What a cute, fun read. I really like the cover and the story gave me big Jen DeLuva "Well Met" series vibes.

Mo is a sweet introverted Highly Sensitive Person who is a blacksmith and Jess is more outgoing chaotic archer.

I was really excited about this book. It was a slower start and it took awhile for me to get into it. But I found myself always rooting for Mo. I wanted to be on Jess's, but she just kept running from her problems.

At the end, I wasn't disappointed. I'm glad I read it.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

3.5/5

Mostly okay I guess. I enjoyed the Princess Bride references, and the MMC (not the name but his general vibe), and the archery aspect but something about this wasn’t hitting right. It was hard to get through in some parts and didn’t love the unnecessary third act break up. Like I get it. But not really? It fell a little flat to me despite the initial meet cute that I enjoyed at the beginning.

Made it to 32%. I just didn’t find the writing style was for me. I felt like it was a little jumbled and that the way things were described were a tad strange to me.

[Review will be posted to Goodreads end of April 2025]

3.5 stars

A charming and low-stakes contemporary romance perfect for fans of Jen DeLuca.

Give Me a Shot features two cool and capable protagonists: Jess, a women’s history professor and competitive crossbow archer, and Mo, a car mechanic shop owner and part-time master blacksmith. The two become friends while working/volunteering at the Michigan Folk School, and though neither enjoys the spotlight, their coveted skills make their contributions vital to the school’s fundraising efforts as it puts on a Renaissance Faire.

What makes this book stand out is the way the two characters genuinely care for and attempt to navigate one another’s emotional health. Jess is heavily grieving the recent (violent) death of her beloved sister, and Mo identifies as a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP), gifted/burdened by extremely sensitive empathy and highly affected by sensory input of all kinds. Neither wants to burden the other, but they are both genuinely interesting, kind people who have believable chemistry, which grows as they work together for a common cause.

One downside to the story is that Mo’s daughter, Maddy, reads as younger than her age. When she’s revealed to be twelve years old, I found my eyebrows raising—her dialogue makes her seem much younger. I was gratified that Jess decided not to meet her until she and Mo had been dating at least 6 months (this is the smart and healthy way to do things IRL), but in practice it meant that Maddy didn’t have much of a role in the story; I think there could have been a way to make her presence matter more even with Jess’s responsible rules for dating a single parent.

Give Me a Shot was a cute, surprisingly heartfelt romance between sensitive, silent Mo and tough, closed off Jess. Gia De Cadenet does an amazing job of bringing two complicated characters to light and showing that soft, small gestures can grow into a very healing love.

3.5/5

I've been on a Sports Romance kick lately but when I saw there was a Sports Romance around Archery, a sports I did in high school I had to give it a try and I am so glad I did! This covered more than just the Sport and more than just the romance, it really dealt with a lot o heavier issues and did so wonderfully.

I couldn't get past the first couple of pages in this one. The main female character was immature and unlikeable. She was whining and the male lead was far too annoyingly grumpy. Couldn't even finish chapter one.

pretty cute romance. Jess was awesome! i loved her vibes and her character. and Mo was a pretty cool character too. definitely a lot less ren faire than i expected but still great. 5 stars. tysm for thea rc.

This gave me hope that it is possible to be seen and loved for who you are. I loved this book but it could be a bit heavy at times.

I really enjoyed this story. It was not a typical romcom and I loved that about it. It was like a fun and cute story but featuring grief and neurodivergence and differences and that was quite refreshing.

Mo is not your typical MMC. He was shy and quiet and did not like drama. He was a single dad to a 12 year old girl. He works as a mechanic but has a passion for being a blacksmith. He also teaches on the side at a local school with budding blacksmiths.

Jess is grieving the recent loss of her sister, moves from England to Michigan to work at her dream job as a professor at the University. Who also happens to be an expert in archery. Jess and Mo have quite the first meeting where Jess thought Mo was an ax murderer and tried to shoot him with a bow and arrow. It was a pretty funny “meet-not-so-cute”.

When the two have to team up to put on a Ren Faire to help save the folk school, the two have quite the adventure. It was such a fun and cute story that it was the perfect romantic comedy. I enjoyed reading about their friendship and how it turned to more.

I admire the complexity with which Mo and Jess handle their relationship and their respective emotional needs. A frank portrayal of grief is woven throughout Jess and Mo’s relationship. While it’s not a light easy read, I think it is executed well, especially in the way they learn to turn toward each other. I enjoyed the quirky side characters as well!

Really enjoyed the princess bride references however the way that the plot and characters were executed fell a bit flat. Unfortunately the unnecessary third act break up is what lead me to knock down another star. Really wanted to enjoy this ARC but it just wasn’t for me. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Mo Sarda tends to keep to himself. On the neurodivergent spectrum, he is a highly sensitive person who is able to pick up on other people’s feelings which can be very overwhelming for him. His happy places are at home with his 12 year old daughter and in his forge. But when the folk school he teaches at becomes in danger of closing down, he steps outside of his comfort zone to help.

Jess Anderson lost her sister the previous year. Unable to grieve her death, she pushes down her emotions and continues to move forward. While emptying out her sister’s storage unit, she meets Mo. He seems standoffish at first, but the more she gets to know him, the more layers she peels away. When they both agree to help at the Folk School’s renaissance festival sparks between them start to fly. But will Jess's grief prove to be too much for their relationship.

This was such a heartfelt story. I really appreciated learning about those who are HSP’s and the daily struggles they deal with. Despite this, Mo is a kind and caring person. While he does shy away from overly stimulating situations, he still finds ways to connect with others. I loved him and Jess together. Their openness and ability to tune into each other’s needs was beautiful to read. Jess taking the time to learn about those who are HSP so that she could better support Mo was so heartwarming.

Ms. De Cadenet does not shy away from grief. She paints a very painful picture of the loss Jess feels with sensitive and empathy. My heart went out to Jess. She was really doing the best she could. Her sister was her tether to home and without her she’s adrift on the look out for home. I’m glad she finally finds it with Mo.

I loved this book, and look forward to reading Ms. De Cadenet’s backlist.

I feel like Mo and Jess wrapped me up in a big warm hug. Seeing them learn to love each other was beautiful. The Ren Faire was a fun experience. And I loved visiting with the Sarda family again. I just loved it. Thanks to Dell for the ARC.

This 3rd act break up made sense for once (kinda, still don’t agree with it). Jess and Mo were cute, I enjoyed reading them banter. Their meet cute was more terrifying than cute but I thought it was kinda funny. Cute popcorn book with all the Ren Faire vibes.

Over all I really enjoyed this book. The beginning was a little different for POV's and understanding the writing style for the book. I could definitely tell after reading the acknowledgements and excerpts at the end of the book the author put her heart into it. I loved that it had some not really typical aspects to the book you don't really see often, a blacksmith and a professional archerhist? With undertones of planning a Ren Faire?
#GiveMeaShot #netgalley

I did receive this as an ARC from publishers and Netgalley

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this book!

What a cute romcom! I really enjoyed this book and had such a hard time putting it down. I enjoyed the writing style. The characters worked so well together and the plot was great.

This book was very cute!! It delivers on the premise. Mo is the sweetest teddy bear, and Jess is so incredibly supportive. If you’re a romance girly, this is a must read.

3.5⭐️

This book had everything but it just didn't fully work for me. It felt a little flat. I loved so much about it - the princess Bride references, the Ren faire, Jess and Mo. but I think in the end, a lot felt dull and clinical. Cute idea, just didn't fully work for me.

Thanks to NetGalley for this arc!