In this amazing story we are introduced to Juliet Wilmot, who is a former romantic, she has sworn off love after heartbreak but agrees to "practice" romance with Will Orsino, a shy man needing to prepare for an inevitable marriage for his family's business. Though neither of them are looking for love, their practice sessions spark undeniable attraction, suggesting a happily-ever-after might be in their future.

I loved this book from the very beginning, I loved everything about it. The moments when the characters slowly started to realize that what they felt for each other was indeed real, ugh perfection. This book depicts loving friends and family, finding oneself after heartbreak and battling with our own body’s failures, while also appreciating the very same vessel that gives us life. Aside from this, Will is such a warm giant cuddly teddy bear to Juliet’s warm smiles. This story had me crying because of how sweet it was, like it honestly made me feel so many damn butterflies, I must be out of my mind because these are FICTIONAL characters we’re talking about and yet they felt so real to me.

ONCE SMITTEN, TWICE SHY is the third and final installment in Chloe Liese's WILMOT SISTERS series and follows Juliet and Will as they "practice" romance with each other to help their respective life goals, while—obviously—falling for each other throughout their fake dates and practice flirting. I absolutely loved reuniting with the Wilmot sisters and all their friends and loved ones and this was such a wonderful way to wrap up the story,

The Wilmot Sisters series is one of my favorite contemporary romance series and I couldn't wait to read its conclusion! Chloe Liese once again delivered a tender, swoony love story with so much heart and the best spice. I loved seeing Juliet and Will fall in love and I especially loved getting to see Bea, Jamie, Kate and Christopher again.

thank you to Netgalley & Berkley for my e-arc copy.

Once Smitten, Twice Shy by Chloe Liese
🩷genre: contemporary romance
🎧format: audiobook
🔥spice: open door
📚series: book three in the Wilmot Sisters
🎙️narrators: Charlotte North & Tim Paige
📱On KU? No
🗓️Available now

📌Book includes: fake dating, mutual pining, slow burn, chronic illness & neurodivergent representation

Juliet is still picking up the pieces of her broken heart, unsure if she will ever be ready to get back out there. Will is convinced that he will never settle down, romance just doesn’t come naturally for him. But then these two have a great idea, they could team up and practice together.

I already finished this book back in 2024, and had a really good time with these characters! I love Chloe’s writing and her representation! So excited to see what she has in store for us next!

Once Smitten, Twice Shy by Chloe Liese is a dazzling heartwarming romance, which is a reimagining of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. I love a romantic story that makes me giddy & this story did that repeatedly with the green flag swoon city of a hero & highly relatable fantastically authentic heroine.

This is book #3 in The Wilmot Sisters series, which could easily be read as a standalone. However, this whole series is spectacular, so I recommend it all!

Once Smitten, Twice Shy is great for fans of…
🩷 Sweet & Spicy Romance
🩷 Chronic Illness & Disability Rep.
🩷 Reimagining of Shakespeare
🩷 Grumpy Sunshine
🩷 Dating Lessons

Chloe Liese writes stunning prose that beautifully paints every scene as it were a movie playing in my head. This is such a beautiful story that gave me so much hope in terms of being seen, understood & deserving of this kind of love.

Chloe Liese is one of my all time favorite authors & this story is the perfect encapsulation as to why. I am so grateful for their continued showcasing of beautiful romantic stories with leads with disabilities, chronic illnesses & mental Illness.

If you are looking for humor, wonderful family vibes, heart & epic romance, I highly recommend reading Chloe Liese!

Massive thanks to NetGalley & Berkley Publishing for the gifted copy, which I voluntarily read & reviewed.

Thank you Berkley pub and netgalley for the eARC!!

I love Chloe Liese so so much. All the books I've read by her are just heartwarming and inspiring. This book was no different! I thought the story was so sweet and I loved that it gives a voice to underrepresented groups. The characters were so lovable and I really enjoyed watching them help each other be more comfortable with themselves. The only reason I didn't give this book a higher rating is because I'm not really a insta love girly and I fell like this book gives those vibes. However, it has everything else I loved such as connection, growth, and depth. I think people will love how relatable the characters and their experiences are. The story will most definitely have you smiling.

