What a great book! I truly love Jennifer Probst, her books are always well written and have great characters to immerse yourself into while reading her stories.

I found The Relunctant Flirt to be heartwarming, funny, and bit emotional given Kane and Sierra's past. Loved Montgomery and his hysterical antics, especially loved Flirt, and the secondary characters, all made for a really great read. The chemistry between Kane and Sierra was definitely off the charts and kept the pages turning! Loved the ending, and really hoping there's another book to this series.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC copy of this book.

The Reluctant Flirt is a charming, feel-good romance with heart, heat, and humor. Jennifer Probst delivers witty banter, relatable characters, and a slow-burn chemistry that keeps the pages turning. The heroine’s growth and the hero’s vulnerability added depth to a story that’s both fun and emotionally satisfying. It’s the kind of romance that leaves you smiling.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

. ݁₊ ⊹ — 1 ⭐️ — . ݁˖ . ݁
started june 13th | finished june 13th
ˋ°•*⁀➷ tropes: second chance, small town romance (i think?)

this book was so weird. i was kinda excited for it because the cover is cute and i like the title, which initially drew me in with its promise of a fun, lighthearted romance. but no. i had to dnf it because wtf was that. i was so bored and uninterested in the whole story from the very beginning. the plot just kinda weirdly jumped from there to there, suddenly we were four months later then five years earlier like what? the characters were so weird and unrealistic and flat and i really can't tell you their names or anything memorable about their personalities. they lacked depth, motivation, and any sort of chemistry that would make me care about their relationship. even the hockey elements, which usually add some excitement to a sports romance, fell completely flat and seemed more like an afterthought than an integral part of the story.

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ˋ°•*⁀➷ 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 ♡
this is a big NO for me. there’s not even much to say because i just don’t remember anything that would stand out to me enough to remember it. sorry not sorry.

⤷ *thank you to netgalley and blue box press for providing me this arc in exchange for an honest review <3*

yup. this was every bit of me for this book. i loved it. totally smitten romance reader here. you know when you get a good feeling from the blurb and you hope it pays off. well hope is fulfilled as this book delivered what i was wanting from said blurb. and more.
one night and a welcome and fire lighting connection. but its one night. its over. its done. right?.... hmm come on, you know the drill by now dear readers.
i am liking what books are showing more of. where the guy is all in. at first i was cynical. thinking these guys dont exist, dont act like this, so the heartbroken from life part of me was just unable to believe in it. therefore i was so hurt by this it made romances get a bit hard to read.but then you realise when do things change? how do they? and that might just be in small changes we see in books. and in these cases where the guy isnt afraid to be all in. show it. and all at once that for me 'MADE THEM MEN'.
i also love we get to see side characters which make the book what is is. they make,never over shadow but always add so much to the novel. and i also think there could be a potential for them to have the own shining light? what do you say Jennifer? i think you know who i mean...
this book covered how hard it truly can be to break the wall you can put around yourself when hurt. i truly felt that coming off the pages. its frustrating and painful but the rawness can be healed. sometimes with time, sometimes with work, sometimes with others. but it can. and i felt that all being done to perfection in this book and how it told it.sometimes it can go further than people like it too. they want it tied up in a bow. but for some it takes longer and in some cases might even hurt those you love or around you. but thats humans for you and some people dont heal as we'd like or when we'd like. and when people stick it out by your side then that is love, that is something so strong in a relationship, it will always be life changing.
ive gone deep in my review, and i think this is because ive seen a few people recently complaining when people dont just "get over it". but this book is so much fun. its full of warmth, and flirting and smiles that truly reach your ears.
loved it.

I really liked the authors writing style and enjoyed the story. I did notice all the names seemed a bit out there (I personally love a more modern and unique name, my 9 year old is a Sawyer) but it felt disingenuous to me that all of the main and side characters had these sort of names and it took me out of the story briefly. I rated the book 3.25 stars, I think it was an enjoyable read

Fun read with good chemistry between Sierra and Kane. I liked that the story shows peeks that neither one really ever let their one night stand go - him with the honest & direct pursuit of Sierra, and her with such a strong connection to the word flirt that she names her store after something he said to her that first night.
I enjoyed the growth between the two of them, her realizing how much effort he was putting into spending time with her as they planned her sister and his best friend's engagement party even though she kept trying to create distance.
There was some additional backstory for each of them that I felt was missing, but now realize there may be some answers in the previous book (which I haven't read yet).
I always like and appreciate a good second-chance story, especially when there aren't lots of common pitfalls from miscommunication or no communication. And when someone steps in to create a mentor/found family aspect for one of the characters (like Duncan did for Kane), it makes me root even harder for them.

