REVIEW: No One Does It Like You by Katie Shepard

In No One Does It Like You by Katie Shepard, When Rose Kelly finally heard the voicemail her ex-husband Tom Wilczewski left her two months before, professing his love for her and wanting a new start, she’d already been seeing his handsome face splashed all over the internet. His daring rescue of popular superhero actor Boyd Kellagher during a hurricane was crazy dangerous. And now the world is abuzz with a supposed relationship between the actors. But when Rose has no one else to turn to for help fixing up her aunt’s inn post-hurricane, she reaches out to Tom. Even though he’s busy, finally getting his chance on Broadway, he agrees to use his free time to help Rose.

‘Tom had been nothing but kind and helpful. She needed to stop judging him based on who he’d been to her a decade ago. This was a man who was actually living up to his promises.’

Unsure what to expect, given that Tom never really kept his word previously, Rose is pleasantly surprised at how he dives into the renovations. It’s the chemistry and deep feelings that still swirl around them that’s making Rose doubt how smart her plan actually is. Especially when Tom’s cast members start showing up to help. But Tom takes time amidst the chaos to show her he’s truly changed for the better. And if he has anything to say about it, by the time they finish making the Windward Inn the best place to stay on Martha’s Vineyard, Tom will have proven to Rose that they deserve a second chance to get things right.

“Let’s not just fall into things, okay? …Let’s be thoughtful about this. Aware of who we are and what we need to be happy.”
Tom sighed. “Okay, Rosie. Okay… But I just need the same thing I always needed… You.”

If you’re a fan of second chance romance, redemption, and new beginnings, then NO ONE DOES IT LIKE YOU will be sure to make you a happy reader and leave you smiling from ear to ear.

“If you’re asking me to pretend like I’m not in love with you, I don’t think I’m that good of an actor.”

With its delightfully offbeat cast and lots of Easter eggs from Katie Shepard’s previous books, NO ONE DOES IT LIKE YOU was a reunion romance that had all the feels. This standalone brought back together Tom and Rose, a couple who had divorced about ten years ago after being college sweethearts and then having a whirlwind year of marriage. Lack of communication between them–and Tom needing to mature a bit–was mostly to blame. So, when Rose and Tom finally saw each other again, now nearing their mid-thirties, it was easy to see why they fell in love and were a great couple. But it was also clear that they had a whole lot of baggage to sort out before they could try to forge a new relationship.

There was such a fun motley crew that turned up to help Rose and Tom fix her aunt’s inn after the hurricane, most of them from the Broadway show Tom was co-starring in. (There was a nice LGBTQ+ rep with the cast!) Things were a tad chaotic for Rose who liked things nice and orderly, but Tom kind of reveled in the mess, which showed how their differences played off of each other so well. There were still some communication issues between them until about a third or so through the story. After that, things moved along at a good clip. I did love seeing Rose in full nurturer mode, taking care of Tom’s friends and letting her own creative side come out while updating the inn. And seeing Tom step up to take charge of the renovations–which was *way* out of his wheelhouse–as well as prove he still adored his Rosie was absolutely sigh-worthy.

QOTD: Have you read any of Katie Shepard’s books yet? If so, have a favorite?

Book Info:

Publication: Published: September 3rd, 2024 | Berkley |

College sweethearts reunite to restore more than just an old inn in this new romance by Katie Shepard, author of Sweeten the Deal.

When’s the best time to tell your ex that you want them back?

Probably not in the middle of a Category 3 hurricane. But when Broadway actor Tom Wilczewski is about to dive into the floodwaters to rescue his co-lead, he calls the ex-wife he hasn’t seen in ten years to swear he still loves her and ask for a chance to make things right.

Two months later, Rose Kelly is tired of seeing pictures of her ex-husband Tom rescuing Hollywood darling Boyd Kellagher. Not that she’s jealous. Of course not. She’s far too busy taking care of her elderly aunt and worrying about the storm damage to the family B&B on Martha’s Vineyard to miss the love of her life. But after belatedly hearing Tom’s voicemail, Rosie asks him to follow through on his promises for once by helping her fix the inn. Thinking this is the perfect way to win her back, Tom agrees.

When they get there, things are…less than ideal. Rosie expected the inn to be in better shape. She expected it to have more beds. And she expected more help from her actual family—not from Tom and the rest of his Broadway cast. But Rosie begins to wonder if maybe the life she expected isn’t the one she really wants. If she and Tom can repair the inn together, can they possibly repair the damage to the relationship they both thought was long gone?