Love Overdue
Ali Berg and Michelle Kalus

‘Each of my insecurities scratches at me: I'm forgettable, l'm replaceable, I'm unloveable.’

This book had me staying up late for just a few more chapters and I absolutely sped through this. I was constantly waiting and hoping for the next encounter and always hoping to progress the timeline forward.

‘Perhaps the true way to find closure is to meet the ghost of your past and realise you never mattered enough for him to remember you in the first place.’

Unfortunately the authors had other plans and left me in exquisite suspense and this becomes more than just a second chance romance. This book became the big picture and encapsulated the whole spectrum of life’s experiences and it was so much better for it.

“Remember what Oprah always says: sometimes things not going to plan is the universe keeping an eye on you.”

Wendy cracked me up with her unwavering support, encouragement and ideals of supporting the sisterhood. That’s another amazing thing about this book, the side characters all fit together so brilliantly and have their place.

Overall, I loved it. Completely obsessed and adored that it was set in Australia.

‘There are so many uncertainties in life. Being hurt, disappointed and heartbroken is just part and parcel of being human. But so too is being awed, surprised and, if you're lucky, loved.’

Lauren Green thinks her first love story is shelved for good - until life decides to write a surprise chapter.

The last time Lauren “Wren” saw Jamie Sultana, they were seventeen and he’d just shredded her heart.

Twenty years later, Lauren is the vice principal of a school and has lost her determination to succeed at writing. She calls a meeting with notorious truant April Reidman’s absent parents, and the last person she expects to walk into her office is Jamie. And to add further insult, he’s acting like he has no idea who she is!

Crazy fun, wildly optimistic and a sweeping romance. Please buy it!

@allenandunwin @aliandmichelle

(Review posted on my instagram and Goodreads 24th June 2025).

A charming and clever book, Love Overdue is a warm and emotionally satisfying second-chance romance. The main character, Wren, is a wonderfully nerdy and relatable book lover, and as a Melburnian, the local references were a delight. The story's structure—a 'now and then' narrative divided by school terms—is a highlight, cleverly building the history between the leads and incorporating a strong sense of early 2000s nostalgia.

The plot is slow to build, and the male main character, Jamie, is challenging at the start. His initial coldness and pretence of not knowing Wren is frustrating, but I would urge readers to persevere. The reasons behind his actions are eventually revealed in what becomes a rewarding and believable character arc.

While this is a closed-door romance, the emotional payoff is significant. Overall, Love Overdue is a beautifully constructed, heartfelt, and witty read, highly recommended for fans of Beth O'Leary or anyone who loves a slow-burn, bookish romance with strong female friendships.

Thank you to Allen & Unwin, the authors, and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Ohhhh how I loved this book!! 💕

This book was such much more than just a second chance romance. It delivered a captivating story with heart, humour & courage! I resonated with it immediately. I loved how it was structured and the flip between 'then' & 'now' timelines was great. I loved learning about Lauren & Jamie's story in real time and also in the past. The breakdown of the parts of the story into school terms was also so cute!

This one tugged on the heart strings for me and I got teary eyed at the last chapter & as I was turning the page I was praying for an epilogue & my goodness my prayers were answered!!

This story was so much deeper than just a romance & sometimes in life it is the right person but the wrong time. I love how Ali & Michelle handled that.

The MSN messages were such a throwback & I was obsessed how in the present they replicated that but in email format, I loved that little connecting puzzle piece

Funny, emotional & nostalgic!

Love Overdue is a warm, emotionally satisfying second-chance romance that balances past regrets with present possibilities. Laurie Green—aka Wren—is now a deputy principal at a Melbourne high school. But twenty years ago, she was a shy, nerdy teen who fell hard for Jamie Sultana, the good-looking guy with an artistic soul. Their high school romance was short-lived but intense—until he dumped her at her most vulnerable moment.

So imagine her surprise when Jamie reappears, now the father of one of her students—and seemingly doesn’t even recognise her.

The story cleverly weaves between the final year of high school and the current academic year, allowing us to feel the full arc of Lauren and Jamie’s connection. Their emotional bond is clear early on, and it’s lovely watching it deepen in the present. The writing is smooth, well-paced, and sensitive to the weight of past hurts without letting the tone get too heavy.

Lauren’s Jewish identity is beautifully woven into the narrative. We get glimpses of Jewish celebrations and customs through her family life, which adds depth and texture. That said, I really wanted more of Melbourne itself. It’s a vibrant, multicultural city and the perfect setting for this kind of story, but it never quite shines through. Given how much the city reflects the cultural layers of characters like Wren, that felt like a missed opportunity.

