A really lovely addition and wrap up to this series. This book focuses on Darla, who has returned to her home town, family and friends after being away for a wonderful work opportunity. She is excited to see everyone. Well, almost everyone. Her ex-husband is in her space and looking for forgiveness. And she has some big news to share that she isn’t sure how everyone is going to take. She’s been through a lot. The story is about family, friends, friendship, love, a life altering illness and its impact not only on the person who is ill, but the family and friends of the person, disappointment, forgiveness, moving forward, major life changes and so much more. So clearly some tough topics are addressed, but nothing is gratuitous and all is respectful and informed. I really enjoyed this book and as always when I finish a book by this author anxiously await what comes next. I have never been disappointed

"The Summer of Second Chances" weaves together the lives of Darla, a cancer survivor struggling to find her footing, and Nick, her devoted ex-husband who never stopped loving her.

One of the book's strengths lies in its portrayal of Darla's emotional journey. Darla's battle with cancer has left her physically scarred, but it is her emotional scars that run the deepest. Although she has conquered the disease, she finds herself merely existing rather than truly living. As a result, Darla's relationship with Nick, who remains deeply in love with her, suffers under the weight of her emotional turmoil.

Nick, as the unwavering and patient ex-husband, serves as a stabilizing force throughout the narrative. His love for Darla shines through, and his determination to help her find happiness is endearing. The dynamics between Darla and Nick are well-developed, and the glimpses into their shared past add depth to their relationship.

However, despite the promising premise, the execution falls somewhat short. The pacing of the story feels uneven,. The middle section dragged and I found myself skimming. The end was wrapped up too neatly and too quickly.

"The Summer of Second Chances" presents the profound impact that illness and personal struggles can have on relationships and the power of second chances. While the book falls short in terms of pacing, it still manages to deliver moments of emotional depth and relatable experiences.

Thank you NetGalley, Forever Pub and Miranda Liasson for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

It was fun returning to the small town of Seashell Harbor. I love all of the characters in this series, especially Nick. His emotional second chance love story with Darla was the perfect ending to this series.

Darla, an accomplished author and cancer survivor is heading back to Seashell Harbor to tie up a few loose ends. She has just finished a teaching assignment and has accepted a permanent position in California, so she needs to sell her house, and finish a novel she is having a hard time completing. The beach will hopefully give her clarity and inspiration. She is also looking forward to seeing her two best friends. What Darla does not expect when she opens the door to her house is her ex-husband Nick. He was supposed to do a few renovations, not move in. While Darla tries to keep her focus on what she needs to do, it gets tougher and tougher with Nick being there at every turn. She starts to doubt their divorce all those years ago, and her friends are determined to remind her at every turn just how wonderful he is. Darla needs a fresh start, but maybe it is not back in California.
I thoroughly enjoyed this last novel in the Seashell Harbor series by Miranda Liasson. Darla and Nick’s story is one not to miss. It is sweet, tender and fun. I also loved catching up with the previous characters from the first two books. Thank you so much Forever Publishing for my advanced copy which I read and reviewed voluntarily. If you are looking for a small town series, this is one you want to add to your list.

What a beautiful, complicated, and emotional story. I really liked Nick and Darla, who fell in love when they were really young, got married, and divorced in their early twenties. I liked that this story took place ten years after the divorce and Darla had returned home, only to bump into her ex-husband immediately.

The love these two characters had for each other was complicated and Darla definitely had trouble living in the present and not swelling on the what ifs. She knew what her heart wanted but her head was a much different story because she was a cancer survivor.
I liked her best friends who tried so hard to get her to see what they saw. I also liked how important her great great grandmother's house and life were to her.

This story was absolutely beautiful and touching on so many different levels. I was so sad when I read the last page because I did not want to let the characters go. I received an advance copy of this book and I willingly chose to write an honest review.

The Summer of Second Chances is Book Three of the Seashell Harbor series.

Darla Manning moved back to the small town of her youth to take a break after fighting and winning her battle against cancer. She lives with the fear that all cancer survivors live with…will the cancer come back? Every checkup brings new feelings and uncertainties. As a cancer survivor, I feel that Ms. Liasson has captured the thoughts and fears of cancer survivors with remarkable insight.

Nick, Darla’s ex-husband and the man she has loved since their high school days, once again enters her life. Nick has never stopped loving Darla and is determined to prove that he has changed.

Summer of Second Chances is a well-written story with well-developed characters and a thought provoking storyline. I highly recommend it.

