Dawn Mathison had an enticing summer romance with business owner Callan Marlowe. However, it felt like she was the only one that felt the connection after he left her hanging at the end. Years later, they run into each other again and it seems like he wants to talk, but Dawn isn't interested in listening.

Just A Fling was a pretty short and fast read. There was an instant connection between Dawn and Callan that just felt rushed, almost like instant love. Instant love has never been my thing because of how intensely mushy the execution is. This book was less on the mushy side, but it still gave off the instant love vibes. Callan and his past trauma played a significant part in their love story, and I like how it was represented. The ending did seem a little rushed though. Overall, it was a light and easy read.

This was a beautifully written second chance story about dealing with tragic loss and letting yourself heal. Dawn is a law student and goes to England for the summer through her student exchange program. While there, she meets Callan, and they have one amazing, hot summer fling and fall in love, but then he just leaves her. Dawn had really thought he was the one. Dawn's heart has mended now, but they meet again when she is back in New York, living her best life with her dream job. Callan is a broken man with a tragic past, and he just doesn't do relationships. He hasn't told Dawn any of his past, but he thinks Dawn is the one for him. Callan wants Dawn back and is motivated to work through his issues with his past. Their story gets more emotional as they break up and get back together a number of times. Dawn can help him heal and move on, but will he let her?
A great story with interesting characters that had me engaged from start to finish. Glad to have had the chance to read this.
I received a complimentary copy from Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

Just a Fling
Written By Katherine Grace
Publisher The Wild Rose Press
Release Date April 15, 2023

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A modern second chance novel….. hmmm. I am not normally one you will find reading a romance.genre book, but when I read the blurb for this book, I just really wanted to read it. I am so glad that I did.

Dawn Mathison and Callan Marlowe have had a summer of steamy fun with their fling relationship. Then something happens….feelings. She believes that Callan is the one she wants to be with forever. That is until he breaks things off and breaks her heart. That was last year!

Dawn now lives in New York City and has a job that every Lawyer wants and as far as Callan goes…..she has never looked back an he is just a memory. The thing is, Callan does not really want a serious relationship. Especially not after the last girlfriend he hadr. He knows that Dawn was hurt and angry by what he did but…..as luck would have it he enters her office and that spark is ther again. However, Dawn certainly does not want to see him. Callan knows he made a huge mistake but can he win her heart back and right the wrongs that have occurred between them?

Grace has taken a heartbreak and turned it into an amazing love story that proves that if you just give a little bit, you could get a whole lot in the end. I was rooting for this relationship from the start because you could certainly feel the connection the two characters had and the build up from the start is what makes this book even better.

5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley as well as the author and publisher for giving me a copy to read in exchange for my unbiased and honest review.

Second chance romances re not up very high on my usual favorite trope list. That is unless it’s done right. This one… was so right! I finished this book in record time. I never got bored, my attention was laser focused. Simple and understandable writing. It is real and relatable. So many real life issues are portrayed in this book and I feel like it just made me connect so much easier, and so much better with the characters. It’s not far fetched at all. This literally would make sense as if someone named Dawn were telling you their past romance history. I laughed, I cried, I rode out those highs and lows as though I’ve lived them. Katherine Grace had a way of showing her readers a way to relate to these characters and their traumas, experiences, and emotions. I felt so much while reading this book and I just could NOT put it down. Bravo! I absolutely recommend!

I received this book for free from NetGalley. This review is honest, unbiased, and completely my own.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to receive this book for an honest review.

What a good story.

I love second chance romances. I love to go on the journey with Callan and Dawn and followi them through their ups and downs. I am sure everyone can relate. I wonder whats next for these two.

I loved this book! I loved how they fell in love in the beginning but then he couldn't do it because of personal reasons. I loved learning about his secrets and the ending was a twist but it was amazing.

Thank you to the publisher, author and netgalley for allowing me to read this arc. All opinions are my own.

Instagram review on @teach.travel.read

This book kept me on my toes, cheering for a "happy ending." Through the twists and turns of character development, I very much enjoyed this easy read. I appreciate the mentality of the main character being strong enough to be okay without Callan, opposed to the traditional mindset that the heroine will fall apart without her male counterpart. It may have just been the platform I used(Kindle), but there were some formatting issues on the first page(Chapter 1) and spelling error of best in chapter 7.

