This book is a celebration of finding a person who gets the core of you. We are all individuals. We are complicated. We cannot understand each other completely right away, BUT we can find a person who fits with the core of who we are.

That's Jess and Mo. While there's a steep learning curve for these two (they are both going through things), they see straight to the center of each other. Jess sees the effort it takes Mo to exist in the world. She understands him. She then learns he is a HSP and learns the nuances of what that means for him. Mo sees that Jess is in pain. He sees that she is hiding her pain the best way she can. He doesn't know why, but by seeing it he can be there for her in a way she doesn't allow others to be.

I adored this book. These two are so sweet to each other. Gia doesn't shy away from what they are dealing with, but gives us hope that even when times are tough you can find joy and love.

Mo is a Highly Sensitive Person, a type of neurodivergence. We see how interacting with the world at large affects Mo. His brain doesn't react to stimuli the same way. Gia gives us an inside look into what it takes for him to live his life. So often people who are neurodivergent are shown as other. We don't see them get their happily ever after. We don't watch them fall in love. Showing Mo, with all the good and the bad that goes with him, find his partner was beautiful.

Jess is refusing the grieve the loss of her sister. We don't learn how she died until over halfway through the book. We watch the toll that pushing her feelings down is taking on her. Both physically and mentally. While her relationship with her parents is a central challenge in this book, she has two friends from grad school that she can rely on completely. The juxtaposition between Jess's found family and Mo's biological family show that neither is better. Support is support.

While dealing with heavy topics, this story is a rom com at its heart. It's a tale of two people falling in love while being forced to participate in a Renaissance Faire. One who is a blacksmith and the other who is an archer. These are silly ideas. It adds levity to the weight of both Jess's grief and Mo's NSP.

An adorable story for sure.

If I wasn't reading this book to write a review I probably would have DNF'd it. The story is sweet, the characters seem nice, and the plot is interesting but the writing is not sophisticated. The writing is very much telling instead of showing. The dialogue is super clunky and the MMC's daughter comes across as 7 not 12.

It's great to see some well intentioned neurodivergent representation but the info dumps and over explaining every time it was referenced on the page got to be a lot. The central romance seems very sweet but is lacking in chemistry and spark. Unfortunately, I cannot recommend giving this book a shot.

This was a cute book. It explored nondivergent characters along with the importance of friendships and community.

I personally would have liked to have "seen" more time spent at the Ren faire.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance digital copy of this book.

Though I absolutely loved the neurodiversity rep, everything else fell short. There's a lot of tell and no show, leaving little room for creativity. Despite this being a slow burn, there's no real spark between the MCs. Maddie uses "daddy" a little too often to sound like a 12-year-old; her dialogue lowers her perceived age.

Grumpy / Sunshine
Neurodivergency
Slow Burn
Forced Proximity

A cute romance. Mo is a mechanic and blacksmith and is a Highly Sensitive Person. Jess is a professor and archer who is grieving her sister’s death. After an awkward first meeting, Mo and Jess discover they are drawn to each other and embark on a relationship all while preparing for a Renaissance Faire to benefit the Folk School at which they volunteer. There is a lot of plot packed into the story and while I thought Mo and Jess were darling together I also felt this read as young adult as times and the main characters did not have as much depth as I would hope - perhaps because the multiple subplots took space away from character building.

Thank you to Random House Ballantine and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a copy.

Thank you, Random House Publishing Group, for my early copy of Gia De Candent's "Give Me a Shot." I enjoy all her books. Mo and Jess were funny to read cause both of them tried to fight the chemistry they had for each other. Gia's writing skills touch upon grief and neurodivergent in this novel.

“Give Me a Shot” by Gia de Cadenet is a beautiful story of love, growth, and overcoming obstacles. I absolutely adored Jess and Mo as a couple. They were so endearing, and I couldn’t help but root for them throughout the book. One of the standout moments for me was when Khalil called his mom out to have Mo talk about Jess—I couldn’t stop laughing! It was such a lighthearted, genuine moment that added to the charm of the story.

