⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫(4.5)

Two decades after Wes left her at the altar, Addie returns to Adelaide Springs with a broken career, a fractured heart, and zero patience for her childhood sweetheart—now a polished senator and presidential frontrunner. But small towns keep secrets, and so does Wes. As past wounds collide with unfinished feelings, Addie must decide if second chances are ever worth the risk.

I really love the way Bethany Allen writes. Loving a grief-stricken second chance about widowers was not on my 2025 bucket list, yet the emotion was all-consuming—in an I-need-to-read-more-now-because-I-can’t-contain-these-feelings sort of way. That’s why I’d say that while this is a romcom (I mean most scenes are just them), it also feels like women’s fiction in a self-discovery and life-reflection sort of way.

Addie is sharp and smart and strong. Wes is honoring and humble and handsome. But I think what I like most about them together is the way Bethany ties their pasts and emotions together. They’ve been through some STUFF, and yet I think that only complements each other and creates deeper purpose. Read this if you’re looking for mature relationships with depth and tender admiration. And grab a box of tissues.

Perfect for you if you like:
Emotional love stories
Quirky premise that still works with serious emotions
Political backdrop that isn’t about politics
Widowers & grief
Childhood friends
Mature characters

Similar to:
You and Me by Becky Wade (I have not read)
Meet Me at the Lake by Carley Fortune
Gracie Harris is Under Construction by Kate Hash

⛔️closed door romance (kisses only)
⚠️widows, grief, past hurt, lots of dead family members (past)

Cute little story in a cute little town. I enjoyed the author’s sense of humor and witty little jokes between characters, but it was also dorky humor (which I enjoy). Overall, a slightly slower read that didn’t have me extremely invested in the characters and their affairs, but it was enjoyable.

4.25⭐️A wonderful second chance romance. Loved the addiction rep, the way the characters fought past demons, and how family love is so strong.
4.5⭐️ narration by Talon David and Patrick Zeller. Such waited moments so well portrayed. There are also so many good laugh out loud moments that helped the heavier one. Dry much contribute to these two very talented narrators.

Addie was left at the alter, but that’s okay. She moved on. Really. It’s been twenty years, and she loved her husband so much. But nothing in life last forever. Addie lost everything. So, she returned home to heal and have family/friends for support.

Wes left Addie. He couldn’t do it. They were just kids. Cut to twenty years later. Wes is a senator and in the running to be president. But he has some things to settle before he can take the next steps.

Both will be forced to work through unresolved feelings. Both will have to share secrets. Is this their second chance? Will the past still haunt them both.

Thank you to @netgalley @thomasnelson and @seebethanywrite for the advanced listener copy.

I thoroughly enjoyed this second-chance romance and the opportunity to revisit the charming setting of Adelaide Springs. I’m a sucker for small-town romances, and this series continues to keep me coming back for more. What stood out most in this installment was the thoughtful exploration of grief for both love interests. Turner does a fantastic job crafting a more layered, emotionally resonant romance, with protagonists who feel fully realized. I loved following both Wes and Addie on their journey of growth, both as a couple and as individuals.

Wes and Addie had their chance was just OK. At times I felt like I was straining to hear the male’s part but I did like the narration. It was a cute story. I didn’t realize this was part of an interconnected standalone series. I might be inclined to pick up the other two.

Good listen.
Well written. Good story and kept you wanting to listen.
Voices good and audio was great.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for providing a free ALC in exchange for an honest review.

This book is a part of a series, but I don't believe you necessarily need to read them in order. This was just a dud. The relationship between Addie and Wes was so disjointed that any bit of romance that seemed to happen just seemed forced and unbelievable. The characters were also not likable, so along with a slow ride through this book you have characters that you really don't care about (maybe cause they're politicians for me who knows), but the personalities really clashed all around. The banter, which I usually love in a good romance, was dull, and any humor that was inserted just did nothing for me.

I think that readers who are really into the second chance romance trope may really enjoy this. However, it's left me uninterested in picking up either book before it.

I wouldn't even classify this as a romance novel because there was no romance until the last third of the book.

Wes and Addie were high school sweethearts and intended to wed at 18-years-old. However, Wes left Addie at the alter without an explanation and fled the state. It turns out that he thinks that he is not good enough for her. The lack of closure bothered Addie, but did not prevent her from living a full life (graduating from the Air Force, working as a CIA analyst, getting married, etc.). After her husband dies, Addie turns to alcohol, resulting in the loss of her job with the CIA. She moves back to Adelaide Springs and gets a job working as a taxi driver. A year later, she is still trying to pick up the pieces of her life when she ends up picking up Wes at the airport.

