The Second Time We Met

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Pub Date 1 Aug 2022 | Archive Date 15 Aug 2022
Amazon Publishing UK | Lake Union Publishing

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Description

With another chance at love, what could possibly go wrong?

Recovering from heartbreak, unlucky-in-love events manager Cara has vowed to avoid relationships. That is until fate throws her into the path of handsome and kind Henry, who is worlds apart from the men she’s dated before. Unfortunately, this encounter is short-lived when Cara misses her coach home—and with it, any chance of seeing him again.

But fate is not finished with the mismatched couple. When Cara quite literally bumps into Henry a second time at a work event, the run-in leaves them with feelings instead of bruises, and they can’t wait another day before seeing each other again. Yet it soon becomes clear how deeply different their worlds are: Cara’s drama-filled African and Caribbean family couldn’t be further from Henry’s family of wealthy lords and ladies.

With interfering relatives, problem friends, and an inconvenient ex-boyfriend attempting a comeback, everything seems stacked against the two new lovebirds. This is no straightforward love story—Cara and Henry will have to get creative with romance if they stand any chance of beating the odds to win their happy ever after.

The Second Time We Met is a hilarious and heartwarming romance, perfect for anyone who believes in second chances.

With another chance at love, what could possibly go wrong?

Recovering from heartbreak, unlucky-in-love events manager Cara has vowed to avoid relationships. That is until fate throws her into the path...


A Note From the Publisher

Frances Mensah Williams CBE spent her early childhood between the USA, Austria, and Ghana before settling in the UK. An avid scribbler, her acclaimed first novel From Pasta to Pigfoot was published in 2015 and the sequel From Pasta to Pigfoot: Second Helpings in 2016. Her third novel Imperfect Arrangements (2020) was followed by the Marula Heights series of standalone novellas, River Wild and Sweet Mercy, set in contemporary Ghana.

An entrepreneur, Consultant, Executive Coach, and TEDx speaker, Frances is also the author of three non-fiction careers books and the publisher of careers portal www.ReConnectAfrica.com. She is a passionate advocate for skills development and has written extensively on careers and business relating to Africa and the African diaspora. She has received awards for innovation in business and skills development, culminating in the CBE awarded by Queen Elizabeth II in the 2020 New Year’s Honours List for services to Africans in the UK and in Africa.

Frances Mensah Williams CBE spent her early childhood between the USA, Austria, and Ghana before settling in the UK. An avid scribbler, her acclaimed first novel From Pasta to Pigfoot was published...


Available Editions

EDITION Other Format
ISBN 9781542038867
PRICE US$14.95 (USD)
PAGES 347

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Average rating from 79 members


Featured Reviews

With another chance at love, what could possibly go wrong Recovering from heartbreak, unlucky in love events manager Cara has vowed to avoid relationships. That is until fate throws her into the path of handsome and kind Henry, who is worlds apart from the men she’s dated before. Unfortunately, this encounter is short lived when Cara misses her coach home and with it, any chance of seeing him again. But fate is not finished with the mismatched couple. When Cara quite literally bumps into Henry a second time at a work event, the run in leaves them with feelings instead of bruises, and they can’t wait another day before seeing each other again. Yet it soon becomes clear how deeply different their worlds are: Cara’s drama filled African and Caribbean family couldn’t be further from Henry’s family of wealthy lords and ladies.
With interfering relatives, problem friends, and an inconvenient exboyfriend attempting a comeback, everything seems stacked against the two new lovebirds. This is no straightforward love story Cara and Henry will have to get creative with romance if they stand any chance of beating the odds to win their happy ever after.
Really enjoyable read totally recommend
Thank You NetGalley and Amazon Publishing Uk

I just reviewed The Second Time We Met by Frances Mensah Williams. #TheSecondTimeWeMet #NetGalley

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Cute romantic romp for all those that had that brief spark and never bumped into them again. Fun characters and clashes make for many laughs, a fun and light read, great for weekend or vacation.

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I requested this book because second chance romances are some of my favorite books ever, but this didn't meet my expectations. I love sweet rom-coms, but The Second Time We Meet was a juvenile and predictable novel that lacked depth and failed to capture and hold my interest. It is quite boring, much to my dissatisfaction, but the author has a lot of potential; I appreciate the exploration of its themes and conversations, and I hope I will like the author's next book better.

