I am sorry, I’m sure this book will be enjoyed by many. Unfortunately it wasn’t for me.
It was like all of the popular tropes were squashed in together with a lacklustre plot and unlikable characters.
Brothers best friend, second chance, office romance, grumpy x sunshine, daddy issues, forced proximity, one bed, and why not throw in there’s every romance readers most hated trope the unexpected pregnancy right there at 20% of the book and continue on with pregnancy stereotyping, cringy dialogue and right where it’s getting super boring, let’s throw in some suspense with a two minute pregnancy scare and then just continue on with more cringey dialogue and please! we get it! he has a cat. Shut Up!

I get the name is called Pretty Little mistake, I really wanted this to be a great one, as I’ve heard a lot of good things about the authors other works, but I just couldn’t. I skimmed pages at a time and I still knew what was going on! This was a fail, the double POV didn’t help, nothing helped this story for me.
Sorry!

I absolutely adored this book!
It had everything I love in a book! A little bit of enemies to lovers a lot of chemistry and a great relationship development!
I can’t wait to read more books by the author!

Micalea is a gem! I absolutely loved her Wildflower duet and was so excited when I saw this! I enjoy second chance romance stories which this was. This author is great at making her characters and stories so relatable and I just love that. What I really liked is that you got to experience her whole pregnancy. I feel like most books just gloss over it and you don’t see much of the actual pregnancy. I loved this book!

Thank you Netgalley for an ARC copy.
Pub date: August 22, 2023

Tropes:
Second Chance
Friends to lovers, enemies to lovers
Fake dating
Grumpy/sunshine
Accidental Pregnancy

Lennon hates Beckham ever since he took her virginity and left. Now, they are both working at the same magazine in New York and trying to avoid each other, until their boss partners them on an assignment and sends them on a work trip. On the work trip, they sleep together after drinking. When Lennon gets pregnant, she and Beckham realize they'll have to be in each other's lives.

My thoughts:
I went into this book blindly. This was my first book that I've read from Micaela and I enjoyed it. The first few chapters were a bit slow, but the book was fast paced later on. I loved Lennon's and Beckham's relationship later on in the book.

Rating: ★★★★.5

This was a cute second chance and enemies to lovers romance. The book focused a lot on the accidental pregnancy trope too. It’s not my favorite trope, but it was done well in this book. The building romance was sweet and I liked the character development. There was spice but it didn’t take away from the plot. I think my biggest struggle was how Beckham treated Lennon in the beginning of the book. Even as the issues that led to why they fell apart the first time came to light, it still felt unwarranted. I like a little bit of a bad boy in a book, but in the beginning he just felt like a jerk. Other than that, it was a quick read that I enjoyed. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

"Pretty Little Mistake " by a USA Today bestselling author Micalea Smeltzer is an emotionally charged novel that delves into the complexities of love, loss, and the power of second chances. With a scandalous twist and a poignant narrative, this book takes readers on a rollercoaster ride of emotions, leaving them captivated until the very last page.

The story revolves around Lennon Wells and Beckham Sullivan, two individuals whose paths had once intertwined but were torn apart by their respective pasts. Years later, fate brings them back together, forcing them to confront their unresolved feelings and the deep scars that still haunt them. As they find themselves working side by side, the undeniable chemistry between them resurfaces, leading to one impetuous night that changes everything.

The author masterfully explores the complexities of their relationship, highlighting the vulnerabilities and brokenness that both Lennon and Beckham carry. Their journey is rife with tension, raw emotions, and generational traumas that threaten to pull them apart once again. However, as they navigate their shared circumstances, they begin to realize that they have more in common than they ever thought possible.

One of the most compelling aspects of this novel is its exploration of familial expectations and the impact they have on Lennon and Beckham's lives. The author skillfully portrays the struggles these characters face in trying to please their difficult families while grappling with their own desires and dreams. This aspect adds depth to the story, making it relatable and allowing readers to empathize with the characters' internal conflicts.

