Wes left Addie at the alter. How could she ever forgive him. Addie moves on but returns home then successful Wes returns home. Where is this going? Have they both changed beyond recognition? Love story not to be missed.

What a beautiful conclusion for the Adelaide Springs crew!

More than two decades have passed since Wes skipped town on the day they were supposed to get married, and Addie is over it. Really. She's been fine for years. She's had a successful career she enjoyed..and lost. And met Joel, the love of her life..and lost him too. It seems it's just too much to ask that she not have to see the face of the man she'd rather leave in the past, as it belongs to the current presidential frontrunner. And, if she's not mistaken, that face is also..inexplicably back in Adelaide Springs?

Whew, buddy. You know when a character's emotions are so close to the surface that the tension has you by the throat? That's how reading Addie's POV felt. I wanted to hold on to her anger and grief for her and stew in them because of how earned they were. How DARE he show up here and disturb her peace!!??

But also, like, this is a romance novel and their names are right there in the title lol. 

The ONLY way this man was going to redeem himself was to be on his knees, and Bethany Turner understood the assignment!!!!!
This book felt much heavier than the first two in the series, directly tackling grief and addiction. What makes that everything feel poignant though is the supporting cast. Everyone we know and love from Adelaide Springs is here to prop our girl up and put her back together, for the second time in her life.

And even though he's the one who did the leaving, the love of the town is enough to make you feel sorry for the Wes he was all those years ago, who could have really used that love.

Wes and Addie Had Their Chance is the third in Adelaide Falls series by Bethany Turner. I had read the first two books in the series and was excited to enjoy the third.
Adelaide Falls is a small mountain town, and we have already seen four of its residents find love when Addie returns to her friends and hometown after becoming a younger widow. When her first love Wes comes back to hide from the media as he's running for president. The couple have a lot of past to overcome in this rom-com with friends from the first two books.
What I liked about this book was the Colorado setting, older characters and having characters from others in series in the book. A spoiler alert-what I wish was not in the book and why I only gave three stars was that I did not like how Wes' first marriage scenario. He married her to help with his political career and she was a lesbian and so it was not a real marriage. While this book is not listed as Christian as Turner's earlier books, I was very disappointed to see the meaning of marriage treated as a career advancement. I had a hard time reading the rest of this book after Wes' declaration of his wife.
I received a complimentary copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson, but all opinions are my own.

Wes and Addie Had Their Chance is a beautifully written and emotionally rich story about loss, growth, and the unexpected ways life circles back on itself. Years after Wes left Addie at the altar, both return to their small snowy hometown—wiser, wounded, and carrying the weight of everything they’ve lived through. Addie, grieving the loss of her husband and her career, isn’t looking for reconnection. And yet, her reunion with Wes—now a widower himself and rising political figure—sparks a quiet reckoning neither of them saw coming.

What sets this book apart is its emotional honesty. Bethany Turner doesn’t romanticize their past or present; instead, she paints a nuanced portrait of two people who once meant everything to each other, went on to live very different lives, and are now facing the complicated reality of what remains between them. There’s no fairytale illusion that they’re soulmates destined to reunite—but rather a deeper, more mature exploration of whether there’s still space for love after all they’ve endured.

This is more than just a second-chance romance. It’s a story about timing, healing, and the bittersweet nature of revisiting the past. The characters are layered, the writing tender, and the story stays with you long after the final page.

I love Adelaide Springs. I'm sad to leave it.

I love where everyone ended up. I'll probably revisit them later to savor them a little more.

Addie is back in town after losing her husband. She's home for the first time since a traumatic left-at-the-altar scenario with her high school sweetheart. Addie is finding her footing when the sweetheart, and presidential candidate, Wes, shows back up. Not to see her, but they're forced into each other's proximity and forced to confront their past.

Bethany Turner created a cast of five, best friends, high school classmates, and let them drift apart before we meet them again.

Through three books, we see them all humbled in some ways and finding their footing.

In Addie and Wes, we see two people hiding their emotions, forced to confront their pasts.

