I finally got to read this even though I got it forever ago. I’m trying to go through all my netgalley’s this month. And idk why I decided to request so many books 🤣 Hopefully I get through them all this month.

I really enjoyed this book. It’s my second one by them and although there are some mixed reviews I thought it was pretty good! I still think I like The Unhoneymooners more though and I was not a fan of the ending.

I think the ending left a lot to be desired and I wanted to know more about her career and how everything was going to fit. It just felt a little unfinished to me.

The story itself was good if you like a quick falling in love story that spans over years. 🤷🏻‍♀️

I went up and down with my rating for this book. I love this writing duo and my experience with their past work has been excellent but these latest two novels (Unhoneymooners and Twice In A Blue Moon) do not meet the high bar they’ve set with Roomies and Josh & Hazel. The endings were not satisfactory. They were not quite enough.

For Twice In A Blue Moon, I enjoyed the London (past) part better than the Ruby Farm (present) half. Young love in a foreign country—I appreciate the thrill of that. Everything up to the betrayal was well done. Then it all went downhill from there.

I guess I don’t find movie actors relatable. I just didn’t care that Ian is a douche or if Tate and Sam get back together. The creative choices were predictable and that was a pity because I know the duo can do better.

I wanted to like this book better than I actually do. I’m sad that I don’t.

This is my first Christina Lauren book, and I’m hooked. Twice in a Blue Moon is a second chance romance that’s flirtatious and fun while sharing the story of first love, betrayal, forgiveness, and the courage to trust again. Quick and fun and just enough romance and love (not over explicit) to satisfy the reader. Thank you to Net Galley and Gallery Pocket Books for an advanced readers copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

#twiceinabluemoon #christinalauren #gallerybooks #netgalley #bookstagram

During a whirlwind two-week vacation abroad, Sam and Tate fell for each other in an instant. Sam was the first, and only, person that Tate—the long-lost daughter of one of the world’s biggest film stars—ever revealed her identity to. So when it became clear her trust was misplaced, her world felt shattered for good. Fourteen years later Tate only thinks about her first love every once in a blue moon. When she steps onto the set of her first big break movie, he’s the last person she expects to see. Yet here Sam is, even more alluring than she remembered. Forced to confront the man who betrayed her, Tate must ask herself if it’s possible to do the wrong thing for the right reason… and whether “once in a lifetime” can come around twice. review: I am a huge Christina Lauren fan and usually automatically buy their books without even reading the synopsis. The writing in this book is their trademark and I always love a good second chance love story. However, while enjoyable, it felt like it was lacking a bit. I didn't connect to the characters and I felt like a lot of the book was focused more on Tate and her father, Ian, with less focus on Sam. I wanted more from Sam and Tate's relationship and I really missed the steam & bits of humor that I have come to love from their books. If you're a Christina Lauren fan, it's still definitely worth a read! rating: 3.5 out of 5 ⭐️

Twice In A Blue Moon asks whether it's possible to give a second chance to a former lover who betrayed you. Tate is shocked when she walks onto the set of a breakthrough role and discovers Sam, the boy who broke her heart and publicized her deepest secret years ago. Although there are always two sides to a story, there's no chance she'll ever see beyond the facts that he profited off her life.

I'm a Christina Lauren fan, but am starting to wonder if they're just a bit too prolific with their books these days. Twice In A Blue Moon is a decent romance, but overall still a bit of a mess. The book takes place chronologically, with readers introduced to Tate as a teenager. She meets Sam in London and they fall head over heels almost immediately. I struggled to get on board with this relationship. He came across as controlling and aggressive and she was an overly naive and timid girl. I saw no reason why they would even tolerate each other. This section of the book I flat out didn't like.

Thankfully, Christina Lauren seemed to hit more of their usual sweet spot when Tate and Sam meet as adults. Although I still never really understood their supposedly undeniably connection, I at least enjoyed reading about their lives on a film set.

If you're a die hard Christina Lauren fan and plan to read all of their books, this will do just fine. Otherwise, I'd say skip it in favor of almost any other one!