Darla has returned home to sell her house and move back to California, but her plans are railroaded when she finds her ex husband, Nick in her house (fixing it up to sell) and her best friend decides to get married in two weeks. Nick has never stopped loving Darla, but now to win her heart all over again. Darla is a writer, and needs to finish her book, but her characters are not going like they should. She is a cancer survivor and has a new health scare but her friends stick close by.

This is a book that I had a hard time putting down. Full of heart warming emotions and second chances For Darla and Nick. Loved the friendship of Darla, Kit and Hadley, through thick and thin they are there for each other.

This is the third book in the series but can be read as a stand alone. I was provided a copy of this book through netgalley from the publisher,

2.5 rounded up.
Darla Manning has officially survived cancer and is back in her home town helping her ex-husband, Nick, plan the perfect backyard beach wedding for their best friends. Nick knows he failed Darla in their marriage and is determined to remind her of their love story and show her that he will never leave her side again. Darla is hesitant as she is constantly reminded of the heartache following their divorce and also doesn’t want to burden anyone, especially Nick, with her constant follow-ups and tests that are required often while in remission. Can she find a way to give Nick a second chance and allow him to be there for her for better or worse?

Okay - I loved the beach setting and small town vibes, but I honestly had a very hard time connecting to this book otherwise. I didn’t like the characters, especially Darla, which obviously made it a struggle for me since she was the MC. I also found the writing very repetitive at times and the middle of the book seemed to drag on way longer than I think it should have. After the third time the same scenario happened, I found myself doing an eye roll and just getting frustrated, rapidly turning pages so that I could move on to my next read. While I did enjoy the ending, the story as a whole fell flat for me and I personally wouldn’t recommend 😕.

Thank you NetGalley, Forever Pub and Miranda Liasson for a #gifted ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I'm sad to see this series end. I enjoyed the other books a lot but I think Nick is my favorite hero. He and Darla were so right for each other. This is a fabulous second chance romance. I loved every minute of this story and was both happy and sad to have it end. The story included all of the emotions. It left me with a wonderful warm and fuzzy feeling. I am a fan of the author and think this story is my favorite of all of her books. I received an advance copy and am voluntarily leaving a review.

This is the third, and I am assuming final, book in the Seashore Harbor series centering around lifelong friends Hadley, Kit and Darla. Hadley and Kit got their happily ever after in the first two books, so now it is Darla’s turn. Darla married Nick Cammareri when they were young and divorced at 25. It has been ten years, and Darla was diagnosed and beat cancer three years ago, she has also become a famous author. She has come back to Sea Harbor after a year teaching in California, and is planning on moving there permanently after she ties up loose ends over the summer. She doesn’t plan on having her ex stay at her house, or having to deal with him while planning the wedding of Hadley and Nick’s brother Tony. The stubborn, immature man she divorced, has matured and is even more attractive. Can Darla and Nick get over past hurts and can Darla get over the fear she has been living with since her diagnosis? This is a wonderful second chance romance. Nick is an especially great guy, and Darla is the more complex and flawed character. Overall, this was a great end to the series. I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley for my honest review.

Phenomenal clean second chance romance!
I just finished the best high passion, low steam romance that I have read in a while. I was reading and crying at work on my break. Most embarrassing! After reading the other books in this series, I must say that I am very sorry to say goodbye to Seashell Harbor, New Jersey.
Darla Manning is coming home after teaching in California for a year. As she plans on returning, she must sell her house and tie up other loose ends. Problem is she is trying to out run her attraction to her Ex-Husband, Nick Cammareri and cancer. One may be possible to avoid but the other not so much. Nick has never stopped loving Darla. This book is all about finding out that their love never died; it just changed a wee bit as they matured. Also nice to see a good romance with a couple in their 30’s.
There were so many wonderful moments like the cake tasting, the locked bathroom door, the unique boxes, meeting Boss, celebrating Teddy’s poop and many more. From the time I started reading I was rooting for Nick and Darla. If you like beautifully written, passionate second chance, small town romance, you really must read this book. I volunteered to review an ARC of it through NetGalley. I wish I could give it more than 5 stars!

I read this as a standalone book and while it was a good read, I may have liked it more had I read the other books in the series. This is your typical summer beach read. A light & easy read with some heartfelt moments. If you like Hallmark movies then this would be right up your alley.

