From the USA TODAY bestselling author of On the Corner of Love and Hate comes a romantic comedy about a woman who grudgingly returns home to small-town Pennsylvania, only to find herself falling in love–not only with the town, but with two of its citizens. Charlotte Bishop is out of options in New York City. Fired, broke, and blacklisted by her former boss, she’s forced to return to her … forced to return to her hometown of Hope Lake, PA to lick her wounds. Although she’s expecting to find a miserable place with nothing to do, she is pleasantly surprised to discover it is bustling and thriving.
She’s only supposed to be in Hope Lake temporarily until she can earn enough money to move back to New York. She’s not supposed to reconnect with her childhood friends or her beloved grandmother. She’s not supposed to find her dream job running the local florist shop. And she’s definitely not supposed to fall for not one but two of Hope Lake’s golden boys: one the beloved high school English teacher, the other the charming town doctor.
With a heart torn between two men and two cities, what’s a girl to do?
A perfect blend of humor and heart, Meet Me on Love Lane is the second in a new series from USA TODAY bestselling author Nina Bocci that is sure to charm fans of Josie Silver and Sally Thorne.
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What a joy! I love a good small town romance where the town is almost like another character, and Meet Me on Love Lane did that for me. I really liked this story and was immediately drawn into it.
Charlotte escapes the city in the middle of the night, returning home after a long absence from the town but also her friends and family. It changes Charlotte to some extent, but she gradually finds the pieces of herself she lost when she was living in the city.
I really enjoyed Charlotte’s journey and her rediscovery of her home town and old friends. Henry is wonderful and I just loved his and Charlotte’s story. His friend Nick provides a lot of fun, and grandma adds a bit of spice as does the new town doctor. There’s lots to like here, including the return of Emma from the first book in this series.
If you are fan of small town romance and romances that value the woman’s journey, I think you might like Meet Me on Love Lane as I did.
A complimentary copy was provided.
I was kinda looking forward to reading this one after the first book. Even though I did enjoy this book, I do think it was more about a woman on a journey of self discovery than about romance. As far as I know this is being billed as a romance book. I don’t think they really belong in this category when it’s only with a side of romance. I wanted more than that for Henry, and his book. Their “romance” never felt truly believable to me, it’s mostly because I never felt any sparks between them.
Besides all of that, the reason I marked this down was because I felt that a lot of the plot that should have been there for us was left out. Those things would have made the story more rounded and full. Also, there was several things that were a bit repetitive. That takes away from the story in my opinion.
I think I will read the next one, but I’m hoping for more from that one.
Small town romance lovers, are you there? I have something for you! MEET ME ON LOVE LANE by Nina Bocci is out, and you don’t want to miss it. Believe me!
Hope Lake is one of those idyllic places, even if it’s fictional, where you would love to live or go to visit from time to time, the vibrant vibe of the people, the stories behind every corner… it’s just charming and wonderful. So when I was offered the chance to read an advanced copy of Nina’s new novel I couldn’t say no.
This story in particular is about two friends separated at a young age, the painful memories associated to a place and the judgement that comes, not from your own experiences, but from the people you trust the most.
Charlotte Bishop comes to Hope Lake after a long time, and her memories of the place don’t seem to make it justice. She doesn’t remember a lot, in fact. But people in Hope Lake remember her. At least the version of her that left the town with her mom and that never came back. But this visit is supposed to be temporary, so she’s not worried about what people may or may not think about her, right? She’s there just to lay low and lick her wounds after being fired from her job.
But life never goes as planned, and Charlotte’s childhood friends are ready to prove her that home is where your heart beats faster and stronger. And Charlotte’s home is with Henry, once her best friend and now a man offering something she never knew she wanted. A happily ever after.
I loved this book so much. Every bit! It was fun, sweet and romantic! Nina Bocci delivered a wonderful piece about love, family and friendship, about finding your place in the world and holding onto the things that matter the most. I lived every piece of this story while reading this book, visited every shop and every street in Hope Lake, I imagined the characters walking on the streets… and you know what? It was magical. This book is magical. I can’t wait to see what Nina has in store for Nick and Parker on the next book. April can’t come soon enough.
