A Washington Post and Amazon Charts bestseller.From USA Today bestselling author Adriana Locke comes a witty romance about first love and second chances.After being burned by her dream job in New York City, sports journalist Neely Kimber suddenly finds herself jobless and paying a long-overdue visit to her hometown in Tennessee. Her plan? Relax, reset, and head back up the corporate ladder. … and head back up the corporate ladder. There’s just one unexpected step. Neely’s back in Dogwood Lane for barely a day when she sees the man she ran from nine years ago: the bad boy next door who was her first kiss, her first love, and her first heartbreak.
Devoted single dad Dane Madden knows he hurt Neely in the worst way. He’s got a lot to make up for. And as passionate as their reconnection is, it’s a lot to hope for. Having her back in his arms feels so right. But falling in love all over again with a woman who wants to live a world away is bound to go so wrong.
What’s it going to take for Neely to give him—and Dogwood Lane—just one more chance?
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One of the best small town / single parent / second chance romance books I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading!
This book had so many different emotional elements going on, but they tied together so seamlessly.
A lot can change in a small town when you’ve been away for a decade. That includes the man you left behind and the feelings you once thought you felt toward him.
Dane did what he thought was best for Neely when they were young and she had a promising future in gymnastics. He pushed her away so that she’d leave town and follow her dreams. He didn’t know that his actions would push her away permanently. One mistake changed everything between them.
Neely was living it up in the big city, climbing up the corporate ladder to her dream job but constantly chasing something she didn’t know that she’d ever find. After a fall out with her employer, she quits her job and travels back to her home town for a little bit of R&R. She definitely didn’t expect to run into her first love the day she arrived and find herself drudging up all of those past feelings of young love, loss and betrayal.
This book was comical, witty and heartwarming!!! I thought the pace of the story was wonderful and the way every layer of Dane and Neely’s past played out was perfect. Nothing felt too rushed or unrealistic between these two.
I really liked Neely’s strong sense of self and desire to empower women and girls through her work. Dane proved to be a truly stand up guy and did everything he could to help those around him. It was hard not to fall head over heels for him! The supporting characters in this book were marvelous!!!! I fell pretty hard for Penn and his care free demeanor! I cannot wait to see what happens with the crew from Dogwood Lane in future books.
I won’t spoil the story and how it ended but I will say that the last chapter and the epilogue were so perfect.
5 Getting that Second Chance Stars!!!
There’s nothing I love more than a new world created by one of my favorite authors and Ms. Locke has brought us to Dogwood Lane with this first book in this new series and it’s the quintessential small town where everyone knows everyone and their business.
Dane and Neely were together ten years ago and Dane being the man that wants the best for his girl literally breaks her heart by pushing her away because he thought it was what’s best for her….yeah not so much. Fast forward those ten years, Neely is back and their overwhelming chemistry is still firing on all levels. The only difference this time is that Neely is only back in town for a short time and Dane now has a sweet little girl Mia that he wants to protect on all levels from getting hurt.
This book is so well written. The characters are lively and charming with a few quirks and Dogwood Lane is a town I’d love to live in. There’s an overall caring for everyone by everyone. Even though Dane knows he’s risking getting hurt he just can’t stay away from the only woman he’s ever truly loved. Neely isn’t sure what to do with her feelings for this man either. She still loves him but can’t risk her heart again.
There isn’t one thing about this story I didn’t love. Ms. Locke has completely captivated me with her writing once again. I fell in love with our H/h, Mia and all the other secondary characters. This one is a perfectly charming story that I was sorry to see come to an end when I turned that last page. I can’t wait to visit Dogwood Lane again!!
This is a second chance story that is fun and interesting. Neely Kimber decides to quit her job in NYC after she found out that the concept she had created and worked on was being handed to someone else when she should have been the one given the job. Neely hasn’t been home to Dogwood Lane for the last 10 years after she found out that she was betrayed by the person that loved her.