Will be posted on 11/7/19

Tate Butler is on a trip of a lifetime to London with her grandmother. While there, they meet Sam Brandis and his grandfather. Tate and Sam hit it off and find themselves spending more and more time together while on this trip. Sam has a complicated family history and Tate, well, her family's story is ripped straight off the cover of a tabloid. Her father is Ian Butler, the world's most famous movie star and since her mother divorced him, Tate has fallen off the face of the Earth much to the paparazzi's chagrin. She has maintained an extremely low profile living under a different name off the beaten path, so she could experience a normal childhood. While in London, Tate and Sam get very close. So close that she actually reveals who is truly is and some of her backstory. Disaster ensues and her whereabouts are leaked to the press. Skip ahead to many years later when Tate is a working actress herself and she runs into Sam on set. What will happen when the only man she ever truly loved as well as the only man to break her heart re-enters her life again? Twice in a Blue Moon by Christina Lauren is a compelling romance set amongst movie sets and ultimately, it's all about second chances at love and life.

Twice in a Blue Moon starts off with Tate and her grandmother on this amazing trip to London. Tate is naive and hasn't really lived much thanks to her sheltered childhood. So, this is a very exciting trip for Tate. As sparks fly between Sam and Tate, they not only have chemistry, but they have a deeper connection. They get each other and surprisingly, Tate can relate to Sam, which never happens. But by the end of the trip; however, word is out that Tate Butler is in London and the paparazzi have found her. She only told one person about her true identity and that person is Sam. So, this means he betrayed her trust. Plus, there's no more hiding anymore. Everyone has found Tate Butler and even has some insight into her story, thanks to Sam's blubbering mouth.

Sam is a complex character in Twice in a Blue Moon. Initially, I found myself really liking him, but he made some horribly bad decisions, so it was tough to finally come around to him. Keep in mind, there is more to Sam than we initially though and more is revealed as the story unfolds. Fast forward many years and we have Tate, a successful actress, on set and she runs into Sam. Not only is Sam on the movie set, he wrote the screenplay under a pseudonym, which is why Tate is shocked about this encounter. It truly throws her for a loop. A big loop. To complicate matters further, Tate is on set with her formally estranged father, who is the famous Ian Butler. He is playing her dad in the movie. So, cue all the drama.

My favorite part of Twice in a Blue Moon is the Hollywood/movie set setting. I loved that and it felt fun and original. It was interesting to learn how Sam came up with his idea for the movie and what inspired him to write the screenplay. His family's history plays a big role in it, which I also found compelling.

White the romance didn't wow me like it did in Lauren's The Unhoneymooners, I was still delighted by this original romance. I wish it had more of the witty banter and snarky comments Lauren is known for, but ultimately, Twice in a Blue Moon worked for me. It's a good book to curl up with this November and holiday season, especially if you appreciate a satisfying second chance at love story.

I wish I loved this book as much as I've loved other novels by Christina Lauren. Perhaps it's not entirely the author's fault at an eager CL fan wanted to get that FEEL from this book, but the need to just hang in there, give it some more time, hope and hope and hope for something to click into the heartstrings just made this one a bit of an effort. Again, the author has to work against expectation. That said, there were some definite weaknesses here, like a thin layer of interest above and beyond the romance, that weakened this one. But we know this author has other books on the way, ones that will likely surpass expectation. It's by no means bad. We just have come to expect a lot. Still, a nice time reading it.

I enjoyed Twice In A Blue Moon by Christina Lauren, my second book by this author. My first was Unhoneymooners. Twice In A Blue Moon was a sweet story that I enjoyed from beginning to end, but it was missing the humor I loved so much in The Unhoneymooners. Tate and Sam's love story just never felt as real or relatable as the one in the Unhoneymooners either. If I had read Twice In A Blue Moon without having anything to compare it to, I think I still would have given it 3 stars. I do think it will be hurt a bit by coming out so soon after the home run that was The Unhoneymooners. The positive takeaway for me is that I now know that I really do like Christina Lauren's novels, two for two now. The two I have read, this one included, were never boring or corny. I'm a fan of the author even if this book wasn't a 4 or 5 star book, it was still a very pleasant experience.

