Sadly, I have had to abandon reading this book at about 35% in. I could not connect to any of the characters to the point that they all started to annoy me very much. I really liked the premise of this book and I think it has a lot of potential, but none of the characters seemed three dimensional to me, especially Matt and Rachel, whose story seems to make up half of the book when they weren't even mentioned in the description. I also couldn't connect to Grace and Noah, even though Grace seems like a character I'd love - author, hopeless romantic, fiercely independent - but both of them just cannot talk to each other or respect each others boundaries at all, and that's just a no for me in romances. I'm quite sad about quitting this book since it seemed so promising, and I will probably pick up another one of Becca Kinzer's books, because these probably are things that could be ironed out in a new novel.

I have not gotten around to reading this one and I unfortunately don't think I'll be able to get to it soon. It does look like something I would enjoy and it is very up my ally thus I think it deserves 3 stars regardless as to whether or not I've read it or not.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tyndale House Publishers for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was really excited about First Love, Second Draft based on the premise—especially with a rom-com writer as the protagonist and a second-chance romance with a baseball star. However, this one didn’t quite work for me.

Right from the start, the story felt chaotic. There were so many characters, backstories, and problems introduced all at once—Gracie’s injury, her looming deadline, her ex-husband Noah, and even side characters like her nephew, Matt, and his own romance. This cluttered feeling made it hard to focus or really get invested in anyone’s story. The dialogue, while it had potential for humor, didn’t land because it felt too all over the place. One moment, there’s a discussion about joining a bowling league, and the next, it jumps to something about religion—without any clear transition.

I also couldn’t connect with Gracie or Noah. Gracie was difficult to relate to, and I couldn’t quite figure out why Noah was so determined to win her back. The dynamic between them felt forced, and her constant reluctance to accept help or show any vulnerability made her hard to root for. There were moments when I felt Noah's actions crossed a line—especially when he spiked her drink with medicine or alcohol, which just felt inappropriate, not funny.

The most confusing part was the inclusion of the nephew, Matt. His POV seemed completely unrelated to the main story, and it was jarring to switch perspectives so frequently. I honestly wasn’t invested in his relationship either, so the back-and-forth between so many characters just didn’t work for me.

There were a few cute moments and some potential in the younger couple’s story, but it felt like two separate books happening at once. The pacing was off, and I struggled to follow the plot as it jumped from one character to another without a solid direction.

Overall, First Love, Second Draft missed the mark for me. It had a lot of promise but ended up feeling disjointed and hard to follow. I’m sure others may enjoy it, but for me, it just wasn’t the right fit.

I absolutely adored this book! I loved the second chance romance aspect but I wish there was a little more baseball involved. There was so much banter between the characters that I found myself laughing out loud! Such a fast paced read! I think it is my favorite book by Becca Kinzer and I can't wait to read her next release!

Sweet book about a second chance at true love that was pushed aside because of life and other things. I also loved the nephew’s love story woven through as well. I laughed out loud a lot, which is one of my favorite things. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.

cute, fun second-chance romance about the exes coming back together after he dropped her to focus on his career and then lost his career. 4 stars. tysm for the arc.

When romance writer, Gracie, and her baseball player ex-husband, Noah broke up five years ago, they never thought they'd see each other again. But when Noah hears that Gracie needs help, he jumps at getting a second chance. A closed door, second chance, sports romance.

First Love, Second Draft by Becca Kinzer is a fun, laugh out loud, sweet second chance romance with plenty of banter.

Thank you Netgalley and Tyndale House Publishers | Tyndale Fiction for the complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely voluntary and my own.

Thank you NetGalley, publisher and author, for giving me an opportunity to review this ARC. I think the book cover is really cute. However, when it comes to the actual story, there were moments where I just simply did not like the characters. Personally, I think the Gracie and Noah relationship wasn't one for me. While I personally liked Matt & Rachel's story slightly more. It was a bit of a whiplash situation when it came to the structure of the story. There was a lot of potential, but unfortunately, it didn't land for me. I felt like the story should've been separated into two books.

