Thank you to the author and the publisher for this #gifted book!*
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Title: First Love, Second Draft
Author: Becca Kinzer
Genre: Contemporary Romcom
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Synopsis: Gracie is a struggling author just coming out of major surgery when an unexpected renter moves into the cottage in her backyard. As she struggles to make ends meet and just make it up the stairs, her renter comes to her rescue and Gracie discovers he’s the last person she wants helping her—her ex-husband. As an all-star baseball player, Noah had it all until his injury kicked him off the team. But his broken situation motivates him to move back home and win the game he shouldn’t have quit a long time ago—his marriage to Gracie. Can their hurting past find hope and healing as the two try to find their way home again?

Analysis: I think Christian romcoms are probably one of the hardest books to write, and I applaud any author who ventures into this field! There’s such a delicate line between funny and cutting humor. This book did have moments that made me laugh, but overall I felt that the humor was a little harsh and sometimes questionable for Christian fiction. I also enjoyed the faith arc, but I do wish there was a little more depth throughout the book. And I really loved the ending! Seriously the perfect romcom closure (think like the old A Cinderella Story movie meets Tangled 😍). If you’ve been wanting to try a subtle Christian romcom, this may be a good fit for you!

Star Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

*I received a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

First Love, Second Draft by Becca Kinzer

First Love, Second Draft by Becca Kinzer was a sweet Christian Contemporary Romance novel. It’s about a couple, Gracie and Noah, who got divorced 5 years previously, but neither has quite moved on. There’s a sweet side romance between Gracie’s nephew and the girl who was his best friend all through high school. It had me laughing and crying. Also, I absolutely love the clever title!

Audience
Older Teen Girls & Women

Genre
Christian Contemporary Romance, Closed-door Romance, Rom-com

Author
Becca Kinzer

Noah and Gracie never learned how to grieve the fact that they weren’t able to have children. Gracie’s dream had always been to be a mom, and she was absolutely crushed. When she saw Noah continuing on with his professional baseball career, she could only assume he wasn’t affected by it all. So the two of them gave up.
Five years later, Gracie is dealing with a hip injury and a tight writing deadline. Her nephew, Matt, arranges behind her back for her ex-husband to come and take care of her. Saying Gracie is furious would maybe even be an underestimate. How could she possibly focus on her writing deadline with that handsome (and infuriating) face around? The only face she ever kissed?
As Gracie and Noah bicker, Matt is reconnecting with Rachel, his high school best friend he’s always been in love with, but feels friend-zoned by.

A few of my favorite things…
• The friends-to-lovers story
• Characters learning to grieve
• Noah and Gracie are still learning new things about each other after many years of marriage
• The humor
• References to classic old movies

Know that…
• There’s a part where Noah helps Gracie take a bath because she can’t do it on her own. At this point, they’re divorced…so ya, that’s a bit messy…

Perfect for…
Any woman looking for a humorous and Christian contemporary romance novel filled with bickering and processing grief.
Amazon
Notes: I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I’m also an Amazon Affiliate, so I receive a commission on anything purchased through links I share.

Lots going on it this story … the writing sort of jumps all over the place and there’s not a lot of cohesion. Red flags GALORE from all characters (for example, the MMC spikes the FMC’s drink TWICE with medicine she doesn’t want which is so very creepy).

There is weirdly two separate romances in this and the secondary romance is very random and unnecessary.

Some of the dialogue was clever and funny but the jokes got real old, real fast.

I didn’t realize this was a “Christian” romance until after I started it and I don’t enjoy those which is a personal preference.

I really tried to give this one a chance but it wasn’t working for me on a few fronts.

I wanted to read this so badly but I just could not get into it. I was so sad because it seemed so cute and fun. However I would still recommend it, it just wasn't a good time for me to read it. First Love, Second Draft is a contemporary romance about second chances and learning to forgive again.

