Four and a Half Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭒
Something Old, Something New by Amy Clipston is a heartwarming small-town romance that I love to read.

Story Recap:
Christine Sawyer has realized her dream of opening an antique mall in her small town of Flowering Grove, North Carolina. She spends her time with her prettier, fraternal twin sister, Britney, and dotes on her twin nieces, “the M&M’s” Maddy and Mila. She’s perfectly happy if just a bit lonely.

Brent Nicholson was the star quarterback in High School, but his life hasn’t turned out the way he wanted, and he’s made many mistakes. He comes to Flowering Grove to help his aunt rehabilitate her home so she can move to a senior living place. When he finds his aunt’s home full of household items and furniture she won’t need in her new home, she convinces him to take her things to the new antique mall and sell them.

Brent used to date Christine’s sister, Britney in High School, and he broke her heart. Brent never had eyes for Britney’s plainer sister, Christine, but working together to sell his aunt's furniture, he starts to notice Christine’s beauty.

My Thoughts:
Something Old, Something New is a sweet romance set in a well-described charming small town. This had a romance, and some family drama, all set in a beautiful setting. I can’t imagine being a twin with a beautiful and popular sister, but Christine seems to do pretty well and doesn’t mind living in her sister's shadow. I liked Christine very much and loved her strength and determination. But, living in her sister's shadow, she’s never valued herself enough to believe the star quarterback would ever be interested in her.

Brent has his own self-esteem issues. He lost his business to his partner who stole from him, and his own parents are disappointed that he wasn’t able to pursue a career in the NFL. Helping his Aunt fix up her home is the break he needs.

I loved that Christine and Brent became friends first. They have so much in common and they are good together. Luckily, Christine’s sister is married with two children, so there wasn’t a love triangle. But, there was a big misunderstanding that led to Brent and Britney’s breakup, which causes some tension between Christine and her sister.

The small town is charming, the romance is swoony and sweet, and there is just enough drama to make the story interesting.

Recommendation:
I highly recommend Something Old, Something New to anyone who enjoys sweet romances. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

A sweet small town romance. The story was a good reminder to not give up on your dreams and keep following them, no matter what. You truly root for the main characters to be happy.

Charming Love Story

Something Old, Something New was an absolutely charming love story. It kept me completely engrossed as I followed Christine and Brent’s story all the while wondering how they’d be able to overcome all the obstacles in their way; obstacles that came in the form of people, past history and situations, family, and even their own plans and insecurities.

Christine and Brent were wonderfully kind and giving, and I desperately wanted to see them overcome all of the stumbling blocks in order for their relationship to grow. However, every so often the obstacles would cause them to take one step forward and two steps backwards leaving them right back in the same spot where they started. Each time this happened I was left wondering how in the world they’d be able to finally move forward in order for their relationship to grow. And that is just one of the things that made this such a charming and engaging story.

In contrast to the characters that contributed to the obstacles facing Christine and Brent, many others helped add to the charm of the story. Brent’s Aunt Midge was one of them. I absolutely loved her right from the start. Her spunkiness, boldness of speaking her mind and her matchmaking efforts kept me completely amused. On more than one occasion, Christine and Brent’s friends, Pam and Steve, as well as Christine’s young nieces significantly added to the charm and amusement.

If you like a sweet romance that combines great characters, not so nice characters, overcoming obstacles to reach a happily ever after sprinkled with charm, amusement and surprises sprinkled in, Something Old, Something New is definitely the one for you. It will not disappoint.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a complimentary copy of the book. All comments and opinions are strictly my own.

Christine has always felt overshadowed by her popular, self-interested twin sister. When her (now married with kids) sister's high school sweetheart comes back to their small town after a long absence there's definitely something between them, but with those sparks come a lot of potential stumbling blocks. Brent doesn't feel he has much to offer, and Christine can't imagine he'd notice her in a special way, but they just keep finding reasons to spend time together...

