Callie and Trevor have known each other for a long time. She always was attracted to him but he married her best friend and she knew she lost her chance. When the unexpected happens and they are thrown back together after all those years the attraction is there and stronger then ever, but so are the ghosts. This book had some sexy scenes and emotional scenes that left me wanting to finish the book in one setting. Thank you NetGalley.

When Trevor's ex-wife dies in a car crash he is suddenly the single parent to two teenagers.  Lucky for him his ex's best friend, Callie, is around to offer support and guidance. When feelings start to emerge they both have to wrestle with feeling disloyal to the woman who once meant so much to the both of them.

I loved the way the relationship between Trevor and Callie develops.  They have real issues that they need to communicate about and both of them make mistakes along the way.  I loved the way that Trevor's alcoholism was discussed. I expected more in regards to the grieving process of Trevor's kids and their adjustments to living with him.  Even Trevor's adjustments to being a full-time father seemed far fewer than I would have expected.  I could have used more about new family dynamics and less about the disapproving ex-mother-in-law. There were so many meaty topics to explore that I would have welcomed a higher page count to see that happen.

I still really enjoyed this book and would really like to read more from the author.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

It is refreshing in the Romance world to read about two pretty normal people with real problems and real issues.  Issues with kids, in-laws, death, and addiction.  I truly appreciate an author who can bring out the best in their characters in those situations.  This story starts on a very serious note and delves deeply into the aftermath .  Trevor's ex-wife dies suddenly in a car accident and he is left to raise his teenage kids alone.  The relationships are complex - Trevor is an alcoholic who has been sober for many years - but still struggles.  Not only with his addiction - but with the looks and lack of trust he receives from those around him.  Callie has been traveling for years for her job and when the going gets tough - she gets going.  She's been very involved in Trevor's children's lives helping her best friend Lisa, Trevor's ex, raise them.  Trevor was pretty much barred from his children's lives (except for weekend visits) by Lisa (with reason).  With Lisa gone - Trevor is struggling with being a full-time parent.  He wasn't involved in a lot of things with the kids - so he has no idea what was really going on in their lives.  The story focuses on how he and Callie can come to terms with all of these things to find a path forward together.

The book is very well-written and engaging.  If I care enough to be mad about how the author treated a situation or character - I know I was pretty invested in the outcome!!  I really liked Trevor - but Callie not so much.  Here were my main issues - there a three separate (four if you count the end) incidents where Callie steps in and handles situations "for" Trevor involving his kids.  One involved talking to his daughter about sex and dating and another about his son and drinking, Any parent would agree that those are HUG conversations and issues.  In this case, Lisa had already talked to the kids (without talking to Trevor about either thing).  Callie knew what had happened and basically reiterated what Lisa said.  When Trevor finds out - he goes ballistic.  He is then portrayed to be "controlling" and not wanting to let Callie into their lives.  My issue with this - which is never addressed - is that she shouldn't have taken those situations in hand without talking to Trevor first.  Lisa is to blame in part for not sharing with her husband (even if he didn't want to hear it - because Trevor is portrayed as being focused on only himself before Lisa died - which I am not sure is fair - even if Shannyn Schroeder did write this and create the character).  Callie should have shown empathy for the kids and maybe offered hugs and support but the heavy hitting should have been done by their dad.  Trevor is right, for example, that he should have been the one to pick up Evan when he gets drunk.  Callie should have called Trevor to go get him.  And she should NEVER have said that it wasn't a big deal.  Trevor was a jerk about the whole thing - but he wasn't entirely wrong.  He's been shut out of the kids lives by their mother - and now Callie is shutting him out again saying she is doing what Lisa wanted and his way wasn't good enough.  No one is perfect- and i disliked Callie for the way she was unwilling to exercise patience with Trevor - but asked for it for herself.  

I also took issue with the fact that Callie said Trevor was too controlling over family issuess and that he had to work on that if he wanted to be with her.  This really wasn't shown to be the case by the narrative.  He only seemed controlling when he wanted to be the decision maker related to major issues with his kids.  To me - this didn't seem controlling - just trying to be a careful parent.  Its clear there wasn't a co-parenting arrangement between him and Lisa - she just handled everything.  In most of the scenarios shown, his relationship with Callie is new, and although she loves the kids and has been involved in their lives - it was more of an aunt capacity, also she refused to commit to staying in one place, so why should he let her co-parent with him? He didn't want the kids to experience another loss.  Parenting isn't exactly a fly-by-night activity.  Its a lifetime gig.  

The last two things that bothered me are pretty heavy.  First the kids got over Lisa's death like is was death of a great aunt they saw once a year.  I know kids are resillient - but seriously? They were described as loving their mother fiercely and not having much of a relationship with their dad.  after the first few scenes they basically never mention their mom again.  I doubt most teenagers would recover that quickly.  Particularly Trevor's daughter.