I really wanted to love First Love, Second Draft, the setup had so much potential for a great second-chance romance. But honestly, it just didn’t click for me. The story felt all over the place, and I struggled to connect with any of the characters. Gracie was hard to like, and I couldn’t really figure out why the hero was into her.

Also… why was there so much focus on her nephew Matt and his own love story? It felt like two separate books happening at the same time, and neither one fully landed. There were a few cute and funny moments (the younger couple had potential!).

The writing style wasn’t my vibe either, and since I wasn’t into the story, it started to grate on me more. Overall, this one just missed the mark for me.

Thank you Tyndale House Publishers for the eARC via Netgalley.

Oh this was great!🤣 This book reminds me of my favourite rom-com movie “Crazy Stupid Love”.

There were 3 POVs:
Gracie, Noah (her ex husband), and Matt (her nephew).

And we follow 2 relationships:
Gracie & Noah / Matt & Rachel.

i love the parallels the author kept making between both couples.

The ending having a
“You answered”
“You called” scene❤️
I was so touched by how everything came together.

The chapter where Gracie was making everyone act out a kissing scene from her book is one I’m gna think about for a while cause oh my days I was in tears laughing😅
Noah arguing about the “logistics” of the kiss not working, Rachel taking her background actor role wayyy too seriously, Matt trying to carry Rachel by her head/hair, and the TIME TRAVELING HORSE?!? 🤣 it was chaos and just amazing.
I was just as curious as everyone else in the book to see how she was gna edit that disastrous story of hers.

Also I wasn’t a fan of Mona AT ALL (Gracie’s sister/Matt’s mom) but I kinda hope we get a book in her pov.
I have many questions about her character.

This was a cute story. Gracie Parker is a writer who has writer’s block and trying her best at life. She runs into her ex-husband’s former baseball player Noah Parker, who has his own issues going on. Gracie is fiercely independent and so running into Noah was not what she wanted. Obviously, things worked out for them, and their chemistry was great. There were a few times that the story didn’t seem to move as fast as I would anticipate, but overall, it was a fairly quick read. It was a fun, sweet, uplifting rom-com.

I was disappointed in this book, as the leads were unlikeable and I couldn’t understand the angst around them having a second chance.

Becca Kinzer is quickly becoming a go-to author for me when I am looking for light, laugh out loud, totally enjoyable clean, sweet romance. First Love, Second Draft is such a fun story, full of wit, sass, and second chances. I love that the conversations have such a unique humor to them while still managing to convey relevant and important points. No dialogue is a simple conversation, and it is delightful! Gracie and Noah get a second chance on the love story neither of them ever got over. Don’t get me wrong, there are some serious topics, but they are not handled in a heavy, drawn-out way, which is exactly the kind of escape that is needed sometimes. Then there’s Gracie’s sister, her nephew, her dad, and some other delightful characters who complete the plot in such uniquely perfect ways. Between Gracie’s time traveling horse, Noah’s attempt to get Gracie to allow him stay, her sister’s tough love, and her nephew’s sweet meddling, it is a guaranteed combination for some good belly laughs along the way.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley and all opinions expressed are solely my own, freely given.

3.5 stars
I quite enjoyed it. It wasn’t the best book I ever read, but I believe it’s mostly because of my taste in books. Personally, I don’t enjoy sports romances, nor second chance romances that often so it was a bit iffy for me at times, but overall the writing style was good and it was an interesting story.

I am so very sorry but I had to DNF this one. It was literally blocking me, I thought it was me but I see several opinions similar to what I thought.
When I saw the plot I was very excited but I never thought it would have this weird 3rd person POV, it also felt like it was following way too many characters and it was too hard to follow. Regarding the FMC, her reluctancy to accept help and the rejection towards her ex was too much for my taste.

