I love a good small town with lots of activities (Stars Hollow anyone? 🙋‍♀️), and this definitely delivered in that. The romance aspect fell a little flat for me though. This book moved slow for the most part,  but seemed to rush through the parts I would have liked more of. This is a good way to ease into holiday reading without being too Christmas focused. ⭐⭐⭐💫 pick this up if you want a cozy read.

A Sweet novel about second chances and a new chance at love. I didn't think I like this one because of the ages of the characters but I ended up loving it.

I was pleasantly surprised by A Season for Second Changes because it is not just a Christmas book, it is actually a full fall/winter read, perfect for those like me on whom the spooky season is wasted. This is a cozy read about Annie, a mid-forties woman taking back control of her life leaving behind an adulterous husband and moving to a new quirky English town. Much like last year’s Twelve Dates of Christmas, Bayliss paints a picture of village life with a group of characters into which one can easily escape. The book truly feels like a warm hug, one that I will most certainly revisit annually when the air starts to chill and the leaves start to fall.

This story is one that hit all the right notes for me: A heroine that I can root for, a hero with a gruff exterior and heart of gold, a campy supporting cast that you can’t help but fall a little bit in love with, snarky banter, and a story just real enough that you can easily get swept away. I highly recommend this one if you enjoy a good cozy story and a skosh less drama than a Hallmark movie.

Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Group Putman, and Jenny Bayliss for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to Putnam for an advanced copy of A Season For Second Chances. This was such a wonderful and lovely winter romance!

I love stories with older main characters, especially ones who take chances on a new life, plus adorable small towns are the absolute best.

When Annie walks in on her husband cheating on her she's decided she's had enough and she's in the place to ask for a divorce. She finds an advertisement for a winter guardian for a seaside house in a small English seaside town. She quickly falls in love with the town and while she doesn't miss the crazy of the restaurant she left behind she does start a little cafe. The only problem is the nephew of her landlady. Will the holiday magic work and let Annie have her second chances?

I loved the town, the characters and the bookclub. This is a perfect book to read all cozy next to the fire!

3.5 stars! A mature version of a Netflix holiday rom com in book form. This started off slow and took me some time to get into, but once I did it was really enjoyable and heartfelt. I loved the beautiful setting and endearing, quirky characters. Annie’s character development was amazing, and I found the story to be very engaging. A feel good holiday read with a stunning backdrop. *I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a sweet read about a woman finally getting to take care of herself. There was romance, but I wouldn't call it super romantic. We went on a journey with Annie and I really liked seeing where her character went.

The strange thing about this book is we really don't meet the love interest until like 40% in. I did feel like it kind of dragged and I found myself impatiently waiting for this grumpy man to appear, but I found myself reading pretty fast once we did meet him.

We got a very cute slow burn, with a little bit of grumpy/sunshine. And the side characters were great! Honestly the town sounded like a hallmark town. I loved the whole vibe and would love to visit.

I liked John and he was a book crush, but this book was definitely Annie's. We see her realize she wants more in her life and she finds it in Saltwater Nook. Everything works out!

If you want something sweet and happy, this is your book!

I really enjoyed this lovely Christmas romance. When Annie Sharpe, a chef, finds her husband Max having sex with a waitress in the restaurant they own together, she’s done and wants to get away. Annie finds an ad for a caretaker wanted for the winter, in a house by the beach in Willow Bay, and she gets a few brusque emails from the owner’s nephew John for confirmation. John plans to sell the land to a developer and get Mari into a home.

When she arrives in the Fall, she meets a dynamic older woman named Mari, who is spending the winter in Cornwall because John is concerned about her during the cold winters. Annie is thrilled to have a cottage by the sea (with a shuttered cafe attached), so she can evaluate her life and figure out what to do going forward.

The locals are very welcoming, and she meets some ladies who want to start a book club. They meet at Annie’s, and they talk her into opening the cafe. Willow Bay loves to party! They have lots of traditions, and the cafe hosts the entire town. Mari has left a book detailing everything Annie needs to do, and she throws herself into the tasks. Max shows up a few times to get Annie to change her mind, but his manipulation only makes her more determined to get a divorce and move on.

