Back to work in two weeks. I keep saying it out loud like that’ll make it feel more real—and also like it’ll motivate me to get my reading life back in order before the chaos officially resumes. With a second baby ruling my schedule, carving out time to sit down with a book has felt like a luxury I keep putting off. So I figured I should start with someone I trust. Sophie Sullivan has never really let me down, and Maybe This Once felt like exactly the right re-entry point. We’ll see how the reading goals hold up once the alarm clock starts going off again.

Charlotte “Charlie” Ashford has worked hard to become her own person. Tired of living in the shadow of her famous parents, she gladly left behind a life of glitz and glamour to pursue her true passion: becoming a counsellor. However, when a viral video upends Charlie’s plans, she wonders if the real key to discovering herself is through her late father.

Grayson Keller has finally found his footing. He’s settled in one place, surrounded by family, and secure in his business. By his third summer as owner, Get Lost Lodge is showing a steady profit and seeing its fair share of repeat visitors. Whatever happens, Grayson is perfectly content with his quiet life and careful heart. That is, until he meets Charlie, who he can’t seem to get out of his head.

On the surface, Charlie and Grayson seem to have nothing in common more than a growing attraction that neither of them can fight. Trusting each other isn’t easy. They’ve both been hurt before, and they’re not looking for anything serious. The solution is easy: they’ll date, have some fun, and walk away unscathed. Right? Or, maybe this once, they can see past the hurt to what, or who, is on the other side waiting for them.

This is the third book in Sullivan’s Rock Bottom Love series, and having reviewed Get Lost With You earlier this year, I went into Maybe This Once feeling a lot more at home than I did the last time around. The difference was noticeable. Where I felt like I was walking into the middle of a conversation in book two, here I felt like I was being welcomed back to a place I already knew—like visiting friends after a bit of time apart.

What I liked

Being back in Smile: There is something genuinely appealing about the world Sullivan has built. Small-town life, a community that shows up for its own, the warmth of the Keller family—it all pulls you in. By this third book, I felt like part of the family rather than an observer, and that made a real difference in how invested I was from the start.

Charlie and Grayson as actual grown-ups: This is something I don’t always get in romance, and I really appreciated it here. These two have real problems—the kind that come with baggage from past relationships and the complicated reality of building something new as an adult. Nothing felt over the top or manufactured for drama’s sake. Their worries felt earned, and their dynamic felt grounded.

Charlie within the Keller world: I loved getting to see Charlie interact with the rest of the Keller family independently of Grayson. It made her feel like a real, fully formed person rather than just a love interest, and it deepened the sense that she genuinely belonged in Smile and really drives home the concept of found family.

What didn’t work for me

The external drama: I understand that Charlie needed a reason to leave LA and land in Smile, but the combination of her family situation and the reality show offer for Grayson felt like a lot. It pulled me out of the story a little, because the quieter, more grounded elements of the book were working so well. Something simpler—maybe just Charlie hearing about Bernie and needing a change of pace—could have done the same job without the added noise. That said, I do recognize this is a romance novel and not a documentary, so I’m giving it grace.

The last Keller sibling: Okay, this isn’t really a criticism—it’s more of a complaint. I’m not ready to leave Smile. Sullivan has built something genuinely cozy and compelling here, and the idea that there are no more Keller siblings to follow is a little sad. Someone please greenlight a TV series. Small-town romance is having a moment, and this world is ready for it.

4 STARS

“Aw, come on. You don’t ask a woman out for years, and the first time you do, you ask her to go to Costco for hot dogs?” —Sophie Sullivan, Maybe This Once

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced book copy in exchange for my honest review.