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True Love #2
Baby, One More Time
Driven and smart, Marissa Mayer has worked her way to COO at a major Fintech startup as well as launching her own successful app on the side. Now what she wants more than anything is a baby. And having given up on love after her heart was broken by the boy next door, she’s prepared to do it alone.
Recently returning to New York from LA, Dr John Raikes is an expert in his field of neonatal medicine. But when John introduces himself as Marissa’s doctor, sparks fly, and not in a good way. Because Dr John Raikes is no he’s her teenage sweetheart all grown up.
Marissa knows she should keep John at arm’s length, lest she have her heart broken again... But there’s something about a man in a white coat. And with John determined to show Marissa he’s changed, can she keep saying no when her heart is saying yes?
A gorgeously funny enemies-to-lovers, second-chance rom com, perfect for fans of Sarah Adams, Lynn Painter and Jo Watson.
Recently returning to New York from LA, Dr John Raikes is an expert in his field of neonatal medicine. But when John introduces himself as Marissa’s doctor, sparks fly, and not in a good way. Because Dr John Raikes is no he’s her teenage sweetheart all grown up.
Marissa knows she should keep John at arm’s length, lest she have her heart broken again... But there’s something about a man in a white coat. And with John determined to show Marissa he’s changed, can she keep saying no when her heart is saying yes?
A gorgeously funny enemies-to-lovers, second-chance rom com, perfect for fans of Sarah Adams, Lynn Painter and Jo Watson.
314 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 20, 2024
About the author
Camilla Isley
33 books2,478 followers
Camilla is an engineer who left science behind to enter the whimsical realm of romantic fiction.
She writes contemporary rom-coms. Her characters have big hearts, might be a little stubborn at times, and love to banter with each other. Every story she pens has a guaranteed HEA that will make your heart beat faster. Unless you're a vampire, of course.
Camilla is a cat lover, coffee addict, and shoe hoarder. Besides writing, she loves reading—duh!—cooking, watching bad TV, and going to the movies—popcorn, please. She's a bit of a foodie, nothing too serious. A keen traveler, Camilla knows mosquitoes play a role in the ecosystem, and she doesn't want to starve all those frog princes out there, but she could really live without them.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 302 reviews
December 12, 2023
I was so excited to see that Camilla Isley had another book coming out! I was even more excited when I realized it was the next book in the True Love series. Not in a Billion Years is this first book in the series. Baby, One More Time delivered! This book can be read as a stand-alone but as it is only the second book in the series, why not read Not in a Billion Years as well.
Marissa Mayer wants a baby. She hasn't had a significant relationship since her high school boyfriend broke her heart. She is a successful COO at a major Fintech startup. She also has a successful app on the side. So, she decides why not and begins the process of becoming a mother through IVF.
Dr John Raikes is an expert in neonatal medicine. She also happens to be the one who broke Marissa's heart in high school. He has personal reasons for moving back to New York.
When Marissa's doctor is out of town, she is told she is going to see another doctor that day. Imagine the shock on both their faces as Marissa and John are reunited after sixteen years. What a way to meet again. UGH! John wants to prove he is a changed man; He knows he made a huge mistake and wants a second chance. Marissa doesn't know if she can trust him. Both feel the attraction, but does he deserve a second chance?????
I was fully invested in this book from the very beginning. I didn't want to put it down and found reasons to keep reading. Both characters are likeable and have likeable people in their lives. Speaking of likeable people, Marissa and Blake, from Not in a Billion Years are best friends and their stories overlap in this book which was a nice touch. I enjoyed reading about Blake and Gabriel again.
There is plenty of drama in this book. Marissa was hurt and struggles with trust and taking chances. I could feel her hesitancy and wanted to tell her to take the leap. John has grown since the night he broke Marissa's heart. He has changed and sets out to prove that. He also had a little helper who stole every scene she was in.
I found this book to be gripping and heartwarming. I loved the mix of drama, humor, touching moments, indecision, and the journey John and Marissa went on. It's all about the journey in romance books for me.
This was an addictive second chance romance/enemies-to-lovers book! I loved seeing Blake and Gabriel again. I enjoyed the overlapping stories but mainly I enjoyed the journey in this book. Plus, readers get both Marissa and John's POV's which was also a very nice touch.
This book touches on IVF, second chances, family, love, friendship, trust, and starting over.
Gripping, well written, and heartwarming.
Thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
Marissa Mayer wants a baby. She hasn't had a significant relationship since her high school boyfriend broke her heart. She is a successful COO at a major Fintech startup. She also has a successful app on the side. So, she decides why not and begins the process of becoming a mother through IVF.
Dr John Raikes is an expert in neonatal medicine. She also happens to be the one who broke Marissa's heart in high school. He has personal reasons for moving back to New York.
When Marissa's doctor is out of town, she is told she is going to see another doctor that day. Imagine the shock on both their faces as Marissa and John are reunited after sixteen years. What a way to meet again. UGH! John wants to prove he is a changed man; He knows he made a huge mistake and wants a second chance. Marissa doesn't know if she can trust him. Both feel the attraction, but does he deserve a second chance?????
I was fully invested in this book from the very beginning. I didn't want to put it down and found reasons to keep reading. Both characters are likeable and have likeable people in their lives. Speaking of likeable people, Marissa and Blake, from Not in a Billion Years are best friends and their stories overlap in this book which was a nice touch. I enjoyed reading about Blake and Gabriel again.
There is plenty of drama in this book. Marissa was hurt and struggles with trust and taking chances. I could feel her hesitancy and wanted to tell her to take the leap. John has grown since the night he broke Marissa's heart. He has changed and sets out to prove that. He also had a little helper who stole every scene she was in.
I found this book to be gripping and heartwarming. I loved the mix of drama, humor, touching moments, indecision, and the journey John and Marissa went on. It's all about the journey in romance books for me.
This was an addictive second chance romance/enemies-to-lovers book! I loved seeing Blake and Gabriel again. I enjoyed the overlapping stories but mainly I enjoyed the journey in this book. Plus, readers get both Marissa and John's POV's which was also a very nice touch.
This book touches on IVF, second chances, family, love, friendship, trust, and starting over.
Gripping, well written, and heartwarming.
Thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
December 4, 2023
First and foremost, I'm an avid fan of enemies-to-lovers and second-chance-at-love tropes. So, when I came across the short synopsis and saw the author's name, I couldn't resist diving into this book to soothe my jittery nerves with a great romance read.
Marissa Mayer, a workaholic and successful woman with her eyes set on the prize, is intelligent and ambitious. She's worked her way up at a fintech startup and even launched her own app. Marissa is a powerful businesswoman, and she doesn't particularly mind that her personal life hasn't followed the same successful trajectory. If she wants to be a mother, she believes she can have a baby and raise it on her own. However, her plans take an unexpected turn when she encounters a doctor who happens to be the same man who broke her heart nearly two decades ago. He's determined to prove that he has changed and become a different man. Still, Marissa is hesitant to give him a second chance. Unfortunately, being a logical person is not her strongest trait when it comes to matters of the heart.
So, did this book fulfill all my wishes? My answer is a bit of a mixed bag. The story stirred up the complex emotions I was expecting. Reuniting with the boy next door who shattered the heroine's heart sixteen years ago and happens to be the only doctor available to treat her is a touch coincidental, but I'm willing to go along with it. After all, they went their separate ways, and the hero pursued a career in neonatal medicine, becoming an expert in treating the heroine's condition, which naturally opens up old, unresolved feelings and past problems they've long buried.
However, when the hospital makes a critical error involving a sperm donor, I couldn't help but think, "Oh no, is this too forced, or did the romcom gods intervene to bring these two people back together?" In my opinion, both answers have some validity. The somewhat contrived conflict forces Marissa and John to team up to face one of the most challenging procedures women can undergo: IVF injections.
I must commend the author for portraying this painful process in a realistic manner, delving into the detailed psychological and physical traumas that women endure with courage.
Overall, I'm awarding this book a solid three stars. I had high expectations for it, and I found the reunion of the two lovers a tad far-fetched. Nonetheless, I still recommend it to fans of romcoms and second-chance romance. I'm eagerly anticipating the author's future works as well.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Bollywood Books for providing me with a digital review copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
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Marissa Mayer, a workaholic and successful woman with her eyes set on the prize, is intelligent and ambitious. She's worked her way up at a fintech startup and even launched her own app. Marissa is a powerful businesswoman, and she doesn't particularly mind that her personal life hasn't followed the same successful trajectory. If she wants to be a mother, she believes she can have a baby and raise it on her own. However, her plans take an unexpected turn when she encounters a doctor who happens to be the same man who broke her heart nearly two decades ago. He's determined to prove that he has changed and become a different man. Still, Marissa is hesitant to give him a second chance. Unfortunately, being a logical person is not her strongest trait when it comes to matters of the heart.
