A sweet romance story with fantastic characters! Christine is a successful business owner, a doting aunt and a little lonely. Brent has had a bit of hard luck in business and love. Aunt Midge is my favorite character! She's fiesty and not afraid to share her opinion! Christine and Brent soon discover their true treasure is in each other! A definite must read! ( )

Christine's twin's boyfriend has returned to town. Christine has seen him and feels she should be loyal to her twin but while working with Brent to clean out his great-aunt's house, she finds herself attracted to him. She thinks he feels the same way, but he does not act on it. Brent feels Christine could do better than him since he dropped out of college after a career-ending football injury and has lost his business. Can they stay away from each other? Can they make it as a couple?

I enjoyed this story. I liked how it went back and forth between Christine's POV to Brent's. I like knowing what each is thinking. I liked both characters, but I do wish that Christine would have just shut-up about loyalty to her twin, who was not what Christine had built up in her mind, and Brent telling himself what a loser he was when nothing was further from the truth. Just old tapes running through their minds. I enjoyed the times they worked together as well as the insight Christine provided during their talks. I loved Aunt Midge. She was a hoot!

I look forward to reading this author again. I liked her easy, laid-back writing style. It kept me interested in the story and the couple. ( )

Christine Sawyer discovered how special Brent Nicholson was when they were in high school, but he only had eyes for her twin sister. Ten years later, he's returned for a temporary visit to their hometown and Christine still finds him irresistible. His romance with Britney was over a long time ago but will Christine still feel lost in her sister's shadow?

Something Old, Something New is Amy Clipston's new contemporary novel and it may just have become my favorite! Do I love it because it centers around family values, a small town, and the successes and failures that are part of life's journey? Did it remind me that shattered dreams and disappointments often pave the way to deeper happiness?

Clipston made me want to visit Flowering Grove, North Carolina, shop at Christine's antique shop, and get to know those charming Southern people! If you enjoy contemporary romance and second-chance stories, you definitely want to read this book.

I received a copy of this book from the author but there was no obligation for a positive review. These are my own thoughts. ( )

Something Old, Something New by Amy Clipston is a sweet small-town romance. I like Amy Clipston’s casual writing style. It makes the story easy to read. I enjoyed getting to know Christine Sawyer and Brent Nicholson. Christine operates an antique mall in Flowering Grove, North Carolina. Christine is a fraternal twin. She always felt she was the nerdy twin compared with her pretty, outgoing sister, Britney. Britney has fraternal twin girls, Maddy and Mila (“the M&M’s) whom Christine loves dearly. Maddy and Mila are cuties. They are active little girls who love the color purple. Brent dated Britney in high school. He was the star quarterback, and she was the popular cheerleader. Brent’s life has not turned out as he expected. He has returned to town to help his Aunt Millie get her house ready so she can list is for sale. Brent has no intention of staying in Flowering Grove because he cannot stand listening to his father’s criticisms. The chemistry between Brent and Christine was obvious from the beginning. The two are attracted to each other. They each have a different reason for not reacting to the attraction. I enjoyed the descriptions of Flowering Grove especially Christine’s shop (I could spend hours exploring). I wish I was Christine when she found the Nancy Drew’s packed away in Aunt Millie’s house. I am glad the romance was not rushed. I like how it progressed (become friends first and then move forward). Christine and Brent got to know each other as they worked at Aunt Millie’s house. I was not a fan of Britney. She reminded me of the cheerleaders in my school (the pretty, stuck-up blonds who thought they were better than everyone else). I thought the characters were realistic and relatable as was the town and situations. The Friday night high school football games which are attended by everyone in the town is something that occurs in small towns all over the south (I lived in one for twenty years). The story had some drama which kept things interesting. I would have liked less repetition of details regarding the characters. I just loved Aunt Millie. She is a kind woman who does not hesitate to help bring Brent and Christine together (she would get the mischievous twinkle in her eye). In Something Old, Something New we get to see that someone or something may have a beautiful exterior (or seems to have it all), it does not mean they do not have troubles. I like how the title played into the story. Something Old, Something New is a charming tale with Friday night football, a disparaging parent, lilac loving twins, an aunt in need, an improbable pairing, a twin conflict, and an abundance of antiques. ( )

What a great way to end the year with a bang of a book. This small town romance drew me in from the beginning with characters that had real self esteem issues and watching them grow and fall in love was endearing to my heart. I loved Aunt Midge and what she added to the story. Ms Clipston is a pro at tender romance with broken people who find wholeness together. I wanted to visit the antique mall that Christine operated and I also wanted to help Brent renovate his aunt’s house as I’m interested in both. I didn’t want this one to end as I found it enjoyable from beginning to end. A must read for 2023.
I won a copy from the author. The honest review and opinions are my own and were not required. ( )