One of my favourite subplots is Lauren connecting with Jamie’s daughter, April, through literature and writing. It felt real, heartwarming, and not overly sentimental.

There’s just enough steam to keep things interesting—nothing gratuitous, but definitely enough chemistry to root for. And I appreciated that both Lauren and Jamie are adults with adult problems—believable, mature characters navigating complex emotions without unnecessary drama.

That said, I found Wren’s relationship with her supposed best friend Liv… puzzling. Liv comes off as narcissistic and gossipy, especially in the beginning, and never really feels like someone solidly in Wren’s corner. It was odd that Wren didn’t confide in her about Jamie when he reappeared. I get that some of that is emotional self-protection, but it also felt like the friendship just wasn’t that deep to begin with. It’s not a dealbreaker, just an odd contrast given the emotional realism elsewhere.

The ending isn’t quite what you’d expect from a traditional romance, but it works—and it left me with a smile and a few happy sighs.

Big thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. This was heartfelt, smart, and genuinely enjoyable. One of the better second-chance romances I’ve read in a while.

Thank you to net galley, Allen and unwin, Michelle Klaus and Ali Berg for the opportunity to review this eARC. All Thoughts and opinion are my own xx

Pre thoughts
Books??

Overall
This was a great emotional journey, filled with growth, nostalgia and longing for that person.

This book is the definition of right person wrong time and may have altered my brain chemistry.

(Full review to come when published)

✨Stars 4
🌶️Spice 2.5

Tropes
Dual timeline
Forced proximity
Right person wrong time

Ok this was SUPER cute.

A fast paced rom com surrounding second chances at love through an expert meshing of past and present. The story follows Wren (aka Lauren aka Birdie) and Jamie’s love story, seamlessly entwining flashbacks of their tumble into teenage love and their modern day (20 years later) reintroduction. I normally struggle with constant jump between timelines, but found that with each past glimpse, we developed a deeper understanding of Wren and Jamie’s modern day dynamics. The fast pace helped to keep me intrigued, and I devoured this in the better half of two sittings!

Also the nostalgia of the flashbacks was everything, dramatically increasing the relatability (I mean MSN chats!?). And set in Melbourne!!! Love a homage to Aus! Wren’s parents are also vets (like me) - aka immediately interested!

The MMC is also called Jamie Sultana which is honestly the cutest name on earth. I initially found him hard to root for, but was 100% team Jamie by the end.

A big rec for anyone looking for a cosy, heartwarming and fast-paced little treat with the following tropes:
🍬First love
🍬Second chances
🍬Slow burn
🍬Forced proximity
🍬Grumpy sunshine

Pub Date: July 1 2025

Thank you @allenandunwin, NetGalley and @aliandmichelle for the chance to read and review this e-ARC.

Lauren Green is the vice principal of North Caulfield Primary, she recently broken up with a co-worker, moved back home and her life is a mess. April Reidman is in year six and a tough time for girls, her parents are busy working and she asks them both to attend a meeting about her behaviour and only April’s dad shows up.

Lauren thought her life couldn’t get any worse, April’s father is Jamie Saltuna and her first love and high school boyfriend. The messy haired heart breaker from twenty years ago, is now drop dead gorgeous lookalike for Kit Harington from the Game of Thrones. Jamie seems to have no idea who Lauren is, she doesn’t know whether to be grateful or ticked off and when they get into a debate about what to do with wayward April, somehow Jamie gets an idea in his head he should join the Parent Council and attend the meetings and he has to be joking?

I received a copy of Love Overdue from NetGalley and Allen & Unwin in exchange for an honest review and this is the first book I've read written by co-authors and they did a great job.

As a mother of a teenager, I’m counting down the days until I never have to fill out another form, sit through a boring meeting or attend a parent teacher interview again. So I could relate to the characters and the narrative made me laugh out loud and snigger (my husband found this annoying and an added bonus) teachers find some kids and their parents pains in the bum, they have follow a list of rules and procedures a mile long and have thoughts, feelings and a life outside of work.

A hilarious and delightful rom-com by Michelle Kalus and Ali Berg, about first love and why it ended, with a bumbling principal (not Lauren) and yes schools have more than one, with themes around second chances and it’s never too late to follow your dreams, the odd disaster, guilt, drama and embarrassing moments thrown in.

