Falling for You Again is Kerry Lonsdale at her best! I love this and wish I could read it again for the first time.

Meli had a rough childhood with flighty parents, but the one constant was always working in the wood shop for the family business with her Uncle Bear. He always taught her that you can have your passion or you can have love but you can’t have both. She is ready to sacrifice love for her craft, and is set to inherit the business when Uncle Bear retires.

When Meli discovers her inheritance is at stake, she does the only thing she can think of to fix it: she marries the competitor’s son, Aaron Borland- BUT, this isn’t the first time they’ve been married.

This is a story of second chance romance, family drama, and self empowerment and it’s so good. Get your copy on July 8th!

Thank you to Net Galley, Lake Union Publishing, and Kerry Lonsdale for the opportunity to read and review Falling for You Again!!!

This book would be an easy beach read this summer! Unfortunately for me, it fell a little flat. Most of the main characters seemed like immature adults. Our main character, Meli, was strong while simultaneously letting her family disregard her feelings, opinions, and value to their company. Obviously, she has a lot of trauma to unpack with her family history but the many plot lines felt messy to me. The romance didn’t feel genuine but that’s not for lack of trying by our main male character, Aaron. And while the book was messy, everything wrapped up too tidily with undeserved forgiveness (the most I can say without spoiling anything). On the plus side, the writing is very descriptive which makes the characters and scenes easy to imagine. And Meli’s best friend, Emi, is a wonderful addition to the book. This book may not have been for me but I know it has an audience as there are many 4-5 star reviews.

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for providing this book for an honest review!

4.5 stars rounded down because the author threw in a horrible plot twist that soured the experience.

I love a good marriage of convenience tale and this one was layered with so much emotion and a lot of family baggage. I couldn't put down this story of ex-spouses Meli and Aaron who married on a whim five years ago for six days, who re-marry to stop the sale of Meli's family business.

Fair warning that this is insta-love but done in a way that I believed the attraction between Meli and Aaron from the moment they met on page. They had such a great banter and complemented each other so well, that made me believe they'd still carry a torch for each other five years later even though they only knew each other a week. Aaron was such a sweetheart, steadfast and everything Meli needed in a partner. Plus he loves The Easybeats! Meli was talented and tenacious but carried a lot of baggage thanks to her neglectful parents and an uncle who also raised her to have hang ups about love. Meli's growth was very slow, but you could see why she stubbornly clung to thinking she was unable to balance love and work. I also loved Meli's best friend who was such a great voice of reason for her.

However, there was one awful plot twist thrown in that made me almost throw the book and give it two stars. Thankfully it didn't turn out how I thought it would but it soured the reading experience. I wish the author removed it because it felt superfluous given there was already enough push/pull conflict and it shouldn't have been that used as the catalyst for Meli to essentially work through all her misgivings. (Insert spoilers on review sites that allow to hide).

Thanks to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC.

I absolutely loved this book. I loved the main character and how her relationship with her husband/not husband developed and changed. This is the perfect romance book for someone who wants to feel uplifted and maybe a little aggravated at how insecure Meli was, but given her upbringing it was understandable. She tried to live by uncle Bear’s rules, which were never to get involved with anyone you work with, but when uncle Bear sells the business that she always expected to inherit, she is just devastated. Highly recommend this to any fan of romance novels, and definitely any fan of Kerry’s. I think this is my favorite of her books. Well, at least until she writes another one when that will probably become my favorite.

A Breathtaking, Unputdownable Read

This book will have you completely captivated —
I fell head over heels for the characters, their journey felt so raw and real that I almost forgot they weren’t part of my own life. From start to finish, I was utterly hooked, and devoured the story in a single weekend because I simply couldn’t put it down.

The emotional depth of the two main characters made their love, struggles, and hopes feel incredibly authentic. I found myself rooting for them with every turn of the page, desperately wanting their happiness. Even after finishing the last page, I wasn’t ready to say goodbye. I wished their story could go on forever.

If you love books that make you feel—that pull you in so deeply you forget the world around you—
THIS is one you don’t want to miss!!

I received a complimentary copy of this book "Falling for You Again" and all opinions expressed are my own. Kerry Lonsdale is one of my go to authors. Family drama, forgiveness, second chances and romance. Meli and Aaron, I was rooting for them all the way.