So, did this book fulfill all my wishes? My answer is a bit of a mixed bag. The story stirred up the complex emotions I was expecting. Reuniting with the boy next door who shattered the heroine's heart sixteen years ago and happens to be the only doctor available to treat her is a touch coincidental, but I'm willing to go along with it. After all, they went their separate ways, and the hero pursued a career in neonatal medicine, becoming an expert in treating the heroine's condition, which naturally opens up old, unresolved feelings and past problems they've long buried.
However, when the hospital makes a critical error involving a sperm donor, I couldn't help but think, "Oh no, is this too forced, or did the romcom gods intervene to bring these two people back together?" In my opinion, both answers have some validity. The somewhat contrived conflict forces Marissa and John to team up to face one of the most challenging procedures women can undergo: IVF injections.
I must commend the author for portraying this painful process in a realistic manner, delving into the detailed psychological and physical traumas that women endure with courage.
Overall, I'm awarding this book a solid three stars. I had high expectations for it, and I found the reunion of the two lovers a tad far-fetched. Nonetheless, I still recommend it to fans of romcoms and second-chance romance. I'm eagerly anticipating the author's future works as well.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Bollywood Books for providing me with a digital review copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Follow me on medium.com to read my articles about books, movies, streaming series, astrology:
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July 3, 2024My rom-com Baby, One More Time is out now… This brand-new book is a second chance romance where Marissa, single and jaded about men, decides to have a baby on her own and runs into her hot doctor ex at the clinic.
This exes reunite romp has it all, including:
-A cinnamon roll hot doctor who’s also a single dad and used to be the boy next door
-A kick-ass leading lady
-All that enemies to lovers, second chance angst of childhood sweethearts
-Mishaps, family disasters, hilarious situations, and all the swoons
-Cameos from Blake and Gabriel, the main couple in Not in a Billion Years, with some behind the scenes in their story, too. Baby, One More Time is book 2 in the True Love series. It can be read as a standalone, but you’ll enjoy it better if you read Not in a Billion Years first
-The most awkward meet-cute I’ve ever written
-Taylor Swift references
Grab your copy now:
Amazon
Apple Books
Kobo
Barnes & Noble
All other retailers
This exes reunite romp has it all, including:
-A cinnamon roll hot doctor who’s also a single dad and used to be the boy next door
-A kick-ass leading lady
-All that enemies to lovers, second chance angst of childhood sweethearts
-Mishaps, family disasters, hilarious situations, and all the swoons
-Cameos from Blake and Gabriel, the main couple in Not in a Billion Years, with some behind the scenes in their story, too. Baby, One More Time is book 2 in the True Love series. It can be read as a standalone, but you’ll enjoy it better if you read Not in a Billion Years first
-The most awkward meet-cute I’ve ever written
-Taylor Swift references
Grab your copy now:
Amazon
Apple Books
Kobo
Barnes & Noble
All other retailers
January 2, 2024
WHAT A GOOD BOOK, AND IT'S SO LOVELY TO READ A SINGLE DAD
I had been reading this book for more than a month, and it was because I was so busy that I couldn't read it until I was finally able to do it today. Honestly, I liked the book from the beginning because it has everything I like, so I definitely recommend it. I loved the chemistry of the protagonists, and it was so much fun to read this book because something fascinating was always happening.
The protagonists have a story behind them, which is why they currently run into each other in the office where he was going to examine her, and she was there because she was determined to raise a baby alone.
That's when they see each other again after so long because of how their relationship ended, and the truth is that I found their first meeting very funny.
I think she's so intelligent and successful
I really loved reading this book, so I hope to read more books by this author in the future.
Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.
I had been reading this book for more than a month, and it was because I was so busy that I couldn't read it until I was finally able to do it today. Honestly, I liked the book from the beginning because it has everything I like, so I definitely recommend it. I loved the chemistry of the protagonists, and it was so much fun to read this book because something fascinating was always happening.
The protagonists have a story behind them, which is why they currently run into each other in the office where he was going to examine her, and she was there because she was determined to raise a baby alone.
That's when they see each other again after so long because of how their relationship ended, and the truth is that I found their first meeting very funny.
I think she's so intelligent and successful
I really loved reading this book, so I hope to read more books by this author in the future.
Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.
April 20, 2024
Enemies-to-lovers, offstage-sex, IVF, reunion romance
The 34-year-old FMC, Marissa, and 34-year-old MMC, John, have not seen each other for 16 years. They were next-door neighbors their whole lives while growing up, and they dated the last three years of high school. They were madly in love, but they (implausibly) stopped short of intercourse in their makeout sessions, even though there was no religious reason for doing so. Shortly after graduation, with no warning ahead of time, John dumped Marissa, with no explanation as to why. She had assumed that, even though he was moving from Brooklyn to go to school in California, they would engage in a long-distance romance. We are informed that Marissa was so utterly traumatized by this event, she has never gotten over it. As a result, she has been unable to maintain a romantic relationship for more than a couple of months ever since. She either dumps the man or he dumps her, because she is emotionally closed off.
John is not much better off romantically. He spent many long years studying to become an OB-GYN. In the midst of his training, when he was 27, he accidentally impregnated an actress (a particularly irresponsible situation for a gynecologist, as he neglected to utilize a condom and relied entirely on the woman's contraception). Neither of them was in love with the other. However, since there is no such thing as abortion in a mainstream romance novel, and even though it has not, for multiple generations, been societally mandated that marriage follow an unwed pregnancy, because unplanned babies and shotgun marriages are such convenient plot devices in a romance novel, the actress married John and brought the pregnancy to term. But she inevitably deserted John and their currently 6-year-old daughter to pursue her career, since she did not really want to be a mother. This choice of hers is presented as unnatural and heartless, of course, and allows John to be viewed sympathetically, as a loving, single father, who very much wants his daughter, thereby preemptively redeeming him in the eyes of the reader from his damaging treatment of Marissa 16 years ago. It also, simultaneously, causes Marissa to experience enormous envious angst, when she finds out that John, unlike herself, not only managed to marry someone, even if the marriage failed, but has also achieved the one thing she wants most, bringing a biological child into the world.
Marissa has an entrenched belief that, due to the trauma John caused her, she will never fall in love again, and that the only significant love she can ever have in this lifetime will be from a biological child. (Heaven help the child called upon to fill that type of bottomless pit of emotional need in its mother.) As a result, before Marissa turns 35, and her fertility begins to fall off a cliff, she has decided to undergo IVF, using an anonymous sperm donor.
Unbeknownst to Marissa, and as a very convenient coincidence to further this IVF plot, John has moved back to Brooklyn and accepted a position as an OB-GYN at the very same fertility clinic where Marissa is currently undergoing hormonal treatments prior to harvesting her eggs. She is additionally unaware that the doctor whom she has been regularly seeing at the clinic is away at a conference, as is every other doctor from the clinic except John, when she arrives to have one of her contractually required vaginal palpations and intravaginal sonograms. It is an enormous shock to Marissa, when the betraying ex she hoped never to see again as long as she lived, strides into the exam room. She is naked from the waist down with her feet up in stirrups and her legs splayed, and she has, implausibly, not bothered to protect her modesty by covering herself with a paper sheet. Equally implausibly, there is no nurse accompanying John, something which never happens in real life, even when the doctor is female, as a protection to both the doctor and the patient. Both of these contrived situations, together, allow the two of them to endure one of the most cringingly awkward, romance First Meets on record, so they can have an abbreviated, private conversation about their past that would have been impossible with a witness present.
I never read an IVF romance plot before, and after encountering this novel, I will never go near one again. Possibly romance readers who have undergone this procedure or are contemplating it might enjoy this story. I started skimming after the first few chapters. Given that the publisher offers full disclosure that this story is centered around IVF, it would not be fair of me to give a low star rating simply for that reason. It is what it is. But disappointingly, I had multiple other issues with this novel, including:
1. There are several other unfortunate slapstick situations beyond the one described above in the First Meet, including a pratfall which would have put anyone else in the ER with a broken bone or a head injury, that Marissa implausibly (there's a lot of that in this novel) walks away from without a single bruise.
2. There is an implausible, convenient mix-up of sperm at the fertility clinic.
3. Neither Marissa nor John supposedly ever got over each other, but they are both so passive in their adoration, neither would have had anything to do with each other again if they hadn't accidentally run into each other. This puts both of them firmly in the position of being anything but worthy of the title of soulmate.
4. John's 6-year-old daughter routinely carries on conversations with the loquaciousness of an intelligent, insightful 12-year-old. But there is no mention of her being gifted in order to justify her highly implausible precociousness.
5. John is a Beta AKA Cinnamon Roll MMC. I personally enjoy CRs, but not when they are carried to the extreme, as John is. To be worthy of True Love, both the MMC and the FMC need to make sacrifices. But in this story, all of the sacrifices, in the form of constant nurturing care and persistent, gentle courtship of Marissa, are made by John. Marissa does nothing but allow herself to be catered to and worshipped. The fact that she is pregnant, and it is a lovely fantasy that few pregnant women get to live out, of being constantly cared for, does not make this any more acceptable to me personally. I am a fan of romance that offers a co-equal relationship, and the relationship between John and Marissa absolutely is not. It is so imbalanced, in fact, it is hard for me to imagine these two going the distance with each other.
