A Hard Habit to Break
Author: Siera London
Reviewer: Jen
Rating: B
What I’m Talking About:
Rachel never felt like she belonged in Service, WV, despite the love of her dad and boyfriend Noah. She left her hometown for college with a broken heart. Thirteen years later, she’s returning to Service for her dad’s wedding. Rachel plans to get in and get out, going back to her life in California after two weeks.
Staying in Service, becoming a firefighter, and fulfilling his own dreams, Noah knows he and Rachel are destined to be, even if she left and never came back. Now he’s focusing on becoming the youngest captain ever, knowing his volunteer work on the town’s restoration projects will make or break his career. So when Rachel offers to help with plans, he sees a potential path to the future he’s always wanted.
A Hard Habit to Break is a sexy second chance romance between two life-long friends who fell in love at an early age and never got over their breakup. We get glimpses of their past, but the story focuses on the present, and the reader understands they have a long history.
Rachel always felt like an outsider because of her looks as a white-presenting Black girl and her hobbies which included building stuff over going to the mall. Noah’s best friend didn’t help her feel welcome either, viewing Rachel as a competitor for Noah’s time and affections. I love the moment when Rachel realizes she does mean something to the people in her town, that they missed her and love her for who she is and not because she was Noah’s girlfriend. Rachel embraces the changes she sees in her dad and home because she is a confident woman, which in turn allows her to lend support to the restoration committee. I admire Rachel, especially how she navigates difficult people and opens herself to Noah. She is strong but vulnerable.
Noah on the other hand, is not my favorite character. He is obtuse when it comes to his best friend Pete, who is a misogynistic, self-centered jerk. And although he does some wonderful things for Rachel, Noah doesn’t seem to hear her concerns and deliberately keeps things from her. He believes so strongly that they will be together forever, that he doesn’t listen when Rachel tells him what she needs. I was often annoyed by him and surprised that Rachel didn’t just walk away. But this is a romance, and the poor guy eventually finds the right path.
In the end, A Hard Habit to Break is a fun story with intimate moments and joyful occasions. I recommend for romance readers who enjoy a strong female lead and a second chance happily ever after.
My Rating: B
Jen
About the Book:
At age eighteen, Rachel Johnson left Service, West Virginia, with a college acceptance letter, a broken heart, and a blueprint for a new life. Now the star architect is back, for two weeks, and not a second more, for her dad’s wedding and zero intention of rekindling old flames. But when she’s roped into the town’s redevelopment committee to bring much needed resources for the community, she finds herself face-to-face with the committee chair…her ex, Noah Calvary.
Firefighter Noah volunteered for this assignment to further his career, not to work with Rachel. A born competitor, Noah isn’t thrilled to share the spotlight with the woman who once left him in the dust, but to help the town, he figures he can play nice. And his success could clinch the promotion he’s been angling for.
Rachel’s got vision and a partnership at her firm on the line. Noah’s got a promotion to protect. And every decision is a battle of wills. Their history is messy, but their chemistry is explosive. Between small-town politics, big-time rivalries, and sizzling glances, Noah and Rachel must decide if they’re laying the foundation for professional disaster or finally building something real.
Release Date: August 11, 2026
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Series: Calvary Brothers #2
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Format(s): paperback (368 pages), e-book, audiobook
Book Source: Author
#RRBC 2026: Wedding Trope