I tried to like this second chance at love story. I found Eve a bit desperate.I failed to see her need to restore an old love at times at the cost of a life that seemed to be back on track and moving in a positive direction. I did love the connection she had with her friends. I would have liked her making the reunion a bit harder for Paddy .

Really enjoyed this book thank you. Vibrant, believable, characters and an absorbing plot. I will ensure I look out for this author in the future!

I received a copy with formatting that makes it impossible to get through: series of words bunched together, single line paragraphs. I will rate a 5 since this isn't a reflection of the book itself.

I absolutely love the premise of this story. Enemies to lovers, second chance lovers… it sounds so good! I did struggle to stay interested throughout though. Eve’s passion was archaeology, before life took a turn and she had to abandon her freams for new dreams. The problem with this is there is so much talk about archaeology that it often made the story drag. We are also so focused on Paddy’s (Paddy is the aforementioned “gorgeous boyfriend”) shortcomings that I feel we don’t really get the opportunity to fall in love with him.
I did love the banter between Paddy and Eve. I liked being able to see her slowly hate him less. There were many twists in this story that I did not see coming, which is always a bonus!

If you loved Cecelia Ahern’s P.S. I Luv You, then you are going to devour Kate Field’s emotional, uplifting and heart-wrenching tale of healing, moving on and starting afresh that is sure to bring a tear to your eye, A Dozen Second Chances.

Seventeen years ago, Eve Roberts had the world at her feet. Everything she had always dreamed of had come true and all of her hopes and dreams had come to fruition: from her degree in archaeology to a fledgling career and a gorgeous boyfriend to travel the world with, everything seemed to be coming up rosy for Eve – until tragedy struck. Eve’s sister Faye had died and her world had been turned upside down and changed forever. No longer a free spirit, Eve had to assume responsibility of her niece Caitlyn and all her plans had to be shelved and her entire life had to revolve around her heartbroken niece’s well-being. Sadly, Eve’s relationship had not been able to withstand this shocking turn of events, leaving Eve with no choice but to give up on all of her hopes and dreams.

Time races by and Caitlyn is now ready to leave home leaving Eve with empty nest syndrome. With her fortieth birthday fast approaching, Eve is given a gift by her niece of a box of twelve Be Kind to Yourself vouchers and instructions to start living for herself again instead of merely existing and putting everyone else first. Every time Eve accomplishes something for herself, she needs to fill in a voucher – little knowing of the seismic changes and surprises which are about to come her way…

After almost two decades of prioritising everyone else and putting herself last, will Eve manage to learn to listen to her inner voice and start living? Will she find the strength and the courage to follow her dreams? Or is she too scared to take a leap of faith? Eve only has one life, but will she let fear and thwarted plans ruin her last chance at happiness?

A fantastic tale that will touch your heart and lift your spirits, A Dozen Second Chances is a terrific and emotional read that proves that it is never to late to start again. Written with flair and sensitivity, A Dozen Second Chances features a terrific heroine you will cheer for and plenty of humour, warmth and emotion to keep you engrossed and turning the pages late into the night.

Kate Field is a terrific storyteller who certainly knows how to keep her readers riveted and glued to her books and with A Dozen Second Chances she has penned an unforgettable, inspirational and poignant tale you will not easily forget!

I really enjoyed this book, the story, the characters and the sentiment.

Eve’s life was turned on its head seventeen years ago when her sister died, she sacrificed her dream and her wonderful life to raise her niece. Now, it’s time for her to rediscover who she is and start living her life again.

Eve’s niece is living home and gives Eve twelve ‘Be Kind to Yourself’ vouchers, giving Eve an incentive to start living for herself again. The first of these vouchers opens the door to change for Eve, but can she step forwards?

I loved the characters in this book, they brought the story to life, especially Gran! The role that they all play in Eve’s rediscovering her life adds humour, sadness and hope.

The story is a reminder that life is short, we don’t know what’s around the corner so we should make the most of every opportunity and to enjoy every moment.

