A former love makes a lasting impression in a warm and sexy romance from Nancy Herkness.Kyra Dixon, a blue-collar girl from the boondocks, is dedicated to her job at a community center that matches underprivileged kids with rescue dogs. When she runs into Will Chase—Connecticut blue blood, billionaire CEO, and her old college crush—she’s surprised that he asks a favor from her: to be his date for … her: to be his date for his uptight family’s dreaded annual garden party. If his parents don’t approve, all the better.
Kyra’s not about to say no. It’ll give her a chance to be oh-so-close to her unrequited love. What begins as a little fling turns so mad hot, so fast, that Kyra finds herself falling all over again for a fantasy that won’t come true. How can it? She doesn’t belong in Will’s world. She doesn’t want to. But Will does want to belong in hers.
All he has to do now is prove it. Will is prepared to give up whatever is necessary to get what his heart most desires.
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Another heartwarming, sexy, un-put-down-able novel by Nancy Herkness, this one between a blue-collar girl from the boondocks and a blue-blood from Connecticut rediscovering their powerful college emotional connection for a second-time around. Gawd I love this author’s books!
Will, the powerful and enterprising CEO meets up again with Kyra , an old friend from college and there is something about her he just can’t get out of his mind. Kyra works two jobs to keep her head above water with debts she should never have had. Will rentering her life is a good and bad surprise.
These two reconnect in so many ways, old and new. While she thrilled, she is also cautious with her heart that has loved him for so long. Their romance brings about changes in both of them and in their lives. Especially when the Carver Center needs their help. Pain must be set aside for the sake of the Center, the kids and the dogs. Can love win out against misbegotten beliefs? Is there a happy ending for all Shakespearean romances? You will have to read Second Time Around to find out. I love Nancy Herkness and her works. I hope you will too!
I love when I start a book from a new to me author and everything just fades into the background and I fall into their story. This is what happened when I started reading SECOND TIME AROUND (Second Glances #1) by Nancy Herkness. This is a second chance contemporary romance with a plot that is not unique, but the characters are so realistic and relatable, they make you feel invested in their HEA and you just have to keep turning the pages.
Kyra Dixon is from a blue collar Pennsylvania family. Will Chase is from a blue blood Connecticut family. They meet in college while Will is dating Kyra’s suite mate. College life is a great equalizer for them and they become good friends, enjoying tossing famous quotes back and forth as a personal game. Kyra would love their relationship to be more, but he is not free and she always stays aware of their social differences. When Kyra’s father becomes ill, she returns to her small hometown and does not return to school.
Ten years later, Kyra is grabbing a bite at her favorite NYC café chain and runs into Will. Will has become the billionaire CEO of the chain and is as successful as Kyra knew he would be. Kyra is working days in the kitchen of a childhood community center and nights at a high class club to pay off debts left from her mother before her death. The sparks are still there and when Will asks Kyra to accompany him as his date to a family annual event she jumps at the chance.
Kyra falls hard for Will all over again, but always feels that their social and money differences make it a relationship with a time limit. Will starts to discover all over again the things that excite him and make him feel happy with Kyra always being honest and looking at his world in a different way. Kyra loves Will, but is it enough to bridge their differences? Does Will know what he truly wants?
I loved Kyra and Will. I related personally with everything about Kyra. She especially shines in all her scenes at the center with the kids. That the center also had a canine program made it even better. Kyra is such a strong character and I was very happy with the way this author moved Will towards her, rather than having Kyra drop everything for a HEA with just his money. This author definitely has a way with realistic, in-depth characters. Besides the romance growing at a believable rate, there are well written sex scenes that are explicit, intense and smoking hot.
I highly recommend you clear some time, curl up in your favorite chair and fall in love with Kyra and Will just like I did. I am looking forward to reading many more romances from Ms. Herkness.
2018published, contemporary, easy-to-read, friends-in-love, m-f-romance, nyc, read, romance, sex, steamy
I have already read others Nancy Herkness’s book and I loved them and this one I like it a lot.
