Jake Plus Conner

Second Chances #3

by Ann-Katrin Byrde

Conner

Jake was my best friend. My first crush. The love of my life.
Until he screwed up. We both did, really.
Now I tell everyone that I’m over him.
I tell them that it doesn’t matter, because I’m an independent omega, out to change the world.
The truth is that I miss him.
The bigger truth is that I want to lose myself in him, but I’m afraid to lose myself in the process.

Jake

I’ve done a lot of stupid things in my life, but breaking up with Conner has got to top the list.
I was mad and I was an idiot and now I regret it all.
Now I would give up anything to get him back. Even myself.
Conner complains that I’m over-protective. Too alpha. Can’t he see that he’s my other half and if anything happened to him, how could I go on with only half a heart?
How do I convince him to give me another chance?
I’m a paramedic. Every day, I swoop in like a superhero to help mend broken arms, legs, bodies. Why can’t I mend this broken heart?

Genres: Omegaverse, M M Romance, Second Chance, Friends To Lovers, Romance, Contemporary, Audiobook

266 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 23, 2019

About the author

Ann-Katrin Byrde is a writing duo comprised of Ana J. Phoenix and Kate Lowell. As a team they strive to bring you the best mpreg stories they can. They both love to write, read and dream. In their spare time, you can often catch them hunting wild plot bunnies in the fields of their imagination.

(Source: Amazon.com)

Reviews

[M.I.A · Rating 4 out of 5]

~ 4.25 Stars~

I really like how everything was connected. Each scene propels the story forward, nothing is gratuitous. The flashbacks are seamless. The writing appeared to be well done but I did listen to the audiobook and though it is a bit simplistic it flowed well. It's also a really good length, 266 pages, so it's a complete story and didn't leave me salivating for more and it also didn't drag whatsoever, very good pacing.

This is one of my favorite story lines friends-to-lovers, in each other's lives since childhood, coming-of-age meets adulthood (but definitely not YA). Separated for two years by realistic conflict.

Jake remorseful over the break-up, relentlessly pursuing Connor in an attempt to seek a re-union. Jake was very endearing. An overly protective Alpha, worrier, playful and a big romantic. He does the sweetest, melt-your-heart things to win back the love of his life. He's also walking this fine line between his own nature and Connor's interpretation of his nature and what it reflects on his opinions about omegas.

Connor is the resident serious omega. Workaholic, contrary, omega-rights advocate, stubborn and opinionated. He's constantly testing boundaries with Jake, making sure their ideals/morals align. It's never a question of love because they've loved each other since they were teenagers and before that they were best friends. It's a question of unconditional support of his lifestyle and his needs that he seeks.

Jake & Conner is really very sweet and delivers. Highly recommend for those looking for a non-shifter omegaverse story with male-pregnancy, second chance romance, relationship that spans teen-adulthood, feel good vibes, low angst and an OTT HEA

I didn't have the best first impression of the Ann-Katrin Byrde writing duo with the Mercy Pack series, Jake and Conner is written three years later and their writing skills have come along way. Can't wait to dig into more of their work.

[Fani *loves angst*]

I've had a similar problem again with this author duo: when they try to write strong-willed and independent omegas, they usually come off as aggressive, selfish and prone to take out their own eye just to prove they have the right to do so. To me at least that's what Conner seemed like so I can't understand why Jake would want him back, hence the whole purpose of this story. It's like trying to love a hedgehog, someone's who's prickly and impossible to talk to without offending him because you'll me damned if you offer to help him and damned if you don't.

[Rachel Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

FINALLY! The book I have been waiting since the second book of the Oceanport series - the OTP Of Oceanport - Jake and Conner - or Cake, as they have lovingly become known as on facebook.

This story is - for them - decades in the making. Jake and Conner have grown up together, experienced all of the firsts that come with growing up as alpha and omega respectively, and all the firsts of being a couple, breaking up, and then trying to make it work.

I just adore Jake and Conner together, and I'm so happy to finally get their story. It was just a pure delight to read - and that ending? SO sweet! I love that we got a few glimpses into their past, and I love that we got to see their parents, family, and friends so involved, too.

I don't know what's next for this author, if we will get more stories from Oceanport, but I hope we'll see a return to this lovely little town! Highly, highly recommended!

