3.75 stars---DO OVER by Serena Bell is an adult contemporary, erotic, romance stand alone story line focusing on construction worker Jack Parker, and pharmacy employee Maddie Adams.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Maddie and Jack) using present day and memories from the past DO OVER is a second chance romance that follows the rekindling relationship between our leading couple following the break-up of Maddie’s most recent relationship. Five years earlier a pregnant Maddie walked out of Jack’s life but in the ensuing time the couple have remained friends for the sake of their son Gabe. Having caught her boyfriend Harris in bed with her best friend Mia, Maddie runs to the only person with whom she can depend, the father of her son, and the man who originally broke her heart Jack Parker. What ensues is the rebuilding romance between Jack and Maddie when Maddie and Gabe must take up temporary residence with Jack, and the potential fall out as their time together comes to a close when Maddie finds another place to live.

Jack Parker is a man used to his freedom: drinks with the boys; weekends at the games, and a ‘friends with benefits’ sexual partner who has no expectations except the here and now, but saying that Jack’s attitude at times is disconcerting especially his inner turmoil as it pertains to being a father, his son’s behaviour, and the curtailing of his freedom to come and go. It is the inner turmoil and thoughts where the reader is up close and personal with a man who is ambivalent about fatherhood and the future but thoughts many parents have as they struggle with the bigger picture.

The relationship between Jack and Maddie is one of mutual attraction but issues of trust made for some heartbreaking decisions that pulled Maddie out of Jack’s life. With Maddie in close proximity, their time together begins to rebuild the bond between Jack and the woman with whom he will fall in love. The $ex scenes are intimate and intense without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

We are introduced to Jack’s friends Henry and Clark; Jack’s sister Sienna, and his ‘benefits’ partner Lani; as well as Maddie and Jack’s son Gabe.

DO OVER is a second chance story line; a rekindling romance between two people whose lives were pulled apart by betrayal and mistrust but brought back together by an innocent child hoping for a happily ever after. The premise is sweet and emotional; the romance is passionate and heartbreaking as past betrayal and issues of trust are kept at the forefront; the characters are coloful and dynamic.

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Maddie and Jack have known each other since they were kids and when a hook up results in a surprise pregnancy Jack doesn't step up but has remained in the picture and done his part, so to speak, as a dad for Gabe. He and Maddie have remained friends and when she has nowhere to turn when her live-in boyfriend cheats on her, he gives her and Gabe a place to stay until she can find another place. This brings out all the feelings and they find their ways back to a deeper friendship and more. Soon they are closer and Jack is a more hands on dad and he and Maddie are finding their way again. This was such a beautifully written story of redemption and forgiveness and learning to trust.

**Received this ARC to review from the publisher via NetGalley**

Swooooonnn!! This is a cute as buttons second chance romance. Jack and Maddie share a child from a one night stand and Jack is not looking for commitment. Maddie ends up falling on hard times and Jack is there to rescue her. With Maddie full time under one roof with his son Jack is smacked with emotions he was not aware were there. The banter between these two is cute and sexy! Its a deconstructed love story at it's best. Jack is sexy and swoon-worthy! The love that grows between these two has you rooting with the turn of each page! This is a must read!

Nereyda: Books with kids in them and I just… don’t get along. When Do Over showed up in my email, there was something about it that made me want to request it despite the pesky kid. The big reason this one caught my attention was because this book reminded me so much of Any Man of Mine by Rachel Gibson, which is not only one of my favorite books, but also one of the rare books with kids that I love.

Nick: Unlike Nereyda, I'm not a baby hater! But I do love all things second chance romances (and hot dads), so I had to get this one. Plus, I had seen Lauren Layne rave about Serena Bell's books in the past, and I have had her on my TBR ever since. Do Over was so much more than I expected. I went in knowing that I would probably like it, but I was very pleasantly surprised at just how much I loved it.

Nereyda: Exes are a favorite trope of mine, enough that it made me overlook the kid thing. I’m so glad I did because this was such a refreshing book that I just ate up, I couldn’t stop reading it! Another selling point for me was that the kid belonged to the main characters so not only do they have an established history, they also have an established history with the child. I can’t tell you how much it annoys me when a new person comes in to the picture and they basically become mom/dad to a kid after a short while.

