This might be the most romantic book I’ve ever read. Clare has so much talent and each of her books surpasses the last (even though I keep swearing that’s not possible to do). I finished this book with eyes so full of tears that I could hardly read the epilogue because I don’t know two people more deserving of a happy ending. This book is tattooed on my heart and I can’t wait to read it again.

Get your preorders in now because this book is EVERYTHING. It comes out October 28th!

Read for:
🎶 Dual Timeline
⚾️ Second Chance
🎶 “Date me to break my heart”
⚾️ Baseball Player x Songwriter
🎶 Chemistry

Thank you to SMP Romance for the eARC. All thoughts are my own.

4.5 rounded up

I’ve been in such a reading slump lately but this sucked me in and I finished in 2 days. I felt like there was a great balance between the past and present storylines, and I just loved the relationship between Paige and Liam (like giggling kicking my feet at times). I also loved Paige’s sisters and did feel like it helped to round out Paige’s character. Overall, definitely one of my favorite reads of 2025.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC

This books was fun to read. I enjoyed the flashback chapters. The personal growth was amazing. I loved that both characters had growth and learning their imperfections were what made them, them. The writing about their families and past friends made me verbally yell at the characters to leave them behind. Though the growth for everyone was heartwarming.

I LOVED this book so so much. This was my first time reading a Clare Gilmore book, and if this is how all her books are, just know I’ll be adding every single one she’s written (and every one she writes in the future) straight to my tbr.

From the very beginning, this story resonated with me in ways I didn’t even know were possible. It made me cry for what felt like the entire book, but in the best way. It reminded me that it’s okay to have a different path in life than everyone else, that it’s okay to not have everything figured out ten years in advance, and that if you don’t know what you’re doing yet, that’s okay, you’ll figure it out.

I also really loved the music aspect of this story. Music is beautiful because it ties people together. Lyrics can be molded to fit anyone’s story, and still make you feel the same emotions, and I loved that this book captured that perfectly.

I also loved Paige and Liam’s relationship evolution. Normally, I’m not a fan of dual timelines because I tend to get bored, but in this case, it was essential. The dual timeline helped me fully understand who they were, why they acted the way they did, and how their love grew. Their breakup, too, felt necessary. It wasn’t just drama for the sake of it, they needed that time apart to become the best versions of themselves. Only then could they come back together and be the people the other truly needed. I loved how they made each other better, and how their love was rooted in endless support.

Overall, I loved Clare Gilmore’s writing. The story was beautifully told, and the way it made me feel is something I’ll carry with me for a long time.

Thank you so so so much NetGalley and St. Martin's Press / St. Martin's Griffin for the chance to read this ARC.

A quick, fun romance. I found it hard to follow at times, but I was rooting for Liam and Paige! Part of what made it harder to follow was all the side characters- I liked seeing the character growth through the family dynamics- but maybe just a few too many extra characters.

I swear Clare never fails to break my heart and put it back together perfectly. This was no different. I ate up this book and it’s second chance and dual timeline magic. Liam and Paige aren’t perfect and they know that, but they want nothing more than to be perfect for each other and they just had me in a puddle constantly. And the growth they went through with both of their families was honestly so important to me in ways I can’t begin to explain. Clare has been an auto read author since Love Interest and she keeps proving me right.

3.5/5. Really cute. I liked the premise, dual timelines, second chance romance. There were times when I thought this would be a 5 romance read. There were too many side characters, I had trouble keeping track of all of her sisters. I also didn’t care about them? Also some of the dialogue was unnatural and over the top. People don’t speak to each other like that IRL. Still enjoyed and would recommend to anyone seeking a quick romance.

This book was really sweet. The characters had great chemistry and banter, but it was nicely balanced with some genuinely touching moments too. It did dip into cheesy territory here and there, which pulled me out of the story a bit, but not enough to ruin anything. Overall, it’s definitely a feel-good read—with just enough depth to hit you in the feels when it needs to.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book!

I went into this book with high expectations, but unfortunately it didn’t work for me. While the premise was interesting, the pacing felt slow and the characters never fully pulled me in. The writing style was serviceable, but I often found myself disconnected from the story, and some plot points felt predictable or underdeveloped.

That said, I can see how other readers might enjoy it—especially those who like quieter, character-driven stories. For me, though, it just wasn’t engaging enough to stick with.

