The Art of Starting Over by Heidi McLaughlin is a heartfelt and emotionally resonant story about love, healing, and the courage it takes to rebuild a life from the ground up. With her signature blend of romance and real-life emotion, McLaughlin delivers a powerful narrative that explores second chances—not just in relationships, but in rediscovering yourself.

The characters feel genuine and deeply human, shaped by past mistakes, lingering pain, and the hope for something better. McLaughlin handles themes of forgiveness, personal growth, and resilience with a tender touch, making the reader feel every moment of heartbreak and hope. The romantic arc is slow-burning and satisfying, grounded in trust, vulnerability, and emotional connection.

What makes this novel especially compelling is its emotional depth. It’s not just about finding love again—it’s about reclaiming your own strength, rewriting your story, and learning that it’s never too late to begin again.

The Art of Starting Over is a moving and beautifully written story that lingers long after the final page. It's perfect for readers who love emotionally driven romance with depth, heart, and hope.

I sobbed ugly tears and felt like my world was crumbling along with Devorah's. There was a lot of emotion packed into this small town and it really was done beautifully.

I LOVE ALL THINGS HEIDI! She could write a grocery list and I'd read it haha. Angsty and so great as always. Thanks for the ARC!

This is a classic small town romance with a nice balance between the past and present. The characters are likeable and down to earth. It’s a light-hearted, fun read.

Such an emotional roller coaster! I loved it but it made me cry multiple times. It got super close to home for me with the daddy daughter component but it was an amazing read. It’s been a long time since I read a book in 3 days- every free moment I’ve had the past three days have been spent immersed in this book. I had to know how it’d end up and I’m so glad I finished it as fast as I did. I loved it. Read it. That is all.

THE ART OF STARTING OVER by Heidi McLaughlin is a contemporary, adult, second chance romance focusing on high school sweethearts Devorah Campbell and Hayden McKenna.

Told from omniscient third person perspectives (Devorah and Hayden) using present day and memories from the past, THE ART OF STARTING OVER follows the return to Oyster Bay of Devorah Crowley Campbell. Devorah and Hayden were high school sweethearts but life and responsibilities got in the way. Fast forward to present day, Hayden McKenna, a single father and widower is looking for a new start, and returns to his home town to start anew with his nine year old son but Hayden never expected to come face to face with his former girlfriend, Devorah Campbell, a woman whose return comes with the dual betrayal of her soon to be ex-husband and his very familiar mistress. Devorah is struggling with what happened and why, and moving back to Oyster Bay reveals some of the small town mentality, behavior and lost time with family and friends. Hayden is willing to start a new path going forward but Devorah is about to face another heart breaking loss that may push Hayden out of her life.

The world building focuses on the rekindling romance between our story line couple; the ongoing and very public betrayal by her husband; the reconciliation between Devorah and her father; the small town bullies and long term memories; and the manipulation and gas-lighting aimed directly at Devorah and her daughter Maren.

The relationship between Devorah and Hayden is one of second chances, a high school romance that was destroyed by misunderstanding and a lack of communication, and the small town bully who was determined to take control. Hayden has loved and lost but has never forgotten about the woman who moved on without him. There are no $ex scenes.

We are introduced to Devorah’s daughter Maren; her brother Colt, their father Sheriff Tremaine ‘Crow’ Crowley, and Devorah’s soon to be ex Chad; as well as Hayden’s son Conor, and his parents Lee and Darcy, and several locals in Oyster Bay.

THE ART OF STARTING OVER is a slow building story of grief and loss, betrayal, second chances, family and love. The character driven premise is dramatic and inviting; the romance is subtle ; the characters are determined, charismatic and inspiring.


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Thank you Netgalley, Montlake publishing and the author for the e-arc in exchange for my h9nest review.

The book is a small town second chance romance that touches on loss, grief, and resilience. I enjoyed the book over all, although I did think I would have loved it more. To start, I didn't think how Deborah found out about her husband's affair was believable. It didn't make sense to me that someone would do that, then be surprised when caught.
The children seemed much much younger than they were written and the slow burn was almost too slow?
I like how the love was written and the authors style of writing. I think that maybe I just wanted more.

This is a second-chance romance set in the small town of Oyster Bay. The story follows Devorah Campbell and Hayden McKenna, former high school sweethearts whose relationship ended due to life’s challenges and misunderstandings.

Now a single father and widower, Hayden returns to Oyster Bay with his son for a fresh start—only to cross paths with Devorah, who is dealing with the betrayal of her soon-to-be ex-husband. As they reconnect, old feelings resurface, but Devorah faces new heartbreak that threatens to push Hayden away again.

The novel explores themes of love, loss, family, and resilience. Alongside the rekindled romance, Devorah must navigate small-town gossip, family struggles, and emotional manipulation. The story is slow-building and character-driven, with a heartfelt and inspiring journey toward healing and new beginnings.

The Art of Starting Over by Heidi McLaughlin is a heartfelt novel about loss, resilience, and new beginnings. It follows a woman rebuilding her life in a small town after a devastating breakup. The emotional core is touching, and the charming setting and supporting characters add warmth. Moments of insight into self-discovery and change are inspiring.

However, the pacing is uneven, with some sections dragging and others feeling rushed. The romantic subplot, while sweet, relies on predictable tropes, and some dialogue and interactions feel simplistic or unrealistic.

Overall, it’s a decent, uplifting read about second chances, but it lacks depth and may not fully captivate those seeking more complexity.

I wanted to love this book far more than I did; like I actually thought I would love it... but the more I read, the more I was convinced I had read (or seen as it turned out) this book before. Yes, it is strikingly similar to the movie, Hope Floats. The public humiliation, the distraught daughter, the returning to her old hometown just at the same time as her old love...? Granted in this book he also had a child, the same age of her daughter... but it just was so eerily similar.