Jack and Maddie were childhood friends. Their son was a result of one night of passion that ended in a misunderstanding. Jack knew he would never be cut for the hands on dad role, so he offers to support Maddie financially and see his son on his assigned days. I’m not gonna lie, how Jack acted towards his soon in the beginning was very off-putting. He actually referred it as babysitting on weekends when he had his son and he basically dumped his son on his mom and sister and was happy to let them take care of his son.  That laid-back dad lifestyle changes when Maddie shows up at his door crying after catching her boyfriend with her best friend. A crying Maddie has always been a weakness of Jack’s and he ends up offering to let them say at his place until she finds a new place to live. Living in close quarters with your ex who you still find very attractive is a bad idea. Even worse knowing their child will be affected if things end badly between them again.

Nick: I agree! There was just a very readable and addictive quality to this book. Once I started, I had a very hard time stopping. Don't you just love books like that? I might just go and re-read this one as soon as I finish writing my review!

Anyways, I really really loved both Jack and Maddie. They were great likeable characters. I especially liked Jack. He is a bit of a fuck boy at first, but he grows for the better as the story progresses. He struggles with being a dad at times, but he tries to 100% be there for his son. He was an absolute sweetheart when he tried to make more of an effort for his son. It was the cutest seeing the two of them interact. Definitely had my ovaries exploding there, which I know, such a cliche thing to say! But besides that, I loved loved loved how he was 100% devoted to Maddie. He wants her, and is so patient, and kind to her. He offers her his support while subtly trying to seduce her, but never ever pushes her into something she doesn't want. I liked Maddie a lot too. She's a great girl, smart and with a good head on her shoulders. I especially liked how she wasn't someone who waffled in her issues. When she faces an obstacle, she rises up from it, because she knows she has got to be brave for her son.

Nereyda: One of my favorite things in the book was seeing Jack’s evolution as a person and as a father. I loved seeing him grow from someone that cares about things like going out and girls to someone that puts his son and the mother of his child first. I liked seeing him bond with his son, without the help of his mom or his sister and I really liked seeing his relationship with Maddie grow as he realizes he may be cut out for this whole family life after all. Maddie was also a great character. She had every excuse to break down but she always remained strong for her son. I loved seeing her bond with Jack’s new sister and making new friends and pull herself out of a shitty situation. I absolutely loved the romance between her and Jack and loved seeing them all interact as a family.

Nick: YES! The OTP is real, folks! I loved the progression of the romance. Do Over was definitely a second-chance romance written well. I also appreciated that the book didn't have too much angst or drama. Instead it remains light and hopeful throughout. And let me tell you, Serena Bell sure knows how to bring steam to the pages. The chemistry between Jack and Maddie was so good! I could feel the romantic tension between them, and I was just on the edge of my seat waiting for their first reunion kiss! There's great banter and dialogue in the book, as well, which just amped up my enjoyment of the story.

Nereyda: Do Over was one of those rare books that reminded me that maybe not all books with kids are bad when done right. If you’re like me and hate books with kids, I would still highly recommend this book. I would also urge you guys to check out Any of Man of Mine while you’re at it, or any of these other kid books that made my favorite list. This is my first book by this author but I will keep an eye out for more books by her.

Nick: I'm with Nereyda! Do Over was a wonderful story of second-chance, family and romance. It's the perfect sort of book to spend your time with when you're feeling down or glum. The characters are sure to charm their way into your hearts, and the romance between the pair will have you swooning for days after (which isn't as bad as I make it sound! ;) ).

Do Over by Serena Bell is a second chance friends-to-lovers romance that was sweet and charming. Jack and Maddie had been friends for a long time, but lost touch with each other. Then one night they reconnected, and everything changed. That night resulted with their son. Now things are awkward and strained between them.

Jack couldn’t resist Maddie the night she came to him nursing a broken heart. But he never thought of himself as a father and pushed her away, but he stood up and did right by Gabe in the only way he could. But in reality, he let her walk away. Now he wants a second chance and he is going to fight for it.

Jack Parker is gorgeous and very sexy, but Maddie knows he is not the settle down and have a family type of guy. But he has stepped up when needed. And now he is offering her just the help she and her son need. But can she resist the man that drives her body crazy?

Maddie thought her current relationship was the one, imagine her surprise when she finds him in a very comprising position. Now her and her son need somewhere to live. Jack stands up and offers his place to help them out. But living under the same roof with someone you found sexy and are attracted too is not easy. The reasons they are not together now still stand between them. Can they find a way to make it work this time?

Do Over by Serena Bell was cute and sweet read with light angst. Though Jack was a bit frustrating at times, they were both very likeable characters and I loved Gabe, their son. A charming story.