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The Second Time We Met is my first book by author Frances Mensah Williams.

Recovering from heartbreak, unlucky in love events manager Cara has vowed to avoid relationships. That is until fate throws her into the path of handsome and kind Henry, who is worlds apart from the men she’s dated before. Unfortunately, this encounter is short-lived when Cara misses her coach home and with it, any chance of seeing him again.
But fate is not finished with the mismatched couple. When Cara quite literally bumps into Henry a second time at a work event, the run in leaves them with feelings instead of bruises, and they can’t wait another day before seeing each other again. Yet it soon becomes clear how deeply different their worlds are: Cara’s drama filled African and Caribbean family couldn’t be further from Henry’s family of wealthy lords and ladies.

This was a cute second-chance romance that I enjoyed. I look forward to more from this author.

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Cara and Henry can't be more different. She is from a African/carribbean family while Henry is from a family of wealthy lords and ladies. Yet they fall in love.

Love Cara and Henry together. I love that he is actually a kind and nice person despite his background. :) Love the hilarious situations especially. I love how adorable they are together. So many sparks.

Thanks to the publisher for the arc.

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1.5 ⭐️

This book was not for me. From the writing and the pacing to the story itself, this book did not engage me at all. The characters felt immature, judgemental, and unreasonable most of the time and their inability to talk to one another was incredibly frustrating. The protagonist, Cara, reads like a teenager, unable to think or feel for herself unless it’s to prove just how emotionally stunted she is. I also believe the blurb and title to be a bit misleading. – The second time they meet happens within the first two chapters of the book. It’s just a tiny detail, drowned within a relationship that, to be completely honest, feels like a background storyline within the mess that is Cara’s life problems. Honestly, the only reason I’m rounding up to two stars is because at least it tries to portray some of the difficulties inter-racial couples face, especially when they’re also part of so blatantly different social classes and cultures.

*Thank you so much Net Galley for the ARC*

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The premise was good but this whole book was just really awkward. None of the characters felt believable or natural. There was no real romance, just a bunch of weird encounters. Cara had rude entitled selfish friends and family. I just felt bad for her.

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This was a sweet story but fairly predictable. I wasn't as engaged in the story or connected with the characters as much as I normally do with romcoms, even though the second chance at love trope is one of my favorites. If you're looking for a quick read with a happy ending, this is a good book for you. However, it's not one that I see myself returning to again and again.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

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Honestly I expected more from this, sure it‘s „just a romance“ novel but it lacked depth, in the characters as well as in the story itself. For what it was it could be shorter than it actually is. You wouldn‘t have needed that many pages for how much depth was missing from everything. Was it the worst book ever? No but it could‘ve been so much more with a little more to everything. It was so cliché but not good enough to overlook that.

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First we meet two strangers in the first chapter. Fast forward to chapter two and their already in a relationship. What the actual heavens? Why would you skip out on all that romance? I don’t want to see that. I want to see the build up that’s the point in these romance novels you know?

The novel didn’t really have that spark for me. There wasn’t much personality in the characters to make me excited about it.

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The Second Time We Met was hard to put down novel. A story that was hard to predict the ending, which I loved that it kept me on my toes. I love the multi-cultural, different class and blended family aspects of the story. I highly recommend this book.

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This book had so much going for it likeable characters and interesting storyline however it jumps from one thing to another i feel there is chapters missing.

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Cara in an events planner, who is recovering from a failed romance and decides that relationships aren't worth the heartbreak. Henry has a run in with Cara, he’s handsome, charming and throws Cara off guard. She’s interested and wants to know more about Henry. She misses her ride home and misses Henry. They cross paths again and Cara decides to take a chance on Henry. There’s an opposite attract situation happening, they come from different back grounds and people trying to intervene in this relationship. A sweet story about how a couple needs to survive obstacles that are thrown at them and decides that giving love a second is worth it. A story that gives the reader a couple to cheer for.

Disclaimer: Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for this book, I received a copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

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1.5 ⭐️
I was so intrigued and looking so forward for this second chance warm cute and fluffy read. But this was unfortunately was not it. Don’t get me wrong there were sweet moments but I found myself cringing majority of the time. I’ve never been a fan of instant love or the fact that I pretty much knew what was going to happen next. Sadly that’s where this book has led me to.