6. The entire romantic conflict, given that John is gung-ho to leap into a committed relationship with Marissa practically from day one, is her refusing to forgive him and trust him to not abandon her a second time, because she has never had any much needed therapy to deal with her unresolved trauma over 18-year-old John dumping her 16 years ago. It never occurs to her that, anymore than she is not the same person she was at 18, neither is John. Chapter after chapter begins with her angsting over the fact that she's never going to be able to trust him again. Until she finally turns on a dime in the next to the last chapter and decides, oh what the heck, I guess I do trust John after all. That kind of 11th hour, magical surrender of a deep-rooted attitude, that an FMC has clung to the entire book, I find extremely irritating.
7. These scene settings repeat in a sequential rotation throughout this novel, in a boringly redundant fashion: encounters with John at the fertility clinic; Marissa's freaked out phone calls about John to her sister, who is the Confidante in this story; Marissa's workplace; Marissa's apartment; cab rides around Brooklyn, with and without John; outings with John and his daughter; a couple of family holidays.
8. Fans of stories in which the FMC has little at risk (Marissa has everything to gain and nothing to lose that she already had by refusing to have an HEA reunion with John), might enjoy this story and not find it as passive and plodding as I did.
9. The publisher's blurb for this novel states that John is a neonatal doctor. That is flat-out wrong. He is an OB-GYN working at a fertility clinic, whose research focus is factors inhibiting conception. Neonatologists are pediatricians for newborn babies with injuries or diseases that require special care.
10. I obtained, via Hoopla, free access to this novel in audiobook format. It is narrated by Patrick Boylan and Stephanie Cannon. I wasn't particularly fond of Mr Boylan's performance.
Were there any positives for me in this novel? Yes, a few:
1. John is a decent human being whom I liked, even if he is almost a caricature of a Cinnamon Roll.
2. This story is told from the point of view of both the FMC and the MMC, which is not always the case with this author, who mostly tends to write chick lit, so we get to know John. This is especially important in an enemies-to-lovers plot, given that the resentful FMC is invariably an unreliable narrator in relation to the MMC--which is absolutely the case for hyperbolic Marissa. At one point she refers to the poor man as Satan!
3. This novel avoids crudeness. There is no foul language and no drunkenness, since Marissa is pregnant and cannot drink.
4. The romance is slow burn, something that I personally prefer. And it does not go from zero to 60 into crude sex once they sexually connect, as so many slowburn romances do. There is only one scene in which Marissa and John have sex, at the very end of the book, which is "closed bedroom door." There is no description of any sexual activity beyond kissing, and the main event is taken offstage.
The 34-year-old FMC, Marissa, and 34-year-old MMC, John, have not seen each other for 16 years. They were next-door neighbors their whole lives while growing up, and they dated the last three years of high school. They were madly in love, but they (implausibly) stopped short of intercourse in their makeout sessions, even though there was no religious reason for doing so. Shortly after graduation, with no warning ahead of time, John dumped Marissa, with no explanation as to why. She had assumed that, even though he was moving from Brooklyn to go to school in California, they would engage in a long-distance romance. We are informed that Marissa was so utterly traumatized by this event, she has never gotten over it. As a result, she has been unable to maintain a romantic relationship for more than a couple of months ever since. She either dumps the man or he dumps her, because she is emotionally closed off.
John is not much better off romantically. He spent many long years studying to become an OB-GYN. In the midst of his training, when he was 27, he accidentally impregnated an actress (a particularly irresponsible situation for a gynecologist, as he neglected to utilize a condom and relied entirely on the woman's contraception). Neither of them was in love with the other. However, since there is no such thing as abortion in a mainstream romance novel, and even though it has not, for multiple generations, been societally mandated that marriage follow an unwed pregnancy, because unplanned babies and shotgun marriages are such convenient plot devices in a romance novel, the actress married John and brought the pregnancy to term. But she inevitably deserted John and their currently 6-year-old daughter to pursue her career, since she did not really want to be a mother. This choice of hers is presented as unnatural and heartless, of course, and allows John to be viewed sympathetically, as a loving, single father, who very much wants his daughter, thereby preemptively redeeming him in the eyes of the reader from his damaging treatment of Marissa 16 years ago. It also, simultaneously, causes Marissa to experience enormous envious angst, when she finds out that John, unlike herself, not only managed to marry someone, even if the marriage failed, but has also achieved the one thing she wants most, bringing a biological child into the world.
Marissa has an entrenched belief that, due to the trauma John caused her, she will never fall in love again, and that the only significant love she can ever have in this lifetime will be from a biological child. (Heaven help the child called upon to fill that type of bottomless pit of emotional need in its mother.) As a result, before Marissa turns 35, and her fertility begins to fall off a cliff, she has decided to undergo IVF, using an anonymous sperm donor.
Unbeknownst to Marissa, and as a very convenient coincidence to further this IVF plot, John has moved back to Brooklyn and accepted a position as an OB-GYN at the very same fertility clinic where Marissa is currently undergoing hormonal treatments prior to harvesting her eggs. She is additionally unaware that the doctor whom she has been regularly seeing at the clinic is away at a conference, as is every other doctor from the clinic except John, when she arrives to have one of her contractually required vaginal palpations and intravaginal sonograms. It is an enormous shock to Marissa, when the betraying ex she hoped never to see again as long as she lived, strides into the exam room. She is naked from the waist down with her feet up in stirrups and her legs splayed, and she has, implausibly, not bothered to protect her modesty by covering herself with a paper sheet. Equally implausibly, there is no nurse accompanying John, something which never happens in real life, even when the doctor is female, as a protection to both the doctor and the patient. Both of these contrived situations, together, allow the two of them to endure one of the most cringingly awkward, romance First Meets on record, so they can have an abbreviated, private conversation about their past that would have been impossible with a witness present.
I never read an IVF romance plot before, and after encountering this novel, I will never go near one again. Possibly romance readers who have undergone this procedure or are contemplating it might enjoy this story. I started skimming after the first few chapters. Given that the publisher offers full disclosure that this story is centered around IVF, it would not be fair of me to give a low star rating simply for that reason. It is what it is. But disappointingly, I had multiple other issues with this novel, including:
1. There are several other unfortunate slapstick situations beyond the one described above in the First Meet, including a pratfall which would have put anyone else in the ER with a broken bone or a head injury, that Marissa implausibly (there's a lot of that in this novel) walks away from without a single bruise.
2. There is an implausible, convenient mix-up of sperm at the fertility clinic.
3. Neither Marissa nor John supposedly ever got over each other, but they are both so passive in their adoration, neither would have had anything to do with each other again if they hadn't accidentally run into each other. This puts both of them firmly in the position of being anything but worthy of the title of soulmate.
4. John's 6-year-old daughter routinely carries on conversations with the loquaciousness of an intelligent, insightful 12-year-old. But there is no mention of her being gifted in order to justify her highly implausible precociousness.
5. John is a Beta AKA Cinnamon Roll MMC. I personally enjoy CRs, but not when they are carried to the extreme, as John is. To be worthy of True Love, both the MMC and the FMC need to make sacrifices. But in this story, all of the sacrifices, in the form of constant nurturing care and persistent, gentle courtship of Marissa, are made by John. Marissa does nothing but allow herself to be catered to and worshipped. The fact that she is pregnant, and it is a lovely fantasy that few pregnant women get to live out, of being constantly cared for, does not make this any more acceptable to me personally. I am a fan of romance that offers a co-equal relationship, and the relationship between John and Marissa absolutely is not. It is so imbalanced, in fact, it is hard for me to imagine these two going the distance with each other.
6. The entire romantic conflict, given that John is gung-ho to leap into a committed relationship with Marissa practically from day one, is her refusing to forgive him and trust him to not abandon her a second time, because she has never had any much needed therapy to deal with her unresolved trauma over 18-year-old John dumping her 16 years ago. It never occurs to her that, anymore than she is not the same person she was at 18, neither is John. Chapter after chapter begins with her angsting over the fact that she's never going to be able to trust him again. Until she finally turns on a dime in the next to the last chapter and decides, oh what the heck, I guess I do trust John after all. That kind of 11th hour, magical surrender of a deep-rooted attitude, that an FMC has clung to the entire book, I find extremely irritating.
7. These scene settings repeat in a sequential rotation throughout this novel, in a boringly redundant fashion: encounters with John at the fertility clinic; Marissa's freaked out phone calls about John to her sister, who is the Confidante in this story; Marissa's workplace; Marissa's apartment; cab rides around Brooklyn, with and without John; outings with John and his daughter; a couple of family holidays.
