Spring is in the air in Starr’s Fall, and for two people, love may be just a roll of the dice away…

As the frozen earth gives way to the first spring crocuses, pushing their way into the warmer air, Maggie arrives in Starr’s Fall. She’s looking for a new start, with her lovable but painfully shy teenaged son in tow.

It feels like the odds are against her, but she’s determined to come out winning this time, and to fulfil her dream of opening up a board game café. But not everything’s a game, and when she finds herself attracted to a man who’s known as a different sort of player, she worries she’s setting herself up to lose.

Zach is funny, surprisingly geeky, and, most importantly, bonds with her son. But Zach is also drop-dead gorgeous, has a reputation around town, and is also ten years younger than her.

When he asks her out on a date, Maggie is totally thrown. She can’t deny she’s attracted to him. But is she ready to risk her heart with another roll of the dice?

Loved it. Loved Maggie. I felt like she was relatable. Will recommend to others.

Playing For Keeps in Starr’s Fall by Kate Hewitt is a charming and heartfelt romance that beautifully captures fresh starts, second chances, and unexpected connections. Maggie’s journey to build a new life while protecting her heart is touching, and her chemistry with Zach is warm and believable. The small-town setting adds to the cozy appeal, and I enjoyed every moment of this uplifting story. I rated it five stars.

I was so excited to return to starrs fall but sadly this one wasn’t as good as the first.

As the frozen earth gives way to the first spring crocuses, pushing their way into the warmer air, Maggie arrives in Starr’s Fall. She’s looking for a new start, with her lovable but painfully shy teenaged son in tow.
It feels like the odds are against her, but she’s determined to come out winning this time, and to fulfil her dream of opening up a board game café. But not everything’s a game, and when she finds herself attracted to a man who’s known as a different sort of player, she worries she’s setting herself up to lose.


For fans of The Pumpkin Spice Cafe or Virgin River this is a small town series that sees cameos from previous characters in the new books which is so fun as a reader. For a romance book this one is deep with serious topics such as bullying, suicide attempts, death of a partner/parent and more. That being said, everything is written very well and respectfully but it takes away from the actual romance portion. I didn’t feel chemistry between the two main characters and the love story felt rushed. There is an age gap which some readers love but for me it added an immaturity level to the plot.

Overall, I’ll continue this series but it just didn’t have the same oomph or cozy levels that the first one did.

I loved this every bit as much as the first book-or maybe even more! Starr’s Fall reminds me so much of Stars Hollow, and the quirky townspeople remind me of the people that live in Stars Hollow. In this installment, Maggie moves to town with her 14yr old son Ben to start a Board Game Cafe (which sounds like such a fun place to hang out). Maggie’s husband passed away just over a year ago, and Maggie and Ben have grieved deeply. They both need a complete change in their lives, so they move to the place where some of their happiest vacation memories were made.

Soon after arriving, they meet Laurie and Josh from the first installment of this series, and a bunch of other people in town. Including Zach, who has lived in town for his entire life, and has had a difficult time living down his negative high school reputation. The two hit it off, and young Ben really takes to Zach as well. The town does a wonderful job of welcoming newcomers. They opened their arms to Maggie and Ben, just like they did to Laurie in the first installment.

I love the way this author has incorporated the people from the first book into the second so well, and I love that the people in the background all have little plotlines that are carrying over as well. The first book had a perfect autumn vibe, and the vibe in this one was of a New England town transitioning from winter into spring. I’m looking forward to the next book, which looks like it will be a winter/Christmas book. And since it features Zach’s sister Jenna, I know I’ll be able to continue following along with Maggie and Zach, Laurie and Josh.

Really enjoyed this!