Thank you PRH audio for the free audiobook & Berkley for the free paperback & eARC. Chloe Liese has quickly become an auto-buy author for me, so this was a highly anticipated release.

What I love most about Chloe Liese’s books is the thought and care put into each character. The truth/reminder that every person is worthy and capable of love and happily ever after shines through in each book.

As for Juliet, I was a little triggered in book 1 while reading some of the things Juliet’s emotionally abusive (now ex) boyfriend would do and say due to my own past experiences so I was a tad nervous going in to this. However, I was happy that this purely touched upon the relationship so that Juliet could heal and grow, but the ex was never brought into the story.

I know neurodivergence/autism presents differently in everyone, but I loved seeing the MMC regularly use earplugs when out in noisy places. My Loop earplugs are one of the biggest lifesavers and keep me from getting too overwhelmed/overstimulated, so it was great seeing a character who utilizes earplugs regularly as well.

Highlights:
- Romance: MF
- Neurodivergent visibility
- Chronic illness visibility
- Mutual pining
- Practice dates
- “Let’s just get it out of our system”
- Twelfth Night reimagining

I love this story and the inclusivity that the author brings. However I didn't really buy why they were only fake dating at the begining. So that made the story seema bit too drawn out for me.

4 stars
2 spice

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

WILL DO YOU NEED A WIFE?! Gosh I am in love with this man and he may just be my new top tier book boyfriend. Chloe, you knocked this out of the park. I fell in love with Will and Juliet. I loved the representation. I loved how emotional and connected they were. This was everything to me. I may have cried tears of joy at the end.

As someone who’s neurodivergent, getting to see it in such a positive light and be celebrated was so nice. I love Chloe’s writing and this was no different. I absolutely loved this. Go read it.

Chloe Liese never misses. This book was fabulous. I loved the neurodivergence and chronic illness representation that Liese does so well. The fake dating/relationship of convenience was executed perfectly. I also loved the Shakespeare references throughout this entire series. Juliet and Will were such a perfect match. There were so many beautiful moments about love and relationships, which made this story so easy to enjoy. It was great seeing the other two sisters so happy, and I loved the heartfelt times between all three of them. I loved the spice and the tender moments and generally enjoyed this book from cover to cover. Thank you to Berkley for the ARC to read and review!

Thank you to Berkley Romance for the free book. These opinions are my own.

This is the third book in the Wilmot Sisters series. Each book is a new take on a different Shakespeare play. For Once Smitten, Twice Shy, we conclude with Twelfth Night. This book could stand alone, but it regularly references our FMC's heartbreak. And we see all that background in the first book in the series, Two Wrongs Make a Right. So as always, I end up recommending reading the whole series in order. And Chloe Liese wrote it, so really, it makes sense to read them all.

In this book, Will and Jules agree to "practice" date to help her after heartbreak and help him decide he deserves romance. Apparently, I now like the practice dating trope even more than fake dating.

This is my new favorite of the series. It brings so much fate and serendipity as Will and Jules come together. And it's just the loveliest time. I love getting to see the whole friend group from previous books and also meeting all of Will's amazing sisters and family.

When I met Chloe Liese at a conference, I got one of her bookmarks that says, "Everyone deserves a love story." And this book speaks to that belief more than any other I have read. It has both chronic pain and neurodivergent rep. And some of the conversations about deserving love brought me to tears. I highlighted so many quotes; I read them out loud to share them with family and reassure those who struggle with loving their own brain and body.

When I was deep in the trenches of my Master’s dissertation on Shakespeare, people would always ask what I loved so much about the playwright.

I would tell them how even 500 years later, the characters, their struggles, their messy feelings, their growth, are all still so relatable. We may dress them up in modern settings, but the stories are timeless. I will never tire of seeing a Shakespeare play true to the words or a modern Shakespeare retelling, and lucky for us, there is an abundance of them!

Chloe Liess is one such author who puts her own spin on these iconic tales. Her most recent, “Once Smitten, Twice Shy”, is a romcom spin on Twelfth Night. The third of the series, Juliet, once a hopeless romantic, has sworn off love. However, the fate has other plans by sending her Orsino, the quiet, strong redhead who agrees to “practice” romance with her. It was, after all, written in the stars!

Thank you @prhaudio for the gifted audiobook, and Berkley and Netgalley for the digital review copy.

