BOOK REVIEW- MAYBE THIS TIME BY Nichole McLaughlin

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Maybe This Time is the next heartwarming contemporary romance from Nicole McLaughlin in her Whiskey and Weddings series.

Jen Mackenzie has been knocked down more than a few times, but she always gets up and makes sure she has the last word. It’s the reason she now considers herself equal parts self-sufficient and free-spirit. But since losing her job and trying to help her mother beat cancer, real life—and her occasional careless choices—have begun to catch up with her. Her one saving grace: The Stag, a boutique distillery that has become Kansas City’s go-to wedding venue. The only catch: One of the owners, TJ Laughlin, happens to be the one man who somehow manages to make Jen feel inadequate.

TJ has secretly had a thing for Jen since high school. Now, as her new boss, it’s a daily struggle between revealing his feelings and wringing her beautiful neck. Only one thing is for certain: he can’t stand idly by and watch the woman he cares for struggle. She may be convinced that accepting TJ’s help is a weakness. But all he sees in Jen is beauty and strength, inside and out. As things finally heat up between them, can TJ find a way to convince Jen that love is about give and take—and having it all, together?

AMAZON 5 stars

You might be thinking 5 Stars, really?  Some may think that the story wasn't all that unusual or at times somewhat predictable. But what can I say, I fell in love with the characters.  And when I say that, I mean that Jen is the one that really grabbed me.   She was such a great character, at least to my way of thinking.  She was one colorful girl and not just because of her tattoos.  The fact that she grew up so alone and that Charlotte is her only friend that is a girl.  The only one that she has ever had.  Now that is sad.  You can begin to understand why her sarcastic mouth is part of her defense shield.  
 Also TJ was quite the guy too,  especially when it came to how how much he loves Jen   He had to stand by and watch her life unravel so many times with some many different guys.  And still he loved her, flaws and all.  And he put up with a lot of attitude from her because she had a lot of attitude to give. 

Jen was also multi-talented even though she didn't see it that way. 
The one place where there seemed to be little talent was in her relationship with her mother.   Or should I say non-relationship with her mother.  That was one rocky thing going on.  And her mom fighting cancer didn't make it any easier.

TJ's life looked so cushy from the outside.   But his family was pretty dysfunctional on the inside.  TJ worked his butt off but seemed to get very little approval for it from his family and a fair amount of criticism.  It's a good thing he has some "have your back" friends around him.  And it's not just as business partners either.  He was very talented in his own right which was also good to see.  

As Jen and TJ got closer, I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop.  Well  when it did, it wasn't how I thought it would happen.  Points to the author for that. 

I received a copy of this book via Netgalley and this is my honest opinion of it.