To be honest, when I saw that Jenny Bayliss had a new book out, I didn’t even read the summary before picking it up. Yes, I loved Bayliss’ previous novel The Twelve Dates of Christmas THAT much. And while her new novel A Season for Second Chances will definitely appeal to a certain crowd, it won’t be those who fell in love with The Twelve Dates. This is a good book if you do not go into it expecting it to have a similar vibe and character set as The Twelve Dates, which I unfortunately did.

A Season for Second Chances is about a 40-something year old woman, Annie, who packs up her life after learning that her husband has cheated on her again for the umpteenth time, and moves to a seaside town where she becomes involved in caring for an elderly woman’s home and business.

I will be the first to admit that I have never read one of the many books that follows this same plot line - a scorned woman moving to the coast to reset her life - but like I previously mentioned, I picked this book up on Jenny Bayliss’ name only. While this plot isn’t my usual cup of tea, I found myself liking it okay.

As always, Bayliss does a wonderful job of bring the town of Willow Bay to life. Much like she did in The Twelve Dates of Christmas, Bayliss’ setting and characters are rich and vibrant. You won’t have trouble picturing this location or its residents in your head. Bayliss invites you into the comfort and coziness of Willow Bay and makes you feel right at home.

While much of this novel is about a middle-aged woman finding and redefining herself after a toxic relationship, and will very much appeal to those going through similar circumstances, there is a plot line about falling in love again. The romance in this novel wasn’t my favorite thing because it felt rather stilted, and I much preferred the storylines involving the town, Annie’s new friends, and her burgeoning seaside business.

Lastly, many readers will go into this novel assuming it is a Christmas story based upon the cover and Bayliss’ debut novel; however, if you are reading this book because you want a festive tale set around the holidays, know that you will not find that here. A Season for Second Chances takes place from September-December, and Christmas only plays a tiny role at the end of the novel.

A Season for Second Chances will most appeal to women who are themselves experiencing a second chance at life. Anyone who has ever dreamed of moving away and starting over will find much to love in this book.

Here with a cozy read that’s right for the holidays. A Season for Second Chances by Jenny Bayliss is about second chances in work, friendships, and, yes, love.

I am a sap for stories about seaside towns with quirky denizens. If protagonist Annie had opened a bookstore, it would have been perfect. 😂 I can settle for her opening a cafe.

Definitely a cute and charming story.
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Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me. All thoughts are my own.

I was not a fan of this one. It was too slow paced with the plot and I needed more romance sooner in the book.

Review 💫⁣
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Loving the new holiday releases this Christmas season!⁣
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💖 If you want to fall in love and laugh out loud, this one is for you. It is definitely “rom-com” hallmark vibes.⁣
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💖 The characters were almost unrealistically kind and warmed my heart especially around the holidays.⁣
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💖 FEMINIST relationship vibes.⁣
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💖 Short chapters & light hearted romance.⁣
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•• wanted a little more of romance & depth⁣
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Do you believe in second chances?⁣ ❄️

I expected this to be a Christmas rom-com, but that isn't how I'd describe it after reading it. The end of the book took place at Christmastime, there was a romance, and parts of the book did make me laugh. But the overarching theme of the book was a middle aged woman finding herself and connecting with a small town. I enjoyed it.

A Season for Second Chances (thank you @putnambooks #partner) is the ultimate cozy, picturesque, feminine urge fever dream:

-drop everything and move to a cottage in the seaside version of Stars Hollow
-open a coffee shop
-read Victorian novels with your bookclub that meets multiple times a month
-befriend all the locals including the hot handyman and the brooding Scottish nephew of the landlady
-spend evenings with a roaring fire and a grumpy cat

A part of this fever dream meant that the men in the book were written a tad unrealistically empathetic and emotionally aware (we could only hope, but I’ve never met anyone as evolved as Bayliss’s leading guys) and the writing went on a little too long for the plot.

Rom coms are not usually my thing, but this book wrapped me up in a feel good winter hug that made me do such seasonal happy activities as watch The Holiday and bake and I can’t complain about that 😉

4/5 stars for this book!

This book was a delight and I'm so glad I read it in December.