In the latest book in the Starr’s Fall series, readers return to the charming New England town where Maggie and her son just moved in with the start of spring. Leaving their pasts behind and hoping for a new start for her son, Maggie is ready to open their board game cafe and hasn’t counted on Zach derailing her plans for a new life in Starr’s Fall. Funny, geeky, and good with her son, Zach could be great for Maggie and their happiness in Starr’s Fall, but his reputation and age throw her, especially when he asks her out on a date and forces her to confront her fears and a new chance at happiness. Entertaining, whimsical, and charming, this is a fantastic continuation of this cozy romance series that fans of the previous book will love, and the characters are the absolute stars of the novel. Maggie and Zach, with their alternating perspectives, let readers see the events of the novel, their growing relationship, and the town from two unique angles, and their perspectives are perfectly balanced throughout the book. A fantastic book for romance readers and fans of Kate Hewitt, this book is cozy and charming in all the ways readers will love.

Another great story from star falls telling the story of Maggie a widow and her son Ben who open a board game cafe and along comes Zach to help this is a easy and most enjoyable read

Thank you so much for the ARC! I am definitely going to go back and read the first one. Definitely gave me Gilmore Girls vibes and I liked the chemistry between them. And different adding in the teenage son. A lot of times in those stories they have a much younger child

Playing for Keeps in Starr's Fall is the second book in the Starr Falls series. I really enjoyed the characters.
I really enjoyed the first book and this one was alright. I feel like the third person pov threw me off.

what to expect
low spice
widower
single mom
the town playboy
small town

Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood for a copy in exchange for a honest review.

The second book in the Starr's Fall series and although I still like the first book more, this is a good addition to the series. The story is a bit more serious in tone and we only get short glimpses of the characters introduced in the first book.

The potential couple in question, Maggie and Zach, have opposite personalities but there is an instant attraction when they first meet. Even with a 10 year age gap between them (Maggie being older with a teenage son) and a reputation for being a 'player' preceding Zach, Zach proves to be more emotionally mature when it matters most.

I received a digital ARC of the book from the publisher Boldwood Books and the author Kate Hewitt via NetGalley.

A happy return for me visiting Starr’s Fall once more.
I loved the first Starr’s fall book, and very much enjoyed reading this book too. It can be read as a standalone book, but because I’ve read the first it was lovely to glimpse once again into some of the characters lives..
It does cover some extremely sensitive topics.

This book sees Maggie and her teenage son Ben moving to Starr’s fall. Starting over in life, a new chapter.

I am hoping there will be further books written about the residents of Starr’s Fall….

Many thanks to NetGalley and Publisher for an advanced e-book copy. Opinions about the book are entirely my own.

I devoured this book which is the second in the Starrs Fall series. I can't wait for the next one to land. A lovely mix of characters and it's really nice that each is introduced with a new story. Such a lovely way to meet new characters. Wonderful series

Having read the first book set in Starr’s Fall I was so excited for this one to come out and I’ve not been disappointed. This is another fabulous read, it covers a lot of serious issues that Maggie and her son Ben have been through, but it does it in a sensitive and respectful way. Zach is a character we met briefly in the previous book but didn’t get a lot of his story there, so it was nice to spend more time getting to know him. It was also lovely to see the other residents of Starr’s Fall again, and experience the warmth and community that exists in this town.

I loved watching Maggie and Ben set up their shop and start living a new life. It wasn’t all plain sailing, big changes rarely are, but it was good to see how they negotiated the obstacles that came up as they built a new life for themselves. I also loved Zach’s story. He makes some changes for himself through the course of the book and it showed that you don’t always have to have a complete change of scene (like moving to a new town) to make changes in your life.

The descriptions and the characters are written in a way that made me feel like I was part of the town and it was lovely being back there again. It’s clear there could be more books set here, and I’m really hoping there will be. This is a lovely, heart warming, cosy read that is ideal for this time of year.

“Playing for Keeps at Starr’s Fall” picks up the threads of the people of the small Connecticut town of Starr’s Fall first seen in “Coming Home to Starr’s Fall” (which I read last autumn and absolutely loved!), with the new additions arriving in their midst of Maggie and Ben - a mother and her fourteen-year-old son relocating to somewhere they had visited only on holiday, following a bereavement and a difficult period. Maggie is intent on starting a new chapter in Starr’s Fall and opening up a boardgame cafe on the Main Street.

