3.5/5

This was my first introduction to Amy Clipston and I will definitely read more of her work.

It was a good, clean, feel-good, second chance romance.

My only disappointment was it took 95-98% of the book to get to a resolution and reuniting. Which meant you didn’t see much of the MC’s flirting and relationship development. There was a jump as the epilogue to catch you up to give a little more HEA. But in my opinion, it would have been stronger to see more of the relationship developing.

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

I received a complimentary copy of the book from Thomas Nelson via NetGalley. All of my opinions are expressed in this review.

Dakota ended her engagement to her high school boyfriend when Hudson's future plans differed from her own As Hudson and Dakota create a friendship, more information emerges, raising questions about why they broke up in the first place. As they worked through grieving, communicating and standing up for your own needs in relationships, and achieving financial security and stability, I liked witnessing their growth in maturity and self-awareness.

Similar to a Hallmark movie, this was a light and carefree read. I enjoyed reading this book, but would have liked a little more.

I loved this story! Second chance is one of my favorites! The characters were relatable, and I enjoyed seeing their journeys. Amy Clipston has become one of my favorites! Highly highly recommend!

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

This was a really good book. I enjoyed the plot and the different characters that added to the story. I like the way the reconciliation was explained at the end of the story. It had a good closure and solved all the issues. I look forward to reading more from this author.

With This Ring by Amy Clipston is a must read if you love romance. It was so sweet all the way to the end with just the right dose of everything you love in a romance genre. Amy Clipston is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors.

I had such a hard time with this particular book. The characters fell flat, the plot and pacing were too slow, and the problems felt contrived.

Redemption arcs are great, but we need to at least understand the character if we have any hope of empathizing with them.

I would be willing to try another book from this author, but this one was a DNF unfortunately.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher and all opinions expressed are mine.

This book is perfect for fans of weddings /bridal shops and a second chance romance. The book
follows Dakota a bridal shop owner whose life revolves around helping brides find their perfect dress while she is stuck on the one that got away. But then her life gets a shake up when Hudson shows up it feels like her heart is going through it . It's a beautiful story about two people finding each other again.

With This Ring by Amy Clipston is a heartwarming second-chance romance that explores love, loss, and healing. Dakota, the owner of a bridal shop, has moved on from her broken engagement to Hudson, her high school sweetheart. However, when Hudson returns to town to stop his sister’s wedding, old feelings resurface. As they reconnect, they must confront the past and reassess their relationship. Clipston weaves a compelling narrative about forgiveness, personal growth, and the possibility of rekindling love, making this an enjoyable read for fans of heartfelt romances.

**Thank you to Thomas Nelson publishing for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts!**

I enjoyed this book! It was really cute and clean with themes of forgiveness. However, the characters just annoyed me too much for me to give 5 stars. They were incredibly stubborn and just could not communicate with each other. It drove me bonkers, especially towards the end. I still had a really good time reading, though, which is why I gave it 4 stars. The plot is good, and the writing style is good as well. It flowed well, and I was engaged the whole way through. I just couldn't stand the characters sometimes!

WITH THIS RING is a heart tugging story filled with grief, loneliness, heartbreak, and love that will hold you hostage until the very last page. Once I started this heartwarming story, it was very hard to put down! I really prayed that Dakota would be able to convince Hudson that he wasn’t the only one at fault when they broke up and deserved to be loved and happy once again. Amy Clipston isn’t afraid to write about subjects that tug at the readers hearts. Oh, as a warning to the reader, keep the tissues handy and do not read the ending in a public place unless you don’t mind crying in front of strangers! I’m so excited to continue catching up on all of Amy Clipston’s previous books.

When I hear that Amy Clipston has a new book coming out, I run to it. WITH THIS RING is exactly why! Dakota feels like she is drowning. She has opened up a bridal shop which is her dream come true. But recently her shop was flooded and all of this year’s wedding gowns were damaged. She now has money troubles and its really stressing her out. Hudson has just returned to Flowering Grover, NC and is in the middle of selling his company. He is home to try and convince his little sister, Layla, that she is too young to get married. Layla is having none of it!