8. Fans of stories in which the FMC has little at risk (Marissa has everything to gain and nothing to lose that she already had by refusing to have an HEA reunion with John), might enjoy this story and not find it as passive and plodding as I did.
9. The publisher's blurb for this novel states that John is a neonatal doctor. That is flat-out wrong. He is an OB-GYN working at a fertility clinic, whose research focus is factors inhibiting conception. Neonatologists are pediatricians for newborn babies with injuries or diseases that require special care.
10. I obtained, via Hoopla, free access to this novel in audiobook format. It is narrated by Patrick Boylan and Stephanie Cannon. I wasn't particularly fond of Mr Boylan's performance.
Were there any positives for me in this novel? Yes, a few:
1. John is a decent human being whom I liked, even if he is almost a caricature of a Cinnamon Roll.
2. This story is told from the point of view of both the FMC and the MMC, which is not always the case with this author, who mostly tends to write chick lit, so we get to know John. This is especially important in an enemies-to-lovers plot, given that the resentful FMC is invariably an unreliable narrator in relation to the MMC--which is absolutely the case for hyperbolic Marissa. At one point she refers to the poor man as Satan!
3. This novel avoids crudeness. There is no foul language and no drunkenness, since Marissa is pregnant and cannot drink.
4. The romance is slow burn, something that I personally prefer. And it does not go from zero to 60 into crude sex once they sexually connect, as so many slowburn romances do. There is only one scene in which Marissa and John have sex, at the very end of the book, which is "closed bedroom door." There is no description of any sexual activity beyond kissing, and the main event is taken offstage.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 21, 2024
wow first of all i’m just gonna say straight away that all of the tropes in here are just my fav. we have second chance romance, single dad, high school sweethears and the subtrope is accidental pregnancy. all of these are just IT.
okay so we got Marissa who decided to have baby through IVF then she discovers that the doctor at the clinic she’s going to is John, who is her ex-boyfriend during high school and also the one who broke her heart. LETS JUST SAY THEY HAVE THE MOST AWKWARD WAY TO SEE EACH OTHER AFTER 16 YEARS. the plot in this book is just SO GOOD THAT I COULDNT STOP READING AT ALL AND I WISH THERES MORE.
marissa and john’s relationship development in here is one of the reason i love this book so much. there’s a lot of drama in this book and i’m here for that. i found this book to be heartwarming and i just love it have a mixed of drama, humour, touching moments and the journey of pregnancy. i was just fully invested in this book from the beginning. from what Marissa has been through i fell her so much, she was just so real with the trust issues and i could relate to her and that’s why i like her character. John’s effort to get Marissa back is the best thing ever i’ve ever read. he’s walking green flag i love how matured he is and how he take care of his daughter. he’s a great man and great dad.
guys pls pls pls read this book if you love second chance romance, single dad and heartwarming moments. it also touches about IVF. i really recommend this book.
okay so we got Marissa who decided to have baby through IVF then she discovers that the doctor at the clinic she’s going to is John, who is her ex-boyfriend during high school and also the one who broke her heart. LETS JUST SAY THEY HAVE THE MOST AWKWARD WAY TO SEE EACH OTHER AFTER 16 YEARS. the plot in this book is just SO GOOD THAT I COULDNT STOP READING AT ALL AND I WISH THERES MORE.
marissa and john’s relationship development in here is one of the reason i love this book so much. there’s a lot of drama in this book and i’m here for that. i found this book to be heartwarming and i just love it have a mixed of drama, humour, touching moments and the journey of pregnancy. i was just fully invested in this book from the beginning. from what Marissa has been through i fell her so much, she was just so real with the trust issues and i could relate to her and that’s why i like her character. John’s effort to get Marissa back is the best thing ever i’ve ever read. he’s walking green flag i love how matured he is and how he take care of his daughter. he’s a great man and great dad.
guys pls pls pls read this book if you love second chance romance, single dad and heartwarming moments. it also touches about IVF. i really recommend this book.
January 22, 2024
Marissa is a successful woman, we could call her a workhaolic, she can't find love so at 34 years old she has decided to have a child through IVF treatments, unfortunately at the fertility clinic she met her high school sweetheart in the most embarrassing way. John is a OB gyn, and he will end helping Marissa much more than needed.
Baby, One More Time was a great read, I was caught up in Marissa's life from first to last page.
Marissa is a strong woman, but she hides a more sensitive side that makes her irresistible. I understand her fear to let John get into her life again, but his personal growth is undeniable, and his kindness makes it difficult to keep hating him. I wished for them to rekindle their relationship, because they deserve a second chance and a happily ever after.
Camilla Isley wrote a very enjoyable story, her characters and writing are humorous and compelling. Her description of the IFV procedure is told in a delicate but relatable way for the women that go through this treatment.
I recommend this novel to the readers who like their contemporary romance with some good laughs. This is the second book in the series, but it can be read as a standalone, even if the characters from the first one appear in it.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for kindly giving me an advanced copy of this book to read.
September 17, 2024
I had the hardest time thinking about how to rate and review this book. I obviously liked it because I listened to it all day. I thought the narration was top notch. I just found myself extremely frustrated with Marissa. I actually got to where I didn’t like her. She constantly took advantage of John, but kept pushing him away. I realize she had good reasons, but then she should have walked away instead of encouraging him and then pushing him away.
Everything else about the book I loved. I even loved a 6 year old who talked like she was an adult. This is my second book by Camilla Isley and I had problems with the characters in the other book as well. I’m thinking we may not be the best fit. It’s too bad because I think she’s good author.
Everything else about the book I loved. I even loved a 6 year old who talked like she was an adult. This is my second book by Camilla Isley and I had problems with the characters in the other book as well. I’m thinking we may not be the best fit. It’s too bad because I think she’s good author.
April 15, 2024
This book is so cute.
It’s fast paced and easy to read. It captures you from the first chapter. You’ll laugh and cheer Marissa and John on from the start.
Some of the book is definitely a little far fetched but if doesn’t make it any less of a good read.
Can’t read to other books by Camilla Isley especially Blake and Gabriel’s story.
It’s fast paced and easy to read. It captures you from the first chapter. You’ll laugh and cheer Marissa and John on from the start.
Some of the book is definitely a little far fetched but if doesn’t make it any less of a good read.
Can’t read to other books by Camilla Isley especially Blake and Gabriel’s story.
January 12, 2024
I really did try with this one but there were too many plots holes that I simply could not get behind. First of all, the entire premise of the book is the fact that these our main character hates Josh because he dumped her on prom night SIXTEEN years ago, effectively ‘ruining’ all other men for her and her ability to love deeply. This is a pretty miserable message to be sending any young woman reading this book - if you get your heart broken, you’ll never love again!
He manages to get by, with a wife and child might I add, without giving her a second thought for all those years. Yet, the second they bump into each other he simply has to win her back. The back and forth between them is only fuelled by the fact that she is mistakenly given his sperm during IVF and embryo treatment. As. If.
After this I was left pretty uninvested with the plot - there is a major difference between stretching your imagination to things that simply would not (and probably should not) happen.
He manages to get by, with a wife and child might I add, without giving her a second thought for all those years. Yet, the second they bump into each other he simply has to win her back. The back and forth between them is only fuelled by the fact that she is mistakenly given his sperm during IVF and embryo treatment. As. If.
After this I was left pretty uninvested with the plot - there is a major difference between stretching your imagination to things that simply would not (and probably should not) happen.
January 21, 2024
Second chance romance tick, dishy doctor tick, single dad to cute kid tick, embarrassing meet cute tick and smart capable female character mega tick. This book has a returning character from previous book Not in a billion years but can be read as a standalone.
Camilla Isley has gone on to my list of must read authors as she writes her female characters exactly how I like them. No damsels in distress being saved by a man but instead smart women who run businesses, work hard and hold no prisoners. They don’t need a man but there is nothing wrong with wanting one, although after Dr John’s major mistake in the past he certainly has his work cut out to win her over.
Marissa is at a stage in her life where her biological clock isn’t ticking it’s booming like Big Ben so has decided to go it alone with the help of a donor. When her doctor is unavailable she finds herself face to face with a new one who just happens to be the boy next door who broke her heart, now all grown up.
With a rather large error happening at the clinic she’s not getting rid of him anytime soon either. With the help of his adorable daughter Nora, her family living next door and best friend Blake with her partner Gabriel, this had some funny moments, cuteness overload and two main characters you can’t help but love.
Camilla Isley has gone on to my list of must read authors as she writes her female characters exactly how I like them. No damsels in distress being saved by a man but instead smart women who run businesses, work hard and hold no prisoners. They don’t need a man but there is nothing wrong with wanting one, although after Dr John’s major mistake in the past he certainly has his work cut out to win her over.
Marissa is at a stage in her life where her biological clock isn’t ticking it’s booming like Big Ben so has decided to go it alone with the help of a donor. When her doctor is unavailable she finds herself face to face with a new one who just happens to be the boy next door who broke her heart, now all grown up.
