Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
I absolutely loved this sweet and refreshing novel. Well written with great characters. Perfect read.

As Gwen navigates her past, addressing pivotal events and choices, the narrative evolves with a perfect blend of humor and introspection. "The Second Chance Store" is a poignant reminder that life's detours can lead to unexpected joys and profound transformations.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I had a hard time getting into this book. There were some good parts, but overall it was just okay.

An interesting read that gives you a glimpse into the life of Gwen who is struggling after losing her job. I enjoyed the way the book provided little snippets of items that are brought into the secondhand store. And while you think they are just randomly chosen items, there is method to the telling. I think what I enjoyed most was the way Gwen’s second chance at life is related to the items sold in the thrift store. A story of loss, depression, grief, broken relationships … but there are also moments of humor and joy. I appreciated the ending of the book and encourage you to give The Second Chance Store a first chance to win you over.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

For more reviews, please visit my blog at: https://www.msladybugsbookreviews.com/. Over 1000 reviews posted!

This one was a difficult book for me to get into - I didn't have a connection with Gwen, the main character, and the story just felt flat to me.

Gwen's character is having a hard time, she's lost her job and her love interest. She wanders around and finds a position volunteering at the local second hand store. And whoa, is there a cast of characters that work with her - they were the most interesting part of the story. It felt slow paced to me, not really a romance.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a temporary, digital ARC in return for my review.

The author has crafted a touching story to remind readers that everything, and everyone, deserves a second (or more) chance. There's a nice mix of humor and hope to keep the reader engaged. There were times when the storyline seemed to wander a bit, and a few of the characters were quite unlikeable. The book could've benefitted from a tighter edit. Nothing truly memorable once the final page is turned, but it's an okay read overall.

This book was too sweet, in every way, for me to take it seriously. The plot was almost nonexistent - you could tell where it was going from the first chapter.

When Gwen is made redundant after she points out (in a meeting with her boss and her clients, no less) that her firm has been overcharging them, Gwen has no idea what to do next. So the first thing she decides to do is tackle the bag of detritus from all of her past failed relationships. She bags all of it up (including the engagement ring) and hauls it to the nearby charity shop. While she is there, she sees a "volunteers needed" sign, and on a whim decides to fill out an application. The store ends up being just what she needs. She makes friends with the band of weird and wonderful volunteers and they become a sort of family, as well as a support system for her.

This book was so much fun. The story alternates between Gwen's story and the origin stories of various items that make their way into the store to be sold. Those chapters range from funny to sad, but all of them are fascinating. I loved those, and I also loved seeing Gwen grow and develop as a person. There were so many things she experienced that I feel like everyone could relate to at least one of them: job loss, having problems finding a new job, lack of prospects in the dating pool, going to weddings as a single person, depression, dealing with an ex, handling grief over the loss of a loved one, strained/unsatisfactory relationships with parents, trying to make friends as an adult. I highly recommend this one!

I absolutely loved this book!
The Second Chance Store by Lauren Bravo is sweet, funny and oh so charming!
This is one of those books that grabs you and pulls you in.
It is well written with an interesting storyline.
The personalities, thoughts and emotions of the characters are clearly depicted.
Lauren Bravo writes in such a way that the characters feel very real. I could feel every single emotion and I loved that.
The Second Chance Store has such heart, warmth and life.
A gorgeous story of friendship, loss, being true to yourself.
I can’t wait to see more contemporary fiction from her in the future.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Thank You NetGalley and Avon for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

Described as a tale of friendship, loss, and dusting yourself off and starting over The Second Chance Store is a novel filled with humor and a testament to the enduring power and joy of charity shops.

I love reading books about friendship and starting over and one set in a thrift shop has such a unique setting!

I love that the author got the inspiration while volunteering at all her local thrift shop!

