This book combines a romance with escaping domestic violence and the author has done a decent job. You have to stretch a bit to believe why one of the characters agreed to the sacrifice especially as any mob connection is only briefly alluded to. The romance works and the friends, small boy and court room scenes are good, but there’s something curiously pedestrian in the progress of the story. It kind of ran out of steam. Weirdly, the sister and previous lover (mum of small boy) interested me far more than the leads. Also the response to the homicide was a bit low key. Overall it needed a bit more zip in places.

“All life is worth living, and if you’re at a point that you feel otherwise, you need to change the things that bring nothing but pain.”

When Desi landed in the ER after a domestic incident, the last person she expected to treat her was the one she turned her head and walked away from sixteen years ago.

For Harriet (Harry), the highly acclaimed and charismatic surgeon on duty, being called into action was the norm except her patient was someone she did not expect to see again.

Although the book did not go easy on the topic of domestic violence, the twisted powers that aggressors wielded and the agony of victims who prayed for escape, the redemptive qualities and power of love shone through. Many times in the book my heart went out for Desi, her fragility and brokenness from her ordeals that were not of her own making. I loved that her rescue came in the form of the suave yet unassuming Harry.

The author’s ability to skilfully weave a touchy yet real issue into a second chance romance is a class act. As the story rolled on and revealed what made Desi walk away all those years ago and her arduous journey back to wholeness, readers can expect gritty nerves, exasperations, fist pumps and yes, gratification.

I just reviewed One More Chance by Ali Vali. #NetGalley

3 stars. Harry Basantes is called to the ER to fix a leg of a domestic abuse case. She comes face to face with her first love, Desi Thompson, who disappeared on her without a word after high school. Desi had gotten married to a man, a man who abuses and beats her. Harry has no idea why Desi would put up with it or why she never told Harry she was going to marry him. Desi is Harry's old love, even after 16 years. They immediately feel a connection to each other, and when Desi has no where to go, Harry lets her stay with her. Harry is not sure if that will be a mistake.

I enjoyed this novel, but I thought this writing was just okay. I feel like some of the dialogue in the book later on was a little cringe worthy to me, but some people might like that. Harry and Desi's relationship evolve way too fast, as it somewhat seems like they just went back to loving each other. I enjoyed the evolution of Desi from broken housewife to someone who could stand up for herself. Harry is really her protector throughout the entire book, which I liked, but sometimes it seemed like a little too much to me. I would not recommend this book necessarily, but it was a good read.

Even though I really feel you can never go wrong with a book by Ali Vali, I have to honestly admit this was not one of her best. It's a heavy plot with an abuse victim ending up in the ER and getting treated by her first love she left behind years ago. Harry is now an established surgeon but has never lost the anger and hurt from all those years ago. Even with that being the case she can't do anything else than help Desi escape her abusive husband,
If abuse is a trigger then this book might not be the one for you since the storyline is graphic and realistic in that regard and it will take you on an emotional roller coaster.
If you're looking for a lighthearted romance you might want to give this one a pass too. In a way this is really not a bad book, but it did start to feel repetitive after a while with the inner dialogue circling around to the same guilt and doubts in both parties. Which is completely understandable, but on the other hand the romance and love is quick to develop again which, for me, made it a bit difficult to believe.
In conclusion, I stand by my first remark: you can never really go wrong with this writer, but it's not her best.

***An ARC was provided by Netgalley in exchange for a honest review. ***

I have loved every book written by Ali Vali and this one is no exception. I did read a version of this on a fanfic website a decade ago. I kept remembering little bits like I'd read it before but how could that he possible? Then I recalled her fanfic writing and it all came back to me. This story is well written in the author's typical lyrical prose. Is Henry too perfect? Absolutely not! This is fiction and the characters can be anything. I grew up as a version of Desi and I would have loved to have a friend/rescuer/lover like Henry. The domestic violence topic was handled sensitively and realistically. I would love a sequel to their story, especially with the mafia involvement, albeit minor, and the inclusion of Sept Savoie. No matter what, this is another excellent story and I highly recommend it. I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

One More Chance is yet another brilliant page turning, eye opening masterpiece from Ali. A must read! she's truly an awesome writer. It made me laugh but it was also her FIRST book that made me CRY. This is different than from her other books that I've read which includes snipers, FBI and Crime Bosses. The characters are well developed as usual. Their journey is heartfelt and the bond and support between the characters is strong and unbreakable. I love this book because it shines a light on Domestic Violence and gives a clear picture as to what might prompt a victim to remain in an abusive situation. I would strongly recommend this book, I guarantee you wont be disappointed.

