This is a sequel to Josh and Gemma make a baby. It could be read as a stand alone, but I highly advise reading the first one first to get a better feel and appreciation of the characters and the writing more. I love a second chance romance, so I was very excited to pick this one up.

Josh and Gemma are engaged and have a baby on the way. On the altar, Gemma faints and is in a coma. When she wakes up, she doesn't have feelings anymore for Josh and doesn't remember anyone. Can they still have a happily ever after? Yes, the beginning dragged a little bit, but I really enjoyed it.

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for a honest review.

Josh and Gemma the Second Time Around by Sarah Ready

This is a follow up book from Josh and Gemma Make a Baby. This book added to the story of Josh and Gemma but for me I felt it unnecessary to write this book it really did not add much to what I already knew about the couple. Gemma has second thoughts about marrying Josh. Ian is again in this story playing havoc in essence to Josh and Gemma relationships. You do find out a little more about Ian's back story that gives light to why Ian does what he does to Josh.

I am of the opinion that the first book was enough and a follow up was not necessary. It did not provide all the feels I got from the first book. I think this would have been better if Mrs. Ready would have written the backstory about Ian and not make the relationship between Josh and Gemma more complicated. I just did not get the enjoyment as I did in the first place. I just felt like I did in the first place that Ian story could be left out of the story.

I did like the banter between Josh and Gemma which some of it will make you laugh a bit. This was a 3 star read for me and I do recommend this for romance lovers this does have some romantic comedy in it. If this is your cup of tea then you will enjoy this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and Swift & Lewis Publishing for a free copy of Josh and Gemma the Second Time Around for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I received a copy of Josh and Gemma the Second Time Around via NetGalley to read and review.

I read Josh and Gemma Make a Baby last year. I remember liking (but not loving) the book. I saw NetGalley had Josh and Gemma the Second Time Around and thought I’d see where their story goes. I was not expecting anything I read but in a good way. This is a bit darker than the first book but I really enjoyed it. It’s definitely still a romance but I’m not sure if I would label it a romcom. There are little chuckle moments but it’s a darker humor.

I definitely liked the second book more than the first which I did not think would happen.

This was a hard book for me to read. I loved Josh and Gemma Make a Baby SO much and I thought it ended perfectly so when I saw there was going to be a sequel, I was a bit nervous. I don't like to imagine my favorite couples enduring more pain and trauma than they already have and this book really has them going through A LOT. Like major, major trauma. I wish I would have remained in my happy Josh & Gemma bubble.

Also, I do not care one iota about Ian Fortune and felt that if the author really wanted to redeem him, he should have his own book instead of having him appear so much in this one.

I really am heartbroken that I didn't love this book but I do enjoy Sarah Ready's writing so I definitely plan to check out anything else she may write in the future.

As soon as I finished Josh and Gemma Make a Baby I downloaded Josh and Gemma the Second Time Around craving more of Josh and Gemma's story! Thank you NetGalley and Swift & Lewis Publishing for the ARC. I read this in one sitting and have really been enjoying Sarah Ready's writing style. I did find some of the events in this story a bit bizarre but that's what I love about reading fiction! I did not love this as much as the first but would still recommend this book to other rom-com lovers. Overall a really enjoyable, sweet and funny read! I look forward to reading more from this author!

3.75 Stars— I actually enjoyed this book quite a bit. The biggest issue, it was unnecessary. While I enjoy reading romance that is less fluffy and more true to life, the “drama” dragged a bit and at times felt forced.

That being said, Josh and Gemma really are a solid couple. Watching their growth story is enjoyable and their HEA left me very pleased.

This book is a sequel to Josh and Gemma make a baby, which I loved and gave five stars. Now after I have read this one, I feel like this book was very unnecessary. It didn't bring so much new to me.
👫
I didn't like that the main focus in this book was on Ian, Gemma's ex boss and the most hated man. I wish to read more about Josh and Gemma rediscovering their love to each other. That was what I loved about the first book, to read about them. But overall a cosy and a cute story that I really liked

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/ 5
LOVED, LOVED, LOVED!!!

I loved “Josh and Gemma Make a Baby”, so I knew I had to read this. Normally I don’t like reading books about “marriage troubles” and I wasn’t sure where this book would go, but I’m so glad I gave it a chance! What a heartbreakingly beautiful story!

Josh and Gemma are getting married and she is 36 weeks pregnant. Then something horrible happens. They have to learn to love again and find happiness.

This book had unexpected twists and turns and was a great sequel. I thought it was wonderfully written and I look forward to reading more from Sarah Ready!