Gracie has writer’s block, and her injuries from her viral fall off of a horse are not helping. She needs help to get around now, so her nephew, Matt, calls her ex-husband to help her. Noah is determined to get Gracie back even if it means that they have to relive their past together in order to co-write his memoir. This isn’t just Gracie and Noah’s story though, Matt also has his own love story playing out, and readers get to read from all of their perspectives. In fact, Matt’s side story was arguably more interesting than Gracie’s. This was a mostly light, fast-paced, clean romance story. It’s good for a palate cleanser between heavier reads.

This book was sweet, funny, and full of heart. Gracie is a total mess in the most relatable way. She's stuck with writer’s block, dealing with an injury, and doing everything she can to avoid facing her feelings. Then her ex-husband Noah, a former baseball star and emotional landmine, shows up as her new neighbor. Of course.

What I loved most was how real their relationship felt. Every conversation between them was loaded with past hurt and unresolved feelings, and I was completely hooked. Gracie’s dry humor made me laugh out loud, even when I wanted to shake her a little. And Noah really surprised me. Instead of the usual cocky athlete, we get a guy who is genuinely trying to grow and make things right.

The story slowed down a bit when we spent too long in Gracie’s thoughts, but the emotional payoff made it worth it. I also really enjoyed the side story with Matt and Rachel. It added another nice layer about second chances and forgiveness.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.

I did struggle with this one. In theory this should be a perfect read about divorced couple who is forced to be around each other and deal with their feelings… however the story was dragging, the characters were not developed too well. Maybe it would be better if the book is about 1/4 shorter the story felt stretched.

First Love, Second Draft by Becca Kinzer is a cute rom-com about a romance writer who’s hit a creative block since her breakup with her baseball star ex-husband. Tragically, Gracie has a severe accident and her ex-husband, Noah, is the only one available to care for her. With a looming deadline for her latest book and no ideas, Gracie hopes Noah might hold the key to her writing woes. While I did enjoy this book, I couldn’t help but be frustrated by Gracie’s older sister. Her actions seemed erratic and unkind, unlike how one would treat a sister who’s laid up. Also, Gracie’s stubbornness towards Noah was quite annoying, it seems it was a strong family trait with both sisters bothering me.

This book was hilarious and addictive. Not only do we get a slow burn second chance romance for Gracie and her ex-hubbie Noah, but we get the cutest little romance for her nephew Matt and his childhood bestie Rachel. I was rooting so hard for both couples.

Noah and Gracie overcame so much and I appreciate when a second chance romance turns out to be so beautiful and emotional! Matt and Rachel are actually soulmates and their banter was silly and cute.

Every character was written so well and I really loved the plot!

This book had such a nice premise and I think it could've been a bit better, but I'll add an extra star for being a clean romance which is hard to come by. I love the second chance romance trope so this was nice

The premise of the book was so great, the execution left things to be wanted for. Gracie is a fourth-something romance writer and her ex-husband Noah a baseball player that is nearing the end of his career. Due to unforeseen circumstances the two find themselves in a forced proximity situation and things are starting to move into a direction Gracie had never thought possible anymore. The story deals with grief, loss, and two different love stories that feel a bit too rushed.
It was still a great read, the banter was hilarious and I laughed out loud a bunch of times!

i requested this book because i love the second chance trope, so obviously I had some expectations about it. but unfortunately, it didn’t work for me. there was no real redemption or emotional payoff and i couldn’t feel the chemistry between the main characters. and why did I suddenly get the nephew's pov in this book?

Rom-com author Gracie Parker is stuck. Her latest manuscript is a mess, an accident has left her virtually immobile, and her sister has arranged household help in the form of Nate, Gracie’s ex-husband.

Pro baseball player Nate is stuck. His marriage has been over for years and his career looks like it’s coming to an end. His only chance at a future is the unexpected opportunity to reconnect with his ex-wife

Yes, as the title suggests, First Love, Second Draft is a second-chance romance that ticked all my boxes.

I loved the writing, which I found genuinely funny without feeling forced and without any cringey moments. Sometimes rom-coms can read as though the author is trying to hard to make something funny, and that can fall flat. First Love Second Draft felt effortlessly funny (which is probably a testament to the hours that went into writing and revising to give it that effortless feel).