Amy Clipston has created a wonderful story filled with beautiful families and characters. She is so amazing at what she writes, no matter if it’s Amish or contemporary fiction. Her descriptions of each setting had me feeling as if I were right there in the roller rink giggling with the Dakota and her friends. WITH THIS RING was a quick read for me because I had a hard time putting it down once I started. I found myself cheering for Dakota and hoping she could get Hudson’s walls to come down. I love the way she never gave up on him no matter how hard he pushed her away.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Not a huge fan of second chance romances but I have to say I did enjoy the faith aspect of this one more than the romance.

With This Ring by Amy Clipston is a heartwarming, second-chance romance that will captivate readers with its sweet and emotional storyline. Dakota Jamison, the owner of Fairytale Bridal Shop in the picturesque town of Flowering Grove, has moved on from her broken engagement with her high school sweetheart, Hudson Garrity. Dakota has built a life around helping brides find their perfect dress, but when Hudson unexpectedly returns to town to stop his sister’s wedding, she’s forced to confront both her past and her feelings for him.

Hudson, a successful businessman who has it all, comes back to Flowering Grove to protect his sister, Layla, from what he believes is a mistake. But being back in his hometown leads him to reconnect with Dakota—the one who got away. As the two navigate their unresolved feelings and the messy family dynamics, they must confront their past, their misunderstandings, and whether they’re ready for a second chance at love.

Clipston beautifully combines rekindled romance with the themes of forgiveness, growth, and healing. The small-town setting adds a cozy, charming atmosphere, making this a perfect read for fans of feel-good romances. With its sweet, clean romance and well-developed characters, With This Ring is an emotionally fulfilling story that will leave readers with all the feels. A fantastic pick for book clubs or readers looking for a heartwarming escape into love and second chances.

With This Ring is the second book in Amy Clipston’s Funny Feelings series but it is a standalone story. Dakota Jamison, owner of Fairytale Bridal, is a very talented seamstress and designer who has achieved her dream of having her own bridal store in her small home town of Flowering Grove. But the dream could easily become a nightmare with the burst pipes her landlord insists is her responsibility as per the lease and the damaged goods her insurance company states weren’t covered. Then there is the increase in her mortgage payments.

Dakota is excited about the wedding gown she is creating for Layla Garrity, little sister of Dakota’s ex fiancé Hudson Garrity. When it became clear that Hudson’s big city entrepreneur goals and her small town business owner goals were diametrically opposed, Dakota broke off the engagement and Hudson headed to NYC. Now Hudson is home on the heels of having sold his company for a fortune, but with the express purpose of stopping his sister’s wedding.

With an interesting cast of characters and a well plotted story line, this is another very good novel from Ms. Clipston. I very much enjoyed this book and I do recommend it!

EXCERPT: (Dakota) loved helping brides dress for the wedding of their dreams, which was why she opened this boutique. Witnessing the pure joy glowing on her customers' faces when they found the perfect gown felt almost magical. In fact, she eventually wanted to have a place where she could not only sell gowns but also host weddings. An all-inclusive wedding venue with a boutique and a large restored building - such as a barn or an old mill where couples could have their ceremony and reception - would be perfect. Perhaps one day she'd find a farm to purchase, but first she'd need the funds to open the place . . .
Until then, she'd continue to sell gowns and help brides plan their dream weddings and their happily ever afters. After all, she believed in fairy tales for the brides-to-be who shopped with her, although she didn't believe she would ever experience her own. She'd just have to live vicariously through her customers instead.

ABOUT 'WITH THIS RING': Dakota Jamison is living her dream running Fairytale Bridal Shop in her hometown of Flowering Grove, NC. But despite helping others find their Happily Ever Afters, getting married and settling down isn't on her radar. In fact, she decided she'd never get engaged again after Hudson Garrity broke her heart and left her to pursue a career in New York City. Besides, she doesn't have time for a relationship between running her shop and giving roller skating lessons at the local rink.