It was also slow. Like very slow - after the rush of the first few chapters it just seemed to drag. The only parts I enjoyed were the flashbacks to her first love... that was it and the only thing that got me through until the end.

If you love truly SLOW burns - slow, slow, slow... then this will be an amazing book for you, and honestly the characters are all well written and there's a nice layer of depth as well. For me this was just not the book for me!

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for this e-arc for me to review.

If you like a good romance novel, I would recommend reading this one. But have some tissues you might need them.
This is a story of a woman whose world gets turned inside out and upside down in an instant when a post from her so called best friend goes viral. Imagine learning your husband is sleeping with your best friend on a viral post that the world can see. Turning her and their 9 year olds daughter world into a spiral. Going back home and trying to start over. She ends up with more than she could imagine.

I liked this book despite it being a bit predictable. Oyster Bay was a charming setting for small town vibes. Devorah and Hayden both end up in OB as adults after both suffer heartbreak. The POV switches from Dev to Hayden but it is not confusing and there is not too many characters to keep track of. The family dynamics remind me a bit of Sweet Home Alabama but better. Overall, I enjoyed the story and read it pretty quickly. The book does hold your interest and there was one unexpected event in the book. Solid 3 1/2 star read for me!

Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for allowing me the opportunity to read this ARC.

The Art of Starting Over delivers a compelling friends-to-lovers story with strong chemistry and witty banter that keeps the romance engaging. The emotional depth, especially as the characters navigate the fallout of the wife’s betrayal—her husband cheating with her best friend—adds complexity to their relationship. Their support for each other during vulnerable moments makes for an emotional yet uplifting read.

However, while the romance is well-developed, the love scenes feel out of place. The overly descriptive nature disrupts the story’s emotional flow rather than enhancing it, making it harder to stay immersed in the connection that had been so beautifully built.

Overall, this is an enjoyable read with a solid foundation, though a more subtle approach to intimacy would have strengthened the romance.

I like a good small town romance and this one was cute. I loved the reunited family feels in this book so it was disappointing when another tragic thing happens that ruins it. I almost stopped reading because of it. Sometimes I felt like it was almost too descriptive if that’s even possible. It felt like a lot of repeating dialogue and character thoughts. Also, the timeline felt a little sudden for falling in love again after such tragic loss but it also gives us all hope that love can and will come again after heartbreak. Also love the rally of support and love from people who are not blood-related. Overall, nice story.

The Art of Starting Over by Heidi McLaughlin is a tender second-chance love story about a family navigating loss. I was particularly impressed by Hayden’s patience and care while helping his son grieve. I also appreciated how he and Devorah prioritized their children as they adjusted to new family dynamics.

That said, the premise didn’t feel particularly original—if you’ve seen *Hope Floats*, you’ll recognize this plot. While Devorah’s journey of reconnecting with her father added depth, her character was frustratingly passive for much of the book. I wanted her to find her strength much sooner.

If you enjoy small-town romances with a gentle, introspective feel, this is a sweet and heartfelt read.

⭐⭐⭐ 3 Stars

This storyline is full of feel good second chances set in a small town setting (one of my favorite tropes to read). Oyster Bay sounds like the kind of place I’d love to live in. this was an easy/flowing evening read that I read over the course of a few evenings.

Thank you Net Galley, Heidi McLaughlin, and Montlake Publishing for an E-ARC of this book in exchange for my review.

I enjoyed this quick read about second chance love and discovering oneself and strengthening relationships. The main characters were easy to enjoy and the small town feel was very comforting.

Honestly, the best part about this was that it was relatively short.

I've read a couple of contemporary romance books that reminded me of a cheesy, badly written hallmark movie, but this is the epitome of them. Which makes more sense to me now that I've learned this is the author of Forever My Girl and I found every single thing about that film cheesy and bordering on unbearable. I'd have enjoyed more background and build up before things fell apart for Devorah 2 pages in. We just weren't given enough to connect with her or care what was happening to her.

I didn't like Devorah, almost off the bat. She was a complete wet-wipe. There was absolutely no substance to her character and it didn't improve as the story went on. The same could be said for Hayden. I found him only a tiny bit more tolerable. Everyone else was just background noise. I do get that with 'fluffy, feel good romances' like this, the author isn't focusing on developing side characters until their own book, but they were so underdeveloped, they may as well not have been in the book at all.

The one thing I didn't mind were the flashbacks, but they ultimately weren't exciting enough to save the story for me.

This book offers an engaging friends-to-lovers plot that definitely holds promise. The chemistry between the main characters is palpable, and the witty banter between them had me smiling throughout the story. The emotional depth as they navigate the fallout of the wife's betrayal by her husband, who cheats with her best friend, adds an interesting layer to their evolving relationship. The pacing and the way the characters support each other in their moments of vulnerability made for an emotional yet uplifting read.

However, despite the solid connection between the two leads, the book falters in certain aspects, particularly during the love scenes. While I appreciate that the author was aiming for a steamy moment to match the developing romance, the descriptive nature of these scenes felt uncomfortable and out of place. Rather than enhancing the romance, it distracted from the story, making it harder to stay immersed in the emotional connection that had been so beautifully built earlier on.

In the end, while I enjoyed the friendship-to-romance transformation and the overall journey, the jarring intimacy scenes left me feeling disconnected from the otherwise strong foundation. A fun read, but one that could’ve benefited from a bit more subtlety in its depiction of romance.

too cheesy and cliche. Has every single cliche trope in this book. I think it was a copycat book, it was boring and nothing special at all. I wasted time

Thank you to NetGalley, to the author, and to the publisher for this complimentary ARC in exchange for my honest review!!!