I'm indifferent about the Do over. I'm usually not a fan of second chances the blurb about this book sounded cute.
Unfortunately, I found the book to be cliche with the lack of communication for both characters.
I wish the book would have had more of a plot. I was getting a bit tired of both characters wishy washy behavior. I felt that myself getting whiplash.
I also had a difficult time envisioning these two as friends. I never really got a connection between the two. They never clicked for me.

The ending was sweet but it took a lot to get them there.

I received an ARC for a honest review

I loved Do Over. Jack & Maddie have a son together but things didn't work out between them. Five years later & Maddie needs some help. Jack helps her & lets them move in with him. Can they keep their distances from each other or will they end up together? I loved banter between them. I was hooked from the start too. I voluntarily read & reviewed an ARC.

My two favorites, second chance and friends to lovers, all rolled into one awesome story.

Jack and Maddie were childhood best friends but a kiss ruined everything. When they reconnected after high school, a fling created the child that they share. Five years later and Maddie has nowhere to go so Jack offers her a place to stay. Jack has been adamant that he's not a family man but the chemistry these two have is stronger than anything else.

Jack has all of the swoon factor. Even though he and Maddie have been through so much, they are stronger than most. I loved how the challenges that both of them face, both navigating living in the same space and Jack figuring out parenting, were shown and the honesty about sometimes needing to walk away from your child when they are more frustrating than you can handle.

This is my first book by this author but I absolutely loved the writing style. This second chance story about two people trying to co-parent and be friends is so different from anything else I've ever read. I will definitely be adding the Returning Home series to my TBR!!

*This is my voluntary review of an advanced reader copy*

What a whirlwind story this was!  A chance meeting on an elevator, two unlikely people coming together….I really enjoyed how this book started.

Drew and Alexa hit it off right form the start.  Things are light and fun and they just clicked right away.  They had an agreement for the weekend and that’s where things were supposed to end, but where is the fun in that?!

Drew doesn’t do the “girlfriend thing”, relationships go well for him and he ends them before they go bad.  This kind of upset me, he’s such a great guy, he’s not an a$$hole by any means, he does this to “avoid” someone getting hurt further down the road.  From the get go I could see how things would be different for him with Alexa….no matter how many times he said that he needed to end it, that it couldn’t go on much longer, that all good things come to an end (blah blah blah).  Sometimes I wanted to slap him because it was so obvious that he really cared for Alexa but he wouldn’t let himself see it.

Alexa wasn’t looking for a man in her life, all she had planned on doing was celebrating a promotion with her sister and drinking champagne.  Her encounter with Drew set her on a course that she didn’t see coming at all.  Battling struggles in her professional life she was still able to quickly find a way to work Drew into her life.  Traveling weekends to see him, opening up her home to him when he would fly down.  Through it all her insecurities about her body and his lack of commitment brought her down.  Here is this guy who is CRAZY for her (whether he admits it or not) and she kept overthinking every little thing.

Overall there was a lack of communication between the two of them.  They got along great, they talked about their careers and touched the surface of their personal lives.  I loved their interactions, the ways that they reacted to seeing each other, or they way they warmed when getting a look or a gentle touch from the other one.  However, in trying to keep things light, they never got too deep with one another.  The important things never came up at the right time and then it turned disastrous when they did.

The Wedding Date was a sweet story, Drew and Alexa are perfect for each other, they just had a lot of figuring out to do to eventually see that.

At first glance, you think the "Do Over" title refers to the second chance that Jack and Maddie get at making their relationship work. But as the story unfolds, you realize that there's another "Do Over" opportunity, one that ultimately is more important and is the real reason behind Jack's inability to commit to Maddie and Gabe. His playboy persona hides a hurting heart, and it takes every ounce of patience and faith that Maddie has to reach through his self-doubt to find their HEA.

This story shows how love makes us want to be the best version of ourselves, but it requires that we have faith in the other person and in ourselves, and it won't let us give up. The writing is perfectly on-point, gradually revealing hidden secrets and true feelings until the raw truth can no longer be denied. The chemistry between Jack and Maddie is so unbelievably hot, it burns away all their resistance and makes it impossible for them to hide their desperate love for each other.

This is an amazing love story, and I highly recommend it. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book through NetGalley.

The great storyline and character development made this book a very enjoyable and entertaining read!

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book.

I love second chance romances with a happy ending, and Do Over by Serena Bell fits the bill quite nicely. The two main characters, single mom Maddie Adams and contractor Jack Parker, complete each other in every way, yet they don't even know it. They were best friends during their childhood and their relationship slowly became more as they got older. A night of desire brought Gabe into their lives five years ago, however Jack's response to the news as well as his past prevented them from finding their forever at that time. Now that Maddie needs a place to live temporarily, and since their son Gabe already has a bedroom and is quite comfortable at Jack's house, the only solution is for Maddie and Gabe to move in. Their feelings from the past are rekindled as they fall in love once again.

