This book holds such valuable lessons, the biggest one of all: communication is key. We witness various instances of this throughout the book and our HEA is all the more sweeter for it.

I literally stayed up reading this until 2 in the morning because I was so absorbed in it.

Dakota is SEVERELY down on her luck. She just bought a cute house, but it's falling apart. And she doesn't have time to fix it because a pipe burst in her new bridal boutique, ruining almost all of her stock. And to top it off, both her lease and insurance didn't cover the damages.

Did I mention he ex-fiancée is in town for his sister's wedding? That was a train-wreck of no communication if I ever saw one.

Hudson is a piece of work who has his own demons to work with, but his intentions are good. The universe seems to keep pushing Hudson and Dakota together, as they keep on running into each other in their little town of Flowering Grove.

Speaking of, can I move there, please?

This really is a must-read if you love second chances and small-town romance!!

3⭐️ ARC Review: This book was so many things. On one hand it was cozy and sweet and everything you want in a romance. Small town guy leaves small town girl for big city career. Big city guy now comes back to small town and falls back in love with small town girl business owner. Right? We love that. On the other hand, it was just poorly executed and fell flat.

I liked the side characters more than the MCs. There were just too many to keep straight, so it became a lot. I liked when Hudson and Dakota conversed about their memories together. It kind of made their relationship seem deeper. Second chance romances still feel insta-love to me even when they have that history. But in those books it never talks about the past they shared. At least the ones I’ve read. But this one was obviously different. So the second chance romance trope was done well. And the writing was fine, but oh my gosh this book was just too long. It dragged and dragged.

Also, the trophy for the 2 most stubborn characters goes to this book. Hudson was a jerk and he never grew on me. He was so degrading towards Layla and Shane for the entirety of the book. And then Dakota wouldn’t listen to others when she needed to! They were just trying to help. Ugh. So frustrating. Both of the main characters.

The slow burn burned until the candle was completely out. So that kiss was completely unsatisfying. I just didn’t love this book sadly.

*Thank you to NetGalley, Thomas Nelson, and Amy Clipston for the complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This sweet second chance romance touched my heart. Dakota helps brides plan their happily ever after even though her heart was broken years ago. Now the man that broke her heart is back in town and trying to stop his sister’s wedding. Are they really over each other or is there still something between them? The small town of Flowering Grove is the perfect setting, it is a community of people that know and care about each other. I enjoyed Dakota and the relationships she has with her friends and family. I liked her determination to create the life of her dreams. Hudson is a character that I initially found annoying and frustrating as he had his own thoughts and agenda and kept himself closed off from everyone he cares about. I was invested in the characters and was rooting for them to start communicating and figure it out. I recommend this book if you enjoy second chance romances set in a small town.

This was such a great book! I really enjoyed it.

I received an ARC copy of this book and all opinions are my own.

This is my first book I’ve read from Amy Clipston, and it won’t be my last. Her writing captivated me in this second chance romance. I felt the depth of the characters emotions so profoundly as both of them worked through their own battles and eventually found a way to merge their lives and love together. The element of a bridal shop was such a fun addition, especially with Dakota’s determination and pride in the work she could accomplish.

Overall I thought this was a fantastic book. It’s completely clean, and the romance is held to just kissing. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance copy of this book. A review is not required.

As the story opened, I felt sorry for Dakota. There had been a flood in her bridal shop, her insurance didn’t seem to be coming through, and she was struggling to recoup her losses. Tragic circumstances, for sure. Her bright point is her teenage niece who helps in the shop after school and shares her teen drama with her favorite aunt. But it’s still a pretty doom-and-gloom situation. Even the small fixer-upper she’s scraped to buy is in a major state of disrepair. In her brief memory of her high-school sweetheart, Hudson, early in the story, we only see bitterness. Perhaps to be expected.

We switch to NYC, where Hudson and his partner are wrapping up the sale of their software company and considering future options. He’s lived the dream for the past decade, going from a disadvantaged orphan to a mega-rich businessman. And… there’s no evidence this hasn’t all gone to his head. When his younger sister calls, all excited about her recent engagement, Hudson decides to return to the small town where he grew up to stop Layla’s wedding. He only hopes not to run into Dakota again.

Of course, he does. She’s in the wedding business. But Hudson… I tried to like him, but I really struggled. He is so pompous, certain he knows what is best for his sister, their aunt, and everyone else. He is exceptionally rude to the girl’s fiancé. I just… couldn’t, with Hudson.

By this stage, Dakota’s niece has some ideas for helping rebuild the bridal business, but she shuts the teen down. Dakota knows best and is sure the girl’s ideas won’t work. But the situation becomes more dire.

Hudson and Dakota run into each other a few times and it becomes apparent that their memories of their long-ago breakup are different. Which version is correct? That question kept me reading when I nearly didn’t.

The writing was solid. The descriptions excellent. The small town came to life around me. I adored Dakota’s teen niece. Readers who love the “rich man swoops in to save the day” trope may love With This Ring.