I think we should all take a leaf out of Caitlyn and Eve’s book and be kinder to ourselves and celebrate the moments we are. Here’s my first voucher:

Be Kind to Yourself
Voucher One
I, Kelly Thomas, have been kind to myself by reading A Dozen Second Chances!

4 Stars ☆☆☆☆

Where do I even start? Romance isn't my favourite genre, I tend to find romantic books tedious and eye-rollingly boring. However, this book contested with that in every way. I absolutely adored everything in this book ❤

Things I enjoyed: 
• This book was so emotional! I felt Eve's anger, and sadness and happiness, I connected with Eve in a way I didn't expect.
• I really enjoyed the pacing. I think Kate Field has great skill in writing. And as I said above, I tend to find romance books quite boring. But this pace was perfect, I found myself reading at every chance I could to find out more about the history between Eve and Patty. 
• I think this book comes with a really important message, and that is you're never too old to continue living and to take chances. (If that message isn't enough to get you to read this, then I don't know what will).
• I loved Eve's raw emotion when it came to Caitlyn. It was sad to feel Eve's pain as a mother to see the girl she raised grow up and lead her own life. It was both heartbreaking and joyful ❤ but I guess that's what life is. It's full of both heartbreaking and beautiful moments, and that's the essence of this book. It portrays the challenges and difficulties you can face in life, but also the beauty in overcoming these challenges and moving on.

Things I didn't enjoy:
• The only thing that annoyed me, was that there were a lot of spelling and grammar mistakes which made it very difficult to read at times. But that might just be because I read the ARC via Netgalley. I'm sure the final copy will be proofread.

Well written, perfectly paced. A story of selflessness, forgiveness, moving on, and rediscovering love. It's never too late to start again or to find your own happiness, in the little things, one step at a time, after twenty years of putting someone else first. The ending was probably inevitable and predictable, but welcome just the same

I thoroughly enjoyed this thoughtful read and followed Eve's story with interest. She is at a crossroads in her life, facing an empty nest and changes in her job. Her past is a country she does not travel to often, as it is littered with lost aspirations and opportunities she had to give up. As she rediscovers her interests, I loved watching her character develop and face some uncomfortable truths.

There are other characters in the book who show that they have grown up and matured. Eve's grandmother is a delight and certainly brings a smile to your face. There are some lovely touching moments between Eve and her grandmother who has a shrewd eye for human nature. There are some emotional moments, none more so than the ending which I did not see coming but which certainly brought a lump to my throat. Highly recommended.

In short: Be kind and do what makes you happy

Thanks to the author for a copy of the book

I really thought the premise was very cute. I think this is one that I would be tempted to reread a final and edited copy. The reason being that the numerous edits needed kept taking me away from the story.

Eve has never regretted the time she has spent raising her late sister’s daughter, Caitlyn - even though it brought about the end of a romantic relationship and hampered her archaeology career. Now as Caitlyn heads off to France, she leaves behind 12 ‘Be Kind to Yourself’ vouchers for Eve, instructing her to fill them in whenever she does something nice for herself.
This is a charming, albeit a bit slow, tale about a woman whose plans get derailed early in life. As she becomes an empty-nester by the age of forty, she gets a second chance at putting herself first for once – and perhaps has a second chance at love too.

The course of her life, according to Eve, has been dictated by the choices she made in the wake of a traumatic event. She never expected to be put into a position of becoming a mother to her niece. There are no regrets, but she has definitely put her love life on the back burner.

Caitlyn, who is off on her own adventures leaves twelve vouchers for Eve in an attempt to get her to enjoy life a little bit more. Eve doesn't really have to try very hard to use them, because some things just fall into place so naturally.

Including someone from the past coming back into her life. Someone who left her when she needed his support the most. A man unwilling to put his needs aside for the sake of a young child. So when he is thrust back into her universe she instinctively wants to take off running in the other direction.
He has other ideas and slowly worms his way back in, which makes everyone happy until an innocent encounter reveals a dark secret he has been hiding from everyone. The kind that destroys fragile newly rebuilt relationships.

