I thoroughly enjoyed this book and struggled between giving it 3 stars or 4. I settled for 3 only because of the ending. The first half of this book is amazing and really sucked me in. We meet 18 year old Tate and 21 year old Sam, who by the way, is the ultimate swoon-worthy character, hubba hubba! Complete strangers, while both vacationing in London, they quickly fall head over heels for each other. Until, a turn of events changes both of their lives forever. And in the same breath, rips them apart. Fast forward 14 years, Tate is now a thriving Actress who has landed herself the role of a lifetime. During filming, Sam enters her life all over again and Tate is forced to confront the only man she has ever loved and who left her heart in a million pieces. This is my first book by Christina Lauren's but it will not be my last. Her easy-breezy writing style makes you fall right into the story she has crafted and right in love with the characters she penned. Tate's best friend was absolutely hilarious! She is the friend we all want in our lives. A ride or die, tell it like it is BFF. The book unfolded at a great pace. A little slow in parts but totally worth it. The only thing that left me a little disappointed was the ending. Given the build up, it just wrapped up a little to quickly for me. However, it didn't deter me from my overall enjoyment of the book. I walked away loving the story I just read and the characters I met. I really look forward to reading more from this author!

Deja vu.......
Another childhood, second chance romance from CLO. Different names and setting. Lack of connection to the MC and LI. A little wonky timeline and romance. There was literally 10% romance in the present timeline. So that was unexpected and disappointing.
Readable as always. I really doubt I'll ever actively dislike something CLO writes. But this one was not my favourite. In all honesty, Love and Other Words is far superior and like I said the deja vu was strong in this one because of that.

Wow, this was such a sweet read! I mean, it does contain the heartbreak, but it also has them falling in love, possibly twice! And yeah, that was just adorable to read and I loved it! I adored these characters, and I rooted for them!

Honestly, I just wanted to speed through the beginning, the 14 years ago, because I knew it was going to go wrong, even if I didn't know how. I didn't want to go through their happiness to her heartbreak, to this possible happiness again, I just wanted to skip to the possibly finding their happiness again! I'm weird like that, because conflict is what makes books interesting to read!

Tate was put in an uneasy situation. Lead in a movie that isn't her typical genre, and her first time acting in a movie with her dad, which whom she has an awkward relationship with. And then it turns out the writer of the movie is the one person who betrayed her and broke her heart.

I would've loved a little bit more at the end, to get a little more closure, to deal with the big reveal. After they went through, that would've felt satisfying. But the ending was in a good place, and I really enjoyed it!

This was another amazing book from this duo, and I can't wait to read more!

Twice in a Blue Moon was such an easy read about first loves and family dramas in Hollywood. It reminds us of all the things that make first loves so easy and sweet, and the heartbreak that comes from it. It makes us think about whether the people who wronged us in the past, really had the worst of intentions or was it all just a misunderstanding. It tells us that people can make mistakes, but we have to forgive and never forget.

I don't think there is a Christina Lauren book that I don't like. They are an auto-buy author for me, and I'm very excited for this new release.

The premise is fresh, but also heart breaking. I grew to love the main characters and I felt the conflict was relative and relevant. The setting a movie shoot for part two of the book really made me want to join a movie set!

All in all, this felt like the perfect cozy Fall read.

As far as Christina Lauren books go, this one was more along the lines of Love and Other Words than similar to Josh & Hazel or My Favorite Half-Night Stand. It's not a funny book, but it was well-written and I gobbled it all up in one sitting and loved the characters so it was still wonderful in that sense. I could have easily read another 50 pages ish about the whole plot and especially towards the end, I felt like it wrapped up a bit earlier than I wanted it to - but that's life!!

I’ve read a handful of other Christina Lauren books, and I was surprised at how completely different this book was! Don’t worry, it’s all in a positive way.

The first 30% or so takes place when our protagonist, Tate, is 18 and on a holiday in London with her grandmother. All of these scenes very much read like YA, which I wasn’t expecting. It was an absolutely perfect way to kick off Tate’s narrative.