As Maggie and Ben find their feet and prepare to open their gaming cafe, they slowly get to know the wider cast of characters, from Laurie and Joshua, fellow small business owners of the pet shop/bakery and bookshop and main characters from the previous book, to Henrietta Starr, the characterful octogenarian of the town’s original founding family, to Zach, the general store owner, who begins to get to know both Ben and then Maggie well.

This book deals with some difficult themes, particularly adolescent mental health, but gently settles Maggie and Ben into the Starr’s Fall pace of life, and really enjoyed this involving story, full of community, small-town charm and romance too.

I’m loving these so much that I’ve now pre ordered the next in paperback - a Christmas one!! 😍🎄- and so look forward to it arriving. So glad to have discovered such a perfect escape of a series and looking forward to visiting characters from both books again, as well as discovering new.

A second trip to Starrs fall where Maggie and her Son Ben arrive to open a board game cafe. Maggie promised this to her son who was bullied so it’s time for a fresh start.

Will it be a fresh start and new beginnings for them both?

This was a delightful read with some interesting characters and a small town setting which welcomes you in. Maggie is putting the needs of her teenage son, Ben, first and foremost and has moved from her fashionable and modern mansion to open a board games shop in Starr's Fall. Both Maggie and Ben are dealing with trauma from the past few years and Maggie is coming to terms with the death of her husband a year ago. Ben is a withdrawn young boy with awkward social skills and in many ways, both Mother and son just want to hide away from people they don't know. You witness Maggie take her courage in her hands and force herself to mix and to seek out new opportunities in Starr's Fall.

When Maggie meets Zach, she finds herself attracted to him but wary of getting to know him. You discover that there may be misconceptions about him amongst the town's folk and that there is more to him than her first impression. I found this to be an enjoyable read with few surprising moments. The small town feel underlined the community and there are some interesting characters waiting in the wings for future stories, I am sure.

In short: new starts and new romances

A Kate Hewitt romance is a comfort, no matter how angsty the premise and Playing for Keeps is quite angsty; however, the essential goodness of her characters, in the form of their willingness to change, forgive, take a chance on and with their hearts, redeem the angst. It was so in Starr’s Fall #1 and it is so in the present volume. I may have liked number two more than number one, if only because it felt like hero and heroine had more on-page time, though Hewitt’s series skirts WF and centres more on the protagonists’ change and growth than on their romance. The blurbish details to round us out:

As the frozen earth gives way to the first spring crocuses, pushing their way into the warmer air, Maggie arrives in Starr’s Fall. She’s looking for a new start, with her lovable but painfully shy teenaged son in tow.

It feels like the odds are against her, but she’s determined to come out winning this time, and to fulfil her dream of opening up a board game café. But not everything’s a game, and when she finds herself attracted to a man who’s known as a different sort of player, she worries she’s setting herself up to lose.

Zach is funny, surprisingly geeky, and, most importantly, bonds with her son. But Zach is also drop-dead gorgeous, has a reputation around town, and is also ten years younger than her.

When he asks her out on a date, Maggie is totally thrown. She can’t deny she’s attracted to him. But is she ready to risk her heart with another roll of the dice?

Ugh to that grammar error, btw: it’s “ten years younger than she. Also, the “dream” is her son’s and Maggie will do anything to help him have a purpose, interest, and enjoyment.

Though the series has WF-vibes, I give Hewitt credit for working with Zach as much as Maggie. The romance isn’t intense, but consistently present; however, it does not come to any fruition until these two work through certain internal obstacles. Of the two, I found Zach’s more interesting. Maggie has to get over the age difference and admit that, though she mourns and regrets her husband’s loss, their marriage was on the rocks and the smash-up, imminent. Zach, on the other hand, has to contend with his town persona versus what he’s feeling and thinking: incredibly good-looking and town heart-throb, Zach is actually looking for love and romance (though he comes across as a player). He’s “played the role” or allowed others to define him and he’s taken a passive stance vis-a-vis his sister and the running of their parents’ store. Basically, he hasn’t taken any initiative and he’s been defined by others. I thought Hewitt did well to play in this way with the good-looking player romance trope.

