Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of Baby, One More Time by Camilla Isley.

Ooh this was a super sweet one! I think I’ve read nearly all of @camillaisley books at this point and you can always rely on them for fun, lighthearted and sweet romances!

Do you remember that film with JLo called the Back up plan and a really similar one with Jennifer Anniston and Jason Bateman that came out around the same time called The Switch? Well I loved both of them and if you did too then I think you will really enjoy this book as the storyline/feelings definitely give me vibes of both of those films a lot.

“Driven and smart, Marissa Mayer has worked her way to COO at a major Fintech startup as well as launching her own successful app on the side. Now what she wants more than anything is a baby. And having given up on love after her heart was broken by the boy next door, she’s prepared to do it alone.

Recently returning to New York from LA, Dr John Raikes is an expert in his field of neonatal medicine. But when John introduces himself as Marissa’s doctor, sparks fly, and not in a good way. Because Dr John Raikes is no stranger: he’s her teenage sweetheart all grown up.

Marissa knows she should keep John at arm’s length, lest she have her heart broken again... But there’s something about a man in a white coat. And with John determined to show Marissa he’s changed, can she keep saying no when her heart is saying yes?”

This comes out on January 20th!
ARC from NetGalley ✨

I was so excited to see that Camilla Isley had another book coming out! I was even more excited when I realized it was the next book in the True Love series. Not in a Billion Years is this first book in the series. Baby, One More Time delivered! This book can be read as a stand-alone but as it is only the second book in the series, why not read Not in a Billion Years as well.

Marissa Mayer wants a baby. She hasn't had a significant relationship since her high school boyfriend broke her heart. She is a successful COO at a major Fintech startup. She also has a successful app on the side. So, she decides why not and begins the process of becoming a mother through IVF.

Dr John Raikes is an expert in neonatal medicine. She also happens to be the one who broke Marissa's heart in high school. He has personal reasons for moving back to New York.

When Marissa's doctor is out of town, she is told she is going to see another doctor that day. Imagine the shock on both their faces as Marissa and John are reunited after sixteen years. What a way to meet again. UGH! John wants to prove he is a changed man; He knows he made a huge mistake and wants a second chance. Marissa doesn't know if she can trust him. Both feel the attraction, but does he deserve a second chance?????

I was fully invested in this book from the very beginning. I didn't want to put it down and found reasons to keep reading. Both characters are likeable and have likeable people in their lives. Speaking of likeable people, Marissa and Blake, from Not in a Billion Years are best friends and their stories overlap in this book which was a nice touch. I enjoyed reading about Blake and Gabriel again.

There is plenty of drama in this book. Marissa was hurt and struggles with trust and taking chances. I could feel her hesitancy and wanted to tell her to take the leap. John has grown since the night he broke Marissa's heart. He has changed and sets out to prove that. He also had a little helper who stole every scene she was in.

I found this book to be gripping and heartwarming. I loved the mix of drama, humor, touching moments, indecision, and the journey John and Marissa went on. It's all about the journey in romance books for me.

This was an addictive second chance romance/enemies-to-lovers book! I loved seeing Blake and Gabriel again. I enjoyed the overlapping stories but mainly I enjoyed the journey in this book. Plus, readers get both Marissa and John's POV's which was also a very nice touch.

This book touches on IVF, second chances, family, love, friendship, trust, and starting over.

Gripping, well written, and heartwarming.

Baby One More Time was witty, heartwarming, and a fun read. Granted, at least for me, I wish our FMC would have forgiven the MMC a little faster, especially considering he was 18 at the time of his transgressions. This story was cute with the sweetest little girl. And who doesn't love a single dad and a heroine that is a complete boss? It had everything to make it a sweet, fun romcom.

Camilla Isley’s book “Baby one more time” is a hilarious and heartwarming story about two school sweethearts who broke up in a heartbreaking way after prom.

I’m such a fan of the author since I discovered her in the middle of the Covid pandemia. Her stories never disappoint you. They are light, funny and full of second chances.
Particularly, this story was a bit extreme bordering to exaggerated but it was actually what makes it funny at the end. It was also incredibly imaginative to say the least.