This is a simple, light, almost aggressively wholesome small-town romance. The characters are drawn with broad brushes and the plot is not complicated. I had a great deal of trouble getting past the author's constant inclusion of extraneous detail. I don't need to know what song was playing on the radio every time Christine is in her store. I don't need to know the make and model of every car every character drives. I'm aware that people chew and swallow after taking a bite of food. It really was overdone to the point of being distracting. There isn't much nuance, either in the story or in the way it's told, but sometimes it's fun to take a mental vacation to a nice little town where people are mostly kind and well-intentioned. Fans of the author will enjoy this addition to her catalog.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review.

This is a sweet standalone title focusing on a slightly less typical age group for this genre. :)

Brent and Christine grew up in the same (relatively small) town, with Brent the high school football hero who dated Christine's popular sister, and Christine the quiet one.... Fast forward a number of years and their lives are very different. Brent suffered a career ending injury and is experiencing some serious career obstacles. He's lost his footing a bit, while Christine is finding fulfillment in her role as an auntie, owner of a local Antique Mall where she interacts with a number of vendors - and is thriving in most areas (except starting a family of her own.) When Brent comes back to town he experiences a revelation of sorts and Christine begins to view him in a different light...but is their past too much to overcome? Will they find a future with each other?

I enjoyed this book overall although some of the characters I found a bit grating rather than endearing. Overall I usually really like books by this author and am glad to recommend it.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson Publishers and NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

*I received a free ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion*

I really enjoyed this book right up until the big confrontation between Christine and Brent. Prior to that it was a nice story about two people developing a strong and supportive relationship (even though they insisted on pretending they were just friends). The reason I didn't like their confrontation was because it felt like Christine was making it all about her and her insecurities. Throughout the book Britney is described as being self-centered and selfish, but it seemed liked maybe Christine shared some of that selfishness. Christine was so supportive of Brent and encouraged him to face some of his demons, but toward the end I started to wonder if she did that because she wanted to see him happy or because she wanted him to make more connections to their hometown and decide to stay there with her. It could be a little of both, but she acted like he had led her own even though he repeatedly said he was leaving. She didn't seem to understand how deep seated his insecurities were and why he might not feel good enough for her. Thankfully Aunt Midge and Kelsie didn't give up on him and gave him the extra kick in the pants he needed to come back home. The parts with Brent's ex texting and calling him didn't seem necessary because there was no real resolution/closure with that.

I enjoyed this one. It was sort of enemies to lovers. The heroine was a nerd in high school and the hero was the football star. When they are brought together by the heroes great-aunt. Who I secretly think was trying to play matchmaker. Chaos happens. But it's a humor filled read.

Loved Christine's vision of honoring her grandmother and their closeness. Somewhat predictable story but an enjoyable story. The characters and their issues are relatable. Recommended!

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I always find Amy Clipston's books to be pleasant reads and this one was no exception.

Charming, heartwarming, love story. I didn’t want it to end.

Christine Sawyer is nothing like her twin sister. She is the quiet bookish type who is content with her antique store. Here comes Brent Nicholson, her sisters ex boyfriend, the boy Christine secretly liked. The two begin working together to get rid of some of his aunts old antique treasures and they soon can’t deny that there is an attraction there. Will they be able to act on it or will Brent’s past of dating Christine’s sister get in the way. You’ll
Have to read to find out.

This book gives you all the feels and has you rooting for the two characters to get together soon than later. And seeing the popular boy like the nerdy, bookworm girl is always a favorite.

I graciously received an advance e-copy for reviews from Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Something Old, Something New was a sweet romance. The characters of Christine and Brent were both likeable and well-written. This was one of those books that was a very easy and quick read that left you feeling warm and fuzzy inside. The small town setting was nice and made you feel like you were transported to it. Overall I enjoyed this book.

Something Old, Something New was a wonderful and heartwarming small town romance that kept me engaged right throughout. I always look forward to reading Amy Clipston's new releases, and she's become one of my favorite authors over the last few years. The synopsis of this one sounded intriguing, and I was definitely not disappointed with the beautiful story contained within.

Christine and Brent were both instantly likeable protagonists, and I loved how they'd both taken a non-conventional path to get to where they were. Christine's love of antiques caused her to give up her office job and open a well loved antique mall in her small town. Brent was the town's beloved high school quarterback, but after a career ending injury, he's been struggling to find the place he belongs. He has no intention of returning to his hometown, but he can't deny his aunt Midge's request for help getting her home fixed up to sell. Christine's definitely not prepared for Brent's return-especially since he broke her twin sister's heart back in college. However neither Brent or Christine can deny the feelings that are starting to grown between the two of them, but can they ever find their way to happily ever after when so many things are standing in the way?

