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3.76 AVERAGE
3.76 AVERAGE
I love all of Jill Shalvis's books so kind of hard to not like this new series set in the Colorado Rockies. This is small town living with everyone remembering what you did way back in high school no matter how much you wish they would forget those things. And families and first loves.
Pour yourself a cup of hot tea or cider and curl up and watch Aidan and Lily work around old memories and remember that they do love each other.
Pour yourself a cup of hot tea or cider and curl up and watch Aidan and Lily work around old memories and remember that they do love each other.
4.5 Stars
Before I started reading a book a day and blogging, my go to author was always Jill Shalvis. I can't even count the number of books of hers that I've read, but I can guarantee that I've enjoyed each and every one of them. She always writes the most fun, simple romances that are full of heart and heat. This book is no exception.
It was very easy to fall in love with Aiden and his rugged, protective nature. From the very beginning it's clear that his family means everything to him. He's the guy who doesn't trust easily, but if you ever earn it from him, you'll also earn his undying loyalty. If that's not the makings for a perfect BBF, I'm not sure what is.
Lily is sweet, strong and independent but doesn't feel worthy of love and happiness. The second the two of them reconnect it's obvious that they both have residual feelings from their relationship that almost was.
Aiden is pretty forthcoming with his feelings and expectations but still holds back a little out of fear of being left behind again. Lily knows what she feels but it's gonna take a little more to convince her that she deserves it.
Their journey to happy ever after is, rocky (pun intended), but perfect all the same. With Aiden's family & friend Mitch and Lily's best friend Jonathan rounding the amazing cast of characters in Cedar Ridge, some crazy rescue stories that will leave you, and maybe Aiden, in stitches, and a beautiful landscape to read about, this looks to be a new favorite series of mine.
*I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
Before I started reading a book a day and blogging, my go to author was always Jill Shalvis. I can't even count the number of books of hers that I've read, but I can guarantee that I've enjoyed each and every one of them. She always writes the most fun, simple romances that are full of heart and heat. This book is no exception.
It was very easy to fall in love with Aiden and his rugged, protective nature. From the very beginning it's clear that his family means everything to him. He's the guy who doesn't trust easily, but if you ever earn it from him, you'll also earn his undying loyalty. If that's not the makings for a perfect BBF, I'm not sure what is.
Lily is sweet, strong and independent but doesn't feel worthy of love and happiness. The second the two of them reconnect it's obvious that they both have residual feelings from their relationship that almost was.
Aiden is pretty forthcoming with his feelings and expectations but still holds back a little out of fear of being left behind again. Lily knows what she feels but it's gonna take a little more to convince her that she deserves it.
Their journey to happy ever after is, rocky (pun intended), but perfect all the same. With Aiden's family & friend Mitch and Lily's best friend Jonathan rounding the amazing cast of characters in Cedar Ridge, some crazy rescue stories that will leave you, and maybe Aiden, in stitches, and a beautiful landscape to read about, this looks to be a new favorite series of mine.
*I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
I love the new Colorado setting for this series, and the mountains! Hot sexy S&R fire fighters are also a good thing too.
The heroine was feisty, and Shalvis always does a great job of not letting silly lies drive her story. Can't wait for more.
The heroine was feisty, and Shalvis always does a great job of not letting silly lies drive her story. Can't wait for more.
Second Chance Summer is a classic Jill Shalvis second chance romance reminiscent of her Wilder series. Even so it is sweet, funny and a damn good read. The characters are relatable and the action is believable. As per any Jill Shalvis book you can read it for the secondary characters alone but given that Aiden & Lily are so much fun you don’t need to.
Complimentary copy provided by author/publisher for an honest review.
Complimentary copy provided by author/publisher for an honest review.
Very good book. Lily left Cedar Ridge ten years earlier, trying to escape the memories of her sister's and father's tragic deaths. But her terrific life in San Diego suddenly became less so, and in need of a job, she has come home to help a friend there. The last person she wants to run into (and the first one she does) is Aidan, the guy she left behind.