Hudson Garrity made his dream a reality when he started his own software company in the big city, but now that he's sold it, he's at a crossroads. He's finally made enough money to provide a comfortable life for his younger sister and the aunt who raised them after their parents died. Hoping that a return home will help return his focus, he's instead thrown into family chaos and roped into helping his sister plan her wedding . . . bringing him once more into contact with the one who got away.

As Hudson's sister's wedding date draws closer, he starts to remember how much he loved Flowering Grove and the smalltown life. And as he and Dakota start to wonder what could have been, they reevaluate what went wrong between them.

Will Dakota and Hudson find it in their hearts to forgive each other and forge a new life together?

MY THOUGHTS: With This Ring is my first book by Amy Clipston, but it won't be my last. She really makes you work for the HEA!

There is a lot of conflict in With This Ring, and I mean A LOT! Hudson is at the centre of it all, though maybe not all of it is his fault. He manages to alienate both his sister, her fiancé and his ex-fiancé! Nice going Hud. He had good intentions, but how he expressed them was an epic fail on his part.

Honestly, Hudson and Dakota are just as stubborn as one another and not prepared to explain themselves or their decisions. There is a lot of miscommunication and long held resentment between the two over their breakup years earlier. I'm not usually a fan of the miscommunication trope, but it works well here. I found myself getting equally angry at both Hud and Dakota as the story progressed.

If you are looking for a small town second-chance romance that includes plenty of fireworks, With This Ring is an ideal place to start. It is an entertaining read, and I challenge you NOT to get caught up in the characters' lives.

I was able to read & listen to With This Ring by Amy Clipston, narrated by Brittany Goodwin and enjoyed both formats.

⭐⭐⭐.9

#WithThisRing #NetGalley

MEET THE AUTHOR: Amy Clipston is an award-winning bestselling author and has been writing for as long as she can remember. Her fiction writing “career” began in elementary school when she and a close friend wrote and shared silly stories.
Amy works full-time for the City of Charlotte, NC, and lives in North Carolina with her husband, two sons, mother, and five spoiled rotten cats.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Thomas Nelson Fiction and Zonderfan Fiction Audio for providing both an e-ARC and audio ARC of With This Ring, written by Amy Clipston and narrated by Brittany Goodwin for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

This book was cute cozy goodness from start to finish! Second chance romances are starting to become my favorite trope and this one was just so beautifully done- my only complaint is that I needed more. Hudson and Dakota are just so good together 🫠 Literally just so good and will be reading more from this author

Rather disappointing:
This was a somewhat enjoyable second chance contemporary romance, however I found it took me a while to get into it. The tone of the book was rather down and it was only the latter part of the story where I felt connected to the characters. I found Hudson's judgemental and elitist attitude annoying so I was glad to see his personal growth at the end. Unfortunately I also had a hard time warming up to Dakota and was frustrated by her actions.
Overall I found this book to be rather bland with not very likeable characters. Given the publisher, I was also expecting some faith elements however there were none.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

ARC from Netgalley

DNF @ 39%. No rating.

Story: With This Ring brings us the story of Dakota and Hudson, a couple who broke up after Hudson decided to chase his dream of being successful to New York. I abandoned this book at 39%, which wasn't far enough to find out the specifics of the breakup, but it's clear Dakota broke up with Hudson. I don't know if the author was holding the details out as a twist, but I think it did the story a huge disservice. Dakota came off as so immature as the one who initiated the breakup. Hudson was immature, too, but it was like she wanted to punish him. But let me back up...

Hudson does become hugely successful in New York, and Dakota, having never left their hometown of Flowering Grove, is struggling to make ends meet. And this is where my issues with the book start. For one, she took a chance on a brand new business, and then bought a house against her father's advice. A fixer upper that she has zero money to fix up. And the author went hard to show us how terrible things are going for her. A disaster at her store has ruined her inventory, and her fixer upper is literally falling apart. We're talking cupboard doors falling off when she opens them. And hearing her inner thoughts just make it hard to sympathize with her knowing she knowingly made these irresponsible choices. On top of that, Hudson's sister is getting married, and Dakota was so steeped in old wounds that she was hoping Hudson wouldn't be able to make time to come home for the wedding. That doesn't make her a very good friend or very likable.