Wes is currently one of the Senators for CT and is running for President. He returns to their hometown to meet with his childhood friend, a reporter, to get in front of a scandal. Addie and Wes reconnect and help each other navigate their shared grief over losing their spouses and mothers.

Another second chance love story out of Adelaide Springs. That place did their youth so bad the universe has conspired against it to bring all the little soulmates back together. Wes and Addie are just the latest to be struck (again) by cupid's arrow. Of the two books I've read in this currently three book series, it is by far my favorite. The stakes are high, the histories are complicated, and they choose each other anyway.

He's running for president, and she's running from her problems. Wes once left his dream girl Addie at the alter and skipped town. It broke her. For years. Until she decided to let go of all that hurt and move on. Now hovering around 40, she's widowed, unemployed (kind of), and recovering from an alcohol addiction, living back with her aging father in good ol' Adelaide Springs. She's seen Wes on TV. Who hasn't? He's the country's most hopeful candidate for president in a long time, following in his once undisclosed father's prestigious footsteps. He recently lost his perfect candidate's wife to cancer and flies back to Adelaide Springs without telling anyone on his campaign team. Once more Wes and Addie are at the same place at the same time, and the profound love of their childhood has a long memory.

Okay, so I wasn't expecting this book to be quite this good. I read Brynn and Sebastian awhile back and Brynn's attitude and entire kerfuffle from the first book of the series kind of turned me off. However, this is a very grown up story of two people with many faults finding their way to forgiveness and love. How can you not love that?

My main complaints would be in how many elements seemed to mirror in this book and the first in the series, and how convenient certain things are set up in order for all of this to make sense, but hey, it's a rom-com. It's for fun.

I have to say I really liked the male narrator on the audio version of this novel, Patrick Zeller. He has a very deep and calm voice and I certainly believed he could be running for president. He did a great job with Wes' character! Talon David was also great, but Patrick really stuck out to me, and I listen to a lot of audiobooks.

Also, the covers for this series are amazing. Seriously, look at them!

Ultimately, this book really gives me hope for future Bethany Turner books. I many even search out the Cole & Laila love story. The blurb actually sounds amazing. Okay Okay Turner, I hear you, I see you, I'll read you again!

Note:: I received an early copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This is a sweet rom-com. Nothing too heavy, not all realistic, but who cares in fiction? I enjoyed the history of all the characters that I should have gotten to know more about in the first two Adelaide Springs Love Stories that I didn't know about, so I haven't read. It gives you just enough about them that you want to read their stories too. If you are looking for a not too heavy rom-com with enough going on to stay interesting, this is a good beach read book for you.
Thank you to #netgalley and #ThomasNelsonandZondervanFictionAudio for the audio copy of this book.

I adored this book. I actually had no idea this was the end of a trilogy, and it stood on it's own really well. The book warmed my heart in all the right ways, it was sweet and nostalgic and still made you guess a little bit. It took me out of my own world and plunked me down in the sweet town of Adelaide Springs, which was a welcome respite! It definitely makes me want to go back and read the other books in the series!

Wes and Addie Had Their Chance, is the third book in a series. The overall story is entertaining, but I did not find it believable, unfortunately. I think Addie deserved a better guy than someone who left her at the altar and married a lesbian for career purposes. He would have to have had a much more detailed redemption story for me to believe that a strong woman like Addie would consider taking him after that. I am honestly surprised that it came from Thomas Nelson and Zondervan. It was well narrated.

I enjoyed this audiobook! Thanks to Net Galley for the audio ARC. I also loved Brynn & Sebastian Hate Each Other by the same author. These books are connected but you can read them in any order (I still need to read the second one). I love the small town setting and the quirky characters. This was a romance but there was depth to it as the characters had to work through some past trauma and overcome their mistakes. It was beautiful how they learned to forgive each other and their own selves.

I loved this book. I liked Brynn and Sebastian Hate Eachother and was excited to hear more about this universe. I found Wes to be charismatic and charming. I enjoyed the depth of Adie’s back story and their shared/separate lives. The story was complex and wonderful. I found myself smiling and laughing as I listened. The pacing was perfect and I couldn’t put it down, finishing it in less than 2 days. The audiobook casting was good, though I found the male voice didn’t quite match the voice I would have had in mind for that character. I also found it confusing at first that Adie’s chapters were in first person and Wes’s were in third person but they were read by a female and male narrator respectively. I thought he might have been so full of himself that he referred to himself in the third person before I realized that it was just the POV. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and will probably read it again.

