This title was not a good fit for me. I had thought that it would and admittedly I did not finish the title.

This was a disappointment for me. I really wanted to love the book but I really did not see any chemistry between the h&H.

I actually devoured this novel in about a week, right before I fell down life’s rabbit hole five months ago. I am ticking it off my to be reviewed list now because of a resolution I made yesterday.

So what sticks with me about this book after five months? The honest yet tender conversations that the main characters had with each other once they had broken through their barricades of animosity. Their difficulty in breaking through these barricades. The kind treatment of Aspergers. The support that friend networks provide to each of the characters. The creative solution that brought about a happily ever after ending.

Overall, I liked this book so much that I will beg for the ARC of the third book (which was teased at the end of this ARC) and I will put the first book on hold at my beloved local library (once I get caught up on my NetGalley work).

I received this book as a digital advance reader copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Isabel is days away from finalizing a divorce from Paul and is going to their beach house for some introspection on her life. Paul has the same plan in mind and also unexpectantly ends up at the beach house. After some discussion they both decide to stay but to do their own thing. These characters were briefly introduced to us in this author’s previous book and I was looking forward to seeing what their story would be. This book isn’t as light hearted as the previous book and deals with some important issues regarding communication or lack thereof. Paul does a lot of work on himself after his marriage collapses and has become a different person in many ways. Paul and Isabel decide they will spend time together over the weekend and try to find a way to be friends. As they bare their souls to each other so many truths and misperceptions come to light. Can this couple find their way back to each other or do they have too much anger and miscommunication to reconnect?

Oh, this was so fucking delightful? The romance was sweet and sexy and the positive portrayal of therapy and communication just 100% made my day to be honest.

I know everyone loves Kelly Rimmer for her more serious books and historical fiction, but if you haven’t tried her contemporary romance series, Start Up in the City, you are missing out. Both of her books in this series were hands-down five star reads for me.

If you’re like me and read Bromance Book Club and then immediately said “I need more married couple romances”, put Unspoken on your TBR ASAP! It’s the second in the series, but totally works as a stand-alone.

Isabel and Paul are getting a divorce. A few days before their divorce is final, both decide to spend some time at their vacation home, without knowing the other is going to be there. Of course, both are too stubborn to give the house up for a weekend and end up staying there together one last time.

Okay I loved basically everything about this story! Seriously, it is married couple romance perfection. I didn’t know going into the book, but the entire story is told over a few days. If you don’t love characters talking like I do, this probably won’t work for you. But I LOVE some characters who can talk things out like adults, even during hard parts (the forced proximity helps too!). Therapy isn’t something that’s an active part of romances a lot of the time, but it’s very prevalent here. While Isabel and Paul discuss why their couples therapy didn’t work, and Isabel’s frustration with attending therapy with him, Paul continued to go on his own. I freaking loved this aspect so much! Both have pretty much accepted their marriage was over, but the fact that Paul continued to work on himself and go to therapy? Yes, please to a hero who puts in the work!

The chemistry between the two is so good, but I loved the in between moments even more. When they’re both unsure of what the next step is or what they even want.


The story moves fast when you consider it takes place over the span of days, but it can get pretty intense with how involved the conversations can be. I LOVED Isabel’s growth in this, both before this weekend and during her conversations with Paul. There’s some revelations from Paul about halfway through that he discovered during therapy, and both their responses made me love their characters even more. And that epilogue! Perfection!!

Ugh, I just loved these characters and their story so, so much! Unspoken was a five star read for me. I highly recommend checking it out! I cannot wait for the rest of these series!

In Kelly Rimmer's Unspoken, the 2nd installment in the Start Up in the City contemporary romance series, this moving love story will pull your heart strings real taut and make you cry. For Isabel Winton, she wanted to escape into her vacation home before her marriage to Paul ended in a divorce. She's the one who walked away from the marriage and asked for a divorce when Paul also chose work over her. For Paul, this vacation home belonged to his family and didn't expect to see Isabel there. Instead of kicking her out, told from their views, they talked things over about what went wrong in their marriage before they could say goodbye. They revisit memories on how they met and when they married and when things soured like spilled milk. They've gotten to know each other better and worked things out with a better understanding. Right before Isabel could say goodbye to him, it's up to Paul to put his heart on his line and give her what she wants if they want a second chance to stay together... forever.