What a great read! Meli needs to figure out her path, family business, relationships, marriage, future

As she’s running away from her wedding she meets her “husband “

I love Aaron from the beginning, he was everything she needed even when she didn’t know it!!

Genre: Women’s Fiction / Contemporary Romance
Steamy?: Yes but only a couple scenes
Cliffhanger?: No
Format: E-book
Can be read as Standalone?: Yes
Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars

***THANK YOU TO the author FOR MY COMPLIMENTARY REVIEW COPY. ALL OPINIONS AND THOUGHTS ARE MY OWN***

I am conflicted. This story had good bones with potential to be very great but I felt like the plot was a bit scattered and rushed with a need for a little more simplification. The meet-cute I didn’t find very believable. And I didn’t feel an organic romantic connection between the characters - I felt there was more “telling” than “showing”.

As the story went along, I felt certain conflicts were not warranted and misunderstandings were easily avoided but weren’t. And why was a random flashback thrown in to the story when it would’ve fit perfectly in the beginning when the rest of the runaway bride escapades happened? I don’t know, this story just felt a bit too chaotic for me BUT the plot was interesting enough to keep me engaged.

I really enjoyed reading ‘Falling for you again’. I love a good romance and this is the first one that I have picked up in a long while. I’m so glad I did.

I found the main characters to be believable and relatable and there is a nice amount of extra characters that add to the story. There’s a lot to read between the lines in terms of family dynamics. It’s not just a simple romance.

The author is not afraid to address parental issues and how this can mess us up and, consequently, how we avoid love. It’s refreshing to read a novel where loving parents aren’t ‘the norm’. I felt comforted. My family, especially my parents ghost me too. It doesn’t matter how old we are, how grown up we are… it hurts. The shame, pain, guilt, loneliness and feelings of worthlessness this can cause is unbelievably painful. I can relate. This is the story for many people. I felt seen and understood by the author. She gave people like me a voice through Meli. I think she has covered this topic in a sympathetic and understanding way. I found comfort in this book and the many words of wisdom. I highlighted many pages because the words on the page were much more than just words on a page. Someone understands. Thank you. It’s also still a lovely romance.

Many of us are searching for our place in this world and our people. Our people are not always our family. This book shows that. Meli and Aaron become each others family. I was willing them on, we can’t always see what we have, or accept that we can be loved. That someone could love us enough to want to be with us. I wasn’t entirely sure which way the story would go at one point and it kept me hooked.

Overall, I really enjoyed the book and I wasn’t expecting to be so affected by it. It affected me because I can relate so much to Meli’s story. Even though it is fiction.

Meli Hynes is all about her craft, not love—until her uncle decides to sell the family workshop out from under her. Desperate to stop the deal, she turns to a marriage of convenience with someone from her past. But as old feelings resurface, keeping things strictly business proves harder than expected.

I wasn’t sure what to expect since this was my first read by Kerry, but I was hooked from the start. I picked it up late at night and had to force myself to put it down.

The connection between Meli and Aaron was great—I loved hearing about how they met, and it gave me those little stomach flutters. Meli’s backstory was emotional and made me really feel for her, though there were a few moments midway through that got a little frustrating. Aaron’s backstory also added depth and helped explain why he agreed to this whole crazy plan.

Meli’s relationship with her uncle was really sweet, and I felt for her when decisions were made without her input. The supporting characters added fun, friendship, and even a bit of heartache, which made the story even richer.

Sure, you go into this kind of book knowing how it’ll end, but that didn’t take away from how much I enjoyed it.

Big thanks to NetGalley for the download!

⭐Worthy of all the stars!⭐

The tug-of-war between heart and head, mixed with family drama and beautiful prose, made this a spectacular read.

[insert quote about the rhythm of falling leaves post publication]

Meli Hynes lives in a world where her logical mind and her emotional core are engaged in a constant tug-of-war. Every time she gives in to what her heart wants, panic undoes what following her heart has accomplished. I was compelled to keep reading to find out who Meli listened to; her voice or reason or her heart.