As someone who has autism and struggles with sensory issues, I really appreciated how Gia portrayed Mo’s diagnosis of HSP (Highly Sensitive Person). His character was so relatable, and it was refreshing to see such thoughtful representation. I think Gia did a fantastic job of showing the character development of both Jess and Mo. Initially, they were both holding back, caught up in their own reservations, but ultimately, they allowed love to break down those barriers. It was inspiring to see them conquer their fears together.

Mo’s role as a father was portrayed beautifully. You could feel his love and dedication to his daughter, Maddie. I also really admired Jess’s decision to take the time to understand his condition and her thoughtfulness in waiting at least six months to meet Maddie or move in together. It spoke volumes about her character and how much she respected both Mo and his relationship with his daughter.

The side characters were just as delightful. Jess’s friends were supportive, kind, and brought a wonderful sense of community to the story. There were moments that made me laugh, moments that pulled at my heartstrings, and an overall feeling of resilience that made this book truly special. One of my favorite scenes was the Renaissance fair, where Jess honored her sister’s memory. It was a touching tribute and added another layer of depth to her character.

*There was one small area where I felt a bit disconnected as a reader. The transition to the intimate scene felt a bit choppy, and I would have loved to see more of their text messages or conversations leading up to that moment. It would have made the progression feel more natural.

And I just have to mention the cat in the beginning—sitting on Jess’s computer! If you’ve ever owned a cat, you know how hilariously relatable that is. It was a small but memorable touch that made me smile.

Overall, “Give Me a Shot” is a heartwarming read that beautifully balances love, personal growth, and the challenges that come with being vulnerable. I highly recommend it!

Thank you to Dell Romance for this ARC copy.

This was a really cute book. I loved the neurodiversity representation, I thought it was done really well and with care. I also appreciated the discussions on grief throughout the book, there were a lot of great quotes on what grief can feel like and how it’s handled by different people. There is a mild trigger warning for discussions of an abusive relationship.
I really enjoyed both characters, their meet cute was unique and made me laugh. I loved how Jessica was so open and willing to learn about Mo’s type of neurodiversity. I appreciated that she tried her best not to be judgmental, but was willing to get to know who he was. I enjoyed her character development throughout the book, especially when it came to her grief journey. I loved her friend group and how they were so honest and supportive of her. Mo was a great MMC, I loved how great of a dad he was and how he chose to show his care/love for Jessica in unique and meaningful ways. Overall, this was a great romance and I would definitely recommend it!

Give me a shot from the first sentence was *chef kiss*

First of all within in the first couple sentences, I want to hug Mo and protect him from ALL HARM! Jess was a kick butt FMC whose strength not only came from her relationship with Mo but also dealing with her own trauma.

Prepare for an emotional ride that will have you giggling with your feet high in the sky and your stomach rising and swooping like you're on a rollercoaster, screaming with joy the whole time.

Mo. Raw. Next question.

The way I fell in love with this man and wanted to protect him at all costs?!? Ugh so so good!

This was beautiful. I loved how they were both in their own struggles but were still able to help each other. Mo deserves the world. I didn't want this book to end!

I wanted to love this and gave it two shots but I had a hard time getting into it. Just not for me but I know it will be a fun read for others.

Give Me a Shot was an engaging and thrilling read! The characters were intriguing, and the romance added a nice touch of chemistry to the story. I really enjoyed the emotional depth and the way the plot kept me hooked. A great read that kept me turning pages!

I was invited by the publisher to review this book. Mo teaches blacksmith skills at a local folk school and has carefully crafted his existence into an order that works for him; he is no drama, and likes things in his life as is. Jessica is grieving the loss of her sister, and has recently moved in order to start fresh - she has a new job and has a passion for archery, and takes refuge in this. The best place for her to practice her archery skills is at the local folk school, but has a run in with Mo and her own carefully crafted existence is thrown into disarray. The two may butt heads, but eventually are forced into each other's proximity when they must work together to save the school from closing.

There is ample chemistry between Mo and Jessica from the beginning, and the author depicts this well. I also appreciated the role of anxiety and boundaries that were explored in this book, and felt that the author did a good job of encouraging her characters to learn to communicate and trust others. I enjoyed the secondary plot of the Renaissance Fair, and would have personally loved more incorporation from that angle.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group/Ballantine/Dell for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Gia De Cadenet brings us a heartfelt contemporary romance with *Give Me a Shot*. It’s a great mix of emotion, humor, and some serious chemistry. The story follows two guarded folks who find love in a pretty unexpected place—a folk school where blacksmithing meets archery.