I don’t want to spoil anything here so I’ll just say this: the rest of the book mostly takes place on a movie set. So if you’re like me and DEVOUR novels about Hollywood and movie/tv sets, then you won’t be disappointed. I love it when passages of scripts are included. It makes it all feel so real and that you are living the character’s life.

The one thing that surprised me the most about this book was that the “romance” is a bit of a back-burner compared to the other books I’ve read by Christina Lauren. The focus of this story is Tate and her life, her relationships with her friends and her family.

I can see it’s possible that some people might be disappointed when you’re expecting a heavy-on-the-romance book and that’s not what you’re getting here. So instead, go into this book knowing that what you’re getting is a beautiful character-driven story about a girl chasing her dreams.

I think I’ll be spending the next fortnight occasionally tearing up when I think about the perfection that was the final chapter.

This book takes a slight detour from the road we've seen the writing duo Christina Lauren take over the past few books. How much did we heart Roomies, Josh & Hazel, Unhoneymooners and our Favorite Half-Night Stand?

For me, the best part of their books is the witty writing. The zings. The one-liners.

All of which were missing in their latest book, Twice in a Blue Moon.

The first 30% of the book is a YA novel. Young love - meet cute in a London hotel, soon they are inseparable. Hearts all over the place and then... betrayal. Heartbreak.

Flash forward 14 years and there's another meet, and this time it's not so cute. But as grownups forced to work together, they somehow come together again and again.... get all the feels.

But I wasn't feeling it.

Instead, I will go back and read one of their older books, and laugh at Hazel's crazy antics, or fall in love with Ethan in Hawaii.

Oh summer nostalgia! I was hooked from the start though I could see people liking one half and not the other. Lost a bit of momentum near the end.

I was looking forward to a new release from Christina Lauren I LOVE THEIR BOOKS!! So I'm sad to say Tate and Sam just didn't do it for me. The story starts out a sweet young love story. But it's slow and a tad boring. There is quit a bit of their young love and not so much of their second chance together. It literally wraps up in the last chapter. I'm not sure why authors do that.

In a positive note I loved Charlie's character she was feisty and funny. Nick as a secondary character was great too. I felt more connection to these two then I did the main characters.

Overall it was just an ok read for me.

I read this book from cover to cover in one sitting. I really liked how you can see the relationship of the two characters develop through the conversations between Tate and Sam. Loved the story of young love turned enemy turned co-workers. This was a very cute story and the characters were very loveable and relatable.

3.5 rounded up.

I recieved an EArc from Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review. I wanted to love this one so much...it's Christina Lauren!!! But something was missing. I enjoyed the book, but would have liked an epilogue at the very least with how they dealt with the drama instead of it just ending. I would have loved to see Tate confront Ian.

Twice is a Blue Moon is a cute romance that you will devour quickly.

Twice in a Blue Moon follows Tate as she goes on a European adventure and meets Sam where they fall in love in a whirlwind romance. Sam then abandons her only for them to meet years later.

What makes Twice in a Blue Moon work as a second chance romance is the time Lauren takes to develop the romance in the beginning. Readers spend a considerable amount of time with Tate and Sam as they explore London and quickly begin to fall for each other. With many second chance romances, the connection and chemistry between the characters is assumed and not earned. Fortunately, the chemistry between Tate and Sam is instant and all consuming.

The first half of the novel was my favourite and the reason I rated it four stars. However, the second half of the novel that follows Tate and Sam’s reunion years later fails to deliver palpable chemistry. Hence, the four star rating.

Tate and Sam in the future lack the chemistry they had when they first meet. Tate spends a lot of time in her head second-guessing and musing on what Sam is thinking, etc. There are too many hurtles for them to pass that would have been easily cleared had they spent a little more time talking to each other. I understand, for the sake of tension, that they can’t immediately fall into each other’s arms, but a long drawn out affair with hurtle after hurtle is tiresome.