I loved the dual romance plot. I often find myself resenting a secondary romance, as it can take away from the main characters and their story. In First Love Second Draft, the secondary romance echoed and reinforced Grace and Noah’s story. That was a real strength.

I loved the fact Noah knew he’d messed up and admitted as such. Even though he didn’t know how to fix it, he was willing to try.

Recommended for fans of contemporary romance and rom-com with a subtle Christian message.

Thanks to Tyndale House and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

Thank to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC!!

She’s a romance writer burned out on love. He’s her famous baseball star ex-husband. The last man she wants to be forced to work with is the one who broke her heart.

Second chance romances are not always my thing, but sometimes I enjoy them. This was one of that times 🥰 It is also a clean romance. If you want an easy and cozy reading, I recommend this one!

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for an ARC of this book!

Well, I hate to say, but this was not one of my favorites. I found it to be extremely hard to follow and the characters very unrelatable.

The book follows Gracie and her journey with writing a book to meet the deadline for her publisher while having to deal with her ex husband coming back into her life; but at the same time, it also follows the love life of her nephew. I just found this story line to be very strange and hard to follow. Also there was so much toxicity in this book and I found there were a lot of parts of the story that just go completely unfinished.

I almost did not finish this, if I'm being honest. Giving it 2 stars solely for the sometimes funny lines in the dialogue.

This is a story of second chance love and family love and making the most of every minute with those you love. The dynamic between ex wife (Grace) & ex husband (Noah) is still strong after 5 years and lots of unresolved pain and hurt. The way they work through their issues and deal with all the lingering pain of the past 5 years is very heartwarming and is written very well. It hits home for anyone who has ever struggled with their marriage.

The hidden love between the nephew (Matt) and his “best friend” (Rachel) from high school is so sweet. I know some reviews are bent about this being a part of the book but it made sense to me. The entire book is about getting the ability to create a second draft or a second d chance and this relationship is an excellent example of that.

The family love as they navigate a father with health issues is heartbreaking. If you have ever had to care for an ailing parent, this book will resonate with you. The scenes with dad and the doctor hit me hard as I have had to struggle through a similar situation with my own father.

The fact that this book has no spice surprised me - I didn’t miss it at all. This is a great book! I am so glad I didn’t let the negative reviews stop me from choosing this book!

Thank you #NetGalley & #BeccaKinzer for the ARC opportunity.

I know that readers will love this one. However it just wasn’t for me. Second chance romances aren’t my jam. Though I keep reading them hoping one will change my mind. To me they aren’t’ realistic. I mean if you divorce someone it’s for a pretty good reason. From this one it seem like the heroine couldn’t handle the hero being a professional baseball player. Cause it seemed like a great guy. Not going to lie I didn’t want the hero and heroine to end up back together. Which defeats to aspect of a romance novel.

This book was both funny and heartfelt. I loved Grace and Noah’s story and their interactions. I honestly didn’t care too much for Matt and Rachel’s storyline. I felt it was a bit rushed and not as emotional and Gracie’s story. Overall a fun read with a beautiful second chance story.

* I received an e-ARC copy from Netgalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.

With all the hockey romances, I was excited to see a baseball romance since these are rare to find. It started good. I loved the funny banter between Gracie and Noah, even loved the side characters, but just couldn't finish the book.

I requested the book because it sounded great, the execution was lacking. I don't understand why Gracie's nephew, Matt, had his own romance storyline when it wasn't mentioned in the blurbs. Maybe the book would've captured me more if they kept these stories separate, focusing and growing each one more.

I really wish I liked this book. We need more baseball romances. I rarely DNF books and this was a true disappointment.

“First love, Second draft” by Becca Kinzer was the first book by Kinzer I have read before. I liked the overall story but I felt the transitions between the characters views was a little confusing. The book spent time on Matt’s view but then just stopped. It didn’t make sense why he was including as a view point for only a short time. Although the book was a little confusing at times, I look forward to reading more of Kinzer’s books.