When Annie first meets John, he seems grumpy but he’s gorgeous. They get to know each other over the course of the Fall, John does repairs around the house and helps out during the parties, and they start to develop real feelings for each other. However, the deadline with the developer hangs over their heads, and Annie loves Willow Bay and the people. Annie has never been happier, but she and John haven’t taken their relationship much further and now she’s not sure what will happen.

I loved this book and the characters, who were well written and relatable. The Willow Bay descriptions were fantastic and they made me feel very Christmassy and ready for the holidays! The romance was a slow burn and very satisfying. 4 stars.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Thank you so much to Net Galley, Jenny Bayliss, and GP Putnam for an advanced copy of A Season for Second Chances in exchange for my honest thoughts. I loved this book!

Genre: Contemporary Romance/Women's Fiction
Pub Date: October 19, 2021
Star Rating: 4 stars

I absolutely love Jenny Bayliss' first book, The 12 Dates of Christmas, so I was wild to get my hands on a copy of A Season for Second Chances. this book did not disappoint!

This story is completely different from Jenny's first book, and I will admit, it was hard at times not to compare and contrast them. About sixty pages in, though, I was 100% hooked on Annie's story. This book is purely about Annie's journey to self-fulfillment. For years, she's suffered the emotional abuse and infidelity of her husband Max, and when she catches him in the act with a young waitress at their restaurant, she's had enough. She leaves him and sets out on her own. Max has some tricks up his sleeve, like freezing up her assets, so she has to get creative. She finds an ad for a caretaker for the Saltwater Nook house, and she answers it on a whim. The owner, Mari, is aging out of seaside living in the winter, and Annie takes on the care of the house.

Jenny Bayliss has a way of creating towns and people that I just want to fold myself into. As I read this story, I could see the town take life in my head, and I wanted to sit down at the pub and have a roast dinner with the characters from the story. I wanted to sit down for book club and enjoy a class of wine with the women of the town. And I would certainly be okay with John sweeping me away! :) I honestly think the heart of the town Jenny created captured me just as much as the story of Annie, and ultimately, John, did. Even though the romance between Annie and John was a critical part of the story, the supporting characters in the town were just as important. Alfred, Maeve, Gemma, etc, all had a role to play, and I love the importance of even a minor character to the story. This was a story about fulfillment, and that fulfillment came in many different forms to many different characters.

One of my favorite scenes was when the women gifted Annie a synthetic penis. I literally lol'd at this part, especially when John walked in. This was just hilarious, and I loved how open the women were with each other about their sexuality. I also loved how the whole scene turned John into a stuttering mess. Classic. I also enjoyed the scene immensely where Annie finally gave Max exactly what he deserved and took back her own power. I like how this wasn't always easy for Annie, and it was written as a journey for her to learn to stand up to Max. I think that's a really realistic representation of how life really is, especially after suffering the emotional abuse from him that she did.

I also thought the organic relationship development between Annie and John was well-written. I liked the contrast of their sizzling chemistry compared to the town welcoming Annie immediately. It gave the story a nice element of give and take, and I felt like it added dimension.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book because it just made me feel good. I liked the characters, and I fell in love with the town. Thank you so much for an advanced copy!

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher! Last winter, I picked up The Twelve Dates of Christmas by chance and loved the heartwarming, cute story perfect for the holidays, A Season for Second Chances didn't disappoint! Thank you to @netgalley and @putnambooks for the e-arc! I enjoyed getting to be apart of Annie's chance to rebuild her life after FINALLY leaving her cheating husband. On a whim, Annie decides to take a job as a guardian for a seaside cottage run by Mari, an elderly woman who is trying to sell the cottage to Annie. Then Mari's nephew shows up and is trying to take over the cottage to sell and make a profit for himself. Will Annie be able to show him what the town has to offer and change his mind?
This is a endearing love story that will have you wishing for a trip to Willow Bay. It was such a cute holiday romance that put me in the spirit (way too early).