Overall, Twice in a Blue Moon is a solid second chance romance with a Hollywood twist!

What can I say I’m a sucker for Christina Lauren and this one lives up to past books!! Do you know what else I’m a sucker for? FIRST LOVES!!! This story of Sam and Tate was a whirlwind in the best way possible. Should I go to London with my Nana and find my forever love only to have him betray me!?!?! Also loved the behind the scenes Hollywood look that we got in the current day section. The description writing had me wishing I could visit this fictional place. What can I say I loved it, but of course I did because it’s Christina Lauren!

*Thank you to Net Galley for providing me with a free arc in exchange for a honest review*

4.5/5 stars

I am obsessed with Christina Lauren. This book was amazing! However I am very glad that I went into this book blind. If you love this duo then do yourself a favor and don't read the book blurb. IMO it spoils a lot of the story. And I know that I wouldn't have liked this book as much if I had known most of what was going to happen before reading it.

I love these authors and have really enjoyed their last few books. So I was beyond excited to read their newest book, Twice in a Blue Moon. This book is a contemporary romance. But it's not a romantic comedy like some of their recent books (I think that it's important to know this so you don't go in expecting something super funny).

The narrator of this book is Tate (female - 1st person POV). The book is divided into Then and Now. It is not my favorite when authors decide to alternate chapters between the past and present. However, for this book the authors decided to have the first section of the story take place in the past (when Tate is 18) and the rest of the story takes place in the present (14 years later). I am extremely happy that the authors chose to do the story this way, as it worked perfectly for me.

In the past Tate has just turned 18 and she goes to London with her grandmother. I can sometimes struggle with past sections of books. But in this case I adored it. I loved getting to know Tate as a young woman. And even though this part of the book had a very Young Adult feel to it I think that it added so much to the story.

Tate grew up in a small town (an hour north of San Francisco). She lived with her overprotective mom and grandmother. But they all had a secret. I loved how this played out. I was sufficiently intrigued. And was dying to figure out her story. Also I was extremely curious to find out what Tate's life would be like in the present.

Something happened at the end of the past part of the story that impacted the rest of the book. I thought that this was a very strong way to end this part of the book.

The present part of the book was also very interesting. I loved the setting. And I liked the career that Tate ended up pursuing. I had a strong idea what she would do with her life. But it ended up being even more special than I expected.

The romance in this book was good. I really enjoyed Tate as an eighteen year old. But I also really enjoyed seeing her more grown up. There was also some really good family drama that added a lot to the story.

I do think that this book could have used an epilogue. The ending was good. but I wanted more. But overall this was another strong story from a great writing team.

If you’ve been following my blog for awhile, you’ll know I’ve read a lot of Christina Lauren books. I really enjoy them, with their humour and romance. I was super excited for their latest release, but sadly I didn’t enjoy it as much as I’ve enjoyed their other books.

I think my biggest issue with the book is that I wasn’t personally grabbed by the story. The pacing is a bit on the slower side, and as its a more series book, it made the story drag a bit for me. We first meet the characters when they’re young adults, and I kept waiting for the story to progress into their reunion. The thing is, that took awhile to happen on the page. We stay with them as young adults for a good chunk of the book, and the second half therefore seems like it didn’t get enough time to develop.

I adore the two main characters, I really do. Tate is feeling stifled when we meet her, and as she’s on the verge of adulthood and independence, she’s hungry for new experiences. This includes falling in love for the first time, and having her first time. She’s a well written character who we vey much root for. But I feel that as an adult, there’s a lot of questions left unanswered.

Sam is the same, really. As a young man, he’s kind and thoughtful, flirty and sexy. He’s a bit of a mystery, but also not a mystery. It’s very clear why they break up in their youth. This book is very much about forgiveness and a second chance at love. I loved how it was done in Persuasion by Jane Austen, but here the ending felt too open. As this is a modern story, I couldn’t help but wonder why it ended the way it did. And where things would go after the book ends.