I suggest reading “Not in a billion years” which is the story of Blake, Marissa”s best friend, and Gabriel Mercer. They are important supporting characters in “Baby one more time” and sort completes the whole scenario. I hope that Thomas Mercer, Gabriel’s brother, gets his own story as well.

I strongly recommend it if what you are looking for is to unwind and relax for a few hours. This is a story that will allow to get you mind of any stress you may have in your life. It was lovely!

Thanks NetGalley and Boldwood Books Ltd for accepting my request to have a copy.

This book surprised me in the best way! I'm always drawn to books about pregnancy, babies, etc. but they often end up falling flat for me. This was certainly not the case here though! Marissa and John were highschool sweethearts, torn apart, and then reunited 16 years later. To say it wasn't a pleasant reunion is an understatement (IYKYK), but I loved following their journey back to one another! Highly recommend if you're looking for a sweet, second chance romcom ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

📖 ARC REVIEW 📖

Thank you @theboldbookclub for an early copy of Baby, One More Time by @camillaisley. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. 🤍

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Release date: January 20th, 2024

Blurb: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/199496905-baby-one-more-time?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=Uc648aefo3&rank=1

🛑Read on with caution; review may contain spoilers🛑

Baby, One More Time tells the story of John and Marissa’s second-chance romance. John left Marissa so suddenly when they were teenagers, with no explanation. This made Marissa hate him with all of her heart and had difficulty trusting men years after, which made it also difficult for her to have lasting relationships. At almost thirty-five years old, she has decided she wanted to be a mother, with or without the father, and has signed herself up for IVF treatments to get pregnant. Meanwhile, John, now a divorced single dad and also a doctor specializing in infertility, has moved back home and coincidentally is working at the clinic where Marissa is getting her treatments.

He has regretted his decision to leave Marissa for sixteen years, and meeting her at the clinic was his chance at redemption. Fate must have favored them when Marissa finally gets pregnant with John’s sperm after the clinic accidentally fertilizes her eggs with his instead of the donor’s sperm Marissa chose, which I found absurd really! But I found John’s enthusiasm and instant support of the pregnancy sweet. He really owned up to his mistake and shows that he’s making an effort to gain Marissa’s trust back by being present with her, as a future father of their child and a not-boyfriend. He may have been an ass for leaving Marissa and ghosting her for years because he didn’t think they could handle a long-distance relationship, but he was really sweet and has proven that he’s a different person at present than he was before. He’s also a great father to Nora – who is just so adorable and smart beyond her age.

I admire Marissa and her independence and her wit, how she managed to be successful in her career. It also takes so much bravery to get pregnant and be willing to have and raise a baby all on her own. I totally understand her reluctance to trust the man who has broken her heart and has ruined other men and relationships for her, but I’m glad that her character didn’t give John a difficult time groveling, since he truly seemed to regret his past actions and has shown consistently that he loves Marissa. His actions made me swoon, especially with him bringing Marissa coffee every morning and walking her to work. I enjoyed their moments together as they fell in love all over again.

Camilla Isley has never failed to deliver a novel that didn’t keep my attention waning. Baby, One More Time is beautifully written with very likeable and admirable main characters. It’s not only a rom-com, but it’s also a heartwarming story that will make you believe in love again.

I would like to thank netgalley and Boldwood Books for a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Entertaining, and with a unique premise. Can't wait for the next book.

I read this book...a few weeks ago...and completely forgot to write my review, so here are my notes:

I love the app idea!
I considered having a baby on my own before I met my husband.
16 years is a really long time to hold a grudge.
It's super unprofessional to look at someone's chart for your own personal reasons. Kind of icky.
You're placing a LOT of responsibility on someone who broke your heart when you were EIGHTEEN.
I love that the FMC is successful - and a coder! GO STEM!
All this IVF terminology is reminding me of our infertility journey.
Why would the FMC be a consideration in the decision making of the MMC?
She doesn't have a right to be upset about that.
Marissa is DRAMATIC.
But also, that's a stupid reason for him to have left - very cliche.
Why wouldn't you have legal present for that conversation? Also, super predictable.
Thomas seems to be the one smart person in this book.
Nora is absolutely adorable and I love her.
Marissa. drives. me. NUTS.
The chemistry between Marissa and John enthralls, frustrates and confuses me.
I can't handle all this back and forth - it's taking it all a bit too far.
Seriously?? You won't commit to him, but you're getting angsty about his ex-wife?
I'm legit 82% into the book, and Marissa STILL hasn't decided WTF she wants to do with her life.
How many "breaks" are you going to ask this man for?
And how many times is John going to have to say he's sorry?
I feel like the Sierra thing was left unsettled.
The ending was good.

