Second chance romance with War of the Roses vibes that bought down to earth and love by the small town of my dreams. Susie Dumond excels at writing characters who are their own worse enemies at times. But deserve a HEA just like we all do. Thoroughly enjoyed.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Random House | Dial Press Trade Paperback and NetGalley for providing an eARC for a honest review.

Bed and Breakup is a tender and charming read for fans of second-chance romances and small-town settings. While the pranks may be divisive for some readers, the emotional depth and character development offer a rewarding experience. It's a heartfelt journey of rediscovery and the possibility of new beginnings.

I DNF this book at 25% not for the writing. The writing is quite lovely. I wouldn't go so far as to call it purple prose, but it is leaning in that direction. Yet, it moves the story forward really well while giving you a look into the heads of the our main characters. I also liked how in the first few chapters she peppered in the past of our couple and why they broke up.

I found the description of the town the couple has come back to very charming. I loved how we learned about it from both of characters., as this is a dual POV story.

I DNF because I do not like when a previous couple who has a bad breakup start messing with each other. Especially when they try to hurt each other using the intimate knowledge they learned during the relationship. That is some very toxic behavior, that I don't think leads to a happy ever after.

Our couple did have an epic breakup that keeps them from speaking for several years. I understand that there would be built up resentment and frustration, but that doesn't mean they should start hurting each other in new ways. Neither wants the other in the house the both have come back to for there own reasons. They start trying to run off the other in very hurtful ways. I just don't want to read that type of story.

If they had just been bickering that lead to some explaining and maybe even apologizing, I would be all in.

i had the eARC and really wanted to love it, but it just didn’t fully click for me. the premise was cute and had a lot of potential, and there were some sweet moments and good lines, but overall it felt a little flat. i didn’t fully connect with the main characters or their chemistry, and some of the pacing dragged. not a bad read, just one that didn’t quite hit like i hoped.

This was not my favorite. I generally enjoy a dual POV, but in this book the POVs were so similar it was hard to feel better character had a distinct voice. I also really disliked robin’s internal monologue for the first like 60 percent of the story. The pacing was off for me, how long it took them to discuss the problems in their relationship and discuss the past. I loved the setting, I have actually been to Eureka Springs multiple times before and it is a small queer paradise in a deep red state. The setting and backdrop made the story fun, but overall it juts didn’t really jive with me

Thank you to NetGalley and dial press for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review

I was so intrigued by the premise and was instantly hooked however I didn’t feel the chemistry amongst the characters and it made it difficult to root for them throughout the book.

However I do love second chance romance especially in small town settings and there was enjoyment in that aspect! Still a cute and quick read I just didn’t love this sapphic romance as much as I hoped .

This one is going to be a DNF at 50%. I can't root for either of these two to be together, and I'm struggling with a lack of chemistry.

I wanted to like this but I didn't. It's a good concept for unfortunately they don't have chemistry. The book also ended really suddenly and it just felt weird.

I received an arc through netgalley.

SO! CUTE! I expect nothing less from Susie Dumond and know that I can always expect a feel good, queer romcom set in the south (so important to have southern queer rep!) when I pick up one of her books. Bed and Breakup had the perfect amount of drama, small town charm, will-they-won't-they vibes, and second chance romance. I appreciate how throughout the book we get more of the backstory. I cackled at their pranks, I yelled at them for being dumb, I shed a few tears, I kicked my feet in delight. I also really enjoyed that these are grown women who have lived life! As someone who is in their 30s and queer it's always refreshing to read a book where they're not just in their 20s. Molly and Robin are everything. As is my girl Marmalade.

Robin and Molly have been separated and not speaking for years, so it’s a shock when both turn up at their old B&B in Arkansas intending to live there. Both women are at a crossroads in their professional lives and were hoping for a reset at the place they used to love. When there’s an opportunity to rehab the property to sell, can the two look past all their arguments and resentment to get the job done and go their separate ways? Or will it bring them back together for good?

I love a good second-chance romance in a small town. This story was really cute and I loved the pranks the women played on each other. I did have a hard time knowing who was narrating each chapter - I wish the two women had more distinct voices. Overall, a cute read!

Thank you NetGalley and The Dial Press for a free digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I don't know why I keep reading second chance when I know it is very much not for me. I love Dumond but even she couldn't make me a second chance enjoyer. Maybe they were better off without each other?

