From USA Today bestselling author Kieran Kramer, comes Second Chance at Two Love Lane, a fast-paced tale about the intoxicating effects of fame and what happens when a past romance is rekindled behind the silver screen. Sometimes love is waiting in the second act… In her professional career, Ella Mancini plays matchmaker at Two Love Lane but, in her personal life, she takes the stage at the … but, in her personal life, she takes the stage at the Dock Street Theatre. Now she has a chance at a new role in a Hollywood movie that happens to be filming in Charleston–one that features a big-name actress, Samantha Drake. Long ago, Ella passed up a major audition while awaiting a marriage proposal. Not only didn’t she get the role; she never got the ring, either. Instead, her boyfriend Hank went on to become a huge film star…leaving her, and all her dreams, behind.
But now Hank’s back in Charleston, cast as the male lead in the same movie Ella’s in. In spite of the dramatic tension off-screen, he and Ella try to stay cool onset. But when their old feelings start to heat up–at the same time leading-lady Samantha tries to play cupid–all bets are off. How can Hank convince Ella, after all this time, that she’s the one he really wants to be with in real life–and that some happy, rom-com endings really can come true?
“Readers who enjoy works by Nora Roberts and Luanne Rice will want to give Kramer a try.”–Library Journal
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5-stars
“Second Chance at Two Love Lane” by Kieran Kramer
I loved this story. It was fun returning to Two Love Lane for another visit with friends, family, and location. I would truly love to visit Charleston and see some of the places that I have visited via novels. I digress.. This is truly a story you will not want to put down, at least it has been for me. If you have never been to Two Love Lane before… you will still be captivated by this offering, and probably want to read the previous stories. I was gifted a copy of this story and I am so grateful for the opportunity to write this review.
You can read this a stand alone book. This was a fun Second Chance book to read. You will fall in love with the ladies at Two Love Lane in this book. Ella was an aspiring actress who turned down a great opportunity for the guy she loves. He does not turn down his chance at fame to be with her. Ten years later he is famous movie actor and she owns her own business. They have both not stop loving each other. A chance for them to set things right comes when Hank gets to film a movie in her town. There is so much hurt on Ella’s side that it’s hard to see if they will ever get through the past. Ella’s friends and family and also the lead costar on set are all fabulous to read about.
*I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.*
This is not only the first book I have read in the series, it is also the first time I have read this author. I want to say this was an amazing 5 star read but it wasn’t. Don’t get me wrong it is well written and I enjoyed the first part of the story with no problems Dad and birthdays, priceless. I even love the quirky characters that kept me laughing throughout the book. The author does a great job of keeping lots of action going on which keep you involved and turning the pages until you reach the end. There are parts of the story that don’t mesh with me but that’s my own personal thing because it just feels like there wasn’t enough time spent on them and it makes it hard to care about their second chance. I enjoyed the read but really enjoyed the secondary characters more because we learned more about them.
This is my first read by this author and yes I would read more just to see if this is a one off or if we really just don’t mesh. It wasn’t bad just not my type of second chance romance.
3.5 Stars
In her professional career, Ella Mancini plays matchmaker at Two Love Lane but, in her personal life, she takes the stage at the Dock Street Theatre. Now she has a chance at a new role in a Hollywood movie that happens to be filming in Charleston one that features a big-name actress, Samantha Drake. Long ago, Ella passed up a major audition while awaiting a marriage proposal. Not only didn’t she get the role; she never got the ring, her boyfriend Hank went on to become a huge film star leaving her, and all her dreams, behind. Hank’s back in Charleston, cast as the male lead in the same movie Ella’s got a bit part in.
This is the third book in the series & could well be read on it’s own, I’ve read the first two books which I also enjoyed & give more background to this. I like second chance romances & this was a well written engaging read. The characters have plenty of depth & are likeable. Ten years after they parted Hank & Ella are still attracted to each other but Ella has been hurt once & doesn’t want to go there again. A heart warming light read ideal for whiling away a few hours
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
I have enjoyed reading all of author Kieran Kramer’s Two Love Lane Stories. I shared Macy and Deacon’s Happily Ever After in Christmas at Two Love Lane and Greer and Ford’s Happily Ever After in A Wedding at Two Love Lane. Now in this story I have been happy to share Ella and Hank’s second chance at a Happily Ever After. I do like second chance love stories and this is a good one. It took some soul searching but in the end both Ella and Hank knew where they wanted to be – together. I just loved the ending in Second Chance at Two Love Lane – so romantic.
