Sam & Jake. Cute, sweet, and funny!! Sam and Jake were neighbors in high school until a tragic event tore them apart. Over a decade later, Sam is working in his family’s deli when it gets a terrible review wiping out their customer base. As if things couldn’t get any worse, Jake then walks back into his life… I loved the humor with which Sam’s character was written and his chaotic thinking. I enjoyed his character development throughout the story. Jake and Sam work well together, balancing out one another. I also really felt for Jake throughout the story. The found family theme with the deli employees was sweet and the dog, Pastrami, was definitely a highlight! All of the supporting characters were lovely. Such great female supporting characters who actually had personality and plot. A fun read! Thanks to NetGalley, the author, and Storm Publishing for giving me an ARC of the book.
*Second Helpings* offers a delightful treat. Set in the same universe as Morrison’s previous novel, *Fall into You*, this charming rom-com explores second chances. When Sam's Ohio deli faces closure after a bad review, his high school crush returns to town. Now in his thirties, they've both matured and reconnected. However, unresolved issues from their past must be addressed before they can consider reigniting what once was.
Much like Morrison's earlier work, this novel features compelling characters you root for, with a side of appetizing details. First apples, now all things deli—what’s next?! The story includes notable Midwestern queer representation. It’s a cozy blend of sweet and savory that’s perfect for curling up with.
K
Kindle Customer
May 22, 2026
Sweet romance at its best!
Absolutely loved it! This is second chance romance, and I loved how the author handled both the gradual reveal of the mystery of what drove the MCs apart the first time, but also the insight into how the two teenagers handled the terrible event and grew into the men they became. This book is really about how easy it is to make mistakes and that the best we can do after is try to do better. All of the characters, main and supporting, were wonderfully developed, so that you feel really invested in all of them. The book is single POV which I think was well done. The book also has plenty of plot to keep you engaged, not just the mystery of what caused their initial split. The author is a skilled writer who made me feel every bit of the romance (and skillfully provided the answer every time I found myself wondering "But what about...?"). Enjoyed this very much and highly recommend it!
This book sounded really cute so I knew I wanted to give it a shot. Once I started reading I decided to check out some of the early reviews and saw that the overall rating wasn't great which gave me a bit of pause, but I continued reading and I ended up finishing it in one sitting. This was a great novel that was much deeper than I thought it would be. I think the characters are great and I love the restaurant family. I wish that the "secret" had come out sooner than it did because I hate a third act breakup but I think it was resolved in a good way and I think it made Sam and Jake stronger in the end. I love that the dog's name is Pastrami and he is just the cutest.
A
Alicia Z. Ramos
May 21, 2026
I'm always surprised when my rating of a book is higher than the book's average, because usually it goes the other way (I'm stingy with five-star reviews). But I found this book charming and highly readable. I guess Dylan Morrison's style simply works for me. I don't always like multiple-timeline stories, but I thought the approach succeeded here. I might have liked a few more threads played out/tied off, but all in all, I gobbled this up and will gladly come back for more by this author.
My thanks to the publisher/NetGalley for an advance copy of this book.
