Hey, dear book review reader, you need this book. Now. Seriously, if you are a fan of contemporary romance, buy this book immediately.
No one does contemporary romance better than Bethany Turner.
Turner knows how to write such realistic characters and dynamic, honest relationships. The DO-Over features a lot of family relationships, especially between the main character, McKenna Keaton, and her two sisters (McKenna is the middle of the three). Turner writes about their sibling dynamics in such a way that I felt so completely seen as a middle sister myself. Even the relationships with friends and other family members, every aspect feels incredibly realistic and not overdramatize or not authentic enough. And she does the romance even better.
I have always been picky with contemporary fiction and felt that the romance wasn’t real, that it was way too steeped in the fiction world, but not this one. I walked away believing in life and in love. I didn’t feel that the romance didn’t work or couldn’t be replicated. It felt like hearing a story that made sense, that maybe had a little more drama than we might expect in our own reality, but not too much that you would never ever see this. I think Turner wrote such an incredible romance because of what I mentioned before, she just knows how to write true, realistic characters. Her characters are so defined and fleshed out that the romance has no other choice to be that way as well. Every single decision each character made (even if I didn’t agree with it) felt like “oh, yeah, she/he/they would obviously make that decision.”
This is a book I will always come back to, and the protagonist is one that I feel so connected with in a way I haven’t felt for a character in a while. It also must be said that I will probably compare every romantic interest in my life to the incredible swoon worthy romantic interest in this novel.
This book is for the hopeless romantics, the ones who have maybe given up on love, those who want more out of life than just love, and those who don’t feel wholly understood by the ones in their life. This is so much more than a contemporary romance; it is life on the page.

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

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I will be attending my high school reunion in a few months, so this book was enjoyable to read because it reminds me of how many “do-overs” occur at high school reunions. While this book is not reunion material, our lead heroine McKenna reunites with her nerdy rival/friend from high school, Henry, when they are both in town at the same time. At the premiere of Henry’s (now known as Hank) new film, feelings emerge that make McKenna realize her shocking crush for Henry/Hank is real, but she has a lot going on in her life that needs to be fixed. Hank is an acclaimed documentarian, while McKenna is an unfairly disgraced lawyer in NYC. But for a girl who has been going through weeks of shame, her intense feelings for Henry and her desire to fight against a dishonorable smear on her ethics ensure that she will fight for justice. I enjoyed the rival/friends to lovers storyline, especially the Keaton family. The three sisters and parents add a special extra touch to this story. The author is also blessed with great wit. Well done. #doover #bethanyturner @netgalley #romance #rivalstolovers #book #bookstagram #beautifulcover #highschool #triumph #success #families
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A huge thank you to Thomas Nelson-Fiction and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of The Do-Over by Bethany Turner in exchange for an honest review.

I don't even know what to say about this one. I saw that I am not an outlier though on Goodreads. I wanted to like this one, but I could not get into the main character (McKenna) at all. There's a lot going on with this character and she doesn't look the greatest through this whole book. It also didn't help that once again we have people acting like if you have a career that means you can't be happy without being in love and having kids. Please stop writing romance novels featuring career women who are adamant they don't want kids who then go well now love has come to me so kids sound great. If I met the love of my life tomorrow, I am still not having kids. That's okay. And honestly the flow of the book was all over the place. I think this takes place over 10 months to a year? I don't know I lost track of the time shifts through the book. And lastly, Turner including that the hero (Henry) made a documentary about the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and how wonderful they are and blah blah blah kept making me laugh. Not in a good way.

"The Do-Over" follows McKenna Keaton, a lawyer at a prestigious law firm in New York. McKenna thinks that the senior partners at her firm are about to make her an offer, but when she is accused of embezzling funds, she is escorted out of the firm and doesn't know what to do. Her younger sister's engagement party is in a few weeks so she decides to return to North Carolina to see her family, but keeps to herself, outside of her older sister Erica and her husband Jared, what really went on in New York. Blah blah blah plot, she runs into a guy who was her "competition" in high school, Henry who has now become a world famous documentary director.

