I’m generally not a huge fan of second chance romances but this one was pretty well done. I would have liked to see more of them falling in love when they were younger but instead this book was filled with will they won’t they which I really found unnecessary filler. I was also not entirely sold on their reason for breaking up in the first place, but I’ll leave it at that to avoid spoilers.

Overall an enjoyable story despite its flaws and kudos for enby rep. 3.5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for the ARC. I do like to read love-stories and stories of friendships every once in a while, where the characters reconnect after some time has passed. Rae and Jules have my heart, they are absolutely gorgeous...the tension between them! AHHHHH. Overall, a really nice and comfy read, with much appreciated non-binary representation. Can absolutely recommend!

Very happy to have received this book and really enjoyed the characters, the plot and the pacing. Would recommend

I struggled with the structure of this book, the opening chapters kept changing timelines and I had to keep going backwards to remember where I was. That aside this is a second chance romance between Rae a non binary person and Jules a lesbian living on very small town mid America. Rae joins the military after high school which causes the split between them, only to return several years later having injured out. It is a very slow burn, rekindling, fire only really happens in the last few chapters. Along the way there is entertaining interactions with Jules family, Rae's military buddy and various children/animals. I really enjoyed the careful authentic portrayal of a non binary character and the family moments.

With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

When Julia Martin and Raegan Holcolm were younger they only had time for the other, the only thing to get in their way was Raegan’s dream of being in the military. Through high school the two would make plans that would wrap itself around Raegan’s dream of becoming a pilot for the military career she wanted.
Julia would in the meantime go to college and after graduating make her dream come true. She’d trained as a physical therapist and after a lot of hard work she finally had her life together. Her and Raegan still saw each other when Julia would travel to whatever base Raegan happened to be. It seemed Julia was willing to travel with Raegan wherever she was assigned.
Now it’s ten years after the big break up and Raegan was coming home but not to see Julia but to visit her aunt. Her leg was badly damaged while she served and now she had to get back in shape to at least get a job flying for a private company. But Julia was still there, so….
Ms Bears has written a very interesting romance with a great plot and the characters to make it somewhat believable. Very, very enjoyable read.
ARC via NetGalley/ Bold Stroke Books

This wouldn’t be my first choice for a military romance but if you’re looking for one with a non-binary main character it’s worth a read.

Julia Martin and Raegan Holcom were inseparable growing up. They’d always planned to build a life together, but Julia got tired of coming second to the military. Now, after an injury, Rae is back in town and starting rehab at Jules’ gym. It’s time for the two to work through their unresolved feelings for one another.

One of my favorite parts of this novel was Julia’s respect for Raegan’s gender identity. She’s always taken the time to create an inclusive environment for Rae even when they didn’t fully understand their identity. This comes through not just in how she approaches misgendering but how she creates spaces like having an All Gender changing room in the gym. Additionally, I liked how the novel showed the importance of how we show commitment in relationships. This could be moving in together, declaring the relationship publicly, or even talking behind closed doors. The root of Jules’ and Rae’s breakup is that they had different expectations and assumptions about what it meant to be committed to their relationship.

Many of the relationships in the book like Julia and Elliot or Raegan and Carly felt shallow and under-developed to me. It’s always a warning for me if I’m more interested in the relationship of a side character that’s only briefly mentioned and in this one I found myself wishing I was actually reading about Jordan’s relationship. Maybe there will be a sequel about Jordan and Lexi?

Overall, this was an easy read that felt original but won’t stand out in my mind. It’s definitely worth a read if the premise sounds interesting or you’re looking for a sapphic romance with a non-binary lead.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC!

A well written second chance romance with great lovable main characters. I thoroughly enjoyed this one.


Thank you, Bold Strokes Books, and NetGalley.

I expected this to read a bit like a small town, second chance Hallmark romance. What I got was a lot more nuance and depth than I expected.

Rae (who is non-binary but doesn’t want to make a fuss about it) leaves best friends (shhh! really her girlfriend) Jules, to go serve in the military during a time when they do not feel safe to say anything about their identity or connection to Jules. When the pressure of that gets too much, Jules calls it quits on the relationship. Fast forward to Rae getting discharged due to an injury and returning to their hometown and ending up back in their hometown trying to rehab the injury at a gym run by Jules.

One thing I liked about this book was that there was no lazy writing of a “mean” or “bad guy” character. The people are all just people trying to live their lives. Jules is seeing someone, a trainer at the gym is flirting with Rae, Jordan (Rae’s bestie from the military) is flirting with EVERYONE, and in the midst of all of this no one is actively being a jerk or deliberately trying to hurt anyone. I also liked that there were some loose ends that didn’t get a full resolution. That really worked for me because it made the relationships feel more real.

