This book was not for me. The story felt very lust heavy and I do not vibe with the writing style of this book.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for this ARC!

I've read a couple of books by this author and I will say, every time, I have a great time with them. They are the epitome of the rom com - and The Ex Effect is full of rom com tropes galore. I especially enjoyed the strong "touch her and die" vibes one chapter gave off! And at the climax, everything comes together in such a delicious way, a true staple of romantic comedies everywhere, that I was on the edge of my seat, cheering for Morgan and Frankie to get together.

Morgan starts off as a bit of an ice queen. She has a lot of qualities that make her intensely dislikable in the first few chapters, but as Frankie falls back in love with her, you the reader will fall in love with her too. Her icy exterior hides a warm and loving heart - not just for Frankie, but her niblings, her town, her clients, and her community. Once I started to understand why Morgan is the way she is, I developed a lot of empathy for her.

The character who really won my heart, though, was Frankie. She's intensely relatable - a butch ADHD mess with a messed up childhood and all the love in the world for her sister. As she falls for Morgan again, there's a lot of fear - but she takes it in stride and tries to consider what her grandmother would have wanted for them. Peaches, Frankie's grandmother, does haunt the story in a way. The novel opens with Frankie returning back to Spring Harbours to clear out her estate after Peaches' untimely death. There are many moments where Frankie wonders if she's making the right choice about her love, her career, and the old house Peaches left her. But her late grandmother's guidance helps her make the right decision for herself, every time.

I will say, Frankie and Morgan could both be incredibly selfish at times. But! They grew over the course of the story and managed to find a way to stay together that didn't totally torch the lives they'd built for themselves. Honestly, it was refreshing to read a story where the characters had genuine flaws that weren't always fixed by the end. It made both Morgan and Frankie feel that much more real. The last few chapters felt a little rushed to me, but most likely because I didn't want the story to end. I had a fantastic time in Minnesota with Frankie and Morgan.

I recently saw this is getting a sequel, and I am completely on board to read about the next romantic misadventure in Spring Harbors. Bring it on.

I liked that this book was an easy read but it lacked substance. The plot seemed to go many different directions but it did give everything a romance is supposed to.

Dana Hawkins delivers a well-written, well-paced second-chance romance with plenty of tension and emotional stakes. The setup—wedding planner Morgan forced to work with her ex, photographer Frankie—is ripe with potential, and the sparks definitely fly.

But something about Morgan’s interactions with Frankie consistently set my teeth on edge. I understand her need for control and how her past shaped her, but the dynamic between them made me question whether they were truly a good fit. That reaction may be personal: as someone who was diagnosed with ADHD in adulthood, I found myself deeply identifying with Frankie’s internal angst and emotional rhythms. I wanted to jump into the book and champion her, especially in moments where her needs felt dismissed or misunderstood.

To be fair, Hawkins does address these dynamics within the plot, and once revealed, they’re handled thoughtfully. But that initial discomfort lingered and made it harder for me to fully bond with the romance. I appreciated the emotional growth and the second-chance arc, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that Frankie deserved more space to be seen and celebrated.

With that said, I enjoyed this author's style in crafting characters that I had such a deep reaction to and ones that were so well rounded that they spoke with strong voices, had such powerful motivations, and were ones that cared for. I will be reading more by this author soon.

Second chances, emotional friction, and the complexities of neurodivergent connection—Dana Hawkins’ romance delivers tension and tenderness in equal measure. For readers who love messy exes, wedding chaos, and queer love that doesn’t shy away from hard truths, this one’s worth a look. #RedReviews4You #SueShelfReads #SecondChanceRomance #NeurodivergentReads #MessyExes #QueerRomance

Thank you Storm Publiahing, Dana Hawkins and NetGalley for the eArc I read. All opinions and reactions in this review are my own and given freely.

Morgan Rose is planning and detail oriented which makes her great at her job as a wedding coordinator. When a dream wedding in a short time frame signs with her she thinks this may save her business. The couple already have a photographer. She wasn’t expecting it to be her childhood best friend and high school girlfriend Frankie Lee.

This is an opposites attract, second chance trope. Morgan is a bit over the top with her control issues and comes off extremely harsh to Frankie. It is a fine line between being opposites and being mean. And Morgan is leaning towards the mean side with her need to control, which I didn’t love. I did like Frankie’s storyline of undiagnosed till adult ADHD. I have more than one friend that has experienced that. But this is a romance and of course I want things to work between the pair. (3.5 Stars)

I was excited to pick up The Ex Effect after enjoying Dana Hawkins’ previous books, but I struggled to fully immerse myself in this one. Morgan’s need to control everything really grated on me, and the constant reminders that Frankie is always late felt repetitive and a bit heavy-handed. That said, I warmed to Frankie straight away—her backstory and depth were engaging, and I found myself rooting for her more than for Morgan. The second-chance setup had potential, and I enjoyed the sparks of chemistry that did come through as the story progressed.