Ultimately, this one did not end up working for me all the way. Though, maybe that is because I didn’t read the first in the same universe as I didn’t realize they were interconnected.

I didn’t buy how angry they seemed to be at each other based on one night together. A lot of unearned tension.

thank you to netgalley for this early e-arc <3

I really did enjoy this book esp inbetween reading fantasy books its always nice to pick up a romance.

I devoured this book within a couple of hours.

The Reluctant Flirt is the sequel to The Book of the Month, and I’d definitely recommend reading that one first. This second installment picks up during a familiar scene from the first book—but this time, we get the story from the new main characters’ perspectives, which was a nice touch and added a fresh layer to the timeline.

That said, this book didn’t quite have the same spark as the first. The plot felt slow and predictable, with very little happening to keep the momentum going. For a romance, it lacked the emotional depth and excitement I was hoping for. I also found the constant repetition of the word “God” as an exclamation distracting—it popped up so frequently it became exhausting to read. There are more creative ways to express emotion, and I wish that had been explored more.

Even so, it seems like this book is setting the stage for a third, focusing on some of the side characters—and that part has me intrigued. While The Reluctant Flirt wasn’t a standout for me, I’m still looking forward to seeing where the series goes next.

Wow, I really loved this book. I read it so fast, I was hooked from the start. Sierra and Kane have amazing chemistry, like, really strong. I could feel the tension and all the emotions between them. Both of them felt real to me, with their own strong personalities and past mistakes. I always enjoy when the characters feel mature but still show vulnerability. Also, the writing style is easy to follow but still emotional. Honestly, Kane was just chef’s kiss, confident but not arrogant, and Sierra knows how to stand her ground, which I loved. I hope to read Aspen’s story next. Thank you so much to the author and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read the book in advance, I received this for free and I'm leaving a honest review

I really enjoyed the first book of this series, but sadly I didn't hit it off with this one. I'd give it three stars.
With third person writing, it always takes me a little bit to get into the story, but somehow I couldn't relate to the characters.
It was a quick, enjoyable read, but it didn't stand out, and I know I'll forget about this one soon.

I'd still recommend to read it, if you've enjoyed the first book.

I have to start by saying Jennifer Probst is my favorite author. Every book I have read of hers is better than the last! I loved her Meet me in Italy series & now this is the second book in her Outer Banks Series. I loved Book of the Month and now reading The Reluctant Flirt, brings back the same characters. This book is about Sierra, Aspen's sister and Kane, Brick's best friend. Sierra and Kane first met 4 years ago and had a one night stand. Neither one of them has been able to forget about the other. Brick and Aspen introduce them at dinner one night in the Outer Banks and Sierra is shocked that Kane is the man she has never forgotten. This is a perfect beach read that will leave you wanting more! Thank you NetGalley and Blue Box Press for the ARC! 100% recommend this book!

Small town romance is a great trope, and the story starts in New York City with an explosive connection that follows up four years later into a fiery connection.

I have to say once again, in some of these romance novels, I’m tending to lean more into loving the guy more than the girl. While I understand a lot of hesitation

I love it when the guy is all in and isn’t afraid to admit it. Breaking down the barriers is a lot of this book. He was constantly on the chase, trying to convince her that what they had was real.

Blending in with other characters brings that Outer Banks vacation town vibe. They’re all interesting and fun characters, and the author even set it up for another potential romance – maybe another book to come??

Probst is amazing when it comes to setting up those hot romance vibes. The electricity and the intense feelings are all there. It’s just breaking through the ice to make that final connection, but he’s diligent. I was cheering him on all the way through!

I enjoyed the overall story, but she tended to annoy me with her overall lack of trust in herself and him. The third quarter demo scene was drama-filled and crushed their growth. That was sad and unnecessary on her part, I also feel that the author took it a bit beyond where it needed to go or needed to be.

We got the HEA, but I wanted more from it, but after the demo scene, it wasn’t everything I expected. All in all, The Reluctant Flirt by Jennifer Probst is sweet, hot, and funny in many places. Great read for your summer beach vibes!

This is a charming second chance romance between a high earning commercial real estate developer and a recent divorcée as they embark on their own journeys of self discovery to find who they are underneath their expectations for themselves and what that means for their inexplicable chemistry together.

I think this story would have hit a little harder for me had I (ironically) read more carefully to see this was a sequel in a series. It can still be enjoyed as a standalone, but there are many side characters we don’t get to fully connect to as I assume they are more throughly introduced in Book of the Month. There were a few times a character is brought in without an intro and I had to re-read a few sections to make sure I didn’t miss anything.