It's a contemporary read about family, self-discovery and relationships. Field bounces around the topic of what family is in our day and age. The days of mother, father and 2.4 children are long gone. Blood ties and titles no longer define familial relationships. One parent families are no longer an occasional occurrence or deemed as something to be embarrassed about.

The author always keeps the story on a more serious level. There are moments of laughter, but in general I think the more anxious and painful emotions set the tone of the piece.

A Dozen Second Chances is a really sweet, uplifting enjoyable book! A great way to spend a rainy day.

I received an advance copy. All thoughts are my own.

I've been sitting here staring at a blank screen for the last ten minutes trying to find ways in which I can pour my heart out for the love I feel for this book. At first glance I was convinced that this would be a gorgeous light and easy story to entertain and delight, I mean don't get me wrong this book is entertaining and delightful in spades, but it is so much more than that.

Right from the word go the character creations came alive with such heartfelt realness, I felt every laughter, tear and painful memory with a keen vivid rawness that had my heart breaking with love for these people I had only just met. But what an ensemble of characters they were...Eve was an outright star. Her selflessness and fierce strength and protection towards her family was emanating from each and every sentence. The self-sacrifices she had rightfully chosen in life added to her charms and credibility and I was a top fan from the start. But Gran stole the show....her penchant for life was infectious and I was living for what ever witty outburst or antic she would do next. She really was a role model for grabbing life with both hands and not letting the rat race grind you down. What an all out shinning star and a true credit to this story.

Relationships in all shapes and forms were a major theme in this book. Multiple fine threads of thought on this topic wove neatly throughout the narrative creating profound and thoughtful voices that many readers could relate to. Life is about learning and growing and forgiveness and second chances play a huge part in that journey. Self love is also a form of forgiveness, as we are often the toughest on ourselves. This beautiful book spoke to me on many levels and I felt a keen sense of understanding as I turned each and every page.

A Dozen Second Chances is a thoughtful and profound piece that captured my heart from the very first word. I sincerely hope this is not the last we here from this stunning set of characters as I'm missing Gran already.

A Dozen Second Chances is an emotional but heartwarming story of how Eve got her groove back. 

After spending her entire Young Adulthood (and into her late 30s) raising her niece after a family tragedy, Eve finds herself with an empty nest and twelve tokens to use to treat herself.  Not the easiest of tasks after all this time but Eve realises that life is too short and sets out to remedy this.

For me this book is about second chances and making the most of life and in the centre of this, the relationships we experience on the journey.  Kate Field explores these relationships with sensitivity and a heartwarming gentleness that just resonated with me. She covers friendships, past and present romance, motherly love and self love.  

I adored Eve and enjoyed joining her on a journey of self care and self discovery.  

This is such a sweet and cosy novel reminding us that a second chance is never out of reach.

A motivational story with a relatable main protagonist, and an authentic life story. There is a fusion of heartwarming, humorous and poignant moments in Eve’s story of self-realisation. Family secrets are revealed, and Eve is forced to confront the rest of her life when Caitlyn leaves to begin the next chapter of hers.

The love Caitlyn has for the woman she calls mum is evidenced by her tokens. Each one giving Eve, a chance of a new beginning, or a way to recapture the potential of life chances, she believed lost.

The characters are believable, there is a nice multi-generational aspect to the story and a realistic romance.

I received a copy of this book from the author in return for an honest review.

This one just isn't for me. I couldn't really get into the story or relate to the characters much. I like the concept of the book but didn't quite connect with the story the way I wanted to.

A sweet and heartwarming tale about second chances and starting over. Eve is about to be an empty nester, her daughter/niece Caitlyn is taking a job in France. Before Caitlyn leaves she gives her mom a stack of 12 “be kind to yourself“ notes, basically giving Eve permission to put herself first. Eve’s first act of kindness to herself leads to a run-in with an old flame and also reignites her passion for archaeology. What follows is Eve rediscovering herself and learning how to live life beyond motherhood. But can she let go of the past and learn to trust her heart and Paddy again?