Aidan was great. He had been a bit of a bad boy and troublemaker back in his teens, but the best thing that had happened to him was Lily. He was devastated when she left town without a word. Since then, he's turned his energies to firefighting, search and rescue, and helping with his family's resort. He has his own painful past - a father that deserted the family, multiple half-siblings from his father's other relationships, and knowing that the resort is in financial trouble that is bearing down rapidly on them. A strong family relationship helps keep it all going. He's surprised to see Lily again, and determined to protect his heart from being hurt again.
I liked Lily. She's a nice person, friendly, with a bit of sass to her. She's also dealing with some trouble that wasn't entirely her fault. Working in a salon that caters to the stars comes with its own problems, and she got caught up in some of those problems. What hurt her was that her boss (and boyfriend) let her take the fall, and now she's paying the price. Her friend from home has hired her to fill in at the salon he manages, which gives her a place to recover while she looks for a new job.
I loved the reigniting of the relationship between Lily and Aidan. Though he wouldn't admit it, Aidan is a nurturer, and from the start he can't resist taking care of Lily. She insists she doesn't need it, and doesn't want it, but it doesn't take long for him to start getting past her walls. I loved the scenes with the firewood, and how Aidan just rolls over her protests. The attraction between them strikes sparks whenever they are together. The connection that they feel scares Lily, who is afraid to love anyone again. Aidan, whose feelings have grown quite fast, is patient, and encourages her to work through her feelings at her own pace. I loved how he was there for her when she needed the support, and yet could step back when she needed him to. It doesn't mean he's perfect, as he does have at least one boneheaded moment, but he does a good job of redeeming himself. Lily really fights her feelings, until a stormy rescue event reminds her that life can be all too short. I loved the post rescue moments, both on and off the mountain, which were both romantic and funny.
The supporting characters were all great. I loved Aidan's brothers and the loving, fun and snarky relationship that they had. I loved the pranks they pulled on each other. I'd love to know more about how Penny and Gray got together, as I suspect it would be quite a story. As one of the half-siblings, Hudson has some of his own issues, but his love for his family is unmistakable. We only heard of Jacob in this one, and I'm looking forward to learning more about him. The boys' mother is fantastic. I loved her way of straightening them out. Their reactions to her dating were hysterical, and I loved seeing her take advantage of it. Lily's friend Jonathan, who gave her the job at the salon, was great. I loved his combination of support and straight talk. He's determined to make Lily see that she belongs in Cedar Ridge.
Aidan was great. He had been a bit of a bad boy and troublemaker back in his teens, but the best thing that had happened to him was Lily. He was devastated when she left town without a word. Since then, he's turned his energies to firefighting, search and rescue, and helping with his family's resort. He has his own painful past - a father that deserted the family, multiple half-siblings from his father's other relationships, and knowing that the resort is in financial trouble that is bearing down rapidly on them. A strong family relationship helps keep it all going. He's surprised to see Lily again, and determined to protect his heart from being hurt again.
I liked Lily. She's a nice person, friendly, with a bit of sass to her. She's also dealing with some trouble that wasn't entirely her fault. Working in a salon that caters to the stars comes with its own problems, and she got caught up in some of those problems. What hurt her was that her boss (and boyfriend) let her take the fall, and now she's paying the price. Her friend from home has hired her to fill in at the salon he manages, which gives her a place to recover while she looks for a new job.
I loved the reigniting of the relationship between Lily and Aidan. Though he wouldn't admit it, Aidan is a nurturer, and from the start he can't resist taking care of Lily. She insists she doesn't need it, and doesn't want it, but it doesn't take long for him to start getting past her walls. I loved the scenes with the firewood, and how Aidan just rolls over her protests. The attraction between them strikes sparks whenever they are together. The connection that they feel scares Lily, who is afraid to love anyone again. Aidan, whose feelings have grown quite fast, is patient, and encourages her to work through her feelings at her own pace. I loved how he was there for her when she needed the support, and yet could step back when she needed him to. It doesn't mean he's perfect, as he does have at least one boneheaded moment, but he does a good job of redeeming himself. Lily really fights her feelings, until a stormy rescue event reminds her that life can be all too short. I loved the post rescue moments, both on and off the mountain, which were both romantic and funny.
