Maybe This Once by Sophie Sullivan: Book Review

Maybe This Once is the latest release from Canadian author Sophie Sullivan. It is the third book in the Rock Bottom Love series. Expected to be released on February 10, 2026, it focuses on Grayson’s story. Feeling let down in love by a rough divorce, Grayson has sworn off love for himself. Charlie found herself being let down by people she thought understood her. As such, she found herself in Michigan reconnecting with her dad’s family. When Grayson and Charlie meet, sparks fly, but should they open up their hearts to love?

I want to thank St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of Maybe This Once. However, all opinions expressed here are solely mine.

Synopsis from Goodreads

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 counselor. 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, whom 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.

My Opinions

I added Maybe This Once to my TBR because I’ve enjoyed previous books by Sophie Sullivan. Last year, I read and reviewed Get Lost with You. You can find that review here. As I said last year, while this is part of a series, you don’t have to read the series in order. That said, there are events in this book that may spoil the other books.

Maybe This Once is Grayson’s story of finding love. He is the oldest of the three Keller kids. He thought he had found his true love earlier in life, but ended up having a messy divorce. It was so bad that he swore off love and romance forever. Charlie has struggled to trust others and let people in. Both are discussed throughout the book.

Overall, I found the pacing to be a bit slow. There seemed to be a lot of will-they-or-won’t-they moments. When they first meet, the sparks fly. There’s an instant connection, but neither does anything about it because of their previous experiences with relationships. When they see each other again, the sparks are still there, so much so that everyone sees them, except Grayson and Charlie. Once they decide to explore their feelings, the pacing improves a little. But once they reach the climax and face the pressure of external forces, the pacing improves significantly.

While I may not have loved this story, I will continue to read Sophie Sullivan’s books.

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