I expected more from the plot and the characters. The fmc was a bit whiney and the mmc is just insufferable

This one was cute! I liked how both Juliet and Will were working on overcoming their dating issues together. The two of them clicked together so well. Their relationship was so sweet and had me cheesy grinning every time they were together. This book had great representation and was a quick sweet read.

I love a good marriage of convenience, and this one was fun! There was so much in this book that made it a wonderful read. There was chemistry, emotion, and challenges. This story felt so real and raw. I was sucked into Will and Juliet's story and was rooting for them the entire book.

This is the perfect book for those who love practice dating, no third act breakup, emotion, and disability rep.

Thank you so much to Berkley Romance for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Thanks to Berkley Romance for the E-ARC of Once Smitten, Twice Shy.

I am so sad right now. Despite loving the first book in the Wilmot Sister's series, this one was another miss for me. While I loved the representation (Neurodivergent characters, and chronic illness to name a few), I found myself not caring at all for the romance of the book. Which sucks because this book IS A ROMANCE. I found myself bored and wanting to skim a lot of it. I miss Jamie and Bea. But even though it didn't work for me, it could be your favorite of the year and that is more than ok.

HOWEVER, read if you like:

- Cinnamon Roll MMC
- Neurodivergence/Anxiety/Chronic Illness Rep
- No Third-Act Breakup
- Second Chance Romance
- Fake Dating


Thanks again to Berkley and Netgallery for the ARC

The third and last book in the Wilmot Sisters trilogy is for the tender-hearted romantics whose idea of fun on a Saturday night is re-watching Pride and Prejudice (2005).

Juliet Wilmot has been burned by love in the past. After recovering from a bad break-up, she runs into Will Orsino, a whiskey distiller who, in turn, is unlucky-in-love. In an effort to re-open themselves up to the concept of romance, Juliet and Will agree to practice date for a period of time. Naturally, sparks fly as the two connect over their interests and grow more passionate in their “practice”. Chloe Liese is deeply compassionate towards her characters as she provides authentic descriptions of anxiety, chronic illness, and emotional maturity.

Once Smitten, Twice Shy is a gorgeous love story about two gentle people learning to open their hearts one more time, with each other.

after giving this a second shot, i fear this book just isn’t my cup of tea! i loved liese’s previous books, but something about the representation felt overly done in a caricature way?? almost? from the beginning, i felt there was an odd disconnect between the two mc’s where there was a lack of chemistry for me personally and that when i decided to take a break. i will not be posting a public review, but im excited for her next release nonetheless! i hope this works out for those who have followed along with this series 💖

Parting after one slow dance on the other side of the world, Juliet and Will are surprised to run onto each other again in Juliet's backyard almost a year later. They are instantly attracted to one another but both have pasts and beliefs holding them back. But they click and genuinely like each other so they hatch a plan to practice romantic dating to help them get over their fears and learn to go after what they want. It's not hard to see where this book is headed but getting there is still a delight. Juliet is kind and funny. She's patient with Will and falls fast for his sweet spirit. Will is thoughtful and hardworking. He loves his family and has found a way to cope with his sensory issues so he can participate in activities with family and friends. He's cautious around Juliet at first but as he realizes what love looks like and feels like, he's committed to making her see they belong together.
The supporting cast of characters are lovely in this novel. The many, many sisters are supportive and funny. The parents are encouraging. The friend group is supportive and quirky. Even the dog is sweet.
This is a syrupy sweet romance with kind characters, no anxiety-producing tension, and just the right amount of spice for the story. Chloe Liese has written a heartfelt love story that is easy and delightful to read.

"With Juliet, I don’t feel self-conscious- I feel seen."

I have been looking forward to Juliet’s book since I read the first book in ‘The Wilmot Sisters’ series and adored it. Will and Juliet were couple goals; their romance was so swoony and left a huge smile on my face.

Will and Juliet meet when she is traveling, and it’s a short meeting, but they hit it off. Fast forward months later, and she sees him again. He’s Christopher’s college friend. It’s serendipitous. They become fast friends and decide to help each other out. Will is shy, and Juliet has sworn off love for now. But with time, Will comes out of his shell with Juliet and she becomes a believer again.

Watching two people able to be their truest selves with one another and seeing that love unfold… never gets old. Will and Juliet’s story was so romantic. I also loved seeing more from Bea and Jamie, as well as Kate and Christopher. This series was wonderful as a whole, and Chloe Liese writes such lovely and relatable characters. I highly recommend checking all of these books out!