Turner masterfully captures the hesitation, self-isolation, and emotions that are wrapped up in all of it. Neither pulls punches or tries to sugar coat their lives with and without each other.

I'ts a poignant novel of honoring your past and moving forward and all the pain involved.

I've loved all three of Bethany Turner's Adelaide Springs books, and 'Wes and Addie' may just be my favourite yet. Ostensibly, each book takes the title as a kind of null hypothesis and then proceeds to examine it (and the central trope - in this case a second-chance romance) in surprising depth and with Turner's signature blend of humour, pathos and banter rooted in a real sense of place and community.

From the start, while it's pretty hard to be sympathetic to Wes given what he did, it's clear there's much more to both his story and Addie's return home. Both of them are isolated and essentially estranged from their friends and from Adelaide Springs, and while the romance rekindling (reluctantly) between them is a central part of the narrative, this story of forgiveness, grief and belonging is also about each character's relationship with themselves, and with the wider community. Both Addie and Wes are complicated, flawed characters, and (as with their classmates' stories) they feel authentically 'lived in' and of the period in which they (and I) grew up. It's nice to read stories featuring people in their late 30s/early 40s who feel like they are the right level of maturity and with all the pop culture references hitting just right.

I don't want to talk too much about the plot because it's hard to do without spoilers but I did feel like the resolution for one character was a bit 'eh' - that said, such is life, I guess!

Since this is (I think!) the final story of the series, we also get to see the previous protagonists again, and also peripheral characters such as Doc and Jo, I love all the connective tissue with the other two books! That said, I honestly think each book is a standalone. You don't need to have read the others to follow anything here.

I'm going to miss these characters and this will definitely become a series I'll return to soon. I look forward to more from the author in the future!

would have been a 5 star if not for the ending. before that, everything's great! the romance is fun, the characters are great, the plotting is cool, there are some clunky phrases but in general it's great. the ending feels a bit weak, though.

Wes and Addie were set to get married at 18, but Wes never showed up. 20+ years later, both are back in their hometown - Addie after blowing up her career and Wes on the verge of being nominated for a presidential election. Despite the potential to rekindle the past, both have secrets that could harm their future.

I had a hard time with this book. I found it so hard to believe they never ran into each other with their circles overlapping so much, especially with social media. Also, Addie was SO quick to forgive Wes after years of hating him. I enjoyed the writing, I just wasn't a fan of the story in general.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Addie Atwater-Elwyn’s life implodes (again) when she loses her job as a high-ranking CIA analyst and her handsome husband within the same year. She drags her shattered dreams and secrets back to Adelaide Springs, the tiny mountain town in the wilds of Colorado. To make matters worse, she moves in with her dad—who serves as both the town doctor and mayor—and takes a job for the town’s equivalent of a taxi service.

Ever since Wesley Hobbes, her best friend and high-school sweetheart, stood her up at the altar when they were just 18, Addie has avoided Adelaide Springs and everyone who knows her tragic story. But she’s hit rock bottom and doesn’t know where else to go. At least she has loyal friends in Adelaide Springs (even if she hasn’t kept in touch much).

But when Wes Hobbes, now a state senator from Maine and a frontrunner for his party’s presidential candidate, comes to town, all the hurt and resentments over his abandonment two decades ago threaten to sabotage Addie’s hard-won new normal. Even worse, she discovers she still has feelings for the man who shares so much of her history.

Wesley Hobbes doesn’t often question his life choices, but something about running for presidential candidate has him reevaluating every choice he made. When he sneaks away from his campaign manager and all the hoopla to spend a few quiet days in Adelaide Springs, he has no idea he’ll run into the woman he left at the altar all those years ago.

The more time he spends around Addie, the more he questions decisions of the past and choices for the future. It’s time to start living life on his terms—not bound by his father’s expectations and society’s demands. And maybe this time, he’ll get a second chance with his first love.

