Summary (from the publisher):
During a whirlwind two-week vacation abroad, Sam and Tate fell for each other in only the way that first loves do: sharing all of their hopes, dreams, and deepest secrets along the way. Sam was the first, and only, person that Tate—the long-lost daughter of one of the world’s biggest film stars—ever revealed her identity to. So when it became clear her trust was misplaced, her world shattered for good.Fourteen years later, Tate, now an up-and-coming actress, only thinks about her first love every once in a blue moon. When she steps onto the set of her first big break, he’s the last person she expects to see. Yet here Sam is, the same charming, confident man she knew, but even more alluring than she remembered. Forced to confront the man who betrayed her, Tate must ask herself if it’s possible to do the wrong thing for the right reason… and whether “once in a lifetime” can come around twice.

 My Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

 My Thoughts:

 Many of my fellow bloggers absolutely love Christina Lauren’s books. This author duo is much loved by both YA and adult book audiences. That being said, I knew it was time to finally pick up one of their books when I was able to get their latest release, Twice in a Blue Moon, at Book Expo 2019.

Twice in a Blue Moon has the perfect crossover appeal for YA and adult readers. This book is all about the love-to-hate-to-maybe-back-to-love trope (watching out for spoilers as always). During a vacation abroad in London, Sam and Tate experience first love.  Tate is one of the first people Sam feels that she can share all her hopes, dreams, and secrets with- including that her estranged father is one of the world’s most famous movie stars. When it is clear that Tate’s trust has been betrayed, her world and first love fall apart. The book then transports readers fourteen years later, when now up-and-coming movie star Tate runs into Sam on a movie set.

In short, I freaking loved Twice in a Blue Moon. This is such the perfect book to eat up in a sitting or two, as the different timelines flow nicely together. I feel like Christina Lauren could have gone down the ‘stereotypical’ route and flip back and forth between times with each chapter (Tate and Sam in London then Tate and Sam on the movie set), but I LOVED how they did it in chronological order. I admit that I am not always the biggest fan of books that flip back and forth in time. My reading preferences set aside, the book’s first few chapters are set in London, where Tate and Sam’s relationship blooms. Some of my favorite scenes were their nights spent looking at the night sky. I loved how the night sky setting interwove itself into the book’s title. These London chapters were where I found the most similarities to YA. In both timelines, I found that the romance was not as heavy or steamy as I was expecting, based on what I have heard about some Christina Lauren books.

While Tate and Sam’s relationship is the focal point of Twice in a Blue Moon, this book has so many unique elements that sometimes made me forget about the two’s history. Much of the book revolves around Tate’s family, from her separation with her father to them presenting themselves as the quintessential father-daughter pair for the media. In the book’s second timeline, Tate finds herself doing her best to evolve into the movie’s character on screen. I wasn’t necessarily upset that Sam isn’t her main focus, but I think them spending a bit more time together (for better or worse) would have improved their relationship development.  I am also still conflicted about how I feel about Sam’s role in why Tate and him separated in the first place.

Overall, Twice in a Blue Moon is a very atmospheric read, from Sam and Tate’s early days in London to the reunion on a movie set. This story is much more than two people/first loves finding their way back to each other, as there is a lot of focus on personal growth and family drama. This book makes for the perfect binge-read and makes me excited to explore more of Christina Lauren’s titles.

Twice in a Blue Moon comes out on October 22, 2019.  

This reviews is based on an advance readers’ edition. By no means did receiving this ARC affect my thoughts or opinions.

Is Twice in a Blue Moon on your TBR? Have you read any books by Christina Lauren? Share in the comments!