First, a big thank you to the publisher for the ARC of this lovely book—and my sincerest apologies for the delay in posting this review. I’m so grateful I got to read This Kind of Love early, because wow… it might just be my new favorite small-town romance.

If you love books by Abby Jimenez or stories that wrap you in warmth and second chances, you need this on your shelf. This was truly one of the sweetest, most heartfelt love stories I’ve read in a long time—and at just 217 pages, it makes for the perfect one-sitting binge. Trust me, you won’t want to put it down.

The story moves at a medium-to-fast pace, with just the right balance of charm, emotional tension, and romantic tension. I absolutely fell in love with the town of Sloane—it feels like a real place you want to move to—and with Kate, her wonderfully loyal inner circle, and the layered, slowly unfolding love story at the center.

I adored Kate and Jase. Some might call their banter and behavior a little "childish," but to me, it felt like two people reconnecting with a love that never got the chance to grow up. There’s something so beautiful and real about watching them relive that first crush energy as adults, this time with more clarity and courage. Nick, the third point of the love triangle, was so sweet—I only wish we got a little more depth from his character. He definitely deserved more page time!

Overall, This Kind of Love made me feel seen, soft, and completely swept up in the idea that sometimes the love you dreamed about as a teenager really can come back around—stronger, smarter, and sweeter than ever. I only wish the book was longer because I wasn’t ready to leave Sloane or these characters behind.

Loved the story!! Did skim a bit in some parts from before but still it was such a sweet second chance romance!

Kate Dailey finds herself forced to return to her hometown to see her sick father. Yet, avoiding Jason Cole, the first boy she ever loved, is a struggle even though he helped her deal with her life, living with an alcoholic father. However, when Jase shattered her heart, Kate left everything behind, including him and the memories of fireflies and magnolia trees. Despite having carved out a new existence in NYC, and a dream job at Q Magazine, she finds herself torn between her old life and the life that she left behind, particularly with Jase featuring so prominently. Kate finds herself at a crossroads, trying to decide whether she should risk it all or hurry back to the safety of her new life.
A well-paced story, which deals with plenty of confronting issues, including alcoholism and cancer. I enjoyed the flashbacks to Kate and Jase’s earlier days, as it helped to explain the fears that she had when facing her family and Jase again. I felt that the link between the two timelines was well presented and helped to explain many of Kate’s decisions.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was such a wonderful and enjoyable read.
If you’re into sports romance, This Kind of Love by Ashley Detweiler is definitely one to check out.
This was a wonderfully written romance story.
I absolutely loved these characters and really enjoyed getting to know them.
A sweet, fun and engaging read!

Kate meets Nick, a kind man who pays for her office's coffee order. She works at a magazine in New York City, but has never fully moved on from her first love and the boy next door, Jason Cole. She returns to her small hometown after finding out that her father is sick. Six years later, she runs into her high school ex, Jase, who works at the most popular bar in town.

I am a huge fan of second chance romance and slow burn, but there was not enough groveling from Jase. How come he never reached out? The Homecoming scene was sweet until it was interrupted. The romance fell flat for me, as I felt bad for Nick, who Kate was just using. Kate is not only in denial of her lingering feelings for Jase, but she continuously runs away from her problems.

Instead of focusing on the present, Jase keeps rehashing their past memories. Does he even know her anymore? The reason behind their break-up completely fell on him. She had every right to leave, and he let her go.

She cannot face her dad until close to the end of the book. Her father was an alcoholic who does not remember the verbal abuse he spewed. She does not forgive him, but she is finally ready to move on.

The speech that Jase's mom gives about grief hit home. The ending is sweet, with Jase choosing to follow her, no matter where she goes because he lost her once, and he will not lose her again.

𝐀𝐑𝐂 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰
𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐊𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞
𝐛𝐲 𝐀𝐬𝐡𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐃𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐫
𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐞 𝟑𝐫𝐝

- - -
Read this book if you like:
□ small-town romance
□ second chances
□ boy-next-door
□ found family
□ closed-door romance

Thank you, Netgalley, for the ARC.

This is Ashley Detweiler's first novel, and it's such a magnificent, touching story. I felt every emotion. Happiness, heartbroken, thunderstruck, grief, sadness, relief. Yes, this book brought tears to my eyes.

This book was so beautifully written. I loved that there were chapters about the present and the past. The FMC went through a lot. She had a difficult past. Luckily, there is that kind and protective boy-next-door who's always there for her. Even though, through a miscommunication, they parted ways. But when you are meant to be together, you will find a way back to each other's arms.

Let me tell you that FMC's grandmother is the star of this story. She is the sweetest and funniest grandmother ever! She and FMC's adorable dog are my favorite characters, for sure.

