ARC Review: Once Smitten, Twice Shy (The Wilmot Sisters #3) by Chloe Liese
12:00
Series: The Wilmot Sisters #3
Author: Chloe Liese
Published January 28th 2025 by Berkley/Piatkus
Goodreads Synopsis
Star-crossed lovers learn that practicing romance leads to the perfect happy ending in this steamy reimagining of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night.
Since heartbreak entered the scene, Juliet Wilmot, once a hopeless romantic, has sworn off love. But when she's presented with the chance to revisit romance-purely for practice-with the gorgeous, off-limits guy she keeps serendipitously running into, it feels like a sign from the universe.
Quiet, shy Will Orsino knows happily-ever-after isn't on his horizon. Problem is, for the sake of the family business, marriage is. Resigned to the inevitable, but with no confidence he can woo a wife, he can hardly say no when fate hands him the alluring, unattainable woman he keeps crossing paths with, offering to help him learn the ropes of romance.
Neither of them looking for love, Jules and Will agree they're the perfect pair to practice romance. Except that practicing to perfection leads to an irresistible attraction. Their once smitten hearts, though still twice shy, might have happily-ever-after written in the stars for them, after all.
Goodreads
Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.
After her breakup, Jules Wilmot has decided to swear off love and focus on herself. Taking off for Scotland, she meets the handsome Will Orsino, but they're both far way from home, and not ready for anything. So imagine her shock when she discovers Will lying down in her family's greenhouse, after taking a moment away from the bustle of his best friend, Chris' house. They're from the same city, and same social circle, so are bound to be thrown together time and time again. Agreeing to go with the flow, Will and Jules decide to accept their fate, and practice romance, so that when they meet their perfect match they are ready for love. The only problem, they might already have met them.
When I read Two Wrongs Make a Right, I knew that Jules deserved a perfect love story, and couldn't wait to see it. Twelfth Night is my favourite Shakespearean play, so this book being a homage to Viola and Duke Orsino's love story was just what I needed. Jules (who's middle name happens to be Viola) is a hopeless romantic, but her ex-fiancé ruined her self esteem, and seeing both her sisters so unbelievably in love has been hard. The fact that Will is someone who wants to find a partner, but the right one, and is in the same place as Jules is, time and time again, it's like fate is meddling in their future. I loved how perfectly matched Jules and Will were, and though they kept fighting their feelings in the name of 'practice' it was becoming harder and harder to do. I think Will fell first, and seeing the yearning from both up close and afar was worth it. There was angst, but also happiness, and a strong foundation of friendship which set them up to face on the world together. I'm sad that the series is over, but Once Smitten, Twice Shy was the best conclusion I could've asked for, for all three Wilmot sisters.
Dates Read:
September 13, 2025
Rating
4 Stars
0 comments