4.5 stars. Thanks to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for the E-ARC. When I say I devoured this book I totally mean it. I started yesterday late in the afternoon and stayed up till midnight to finish. I was laughing out loud by like 7 percent in the book. My son even asked me a few times mom whats so funny. Marissa was a hoot sometimes totally overdramatic and I was here for all of it. John was the sweetest but lets just say Nora stole the whole show. I cant wait for Thomas story.

Such an easy to read romcom - Camilla Isley has done a fab job here with a funny premise, grownup characters, a cute six year old and a charming happily ever after.

Both in their mid thirties, John and Marissa had been high school sweethearts. John did the dirty and Marissa has never forgiven him, to the extent that it has distorted her own feelings of self-worth and her ability to stay in a relationship. She has a fabulous job, a secret second business, great friends, all the things in her New York, life but no love or children of her own. She meets up again with Dr John at an IVF clinic. And so it begins. John is delicious, a single dad, newly divorced, I adored him - maybe I wondered why he was so hung up on Marissa. She's amazing, but sooooooooo insecure. It's hard to read at times.

This is funny, clever, completely unrealistic, but not in a bad way, and a great reflection on the New York hustle. I'm not sure how Marissa will feed a baby when she can't feed herself, but anyway.....

Recommended for an easy light and funny afternoon's read. It's dual POV, fade to black and so deftly written. Enjoy!

Rounded up to four stars. Thank you thank you NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the ARC.

Oh my goodness. I have laughed so much reading this book. This book intertwined my two favorite genres in one plot line - second chance love and enemies to lovers.

Marissa Myer has a wildly successful career and plenty of cash flow. She has given up on love. A young man broke her heart one night after her high school prom, and she has never fully recovered from the heartbreak. She decides she does not need a man to have a baby, which she is when she starts IVF treatments.

Dr. John Raikes is the boy, now a man, who broke her heart 16 years ago. He is a neonatal doctor and the best in his field. These two are about to meet in an extremely uncomfortable setting. It does not get much more awkward than this meeting. John and Marissa go on a wild ride together with many bumps and bruises along with a complete bombshell about a third of the way through the story that will leave your jaw on the floor.

There are some serious scenes and a lot of vile words spewed by Marissa, but I had to feel for her when I found out what happened 16 years ago. They have a past and some wounds that may or may not be healed, but it was blatantly obvious that these two had fireball chemistry. One of my favorite scenes involved a fall, a pair of white pants and a brownie. I could barely catch my breath from laughing so hard. If you enjoy a romantic comedy, you will love this one. This one tickled my funny bone and was romantic as well.

Thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for this ARC. I a leaving this review voluntarily.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this story about a failed teenage romance, that stained Marissa’s love life so much that she’d decided to have a baby alone by ivf, not knowing that her teenage ex was back in town and working in the clinic she was being treated at!!! John, her sexy ex, has grown sexier over time, unfortunately for Marissa!! She wants to be cross with him but can’t help appreciating his beautiful face and body! Poor girl!!!.
John is back with his little girl, after his marriage broke down. He’s happy to be home, to bring his daughter up in a great place. Then he sees Marissa and his heart melts. So much so that he apologises for how their romance ended all those years ago. She is not about to forgive him, but he still loves her……
This story is written so well that the characters become friends and I laughed so much at the things that happened!!!
Camilla Isley always writes so well and I always look forward to reading the next book!!
Many thanks to Boldwood Books for the chance to read this arc copy via Netgalley.
#Netgalley, #bookandttonic, #camillaisley.

This was a fun, fast read. I really enjoyed this - it's a light rom com read, but the characters are well-drawn and believable. Slightly disappointing that it was all very sweet - could have done with more on-page heat!

Marissa is a successful woman, we could call her a workhaolic, she can't find love so at 34 years old she has decided to have a child through IVF treatments, unfortunately at the fertility clinic she met her high school sweetheart in the most embarrassing way. John is a OB gyn, and he will end helping Marissa much more than needed.

Baby, One More Time was a great read, I was caught up in Marissa's life from first to last page.
Marissa is a strong woman, but she hides a more sensitive side that makes her irresistible. I understand her fear to let John get into her life again, but his personal growth is undeniable, and his kindness makes it difficult to keep hating him. I wished for them to rekindle their relationship, because they deserve a second chance and a happily ever after.

Camilla Isley wrote a very enjoyable story, her characters and writing are humorous and compelling. Her description of the IFV procedure is told in a delicate but relatable way for the women that go through this treatment.