Dane Madden was the love of Neely’s life until her betrayed her. Dane is now a single dad who adores his little girl and would do anything for her. When Neely first met Dane’s daughter, she didn’t know she was is so it was a shock to find out that information. While Neely tries to figure out what to do next in her professional life, she decides to help out at the gymnast place that she took lessons at when she was young. Dane and Neely are constantly thrown together so they finally talk about what happened in the past. Their love and attraction is still there but neither one wants to take the risk of getting hurt again but love prevails and they restart their romance, even it is short term since Neely is determine to go back to her life in NYC. But as Neely gets into the routine of life in Dogwood Lane, she starts to realize that what she had wanted in her professional life maybe isn’t what she really wants in life. When an opportunity comes for Neely to return to NYC to the job that should have been hers, she must decide how to deal with her love for Dane and his daughter and her professional goals.
Just a moment, let me wipe the ugly tears and snot, give me a moment and I’ll pull myself together and finish this review…..
Ok, I really only need one word for to review this, though I will be using a lot more.
But that word?
That word is
‘PERFECT’.
This story, this couple, this town, these people, the second chance….OMG I felt every word, every emotion. I want to move Dogwood Lane and be friends with Neely, Dane, Penn, Matt and Claire. I want to watch Mia in the Summer Show and stand on the bluff watching the sunset over Dogwood Lake.
I read some early reviews of this, and saw the criticism of how it was always the woman giving up stuff to be with the guy. How she had to give up her dream job. Only I’m here to tell you that this wasn’t a story about giving up anything important it was a story about gaining everything you every really wanted and needed.
I loved that there were no secrets or lies that had caused Neely and Dane to split up, it was all out there. I loved that even though Dane had been really, really stupid when he was younger, there weren’t sides to take. I loved Neely, Dane and Mia full stop.
This book …… this author ….. this emotion ….. it formed the perfect trifecta. I’ve been left a sobbing, emotional wreck with a big stupid grin on my face as well as tears. I just simply can not do this book justice. I’m struggling to find the words to say how bloody much I loved it. Every. Single. Word.
Thank you to the author for writing and sharing this story with us readers. This is contemporary romance at it’s very, very best. Don’t miss out by not reading this book.
Tumble is a swoon-worthy small town second chance romance with so much heart! It’s utterly human and plausible with the the perfect timing of a great romance novel. It quickly became one of those books that I stayed up way too late to finish reading! And that’s saying something, especially for this type of story: I usually shy away from single-parent romances, but Adriana as the author convinced me to give this one a shot, and I’m so glad I did.
Neely and Dane’s chemistry jumps of the pages, and the emotion runs deep, too. Things aren’t immediately and easily fixed–instead, both have to work to process their feelings and figure out where things truly stand. Neely’s sports writing backstory gives awesome depth to her character, and I loved getting to know a bit about her professional life as well as her personal one.
A pet peeve of mine is when authors try to mix too much religion into romance, and Tumble’s got a noticeable amount of prayer references… but they honestly work. They’re well-timed and add a spiritual level to the characters that makes sense, especially for the small town setting, without being awkwardly woven into the romance parts.
Overall, I highly recommend Tumble, and I plan to continue the Dogwood Lane series of interconnected standalones.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I’m a fan of small town romances and I really loved this one. Heroine came back into town after she lost her dream job, only to find a man she never forgot right in front of her not only a day after she came home.
I liked the side characters in this story: friends Penn and Matt, Claire, Grace etc. I love how connected they were to each other, how they made fun of each other, and even though Neely was gone for nine years, it was like she never left once they got together. Penn was by far my favourite side character.
I adored little Mia, she got along great with Neely. She was so fun and adorable!
As for Dane, damn. The chemistry between them was scorching hot!
My first book by this author and definitely not the last. It’s how the readers would say – unputdownable!
5 stars.