There were elements I really liked, especially the barn-to-wedding-venue subplot. I love when stories weave in themes of transformation and making something new out of something old, and that part of the book added a cozy, grounded touch. But I found myself frustrated with the romance itself at times. So much of it leaned on miscommunication or avoidance, and too often feelings were “told” rather than “shown.” I wanted more real, open conversations between the two women, and less circling around what they should have been saying to each other.

Overall, this wasn’t a bad read—I didn’t love it, but I didn’t hate it either. It had flashes of charm and a few heartfelt moments, but it just didn’t land with me in the way I was hoping.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Storm Publishing for a copy of this e-book. ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

DNF at 72%
While I like the conceit of this book, the characters have been difficult to root for. I like a second-chance romance, but I didn't particularly want these two to get back together. At almost the three-quarters point, there should be more development and chemistry than a single makeout session and the beginnings of maybe thinking that they weren't completely the victim, but they're both just so damn stubborn. I am all for a slow burn, but I need a bit more kindling. In the end, I took a break to read a couple of other things with approaching library due dates, and now that I have time again, I have no interest in picking this book back up, so I'm calling it there.

THIS BOOK WAS A DELIGHT!!! exes to lovers will always hit for me personally but then throw wedding planner/wedding photographer in the mix and i’m HOOKED (the people who get it, get it) and this one was no exception. i really really loved the writing, it gave this book the hit factor because i couldn’t put it down. The build up of everything was glorious and shout out for the ADHD representation and anxiety representation respectively. I really loved both characters and their struggles were described well, especially the angst just hit so well because you could understand both perspectives. It was also really refreshing to have a butch lead so I enjoyed that aspect a lot.
the chemistry between morgan and frankie is everything and i just spent so much of my read smiling because these are the kind of love stories lesbians deserve!!! the lesbian rep was also just spot on i loved it so much! i really like that the author paid so much attention to the protagonists’ relationships with their family and the side characters were well developed and lovable. there are some aspects/plot twists and the miscommunication trope that i found a bit over the top some times which is what kept me from giving it 5 stars. but for anyone who loves the aforementioned tropes and wants to read more sapphic books this is surely a winner and i can’t wait to read more from this author.

Overall the pacing was lopsided and the chemistry between the two characters wasn’t really built up for me. It was a quick read but I didn’t have a great time.

Thanks for the arc

I did not realize this was set in Minnesota, let alone Duluth! I am also from a small town near Duluth and I loved reading about my favorite place. Besides the setting, the story is mostly well done. Morgan is pretty annoying- she does get better- but she’s very self-centered and Frankie had to make a lot of concessions for her and there wasn’t as many the other way around. But overall it was good read.

Dana Hawkins’ The Ex Effect is a heartfelt, swoony, and beautifully mature sapphic second chance romance that balances small town charm, slow burn tension, and genuine emotional depth. It is the kind of book that sneaks up on you with quiet relatability and leaves you smiling, maybe even tearing up, by the end.

Morgan Rose has poured her whole heart into her wedding planning business, a venture she built not only to follow her passion but also to prove to herself and her family that she can succeed on her own terms. But with a large wedding conglomerate threatening to swallow up her clients, her future rests on one high stakes wedding. Then enters Frankie Lee, her childhood best friend turned high school sweetheart, who left for New York fifteen years ago and never looked back. Frankie is back in town as the wedding photographer, dealing with grief over her grandmother’s passing and waiting to hear if her career will take the leap she has been working toward. Neither expects that three months working side by side will bring old feelings rushing back or force them to confront the heartbreak they never really healed from.

What sets this book apart is how Hawkins writes with both tenderness and realism. Morgan and Frankie are flawed women with very different ways of coping with the world. Morgan’s anxiety makes her crave structure and control, while Frankie’s ADHD means she thrives in a looser, more spontaneous rhythm. Their personalities clash in ways that feel authentic and not contrived, and Hawkins shines a light on how neurodivergence affects relationships without making it the whole story. The result is a romance where misunderstandings arise naturally, but instead of spiraling into endless drama, the characters actually talk, listen, and try to meet each other halfway. That level of maturity makes the romance not only believable but deeply satisfying.