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The Second Time We Met was very honestly just okay. I love these kinds of romance novels usually but this one seemed to jump around a whole lot. The time line seemed very rushed. I honestly wish the back story of how they fell in love was more prominent. I think it would have helped the plot a whole lot. Also a little more development of the charecters. I appreciate the diversity in the characters as well most authors don't do that. I think it is more representative of the world today. Overall I found it to be a cute book with a few things that could be added. Thank you #NetGalley and the publisher for the Arc in exchange for an honest review.

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I want to start off by saying that I REALLY tried to like this book. I enjoyed the beginning of it and thought it was cute! However, the time gaps following the beginning made the next few chapters feel rushed. Cara and Henry have an instant love but the romance part is lacking. There was barely any character depth, which made the characters feel weird and off. I found myself skimming through pages because after reading 50% of the book, I just wanted it to be over. The book was unnecessarily long and quite boring.

I’m giving this one 2 stars. Thank you NetGalley for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

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“The Second Time We Met” is a second chances at romance book by Frances Mensah Williams. I thought the idea of this book, from the Publisher’s Summary, sounded rather interesting. Plus, the cover is wonderfully cute. While I know that rom-coms often follow the same formula along with the same tropes, I rather hoped I could put them aside while reading this book. Between the miscommunication trope and some of the characters often behaving as teenagers, it wasn’t quite as good as I hoped. I’m also not a fan of insta-love where it’s just “because” opposed to, well, a deeper reason (granted, that’s obvs not ‘insta-love,” but…). Overall, I think this book is a good one if one wants a “mindless quick rom-com fiction” read and while I’m all for that, sometimes having a bit more depth (which I hoped this book would provide with an inter-racial relationship and class divide) is also appreciated.

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A quick and easy read that I found myself picking up after a long day to unwind. The characters are beautifully written and I came to love them within the first few pages and was rooting for them all the way to the end. At times I wanted to stop reading because I just wanted the experience to go on for longer.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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i loved following Cara’s ups and downs, parts of the book were laugh out loud and i found Cara a likeable character with a big heart, she tries her best for her family and friends sometimes to the determent of herself.
An east read and a new author fit me which i will definitely look out for more of their books in future

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This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, from Amazon Publishing UK and #NetGalley. Thank you for the opportunity to preview and review. Opinions expressed are completely my own..

Whimsical read with fun, entertaining characters.

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This book had a great story, and wonderful heart, and it pulled me along the whole way. I loved the characters, and the development, and even though I started out super annoyed with the heroine, I was rooting for her by the end.
But I struggled with some of the dialog. It just didn't flow like I expected, for people the age they were supposed to be. Sometimes it felt too juvenile. I wanted to love it more than I did, but the conversations just didn't feel natural, which took me out of the story a lot.

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Basically a rom com with a second chance meet cute. While I didn't love this one it was a cute read.

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First, I want to say that I really really really really tried to enjoy reading this book!

The story was promising: Cara met Henry at an event before the present of the book. Cara felt quite dizzy in his presence and knew instantly he made her feel something. Unfortunately they didn’t have the chance to meet up after the event and lost sight of each other… until one day. 😉 Back to the present, we learn that Cara is an event manager and one night when she’s at an event she planned for some lawyers she finds out that one of them is Henry himself!!!! And that’s why I like reading fiction most of the time, because those kind of events happen all the time!!!

The story could have been super cute and sweet and nice (after all it’s a romance and all I needed), but I’ve found myself reading pages without having enough context to enjoy the whole book. I wish I’d known more about the characters’ first date, how they ended up being together without seeing almost everybody and just enjoying each other. I wish I’d known immediately why Cara fell for him and how it worked between them almost immediately.

Also Cara and Henry seemed to have spent the last three weeks together without never mentioning each other’s friends or family which is quite weird because that’s probably the first thing I talk about during first dates or the first weeks of a relationship… This makes the story loses a bit of credibility to my eyes.

Next, I found the chapters quite long and not being that interesting for the reader, some were really long and brought almost anything interesting regarding the story. It was disappointing.

Some characters were not described enough to my taste and I wish I knew more about Cara or Henry. Or even one another’s family!

“The Second time we met” could have been such an excellent book especially regarding the diversity of the characters! Cara comes from a blended family, not particularly rich, she’s black and works in an creative field. Whereas Henry comes from a white rich family of English aristocrats and is a lawyer on top of that! They are deux opposés que tout attire (I don't know the expression in english)

Anyway this book wasn’t made for me and that’s ok, hope we’ll have better luck with the next one 😉

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK / Lake Union Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange of my honest review ✨

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I loved the premise of the book.

