REVIEW: Josh and Gemma the Second Time Around by Sarah Ready

Josh and Gemma the Second Time Around by Sarah Ready: Gemma is living her best life, she is just where she wants to be in her career, has a great home that she shares with her sweetheart fiancé Josh and they have a little baby on the way that they could not be more happy about. With everything going so perfectly Gemma can’t help but wonder what next? What happens after the couple rides off into the sunset? That’s when life hits them with a major knock, with their perfect little world turned upside down Josh and Gemma are put through the ultimate test to see whether their love really can weather any storm… even if the storm is coming from within.

Okay, I really was not expecting there to be a second book for Josh and Gemma, after everything ended so perfectly in the first book. Nevertheless when I saw that they had a second book, I was pretty eager to dive right in thinking this would be some cute little laugh out loud read about how they adjust to parenthood…however what we got in Josh And Gemma The Second Time Round was a much darker, more emotional read than I had expected. Now I can’t say that I hated this book but I really can’t say that I loved it either. What I will say is that Ready really does have a way with drawing us into the lives of her characters, feeling their pain right along side them and basking in their happiness with them.

After seeing Gemma being such a happy and bubbly person in the first book it really broke my heart to see her struggling in this one. Not only did she have to endure having eclampsia during the end of her pregnancy but this lead to her being in a coma for several month and missing out on the first few month of her baby’s life. If this wasn’t bad enough she wakes up to find that she just can’t seem to feel any emotions, not even love for her new baby or husband Josh! Gosh this book really was trying for our girl Gemma, as much as I liked getting to see her fall in love with Josh all over again and really fully embracing each moment with baby Hope, it just broke my heart seeing her internal struggles and how this broke her each time.

Now what really made me sad was the fact that we didn’t really get to see much of the cute, playful Josh that featured so much in book one, sure we get bit and pieces of his silliness but the majority of this book just left heavy. Josh has to balance taking care of a new baby on his own, juggling his career and hoping that Gemma finally feels again, this book really pushed Josh as a character and we got to see how strong he actually was.

I really liked that we got to see both Josh and Gemma growing and maturing in this book. They are both put to the test to see not only how strong they are as individuals but as a couple. If anything this book hit home the fact that not all happy endings are easy, all good things come with struggle and to fully enjoy something you have to be ready to fight for what you love.

Aside from all the heavy topics and emotional turmoil that unfolds in this book there were lots of cute, silly moments that will definitely have you laughing. However if you ask me, I would give this book a skip and just leave the first book as the perfect happy ending for Josh and Gemma.

Book Info:

Publication: January 26th 2023 | Swift & Lewis Publishing LLC | Josh and Gemma #2

Gemma Jacobs has life figured out. She’s upbeat, positive to a fault, and the master of her own destiny. She has a wonderful career in social media marketing, lives in a trendy apartment with her fiancé Josh Lewenthal, and is pregnant with their much-loved baby.
Her life is wonderful. Absolutely perfect.
Except…
What really comes after the happily ever after?

Josh Lewenthal is laid-back, fun-loving, and always finds the humor in life. He writes a wildly successful web comic series, and can’t wait to marry Gemma—the woman of his dreams.
His life is amazing. Terrific.
Except…
What happens when everything changes?

Suddenly Josh and Gemma’s lives are turned upside down, and their love and their future together are at risk. They realize their happily ever after isn’t the end, it’s just the beginning—and now they have to fight for it.
They confront a devastating separation, the return of world-infamous Ian Fortune, and the question of whether or not their love can truly survive when everyone says…it’s already gone.

Captivating, gripping, and full of unexpected twists and turns, this love story yanks you into what happens after the happily ever after.