Cover Image: Rock and a Hard Place

Rock and a Hard Place

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Member Reviews

This was such a cute and sweet second-chance romance! 🫶🏼

Liam and Marigold are a divorced couple and loving parents to their twin boys. They were high school sweethearts, but presently their main focus and priority is to co-parent their boys—which is actually something they’re pretty good at.

Now they see themselves “trapped” and working together on a school project for a school event. Wondering how well this will go. 👀

It’s clear that Liam never stopped loving Marigold, and I honestly enjoyed so much all the little but significant moments they shared, and his way of showing how much he still cares for her and his young family.
Seeing Marigold giving in to her true feelings and them falling in love again was too sweet. 💓

It took me a couple chapters to be fully pulled into this story, but once I got there I couldn’t stop.
The Wells family is amazing and very supportive; their twins are adorable and Liam and Marigold’s journey is honestly great, emotional and cute!

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Wow! This book is such a great combination of some great romance tropes and storylines that we all love. I think Smith did a great job with these characters and creating a romance that you didn't want to put down!

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This book was really good. I was completely hooked, I found myself not wanting to put it down and reading it in one sitting. Easy romance book that makes you feel like you are a character yourself.

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With a busy life and 2 kids, Marigold can't actually believe she was volunteered to work her sons' school event and paired with her ex-husband of all people. Liam knows exactly how to push her buttons but when the volunteering is nonnegotiable, what is she to do?

Finally with this volunteering, Liam is granted a chance to settle things with Marigold and his suggestion to become friends again-- for the sake of the boys of course-- feels like the start of something good. But as time is spent, history begins to repeat itself. Or maybe it's a little bit of parent trapping. Only time will tell.

This was really cute. I love divorced parents, I love single parents. I REALLY love a second chance and this one delivered. All the characters were very warm in this smalltown they lived in and the kids were really fun aspect of it. It really was a sweet parent-trap type novel and made me want to read more in this small universe from Juliana Smith.

3.5 stars!

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A parent trap style romance? Count me in! I loved it! It was so much fun and so so sweet! I loved their chemistry and sizzle! I couldn’t get enough!

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I LOVED this book!! This is a second chance romance between a couple that divorced years before, done SO well, with parent trap vibes with their twin boys, Their boys were soo cute and the perfect addition to this story!
I absolutely loved this story - the characters, the banter, the supportive family and friends, the low angst, the working together, the swoon, he falls first.
This was my first book by this author but it will not be the last! I am already soo excited for the next book/Adam's story! And to check out her backlist!

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Juliana Smith cranks out another amazing book! All of her stories have impacted me in some kind of way, and this book is no exception! I loved every single page that I read and you should definitely think about giving this indie author some support by reading her books!

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I was in love with Juliana her writing from book 1 and this did not disappoint.

This is such a heartwarming second chance romance.

To see Liam and Marigolod refall in love was amazing.

You see there journey as people but as a couple grow.

From high school sweethearts to now. The up and downs.

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This book isn't out yet BUT THANK YOU SO SO MUCH FOR THIS ARC Juliana it was such a pleasure being able to have asses to this as you rank as one of my all time favourite authors!!Marigold and Liam just made me believe in second chance romance.One thing about Juliana is that she's gonna write a damn good book and I'm gonna eat that thing up in less than 5 hours and than cry about it because l've already read it and can't re experience it for the first time.l absolutely loved this book so so much. usually never ever read second chance romance stories however this may have just persuade me to start reading more.I loved this with everything in me.The twins stole my heart away, l loved their interactions with their parents and them trying to *secretly* get them back together however I never thought anyone could too Calla and Nathan's book however Goldie and Liam literally took first place.l loved the tension in the room and them secretly caring for each other even if they don't care to admit it publicly.I was shocked after the first chapter bc I was like HUH WHAT WDYM?!?!When they confessed towards the end of the book I full on started crying like strong tears I felt so emotional for both of them my heart pained so bad. But this book literally was so so amazing and I really hope you all enjoy it as much as I did.Thank you so much for allowing me to be an arc reader for Mari and Liams story <3

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I received an ARC via NetGalley

I have quickly become a big fan of Juliana Smith. I really enjoy her books. The stories are also so sweet.

This book was the ultimate Second Chance romance..

Marigold and Liam are so good together.

Can't wait for the next book in the series.

P.S. I loved this book cover ❤️

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this book was perfect and beautifully written. it deserves infinite stars. i don’t even know if i have the right words to describe how it made me feel. reading this story felt like taking a breath of fresh air. like coming home to a warm and cozy house. i cried, laughed and smiled more than ever. every single thing had me swooning. this book is so near and dear to me. it will forever hold a special spot in my heart. liam and marigold are PERFECT in every way possible! 💗🌼🚲🎨

*a very special thank you to netgalley for providing me with an ARC. and thank you to juliana for writing such a beautiful story*

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This book is adorable.

