This book was really cute. I’m not usually a second chance kinda girl but this felt like something that might actually happen. I also don’t love the “change my whole life for love” but the ending felt realistic also.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for this audio ARC.

This book was easy to read and enjoyable.

Morgan, a wedding planner, is trying her best to make the wedding she’s working on perfect. Her business and livelihood are at risk, if it doesn’t go how she wants, she might have to consider giving up the business she worked so hard on. Frankie, a professional photographer, returned to her hometown after the devastating loss of her grandmother. She’s booked for her cousins wedding.

The character growth in this was very impressive. For real, Morgan’s character development was needed, as in the beginning she was frustrating. The characters learned to communicate with one another. They learned how to give and provide what one another needed.

The discussion surrounding Frankie’s ADHD was done well.

Tropes:
- wedding planner x photographer
- second chance
- exs to lovers
- forced proximity
- sapphic romance
- ADHD rep

A beautiful second chance romance with the right amount of angst and pining.

Frankie’s ADHD journey made her incredibly relatable, we see how her undiagnosed ADHD shaped her past and how it still impacts her daily life in small but meaningful ways. Morgan’s organized, put-together exterior slowly cracked open to reveal her vulnerability. Seeing them work through their differences, and shared history, was equal parts adorable and emotional.

The dynamic between both FMCs felt authentic, full of natural tension, but never forced. Their romance unfolded in such a believable way, moving from defensive and prickly to emotionally grounded and genuine. The pacing was just right, and the few-month time frame made their second-chance romance feel so realistic.

And that slow burn?? I’m such a sucker for that trope…

✨ Add this to your TBR if you love:
Sapphic romance
Second chance romance
Forced proximity
Opposites attract
Childhood sweethearts
Neurodivergent rep (ADHD + anxiety)
Slow burn

Thank you NetGalley & Storm Publishing for the ARC! This is my honest review.

Not my usual book but omg I loved it. Full of swoons, romance, brooding right up my street! I felt every emotion and couldn't stop thinking about it!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for a honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book but I had a very hard time getting into it. The dynamic of Morgan and Frankie, the two main protagonists, was something between enjoyment and complicated.

Morgan, type A, always organized and uptight and never deviates from her plan, is suddenly swept off her feet when someone comes into town that she hasn't seen since their break up, years ago.

Frankie, a famous photographer from NYC goes back to her small home town to photograph a wedding and runs into the wedding planner, who is actually her ex-girlfriend, Morgan.

Since their break up, and lack of communication, things start off not on the best of terms. Since their break up before going to college, neither one of them said what their future goals were and unfortunately went their separate ways without a conversation. When they finally meet up they realize that their attraction for one another was still there and maybe, just maybe they should give it a shot. But with each others past and their futures not aligning, will they really end up together in the long run?

This is a solid 4 star book and worth the read! Can't wait to put this book on my shelf.

The Ex Effect is a sapphic second chance romance with elements of forced proximity and opposites attract. The overall story is enjoyable and there are also serious themes touched upon (undiagnosed/diagnosed ADHD, death/illness, grief) and the impact these can have on everyone involved.

I have to admit, the first half of the book felt a bit slow and cumbersome to me. Maybe it was the writing or the numerous mentions of Peaches or the focus on the wedding but it felt like the essence of the story was drowning under everything else and my attention span was going down with it. It did recover in the second half and things started moving along between the two main characters, Frankie and Morgan, and I was more engaged and started having more of an emotional connection to them and found myself desperate to know what they’ll choose this time around. I felt like Frankie had such a good character arc and her time in NY really shaped her as a person and reflected who she is now and whilst I could see the same was attempted for Morgan, it didn’t quite feel the same, but maybe that was intentional. I do think there was potential to add a bit more depth to the characters and maybe replace some of the paragraphs detailing the contents of Peaches’ house with some more meaningful interactions or even some throwbacks to add to the emotional connection.

The romance was slow and sweet and I liked that it didn’t go full steam ahead as it would have taken from the story.

Overall a nice read but I found it difficult to focus on and connect with at times and I wish there was more thought put into some of the writing and portrayal of the characters.

Morgan has one last chance to save her wedding business, to show that her personalized touches are better than the generic wedding conglomerate that’s opened an office in her small town. If she can just give Oilvia and Tommy a beautiful wedding, not only will she have enough of a cushion to get by for a few more months, but maybe she’ll be able to get her name out there. Morgan just has three months to throw the perfect wedding when she doesn’t know the guest list, the colors, the cakes, or the venue. No sweat.