With a rather large error happening at the clinic she’s not getting rid of him anytime soon either. With the help of his adorable daughter Nora, her family living next door and best friend Blake with her partner Gabriel, this had some funny moments, cuteness overload and two main characters you can’t help but love.
November 24, 2023
Quick Summary: A never can say goodbye, second chance romance
My Review: Baby, One More Time by Camilla Isley is book two in the True Love series.
About the Book: After the cruelest of betrayals leaves Marissa Mayer in a heartbroken state, she vows to never again give her heart away like she did with John Raikes. When a one in a million medical mistake finds her pregnant and shaken, it's just her luck that Dr. John Raikes, the very person who broke her heart, has to attend to her special needs.
Questions to Consider: Does the person who shattered your heart deserve a second chance? Can you ever really recover from a broken heart? Does unconditional love mean unconditional forgiveness?
About the Characters: I understood all the emotions Marissa felt. She was real with her trust issues, which made me like her as a character even more. John was devoted, and it was obvious that he had done some growing as a character. Who he was in the past was far beyond where he was as a man. I liked them together as a couple, however, it was interesting watching them deal with the fallout of their choices.
My Final Say: I loved this book. It was endearing and sweet and maddening. It was funny. It was serious. The dilemma presented was absolutely one of a kind. At the end of the day, I really liked that the author showed forward growth as a continual action.
Other: Readers who enjoy break up to make up stories or full circle romances will like this.
Rating: 4/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: A
Series: Yes
Status: Clean
Level: 💞
Sincere appreciation is extended to the author, to the publisher (Boldwood Books), and to NetGalley. Thank you for granting access to this work in exchange for an honest review. It was a pleasure to read Marissa and John's story.
My Review: Baby, One More Time by Camilla Isley is book two in the True Love series.
About the Book: After the cruelest of betrayals leaves Marissa Mayer in a heartbroken state, she vows to never again give her heart away like she did with John Raikes. When a one in a million medical mistake finds her pregnant and shaken, it's just her luck that Dr. John Raikes, the very person who broke her heart, has to attend to her special needs.
Questions to Consider: Does the person who shattered your heart deserve a second chance? Can you ever really recover from a broken heart? Does unconditional love mean unconditional forgiveness?
About the Characters: I understood all the emotions Marissa felt. She was real with her trust issues, which made me like her as a character even more. John was devoted, and it was obvious that he had done some growing as a character. Who he was in the past was far beyond where he was as a man. I liked them together as a couple, however, it was interesting watching them deal with the fallout of their choices.
My Final Say: I loved this book. It was endearing and sweet and maddening. It was funny. It was serious. The dilemma presented was absolutely one of a kind. At the end of the day, I really liked that the author showed forward growth as a continual action.
Other: Readers who enjoy break up to make up stories or full circle romances will like this.
Rating: 4/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: A
Series: Yes
Status: Clean
Level: 💞
Sincere appreciation is extended to the author, to the publisher (Boldwood Books), and to NetGalley. Thank you for granting access to this work in exchange for an honest review. It was a pleasure to read Marissa and John's story.
December 19, 2023
Thank you netgalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
Ugh, I just didn't really like this one; But I wanted to, so badly. The writing style just felt immature. Calling a woman's vagina a "doo-dah" just...isn't for me. The FMC just rubbed me the wrong way, and the insta-love aspect from the MMC wasn't for me.
Ugh, I just didn't really like this one; But I wanted to, so badly. The writing style just felt immature. Calling a woman's vagina a "doo-dah" just...isn't for me. The FMC just rubbed me the wrong way, and the insta-love aspect from the MMC wasn't for me.
January 24, 2024
Marissa Mayer is 34 and wants to have a baby. Being the CEO of her own app and COO of a startup, she doesn't have a lot of time to date even if she wanted to. She experienced a terrible breakup when she was eighteen and has been turned of men and relationships ever since. Imagine her surprise when her ex shows up at the clinic where she is undergoing IVF treatments, and, he has to do her examination. Knowing he is back in town, living next door to her parents and has a child, has her spiraling. When she finds out that someone accidentally fertilized her eggs with his sperm, she is horrified. Will they be able to work through co-parenting, knowing how Marissa, aka Mari, feels about John Raikes.
Once I got beyond the accidental insemination, this was a great story. Baby, One More Time is a wonderful enemies-to-lovers, second-chance romance. It has just enough humor to keep me smiling, but also deal with the serious issue of IVF, single parents as well as work/life balance. Marissa was a character that I had mixed feelings about. She was smart and independent, but emotionally stunted about something that had happened 16 years ago. There were times I got frustrated with her, but I know, hormones.... John was such a great character. Talk about the perfect man: a doctor, single dad who spends time with his daughter, cooks, takes care of his baby mama and more. The rest of the characters added so much to the story, especially the family members. I did not read the first book in this series, but that was Blair and Gabriel's story, so I didn't need to read it to enjoy this one. Lots of fun banter and humorous situations had me laughing and smiling. This is a rom com, but also has some serious issues to make you think. I definitely recommend this one. Now off to find the first book, Not in a Billion Years.
Once I got beyond the accidental insemination, this was a great story. Baby, One More Time is a wonderful enemies-to-lovers, second-chance romance. It has just enough humor to keep me smiling, but also deal with the serious issue of IVF, single parents as well as work/life balance. Marissa was a character that I had mixed feelings about. She was smart and independent, but emotionally stunted about something that had happened 16 years ago. There were times I got frustrated with her, but I know, hormones.... John was such a great character. Talk about the perfect man: a doctor, single dad who spends time with his daughter, cooks, takes care of his baby mama and more. The rest of the characters added so much to the story, especially the family members. I did not read the first book in this series, but that was Blair and Gabriel's story, so I didn't need to read it to enjoy this one. Lots of fun banter and humorous situations had me laughing and smiling. This is a rom com, but also has some serious issues to make you think. I definitely recommend this one. Now off to find the first book, Not in a Billion Years.
January 8, 2024
I almost smothered myself with my own pillow trying to read this book in bed desperately trying and failing to not wake up my husband with my giggles, laughter and snorting! I love this series and I do highly recommend that you read it in order as Blake and Gabriel's story started in the previous book and concludes in this one along with Marissa and John's story unfolding in this one. Ok, picture this. You've decided that you are no longer going to wait for the ever=elusive Mr. Right and you go to a fertility clinic to start IVF treatments so you can have a baby on your own, only to come face to face with the guy who shattered your belief in love in the first place. Yeah, it gets funnier and funnier as he tries to prove that he's not going to do a runner and she just can't find the trust they need to move forward. Never fear, the author wouldn't dare leave you without a happily ever after......or would she??? Hmmm, you'll have to read and find out for yourself! (but seriously, she doesn't leave you hanging and it's a fun trip getting to the HEA!) If you like a fun, laugh out loud romance then you are going to love this one!
January 12, 2024
Thoughts:
We meet Marissa who is a businesswomen who feels like she want to have a baby.
But after having her heartbroken she kind of giving up on love. But then she runs in to
John an old high school sweetheart who now is her doctor. What happens next just a sweet second chance romance
We meet Marissa who is a businesswomen who feels like she want to have a baby.
But after having her heartbroken she kind of giving up on love. But then she runs in to
John an old high school sweetheart who now is her doctor. What happens next just a sweet second chance romance
April 30, 2024
The book would have been 4 stars but I deducted two stars for the following reasons:
- No where in the Amazon blurb did it say it was a clean romance. Clean romances are fine, great even. However, books should be advertised as such just like other authors advertise if the book is full of smut scenes.
- From 1 - 80% the character lies to herself and also by extension, the author is lying to the audience.
- A character uses the word "seggs" in conversation. Like, not ironically. If someone is going to have a baby, they can say grown up words.
- Finally, the MMC proclaims that he respects boundaries, but refuses to abide by any when the two MC's see each other again.
- No where in the Amazon blurb did it say it was a clean romance. Clean romances are fine, great even. However, books should be advertised as such just like other authors advertise if the book is full of smut scenes.
- From 1 - 80% the character lies to herself and also by extension, the author is lying to the audience.
- A character uses the word "seggs" in conversation. Like, not ironically. If someone is going to have a baby, they can say grown up words.
- Finally, the MMC proclaims that he respects boundaries, but refuses to abide by any when the two MC's see each other again.
February 4, 2024
Marissa Mayer, a driven and accomplished COO at a major Fintech startup, has her life meticulously planned—except for one thing: having a baby. Focused on her career and having given up on love after a heartbreak, Marissa is ready to embrace single motherhood. However, fate has other plans when Dr. John Raikes, an expert in neonatal medicine, enters the scene as Marissa's doctor. The twist? Dr. John Raikes is none other than Marissa's teenage sweetheart all grown up. As their paths cross, sparks fly, and Marissa finds herself torn between the past and the present.