ARC provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Slovenian review and full post here: https://slovenianbookworm.wordpress.com/
Some of the many reasons to read Tumble by @authoradrianalocke :
~Because sometimes the most important things in life are the simplest ones.
~Because wide open views, grass, trees and sunsets equal happiness and tranquility.
~Because fresh manure smells better than the city smells.
~Because sometimes a girl just needs her mom.
~Because sometimes you just need to let sleeping dogs lie.
~Because fried pickles…and they are best shared while drinking beer or Rocket Razzles.
~Because a sassy, sweet little girl will steal your heart!
~Because green eyes…swoon
~Because good guys don’t have to finish last.
~Because a small town feels more like home!
With real characters and a plot filled with emotion, family, and love that you won’t be able to put it down, Adriana Locke has delivered a good start to a new series that I will be definitely reading.
The last book I read by Locke was not a favorite so, I’m going to be honest here and say that I was not expecting to enjoy this book as much as I did. The main couple was good, but it was the secondary characters the ones that made this book for me—Mia, Grace, Haley, Matt, and Penn…Gawd I loved Penn. I can’t wait to come back to Dogwood Lane and read more of them!
Nothing better than second chances.
I love small town romances. I love second chances. And Mrs Locke gave us all of that and so much more. So many different emotions. I finished this book in one day because I needed to know how it ended. And my heart is so full!!
Single dad – Check
Adorable little girl- Check
Great second characters – Check (and I can’t wait for them)
This book is a must read book.
Highly recommended.
I loved this book. This author is always a one-click for me <3
New series. New characters. New town. Tumble is a second chance romance with a single dad that regrets many things about his past and what he did to cause heartbreak for himself, but one thing Dane doesn’t regret his daughter. We meet him as a single dad running into the one that got away. Neely is returning home after years of being gone, dealing with the aftermath of leaving a job that disappointed her. Going home also means confronting her past.
Neely isn’t prepared for their meeting any more than she’s prepared for how he still affects her. Dane too is rocked by seeing Neely, but he isn’t ready to give up a second chance at the girl he never forgot. But can two people who experienced such heartache once, find happiness in the now?
Painted in the backdrop of a small Tennessee town, Tumble is full of heart, laughter and all the things you want in a happy ever after! There is angst and laughter and passion. Good friends, sweet daughters and mommas that bake pie. There is also a fight to find and acknowledge what really makes us happy.
I loved this book. It was a sweet slow burn that will melt your heart. It was sweet, funny, some little surprised here and there and oh so heartfelt and romantic.
Dane broke Neely’s heart 10 years ago and she swore she left Dogwood Lane without saying goodbye to anyone. She’s back in town for a few days and that’s all it takes for her and Dane to realize they still have mixed feelings about one another.
I not only fell in love with the main characters, but the secondary characters are as equally amazing and they just really complimented each other so good. This was a great start to what I think is going to be a great series! I can’t wait for Penn’s story he is a hoot!
Once again another great read by Adriana Locke!
Neely Kimber, coming home to her childhood hometown was supposed to be quick getaway after being burned by her job that she worked hard in to move up in her career. She never expected to be back home after she left to pursue or dream along with left broken hearted. She had her reasons for leaving in Dogwood Lane in the first place and the hopes to run into said reason will be challenging to face. Living in a small town where everyone knows everything they are bound to know that she is back.
Enter single, loving, and devoted dad, Dane Madden who turned her life upside when she found out he was with a child. Dane’s daughter, Mia is his whole world regardless how she came to be. Not one to bring anyone he dates around her daughter thanks to history of people leaving when things became to tough. Neely was the exception.
Can Neely forgive him after what they have been through? Is it enough to trust her heart? Can they go down that road again especially knowing that her visit in her hometown is temporary?
