A Hard Habit to Break
by Siera London
The Calvary Brothers - Book 2
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Release: August 11, 2026
Reviewed by PJ
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.
PJ's Thoughts:
I've been looking forward to book two of the Calvary Brothers series since reading Fake It Till You make It (Amarie and Eli - click to read review). This time around it's Noah's turn and this former childhood friends, teenage sweethearts, second-chance romance brings all the feelings.
I enjoy the second-chance trope, especially when the author takes her time with the couple as London does. She allows Rachel and Noah the time to sort the issues that led to their breakup after high school. They are also given time necessary for individual growth as well as growth as a couple. It may feel like a slow progression to some but, for me, it felt organic and realistic.
The characters, both primary and secondary are well developed and relatable. I was in Rachel's corner from the get-go. I understood her reasons for leaving Service when she did, her reasons for returning (albeit temporarily), and I appreciated the life she had built for herself in the interim. Noah took me longer to warm up to. In fact, for the first part of the book I didn't like him all. But I think those negative feelings were essential to allow him the time to reflect and mature. By the end of the book I was firmly in his and Rachel's camp and fully supportive of the decisions they made.
There are many relationships threaded throughout the book - family, friendship, and romantic. I loved the relationship between Rachel and her dad and I found new the relationship between Rachel and her future stepmom very heartwarming. Noah's family was also a favorite, as they were in book one. The sibling dynamic among Noah and his brothers is spot on and their mom, as in the first book, was also a favorite in book two. I love how they call him out on his behavior.
Rachel's bestie, who accompanies her back to Service, is a hoot. He flat out steals every scene he's in. I do hope we'll see more of him in future books.
There's one more brother who needs to find his happy ending. I don't know what London has planned for him or when his book will be published but I'll for sure be picking up a copy when it is.
For readers new to this series, while there are continuing characters from book one, you should be able to start with A Hard Habit to Break without feeling confused or lost. Though I do recommend both.
Have you read Siera London yet?
Do you enjoy a book series that features connected characters, such as siblings, friend groups, etc.?
What are you reading now?
One randomly chosen person who posts a comment before 11:00 PM, August 22 will receive a print copy of A Hard Habit to Break.
*U.S. only
*Must be 18
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