Set against the vibrant backdrop of New York City, the narrative explores the dynamics of enemies-to-lovers and second-chance romance. Marissa's determination to keep John at arm's length clashes with the undeniable chemistry that lingers between them. With John eager to prove that he's changed, Marissa must navigate the complexities of her heart and the possibility of rediscovering love where she least expects it.
It promises a laugh-out-loud romantic comedy filled with witty banter, delightful characters, and the age-old question of whether love can truly get a second chance. Perfect for fans of Sarah Adams, Lynn Painter, and Jo Watson, Camilla Isley's latest offering is a heartwarming tale of love, redemption, and the unpredictable twists life throws our way.
It delivers a charming and heartwarming romantic comedy that explores the complexities of second-chance love. Marissa Mayer, a strong and independent woman, is brought to life with authenticity, making her a relatable and endearing protagonist. The enemies-to-lovers trope is skillfully woven into the narrative, creating tension and chemistry between Marissa and Dr. John Raikes. The reunion of these childhood sweethearts, now adults with their ambitions and challenges, adds depth to the storyline. Isley's humour shines through, providing moments of laughter and lightheartedness.
The dynamic between Marissa and John is both entertaining and emotionally resonant. Marissa's internal struggle, torn between guarding her heart and the undeniable connection she shares with John, creates a compelling emotional arc. The New York City setting adds vibrancy to the backdrop, enhancing the overall atmosphere of the story. It is a delightful read for fans of contemporary romance and romantic comedies. The writing style is engaging, and her ability to craft relatable characters makes this novel an enjoyable addition to the genre. The themes of love, forgiveness, and self-discovery are seamlessly integrated, offering readers a satisfying and entertaining experience.
Set against the vibrant backdrop of New York City, the narrative explores the dynamics of enemies-to-lovers and second-chance romance. Marissa's determination to keep John at arm's length clashes with the undeniable chemistry that lingers between them. With John eager to prove that he's changed, Marissa must navigate the complexities of her heart and the possibility of rediscovering love where she least expects it.
It promises a laugh-out-loud romantic comedy filled with witty banter, delightful characters, and the age-old question of whether love can truly get a second chance. Perfect for fans of Sarah Adams, Lynn Painter, and Jo Watson, Camilla Isley's latest offering is a heartwarming tale of love, redemption, and the unpredictable twists life throws our way.
It delivers a charming and heartwarming romantic comedy that explores the complexities of second-chance love. Marissa Mayer, a strong and independent woman, is brought to life with authenticity, making her a relatable and endearing protagonist. The enemies-to-lovers trope is skillfully woven into the narrative, creating tension and chemistry between Marissa and Dr. John Raikes. The reunion of these childhood sweethearts, now adults with their ambitions and challenges, adds depth to the storyline. Isley's humour shines through, providing moments of laughter and lightheartedness.
The dynamic between Marissa and John is both entertaining and emotionally resonant. Marissa's internal struggle, torn between guarding her heart and the undeniable connection she shares with John, creates a compelling emotional arc. The New York City setting adds vibrancy to the backdrop, enhancing the overall atmosphere of the story. It is a delightful read for fans of contemporary romance and romantic comedies. The writing style is engaging, and her ability to craft relatable characters makes this novel an enjoyable addition to the genre. The themes of love, forgiveness, and self-discovery are seamlessly integrated, offering readers a satisfying and entertaining experience.
January 9, 2024
3.6 stars ⭐️
(rounded to 4 for review purposes)
✿ I received an eARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest free review.
Thank you to the author,publisher & Netgalley ✿
✨️ 𝑻𝒓𝒐𝒑𝒆𝒔/𝑵𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒔:
• second chance romance
• "accidental" pregnancy
• amazing golden retriever mmc
• single dad
• groveling
• rom-com
• were highschool sweethearts/neighbors
"𝘐'𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶'𝘷𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦. 𝘐 𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘥𝘪𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘪𝘵. 𝘐 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘢𝘪𝘵,𝘺𝘰𝘶'𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘩 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘥."
💌⁀➷
This was such a fun read. I really enjoyed it. All of the characters were well written from the MCs to the side ones. Speaking of side characters, I really enjoyed Thomas and would have loved to see more of him or see him get his own book. He is a hoot, lol. If he gets his own book, you bet I'm gonna read it!
As for our MCs, such darlings, especially Dr. John Raikes. That man was an amazing book boyfriend and baby daddy! He has my heart ❤️
I understood Marissa's apprehension when it came to being with John again and even though it made me sigh with her repeated rejections and fears I cannot fault her and she was also a cool fmc but kudos to the understanding John for repeatedly fighting for her and always still showing up.
Nora was such a cutie and together they all made an adorable little family. John raised her well.
Throw in the many antics and comedic moments and it only elevated this story further!
I know many people aren't a fan of accidental pregnancy tropes but this was done right imo.
This was my second read from the author. I actually read her other second chance romance xmas novella (FMTAC) during December when I already had this ARC sitting on my shelf so when I popped in, Jan to read it I was surprised to see her name which I now recognized lol.
Overall, it made a lovely rom-com read and I had fun reading it and reading about John x Marissa and the other characters. So pick it up if these tropes and summary appeal to you coz it was very well written xo.
P.S. I might also read book 1 from this series of Gabriel & Blake coz they had my interests too.
🕊 @𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐚_𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬 𝐨𝐧
𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬𝐭𝐚 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐭𝐨𝐤 🕊
(rounded to 4 for review purposes)
✿ I received an eARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest free review.
Thank you to the author,publisher & Netgalley ✿
✨️ 𝑻𝒓𝒐𝒑𝒆𝒔/𝑵𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒔:
• second chance romance
• "accidental" pregnancy
• amazing golden retriever mmc
• single dad
• groveling
• rom-com
• were highschool sweethearts/neighbors
"𝘐'𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶'𝘷𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦. 𝘐 𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘥𝘪𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘪𝘵. 𝘐 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘢𝘪𝘵,𝘺𝘰𝘶'𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘩 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘥."
💌⁀➷
This was such a fun read. I really enjoyed it. All of the characters were well written from the MCs to the side ones. Speaking of side characters, I really enjoyed Thomas and would have loved to see more of him or see him get his own book. He is a hoot, lol. If he gets his own book, you bet I'm gonna read it!
As for our MCs, such darlings, especially Dr. John Raikes. That man was an amazing book boyfriend and baby daddy! He has my heart ❤️
I understood Marissa's apprehension when it came to being with John again and even though it made me sigh with her repeated rejections and fears I cannot fault her and she was also a cool fmc but kudos to the understanding John for repeatedly fighting for her and always still showing up.
Nora was such a cutie and together they all made an adorable little family. John raised her well.
Throw in the many antics and comedic moments and it only elevated this story further!
I know many people aren't a fan of accidental pregnancy tropes but this was done right imo.
This was my second read from the author. I actually read her other second chance romance xmas novella (FMTAC) during December when I already had this ARC sitting on my shelf so when I popped in, Jan to read it I was surprised to see her name which I now recognized lol.
Overall, it made a lovely rom-com read and I had fun reading it and reading about John x Marissa and the other characters. So pick it up if these tropes and summary appeal to you coz it was very well written xo.
P.S. I might also read book 1 from this series of Gabriel & Blake coz they had my interests too.
🕊 @𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐚_𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬 𝐨𝐧
𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬𝐭𝐚 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐭𝐨𝐤 🕊
January 3, 2024
Thank you so so much to the author and the publisher, Boldwood Books, for sharing an ARC of this book with me on NetGalley!!
“When Johnny Raikes dumped me, I created The Ex Files.”
“Somewhere behind the angry woman we just met, there's still the girl who used to love you. You just have to bring her back."
Loved it, loved it, loved it!!! Absolutely a fan!!! Book two in the True Live series, happening almost simultaneously to book one!!!! I couldn’t be happier!!! I loved meeting Blake and Gabriel once again and sharing this story with them !!! But now up to the main course… Marissa and John’s story was sublime!!! So so good!!! A second chance romance happening sixteen years after a terrible break up but with a single dad and a tireless man who wants to win her back desperately!!! There’s nothing stopping John from taking his time to get in Marissa’s good graces again. And when he ends up being mistakenly her donor for IVE … well forced proximity is in!!!! From high school sweethearts to enemies to lovers to perfect couple and family. This book was so good and so fun and so entertaining and the tension between the main characters was so thick!!!! Loved it!!!! While book one was more enemies to lovers, this one was definitely him trying to win a second chance with her and her being terribly stubborn about loving him. So so good!!! And when a little baby is involved … I’m such a sucker for the single dad trope!!! Can’t wait to read book three !!!!
"I promise to work hard until you believe in me again, Mari. I messed up, I did everything wrong last time. But I'm not running away this time. I'm launching myself straight into the fight. I'll have enough faith for the both of us."
“I'm begging, begging to be given a second chance. I'm this close to dropping to my knees and begging for real.”