You nailed it ladies, five stars from me and you don't need to be a parent or have kids to enjoy this one and I highly recommend.

Thank you Ali Berg, Michelle Klaus and Net Gallery for an ARC copy of this novel.

I have read quite a few novels from this duo and this one might be my new favourite!

It is a beautiful, longing-filled, second chance romance with a touch of the forbidden, between a primary school deputy principal and a students’ father (her mysterious, childhood sweetheart). The characters feel two-dimensional and flawed, despite the romantic comedy backdrop. As a teacher in Australia myself, seeing a romance novel in a school setting was so entertaining, and made scenarios even more relatable.

The dual timeline allows the plot to unfold gradually and reveal the FMC’s history as information comes to light in the present day, in a way that allows themes of family, friendship, grief and love to shine through.

A short, sweet, fantastic read that I definitely will be recommending!

I really enjoyed this one! I loved how it blended second-chance romance with nostalgia — it made me think about how timing can change everything. The back-and-forth between past and present worked so well and really helped me connect to Lauren and Jamie. It was sweet, funny, and just the right amount of emotional. A lovely, feel-good read!

Omg I absolutely loved this one. The flashbacks took me back to my schooldays in a way that other novels seemed to struggle with. They were always for someone older or slightly younger than me but not me.

I also loved the Melbourne/Australian/school setting and the intensity of a highschool romance. Plus the reconnecting and everything else.

It wasn’t boring or predictable, there were plenty of twists and witty banter. Plus a insta influencer scandal, so good.

Everything you could want in a novel. Plus her favourite author is Melina Marchetta, just like me.

A heartwarming rom com about second chances to confront and reconcile your past – not just with an old love but also dormant dreams. It’s also a love letter to the teachers that passionately care about their students.

I got so invested in that I stayed up ‘til 1am to finish. I felt tears (my heart broke for young Wren and Jamie) to smiles (Walter! MSN chat logs! School community gossip). The authors really sold how they still had magical chemistry despite 20 years apart. Normally I hate flashbacks, but it seamlessly dovetailed into the present day to show how much they’d changed but also the same people at heart and helped each other chase their old dreams.

I loved that Wren was not being sold on having kids while also recognising Esther was the one who did the majority of raising April compared to Jamie. While I liked Jamie, I side eyed him after he ignored Wren when things unravelled again. Then when she was forced to confront him he didn’t even grovel. I also side eyed Liv. While I understood why she was hurt, I think she overreacted and owed Wren an apology. Friends aren't owed details about a painful past that they’d not dealt with for decades. Luckily though, the resolution was very fitting, even if I started tearing up, but needed to happen.

A delightful gem that will be on my re-reading list. I adored this and can’t wait to read what this writing duo come up with next.

Thanks to Allen & Unwin for the ARC.

This was a really lovely story. Told in a Then and Now way which added a lot of past drama details to the story. An entertaining read.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced cope of this book in exchange for an honest review

I absolutely loved this book! It’s got a lot of heart and good feels throughout.

I felt like the FMC could have been my best friend, I connected and resonated with her so much. Lauren AKA Wren AKA Birdie is a Vice Principal at a Melbourne Primary School, and when places like Portsea and Balnarring Beach are mentioned in the book, I was like ohmygod this feels so close to home, cos it is! The nostalgic feels too, when msn messenger chats are scattered throughout the book! (loved that).

Lauren is book obsessed, a bit of a nerd, a wannabe writer, caring and compassionate and thinks her first love story is shelved for good—until life decides to write a surprise chapter.

Jamie Sultana (what a name!) as the MMC is pretty yummy. He’s the one that got away. I wish he was real just so I could see his tattoos in person!
Tropes include:

First Loves (and first heartbreak)
Second Chances
Bookish Banter
Hot Dad
Slow Burn

There isn’t that much spice in this book, but that’s ok, it works just fine without it.

Thank you so much @netgallery for providing me with an arc of this amazing book.

Thank you so much to Harlequin Books for this ARC 📖
Lauren and Jamie's story was fun, reminiscent and honest. I adored the two of them finding their way back to one another as they grow older in life and their priorities have changed - yet their feelings for one another are still very much a pulling thread bringing the two of them back into each others life.
I loved the weaving of writing and publishing into Lauren and Jamie's story + seeing Jamie's daughter April fall in love with words throughout the novel too.
I'm looking forward to discovering Michelle Kalus and Ali Berg's backlist!