Thanks so much to the publisher, the authors, and Netgalley for my advanced ecopy!

This book is such an enjoyable read. Right off the bat the chemistry between the two main characters jumps off the page. I was torn between rooting for them or hating Sam for what he did to Tate. And Tate's father, Ian, is a character I loved to hate. It's easy to see past his facade in a way Tate couldn't, but given that he's her father I'll allow it. The characters are fully-dimensional and realistic and the plot line progresses beautifully.

This is a quick read, but I think that's mostly because I couldn't put down. It reads fast and it reads really well, I was hooked quickly and throughout the entire thing. If you're looking for a enjoyable rom-com to get lost in for a few hours, this one will definitely do the trick.

<em>Christina Lauren's</em> latest addition to their backlist released last month and I couldn't get my hands on it fast enough. It may have taken me a little bit to get this review written but reading the book? Nah. I read this one as soon as I could. My initial thoughts on this book upon first finishing it were that it wasn't my favorite book by this fantastic writing duo but it certainly wasn't my least favorite either.

So <em>Twice in a Blue Moon</em> tells the story of Tate and Sam. They met the summer after Tate graduated from high school and went on a trip to England with her grandmother. Sam, who was twenty-one at the time was there on his own vacation with his grandfather. When the two of them keep bumping into each other and then swap hotel rooms, a friendship sparks between them. They spend a good chunk of their vacations getting to know each other under the stars in London. Tate, who is the daughter of an aging A-List actor is pretty closed off from the world. She lives in a small town in the Bay area with her mother and her grandmother and she lives far away from the limelight of Hollywood. Nobody knows who her father is and she's kept that secret close to her vest for the longest of times. She remembers the mob that greeted her the last time she was found out and she has no wish to repeat that adventure. There are three people in her life that know who she really is and when she meets Sam, she feels a connection with him that has her opening up to him about things she never speaks about aloud. She falls head over heels in love with Sam and even though she was only eighteen, she knew her mind and she knew her heart and both of them wanted Sam. So when Sam betrays her trust in the cruelest of ways, she leaves him behind and never looks back.

Years and years later, Tate has become a break out star in Hollywood and she's just signed on to shoot a movie with her Dad. It'll be their first job together and Tate secretly hopes that they'll finally forge a bond that's real and not the smile for the camera's relationship that they have now. This movie could be a really big break for Tate and she's stoked to be a part of the film until she comes face to face with Sam. An all grown up Sam that is just as good looking, if not more good looking than he was the last time she saw him.

So this story is told in parts. The first part is for young Sam and Tate. We see them falling in love as young adults in London and their love was super sweet but fun. I really enjoyed the young Sam and Tate. I loved seeing their friendship grow and grow into a love that took them both by surprise and yet I fully supported. A summer romance that they both wanted to try to keep alive when they returned home held so much promise and I was here for it...until Sam does the unthinkable and then I was heartbroken for Tate. I mean, she didn't trust anyone with that information but she trusted Sam and he did her dirty. So that brings us to part two, when they come together on the movie set of the movie that Sam wrote about his grandparents. They're both grown adults now and on Tate's part, there's a lot of resentment and on Sam's part, there's remorse. I thought I'd get a whole lot of groveling from Sam and sadly, we didn't get that. A huge part of the reason for that was this story was told in first person, strictly from Tate's point of view. She's pissed off at Sam (rightfully so) and so that's what we see. We see glimpses of Sam being remorseful and we see Sam's apology to Tate but for me, it wasn't enough. Sam didn't grovel nearly enough to make up for the giant kick in the teeth he delivered to Tate all those years ago.

I will say that I adored all of the side characters. Tate's best friend Charlie was the bomb. I love me a loyal bitch and Charlie was that and more. I loved how fiercely she had Tate's back and I was really hoping that her and Nick would become a thing. I really adored Nick and wished that his part was a bigger part of the story. I felt like the biggest thing about the movie that Sam wrote was the relationship between his white grandmother and his black grandfather. Nick's reasons for wanting to do the movie hit me in my feels and I wanted more from that so I was bummed when it was such a small part of the book. Also, the whole thing with her Dad felt displaced. Like, it didn't really fit in with everything else in the book. I wish that was dropped and that Tate hadn't wasted so much time and energy into trying to forge a bond with her Dad that he just did not seem to want to reciprocate. I felt like she was too old to still be chasing after her father's affection. When all of that was said and done, I was completely underwhelmed.