Overall, I liked this book. Ms. Bell pours amazing passion into her writing and as a result, her characters are compelling and full of intensity. This is a well-conceived story that I would have loved, if only there was a little less sex. Although I have to mention that Ms. Bell pens some of the hottest sex scenes I have ever read. Furthermore, Gabe added a lot of cuteness and genuineness to the story. If you are in the mood for a second chance romance with a ton of heat, pick up a copy of Do Over.

Complimentary copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.

Jack and Maddie were an interesting couple. From childhood friends, to baby daddy and mama but not in a relationship to trying to forge one, the book just did it for me. I read this in one sitting and feel as if I fell down a rabbit hole. I was totally sucked into this story, felt all the emotions and “feels” of a really good story. I have read Serena Bell before and enjoyed her books, but i think this book took her to another level in her writing. Great read and so glad to be able to review it. 5 Stars

3.5 stars

This story started off a bit rough for me. Not only did I have to get used to the author’s writing style, but I also was not loving Jack, the hero of the story. In fact, I downright disliked Jack in the beginning. Before I got to the chapters with the point of view of Maddie, only having seen her through Jack’s eyes, I wasn’t crazy about her either. Fear not, they are both actually really great people. So if you feel the same in the first few chapters just soldier on, it gets so much better.

As this story progresses, the reader slowly gets the reasons Jack is not the best of dads. As much as his reasoning doesn’t make sense, it also does in a backward sort of way. At the same time, you can really understand how Maddie is suspicious of any effort on Jack’s part. The evidence, on the surface, points to him being an incompetent father.

One thing that was never in question for me was the chemistry between Maddie and Jack. It’s apparent from the beginning and only gets stronger as the story goes along. Also, Jack’s love for his son is so much stronger than you would initially think. Watching him mature into the dad he was meant to be is a beautiful thing.

So obviously my feelings about this story changed as the book progressed. There were still little issues here and there…mostly with continuity. Nothing major though. This is a new-to-me author that I will definitely be giving another try.

I really enjoyed this book. This is definitely one I would pick up for myself. I'm a sucker for books where a kid is involved, and this doesn't disappoint. I was worried for a while, given that cheating was hinted at, and was relieved to find out that wasn't the case.

I love a good second chance romance and Do Over has all the elements - the not so likable playboy who does redeem himself (finally), the woman who loves him but doesn't trust him, the child they share, and the circumstances to put them together. In spite of that, the result was rather mediocre. Maybe it was the constant denial of compatibility from both characters, the conversations between Jack and his buddies, the lack of real communication, the determination that they were just hooking up, or a combination of all those things, I never felt a romantic connection between Jack and Maddie. Sharing a child without any commitment certainly shows that there is lust between the couple, and maybe even friendship, but it felt more like they were playing house than building anything together. On the whole, the story is well-written, but there's really nothing to set it apart from any other second chance romance, making it a little too predictable. On a positive note, there were a few chuckle worthy moments and young Gabe was absolutely adorable, which did somewhat redeem the book for me.

3.5 Stars

I'll admit that I really didn't like Jack in the beginning of this book. His attitude towards his kid was terrible, but it's a common problem. I did like that he finally stepped up and did what needed doing.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

Loved this one! Great storyline and a very well written book. Maddie and Jack are amazing characters and I loved their relationship right from the beginning. Their romance is a nice slow build and I couldn't help but cheer for them.

Five years ago Maddie and Jack had an incredible time together. Nine months later they are facing raising a son and remaining friends. Jack's not a family man. Or at least he wasn't. Now things seem to be changing. Especially when Maddie and their son Gabe move in with him after Maddie finds herself homeless thanks to her cheating boyfriend.

I highly recommend this one to everyone!

Do Over
Serena Bell
4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was a cute second chance romance. Jack and Maddie have been friends since childhood. But stopped being friends when Jack kissed her when they were around 13 yo. Then when they were 21 they reunited in a boathouse and spent a crazy month together. When Maddie found out she was pregnant she saw a woman leaving Jacks place. Since Jack had a poor father figure, he used that as his reason to push Maddie away. So for the next 5 years they raised Gabe separately. Until Maddie caught her fiancé cheating on her with her best friend. But can Maddie and Jack find a way to make things work between them?
Thanks NetGalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review.