The book starts off with a summary of the Keaton family when McKenna, her parents, and her sister Erica all moved to New York so that McKenna's mom could follow her dreams of being in a Broadway show. Things change for them though when McKenna's mom gets pregnant with her sister Taylor. The family then moves to North Carolina which apparently was a fate worse than death. McKenna was focused though on being a lawyer and moving back to New York which she sees as her "home." And maybe I could have bought any of that if we got any sense that Erica did anything besides going to work or had any friends. Seriously. McKenna had no friends outside of her sister Erica and her husband in this one. It was weird. And her blaming her sister Taylor and just being a jerk to her through most of the book was not an entertaining read.

I wish that I could have liked McKenna more, but her lying to mostly everyone and then deciding that she has to be with Henry but doesn't get how love works made me exhausted. This woman is in her mid thirties, why she is portrayed as clueless about human emotions was baffling. And I hated how everyone kept giving her a pass on things. I guess I am a career woman, I own my own home, have no urge to ever give birth, and though I think it would occasionally be nice to have someone to cuddle with on a couch, I don't go around cursing being single. I read a great article the other day about being black and single and it spoke to me so well. I have interests, hobbies, and great friends that are ride or die. Anyway, back to the book.

I just didn't get McKenna because if you are going to have someone who stays away from her family/home for 3 years, have it be because she's living a great life. And that was not the case at all. It was just so weird how this was written.

Henry. No. I don't know what else to say besides that. I just felt like he was cheekbones, dimples, and teal eyes. Guess how many times his teal eyes are brought up? I still couldn't tell you anything about him outside of that. Oh, I did think that teal would be a pretty color for my outdoor pillows this summer, so thank you Henry for that.

The other characters are not very well developed. There are hints here and there with Erica and Taylor, but Turner rushes through the moments too fast to just get to everyone's alright. I was interested in their stories, and wish that they had been there besides giving McKenna advice (Erica) and being a thorn in her side (Taylor).

The writing was repetitive after a while. The overall plot (such as it was) gets lost and then found and then lost again. I don't know if we were supposed to care about the embezzling or what, but it gets picked up and dropped throughout the book. I also don't see or get how McKenna is such a great lawyer. We get zero scenes of her doing it and why she even loves it. The flow also needed some work. Probably because I was reading an ARC, the story felt choppy at times and a few times the words got broken in weird places so I think that's why the flow didn't' work for me.

There is a HEA which is good for a romance. But I just wasn't invested in it as I usually am when I am reading a can't put down romance novel.

I had a really hard time reading this. Based off the cover and the story description, I thought it would be an easy and fun read.

It took me several tries to get into it. Cute idea but there was too much build up and not enough to make it a swoon worthy book for me.

Thank you publishers and NetGalley for this ARC.

Thank you to Thomas Nelson publishing and NetGalley for the arc!

It’s such an awesome feeling when you get approved of a book on NetGalley that’s by an author you really enjoy!

I really enjoyed Plot Twist by Bethany Turner and to be honest, this one was a lot different.

This was a romance, but I don’t think that’s the overall theme here. I think it’s a typical women’s fiction. It’s about McKenna and finding herself.

Now I will say there was a point when I was annoyed with pretty much everyone in this story. I feel like you could see all the different sides. Sometimes I was really annoyed with McKenna and sometimes I was really annoyed with her family.

There was also a lot going on. I was very interested in everything, but sometimes I felt like I couldn’t keep up.

But talk about a book boyfriend! Henry is amazing and he is perfect for McKenna and you root for them immediately.

4/5

I enjoyed the first few chapters but then the book began to drag. Th buildup took to long. I stopped reading when I got bored. DNF

2 stars.

*******************I received an ARC for my honest opinion from NetGalley****************************

The cover and blurb made it seem like this would be a fun read, but oh dear. A nearly 40-year-old woman acting like an immature child is a big no for me. She was ridiculous and a bit full of herself from page one and then doesn't care a bit about her family until she loses her job. The guy was way better, but I had no idea what he saw in her. This was a huge bog of annoyance to slog through.

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

Oh. My. Stars. This book. I could list all of the things about it that I love, but since that would be a little lengthy, I’ll try to at least hit the high notes. 1) Henry 😍😍 2) The sub-story of McKenna’s ancestor 3) the sister bonds 4) Henry 🫠🫠 5) Oh, never mind, I just love it all! This is the absolute best kind of second chance romance (although not a Christian romance, it is very PG rated) and I’m going to sleep with a smile on my face. Absolute perfection! I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley and was under no obligation to write a review.

This book was really cute! It started out on the slow side, but really picked up my interest as it unfolded.