***I received an ebook copy from the author at no cost***
Meet Me on Love Lane is the second book in Nina Bocci’s Hopeless Romantics series. The story follows Charlotte, who finds herself returning to her hometown of Hope Lake after spending two decades in New York City. Some of the people are the same but, the town has changed, and it’s nothing like Charlotte remembers.
I loved getting to go back to Hope Lake. The small town has such a cozy and homey vibe to it. And, true to small town fashion, everyone knows everyone and there are no secrets. It doesn’t take long for word to get around that Charlotte has returned. Soon she finds herself reconnecting with old friends and meeting some gentleman. There’s Henry, the local high school English teacher that Charlotte has an immediate connection with, though she can’t quite pinpoint why. And then there’s Max, the new doctor at her father’s clinic, who’s smooth-talking and on a mission to woo Charlotte.
This was a very cute and fun story. I loved getting to see Charlotte go through a sort of transformation. She left NYC under bad circumstances and, throughout her time in Hope Lake, was able to rediscover herself, build up relationships with her dad, grandma, and childhood friends, and to learn the meaning of love.
I love Henry. He’s the perfect gentleman—sweet, caring, and compassionate. He’s the definition of a gentleman and over all the years, he’s never forgotten Charlotte or what she meant to him. It was nice to get to see his story line play out. He deserves a happy ending.
I love Nina’s writing. She brings out the humor and sass, but balances it with the sweet and fluffy. She crafts characters that are relateable and who I’d like to be friends with in my real life. Meet Me on Love Lane flowed well, was an easy read, and is well-written. The secondary characters contribute a lot to the story and help to make Hope Lake as fun and cozy of a town as it is.
I can’t wait to get my hands on the next story in this series.
Five stars to this novel!
Meet Me on Love Lane is the second book in the Hopeless Romantics Series, but can be read and enjoyed as a stand-alone novel. When Charlotte falls down on her luck, she finds herself returning home to Hope Lake. She hasn’t been home for a very long time and is about to find out that a lot of things have changed since she’s been away. Her hometown is nothing like she remembers. It’s thriving and filled with people and hope. And while Charlotte’s return home is supposed to only be temporary, she’s quickly finding reasons to stay. Her heart is torn between two men and two cities. To find out which guy and city wins Charlotte’s heart, you’re going to have to pick up Meet Me on Love Lane to find out…
I’m going to be totally honest with you and say that when I picked up this book, I wasn’t sure what I was going to be getting myself into. I had kind of a love/hate relationship with the first book, but couldn’t resist giving Meet Me on Love Lane a chance. And let me tell you, I’m so glad I did. This story totally won me over and gave me all the feels.
Meet Me on Love Lane grabbed me from the very first page and had me super excited to dive into Charlotte’s story. I wanted to know why she left town and never returned before now. I wanted to know why she didn’t remember a lot of her past and couldn’t wait to find out the answers. Now, usually I’m not a huge fan of love triangles, and this one has one, but it’s well done and not over the top in any way. Charlotte finds herself torn between two different men, but I knew right away who was going to be the one to win over her heart.
Meet Me on Love Lane was well written and entertaining. It was a sweet second chance romance filled with hope and the message that you can always return home. Overall, this was a pretty quick read for me and I enjoyed every single second of it. Meet Me on Love Lane totally won me over and I’m looking forward to getting my hands on the next book in this series!
3.5 stars. Meet Me on Love Lane is the second book in the Hopeless Romantics series. I enjoyed this book more than the first book, but I still didn’t completely love it. This is Charlotte’s story. Charlotte grew up in the small town of Hope Lake, but when her parents got divorced, her mentally ill mother took her from the town and she never returned. Now, she is back for the first time in many years, as an adult. She lost her job in NYC and has returned to stay with her father and grandmother. She catches back up with old friends and family, falls in love with the small town, finds her dream job and rekindles a new love with her childhood friend, Henry.