Annie was a great main character and her determination, quirk and authenticity make me so happy to see her succeed. When she found her husband cheating on her, I was devastated and wanted Annie to prove how strong she was without him and she did just that!

The setting was one of my favorite parts of this book! The small town feeling was so evident and the festivities made me feel like I was in Stars Hollow. Annie's sons made me smile and I enjoyed how supportive they were of their mother in a difficult situation.

I did wish that Annie and Jon would have started dating earlier in the book and we could've seen their relationship unfold more.

I can't wait to read more by Jenny Bayliss!

A SEASON FOR SECOND CHANCES checked so many boxes for me:
- Moving on/making a big change
- Small seaside village
- Sense of humor/some great one-liners
- Lovable cast of characters

I hesitate to call this book a romance; with so much focus on Annie's personal journey, it may be better classified as women's fiction. But I really did enjoy getting swept up in her story. It took me awhile -- the first half of the book read a bit slowly, and I wasn't completely sold. However A SEASON FOR SECOND CHANCES did at some point grab me and suddenly, I was hooked. (Did I even shed a tear or two? ...yes.)

I don’t know how she does it, but every time I read a book by Jenny Bayliss I am completely transported to that location and by the end of the book I feel as if the characters are all friends and family I’ve known my whole life. So yeah, this was exactly the cozy, winter, sea-side story I didn’t know I needed.

Annie’s kids are grown up, and she’s just caught her husband cheating (and not for the first time) so she’s packed it all in and moved to Willow Bay for the winter. As she gets to know the locals, the village (and its history) she starts to rediscover herself as well. The sea air, and the change of pace is exactly what she needed to reset and focus on what’s really important.

All of the characters were just delightful, except Annie’s ex, but you’re not supposed to like him, and the seaside village is practically its own character. I want to visit so badly. This book was everything, and I can't recommend it enough!

Despite the snowy cover and "season" in the title A Season of Second Chances is not a Christmas story. It does take place during the off-season in a small seaside village in England and there are a few fall and winter holiday celebrations. Even though "second chances" in the title would make you think this is a romance, it is actually more of women's fiction.

There is as much if not more focus on Annie's starting life over after finally leaving her cheating husband. They are co-owners of a fancy restaurant where she is head chef. So there is the second chance of creating a different career for herself. The restaurant life doesn't allow for much of a social life outside of the restaurant people - so there is the second chance to make new friendships. And of course, there is the second chance that most of us think of - a new romantic relationship.

Many people dream of just walking away and starting completely over and readers get to vicariously do just through Annie. When she finally has enough of her husband's wandering ways, she finds herself a temporary caretaking job at an old house in a small seaside village. The owner is an elderly woman and winters are harsh in the area so her nephew wants her winter somewhere less isolating. He is hoping that it will convince her to move permanently and he can sell the historic home.

The place is idyllic and definitely remote enough for anyone needing space and maybe a hideaway to lick her wounds. Close to the seashore the home also use to have a tea room/coffee shop. Unknown to Annie the place also seems to be the hub of social activity for the year-around-ers.

The residents are wonderful and embrace Annie instantly - providing her with friendship that she realized she was sorely lacking. It is the perfect small-town community that gets together for book club and holiday celebrations.

John, the owner's nephew, is suspicious of Annie's intentions. He seems to be a bit of a scrooge but underneath the gruff (untrusting) exterior he really does have his aunt's best interest at heart. Some of his best childhood memories are staying with her during school breaks, but elder care is expensive and he feels it is his duty to make sure his aunt is well-cared for in her old age.

The romance never gets too steamy, keeping the story sweet. Annie is a delightful main character and you will want to be part of the community she discovers, too. Overall, this is a great escapism read.

My review will be published at Girl Who Reads on Wednesday - https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2021/12/a-season-of-second-chances-by-jenny.html

I'm always a fan of a mature romance story and this book did not disappoint! Loved the characters, setting, and conflicts along the way. I will definitely recommend to my romance readers at the library.

Thank you to @NetGalley @putnambooks and @jennibayliss for the gifted copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Annie Sharpe is an award winning chef who owns her restaurant alongside her husband, Max. Her kids are grown and have their own lives, and she’s been focusing solely on her career for as long as she can remember. After a rather eventful end to her marriage, she decides it’s time for a change and takes on the guardianship of a historic home by the sea. She is greeted so warmly by her neighbors that she thinks this was exactly what she needed, until her landlord’s grumpy nephew starts to show up to check on her. It’s clear from the start that his plans for the property do not align with Annie’s rapidly forming dreams of her own.