[Lily · Rating 2 out of 5]

The long awaited romance of Conner and Jake turned out to be a let down. It wasn't terribly romantic or interesting. I mean the subplot with the runaway omega was more interesting than Conner and Jake's romance. Between Conner being so oversensitive and Jake being overprotective I didn't really feel like they resolved their issues either. The scavenger hunt thing was kind of cute, but all in all this was a boring book and I was glad to finally have it over and done with.

[caroline wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book by the author and This is my honest opinion.
This has been a really anticipated book, because the oceanport series is a close knitted intertwinned series and the characters make reappearance throughout different books and grow within the series we watched basically these characters since they were young.
Connor and jake have been together since they were young from friends to something more till an incident puts fear into Jake and he becomes more concerned for Connor that he basically suffocated the independent omega and ends there relationship. Fast forward a bit and they meet again and it starts from there. Connor and Jake were both great characters which I enjoyed reading about, I also loved the comadarie between them and their friends. I liked that we seen there struggles, and them compromising without losing either of themselves in the realationship but becoming a well rounded couple. This book flowed effortlessly and I'm glad when it all ended nicely and that we seen various characters at the end and how they are now. Sweet read for a sweet couple.

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

3/4

[Teal Wolf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ann-Katrin Byrde's Jake Plus Conner is the third book in the Second Chances series. Jake and Conner finally get their story... and it is perfect.
Oh how I've fallen for these two - seeing glimpses of them through previous books, the anticipation for their story built... this book does a fantastic job of delivering a love story worth this couple who we have seen from adorable boys forming a friendship to the incredibly sweet and sexy men they are now. Love love love this! Definitely pulled at my emotions, made me squee in delight and left me happy and satisfied.

I received an advanced reader's copy of the book and I am voluntarily leaving my honest review and recommendation.

[Jessey Yarbrough · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bittersweet

I really enjoyed this book it was really good I definitely waited a good while for this book. I was super super excited for it to come out but I’m fortunately for me it kind of fell flat like the other books tease so well about this book but it fell flat almost monotone to me. There really was no climax and it kind of disappointed me but it was still really good book it was written very well don’t get me wrong but as someone who is a very thrill seeker reader who likes to build up and teasing this just didn’t deliver what the other two did for me.

[Lyra French · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yay!

I have been anxiously awaiting for this installment of the second chances series since I read the last one. Make is the sweetest alpha I've ever read and Connor is the most stubborn. The two together equal a fun and sexy read that I give two enthusiastic thumbs up. I'm excited to see what comes next!

[Noona [ON theStoryGraph] · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the Jake and Conner story I've been waiting for, and I was NOT disappointed!!! 😊

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was cute. It had a very different feel to the others, where we got a growing romance versus a rekindling one. I liked it

[Beaumont · Rating 1 out of 5]

Honestly most of my heavy disappointment with this book is probably on me for expecting more.

Connor is a cis white male omega. His age isn’t specified. He’s a social worker or something similar. I was shocked and pleased that he had a sister who had a girlfriend. It’s rare for sapphic girls to be in mlm books and was much appreciated, however minor it was (very).

Jake is a cis white male alpha. His age isn’t specified. He’s a paramedic and the son of Eli and Matt from the first book of the Oceanport series. He’s still not quite over his breakup with Connor. He came on too strong and they broke up over it.

These two started dating at 15, which was an unknown number of years ago. They broke up 2 years before the present day. They’re both at least old enough to have houses and dogs of their own, so in book worlds that’s at least 22 (in the real world more like 32). They’re still in each other’s lives due to living in a small town and having friends in common. This is unusual, I don’t think I’ve ever read a second chances trope where they stayed in touch.

The MCs don’t interact at all in the present until about 15% of the book.

I started to lose interest around 24% when Connor wanted badly to get a hysterectomy (to deal with abnormal heats that caused him distress) but couldn’t because he was child free and unmarried, and even if he had kids and a spouse, his alpha would be the only one who could give consent for him. He had no say over his own body. In response, Jake had proposed marriage and babies immediately. When that went over like a lead balloon, Jake sulked and ignored Connor as he searched and searched for a way to have a choice in his body. He had to leave the country to do this. When Jake thought Connor had gone through without without Jake’s OK, and that he’d had to have major surgery out of the country just to make his own medical choices, Jake’s response was “You really don’t care what I think, so you?” And he hung up the phone. Never asked how he was recovering, never wondered why Connor didn’t tell him, or why he was so desperate. He never let Connor talk about not having bodily autonomy, he just assumed he take that over and benevolently allow Connor to make choices under Jake’s legal authority.