I feel like this book was written just for me. This had all of my favorite tropes and it was so well written, I felt like I was friends with Marissa the whole time.

The decision of an unmarried woman to have a child through an anonymous donor is not a choice made lightly. It requires determination, dedication, and precision. When Marissa reconnects with the former love of her life 16 years after he walked out on her, she never expected it to be while she's waiting for a IVF examination. Even worse, later a mix-up at the lab reveals that the former boyfriend's sperm was used accidentally.

An emotionally charged story that leaves you laughing, yet crying at times, is a well written record of their problems and joys. Delightful cast of characters include family, friends, co-workers, and an adorable 5 year old daughter. A mixture of face-to-face and text messages make it even more realistic and interesting.

I loved the book, the characters, and the topic. Realistic, yet humorous, it was difficult to put the book down and deal with my reality. I appreciate the opportunity to read and review my thoughts afforded me by NetGalley and Boldwood Books.

5 stars – I absolutely loved Baby, One More Time by Camilla Isley (Book 2 in the True Love series)! Marissa and John were high school sweethearts until he broke her heart at Prom. Fast forward 16 years and Marissa is a successful professional (COO at a FinTech startup )in NYC and John is equally successful as a neonatal doctor in California (married to a famous actress and they have a daughter). John and his wife have divorced and, due to her filming schedule, he takes their daughter and moves back to Brooklyn to his childhood home, next door to Marissa’s parents. John and Marissa run into each other, and the rest is a funny story. I really enjoyed the banter between Marissa and John, and they have tons of chemistry.

There were 2 minor flaws in the story to me (1) is how vehemently opposed Marissa was to forgiving John for his teenage behavior. Second, was how John’s daughter speaks/acts like a teenager as opposed to a six-year-old. But…I really loved this story, and it was hard to put down.

Props to Isley for her treatment of IVF. It is not easy to go through (shots, hormone fluctuations, etc) but she did a great job articulating it. I’m looking forward to her next book.

Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for allowing me to read an ARC copy. All opinions here are my own.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this eARC of 'Baby, One More Time' by Camilla Isley.

'Baby, One More Time' is Camilla Isley's newest novel and I'm gutted. I loved the first one in this kinda-series-but-more-universe. The characters weren't exactly my favourite and the story was intriguing but it just didn't catch me with love as much as the first one did. Still a great read though!

This is another entertaining story from Camilla Isley. It is set in the same ‘universe’ as ‘Not in a Billion Years’ and some of the events in this book run parallel to events in that book, so I would definitely advise reading them in the right order to avoid spoilers.
Marissa has had her heart broken at her high school prom and has had major trust issues ever since. While undergoing IVF treatment, she encounters her high school sweetheart for the first time since that night – he’s covering for her regular OB/GYN! He’s always regretted what happened and is desperate to show Marissa how much he has changed. The story takes place over nine months and is very funny and entertaining.
Thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the review copy.

Second chance romance for childhood sweethearts, he hurt her and she's never been able to trust again.

When fate steps into her life plans, it proves they were meant to be!

Second chance is slowly making its way to becoming one of my favourite tropes to read.

There was no spice in this book, but it still kept me hooked and wanting more. I wish I had more time to read it in bigger stints rather than when I could. I didnt realise this book was a part of a series and missed out on the first book. Although it can be read as a standalone, it has interconnected characters. I will be going back to read Blakes story in the first book.

I was gifted this book in return for an honest review via NetGalley

Baby, One More Time is the second installment of the series and follows Marissa, who tries to have a baby through IVF. Unfortunately, the doctor who examines her the first time is her high school sweetheart, who broke her heart 16 years ago.
In general, I found the plot so fanny and enjoyable but Marissa's denial was a little to much. Definitely, recommended to fellow romance lovers.

