Penelope Halbrook never intended to get pregnant in college, never intended to drop out, never intended to be a single mom.
She thought by leaving Jackson Jennings, was doing him a favor—he had a bright future ahead of him; the last thing he needed was her (and a baby) standing in his way.
She thought he would forget about her.
She thought she would never see him in person again.
How very wrong she was… about everything.
| Title: | The Player Hater |
| Author: | Sara Ney |
| Series: | Accidentally in Love (Book 2) |
| Pages: | 281 |
| Category / Genre(s): | Contemporary |
| Trope(s): | Second Chance Romance Secret Baby |
| Point of View: | First Person, Present Tense, Dual Viewpoint (H & h) |
| Location: | Chicago & Denver (mostly) US |
| HEA: | ✔️ |
| Release Date: | 3rd May, 2022 |
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Packed with emotion and feelings
Let’s get the details out of the way so I can get to gushing over this book. This is the second book in the Accidentally in Love series after The Player Hater. Each book stands alone and follows a different couple but the heroine of this story is the sister of the hero of the last story – so there is some overlap of characters. Fear not, you can definitely read this book without having read the first.
After the massive tease in the epilogue of The Player Hater, I was so ridiculously excited for this book. I just adore a second chance romance and this one had the added goodness of a secret baby or, I suppose, a secret 7 year old!
The story as a whole promises emotional wreckage and I was both here for that and wary. Happily, the wreckage didn’t destroy me but it was enough to make me massively feel all the things and made me fall in love with Penn, Jack and Skipper, too. Not angsty enough to invoke tears and I liked that I wasn’t destroyed emotionally.
I liked and identified with Penn. She was a strong and brave woman but had the same fears, concerns and worries that I imagine I would have in that same situation. Actually, scratch that, if Jack was my baby daddy, I’d climb him like a tree and never leave! But I understood Penn’s concerns and even understood why she did what she did back in college. She deserves her happily ever after and I loved reading about it.
“…a fast paced story that was packed with emotion, love and the joy of second chances in life.”
But Jack. Oh my stars – Jack. What a hero. He had the boyish charm like he was still a college but was still all man. My heart broke for him as he found out about his daughter and then was pieced back together as he, piece by piece, brought his family back together again. The fact that he wasn’t ashamed to cry was just the icing on the cake for this perfect man. He was also sinfully hot and so in love with Penn that it made my heart sing. Want. Want. Want.
With this mutual desire, we get a nice amount of between the sheets / in the bath goodness. It’s hot, it’s sexy and it was the perfect amount for Penn and Jack’s story. It also felt so natural. In fact, the whole love story seemed perfectly played until we get to the happily ever after.
If you’re worried about the “morality” of Penelope keeping Skipper a secret from Jack for 7 years – and of effectively ghosting him back in college – I can put your mind at rest. While Penelope did plenty mental self-flagellation and definitely regretted her actions, she didn’t try to justify them. Plus, Davis (her brother) really gave it to her and called her out for her behaviour which was harsh but something a brother would likely do. I obviously wanted Penn to be forgiven, but I was happy with the way things played out.
I adored my time with this book and with Penn, Jack and Skipper. In fact, I would have happily read more and more of them and their little family. I’m hoping that we revisit them again in the next book in the series, The Make-Out Artist, which is Jack’s agent, Elias’s story. Either way, this was a fast paced story that was packed with emotion, love and the joy of second chances in life. I devoured it and would highly recommend it. 5 stars from me.
* I received this book in exchange for my honest review.*
Sara Ney is the USA Today Bestselling Author of the How to Date a Douchebag series, and is best known for her sexy, laugh-out-loud New Adult romances. Among her favorite vices, she includes: iced latte’s, historical architecture and well-placed sarcasm. She lives colorfully, collects vintage books, art, loves flea markets, and fancies herself British.
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Accidentally In Love Series:
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Review: The Make Out Artist by Sara Ney - Jo Reads Romance
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