I have one piece of advice for anyone considering reading this book: don't read it when you're having a coughing fit. Or any sort of coughing issue. Because trying to laugh and cough at the same time just doesn't work well (ask me how I know). You'll sound like a wheezing raccoon half coughing out a lung and half choking on a chortle. And there are several parts in First Love, Second Draft that will make you laugh.

Yet, for all of the humor, there are just as many touching and serious parts as well. Gracie and Noah both deal with emotional pain from their divorce. Noah as well suffers from a pained childhood, and Gracie's dad is in ill health. The ending, especially, will tug on the heartstrings.

It was both amusing and sweet to watch Gracie and Noah travel the journey of reconciliation. Equally enjoyable was the little side romance with Matt, Gracie's nephew, and his love interest. I honestly don't know which couple I liked better. They both were adorable.

As known by anyone who has followed my reviews for a while, I don't usually gravitate toward contemporary romance. Especially sports romances. But I'm so happy I picked up First Love, Second Draft, because it is truly an enjoyable story, and one I will be adding to my "read again" list. And for me to say that about a contemporary romance should tell you something about the book itself.

There are so many good parts in the story: parts that will cause you to laugh, snicker, root for the characters, enjoy the strong theme of family, and catch a case of the feels. Kinzer's writing style is smooth and flows well, but for me personally, the very best line in this book is not from the story itself, but from the last sentence in the Author's Note: "With Jesus, there is always reason to hope.

How beautiful and true that line is, and how applicable it is to both life and First Line, Second Draft's plot.

This is the first Becca Kinzer book I've read, and I'm looking forward to reading more.

*I received an ecopy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own. Thank you to the publisher/NetGalley.

Thanks to Tyndale Publishing for this e-arc in exchange for my honest opinion! First, this book was really sweet and I loved seeing the will they or won't they between writer Gracie and her ex-husband + baseball player Noah. The town, the side characters, the vibes were all really sweet and I really enjoyed it, except that I felt like the christian themes came in a little hard toward the end, which wasn't for me.

Anytime books and sports collide, it’s a must read for me. Gracie is a writer, down on her luck and trying to write her next bestselling book. She used to be married to Noah, a big time baseball star, who’s back in town and trying to help get her back on her feet. Surrounded by colourful friends and family, who like us are wondering: will they or won’t they? Overall, a total home run. While the main storyline takes a while to get going, you are given some fun supporting character sub plots and budding young love to tide you over until you are rewarded in the second half when things start to pick up - so keep going! The ending makes it all worth it.

I always struggle with this sort of review. As much as I try to not compare one author's book with another one of their books, it's impossible. I do love Becca Kinzer's debut. It is a smart and hilarious book yet wasn't fluffy or without good meaning. Book 2 wasn't for me. This one falls in the middle. It had some funny moments and touching moments that I really enjoyed; but, it also had some issues.

I'll just get my "CONs" out of the way before I share my "PRO":
1. The second POV from the female main character's nephew made no sense within •Gracie's• story. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed his story but it should have been in a different book. These two stories weren't really connected except as aunt and nephew. It was very puzzling.
2. The story felt choppy for me. Some of the transitions felt as though I missed something. I'd go back and look to see if I accidentally skipped ahead on my Kindle, but no.
3. The ending was a little odd for me. Both decided to actually do something very last minute but it felt half-hearted. It didn't feel like Gracie or Noah had any growth or understanding of each other's perspective, outside of the Morris story.
4. Sometimes I felt as though I was reading filler that didn't contribute to Gracie and Noah's story and that's likely why it felt choppy and incomplete to me. I wasn't ever invested. The ending, though happy, felt a little forced and unsatisfying.
5. The cover. I've never been a fan of illustrated covers. They feel like they fit younger teenagers. The main characters are 40-ish. It doesn't fit.