But it was just ok.

I think its because I wanted more backstory of HOW their first date went, HOW they developed feelings for each other in those three weeks that are just mentioned in the book.
It's like we got no development of the relationship on page and I felt cheated and it didn't make me feel invested in the characters at all.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own. '

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Recovering from heartbreak Cara has vowed to avoid relationships until fate throws her a posh yet kind, son of an aristocrat called Henry, who is a world away from her life and any other man she's ever dated. When she bumps into him for a second time, they have an instant connection and start dating from the off. But, Cara begins to have her doubts as their lives are so far away from each other, and then when an ex-boyfriend returns and dregs back up her past, it's unsure if the couple will make it and come out on the other side closer.

This book was everything I wanted and more. It was cute and sweet, but had side stories with other characters which were enticing also. I do feel like I needed more of Cara and Henry's story and some of the things they did together.

This book is the perfect, no spice, feel good romance book, with some added drama. All of the characters fitted with the story and were described well and could be visualised.

4 stars
0 Spice

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This was a good premise, but overly loaded with fluff and filler.
The book was far too long for the actual core of the story,
2.5 stars/5
If it was tightened up a bit and characters made more relatable it would be much better.

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Predictable and cringeworthy. I'm not a fan of Insta Love relationships and unfortunately the characters and plot fell short to me - this was not the sweet and airy read I had hoped it to be.

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Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read an ARC of "The Second Time We Met" by Frances Mensah Willaims. It was published on August 1st, 2022.

Overall, I rated this book a 2.5/5 stars.

The last 20-30% or so of this novel is really where it's at. It was one of the major reasons why I was able to grant the story a 2.5/5 instead of lower. Unfortunately, there were not a lot of things that boded well for in regards to this novel.

For starters, the characters and story were written in an immature sort of tone, despite the fact that the characters were said to be somewhere around 30 years of age. This made it extremely cringey for me, and difficult to get through. The overall storyline was extremely predictable. It was also an insta-love sort of concept, which I don't love - sometimes it works, and other times it does not - in this instance, unfortunately, it seemed to miss the mark.

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"Being the fixer had become what she was known for, but what no one, Cara included, had realized was that beneath the capable exterior was a little girl living in fear of life moving beyond her control and terrified of a day when there would be a problem she couldn’t handle."

From the hilarious family antics to the HEA we all came for, this story had everything I was searching for and more. Our MC, Cara, is incredibly relatable, witty, and interesting. I loved the support systems she and Henry had in their messy but loving families and friends, loved the character development and growth, and especially loved how the author balanced a funny second-chance romance with a deeper storyline. This was my first by Frances Mensah Williams, but I'm already eager for more!

I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

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I am a sucker for second chance romances, but this book was not it for me. It really bothered me that when they first met it jumped right into them dating for 3 weeks. I wanted their first reactions to seeing each other again.

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This was a hard book for me to continue reading. I did not feel attached to the characters, and the plot seemed nonexistent. It reminded me of a really bad romcom where there's just a lot of chaotic stuff happening that masquerades as plot.

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I had high hopes for this book, but was sadly let down.

It is hard to explain as I felt that the book dragged on a times, but then also moved too quickly without enough build up. In my honest opinion if this book had been a duo or trio I would have loved it.

In addition, too many characters were introduced with storylines that were quickly resolved or left open ended. What happens with Rosie and the Spaniel? Did the grandmothers staying under one roof turn out ok? Did Ozzy and Imogen’s relationship continue? All of these questions saddened me as I wanted to dive deeper into the world of Cara and Henry.

Special thanks to NetGalley.com and Amazon Publishing UK/ Lake Union Publishing for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest feedback.

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DNF @ 31% (page 100)

Honestly, I am just quite bored. There is nothing intrinsically wrong with this, but the characters don’t have much depth, and the relationship felt really rushed. The entire first three weeks of their relationship are just skipped over so we get none of the cute moments or development of Cara and Henry actually starting their relationship. I don't know about anyone else but when I'm reading a romance book, that is one of my favourite parts, and as I said before it makes the romance feel a bit like it just came up out of nowhere.
I probably could have kept reading, but I wouldn’t have enjoyed it. Having checked some other reviews to see if it was worth sticking around, it seems as though boredom was a relatively common theme.