The chemistry between Morgan and Frankie is undeniable. Their history is woven through every scene. There are moments of banter layered with old wounds, inside jokes that still linger, and stolen glances that remind them and us that first loves rarely fade completely. There is pining, there is vulnerability, and there is also genuine joy as they rediscover the friendship at the heart of their love. Hawkins avoids melodrama and instead gives us an emotional slow burn where every reconciliation feels earned.

Beyond the central romance, The Ex Effect is enriched by its sense of community and family. Side characters like Morgan’s brother and Frankie’s sister Quinn are more than background. They highlight both women’s personal struggles and growth. The small town Minnesota setting adds warmth and familiarity, giving the story a cozy atmosphere even as heavier themes such as grief, family tensions, and past heartbreak are gently explored.

The pacing is spot on, balancing moments of levity with emotional beats. The humor sparkles, especially in the banter between Morgan and Frankie, while the wedding planning chaos provides the perfect backdrop for their forced proximity. The spice level is light but intimate, keeping the focus on emotional connection rather than graphic detail, which feels fitting for this kind of tender second chance story.

In the end, The Ex Effect is everything I want in a sapphic romance. It is heartfelt, relatable, low angst yet emotionally rewarding, with characters who feel real enough to root for long after the last page. Hawkins delivers a story about love, forgiveness, and the courage to try again, proving that sometimes the one who got away is also the one worth fighting for.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Tropes:
Second chance romance
Childhood sweethearts
Small town charm
Wedding drama
Forced proximity and working together
Neurodivergent representation with anxiety and ADHD
Slow burn sapphic romance

This book was really cute. I’m not usually a second chance kinda girl but this felt like something that might actually happen. I also don’t love the “change my whole life for love” but the ending felt realistic also.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for this audio ARC.

This book was easy to read and enjoyable.

Morgan, a wedding planner, is trying her best to make the wedding she’s working on perfect. Her business and livelihood are at risk, if it doesn’t go how she wants, she might have to consider giving up the business she worked so hard on. Frankie, a professional photographer, returned to her hometown after the devastating loss of her grandmother. She’s booked for her cousins wedding.

The character growth in this was very impressive. For real, Morgan’s character development was needed, as in the beginning she was frustrating. The characters learned to communicate with one another. They learned how to give and provide what one another needed.

The discussion surrounding Frankie’s ADHD was done well.

Tropes:
- wedding planner x photographer
- second chance
- exs to lovers
- forced proximity
- sapphic romance
- ADHD rep

A beautiful second chance romance with the right amount of angst and pining.

Frankie’s ADHD journey made her incredibly relatable, we see how her undiagnosed ADHD shaped her past and how it still impacts her daily life in small but meaningful ways. Morgan’s organized, put-together exterior slowly cracked open to reveal her vulnerability. Seeing them work through their differences, and shared history, was equal parts adorable and emotional.

The dynamic between both FMCs felt authentic, full of natural tension, but never forced. Their romance unfolded in such a believable way, moving from defensive and prickly to emotionally grounded and genuine. The pacing was just right, and the few-month time frame made their second-chance romance feel so realistic.

And that slow burn?? I’m such a sucker for that trope…

✨ Add this to your TBR if you love:
Sapphic romance
Second chance romance
Forced proximity
Opposites attract
Childhood sweethearts
Neurodivergent rep (ADHD + anxiety)
Slow burn

Thank you NetGalley & Storm Publishing for the ARC! This is my honest review.

Not my usual book but omg I loved it. Full of swoons, romance, brooding right up my street! I felt every emotion and couldn't stop thinking about it!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for a honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book but I had a very hard time getting into it. The dynamic of Morgan and Frankie, the two main protagonists, was something between enjoyment and complicated.

Morgan, type A, always organized and uptight and never deviates from her plan, is suddenly swept off her feet when someone comes into town that she hasn't seen since their break up, years ago.

Frankie, a famous photographer from NYC goes back to her small home town to photograph a wedding and runs into the wedding planner, who is actually her ex-girlfriend, Morgan.

Since their break up, and lack of communication, things start off not on the best of terms. Since their break up before going to college, neither one of them said what their future goals were and unfortunately went their separate ways without a conversation. When they finally meet up they realize that their attraction for one another was still there and maybe, just maybe they should give it a shot. But with each others past and their futures not aligning, will they really end up together in the long run?

This is a solid 4 star book and worth the read! Can't wait to put this book on my shelf.