I didn’t hate this book but I didn’t love it! I liked certain parts but overall found it lacking in depth for me. This is a no spice book but that doesn’t matter to me because that’s not a necessity for me in romance books but I found there to be an overall lack in the storyline where for most of it, i found there wasn’t substance. It was pretty basic.

Towards the end their was hints of vulnerability and I really enjoyed that but like I said overall this book just missed the mark for me to be anything but a light read that wasn’t very impactful to me.

I might read more by this author in the future if I ever come across her books.

Thanks NetGalley, Thomas Nelson Fiction and Amy Clipston for giving me an ARC of this book!

With This Ring by Amy Clipston was such a sweet small-town romance with tons of charm and heart. Dakota Jamison runs the Fairytale Bridal Shop in Flowering Grove. She’s independent, determined, and totally focused on helping others find their happily ever after, even though she’s sworn off the idea for herself after her breakup with Hudson Garrity when he left their small town to pursue his dream. It's taken her a long time to heal after the break-up, and now, seven years later, Hudson returns to town to stop his younger sister's wedding.

The chemistry between Dakota and Hudson was there from the start, even though they both tried hard to ignore it. Watching them work through old wounds and unresolved feelings was interesting. They’re both so stubborn, and it frustrated me at times. That being said, it definitely highlighted how much they changed and grew over the course of the story. I enjoyed each of their stories, and their romance is a slow burn filled with some lovely moments that melted my heart.

The small-town setting added so much charm and warmth to the story, and I particularly loved the bridal boutique and the roller rink. It reminded me of when I was a kid - I loved roller skating! lol The supporting characters, from Dakota’s bubbly friends to Hudson’s well-meaning family, were also great and added complexity and depth to the story. Dakota and Hudson have strong connections to this charming town and the people who live there. It has major Hallmark vibes and feels like the kind of place where everyone knows your business but in the best way.

While the miscommunications between Dakota and Hudson got frustrating at times, I appreciated how the story focused on themes of forgiveness and second chances. The romance was sweet, the setting was cozy, and I'm curious to see if any of the secondary characters will be the focus of a future book because there are a couple I definitely want to learn more about!

I was given an advanced copy to read in exchange for my honest opinion...

Oh. My. Goodness. This is the first Amy Clipston book I've read but it will NOT be my last. From page 1, I was captured firmly into the lives of Dakota and Hudson. I love how she starts off giving just enough detail in their life of how they are doing and what they've done with their life. But then you find out that they used to be engaged... and oh my goodness. I absolutely love how this author incorporated the fact that lack of communication in any relationship can be so detrimental. Even from a parent/child standpoint. I could not put this book down and actually finished it after midnight one night! I highly recommend this book to anyone!! It doesn't have anything adult content, so if you want a book without it this is it!!!!

This book is such a sweet romance that shows how misunderstandings can have huge impacts on ours lives. I quickly fell totally in love with both main characters immediately and found it tricky to "take sides". The entire I story I kept thinking "You guys are MADE for each other! Just get with it people!" I love how Clipston is able to switch between more than one type of story and excel at each one. This one did not disappoint.

Thank you to @amy_clipston @tnzfiction and @austenprose for the #gifted book.

This story captivates with a delightful blend of emotions.

Hudson returns to the charming town of Flowering Grove with the intention of stopping his sister's wedding. However, he unexpectedly encounters his ex-fiancée, Dakota, who is creating the wedding dress. As they navigate their past, old feelings begin to resurface for both of them.

The dynamic between Dakota and Hudson is both tense and intriguing, evolving beautifully as they spend time together. Dakota stands out as a strong-willed character, determined to succeed with her bridal shop without asking for help. I admired her growth when she finally set aside her pride to seek assistance. Surrounded by supportive family and friends, she shines. Meanwhile, Hudson grapples with his own challenges, particularly his grief over losing his parents. His acknowledgment of this burden adds depth to his character and enriches the story. Second chance romances are among my favorites, and this one is executed remarkably well.

The small-town atmosphere adds a delightful touch, filled with kind neighbors and friends who genuinely care for the couple.

If you crave sweet romances and joyful conclusions, this book is a must-read for you! It is available now.

The writing was written in such a smooth way, that I found myself flying through this story, even when the male lead character was frustrating with his focus on money and how that will solve everything.

Only in the last third of the story, we were able to dig deeper into what was behind Hudson’s drive to provide financially to those he loves.

I enjoyed the roller rink scenes - it brought some adventure, fun and sport spirit to the story.

The writer delivered a story where I could feel the characters' emotions and frustrations with each other and the struggles they faced each day. There were moments where I just wanted to shake the characters to make them talk to each other and finally be honest.

I enjoyed this story more than expected, which is always a good surprise after finishing the story.