I recommend this novel to the readers who like their contemporary romance with some good laughs. This is the second book in the series, but it can be read as a standalone, even if the characters from the first one appear in it.

Baby, One More Time ( Book #2 in the True Love series) can be read as a standalone

By Camilla Isley- I read The Love Theorem and gave it 3 ⭐

Publication date 1-20-24, Read 1-16-24

🗺️ Setting: NY

📃 Page Count: 314

️ 🤔 What to Expect:

• second chance romance
• "accidental" pregnancy
• single dad
• enemies to lovers
• rom-com
• high school sweethearts/next door neighbors


Summary: Marissa Mayer, 35 is a successful COO and created her own app. She's sworn off men after some bad breakups, but wants to have a child. Dr. John Raikes, the boy who left her after prom sixteen years ago, is the one to help her through her IVF journey. Can she forgive him and give him a second chance?

The Characters: I understood all the emotions Marissa felt. She had real trust issues because of John and the men she dated who were truly sexists. He has changed a lot since they were kids. He's a divorced, single dad with a precocious six year old daughter who I loved. Marissa had great support with her BFF Blake and of course John especially when it came to baby momma drama.

Overall: This was a sweet, funny romance about a serious subject. I loved Marissa, but John had some groveling to do to win her heart a second time.

Rating: 4/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for this ARC❤️! I voluntarily give my honest review and all opinions expressed are my own.

Mix together a second-chance trope with a surprise baby plot and you have a fun romance. John is a wonderful romantic interest. He is completely sorry for how he broke it off with Marissa when they were in high school and now he wants a second chance. But he respects her feelings and is willing to follow her lead while still doing all he can to win her over. It helps that he has an adorable little girl to run interference for him. And the totally unbelievable pregnancy mix-up at his clinic that ends up with her pregnant with his baby adds a fun twist.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book that I received from Netgalley; however, the opinions are my own and I did not receive any compensation for my review.

Another fabulous book by Camilla Isley

This is the 2nd book in the True Love series, and it doesn't disappoint! If you love enemies to lovers, 2nd chance romance and single dad's, then this is for you! I loved Marissa and John's story and how they build back their love for each other after high school heartbreak with an hilarious twist of events.

The nods to the 1st book 'Not In A Billion Years' were perfect and gave you that ooh, I remember this happening in the 1st book moment. I'm really hoping there's a 3rd in the series focusing on Gabriel's brother Thomas as he is such a fabulous character

I was so excited when I saw Camilla Isley had a new book, and even more so when I realized it's a spin-off from Not In a Billion Years, which I loved. Although the book happens after (and it the middle of) the first novel, it can be read as a stand-alone, but it's more fun reading the first one.

I have to admit, I am a bit conflicted about this one. I LOVED reading it, because Camilla Isley has a way with words, they just flow and leave you wanting more. I have been in a reading slump for a while, but well, not anymore.

It has all the good tropes -- exes to lovers, friends to lovers, ACCIDENTAL PARENTS? YES.

However, I found Dr. Too-Good-to-Be-True wel... too good to be true. The insta-love on John's part when he realized it was his ex from 16 years ago, the instant proposal casually thrown, all the constant pining... I mean, it's lovely to read about it, but if that happened to me, I'd run the other way given how intense he was.

Then, there wasn't much of a plot in terms of drama. Marissa clearly loved John and wanted to get back to him and the stalling was kind of useless. I didn't feel like she did any groundbreaking searches deep into her soul to forgive him, it just... sort of happened, and, despite her trauma, she never went to see a therapist.

At the same time, I feel like her jobs could've been better developed. We knew Marissa was a workaholic from the first book, and the Ex Files was there just to fill the book, because it never got a resolution with the new update, so it was kind of disappointing.

On top of that, the random conversation with Thomas, Gabriel's brother, seems to hint at a third book in the True Love series and I'm so here for it.

Thank you to Boldwood Books & NetGalley for an ARC of this book, in exchange for my honest opinion.

Book Two of series

This is my first book by this author and I was really impressed. Not only did I get her style of writing straight away but the storyline grabbed me just as quick. Parts of it a bit too close to home at the moment but it gave me hope and made me happy.

Marissa and John were once an item and life happens. Bringing it to the current day and Marissa has a change that brings John back into her life. Part of me feels sorry for John but another part of me is like Marissa.
As the story flows its met with obstacles that test them and you can only hope and dream of the outcome.

Loved the story even though I never read Blake's first! Well worth the read.