I enjoyed this story in general. I liked Charlotte, as well as the fun side characters. Henry was an okay character, but didn’t have much personality. I just felt like the book was more of a women’s fiction book than a romance. The story is Charlotte’s story of finding herself and finding a home. She has some repressed memories about her old town and friends that she must recover, as well as some amends to make for her long absence. She grew as a person and came into her own there. The romance was very lukewarm and I felt no chemistry between the couple. They were barely even friends for most of the book, with a first kiss at 89% and one fade to black love scene. They get a happy for now ending, but there are no “I love you”s exchanged. Also, the book was also a little slow moving and there were a few scenes skipped, which was confusing at times. Still, I found the book enjoyable in general. I liked the story and found it much better than the first book in the series.
Overall, Meet Me on Love Lane has some sweet moments and a good story. I enjoyed seeing Charlotte find herself and make a happy life for herself in her charming home town. I wished for more romance, but I still found the book entertaining. If you like women’s fiction, you will probably really enjoy this book.
This is book #2, in the Hopeless Romantics series. This book can be read as a standalone novel. For reader enjoyment, and understanding of this amazing series, I recommend reading these in the order intended.
Charlotte comes back to Hope Lake after some serious disappointments. She figures spending the summer with her Dad and Gigi, that she will have a brighter future. Then she gets back with most of her childhood friends and finds out that all is not what she thought.
While hot men abound in this small but very active community, she has the hearts of two men somehow intertwined with her unknown future. On one hand, she has Max – who is actively pursuing her. Then there is the sweet Henry, whom she is trying hard to remember from her days of living here before.
This story was just bold and lovely. I loved the characters. I love the interaction. I also have come to love the little community in the small town. While this author always takes me places, she also gives me a riveting story about someone who must learn to come into their own. Never fails to bring me to my knees with all the surprises you never see coming.
***This early copy was given in exchange for an honest review only.
I throughly enjoyed reading about the Small town of Hope Lake and Charlotte & Henry’s story.
Author Nina Bocci vividly brings us into this world that comes to life off the pages as you read it.
I enjoyed the adventures of getting to know more about these characters and their second chance love they find within one another.
Best friends can be more and this book delivered it.
Great read to cozy up with a good hot cup of cocoa and a warm blanket while reading this book.
This book gave me the feels of falling in love with a good dose of humor.
4.5 popped!
This is the second book in this Hopeless Romantics series from Nina and I have loved it. Whilst this can be read as a standalone why would you not want to read the first book as the characters are seen in that one too so its lovely to see them again.
It took me a while to get into this one but it was totally worth it as once I did I was hooked. I really think Charlotte’s grandmother Gigi was my favourite character along with Henry. Honestly this woman was hilarious. I did struggle a bit with Charlotte and I’m not entirely sure why, maybe its because I really adored Henry and I’m slightly jealous.
This was a lovely friends-to-lovers story that will have you smiling and swooning. I am looking forward to Nicks story which is next, I am wanting to see what is going to happen with him and Parker considering the sparks that have been flying around.
4.5 Stars for Meet Me on Love Lane book 2 in the Hopeless Romantics Series.
I was excited to see where this author was going to take us with Charlotte Bishop and I wasn’t disappointed this book drew me in and captivated me from the first page to the last line.
This book had me on the edge of my seat wondering who Charlotte was going to find her HEA with because this girl really deserved to find happiness…..but who would she find it with !!!
Small town romances are one of my favourite reads and I love my visits to Hope Lake PA because Nina Bocci has a way with her stories and her words paint pictures making you feel part of the small town this series is set in. This book ticked a lot of boxes for me, it’s about coming home and finding lost friendships, it’s about second chance romance and it has characters I loved. I really felt a connection with the residents and this group of friends who call Hope Lake home and I’m looking forward to catching up with them again in the next book from this very talented author.