Mo Sarda is a quiet, no-nonsense guy who enjoys his alone time in the forge and likes his life to be nice and structured. On the flip side, there’s Jessica Anderson, a passionate professor and expert archer who just moved to Michigan and is still grappling with her sister’s passing. From the get-go, their fiery encounters are both frustrating and exhilarating.

De Cadenet nails the balance between lighthearted banter and heavier themes like grief and learning to trust again. The chemistry between Jess and Mo is impossible to miss, and their slow-burn romance is really compelling because they both struggle with opening up. Plus, their efforts to save the local folk school through a Renaissance Faire adds a fun community vibe to the whole story.

What makes *Give Me a Shot* stand out is how real and relatable the characters feel. Mo’s quiet strength is a perfect counter to Jess’s fiery spirit. Their relationship isn’t just about attraction—it’s about emotional connection and finding the courage to take a chance on love. If you like contemporary romances that mix humor, heart, and a bit of small-town charm, this one's definitely worth a read!

title: Give Me a Shot

author: Gia De Cadenet

publisher: Dell

publication date: May 6, 2025

pages: 320

peppers: 3 (on this scale)

warnings: death of a sister (inpast), bad relationship with parents, highly sensitive person, a fall/injury, grief, domestic violence leading to death (in past)

summary: Jess has moved to a new town in the wake of grief about her sister's death. In addition to her job as a teacher, she decides to reconnect with her past hobby of archery, so she joins the local folk school, where she crosses paths with Mo, the group's master smithy. Mo, a highly sensitive person, is attracted to Jess, but has a lot on his plate, with co-parenting his pre-teen daughter and taking care of his elderly neighbor. Both of them have reasons not to want to participate in the folk school's fundraising Ren Fair, but they will help out together.

tropes:

breaking down walls
working together
saving a local landmark
divorced father
neurodivergence

what I liked: 

good representation of neurodivergence
good representation of grief
friends who help
learning together
Mo's relationship with his family

what I didn’t like: 

characters aren't all white, but they never mention race
a little preachy at times about teaching reader about neurodivergence

overall rating: 3 (of 5 stars)

I loved this and the awareness brought to HSP. I've never heard of it before but was very impressed with this story. I loved Jess and with everything going on with what happened with her sister. I'm very glad it wasn't overlooked. I teared up at it. Like Mo had said even thinking of losing one of his brothers felt like a sharp stabbing pain in his body. I agree with that I couldn't imagine losing any of my siblings.

I don't think the author did enough research on neurodiverse people. It was constantly pointed out and was not written well. Outside of that the romance aspect was adorable and their connection felt genuine.

A fun romance with different settings and hobbies than one might expect. Writing was OK, but at times strayed a bit. This wasn't spicy but was rather a slow-burn.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for access to this eARC.

Thank you Dell Romance for the ARC for my review!

I enjoyed this one a lot. I think the inclusion of unique hobbies and professions was a really fun part of this book. The challenges each character has to overcome during the book are also very unique and I loved getting to read a book that had all the comforts of a romance read with enough one-of-a-kind details to make it feel all its own. There were some writing style choices that sometimes took me out of the moment, such as odd line breaks or a lot of proper nouns in dialogue, but Mo and Jess’ support of each other was so genuine it was easy to push through and see how they came together.

I would definitely recommend this one!

I really wanted to love this book after really enjoying the first two books from this author in years past. There were some bright spots, but overall this one fell a bit flat for me.

Mo and Jess team up to help their local community center put on a Renaissance Faire, and in the process catch feelings for each other. Jess is new in town and grieving the death of her sister; Mo is a single dad, business owner, and blacksmith instructor. There were a lot of threads that were left unfinished in the story, and I really wanted to see more communication and relationship building between Jess and Mo. They don't spend much time together on the page before things turn physical and then we're told they have a lot of FaceTime dates, but we don't see any of it on page to watch their relationship grow. This lent to the book feeling like a lot of telling and not enough showing to make me invested in these characters.

Content flags: grief and death of sibling (it is suggested though not confirmed that the death was a result of domestic partner violence)

I voluntarily read a gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own.