It always feels like a silly task writing a review for one of Chloe’s books – how can my words possibly capture the soul-altering experience of reading the lyrical, vulnerable, and immersive stories she puts into the world? And frankly, Once Smitten, Twice Shy is Chloe’s strongest book yet, so this is particularly challenging.

I love how Will and Juliet are brought together in serendipitous circumstances, and they are such fools for thinking they can “practice” dating each other while becoming close friends. Each character has their vulnerabilities – both in relationships and in navigating everyday life – and yet they both see each other and make space for the other person. As with any good interconnected series, we get to see glimpses of the two other Wilmot sisters and their partners, and Will fits so seamlessly into their group. It was a perfect bow on top of this sisters series that took a modern spin on Shakespeare classics, with representation and frankly swoon that you come to expect when you read Chloe’s work.

I want to share one quote I highlighted: “The fear of how… exposed that makes us feel… that fear is loud. But the love, the joy it brings you, the hope it gives you, can be even louder…” Honestly, this quote – and this whole story – found me at just the right time, and I cannot recommend this story enough.

Thanks so much to @berkleyromance for the free book!

Chloe Liese has created a love letter to all the hopeless romantics, the romantics who are healing, and to anyone who questions if they’re worthy of love.

I have been a long time fan of Liese’s work and her mission to show that everyone is deserving of their own love story that rivals our favorite romance books. And in this last installment in the Wilmot Sisters series we get another perfect example of this.

One thing I will always love about Liese’s characters is the representation we get. In this case our FMC, Juliet, has mixed connective tissue disease and celiac disease. And what I loved about this is is was never used as something that limited Juliet but instead was just part of who she is. This story showed so many how Juliet learned to navigate life after these diagnoses. And I loved how strong Juliet was and how important it was for her to not be treated differently.

We also got neurodivergence in our MMC, Will, who has autism. As a fellow neurodivergent it was amazing to see how he interacted with others and learned that he was capable of falling in love like everyone else. I loved watching how he handled environments that could lead to overstimulation by using earplugs or knowing when his social battery was draining. I also enjoyed his journey of thinking he could never have that full romantic love story to feeling love for someone who accepted every piece of him. It was extremely beautiful to see the whole experience unfold as a training to be a good date turned into falling for a girl who made him want to branch out of his comfort zone every once in awhile.


And don’t get me started on how swoonworthy this whole book was. Maybe it was because they were both using it as a learning experience but every date and interaction had me giggling. I mean he read romance books for her, and dressed up as one of her favorite romantic hero types! Oh and don’t even get me started on the Drive In scene…truly my whole heart melted at this point. And a lot of this is what makes me say this whole book was a love letter to romantics.

Overall this lovely book was filled with heart and an amazing way to finish the series. I loved getting to see all our favorite characters throughout this book along with a few new faces, and it felt like a perfect ending. I would love to give more insight into the way this was a modern retelling of Twelfth Night…but it’s been quite awhile since I’ve read it so it wouldn’t be fair. But I loved all the nods to Shakespeare’s works through this entire series and the modern retellings.

This is my go-to author for a feel-good romance. Of course, Juliet’s book is no different!

(And it can totally stand alone, though you’ll want to read the two previous books featuring her sisters because they’re just so good!)

A Twelfth Night retelling, Jules and Will decide to practice romance.

It makes sense - Jules got out of a toxic relationship, and Will is certain he’ll never find love for himself.

Except the fake dating isn’t as fake as they think…

To be fair, both Jules and Will are so adorable. How could they not fall for each other?

Jules is sweet and brave, and such a great sister.

Will is so earnest and honest— I just fell in love with his character.

No spoilers, but how they meet is so romantic! As are the fun Highlander references — Will is an enormous redhead whose family is in the whiskey business.

There’s nothing I don’t love about this story! The autism, celiac, and representation of abilities was so lovingly written, the romance felt so honest, and all the characters were just so kind.

Plus there were so many funny moments that made me laugh but also cover my eyes — this author doesn’t shy away from an embarrassing moment!

I highly recommend this to lift the winter blues. Read for an excellent romance with two of the most lovable characters I’ve ever come across.

This entire cast, really, are folks I would love to call friends.