The "PROs":
1. There is some really good witty humour and sarcasm that I enjoyed.
2. I like the Dad a lot but wish he had a stronger presence within the story.
3. Though Gracie's sister, Mona, seems to be very disliked in the reviews I saw, I think she is very memorable, even if she is insufferable and annoying. She DID have a growth arc that I wish I had seen in Gracie and Noah.
4. The Morris story is significant and helps the reader to understand Gracie better.
5. The scene with her Dad toward the end is good. It would be even better if his presence had been in the book more, as I mentioned in my second point.


>>> My thanks and appreciation to Tyndale and Net Galley for providing me with an advanced reader copy. My review is voluntary, sincere, and in my own words.

This story was such a cute read! I spent the entire story rooting for all the characters, internally groaning when they *just missed* the meaning behind the words, and I greatly appreciated the redemption theme throughout. I loved the play on words in the title and how that played out in the overall story as well. The characters were enjoyable and I'd like to revisit these characters!

This one was cute and funny and also tugged right at my heart!

After being injured in a horribly embarrassing way, the last thing author, Gracie, wants is to be cared for by her ex-husband. But Noah is who is there for her. As they continue to spend more time together and open up about their past hurts, things start to look up.

Was this book perfect? No. There were some POVs that didn't feel necessary, but I don't think they detracted from the overall book.

Gracie was funny, and I enjoyed the banter between her and Noah. There were definitely moments that made me giggle.

🌼 Second Chance Romance
🌼 He takes care of her
🌼 High School Sweethearts
🌼 Baseball pitcher × writer
🌼 Faith elements
🌼 Friends-to-Lovers (side characters)

1.5/5 - Some books just don’t work for me and this was one of them. The premise had so much potential - two exes forced to cohabitate and write a book together in a small town - but unfortunately the execution fell flat. The characters weren’t particularly likable, their reason for splitting wasn’t super compelling, the chemistry was off and the triple point of view felt unnecessary (her nephew’s story). Plus it was all in third person, so perspective was confusing. I probably wouldn’t have finished this if it hadn’t been an ARC.

Thank you to @netgalley and Tyndale for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

This book has such a cute premise. I was very excited to read it. Until I did. The characters were not really likeable. The dialogue was not realistic. There was a triple POV, but the voice of each waa exactly the same. I DNFed a third of the way through because i just couldn’t relate. Peehaps this book would be better for folks who like soap operas. It just wasn't for me. I see that a lot of people like this author on Goodreads. Thanks to Net Galley and Tyndale House for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. 1.5 stars since it had promise.

I loved the ending. And the title was a cute pun on the relationships within.

But I honestly struggled to like the main character or even to see why the hero had been attracted to her. The younger couple, who were a secondary focus with a friends to lovers trope, was cute.

There were some funny laughable moments. But some of the bathroom humor, etc. was a little much for me.

The ending redeemed the story for me. But only just.

Oof.. I love second chance romances, especially between married couples but this was not it. I really struggled with the writing and just ultimately decided to DNF.

*First Love, Second Draft* is an easy and refreshing romance read that follows the story of retired baseball player Noah and his ex-wife Gracie, a struggling writer. In this book, we follow Gracie as she attempts to recover from a bad fall with the unwelcome help of Noah, all while battling a severe case of writer's block that’s causing her to miss deadlines.

Throughout the story, we not only follow the lives and relationship of Noah and Gracie, but we’re also introduced to other important characters, such as Matt and Rachael, whose own love story unfolds. I also really liked Gracie’s father, Buck who was a great addition to this story. Both Noah and Gracie struggle with imposter syndrome as they embark on a journey to rediscover who they are beyond the careers they’ve hidden behind. This is a beautiful story of love, forgiveness, and personal growth, as well as facing your demons.

The main characters were easy to relate to, and it was heartwarming to watch Noah try to win Gracie back. The book is categorised as Christian fiction/clean romance, and there are no open-door scenes between the couples. Gracie is independent and doesn’t hesitate to remind Noah about this. It was great to watch them develop as characters over the course of this book.

I enjoyed the book but believe it would have been nice to have more scenes between Noah and Gracie. The only other area I’d fault is the ending; I was expecting a completely different epilogue, though perhaps the author plans to write a second book.