What I love most about Chloe Liese’s writing is she always writes for everyone to have the love story they deserve no matter who they are. I related to Juliet so much in the fact that she is so open-hearted when it comes to the loved she gives and even though she got hurt by a previous partner she took her time in caring for herself and not being afraid to get back out there with Will as they “practiced” romance. Will is such a lovable character and they fact that he thought he wasn’t capable of having someone love him for all he is and was willing to settle just for something to do his work with made me so sad BUT we got to see him grow as a character and as he fell in love with Juliet he got to receive love in a way that he thought wasn’t for him. Anyways I will always recommend Chloe’s book and this one was excellent.

This was my favorite of the Wilmont Sisters Trilogy. I don't know if it's because I read it while listening to the first two, but this one felt much less flowery and cheesy. I felt so connected to Juliet. As someone living with fibromyalgia, I related to her struggle to feel independent when your body won't cooperate with you, or the feeling of your friends and family treating you with bumpers on because of your diagnosis. Will is such a cute hero. He is autistic and has this belief that he can't have a normal relationship based on love. If I hadn't had that thought once or twice in my life I would be lying! Together they decide to crush their dating anxieties and try practicing. Only things start to feel a lot less like practice and a lot more like real love.

Read if you like a friends-to-lovers, slow burn romance featuring characters who are neurodivergent and have chronic pain. Thanks to the publisher for an ARC in return for an honest review. This book releases 1/14!

A sweet book.
Juliet and Will begin to explore what ,I’ve means and of course fall for each other.
They do have obstacles to overcome but that’s what I like about fiction; often those challenges are met instead of ignored or bristled aside as people often do in reality.
I did think the epilogue was extended a bit long as I was eager to arrive at the conclusion.
I’ve never been a fan of Bill the Bard but I do find the retellings appealing.

The Wilmot Sisters series has a very special place in my heart and finally following Juliet healed me in so many ways. After leaving a toxic relationship she vows to not date one of Christopher's friends until she meets Will, once in Scotland and again in the green house at home. The pair bond over wanting to be better dates and opt to pretend and practice with each other. Will's end goal is to find a wife and Juliet just wants to know that she's still normal and loveable. And by the end they find that the lines begin to blur between practice and what's real. I love Liese's work and how she always takes care the delicate topic of mental illness, physical ailments, and neurodivergence. This has the same wit, charm, and cozy Shakespearean adjacent vibes that I have come to know and love in this series.

Juliet Wilmont is a hopeless romantic at heart, but after a bad breakup she loses some faith in romance. Enter Will Orsino, a man who believes he doesn't know how to be romantic, despite his desire to find a way to help him with his families, whiskey business. Schmoozing clients is not his forte, and if he wants business to grow he needs your partner. The two team up to get more comfortable with romance again, going on dates, sending flirty texts, and giving pointers and encouragement. What they discover along the way is that the other is perhaps just what they needed. Despite, and maybe because of, their imperfections they start to believe in romance again, maybe this time with each other.

💭 This was a sweet and tender love story. I enjoyed both the main characters, and felt they were mature and communicated well. Will was such a sweet MC, so caring and tentative. Juliet had recently been diagnosed with a chronic illness, and I thought her attitude about it was healthy. She was not a pessimist, but did mourn the way things were; she also did not want to be treated like she was fragile. As far as fake dating goes, this scenario was not necessarily one I could see happening in real life, but I appreciated their strong friendship that developed because of their situations. This story felt emotional and thoughtful, with plenty of light romantic moments.

I AM OBSESSED WITH THIS BOOK!!! I haven't felt so seen in a contemporary romance quite as much as I have with this one. Having a Neuro divergent partner, I related very much to this story. Will and Juliet have the perfect balance, of sweet, vulnerable, and swoony! You easily root for them from page one, and I couldn't get enough. I highlighted so much in my early copy, that I can't wait to get a physical in my grubby little hands to relive it. This book was wildly perfect to me, and I am so happy to have my first favorite of 2025 go to this book. 💖

Thank you to Berkley for the free advanced copy. This review is entirely my own thoughts and feelings about Once Smitten, Twice Shy

Once Smitten, Twice Shy was so adorably fluffy and cute, I couldn't put it down. The book follows Jules, who has left a toxic relationship, been diagnosed with not 1 but 2 chronic illnesses, and is hoping to finally put herself out there romantically again. She meets Will Orsino, a friend of a friend, who is also looking for a relationship, but in a different way. Will works for/runs his family's distillery and he's hoping to find a partner who'd be willing to marry him in order to keep the distillery designated as a "family business" but to also work the more client-facing roles while he does more behind the scenes work. The two decide to dip their toes back into the romance pool together by practice-flirting and planning dates that they would take "a real partner" on. But of course, it doesn't take long for practice to turn into real feelings.