It’s been fifteen years since Frankie was back home, fifteen years since Morgan went away to college and Frankie went away to New York, but she’s back because a friend asked her to be the wedding photographer. It’s something to do while she waits to discover if she’s going to be picked up by Birch & Willow as their new photographer. Besides, Frankie has to deal with her grandmother’s estate, now that her grandmother has passed. Easy peasy.

Until, Morgan meets Frankie and the past fifteen years fall away, leaving them back where they started. Childhood friends who became high school sweethearts until they went their separate ways. Two people who once loved each other and are now nothing but strangers. They spent eighteen years together, fifteen years apart, and now have three months to decide if they can be friends again.

It’s only three months. What’s the worst that could happen? Or, rather … what’s the best?

The Ex Effect is the first book in Dana Hawkins’ Meet Cute in Minnesota series, and is a story revolving around misunderstandings as past hurts color present conflicts … but handled in a mature and forgiving way. Frankie and Morgan — even with all the years separating them — knew each other so intimately that they still know precisely the ways to hurt one another, but they also love one another enough, as friends then and now, to forgive and to seek forgiveness.

“Look, how I left wasn’t cool,” Frankie said. “I told you I’m here to help, and I am. I’m all in.” Several pauses passed as she twisted the band on her watch. “But for real, I’m not sure what set you off. Maybe I said something more insensitive than what I realized? If we’re going to work together, we have to communicate. Just say something if I upset you. I promise I’ll listen, but you cannot let things fester and then blow up. And I’ll do the same, and try to be more conscious of my words, and not stomp off like a baby, okay? It’s not healthy for either of us.”

Frankie and Morgan start the book doling out the words between them like card players, not knowing how much to give away and how much to keep, but as time goes on and they rediscover the balance between them, they open up. Morgan firmly believes that arriving on time is arriving late; she is always early, in part to gain control of a situation, and in part from a fear of failing by being late, and she lashes out at Frankie for arriving on time. While it isn’t instantly, Morgan eventually admits that her irritation at Frankie arriving at her own pace has nothing to do with Frankie, apologizes, and then asks if Frankie would be amenable to arriving slightly earlier when the two of them are dealing with clients, as it would help her anxiety.

Frankie agrees. It’s a small step, much as Frankie admitting her ADHD diagnosis, with neither of them using their difficulties as excuses. And for every misunderstanding that pops up — and there are quite a few — apologies and explanations come slowly but surely. The confusion and emotions last just long enough to flavor the story, but are then talked about, examined, and dealt with. Even the third-act conflict is handled with conversations, with characters being given room to have their feelings, and then the maturity to act like adults and face the situation head on.

Morgan needs control in her life — having escaped working for her parents to make a business and a name for herself. She knows that, should she fail, her parents would take her back with no questions … but with the knowledge that Morgan hadn’t tried enough, or pushed enough, or done the things that needed to be done, because for her parents, hard work has always been the answer. Morgan can’t fail, can’t let herself falter, not because she loves her work, though she does, but because she can’t face the judgement of failing. But underneath that, she’s a caring person, warm and giving. She uses her wedding business to bring work to her community, buying locally, using local labor. She knows everyone’s names, genuinely cares for them, and wants the best for them. She has her hands in every facet of her work, from sweeping and cleaning and throwing away garbage to arranging flowers and hanging bunting. She’s a good person, and it’s easy to like her.

Frankie is more closed off, nervous both about being back home with her own parents — who, for all that she loves them, have almost no place in Frankie’s life — her own past hurts and memories, and the current stress of waiting to see if she’s landed the job of a lifetime. Working with Morgan is hard, because Frankie can’t help but be lost in the memories of what was between them, and because she can’t not get caught up in those same feelings coming back up. They weren’t just each other’s first loves, they were best friends. Years of knowing one another, supporting one another, of working together and caring about the same things. Here and now, working on the wedding, they once again share a common goal, and it’s so easy to fall back into being friends. Almost as easy to fall back into being lovers.

This is a good second chance romance, with pining but no angst. There are hurt feelings, but no great anger or enmity between them, and for all that Morgan and Frankie have spent a decade and a half apart, it’s clear how well they fit together. And the ending … I really liked how that all played out, the choices they made, the way it could have ended, and the way it did. Honestly, this is just a good book, well written, well paced, and with very relatable characters. If you’re into second chance romances, characters who love one another more than they want to have one another, and want something low angst and low drama, this book is well worth the read.

Ex-girlfriend + small town + forced proximity = peak lesbian drama (and I loved every second)
━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━
The Ex Effect is a swoony, sapphic, second chance romance that blends smalltown charm with just the right amount of angst and pining. Morgan, a slightly uptight wedding planner is trying to save her struggling business from going under, when she suddenly has to work alongside her ex-girlfriend Frankie, a free spirited photographer who’s just returned to town years after their breakup. Their shared past fuels each interaction, a nice blend of snark, tension, and sparks that refuse to die.