Ali and Michelle I have missed your writing!

Love Overdue is a cute contemporary romance, set in Victoria (slay 💅). Lauren/Wren is our protagonist, we jump from past to present. Loved how the nostalgia of highschool in the early 2000’s was described, with Msn, myspace top 8, limewire etc! Ahhh the simpler days with no responsibilities! 😌

I could have easily read this in one sitting, it was sugary sweet but not OTT. Lauren’s self discovery in the second half is well written and her ability to finally be selfish and do what she wants is great.

Mr. Sultana, TBH could be a bit of a dick. But he grew on me, I am now a Birdie and Sultana Stan.

I loved the interwoven references to previous works by the authors and peep the references to our Queen Taylor Swift 🙏


Ali and Michelle are autobuy authors for me, and I will definitely be collecting a paperback version too!

Thank you NetGalley, Allen and Unwin and the Authors for my advanced copy 🥰

Love overdue

I loved this so much!
Such a beautiful second chance romance, and it was just what I needed! ❤️

Considering this story revolves around love it felt like there was so much more going on.
It’s filled with grief that made me cry, MSN messages that made me laugh, and love that made me sigh.

It was a struggle having to put this one down and return to real life! Especially when I got up to the last 100 pages and then that epilogue ❤️❤️❤️
Love love love!

Love Overdue will be one of my forever favourites!

Perfect for fans of Emily Henry, and romance with some depth.

Thanks so much Net Galley and Allen & Unwin for the ARC in exchange for an honest review! I’m so grateful for this one!!

*Thank you to NetGalley and Allen & Unwin for the ARC of this book*

After reading “While you were reading” by the same authors, I have since been looking for anything with a similar vibe - a mix of of romance with depth that felt realistic, with relatable Australian references and nostalgia, and this book has definitely delivered!

Being the age of the FMC - I really enjoyed being transported back to my life as an Australian teenager, especially the inclusion of MSN chats.

I did wish that there was a bit more background/context into their former relationship earlier on in the book, so that I could better understand the emotion of the FMC meeting up with the MMC in the present - however I think the decision to be vague made sense later in the book.

Really enjoyed it!

I was gratefully gifted an arc for this book and it was a pleasant read. The story follows Lauren and Jamie as they navigate their second chance of their childhood first love. This was an incredibly easy read, with good pacing and feel good vibes. Written in single POV with snippets into the past was such a great choice as it made me like the characters that little bit more.

While this was a decent book, it’s not my favourite contemporary romance. I found the FMC a little desperate at times, and felt like the story would’ve better suited younger main characters (maybe a first year teacher) with some of the dialogue and decisions feeling a little “young”

All in all, I’d recommend to anyone who wants a YA light and fluffy read or a pallet cleanser. It’s easy, it’s cute and I’m incredibly grateful for the arc.

Fabulous feel-good fiction, and so much more than a sweet, second-chance romance story.

Told through a dual timeline, experiencing the nostalgia of high school, MSN and MySpace, amidst the burgeoning first love between Lauren (Wren) Green and Jamie Sultana. Fast-forward twenty years, they are both fully fledged adults leading busy lives, when they become reconnected at the primary school of Jamie’s daughter, where Lauren is the vice school principal.

Lauren (Wren) is a delightfully quirky, bookish and memorable character. I cried reading about Bear and laughed so many times with the school drama. I enjoyed the many quintessentially Australian elements in this story, as well as the realistically depicted school community gossip, staffroom conversations, difficult parent-teacher meetings and the inclusion of the school library.

The storyline featured a delightful mixture of friendship, guilt, grief, love, social media, family drama, identity crises, and pursuing dreams.

With many thanks to Allen & Unwin and NetGalley for an advanced reading copy of this heartwarming story, in exchange for an honest review.

Love Overdue was nostalgic and filled with lots of relatable millennial vibes such as Limewire, MSN and of course MySpace top 8 (IYKYK). The school staffroom conversations, community gossip and the hilarious parent meetings were highly accurate and also made me laugh multiple times. The FMC & MMC are mature adults who have lived full successful lives before rekindling their high school romance. The time jumps and communication references were well timed and helped you understand the characters and their lives as teens. There were so many emotions and heart warming moments in this book. It was well paced an easy and entertaining read. I absolutely loved this book and can’t wait for it to be released.

I rate this book 4.5 stars- Thank you to NetGalley and Allen & Unwin for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC for my honest review!