ARC Review: Starting Over with You (Beer League Belles #2) by Toni Aleo
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Series: Beer League Belles #2
Author: Toni Aleo
Published August 29th 2025
Goodreads Synopsis
Welcome back to Thistlebrook, where raccoons start turf wars at the library, firefighters have dad jokes locked and loaded, and starting over is messy, hilarious, and a whole lotta sexy.
Kenni Colburn has spent the last nineteen years being the perfect wife, the greatest hockey mom, and the glue holding everyone else together—while her husband built a secret second family. But now that her twins are off to college, she’s done being the woman who puts herself last. Kenni is packing up her car and heading home to Thistlebrook to reclaim her maiden name, her happiness, and maybe even her wild streak.
Dean has been in love with Kenni since he was fourteen, but timing has never been on their side, especially since she’s his sister’s best friend and is also the sister of his baby mama.
That might not have been his finest moment…
Dean is not only the best dad imaginable, but the most reliable firefighter in a community that loves him even if he didn’t marry the woman he knocked up.
She wasn’t the one, and he wasn’t settling for anything but the best.
Now, Kenni is back—fierce and finally free—and Dean knows he’s not letting her slip away this time, even if it means burning every excuse to ashes.
Small towns are supposed to be quiet, but in Thistlebrook, exes return, secrets explode, friendships rally, and second chances set the entire romance section of the library on fire, sometimes literally. Kenni is ready to start over, but she never expected to fall into the arms—and the bed—of the man who’s always been there.
Heartfelt, hilarious, and brimming with found family, small-town chaos, and a swoony firefighter hero who’s waited too damn long, Starting over with You will leave you cheering for Kenni’s era—and maybe texting your bestie to grab Fireball and smash some dinner plates inscribed with the names of all the people who did you wrong against the side of the Smoky Mountains.
Goodreads
Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher, via BookSirens. This in no way impacted on my view.
After 19 years of marriage, Kenleigh Colburn is ready to find herself again. She's only held out with her cheating husband this long so that their sons can graduate and get set up at college, but she's not giving him anymore of her time. Returning home to Thistlebrook and reconnecting with the rest of the SI (Shenanigans Incorporated), Kenni is going to reclaim her future. There's just one small problem - Dean Moore. Kenni's been in love with Dean ever since she was a teenager, but he's her best friend's brother, and also her sister's baby daddy. So when he starts flirting with her, Kenni doesn't know if she should run for the hills, or into his arms.
I think I liked this one even more than book 1, and that's saying something. Kenni and Dean had undeniable chemistry, and I'm all about a second chance, best friend's brother kind of book. This did it all perfectly, and the way none of the characters - not just the MMC and MFC - shied away from the messiness of it all was wonderful. The cousins chat interludes were lovely, and the final chapters made the book outstanding. We also got to see a little bit of Fable and Jett (maybe not as much as I would've liked), and more of the townspeople. I hope there's another book, and that it's about Noelle and Sebastian, because their story looks like it could be epic!
Dates Read:
August 9-10, 2025
Rating
4 Stars
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