Amy Clipston has written another lovely contemporary story with a well developed plot, charming characters, and a focus on needing to move past the past and into the future that's there waiting for you. I appreciated that it was both clean and heartwarming, and I was a definitely a fan of the beautiful romance that first develops as a pleasant friendship and grows from there. I also can't conclude my review without mentioning how much I adored Aunt Midge, and the way she's been such a source of support for Brent throughout his life , especially considering the negative relationship he's always known with his father.

From start to finish, this one was definitely a pleasant surprise, and I think readers of clean romances and small town romances are going to love this one. It's probably my favorite yet of Amy's contemporaries, and I can't wait to see what she has in store for readers in her books to come.

Final Rating: 4/5.

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

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

If you love reading 2nd chance romance then this us tge book for you!
I love this author so I was happy that I could pick this book up. It was sooooo good that I didn't want to put it down!
Clipston is good in anything she writes! Her Amish stories are my favorite though.

In true Amy Clipston fashion, this book is right on point with the traditional romance she writes. We have a conflicted hero and heroine who both don't realize how much they need saving-and probably some career coaching somewhere. We revisit high school hometown memories that are the focus of many Southern towns even now. High school glory days and dashed hopes of professional football, Christine lives in much of a shadow of her "beautiful" twin that who had pined after her boyfriend in high school, that has now returned seemingly a failure who hit every obstacle in life far too early. The romance between them comes across a little weird at first to be honest, since her sister was the one who had dated him for a while in high school and into college. I enjoyed this read from Clipston but was left feeling a bit meh afterward with the storyline. It's a quick read and in the same vein of your favorite Hallmark movies.

Something Old, Something New is a pretty, simple romance about two people who find love together in an ordinary small town under ordinary circumstances. The romance is pleasant and entertaining, but lacks enough narrative punch to garner a higher grade.

Christine Sawyer’s busy life in Flowering Grove, North Carolina keeps her hopping. She has opened the Treasure Hunting Antique Mall, and has a busy social calendar. On top of all of that, there are her nieces and nephews to keep abreast of, the children of her fraternal twin sister, Britney. But everything seems to be changing when Britney’s ex comes back to town, pointing out to Christine that she’s neglected her love life something fierce.

Once upon a time, Brent Nicholson was the quarterback to Britney’s head cheerleader, and he had taken their team to state. Unfortunately, an injury ended his pro-football hopes, and he found himself spending his twenties establishing a construction firm. But all of that’s been wiped away thanks to the machinations of his former best friend, and on top of that, he’s now dealing with a harsh break-up. He comes back to Flowering Grove to help his great Aunt Midge clean out her house, and calls in at Christine’s antique mall to help appraise some of her belongings.

As their tenth high school reunion looms, Brent and Christine awaken to the possibility of a brand-new life together. But Britney believes that Brent cheated on her before he left Flowering Grove for college, which causes her to warn Christine that she might not have found the hunk of her dreams after all. Christine vows to stay away from Brent to honor Britney’s feelings, but is what Britney believes the truth?

That self-sacrificing gesture, an attempt to build tension, is one of the reasons I can’t give Something Old, Something New a higher grade. Britney is – allegedly - happily married and has kids, yet she’s clearly still hung up on Brent to a rather creepy degree. I know that being around the ex you (assume) cheated on you might be painful, but she doesn’t actually know if he cheated or not. And again – the girl’s married! Happily! She might be trying to protect her sister from an apparent player, but she hasn’t confirmed he is one! Brent and Christine do a lot of bowing and scraping in their lives; their martyrdom ultimately ends when they realize they must fight for their careers and dreams. But letting a relative dictate your love is, as always, a bad idea.

There’s a lot of family drama going on here, between Brent’s conflict with his dad and Christine’s conflict with Britney. Everything ends with apologies, but sometimes it feels like these side-plots get more shine than the central romance.
As for the book’s faith elements, they are very light, but the romance fulfills all of the ‘clean and wholesome’ parameters. That might be enough for some inspy lovers, but I think they deserve more and better.