4 Star Review of Meet Me On Love Lane (Hopeless Romantics #2) by Nina Bocci
Having read several books from Nina Bocci I was excited to see what she had in store for Charlotte Bishop and I wasn’t disappointed. Meet Me On Love Lane was an entertaining read that captured and held my attention from the first to the last chapter.
It was well written and I found myself hoping against hope that Charlotte would get the happily ever after she deserved; the only question was who it would be with.
I love books that are based in small towns and Hope Lake PA sounds like a charming place to visit. This is a second chance at love story about coming home and finding that the memories you had pushed aside can and do come flooding back. It is a story of rejuvenation, of finding lost friendships, lost love and a new career.
I received a copy through the publisher via NetGalley.
I’ve been thinking about this novel since I put it down–thinking about why I enjoyed it so much and how to adequately describe it. It’s really a combination of things and it’s a bit of a ramble–so please be patient as I try to make sense of it all.
One of the first things that made me enjoy this novel is the small town feel of it. Many times you read about people from small towns want to run from them (myself included) so it’s always nice to see a novel series showing all of the wonderful things about living in a small town. Both books in this series have really done a good job of portraying the small town as utterly charming. Meet Me on Love Lane charmed me maybe even more because it does confront that prejudice against small towns and showed me how wonderful it might be to live in one.
I also really enjoyed that this book was focused on Henry’s story via Charlotte. Their friendship and courtship was sweet and heartbreaking and I loved how honest it was. Along those lines, I enjoyed getting more time with Cooper, Emma, and Nick and can’t help but hope that Parker comes back to play in the third book.
If all of these things weren’t enough to make me fly through the pages, the overall warmth and humor definitely were. The sense of family with Charlotte’s dad and Gigi and how all of their neighbors and friends were so welcoming and wonderful was sweet without being sappy.
If you’re looking a small town romance filled with humor and love, this will be a perfect fit for you.
Right from the epilogue, Meet Me on Love Lane had me invested in the story between Charlotte and Henry. Charlotte and Henry were inseparable and the best of friends, but that would soon change. At ten years old Charlotte’s life would change. She would go on to live with her mother in New York after her parents divorce. The place she called home for the first ten years of her life would never be the same to her.
It is now twenty-one years later and Charlotte is broke and living in New York. She’s recently been fired from her job as a florist, her mother has passed and she doesn’t quite know what to do with her life. She decides to come back to Hope Lake to live with her father for the summer. The feelings of coming back “home” after you haven’t lived there in years really touched a place in my heart. I always feel a touch of nostalgia when visiting my old hometown or college campus after not having been there for years. It’s always strange that a place that you knew so well, now is different and yet exactly the same. I loved how Nina Bocci captivated these feelings in Meet Me on Love Lane.
Charlotte’s relationship with her old friends and her father and grandma were such an integral part of this story. Although Charlotte was only in Hope Lake for the summer, her friends and family welcomed her back with open arms and were there for her no matter what she needed. Gigi was such an amazing character and I loved her so much! I feel like the older I get, the more I think about what my kids/family will remember me by. These thoughts are so prevalent in Gigi’s mind and it was hard not to tear up at the sweet scenes between Gigi and Charlotte.
My only gripe was that Henry and Charlotte weren’t even on the same page til at least a quarter of the way into the book. But I absolutely loved their scenes together. These two individuals used to be so close and all of a sudden it was as if the relationship was one sided. Henry remembering a sweet ten year old Charlotte and Charlotte only remembering bits and pieces of their friendship. My heart broke for Henry, but I loved the reason why Charlotte wasn’t able to remember Henry. Those scenes in the book were so heartfelt.
I had a few minor issues with the book, but overall I really enjoyed it.
**I received a complimentary advance copy of this title from the publisher**
I truly enjoyed this small town story of coming home again!
After having left Hope Lake to New York as a child, Charlotte finds herself having to return back after 20 years and reconnecting with childhood friends. The only thing is she can’t seem to remember her best friend Henry.
