Second Chance Romance With A Twist: Burned Twice, Loved Right by Katelyn Smyth

Okay, besties. You need to read this book. I don’t care what you had planned this weekend—cancel it. Because once you start Burned Twice, Loved Right by Katelyn Smyth, you won’t be able to put it down. This book completely took over my life. I laughed, I cried, I screamed at my Kindle, and by the end, I was left with that beautiful, soul-satisfying ache that only truly good romance novels give you.

If you love second-chance romances that actually make you feel something, this one is a must-read. It’s raw, emotional, and so deeply relatable that you’ll swear you are Taylor by the time you finish.

Taylor is the kind of heroine you root for from page one. She’s a single mom, doing everything in her power to give her son a good life while carrying the weight of a shattered heart. She’s been burned and she’s not about to let it happen again. But here’s the thing—she’s not bitter. She’s not closed off to love completely, but she is cautious. She has to be.

Because when you’ve been hurt the way she has, trusting someone again isn’t just difficult—it’s terrifying.

And then… Xander walks back into her life. Again.

Oh, Xander. I love a good second-chance romance, but usually, I can only forgive one mistake. Xander? He didn’t just break Taylor’s heart once—he fucked up twice.

The first time, I could almost understand. Maybe he was young. Maybe he didn’t know what he had. But then he came back, won her heart again, and still managed to ruin everything. I wanted to reach through the pages and shake him.

And here’s where it gets even worse—he’s not just disappointing Taylor this time. Their son is now an adult, and he’s watching his father prove over and over again that he doesn’t deserve his mother.

One of the most gut-wrenching parts of this book was watching Taylor and Xander’s son navigate his feelings about his dad. Because this time around, Taylor isn’t the only one who’s hurt—their son sees everything.

He’s old enough now to recognize his dad’s pattern. He sees Xander’s charm, his grand gestures, his big words… and he sees how they never amount to real change. He watches his mom try so hard to protect herself, try to believe in love again, only for Xander to prove—again—that he’s not the man she needs. And let me tell you, that realization? It hurts.

There’s a scene (no spoilers, but whew) where their son calls Xander out. And it’s powerful. Because it’s one thing to break a woman’s heart—it’s another to have your own child look you in the eye and tell you that you’ve failed both of them. That moment had me wrecked.

And honestly? It made me root for Taylor’s happiness even more. Which brings me to…

Dean – The Man Who Actually Deserves Her

Let’s take a moment—no, actually, let’s take all the moments—to talk about Dean. Because if there’s one man in this book who completely stole my heart, it was him.

While Xander was busy breaking Taylor’s heart (twice!), Dean was the one quietly being everything she needed. He wasn’t flashy about it. He wasn’t trying to prove a point. He was just there—steady, supportive, patient. And that, my friends, is what makes a man truly swoon-worthy.

Dean is the kind of guy who doesn’t need grand gestures to show his love. He does it in the small moments—the way he listens to Taylor when she’s struggling, the way he really sees her, not just as a woman scarred by her past but as the strong, incredible person she is. He treats her like she’s worthy of love, not in spite of her baggage, but because of it. And let me tell you, that kind of love? That kind of quiet, unwavering adoration? It melts you.

And then there’s the way he treats her son.

If you want to know what really made me fall for Dean, it was this. He doesn’t just care about Taylor—he cares about her family. He steps in, not as some replacement figure, not as someone trying to play hero, but as a man who genuinely wants to be in their lives. He shows up. He listens. He proves, over and over again, that he’s not going anywhere. And if that doesn’t make you weak in the knees, I don’t know what will.

Dean isn’t perfect, and that’s what makes him so wonderful. He has his own struggles, his own hesitations, but the difference between him and Xander? He chooses Taylor every single time. He doesn’t waver. He doesn’t let fear push him away. He doesn’t make her question whether she’s enough.

And honestly? If Taylor hadn’t ended up with Dean, I might have thrown my Kindle across the room. Because finally, FINALLY, she gets the love she deserves. And watching her let herself believe in that love, let herself trust that not all men will leave her shattered? It was one of the most satisfying love stories I’ve ever read.

This book made me feel everything.

Taylor’s heartbreak? I felt it.

Her hesitation? I understood it.

Her final, well-earned happiness? I SOBBED.

And the ending? Absolute perfection. This isn’t one of those stories where everything magically works out in the last five pages. No—Taylor earns her happy ending. She doesn’t just fall into love. She chooses it. And seeing her finally, finally find peace and joy? I was done.

Read. This. Book.

If you love second-chance romance, complex characters, and a love story that actually means something, Burned Twice, Loved Right is it.

Taylor’s journey is one of healing, self-discovery, and realizing that love should never come at the cost of your own happiness. And Dean? Dean is everything. So grab this book. Grab some tissues. And prepare to feel all the emotions. Because trust me—you’re not going to want to put this one down.