Second chances rarely come. If they do, are you ready for it? Can you let the past go?

I received an advance copy from Netgalley for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Raegan Holcomb knows two things in life. Rae wants to be a helicopter pilot in the army and they love their best friend Julia Martin. Other things are not so clear to them. They don’t feel male or female and they don’t want to be the object of scrutiny from other people. Although Jules (Julia) supports their dream of an army career, the years after high school get tougher and tougher until they reach their breaking point. Now, years later, Rae returns to their hometown, injured from an accident on the job and broken from being discharged for it. They settle in for a night of wallowing and whiskey. Of course that is the night that they run into the one woman they can’t seem to forget.

Julia Martin is happy in life. She built her own gym and physiotherapy practice along with a community in her home town. She has a nice girlfriend and good friends. When seeing Rae as a shadow of herself drinking at the bar alone, the past comes rushing back in. This person slumped over the bar only vaguely reminds Jules of the Rae she knew back then. The person that stole her heart and the love she gave up on. While being with Rae back then was natural, Jules can’t forget that things weren’t easy, especially because Rae wanted to hide their relationship out of fear. She would have done anything for them back then, but the wait for Rae to fulfill her professional dreams while being so far away from her slowly ate away at Jules. Until she had enough of not ever being chosen first.

This story is full of heartache and pain but also full of tender moments and love. Platonic love and romantic love. Rae has been struggling with their identity for years and Jules was always the one that accepted them just as they were. Her vocal support was everything. For me that was what sealed the bond between them.

Their journey back to each other is a steep learning curve. Who they were is not who they are now, but their unspoken bond is still intact. I thought their journey was very realistic. I would have loved to see more of them together and growing stronger in their relationship. But that is just because I loved Jules and Rae as a couple.

The cast of side characters is very diverse and well written. From Rae’s aunt who is more like a mother to them to Jules sister Lena. Their support of the main characters is heartwarming. Even Jules girlfriend at the time of Rae’s reappearance, Elliot, is a great person. It’s very clear Jules doesn’t feel the same about her as she does for Rae, but it’s not a bad relationship at all. Rae flirting with Jules’s friend Carly did feel a bit awkward, but because they were sure at the time she lost Jules forever, I could understand her need to give into something else.

You Can’t Come Home is a story about struggle, growing up and facing your past to build a better future. Isn’t that what most of us wish for?

Julia Martin is a thriving physical therapist and gym owner with a steady relationship and even a dog. Her life is uncomplicated, simple, and fun, even if she sometimes feels like she’s missed out by never leaving the Midwest town she grew up in. That is until a heartbreak from her past comes crashing back into her world, and everything starts to spin into motion and out of control.

Raegan Holcolm thought all they wanted was a proud military career, and that’s what they had. But a sudden injury sends them back to their hometown with a wealth of pain, both physical and emotional, insecurities, and the reality that the career they’d chosen above all else has rejected them. The first time they fell in love, Rae left Jules behind. For love to have a second chance, they’ll need to realize all along that home might have been a person just as much as a place.

Another fantastic read that deals with the military's stupid Don't Ask, Don't Tell BS. I really enjoyed Jules and Rae's characters and the overall story. I love to read military stories and the grit and determination these women have, even after they come home. Especially when they come home. Unforgettable, well-written quick read! Highly enjoyed this one!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced digital reader's copy (ARC) in exchange for an honest review!

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

Rae and Jules were childhood friends and secretly in high school were sweethearts. Rae and Jules accomplished what they wanted in life Rae has a career in the military helicopter pilot and Jules is physical therapist and runs her own clinic. When Rae is injury they returns to town and recuperate at her aunt Marlene place who raise her and encounters Jules at her clinic where they are getting PT they both hasn’t really move in from each other and now they have second chance will they take it or let it go by. Good read I like that you went on the journey with them through their relationship and careers.

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

Raegan Holcolm or rae always knew what they wanted to do with their life.... they wanted the military career and fly... they always wanted to fly... and that dream became a reality until the day it wasnt...