Second Chance at Two Love Lane by Kieran Kramer This is the 3rd book in this series…I give it 4 1/2 stars… Thanks to the publisher and #NetGalley for permitting me to preview this book. This is Ella and Hank’s story but all the old favorites are there to spice things up. This is their “second chance” at love after ten years apart… He is now an A list actor and she still act in community theater and runs a matchmaker agency with her friends. There are laughs, tears, hard decisions to get to their HEA. I enjoyed nonnas and Pammy..
Ella lost the man she thought she’d love for ever years ago. He chose his career over her. Since then, her work life is full. She’s a professional matchmaker & she indulges in local theater productions to keep her drama background alive. After all these years, her ex-boyfriend has reached out to her. She can’t figure out why & refuses to call him back.
Hank should be on top of the world. His career has skyrocketed. Ever since he reached out to Alex, he can’t get her off his mind. He decided to take a role in a movie in Charleston to see her again. Is the spark still there?
This was a good second chance love story. Ella & Hank let their ambitions rip them apart when they were younger. Now they are relatively happy in their lives but feel something is missing. Both characters needed to grow up & decide what was more important to them. Hank admits that he loves his job & status but feels something is missing from his life. He’s on the road for work or alone in his house between jobs. Ella realizes she’s still hung up on Hank & that’s why no other relationship has worked out. I enjoyed the interactions between them & the supporting characters. The secondary plot lines involving Ella’s family, coworkers & clients added humor, drama & affection.
ARC received via Netgalley for an honest review
I have not read the first 2 Two Love Lane books, and this is my first Kieran Kramer read, however I felt that this is easily read as a stand alone.
I enjoyed the premise of this book, as I am a sucker for a second chance romance. And whilst I liked it, I didn’t love it.
Some of the leading ladies actions are questionable – especially when it came to strangers knocking at her door – hello, I would be calling the police! She also felt a bit wishy-washy at times.
I did adore our main man, Hank. Ugh, Hank is so not a Hollywood movie star name to me lol
Ella’s big, Italian family were great, and at times made me want a big family – though knowing how nosey they all are would drive me bonkers!
I also did like Ella’s work mates, and Miss Thing is fantastic. We all need a Miss Thing in our lives.
Second Chance At Two Love Lane is a cute and sweet book, though nothing much really does happen. It was lacking a little oomph – however this is probably just me.
I did like this book enough that I will be adding the first 2 book to my never ending TBR and will read them at some stage.
This three-book series earned an overall “so-so” for me. One common issue I had with all was the lackluster character development with the leads (both male and female). I saw their interactions with each other, with friends and family, but I didn’t get a real sense of them on their own. Some political and off-topic stuff thrown in as well. Hate to say, but I just didn’t connect with any of the three.
In this one, I couldn’t really accept how fast the heroine succumbed to the hero after telling herself she would remember how he had basically dumped her 10 years before for an acting gig. Somehow that didn’t seem true to her character.
There were also some inconsistencies with ages and other things that bothered me a bit, and perhaps will be caught in more editing. Also, the ending was a bit abrupt for both the couple’s HEA and also for the ending of the series.
Thanks to #NetGalley & #StMartinsPress for the ARC. The opinions are strictly my own.
Ella loves her life and what she does, but she always wonders what if. Hank gets an opportunity to go to Charleston his heart tells him, yes but his brain tells him no. Can they be in the same area and get along for a week or will the pain from the past just be too much?
It was nice to catch up with the ladies at Two Love Lane and boy do I just love Ms. Thing. I really enjoyed Pammy she was hands down one of my favorite in this book, she just said whatever came to her mind and didn’t have a problem with it either. I also really enjoyed the Nonna’s they are so fun. I felt the chemistry was off with Hank and Ella and it seemed forced, and then other times it felt more like a strong unbreakable friendship. I did enjoy the story but overall it just seemed like something was missing. This book does contain adult situations. I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley. I was under no obligation to post a review and have given my honest opinion
I enjoyed this book. The story flowed smoothly and I would look down and realize I had just ready 20 pages. I liked Ella and her big family. I liked Hank and the angst that lay between them. Miss Thing and Roberta were comic relief. There were regrets and what ifs like we all have. The story also showed many different relationships and how different people cope or deal with them. The only thing I didn’t care for was the falling into bed. That is just me. This couple lived together, therefore, it isn’t a stretch to imagine them sleeping together again.
All-in-all, I enjoyed the story and would read another by this author.
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for my review.
This is my first book by Kieran Kramer and it will not be my last. After reading this book I now have to go back and read the rest of the series. Even though this is book three in the series it can be read as a standalone. The characters are very real and loveable. I was pulled in right from page one. This book has humor and drama and keeps you interested. Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC.
I received a free advance copy of this book from the publisher. This is my unbiased and voluntary review.