All thoughts of her earlier life have been negatively impacted by things her mother ingrained in to her. She is resilient and independent and her thoughts are to return to New York once she gets back on her feet.
Henry is thoughtful, kind, understanding and patient. I really loved his calm demeanor and how he felt about Charlotte.
This is my first book by Nina Bocci and I really liked her style and how the story flowed so naturally and smoothly.
I love how it left me with a smile on my face and wanting to know more about the side characters.
3.5-Stars
If you haven’t read the first book in Bocci’s Hopeless Romantic series, no worries. Meet Me on Love Lane is a stand-alone; however, you will meet up with characters from On the Corner of Love and Hate, become familiar with them and everyday life in Hope Lake. Yes, the author has taken her readers back to the small town where everyone knows everybody’s business in an endearing way.
What I couldn’t quite fathom out was why Charlotte seemed to be having trouble remembering what she’d left behind. And then I tried to do the same and it’s not easy. Twenty-one years is a long time, details escape us, things change and people move on. Hope Lake had changed for the better and to top the lot, Charlotte has a couple of admirers. Don’t get me wrong, there’s no love-triangle involvement, just a confused lass trying to find her way after recently experiencing an unfair happening.
‘Hope Lake seemed like the best, well, hope to get my life back on track.’
Even though she hasn’t got a bad bone in her body; at times her blurred feelings got the better of me. I wanted her to stop dwelling on the past and value everything around her. Granted, her family’s backstory has a lot to do with her being as she is but the question is, will she make this enchanting town her home or leave the folk who want her to stay!
“Think about it. Tell me what would make you run back there when you have all this and all that”—
Henry has a good-guy-next-door vibe about him. I have no complaints regarding Charlotte’s, viewpoint, but I do think if Henry had had his say, it would have given the story more depth. Especially observing what was going on and how he felt about it. Also, being drop-dead gorgeous was kind of irrelevant for me since he has such a gentle personality. Charlotte’s attitude towards relationships I found a tad peculiar but hey…I didn’t dislike the soft-spoken Dr. Max who’s also vying for her attention.
‘…I wanted temporary. Dr. Max was okay with that. Henry was not. I needed to keep reminding myself that.’
Henry’s best mates, Cooper and Nick play an important part and even though Nick’s a tad tactless, he certainly tickled me pink. And who cracked me up was Gigi, Charlotte’s grandma. She’s kept up with the times, giving words of encouragement when they’re due.
“She had to teach your father how to use his Apple Watch. She’s a pro.”
I did feel that some areas of the story needed a little more editing but to be fair, the copy I read was an early one. If you like easy-to-read feel-good romances low on angst and high on laughs, friendship and family, this book is for you. Looking forward to Nick’s story and wink-wink, hoping to see Charlotte’s bestie, Parker in the spring, too!
Charlotte Bishop’s life is in disarray, she lost her job in New York, is blackballed in her industry, and is broke. She goes to her father’s home in Hope Lake to lick her wounds. She was last in Hope Lake when she was ten and her parents’ contentious divorce ended with her mother being granted primary custody. Her return twenty-one years later brings her back into her childhood friends lives. She ends up in a bit of a live triangle with the hot new Doctor Max, and her childhood BFF High School teacher, Henry. I liked this book so much more than the first book in the series, mainly because of Henry. He was my favorite character in the first book and he was so likable in this book. What kept this from being a five star review was the fact that Henry was not really in the book (other than a brief encounter) until about 40% in. If you like small town romances with a slightly neurotic heroine and the perfect book boyfriend, this is the book for you. I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley for my honest review.
ARC received for an honest review
Now, if you have read my review, you know I had my couple of issues with the first book in this series, but still liked the book.
I am happy to say that those issues are gone with Meet Me On Love Lane, and I liked this book more than the first.
This is a story of coming home, falling back in love with the place you thought you hated – and falling in love with the boy you left behind.