I think the author was going for some kind of parallel between people with uteruses in real life, and omegas, but it got muddled. Connor ended up being the bad guy for wanting the surgery and not holding Jake’s hand while Jake had feelings about Connor’s choices about his own body. It was grating to say the least. When Connor explains this years later and said he felt unsupported and reduced to his fertility, Jake told him it was all in his head. REALLY? And then Connor who had gone through doctor’s appointments, research, and scheduling an international surgery (scheduling a surgery even in your own nation is complicated), said he never really wanted it, it was just the principle of the thing and has been a snap reaction. Really? That would have taken weeks. Also, people don’t have major surgery for “the principle of the thing,” it doesn’t happen. This felt so belittling to people who desperately want and need these surgeries. Then this author does this. It was in such bad taste.

I’m sure the author had good intentions, but the whole plot felt like it made light of people wanting bodily autonomy and treated it as people being slightly over-concerned with it and as a “passion project” rather that a humans rights issue. It framed Connor as being being reactionary and slightly unreasonable in a cute feminine way rather than rage against a system and passive misogyny that literally has stripped many rights from him. They never talk about WHY Connor feels that way and why it’s real, and instead it’s treated as an overreaction out of misplaced worries. It was not pleasant.

I skimmed a lot of the book to see if it got any better, but it didn’t. It kept the strong “not all men” vibes. Not great.

Content warnings and tropes:
—Nonshifter mpreg
—Misogyny
—Idiot straight boy love interest
—Explicit sex scenes
—Misunderstandings
—Pregnancy and birth
—“Marriage and babies with the right person will fix most ills” vibes

Other:
—First person dual POV
—Breakup: past only
—Cheating: no
—Romantic rival: no
—Kids: yes, they have a baby at the end of the book
—Sexual roles: strict
—HEA: yes

[Vintage · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jake and Connor!

Like most, Jake and Connor have always been characters that I loved in previous books in this series, so I was thrilled to see that this story was coming out. Jake was awesome in this book, but Connor was fairly high maintenance for much of this book. But everything worked out in the end, so Yeah!

[Betty · Rating 2 out of 5]

Boring

[Monique · Rating 2 out of 5]

📚

Ever since Jake and Conner were introduced in Oceanport Omegas I had a feeling they would be together. So when I jumped into their book I was dissatisfied with Conner. I love that he’s an independent Omega who isn’t a pushover but I hate that he’s stubborn to the detriment of himself and Jake. I honestly never felt the love from Conner to Jake and in turn I didn’t see what drew Jake to be so in love with him.

Conner would work himself ragged and then get mad and lash out at Jake saying that he just wants him to quit and be a household omega and then would storm off. Then Jake would feel bad and chase him. This lasted until the last third of the book and it was exhausting. Jake wanted to be with him and he was fielding and rejecting him for a whole year after he pretended to make a life altering decision for the both of them and then getting mad that Jake was disappointed and sad.


****************Spoiler ***************

They were in a committed relationship and Conner was still working crazy hours but he had irregular heats that were hard to control even with suppressants. The doctors said that one solution was a hysterectomy but certain conditions needed to be met (alpha permission and have had a baby). Conner was, justifiably, mad by the doctor taking him that but he took it out on Jake and then found a clinic that would let him do a hysterectomy without those conditions. When Jake and him talked about it Jake told him he envisioned his life with kids so they can have a kid, get married and then do the procedure (not the best sales pitch especially when Conner is already mad but ok). So instead Conner leaves angry and goes to that clinic and calls Jake from the clinic and pretends that he did the procedure just to see Jakes reaction. Like wtf. Jake is disappointed and tells him that he guesses his opinions and wants for their future together don’t really matter to Conner and that was their break up.

So Conner NEVER tells him that he didn’t go through with it. And a year later Jake tries getting back with Conner and he says no for another full year of Jake wooing him, messaging him, and sending him gifts. But Conner is the “injured” party??? Nope nope nope.