Julia Martin also had a dream and she was living it.... a physical therapist and gym owner and a girlfriend....what more could she ask for....

but there is always one that gets away and on this night julia or jules to her friends came upon rae drunk at the bar....

rae and jules had previous and though it ended years ago things werent easy between them... so when rae ended up at jules place of employment looking for treatment it was inevitable that they would bump into each other

as news that rae was back in town it was inevitable that the friends jules and rae had were going to be the same it wasnt long before things started to happen

ohh i liked how the author wrote her characters and how they developed... the tension between rae and jules was just right was hooked from the first page... will be keeping an eye out for more of this authors works

Julia (Jules) Martin and Raegan Holcolm were childhood friends and secret sweethearts in high school. Rae’s dream is to join the military and become a helicopter pilot. Jules goes onto college and becomes a physical therapist and runs her own clinic. Jump forward several years and Rae is recovering from an injury and returns to her hometown to stay with the aunt who raised her. It also puts Rae coming to PT at Jule’s clinic although working with a different therapist.

I like second chance romances but this one left me asking questions. Rae is non binary and that is handled very well. But I didn’t understand if they loved being in the military, or if they blamed them for the injury. Jules in the meantime, is successful but can’t commit fully to her current relationship because part of her never got over Rae. Her being involved with someone else makes things realistic but messy. I also had questions about when Rae and Jules gave up on each other originally. Has Rae been in other relationships? The tension between the pair is obvious when they meet again but I wanted more talking and less drinking hijinks. Secondary characters are fine. I felt bad for Elliot’s predicament. And Lena and Jordan add some humor. (3.5 Stars)

A long road to second chance
Non-binary Raegan Holcomb left home and her lover Julia after highschool to join the military … now she is back home again, injured and not sure of her future. Enter Julia who stayed home and is a successful physiotherapist.
A long tortuous journey starts where the two of them are still attracted, but the road is long and winding - the experience is the same for us readers as for the main characters „pure, unadulterated torture“. They want to end this torture of mutual attraction but don‘t know how. And we readers want to yell: ‚kiss her already!‘
I loved to see two strong women who went for the careers they loved and I enjoyed how Bears brings the non-binary character Raegan to life.

I received an ARC from Bold Strokes Books via netgalley. The review is left voluntarily.

First time reading this author and it was an interesting read.

Reagan Holcomb is a solider and that's what she's wanted since as long as she can remember. The army is what's she known, but she never forgot her first love. When an injury forces her back home, its not what she'd expected nor wanted. Especially when she sees Julia again.

Julia fell in love as a teenager and has done her best to move on when Reagan chose the army over her time and time again. She understood it, but she never liked it. When Reagan comes home again, it throws Julia for a loop and all the progress she made seems futile one she's back in Reagan's orbit again.

There was a lot of back and forth and old wounds needed to be healed. I enjoyed the non binary aspect of Reagan as there aren't many books yet in regards to that topic. I enjoyed this book and would read another of theirs.

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

It’s a slow burn and Bears took their time to make Raegan and Julia find their path to each other again in a believable way. WHere is the line between wanting other to be happy and not hold them back and sacrificing your own happiness ? Their chemistry and connection is palpable and obvious from scene one. I like that the characters moved on and didn’t swear celibacy with the break up, and can’t fight against all these feelings resurfacing as soon as they are in the same space.
The dynamic between Raegan, Jules, Elliot, Carly was a bit akward to read sometimes, but the rest of the secondary cast was endearing.
The resolution was satisfying event though, I could not help but feel Jules and Raegan didn’t really solve their issues on a deep level, or I might be overthinking again and their love story was just a question of timing. I also wished to see Raegan really reconcile and bloom in a life outside of the army, especially work wise (even if it’s said in a short line).
The non binary theme seemed well treated to me.
It was a second chance novel that I overally enjoyed.

This book has been high on my TBR for a while. I heard that there was a nonbinary main character in it and I wanted to read it. I heard that there was fitness involved, especially fitness focused on someone trying to recover their fitness, and that desire just grew even more. I am very, very thankful to Bold Strokes Books for helping me get a copy of this book to read.

The main thing I want to highlight in this book is the main characters, Julia (Jules) and Rae. These two have so many complicated feelings and I thought it was almost impeccably well done. Almost because I did have a minor issue with how Jules viewed Rae’s enlistment and service at times. It was never anything very big or off-putting, but at times it just didn’t add up to what she thought/said in other scenes. Beyond that, I adored these two characters. They were messy, but who isn’t.

Rae, to me, was the easier character to like. I’ll admit that it was definitely bias because they are nonbinary. But it was also because I just found them to be a very confused and sympathetic character. I can kind of relate to making something a huge part of your personality and maybe making poor choices because you keep trying to reach a standard you’re holding yourself too. And then the feeling of being lost and adrift when it’s cut loose from you. I just understood them more. They were hard on themselves because of their past mistakes which I thought was fair, especially since other people called them out for giving themselves a larger share of the blame than they were due.