The book tackles some complex topics, like trust, love, family, and more. I was drawn to the power of love, which is a big theme in the book for various relationships. I enjoyed seeing how each relationship functioned, and how family plays such a vital role.

I think I just wanted more from this book. It’s kind of a more quiet story, driven more by characters’ actions and reactions. I did enjoy Twice In a Blue Moon, but I wasn’t in love with the story the way I wanted to be.

<i>arc provided by netgalley in exchange for an honest review</i>

<b>"I don't know why people think permanent denial is better than temporary disappointment."</b>

This novel starts off with Tate Jones, an eighteen year old who is off on a vacation to London with her grandmother before college starts. No one knows who she really is, that she is Tate Butler, long-lost daughter to one of the world's biggest actors. When she meets Sam on her trip, she falls for him hard and fast and trusts him enough to reveal who she is. She quickly realizes her trust was misplaced and that she was betrayed. The story skips to fourteen years later when she's on set for a new movie, a movie she's sure will skyrocket her career when she sees Him. The same Sam she fell in love with in London is there, on set and it turns out he's the screenwriter for the movie. The story shoots off from there.

This book was frustrating to sum it up. The beginning portion with Tate and Sam's love story felt incredibly rushed. I didn't feel the connection between the two characters and it honestly felt more strained and forced than anything. I figured this was just so we could see how the betrayal played out and that the rest of the book would be more evenly paced and that the romance would be better fleshed out, with problems talked out and resolved but it was the opposite. The rest of the book dragged and it felt like it took forever before the romance aspect even picked up again.

I liked Tate and Sam but their characters felt very flat and one dimensional. I didn't feel a strong connection to either of them, didn't feel sucked in to their emotions and inner turmoil, I was just annoyed at how long it took for them to even speak about their past. The character descriptions for Sam were also really awkward. Like we understood very early on that Sam was a big man but describing him as 'wide as a road' was just odd.

I did like the acting scenes and the overall vibe with that plot. It felt almost magical and I could feel the emotions that the script portrayed. Also, the friendships that Tate made and had on set felt very genuine, her friendships with Charlie and Nick and Marco were my favourite parts of this book besides the acting and script bits.

Overall, I was disappointed with this book. But I love Christina Lauren's writing and I will still pick up every book that they write in the future!

Rating: 2/5

TW: loss of a family member, racism

I was late to the Christina Lauren party, but their books have recently become must reads for me. So I was really excited to see this on #netgalley and able to get an ARC.

This book is a little different from their latest books and well worth the read. More serious than rom-com and will definitely pull your heart strings and encourage a second chance at love. The plot was so perfectly created, I felt like I was right in the middle of this beautiful love story.

I honestly adored this book!! I think there is just something about all Christina Lauren books that will always get me completely enamoured from start to finish. I really love the way they write, from the characters to the descriptions of the setting, to the overall plot of the story. As someone who was also very interested in the acting world, but never had any desire to pursue it, I really enjoyed that aspect of the book. I loved the script scenes that were added in.

Anytime Christina and Lauren want to come out with a book, I'll be ready and so excited to read what they bring out!

Advanced copy received from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Christina Lauren delivered an engaging, beautifully written story about one women’s encounter with her first love after a serious betrayal. The character development was rich and I felt the emotions of all of the characters, although the story was written from a single point of view. I especially loved the character of Nick/Richard. He was kind and genuine and Tate’s relationship with him was so pure. Also, I think the writers’ efforts to include an ethnically diverse cast of characters was a positive note. Hopefully one day they can write a book with a minority lead.

The one negative aspect which decreased the rating for me was that I wish the ending was flushed out a bit better. It seemed abrupt and could have benefited from an epilogue or something with a bit more closure. The ending left me wanting more (which isn’t necessarily bad!) I eagerly look forward to the next Christina Lauren book.