"You want a love that never ends. That's beyond time, space, or physical attraction. You want to grow old with someone you can love even with their quirks. You want a love big enough to hold the ugly and the beautiful. You want to be with a man who will always be there, always love you the way you love them."
“When Johnny Raikes dumped me, I created The Ex Files.”
“Somewhere behind the angry woman we just met, there's still the girl who used to love you. You just have to bring her back."
Loved it, loved it, loved it!!! Absolutely a fan!!! Book two in the True Live series, happening almost simultaneously to book one!!!! I couldn’t be happier!!! I loved meeting Blake and Gabriel once again and sharing this story with them !!! But now up to the main course… Marissa and John’s story was sublime!!! So so good!!! A second chance romance happening sixteen years after a terrible break up but with a single dad and a tireless man who wants to win her back desperately!!! There’s nothing stopping John from taking his time to get in Marissa’s good graces again. And when he ends up being mistakenly her donor for IVE … well forced proximity is in!!!! From high school sweethearts to enemies to lovers to perfect couple and family. This book was so good and so fun and so entertaining and the tension between the main characters was so thick!!!! Loved it!!!! While book one was more enemies to lovers, this one was definitely him trying to win a second chance with her and her being terribly stubborn about loving him. So so good!!! And when a little baby is involved … I’m such a sucker for the single dad trope!!! Can’t wait to read book three !!!!
"I promise to work hard until you believe in me again, Mari. I messed up, I did everything wrong last time. But I'm not running away this time. I'm launching myself straight into the fight. I'll have enough faith for the both of us."
“I'm begging, begging to be given a second chance. I'm this close to dropping to my knees and begging for real.”
"You want a love that never ends. That's beyond time, space, or physical attraction. You want to grow old with someone you can love even with their quirks. You want a love big enough to hold the ugly and the beautiful. You want to be with a man who will always be there, always love you the way you love them."
December 4, 2023
A second chance romantic comedy, featuring a cinnamon roll MMC and 'enemies' to lovers.
'Johnny Raikes is back in my life, and it looks like he's staying'.
Marissa is a successful business woman, but she's been put off love forever.. ever since her high school sweetheart ghosted her 16 years ago. Wanting to have a child, she decides to go through the IVF journey, but what she doesn't expect, is for the man who broke her heart doing the exam. Johnny Raikes. The high school sweetheart who broke her. Will she give Johnny a second chance, and trust that he won't break her heart all over again?
𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀
I do enjoy a second chance romance, and an 'enemies' to lovers situation! I say 'enemies', because it's really only Marissa who dislikes Johnny for what he did when she was younger. There's a lot of trust issues there, which I don't blame her for!
You can see how hard Johnny was trying to win her over, which was incredibly adorable with his golden retriever/cinnamon role vibes. The set up of how they meet (again) was so funny, I would completely die of embarrassment in Marissa's situation!
I also loved seeing the characters from the first book, Blake and Gabriel - Blake is incredibly close in Marissa's life, so I loved the crossover and seeing behind the scenes in their life!
Thank you to NetGalley for this copy. This review is voluntary.
'Johnny Raikes is back in my life, and it looks like he's staying'.
Marissa is a successful business woman, but she's been put off love forever.. ever since her high school sweetheart ghosted her 16 years ago. Wanting to have a child, she decides to go through the IVF journey, but what she doesn't expect, is for the man who broke her heart doing the exam. Johnny Raikes. The high school sweetheart who broke her. Will she give Johnny a second chance, and trust that he won't break her heart all over again?
𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀
I do enjoy a second chance romance, and an 'enemies' to lovers situation! I say 'enemies', because it's really only Marissa who dislikes Johnny for what he did when she was younger. There's a lot of trust issues there, which I don't blame her for!
You can see how hard Johnny was trying to win her over, which was incredibly adorable with his golden retriever/cinnamon role vibes. The set up of how they meet (again) was so funny, I would completely die of embarrassment in Marissa's situation!
I also loved seeing the characters from the first book, Blake and Gabriel - Blake is incredibly close in Marissa's life, so I loved the crossover and seeing behind the scenes in their life!
Thank you to NetGalley for this copy. This review is voluntary.
January 13, 2024
Oh my goodness!!!
Saying I loved this book would be an understatement! It was SO darn good! It was cute, funny, sweet, swoon worthy, adorable, beautiful, and every good adjective you can think of while also tackling important issues - like IVF treatments.
Following along Marissa and John's story was amazing. Childhood sweethearts turned enemies (well, she hates him), turned accidental parents, turned lovers again. Incredible!
Were some of the turns in the plot predictable and cliche worthy? Yes. But isn't that what we want when reading a rom com? It sure as heck is for me.
"Oh no, there was an accident in the lab and they used John's sample instead of the donor you chose."
Me: AH! HE'S YOUR BABY DADDY NOW THEY'LL BE FORCED TO BECOME CLOSE SHE CAN'T PUSH HIM AWAY ANYMORE!
I went feral. In the best way possible. I was screaming, crying, laughing, heart fluttering, butterflies flying in my belly. They are adorable!! And when you throw Nora Bora into the mix and remember yourself that John is already a single dad to the most precious 6 year old??? *passes out*
Seriously tho. This book had everything and then some. It promised 10, it gave 100. Read it. Swoon over our perfect ob-gyn. And then come here and let's rant about these babies together!!!
Thank you so much to neygalley and Boldwood Books for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. <3
Saying I loved this book would be an understatement! It was SO darn good! It was cute, funny, sweet, swoon worthy, adorable, beautiful, and every good adjective you can think of while also tackling important issues - like IVF treatments.
Following along Marissa and John's story was amazing. Childhood sweethearts turned enemies (well, she hates him), turned accidental parents, turned lovers again. Incredible!
Were some of the turns in the plot predictable and cliche worthy? Yes. But isn't that what we want when reading a rom com? It sure as heck is for me.
"Oh no, there was an accident in the lab and they used John's sample instead of the donor you chose."
Me: AH! HE'S YOUR BABY DADDY NOW THEY'LL BE FORCED TO BECOME CLOSE SHE CAN'T PUSH HIM AWAY ANYMORE!
I went feral. In the best way possible. I was screaming, crying, laughing, heart fluttering, butterflies flying in my belly. They are adorable!! And when you throw Nora Bora into the mix and remember yourself that John is already a single dad to the most precious 6 year old??? *passes out*
Seriously tho. This book had everything and then some. It promised 10, it gave 100. Read it. Swoon over our perfect ob-gyn. And then come here and let's rant about these babies together!!!
Thank you so much to neygalley and Boldwood Books for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. <3
January 10, 2024
I picked Baby, One More Time because I am a big fan of a romance involving a pregnancy or trying to get pregnant even though I know it's not everyone's favorite trope. In terms of romcom pregnancy shenanigans, this book delivered!
The situations Marissa got herself into were occasionally improbable but the comedy worked for me for the most part. I think if you don't mind suspending your disbelief a little like you might do for a comedy movie you'll enjoy that aspect of this book! I also enjoyed that Marissa had supportive friends and family and that we got to meet people who already had a book or are getting one later.
What didn't totally work for me was John and Marissa's relationship. He made a mistake but I felt like she overreacted. Particularly as the mistake happened when they were teenagers. I do know that wounds as a teen can cut really deep but I also recognize that people grow up and mature. In this case it felt a bit like there just needed to be some conflict and this was the best option.
Overall, I think this is a fun romcom and a nice light read. I loved John's daughter and there were parts that made me laugh. However, if you are picky about conflict or like very realistic romances this one might not be for you.
Thanks to Netgalley and Boldwood book for providing me with this eARC! All opinions are my own.
The situations Marissa got herself into were occasionally improbable but the comedy worked for me for the most part. I think if you don't mind suspending your disbelief a little like you might do for a comedy movie you'll enjoy that aspect of this book! I also enjoyed that Marissa had supportive friends and family and that we got to meet people who already had a book or are getting one later.
What didn't totally work for me was John and Marissa's relationship. He made a mistake but I felt like she overreacted. Particularly as the mistake happened when they were teenagers. I do know that wounds as a teen can cut really deep but I also recognize that people grow up and mature. In this case it felt a bit like there just needed to be some conflict and this was the best option.
Overall, I think this is a fun romcom and a nice light read. I loved John's daughter and there were parts that made me laugh. However, if you are picky about conflict or like very realistic romances this one might not be for you.
Thanks to Netgalley and Boldwood book for providing me with this eARC! All opinions are my own.
December 11, 2023
Hi ha masses elements que em desagraden d’aquest llibre. Ha arribat un punt en que cada pàgina em feia posar els ulls en blanc i/o arrufar les celles. Atenció que venen spoilers (llegiu-ho igualment si voleu riure una mica de la situació).
Aquest llibre porta l’insta love a un extrem. Fa 16 anys que ni ens veiem ni sabem de l’altre, però et veig, i m’adono que estic encara enamorat. Cal posar-se al dia? Que va, estar enamorat de tu quan tenies 18 anys m’és suficient. Vinga va.