A Season for Second Chances by Jenny Bayliss was laugh out loud funny! Annie’s discovery of who she is on her own, and her strength to stand her ground, were so heartwarming and uplifting. All of the characters of this book were charming and full of quirks, and the friendships formed seemed organic and effortless. Not to mention the setting is wonderful. This is definitely a perfect feel good read for the season!

This one gets 5⭐️‘s from me!

A Season for Second Chances by Jenny Bayliss

Well, first off i'll say I loved the short chapters this book has! Short chapters are always a win here. I'm going to jump right in and say I liked Jenny's last novel, The Twelve Dates of Christmas.This year, she served up an entirely different plot and I'm still not sure how I felt, I'm all over the board here...

This is heavily plot-driven. I found that the supporting characters came to life and I adored them. Now, concerning the MCs...The female lead, Annie is in her 40s, in a failing marriage and is in dyer need of change & a good prayer. Her husband is scum! Have to be honest and say I couldn't stand the way he was written throughout the novel.

I found the book to be a bit too long but I suppose this second chance romance relies more so on Annie's new journey on picking up the pieces.
In the end, I fell for Willow Bay and all its magic. However, for the MCs...not so much.

If you're looking for a Holly Jolly Christmas/winter read, this is not it. If you're looking for a heartwarming, lifestyle redemption-type story with humor sprinkled throughout, and a lighter romance then give it a shot!

This was fun, but the slow burn of it was a little *too slow* for me - I felt like it dragged a bit. That's not to say I didn't enjoy it dragging, though! I really loved spending time with the main character, Annie. She was lovely and I was rooting for her the entire time.

While a little slow to start, I really liked this story of Annie and her own second chance. After finding her husband with another woman, Annie takes a house sitting position and finds herself in the process. I adored the community and friendships in this book. I loved watching how real it was to see Annie waver and then hold strong when it comes to her choices and I loved John. While definitely a holiday read, this book is just a warm, fun hug when I needed it.

Pretty good fall/winter read. Definitely cuddle up with this book and a nice hot latte with a blanket. The whole cozy vibe. Think Gilmore Girls. A great cast of characters. I laughed so many times. This was a different type of romcom and thoroughly enjoyed.

This was such a sweet, sweet story. I enjoyed following Annie as she took steps into her brand new life. I also loved the small town feel of Willow Bay and all the fun, quirky neighbors that she meets. There were quite a few characters, but my favorite was Annie’s cat, Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle. I only wish there was more of Maeve and her cottage in the story. Thank you to NetGalley for this e-ARC.

What a sweet, cozy, holiday romcom. This book warmed my heart and was the perfect cold winter day read. ⁣
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Every single character, except for Max were so lovely. I absolutely loved the instant friendship of these women bonding together and lifting each other up and supporting each other. Their book club nights were HILARIOUS. ⁣
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I absolutely adored Annie- her quick wit, her beautiful heart, and her feistiness. She was a queen and so so funny. I laughed out loud so many times.⁣
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Her boys were also so lovely and supportive of their mum.⁣
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Alfred was the best curmudgeon. Mari was the cutest little old lady.⁣
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And John, swoon, was so sweet and was always great with communication. I loved all of the coastal vibes and community in this town. I wanted to be there enjoying the beach and the cafe with this crew. ⁣
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Thank you @putnambooks for a gifted copy for my honest review!

This is a Hallmark Christmas movie in book form and it was so predictable that it bored me and I found myself skimming. Not bored enough to quit but not really memorable. If you are into the sweet/safe romances- this would be great for you. Thanks NetGalley for an advanced copy.

I loved this book so much! It’s a great winter/holiday read and it would make an excellent movie! Due to some extenuating circumstances (I’ll never think of Keep Calm and Carry On the same way again!) Annie needs to make some quick changes in her life and decides to move to the English shore for the winter. Jenny Bayliss wonderfully captures the quirks of small town living and give us vibrant secondary characters. This book felt like a warm hug on a cold day!