This riff on Twelfth Night is a steamy tale of two romantics dipping their toes back into love through dating lessons. Their chemistry ignites the two gentle souls in a slow burn, tender story that has a gentle giant hero and sunshine heroine. Liese depicts autism, celiac disease, and loose joint disorder with one character using a mobility aid. A charming conclusion in her series retelling Shakespeare classics.

For a book that is so light on plot, Once Smitten, Twice Shy , which is built around a dating lessons trope, is a seriously enjoyable warm hug of a romance.

Although I liked both main characters, my enjoyment here is almost 100% due to Will, the socially awkward hero who doesn't believe love and romance are in his future but who still wants to find a life partner. He is extraordinary, imperfect and loveable, and I never wanted to stop reading him.

I also loved that this novel was low-angst, with no contrived third-act break-up, and that it still felt genuine and satisfyingly complex.

I loved this book so much!

Thank you so much to Berkley for the eARC of this one via NetGalley! These are my honest thoughts.

This was truly an amazing ending to the Wilmot Sisters series. I've been WAITING for Juliet to get her redemption story since the end of the first book, and WILL ORSINO WAS WORTH THE WAIT. In the most complimentary way, Will and his family felt like an extension of the Bergman family, and only fans of Chloe's will know what I mean when I say that. It felt like a warm hug when you need it the most.

Will Orsino is the epitome of what book boyfriend dreams are made of, and Juliet will remind every reader what it means to love someone the way THEY need to be loved!

From the dedication until the very last page, I was in love with this story (call me a hopeless romantic).

Juliet and Will have a meet-cute in a bar in Scotland, where Juliet is escaping from her horrible break-up. Instead of wallowing, she braves the little Scottish bar and gets asked to dance by a giant red-headed, flannel-wearing man after a little bit of whiskey. They don't go beyond dancing that night, but when she happens to run into him in the most obscure place back home several months later, it seems like these two were meant to cross paths one day. Enter: a fake dating scheme to "practice" getting back out there (for Juliet) and to have some positive dating experiences in order to attract "the one" (for Will). They need each other to get out of their dating ruts, and a beautiful friendship blossoms.

These two are so tender with one another, existing as they are and perfect for one another in that rawness, something neither has experienced. The pretenses of fake dating allow each character to explore what it would be like to fall in love with someone who loves them for exactly who they are, and it's BEAUTIFUL.

Will is such a soft boy. Being raised by a romantic mama and surrounded by four sisters, he just reads Juliet so well for someone with autism who has trouble reading people at all. And it turns out, when he's with someone he cares about, he doesn't need a romance coach... it just comes naturally.

READ THIS IF YOU LOVE:
- Disability rep + accepting partners
- The sweetest cinnamon roll MMC
- Ensemble cast of characters we've grown to love in this series
- LGBTQAI+ reps
- Fake dating/"practice"
- Game nights, nights out with friends, when characters show up for each other
- Romance after heartbreak
- Soulmates
- Cute dogs
- Romantic dates
- When characters truly see each other
- Swoon + spice

After sitting with this one, I upgraded from 4.5 to 5 stars. This one stuck with me for many days after finishing, and my heart is still so full from the love these characters share. I'll miss this universe a whole lot.

This was my first Chloe Liese book but it will absolutely NOT be my last. I’ve heard the ravings about the Bergman Brothers series before and her writing definitely stands up.
As a person with chronic illnesses I loved the representation here, as well as that for neurodivergence. Juliet and Will were adorable, this was humorous and with, and the serendipity… ahhhh!

As a chronic illness girlie myself, I truly appreciated reading this story with its chronic illness representation. "Once Smitten, Twice Shy" is book 3 in the Wilmot sisters series by Chloe Liese and I believe it is my favorite.

I felt connected with the FMC, Juliet, not just for her chronic illness struggles but with her hesitant attitude towards dating initially. I had my own worries regarding that as it pertains to my diagnosis as well. Juliet made me feel like I was seen. I can also tell that Will is sure to be many people's next book boyfriend.

Chloe Liese will definitely be an auto-buy author for me moving forward. I can't wait to read her backlist as well.

Thank you to Berkley for selecting me as part of the Influencer Hub for Underrepresented Voices and to NetGalley for facilitating the copy of the e-arc. I loved it.