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This is a fun book. It has some lovely momenta in it. With a really nice romantic element running throughout. The characters are enjoyable and likeable too.

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Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to review this book.

This book was a DNF for me. I got maybe 25% in and realized that I didn't like the writing style or the characters. I thought the author just dropped the reader in the middle of the story and then flailed. It just isn't for me.

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Thank you NetGalley and Frances Mensah Williams for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

The second time we met is a sweet romance with instant love plot and despite that I liked it.
The first part of the book was perhaps a bit boring but when the story got going I finished it in a few hours.

Cara has a sad past marked by her breakup with her ex Ryan. However, he seems to find happiness again when he meets the charming lawyer Henry.
But when Cara’s ex returns to London after being
disappeared for three years, things only get worse.
Will the protagonist be able to understand who she really loves?

I gave the book 3 stars because I didn't find it particularly innovative, but still I recommend it to those who want to read a sweet love story

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Unfortunately, I was unable to download the book before it was archived due to my request being approved only days before the archive day and my misunderstanding of how NetGalley works (I’m only a new user). I sincerely apologise for my mistake, I was really looking forward to reviewing this book and am extremely disappointed in myself for not only letting you down but also missing out on this read. Again, I am very sorry for my mistake and I promise to strive to ensure this does not happen again!

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This wasn’t an omg amazing read, but I really enjoyed the characters. If this wasn’t such a crowded market, it would be way better to me

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Although I really did enjoy this read, there were a number of little gripes I ended up with at the end.

I think on the surface, Henry and Cara are great together however we didn’t see any development in their relationship. There were a lot of characters with side-storylines that didn’t seem overly important or add much to the book and I wish we had got to know the important characters more.

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The Second Time We Met was a sweet story concept. Second chance romance stories are beautiful and inspiring. Cara and Henry are a sweet pairing. The characters were vibrant and animated. The quantity of characters in the story did not jeopardize their development. However, I lacked the connection to them at some points throughout the story. I think some events could have been explored in greater detail, while others could have been simplified. The sequencing of the events was predictable for me, which I lament. However, I was still able to enjoy the story. I found the nature of Cara and Henry's relationship enjoyable. Even though they are from two different worlds, they put in the effort and energy to make their connection long-lasting.

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Things seem to be turning around for Cara when she meets handsome and kind Henry. They seem fated to meet when their first encounter is cut short. Everything is perfect with Cara and Henry - until they have to reconcile the differences between his white, wealthy upper-class upbringing with her Jamaican-African blended family. Cara isn’t sure their relationship can weather the rough terrain of their family dynamics and her unfinished business with her ex, Ryan.

I really loved exploring the juxtaposition of Cara and Henry’s family’s. My favourite part was the banter between her Nigerian and Jamaican grandmothers who are in constant competition.

There are a lot of fun characters but I found myself wanting more complexity from my main characters. They felt more like vehicles toward the family dynamics.

The tone of this book was also a little unclear, jumping from funny drama of twenty year olds to some serious topics that felt a little sudden and skated over.

I recommend this if you love to read about exploring family dynamics and the complexities of relationships and different cultures, however I wish the tone was more clear and I got more fleshed out characters.

I’m looking forward to reading more from this author in the future!

*thank you to @netgalley and @amazonpublishing for the opportunity to review this book. All opinions are my own.*

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A second chance meet cute. A promising story, but overall not much to it. I enjoyed it though but no a lot to it

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DNF at 58%.

Cara and Henry meet whilst volunteering, but she misses the coach home and their fledgling romance seems doomed before it even started. Then Cara is asked to organise an event for a swanky lawyers dinner, when her colleague is indisposed. Henry is one of the lawyers and the two pick up where they left off. But Cara and Henry couldn't be more different. He's from landed gentry with an estate in Gloucestershire while she comes from a Ghanaian/Caribbean background and an estate in KIlburn, at least until Cara's widowed mother remarried and the family moved to Cricklewood.