I like both characters, their stories, I like the support characters. But I can’t explain why I don’t love them all, maybe because I am not a dog/cat person (but I love the project idea).
I know it is a book, a romance story but I think it is necessary something more than just friends who bump in each other after years, and decide they are friends with a lot of benefits.
This is a romance book, but I loved the dogs the most! Shaq was such a cute pittie!
Kyra is the chef at The Carver Center, which was first introduced in the book “Second to None.” Will is an old college friend that she runs into one day. Kyra was secretly in love with Will back in college, but he dated her roommate. He was always out of her league with his family money, but now he is a billionaire in his own right. They reconnect but their friendship turns into more this time.
Kyra’s heart gets involved but so does a snobbish mother and an ex-fiance who wishes she wasn’t ex.
You’ll have to read the book to find out how Kyra and Will find their HEA.
Full disclosure…I love Nancy Herkness’ writing style and stories. This is no exception! Her depth of characters and story is what sets her apart in the romance genre. Kyra and Will knew each other in college and come across each other by chance in one of Will’s restaurants. Learning where each character came from and how their past groomed their present is so intriguing. We all have issues with family and that pulls us into empathizing with each characters’ struggles to find who they’re meant to be. And the secondary story of the children and the dogs woven through Will and Kyra’s current timeline adds such dimension and heart. And the quotes…oh the quotes! You’ll understand when you read it but this was my favorite part of the book. I found it so touching, funny and smart. To me, anyone can write just some romance novel but it takes an author of quality to weave a work of such greatness you just can’t put it down. Nancy never disappoints. Smart, funny, heart breaking (every book nearly brings me to tears before it makes me say YES!) and heart warming. I highly encourage you to read and read again. You’ll inevitably find something you missed bc you just needed to get the page turned!
Second Time Around by Nancy Herkness is book One in the Second Glances series. This is the story of Kyra Dixon and Will Chas.
Kyra and WIll met in college when Will was dating her roommate who would always cheat on him. So while Will waited for the roommate he got to know Kyra. Kyra was from a humble lifestyle while Will was on the richer end of life. When Kyra had to drop out of college to take care of her family she never thought to see Will again. But a few years later they happen to meet a a restaurant and picked up their friendship which started to lead to something more. But can these two different people find that they can make it work…difference and family interference?
Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team
Avid Reader –
M/F Romance
Kyra is a hard working, honest woman who has had a rough go of things. She was an only child and had a mother who never quite understood her and a father who adored her. When tragedy strikes, she has to leave behind her dreams. But she never forgot her best friend from her dreaming days, Will. Despite the fact that he was dating her roommate, Will and Kyra formed such a bond – talking and quoting. She never forgot him.
Will has built an empire just to spite his father. He was walking the path his parents wanted for so long that when he finally broke free, he wanted to prove to his parents that he didn’t need their input – that he would succeed without their guidance. Even with all of his success, Will still has this driving need to continuously prove his parents wrong. When he runs in to Kyra again, she awakens memories and desires in him that were long buried. Is he truly happy? Is being successful enough? When he sees how hard she works and why, it reminds him of the dreams he had while they were both in school.
This is a sweet second chance romance. Both characters have baggage that they need to work through and they also have a connection that goes beyond romantic. Their friendship is solid and because of that, they are able to build a connection again fairly quickly. Missteps happen and communication isn’t perfect. Both will have to decide if their connection is more important than their dreams or if their connection will change their dreams.
Ruthie –
This is the first full book in a new series – although the Second to None novella precedes it, and we get to meet Max and Emily again here. We also meet up with old friends from the Wager of Hearts series – which is fun if you have read them.
Kyra takes on the role of ‘fake’ girlfriend to her college crush Will, as he needs support at a family event, although all she can see is that he has made a success of his life since college. They certainly have an entertaining day, which inevitably leads to more. However, both of them are tied down by their pasts, and it really isn’t clear how they can get past it. Kyra is convinced she is not worthy, and it is best if she ends it before it hurts even more – a logic which I have never found to work! And Will is floundering after a failed relationship, and the pressures levied by the expectation of his parents.