I talked earlier about the slight issue I had with Jules’s character, but overall I really liked her. She was a sweet character, but she was also very messy and adrift. She is a very independent person and she’s still dealing with some of the emotions from her and Rae’s previous relationship. She’s also a very kind and loving character though. The scenes with her and her family were some of my absolute favorites. Her and Lena were just so much fun when they interacted.

The side characters in the book were very interesting in their own rights and I’m really hoping the author writes some books for a couple of them as well. My personal favorite was Jordan because I loved how she interacted with Rae. There was a clear camaraderie between them and it helped them both to be their most authentic selves. Elliott was an…interesting character, but I thought she was handled very well. I had moments of not liking her, but overall I found that she was a nice character.

There is one description that can probably apply to all characters (at least the non-married ones) in this story: messy. But not in a bad way. In a realistic and compelling way.

The plot and pacing of this book was interesting to discover. It wasn’t quite what I was expecting. The book starts with Rae and Jules as teenagers just beginning to consider being something more to one another. It spends a couple of chapters with them dealing with Rae’s enlistment in the Air Force and the rest of the book follows them as adults and exes. The beginning was a bit slow for me, but I think that’s because I had a distinct interest in the two as adults. I wanted to see them after all the mess had happened. The book was pretty well paced though. There are clear identifiers when the book jumps ahead by months or years which I appreciated. I personally might have appreciated the same for when it switches months as well, but it wasn’t necessary.

I also really enjoyed how Jeanette handled the Elliott and Jules part of the book. I’m going to hide the next part in spoilers, just to make sure that no one sees anything they don’t want to see. I do not like cheating in books. It’s an immediate turn-off for me. So Beers being able to make it where the two were content, but not much more than that was very helpful. It was clear in their interactions that they cared for one another, but that there was always something keeping Jules (and later Elliott) back.

This was my first book by Jeanette Beers and, based solely off of this, I’m definitely going to be picking up more at some point. I loved how they wrote complicated and messy characters, but not unlikable ones. They gave everyone, from the main characters to the side ones, a sense of depth that fleshed out the book. Their characters experienced really complicated emotions and they did a really good job at showcasing those emotions. They allowed characters to feel a certain way, but they also allowed other characters to talk them down if the feelings weren’t necessarily fair to themselves.

To summarize my thoughts: I found that I really enjoyed this book. It started off a little slow for me, but I spent hours reading through it because I was just loving it! I loved Jeanette’s writing style and the way that they built a world. The town and the characters all felt so alive to me. Rae and Jules were beautifully messy and I loved watching them have to confront their past and work through it. It was a lot, but it was done so well.

A cute read about not letting your first love fade as life goes on. It’s a slow burn but it gets there in the end. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Julia Martin (Jules) and Raegan Holcolm (Rae) grew up together in Lebanon, Ohio, and were high school sweethearts, although many people were not aware of that fact. Rae, who is non-binary, did not want others to know about their relationship with Jules. Rae's goal in life was to enter the military and become a helicopter pilot. Rae fulfilled that goal, but they sacrificed their relationship with Jules in the long run.

The chapters, many of which are dated over the years, outline when their relationship ultimately ends. Jules proceeds with her life and now owns a gym and rehab facility in Lebanon. Rae gets injured in the military and their Aunt Marlene lines up rehab at the facility that Jules owns. This takes place about eleven years after their relationship ended.

The story goes on to describe their reunion, the struggles in reconnecting as friends, and eventually as more. I liked the fact that Jeanette Bears held true to each of the main characters throughout the years, yet described how both of them, especially Rae, matured. Overall a very good read. 4 stars

I received an ARC from Bold Strokes Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Rae, a military pilot, has suffered a potentially career ending injury, and they are forced to return to their home town to recover.

Her meddling Aunt has signed her up for physical therapy at a local clinic, run by Rae's ex, Jules.

Jules broke up with Rae when she chose the military over her, and was unwilling to date openly. Now Jules has a girlfriend and is settled down, but Rae's return makes her question her choices.

I felt bad for Elliot, Jules' girlfriend, who loves her but Jules won't commit to her due to lingering feelings for Rae.

Slow burn, but the heroines suddenly jump into bed together after dumping the 'temporary ' girlfriends, which felt odd.

Decent read but didn't blow me away.