Published by Simon and Schuster on October 22, 2019
Genres: Contemporary, Fiction, Romance, Romantic Comedy, Women
Pages: 368
Format: eBook
Source: ARC
From the New York Times bestselling author of The Unhoneymooners and the “delectable, moving” (Entertainment Weekly) My Favorite Half-Night Stand comes a modern love story about what happens when your first love reenters your life when you least expect it…
Sam Brandis was Tate Jones’s first: Her first love. Her first everything. Including her first heartbreak.
During a whirlwind two-week vacation abroad, Sam and Tate fell for each other in only the way that first loves do: sharing all of their hopes, dreams, and deepest secrets along the way. Sam was the first, and only, person that Tate—the long-lost daughter of one of the world’s biggest film stars—ever revealed her identity to. So when it became clear her trust was misplaced, her world shattered for good.
Fourteen years later, Tate, now an up-and-coming actress, only thinks about her first love every once in a blue moon. When she steps onto the set of her first big break, he’s the last person she expects to see. Yet here Sam is, the same charming, confident man she knew, but even more alluring than she remembered. Forced to confront the man who betrayed her, Tate must ask herself if it’s possible to do the wrong thing for the right reason… and whether “once in a lifetime” can come around twice.
With Christina Lauren’s signature “beautifully written and remarkably compelling” (Sarah J. Maas, New York Times bestselling author) prose and perfect for fans of Emily Giffin and Jennifer Weiner, Twice in a Blue Moon is an unforgettable and moving novel of young love and second chances.
I am a rather late Christina Lauren convert but that doesn’t make my fangirling any less fervent. Generally, the second chance romance trope isn’t my favorite simply because I wouldn’t go for it myself. I’m not a particularly forgiving person. Yet, if there is any author, or author duo in this case, that will change my mind it would be these talented writers. Twice in a Blue Moon is delightful, heart-wrenching romantic tale that starts with a chance meeting of two starry-eyed young loves in London.
Right off the bat, I liked Sam. He was down-to-earth, kind, and I found myself wishing I was in Tate’s place. I struggled a little with Tate simply because I felt like she shared her secrets too quickly. I don’t see how it could have been done differently writing wise, it was just tough to watch and I was waiting for the other shoe to drop. And oh boy did it. The beautiful, hope-filled romance in the beginning helped carry me through the angst of the middle of the book. Honestly, I couldn’t find it in myself to hate Sam.
My main complaint was the ending happened so quickly that it all came to a head abruptly and felt disjointed. I also wish we had more time exploring the adult relationships. The timeline just didn’t allow for enough growth.
I don’t think I’m completely sold on the second-chance trope but I was in love with the initial romance between Tate and Sam. I also loved watching the complex relationships Tate has and her growth through the end of the book. This was an interesting departure from the normally light-hearted Christina Lauren books I’ve read and I’m looking forward to reading more of their work!
*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
About Christina Lauren
Christina Lauren is the combined pen name of long-time writing partners/besties/soulmates/brain-twins Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings. The coauthor duo writes both Young Adult and Adult Fiction, and together has produced sixteen New York Times bestselling novels. Their books have been translated into 30+ languages. (Some of these books have kissing. Some of these books have A LOT of kissing.)