If you’re looking for a closed-door, second-chance romance with a dash of sports, this book might be for you.

Thank you to NetGalley for gifting me a copy of this book. Check out @brydzandherbooks for more reviews and bookish content.

If you’re new to Becca Kinzer’s books, you’ve been missing out! I adore her writing! Kinzer knows how to write an ensemble cast of quirky, lovable characters. While she tells the main characters’ story, she also gives the side characters their own storylines, too. It makes for a fuller reading experience.

First Love, Second Draft tells the story of Gracie and Noah, ex-spouses back in each other’s lives after Gracie is injured and Noah sees his opportunity to win her back while taking care of her. I loved reading about a divorced couple making their way back to each other. The book was realistic and the themes of forgiveness and restoration resonated with me. And don’t we love a man who pursuits?!

Alongside Gracie and Noah’s reconnection, the book also follows Gracie’s nephew, Matt, and his love story with his best friend Rachel. If you’re looking for a clean rom com with an amusing ensemble class, dual love stories, and a healthy dose of heart, make sure to grab this book!

Intimacy: Level 2 (kisses only)
Language: None
Content Considerations: Divorce, infertility, terminal illness, death of a loved one, grief

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author and publisher. All opinions are my own.

I was excited to read First Love, Second Draft as an ARC, especially with the promise of multiple love stories and fun characters. And I did enjoy the characters a lot! They were definitely a highlight.

However, I found it took a bit too long to get to the main issues of the story. I struggled to stay engaged, and didn't feel compelled to pick the book up as much as I'd hoped.

While I think readers who enjoy character-driven romances will find things to like, the slow pacing made it difficult for me to stay invested.

first of all the formatting was ruined due to send to kindle feature which affected my reading experience by a lot but forgetting all that?? I don't know what was happening in the story. The blurb had me hooked not going to lie but there was so much toxicity and lack of depth and grace in the characters that I just could not connect to the story and the characters.

I love second chance romances, multiple perspectives, and a sports theme. While there are some fun moments in this book and the writing is great, it was just okay for me. I had a difficult time connecting with the characters and I can’t quite put my finger on why. There is nothing majorly wrong with the book, and I have no doubt it will be well received by others.

I really enjoyed this second chance romance! I loved the multiple POVs and the mixed media elements. I also really appreciated the heavier subject matter mixed in with many lighter moments. This was incredibly bingeable with a fun and unique voice. Can't wait to check out more from this author!

Read if you like:
- second chance
- infertility awareness
- older MCs
- mixed media
- multiple POV

Thank you to NetGalley and Tyndale Fiction for allowing me to be an early reader. All thoughts are my own.

Meh. It was fine but didn't draw me in and had me rolling my eyes often and usually these books are my cup of tea.

Ok, I could not put this book down. I don't know exactly why. Maybe it was the laugh-out-loud humor, or maybe it was the sizzling tension between Noah and Gracie, or maybe something else. Whatever it was, I ate up the story. I enjoyed the second chance romance and the extra little romance with a couple of the side characters. I liked that Noah called Gracie "babe." I've only ever heard that used as more of a sleazy term, so it was interesting to read it as something actually swoony. I also enjoyed the fun small-town setting and the "everybody-knows-everybody" vibes. This is a great read if you're looking for a fun and clean romance.

My thanks go to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC. All opinions are my own.

While I'm a sucker for sport themed rom-coms, I struggled to love this book. I enjoyed the different characters' POV and I chuckled a few times throughout the book. But Gracie and Mona got on my nerves and I couldn't connect with the other characters. The whole book just felt flat, even though it had great potential. I will read other books written by Becca Kinzer because I liked the overall premise of it.

This one sounds just up my alley because I love a good second chance romance, it sadly just didn't turn out to be my cup of tea. The overall story wasn't bad just wasn't what I was expecting. Definitely could be enjoyed by others and I hope others do enjoy, I just couldn't connect into the story as much as I tried.