This book was a lot more serious than other Christina Lauren books. It's not the rom=com books that we've come to expect from Christina Lauren like <a href="http://bookbinge.com/2018/09/review-josh-hazel-guide-to-not-dating-christina-lauren/">Josh and Hazel's Guide to Dating</a> or <a href="http://bookbinge.com/2018/12/featured-review-my-favorite-half-night-stand-christina-lauren/">My Favorite Half-Night Stand</a>. I enjoyed the first half a lot more than I enjoyed the second half but overall, the story was solid and I'm glad that I finished it. I'm looking forward to the next one from Christina Lauren for sure.

3.25 out of 5

I love the cover for Twice in a Blue Moon. I love all things Christina Lauren and can’t wait for the next book. I am sucker when it comes to second chance romances. Sam and Tate have amazing chemistry that sizzles off the pages. They met in London when Tate went with her grandmother for a two week trip. They fall fast for each other quickly and then Sam breaks her heart.

Now fourteen years later Tate is doing what she always wanted, a movie star. Her big break is coming, and she never expected the screenwriter of this movie to be Sam. Now she has to decide how she’s going to handle it.

This book pulled me in and I was sad when it ended. I can’t wait for another book by Christina Lauren.

Sam and Tate met in London, 14 years ago. Sam was responsible for some big changes in Tate's life...the kind of changes that your life will never be the same after...and, it seems like it will be something she will never be able to forgive. I liked that it was a big deal, that it was a betrayal, and that it had a reason that was tough to stay too mad at.

And, I really liked that about this book. I liked that there was enough of their past story to really relate to them in the present, to see why there just might be enough of a pull toward one another for them to get past the events in London and form a lasting relationship in the present, and within their new lives.

Overall, I bought into it. I believed the relationship in the past, and the one in the present...although the one in the present felt like it was a little too easy, a little too simple to get to the forgiveness part. I don't know if I wanted more, exactly, but I felt the connection more strongly in the London scenes than I did in the scenes that happened in the present. I also wanted a little more to the relationship with one of the main side characters, as I felt the ending of that storyline didn't have the payoff that it could have.

All this said, I liked the story. I liked the way it was written and the way it flowed from character to character and the way the past and the present did meld together in a lot of ways.

I did enjoy this title, and I do recommend it.

I find myself really struggling to get into this book especially at the beginning. A lot put into the story of Sam and Tate in London. Both on holiday with one of their grandparents. Sam and Tate sharing intimate details of their lives, only to find that Tate's trust was misplaced.

Tate's biological father is a famous movie star and her identity was sold out to the press. Tate spins the story into a career for herself. She gets a chance to star in a movie alongside her famous dad and it just so happen Sam is also on set. The struggle between them is still there, the hurt and the past.

While i could see behind some of the reasoning behind the betrayals, I found it hard to really enjoy the characters and even the movie set drama.

I'm torn between three and four stars for this title. As ever, t the authors write an enjoyable love story wit characters the reader will care about. I got kind of stuck on the movie making and celebrity aspect of the story.

Tate is the daughter of a famous actor, but is no longer in his life. She has been raised by her mother and grandmother in the countryside, away from the hustle of the city. Then, when she turns eighteen, her grandmother takes her to London.

Sam is a farmboy from Vermont who is vacationing in London with his grandfather. When he and Tate meet, the have instant attraction. They spend time together and fall head over heels in love.

Then the paparazzi are outside the hotel, and Sam is nowhere to be found. He has sold her story and disappeared, pushing her into a spotlight she never wanted.

Fast forward fourteen years and Tate is an actress starring in a movie with her father. She hopes this will give her the award nominations she wants. Little does she realize the writer is Sam and they will be working together on location.

This is where I had to struggle to keep interested. Other people may love this part of the story, but I'm not the person who follows celebrity news.