I thought this book’s premise sounded good and interesting. However I found it to be a bit sad for some reason. The chapters alternate about things brought into the charity store. I thought the book was a bit too long also. It wasn’t what I was expecting
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy

There was a lot I liked about this book. Gwen is definitely in need of a change. Everything in her life has kept going while she has stalled. The environment of the charity shop was interesting with an assortment of customers and volunteers all of whom were interesting with their own backstories and problems. The setting makes the characters a real cross section of the community as we see people from all professions, financial situations, and ages both volunteering, donating, and shopping.

What kept this book from being a total win for me was every other chapter focusing on an item that had been donated. While each item was interesting the backstory of the object was fleshed out to the point that I would get invested in that and then feel pulled out of the book when the focus would change back to Gwen. On the other side it felt like just I was starting to connect to Gwen and the other volunteers I was yanked out of the plot to read about a random item. I liked getting the stories of the items but I think I would have enjoyed it more if it the story of the item was a small paragraph at the chapter heading.

This was a great concept that didn't quite live up to its potential in execution. That said I still enjoyed this and will be looking for other books by this author.

This is a charming, sweet book. I loved that we got to meet a variety of characters, all connected in some way to the Second Chance thrift store.

After losing her job, the main character, Gwen, ends up volunteering at the Second Chance thrift store. It is there that she begins her journey of self discovery and slowly rebuilds her life.

I recommend this book to anyone who likes a heart warming book.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC.

This is a sweet, heartwarming, sometime heart-achy story of a woman fired from her job for calling out her company's overcharging a customer. She is mired in depression and then decides, on a whim, to volunteer at a charity shop. We learn the story behind items donated, the people who donate them, the people who shop there and the people who work there. We also learn about the main character's past - her emotional distance from her parents, her ex-fiance, her best friend. I truly enjoyed this story. I laughed, gasped, and sympathized out loud many times. Highly recommend.

*Many thanks to Avon and Harper Voyager and Netgalley for my gifted eARC. Publication date 7/4/23*

I am a huge thrifter so I was instantly drawn to this book, and the cover is absolutely beautiful. This was a heartfelt book about things in a thrift store and their second chances in life. Don't you ever wonder when you buy a second hand item, where it came from and the past behind that item? Such a cute story, a tad too long for me though.

I’m a lifelong thrift shopper and yard saler. The lure of finding something awesome is strong, as anyone who shops at thrift shops knows. And then, finding something terrific 😍With that mindset, I therefore really hoped to read this novel.

Full disclosure - it took a few chapters for me to get into this one. However, once I did, I wholeheartedly enjoyed The Second Chance Store; it’s a lovely read - touching and yet humorous all at once.

I loved the separate stories of people as well as things and I enjoyed reading Gwen’s character development, which was great and registered as realistic.

This one’s a recommendation.



Thank you to Avon and NetGalley for the DRC!

It's a book that I had so much fun reading!
I didn't want to put it down it was so good!
This is definitely a feel-good book that you'll enjoy til the end.
With sweet characters and a cool plot, I found myself turning the pages quickly to see what happened next.
Such a cute cover, and quite honestly, it's why I chose the story. I wasn't disappointed at all.
Gwen is the character that stole my heart for right now, I am just like her.
I need to find my way and figure out what God truly needs for me to do.
If you like a second chance story, then this is a must-read read.
5 stars for a job well done!
My thanks for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

My thankz to NetGalley and Avon for the opportunity to read The Second Chance Store by Lauren Bravo. BEST cover! This is a very heartwarming book. I laughed a little, and I cried a little, and it's a book I'll be recommending.

The Second Chance Store was an adventure. It was funny, it was sad, and it was heartwarming. Most of all, it was clever. That’s how I felt as I sped through the pages - “this is clever.” It’s a book about a charity store, yes, but mostly it’s about people and the lives they lead. I’m very interested in thrifting and antiques - I always wonder about the previous owners, what stories they told. This book dives a bit deeper into the imagination and I loved getting to read it.

I received an advanced copy from NetGalley in exchange for a review and opinions are my own.

this book was intriguing in the sense that Gwen's character developed well throughout the book. It was a book that I didn't want to put down; made me want to volunteer more!