I adored Charlotte and Henry and the friends that Charlotte left behind. My heart hurt for her as she realised all she had missed because he mum had tainted the town for her.
I did laugh at the way Charlotte and Henry reconnected – you will too.
However, I did feel that the inclusion of Dr Max as a love interest for Charlotte was superfluous. I did not find that it added anything to the story, trying to create a love triangle between our lovelies and him. Nope, not at all necessary.
I adored the small town vibe of the story. I loved the secondary characters, particularly dad and grandma. Oh, and I can. not. wait for her best friend Parker’s story!
I fell for Henry after meeting him in On the Corner of Love and Hate and have been dying for his story. Nina Bocci did not disappoint! Meet Me on Love Lane is such a beautiful, feel good novel. It’s funny and romantic and though there are sad moments in the book, the book itself was so hopeful. This is book 2 in the Hopeless Romantics series, but can be read as a standalone. It would be most enjoyed, however, if you read the books in order since previous characters appear and that is where we first meet our hero, Henry.
I was hooked from the very first chapter and couldn’t wait to get back to it whenever I had to unfortunately put it down. I really enjoyed Charlotte’s healing journey back home. Yes, there are serious moments and heartbreaking ones too, but I loved how everyone in the town of Hope Lake came together to welcome Charlotte with open arms (well, maybe not Birdy). The cast of secondary characters were fantastic and I loved catching up with Emma, Cooper, and Nick. It was Charlotte’s grandmother, Gigi, who really stole the show though. She was so supportive and had me laughing out loud so many times! I can only pray that one day I am half as amazing and cool as Gigi is when I’m (hopefully!) a nana myself.
Oh, sweet Henry. There hasn’t been a character in a long time that has checked all of my boxes the way he did. Henry was everything I love in my heroes. He was smart, understanding, compassionate, loyal, honest, thoughtful, and so much more! I know that many readers (myself included!) love all different kinds of characters. There are the bad boys, the alphas, the manwhores, the jocks, etc, but no one ever beats the all around good guy to me. I loved everything about him and when I learned the story behind his cochlear implants, I only loved him more.
I was worried at first when I read the synopsis, because I was afraid this would be a love triangle. Once you start reading though, you will see that that’s not the case at all. This childhood friends to lovers/second chance-ish/slow burn romance will have you smiling and swooning throughout. The epilogue was the sweetest and was truly perfect for our characters. I can’t wait for Nick’s story next and those sparks that were flying between him and Parker have me very intrigued. Meet Me on Love Lane is not to be missed!
*I voluntarily read an advance review copy of this book*
4.5 stars
This book had me on tenderhooks wondering why Charlotte couldn’t remember certain moments of her past! The memories that did surface were minimal at best and she struggled as to why!
I was captivated after initially wondering whether things would get more interesting and the storyline grabbed my attention the further into the book I read!
I genuinely loved Charlotte’s grandma, she was fantastic and the way she was with Charlotte made me miss my grandma! I thought the connection between her and the group of friends was wonderful and how certain things brought the past to light and I especially loved how the book ended!
This was a beautiful book that reminds us some things can stand the test of time and all with a small country town feel!
*5 Stars*
ARC kindly received in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed this book, and much more than the first in the series (not that I didn’t like that one though). I really liked watching Charlotte get to know her old friends, and learn what the town of Hope Lake was really like.
I was really intrigued to find out who the boy from the prologue was, and I had a few suspicions which were eventually proven right. And what may seem to be a love triangle on the outside, really turns out to be something else than that. I was very curious to learn about Charlottes past, and why her mother had done and said all these things.
Charlotte’s friends were great (we did meet Emma, Nick and Henry in the previous book), and I truly loved her grandmother Gigi. What a larrikin! This was a wonderful tale of a young woman trying to find herself and her place in the world, and I enjoyed every second of this book. I also think we have been given a glimpse into who the next couple may be, and I cannot wait. Definitely recommend.