I loved the references to her family being like a piece of knotty pine and know that this novel would make a fantastic TV series or movie!

Every moment I spent with Meli and Aaron was worth it. I know this book will be in my top 5 reads of 2025.

I was gifted this copy by Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

This was an ok if somewhat predictable story. I was a bit disappointed as I like this author and her works.

I have read every book by Kerry Lonsdale and loved them all. This book is no exception! I loved Meli and Aaron! Meli and Aaron both have difficult family issues they are dealing with. Add in a fake marriage, but does it stay fake? Meli's best friend is the best friend we all need! I received an advanced readers copy and all opinions are my own.

Such a cute read!
Meli and Aaron are such fun characters to get to know. You want to yell at Meli to stand up herself and when she finally does I cheered. Aaron figures out his own path while dealing with his own family issues.
Aaron and Meli meet on a plane after she ran out on her wedding. Both told each other they wouldn’t get married. They end up marrying each other…twice!

Definitely worth the read. It’s a quick read and super cute.

This was a solid four-star read for me! It could’ve been five, but at times the heroine’s issues with relationships felt a little exaggerated. That said, I still really enjoyed it.

At its core, this is a second-chance, second-marriage romance—but it also reads like a friends-to-lovers story, which totally melted my heart. Especially Aaron. I love a cinnamon roll hero, and he absolutely delivered.

If you like:

marriage of convenience
second-chance romance
friends to lovers
runaway bride

…then you’ll probably love this book too.

There were a few things I didn’t love—like the miscommunication (both between them and with their families) and their mutual people-pleasing tendencies—but they did make up for it in the end, so!!

loved it!

Falling for You Again is the latest, greatest read from author Kerry Lonsdale! When gifted woodworker and artisan Meli finds out that she's on the brink of losing her lifelong dream of owning her family's furniture business, she decides to do whatever she can to save it. Breaking a five-year-old promise of "no contact" to her ex-husband, Aaron, seems harmless enough in light of losing her family's legacy. But how will he react, and what will be the consequences? A story of family, fate, forgiveness, hope, and love that everyone will enjoy -- highly recommended!

Meli Hynes, works in her Uncle’s wood crafting shop, since graduating from college. She has always believed that one day the company will become hers and dreams of owning it and building it up. All this falls flat, when she inadvertently discovers her Uncle is in the middle of discussions about selling it and her to a rival company.
Meli, who has a difficult relationship with her parents was brought up by her uncle and cannot believe he has betrayed her. He won’t even discuss alternative solutions. So !eli impulsively takes matters into her own hands and seeks the help of a past friend/ ex husband no one knows about.

We discover just how Meli, 1st met Aaron and how they became to be married and divorced in the space of a week. We follow as they 1st plan together to help solve Meli’s problems as well as help solve Aaron’s issues with his family. And then as they realise there may be more between them, but can it work. Can’t they overcome their own problems and move forward together.?

I enjoyed reading this title and thank Kerry for allowing me to be part of her early reader team. She has created great character, who you can’t help to like and hope that things work out for. I found myself at times becoming frustrated with Meli’s decisions, wanting to shake her and tell her to think. I believe this is a sign of great penmanship making me feel as if I am a part of the story.

I really enjoyed this book. A quick book with lots of twist that make you want to read more and hooks you in.

I absolutely loved this story. Having an artisan that is a woodswoman as an FMC was truly unique. It allowed you to dream about the craft that Meli, the FMC, was working on and designing. It also really made you want to work with your hands in some way. It makes you want to be creative and this truly shows how an author can bring a story to life.
Meli and Aaron have such a beautiful meet cute. Then they don’t see each other for like 5 years. However, she needs him and he made a promise to be there if she ever did. I found this to be beautiful. Their relationship grows out of this need and from their prior meeting. It’s beautifully told and done. You see the past and the present. The family dynamics in this book are insane. Both Aaron and Meli have family struggles and issues and it’s a huge part of the story. I won’t go into detail or give away any spoilers. I loved this book!

4.5 stars

What a good book! I love Kerry's stories--they draw you in and make you feel like you know the characters. This one tells the story of Meli and Aaron after a chance meeting and a trip to Vegas. They get a second chance at their romance. This is a great story of love lost and found again.