McKenna Keaton has spent her life focused on work and meeting professional goals. She’s preparing for a promotion when she learns she actually being investigated for embezzling.

With her career status in question and a need to save money, she returns to her hometown, where she’s quickly wrapped up in her little sister’s wedding plans and a family mystery that has her questioning her choices in life.

Add cute and nerdy Henry Blumenthal (her childhood academic rival) to the mix and she’s even more confused about all the feelings she’s feeling and where her life is headed.

All of this adds up to a story that felt kind of scattered in its focus, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. Kenna’s chance at a “do-over” was nice to see happening as the story progresses. The romance is very sweet and low-steam, and the family bonding that occurs added to the charm.

This is the first book by this author I’ve read, and it reminded me a lot of books by Sophie Kinsella. I’d recommend it to anyone who likes contemporary fiction with romance that’s kind of on the side, rather than the entire focus.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have a lot of mixed feelings on this one.

I’ll start with the best part - HENRYYYY 😍😍😍 Gosh dang it I loved him. He’s quirky, nerdy, sweet, and just amazing.

I loved that we had “middle age” heroine and hero. It’s nice to read about love with a couple in their 30’s and to see pregnancies later in life.

The way McKenna treated Taylor was effed up. Grow up McKenna. As a child that was okay and understandable but you’re a grown adult now.

I also had a hard time with how McKenna handled her work drama. She’s this great lawyer but just sat back and let it go?!? Seems weird. I feel like in real life McKenna would have done more to clear her name.

Loved the ending and how everything wrapped up. I also loved how McKenna grew throughout the story.

This book wasn't for me.

This book follows McKenna, a workaholic who is forced to take a leave of absence after being accused of embezzling over a quarter of a million dollars from the New York law firm she works for. She is forced to move back to her hometown in North Carolina where she becomes reacquainted with one of her high school academic rivals, Henry, who is now a famous documentarian.

McKenna is obnoxious 95% of the time and I don't think she improved at all. She's rude to her family, especially to her younger sister. Henry is great but their relationship moved so quickly I struggled to see what they saw in each other.

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

Gosh, this was cute. The romance at times felt rushed but it grabbed me and made me root for them. I think this will be a crowd pleaser that sneaks up on Romancelandia.

I wasn't sure what exactly to expect when I picked up The Do Over by Bethany Turner, but the synopsis intrigued me, and it sounded like something I'd enjoy, so I went ahead and gave it a chance.

McKenna was definitely a harder character to root for, but I surprised myself by actually enjoying her journey. Her character felt real, and while she definitely acts juvenile and makes many wrong choices, she also felt human. She's definitely not a perfect character, and that made this book seem much more authentic to me. As she battles with losing the only dream she's ever had for herself amongst familial pressure to settle down and find the right man, and feeling like she can't be honest with the majority of her family members about what's truly her reason for coming back home for fear of them all seeing her a failure. McKenna's character shows true growth by the end of the story, and starts to realize that life isn't always as black and white as we've made it out to be.

That being said, this didn't end up being a new favorite for me. I thought the romance felt really rushed, and often almost inappropriate at times. It was heavily focused around insta love, and I couldn't get on board with the intense feelings that developed between McKenna and Henry, when they'd really only had a couple of interactions prior to the fact. I thought McKenna's way of handling her current situation was kind of strange, especially since as a well renowned legal counselor you would have thought she would have better known what her options should be.

I do always enjoy Bethany Turner's fast paced and witty writing style, and found myself flying through this one pretty quickly. However, I thought the pop culture references were a bit on the heavy side, and almost had me rolling my eyes over the many, many examples by the end of the story. Overall, this was a cute read, but it felt like it was missing something to make it memorable to me, and I don't see it being a reread in the future. Perhaps my favorite part was the lovely relationship that exists between McKenna's family, and I really enjoyed how this is strengthened as she comes to terms with everything going on in her life.

Final Rating: 3/5.

Recommended to anyone who likes cleanish chick lit, and/or enjoys witty contemporaries.

Thanks so much to Thomas Nelson for allowing me to advance read and review this!