This was fun, but a fairly average romance for me. There is a good chance that this is my fault, as I have read some amazing romances recently. Will probably revisit in future.

RAting 4.5/5*
This is an emotive second chance romance which demonstrates the importance of communication in relationships. Isabel and Paul Winton will be divorced in less than a week, despite the fact that they both love each other very much. Both are distraught at the breakdown of their marriage and, after some comments from a mutual friend, go to stay at their holiday home where they have so many happy memories together. However, neither expected the other to be there! For the last ten months all their encounters have resulted in disagreements, even when in counselling. Neither wants the other to stay but both are too stubborn to leave. The time apart has changed them both but will this be enough for them to risk their hearts with each other again?

The story is mainly told from the alternating points of view of Isabel and Paul. It is an story of a love that never was lost but of a relationship that was broken by lack of communication. This is their chance to talk to each other, explore what went wrong and see if there's any chance of them being a couple again. It is a very moving story, a real page turner and enthralling second chance romance that I thoroughly enjoyed reading.

I requested and was gifted a copy of this book and this is my honest review after choosing to read it.

It's so refreshing to read a romance that focuses on a married couple trying to work on their problems. In this case, Isabel and Paul have accidentally both ended up in their vacation home the weekend before their divorce is finalized and they end up spending the four days trying to figure out where their marriage went wrong.

It's clear from the beginning that Paul has been working on himself in the time that they were separated, but Isabel hasn't taken any responsibility for their impending divorce. She doesn't seem to realize that part of it was her fault until she finds herself attracted to the new version of Paul. Paul and Isabel definitely have trouble communicating, but there are clear reasons for it and this is what they spend the entire book working on. There were some things I noticed about Paul early on and I'm so happy with how his storyline turned out. I absolutely adored this book and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a romance with messy, flawed characters who are working through realistic issues.

Thanks to Harlequin and Netgalley for my copy in exchange for an honest review.

Audio: Dual (male/female) narration. Loved the narrators.

I absolutely adored this book. I loved that it was a married couple and the characters had to work through their marriage through communication.

II talked about this book in November 19, 2019 What to Read Next Podcast.

I was so happy to have received an ARC of Unspoken from NetGalley because I couldn't wait to read Paul and Izzy's story and it did not disappoint. Heartbreaking and heartwarming with a little frustration added in at times. I was furious with Izzy through much of the book but then she redeemed herself, thank goodness! After reading Unexpected, the first book in this series, I knew Paul's journey would be a heartbreaker. Thought-provoking and deep, sexy and sweet -- I loved everything about Unspoken. I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC for NetGalley.

I read for enjoyment and there is nothing enjoyable about two characters that are constantly bickering. They were both annoying - more so heroine then hero.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Isabel and Paul are married but have been separated for a year and their divorce is going to be final in just a few days. They both end up at their vacation home in the Hamptons for the final weekend they both own it - and neither is willing to leave.

By now you may know that great communication is one of my very favorite things in a romance novel. Unspoken takes it one step further - with a couple who have had horrible communication finding their way.

This book had a very different feel from most romance novels I’ve read and I’m here for it! I loved watching Izzy and Paul learn to communicate in a whole new way and I’m really excited to read the other books in this series!

Thank you to Harlequin and Netgalley for the advance reading copy.

An unexpected second chance so close to the end of the first one was a different spin. Days from divorcing this couple find themselves together when they both want to stay at their house before one gets it in the settlement. We soon realize, but it takes them much longer that things happened or didn't for reasons that they both needed to admit to and that underneath it all there was still something to fight for.
Not my typical read but enjoyed watching the fall and rise of this couple and see the new spark that launched them into saving what wasn't lost.
I received an advanced copy of this book from Netgalley for my honest review.

The divorce is drawing the a close and Isabel is feeling down so decides to go to the vacation home for some peace and quiet. Problem is her soon to be ex husband had the same idea. Both refuse to leave and end up finding that they are not the same people they were when they were together and the year has changed them. This will give them the time to put things on the mend maybe even come out as friends rather then bitter enemies.