Marissa is a coding superstar. She works for WeTrade, the Fin-Tech Startup and she's the COO. Let's just say between me and you she makes the good money. She wants to be a mom but she hasn't found the right one since she was eighteen and she had the worst breakup. She is starting IVF on her own and is using a sperm donor. She also secretly run the app called The Ex Files - that automatically deletes all pics of your ex from your phone.

John is the breakup at eighteen extraordinaire that ruined dating for Marissa. John is a doctor in neonatal medicine. A very good doctor in the OB department and helps runs trials as well. John has a y year old daughter Nora and is divorced from his wife Sierra who is an actress and travels all over. He wanted Nora to live by her grandparents and grow up in a good neighborhood where he grew up.

Marissa was the girl next door turned girlfriend.

Will Mari learn to let others in and accept help? Does Mari realize that she is in over her head? Does she give good advice to others but not take her own? Do they realize that they aren't the same eighteen year olds? Will John go to lengths to try and get Mari back in his life? What will he do?

Thank you to Netgalley, Boldwood Books and Camilla Isley for the opportunity.

You'll definitely enjoy the twists and turns that happens in this book it definitely keeps you on your toes and wanting to find out what happens.

Tropes: Second Chance Romance and Enemies to Lovers and Rom Com

Baby, One More Time is a story about a women's journey through IVF, with some funny antics and romance woven in. I enjoyed the characters, however there are a few silly parts that definitely aren't realistic, but I still read it all in one day. Thank you NetGalley for an ARC

This was a pretty solid 4 star book for me. I enjoyed it a lot and was almost a one sitting read for me. It's a second chance romance. It also hits on Infertility. So, if that is a trigger of yours, I would avoid this book. John and Marissa dated in high school and things did not end amicably. He's back 16 years later and to her surprise, works at the same clinic as she is getting infertility treatments. They have a pretty unique but cringeworthy reunion. What ultimately brings them back together leaves you in complete disbelief.

John was a very easy character to like. He was charming, apologetic and sweet. Marissa was a bit more difficult to like. She really knows how to hold a grudge, which annoyed me. She did come around though. My only other complaint was really the ending. Just when they get together, the book ends and it wasn't a satisfactory ending for me. I would have preferred a more further in the future epilogue. But, that's just me personally.

It's a quick, entertaining second chance romance. I would ultimately recommend it.

TW: Infertility

Baby, One More Time is the anticipated sequel to Camilla Isley’s romantic comedy Not in a Billion Years. The two books have some overlapping timelines so it’s crucial for readers to finish Not in a Billion Years before starting Baby, One More Time in order for the stories to make sense.

34-year-old Marissa Mayer, introduced as the heroine best friend in Not in a Billion Years, is a successful businesswoman who is unlucky in love. In addition to being the COO at a major Fintech startup, she created a successful app and is the CEO of that 30-person firm. With her biological clock ticking and no boyfriend in the picture, she has started IVF treatments at a fertility clinic. She is wealthy enough to afford a full-time nanny, so she’s confident that she can raise a child on her own. Marissa realizes that she has sabotaged some romantic relationships due to her trust issues stemming from her high school boyfriend/next door neighbor abandoning her on prom night.

Dr. John Raikes has just relocated back to his Brooklyn neighborhood with his 6-year-old precocious daughter, Nora. He went off to college at Stanford University and then moved to LA with his wife, an aspiring actress. After she abandoned them to pursue fame, he came back home to be near his parents and sister. John is an expert in both neonatal medicine and fertility treatments, but his primary role at the Manhattan fertility clinic is research. John is stunned when he must perform a procedure on Marissa because all the other clinic physicians are at a conference that day. Afterwards he completes a form stating that he has a conflict and can’t treat Marissa.

Marissa freaks out when John, her long lost teen-age heartbreaker, must perform a pelvic exam. She wants nothing to do with him and lets him know it! However John is determined to win her back and keeps up with her scheduled appointments so that he can “run into her” in the waiting room. John enlists his daughter, Nora, to help him. Over a period of months he does everything in his power to prove to Marissa that he is trustworthy, reliable, and dependable.

Baby, One More Time is the best romantic comedy that I have read in months. There are so many hilarious scenes, and the banter between John and Marissa is expertly written. The characters from Not in a Billion Years make multiple appearances, and there’s a hint for Thomas Mercer’s story to come next. Baby, One More Time provides a lot of details into the IVF process and pregnancy symptoms. My only criticism of this story are two plot points: Nora seems more like an 8-year-old, and Marissa never asks her parents for help.

Again, I loved Baby, One More Time and now I can’t wait to read Thomas’ story! This entire series would make an entertaining and enjoyable movie; the author’s descriptions are so clear that it’s easy for the reader to visualize the scenes.