What I Loved About This Book

Fans of second-chance romance will love this sometimes-comic look at what happens when two adults re-examine their botched romance decades later. How can one truly forgive the deep hurts and life-changing decisions when one part of a couple suddenly ruptures the bond that held them together? Can love regrow around the break and create a stronger, more honest relationship? Readers can enjoy this third installment in the Adelaide Springs series as a standalone novel.

This was a 3.5 star read for me. It was hard to get into the pacing of the book at the start. This book hinges on a lot of internal dialogue and thought process. The characters think like normal people do so there are a lot of asides. The sentences are long and ramble just like someone’s normal thought process does, but it makes it hard to get through. The syntax and the formatting of the sentence structure made it hard to read too. The phrases the characters say are a mouth full. Reading some of the colloquial phrases was like trying to speak with a mouth full of marbles. The story was cute anyway and there were some little surprises here and there. An ok book overall.

Love me some Bethany Turner! She is back with another cute romance, with all the witty one liners that I can't get enough of. All the details and descriptions of the past and present in the little town in Colorado that everyone tried to leave but pulled them back into are spot on. Second chances at love and happiness are in this feel good story, but also still takes you through all of the emotions.

Grab this one and tell all your friends

Thank you to the publisher for this advanced copy via Net Galley.

The gang just isn’t the same anymore. Life has hit too hard, and there are too many hurts from the past, but can they start again?
Addie has carried deep pain for way too long, and it has tainted who she’s become. Some in a good way, but also in a sad way.
Wes was a BIG part of those pains, yet he’s realizing he needs to make amends, if only everyone in the small town of Adelaide Springs can forgive him.
This is the third book set in the town of Adelaide Springs, and we get to see all the past characters from Bethany Turner’s other two books. It’s like coming home and seeing what’s happening to everyone. All the struggles and all the joys in their lives. It’s a community that would be fun to be a part of.
Bethany Turner has done it again! This book is filled with snarky, fun dialogue, quirky characters, and moments of delightful relationships.
I love how the author includes SO many familiar movies, actors, and songs. It brings the story to life in a fun and charming way.
Bethany Turner has a very fascinating way of writing! It's fresh and delightful, even when it delves into some complicated issues from these characters’ past. She gave her characters spunk, and yet they also had depth and the willingness to learn from their mistakes.
This book is full of humor, drama, small-town community living (where “everybody knows your name”), and big-city fun, as well as a sweet romance.
I loved this story and highly recommend it.
I received this book from the publisher, which did not influence my review in any way; all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own

📚 Plot Snapshot
Twenty years after being left at the altar by her high school sweetheart, Addie Atwater-Elwyn—now a former CIA analyst reeling from personal and professional losses—returns to her small Colorado hometown to rebuild her life. But when Wes, now a rising political star and presidential hopeful, reappears in town, secrets unravel and old flames flicker, forcing them both to confront what truly ended their relationship… and whether second chances are ever worth the risk.

🖋️ Writing Style Vibe
Smart, conversational, and introspective with flashes of sass.
The tone feels like sitting down with your wittiest, most emotionally-aware friend who just happens to be unpacking a whirlwind of drama, romance, and unresolved heartbreak—with some pop culture flair and spy-level tension thrown in.

❤️ My Highlights

✨Hook-Worthy Premise: High-profile heartbreak meets small-town secrets—this setup instantly intrigued me.
✨Slow Reveal of the Past: I had so many questions at the start—why did Wes leave Addie? What happened during those missing years? Thankfully, the book answers them all, layer by layer.
✨Series Tie-Ins: Seeing familiar faces from previous books added warmth and a lovely sense of continuity.
✨Stylish Covers: Can we take a moment to appreciate how gorgeous this series looks? I hope more books I enjoy come with covers this charming.
✨Big Reveals: Just when you think things are settling, another emotional twist hits—kept me flipping pages to the very end.
✨Bittersweet Yet Hopeful: I appreciated that the story didn’t shy away from regret, aging, or grief, but still ended on a redemptive, hopeful note.

🤔 What Fell Flat (if anything)
Some introspective sections dragged a little for me—especially when Addie was caught in internal spirals. It sometimes slowed down the otherwise snappy pacing.