Hi ha 0 respecte dels límits. La teva ex no et vol veure, però igualment la segueixes, aprofites que tens accés al seu fitxer mèdic per cotillejar (hola?!!) i no escoltes quan et diu que no et vol veure.
Ah, i per crear drama, hi ha el moment més dur de la vida de la protagonista. El moment innombrable que et destrueix la vida sencera. Bàsicament que el seu novio de 18 anys li fa ghosting enlloc de perdre la virginitat amb ella.
Terrible. 0 comunicació. Converses que donen cringe. Ah i no oblidem que a ella li implanten un embrió fecundad amb el sem*n d’ell per error. Cosa que accepten tots sense problema???
Bé. Una lectura horrible i que no recomano.
Aquest llibre l’he rebut a través de NetGalley.
Aquest llibre porta l’insta love a un extrem. Fa 16 anys que ni ens veiem ni sabem de l’altre, però et veig, i m’adono que estic encara enamorat. Cal posar-se al dia? Que va, estar enamorat de tu quan tenies 18 anys m’és suficient. Vinga va.
Hi ha 0 respecte dels límits. La teva ex no et vol veure, però igualment la segueixes, aprofites que tens accés al seu fitxer mèdic per cotillejar (hola?!!) i no escoltes quan et diu que no et vol veure.
Ah, i per crear drama, hi ha el moment més dur de la vida de la protagonista. El moment innombrable que et destrueix la vida sencera. Bàsicament que el seu novio de 18 anys li fa ghosting enlloc de perdre la virginitat amb ella.
Terrible. 0 comunicació. Converses que donen cringe. Ah i no oblidem que a ella li implanten un embrió fecundad amb el sem*n d’ell per error. Cosa que accepten tots sense problema???
Bé. Una lectura horrible i que no recomano.
Aquest llibre l’he rebut a través de NetGalley.
November 18, 2023
This book has all you could ever want in a fun Romcom, or beach read. I will say right off the bat though, I was really hoping for some spice! I mean how do you have a hot, single doctor dad who is giving nothing but golden retrieverand not add in all the dirty details?!? 😩
Even though the book was fade to black, I will not consider this a complaint. Camilla Isley completely held my attention the whole way through. Accidental pregnancy is one of my all time favorite tropes especially in a romcom, ESPECIALLY when the dad is a doctor. (Idk why but it seriously is the ultimate sub-trope.)
The book was fun, the characters were great, I loved the little bit of miscommunication thrown in between family members, adding in some brief low level drama. There were a few parts that had me swoooooning and I know I would be no where near as stubborn as Marissa when it came to giving in to that adorable man.
I love how independent Marissa was. Even though towards the end she began to not want to be so, “do it on my own”. I’m glad that it was never questioned by family or friends when she decided to go to the fertility dr to begin with, to have a baby one her own. Everyone was so supportive and I think the author did a really good job in showing that she was a successful woman on her own, she had the ability to, and did, make a decision for herself, and did not need to be questioned or doubted and everyone (including John) respected that. This book is a perfect addition to The Year of the Barbie Movie. 🩷💜
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🫑
Even though the book was fade to black, I will not consider this a complaint. Camilla Isley completely held my attention the whole way through. Accidental pregnancy is one of my all time favorite tropes especially in a romcom, ESPECIALLY when the dad is a doctor. (Idk why but it seriously is the ultimate sub-trope.)
The book was fun, the characters were great, I loved the little bit of miscommunication thrown in between family members, adding in some brief low level drama. There were a few parts that had me swoooooning and I know I would be no where near as stubborn as Marissa when it came to giving in to that adorable man.
I love how independent Marissa was. Even though towards the end she began to not want to be so, “do it on my own”. I’m glad that it was never questioned by family or friends when she decided to go to the fertility dr to begin with, to have a baby one her own. Everyone was so supportive and I think the author did a really good job in showing that she was a successful woman on her own, she had the ability to, and did, make a decision for herself, and did not need to be questioned or doubted and everyone (including John) respected that. This book is a perfect addition to The Year of the Barbie Movie. 🩷💜
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🫑
November 24, 2023
Set in the same world as Camilla's previous book, Not in a Billion Years, Marissa (best friend to Blake) and John were childhood sweethearts. That is until John dumped her and then ghosted her on prom night 16 years ago, leaving her heartbroken. Now a successful businesswoman, Marissa has decided to go it alone with IVF and have a baby with a donor. However all doesn't go to plan when Dr John, as he now is, turns out to be her new doctor..
An enemies to lovers story, its predictably light and a nice quick read. It has little elements of what it's like to have IVF (the author was going through it herself when writing) and my only criticism is having to suspend belief that Marissa wouldn't sue the clinic really. But then when you're suspending reality for the world of a lovely romcom, why not?!
A light read with great characters, I'll look forward to reading book 3 when the last book in the trilogy is released! Thanks to Netgalley and Boldwood for a free ARC in return for an honest review.
An enemies to lovers story, its predictably light and a nice quick read. It has little elements of what it's like to have IVF (the author was going through it herself when writing) and my only criticism is having to suspend belief that Marissa wouldn't sue the clinic really. But then when you're suspending reality for the world of a lovely romcom, why not?!
A light read with great characters, I'll look forward to reading book 3 when the last book in the trilogy is released! Thanks to Netgalley and Boldwood for a free ARC in return for an honest review.
January 28, 2024
Camilla Isley - Baby One More Time.
This is book two in Camilla Isley’s True Love series.
I must admit I haven’t read book one, but I certainly will be doing so.
Baby One More Time was easily read as a standalone book, but parts of it would have had more impact had I read its predecessor.
So, as always, I’d say read a series in order to get the most from the author’s hard work.
#BabyOneMoreTime is a second chance, enemies to lovers story.
Poor Marissa, all she wants is a baby, but the man who she hopes will be able to help her to achieve her dream, turns out to be the very same man who broke her heart.
I did enjoy this book very much. It’s properly laugh out loud funny and even induced a few snorty laughs too.
This is a light and easy read. A fun story with lots of heart and humour.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
With thanks to Rachel’s Random Resources, Netgalley and Boldwood for a digital arc of this title.
This is book two in Camilla Isley’s True Love series.
I must admit I haven’t read book one, but I certainly will be doing so.
Baby One More Time was easily read as a standalone book, but parts of it would have had more impact had I read its predecessor.
So, as always, I’d say read a series in order to get the most from the author’s hard work.
#BabyOneMoreTime is a second chance, enemies to lovers story.
Poor Marissa, all she wants is a baby, but the man who she hopes will be able to help her to achieve her dream, turns out to be the very same man who broke her heart.
I did enjoy this book very much. It’s properly laugh out loud funny and even induced a few snorty laughs too.
This is a light and easy read. A fun story with lots of heart and humour.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
With thanks to Rachel’s Random Resources, Netgalley and Boldwood for a digital arc of this title.
January 4, 2024
I was so excited for this book and it did not disappoint! While this can be read as a stand alone, I think you would enjoy it more if you have already read Not in a Billion Years. This one takes place concurrently with Blake and Gabriel’s story and I really enjoyed reading these shared scenes from Marissa’s POV. These books are definitely worth your time and look forward to reading the next 😊.
Overall Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️/5
I was provided a free copy of this book from the publishers, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
Overall Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️/5
I was provided a free copy of this book from the publishers, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
January 26, 2024
I love the premise of the plot: Marissa’s eggs get accidentally fertilized by her ex boyfriend’s sperm.
The events leading up to that are funny and cringy. I thought I would lose it with the brown smudge scene.
Marissa is afraid to be vulnerable because if a deep past hurt, that I think she carried a bit too far.
Dr. Dishy knows he made a huge mistake and says and does all the right things toward Marissa.
She just needed to jump…… on him!
It’s an enjoyable read.
Thanks to NetGalley Boldwood Books and Rachel’s Random Resources for the early copy.
The events leading up to that are funny and cringy. I thought I would lose it with the brown smudge scene.
Marissa is afraid to be vulnerable because if a deep past hurt, that I think she carried a bit too far.
Dr. Dishy knows he made a huge mistake and says and does all the right things toward Marissa.
She just needed to jump…… on him!
It’s an enjoyable read.
Thanks to NetGalley Boldwood Books and Rachel’s Random Resources for the early copy.
March 19, 2024
This was a Hoopla listen on 2 speed — which I think distorted the voices — especially rendering the male voices as annoying.
The main character was believable but the Doctor, her high school sweetheart, that’s supposed to be delish looking— well, he was t believable. And he was initially way too stalkerish for my taste.
I recommend you read the book — NOT listen to it!
The main character was believable but the Doctor, her high school sweetheart, that’s supposed to be delish looking— well, he was t believable. And he was initially way too stalkerish for my taste.
I recommend you read the book — NOT listen to it!
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