I highly recommend this gem. Don't forget to read the trigger warnings at the beginning of the book!

This Kind of Love by Ashley Detweiler presents a promising premise—a second-chance romance reminiscent of Sweet Home Alabama, with dual timelines that explore past and present emotional threads. It is set in a small town with layered family dynamics and the setup offers a heartfelt, reflective story about coming home, growth, and reconnection.

The story unfolds at a very gentle pace, and I struggled to stay engaged. I wanted the Characters to be more developed, as I found it difficult to connect to them. The relationships, both romantic and familial, could have benefitted from deeper exploration to create stronger reader investment.

The writing style has a cozy, comforting tone that may appeal to younger readers or those looking for a light, low-conflict read. While it wasn’t the right fit for me, I appreciate the themes of healing and returning to one’s roots.

I really liked this book. Kay had not been home in over 6 years. She had trouble that she didn't like to talk about. She left her small town and was living in NY. When she had to go home as her father had collapsed, her best friend went with her. Of course, every where she went, she ran into Jase who she was involved with before she left. It was so of cute how hard he chased her.
The characters were likeable and the story was easy to get involved in. The story kept going back 5 years and then present, but it was easy to track.

I got this book from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really loved the beginning of this book. Things got a little uneven in the middle, but overall I ended up really liking the book!

Is this a debut? It feels like a debut. There are several positive points to note: it’s fast-paced, the writing flows, and I do like a story with flashbacks that lead up to a pivotal moment. However as it progressed, I was left feeling like it was slightly unbalanced. Too much juvenile push and pull between Kate and Jace, while the bigger issues around family and history were kind of skimmed over in comparison. A few of the secondary characters had dramatic back stories/ongoing stories that were perhaps setups for future books but just came across as unnecessary distraction, and while I don’t usually have an issue with the use of miscommunication (because hey, it’s a problem in real life too), the way lack of communication was used here felt beyond unlikely. Still the author shows loads of potential, but I wonder if perhaps I’m not the target audience for this one.

I went into this book blind and it totally blew me away!! This is an adorable second chance, small town romance with some deep emotional baggage. Some parts were heart breaking to read and other parts were adorably sweet. Overall I really really enjoyed this book!

It definitely gave me some Sweet Home Alabama vibes!

Trigger warnings for alcoholism, domestic abuse, verbal/emotional abuse.

I don't usually gravitate towards second chance small town romance that often but in the case of this book I am glad that I delved into this story.
The story was a fun, interesting modern romance with a vast array of POV's that were executed well in the story along with the settings giving the cosy vibes of the small town of Sloane along with the busy undertones and chaotic lifestyle in New York City for the main character of Kate Dailey.
In terms of other parts of the story, the romance between Nick and Kate felt somewhat rushed and nonsensical from its inception and, whilst the romance between Kate and her childhood friend and ex boyfriend Jase did feel more believable, the dynamic of conversation between the two characters would have greatly benefited if it was of a more mature, level headed nature. Secondly, the aspect of Kates father being an abusive alcoholic (whilst not being the main focal point in the story) was pretty confronting in parts as to the damage substance abuse can do in families which kind of hit close to home for me as a reader.
This book was a two sitting read for me and I would like to thank both Netgalley and Rising Action Publishing for the chance to read this unique, modern ARC.

I always forget how much I love second chance romance until I read one as good as this!

Thank you NetGalley, Rising Action Publishing, and Ashley for providing me the opportunity to read this ARC. It was an absolute delight.

First, I'll say Ashley does an outstanding job depicting emotion, when the characters felt heartbreak, happy, betrayed, hurt, relieved, I did too. Kate is dealing with a lot of childhood trauma and at times feels like she's running away but honestly who can blame her? I actually appreciated how she is depicted and didn't feel like her anxiety was shoved down our throats. And Jase? Are you kidding me!?! He is so swoon worthy and frustrating all at once it's perfect!!

This is a great romance novel if you're looking for something that is meaningfully deep, impactful, emotional and most importantly hopeful. The way Ashley moves back and forth in the timeline of Kate's life is very intriguing and kept me engaged. I loved seeing the past and how it was affecting her current situation. The plot device was very effective in my opinion.

This book is a second chance, small town romance with elements of strong family ties, hard family dynamics and supportive friendships! Also side note: if you love Taylor & "Friends" you're gonna love a lot of references in here!!!

“First loves aren’t meant to be your last … are they?”

I love a good second chance romance and this one was so sweet. I love the boy next store meets the girl next door and that its, its a love for life. But this second chance wasn’t just about first love, it was a second chance at living, without regrets and the past.

Kate escaped her small town of Sloane, Tennessee six years ago for New York to become a writer and hasn’t looked back. She working for a magazine she loves and has amazing people around her. But she never gets too serious with men to have a relationship bc her first love broke her heart.