I received an ARC of Just a Fling from NetGalley and The Wild Rose Press in exchange for an honest review. The story follows Dawn, a law student, and Callan, an entrepreneur, as they navigate their turbulent romance filled with ups and downs. Callan is a broken man with personal issues, and his reluctance to open up puts a strain on their relationship. Can Dawn help him heal, or will Callan push her away?

Initially excited to dive into a new romance, I found myself increasingly disengaged as I progressed through the book. Just a Fling had its moments, but overall, it failed to captivate my interest. The writing and storyline were not subpar, but they lacked the spark that would have made the book truly enthralling.

One of the main issues for me was the lack of connection to the characters. I failed to fully invest in their journey, which hindered my emotional involvement in the story. The only exception was the heartwarming letter at the end, which managed to strike a chord with me.

As a reader who has indulged in many romance novels, I'm starting to grow weary of the "broken male protagonist" trope. Callan's complex past and emotional struggles felt like a recurring theme that didn't bring anything fresh to the narrative. Furthermore, the fact that Dawn had to give him multiple chances raised concerns. Having experienced similar situations in real life, it was difficult for me to fully support such a dynamic.

Despite my mixed feelings, there were some commendable aspects in the book, particularly the well-crafted dialogue during the heated fight between Dawn and Callan. It felt genuine and portrayed the raw emotions of the characters effectively.

Ultimately, Just a Fling left me with conflicting thoughts. While it wasn't a bad read, it didn't stand out as a remarkable one either. If you enjoy traditional romance tropes and are willing to overlook some predictability, this book may still hold some charm for you. However, for those seeking a fresh and emotionally gripping romance, this might not be the ideal choice.

Whether you're a fan of romance novels or just seeking a poignant and beautifully crafted story, thisis a must-read that will leave you with a warm and hopeful feeling, even after the final page has been turned.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a free e-copy of the book to read.

I expected it to be a light and fun read on the basis of the name. Guess what, it's not!

- Since I'm a sucker of emotional books it was a treat to read.
- The main characters are so realistic, relatable and matured that it's not possible to hate them or their decisions.
- Loved the character of Jane (the best friend of the FMC).
- The epilogue is so heart-touching.
- Glad that the author mentioned issues like child trafficking, mental health etc.
- I found some chapters being unnecessarily landy, specially those containing the feelings of the main characters, repeating the same things that had been mentioned 2-3 chapters earlier.

Overall I loved the story and had a great time reading it.

Stellar. Amazing, Wonderful. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to read this ARC by Katherine Grace. Just A Fling was a fast-paced story of love, loss, and forgiveness. It follows Dawn Mathison's steamy and extremely complicated fling with Callan Mawlowe...and the pain that follows when she realizes that she wants more than just a fling. But will the two lovers be able to overcome distance, jobs, and past traumas? Or will they instead part ways forever?

I would rate this book 4 out of 5 stars. It was such a cute read, and I finished it so quickly because I just never wanted to put it down. There were a few times that the dialogue or the text messages felt a little choppy, but other than that I was in love with this book. If you like on-and-off, forced proximity romances with plenty of semi-censored spice, then this is the book for you. I can't wait until it's released on April 5 so I can share it with all of my friends!

Dawn and Callan hit it off in a serious way when they were younger and had just met, but then Callan left. Today, many years later, Dawn is a lawyer and Callan is a new client. They meet again in her corporate offices, and hit it off again, but the past interferes. What will happen now and why they parted in the first place is the subject of this romance.

Predictable in the end, the romance was nevertheless entertaining. It just took a long time to get to the heart of the problem and to get to the solutions for a possibly happy ending.

“Callan Marlow, you are frustrating and aggravating and have caused me a lot of heartache over these past two years.” That quote pretty well sums this book up.

Dawn and Callan meet for a summer fling, he’s got a troubled past he doesn’t tell her about and then the break up make up repeat begins.

It wasn’t a terrible book. It has its moments but the back and forth for me was a bit much, like you’re a lawyer girl, know your worth.

Side note: If you like a little spice, it had it.

I enjoyed reading this one as it's something that is light to read and fun. It has the second chance trope with strong minded characters. The multiple perspectives help to get you invested into seeing the characters together.

Thank You NetGalley and The Wild Rose Press for this e-arc in exchange of my honest review.

Just A Fling by Katherine Grace is a wonderful second chance romance story.
The romance in the book was so heartwarming.
I adored both characters who are struggling with past trauma.
This story was so emotional, riveting and gripping.
And I thought Grace did an excellent job at the storytelling and bringing these characters to life.