The supporting characters were all great. I loved Aidan's brothers and the loving, fun and snarky relationship that they had. I loved the pranks they pulled on each other. I'd love to know more about how Penny and Gray got together, as I suspect it would be quite a story. As one of the half-siblings, Hudson has some of his own issues, but his love for his family is unmistakable. We only heard of Jacob in this one, and I'm looking forward to learning more about him. The boys' mother is fantastic. I loved her way of straightening them out. Their reactions to her dating were hysterical, and I loved seeing her take advantage of it. Lily's friend Jonathan, who gave her the job at the salon, was great. I loved his combination of support and straight talk. He's determined to make Lily see that she belongs in Cedar Ridge.
This review was originally posted on Cocktails and Books.
In Second Chance Summer, Shalvis introduces us to a brand new series, a new community, and a new family to fall in love with. This book definitely lives up to the high expectations I have for Shalvis’ work and I want Aidan for my new book boyfriend.
This new adventure take us to Cedar Ridge, CO where we meet the Kincaid family, an irreverent group that is impossible not to like. We specifically meet Aidan, the second oldest, a true Alpha, man’s man and real hero. We also meet Lily, a wounded bird that has come home after a 10 year absence. Lily and Aidan knew each other in high school and had a budding romance before tragedy struck and sent her leaving town. A professional disaster has brought her home even though it’s the last place she wants to be.
Elements of Second Chance Summer are classic Shalvis and there are no real surprises in the book, but the approach is fresh enough that it doesn’t feel repetitive. I loved that Aidan so obviously still cared about Lily and looked after her even when she was trying to push him away. His care taker personality was refreshing and unexpected given his career choices and family history. Lily’s personal growth was sweet to watch. She came back to town with so many issues to deal with and she was able to do that and find her happy.
This was a quick read, well written, and fun. My first visit to Cedar Ridge was a great trip and I am looking forward to coming back to see what the other Kincaid siblings are up to next.This book was reviewed by a member of the review staff at Cocktails and Books. The name of the reviewer can be found under the post categories.
In Second Chance Summer, Shalvis introduces us to a brand new series, a new community, and a new family to fall in love with. This book definitely lives up to the high expectations I have for Shalvis’ work and I want Aidan for my new book boyfriend.
This new adventure take us to Cedar Ridge, CO where we meet the Kincaid family, an irreverent group that is impossible not to like. We specifically meet Aidan, the second oldest, a true Alpha, man’s man and real hero. We also meet Lily, a wounded bird that has come home after a 10 year absence. Lily and Aidan knew each other in high school and had a budding romance before tragedy struck and sent her leaving town. A professional disaster has brought her home even though it’s the last place she wants to be.
Elements of Second Chance Summer are classic Shalvis and there are no real surprises in the book, but the approach is fresh enough that it doesn’t feel repetitive. I loved that Aidan so obviously still cared about Lily and looked after her even when she was trying to push him away. His care taker personality was refreshing and unexpected given his career choices and family history. Lily’s personal growth was sweet to watch. She came back to town with so many issues to deal with and she was able to do that and find her happy.
This was a quick read, well written, and fun. My first visit to Cedar Ridge was a great trip and I am looking forward to coming back to see what the other Kincaid siblings are up to next.This book was reviewed by a member of the review staff at Cocktails and Books. The name of the reviewer can be found under the post categories.
It took me a little while to get into this story. I liked the family aspect and shal is has a good wit. Lily took longer to get to know/understand....perhaps that was it. Still, a good read.
I got a free ARC of this book at BookCon, which has no affect on my review.
Second Chance Summer was my first book by Jill Shalvis, so I went into with nothing but the expectations of what the cover quotes promised - humor and heart. Shalvis definitely delivered on the humor. Witticism flew back and forth between the hero and heroine, the heroine and her best friend, and the hero and his family. On several occasions I chuckled aloud or snorted over the dialogue. Not to say that the book was overly humorous - there was just enough to balance all melodrama.