Conner doesn’t take care of himself and gets mad when Jake points it out and tries to take care of him. Yes sometimes Jake is overprotective but instead of talking about it and coming up with a compromise, he gets mad and says that it’s because he’s an omega and storms off.


I don’t see what this great love is all about.

[Lay Luna · Rating 3 out of 5]

My Baby Jake

(Contains Spoilers about “Jake plus Conner” and “The Omega’s Secret Baby”
I like the way you can see the connections with how Jake was raised and how it effects his actions in this book. We met Jake as a seven year old in “The Omega’s Secret Baby”
- Jake wanting to always protect Conner from his talk with his alpha father Matthew from the book The Omega’s Secret Baby because children were talking bad about his omega father Eli for being single at the time
- Jake’s parents sending him away to school for a bit because they didn’t want him to have a baby too young (Like they did. In that book Eli quit school to have Jake and always wanted to go back)
The main thing I liked was that Conner wasn’t afraid of being an Omega and didn’t look down on himself. He was headstrong and focused on his work. I like that he just wanted the option to not have babies when given the choice because he felt like all his life has been him trying to get control of his own life although omegas are known for their lives being ‘in the control’ of their alpha.
The ‘But’ comes in when I realized that the book was quite similar to most of them and I wasn’t excited or surprised to where it was going. I realized the only reason I read THIS book was because I felt connected to Jake in his parents book and was hoping he grew up to be a fine young man. After reading all the books it was homey and I’m glad with them having children but by reading the previous books and the synopsis I can accurately tell someone how the book goes. It’s always the same after you read the relationship the two main characters have. It gives you a bland taste in your mouth after a while. So although there isn’t anything WRONG with this book I’ve grown tired of these storylines from all of the couples in the town Oceanport being fairly predictable.

[Pyor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as i expected, it was boring and flat, their characters were still like when they were children, it was like they didnt grow up at all, and the author just forced them to be together just because it was expected of them.

I still love them though, i wish the author wrote a better story for them.

I imagine a story for them : conner and jake left oceanport for college, they went to different college in different city, conner wanted to become a lawyer for omegas. They return to oceanport on every holyday to meet.

One day they met in oceanport to celebrate jake's graduation, it was a year before connor graduated (i figured jake graduated a year earlier because he was one year older). Connor found out he was pregnant when he returned to college, he miscarriaged. Doctor found a condition that caused conner unable to carry a baby to term. Conner knew how much jake wanted a family. So he broke up with jake. He didnt tell jake about the pregnancy and his condition.

After college jake returned to oceanport and got a job there, but conner didnt return. After broke up with jake he decided that he would stay in the city to do something to fight for omegas' rights, or something like that.

One day something happened to conner's family in oceanport and conner returned. He and jake met again and they realized that they still loved each other, they got their second chances, and of course conner finally got pregnant again and carried the baby to term, even though it was probably the only baby they would have. In the end it is HEA for them.

Fanmade story 😁

[lex ❄]

There's a recent review from a few months ago by another reader that explains how I feel much better than I ever could but basically:

1. No chemistry between the MCs.

2. Alpha MC giving off "not all men" vibes.

3. Alpha MC broke up with omega MC because he wanted to decide over his own body (doing a surgery on his reproductory organs because of a condition). And I'm supossed to root for them to get back together? If you're going to write an asshole MC it's ok, but don't paint him as if he's in the right. The narrative makes the omega MC appear selfish and too hurried in his decissions, which I don't agree with.

4. The book needs better pacing, and the glimpse of moment we get from their relationship before aren't working for me.

The writting is great, but these things made me too frustrated to continue.

[Erin]

The minute these guys were introduced to each other in A Baby for the Firefighter, I checked to see if they had their own book. The big struggle is that Connor doesn't like to be considered only for his uterus, which is an unusual problem in mpreg omegaverse because it's usually so pregnancy- and family-centric. These guys are supposed to have grown up a little bit since they broke up, but I'm not totally sure they're there yet. It doesn't matter though because the accidental pregnancy solves all their problems, right?

[Cathy Romanczuk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very cute

I have been waiting for Jake and Conner ever since Conner was introduced. The boys who were best friends have grown up and had rough patches and aren’t seeing each other at the start. It is easy to see that they still love each other. These still have to overcome some obstacles before they can be together. One of my favorite scenes is the shower scene in the cabin. I like that the characters showed how they cared for each other and talked to one another. I have seen Jake in supporting roles in previous books, but this one showed his personality in how he took care Conner.