Second - Trevor is an alcoholic.  It sounds like it got bad before he got himself together.  Throughout the book everyone constantly doubts his ability to remain sober.  Even the folks who didn't know him when he wasn't sober.  Even when Callie is in Italy she asks Hannah if Trevor drank while she was gone and then sighs with relief when Hannah says no.  Was that even necessary? (1) I am guessing Hannah would have already called if he was drinking and (2) How about a little faith and trust?  Callie was there through the bad times but doesn't seem to believe in Trevor at all.  If she can't trust him not to drink in this scenario - then clearly she doesn't trust him enough to have a relationship.  Alcoholism is a terrible terrible disease.  But those in recovery need positive support - not constant disbelief and questioning.  Especially those who have been sober for more than 10 years like Trevor. 

So obviously I had strong feelings about this book!  Oy!

I guess the moral of the story is - parenting is hard and I don't think anyone in the book gave Trevor enough credit for working as hard as he did to make things work.  Callie loved the kids - and she couldn't have the kids if she didn't have Trevor so there it was.  I'm glad they are going to try and be a team - but I wasn't confident in a lasting HEA with this one.

#MyBestFriendsEx #NetGalley
Trevor is a recovering alcoholic whose ex wife, Lisa, keeps calling and texting to try and him to step in with their teenage son due to disrespectful and rebellious behaviour.
Just after the last text he gets a phone call that changes everything. The mother of his children has been in a car accident and didn’t make it.
Trevor is going from weekend dad to widower making calls and trying to support his kids. His ex in-laws have taken over planning the funeral and his ex’s best friend rushed home when she got the news. He suddenly finds himself with two teenagers, two houses and a live in (of sorts) old friend.
Callie leaves in the middle of a photo shoot to rush home to be there for Lisa’s kids and say goodbye to her best friend. Renting Lisa’s coach house has been a blessing for Callie. She has the luxury to come and go as she pleases and have a family when she comes home. She was friends with Trevor and Lisa before their marriage collapse, when Trevor’s alcoholism was in full force. She had Lisa’ back due to their friendship since childhood and thought she was there to help.
When Callie sees Trevor she is surprised to see him holding up. She waits for him to fall off the wagon and cave in to the turmoil and drink.
As life moves on, the kids state they want to remain with Trevor and not move with their grandparents, and remain in their mothers house, mostly so Callie has somewhere to stay and because they feel most at home there. Trevor works relentlessly to fix up the pipes and walls so he and the kids can move back in. His teenage son plods along, barely showing any emotion until the conversation is about college and his insistence he not go and the night he gets drunk.
Callie is the voice of reason in Trevor’s storm of control. He has never had to be the full time parent so he tries to have everything just so, not accounting for personality differences and the magic that is life. He takes a lot of his frustration out on Callie, relying on her to help parent his kids while admonishing her for helping him parent his kids, without admitting she has been there for them more in the past and does know them slightly better.
Trevor should be off limits for Callie in her mind. She keeps waiting for him to fail and drink and trying to get him to relax. She takes them to a non-alcohol bowling alley, which could be viewed as considerate or like she doesn’t trust him not to drink. This is a recurring thing with Callie, as is her sudden desire to drink even though she isn’t much of a drinker. Callie has spent her life pushing boundaries and doing something when she is told she can’t. Lisa’s death has made Callie think about how she lives her life and what she really wants.
There were a few things that gave me pause, Ethan’s behaviour was so distressing Lisa turned to Trevor, but there is only a mention of it when Trevor is fixing the house. I was expecting him to get worse as he grieved for his mother. I was actually expecting more grieving, or emotional breakdowns at least. Callie’s constant expectation of failure for Trevor was irritating, he was handling his addiction well. Trevor leaving his teenagers in the house while he went to Callie’s to sleep was irresponsible and he should have been called out on it by his divorcee group at least.
Ultimately this was a sweet story about friendship, family and recovery.

What happens when your ex-wife dies suddenly and you start to develop feelings for her best friend? Callie and Trevor are interesting and believable characters as individuals and as a couple, but the real stars of this book are his two children. Schroeder clearly has real affection for and experience with teens, because she writes them with such warmth and humor. 

I liked this better than the first book of the series, maybe because the conflict felt more true to life. There are genuine moments of comedy, too.

My Best Friend’s Ex by Shannyn Schroeder a four-star read that will fill your dreams. This is the second novel in the Daring Divorcee series, but they truly can be read as stand-alone as I haven’t read the first and didn’t feel like I missed anything, I will go back and read it as I enjoyed the writing. Trevor was a great character, as you read his story, he will show you his true strength, he may stumble on his path, but his family will keep him strong. Callie gave some great passion to the story and some relief from what could otherwise be quiet a hard story. I am looking forward to the next novel I read by this author as she has a great way of bringing characters to life on the page.

My   first by this author. I   enjoyed the book,   the plot and the  characters . I look forward to more by this author. I would definitely recommend .