The Ex Effect is a sapphic second chance romance with elements of forced proximity and opposites attract. The overall story is enjoyable and there are also serious themes touched upon (undiagnosed/diagnosed ADHD, death/illness, grief) and the impact these can have on everyone involved.

I have to admit, the first half of the book felt a bit slow and cumbersome to me. Maybe it was the writing or the numerous mentions of Peaches or the focus on the wedding but it felt like the essence of the story was drowning under everything else and my attention span was going down with it. It did recover in the second half and things started moving along between the two main characters, Frankie and Morgan, and I was more engaged and started having more of an emotional connection to them and found myself desperate to know what they’ll choose this time around. I felt like Frankie had such a good character arc and her time in NY really shaped her as a person and reflected who she is now and whilst I could see the same was attempted for Morgan, it didn’t quite feel the same, but maybe that was intentional. I do think there was potential to add a bit more depth to the characters and maybe replace some of the paragraphs detailing the contents of Peaches’ house with some more meaningful interactions or even some throwbacks to add to the emotional connection.

The romance was slow and sweet and I liked that it didn’t go full steam ahead as it would have taken from the story.

Overall a nice read but I found it difficult to focus on and connect with at times and I wish there was more thought put into some of the writing and portrayal of the characters.

Morgan has one last chance to save her wedding business, to show that her personalized touches are better than the generic wedding conglomerate that’s opened an office in her small town. If she can just give Oilvia and Tommy a beautiful wedding, not only will she have enough of a cushion to get by for a few more months, but maybe she’ll be able to get her name out there. Morgan just has three months to throw the perfect wedding when she doesn’t know the guest list, the colors, the cakes, or the venue. No sweat.

It’s been fifteen years since Frankie was back home, fifteen years since Morgan went away to college and Frankie went away to New York, but she’s back because a friend asked her to be the wedding photographer. It’s something to do while she waits to discover if she’s going to be picked up by Birch & Willow as their new photographer. Besides, Frankie has to deal with her grandmother’s estate, now that her grandmother has passed. Easy peasy.

Until, Morgan meets Frankie and the past fifteen years fall away, leaving them back where they started. Childhood friends who became high school sweethearts until they went their separate ways. Two people who once loved each other and are now nothing but strangers. They spent eighteen years together, fifteen years apart, and now have three months to decide if they can be friends again.

It’s only three months. What’s the worst that could happen? Or, rather … what’s the best?

The Ex Effect is the first book in Dana Hawkins’ Meet Cute in Minnesota series, and is a story revolving around misunderstandings as past hurts color present conflicts … but handled in a mature and forgiving way. Frankie and Morgan — even with all the years separating them — knew each other so intimately that they still know precisely the ways to hurt one another, but they also love one another enough, as friends then and now, to forgive and to seek forgiveness.

“Look, how I left wasn’t cool,” Frankie said. “I told you I’m here to help, and I am. I’m all in.” Several pauses passed as she twisted the band on her watch. “But for real, I’m not sure what set you off. Maybe I said something more insensitive than what I realized? If we’re going to work together, we have to communicate. Just say something if I upset you. I promise I’ll listen, but you cannot let things fester and then blow up. And I’ll do the same, and try to be more conscious of my words, and not stomp off like a baby, okay? It’s not healthy for either of us.”

Frankie and Morgan start the book doling out the words between them like card players, not knowing how much to give away and how much to keep, but as time goes on and they rediscover the balance between them, they open up. Morgan firmly believes that arriving on time is arriving late; she is always early, in part to gain control of a situation, and in part from a fear of failing by being late, and she lashes out at Frankie for arriving on time. While it isn’t instantly, Morgan eventually admits that her irritation at Frankie arriving at her own pace has nothing to do with Frankie, apologizes, and then asks if Frankie would be amenable to arriving slightly earlier when the two of them are dealing with clients, as it would help her anxiety.

Frankie agrees. It’s a small step, much as Frankie admitting her ADHD diagnosis, with neither of them using their difficulties as excuses. And for every misunderstanding that pops up — and there are quite a few — apologies and explanations come slowly but surely. The confusion and emotions last just long enough to flavor the story, but are then talked about, examined, and dealt with. Even the third-act conflict is handled with conversations, with characters being given room to have their feelings, and then the maturity to act like adults and face the situation head on.