Hewitt also deserves the kudos for making Zach, Maggie, and Ben develop a friendship, with pizza, fun, and banter. It lightened what could have been a heavier narrative. And the mutual attraction, though kisses-only, was passionate and believable. Unfortunately, there came a Big Over-Reaction and not enough by way of conversation and this led to too long a time for the protagonists to be apart. When they finally get together, it feels less likely they’ll stay together as they’ve changed along the way. So, not a terribly satisfying HEA, but Hewitt’s fine prose shines throughout.

Kate Hewitt’s Playing for Keeps in Starr’s Fall is published by Boldwood Books and released on March 21. I received an e-galley from Boldwood Books via Netgalley. The above is my honest, AI-free opinion.

Playing for Keeps in Starr’s Fall is a heartwarming small town romance that I absolutely loved! I really enjoyed the first one in this series so I was looking forward to reading this one. This story is set in a quaint New England town with charming characters and is perfect for a fresh start. The romance between the main characters, Maggie and Zach, is very sweet and slow-burning. This book deals with heavy themes like bullying, self harm and grief, but the tone remains uplifting and hopeful.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

Thank you, NetGalley for the ARC! Playing For Keeps in Starr’s Fall by Kate Hewitt is a lighthearted romcom about a young widow and her son who move to Starr’s Fall in hopes of a better life. Following the tragic death of her husband and her son’s difficult schooling year, Maggie decides to uproot Ben and move to Starr’s Fall to open a board game cafe. Little did she know, that this move would help her come to terms with the reality of her marriage before her husband‘s death. It also would allow her to accept the things that happened in her life in order to move on to better things. Being brave is not always easy, but sometimes is an essential part of life. Overall, a quick light read that I would recommend to others.

Kate Hewitt does emotion so well, and in Playing For Keeps In Starr’s Fall, she has managed to cover grief, loss, guilt, depression, and suicide in a measured yet engaging way. Starr’s Fall is a town of second chances and new beginnings for Maggie and her son Ben, who lost Maggie’s husband Matt in a motor vehicle crash just over a year before their story begins. It is clear that these two are barely marking time in their massive Greenwich home and that starting a boardgame café in a town they’ve only previously visited for holidays is a risky move. I felt for them both. Maggie is clearly riddled with grief, guilt, and worry, while Ben has withdrawn into his shell, virtually living his life in an online game called RainQuest. Zach, aka “Mr. Extra Spicy” both for his looks and his taste in pizza toppings, seems to be both happy-go-lucky and a bit of a flirt, though as the story unfolds it becomes clear that his life is not all beer and skittles either. I loved that he was keen to pursue a relationship with Maggie despite her being ten years older than him. At the same time, I could understand her worry over the age gap. These two are just wonderful characters and their story is uplifting and engaging from start to finish. The secondary characters are wonderful too, each playing a pivotal role in moving the story forward. The end of this book is heartwarming and uplifting. I haven’t read the first book in this series but am definitely going to check it out now. If it’s as good as this one, it will be worth reading.

This is the second book in the Starr's Fall series. I hadn't read the first one prior to this and it didn't affect my enjoyment of this book one little bit.

Starr's Fall is a small town where the main character, Maggie and her son, Ben have relocated to following the death of Maggie's husband. I liked Maggie's character very much. I appreciated the way with every decision she made she had Ben's welfare at the front of her mind and I think this made her extremely likeable.

I equally enjoyed the small town setting which the author described perfectly. The author brought the setting very much to life on the page.

Zach, the love interest was also a great character. It's a slow burn of a romance, but it was perfectly portrayed and I was rooting for them to get together. It's a lovely book which I recommend.