This is my first Clare Gilmore, but not the last for sure! I am OBSESSED with this book. I'm not a huge fan of second chance romance (because sometimes the fight that instigates the original breakup can't be overlooked for me), but this might change my mind. Paige and Liam's love story felt real and complex, while also being so swoony. I loved who they were as individuals and especially loved them together. I loved how the author handled grief and healing with each character.

The alternating chapters of their current love story with their past was almost reminiscent of The Last Five Years (minus all the cheating and harm caused). I couldn't put it down!

I absolutely devoured this book! I loved the second chance romance trope. I loved that the setting took place mostly in Knoxville and Nashville as I am from East TN myself. I loved the relationship between Liam and Paige. They made me want to keep reading to see what would happen next.
I loved the dual timeline as it gave me more background insight to the characters and how it developed their personalities.
I will be recommending this book to everyone!
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book!

This book is so fun to read.. The title definitely fits the book - Liam quickly became a favorite of mine despite my initial skepticism and Paige’s character development is insane. I loved this read!

This book is so lovable! Easy to read and easy to understand. Though being dual timeline makes it more understandable, the reasons the happenings in the presents pull back into the past which is the source of the misunderstanding. This book might be the right love wrong time type for me and a love is there and never left hence the title i guess. I am very guarded at Liam first, but this guy breaks all walls omg and Paige on how she change for the better and became a stronger person💜💜💜


thank you for the wonderful opportunity💜

Thank you so much NetGalley and St. Martins press for the digital arc! This book will be published on October 28th, 2025!
I absolutely ate this book up! Wow! It was so cute, right from the first page! An absolute easy 5 star read for me!
This book is kind of second chance, but kind of fake dating in a way! I think Paige and Liam’s chemistry was great and on fire! It was honestly a very good book, with what I felt like had a few heavy topics that were handled with care! It was cozy and I instantly fell in love with the main characters.
Paige is a songwriter, whereas Liam is a baseball player. A fight happens with them and the book is written in dual timelines so we get the “true” reactions from the fight! Paige seeks Liam out 4 years later to help her out on a project and it was like they had never left each other! They fall back in love after spending the summer together and they both kind of “find their purpose” in life!
This was my first time reading a book by Clare Gilmore and it will not be the last! :)

I loved this book! 3.75 stars from me. Well written. Characters to love. Engaging story that had me hooked.

Oh my GOD. Clare Gilmore, you will always be famous to me. I read this book feeling like I constantly had a lump in my throat, as Liam and Paige pretend to date and very quickly become much more. From the get-go, Liam and Paige have this sort of once-in-a-lifetime connection and emotional intelligence that's so hard to find, and it gripped me from the start. This isn't a plot-centric book: it's quiet and tender and incredibly smart, and that makes their love story feel so much richer. I'm so, SO glad this one had a dual timeline--I adored it. Writing this with tears streaming down my face. Music really does have transformative powers!!!

thank you, St. Martin's Press, for an e-copy of this to read!

I would give this book a 3.5 stars! It had so many life lessons and I felt like I was at the same life stage as Paige. Liam was such a good motivator for her. She made such beautiful relationships, but because of how many sisters she had, I wish we could have seen more of that. Growth was such a big theme and was so well done. I loved seeing characters grow and build confidence in themselves and in their practices. The rekindling of friends who always had a special place in each others heart, to a relationship for their professional benefit, to what was always meant to be. What a happily ever after. It’s safe to say, it was never over.

I don’t know where to start with this book. I didn’t want to finish it, Every feeling they felt, I felt. It was written so beautifully, misunderstandings/ miss communication can be hard to read but, all in all it was written in a way that I could understand both of them and their feelings. I do felt at some parts the story moved a little slow, some flashbacks I felt weren’t needed and I do felt the ending was rushed. But overall one of the best books I’ve read this year and I will be recommending to my friends!

A super unique rom-com! The story is not all what I expected but I loved it! I enjoyed the behind the scenes aspect of a music tour in the book. I liked the side characters, especially the Lancaster sisters. Paige and Liam’s healing journey was perfect, they each had things to deal with and put in the work to overcome them.

A few reasons why I didn’t give this book a 5 star rating. The way the dialogue was structured broke the flow for me too many times. Also, I felt like an outsider quite a bit since I didn’t know why they had broken up. I feel like it would have made the book better to know earlier.

I enjoyed this! The connection between Liam and Paige was clear as day and I liked the glimpses of them falling in love - both in the past and the present.