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Fool Me Once
By: Nicole Williams

Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Indie
Release Date: January 15th, 2019
Format: Kindle (Advanced Copy)
My Rating: 4.5 Stars

Blurb:

Second chances are for kids, diets, and shelter pets—not for relationships. Especially not one like Chase and Emma’s.

Before he was writing chart-topping hits and smashing record sales, Chase Lawson was Emma’s childhood friend and first love. They promised each other forever, but forever expired at eighteen, when he landed a major record deal and left Emma and their hometown behind.

Ten years later, he shows up at their high school reunion with a proposition she can’t refuse. Six months. Seven figures. He gets a chance to clean up his reputation, and she gets the means to restore the old family farmhouse. It’s only for show—hold hands in public, kiss for the cameras—but boundaries blur behind closed doors.

It isn’t long before Emma feels her resolve slipping, crushed by the shadow of the boy she grew to love in the man selling out stadiums of present. Can Emma resist one of the most irresistible bachelors in the world? Or will she fall for the same man twice?

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4.5 Stars

“History lessons are for learning, not reliving.”

Fool Me Once is a standalone romance written by Nicole Williams. This story is about second chances and learning to let your heart forgive and your mind to forget.

Chase and Emma had the imperfectly perfect love story. They fought hard and loved sweet. At sixteen they gave each other the greatest gift of all, the promise of forever. But when eighteen years old came calling Chase left Emma heartbroken and bitter at the idea of ever giving her heart away again, in order to pursue his second love, Music.

Now ten years later Chase is back, and he’s back with a negotiation. He’s about to get his second chance, but at what price?

My Thoughts:

Holy sweetness!

Chase and Emma’s story is a whirlwind full of forgiveness, and second chances. I legit could not put this one down. From start to finish I was left on the edge of my seat needing to know if these two survive and make it through.

Chase is a country music superstar. At eighteen he packed his guitar and a suitcase and left his sleepy country town to pursue his career. He’s always lived with one regret, that being leaving Emma behind. I have to say, when I first met Chase in this novel, I didn’t like him much. I anticipated this being just like every other romance involving a male musician, I already had it ingrained in my mind that Chase Lawson would be the typical manwhore who thinks he’s god’s gift to all woman. I’m woman enough to admit when I was wrong, and holy hell was I wrong! Chase Lawson has a tough bad boy exterior. However, hidden beneath the surface, this man is the boy next door! Ah, I freaking loved this sudden turn of events. Chase was a fun man to get to know. There is nothing typical about him!

Emma was crushed when Chase left town ten years ago. Having not heard from the man who held her heart since she was sixteen, to say she’s bitter about seeing him again would be a complete understatement. This girl has a freaking steel wall built around her broken heart and shattered soul and it shows by the icy cold shoulder she throws at Chase when he reenters her world and causes an unexplainable uproar. I don’t blame Emma for the way she feels. It was fun to see a female not bend to Chase’s every request. She’s always been the one to test Chase and fight back, in ten years, that hasn’t changed at all.

Fool Me Once incorporates a few of my favorite tropes. Musicians and second chances are the way to get straight to my heart. I was surprised at every turn, this novel legit blew me away and wasn’t at all how I imagined it playing out.

I have to say, I think my most loved character in this novel would be Emma’s dad! He reminds me so much of my dad, it gave me frightening flashbacks to those teenage heartbreak moments. one of my favorite moments:

“That boy hurts you again, Em, and it won’t matter how much reasoning you or your mama throw at me, he’s going to be picking my shotgun shells out of his hind end for weeks. He’d write a song about it no doubt. Capitalize on getting shot by the father of his ex-girlfriend. Title it, ‘Break Her Heart, Get Shot in the Ass.”

I could not stop laughing, hell, I still laugh every time I read those lines. Emma’s dad is definitely a man to be admired and remembered. He’s a good daddy, maybe a tad bit overprotective, but still a good daddy.

Although I loved the hell out of this novel, I dropped half a star because I felt like the ending was rushed. I needed a little more in those moments.

Overall, I really loved Fool Me Once! I cannot wait to reread this one again. Chase is also my newest book boyfriend! this man deserves every spot on every list. He’s so freaking sweet and everything I never imagined him being. This was a great read with not only lighthearted laugh out loud moments, but also those moments that have the strong potential to crush your soul. I want more! If you are a fan of second chances, I highly recommend you pick up Fool Me Once!

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