I enjoyed this one and getting to know Wes and Addie, but this was not my favorite of the three books in this series. It seemed a little unrealistic to me. 🤷‍♀️ That said, I did enjoy their love story and learning more about the people in Adelaide Springs.

I’m definitely going to miss all of these characters in the mountains of Colorado! Cole and Laila are still my favs!

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.

Bethany Turner has done it again with Wes and Addie Had Their Chance! This story pulled me in right from the start with its mix of humor, heartache, and all the feels. Addie’s return to Adelaide Springs feels so real—messy, awkward, and full of those small-town quirks that make you laugh and cringe at the same time. Her journey of picking up the pieces of her life is relatable and so easy to root for.

The tension between Addie and Wes is everything. Their banter is sharp, their chemistry undeniable, and their history makes every interaction feel so loaded and real. Turner does an amazing job exploring how complicated second chances can be, and it all builds up to a love story that feels earned, raw, and deeply satisfying.

You know those second-chance love stories that hit you right in the chest? Yeah, this one totally delivered. There’s all this tension, all these unresolved feelings, and I swear you can feel it in every scene. It’s the kind of slow-burn that makes you want to yell at both of them to just talk already, but in the best way.
The narrator totally brought it to life. Their voice felt really natural—like they were Addie, with just the right amount of vulnerability and fire. And when it came to Wes’s parts? So good. There’s a subtle shift in tone and pacing that helped you feel his side of things without being over-the-top or cheesy. Speaking of pacing—the audiobook moved at a perfect rhythm. Nothing dragged, and nothing felt rushed. It had these quieter, emotional moments that gave you time to feel, but the story kept you hooked the whole way through.
If you’re into emotional, character-driven stories with a nostalgic edge and just the right touch of angst, I think you’ll really enjoy this one. It felt like watching an old flame get reignited—messy, tender, and completely captivating.

This was my first time reading a book by Bethany Turner and I found it a pleasant and easy read. Wes and Addie Had Their Chance stands on its own, so no need to have read the earlier books in the series. I had no trouble following the story and would happily read the rest.
I enjoyed the second-chance romance and the small-town setting gave it a nice, comforting feel. There were some lovely moments and a few lines that made me smile.
I listened to the audiobook and found the production to be very good, with clear narration and a steady pace that suited the story well.
Still, overall it was a light and enjoyable read. I think it would suit readers who enjoy a gentle, clean romance with a nostalgic tone. I look forward to reading the rest of the series! Thanks to NetGalley as well as Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio for the opportunity to read it.

I love second chance stories but this felt unnecessarily complicated. There was plenty to add drama but I felt like this could have ended differently. I liked Addie and Wes together and I wanted them to make it. I liked the set-up and how things came back together. There was a plot line added (that seemed unnecessary) that made the ending have only one possible outcome and I just would have liked to see it end in a different place. I still like the small town vibes though I did not read Leila and Cole’s story - only Brynn and Sebastian.

I enjoyed both narrators and thought that was all well done.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the gifted audiobook. The thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.

Content Notes: Kisses

I have really enjoyed the Adelaide Springs Love Stories by Bethany Turner and the build up to these characters' story really had me excited going into this novel. I did love the writing and overall vibe of this book, but unfortunately, what I was hoping would be my favorite of the series, had a few things that dropped it to a four star read instead of a five star read for me.
What I liked:
The audio book version is well narrated and I could easily listen to this audio book over and over again simply because it was performed so well. I enjoyed the second chance aspects, it's one of my favorite tropes and I just love when there is good history and a second chance at love again. Wes and Addie's was interesting, though, since they had both been previously married and lost spouses to death. I did like that they were older (40s). I also liked the small-town vibes and secondary characters. It was also cool imagining Wes as running for President.
There was some content that turned me off and surprised me from this publisher and author. I also didn't feel like Addie's character needed to have struggled with alcoholism. It felt like it came out of nowhere and didn't fit her personality at all.
I did like the book and if you enjoy the series, it is worth a read in my opinion.
I received an advance listening copy from Netgalley, Thomas Nelson, and Zondervan Fiction Audio. All thoughts and opinions are my own.