First of all, I want to thank Jessica Sherry for letting me read the ARC of this book. I started Every Chance After without knowing what to expect but I was immediately drawn in by the depth of the characters and the care the author shows in handling difficult themes like grief and loss.

Tropes
Grumpy x Sunshine
Found Family
Slow Burn
Age Gap
Disastrous/Traumatic Meet-Cute
Second Chances
Friends to Lovers
Small Town Romance

The story begins dramatically. Marnie Strange, 25 years old, is on her way to her wedding when a car accident changes everything. Grady Tripp, a 36-year-old veterinarian, falls asleep at the wheel and hits her. The accident is devastating and Marnie loses the ability to have children and her life is completely turned upside down. Even her fiancé and family abandon her, leaving her alone with the pain.
Full of guilt, Grady decides to take care of her and slowly a bond forms between them. What starts as a relationship based on guilt becomes a deep and unexpected connection.

Marnie is a bright, creative and resilient protagonist. Despite everything that happens to her, she maintains a positive energy and incredible strength. She is a woman who learns to take care of herself, deal with her pain and stand up to those who hurt her. Sometimes her positivity can seem extreme but it makes her character unique and lovable.

Grady is Marnie’s perfect opposite: he is grumpy, irritable, full of guilt and has a painful past. Behind his tough exterior he has a tender and protective heart. Through his relationship with Marnie he learns to let go of guilt and to believe he deserves happiness and love (are you not already tearing up?).

The chemistry between Marnie and Grady is immediate but their bond grows slowly. They complement each other: she brings him light and hope, he gives her security and support. Their relationship evolves from guilt to friendship and finally to true love, with many sweet moments along the way.

Jessica Sherry writes in a direct but emotionally strong way. She creates realistic and deep characters and handles delicate themes without making the reading heavy. Her prose is smooth and can make you laugh, cry, and reflect.

This was an uplifting and sultry read, with fantastic chemistry and an inclusive small-town community. I immediately wanted to learn more about Marina because she was so hopeful and trusting with Grady after the pivotal accident, it was curious how she internalized and accepted the events. Jessica Sherry artfully painted Marina as a young, beautiful woman who battled between optimism and pessimism with those she loved. We see Marina wanting to believe in the good of people and try to take life less seriously, while still feeling unloveable and alone from the relationships she has with her mother and the town community. Enter Grady, a cranky rude vet who begins to take care of her as he falls deeply in love.

The slow burn between them gave me butterflies and although I tried to savour this book, I just didn't want to put it down. Grady falls hard and fast for Marina, but we see him battling those feelings and working hard to learn more about her, which brings us rich details about her character. It was lovely to see her creative talents alongside her success in business. This is a strong FMC who is more than just a kind-hearted and beautiful love interest, because we see her as a town hero.

Special thanks for the storyline with Wade, Christie and Rob, the neurodivergence of other characters, plus the dynamics of the Tripp children. I would love to return to this world and read sequels, and I will definitely return to the world of Jessica Sherry. I can't wait to read her catalogue and follow her imagination.

Thank you Jessica Sherry and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I’d like to thank Jessica Sherry and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of Every Chance After.
This novel offers a heartfelt exploration of second chances, blending emotional depth with compelling characters. Sherry’s storytelling captures the nuances of relationships and personal growth, making for an engaging read. While I appreciated the authenticity of the characters and the meaningful themes, there were moments where the pacing slowed slightly, preventing the story from reaching its full potential. Nonetheless, the book delivers a satisfying mix of hope and reflection that will resonate with fans of contemporary romance and women’s fiction.
Overall, a solid read with genuine emotion—looking forward to seeing what Jessica Sherry writes next!

I absolutely loved this! The way Grady and Marina met was tragic and I was routing for them throughout the book. I'm so glad they both got a beautiful, wholesome ending that they deserved.

The writing style was really good, written so well and descriptive. I could imagine exactly how the characters looked and the environment they were in. I also really loved the pace, it felt like everything was covered, especially with dual POV.

This does contain discussions around infertility so please do keep this in mind if you're thinking of reading this.

This book was so emotional but so incredible. It wrapped up the summer feelings but tugged at the heart strings. I loved this novel by Jessica Sherry, Grady and Marnie had such an interesting story!

Cute story with lots of personal growth and overcoming obstacles. I had a tough time in the beginning some of the story just didn’t come together for me but eventually I was able to get into the story.