This is a A 3.5 stars story of second chances. With new factors in the mix it will be a test to see if their chemistry is worth the risk for more. The relationship that Dane has with her daughter will have you swooning. The chemistry is still there between Neely and Dane; however, the want for more with two different plans for the future will be a test to see if they are truly meant to be.
You can never go wrong with a book by Adriana Locke and once I started Tumble, I could not put it down. A single, sexy dad, a small town and a second chance are all some of my favorite things in a romance and this one had all that and more! There is a bit of angst and a lot of history between our main characters, and not all of it good, but the story flowed well and captivated from start to end.
Neely Kimber needs to regroup. As a sports journalist, she is determined and motivated, but everyone has their limits. Now she needs a fresh start and is going back home after ten years before moving forward. Her only goal? Avoid the ex that left her devastated and brokenhearted until she leaves.
Dane Madden and Neely were once sweethearts, but choices and bad decisions drove them apart. Mia left and had vowed to never return. Now, back after ten years, avoiding each other is better said than done. Their chemistry is as strong as ever and old feelings are hard to ignore. Dane wants a second chance with Neely, but he knows he hurt her badly. Can he show her what she means to him or was it over before it started?
Tumble by Adriana Locked was both sweet and charming and a bit angstly. Neely and Dane were great characters and had great chemistry, but so much bad history was between them. Could this truly be their second chance or is it too late? Another great read by Adriana Locke.
4.5-stars. Happy reading!
Tumble by Adriana Locke is the first book in her brand new series Dogwood Lane. Every book is about another couple and can be read as a standalone.
Meet Neely. She’s a successful reporter, lives in NY and never goes home. Her heart was broken in a cruel and evil way, just after highschool graduation and she never had it in her to go back. But now the time is right. She learns pretty quick how much she missed her friends and family. And she can’t avoid Him any longer, Dane Madden.
Dane was her boyfriend, destined to be her one and HEA, but in typical alpha manier he decided to throw fate a wrench and in this wake he destroyed everything. But now his girl is back.
I started reading and was glued to the pages. I read the book in one sitting and let me tell you, it gave me All the feels. I was sad, I was happy and at somne point I was so so angry at the characters.
Dane is not my favorite character. I didn’t like him when was discovered what he did and later on I didn’t care for him at all. He’s weak and hides behind I’m sorries and I would do it again. This infuriating man.
But I loved the story and I get that a romance deserves a beautiful hea and Tumble got exactly that.
I recommend the book and give 5 stars.
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Neely Kimber has come home for a visit. She makes a sad admission that makes my heart hurt for her. Someone that pops up every once in a while is her good friend Grace. She’s a real hoot so expect to laugh when she’s in a scene. Someone else that will get you to chuckle is Penn – he’s someone that you have to experience for yourself.
Dane Madden is a man who likes to work with his hands. He admits that he’s made mistakes. We can’t go back and change the past but maybe we can change the future. He has someone in his life that is very important. I came to look forward to her scenes. It made it hard not wanting to see her grow up. Their scenes together also had me wishing – wishing I had the same kind of interactions with my own dad.
I loved the pace of this story but there were times that I wanted to yell at Neely to get her sh*t together. But that’s where the author is smart because there may be some that see themselves in the story. What if…? What could I have done differently? It’s hard not to have reality bleed into this story since it seems that it could possibly be someone’s true story. Our author makes it very easy to connect with her characters and want to know that life is going to be good to them. It’s hard to keep detached and not let your heart get involved. Her ending couldn’t have been more perfect and it comes with an inferred HEA. But Ms. Locke doesn’t forget to get you laughing one last time.
I was not compensated nor was I required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
Adriana Locke incorporated some of my very favorite tropes in Tumble — second chance romance, small town romance and the incredibly sexy, single dad romance. I just loved the town of Dogwood Lane that she created.