What makes this book stand out for me is how realistically Frankie's ADHD is portrayed. Late-diagnosed ADHD is so common in women, and can be absolutely lifechanging to have a diagnosis & medication. Frankie is a perfect example of that. We learn how her undiagnosed ADHD affected her in the past and how she still struggles with simple things, like remembering to take her meds (too real honestly. feeling kinda attacked about it 😅)

Morgan’s anxiety and need for control clash beautifully with Frankie’s ADHD and chill energy, creating conflicts that feel authentic rather than contrived. The pacing was good, and didn't feel too slow or too fast. The slow burn is satisfying, and while the communication between Morgan and Frankie was a little frustrating at times, the emotional payoff and epilogue make it all worthwhile.
━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━
Tropes:

Sapphic romance
Second-chance romance (the ex you never really got over)
Smalltown charm
Wedding drama
Forced proximity/working together
Neurodivergent rep (ADHD + anxiety)
Slow burn
Childhood sweethearts
━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━
Content Warnings:

Strong language
Attempted SA
Divorce
Anxiety/panic attacks
Alcohol use
Death of a loved one (mentioned)
Family tensions
Car accident
━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━
Spice Level:

🌶️🌶️ / 5 Spice

Minimal spice. One open-door scene with spice, but the focus stays on intimacy and emotional connection rather than explicit detail.
━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━
This is not my first Dana Hawkins read, but I think it was one of my favorites. It was cozy, sweet, angtsy, and Morgan and Frankie gave us great banter. This absolutely gets 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 out of 5 stars for me. The perfect summer sapphic read!
━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━
I received an arc from NetGalley and the publisher and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

Morgan Rose has always been the girl with the plan. Color-coded calendars, backup plans for her backup plans, and a wedding business that’s her entire world. Only one woman ever managed to derail Morgan’s organized life and shatter her heart in the process. But Morgan doesn’t think about Frankie Lee anymore. Until Morgan meets the photographer hand-picked by her latest clients and discovers that Frankie is not miles away in New York like she thought. She's back in Spring Harbors, looking infuriatingly good, and Morgan's carefully ordered world descends into chaos.

Morgan has just 87 days to pull off the wedding of her career, and she’s not going to let Frankie derail this opportunity. She will not be distracted by Frankie’s new haircut or the shadowy dips between her shoulders and biceps. And she won’t care about Frankie’s unfairly salty attitude when she left Morgan.

This was entertaining and heartwarming. Dana Hawkins always writes such realistic characters. It was fun to watch these two fall in love again! 4⭐

I received an advanced complimentary digital copy of this book from Netgalley. Opinions expressed are my own.

I liked the two characters but like so many romance stories, the lack of communication and maturity got to me.

Summary:
Morgan Rose is the ultimate planner—colour-coded calendars, backup plans for her backup plans, and a wedding business that keeps her life neatly in line. The one thing she didn’t plan for? Frankie Lee. Once her high-school sweetheart, now a talented photographer back in town, Frankie is assigned to the biggest wedding of Morgan’s career. With only 87 days until the big event, Morgan has no time for distractions… but sparks from their past don’t fade easily. As they battle chickens, deadlines, and their old heartbreak, Morgan and Frankie are forced to decide if their second chance might finally be the right one.

Review:
This was my first Dana Hawkins book but it won’t be my last!

I’m a sucker for small-town settings and a second-chance romance… and this book read like a rom-com movie you’d watch snuggled under a blanket with a cup of hot chocolate (with marshmallows, obviously).

Morgan was super relatable as a type A control freak, always early, never late, unless running after chickens (IYKYK)... but still hopelessly in love with Frankie (née Kaytee from school). Frankie, on the other hand, was the more spontaneous half, a late-in-life diagnosed ADHD photographer with their own scars to carry.

It made perfect sense why their relationship hadn’t worked out before, but putting them together under wedding-planning pressure was such a fun setup. The tension, the banter, the little tantrums...it all made their reunion feel so natural and earned.

I loved this, and I’ll definitely be picking up more of Dana’s work.

Thank you Dana Hawkins and Netgalley for providing this ARC of The Ex Effect in exchange for an honest review.

Dana Hawkins’ The Ex Effect is a heartfelt and engaging sapphic romance that blends warmth, humor, and emotion into a story that feels both fresh and deeply relatable. From the very beginning, Hawkins sets the stage for a love story that is not only entertaining but also brimming with sincerity and authenticity.

