This was such a cute book!
Lucy has had her heart broken twice. And both times, Asher was the one to let her know.
7 month later, he shows up in her kitchen as the personal chef her grandmother hired,
Their attraction is undeniable, but can Lucy get past her Man Ban, the heartache of her other heartbreaks, and trust in love?
This is a closed door romance. Lucy and Asher are great characters. His brother, Aaron, is hilarious. Her best friend is wild. I truly loved this book!

I love books with just a small. cast of characters. For some reason I often get a lot more invested in them, than when there are many people. This story is told first p.o.v. by Asher and Lucy. Besides the two main characters Asher's brother and Lucy's best friend play big parts in the story and for me personally Mitzi, Lucy's grandma just stole the show. I loved her to bits! She was everything I would want from a grandma.

This story is full of drama, laughter and sweet moments. I smiled so much while reading this story and for me it was just perfect rom-com. A story I will keep thinking about for a while and another reason to read more of Aimee's books.

This was ok but not great for me. The story was messy in places and the ending was confusing (why in the world take Lucy back there?) Aaron and Madi should have been a separate story, having them so tangled up felt a bit off. This made it feel like Ash and Lucy were rushed at times. It was a bit offensive to go over and over how much a dress costs (10k! Then another three figure dress that someone deems lesser) just to burn it. In this economy! Seemed so silly and out of touch.

Third Time Lucky is the second book I’ve read by Aimee Brown.

Asher Wright is a professional chef who is about to open his own restaurant. Everything is going well for him in regards to his career, but his love life needs work.

Lucy Gray is about to get married when she realizes that she might be making the worst mistake of her life.

Asher and Lucy first cross paths when Lucy is about to get married. Asher interrupts the wedding with upsetting news about the groom, which helps solidify Lucy decision that she doesn’t want to get married. Their paths cross again when Asher is hired as the private chef for Lucy’s grandmother.

Asher and Lucy are so sweet together and I loved how their journey was always evolving. They were both able to work together through their past trauma as well as reminisce on the good times. I also really enjoyed the additional love story of Aaron and Madi. These characters are very different from Asher and Lucy, which made it interesting to see how their story unfolded at the same time as Asher and Lucy’s.

This novel is the perfect example of how it’s never too late to take a chance on love and sometimes the best relationships happen when you least expect it.

Overall, I think that that this book had really great moments, but I did struggle with connecting to the characters. I would have liked to have seen these characters have more tough conversations around grief and navigating through those times together. These conversations would have allowed for the characters to connect on a deeper level and show us more of their own personalities and how they show support for with one another.

Thank you so much NetGalley and Boldwood Books for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Third Time Lucky is a sweet, escapist romance with a great mix of humor, heartfelt moments, and quirky family dynamics. Lucy and Asher’s chemistry is warm and natural, with just the right balance of banter and vulnerability. The side couple adds an extra layer of drama, though at times it overshadowed the main romance. Mitzi, the grandmother, completely stole the show—vibrant, funny, and unforgettable. Overall, a charming and lighthearted read that fans of second-chance romance will enjoy.

Thank you NetGalley, Boldwood Books, and Rachel’s Random Resources for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

In this charming new romance novel from Aimee Brown, readers follow chef Asher Wright as he is about to open his own restaurant and fulfill his dreams. Lucy Gray, on the other hand, has had her wedding implode in front of the entire wedding party on the day of and decides to stay with her spirited grandmother Mitzi -- who has just hired Asher as her private chef. As the two old friends reconnect and spend time together as Asher works on his restaurant and Lucy works on herself, sparks might fly in the kitchen and between Lucy and Asher as they deal with their pasts and look to the future. Charming, heartwarming, and entertaining, readers will love the characters’ chemistry and their spicy moments in this fun new romance novel. The characters are the absolute stars of the book, and their relationship is brilliantly written and packed with details and history. The tropes add a great dimension to the larger narrative, and their changing relationship will really pull readers into the story. Well-written, detailed, and entertaining, this new romance novel is a fantastic read for fans of the genre and Aimee Brown looking for a friends-to-lovers and second chance-ish story.

*Thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for this eARC; the review is my own.*

3.5 stars

This is the second book I've read by this author, and I enjoyed it about as much as the first. It's a feel-good rom-com with an outcome you know from the beginning, but that doesn't make it any less fun watching it all unfold. After all, we don't read or watch rom-coms because we're actually worried about not getting a happily ever after; we consume them because we know it's coming. If you like Camilla Isley's or Sarah Ready's books, you'll probably enjoy Aimee Brown's, too.

Although the book started out a bit, well, what you'd expect to find when reading about a Las Vegas wedding involving a complete creep, it mellowed out after that. I loved the idea that sometimes you meet the right person at the wrong time and have to meet them again (or, as in this case, a few times) in order for things to fall into place. (Okay, I don't just love the idea--my husband and I had to "meet" twice, so I love the reality.) Asher (30) was an all-around nice guy, and he was exactly what Lucy (29 then 30) needed. They were adorable together. Although I was more interested in their story, I also enjoyed the little side story of Madi and Aaron. Lucy's grandmother, Mitzi, was hilarious and could easily be well represented by the late Betty White. She meddled but did it well.

I did have a little trouble understanding how Lucy was still so affected by the death of her late high school boyfriend, Chris. I'm sure I sound harsh and unfeeling, but it had been eleven years since he died in a car accident, and she was getting married but still holding on to him. But I suppose this provided an opportunity for Lucy and Asher, who had been Chris's best friend, to face their grief together.

Third Time Lucky was really cute! I loved how Asher and Lucy were able to work through their shared past trauma and allow themselves to be together. It was a super fun story. I really enjoyed that it was like a 2-in-1 love story with Aaron and Madi's relationship developing at the same time.
Cute & fun & quick read!

I just finished Third Time Lucky and it completely delivered on laughs and heart! This romcom had me smiling (and sometimes snorting) from the very first page.

Story:
The story follows Asher and Lucy, who navigate the messy, chaotic, and hilarious world of love, second chances, and awkward encounters. The timing, misunderstandings, and witty banter make the romance feel fresh and genuinely fun.

What I loved:
• Humor: Aimee Brown’s writing had me laughing out loud—perfect for a lighthearted escape.
• Relatable characters: The characters feel real, with flaws and quirks that make their journey endearing.
• Romance: The love story is charming and swoon-worthy, with plenty of slow-build tension and sweet moments.

What I liked less:
Some moments felt a bit predictable, but honestly, the humor and heart more than make up for it.

Conclusion:
Overall, Third Time Lucky is a gorgeous, feel-good romcom that I couldn’t put down. I’m giving it four stars—perfect for anyone who loves laughter, charm, and a happily-ever-after with a few hilarious twists along the way.

Third Time Lucky is a charming and heartfelt second-chance romance that blends humor, emotion, and just the right amount of drama. Aimee Brown creates relatable, imperfect characters whose journey feels authentic and engaging. While some parts were a bit predictable, the witty dialogue and emotional depth kept me invested throughout. A great pick if you're in the mood for something warm, funny, and romantic with a touch of real-life messiness.

Third Time Lucky by Aimee Brown opens with a rom-com–style twist reminiscent of The Wedding Singer, but the story quickly deepens. Lucy and Asher share an emotional past, and reconnect when Asher delivers her devastating news. After leaving her cheating ex-fiancé, Lucy moves in with her grandmother, Mitzi. Since neither Lucy or Mitzi can cook, so Mitzi hires a personal chef—who turns out to be Asher. Asher’s charming but reckless brother, Aaron, adds humor and tension, especially through his relationship with Lucy’s friend, Madi, creating a secondary romance thread. This book was so cute. Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy.

It was a sweet hug of a book… with a few awkward pats on the back. It’s a closed-door, second-chance romance with a golden-retriever hero, but the insta-like had me raising an eyebrow.....she thinks he’s hot, he’s instantly smitten, and she’s smitten because he likes her? The setup had promise, but I never really connected with Lucy and Asher. Some moments were heartfelt (loved the grandma), others made me cringe (the phone recording, the Vegas wedding crash). The ending wrapped up nicely, but the journey felt uneven. Cute in parts, frustrating in others.