Thank you NetGalley, Bold Stroke Books and Ali Vali

I received this book as an ARC in exchange for an honest review from Bold Strokes Books and NetGalley.

This was an interesting book, The main characters are Harry and Desi two star crossed lovers who fall in love in high school. Through some unfortunate circumstances they end their relationship in high school and do not see each other again until they are in middle age. This is a serious topic fro a book Domestic Violence, what I would have like is for the violence to have been between two women, there is domestic violence in the lesbian community and it would have been nice to have that recognized. It is so easy to make the man the demon. Desi was abused by her husband and Harry helped to rehab her.

Overall this was very typical Ali Vali, the writing was great, the story was interesting and you were rooting for Desi the entire time. What I did not enjoy was how infantile Desi seemed, like she couldn't do anything for herself and needed Harry to care for her. I mean she spent all these years living with an abuser she must have had some sense of how to take care of herself. I get it domestic violence victims are abused and with that abuse comes a loss of confidence, but I felt like there was something off about the relationship between Harry and Desi it just seemed as possessive as the relationship Desi had with her ex husband. Further the book does a good job of making men seem inept. I cannot believe a criminal would be so stupid to go into a home because they saw Harry pull in there without actually ever seeing the person they were looking for, and again I understand that it was meant to have the ex husband look irrational, but it was also very unbelievable. Overall not a terrible book, but not one I care to reread or recommend to others.

ARC received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Trigger warning, this book focuses on domestic violence and the aftermath.

Domestic violence is a hard topic, but when handled well in a story, it can uplift and inspire while also educating. Unfortunately the handling of the topic here is so over the top it borders on ridiculous for the most part, so didn’t do the topic justice at all, in my opinion.

So, here we have MC Desi, a battered wife who lives with her abusive husband and her sister Rachel. The other MC is Harriet (Harry) an orthopaedic surgeon who is also Desi’s ex-girlfriend. Desi and Harry met in the 3rd grade and loved each other fiercely. Desi lived with her abusive father and her little sister. Both Rachel and Desi spend tons of time with Harry and her family growing up, but somehow never manage to meet Mona, Harry’s housekeeper, who has been with the family since a Harry was a child. I also couldn’t work out why Clyde even let Desi and Rachel spend so much time with Harry growing up if he was so controlling, it just didn’t make sense.

Anyway, they had a love for the ages, but just as Harry was going away to college Desi stopped talking to her (for reasons) and Harry left and didn’t look back. They are then reunited when Desi’s abusive husband puts her in the hospital. Harry happens to be on call and is Desi’s doctor. Upon hearing about the threats to Desi, Harry offers to take her and Rachel in and so the two then spend time together and reconnect. Desi explains why she left and she and Harry are able to move on. The main issue I had with this storyline was that Harry was too... everything, she could carry Desi around (in a mobile cast) for long periods without any issues and she’s sweet and accepting and protective (and of-course, handily trained in martial arts). She also comes with the requisite understanding group of friends who are able to provide Desi and Rachel with everything they need. This group includes ‘Buster’ who is the son of Harry’s ex, and who calls Harry ‘Uncle Harry’ even though Harry doesn’t not go by male pronouns or descriptors in any other aspect of her life. There’s also no real explanation as to why Rachel lived with Desi and Byron or why Byron, abusive ass that he is, would have ‘allowed’ it.

My main issue with the book was the ‘bad guys’. We have Byron, the seemingly crazy husband, who wants Desi back for no reason that I could fathom, since he literally thinks at one point that he just wants to kill her to be free of her, since she wants a divorce, seems like there’d be easier ways to accomplish that. His father (Big Byron 🙄) is even more bat shit crazy, and also wants Desi back, but again, I couldn’t fathom why. They’re also so freaking stupid that I couldn’t take them seriously as a threat. I was seriously amazed either of them could dress themselves. The resolution to both of their story arcs was so over the top it was eye-roll inducing.