Also, this book felt very cliche. And I could go into why, but I think I've gone on enough, and I'm not looking to hate on this book; I just want to share what didn't work for me. Unfortunately, I don't recommend this one.

Narration: With This Ring was narrated by Brittany Goodwin. I thought her tone was a bit monotone at times, but she did OK switching between the male and female voices. While I didn't necessarily love the job she did, I wouldn't be turned away by her narration in the future. I'd give her another chance.

👰‍♀️ second-chance
🤍 small town romance
💒 christian / clean romance

Dakota owns her own bridal shop, of which she has dreamed for so long. But this dream has turned into a disaster really fast. When a pipe burst in her bridal shop, her building and all her dresses got damaged. She didn’t get any money back from her insurance and now she can barely pay for her building or any new dresses.

Hudson comes back to his hometown Flowering Grove after hearing the news that his little sister is getting married. He doesn’t want his sister to get married, so he tries everything to get in the way. Hudson is willing to provide for his sister and pay for her wedding, but he still hopes that the wedding won’t take place. After fighting with his sister about the marriage, Hudson makes up for it by helping out with planning the marriage.

But then when Hudson is paying for her sister's wedding dress, he comes face to face with his ex-fiancee Dakota. Now that they live in the same town again, they see more of each other than they would like. But the more they see each other, the more they start thinking of how their relationship ended and why.
Will they forgive each other and try to make it work again? Or are the people in the past better left in the past?

This is the first book I have read from Amy Clipston and I’m very impressed. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The writing style was really good. It was easy to read and there was always something happening. There was never a dull moment.
I really liked the characters and their backstories. The characters were well rounded and relatable. I liked the main characters a lot and their chemistry was really great.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a sweet second-chance romance.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Title: With This Ring
Author: Amy Clipston
Narrated by: Brittany Goodwin
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Length: Approximately 8 hours and 45 minutes
Source: Audiobook Review Copy from NetGalley, physical book copy from Thomas Nelson as a part of the Austenprose PR Book Tour. Thank you!

Do you like to wear rings? Do you have a favorite ring or one that is the most meaningful?

Dakota and Huson broke off their engagement seven years before when Hudson left their small town for New York City with dreams of making it big in business. Dakota stayed behind and pursued her dream of starting a bridal boutique. Hudson has returned to town after selling his company as his sister is engaged and planning her wedding. Will Dakota and Hudson reconnect? Will they be able to work through their problems from the past?

My thoughts on this novel:
• As February nears, I was in a mood to read a romance novel. This had one of my favorite tropes – second chance romance.

• This novel was a lot of fun. My favorite part was that there was roller-skating rink that one of Dakota’s friends had bought, restored, and runs. Dakota teaches skating lessons there on the weekend. There are fun activities, and it is the core of the social scene in town.

• The fictional setting was Flowering Grove, North Carolina. I loved the name of this town!

• There is just something I love about bridal boutiques. I enjoy reading about them and Dakota’s struggles as she tries to keep her business afloat. She needs to learn how to ask for help, but Hudson needs to learn to stop controlling everyone.

• Hudson drove me insane when he would just throw money at everything and boss everyone around. He was so rude to his sister and her fiancé.

• Hudson’s pursuit of money alienated both his family and Dakota. He reminded me of Ebenezer Scrooge at times. I like that by the end of the novel, the reader understands why he behaved the way he did.

• I liked that Hudson and Dakota both had redemptive arcs, and both had to learn how to be their best selves and the best to those they love in their lives.

• This is a clean romance.

• I listened to the audiobook. The narrator was great, and it was a fun book. There were some odd pauses in the audiobook, but that may be because it was a review copy.

Overall, With this Ring by Amy Clipston is a sweet, clean second chance romance with a redemptive arc. If this novel doesn’t make you want to roller-skate, I don’t know what will.