The pacing of the plot is excellent, keeping readers engaged and eager to uncover what lies ahead. The author's writing style is immersive, beautifully capturing the characters' emotions and painting vivid scenes that bring the story to life. The dialogue is natural and believable, further enhancing the authenticity of the characters' relationships.

One of the standout themes in this book is the power of forgiveness and the potential for growth and healing. Lennon and Beckham are forced to confront their past mistakes and the pain they have caused each other. The author handles this delicate subject matter with sensitivity, delivering a powerful message about embracing second chances and breaking free from the cycles of generational trauma.

"Pretty Little Mistake" is a heartfelt and compelling novel that will tug at the heartstrings of romance enthusiasts and leave them rooting for Lennon and Beckham's happily ever after. It is a story of redemption, resilience, and the transformative power of love. Readers will be swept away by the emotional journey these characters undertake as they navigate the complexities of their past and strive for a future filled with hope and happiness.

Overall, "Pretty Little Mistake" is a must-read for fans of emotional and passionate romance novels. The author delivers a captivating story filled with well-developed characters, a thought-provoking plot, and a satisfying conclusion that will leave readers yearning for more. Prepare to be enthralled by this tale of second chances and the enduring power of love.

Lennon Wells has always dreamed of being a writer and lands a job writing for Real Point magazine. On her first day she finds out her ex-friend, the guy who took her virginity, also works there as their lead photographer, Beckham Sullivan.

They try their best to avoid each other but their boss partners on an assignment and they have to go on a work trip together. After some drinks and too much sexual tension they give in and have sex. When they realize that night results in an accidental pregnancy and that this will mean they have to sort through the problems of their past and work together for their baby.


I really enjoy Micalea Smeltzer books and how she’s able to make her books relatable. There’s humor, sadness and the perfect amount of spice for a romance book. I really enjoyed that you get to experience her pregnancy from start to finish and that it isn’t just a quick and over with.

Thank you Montlake for my copy in exchange for an honest review.

Pretty Little Mistake will be available August 22, 2023

Thank you Netgalley and Montlake for sending me an ARC of this book in exchange of an honest review.

I don’t usually read books with the accidental pregnancy trope but I have to say this surprised me. It was well written and wasn’t cliched. Lennon and Beckam’s story is a second chance, brother’s best friend, office romance. There is this tension at the beginning that becomes unbearable for them and then… they’re stuck together for the rest of their life.
Beckam’s approach to beating a dad is just too perfect. He made my heart melt multiple times.

I really liked this and hopefully I’ll get to read something else from this characters. 4,75⭐️

This book ticked so many book tropes that I love to read! Friend-enemy-lovers, brothers best friend, fake relationship, office romance, accidental pregnancy and guy is a grump!
I think I've just described the book using the words above! Enjoyable book and had a happy ever after. A nice Sunday reading book to go with a cup of tea.

while this book wasn’t offensive, it just didn’t work for me. the characters were fine i just wanted it to go a bit deeper. i wish there were actual flashbacks to them in high school so i had more basis to their current relationship.

This was a sweet, quick read with likable characters and good pacing that kept me hooked throughout. I’m a sucker for a good pregnancy trope, and this checked all the boxes.

Beckham & Lennon had great chemistry and banter. Beckham’s personality seemed inconsistent at times, and I feel like the motivation behind his treatment of Lennon at the beginning wasn’t really justified- I found myself feeling kind of irritated with his actions when normally I’m not bothered by ott a-hole mmcs. Once the “reason” for his action is explained, it was really a “that’s it?” moment and really made his actions seem petulant instead of righteous.

Overall though, this was enjoyable from beginning to end, and I would absolutely recommend it.

I always love a good second chance romance and this was perfect. Pretty Little Mistake has great characters, romance and plenty of spice. I loved seeing the chemistry between Lennon and Beckham and eyeing their relationship develop, especially after the pregnancy. This was my first book by Micalea Smeltzer but it definitely won’t be my last, she writes beautiful and creates an amazingly engaging romance you won’t want to put down.

