rooted for them to find their way back to each other. I wish the ending had been slightly different and that we had gotten to see the root of the problem earlier and the characters dealing with that more on page. The story is easy to read and get into. The secondary characters added something to story and my enjoyment.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

First Love, Second Draft is a fast funny second chance romance with wonderful small town quirkiness. Gracie and Noah are ex spouses that still care for each other. She has an accident and needs assistance, so he swooped in to help her and to win her back. At the same time her nephew Matt was trying to win over his best friend Rachel. It is all cute, though the subplot with her sister remains confusing. There were moments of humor and lightness balanced with serious topics of a dying dad and the loss of a pregnancy. Overall, it was a good, clean, and at times a sweet romance. Thank to the publisher and NetGalley for my ARC.

The romance is cheeky and special. The spicy is not there, but the love is realistic. I enjoyed reading this book. It felt like a hallmark romance movie, but not as cheesy. I would recommend this book. The pacing and characters were realistic. The biggest lesson from this book would be to not choose the farmer and that leaning others is always a good thing even if you hate asking for a shoulder to lean on.

Kinzer's spot on humor is something she's quickly becoming known for and First Love, Second Draft follows in that path. There are definitely some laugh out loud and giggle-snort moments that keep this book moving along its pace. The secondary love story of Matt and Rachel does sometimes steal the spotlight from the main one with Noah and Gracie, but this reader didn't mind because it was entertaining along with being sweet and funny. There are some moments of un-clarity (with her injury) and disbelief of certain known/unknown past events but overall I read a story to be entertained and am happy to take some leaps of faith for a good story. Even though most people disliked Mona and found her insufferable and unrealistic, I actually liked her character because she was different and exasperating and the worst thing is not to feel anything for a secondary character. I wll definitely continue reading Kinzer's stories.

While the book had no huge faults, I just couldn’t really find myself completely engaged with it. Matt’s POV was fun, but his storyline with Rachel didn’t feel developed enough and felt like it was impeding Gracie and Noah’s. Even though I like the parallels between both couples, I feel they should’ve been separate books so that both stories can feel more developed. Rachel’s POV could then also be included if the books were separate, which would be nice to see.

Gracie is a romance writer suffering from writer’s block since her divorce. Her ex-husband, Noah, is a baseball player coming off a disastrous season. Neither has moved on. When Gracie gets injured, Noah is recruited as her caregiver. This book has all the elements to make it a winner. Unfortunately, the execution did not work for me.

There is simply too much other stuff - a secondary romance, confusing side plots that don’t contribute to the story, and characters who seem to be nothing more than filler - that that distracts from the major plot line. There is potential here; it needs tighter editing.

On a positive note, much of the banter is cute and the author gives the MCs a chance to work through their relationship issues. Though this may not have been the right book for me, I would encourage to give it a shot and judge for themselves.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tyndall House Oublishers for the advance copy. All opinions are my own.

3 1/2!

This book is a sweet, heartwarming second-chance romance that blends humor, heartache, and healing in just the right doses🫶🫶Gracie and Noah’s journey is both emotional and entertaining! Loveee lovee the witty banters<33 Its a book about unresolved tension, and the slow rekindling of a once-lost love, which I don’t really do second chances but this does it! The writing is clean and engaging, it's definitely a page turner!

A heartfelt second chance Christian romance between a struggling romance writer and her pro baseball player ex husband who is sidelined by an injury and wants to win his former wife back. This was an emotional, forced proximity, dual POV, dual love story that has two couples learning to take a chance on love again. I really enjoyed it, especially when the exes work together to write his memoir and delve into what went wrong in their relationship. It was good on audio and would perfect for fans of The Bromance book club by Lyssa Kay Adams. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

Steam level: kissing only

TW: parent with chronic illness, infertility

I loved the synopsis of the book! She's a writer, he's a baseball player, and second chance romance. However, I did not enjoy the execution. Right away, I was thrown off by multiple references to an injury that is never well explained. I found myself not invested in the characters and really a bit annoyed at most of them. Also, there is a huge side story involving a nephew that just didn't fit for me. Overall, the whole things was a miss.

The cover and blurb for this second chance romance drew me in instantly. Unfortunately that’s where it all ended.
This book seemed incredibly scrambled with strange plot lines, disorganized writing, and unlikeable characters. I kept trudging through in hopes it would pick up as I was very much looking forward to this one, but no such luck.

Thank you to Tyndale House Publishing and Netgalley for the eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own.

This is a sweet second chance romance with lots of tropes and two interwoven love stories! I enjoyed the banter and interactions between the main characters and the way circumstances forced them to reconnect.

Five years divorced and on deadline, romance author Gracie gets injured and needs constant help and care. Her nephew Matt decides to take this opportunity to meddle in her love life and invite her ex husband, Noah, back to town to help take care of her. Noah has never stopped loving Gracie and jumps at the chance to win her back.

Meanwhile, Matt’s best friend Rachel moves back to town and he has to confront the reality that he’s been in love with her since high school. Convincing Rachel to be more than friends will be a huge challenge, especially since she’s terrified of messing up their friendship.

Tropes include:
- second chance
- sports romance
- he takes care of her when she’s injured
- “my wife”

This book does touch on some emotional and potentially tough topics. It’s a good idea to look up content warnings and read with care!

Thank you to NetGalley and Tyndale House Publishers for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you for the chance to read this book.

It ended up not being the book for me.

I did still share a release day post on my bookstagram page.