Title: Maybe One DayPublication Date: Nov. 11, 2025
Publisher: Montlake
Genres: Fiction / Romance / Contemporary
Synopsis:
A Caribbean cruise opens a widow’s heart to a love she never expected in a breathtaking novel about second chances by New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Catherine Bybee.
Mari D’Angelo’s life is complete. Her children are all married. Two grandbabies fill her days, with two more on the way, and her thriving family restaurant is running on autopilot. Not once in the ten years since she’s become a widow has Mari considered another love of her own. Until she sets sail on a single’s cruise to placate her recently divorced best friend. Then James comes crashing into Mari’s world.
Charming, witty, and with two daughters of his own, James isn’t looking for love either. But Mari is as irresistible as she is beautiful. As their simmering attraction grows, Mari’s resolve to ignore the spark James has ignited slowly breaks away. She promised her beloved late husband she’d find someone new. Maybe that impossible day has come.
Knowing her protective sons would not approve, Mari chooses to keep the romance a secret. After all, there is no reason for her family to know about James if their relationship doesn’t work out. It’s up to James to prove he can be trusted with the heart of a woman he’s come to cherish. But without her family’s approval, their love doesn’t stand a chance.
Maybe One Day is a heartwarming contemporary romance about finding love later in life and giving yourself permission to start again. The fifth book in The D’Angelos series, it follows Mari D’Angelo, the matriarch of the family. I was so thrilled that she was the focus of this story! A widow who’s spent the last decade pouring her heart into her family and their restaurant, she has no plans to ever fall in love again. When her best friend drags her on a singles cruise, Mari reluctantly goes along and ends up meeting James, a divorced single dad who’s also not looking for love. What starts as friendship slowly becomes something deeper, and I was completely invested in their story.
Something I really like about the story is that Mari isn’t your typical romance heroine. She’s a widow in her fifties who lost the love of her life ten years ago. Confident, nurturing, and a devoted mother and grandmother, she’s spent so much of her life taking care of others that it’s almost like she’s forgotten to prioritize herself. James is also older, with teenagers about to head to college. I adored him! He’s so patient and kind, and he complements Mari well. Their connection grows in such a natural, believable way, and I like how they seek each other out even when they don’t realize it. It so sweet and slow building, and their chemistry is fantastic.
The cruise setting adds a fun, escapist feel to the story, and the family dynamics are fantastic. Mari’s kids and grandkids play a big role, and her hesitation to tell them about James made so much sense. Her sons become super protective, which was no surprise. lol You can feel how much Mari loves her family, even when their protectiveness becomes a bit much. I just love this big Italian family and the abundance of love they have for each other.
This is a heart-warming, funny, and emotional contemporary romance with great messages about rediscovering joy and realizing that your story isn’t over just because one chapter ended. Layered and meaningful, it’s definitely one of my favorites in the series! Special thanks to the author for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.
- slow burn
- 2nd chance at love
- close proximity
- life after loss
- cruise meet cute
- single dad
New York Times bestselling author Catherine Bybee was raised in Washington State, but after graduating from high school, she moved to Southern California with hopes of becoming a movie star. After growing bored with waiting tables, she returned to school and became a registered nurse, spending most of her career in urban emergency rooms. She now writes full-time and has penned the International Bestselling Not Quite series, the MacCoinnich Time Travel series as well as the Internationally Bestselling Weekday Brides series.
Great review! Now I’m even more excited to read this book. It’s been a while since I’ve read a Catherine Bybee story and I haven’t read any of the other books from this series. But I’m definitely going to have to make The D’Angelos series a priority read in 2026.
Yes! I loved all of the books in the series!