I know Vali used to write Xena fanfics, don’t know if this was one, but it read like it likely was. The premise of this was actually interesting and it could have been a better book with a little less maniacal and cartoonish bad guys and a bit more emotional depth. 2.5 stars.

One More Chance is exactly the kind of romance novel I expect from Ali Vali, and believe me, my expectations from this author are high. As all of you should know by now, I’m a huge fan of Ms. Vali, and I look forward to all of her new works. I can honestly tell you that I could not put this book down once I got into it. Indeed, somewhere around 2:00 A.M. I finally stopped when I fell asleep in bed and smacked myself in the face with my tablet. I woke up early the next morning and finished it then.

The story is well-written, as we would expect of such an accomplished writer. All of the characters, both main and secondary are well-developed. Harry and Desi, the two main characters are her usual butch/femme duo, and the bad guys are really bad in this story. The setting is New Orleans, and this tale is kind of in the Cain Casey/Sept Savoie universe since there are elements and mentions from both series. Sept even makes a cameo appearance in this book.

The story itself is heart wrenching and heartwarming. Though both main characters have known each other since the third grade, the two become separated (unwillingly) after high school, and Desi ends up in a very abusive marriage. It is only after an extremely brutal assault that Desi and Harry meet again. Harry, an orthopedic surgeon, is called to assess Desi’s injuries, and that is how they reunite. Luckily, Harry not only works to treat Desi’s injuries, but also to protect her from the hell she has been living. Of course this leads to even more danger and possibly a second chance at love. It is an intricate and intriguing story worthy of Ali Vali.
As you can tell from what I’ve written above as well as the blurb for the story, a major subject of this novel is domestic violence. It is a subject that I’m sure was hard to write about. However, it is important to talk about and shed light on since this type of abuse is often hidden, and the victims are left feeling alone and ashamed which only makes things worse. What is written in this novel happens in real life to countless women and men. We should never turn away from this subject simply because it is hard or uncomfortable to read about. I understand that some may have real problems reading this story because of their own history or the history of a loved one, so consider this a trigger warning for those who may have significant problems reading about spousal abuse.

Ms. Vali has been kind enough to pledge a portion of each sale of this book to her local abuse shelter. She also listed the phone number for the National Violence Hotline which is 1-800-799-7233, and as their motto says, “You are not alone”.

This novel has my highest rating, and I’ve listed it in my favorites folder.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for an honest review.

TW: domestic violence, threats throughout

Well-written, contemporary romance. You're rooting for the characters all the way. Like many Vali books, set in NOLA and with a wealthy, kind-hearted, dapper butch. For quality of writing I'd rank this a 4-star; for the content, I'd go 3-star. 3.5-star is the final score.

Desi and Harry were best friends since third grade and high school sweethearts with big plans after graduation. But Desi disappears from Harry's life with no word. After nearly two decades, Desi shows up in Harry's operating theater bloodied and battered after nearly being killed by her husband.

Harry wants to stay away; Desi broke Harry's heart long ago and is clearly not the girl she once was. However, to keep Desi safe and hidden from her husband, Harry agrees to let her convalesce in her home. The two soon reconnect, but until Desi's husband is put in prison, no one is safe.

** I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**

This book was about domestic violence and its aftermath.

Harry met Desi and her younger sister Rachel when she rescued them from elementary school bullies. Since that first meeting when both were third graders, Harry continued to protect them, and the three formed a close friendship. Feelings of friendship turned into more during Harry and Desi’s teenage years. They finally acknowledged their love for each other in their senior year, and made long term plans for their future after graduation. However, those plans were suddenly and unexpectedly thwarted on what should have been a very happy graduation day. Instead that day was the last time Desi ever spoke to Harry, that is until 16 years later, when they were both reunited under very horrific circumstances. Harry was the orthopaedic surgeon trying to fix her very broken former love and now a victim of domestic violence. Desi’s husband, a marriage she was forced into by her controlling father, was still a very serious threat to harm her again, or even go after her sister, so the detective in charge asked for Harry’s help in protecting them. Harry reluctantly agreed. Once reunited by circumstance, both women tried to navigate through the hurt, pain, and always love that existed between them.