Eve was such a likable and relatable character. She really deserved her happily ever after, after sacrificing so much four Caitlyn after her sister had passed. Caitlyn was a pretty clever and insightful teenager realizing what her mom needed. Grandma was another favorite character she added some comic relief and wisdom to the story. Paddy seemed like a good guy who made some poor choices when he was younger (as most of us do). I thought everything was going pretty well and then things got complicated. There is a definite plot twist in the story that could possibly change this second chance love story into a no chance love story. I was a little frustrated with the lack of communication between characters during this part of the book. I was also a little confounded as to why Eve’s mother didn’t take over guardianship of her granddaughter? But if she had we would not have had this delightful story. A lovely story when you’re in the mood for a feel good tale with a sprinkling of romance.

This book in emojis 👩‍👧 💌 ☕️ 🥐 🍸

*** Big thank you to Harper Collins UK/ One More Chapter for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***

I’m hoping that what I’m noticing is the beginning of a change in fiction. This is the second book I’ve reviewed recently that has a main character who has gone down one path in life and is now considering what happens next. Eve changed her life to raise her niece when her sister died but now that her niece is 20 and starting to live her own life, Eve is questioning what to do next.

I really liked this story and the way it combined elements of Eve’s past, before she took over raising her niece, with where she is now. Without wishing to spoil the story it was good to see her slowly realise that she can have dreams of her own again. It highlighted the fact that I agree with, you can do almost anything at any age, career changes are always an option and age shouldn’t stop you from pursuing what you enjoy.


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It’s a realistic and well constructed story. Eve’s dilemmas and the changes in her life are written in a way that make them entirely understandable even if you’ve not experienced them yourself. It was good to see her go on the journey she does with the range of characters that she meets along the way.

If you’re wanting something that shows that life doesn’t end at 25 and that there is always the opportunity for something new then this is a great book to read. It’s one of those books that’s brilliant for curling up with when you want a change of scene and something to get you thinking about life.

Sometimes, a book just hits the spot – whether it be the location it takes place in, the characters and the way they grow throughout the story, or something else entirely? A Dozen Second Chances basically had all of those.

The story
Seventeen years ago, Eve Roberts had the wonderful life she’d always dreamed of: a degree in archaeology, a gorgeous boyfriend, and exciting plans to travel the world with him, working on digs. But when her sister Faye died, the life Eve knew ended too. Faye’s daughter Caitlyn came to live with Eve, her boyfriend left, and she quickly gave up on her dreams.

Now approaching her fortieth birthday, Eve faces the prospect of an empty nest as Caitlyn is leaving home. Caitlyn gives Eve a set of twelve ‘Be Kind to Yourself’ vouchers, telling her that she has to start living for herself again, and that she should fill one in every time she does something to treat herself.

With her very first voucher, Eve’s life will change its course. But with eleven more vouchers to go, can Eve learn to put herself first and follow the dreams she’s kept secret for so long? Because life is for living – and as she well knows, it’s too short to waste even a moment…

The opinion
There are so many ways that this story could have been just a cliché. But Kate Field has that gift of completely captivating you, dragging you along archeological sites, school meetings and running and hiking the most beautiful scenery, never once wanting to stop reading.

More so than the setting and the atmosphere though, what really got me hooked on this story? The way the author unveiled not only to the reader, but to Eve as well what actually happened 20 years ago. The way someone’s personal interpretation of events can be so different to what actually happened? Something most everyone has some experience with.

More than that, though, I appreciated the set-up of her slow understanding of not just what happened, but also of how that influenced her understanding of who she was. Combine that with a great, sassy friend, a slow burn second chance at love and witty dialogue? And you end up with a pretty darn great read!

The rating: 4/5
If you want a book that will make you at times melancholic, a bit nostalgic, and most of all, that will make you feel for its main characters? Then A Dozen Second >Chances is just the read for you!

-Saar