📘: Josh and Gemma the Second Time Around by Sarah Ready
🗓 Pub Date: January 26, 2023

Thank you to NetGalley, Sarah Ready, and Swift & Lewis Publishing, LLC for this ARC!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

*Reviewed on NetGalley and Goodreads. Will review on retail once published!

I loved the first book 'Josh and Gemma Make a Baby' so I was really excited to get my hands onto the sequel. Not realising there was going to be a sequel, I thought they would live happily ever after so I did not expect the plot twist at all!

At first, I wasn't a huge fan of where the story was going as it was SO different to the first, but I ended up really enjoying following Josh and Gemma's story going through all their struggles they were now trying to overcome. I liked seeing more of their family and friends and seeing how supportive they were throughout.

Without giving too much away, the main 'thing' in the book is something that I don't know much about at all so it was very interesting to read and learn about.

This was a great sequel which flowed really well. I would definitely read more!

I loved Sarah Ready’s first book, “Josh and Gemma Have A Baby” so I was excited to see there would be a second book. I went into it expecting the same witty banter, the same feel-good vibes of the first book. This book was different. It wasn’t a bad different, just different. There was the same witty banter, but not as much as there was in the first book. This book was much heavier. After suffering an unexpected tragedy, Josh and Gemma are faced with their biggest test yet. Can they survive the aftermath of what’s happened? This second book answers questions about Ian and Josh that you didn’t even know you should have. This was a deep exploration of commitment, how nothing stays the same, and what love really means. There were some really good lessons on love in this story and if you let it, it’ll teach you a few. It was a beautiful story.

It’s hard to write a review for a book that you hated. I may hold an unpopular opinion, but I don’t read romcoms to be entertained by unnecessary trauma and drama, I read to smile and escape. Of course a little drama is normal, but throwing a huge medical emergency into an already established love story, as a plot line, seemed downright cringy and simply unnecessary. It wasn’t for me.
The audiobook helped me push through (I used both formats) since I was able to play at 3x, but if it wasn’t for the necessity of this review, it would have been DNF’d at the stupid jello ploy at humor in the beginning. Such a bummer.

Thank you NetGalley & the publisher for this ARC (both digital & audio), in exchange for my unbiased opinion.

DNF at 15% after being blindsided by a huge birth trauma/medical trauma plot twist. Major trigger warning for birth trauma, preeclampsia, eclampsia, brain injury, and medical trauma, and as a preeclampsia survivor I cannot continue with this book. And this is obviously going to be the premise for a lot of the relationship stuff going forward in this book. Obviously your mileage may vary with triggers, but, reader should at least be aware that this is a "wake up from a coma" style book.

Thanks to Swift & Lewis Publishing and Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was very invested in this.
I really enjoyed reading Gemma and Josh's love re-develop.
I actually looked up if a TBI can cause someone to lose their emotions and was surprised to learn, it can. It was fascinating.
As much as I enjoyed reading this, I also felt like I was missing a bunch of important information by not having read the first book.
Especially when it comes to Gemma and Ian.
But, this was still great. Kind of like a twist on the amnesia trope.
I received an advance copy via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This is quite possibly the most unnecessary sequel that I have ever had the misfortune of reading.

Josh and Gemma are happy. Gemma’s finally pregnant and their wedding is approaching very quickly. When things suddenly flip and Josh and Gemma are left to battle a whirlwind of emotions and they have to relearn what love really and truly is.

The book was a giant Ian Fortune redemption arc. NOBODY WANTED THAT. When I saw that in the description of this book it said that this was a “highly anticipated sequel” I was skeptical. I couldn’t think of a single thing in the first book that called for a sequel. I ADORED Josh and Gemma Make a Baby, I couldn’t get enough of it. So even though I didn’t really want or expect a sequel I knew that I was going to read it. I ultimately wish that I hadn’t. It was miserable.

The entire concept of the book (a relationship having to overcome a traumatic brain injury leaving one of them unable to feel love) was interesting. I also think it was a subject that the author was unprepared to write about. From the get go, Gemma being “unable to feel” was complete and utter BS. Before she even realized that she wasn’t able to feel she was telling us how she was feeling. She was scared, she didn’t know where she was or her baby was. When she finally saw her baby she was upset when she realized her baby didn’t know her. And then we’re supposed to believe that she doesn’t still feel love for her baby? For Josh? The entire thing didn’t make sense. If she didn’t feel any love for Josh why would she even make it her mission to fall back in love with him so that he could be happy. THAT IS LOVE… I just didn’t really understand the point of saying she was numb when she so clearly wasn’t.

Now for Ian Fortune… I still do not care. I hate him. I don’t care about his traumatic backstory or his reasoning behind him being an overall shitty person. I DO NOT CARE. Nobody wanted a redemption arc for him so I am utterly confused as to why we got one. At times the romance seemed like it was between Gemma and Ian instead of Gemma and Josh. It was so annoying every time he showed up and I felt the book dragging on and on simply because he existed.