Morgan needs control in her life — having escaped working for her parents to make a business and a name for herself. She knows that, should she fail, her parents would take her back with no questions … but with the knowledge that Morgan hadn’t tried enough, or pushed enough, or done the things that needed to be done, because for her parents, hard work has always been the answer. Morgan can’t fail, can’t let herself falter, not because she loves her work, though she does, but because she can’t face the judgement of failing. But underneath that, she’s a caring person, warm and giving. She uses her wedding business to bring work to her community, buying locally, using local labor. She knows everyone’s names, genuinely cares for them, and wants the best for them. She has her hands in every facet of her work, from sweeping and cleaning and throwing away garbage to arranging flowers and hanging bunting. She’s a good person, and it’s easy to like her.

Frankie is more closed off, nervous both about being back home with her own parents — who, for all that she loves them, have almost no place in Frankie’s life — her own past hurts and memories, and the current stress of waiting to see if she’s landed the job of a lifetime. Working with Morgan is hard, because Frankie can’t help but be lost in the memories of what was between them, and because she can’t not get caught up in those same feelings coming back up. They weren’t just each other’s first loves, they were best friends. Years of knowing one another, supporting one another, of working together and caring about the same things. Here and now, working on the wedding, they once again share a common goal, and it’s so easy to fall back into being friends. Almost as easy to fall back into being lovers.

This is a good second chance romance, with pining but no angst. There are hurt feelings, but no great anger or enmity between them, and for all that Morgan and Frankie have spent a decade and a half apart, it’s clear how well they fit together. And the ending … I really liked how that all played out, the choices they made, the way it could have ended, and the way it did. Honestly, this is just a good book, well written, well paced, and with very relatable characters. If you’re into second chance romances, characters who love one another more than they want to have one another, and want something low angst and low drama, this book is well worth the read.

Ex-girlfriend + small town + forced proximity = peak lesbian drama (and I loved every second)
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The Ex Effect is a swoony, sapphic, second chance romance that blends smalltown charm with just the right amount of angst and pining. Morgan, a slightly uptight wedding planner is trying to save her struggling business from going under, when she suddenly has to work alongside her ex-girlfriend Frankie, a free spirited photographer who’s just returned to town years after their breakup. Their shared past fuels each interaction, a nice blend of snark, tension, and sparks that refuse to die.

What makes this book stand out for me is how realistically Frankie's ADHD is portrayed. Late-diagnosed ADHD is so common in women, and can be absolutely lifechanging to have a diagnosis & medication. Frankie is a perfect example of that. We learn how her undiagnosed ADHD affected her in the past and how she still struggles with simple things, like remembering to take her meds (too real honestly. feeling kinda attacked about it 😅)

Morgan’s anxiety and need for control clash beautifully with Frankie’s ADHD and chill energy, creating conflicts that feel authentic rather than contrived. The pacing was good, and didn't feel too slow or too fast. The slow burn is satisfying, and while the communication between Morgan and Frankie was a little frustrating at times, the emotional payoff and epilogue make it all worthwhile.
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Tropes:

Sapphic romance
Second-chance romance (the ex you never really got over)
Smalltown charm
Wedding drama
Forced proximity/working together
Neurodivergent rep (ADHD + anxiety)
Slow burn
Childhood sweethearts
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Content Warnings:

Strong language
Attempted SA
Divorce
Anxiety/panic attacks
Alcohol use
Death of a loved one (mentioned)
Family tensions
Car accident
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Spice Level:

🌶️🌶️ / 5 Spice

Minimal spice. One open-door scene with spice, but the focus stays on intimacy and emotional connection rather than explicit detail.
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This is not my first Dana Hawkins read, but I think it was one of my favorites. It was cozy, sweet, angtsy, and Morgan and Frankie gave us great banter. This absolutely gets 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 out of 5 stars for me. The perfect summer sapphic read!
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I received an arc from NetGalley and the publisher and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

Morgan Rose has always been the girl with the plan. Color-coded calendars, backup plans for her backup plans, and a wedding business that’s her entire world. Only one woman ever managed to derail Morgan’s organized life and shatter her heart in the process. But Morgan doesn’t think about Frankie Lee anymore. Until Morgan meets the photographer hand-picked by her latest clients and discovers that Frankie is not miles away in New York like she thought. She's back in Spring Harbors, looking infuriatingly good, and Morgan's carefully ordered world descends into chaos.

Morgan has just 87 days to pull off the wedding of her career, and she’s not going to let Frankie derail this opportunity. She will not be distracted by Frankie’s new haircut or the shadowy dips between her shoulders and biceps. And she won’t care about Frankie’s unfairly salty attitude when she left Morgan.

This was entertaining and heartwarming. Dana Hawkins always writes such realistic characters. It was fun to watch these two fall in love again! 4⭐

I received an advanced complimentary digital copy of this book from Netgalley. Opinions expressed are my own.