I loved Bethany Turner's debut novel, Plot Twist, so I was so excited to read The Do-Over.

As an attorney myself, I usually steer clear of the attorney protagonist, but I loved McKenna, and the law-related content of this book! It was so satisfying.

Also it was the sweetest to see McKenna, who is such a capable woman, in her clumsy interactions with Henry, In addition, I loved the journey o f self-discovery and flashbacks to her younger self.

By then end, I was cheering for McKenna and cheering for them as a couple, practically out loud! Highly recommend this book!!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This is very sweet, with a few truly laugh out loud moments. McKenna’s basically having a very early mid-life crisis through no fault of her own, while reconnecting with her sisters and Henry, a close but seemingly forgotten friend from high school. I enjoyed watching McKenna work her way through major life events and coming to the realization that changing life goals isn’t giving up, it’s growing up. And Henry could so very easily be a new book boyfriend.

I received a copy of this book from Thomas Nelson Fiction. All opinions are my own.

The Do-Over is a breezy, easy just-what- I -need read. mcKenna’s dreams are crashing down so she retreats to North Carolina to be with her family. She reconnects with Henry and has feelings for him. Can they sort out their issues and problems?
One thing I really liked about this book were all the cultural references from shows, movies, and books sprinkled throughout.
I liked the prose, setting, and outcome.

The Do-Over is a cute romcom that follows McKenna a career driven lawyer in her late 30’s whose life comes grinding to a haunt when she’s accused of embezzlement. Forced to take a leave of absence while under investigation, McKenna heads back to her hometown and bumps into her old high school rival, Henry.

Sparks fly, hilarious banter ensues, romance is had… The Do-Over is everything I expected it to be and love.

The Do-Over was such a good, wholesome read! McKenna returns home for the first visit in several years after being forced to take a leave of absence from work. In New York, she was on the fast track to being Senior Partner in a law firm and daydreaming of marrying her boss. When all that comes to a screeching halt, McKenna has to find a new happy ending. Upon returning home, she runs into old high school friend Henry, who is now a high-profile documentarian. As she begins to adapt to this new life, she learns more about her family and herself.

I loved the ride McKenna's character went through in this story. I've been in her shoes before. I'm also late 30s, single, and basically living at my job. I've also had the vocational rug ripped out from under me recently. The way that McKenna takes the time to understand herself, redirect her life, and make amends where needed was pretty inspirational.

The other characters in the book were amazing! McKenna's family felt real. They were all flawed in their individual ways but it worked as a whole family unit. Henry was the only character that I didn't quite connect with. He was almost too good to be true. Rubbing elbows with royalty, staying at the Plaza, saying all the right things, but yet trying to maintain that "aw shucks" small-town image. I still rooted for him, but I didn't connect with him as much as the other characters. Even Jeremiah had more depth than Henry and he was barely in the book! The relationship between Erica, McKenna, and Taylor was probably my favorite. They reminded me of Quinn, Haley, and Taylor from One Tree Hill. They fought like real sisters and loved like real sisters.

I gave this book 4 stars because it's honestly one of the most "feel-good" books I've read in a while. It's a contemporary romance that manages to tell an adorable story without spice and swear words. Those are rare finds these days.

QOTD: Did you have a childhood "rival"?
My A: Yes! There was a girl, Morgan, who tattled on me all the time and we bickered a lot in 1st & 2nd grade. Funny enough, she became my absolute best friend from 5th grade on. 🤣🤷
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I'll be honest, I picked this one up based solely on the title/cover. I love the combo and I didn't really care what the book was about. Once I read the blurb, I assumed I'd love it. Unfortunately, it ended up more of a 'meh' read for me.
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One of my biggest pet peeves in life in general, but especially reading, are immature middle aged adults. Reading a female lead who's near 40 and acts half her age is rough. I liked the male mc, Henry, more, but I don't feel like I ever really connected with him either. I think this was honestly more of a me thing than the book thing. I just didn't connect with these two and their story. BUT!! I think there are plenty of readers who will love this one, too. So have a read and see for yourself!

McKenna is a very good attorney - she is married to career and certain of her promotion to partner. When she is blindsided by accusations that would end her career - and potentially get her disbarred - her whole word is shaken. She return to her family home in North Carolina for her baby sister's engagement party and essentially hides out. While she is trying to figure out what to do next - she runs in to Henry Blumenthal - her high school rival - who is now a famed documentary film maker who goes by Hank Blume.

She never gave a second thought to Hank during high school - other than beating him at every milestone. And now - she's very confused by her feelings and the way she's thinking about him.

I liked a lot about this book - McKenna felt very real - and her fear of failure and how to deal with her family's reaction to what was happening to her was very well developed. I also think the book fully took on the impact of our parents lives on our own - and how sometimes what we think we witness, isn't the whole story. McKenna based her perceptions of her younger sister and her mother on only half the information.

On the whole - I think I would have liked more McKenna and Hank interactions. I loved them together - and totally got that Hank's schedule was insane. But the small amount of time they spent together didn't feel like it would truly lead to the strong feelings they develop. Particularly in McKenna's world.

I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, but these opinions are all my own.

This book was an absolute delight to read. The characters and plot were charming and I really felt that they were flushed out in a very dimensional way. My only complaint is I wish it were 20 pages longer just so I could have 20 pages more of this adorable story!