It is fun to see both places where Kyra works; the care that she takes with the after-school club youngsters and the persona she develops when a cocktail waitress. The links with Will’s chosen business, also in catering, creates some links between them beyond the clear chemistry that they have. Inevitably there are some rocky patches, and really Will needs to stop thinking and feel more – but he gets there in the end, thankfully.
For a fun summer read, this would hit the spot. I am looking forward to seeing who features in the next novel.
Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Second Time Around (Second Glances #1) by Nancy Herkness to read and review.
Beauty, Angst, and Love On Every Page
What happens when a chance meeting brings you face-to-face with the person who reminds you of who you used to be? The one you had a crush on in college, challenged you intellectually, represented one of your most embarrassing moments, and was not available? What happens when the other person feels the same, still? Two people from the opposite sides of the “track” with a second chance to find love…together.
Herkness doesn’t disappoint in Second Time Around (A Second Glances Novel). Her usual astute understanding of human nature, love of animals, wonderful secondary characters (like sweet, loveable, big-for-his-age, compassionate, thirteen-year-old Diego, who first appeared in Second to None), incredibly sexy love scenes, and heartfelt descriptions that wow me every time, are all there. She digs deep to give Will Chase and Kyra Dixon their happily-ever-after, when they first have a chance meeting after years apart, deny their love, and fall into each other’s arms.
I was given this book to review. I can’t wait to see it again in my Kindle in-box so I can read it again!
Ms. Herkness writes fantastic stories!
This new series Second Glances is no exception!
Second Time Around is the first book in this series. It is the story of Will and Kyra. I enjoy a good second chance romance and this fits so well.
Will and Kyra are college friends from years ago that have a chance encounter. Their chemistry hasn’t faded even after years have passed!
The words flowed wonderfully and they way that Ms. Herkness is able to articulate the struggle that Will has with his feelings towards Krya is fabulous!
I also enjoyed how past characters were intermixed with the story, it was nice to see what they were up to. It was like a family reunion of sorts.
This story is full of heart, heat and a happily ever after! Just what every good romance needs!
Thank you for your words and can’t wait to see what you come out with next!
Kyra Dixon is content with her life. She works at a community center, the Carver After-School Center during the day and loves cooking healthy snacks for the kids there. At night she tends bar at a high class establishment, Stratus. Then one day she sits down at a table in one of her favorite eateries and reconnects with her college crush, Will Chase. Kyra and Will were friends in college who enjoyed tossing famous quotes at each other in friendly competition. Kyra knew her crush would never amount to anything – she’s blue-collar small town and Will is very upper crust Connecticut blue blood. Their two worlds don’t mix. But Kyra and Will are very attracted to each other so maybe some blue-collar and blue blood can do some mixing.
Nancy Herkness has written a perfectly paced story with a well-developed storyline. She writes the conflict in such a way that the reader becomes invested in finding out the resolution to the conflict. Her characters are realistic and lovable. Even the dogs who are part of the Carver After-School K-9 Angelz program manage to burrow their way into your heart. This was a totally enjoyable read and I look forward to more “Happily-Ever-Afters” for secondary characters I met in this book.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
If there’s ever a story of rags to riches this would be the story. Kyra is a chef at children’s program that matches rescue dogs with the underprivileged kids to teach responsibility among other things.
She’s doing alright but she’s not making millions. She runs into her college crush, Will, and they get to chatting. He asks her to be he date to a family party to keep the gold diggers off his back she’s surprised but agrees to go.
The book focuses on their rekindled friendship that turns into a relationship. Kyra is not a wilting flower and it definitely shows when she visits Will’s family home for the big party.
I read this book pretty quickly. It’s a cute friends to lovers story I think you’d enjoy.