This story could have been perfectly a short novel, because it has been quite repetitive. And if the secondary characters had been outlined better, perhaps they would have been more interesting, because they appear a lot in the story, but almost as if they were still all the gang of weird kids who got together at school. And the protagonist who returns to town after having left without making it very clear, because although it is perfectly intuited, nobody makes any comment about it, she has an uncertain attitude, too indecisive being a prestigious professional in Los Angeles.

So Grace returns to her hometown due to her father's death, wanting nothing to do with Bonnie, the woman who left her after high school and whom she hasn't forgiven. And Grace's father's will holds surprises, forcing Grace to become involved with Bonnie, much to her dismay. The premise is good, second chances for high school sweethearts, small town, tight-knit and tolerant community, good material.

But the reading has been a bit long for me, very slow in events, little action, repetitive.

An enjoyable second chance romance. However, I had a lot of questions as to how serious their past relationship was. The book was well written, and the characters were adorable. 3.5 stars


Thank you, Bold Strokes Books, and NetGalley.

Grace left town after getting her heartbroken by her girlfriend Bonnie who thought at the time was the best thing even if it’s was misguided. Grace returns hometown Garrison in Rhode Island after the death of her father. While there she and Bonnie can’t avoid each other because Grace father left them both his house it’s was his way of getting them together because he thinks they deserve a second chance together. Grace and Bonnie have a lot to overcome but with the help of friends they might have a chance. I enjoy the characters are likeable and Bonnie friends group dynamic was fun to read and Grace best friend was sweet and supportive.



I received an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley and voluntarily leaving my review.

An enjoyable second chance romance. Grace Cook returns to her hometown in Rhode Island after the death of her father. Her life is on the west coast where she attended college and now works in marketing. The passing of her dad brings on memories and grief. Bonnie Whitlock broke up with Grace in HS. She stayed in town, owns the hardware store and does handyman work. She took special interesting in doing repair work and visiting Grace’s dad. In a surprise, dad left his house to both women. He encourages them to not buy each other out for at least a year. It is his way of giving them another chance.

Grace invites Bonnie to move into the house while she settles her dads affairs. Grace is on leave from work without pay so can’t stay long. But there is time for some flirting and a stolen kiss or two. I don’t think I invested much in their first relationship because there isn’t much about it. You learn that the break up is one sided and devastating but some flashbacks or memory scenes could have been used to bring the original romance to life. Did they date? Do more than kiss? It is vague on how out they were. A lot of time is spent on Bonnie’s friend group, who Grace knows because they all attended school together. They have nicknames and add teasing, advise and a secondary romance to help fill out the story. I like second chances for romances but this fell into the likable but average range for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for the ARC and I am leaving a voluntary review.

A simple and sweet second chance romance.

When Grace's father passes away, he leaves the house to her and her ex-girlfriend Bonnie. It's been 15 years, but the two are just as enamored as ever. Grace is torn between her life on the other side of the country or the second chance with Bonnie.

I really enjoyed Bonnie's friends and the townspeople. Grace's best friend was sweet too. It seemed like neither of the main characters' personalities really shined through until closer to the end, but the story was well written, and I'm glad the two women got the ending they did.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for the opportunity to read and review.

Lack of communication can cause so many issues in all aspects of our life. Most of us never know why someone would hold back information that can move an issue forward or open the lines of communication especially in a relationship. Comments like, I did not want to hurt you, I did not think you needed to know, I thought we have moved passed this, etc. Bonnie Whitlock, hardware store owner and the person holding back information. Grace Cook, marketing consultant, lacking information she needs. I thought the read was okay. Although there was some tension between the two, it was not enough to create animosity, therefore flirting. The secondary characters were interesting especially Bonnie's group of friends. In general, this second chance romance just did not have enough going on.

I’m struggling to keep the back story to name with each character straight in my head. I've found I'm not that bothered by that. The main barrier is laid out and we are not left wondering why the barrier happened. I'm reading it, enjoying it but as a bystander, I'm not all in!
I like how the author references events, sets them up but we don’t get blow by blow detail, in fact often time will pass after the set up as we move to the next chapter. That helps make the time allotted seem real. However, when the mains get together physically, I'm not swept along. There should be tension from the break up arc, but for me, there's not. There should be "feelz" from the make up arc but for me there's not. I think my lack of connection with either main is affecting my enjoyment. Up to a 3. I've not gelled with the mains. It happens.

I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to others. If you enjoy a well-written cute lesbian romance, then this is the book for you!

Bonnie and Grace were best friends (and girlfriends) in high school. They weren't 'out' due to homophobia in their village. The whole story takes place in Garrison, a small town in Rhode Island.

Grace left after high school to go to college and has built a life for herself in L.A., 15 years later Grace is back in town because her father has died. During the period when Grace was away, Bonnie has gotten close to Grace's father, the town has changed in some ways and not in others.

A lot of the story is spent with Bonnie's group of friends all of whom I adored! All the story is written in Grace's and Bonnies POV. There is a small subplot, which was extra cute, my only complaint is I would have liked to see more of how that story played out, but it was very in keeping with the characters and story arc that we only got to see glimpses. Although, a short chapter written in a different POV at the end would have been everything!

Another aspect of the story I really liked was Bonnie's and Grace's ages. I love reading about characters in their 30s, it definitely feels like the characters are that age, they make decisions in keeping with their ages and even the character descriptions include the odd 'grey hair' but it isn't described in a negative way.

There is a bit of a butch-femme dynamic to the relationship, but I think the author was careful not to lean too heavily on stereotypes, particularly with Grace, she was not written as an overly femme 'damsel in distress' and it could have been easy trope to fall into.