I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary advance reader copy of this novel from the publisher (Thomas Nelson) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to give a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

In "The Do-Over" by Bethany Turner, McKenna Keaton is a hard-working (some might say workaholic) attorney at her prestigious firm in New York City. Expecting to be named senior partner, she is instead horrified to find herself the center of an embezzlement investigation. She returns home to NC due to her unexpected leave of absence. While she is back at home trying to piece her life back together, her little sister is preparing for her wedding and the two are trying to discover a closeness they've never felt before. And to complicate matters, her best friend from high school has become a manly, handsome award winning documentarian who McKenna finds herself unable to resist. But will Henry believe her when she tells him about the embezzlement investigation?

I really enjoyed McKenna's whole extended family and the obvious love they have for each other. I also enjoyed the historical side-story as well. The romance between McKenna and Henry was sweet and delightful to read. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

McKenna Keaton has pursued her dream of being a lawyer in NYC and is on track to become the youngest partner in the firm until she’s accused of embezzlement. Knowing she’s innocent, she agrees to go home to Durham while everything gets worked out. She runs into high school friend Henry Blumenthal, who, she realizes belatedly, is Hank Blume, her favorite award-winning documentarian. She finds herself attracted to him despite her belief that she doesn’t need love. Will he turn and run when he finds out what she’s accused of? She’d rather not find out and fudges the truth. When it looks like her dream is on the verge of exploding, is it time to find a new one?

A cute love story.

The Do Over by Bethany Turner is sweet and laugh-out-loud funny. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of this engaging story and all the loveable characters in it.

I love McKenna Keaton and how she was singularly focused on her goals from a very young age, went to law school, was hired at a prestigious NY law firm before even passing the bar exam, became a junior partner and was on track to make senior partner soon. Suddenly she finds herself on an unpaid leave of absense for false charges of embezzling. Her entire world is upended as she goes home to NY to the family she hasn't seen in three years as they are preparing for her baby sister's wedding. Her family is awesome, entirely relatable, authentic, and funny. I really enjoyed their characters. Her best friend and sister Erica (married to Jared), their children, her parents, and her youngest sister Taylor. So cool that her Dad has always been so invested in their family tree and geneology. This plays a rather exciting role later on.

Within hours of being home she begs her brother-in-law and her former high school friend Jared to take her with him to an event he has to make an appearance at. She is completely surprised and blown away that they are attending an event where their shy nerdy friend Henry Blumenthal from high school is now a handsome famous storytelling documentarian (Hank Blumenthal), and that she's seen every one of his documentaries! "I coudn't help but be somewhat disappointed in myself for failing to recognize, when we were sitting next to each other in Calculus, that he would someday turn into THIS." "There had been three of us battling it out for valedictorian throughout most of high school. Jared, me, and Henry Blumenthal." After she embarasses herself "go team" with Henry, "Its fine McKenna. I attempted to console myself. You'll never see The Do-Over him again...."

"One of the problems of being a storyteller is the cultivated ability to extrapolate; in every situation all the what ifs come to me." (Madeleine L'Engle quote). "The first time I read that was when I knew I wanted to be a documentarian. Well, I may not have known what the actual title would end up being, but I knew I wasn't really a historian. I was a storyteller....I wasn't satisfied with just the facts. I couldn't stop myself from taking all the what-ifs into consideration." Henry is such a sigh-worthy hero, handsome, hardworking, telling important stories, and not letting all the worlds his success has opened up to him get to his head.

Of course all the signature pop culture references, author Bethany Turner includes in her stories are so much fun. I really did laugh out loud A LOT and have so many spots highlighted in this witty story.

In this wonderful story, McKenna time to evaluate her past, present, and future, who she thought she was, and who she wants to be. Some of her preconcieved notions of family and friends are challenged and there is growth on this journey. There is romance and tension as the story unfolds. Henry throws her completely off-kilter. I absolutely loved this completely enjoyable and humorous story!

I highly recommend The Do-Over to fans of romantic comedy.

Thank you to the publisher and net galley for allowing me to read an early copy. All opinions are my own. I will definitely be ordering a copy for my keeper shelf!

This was a cute book and I think I'd be inclined to get myself a physical copy and I might gift one to a friend

Sometimes dreams come true… I love the romantic scenes in this book! It is a fun book and one of my favorites by this author.
Thanks you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this book.

I truly enjoyed Turner’s “The Plot Twist,” so I was excited to read her newest release. Sadly, it missed the mark for me. The story was a slow burn that I couldn’t wait to burn out. Between that and McKenna, the main character, driving me nuts on many levels, I slogged through.

Really enjoyed reading The Do-Over. Thought that it was a really nice read and I found myself not wanting to put it down.