I'll have what she's having too. Oh my, this book was just what I needed. Yes, it had some hard hitting themes, and some deep things to get through, but what was so beautiful was the found family in the book that comes together to get through them all. There is loss and love and understanding and so much hope that it makes me want to give this book a hug. I love the idea of a romance 20 years later, and seeing how two hearts who have a lot of healing to do can find a way to come together once more.

What She’s Having is a great listen. It was such a good story and had a great narrator. This is a great listen.

📚 What She’s Having by Laura Moher
🔖 Series: Big Love from Galway
🎧 Format: Audiobook
🎙️ Narrated by: Michelle Price & Paul Bellantoni
📕 Genre: Contemporary Romance
📖 Read: July 2024
✨ Rating: ⭐️⭐️

‧₊˚✧ 𝑻𝑹𝑶𝑷𝑬𝑺 ✧˚₊‧
ꕥ Found Family
ꕥ Second Chance
ꕥ Small Town

So many misunderstandings.
So much miscommunication.
So much frustration!!

I'm sorry to say, this one just wasn't for me.
I'm so disappointed because the first book in the series was so incredible.

I had a really difficult time connecting with July. Her struggles and resistance toward Joe seemed so trivial. I actually felt a little discussed with how selfish she was, especially after Joe had laid his heart on the line. He deserved so much better!

On a positive note, the writing was really well done. I loved seeing Rose and Angus again and both narrators were fantastic. I added an extra star because they deserve the recognition. They really did a great job!!

If there's one trope that bothers me, it's miscommunication and this book was full of it. The thing is, just because it wasn't my favourite book, I know there's many people who would love it. So, read it and make your own decisions. I'm definitely looking forward to the next book in the series.

𝘊𝘩𝘦𝘤𝘬 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘮𝘺 𝘉𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘮 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘴: 𝘩𝘵𝘵𝘱𝘴://𝘸𝘸𝘸.𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘮.𝘤𝘰𝘮/𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘦𝘥.𝘢𝘯𝘥.𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨/

Thank you NetGalley, Dreamscape Media and Laura Moher for this audiobook. This is my voluntary, honest review.

This was difficult to get through. I liked the characters and the setting, found the story fascinating, but the writing was not for me. I get that they met in high school and never had a chance to be together but it’s still writing as if they are angsty teenagers still. There’s a dual POV, which is not my favorite, and when it’s Joe’s turn, it’s all in his head and it’s telling and not showing, which added with the overly breathy narration is over the top cliché and difficult to listen to. I did enjoy the story so it kept me listening to see where it would go but the writing wasn’t great and the narration didn’t help any.

What a great Rom-Com with all the feels and even a touch of mystery. This showed how important it is to find your family and how there really are good people out there.

A huge thank you to Dreamscape Media and Netgalley for the arc of this book in exchange for my honest feedback and review. Definitely check you CWs and triggers for this one; it got a lot heavier than initially expected but it's so good!

I initially requested the arc of this book having only seen the cover -- I'm a sucker for cartoon-y covered romances. And when I logged it in goodreads, I was shocked to realize it was a second book in a series. I hate reading out of order, but I forged ahead. I was pleasantly surprised by this book and have now requested the first book on Libbey and eagerly await the third.

This second-chance romance is a mix of heart-warming and heart-wrenching. The circumstances that pulled our heroes apart the first time, the lies that kept them apart for 2 decades, the way that both of the kids ended up on their own, the way July continued to work herself to the bone without recognizing her own worth due to trauma. HEARTWRENCHING. The found family, charming little town, the soulmate connection these two seem to have had -- heartwarming and more than enough to earn this book 4 stars. It was un-put-down-able, in my opinion. It took me on an emotional journey that I wasn't prepared for and I'm glad that I picked it up. It's definitely an extreme slow-burn and there were definitely times I was screaming at them to get together already. I can't wait to read the first book to hear about Rose and Angus (hell yeah for our couple both being plus sized!!!, can't wait!!!)