This was a very emotional story of domestic violence. The abuse scenes were not easy to read but relevant to the story. Their descriptive nature allowed you to get into that terrifying mindset of the victim in order to get a better understanding of their world and reasoning. It touched upon some concerns as to why the victims don’t leave their abusers, why they refuse to press charges, or once they leave why they go back.
Sometimes the victims are utterly beaten down mentally and physically that unfortunately they welcome death, unless that person has a strong support system to help them leave their abuser like Desi had in Harry. But even then Desi’s resolve seemed to waver for a number of reasons. This was all understandable since she was still in that fearful mindset with an extreme low self image.

The relationship between Harry and Desi developed slowly. But once Desi allowed her mind to accept her new and safe place with Harry, they made up for all those years apart.

Besides the romance, the author also provided moments of levity.The secondary characters, which included two long term male partners, provided playful bantering mostly directed at Harry. There was also a young boy, Butch, who was always a distraction from serious situations the characters faced. To lighten the mood even more, but not really in a positive way, the author had Harry teach Butch some cringeworthy habits much to the annoyance of his mother. I actually didn’t understand why Harry would teach him such bad habits, and bad habits are hard to break. It seemed to be out of character given her upbringing and overall demeanor. I think more bantering among her friends would have been a better choice to add distractions.

As I was reading this story I couldn’t help but think about those real life victims of domestic violence, especially during the pandemic lockdown. I can only hope and pray that somehow someday they have a real life Harry to help them, and finally get the justice they deserve.

An ARC was given for an honest review.

Desi is married to an abusive man. When he almost kills her one night, she is taken to the hospital, where her orthopedic surgeon is none other than her high school girlfriend, Harry. In order to protect Desi from further attacks by her husband, Harry allows Desi and her sister to move into her home for recovery.

This book was too full of hard-to-believe coincidences and random facts to make the story work, even for a romance novel. It was also very uneven. At times, the writing was engaging and you cared about the characters and then at others, it seemed to drag on. The main characters' romance felt very unbelievable at times, and in the end, I didn't care whether they ended up together or not, as long as the book ended.

Not my favorite read overall.

I would like to thank Ali Vali and Bold Strokes Books for the arc in return for my honest opinion. Again I do not give spoilers and frankly I try not to reveal much about the book. That being said this book was well written, not surprising as Ali has many books under her belt. This books main Characters met in grade three I think?. The book does little in the way of framing how that relationship evolved and I really think for me, it could have used much more backstory.. Again that being said that contributed I think to me not feeling much about the 2 main characters and kinda wish the sisters story would have been explored more..but maybe that's in the next book.. In closing this book is worth the time and grabs you at points and in others not so much..solid 3 stars from me

Fair warning: this story deals with domestic violence.

I was happy to see that one of Ali Vali’s early fanfic stories that I enjoyed had been published. I first read it around 2009 or earlier when it was published online as “How do You Mend a Broken Heart”. This was one of the first Xena AU (alternative universe) stories that I ever read. While reading this version, I noticed a few edits here and there that helped take it out of fanfic realm and scene cuts that were not missed.

There is Dr. Harriet (Harry) Basantes is a modern Xena(ish) character. Tall, dark, blue-eyed, gorgeous, generous, and compassionate lesbian woman who is one of the best orthopedic surgeons in Louisiana. She is also a martial arts master and Desi's protector. The other main character is Desiree (Desi) Thompson who is a year or two younger than Harry and is the modern Gabrielle(ish) character. Short, blond, green-eyed, gorgeous, loving, and a kind woman. She and Harry had been childhood friends that developed into more than just friends in High School. Desi's home life was difficult, a single father and a younger sister, Rachel whom she loved and protected from their abusive father. When her father discovered the relationship, he told Desi she couldn't see her sister, Rachel again if she didn't stop seeing Harry. Harry went off to college, never knowing why Desi broke off all ties with her. Fast forward 16 years and they meet again - in the ER when Desi is brought in with a leg horribly smashed by her abusive husband. Harry, now an orthopedic surgeon, fixes Desi's leg and brings her and Rachel to her large home to recover and to escape and protect Desi from her revengeful husband.