I have to use the word melodrama in place of heart because a single character with a dark and dramatic past I can handle. Both our hero and heroine having them is pushing my limits. But when supporting characters join the fray it's all a bit too much. It's a device overused in romance novels, in my opinion, especially when used as a framing device for books in a series, as it is here. The tragic incidents of our characters' past that they struggle to cope with and overcome are repeated ad nauseam. I get it. Dead Man's Cliff is named so because of the long list of people who've died there. Siblings have differing opinions about a deadbeat father. And so on.
Where Shalvis' writing excels is any scene between the Kincaid family. This is also where most of the humor can be found as well, despite the few scenes born out of the above mentioned disagreements. The sibling bonds shine through all the plot machinations and I found myself wanting more of them as a whole - a desire which looks to be sated with further books in the Cedar Ridge series. Also a pleasure to read were the interactions between our hero and heroine. The chemistry between the pair was electric, both being strong and independent individuals. I also greatly appreciated that the heroine was strong in her own right, and that the hero (for all he was referred to as an alpha male) respected her need for space and for their relationship to progress slowly.
My only real complaint about this book was the heroine's token male bisexual hairdresser best friend. Aside from that, I was pleasantly surprised that the antagonistic force remained an internal one when I was expecting a tertiary character to step into a larger villainous role than the one he had. That being said, when internal conflict is the only force holding the characters back things gets a bit repetitive.
Second Chance Summer is a well-written, engrossing, and well-balanced romance novel perfect for a day at the beach. I enjoyed it and might just keep my eye out for the forthcoming second book in the series.
Second Chance Summer was my first book by Jill Shalvis, so I went into with nothing but the expectations of what the cover quotes promised - humor and heart. Shalvis definitely delivered on the humor. Witticism flew back and forth between the hero and heroine, the heroine and her best friend, and the hero and his family. On several occasions I chuckled aloud or snorted over the dialogue. Not to say that the book was overly humorous - there was just enough to balance all melodrama.
I have to use the word melodrama in place of heart because a single character with a dark and dramatic past I can handle. Both our hero and heroine having them is pushing my limits. But when supporting characters join the fray it's all a bit too much. It's a device overused in romance novels, in my opinion, especially when used as a framing device for books in a series, as it is here. The tragic incidents of our characters' past that they struggle to cope with and overcome are repeated ad nauseam. I get it. Dead Man's Cliff is named so because of the long list of people who've died there. Siblings have differing opinions about a deadbeat father. And so on.
Where Shalvis' writing excels is any scene between the Kincaid family. This is also where most of the humor can be found as well, despite the few scenes born out of the above mentioned disagreements. The sibling bonds shine through all the plot machinations and I found myself wanting more of them as a whole - a desire which looks to be sated with further books in the Cedar Ridge series. Also a pleasure to read were the interactions between our hero and heroine. The chemistry between the pair was electric, both being strong and independent individuals. I also greatly appreciated that the heroine was strong in her own right, and that the hero (for all he was referred to as an alpha male) respected her need for space and for their relationship to progress slowly.
My only real complaint about this book was the heroine's token male bisexual hairdresser best friend. Aside from that, I was pleasantly surprised that the antagonistic force remained an internal one when I was expecting a tertiary character to step into a larger villainous role than the one he had. That being said, when internal conflict is the only force holding the characters back things gets a bit repetitive.
Second Chance Summer is a well-written, engrossing, and well-balanced romance novel perfect for a day at the beach. I enjoyed it and might just keep my eye out for the forthcoming second book in the series.
Sorry, but I really disliked this book - the characters and plot were very much a cliche, the sex was written as if the writer was ticking off a list of things that had to happen, and the emotions were horribly overwrought. I couldn't finish it, I'm afraid. Not one I would recommend, that's for sure.
Second Chance Summer is yet another winner from Shalvis! Amazing characters, a great story, and red-hot romance filled with both hope and a little dose of fear.
This and all my other reviews are originally posted on my blog (un)Conventional Bookviews
This and all my other reviews are originally posted on my blog (un)Conventional Bookviews