This is the second book in this series. I have to say that it was just as good as the first book. This book is about Trevor and Callie. Trevor was divorced from Lisa who was Callie's best friend. Lisa dies in a car accident and Trevor now has to step up or lose his kids. Trevor is having a really hard time dealing with everything and since he is a recovering alcoholic he finds it even more difficult. I found this book to be a really emotional read. With Trevor learning to deal with his kids and fighting not to lose control. Callie learning that it is okay to stand up and deal head on with life's problems instead of running away. Trevor and Callie trying really hard to not fall in love. I cannot wait to see who the next book in this series is about.  Thanks Net Galley. I voluntarily reviewed this book in exchange for an honest review.

Trevor’s world is turned upside down when his ex-wife Lisa dies in a car accident. He goes from being a part-time dad with very little involvement in his kids lives to being the sole parent. On top of that he has to deal with his former in-laws who want his kids to move away to live with them. As a recover alcoholic, he is just trying to keep his life from spinning out of control.

Callie’s world is has also been turned on it’s ear. Lisa was Callie’s lifelong best friend, so she was stunned to receive Trevor’s call about Lisa’s death while working overseas. She returns to Chicago for the funeral and to help Trevor with the kids. The last thing either she or Trevor expect is the white hot chemistry they have between them. Can Callie find love with her best friend’s ex?

Wow, this started out as a tear jerker. It does have an hea. I especially loved this story cause it talked on how recovering alcoholics struggle. Not just with the drinking but about controlling what’s around them. Talking about with his family, Trevor was able to help his son understand that. I want to be callie, a world traveler and photographer, she is the glue that helps this family heal after the tragic lost of their mom.  As the relationship between Callie and Trevor grows, they learn to trust each other. And that’s not always easy. With the help of his kids, Trevor may just get his girl in the end.

I like that this series shows something other than the bitter side of divorce. Trevor and Callie have been friends for so long that them consoling each other after Trevor's ex dies is an easy conclusion. I appreciate some of the topics that were touched on.

I received an advanced reader's copy of My Best Friend’s Ex by Shannyn Schroeder from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was the first novel that I had read by Shannyn Schroeder, but after reading, she is an author I would look for in the future.

Overall, I enjoyed this novel and I found it to be well written. The primary and secondary characters were nicely crafted and I empathized with them from the start. 

From the summary, I knew this would deal with some more difficult topics - Lisa, the best friend of Callie (main female character) and ex-wife of Trevor (main male character), had passed away and left two young adults. As they deal with the loss of Lisa and all the angst it brings to each of them, Trevor and Callie fall in love.

Four stars!

I really enjoyed this book. Their was plenty of growth in each character and the relationship was a slow burn. We watched as two people who were in mourning found each other. They relied on each other and even though their relationship was one that was a bit awkward but totally adorable they fought to get to their happy ever after. 

Callie was Lisa’s best friend. Callie was their for Lisa’s kids and stayed in her Coach house behind Lisa’s house. After a heartbreaking accident took Lisa from Callie and Trevor learned to live w/o Lisa.

Raising his two kids had always been his ex-wife’s job. He got them in the weekends but Lisa was always the main parent. When an accident happens and Trevor now has the kids full time, he has to learn everything plus balance out his meetings and his work. Being an alcoholic 7 yrs sober, Trevor has a lot to learn. When Callie and Trevor do it together nothing can stop them. 

This was such a great story and one that you won’t want to put down. 

*I was given a copy of this book by the author/publisher in exchange for my honest and voluntary review. Every opinion or thought was solely my own.*

This is an engaging story that I thoroughly enjoyed.  It's not your typical  20somethings falling in love, instead it felt much more real than that.  Both Trevor and Callie are 40something and bring their life experiences and foibles to the table when they are thrown together by the death of Trevor's ex-wife.  

It was refreshing to read a novel with characters that have lived a real life and are fully formed adults and the depth of their characters made their story feel real and made me feel invested in their story.  

If you are looking for a romance with a bit more depth, you will love this book.  This is the second book I've read by this author and I can't wait to see what she writes next.  I'm adding her to my must read authors' list.

This book is about Callie and Trevor. Callie is best friends with Lisa who is Trevor’s ex wife. Lisa passes away and Trevor and Callie fall in love. This book deals with love, loss, touched on alcoholism and parenting. It was good and well written. Overall I would give it 3 stars because it was a little redundant. Thank you to netgalley for the ARC.

This is Trevor and Callie book, trevor is the cool fun time every other weekend dad with two teenage kids ,until his ex-wife passes away in a car accident . Callie is his ex-wife‘s best friend, Callie also is A professional photographer and travels a lot she lives in the guesthouse behind his exes house so when her best friend passes away she’s right there to help with the kids. This book was really good I definitely enjoyed reading it ,it was hot , It was funny, low on the drama and angst a little heartbreaking at times but just an all-around decent read! Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for sharing this book with me!

Trevor really doesn't hold anything back, “you really want to know?” She nodded and gulped water. “You looked ready to hump the sink.” She snorted and choked on her water." I liked this book, Callie and Trevor really did balance each other out.