[Wide Eyes, Big Ears! · Rating 4 out of 5]

Connor is the Germaine Greer of omegas’ rights, working with omega teens in trouble. Jake is a paramedic. Boyhood sweethearts with a bumpy history, mostly due to Connor’s bolshie personality, their relationship broke down in recent times. The authors’ books often explore omega rights and the parallels with women’s rights are clear and thoughtful. I’ve seen reviewers’ dislike of Connor, but the world needs firebrands that help push social change even if they’re touchy in their personal relationships. 🎧 John Solo gives another strong performance, he is comfortable being playful or sorrowful as needed.

[Claudia · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75

After two whole series of build-up, we finally get Jake and Conner's story and it was totally worth the wait. I loved the short little flashbacks of the two of them as teenagers and their first go at a relationship. You really get the sense that these two are each other's first, only, and always and I think the teeny tiny teases of them that have been sprinkled throughout the universe just make this all the more satisfying. I do think Conner's problem seemed to appear and disappear rather suddenly. Plus I liked how Bastian got a sort of mini-story in this, I was wondering if the rest of the boys were going to get a story.

[Ana Silva · Rating 5 out of 5]

I knew I would love Jake and Conner’s book! I was looking forward to their love story. It was just as I hoped it would be: sweet, annoying at times, hot and absolutely beautiful. The love they had for each other was something that couldn’t be erased by their differences. Jake was so in love with Conner that he didn’t know how to deal with it and in the process made some mistakes. Conner was so fixated on his causes that he couldn’t see how much Jake was willing to do for him. In the end, they understood that talking things out and compromising made their relationship stronger. I really loved this series. All three couples found their HEA and that’s all that matters.

[Nans Savir · Rating 5 out of 5]

You wait for a book for a long time, at last you have it in your hands, you have many expectations and the book is much much better than you expected !!!
This book was highly anticipated by the fans and Jake and Connor fulfilled ...
Connor still wants to be more than just an Omega and Jake (sigh) Jake struggles to try to show that he is the alpha that Connor would want ...
a romantic book, tender with the touch that the authors have accustomed us and that gives us the closure that we expected for these two ...
I received this book in exchange for honest criticism ...

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book Oceanport fans have been waiting for

I know that I am not the only one who is been waiting for Jake and Conner’s book. It was definitely worth the wait! It’s been Jake + Conner from the beginning, and now they get their hea. Miscommunication and stubbornness derailed our pair for a while, but theirs is a fated love. We see this portrayed in various flashbacks to their childhoods - when we first fell in love with Jake and Conner. Now we get to see them as adults - adults with a little more growing to do. And maybe grow a family too.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now this is the book I have been waiting for since we met these two the Oceanport Omega's series. And I can say without a doubt that Ann-Katrin Byrde has knock this one out of the park!! This definitely didn't disappoint. I am in love with Jake and Conner even more after reading this amazing story! I just love how they get their second chance at love with each other. This whole just makes me so happy right now.

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally!

The book I’ve been waiting for for so long has finally been written! Wow this book brought tears of happiness to my eyes! Jake and Connor are so amazing together and I’m glad they got their HEA! I’ve been rooting for them since I first read about them in the Oceanport series! Their story is so sweet and precious and I love how much they care about each other! Definitely a must read book!

[AL · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute omegaverse story of second chances, compromises and knowing what is most important in life.
We follow the story of childhood friends who decide to give each other a second chance in love, while navigating personal hangups, stubornness and fears.
All in all, a very sweet story - low on the angst, very high on the feels. A great read for a relaxing afternoon.

I was provided with a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

[Daniela LeBlanc · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to this book on audible, and I have to say the narrator really did a fantastic job bringing the characters to life. This is a sweet, low-angst story about an Alpha and his Omega, lots of misunderstandings, some secrets and a second chance for an HEA. The story itself was entertaining and kept me going. And it was perfect for listening to while making dinner etc.

[Greg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Feel good Alpha and Omega book with HEA. Two friends destined to be together, break up and this story is their comeback story. Omegas have rights and Alphas need to respect them if they want to be with them. John Solo does a great job narrating and Ann-Katrin Byrde leaves you warm and fuzzy at the end.