I received an advance review copy (ARC) from NetGalley and Boldwood Books for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

3.6 stars ⭐️

✿ Received an eARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest + free review. Thanks! ✿

🩺💌🩺

This was such a fun read. I really enjoyed it. All of the characters were well written from the MCs to the side ones. Speaking of side characters I really enjoyed Thomas and would have loved to see more of him or see him get his own book. He is a hoot lol. If he gets his own book you bet I'm gonna read it!

As for our MCs, such darlings especially Dr.John Raikes. That man was an amazing book boyfriend and baby daddy! He has my heart ❤️

I understood Marissa's apprehension when it came to being with John again and even though it made me sigh with her repeated rejections and fears I cannot fault her and she was also a cool fmc but kudos to the understanding John for repeatedly fighting for her and always still showing up.

Nora was such a cutie & together they all made an adorable little family. John was a good dad.

Throw in the many antics + comedic moments and it only elevated the story further!

I know many people aren't a fan of accidental pregnancy tropes but this was done right imo.
This was my second read from the author. I actually read her other second chance romance xmas novella (FMTAC) during December when I already had this ARC sitting on my shelf so when I popped in, Jan to read it I was surprised to see her name which I now recognized lol.

Overall, it made a lovely rom-com read and I had fun reading it & reading about John x Marissa with the other characters. So pick it up if these tropes and summary appeal to you coz it was very well written.
P.S. might read book¹ from the series (Gabriel x Blake) as they had my interests too.

I really enjoyed this book. I love a second chance romance and I loved the storyline of this one. Lots of tension and angst and I couldn’t get enough. I’d maybe of liked it to of been a bit spicier but that’s just my personal preference. Marissa and John are high school sweethearts but then he breaks her heart…..fast forward 16 years and he’s back in New York, he’s a gynaecologist and she is having IVF to have a baby…what could go wrong??

Highly recommend.

Oh my goodness!!!

Saying I loved this book would be an understatement! It was SO darn good! It was cute, funny, sweet, swoon worthy, adorable, beautiful, and every good adjective you can think of while also tackling important issues - like IVF treatments.

Following along Marissa and John's story was amazing. Childhood sweethearts turned enemies (well, she hates him), turned accidental parents, turned lovers again. Incredible!

Were some of the turns in the plot predictable and cliche worthy? Yes. But isn't that what we want when reading a rom com? It sure as heck is for me.

"Oh no, there was an accident in the lab and they used John's sample instead of the donor you chose."
Me: AH! HE'S YOUR BABY DADDY NOW THEY'LL BE FORCED TO BECOME CLOSE SHE CAN'T PUSH HIM AWAY ANYMORE!

I went feral. In the best way possible. I was screaming, crying, laughing, heart fluttering, butterflies flying in my belly. They are adorable!! And when you throw Nora Bora into the mix and remember yourself that John is already a single dad to the most precious 9 year old??? *passes out*

Seriously tho. This book had everything and then some. It promised 10, it gave 100. Read it. Swoon over our perfect ob-gyn. And then come here and let's rant about these babies together!!!

Thank you so much to neygalley and Boldwood Books for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. <3

A guilty pleasure I don’t feel guilty about. It’s not going to win any awards for literature but was exactly what I needed to read on a metaphorical rainy day.

Marissa is an incredibly successful 34 year old woman living in NYC, she’s so successful and independent that she’s decided to have a baby alone. Except in a twist of fate she bumps into her high school love at the clinic, a doctor there, and the heartbreak comes right back. He’s trying to win her back, she’s trying to move on - but should she forgive and forget or just forgive?

This is arguably the cheesiest book I’ve ever read but I was drawn in. I read it really quickly and found it charming and comforting. It’s basically a hallmark movie in a book but that was what I needed, especially in January.

I won’t say I had a huge amount of emotional investment in either the characters or the plot but I’m ok with that. I cared and was intrigued enough to keep reading and sometimes it’s nice to have that light escape.

Implausible, silly and also a bit lovely. If you like rom coms and want a pick me up then give it a go!

Thank you Netgalley and Boldwood Books for my #arc review copy.

This is a sweet second chance romance featuring cautious and super impressive Marissa and a totally sweet doctor and single father John. The two leads have undeniable chemistry and the development of their relationship plus Marissa’s relationship with John’s daughter, Nora is swoony. This book is the sequel to Not in a Billion Years and while that’s not required reading it’s incredibly helpful as the two books timelines are interwoven. Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood for the advance reader copy!