I wanted to read this opposites attract romance but it felt like the author wasn't really interested in the relationship between Cara and Henry, there was lots of distractions in the form of Cara's two friends (who were both dull as ditchwater as far as I'm concerned) and her brothers' shenanigans. There was also the obligatory spiteful snobby sister and her snooty posh friends who try to trip Cara up and Cara's Irish ex-boyfriend Ryan who returns after three years of radio-silence wanting her back. When Cara's friend Ashanti decides to sign a record contract with a dodgy label and hand over all of her original songs I could see that the book was going to be more about her than Cara and Henry - frankly I thought she was so stupid she deserved to be ripped off!

Anyway, the mystery behind Ryan leaving, Ashanti's drama, and Henry's irritating family all just bored me to tears, sorry, and I gave up at 58%.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

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I really liked that this book had diverse characters and that they were genuine characters. I felt like the characters were real, flawed and relatable. Frances Mensah Williams did a great job crafting these characters to be realistic. I felt like all the people in this book could easily be real people that I know and love. Also I liked that the main and secondary characters all faced real and sometimes major problems. Cara and Henry meet at the beginning of the book however do not get the chance to exchange contact information or have super long conversation. Then meet again at a work function, where they get a second chance. Each has their own baggage yet will they be able to make a relationship work? Can they put other people's opinions about their relationship aside? This book I had a hard time getting interested in at the beginning. I got lost in a few of the chapters and was not able to follow exactly what was happening in parts. I also felt like some parts at the beginning may not have been needed. However, if you are looking for a real, raw, relatable and vulnerable read I would recommend this book.
If doing partial stars it would be a 3 1/2 star out of 5.

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This was a fantastic story. A well-written novel that's hard to put down with two fantastic characters that can't be more opposite, but while reading, you cheer for them. Frances Mensah Williams is a new author for me, but I'm ready to read more of her books.

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Unfortunately i wanted to love this book but it just fell flat, if cara and Henry’s love story was developed more without the other 50 short stories regarding the other characters it would definitely be a brilliant read

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I see the mixed reviews here but I thought The Second Time We Met was a sweet, charming, quick read. I enjoyed the characters and while there was no surprise moment for me personally, I still enjoyed the story.

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This book ended up being different than I thought it would be. I thought it was going to focus more on the relationship between Cara and Henry, but that seemed to be a smaller part of the story in the grand scheme of things. It was more about Cara's entire life, including her family, friends, and job.

I feel like this book had too many subplots, some of which took up several chapters and seemed to take center stage for a while. I didn't really care about Ashanti and her whole record deal fiasco, for example, and thought it could have been pushed back for other storylines.

Another thing that disappointed me was that we just jump straight into Cara and Henry's relationship without any build-up. I would have liked to see the relationship develop and how they got to that point.

Despite some of its flaws, though, I didn't hate this. It entertained me enough and even made me laugh out loud at a few parts. Overall, an average read.

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The book premise was really sweet, and I was excited to read this second chance love. However, the book didn’t engage me at all. I found myself losing focus throughout the book, and I’m left to DNF it.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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*thank you netgalley for gifting me this arc in exchange for an honest review :) *

this was a nice opposites attract book that had me legitimately laughing out loud. both of our main characters have been through personal troubles that have scared them away from the idea of love (more so our FMC than the MMC) but they still fall deeply in love and the chemistry that they have? off the charts! i loved the family scenes---i actually felt like i was in the house with them--with the bantering, familial chaos dashed with love and just the overall feelings of togetherness. this book tackles some serious topics but they are followed by healthy discussion and/or lighthearted humor. thank you for this book :)

3.5/5 stars

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I was given an eARC copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher, and I really did not want to DNF it, but I ended up giving up about 30% of the way through. I just absolutely could not get into the story or connect with the characters. This book is about two people from completely different worlds starting a relationship and trying to fit into one another's lives. I think the first thing I struggled on is that, because of the title, I thought this was a second chance romance, but really the two "meetings" happen right away and then most of this story, it seems is not about two people falling in love but two people already in love and their struggles, and that just wasn't what I was looking for. The main characters are falling flat to me, and so far where I am there is a lot about her friend's love lives and I could do without that. I'm really bummed to have to give this one a bad rating, but it's just not for me!

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The Second Time We Met
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.2
Genre: Romance
Format: Kindle eBook/ Audiobook
Date Published: 8/1/22
Author: Frances Mensah Williams
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
Pages: 344
GR: 3.82

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased. *I obtained the audiobook through KU for review.