I believe that the characters in Tumble made this book. Neely was a strong woman who has been trying to rise up the corporate ladder to prove her worth. That is until she finally returned home and saw what opening her heart back up could bring. I couldn’t help but to root for her to find her happiness. Dane… he may not have had it easy but one glimpse at the relationship he has with his daughter just had me melting. Mia, Dane’s daughter, is that perfect catalyst to bring Dane and Neely back together. And don’t get me started on the side characters. I just want to drive on over to Dogwood Lane so I can hang out with them and see all of their stories. I sure hope we get to see a lot more of Dogwood Lane.
Someone recommended this book and mentioned something about Ross and Rachel. Since I have never seen Friends, I couldn’t make a connection.
I enjoyed the book. There were some things that I was a little irritated about, and I will mention them, but I let them go. I didn’t think they took away from the story.
I liked the characters in Dogwood Lane, with the exception of Dane and Neely. Their breakup was all on Dane. He made decisions about their lives without her input, that resulted in events that were life altering, and kept Neely out of town for ten years. That takes a certain amount of arrogance on his part.
Neely, even if she forgave Dane, was a little to open to starting up with him again. I honestly expected her to have more of a trust issue with him.
I did feel badly for her because she had to struggle so much with her decision. People always spout off about empowering women, but I think part of that empowerment is the ability to change your mind with no guilt. If Neely started her career wanting to be a corporate mover and shaker, and at some point realized she no longer wanted that life, then fine. Go for it. Don’t feel guilty, and don’t put that pressure on yourself. Just do what is best for you, what you need. Guess I will step off of my soapbox now.
My bigger problem with Neely involved how her decision affected Mia. Her decision was all about her. I kept waiting for her to negotiate and that never happened.
In s life of the things listed above, they did not keep this from being an enjoyable read for me. IRL, I may disagree with some aspects , but this was a fictional second chance romance novel involving a single dad and a sweet kid. That’s what I got. It made me laugh, it made me feel some other emotions, but I got my HEA. When the book ended, it left me with a smile.
I read part and listened to the Audiobook for part of it. I really enjoyed the audio. It takes you right to Dogwood Lane. I would recommend this book. It was a 4.5 for me.
I read this book via Kindle Unlimited.
My first book by Adriana but definitely not my last!!
Right now, one of my favorite tropes is a second chance with the first love and Adriana knocked this one right out of the park!! This book was so good, that I read it one day….I could not put it down!!
High school sweethearts that had their whole future planned out, until one night. Words that can’t be unsaid or unheard. Neely ran away to the big city to pursue her dreams, but never let herself fall in love again. Jobless and confused, Neely goes home for the first time in years to get some clarity. Of course the first person she encounters is Dane Matthews….her first and only love.
Neely tries to steer clear of Dane and all of her old friends, but in a small town that’s impossible. Once she allows herself to lick her wounds, she opens herself back up to old friends, including Dane and his precious daughter.
Just when it seems like Neely and Dane have everything they ever dreamed of and wanted, Neely is offered that dream in NYC. Will she choose the only job she has ever wanted over Dane and Mia? Will Dane let her runaway again or will he go after her this time??
This is my first read by Adriana Locke and she has a new fan. I think I will share this book with my daughter as well. Who doesn’t love a second chance romance with a child in the mix?
Neely is searching for that something more when she arrived home after 10 years. Determined to follow through with her beliefs that women can do anything they put their mind to. She was not prepared for the feelings and memories that hit her in her home town when visiting her mom. She was even less prepared for the feelings that seeing Dane and his daughter would bring to the surface.
Dane knows better than anyone who he screwed up all those years ago. But as much as he messed things up with Neely it also gave him Mia and he can never regret her. He is a super single dad to this little girl, doing anything and everything for her. When he see Neely in the café, he can’t help but be drawn to her. Against his normal protection, he can’t stop for letting Neely get to know Mia.
Is there a possibility for a second chance? Or is Neely so convinced to go back to the city?
I am excited to see what else comes from the Dogwood Lane Series.
*** Advanced copy provided in exchange for an honest review. ***