“Ain’t no party like a McKenna Keaton party, because a McKenna Keaton party is uncomfortable.“

Absolutely yes to the nerdy guy who secretly pined for you in high school and grew up to be super hot. Why does this never actually happen in real life? Damn you Turner for perfectly capturing my unrealistic dreams. I really enjoyed Turner’s 2021 release Plot Twist, more than this one, but it was good too! Aside from the romance and McKenna’s work crisis, this book is rich with themes like of the importance of family. Taylor was the sweetest character and made me want to go hug my own baby sister. Henry is a fantastic love interest. Turner brought it with A+ pop culture references as usual. The book was well paced and had a satisfying end. Turner has such an easy writing style that makes it easy to get sucked in. Highly recommend to any fan of romcom.

This was really cute and I loved McKenna and Henry's relationship. It hits all the marks for me as a contemporary rom-com.

This is a cute and funny romcom. I like that the female lead character is an older (late 30s) ambitious lawyer. The male lead is sweet and supportive but wish he had a bit more edge. Also wish that the female lead’s family dynamics were explored a bit more. All in all, a fun read.

I read this a while ago and completely forgot to review it! I really enjoyed this story! I would highly recommend to those that like contemporary romance, but don't want steamy sex scenes.

This one was super slow. I like the characters well enough, but the storyline took forever to get going and by the time it got more interesting I think I was already checked out. Also I found the pop culture references super out of date unless I missed a timeline or something.

Disappointed in the storyline as I completely loved Plot Twist.

McKenna Keaton is driven to succeed in her career and destined to become a partner at her law firm. Her career crashes before her when she is accused of stealing company funds and is placed on administrative leave. Without an excuse of being too busy at work to skip her sister's wedding, she heads to her parent's home in North Carolina where she has to confront all the challenges of singlehood including marriage, pregnancy, and children happening to all her friends. She encounters a former crush who has transformed into a successful filmmaker and hometown hero, and all the suppressed emotions bubble to the surface. Turner has once again tackled issues most women face with her blend of reverence and humor. Add in a dash of romance, and it's a must read!

Ever since I read The Secret Life of Sarah Hollenbeck, I’ve been a big fan of Bethany Turner’s humor. Even when I find myself wanting to strangle the heroines in her stories for the decisions they make, I can’t help but still like them. Probably because they’re typically close to my age and I find their pop culture references very amusing and relatable.

Once again that was my experience with McKenna Keaton, the heroine in this story. She cracked me up—even when I wanted to strangle her. She is a driven, workaholic, lawyer climbing her way up to senior partner in a big law firm in New York when an embezzlement accusation forces her to take a leave of absence, which sends her back to her hometown. There she runs into an old high school friend, Henry Blumenthal, who may now be one of my all-time favorite book heroes. I loved Henry. Like, really really loved Henry. I feel like McKenna brought the comedy, Henry brought the romance, and together they created everything a rom-com ought to be, including the New York City setting from many of my favorite rom-com movies.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the complimentary digital copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

It's nice to read about a career-focused woman in her almost forties - a refreshing change from all the twenty-somethings in NYC who have met their match. Corporate lawyer McKenna is GOOD at her job, and is working hard toward partner. When she gets called to the boardroom instead of getting promoted, she is put on (unpaid) leave for suspected embezzelment.

Sure it's a mistake, she returns home, where her much younger sister is planning a wedding, and her genealogy obsessed father is excited to share some new finds with her. She reconnects with her high school rival Henry Blumenthal, now a documentarian, and when the family curse of unmarried women dying before the age of forty catches his attention, they are back in one another's orbit.

McKenna is carrying a lot - biological clock, a not-so-great relationship with her family members, and the secret of her leave. I really enjoyed her character growth, and Henry's awkwardness. I didn't find some of his moves believable in an era of #metoo - hiring McKenna, whisking her away for a trip and making a move came across a little sleazy, and was the flaw of the book for me.

I received an advance reader's review copy of #TheDoOver from #NetGalley.

Enemies to lovers is one of my favorite tropes, and this novel did not disappoint! McKenna is mostly relatable and I really enjoyed her journey.

Sigh. Henry Blumenthal. What more can I say? I suppose that's a bit sparse for a genuine review, so I'll elaborate. Bethany Turner earned my admiration when she wrote The Secret Life of Sarah Hollenbeck. I've read each of her subsequent novels as quickly as possible. Her clever wit and unique author voice really shine in The Do-Over. The heroine is accused of a crime she didn't commit, forcing her to return home and examine the relationships she's neglected, as well as her career aspirations and the roles women play in modern society. Turner's ability to send her characters into their own personal worst case scenarios makes for a compelling reading experience.
Like I said, Henry Blumenthal is a delightful hero and quite possibly one of my new favorite book boyfriends. The Do-Over is smart, charming and compulsively readable. Well done, Bethany!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the complimentary digital copy. All opinions shared here are my own.

It’s everything I’ve come to expect of a Bethany Turner book. Smart, witty, surprising, and sweet. She keeps getting better. I can’t wait to follow her career.

For me this was a slow book. I'm actually very interested in the love story and how things will play out at work for the main character, but this just isn't right for me now. I can't stay engaged and I really just want a script with dialog. This isn't for me right now, but I do think this could be right for many people. If you finish this I'd love to hear what happens!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

DNF at 54%