However, the dynamic between the two protagonists is still strong enough to carry the story through. If you enjoy second chance romances, small town settings and detailed descriptions of women’s shoes, you’ll definitely love The Reluctant Flirt.

This was a really fun and cute love story. I was hooked right away, characters were all lovable and i kept thinking “if only real life was like this”. Definitely recommend

This a second chance love story about two jaded lone wolves. The back and forth with the central couple, Sierra and Kane is easily the best thing about the book. I didn't realise upon starting that it was part of an ongoing series. The story makes sense in isolation but lots of the other characters and plot points are obviously from a previous book and I found myself not really engaging with them. I expect that lots of people will relate to Sierra and the life that she's built in business post-divore and the caution with which she now approaches life.

The Reluctant Flirt is the second book in Jennifer Probst's Outer Banks series and I couldn't wait to dive into this story. It's funny, sweet, spicy, swoony, and emotional. It's a complete standalone but it does have some spoilers from Book of the Month, the first book in the series. This story centers around Sierra and Kane, two people who have a history that nobody knows about. One night, no names in New York City, with Sierra vanishing before dawn. Several years later, their paths cross again, and the story takes off from there.

I love Sierra! She strong, independent, gorgeous, feisty, successful, and she's built a business and life that she can be proud of after divorcing her ex. She's headstrong and believes she doesn't need a man in her life to be fulfilled. Enter Kane, the man from her one night in NYC. Kane is charismatic, gorgeous, driven, and wanted by every woman in town. He comes to Duck the Outer Banks to escape a professional and personal nightmare, seeking refuge with is best friend Brick, who is engaged to Sierra's sister. When they come face to face, neither can believe it. And so starts the chase. Sierra doesn't want to give Kane the time of day, but he is determined to win her over and make her his. Things are not smooth sailing for these two and they have their share of ups and downs, and everything in between. But their chemistry is undeniable and they can't stay away from each other.

The Reluctant Flirt will draw you in quickly and you'll be rooting for Sierra and Kane from the very start. You'll laugh, you'll smile, and your heart will break as secrets and past experiences are revealed. But with a satisfying, happily ever after, you'll be left with a smile on your face and a spring in your step. 4 stars

After discovering her husbands affair, Sierra Lourde flees to New York City. There she meets and has a one night stand with Kane Masterson but flees in the early morning hours. Years pass and Sierra is now owner of a trendy boutique called Flint and enjoying her life. When Kane Masterson moves to the Outer Band to work for a friend, they are shocked to see each other again. Kane and Sierra have never forgotten that night but Sierra is determined to leave it at that one night. Can a one night stand turn in to a lasting relationship?


Thanks to Jennifer Probst and Blue Book Press for the book

The Reluctant Flirt was everything I love in a romance — banter that bites, slow-burn tension, and two characters who crash into each other in the best, most chaotic way. The female lead was sharp, guarded, and refreshingly self-aware, while the male lead brought that “I see all your walls and I’m not scared of them” energy that totally melted me. Their chemistry built slowly but deliciously, layered with snark, stolen glances, and moments of unexpected softness. The emotional growth felt real, the humor hit perfectly, and the romance had just enough heat to keep me grinning. A fun, flirty, and feel-good read I’d happily recommend.

The Reluctant Flirt is book two in the Outer Banks series but can be read as a standalone. Sierra took care of everyone in her life- her parents (when they were alive), her sister after her parents passed away, and her husband before they divorced. But eight years ago, Sierra fled to New York after finalizing her divorce and had one magical night with a mystery man with no names and no expectations. The next morning, she runs before he can wake up but he left his mark. In the present, she is the proud owner of her own boutique and doing well for herself; the only thing missing in her life is the companionship of a partner. Enter Kane, the best friend of her sister’s boyfriend. When Sierra meets Kane she realizes it’s the perfect one night stand she ran out on eight years ago. And Kane wants answers… and Sierra. With her sister’s engagement, Sierra and Kane are forced to be around one another and sparks start to fly again. But Kane has come to Outer Banks with secrets. Will Sierra and Kane be able to turn their perfect one night stand into happily ever after? Or will Kane’s secrets and ambition be too much for Sierra?

I loved book two in the Outer Banks series. I have been rooting for Sierra’s since reading book one and loved her direct, bold attitude. Kane’s character was written perfectly as the counterpart to Sierra. I liked everything about the book but the events following the climax (no pun intended). I felt it was rushed to end the book. I believe if the climax came earlier and the falling action was flushed out a little more, the book would flow better into the resolution. I gave this book 4.5 ⭐️’s. Can’t wait for the next book by this author!

Thank you to NetGalley, Jennifer Probst, and Blue Box Press for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.