I love a good second chance at romance and this book was pretty great. I loved seeing them open to one another and get to know eachother. It was interesting seeing how things were when they were married and seeing the difference sides to what happened in their relationship. I especially loved seeing them slowly try to mend things they don't have to end things in a terrible ways and they really needed to clear the air on their relationship. Overall it was a pretty great book I really enjoyed it.

Another second chance romance for me this week but this one had a different tone to it. Isabel and Paul are days away from the finalization of their divorce and both show up to their weekend home, separately, and both being stubborn neither will leave. Well, this leads to them spending three days together. Three days where they learn about each other again. Isabel finds her husband is now not the work focused man he was before that she accused him of being and maybe she was partly at fault for some of their problems. Together they ride the roller coaster and find their way back together. I did not read the first book in this series and did not feel I missed anything. Will I read the next? Quite possibly...

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

Paul had been developing a single software application since he was seventeen years old. In recent years he has worked with some of the best developers on earth, but it still was his software. The sum of his life’s work was seventy four million lines of code which enabled people to use the internet in a safe and efficient manner. He didn’t know all the code by heart, but if you gave him any portion of it, Paul could tell you what it does and why and how. Code is safe and familiar and Paul is completely at home and completely in control in that sphere, which is pretty much opposite to his feelings about humans. People are illogical ruining Paul’s day. One person specifically Isobel- his almost ex-wife. Her sudden appearance is as unfortunate as it was unexpected. He lived with Isobel for four years, one month, and eleven days. Jessica had been Paul’s friend since college and she’s been his business partner almost as long. Isobel and Jess are friends, and they see each other all the time.
Jess was the reason he was at greenport- the vacation house he had bought before he married but had given it up to isobel in the divorce that would be final in five days. Jess does like to meddle Isobel had walked in Paul ten months ago. After Paul had been at the house and was nude trying to get a towel he found isobel there. He wanted her to leave and she wanted him to leave. Isobel accidently- but had thought about destroying it but then accidently spilled water in it and left it. Then she looked up and found out leaving the laptop sitting with the water in it had destroyed it. While at the house with Paul upstairs a lot of memories with Paul in them hit Isobel.
This was a bit of a difficult book to read at first. I almost didn’t continue with all the bickering and hurtful between Isobel and Paul. they needed to talk to each other, really talk and really glad they started to talk. Also I liked Isabel seeing it wasn’t all Paul’s fault that their marriage broke down. I did feel this was well written. I did like that we as the readers could see both sides of this relationship. I also liked how the author put in a main character with autism who was hiding it. I liked the plot and pace. I just didn’t enjoy this as much as I wanted to with all the fighting and hurtful words. But al and all a good emotional read and I recommend it.

I received an ARC from Netgalley and I am happy to give my honest review.

This is my first book by this author and won’t be my last. I am a sucker for second chance romance and especially love when they feature married couples. This one did not disappoint.

Isabel and Paul have been married for 5 years. She has been increasingly unhappy and Paul feels blindsided when she leaves him. The spend the next several months duking it out in the divorce mediation. The weekend before the divorce is final, they both end up at their vacation home to lick their wounds. Both are too stubborn to leave.

The book takes place mostly over 4 days, Friday-Monday. The pacing was good and the emotions were so heart wrenching and believable. I loved when they finally lowered their defenses and finally talked over what exactly went wrong.

One thing I didn’t really get was the lack of speculation that Paul could be autistic. It took 5 minutes with a therapist to say he had warning signs but all of the smart, educated people (like an oncologist brother) never thought his single minded focus could be more?

In the end I really enjoyed this book and loved these two together. I can’t wait to read more from this author.

I love that Paul was on the autism spectrum for personal reasons. I believe when an author writes a person with a disability it is always difficult. Being able to portray Paul as having a fulfilling life was great. As he and Isabel try to right the wrong things that have gone wrong with their marriage, they talk, which is something often missing in relationships. Getting a second chance to repair a marriage is a blessing. This may not have meant to be an inspirational story but it sure was. The characters were thoughtfully and wonderfully developed to create a great story.