My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Admittedly Twice in a Blue Moon started off a little slow for me. I can't really put my finger on why, it just was. However once I got past the first third or so it really picked up and I couldn't put it down.

Sam and Tate meet while both on vacation in London post high school. They enjoy some time together and start to fall for each other, as one does when they're young. This was the part that mostly felt slow for me, so if it's feeling slow for you, push through, it's absolutely worth it.

Near the end of their respective London trip Sam and his grandfather leave and Tate is bum rushed with cameras and paparazzi's. Tate is understandably crushed that Sam had to have been the one to sell her out, as she told no one else who her family is.

Fast forward 14 years and Tate is an actress staring in a movie with her father for the first time ever. Unexpectedly Sam makes a reappearance in her life and it's sending Tate into a spin. I could not put this part of the story down! It's hard to talk about all the things without spoilers but I loved how things progressed and worked out. I also appreciated that Christina Lauren let the bad thing be the bad thing and didn't explain it away some ridiculous way. It made everything feel more authentic.

Tate and her grandmother take a vacation to London. Tate meets a wonderful young man. Or so she thinks! In just the few weeks she is in London, she falls in love with Sam. She tells him her deepest secret. Then she is betrayed.

Years later, Tate encounters Sam on the set of a movie. This throws Tate completely off her game. You will have to read this story to find out their where’s, when’s, why’s and how’s.

This is not your typical story from this duo. It is missing all the snarkiness and the funny innuendos. But, it is still a good tale. I will say, when the story began, I felt like I was reading a teen love story. I will be honest, I almost put it aside. I am glad I continued reading. The connection between Sam and Tate is strong. But, is it strong enough to survive?

I received this novel for St. Martin’s Press and Book Expo 2019.

A feel good story of two people who meet and fall in love, but wait, there's more. At the beginning, they move quickly from strangers to more than just friends. When secrets are shared, then sold, the two part just as quickly as they came together. Fast forward and fate pushed them together again. Can they learn to trust again? Love again? Well, it is a romantical novel. But the journey they travel is a very entertaining one that will satisfy even the most cynical reader. The ending is very good. That big sigh you heard was me, I really enjoyed this book.

This book was definitely one of my favorite books today!! It's my first book by Christina Lauren, and I'll definitely be going back for more!!!! Her writing is done so beautifully and so well! I feel like I'm reading a piece of true literature.

I really love when we get two parts to a story, a now and a then. Christina did this so beautifully!!!! When Sam & Tate met in London, it was so adorable. I loved the way she wrote their blooming romance. Their type of "insta-love" was so special, and so memorable. Who doesn't want to travel abroad and fall in love? Then, the insane heartbreak that followed, oh how my heart hurt for Tate!!! Each of these single moments were written as if we were a tourist traveling with them, from the moment her and Nana got to the hotel, to when she met Sam & Luther, to after Sam & Luther left. Every moment, every scene, just written so perfectly.

Now for the characters, Tate blew me away. I love how she has this past that no one knows about and how Sam is this farm boy who was saved. They seemed just so perfect for each other. Fast-forward years later, I equally love them as adults. Tate has grown into absolutely everything she wanted to be, and then we get this insane wrench thrown in the works with Sam. This wrench was EVERYTHINGGGGG. The movie that we see Tate do is life-changing, career-changing, it's a piece of art. To see everything that went into it was so special, but it was also special to see Tate in the role. Sam was absolutely everything I'd hoped for. He's this rugged man, who also followed his dream. It just couldn't have been more perfect. Also, soooo aptly named title!

The scenery in this book really blew me away. From the touristy things in London, to the farm on the photo shoot, to just about everything. I really felt like I was feeling the fire that Tate felt while filming, I felt like I was laying in the grass with them, I mean just everything was there! It was truly a big part of what made this book so special!

I have to say, I cannot wait to read more of their books. I can't believe it took me this long, but it definitely won't be my last!

I really tried to finish this book so I could give it an accurate review however I did not find it capturing enough to keep me entertained to finish.

I have loved every Christina Lauren book I have read and this is no exception! This is a bit more serious than most of their books but I still really enjoyed it. I love second chance romances and this was a fantastic one!