So initially, I was loving this book. Marissa was strong, level headed and sensible. The writing was compelling and I loved the overall vibe of the book but John & Marissa as a couple failed to hold my interest. The flashbacks of them were about what went wrong between them but even in the present there was nothing to convince me that they were good together tbh. Also John being a single dad was not mentioned anywhere in the blurb so I found it a bit offputting. I started to like them as a couple towards the very end but then the book reached it's end. The whole IVF situation though was handled very well and felt realistic especially since the author said that she was going through it herself. So I liked that part and overall it was an okay read but the second half felt dragged and John's feelings were poorly portrayed because it was more of an "insta-love" situation tbh.

Thank you Netgalley for providing me an ARC in exchange of an honest review

A second chance romantic comedy, featuring a cinnamon roll MMC and 'enemies' to lovers.

'Johnny Raikes is back in my life, and it looks like he's staying'.

Marissa is a successful business woman, but she's been put off love forever.. ever since her high school sweetheart ghosted her 16 years ago. Wanting to have a child, she decides to go through the IVF journey, but what she doesn't expect, is for the man who broke her heart doing the exam. Johnny Raikes. The high school sweetheart who broke her. Will she give Johnny a second chance, and trust that he won't break her heart all over again?

𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀
I do enjoy a second chance romance, and an 'enemies' to lovers situation! I say 'enemies', because it's really only Marissa who dislikes Johnny for what he did when she was younger. There's a lot of trust issues there, which I don't blame her for!

You can see how hard Johnny was trying to win her over, which was incredibly adorable with his golden retriever/cinnamon role vibes. The set up of how they meet (again) was so funny, I would completely die of embarrassment in Marissa's situation!

I also loved seeing the characters from the first book, Blake and Gabriel - Blake is incredibly close in Marissa's life, so I loved the crossover and seeing behind the scenes in their life!

Thank you to NetGalley for this copy. This review is voluntary.

There's nothing like a great second-chance romance. Baby One More Time is the second in Camilla Isley's True Love series and takes place simultaneously as the first book in the series, Not in a Billion Years. It's an exciting addition to the story, but it doesn't mean the reader must read the first book to enjoy it.

Baby One More Time was an easy, lovable read! But there was something about John's character that I couldn't get behind one hundred percent. Maybe it was my loyalty toward Marissa because of her bond with Blake between the two books. Perhaps it was that I felt John's excuse for leaving Marissa behind was a little weak, even if they were young when it happened. Ultimately, I felt warmer toward John by the end of the story, but still, there was something about him I couldn't quite get over.

I think Thomas, Gabriel's brother, will be the third book in the True Love series. He was the fun, pesky brother to Gabriel in Not in a Billion Years and made a brief appearance in this book. I cannot wait to see what he gets into!

Thank you, Camilla Isley, Boldwood Books, and NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review this book.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

"Baby One More Time" by Camilla Isley is a heartwarming surprise that not only entertained but also tugged at my emotions. Marissa Mayer, with her dreams and determination, felt like a friend navigating the complexities of life. As she embarks on the challenging journey of single motherhood, I couldn't help but cheer for her resilience.

When Dr. John Raikes, the unexpected but familiar face from Marissa's past, steps in as her obstetrician, the story takes a delightful turn. Their journey from teenage sweethearts to potential co-parents is filled with humor, unexpected twists, and a genuine exploration of second chances.

Camilla Isley's writing is like a comforting conversation with a friend. Marissa's character is not just a CEO or an app developer; she's a woman with real fears and hopes. John's transformation from a teenage crush to a caring doctor adds layers to the narrative that I found both charming and relatable.

What made this rom-com special for me was the dual POV. Seeing the story unfold from both Marissa and John's perspectives added depth to their characters. It was like peeking into their hearts, understanding their fears, and celebrating their joys. The dual perspective created a connection that made their journey even more poignant.

Marissa's hesitancy to open her heart again resonated deeply, and the medical setting added a unique touch to the storyline. The balance between humor and heartfelt moments made this a truly enjoyable read.

"Baby One More Time" is more than a rom-com; it's a story about love, resilience, and the unpredictability of life. If you're a fan of stories that warm your heart and leave you with a smile, this book is a must-read. It earns a solid 4-star recommendation from me, reminding us that love has a way of surprising us when we least expect it. 📚❤️