Pretty little mistake is an engaging and captivating contemporary love story. A second love story with authentic and realistic characters, a typical cliché of unwanted pregnancy that is perfectly exploited for the growth of the protagonists and the love story (as in case of Sullivan whom I hated for the first part of the novel and whose growth I gradually appreciated). I hope to be able to read other novels by this author, which has been a great discovery.

"Pretty Little Mistake" by Micalea Smeltzer is an emotionally charged second chance romance that captivated me from beginning to end. The story revolves around Lennon Wells and Beckham Sullivan, two individuals who have endured their fair share of pain and heartbreak. When fate brings them back together years later, working for the same magazine, their unresolved feelings resurface, and they are forced to confront the wounds of their past.

I particularly enjoyed the unique twist of Lennon discovering she is pregnant, which added an extra layer of complexity to the romance. Unlike other stories where pregnancy becomes the sole reason for a couple to stay together, Smeltzer skillfully weaves it into the narrative, making it an integral part of the characters' journey without overshadowing the romance itself.

As a first-time reader of Micalea Smeltzer's work, I was impressed by her storytelling ability. The chemistry between Lennon and Beckham was palpable, and their character development felt authentic and relatable. Smeltzer's writing style flowed effortlessly, drawing me deeper into the story with each page.

Overall, "Pretty Little Mistake" is a heartfelt and engaging novel that explores the power of second chances. It successfully balances the complexities of love, family expectations, and personal growth, making it a must-read for fans of contemporary romance. I look forward to delving into more of Micalea Smeltzer's books in the future.

Lennon is starting at her new job in a magazine in New York when she notice Beckham her friend, lover and enemy who disappear after she gave him her v card. She hate him and now they have to work on a project together. They are assigned a job and have to travel and spend one night together which result in a pregnancy. So now they have to fake a relationship at work.
Beckham feel like people need to know he not going to be a bad father especially he has issue especially because he wasn't raised by his biological parents even thought he didn't have a horrible childhood he had loving parents.
Beckham and Lennon navigating a co-parent relationship especially when they are not together.
Then their the issue with Lennon parent which seem to dislike Beckham.

I completely fell in love with this cute childhood friends to lovers romance with an accidental pregnancy. This is the first book I've read by Micalea Smeltzer and it definitely won't be the last. The first few chapters were a bit slow but after that, the book was quite fast paced and I finished it rather quickly.

Most accidental pregnancies in books seem to happen right at the end so I really appreciated the fact that this book actually follows Lennon's pregnancy. I loved how supportive Beckham was and how well he and Lennon worked together despite the awkward circumstances. I thought they were a very cute couple. I wasn't completely sold on Beckham at first. He seemed unjustifiably cold but he did grow on me and I actually found myself liking him by the end of the book.

Overall, I really enjoyed Pretty Little Mistake and highly recommend it to all romance lovers!

Brilliant story! Couldn’t put it down and finished it in 1 day. Very easy to read and the story keeps you hooked.

3.5 Stars Pretty Little Mistake was a delightful childhood friends-to-lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers, surprise pregnancy romance.

Lennon Welles has hated Beckham Sullivan since the day he took her virginity, then ran away to college, never to be heard from again. Lennon was broken-hearted, having loved Beckham since they were both kids. Now, both are working at a small magazine in New York and are doing their best to avoid each other. That is, until their boss partners them on an assignment and sends them on a work trip. Using the drinks they had at the bar to cover for the fact that their feelings for one another are still there, they sleep together on a trip. When Lennon gets a positive pregnancy test back, she and Beckham realize they will always be in each other’s lives and that they’ll have to sort through their complicated pasts and generational familial trauma to make it work.

I appreciated that this book followed Lennon and Beckham through the pregnancy, rather than them getting the positive test around 70% of the way through the book, like other surprise pregnancy novels have done. This book completely focuses on them as they navigate the unexpected and their tentative relationship as future co-parents. Overall, I really enjoyed the book and appreciated that there was no third act breakup.