This book was unnecessary. Maybe I would think differently if it was a standalone and wasn’t cheaply piggybacking off of the popularity of Josh and Gemma, but sadly it was. Josh and Gemma Make a Baby was extremely cute on its own. This sequel just ruined everything. I definitely wouldn’t recommend this if you are a fan of the first book.

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

this book was kind of disappointing i expected some sort of separation but then having all that miscommunication at the end was annoying especially because they had like no scenes together and barely worked on their relationship or with the baby it was a bit of a let down

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Fun book! Characters are still likeable. Not sure how I feel about it overall yet.

I haven’t read the first book so I just met Josh and Gemma. They are in love, about to get married, and almost having a baby.

What Gemma tells herself is stress and fatigue are more than simple headaches. And we have her collapsing in the middle of the wedding. The worst of it is waking up and learning that months have passed - she was in a coma and her daughter is growing up without her. That and when she notices that she can’t feel like she used to.

This book is wonderful!

We have two characters relearning to love each other as Gemma is not the same as before the coma. Every couple has to do this gradually as all of us change with time. In their case, this was much more sudden, and, even with all the change, will they be able to keep loving each other and stay together?

But that’s not all. Gemma is helping someone she hated before, Ian Fortune, to be a better person while he’s making her feel - it’s not love, don’t worry, it’s lots of anger, rage, and frustration. Will they be able to turn all those bad and mean moments into good ones? Will Ian stop being someone Gemma hates and be able to become friends?

I’m so glad I requested this book! You won’t regret reading it!

Just keep in mind two things while you read this story:
- As long as there is a sky above, Josh will love Gemma;
- And everything is better the second time around!

4.5*

Josh and Gemma made a baby, and now they are about to get married. Gemma hasn’t been feeling well for days, but chalked it up to excitement and nerves. Apparently their hippie-dippie hypo-birthing class instructor–who in a moment of getting real has the foresight to warn the assembled couples that everything is going to change–fails to mention warning signs of pre-eclampsia. Gemma passes out in the new gazebo in her parent’s backyard on the verge of saying her vows. Josh’s voice begging her not to leave him is the last thing she hears. She comes to three months later.

After her sensory-deprivation coma, Gemma is super-sensitive to sound, light, and people. Her short-term memory is shot and she can no longer multitask. Down 30 pounds, she’s lost her bangin’ curves–and her ability to feel emotion. According to her doctor, that’s not abnormal, and while some things lost may return over time, here’s another reminder that everything changes, and she should prepare for a new normal. The medical details and recovery are accurate.

Oh, and Gemma’s never even met her daughter Hope. It’s a lot to bounce back from. Josh, on location for the filming of the sitcom based on his popular webcomic Grim and Jewlie (based on their relationship), isn’t even on the same coast when she opens her eyes, and his relief is tempered by her admission she doesn’t think she loves him anymore. She doesn’t feel anything. He’s determined to make it work, and while it’s what Gemma wants too, there’s a lot of fear, and a lot of doubt from friends and family that their relationship could continue. To complicate matters, her old boss Ian, who is now the most hated man in America, shows up in her rehabilitation center, where he claims to be a volunteer, now that’s he’s out of a job. He is a self-centered jerk, and must have been so much fun to write; it’s certainly a joy disliking him, but like all of the characters, he, too, is multi-faceted.

Gemma’s description of glimpses of the light she’s lost, the stars that shine through, and her journey to find the sun again is damn poetic. I found a few issues, like repetitive descriptions and word usages, that closer editing might have caught. The drama high but realistic: I wasn’t sure they would actually make it through, and I wasn’t sure that Ian wasn’t a figment of Gemma’s imagination at first (honestly, I was hoping the whole thing was just another stress-induced nightmare.)

Ready writes with both dark humor and optimism, a healthy dose of realism and a lot of hope (and not quite enough Hope!). Gemma works through her trauma, and helps heal Josh’s and Ian’s as well. Like in the first book, quotes precede each chapter. This is an incredibly satisfying sequel that I devoured in one sitting.

I received a free advance reader’s review copy of #JoshAndGemmaTheSecondTimeAround from #NetGalley.

This book surprised me, I didn’t think that it would move in the direction the way it did. But I enjoyed it nonetheless!!

I was completely surprised to see this sequel as I hadn’t heard it was coming out and the first one is one of my absolute favorite books! I listened to the audio version and the narrator was wonderful as always. The storyline was so good! I didn’t even read the synopsis when I requested it so I went into it not knowing what to expect. The story was full of laughs, drama, emotion and everything in between. I loved it just as much as the first one!!