If you’re looking for a romantic comedy that delivers on heart, humor, and a touch of faith, First Love, Second Draft by Becca Kinzer is a must-read!

A new-to-me author, Kinzer delivered a well-paced, laugh-out-loud story that features sizzling banter, hilarious situations and undeniable chemistry between Gracie, an injured writer struggling to meet a deadline and her ex-husband, Noah, a Major League Baseball player. Add in a charming second storyline featuring Gracie’s nephew Matt and his best friend, Rachel, and you've got double the romance, double the laughs, and double the heart!

I couldn't have loved this book more. With quirky side characters, clever dialogue, and just the right amount of tension and tenderness, this clean, second chances rom-com is the perfect balance of entertainingly and witty. Plus, the audiobook narration made the story even more entertaining!

In short, First Love Second Draft had me grinning from start to finish and is a definite recommendation from me to you.

*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary advanced reader e-copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts are my own.

I was a little disappointed by this book. I was hoping for a good Christian fiction looking at the publisher, but I was surprised by the boundaries that were crossed on some things.

This is the second book I have read written by Becca Kinzer. I was excited to read this because of the humor I have found in her books.

The character development was good. Gracie has a lot to unpack with her divorce and her ex-husband, Noah, showing up at her house to help take care of her. He is intent on rekindling the broken marriage. However, they keep finding themselves in compromising positions. Gracie is in the bathtub and Noah trying to help her. Though they were married, they no longer are. Some of the innuendos were too much for me.
There is also Matt and Rachel, which has the friends-to-lovers aspect going.

The plot was a little hard to follow at times. Some scenes had a lot going on. A lot of different characters, so seemed overwhelming and chaotic at times.
The one thing this book had going for it was that it was funny. But also some very unnecessary aspects that just left me uncomfortable as a Christian ie. all the firemen shirtless for a photoshoot.

The romance was a closed-door, low spice with innuendos.

The Christian/faith aspect was lacking. It was very much a sprinkling, very surface level. I would have liked more.

*I received a complimentary copy from the author and voluntarily chose to review it. All opinions are my own.

3.75 stars

Really enjoyed this one! This was a book that had some serious moments, and I also loved the main characters and was really rooting for them. There were genuine reasons to be apart and genuine reasons for a second chance! Really enjoyed it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Tyndale House Publishers for the e-ARC of this title to read and review. I was really excited to read this one because the premise was so up my alley -- especially with a rom-com writer main character! -- but this is unfortunately a big letdown for me. I hate to have a low rating of a work that shows promise, but it's ultimately for the content and not the writing talent.

Right from the start, there's a ton of chaos on-page. You jump right into a lot of characters and a lot of their histories and problems: ex-spouses, injury, work deadline, new side characters all at once. The dialogue and descriptions feel like they could be snappy and fun, but amidst the chaos, the little quips just add to the chaos because it's not really straight forward or easy to read/jump into. There's a paragraph about joining a bowling league and the literal next sentence is something about Jesus. There's a lot of flurry happening without it being at all interesting or plot-based too. At several different times throughout the book, characters are talking about the bathroom, going to the bathroom, or trying to get to the bathroom, for instance. But more worryingly (and the basis of my low rating) is that AT LEAST TWICE (by my imperfect count), the ex-husband spikes the lead's drink with either medicine or alcohol that she cannot have and does not want - this is not funny or quirky! This is not a starting-off point for hijinks!

Also, I've read approximately one thousand romance novels, and never in the history of any of them have I thought, "wow, I wonder what the nephew thinks, we should bring in his POV." There were so many POVs in this story that I actually wasn't sure who was talking several times, and I wasn't invested enough in side characters to actually want to figure it out.

I don't mind messy characters as long as they either 1) find their way through or 2) embrace the mess and bring us along for the ride! But here, I just didn't want to stay in these characters' worlds.