Synopsis: Recovering from heartbreak, unlucky-in-love events manager Cara has vowed to avoid relationships. Then she meets Henry, unfortunately, this encounter is short-lived, doubtful she will see him again. When Cara quite literally bumps into Henry a second time at a work event, the run-in leaves them with feelings instead of bruises. Yet it soon becomes clear how deeply different their worlds are: Cara grew up poor while Henry had the best of everything. Cara and Henry will have to get creative with romance if they stand any chance of beating the odds to win they’re happy ever after.

My Thoughts: This was such a cute, quick story that I very much adored! The chapters are short, which makes stopping easier. The story is narrated by Cara, from her POV. Williams has a way of blending humor into the book that makes you laugh out loud. Meet the same man twice + your ex shows back up + interfering family = a quirky sweet romance! The narrator was amazing, you could feel what the characters felt and you went along Cara’s journey. The characters are well developed, with depth, witty banter, chemistry, and just worked really well for this story. The author’s writing style was complex, humorous, swoony, and kept me engaged throughout the story. This book is already out and on audiobook, a quick listen, I would highly recommend!!!

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I liked the first few pages of the book. And then I cringed so much. I expected a cute read about two people getting their second chance. But, unfortunately, I received a poorly-written story with characters who don't act like real people. I wasn't invested in this story at all, because after the first chapter or so we just get a mentioning of Cara and Henry meeting for the second time and starting dating after that. Like just why? Why would you do that to readers? I wanted to read myself about how they met, started talking to each other, began catching feelings, and so on. The Second Time We Met is an awkward and predictable story and I didn't care about those characters even for one second.

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The Second Time We Met is a very lighthearted, easy read. It's cute but of course very cliche. I typically love the second chance trope but this one fell a bit flat for me. I had a good time reading it, but it's not a memorable book and it's not a book I see myself reading over and over.

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Cute story about finding your person. Does your person always come at the right time or does the past and families try and get in the way and create doubts? Fun read.

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The characters are well-drawn and believable. The plot is perfectly paced, holds your interest, and keeps you guessing will they won’t they! It’s a page turner, for sure!

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This was a second-chance romance that truly captured all the awkwardness and idiosyncrasies that come with it! Some of the characters were a bit extreme, but I do feel like it played okay for this type of story. It had some laugh out loud moments, some cringe moments, and everything in between.

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The Second Time We Met was the first book that I ever read from Frances Mensah Williams. I requested this book because romances are my favorite guilty pleasure. Furthermore, I also like second chances romance and this one is excellent!

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DNF @ 50%

This book had a really good premise, but wasn't as I expected it. The characters and the story just lacked depth. At times the story was confusing, there was no background information about their relationship or how they developed feelings for each other. By half of the book I was just feeling confused and bored. I decided to stop reading it as I know I wouldn't enjoy it.

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Unfortunately I could not get into this book at all. I really didnt love the story or the characters. It had a fun meet cut in the beginning and then it was just all downhill for me. It also has a little bit of trigger warnings in it that wasnt as upfront as it could have been.

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Aww, a great second chance romance that had me pulling at my heartstrings. Some things were a little over the top and drawn out, but it all held my interest and I really enjoyed it.

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A passable read...

Unlucky-in-love events manager Cara has had her heart stomped on by her past love, and refuses to allow room for new love in her life. When a chance encounter, not once but twice, connects her to the handsome Henry, she has to determine whether their difference in family, stature, interests will stand in the way of love & happiness. Or whether the draw of her previous love will suck Cara back into the past.

Assuming this story takes place in the modern day, it feels unrealistic for Cara to be so distrusting of a potential future with Henry. Perhaps it's her past trauma in a co-dependent relationship, but the protagonist seems unable to get out of her own way - both on the professional and personal front. It feels frustrating to see her put herself in these situations and perhaps why the story doesn't really feel like it's going anywhere, even by the end.

The book explores themes of trust, the draw of toxic relationship, and love across class & cultures.

An underwhelming read that leaves one waiting for a more concrete ending.

(Disclosure: I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley, in exchange for a fair & honest review. All opinions are my own)

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im usually not into second chance Romances but this was was super fast paced and I really enjoyed it. I loved the multi cultural aspect and the chemistry the couple bad. highly recommend.

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Thank you for my earc. I wanted to love this but couldn’t finished it because the love interest just gave me the ick and I didn’t enjoy their interactions at all! Will definitely try this author again though.

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