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Going into this story I did not realise that the male hero, Brent dated the heroine Christine's twin sister for years in high school. I really hate stories where siblings fall for the others previous boyfriend and in this case its worse because they are twins and he dated her for YEARS.

Despite that I felt this book was a lighthearted fast paced story. I found Christine's twin. Britney was awful. She is married with twins to a great guy and she still is warning off Christine throughout the story and claiming he cheated on her sophomore year of college.

Despite that I loved Pam and I really liked Christine. I am not sure what I thought about Brent as he is pretty much out of work, homeless, single because his ex cheated on him. Beyond his good looks I really wasn't sure why Christine liked him.

This contemporary romance follows Christine Sawyer, who is busy running her Treasure Hunting Antique Mall. She is a doting aunt and also a twin who is happy with her life, but a bit lonely. Christine's fraternal twin sister Britney has always been luckier in love and more popular. Brent Nicholson, a former high school classmate of Christine and Britney, has returned to town to help his Aunt Midge clean out her house to ready it to sell. Brent is coming to terms with his own failures in life with a business gone wrong and a football career ending injury after leading his team to a state championship. Brent and Christine start spending time together as he finds antiques in his aunt's home, leading to an unexpected partnership with Christine. This is a heartwarming read with likable main characters. I enjoyed this book and would enjoy reading more from Amy Clipston.

After reading a tough nonfiction book, I needed something a little lighter to read. Something Old, Something New fit the bill perfectly. It was an easy read and I finished it it one day. I would probably describe it as a Hallmark Movie book--super sweet and every conflict was resolved by the end.
If someone asked me if it was a must-read, I'd say no. However, it was exactly what I expected (and needed) to read yesterday.

Thanks to Net Galley for a copy of this book.

When Christine realizes that her high school crush is back in town, she has no idea what to do. Especially since said crush is also her very vocal twin's ex-boyfriend.

Brent is down on his luck and ashamed to be back home. When he'd left Flowering Grove for college, he'd been the town's pride and joy, and his football scholarship had meant he was going places. But then a subsequent injury ended his sports career and cost him his scholarship. Years later, he's still licking his wounds, especially since his business partner has just screwed him over, and he's now reduced to couch surfing and working for someone else.

It's clear that Brent has nothing to offer and he has no intention of staying in Flowering Grove. So, why can't he seem to get enough of Christine? And why can't he just leave her alone?

With her growing attraction to Brent and her sister's adamance that she keep away from him, Christine is pulled in two different directions. But the heart wants what it wants, and right now, it wants Brent. The question is, can he get out of his own way enough to acknowledge his heart wants her too?

I really enjoyed this story. The struggles were real. The emotions that came with them seemed genuine. And the story made for a great HEA romance.

Thank you to Amy Clipston, Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for an advance review copy.

Christine Sawyer is surprised to see Brent Nicholson as she helps a customer move a purchase into her truck. Brent is an old boyfriend of her fraternal twin Britney, and according to Britney, he wasn’t faithful to her. Later he tells Christine that it was a lie, he was faithful, and it was Britney who ghosted him.

Brent has moved back to Flowering Grove to help his aunt Midge renovate her house so that she can put it on the market, and she can move into a condo with her other widow friends. He loves his aunt and his uncle when he was alive. Brent had to give up his football scholarship when he got injured and it was obvious he would not be playing it again professionally.

Christine and Brent start spending time together and they enjoy each other's company, and their friendship leads to something more. The only problem is that Brent and Christine both have hang-ups and they don’t think that they are worthy of each other. Christine sees herself as the nerdy twin who could never win the affection of the Quarterback (Brent) and he doesn’t see how his life could be successful in her eyes. In his opinion, his life is in shambles, and he doesn't know how to make a success of it.


Something Old, Something New was a great read for me, and I read it in two days! It was a reminder that just because someone may be beautiful, or gorgeous in our perspective that doesn’t mean that they don’t have struggles either.

My gratitude to Thomas Nelson and Netgalley. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."