This is the Parent Trap with twin boys and from the parent's perspective. Marigold and Liam have been together since high school. After having the twins, their relationship becomes strained and they get a divorce.

When Marigold and Liam are voluntold into being in charge of one of the games at their kid's school carnival. Their spark starts to rekindle while the twins become more mischievous.

What this book has:
~Dual POV
~Parent Trap Vibes
~High School Sweethearts
~Rekindled Love
~Lots of love

Thank you, Juliana Smith and NetGalley for the opportunity to arc-read this book in exchange for an honest review.

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This was heartbreaking and lovely all at once. Marigold and Liam are parents to twin boys and have been divorced for 6 years. There wasn’t a big dramatic ending to their marriage, they just slipped away from each other so they both find it hard to move on. When they are forced to work together for a school project, they realise that things might not be totally over.

The dual POV so works in this as we see Liam desperately try to win Marigold back but we also totally understand her hesitation. The heartbreaking elements come in the nostalgic moments, when they remember their young love and the early happy days of their marriage - it’s sad to see how much things changed for them. And Marigold’s memories of the marriage falling apart are so sad. I also tangibly felt that fear of jumping back into their love, when they have two children they can’t let down. But seeing them work their way through that and back to each other is so heartwarming. This is ultimate second chance romance - when things seemed so done it resulted in divorce, to totally have their love reignited.

What to expect:

- second chance romance
- high school sweethearts
- parent trap vibes
- found family
- closed door

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I know that when I crack open a Juliana Smith book, I’m for a sweet romance that will just capture my heart; and this one did not disappoint. This one is a second chance romance, since Liam and Marigold were married once upon a time. Now they co-parent their twins. Liam is still clearly in love with Marigold still, but it’s Marigold’s feelings he has trouble deciphering— especially since she is the one who served him divorce papers years ago. But as their twins parent trapped them, Marigold starts caving into her feelings once again, and Liam has hope that they can reunite their family.
It was really sweet how much he still loved Marigold and the little things he would do just to get her attention. Like that was enough to satiate him since he could not have her. I think this book is also a lesson in communication. It’s so important. Really their divorce could have been prevented if they just talked and were open about what they wanted and needed. Their love for each other was not the problem. But I’m always happy to read about the journey to a happily ever after.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the read!

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this was so heartwarming & sweet. I love a second chance romance where I feel like the characters genuinely fall in love again, these two definitely did that.
“most people would never find a love like this, and yet I was lucky enough to have found it twice”

the author done this so well!

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Thank you to netgalley, the author and publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.

Firstly, what a beautiful cover! I’ve never read a book by this author and I’m
So glad I got a chance to read this. The writing was beautiful and I loved the second chance romance.

A gorgeous rom com you must pick up!

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4.5 stars

Second chance, slow burn Romance

I’ve not read many second chance romance books before and have never read one where they were married with kids. This book has made me fall in love with this trope! The tension between the characters was so good and I loved the kids parent trap inspired plan

This is the 3rd book in the series but could be read as on its own, however I loved seeing the characters from the other book pop up in this one.

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc!

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Juliana Smith has quickly become a favorite author. I loved the first 2 books in this series and this one did not disappoint! I loved everything about this second chance romance…. Great writing and pacing, humor, banter, chemistry, loveable characters, adorable twin boys, and the best family and friends! You will be rooting for Liam and Marigold right from the start! I loved every minute of it!

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Thank you Juliana Smith, NetGalley, and Victory Editing Co-Op for this e-ARC!

Rock and a Hard Place was another wholesome masterpiece by Juliana Smith! It's giving nostalgia, parent-trap vibes that every 90's baby (and everyone else) will love!

Read if you love:
-Second Chance Romance
-Forced Proximity
-Single Mom x Single Dad
-Home Renovations
-The Parent Trap
-Representation of Motherhood Struggles
-Wholesome storylines

Liam and Marigold have been divorced for 7 years. The pair find themselves tricked by their children into co-parenting in a project. As they spend more time together, and learn to navigate this new territory - beautiful things begin to unfold.

Marigold is a strong character, and I ADORE that Juliana made her so! Literally I cannot get enough of this story, and how beautifully wholesome each of the books in this series is. Each one gets better and better.

Favorite Quotes:

"Most people would never find a love like this, and yet I was lucky enough to find it twice with her."

"We weren't exactly broken, but we were in need of a repair."

"What makes you so sure you could love me again?"
"What makes you think I ever stopped?"

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While I am a fan of this author and second chance romances in general, this one fell a little short for me.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s a very cute story and I love the Parent Trap aspect of it but the pacing was so slow and I wish it hadn’t taken so long to find out why Marigold and Liam split up in the first place.

I do love the Wells family and I will definitely pick up more books from this author, this one just wasn’t my favorite.

Thank you so much to the author and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

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