Maggie Hartwell has spent twelve years proving she can handle anything on her own.

Then a storm devastates the Roaring Stag's courtyard renovation just weeks before her niece's wedding.

With time running out, Maggie reluctantly accepts help from Fergus Merrick—the dependable friend who's always been there, even when she insisted she didn't need him.

Working side by side makes it impossible to ignore the feelings they've both kept buried for years. But just as they're finally ready to stop pretending friendship is enough, Fergus is offered the career opportunity he's spent years waiting for—one that could take him away from the village they both call home.

Now Maggie must decide whether holding on to her independence is worth risking the future she's always wanted, while Fergus faces a choice between the life he's dreamed of and the woman he's quietly loved all along.

This Time Around is a heartfelt small-town romance about family, second chances, and discovering that the strongest relationships aren't built on sacrifice—they're built together.

Sometimes courage isn't standing alone. Sometimes it's letting someone stand beside you.

This Time Around is the second book in the Great Missenden Ever After Series. It can be read as a stand alone, but reading Between the Lines first is highly encouraged.