The novel thrives on its character work. Both leads are beautifully drawn, with personalities that leap off the page and an emotional depth that makes their journey feel real. Hawkins doesn’t just present a surface-level romance—she gives us flawed, complex women whose lives, histories, and vulnerabilities shape their relationship. Their chemistry is undeniable, but what makes it stand out is how much you feel their pain, growth, and connection as the story unfolds.

The pacing is spot on, striking a satisfying balance between playful banter, tender moments, and the inevitable challenges that come with revisiting a past relationship. Rather than leaning into clichés, Hawkins crafts a story that feels refreshing while still delivering all the emotional beats romance fans crave. Readers will find themselves rooting not just for love to win, but for the characters themselves to find the happiness and peace they deserve.

Beyond the central romance, The Ex Effect also succeeds in creating a strong sense of atmosphere and community, giving the characters space to shine in ways that extend beyond the love story. This adds a richness to the novel that makes it more than just a romance—it’s also a story about identity, resilience, and second chances.

Hawkins’ writing is vivid and accessible, filled with wit and heart, which makes the novel incredibly easy to sink into. It’s the kind of book you can devour in one sitting, but also one that lingers with you afterward, thanks to its emotional resonance.

In the end, The Ex Effect is a joyful and moving sapphic romance that will delight fans of the genre. With characters you can’t help but care about and a storyline that keeps you invested from start to finish, this is a novel that proves Dana Hawkins is a voice to watch in queer romance. Readers will finish the book not only satisfied but also eager to see where Hawkins takes these characters—and her writing—next.

I really wanted to like this but I had a hard time connecting with Morgan and Frankie. Morgan was straight up annoying. I did like Frankie a bit more but in the end they both felt immature. When reading a second chance romance, I need to see their growth and I just didn’t see any character growth with either of them. They both lacked communication and maturity. I’ll definitely check out Dana’s previous and future work as I did like her writing. I just couldn’t deal with these two.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an arc for my honest review!

Is this the best book I've ever read; no. Is it the worst book I've ever read; also no. I really liked the premise of this book but it was not without its problems.

Morgan and Frankie dated in high school and now they're forced to work together on a wedding. They both act kind of childish. This maybe would have come off better if they were say in their 20's but I do believe they're 35 years old. Some things that really needed more info, more depth would just stop. It felt like being mid thought and just not finishing it.

Im not mad I read it but it definitely won't stay with me.

** Received ARC through NetGalley. Voluntarily reviewed. **

I have loved everything about Dana Hawkins’s books and this one is no different. By the time you finish the book, you feel like you know each character in real life. I loved the exes to lovers, small-town/big city feel. I loved the main characters and their siblings and the chemistry even strangers had with each other. Everything felt organic and not rushed. 5/5 stars!

Good good good! I mean, a second chance romance? With an unlikable main character (Morgan, of course!)? SIGN ME IN! I was totally hooked since the start and I ship her and Frankie so damn much! They are so cute together and I love the way they learn to love again.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the arc.

A sapphic romance full of second chances and lost love found again. I really connected to Frankie’s character on so many levels, leaving your hometown to find yourself is incredible and heartbreaking at the same time. I loved this book so much!

Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing for this incredible eARC 🥰🖤

I loved the Single in Seattle series so I had high hopes from this series too.

It took me a little bit to get into this book as Morgan is very dislikeable! But I loved Frankie from the start. Morgan's development is excellent (she ends up likeable!) and the relationship between Morgan and Frankie is very fantastic.

I honestly thought that <spoiler>Morgan and Frankie were going to buy the farm and run a complete wedding service with in-house photographer</spoiler>. Maybe that's in another book!

I can't wait for other stories of the characters in the book, especially Quin.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced ebook copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Ex Effect -

Oh this was goooood! Sapphic, second chance romance! With some enemies to lovers style vibes at the beginning? Misunderstandings, small town vibes and a main character with raging ADHD? Honestly, what more could I want?! Not a lot to be honest! There were some super spicy scenes which were beautifully written, and seeing both Frankie and Morgan grow as people, and forgive/grow inspite of their past was lush. Definitely recommend picking it up once it’s published, and I’m super grateful to have received this gem of an arc! 🫶⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

In this exceptionally smart and hilarious romance… Hawkins‘ writing is crisp and funny, the characters are fully engaging, and the story is delightful. The characters Morgan and Frankie are lovable but very humanly flawed.
Which I loved.
This FF sapphic romance with a love to hate to love trope is a wonderfully written contemporary romance.
A hilarious, heartwarming rom-com with irresistible chemistry.
This one did not disappoint!