REVIEW: Second Time’s the Charm by Stephanie Rose

Second Time’s the Charm by Stephanie Rose A lot can change in twenty years and a lot has changed since Jesse last saw his high school sweetheart, Emily, the girl that he let slip through his fingers. Jesse has recently moved back home to take on the role of sole guardian to his young niece after the passing of his sister, the last thing he has the time for is dating or trying to rekindle an old flame, but when Jesse learns that his niece Maddie’s soccer coach is non other than Emily. Now Jesse has no choice but to spend the rest of the season on the sidelines supporting his cute niece run around, while falling in love with Emily all over again… the question is can these two keep things strictly platonic or with their old flame burn bright again?

This book just gave all the cozy, fluffy heart warming feelings, I absolutely loved reading Second Times The Charm. This book packs a punch in the feelings department so be ready for more than a few tears and heart breaking moments. Emily and Jesse were easily one of the cutest couples and I just adored getting to follow them on their journey to a second chance at love.

Both main characters were really great. My heart really went out to Jess its not easy to go from uncle to dad overnight while also battling with your own grief, but our hero soldiers on and tries to be the best support system for his niece. I really liked getting to see Jesse finally take a breath when Emily reenters his life, but also finally being brave enough to go after what his own heart wants. As for our leading lady Emily, well she was pretty cool. I loved that she was such a soccer star and connected with Maddie in a way that the little girl needed. We get to see her character also grow and step out of her comfort zone a bit and allow Jesse back into her heart after he hurt her so much with their break up.

I just loved the relationship between Jesse and Emily. It is clear that these two care deeply for each other and even though they have been apart for so many years they sort of just fell back into an easy groove. I loved the fact that they respected each others feelings and went about dealing with their past and present in a mature way and maintaining an open line of communication. While their story might have been more on the slow burn side of things, there was no shortage of steam once they finally got together. I loved the tension and build up that flirted between them. One of the nice things about this couple was that there was no drama or major miscommunication.

I just adored Maddie. This little girl was the heart of this book. My heart truly broke for her, which made the relationship that she developed with Jesse all the more heart warming. I really liked that both Jesse and Emily were conscious of how Maddie felt throughout the book, this really helped make her feel like one of the key characters rather than just a supporting side character.

If you like a good second chance love story, the single dad trope and an all round heart warming read then I would definitely recommend reading Second Times The Charm.

Book Info:

Publication: May 10, 2024 | That’s What She Said Publishing, Inc |

The only woman I’ve ever loved is the one I can’t have.

Going from uncle to father overnight meant me moving back to my hometown after two decades away. Now, I’m trying to pick up the pieces and do right by a little girl who just wants her mom.

When my twentieth high school reunion rolls around, I come face-to-face with Emily, the ex whose heart I broke before she could break mine. Old feelings come rushing back, but I don’t have time to grieve, let alone start a relationship.

Regardless of the palpable temptation to restore what we lost, all I can offer Emily is an apology and friendship.

But the lines I’ve drawn start to blur when she becomes my niece’s soccer coach and I spend the entire season on the sidelines pretending I’m not wondering what might happen if we had a second chance.

Everything changes in one liquor-fueled night of confessions. I have no choice but to fight for Emily, for what we could have together. I’ve already wasted too much of my life without her in my arms, in my bed.
Maybe the second time’s the charm…