Once and Again by Lauren Dane

Title: Once and Again

Series: Petal Georgia bk 1

Author: Lauren Dane

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Seven years ago, Lily Travis was only too glad to see her hometown of Petal, Georgia in her rearview mirror. Thanks to her father running off with a twenty-year-old, though, here she is, trying to pick up the pieces. First order of business: meet with her brother’s teacher in a quest to pull his grades out of a downward spiral.

Nathan Murphy is pretty much resigned to his bachelor status—until he looks up from his desk to see an all-grown-up Lily walking into his classroom. Of all the women who turned out to be totally wrong for him, she’s the only one who felt right. At least until his foolish, immature mistake drove her away.

Lily has to admit that time has been more than kind to gorgeous, sexy Nathan. Except there’s no room on her full plate for another complication. Especially with a man who broke her heart once before.

With a little help from his friends, Nathan has a plan to rekindle the flame. It isn’t long before they’re burning up the sheets. Winning her heart? That’s another matter.

Warning: Hot, sexy high school teacher in denim and boots. Strong-willed females abound. Bad words and naughtiness, too. Come on, you know you want to read it.

When I was given the opportunity to read and review this book I jumped at the chance as I have recently fallen in love with Lauren and her books. Her books To Do List and Sweet Charity are among two of my favorite books.

From the minute that I started to read this book that is all I thought about and it took everything in me to get done the things that I need to do so that I could dive right back into the book. One of my favorite themes in romance is second chances. I love it when two people that were completely in love and then are no longer together for whatever reason are given the opportunity to make it right and get that magic back and have their happily ever after.

Lily is back in town to take charge of her brother before it is to late for him, and she knows that she will have to face Nathan again. He was her great love and when they ended in college she was devastated. In the years since she has made a good life for herself and is becoming successful in her career of choice.

I really liked Lily. It takes a lot to give up your life to move back home into a bad situation and take charge of teen-ager that is very angry, and have to face the man that broke y our heart. The one thing that she does have going for her is that her best friends are still in town. The bad thing is that they are Nathan’s sisters.

Nathan has done a lot of growing up since he and Lily broke up, and the one thing he has always regretted was how it ended (which he admits was his fault) and now has the opportunity to make it right and get her right back where he has always wanted her. There is just one problem okay a couple 1) she isn’t sure she can trust him again 2) he is her brother’s teacher.

Nathan has a couple of things going for him in that Lily isn’t indifferent to him, and he has Chase family in his corner and they know a thing or two about wooing. And the help him pull out all the stops to help him get Lily back.

I did have two scenes that are my favorites, the first is when Nathan finally gets Lily in bed for the first time since the break-up seven years ago and his reaction to the changes that she has to her body are priceless, and the second is when they talk about their recent past relationships and a certain girl in his past that if you read the Chase brother’s books you will recognize.

If you loved the Chase Brothers series than you will love this book, and I can hardly wait to see whose book is next.

Grade A