This was a wonderful second chance romance. It has a tinge of sweet teenage romance, heartbreak, and reconciliation in the 30s. Joe is an interesting quirky hero that finds his way after finding out he was deceived by his parents. Their story is set, heartbreaking, and the HEA is pretty great. The male narrator is the star of this narration and made me melt listening to him

I was so excited cause of the pun on the title I love when Harry meets Sally and the I'll have what she's having line.

But I don't know if this ever got better I DNF it at 48% the way they have held onto the love from when they were 16 for a few months to finally being together again and the way she's life lets just have sex to move on and he was upset which I don't blame him. To where she was still into him. Just tell him you like him hang out go on dates then see where it leads you. Like WHAT

I stopped after the we had sex but I thought it was a dream but knew it wasn't but did it anyway. I was out after that.
I wish them luck but I couldn't carry on.

Thank you NetGalley for this audio-arc in exchange for my opinions.

I loved this book so much! Loved reading more about the characters in Galway. I read book one after picking it up in my campus bookstore so was thrilled to see this available as an ARC! The author did a great job handing sensitive subject matters with great care. The narrators were wonderful and even though the male was the same was the book in book one, I appreciated how when angus showed up in this book, he used a different voice. Both the narrators did a wonderful job. I loved meeting them both and look forward to the next books in this series!

WHAT SHE'S HAVING is a sweet and special second book within the interconnected Big Love From Galway series, following July Tate (our local hometown restauranteur superstore) and Joe Anderson (the one-that-got-away-over-twenty-years-ago). Content warnings for domestic violence and physical/emotional abuse from a parent, depression/mental health struggles including eating disorders, minor fatphobia, and mentions of homelessness, homophobia, familial rejection/abandonment, and death of a loved one.

The first quarter of this book completely sizzled. I was so convinced of Joe's lasting love for July, even through so much time and space. Unfortunately, as the story went on and they got to know each other as adults, not teenagers, I became less and less convinced - to the point where I was almost rooting for them to go their separate ways.

An unexpected plus of this story was Joe's educational journey - he's pursuing his MSW!!! (LCSW right here!!!!) I love a man working in the mental health field and fighting for the most vulnerable among us.

I was given access to this audiobook as an advanced reader through NetGalley. I have to say, this is probably the first time that I have not liked the narrators. The book is set in North Carolina, and thus a southern accent is necessary. However, it felt a little too forced to me.

The storyline, however, was great. Sure, it could seem farfetched to some that you fall in love as a child and never fully move on. But I've seen this happen in real life.

I think the author did a great job providing the details of the past and the fear of the future. It was an easy book to follow with lots of love!

What She's Having is the second book in the Big Love From Galway series. Although Curves For Days, book 1, doesn't have to be read prior to this, I really enjoyed that one as well. It introduced the reader to the town of Galway as well as some of the various side characters we see here in Book 2. July Tate is the owner of the local restaurant and a constant in Galway's community as a helpful and kind person. She's been a bit lonely recently in her love life but she likes things the way they are for good reason. Joe Anderson was briefly living in Galway as a teen, and even dating Teen July, before his family was dragged to Germany without so much as a good-bye. Both were heartbroken and angry at the other due to a slight lie that neither was aware of until 10 years later and Joe returns to Galway to search for and apologize to July.

July and Joe still have a lot of sparks between them but after a few disastrous moments between them, they seem to strike up a sort of friendship/agreement. July needs to decide if she trusts in herself to believe in love again and Joe needs to figure out if he's forgiven and wanted by July and the town of Galway.

I absolutely loved Curves For Days so I was super excited when I saw What She's Having come across my screen! This story had a bit more of an emotional rollercoaster to it with some domestic violence, eating disorders, depression, and homelessness. I think each of these things were handled well and with care which allowed for some grace when I was frustrated by characters choices. Even though Joe and July are adults and successful cooks/business owners, I was a little frustrated with how much they had these little misunderstandings that they never bothered to clarify. I think their respective pasts made sense though and allowed me to move on much quicker in regards to some frustration. Joe was such a sweetheart though and although I was a little hesitant about him at first, I fell in love with him just about as hard as he falls for July again as adults.