*I received a complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.*

A sweet clean second chance romance story is always a favorite of mine. The bridal shop setting was perfect, nothing says love like a shop full of wedding dresses and starry-eyed brides-to-be. Throw in two stubborn people, a misunderstanding that tore them apart, meddling family and friends and you have a Hallmark worthy plot. I was tickled by the skating rink; I skated when I was young and even had lessons. It was soooo much fun and the author describes it perfectly. A con for me was taking the character flaws too far. Dakota needed help but refused, that's ok, but she leaned into it so hard it was annoying before she finally fessed up. Hudson came off as a money-grubbing know-it-all. If it wasn't for the inner dialog you might believe it. As with Dakota, I thought it took him too long to lighten up and explain himself. My gut feeling is that it could have worked out if the awareness and explanations had happened gradually through the story instead of all at once. It was an epiphany, not growth. The best things about the book are the romance, family/friends dynamics and interaction. It made me smile and when I finished the journey I felt pleased. There's a cute HEA too.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson publishing. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I absolutely love a second chance romance and this one right here was so heartfelt.

The small town of Flowering Grove, is where Dakota the FMC owns a bridal shop. Hudson the MMC and Dakotas ex-fiancé, left town years ago and thought he'd never return-until his sister announced she was marrying her boyfriend she's only known for a few months. When Dakota and Hudson are reunited, sparks fly, but they have quite a few issues to work out, and their journey is emotional. This book is a touching tale of rekindled romance, rediscovery, and the transformative power of forgiveness.

Amy Clipston did a wonderful on the characters in this closed door romance. They were so relatable and it fruit like I knew them personally. Seeing Dakota and Hudson fall back in love and rekindle all those old feelings warmed my heart. The small town of Flowering Grove, was the most quaint Hallmark-esque town that want to visit.

With This Ring is a stand-alone clean romance that features themes of forgiveness and healing. Hudson and Dakota were high school sweethearts but things went awry and they split up several years ago. Now he's back in town hoping to talk his younger sister into postponing her wedding and ends up staying at an Airbnb next door to Dakota. Little by little they start spending more time together but have to figure out how to let each other know that they still care for one another!

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review. All opinions are my own.

Publication date: 14 January 2025

With this ring by Amy Clipston

I got this book via @netgalley as ARC and heres my thoughts about it, which are all mine.

Hudson returns to small home town and his Airbnb is next to his ex-fiancee Dakotas house. Their life’s starts to intervene as only small town can happen. They start to realize that they still have feelings to each other and after some trials Hudson proposes Dakota.

Book was beautiful love story in small town. Characters developed themselves in lovely way (as seeing their own faults and work for those too.
Third person narrative is not my favorite and I think theres could be so much more if the narrative would be in first person. And maybe to different time lines would work in this book? (Even I’m not super fan of those, but still a thought.)
Over all, I’m recommending this book, if you want beautiful and happy tear-y book to read!

Thank you Thomas Nelson Fiction and Netgalley this copy.

That's some bad luck.

Yeesh, that's a lot of "nice".

His sister is twenty-three, not eighteen.

Seems like both of them are fuzzy on the timeline of the break-up.

Roller rinks were fun.

Buy a vowel, Parker.

I do not like her mom at all. But she should tell someone about her problems soon.

They both had issues with communication. One conversation fixed seven years of angst.

From the beginning, this story closely resembled a Hallmark movie. Small town girl (Dakota) engaged to high school boyfriend (Hudson). But, it was eventually realized they each had different dreams for their futures. Dakota's dream was to remain in the small town, Flowering Grove, and own her own shop. Hudson's dream was to leave for the big city and big money. As soon as Dakota realized this, she broke the engagement. Unfortunately, she failed to talk to Hudson to see if this could be worked out. He never knew why she broke off their engagement.
Dakota got her dream. Fairytale Bridal Shop. But...right now, her dream is also her nightmare. A water leak, her failure to fully read or understand her lease and insurance has gowns ruined and her facing financial ruin.
Hudson, also got his dream. He and his business partner recently sold their software company and are deciding what to do next when his little sister calls to tell him she's getting married. How can that be? She's only known the guy three months! Hudson rushes back to Flowering Grove determined to put a stop to this. Unfortunately, he still sees his sister as the kid in high school who made some really bad choices, rather than see her as the grown and mature adult she now is. He thinks he can just order her around as though she's still a child. Not gonna happen.
His sister goes to Dakota's shop hoping to find a wedding gown that looks like the one her mother married her father in. Dakota loves designing and alterations. She can do this! Well, Hudson's sister sends Hudson into Dakota's shop without telling him who owns the shop. Clever and sneaky, don't ya think?
I found this to be a super sweet story. Clean, sweet romance. A must read!
I was given an advanced ecopy by the publisher, Thomas Nelson through Netgalley. I was under no obligation to leave a positive review.

I found the story ok, I do like a second chance romance and enjoyed the forced proximity accept of it. Also the lovers to enemies to lovers again was a fun twist to the story. I didn't enjoy the miscommunication accept as it was sad to see 7 years of their lives wasted and lost just over not saying one or two sentences to each other and explaining themselves. It was ok and I did recommend it on my Instagram account. It was nice to have a kisses only romance.

This was such a great read!!

I loved the slow burn, second chance romance and the small town romance setting! The characters were so likable and relatable! The author did an amazing job of showing their character growth through their journey of forgiveness and learning to trust again, I will definitely be reading more books by Amy Clipston!

Thank you TNZ Fiction and Thomas Nelson for the physical galley and Netgalley for the eARC!