Twice in a Blue Moon

There is just something about young love that gets me every time. The giddy feeling and invincible hopefulness that only first love can create. Second chance romances that start like this are always my catnip. Twice in a Blue Moon definitely delivers on this (as well as on the forced proximity trope), but I wouldn't necessarily classify this book as a romance. It certainly has romantic elements and a large part of the story focuses on romantic love, but an equally large part focuses on the love of family (blood related and not) and the sacrifices and lengths we will go for those we love. I really enjoyed seeing Sam and Tate's relationship begin and how the whirlwind of young love consumes them. The chapters in the past were written so beautifully that I couldn't help but be swept up in their love too. It was so relatable and Christina Lauren captured the excitement, uncertainty, and wonder of first love so well. Just as quickly as it begins though, it all comes crashing down. 14 years pass before the stars realign for Sam and Tate and circumstances push them together again. The connection they shared all those years ago is just as strong and I liked how they were able to get to know these older and somewhat wiser versions of each other. There are some wonderful (and not so wonderful) secondary characters in the book, specifically Charlie, Marco, and Ian. Charlie is the BFF we all wish we had and Marco is the rock that will see you through anything. Ian was perfectly despicable and the fact that I wanted to throttle him several times in the book shows how well written his character was. The ending of the book felt a little rushed and my greedy heart really wanted an epilogue, but I loved how the story came full circle. Twice in a Blue Moon left me smiling ear to ear. *I voluntarily read an advance review copy of this book*

There is nothing like experiencing your first love; the feelings can be overwhelmingly beautiful and intense. Then when that love is shattered, by the person you love, you feel like your life is falling apart. Christina Lauren has captured all these feelings and more in their latest book, Twice in a Blue Moon. However, there is more than meets the eye in Twice in a Blue Moon. As I read and thought about this book, I realized that these two authors gave us two-second chance romances within this one book. The passion between Tate and Sam is undeniable, but the poignant, guileless love between Luther and Roberta is what made me adore this story. “I can’t fathom what it had to have been like for Luther, or the bond that must have existed between the two of them to press on, continue to fight against such bigotry and evil and in the end truly live such vibrant, optimistic lives.” Tate has found her person in Sam. She has only just met him, and they have spent less than two weeks together, but they have fallen hard for each other. She doesn’t understand the feelings she has for him, but she feels in her heart that they are real. And how lucky can a girl get that Sam feels the same way about her? Tate shares herself and her biggest secret with Sam. “He just seemed to pull everything out of me: my truth magnet.” Then betrayal strikes. Fourteen years later, Tate has her life back on track. She may be the daughter of one of the most successful leading men in Hollywood, but she has worked hard, and now she is an actress on the brink of her first serious movie roll. What could go wrong? Let us say that Christina Lauren takes us on one heck of an emotional ride. I love the way these two women write. Their books are a joy to read. The character development of both main characters is well done. I found Tate to be tenacious, but also at the same time vulnerable, which made her very relatable. The supporting characters were well thought out and well written. There was a positive balance between the three women in Tate’s life, her Nana, her mom, and her best friend, Charlie. We must not forget Maro, who is Tate’s PR manager and who helps Tate navigate the very complicated Hollywood scene. They all supported Tate in very different ways. “Marco is my calm, Mom is my home, Nana is my conscience, but Charlie is my wide-open sky, my free-dancing, stargazing wild rumpus.” Sam, Sam, Sam, what to say about Sam, I loved him and wanted to strangle him at the same time. The man is simple and complicated all at the same time. Twice in a Blue Moon, hit all my good feels. Twice in a Blue Moon showed us that being in love could be sweet and wonderous at times, but it also showed us that it could also be full of heartbreak and loneliness, but well worth it in the end. I enjoyed reading Twice in a Blue Moon and would recommend this book to anyone who loves a good second chance love story. ** Please note the quotes in my review are subject to change once the book is published** *** I kindly received this galley by way of NetGalley/publisher/author. I was not contacted, asked, or required to leave a review. I received no compensation, financial or otherwise. I have voluntarily read this book, and this review is my honest opinion. ***

Tate Jones lived most of her young life ‘hiding in plain sight’, but never sharing the secret of who her father is except with her best friend, Charlie. Living with her grandmother and mother, working in their little café just north of Los Angeles, and never being allowed to just be a kid without secrets, her first trip away from home in over a decade is to London with her grandmother, leaving her mother in charge of the café. From the start, Tate and her grandmother have adjustments to make – it’s the biggest place Tate has ever been, her grandmother is unhappy with the room, and she’s planned every second of the trip for and with Tate. But, they also encounter another pair of Americans in a small café – Sam and his ‘pseudo-grandfather’ Luther. Instant sparks flash between Tate and Sam, and while he’s a bit older, the attraction is not one-sided and her grandmother and Luther seem to have things to discuss as well. But, trust and Luther’s failing health have Tate in a tight spot – especially when partway into their vacation Tate shares her secret and the feelings she has for Sam, and just a bit later he and Luther are gone, checked out of the hotel, and the paparazzi are hounding Tate. Having lost her first love and her trust betrayed in such a callous manner has Tate closing down on the ‘personal’ side of her life, although she’s been offered the chance to act, and been very successful. Fast forward a decade and Tate has been chosen for a script that seems to be tailor made for her – one that will bring critical acclaim as well as stretch her skills. There’s just one problem – the story, and person, she is to play is Sam’s grandmother – the screenwriter is Sam, and he’s there – at the first table read – without her having any warning at all. Of course there is plenty of back and forth, and more than a bit of interference from Tate’s father- always to place himself in the best light, but things do come to a head with decisions to be made by both of them. While this started out as a very YA read, the growth in both Sam and Tate when we rejoin them years later, as well as the revelations and self-awareness that is sparked during their reunion and information (or confirmation) about Tate’s father all seem to bring the story into a solid late-20’s sort of story – both characters have a fairly solid sense of who they are and who they are meant to be, and with the input from secondary characters that help to fix Tate’s challenges and worries into a more ‘familiar’ framework for her to sort through – the story is engaging, hopeful and full of the heart that one expects from a second chance at romance story. I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.