I cannot wait for book 3 and I'm super excited to see if it'll be about my favorite side character mentioned in this book!

4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I read the first book in this series #CurvesForDays earlier this year and really enjoyed Rose & Angus’ story. It was great to go back to Galway, NC for Rose’s friend July’s story.

This is a wonderful second chance romance with so many layers to the characters. July fell in love with Joe when they were teenagers. He was her first everything and she thought he’d be her forever too. Instead he broke her heart when he vanished without a word.

Until now. It’s years later and Joe has returned to their small town. For Joe, it has always been July, and he’s anxious to find out why she never wrote to him after his family abruptly moved.

Lies & misunderstandings have shaped the adults they’ve become, and I enjoyed their journey through pain, doubt, broken trust, insecurities, and misplaced guilt to try to rekindle their flame.

Quick Summary: A second chance at a tender love

My Review: What She's Having is book #2 in the Big Love from Galway series.

About the Book: July Tate and Joe Anderson were once young and in love. They shared a special connection. Sadly, a traumatic parting separated them. For years, they both held false assumptions about what really happened to their relationship. When fate brings the two lovers back together, they don't know what to do...until they do.

What I Liked About This Book:

- I adored this community of people. It was obvious that they cared for each other. I really liked how they rallied around the leads and others.

- I appreciated the heavy-hitting topics that came up in the story, such as abuse, depression, toxic relationships and co-dependency, and homelessness. The author did a superb job of presenting the aforementioned without creating a marsh pit effect.

- I loved the emotional push & pull that existed between July and Joe. From their teenage years forward, they felt so deeply. It was evident. Their very obvious heartfelt feelings for one another made the story believable.

- As with any good romance, the whole communication piece (or lack thereof) was a thing. Still, the failure to fully and honestly express themselves early on kept the story moving until they could get to where they needed to be.

What I Questioned About This Book:

- It seemed like the leads were both in their heads for quite a while. During the twenty year parting, they both certainly matured, but why did it seem like they were suspended (at length) where their ability to love another was concerned?

- What was the dream-wake coupling really all about? It was a bit peculiar and hard to believe. I didn't quite know how to take it.

My Final Say: Overall, this was such a heartwarming story. I ached for July and for Joe. They were both likable characters who were victims of a great manipulation, as well as victims of self-doubt. Thankfully, they were able to journey back to what was always meant to be.

Other: Readers who like second chance romances and stories with a how to overcome adverse circumstances theme will enjoy this book.

Note: Titles associated with this series - >

Book 1: Curves for Days (released Aug 2023) - 4/5
Book 2: What She's Having (released Aug 2024) - 4/5
Book 3: Big Love from Galway (released Jan 2025) - TBR

Rating: 4/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: A
Audiobook: Yes
E-book: Yes
Status/Level: 💛
Cover: +
Narration: +
Special Remarks: This novel covers the following topics/themes: Mental health, Domestic violence, Eating Disorder, Body Image Distortions, LGBTQIA, Homelessness, Death

Thank you to the author, to the publishers (Dreamscape Media, SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca), and to NetGalley for allowing access to this title in exchange for an honest review. The words I have voluntarily shared are my own. I appreciate the opportunity to both read and listen to this title.

This book is definitely not what I was expecting. I was hoping for a sweet second chance/small chance romance but it really turned into a small town that cares for each other and how one bad heartbreak can mess someone up. This book was extremely hard to finish and the book just dragged.

While there was some spice I felt like there was so much miscommunication between Joe and July I just wanted this story to end. This book could have gone in so many different directions and the one the author picked was not the one I would have.

I listened to the audiobook and I did not like the performance by Michelle Price and Paul Bellantoni. I felt like Paul Bellantoni's attempt at a female voice was horrible and the accent that Michelle Price put on was annoying.