Every year for her birthday, Ella Mancini’s father would take her to a Broadway matinee and then to Serendipity 3 for ice cream. As she got older, she decided that she wanted to be an actress and her father told her to never let anyone stand in the way of her dreams. That is also where she met Hank Rogers, also an aspiring actor, who had worked summers at Serendipity 3. The summer before she started college, they agree to meet 4 years later and have a date. That date grew into a relationship; they became roommates and lovers, while they were starving actors. Then Ella got an offer for a part, but turned it down, because Hank had been depressed about his career. She didn’t tell him. A week later, he also was offered a part that would take him to Australia for four months. He accepted and was so excited that he forgot her birthday. She was expecting a ring. While he was gone, she decided to return to Charleston, where she went to college.
Ten years later she has been doing community theater and working as a match maker. Hank meanwhile has become an A list star. But he has distantly kept an eye on Ella and has never stopped loving her. He has become disenchanted with his life and when he is offered a role to be filmed in Charleston, his father uncharacteristically advised him to go and get his second change with the girl he has never forgotten. While Ella thinks of him as The (Former) Love of Her Life, she has never met anyone who could take his place. Will she be willing to give him a second chance?
This is the first book that I have read by this author. It is part of series and the author assumes that the reader has read the previous books. So while the main characters, Ella and Hank and Hank’s cousin Pammy, who is living with Ella, are well developed, the others, I assume developed in the other books, are not. A short paragraph with their back stories would have been been helpful. I also found Ella’s habit of having to discuss with her mother, aunts, grandmother and best friends before she took any action with Hank, as immature, and not the behavior of a strong independent woman, which she is suppose to be. Nevertheless, the main storyline is engaging with several other enticing stories running parallel, and I find myself now reading the first book in the series.
This story takes us back to the city of Charleston and the matchmakers at Two Love Lane. Ella, Macy, Greer and Miss Thing. They are all unique loveable characters that take their mission to find love matches very seriously. This is the third book in the Two Love Lane series. While I would recommend reading the entire series, since I enjoyed books 1 and 2, you can read each book independently and would fully understand the plot.
Kieran Kramer has such great imagination in her plots. I do not want to give away any of the book’s secrets, but the ultimate love date that is used by the matchmakers of Two Love Lane is truly a work of genius. I personally loved it.
Ella has a large Italian family that love each other dearly. She is especially close to her Papa. As a tradition began early in her youth, Ella and her Papa have a special arrangement to see a Broadway play and then go to Serendipity 3, a lovely restaurant afterwards, around her birthday. It is here that Ella Mancini first saw a busy busboy and definitely noticed him.
Years later, when Ella was ready to attend college out of state, the busy busboy, Hank Rogers, first spoke to Ella. He makes a date with Ella to return to Serendipity 3 in four years. They both show up and find out that they are meant for each other.
Ella and Hank also had goals that they were determined to achieve and they agreed that the goals were so important that nothing would stand in the way of realizing them. As life went on, a situation occurred that separated them. Hank left to achieve his goal and hurt Ella deeply. She then went on to find her true calling as a matchmaker.
Forward to ten years into the future, Ella is living in Charleston a co-owner of Two Love Lane, and Hank is a big-time movie star, going to a film shoot in Charleston! Ella is determined to be an adult and try to let her past hurt go away and not carry it with her all her life.
Ella and Hank meet up again and both are immediately attracted to each other. They are each other’s soul mates and they care so much about each other that they do not want to stand in the way of the other’s dreams. (Ella also does not want to be hurt again.) This is their second chance. Will they find a way to make the connection again and find a way to have their goals and also each other?
Kieran does an amazing job with the plot, the characters, the scenery and the background of making a movie. Knowing first-hand how crazy a large Italian family gathering can be, Kieran got that perfectly also.
I especially loved the character Hank, who was a success in the eye of the world, by being a movie star, but he still held on to his core soul that knew he was treated differently and did not feel worthy of the treatment. He still strived to find meaning in his life and find his true passion. His cousin Pammy was an unforgettable character. Definitely true to herself and an adventure to know.
I found the book so interesting and entertaining and I recommend it highly. I was so lucky to receive an advanced reader’s copy of this book. I wanted to write a review, in hopes that my recommendation would help other readers find this gem. Happy reading!
Second Chance At Two Love Lane is another entertaining contemporary romance by Kieran Kramer. Ms. Kramer has provided us with a well-written book and filled it with outstanding, lovable characters. Ella is a part-time actress with the community theatre and a full-time professional matchmaker. Hank is Ella’s ex and an actor coming to town to film a movie. Ella and Hank’s story is loaded with drama, humor (gotta love Pammy and Miss Thing’s antics) and sizzle. I enjoyed this book from the first page to the last and look forward to reading more from Kieran Kramer in the future. Second Chance At Two Love Lane is a complete book, not a cliff-hanger.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book that I received from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.