I adored this book! It was so good I devoured it in no time. The characters were great and so likeable and relatable. However I hated Tessa's decisions and screamed at my kindle a few times when what she did made no sense. Like ugh! I loved Jade and Cyrah and would love to read more about them. I know Emory wasn't a main character and she was completely bat shit crazy, but I wanted to know so much more about her. lol. I would totally recommend this book to everyone. This will not be my last book by Kay Shanee. I'm ready to dive into her backlist.

So, here’s the thing—I liked the concept of this story, and the characters kept me engaged from the start. Tessa, her daughter, and Cypress all had their pull, and I was invested in seeing how their lives would cross and change.
Where it lost me a little was in the pacing. The moment when Cyrah finds out who her father is felt way too fast for me. They went from strangers to father and daughter in what felt like just a few pages, and I wanted more space for that relationship actually to breathe and develop. Honestly, I think the book would’ve been stronger if Cypress had learned the truth earlier so that piece of the story had time to unfold, instead of dragging out the ex drama, which, for me, felt a little unnecessary.
And then there’s the shift with Tessa’s mom. I didn’t dislike it, but it caught me off guard. There wasn’t much backstory leading into that relationship change, so when it happened, it felt abrupt. I was here for the ending, but I wish we had a bit more depth and build-up.
Overall, I did enjoy it—the characters and the idea behind the story worked for me. I just found myself wanting more time spent on the moments that mattered most. Even with that, I’d pick up more from this author.

Ohhh I loved this second chance romance. This is a years-later type of situation, but I absolutely love how it all played out.

Tessa and Cypress meet one night while on separate vacations in San Diego. They dance the night away and share a fun, passive connection as one does while on vacation. They go their separate ways the next day, not thinking twice about the night they spent together. Years later, fate brings them back together. Tessa makes a split second decision and turns her world upside-down for a fresh start. Her actions set off a sequence of events that brings Cypress back into her life and soon these two reconnect.

This book was fun! A second chance romance, filled with a lot of angsty moments, and plenty of steam. The connection that drew Tessa and Cypress together 20 years ago never went away. I love how perfectly they fit into each other's lives. This book does have some definite messy moments, and I wanted to talk some much needed sense into Tessa at times! Thankfully she has a best friend who did all the talking for me. The relationship between Tessa and her adult daughter Cyrah was fun to read too, because it reminded me so much of the easy friendship I formed with my Mom when I became an adult.

This book brought on all the good vibes, good energy, and plenty of emotions. Highly recommend to anyone wanting to read something easy, angsty, and fun.

If you are a romance fan, this is a great read! I love, love the story in this book. The second time around story line is one of my favorites and this story does not disappoint. This is the perfect book for the hopeless romantic and bonus if you need tips on how to stand up for yourself, you will find it in this book!

Genre: Contemporary Romance
Format: E-book (ARC received for honest review)
Trope: Friends-to-Lovers (One night stand -to-lovers?)

Have you ever finished a book and immediately wanted to devour the author’s entire catalog? That was me with this book !This is a 10-star romance that grabbed me from page one and refused to let me go 😂😂. From the first twist, I was hanging on for dear life, desperate to see where Tessa and Cypress would lead me next. I was up until 3am with zero regrets! Yes, it's that good!

Tessa and Cypress are my new ride-or-die pairing. Tessa's life had been on autopilot and was really being driven by fear and familiarity rather than purpose and joy. Much the same with Cypress, he was with a partner who didn't appreciate him and in a job that he felt stagnant until he took a leap of faith that paid off in spades!

Tessa’s heart and hidden resilience play off Cypress’s charisma and unexpected depth in a way that feels entirely plausible. Every twist and turn just lands organically, like real life on steroids. Just when you think you’ve pegged one of them, Shanee flips the script, and you’re right back on that emotional rollercoaster.

The pacing in this book was so good. The story flows so seamlessly that I blinked and realized hours had vanished. It’s cinematic, like I'd pay good money to see this unfold on the big screen. And that HEA? Glorious! I live for epilogues, but give me multiple POVs and I’m officially obsessed, those final updates felt like little gifts from Tessa and Cypress' future, and I devoured every single one!

Minor Gripes 💔: I wanted more of the exes stories (on both ends). I'm sure there's some juicy backstory there—and a bit deeper dive into the extended family dynamics. But honestly, that’s just me screaming please don't let this book end! 😂

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (10/10)

Quick Highlights

- The Pace!: stayed up till 3 a.m., no regrets
- Plausible twists that land with real-life authenticity
- Chemistry so electric and organic
- Movie-worthy storytelling that never stalls
- HEA payoff that had me grinning ear to ear

This Time Around

This Time Around felt like a late-night soap opera in book form—dramatic, over the top, and honestly, kind of fun because of it.

Tessa and Cypress’s decades-in-the-making reunion delivered on the drama, but the story didn’t always stick the landing.

Still, if you’re in the mood for something wild and a little messy, this one might be worth the ride.

⭐️⭐️⭐️/5


#ThisTimeAround
#netgalley

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

4.5 ⭐️ Tessa girl, you started off forth coming UNTIL you got with a good man. Like why you aint just tell him? Cypress LOVED YOU DOWN 🥰🥰 oweee. Im so happy they got a second chance. He was not playing behind her either. And I loved how he put her in her place if needed. Overall a cute book and great ending 👌🏿💕 This was actually my first book ive read by this author and I'll definitely be reading more.

oh hello just the book for me. i loved this book. the characters were brilliant. Kay has written these two to perfection. their dialogue their maturity even in times where its hard was refreshing. i think this partly comes from the age. and thats another thing that was nice, to have this age group.
Tessa is feeling adrift in her life. she cant fit her wants to the life she has not least for the people currently in it. so with a middle of the night epiphany she decides to let go of what isn't serving her. that means she now has no job nor a man. great.
Cypress has broken off his engagement. it was the right thing to do and he needs to find a fresh start. he needs to keep moving on now. so he takes the job of the professor at Black Elm University taking him from his now home in Chicago all the way to California. in his new class there is a student who is ringing bells for him. but it cant be true. and yet, why does she seem familiar? and the student in question has the same confusing feelings. but this is steered by her need to set him up with her lovely mum. and so she convinces him to go on a blind date with her mum. but when the pair meet they are about to discover there is nothing so innocent about this oopsie daisy meetup of strangers on a blind date. infact there is nothing to do with strangers about this pair. her mum is Tessa. and they already know each other from long ago. and that is something that will bring far more complexities to this meeting.
this book hit me so deeply. in all the best way you want a book to. it was light and shade. it was weighty but hug-gable. it was deep and emotional. it was just all the good stuff. i felt i was somehow within this world with a personal foot in the door to these people lives. i ended up really caring for the people and where this would go for them all.
the relationship were told with such tender and deft hands. i couldn't look away. the mother daughter thang going on with our two was a delight to read. and i loved how Tessa wasn't damaged to the point of changing how she parents for the worse. and instead her own relationship with her mum made her vow that she wouldn't repeat it with her own daughter.
the second chance romance in this book was also again a cut above most. i dont know how to describe it. maybe it was simply the ages. but it felt like it hit the notches off my heart even more so.i fell in love with the pair and was rooting them on. willing them to be ok. and it wasn't going to be without its storms to weather either. but i was here for it all the way.
a gorgeous book. and it was told in a way that made it no hardship to sit and read in one sitting.


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