What She’s Having by Laura Moher
Big Love from Galway series #2. Contemporary second-chance romance. Can be read as a stand-alone but characters from the first book are present in this second book and could be considered a spoiler. First person, present tense. Alternating POV. Multi-timeline via sequential letters.
Joe Anderson moves back to Galway, North Carolina after twenty years hoping to reconnect with his one true love. He only recently learned that all the letters he wrote to her, were never delivered. He wants a second chance. He’s never stopped loving her.
July Tate is a powerhouse in the town of Galway. She cooks and runs a popular and busy restaurant, helps and supports a group of veterans every week, plays on the town softball league and gets involved in other community improvements. What she doesn’t do, is involve her heart. The devastation left behind when she lost the love of her life is simply too much to bear a second time.
When Joe shows up back in town with a pile of undelivered letters addressed to her, she’s unwilling to soften her heart. She simply can’t go a loss like that again.

🎧 I alternated between an ebook and audiobook for this book. The narration was performed by Michelle Price and Paul Bellantoni who did the first book in the series as well. They each do their POV chapter or section, voicing the other characters as well. Using the male female combo makes it easy for the audiobook listener to know immediately whose POV it is. The performance is solid with emotions clearly heard. A couple of the letters were heartbreaking that can through.
To match reading speed and conversational consistency, I listened to the audiobook at a speed of 1.5.

A lot of sadness that wasn’t their fault. They are both good people and deserve to be happy. It’s going to be a lot of heart searching decisions and trust in themselves.
PS. It’s a romance! You know how it’s going to end.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley and publisher Dreamscape Media.

This was a cute second chance, dual POV small town romance set in the fictional town of Galway, North Carolina. I liked that there was a plus size FMC but overall the romance just fell a little flat for me and wasn't anything special or outstanding. Just okay on audio and a tad long if I'm completely honest. Recommended for fans of Penny Reid's Winston Brother's series. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest feedback.

"What She's Having" is a wonderful second-chance romance story that follows the lives of July and Joe. They'd had one perfect summer together when they were sixteen until Joe's abusive father moved the family to Germany against their will. In the days that followed the move, Joe wrote to July every day, trying to let her know what had happened and to profess his undying love for her. But little did he know, his mother never mailed the letters.

Now on her deathbed, Joe's mother confesses what she had done, and Joe is left to figure out whether he has the courage to face the woman he left so many years ago after all the pain and suffering they had both endured.

When he finally does return to Magnolia, where July is a key figure in the town, he turns her world upside-down. All of the angst of the past is resurrected and we're brought into that through the letters Joe had written and a diary July had kept. As they both process all that they've been through, we get to see the people they've become by how they respond and interact with friends and neighbors. Some of these secondary characters have their own powerful stories to tell and are equally engrossing.

Overall, I thought this was an excellent book. I only had two issues with it. I prefer closed-door sex scenes and these were open, and I felt like July held on a bit too long to her trauma and silly assumptions about what Joe wanted. It dragged the story out a bit for me without really adding anything since her issues were already readily apparent to us through the story up to that point.

That said, I loved the story, characters, location and theme. Well done!

Thank you to Laura Moher, Dreamscape Media, and NetGalley for an advance review copy.

I expected this to be a cute rom-com, but it was much more. A couple torn apart as teenagers finds each other 20 years later. They’ve both suffered trauma and struggle to open up to one another. This is the second in a series, but I had not read the first book and it worked well as a standalone. This has a happy ending and a little spice. I would definitely read more by this author.

Thank you NetGalley, Dreamscape Media and Laura Moher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What she’s having is about July and Joe. They connect as 16yr olds and then are separated without warning. Each walk away broken hearted and with their own inaccurate picture of what happened.

Twenty years later Joe learns the truth and comes to find July to explain what happened. July is glad to know the truth but scared to trust herself that she could open up again after being so broken.

There are several serious subjects covered in this book (abuse, death, suicidal thoughts, disordered eating, homophobia, etc)

Found family is a huge theme in this book which I love. The community July has around her is so loyal and supportive, Joe is lucky to be welcomed into it. The constant miscommunication and misinterpretation of intentions, feeling and desires drive me crazy.

The narrators did a good job. 3.5 stars rounded up.