The story is centred around Grace's father's death. This is a storyline that has been used many times but this is an example of it done well. The theme of grief is dealt with well within the story the pacing is good and there were parts that brought tears to my eyes, as you can feel what Grace is going through. Grace and Bonnie's grief at losing Grace's father doesn't take over the story but does feature enough for the reader to build a bond with the characters and to really make the reader wish for a happy ending.

With thanks to Net Gallery, the author and publisher for free access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A story about second chances. Bonnie gave up the love of her life to give her a chance to get away from the small town they lived in. Grace didn’t know why Bonnie rejected her. Just that she did. Bonnie felt she was doing the right thing, although she probably went about it the wrong way. I do think that when Grace found out the reason she could have been a bit more appreciative. Still, quite an enjoyable book.
I have to say though I do prefer my romances with a bit more action and adventure.

Grace and Bonnie are reunited by tragedy. But there’s hope in their tragedy, or at least Grace’s late father thinks so. And he’s giving them a second chance from beyond. It’s a second chance romance with quite a lot of will they won’t they going on and it has frustrated me at points. On the other hand, the supporting characters are very well written into the story, likeable and adding value. 3.5 stars.
Free ARC via NetGalley

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this book

bonnie and grace....highschool sweethearts

grace left home with her heart broken but now she is back home after her dad dies hoping that she can avoid bonnie settle everything and get back to her home back in L.A

bonnie is also hoping to avoid grace, but with the funeral and the will reading that wasnt going to happen....

time and distance between bonnie and grace should have helped but it hasnt

loved the camping and the friendships scenes in this book its a book to relax and upwind with and covers quite a few topics that are relevant today with hints of what it was like for gay people back in the day

Grace Cook has come home again after her fathers death. She’s planning to be on her way back home once things have been taken care of. Little does she know her father had other plans fir her.
Her long ago girlfriend Bonnie is still there and had been close to Graces’ father now they’ve got to see where them years have taken them.
Things never go as planned and what lies ahead for them especially after they find out what Graces father left for them in his will.

Thank you #NetGalley #BoldStrokesBooks for this ARC

Grace Cook returns to her small hometown that she left 15 years ago after her heart was broken by
Bonnie Whitlock. Grace’s father has passed away, and she’s only come back to get his affairs in order.
However, he had other ideas. While Grace was away, Bonnie and Grace’s father developed a strong
friendship. In his will, he leaves the house to the two women, basically stating that they need to work
through their issues, because they’re perfect for each other.
I think that this book has a lot of things going for it. The queer representation is pretty good, with both
lesbian and gay characters. The characters are mostly likeable, and the friend group dynamic is fun to
read. But I felt like I got whiplash from the “will they, wont’ they” that was happening pretty much since
page one. I get it, that’s part of the draw to these types of second-chance romances. But in most cases,
the majority of the struggle is internal, with the characters going back and forth with themselves. But in
this one, it was external. In the same breath, one of them would say “no,” then they would kiss the
other, then say “no” again. I found it to be a frustrating read, and I almost DNF’d at 80%. Instead, I just
skimmed to the good parts. I am giving this a 2 out of 5 stars. I would not re-read this, nor would I
recommend it to anyone.
I saw in another review that someone gave this book 4 peppers for spice. I’m not sure what kind of
books others are reading, but this is absolutely on the vanilla side! There was one actual spice scene,
and I would give it .5-1 peppers, at most. If you’re looking for sapphic spice, you should absolutely look
elsewhere!

"The Town That Built Us" by Jesse J. Thoma is an exceptional literary journey that skillfully takes readers through a whirlwind of emotions, from grief and loss to love and acceptance. Thoma's phenomenal storytelling prowess shines through every page, as they effortlessly transport readers into the lives of her characters, making them feel every ounce of their experiences.

One of the greatest strengths of this book is the author's ability to create relatable, genuine situations that tug at the heartstrings. Thoma has masterfully crafted a narrative that resonates deeply with the readers, capturing the essence of human emotions in the face of tragedy, growth, and redemption. Each character's struggles and triumphs are so vividly portrayed that it becomes impossible not to become emotionally invested in their lives.

The rollercoaster of emotions that Thoma takes us on is a testament to their talent as a writer. From the heart-wrenching moments of grief and loss to the heartwarming scenes of love and acceptance, the author's words evoke a range of feelings that linger long after the final page. The rawness and authenticity in which they capture the characters' experiences make the story feel incredibly real and relatable.

I found myself utterly engrossed in the storyline from start to finish. Thoma's impeccable pacing and gripping plot kept me eagerly turning the pages, desperate to uncover the characters' fates and witness their personal journeys unfold. The book's seamless transitions between different perspectives allowed me to intimately connect with each character, understand their motivations, and appreciate the depth of their struggles.

Thoma's character development is nothing short of exceptional. Each character is multifaceted, flawed, and beautifully human, making them easily identifiable and compelling. Their growth and transformation throughout the story are organic and believable, leading to profound moments of self-discovery and enlightenment. The author's ability to make readers truly feel what the characters are going through is a testament to her empathetic writing style.

"The Town That Built Us" is a remarkable achievement in storytelling, blending the depths of grief and loss with the power of love and acceptance. Jesse J. Thoma has created a world so vivid and captivating that it lingers in the reader's mind even after the final chapter. This book is an emotional rollercoaster that will leave you breathless, and I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone seeking a profound, heartfelt read.

Note: This review does not contain any spoilers to preserve the readers' experience of the book.