Honestly, as I already said, the book was adorable and fluffy and I just really loved Jules and Will both together and separately. The book is also "Twelfth Night"-inspired and I LOVE "Twelfth Night" so that was an added bonus for me. I was lucky to pick this up through Berkley's Influencer Program for Underrepresented Voices and honestly felt so seen by the neurodivergence portrayed in Will's character. The ordering at the restaurant scene??? I felt that in my BONES.

One teensy tiny thing that bothered me: Jules is mentioned to be bisexual. That alone is not a problem, the world needs more LGBTQ+ representation in books, and that is a great thing. However, when I say it is mentioned, I mean it is the briefest of brief mentioning you could possibly have. It's one sentence, it's a complete throwaway line, and it never comes up again for the entire book. It just didn't add anything to the story or to her character and I don't necessarily think that Chloe Liese intended it this way, but sometimes when it's so briefly mentioned it can seem like a "check the box" type thing. But even with that one complaint, I still loved the book!

-Disability representation
-Chronic illness representation
-practice dating
-neurodivergence representation
-no 3rd act breakup
-lots of blushing

You all already know by now that whatever Chloe Liese writes, I am reading. I truly don’t care what it is, I know I’ll be obsessed immediately. The minute this book hit my kindle, the squeals of delight started b because of how excited I was to be a part of the Wilmot sisters family again.

I think of all of Chloe’s books, this one has the sexiest opening scene. And not in a spicy smut sort of way. But in a “who wouldn’t want to be visiting Scotland and have a hottie approach you in a pub & ask you to dance” sort of way. It was hook, line, & sinker for me after that. And I just kept falling more and more in love with every page. Each book that Chloe writes has this undeniable way of making you feel so seen and heard through her characters. Each of them are so relatable; their hardships (mental & physical) hit so close to home that it resonates so deeply for me. And thank you Chloe for sculpting and creating these men that are emotionally mature golden retrievers and all around swoon-worthy like Will. He (and all of your MMCs) is truly the bees-knees. This whole series, like the Bergman brothers, was like one big warm hug right to my heart.

A HUGE thank you to Netgalley, Berkley Pub, & Choe Liese for this e-arc. Check out Once Smitten, Twice Shy on its pub date 1/14!

Chloe Liese has done it again with Once Smitten, Twice Shy! This heartwarming story combines friends-to-lovers and fake dating tropes in the sweetest way. Juliet and Will are both hesitant to open their hearts after past pain, but their journey of "practicing romance" together is full of humor, tenderness, and personal growth.
I loved the thoughtful representation in this book—Juliet lives with chronic illness, and Will is autistic. Their mutual understanding and support were beautifully written, showing how love thrives on acceptance and kindness. Their chemistry is undeniable, and their open communication felt refreshing and real.
The ending wrapped up not just Juliet and Will’s love story, but also brought closure to the Wilmot sisters’ series in a heartwarming way. While I wish there had been more sisterly moments, this was a satisfying and emotional conclusion. Liese’s books always leave me smiling, and this one is no exception!

Once Smitten, Twice Shy by Chloe Liese is a tale of star-crossed lovers who discover that embracing romance can lead to a perfect happy ending in this steamy reimagining of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night. The story feels like a comforting embrace: simultaneously familiar and exhilaratingly fresh.

The final book in the Wilmot series, and gosh, it was worth the wait.

Will dubs himself as socially awkward and not great with words, but in time, it's clear he just didn't find his perfect match. Juliet was sweet and patient, but if you haven't read the prior books, you may not feel a connection to her.

Together, these two were so wholesome and sweet. I loved how vulnerable and honest they were and how they simply communicated. Will was the definition of a green flag, and I absolutely loved them!

➸ Twelfth Night Retelling
➸ Grumpy x Sunshine
➸ Practice Dates
➸ Mutual Pining
➸ Neurodivergent Rep
➸ Chronic Illness Rep
➸ Bi Rep
➸ Dual POV

“I finally made you smile.”
“Finally? Juliet, all you’ve got to do is walk into a room, and I’m grinning like a fool.”

“I’m in your corner just as much as you’re in mine, okay ? On the hard days, I’ll be the arm to hold on to, the pair of hands to do what you can’t, the feet that carry you when yours won’t take another step. And on the gentle days, the feel-good days , I’ll be there, too, grateful that I get to be your friend and see you shine.”

“Like I could ever want anyone but you.”

This was cute. Good disability rep. The characters were fun

If you’re looking for a no-drama and no third act breakup this is the book for you