A Season for Second Chances by Jenny Baylis

Rating: 4/5 stars

I truly enjoyed Annie’s progression throughout this book. I thought it was great how they made her turn an awful thing into something special. Although her 26 year marriage fell apart, it didn’t allow her to ruin any hopes of a happily ever after.

In the beginning of the book, Annie Sharpe’s marriage ends after she finds her husband cheating on her. Afterwards, Annie realizes there isn’t much for her in the big city, so she moves to a small town and decides to start fresh and get her second chance. She meets a new friend and her second chance at love finally begins!

Thank you @netgalley for allowing me to read this book for my full, honest review!

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Annie had dismissed her husband’s transgressions for too long, and this last one was the one that broke the camel’s back. But after twenty-six years, where was she to go? What was she supposed to do? When Annie found an ad for a caretaker for a seaside home, she seized the opportunity and found a place to start rebuilding her life.

You may have remembered me raving about Bayliss’ last book, The Twelve Dates of Christmas, as it was a favorite of mine last year. A Season for Second Chances was quite different, however, it still filled me with all the warm and fuzzy feels I was seeking.

I like to believe there are always second chances for us all, and in this book, Annie was seeking several herself. She was very young when she married and became a mother, juggling those responsibilities along with building a successful restaurant. That didn’t leave much time for Annie to focus on herself. This was her second chance to create a new life, one where she was the star. It would be filled with what she wanted and what she needed, and she wouldn’t have to compromise for others. She would have time to build relationships, have hobbies, and simply enjoy more of what life had to offer.

It was wonderful taking this journey with Annie, and I found her so easy to cheer on. It pained me that she believed all the best years were behind her, and therefore, it did my heart good to see her find a place as lovely as Willow Bay to begin again.

This town was so charming, and it was filled with a wonderful group of people. They welcomed Annie with open arms. Well, most of them did, and she quickly found her place there. It delighted me to see Annie embrace Willow Bay and its traditions, which were fantastic. These people celebrated often and grandly, and Annie was fully engaged in each and every one of those fetes.

She also found a great group of women who were an endless source of support. An eclectic group, they formed a book club where they discussed Victorian literature among other things. I think many will enjoy the bookish discussions, but it was those book club shenanigans that had me filled with laughter. These meetings were packed with comedic moments, as well as some important discussions, and I was always looking forward to the next gathering.

It’s always special to see a character close to my age featured in a story, and also encouraging to see her finding a community, a future, and love. A Season for Second Chances was a beautiful reminder that it’s never too late to change your path or chase your passion. It was beautifully told and touched my heart deeply.

After Annie's marriage comes to an end, she decides she need a fresh start. She finds herself in a small seaside village, where she finds a whole new life waiting for her.

It took a little bit of time to get into, but once I got through the first bit, I found I couldn't put the book down! The setting was so charming and the characters were quirky and interesting, they definitely had me laughing out loud a few times! I enjoyed Bayliss's book The Twelve Dates of Christmas, so I hope she keeps up with the holiday releases, its always nice to have a cozy book this time of the year.

This is a wonderful story about new beginnings and old friends. Anne has a comfortable life, husband, children, and a career in the restaurant business, until she finds her husband cheating (again) with one of her employees. She needs a new life and finds an opportunity to be a caretaker for a cottage by the sea, owned by an older woman who wants to spend the winter away from the shore. Along with the house come the owner's friends and her seemingly grumpy nephew. She and the friends form a book club and she begins to fashion a new career by reopening the owner's café as a coffee shop. The nephew is looking out for the best interests of his aunt and is not too happy about all the changes taking place with her house. As the winter progresses he begins to see that much of the activity in the house is at his aunt's direction and with her approval and he starts to mellow. It is a sweet story about friendship and love. I found this to be a very enjoyable, light hearted read.

I read The Twelve Dates of Christmas last year and absolutely loved it so when I saw that Jenny Bayliss was coming out with another holiday book, I knew I had to read it. Sadly, I didn’t love this one as much as her other book.