Thank you to NetGalley, Boldwood Books, and the author for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

#ThirdTimeLucky #NetGalley

3.25 ⭐️
Lucy lost her high school sweetheart in a freak accident and reconnects with her late boyfriend’s best friend, Asher, on the eve of her Vegas wedding. When Asher discovers that her fiancé has been cheating on her, he objects, the wedding is called off, and Lucy is devastated once again as her life comes crashing down around her. Months after the wedding, their paths cross again for the third time and they work through their feelings towards one another. Overall, This was a cute book about second chances, personal growth, overcoming tragedy, and love after heartbreak. I liked some things about it and other things I really didn’t care for. The Third act conflict was one of those things that felt silly, and the end of the book fell a little flat for me. I also didn’t love the supporting characters and felt that they were over the top. Not a bad read, but it was a little harder for me to get through. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC in return for my honest review.

Lucy hasn't had the easiest of love lives, her first love died tragically as a teenager and her fiance likes to share the love far and wide. A fateful meeting with her first boyfriend's best friend on the eve before her wedding changes the course of love for her.
An entertaining read with a cast of captivating characters. Thanks to netgalley and boldwood books for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Great light-hearted romantic novel about Lucy & Asher. At school, Lucy dated Asher's best friend & then tragedy struck. Years later, Lucy is getting married in Vegas & bumps into Asher. However, Lucy never makes it down the aisle & the rest of the novel focuses upon the deepening relationship between Lucy and Asher. I really liked how the author managed to get the balance right between romance, humour and sadness. Both Lucy and Asher are grieving to an extent and part of this slow burner, which at times felt a bit slow for me, made you realise that you meet people at certain times in your life for a reason. Thanks to Net Galley for the advanced copy.

Asher and Lucy happen upon each other in Vegas the night before she's supposed to get married. They were close in high school, when Lucy was dating Asher's best friend, Kris. Kris tragically died soon after graduating high school and they both still carry him in their hearts. They reconnect when Lucy's grandmother hires Asher as her (and Lucy's) personal chef.

Sweet and heartfelt. Lucy and Asher are obviously interested in each other but hesitate to act on it due to their mutual love of Kris. It's fun to watch them explore their feelings with each other and just a fun read overall.

When former socialite Mitzi decides to hire a private chef, she asks her live-in granddaughter Lucy to try the samples prepared by the chefs she's considering. Lucy's choice is easy: her taste buds are in love with number 3's sample. Mitzi hires them, but before Mitzi's head's up registers, Lucy is shocked when she sees who it is: Asher. The same Asher who, 10 years ago, was her then-boyfriend's Kris's best friend. The same Asher who, 7 months ago, objected at her wedding to her then-fiancé Brandon. Asher who, today, is a handsome, kind, capable adult, but still the same man who always looked out for her.
Asher couldn't help it; he's felt a responsibility for Lucy since his best friend Kris died in a car accident when they were 18. It is why he took her to prom, to let her have a moment of levity through their shared grief. It is why, when he caught Brandon cheating on Lucy the day before her wedding, he decided to blow it up even though they haven't been in each other's lives since high school. But today... Lucy is not with another. And as she gets to know the man Asher's become, she quickly sees him in a different light, surprising them both.

Aimee Brown begins her romance novel by re-introducing the characters on the eve of her wedding to Brandon in Las Vegas: the first chapters detail Asher's though-process as he learns of Brandon's betrayal and his subsequent course of action, resulting in the breakdown of Lucy's wedding. This part of the book feels slow and hesitant, but that makes sense given its delicate subplot. Brown uses this part of Lucy and Asher's story to develop their characters and backstories, a spark of something – mostly potential - between them already surfacing without them really realizing it yet. In these wedding chapters, Brown also introduces Asher's playboy brother Aaron plus Lucy's best friend Madi, both of whom will be prominent side characters as the story continues 7 months later.

