i was SO HAPPY to be able to read this (early)!

i read a goodreads review when i was a couple chapters in; the person has dnf’d, saying it was too “messy.” i will agree, it is messy, but worth it in the long run. second chance really needs to be done well for me to enjoy it. the first half (third especially) was kind of slow going for me. i even considered quitting at one point.

BUT, i LOVED… and i mean LOVED devon’s debut — the first book in this series. her writing is so warm, funny, and readable. so, i stuck it out, and the part four really sold me.

i especially CAN’T WAIT for book three, which i’m HOPING is frankie x mal, based on some of the setup here. fingers crossed!

#netgalley

I loved this book!! It was fabulous and well done. The characters were on point and I thought the plot was well developed. I would recommend this book to others.

I hate giving bad reviews, especially when it’s an ARC. When I read the description of this book I thought it would be so cute and so amazing. I was wrong. This book was not my cup of tea. Almost every other sentence I got second hand embarrassment. The wording was terrible. Usually I don’t judge character names but come on, Temperance. Really, when I opened it I thought that character was a guy. Overall I hope that this book is liked by people but I just wasn’t for me.

Oh this hit right in the feels!I devoured this in one sitting!absolutely beautifully written second chance romance! will definitely recommend and can't wait
to read more by this author! 10 stars!

*thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an early arc in exchange for an honest review*

I didn't realize that this book was part of a series. I wish I had read the first book before this one because you're kind of just thrown into all the characters and I was often confused by who was who. I also didn't love the overly descriptive writing and would have preferred more dialogue instead. I didn't feel a ton of chemistry between Duncan and Temperance, and they just fell a little flat for me. This one wasn't my favorite, but I would be willing to try another book by Devon.

Wow! What an experience! I was lucky enough to receive an ARC from Netgalley and boy am I extremely grateful 🫶🏻🫶🏻😍😍!

Like the first book- which I loved completely 💗💗- this takes place at the Brady family’s vineyard and involves Duncan and Temperance. Their story is a second chance trope- one of my favourites- and it didn’t disappoint. The author has an amazing way with words and I was once again captivated by these flawed, vulnerable characters that you can’t help but root for!! 🫶🏻

Duncan, like his brother Harry, is such an amazing guy -book boyfriend worthy! He hides so much of himself yet at the same time isn’t afraid to go after what he wants. Temperance is a person who knows her own dreams but keeps boundaries around her heart. Both have hurt each other but they have the ability to heal each other as well. 💗💗
Would highly recommend this book and if you haven’t read the first one, what are you waiting for? 😊. Well done ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I loved it!!

The tempo was slow, but the story happened over a short period of time. I wish there were a few more flashbacks so I could get deeper into the history of Duncan and Temporance. I like the story of these two characters, but I just wanted a little more about them and their history.

The premise is interesting and the writing is fine but I quickly discovered that this book just isn't for me.

This is a second chance romance. A slow burn. They were on and off as young adults. Buy life and other people get in the way. He has do get himself right before he can get the girl of his dreams. It was such a cute story.

I’m not a big fan of second chance romances but I heard such great things about this author so I wanted to give it a try. This book has the best of the best angst. And while I love me a slow burn and some angst I felt it got repetitive with Tj’s constant rejections. But I will say, I was so happy when they got back together.

Also thank you for the way the past was woven in. That was major brownies points for me on the second chance front. I hate dual timelines most of the time and the way the story worked even while not having them was done so well in my option.

I’m on record more than once saying that second chance is not my favorite trope and it has to be done *really* well for me to love it. Great news—Jen Devon has a beautiful way of telling stories and wove this second chance for Temperance and Duncan as such a moving and satisfying way.

Temperance Madigan and Duncan Brady were secretly together when they were 18, burned out brightly, and have found their way to each other on and off over the years since. It’s messy, it’s complicated, and it’s hard on them both with the lingering feelings still simmering below the surface. When it’s time for Harry and Rowan’s wedding, planning and scheming land the two of them in too many situations for their avoidance strategies to hold up any longer. They’ll both be forced to face all they’ve been suppressing and decide if they can move forward or have to move on.

The yearning and chemistry between Temperance and Duncan is palpable from the very beginning. Really, it was evident in Bend Toward the Sun, but now it’s in full focus with the two of them front and center. They seem determined to misunderstand each other or push the other away, but it’s evident in each interaction that the respect and longing is deeply ingrained. It hurt my heart every time they held back from communicating the way they needed to and drove the wedge further apart. Their journey to finding their way back to each was beautiful and tender though. It felt very rewarding when they finally got there. Even as I found myself thinking that I didn’t fully understand what drove them apart to begin with, there is a quote from Temperance that brings it around to have me thinking, “Yeah, that’s fair and accurate.” I appreciated the book not being full of flashbacks to establish their backstory. There are some details of their division that could have been provided that way and been a little helpful, but I think ultimately the way their story is told eventually fills in the important parts.