Annie walks in on her husband cheating on her with one of their severs at their restaurant. She’s finally had enough and decides that it’s time to make a change and focus on herself for once. When Annie finds an ad in the newspaper to take care off a seaside cottage in Willow Bay, she jumps at the offer.

I loved the small town setting of this book and obviously the Christmas time feels. The characters were great and there was multiple laugh out loud moments throughout the story. It did take me awhile to get into but after I got halfway through, it started picking up. This book reminded me so much of a Hallmark movie and I loved that.

Overall, I enjoyed my time reading this and if you’re looking for a cozy, Christmas time read then I highly suggest picking this one up! 



Book releases on October 19th!

When Annie walks in on her husband cheating on her with a server at her restaurant, she’s done and decides its time to make a change.
She see and responds to an ad for someone seeking for help to manage a seaside cottage in a small village in Willow Bay while the owners are away. This is the perfect opportunity for her to figure out what she wants to do. Annie settles in and falls in love with the little town and is thinking of buying one of the cottages from the elderly owners, until she meets the cranky nephew who is hell bent on selling the land and getting a big paycheck. Can Annie show him the life that Willow Bay has and reasons to not sell the land?

A Season for Second Chances is a charming love story that will have you longing for a trip to Willow Bay. It was such a lovely holiday romance. There's just something about that overall heartwarming feeling I wanted to get out my holiday decorations, make some hot cocoa, and pull on some cozy reindeer socks and nestle next to the fireplace and read. I also appreciated that the romance stayed in PG-13 territory. It is Hershey's Candy Cane Kiss season after all, not pumpkin spice.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

This story intrigued me as the MC was not young, as in most romance novels, but was middle aged with grown children. It was nice to read a story in which I could relate so much to the MC. I loved the premise of this one...fed up with her husband's many infidelities, Annie starts over in a small coastal town. She truly starts fresh, with new friends and a new business.

This one was a slow start and there were spots where the story seemed to stall, making this a longer read than I anticipated. The last 100 pages redeemed the book for me as the romance and events of the story started to heat up.

I am a huge fan of the author's writing and I will continue to reach for her books. She has a beautiful way with words and I felt like I was sitting in the cafe at Saltwater Nook!

3.5 Stars!

This book is a classic Hallmark movie elements where you could vividly see the scenes unfold. And through the author had a nack for making her book come to life, the context felt too clichè and too mechanical. I knew exactly where this book was going before I got there and I had a hard time connecting with the characters and the story becuase of that.

The short chapters kept this book at a good pace and as much as I wanted to love this book, it fell short for me. Overall the plot felt mundane, the charcters felt unoriginal, and the connection I wanted to feel from the story was lacking. Though I didn’t connect with this book, I will say the writing style was well done and had a real nice flow that made it easy to read and follow. Thank you to Netgally and G.P. Putnam's Sons for this ARC

I loved reading The Twelve Dates of Christmas last year so when I saw that Bayliss was writing another holiday read I knew I had to read it. A Season for Second Chances did NOT disappoint! This is another wonderful and cozy read from Bayliss and I look forward to reading so many more in the future!

Annie gets one of the worst shocks in her life when she walks in on her husband in flagrant delicto with another woman. She’s done. While her loutish husband does all he can to win her back, she embarks on an adventure by the sea and meets John. One of my favorite scenes was the mop bucket and Max. He deserved so much more. I didn’t like him at all. I thought the romance between Annie and John was a bit forced ans stilted, but eventually it world. Everyone looks to start over and actually it was just what Annie needed.

Thank you G.P. Putnam's Sons, NetGalley and Author for this advance ebook copy in return for an honest review!

I have to say I just adore this amazing cover! 😍
The characters were simply amazing and warming! I loved Annie.
I also loved the setting in Willow Bay. Sounds cozy and small!
What I enjoyed most was this story! Nothing like a Holiday story!
This book will be amazing to read come fall time. Even though I read in 100° weather it still gave me all the winter vibes!

Thanks again NetGalley, Publisher and Author for the chance to read and review this amazing book!
I'll post to my Social media platforms closer to pub date!