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

Thank You NetGalley and The Wild Rose Press for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

Just a Fling 💋

I have spent my Sunday curled up in the same spot with my favourite mug of coffee and stormed through this cheeky second (or third) chance romance.

Blurb 💋

Law student Dawn Mathison's steamy summer romance with solar developer Callan Marlowe is just a fling...until it isn't. Swept off her feet-and into lots of different positions-by the sexy Brit, Dawn believes Callan is The One...right until he dumps her. But that was last summer. Now, she is living her dream and couldn't care less about Callan. Not one bit. Truly. Callan left Dawn broken-hearted, confused, and pissed-off. But, dammit, he doesn't do serious relationships. Not after his past. It doesn't matter anyway because he'll never see Dawn again. Which is for the best. Really. When a twist of fate brings Callan back into Dawn's life-and into her office-their sizzling attraction reignites. Maybe this time around, they won't get too serious. But fate has a sense of humor. Because Callan thinks Dawn is The One who can help him. And maybe turn their hot affair into something more?

💋
This book was very enaging and I loved the main characters and their friends! I liked how they were always routing for them and the gave very good advice. Where can I get my own Jane?

The writing was engaging and the chapters were perfect length to keep the reader engaged whilst giving them enough information to be up to date with the characters movements.

I was shocked by the MMC’s secret that is revealed half way through and I loved how the writer handled that very sensitively.

Overall, I would recommend this book if you like second chance romances with a little bit of 🌶️ and a very engaging plot.

Thank you to NetGalley and Wild Rose Press for the opportunity to read and review this book 💋

Dawn is in England for a law student exchange program where she has a meet cute. Calan is a tall, hunky Brit that has her swooning from the first moment. But he can’t commit, his past has secrets that have his mind screaming that what they have is “just a fling” but they can’t get each other out of their minds even when they part ways.

This turned out to be a cute second hand romance I highly enjoyed. I loved the way the relationship between Dawn and Calan worked and how well written their chemistry was written. One of my favorite parts would also have to be the relationship the characters have with their families and friends as I feel it added an extra layer of interest in the story.

Calan and Dawns scenes were really fun to read and there were dark topics discussed but I feel like they were dealt with really well. All In all I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a fun fast paced read.

Dawn and Callan’s was such an emotional journey. When they were together, they just clicked with perfect chemistry and had sweet moments together, but Callan’s heartwrenching background and struggles held their relationship back from evolving. Both Dawn and Callan needed to learn some lessons. Dawn needed to figure out who she wanted to be and needed to stop being such an overachiever, while Callan had to learn to cope with his past, needed to forgive himself, to take care of himself and heal. It’s a beautiful story about second chances and I willingly recommend it to those who don’t shy away from a bit of heavier emotional themes.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me a copy of the book.

Overall, this wasn't entirely memorable. Dawn and Callan have good chemistry, and I don't mind a second chance romance. I appreciated that he has a legitimately interesting job, and that she is a lawyer who hates hers. The working person dynamic for both characters is nice. Sometimes I feel drowned in the hallmark professions of rom com characters. We all can probably do with a little less small town doctors and Christmas tree farmers. With that being said, I was still not in love with the story. Parts of the plot seemed a little cliche (which, it's a rom com, so I know that is kind of a given, but if I'm mentioning it, it is a bit much). However, I did laugh out loud at times and I admire that Callan has a good friend (friends mean a lot in books to me; I don't love a lonely MC). I would also like to give a shout out to her boss' boss for being incredibly sassy. If you don't love a spunky old person, you are wrong.

Thank you NetGalley and Wild Rose publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Dawn is a law student, Callan is an entrepreneur, they meet fall in love break up, meet again, break up etc Callan is a broken man with personal issues who won't talk. Can Dawn help him heal? Will Callan let her?
I think I might have to stop reading books where the main focus is romance because its just not getting me excited anymore. You know its not great when you are more excited to finish the book than you are about reading it.
That's not to say the story or the writing was rubbish because it was not but it was a little boring at time, I never felt connected to the characters (except the letter at the end, I admit that got me). I'm fast starting to dislike the trope of the broken mmc with a past to difficult to face. Also if you have to give the man 3 chances you know it isn't right and I speak from personal experience. I do have to point out I loved the dialogue from the fight between Dawn and Callan when he confronts her about revealing personal details to her boss. That was quite realistic and one of the best I've seen in books indo admit.
All in all not bad but not great. I'm honestly mixed up on this one.