Something has happened, though, and Kate has to go back to her small town and with that comes all the memories, not just of her first love but of her father as well.

When I say this book was sweet, I mean that the love between Kate and Jase was so freaking cute even when they were six years old catching fireflies together. The love that blossomed over time was gradual and they knew they had something so special, they were holding it so tight with both hands.

Kate’s family was also a huge aspect in this book and she really makes you fall in love with all her mama, Pop and nana. They rally around each other so much in this book.

This book definitely made me want to cry in some parts. In other parts, especially with Jase and Kate together, I just wanted to hold on to them. For a debut novel, if she was going for a Sweet Home Alabama feel, she hit the nail on the head with this one.

Thank you again to Ashley Deitweiler, Rising Action Publishing, and NetGalley for this opportunity!

DNF.

At first, I had a great feeling about this book, and then the writing started to feel off. There were important things that were completely brushed past, and that really bothered me.

Kate—the FMC—was so ignorant, which made me really dislike this, so I decided to not go any further.

No hate to the author! This just wasn’t the right read for me.

𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙤 𝙉𝙚𝙩𝙂𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙪𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘼𝙍𝘾.

Thank you NetGalley, Rising Action Publication and Ashley Detweiler for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
3.5⭐️
The FMC, Kate, is hurt after her high school sweetheart and best friend since 6yrs old dumps her instead of moving to NY with her 6 years ago. She has kept all guys at an arms length since then and avoided home due to family trauma.

I enjoyed this story and was really frustrated at the same time. One of my least favorite tropes is miscommunication or lack of communication and that stole the show in this book. Secrets, half truths and avoiding issues/topics by multiple people really made up the bulk of this storyline.

The alcoholism and toxic family dynamics may be tough for some. I don’t have that in my family and it was still unpleasant to read time after time.

Kate and Jase still felt incredibly young and immature but I was rooting for them because that’s what I was supposed to do!

Overall, it was a good book but not something I‘ll come back to.

This was a sweet, reflective read. I really enjoyed Kate and Jase’s relationship. It was full of emotion without feeling overdone. There was something comforting about the way they navigated their shared history

I also liked that Kate had such a strong support system around her. They were all so loving and present and added a lot of heart to the story.

Some of the time jumps did feel a bit choppy and had me flipping back to make sure I was following. Overall, it was a cozy story about coming home, facing the past, and figuring out what happiness really looks like.

This was really sweet. I love small town romances where I would actually want to visit the town if it was real and this was definitely one of those. It could be a Hallmark movie (I love them), a closed door romance, and shifts between present-day and various years into the past as we find out what our main character Kate’s life was like with her childhood sweetheart Jase, and why she ended up leaving solo. The side characters are likable also, and I love that Jase had a whole family that have personalities and are not just there to give him a backstory.

This is a story about childhood friends to lovers, layered with a complex family situation of the FMC father suffering with alcohol use disorder. The MMC supports the FMC throughout her years living with someone who struggled with addiction. A tragedy happens and this separates the couple for a number of years until the FMC is drawn back home to her family to face what she ran from years prior.

I gave this a 4/5 because I really enjoyed the flashback component that built the main characters relationship. I rated it 4/5 mainly because the ending seemed unrealistic between the main characters due to how quickly all was forgiven and the ending seemed very abrupt compared to how the rest of the story was told.

Was a great debut novel for this author! Thank you for the ARC, NetGalley and Rising Action Publishing Co!

♡ quite possibly the best small town romance i've ever read ♡

4/5 ⭐️

thank you to @ashleydetweiler_author and @risingactionpublishingco for an ARC of this book!

abby jimenez lovers.. this book is for you! this truly is one of the sweetest love stories i've ever read. it makes for a good one sitting read at 217 pages & the plot keeps you ENTICED!!

📖 plot & pace: medium/fast paced with so many lovely layers that keep you interested! i absolutely fell in love with the small town of Sloane, Kate and her inner circle and the blooming romance(s)!!

👥 characters: i LOVED these characters! yes.. Kate & Jase can be seen as "childish".. but i think they're just reliving their childhood love that they never got to finish!! and in a small town like Sloane, what else can you do?!

🤩 tropes: small town romance, second chance romance, (slightly) forced proximity, love triangle

⚠️ content notes: there are brief mentions of verbal domestic altercations/alcohol addiction. nothing graphic descriptions & very low spice.

i really do wish this book was longer! i felt Kate and Jase's storyline was perfectly paced but i wish Nick had a bit more depth in the story. he was SO CUTE!!

overall, i loved this book and it made me feel so understood. this is the kind of love i've always dreamed about 💕

release date: 06/04/2025