I loved Bend Toward the Sun and I am so happy that this follow up did justice to the Brady universe. I’m already looking forward to more. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/St. Martin’s Griffin for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

A second chance romance with forced proximity that I wanted to love but couldn’t quite connect to. It centers two people who are forced to be around each other in preparation for a wedding, and other events, because of their close family and friends. The couple has been in and off for fifteen years. The twists and turns were lack luster and didn’t have the teeth I wanted it to have.

Similar to her first book, this book was very descriptive and a little boring. It picked up a bit towards the end but the middle/ body of the book, it felt like it wasn't going anywhere. We knew where it was going but it just felt stagnant.

I understand a need to relive the past in second chance romance novels, but with the in depth description of everything, it took away from the characters and story itself. I also felt the characters were flat. In Bend Towards the Sun, she painted Duncan as a funny, class clown but one who can love easily and I was excited to see where that was going with, Right Where We Left Us. However, it fell flat after a few chapters in. Same for Temperance. There wasn't much character to her.

The ending felt rushed with the drama between Temperance and her parents and Duncan & the Madigans. You build this drama and this secret pay off with parents and then at the end, the mom offers her daughters to be a part of the clinic and thats it? I get that we don't need to draw out family drama and move past it, but it just felt blah.

I think the idea of the story was great, a second chance at love but overall, it just felt anticlimactic.

First of all thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I was surprised by this book. It’s one where not much happens plot wise (it all takes place around the wedding of the couple from the first book) and despite the characters shared past has no flashbacks but I was so deeply invested. Not only in the romance but
Both characters careers and their relationships to their families. This was my first Jen Devon but won’t be my last.

I am at a loss for how to rate this book. It’s either a 4 or a 2 due to the plot. I think there are going to be 2 distinct camps on this one. There really isn’t a lot happening in the book plot wise. BUT, i didn’t put it down. It was really beautiful writing. To the point where I wonder if the great writing overshadowed that the two leads maybe shouldn’t be together? I mean, they don’t have a lot in common excite ties to the family and it felt a little toxic. I think I kept reading hoping he could move on from obsessing over her. So kept my interest. I would give this a shot and see what camp you fall in.
Definitely gave me the Carley Fortune vibes (minus the cheating tropes).

Thank you St. Martin’s Press for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Right Where We Left Us was a quick and enjoyable second chance romance. I did think it started out a little slow, but I was able to read it in one sitting and absolutely loved the dual perspectives. It had a good blend of humor, romance, and also some steamy moments. Would definitely recommend to anyone looking for an enjoyable contemporary romance!

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Jen Devon for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Right Where We Left Us is a heartwarming romance novel focusing on the Duncan and Temperance. The writing is gorgeous and the plot relatively well-paced, but unfortunately, this book falls flat. Duncan, part of the larger Brady family, and Temperance fell in love as teens but have broke up after Duncan made a choice that meant he had to leave her. This plot point, which could be resolved with one single conversation, is supposed to provide all of the tension for the book. It does not work at all. There is so much plot (meddling parents! siblings with their own issues! blood disorders!) that does not actually serve the conflict. It just muddles the story and meant there were many points in the book that I had to remind myself what the overall issue was. Seeing more of Duncan and Temperance when they first fell in love as teens would have helped, instead we just are supposed to feel their undying love and connection. I think if this had been streamlined (less plot/side characters/issues) and more of the relationship itself developed the book would be a lot stronger. I had not read the first book in this series so all of the characters were new. If I were to do it over I'd make sure to read that first to get the background.
Overall a nice idea for a story, but not well executed.
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book.

Heartfelt, sensational, and so very many more adjectives! I loved Temperance and Duncan and eagerly awaited their story from book one, Bend Toward the Sun. Devon is back with rich settings, a lovable and realistic cast of characters, and a horniness that will make you blush with this one. 100 gold stars!!

I selected this book from Read Now because I love a second chance romance. I couldn't get into it. But I do think this writer has some serious chops. There are great zingers throughout.

I received this as an ARC, and I do wish I’d read the first book of the author’s, because I found all the side characters to be very confusing and hard to keep track of. While I do think some might really enjoy this (especially if you liked the first one and all the characters), I found the plot to be a bit underdeveloped for why the two main characters couldn’t be together. It felt like a really long way to get to an end result with no clear understanding of why. I almost think since this was based so much on the characters’ past relationship, it would’ve been easier to jump back and forth in time to tell the story. I found myself confused for a lot of this book.