This is the first book that I have read by the author and I will definitely be reading more by them. It's such a beautifully written story and I was hooked from the very first page. I loved the main character's chemistry and the pacing was just right. I highly recommend it and I look forward to reading more by the author.
💝 Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for my arc ebook copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley for the arc!

This book wrapped me in at the beginning and was super fast-paced, which I loved! However, it did start to slow down towards the ending 25% and had me starting to lose interest a little bit.

I especially loved the found family in this book and absolutely enjoyed all of the secondary characters. Even though the ending started to lose me a little bit, I overall still really enjoyed this book!

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC.

This book was fine. I really dove in to the beginning, but found myself slowly losing interest/motivation like the last 30% of the book. I did find it a tad cheese and unrealistic, but it's a romance book, right?

The secondary characters were fun and the writing was well done and I would consider this a great "escape" book, but unfortunately it just wasn't for me. The reviews are great so I'm sure others will devour this one.

Marnie Strange (25) is on her way to her own wedding with a cake knife in her lap when vet Grady Tripp (36) falls asleep at the wheel of his truck and crashes into her. She's badly injured, and would have died only for Grady's quick thinking. Unfortunately, her injuries are life-altering and result in a hysterectomy.

Marnie's fiancee Ashe is shaken up by the news, and his mother is less than impressed with this latest development. As Marnie struggles with recovery, the only one who seems to be there for her is the man who caused her accident in the first place...

This just wasn't for me. I felt like it really dragged, and I couldn't understand why on earth Marnie was giving Grady the time of day. She didn't seem to be at all bothered that he was the cause of her life-changing injury, and he gave Batman a run for his money on the brooding scale. I didn't enjoy this one at all, it took me months to get through.

Every Chance After 🌲
Grady Tripp will never forgive himself after he falls asleep driving, and almost costs a girl her life. On her birthday. As she’s driving to her wedding. While Marnie survived thanks to Grady’s vet med skills, she loses her capability to have kids. And that’s just the start. With that, she loses her fiance, then her in-laws. And her job soon follows. Grady makes it his only reason for existence to wait on Marnie and any and all needs she may have. Could Marnie be in love with the man who cost her everything? This is such a small town, Good ole boy vibe. Grady is a huge grump and Marnie is absolutely sunshine like, and when they come together, they make the perfect pair. Grady does so much to ease her worries and her literal pain, and I loved watching her walls come down towards him and see their relationship grow as she finds a new found family who truly loves and appreciate her.

I was drawn in by the pretty cover, and stayed for the found family (loved the G&G crew). I also liked the exploration of being a family without necessarily needing kids.

Unfortunately otherwise the story fell short for me. My main grievance is that everything felt extreme. The FMC was the most bubbly and the most forgiving person. The MMC was grumpy and absolutely consumed by guilt. The villain was the most evil without a single redeeming quality (to the point that I questioned why she admired this woman or wanted to be part of the family at all).

I also had some issues with the pacing. At first it felt like a time jump was badly needed, and then by the end I had whiplash with how quickly they went from denying feelings to professing love. Overall, I found the dialogue unnatural. The writing style was clunky and a little cheesy, and ultimately it just wasn’t a match for me. I can see I am an outlier, and hope others continue to enjoy this!

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Every Chance After by Jessica Sherry
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Jessica Sherry for the opportunity to read this.

This is a cozy small-town romance about grief, loss, and the quiet ways people learn to rebuild. Marnie is a heroine you instantly root for, hopeful, strong, and longing to belong. Grady is her opposite: grumpy, weighed down by guilt, and convinced he doesn’t deserve love. Together, they find something healing, slow, and beautifully heartfelt.

What I loved most was how this story explored the idea of family. It’s not just about blood or children, it’s about love, community, and the people you choose.

The side characters really made the book shine, the Tripps are absolute family goals, the “ratbag pack” of old men brought humor and heart, and Marigold was a scene-stealer. And yes, the hair-braiding moment? I actually GASPED.

The spice is open-door but soft, adding to the emotional connection without ever feeling over the top.

Overall, this is a healing, swoony romance with found family, grumpy x sunshine energy, and the sweetest HEA.

Review will also be shared on Instagram @wearebookedbabe (3,700+ followers) and Goodreads.