Thanks to Dial Press and NetGalley for the advanced review copy!

i was really hoping this would be good but unfortunately, i couldn't get past 30% of this. in terms of the writing, this was dual pov written in first person, and i had a hard time distinguishing who was who. both characters felt like the same - boring and totally immature. they were ex-wives and obviously ended on terrible terms, but they acted like children around each other (playing pranks with literal dolls????) and the relationship felt toxic. i couldn't see them working things out or changing much and from reviews i've seen, it doesn't seem like they do. also there were chapters that were just straight info dumps and nothing else, nothing to further the plot. so disappointed - and during pride month!!!!! ugh!

3 ⭐️

Thank you to The Dial Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC! All opinions are my own.

Bed and Breakup is sapphic, small town, second chance romance that tells the story of Molly and Robin, ex-wives who end up at the inn they renovated as newlyweds. After a heartbreaking ending to their relationship and seven years apart, will their joint venture to sell the inn and go their separate ways work?

I’m a little conflicted about this one! Second chance romance can be a little iffy for me, as a lot of the time I can’t let go of why it didn’t work out the first time around. Robin and Molly were young when they met and got married and had a lot of growing to do. I definitely can see how they both matured and found themselves in their time apart, but I’m not sure that their growth made their relationship any better than when it started. Their relationship felt nostalgic and the romance was sweet, but their chemistry in the present day was lacking for me.

I enjoyed Robin and Molly as their own characters, though! I think they both had such interesting career paths and found myself enthralled when Robin spoke about her work as a chef and Molly spoke about her art. I honestly hadn’t heard of Eureka Springs before this book, but it seems like such a wonderful town! I also really loved the side characters and the queer community.

If you like small town romance and second chance love stories, I’d still recommend checking this one out!

This was so cute! The romance was so sweet. I lived the town and the building elements. These two sapphic people were just the most precious! Easy 5 stars ⭐️

Thank you Dial Press for this opportunity!

🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈/5

This was an adorable second chance romance!

Robin and Molly were both so well rounded and meaningful to me.
And you know I love a forced proximity trope.

This book makes me want to go to Arkansas for myself, experience a queer small town with hidden gems and 'lifers' who make me believe in happy endings.

Thank you NetGalley for the arc!!!

I really enjoyed this! Molly and Robin are so fantastic together! I found myself laughing and crying throughout this book! I loved the whole concept and the world the author created!! I also loved how diverse the characters were!!

Just a great experience all together!!

DNF at 11%. The writing of this one failed to engage me. The two POVs feel too similar, and the spark to draw me in is otherwise lacking.

This book manages to cover so many tropes extremely well; forced proximity, second chance, THE MOST ADORABLE QUEER TOWN, and a fixer-upper. Both Molly and Robin are extremely deep characters with well rounded backstories, complex feelings to their queerness in the south, and their family support. While the “every business and person is queer” in the small town felt a little cliche, it did send me on a google chase to learn more about Eureka, A VERY REAL TOWN, in Arkansas. That might have been the best part of the story, the town was its own character.

While at times it did feel hard to find the romantic link between the two MCs, and the main conflict felt kind of weak, the overall read was super enjoyable! I’ll be looking into Susie Dumond’s other books in the future. Cute, and a fun read! A huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

Set in the real town of Eureka Springs, Arkansas, this LGBTQ+ second chance romance features two women, Molly and Robin. When they met years ago, they connected quickly, married, and bought an old Victorian house in need of TLC. They did a fantastic job of it, and created a bed and breakfast that was well known beyond their region.
Robin's cooking skills led her to being seduced away from Arkansas to bigger things, from reality television to her own restaurants. But despite the aura of success, Robin is not doing well financially. Her latest restaurant failed and she is back in town to regroup and find a new way forward.
Molly was devastated when Robin left, and stayed for a while, later hiring a management company to run the B&B. But it has been closed for a while, and while Molly found an outlet for her creativity, stained glass, she has recently wanted to do work that she connected with on a personal lever rather than creating commission work for wealthy clients. She has come back to town at the same time as an artist friend of hers, and plans to create a sign for her friend's new shop, as well as another niche shop in town. She isn't sure if she's ready to stay longer or resume the nomad lifestyle she's lived for the last few years.
As Molly and Robin discover each other's presence and intention to stay at their old B&B, they react first with antagonistic acts, but find their chemistry still calls them to each other.
The inn has been modified by the management company, with some of its best features removed or covered over. When a mutual friend who runs boutique hotels expresses interest, the two women team up to bring the bed and breakfast back to its beautiful past through updates so they can sell it and move on. The question is, do they really want to split up for good?
I really enjoyed this novel, as I do most second chance romances, as people change and grow and bring their maturity to a better understanding of the real work relationships need to survive.

Thanks to Netgalley & Random House for the E-ARC! Really cute & loved the setting! Great characters & fun banter. Will read more from this author.