⭐ Final Rating + Shelf Status
★★★★☆ (4/5) — A satisfying second-chance romance with a side of secrets. Worth keeping on the shelf, especially if you’ve read others in the series.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

It's hard to say goodbye to the Adelaide Springs gang! I enjoyed all three books in this series probably because the characters are all around my age and I can relate to them more than books where the MCs are in their early twenties. This book I felt was more somber than the other two books. It's much more melancholy than the second book by far. There were a lot of emotional scars each of the characters had to deal with. I loved seeing the other characters from the first two books but this one fell a little flat for me.

In a small town, it is hard to outrun your reputation. Especially when they have known you your whole life. Addie and Wes were childhood sweethearts who were headed down the aisle at after high school, things were fine until the groom didn't show up. Now it is several decade later. Both Addie and Wes have become widows and are about to find themselves back home in the same town again. It's like back when they were kids, except now Addie is ex-CIA and Wes has the possibility of becoming President.

I love this series so much, this being the third being the third book about a group of friends who grew up in a small town. For this book I loved the second chance trope and how it played out for Addie and Wes. All these characters are well built and even though this may not be one of the other friend's books, you still get to see how they are doing for more than just a cameo.

I love how with Bethany Turner you know that while you are going into what can be considered Christian fiction, it is not just a girl wearing a bonnet on the cover typical Christian fiction book. Bethany Turner is funny and puts in pop culture references that I feel a variety of ages are able to get.

In this book the Addie and Wes work together to get through their relationship problems. They talk out things they were unable to before and then forgave each other after taking accountability for their actions. It was nice to see a healthier way of handling relationship issues portrayed.

Addie and Wes definitely had physical chemistry and tension without it just being some all-out sexual thing. I rooted for them to get back together the entire time.

This book is perfect for someone who wants a small-town romance, but also for someone who wants to watch two adults heal from past relationships and come out of it stronger together. I highly recommend reading the other two in this series as well. They are all so very good!!

I don’t usually love the second chance romance trope, but this book was done so beautifully and the characters were written with such love; it made it easy to read and consume this book.

I loved seeing the differences between both Wes and Addie. Their personalities may have been different but the bond and unmistakably connection was there through it all.

After being separated for so long and finally seeing them together again, it felt wholesome and safe. Wes left Addie on their wedding day, and now, he is running for the most important position in the country. They have both had things they’ve been through that have brought them both highs and lows in their lives, and now an encounter brings them together.

There is A LOT of emotion and feeling in this book and it’s great. Quite confrontational but also really healing. I love their friends group, too.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC

An interesting, sweet second-chance romance. Many years and lots of changes in their lives make the possibility of a second chance possible, but not necessarily so. My first experience with this author. Politics and romance don't make a good combo for the main characters. Good story and characters. Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary.

This is a small town, second change Romance starring Wes, who is running for President, and Addie, who he left at the altar when they were teens. It took Addie a long time to get over Wes, but then she became a CIA Analyst, and was happily married for over a decade. Addie has returned to her hometown after her husband died tragically. She has almost reached a year of sobriety when Wes returns to their hometown as well. His wife died of cancer, and he and Addie have a lot to talk through. I enjoyed the small town feel, and the friendships in the book. Wes and Addie are cute together, but she forgave him pretty quickly considering she was so upset for so long. I'm not sure I bought that, but it is a Romance.

Thank you NetGalley for the free digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A beautifully written second chance romance ❤️ lovable characters, Wes and Addie both have their own personalities and differences, but the bond they shared was deep. After many years of staying apart from each other, it was uplifting to see them together. Wes left Addie on their wedding day, and now, he is running for the most important position in the country. They both had ups and downs in their lives, and now a chance encounter brings them together.. I was rooting for their reunion from the start. It's an enjoyable read with lots of emotions. I love their friends group, too. Hopeful and relaxing story. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC.

This was the first in this “series” that I read and was happy jump in and still understand it all. This was a great second chance romance. I loved the pining.