When Asher and Lucy meet for the third time, him as her private chef, their slate feels wiped clean and their love story has room to develop relatively free of any drama, which is refreshing and necessary for these characters to really see and understand each other. There is a definite insta-love to this, but when you consider how long these people have known each other and how much they've been through, it's easy to see that they have come a long, challenging way already. It's fast for the reader, but not them. I liked the pacing of their romance. What is more important, considering they both went through a shared devastating loss, is that there is a sensitivity to the build-up, as well as proper communication leading up to them acting on these fast feelings. Brown handles this with a gentle care, beautifully positioning Asher as a protector type man, very honorable in his intentions, the author letting Lucy – the bereaved girlfriend – welcome the shift in her feelings for Asher, first.

Their grief plays a big part, and I won't diminish Lucy's loss by referring to Kris as just a high school boyfriend. I think it's very realistic for Kris's death to impact them this much twelve years later. This devastating loss happened suddenly, during formative years in their development into early adulthood. Teenagers often feel invincible, and these people as kids were confronted with a loss of control, with their own mortality, with a brutal loss of a future with someone you love deeply. And it doesn't matter that they were only 18. When you love someone, losing them is brutal at any age, and grief never leaves you. You grow around it. Third Time Lucky shows Asher and Lucy growing around their always-present grief for Kris. Because they both moved on and away from each other after high school, there was still a closure they hadn't achieved, and re-meeting allowed for them to confront their grief together.

Despite this, the novel is never heavy, their story overall very sweet, their romance low stakes and easy. As you get to know Asher and Lucy, this is what you want for them and why this story works, even though not too much else happens in it after the wedding. Their love language is adult and measured, contrary to Aaron and Madi's relationship, which is of the “rip each other's clothes off anytime anywhere” variety. Brown tries to establish a bit of drama with the Aaron and Madi subplot, but I really couldn't bring myself to care much. As side characters, I mentioned earlier in my review that they are prominent, but not exactly pivotal. I would have liked to see more time devoted to Asher and Lucy; for instance, early on in their current storyline, a particular scene (a first dinner, just the two of them, after both of them realize feelings are starting to brew) should have been on-page rather than mentioned off-page. This scene alone had amazing potential to showcase their blooming attraction even better. Aaron and Madi aren't interesting or likeable enough to make up for the lack of moments like these. 

Mitzi, on the other hand, does feel like a very important and influential side character, and I loved her to pieces. Asher treats her like a queen in her own right, deservedly so, and it made me love him even more. Some of my favorite scenes were when Mitzi was included, because this package deal Asher embraces immediately adds to the promise of permanence for our unlucky-in-love main characters: that their third time meeting in life is indeed looking to be lucky.

Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for generously providing me with a copy of this book; all opinions expressed are honest, voluntary and 100% my own.

I loved this book, had a great storyline

Asher and Lucy haven’t seen each other for 12 years.

Then the night before lucy gets married in vegas they meet each other again, Lucy invites Asher to the party for that evening and unfortunately that sets things in motion that maybe that this marriage is not meant to be.

After months they are back in each others life’s when her grandmother needs a chef and he’s the one that they picked without knowing it’s him.

As Lucy and Asher get closer will it be the third time lucky for them?

I wanted to like this book so much. However, it just wasn't the book for me. The writing seemed flat, and though I usually like books with different pov's, this one just wasn't it. I didn't connect with the characters either. This was a book that I wanted to enjoy reading, but just didn't. That isn't to say that others will not enjoy the book. It just wasn't the book for me.

Not the love story I was hoping for

This book had all the ingredients for a story that could’ve wrecked me—in the best way. A girl grieving her late boyfriend reconnects with his best friend? That kind of setup should have cracked my heart wide open. But instead, it was such a dud!

Lucy and Asher’s connection felt like it should have been full of tension and aching and all the beautiful mess that comes with second chances and complicated grief. But what I got was a story that moved in soft, slow circles—with barely any real conflict, very little spark, and a love interest who honestly gave me the ick.

There was a cheating fiancé, a few background squabbles, but nothing that made my heart race or break. The romance played out quietly, predictably—like background music instead of the loud, cinematic love story I was hoping for.

I wanted fireworks, or at least some slow-burn heartbreak. Instead, it felt like watching two people fall into a relationship that made sense on paper but never quite came alive on the page.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the advanced copy. I’m leaving this review voluntarily, though part of me wishes I were writing a love letter instead.