Second to None by Nancy Herkness

Billionaire chemist Max Varela is selling his company and leaving New York for good when Emily Wade bursts into his office, desperate for his help in funding her program for disadvantaged kids and shelter dogs. Seven years ago, he fell in love with her when she was married to another man. To fight the unbidden attraction, he cut off all contact—but he’s never forgotten her.

Ever since her husband died, Emily has poured her heart and soul into the after-school care center. Seeing Max reawakens the pain of her loss, but it also brings unexpected hope for the future. As emotions thought long gone resurface, the two begin a passionate affair that seems destined for a fairy-tale ending.

That is, until Max reveals that he’s moving to Chicago in a matter of weeks and wants Emily to uproot her daughter and her life to come with him. If a second chance at love is possible, someone’s got to give.

Book 0.5
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Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Avid Reader – ☆☆☆☆
M/F Romance
Triggers: Click HERE to see Avid Reader’s review on Goodreads for trigger warnings.

Emily lost her husband to the war and is trying to keep things the same for herself and her daughter, Izzy.

Emily is trying to get her K-9 after school program off the ground. However, investors believe that while the program has merit, she is too much of a risk. She is desperate and goes to the one person who could help her – a friend who lost touch after he moved away.

Max is at the top of his field. He is successful and has so much money. What he doesn't have is Emily. He grew attached years ago when he was working with Emily's husband, Jake, and he ran away in order to maintain the relationship that he had formed with Jake and Emily.

Max and Emily reconnect, but work threatens to tear them apart again. How much sacrifice is Emily going to have to suffer and what will Max do when his relationship is jeopardized again?

Izzy is adorable and I love how resilient she is throughout the story.

This is a quick story about finding love again. I hope that we do get to see more into this story, as I felt that the ending was somewhat unfinished.


Lee’Anne – ☆☆☆
Though I liked it, I honestly found this story quite odd. First and foremost, it starts off with Emily looking for funding for a children's center to expand and be able to have dogs and a garden – to me, it just wasn't a big enough cause for half million dollars to need to be raised. Getting past that, when Emily goes to a man from her past for help, Max comes to take a tour of the children's center to decide about funding. Emily's personal funds are also tight and she reveals her 9-year-old is left home with a sitter while she's at work; I find it odd that working at a children's center she didn't bring her daughter to work with her to save money. Then she has one of the children living at the center because his parents kicked him out but she's able to text this kid; I don't see a parent having kicked their child out still paying for a phone.

Now, though I found the above things and a few other quirks inconsistent and a bit odd, I did still like the story and characters. Max is brilliant and generous and the perfect match for Emily's huge heart, I just love the two together. I'll be keeping an eye out for more from this series so I can see where the author takes it next.

Nancy Herkness is the author of the award-winning Whisper Horse series, published by Montlake Romance, as well as several other contemporary romance novels. She is a two-time nominee for the Romance Writers of America’s RITA® award. Her new series, Wager of Hearts, follows the romantic adventures of three very wealthy men who make a life-changing bet.

Nancy is a member of Romance Writers of America, New Jersey Romance Writers, and Novelists, Inc. She has received many honors for her work, including the Golden Leaf Award, the Maggie Award in Contemporary Romance, and the National Excellence in Romance Fiction Award. She graduated from Princeton University with a degree in English literature and creative writing.

A native of West Virginia, Nancy now lives in suburban New Jersey with her husband and two mismatched dogs.

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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Second to None (Second Glances 0.5) by Nancy Herkness to read and review.