An emotional roller-coaster of a book ✨️

Where do I begin, first and foremost thank you for giving me this opportunity to read this beautiful book as an arc. I knew from the first few chapters and how emotional it made me that this would become my favourite arc read ❤️✨️

The writing style really drew me in on how every scene and character was written in a way I could somewhat picture. I loved how we got to meet every little character and fall in love with them or not ( sullivans 😑). My favourite character has to be grady tho, because I just loved how supportive and amazing he was throughout marnie's recovery, plus he not only looks out for her but also his family?? And is a vet ??? That's a plus one in my books.🤣

This is a must read to all those who want a cute emotional romance read filled with that found family love and giving taking those 2nd chances when given them.

Summary
On what should have been the happiest day of her life, Marina’s world shatters after a tragic accident caused by newcomer Grady. She’s left heartbroken, guarded, and determined not to let him in. But as small-town life forces them together, grief and guilt begin to shift into something neither of them expected.

Review (contains spoilers)
I was hesitant to read this at first, as so many of the trigger warnings (always grateful to have a TW page before starting a book) related to not only myself but my family... however, I took caution for my mental health and jumped down the rabbit hole, AND I'M SO GLAD THAT I DID.

Jessica writes in such an honest and thoughtful way, they really get into the reasoning behind each character so that they all seem so real. I could picture Grady and Marina, and also everyone else in the book, so clearly.

The accident at the beginning of the book and the consequences of it broke my heart, and the rules that Marina had to not fall apart but to stay guarded, well, let's just say that I felt that in my core.

Ashe and the Sullivans in general, Coral?!?! OMG, what a vicious woman, and how dare she? I've never been so angry at a character before, and Ashe, it's like the phrase we've heard from parents, "I'm not mad, just disappointed" - he has as much use as a paper towel in a flood.

The story development was perfect, nothing was too rushed, and the pace felt so realistic. The only downside was that it was over too quickly.

Final Thoughts
Every Chance After is a heartfelt and emotionally stirring romance about grief, second chances, and the courage to open up again. Jessica Sherry’s thoughtful prose and believable characters made this more than just a read—it was an emotional journey I’m still carrying with me.

Thank you, Jessica Sherry, for providing this ARC of Every Chance After in exchange for an honest review.

I had to dnf this due to getting the stomach flu. I was going to read and review. It was sudden so I couldn't do anything to stop it. Overall this is a great book from what I've used the read outloud feature.

Jessica Sherry's novel Every Chance After is a beautiful novel that emcompasses various realities that I feel could be relatable to many readers. These characters fully trap you into their everyday lives and what they bring forward to their relationship together as it goes through some unimaginable challenges. The backstory and build up to understanding the reasons behind why the characters move through life the way they do is key to understanding the puzzle of which is their lives. This book deals with the challenges of opening up to those around you, who care for you, regardless of what or how that might impact you. It's about changing and growing to understand that everyone deserve someone to care for them and have love and patience. This novel blends together this happily ever after, met with the tragic fate of a bad decision.

One of my favourite characterisitcs of this story is how developed all the characters are. Each and every character has a story, and rather then being left in the dark on what their stories are, they are shared with the readers. The overall the pace and tone of the story is one that makes it hard to put down!

Amazing book loved the characters and plot. I couldn't stop reading I stayed up all night. I loved the book so much thank you for the arc.

In “Every Chance After” by Jessica Sherry, readers are taken on an emotional journey alongside the protagonist, Marnie, as she navigates the complexities of family and healing. After a devastating tragedy strikes on what should have been the happiest day of her life—her wedding—Marnie grapples with the feeling that her birthday is cursed.

Supporting her through this challenging period is the male main character, Grady. A grumpy yet steadfast presence, Grady grapples with his own demons, feeling unworthy of happiness and the chance to move forward. His complex character adds depth to the narrative, as he stands by Marnie, helping her confront her struggles while battling his own challenges.

Sherry masterfully portrays Marnie and Grady's evolving relationship, illustrating resilience and growth as they learn to lean on each other. This heartfelt tale emphasizes the power of transforming life's lemons into lemonade, showcasing how adversity can lead to self-discovery and emotional redemption.

For readers seeking a heartfelt story about a strong, independent woman striving to find her place in a world that often feels devoid of love and familial connection, alongside a grumpy yet endearing hero, “Every Chance After” delivers a compelling exploration of hope and healing. This book is a must-read for those who appreciate deeply emotional narratives that inspire and uplift.

A moving second-chance romance full of heart, history, and healing. The characters are layered and authentic, with a chemistry that never really faded, just buried beneath years of hurt and longing.

Jessica Sherry writes with emotional honesty, capturing the ache of what was and the hope of what could be. If you love a story where forgiveness and love go hand-in-hand, this one will hit all the right notes. 3.5 ⭐️