“Sometimes first love doesn’t last, but real love will always persevere.”
Maia
Braden was right. He said I was done and I am. Maybe I’ve been done for a while now, but that doesn’t make him walking out on me, and especially Harper, any easier. A month of running away from his life and he finally returns to town, yet I’m the one picking up all the broken pieces he left behind. Now I’m living life as a single mom and trying to figure out—for the first time ever—who I am and what I really want from my life, all while healing from the heartbreak of my first love falling apart. This isn’t how I saw my life going. But I think I’m okay with that. I’m ready to move on, find myself, and maybe even consider falling in love again.
Nick
My best friend ghosted me. Broke up with Maia, walked out on his daughter, and left town. Even if he is back now, he’s not exactly making an effort to fix what he broke. And for me, he’s become a reminder of a dark piece of my past, my own father abandoning me. How the hell do I reconcile the guy who used to be my best friend with the person he’s become? I don’t know. But there is one silver lining. In Braden’s absence, I’ve been spending more time with Leigh. She’s still the ultimate pipe dream, but lately I think I might be weakening the walls she uses to guard herself. Call me crazy, but I’m starting to believe I might just have a shot with Leigh Romero.
My Review
You must read the first book in this series, Freaking Love: Part One by Bethany Monace Smith.
This is the second book in this emotional contemporary romance series focusing on feelings and friends to lovers romance. The author brings Maia and Harper, Braden and Vince, Nick and Leah into this story expanding on the main characters from the first book. This book is full of steamy scenes, love, and drama as these high schoolers navigate life, relationships, feelings, and mistakes. I love how the author presents this story; even if it has new adult romance, she makes it emotional and drama-filled. Vince and Maia definitely have a hard road ahead of them; add in Braden’s drama and taking care of Harper. This story is a huge rollercoaster ride. Nick and Leah are just beginning after a very rocky start but are already in over their heads. The author captivated us, readers, with the soap opera of teenage life and the supportive families that surround this small-town romance.
We begin this book with Maia in a full-blown panic attack, not that I can blame for the emotional events of the first part of this series. Maia is going thru the worst thing and even worse than finding out she was pregnant as a teenager. But she is so intelligent and mature, and I truly love how much she thinks about actions before doing them. Vince is very steadfast support in Maia and Harpers’ life.
I like that we are getting the continuation of Maia and Braden and their relationship with Nick and Leah in this story. We jump to Nicks’s perspective; he is a friend to Maia and Braden. Nick likes Leah, and they are kindred souls, having had to deal with a bunch of very familiar stuff. This book will gut you emotionally.
Co-parenting and emotions are hard as Maia and Braden navigate life without a relationship. I really feel for Maia through all of this. She is very mature and so caring but genuinely has been broken. Leah and Nick get hot and heavy, and wow, it gets steamy between all the couples. This book brings some unexpected twists toward the end for all the characters. I can’t believe the author ended that drama on a cliffhanger.
If you would like to read Freaking Love Part Two: Real Love by Bethany Monaco Smith, you can find this book on Amazon. As an Amazon Assocaite, I earn on qualifying purchases.
If you like this book you may also enjoy books with these tags and categories Friends to Lovers, Highschool, and New Adult Fiction.
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