Yeah, at times Harry is too good to be true and some of the situations are over the top, but still you love them both and cheer as their love rekindles. The book also has a strong supporting cast with Rachel, Harry’s best friend Serena and her son Albert, aka Butch and Mona, Harry’s longtime cook and housekeeper.

There was a sequel to the fanfic that was removed so hopefully Vali will publish it as well.

Memorable quotes:
Mona: “What in the hell was that girl thinking, naming that sweet child Albert? Might as well tape a note to his forehead the first day of school with “I’m Albert, please feel free to beat the crap out of me and steal my lunch money.”

And when Desi’s ex-father-in-law grabbed Desi, only to find himself in a painful wrist lock by Harry. Harry: “Try this again, and I’ll break every one of your fingers and name the bones as I do.”

I admire this novel for taking on some very difficult themes, namely, domestic violence. I also like that there are multiple LGBTQ+ characters... for example, the main character's best friend is a gay man. I think that survivors of intimate partner violence, and especially those who had been abused or estranged from family because of their sexuality or gender identity may feel very "seen" by this book. That said, it wasn't a great fit for me. I craved more emotional depth, and felt that the book was very much plot-based as opposed to about character development. In a way, this book reminded me of a crime or medical TV show, which isn't a bad thing if that's the sort of book you enjoy. So while not for me, I'm glad this book exists and admire the topics it took on.

Vali knows how to set the hook! I was sucked in from the very first paragraph and finished the book in one day. I am a big fan, and Vali never disappoints. I think my favorite part about this author is she has repeat appearances by characters she uses in other books, and this book is no exception. Ok, enough fangirling about the author. The story is based on the dark subject of domestic violence and how it takes a village to overcome the effects. The main characters connected at an early age, were unwillingly torn apart, and then able to reestablish their relationship in adulthood. The unwavering connection between the two is evident throughout, even as they work through misunderstandings. Solidly entertaining and emotionally satisfying! There were a couple of editorial oversights, but nothing took away from the essence of the story.

Domestic violence is always a hard subject to read. its too sad too real. and the fact is often times you can't provide help !. the book was good in showcasing the violence and healing. I'd say its not as dark as i imagined, and i'm thankful for that. I kept reading until the very end non stop tbh. I'd say the only downfall for me was the going back to the past without any warning. you get adapt to the style tho very quickly, and you can pretty much know what's now and what's storytelling.

thank you for the author and her team

Domestic Violence it’s powerful topic whether is physical or verbally. It’s takes a strong person to leave. It’s takes a stronger person to stay.

Desi sacrifice her life to protect the two people she loves the most. Desi and Harry met when they were young children and became best friends and then their feelings change into more. When Desi father Clyde learns of this relationship he goes crazy which surprise her because he doesn’t care for her or her sister Rachel when he tells her to never see Harry again or her sister Rachel and Harry will suffer she complies and marry a man that her father chooses Bryon who is more worst then her father.

Harry is shock when she called to the ER to help a assaulted patient get the surprise of her life when sees it’s her childhood sweetheart Desi who disappears without a word. Harry who is still hurting over Desi disappears is surprise to learn why she never contact her and the sacrifice she made. Harry vows to stand by Desi and help her through this while they try to rebuild their relationship. I love the supporting characters Rachel Serena Mona Tony Kenneth as they help Desi and Harry. I like how they go into details on how to proceed and how hard to get a conviction when it comes to abuse.

Overall a good read despite what the topic is on.


I received an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley and voluntarily leaving my review.

A powerful topic, but I struggled with the prose and characterization. There are a lot of blocking issues with people unexplainedly changing locations between one sentence and the next, and I often lost track of who was speaking. I like the use of flashbacks to tell the extensive backstory, but even then there are a lot of exposition dumps that keep me from connecting to what are trying to be very emotional scenes.

I pushed through all that because I wanted to see Desi overcome her asshole abusive husband...and then about a third of the way through met Mona, Harry’s housekeeper and possibly the only Black character, whose depiction is a weird combo of mammy and sassy black friend. She’s a minor character but larger-than-life enough that, on top of my general struggle getting into the story, I gave up reading.

Two stars for the powerful subject matter and the constant message that spousal abuse is complicated and awful, even if the execution left a lot to be desired.