Emotional and touching, this third and final book in the Seashell Harbor series, does not disappoint. This is the second chance romance of Darla and Nick, who are divorced, are brought together again when Darla comes home to get her house ready to sell and Nick, a contractor, offers to help. At the same time Darla's best friend, Hadley & Nick's brother, Tony decide to move up their wedding. Between wedding planning, home improvements, a health scare & trying to rebuild a relationship, Darla and Nick have their work cut out for them!

What a beautifully written heartwarming second chance romance. It has wonderful characters, beautiful scenery and will keep you turning the pages to see what happens next. It's a great read and I highly recommend this book.
I received a complimentary copy from Forever (Grand Central Publishing) via NetGalley and was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

The Summer of Second Chances is the third in the Seashell Harbor series. This can be read as a stand alone. However, we get lovely views and closure with both of the couples from the previous books, so I recommend reading them first.

As you can guess from the title, this is a second-chance romance. Darla and Nick got married as young lovers right out of high school. But now he's her ex-husband, and she's considering moving to the other side of the country to escape her memories of and feelings for him.

Nick is so amazing, and I kept wishing he would see himself the way his friends and loved ones saw him. I won't quote them because they are too close to the end, but some of the dialogue, especially from Nick, just tore my heart. It's so beautiful and what love looks like.

And the book also goes deeply into what a journey with cancer looks like and all of the feelings related to that struggle. As someone who has supported several family members through their fights with cancer, this deeply resonated.

This series is so great with a hint of magical realism in the form of a ring that Darla has passed to each of her friends, and now it's back to her. It's a closed door series for those of you who prefer less steamy scenes.

Thank you to Forever for the advanced reader copy. These opinions are my own.

CW: cancer

The Summer of Second Chances
Miranda Liasson
July 11, 2023

Darla Manning decided it was time to leave California for a while and head back to Seashell, New Jersey. After almost a decade she planned to upgrade and sell her beautiful beachfront home. She had divorced her true love, Nick Cammareri and pursued her writing career. She has become an author of several suspense novels. She also survived a terrible bout with cancer. She knew there was no chance of staying away from Nick as he runs a remodeling company there in the harbor. Darla had no thoughts that he would be the first person she would run into when she unlocked the door to the spacious cottage, let alone be greeted by a loud “woof’ from his dog, Boss.
The Summer of Second Chances will be published by Forever Books of Hachette Book Group on July 11, 2023. I was delighted to be asked to read and review Liasson’s latest novel via NetGalley. This is the third book in the Seashell Harbor series. It is an excellent story expanding the lives of her characters, their family and friends who reside in the Harbor. It was a joy to read with humor and romance. The series is a pleasant trio of books that gives us a look at the close friendship between Kit, Darla and Hadley; the besties who have been the featured companions throughout the series. This is one to enjoy.

Darla is back in Seashell Harbor to finish writing her latest book and put her beachfront house on the market so that she can buy a place in California before settling into her now permanent position as a creative writing professor. While here, she wants to avoid her ex husband Nick and has an appointment for her three year cancer free follow up with her oncologist. She is excited to see her friends and family, whose love stories were in the two previous books of this trilogy, that I now need to go read. Will she get back together with her ex? Read this engaging book to find out. Family and friends are more important than toughing it out by yourself.

My only complaint is that this book is set in NJ, but other than one reference to Philadelphia, it could take in any mid-Atlantic beach town. It needed more New Jersey references.

I received a copy of this book to review through NetGalley.

Everyone deserves a second chance at love and life. You would think that Darla Manning would embrace the fact that she has been given a second chance at life after a cancer scare. However, Darla is a fiercely independent woman. She is a successful novelist who is driven by her career and has closed herself off to any hint of a relationship because she feels that no man should be asked to live with the mere threat of a possibility of a return of cancer. Her independence and stubbornness has caused her to erect walls around herself. She is living, but she is not truly living. She has settled. She is successful and has great friends, but something is missing in her life.

When she returns back to her home with intentions of closing the book, so to speak, on her life there, she finds that her ex-husband, Nick Cammareri, has taken up residence in her home doing wonderful renovations to the home. Nick has never gotten over the love of his life, Darla. He knows he was immature when they were married, but he has matured and made something of himself in the years since the divorce, and he is determined to win Darla's affection.

This is a poignant tale of love lost, fear of the unknown and learning to allow others in. I love the banter between the three best friends and Darla's sister. These ladies have some history together. They are together to prepare and celebrate the nuptials of Hadley and Tony (Tony is Nick's brother). The characters were such great friends and truly loved one another. This was a nostalgic novel of friendship at its finest, and a sweet second chance romance. I loved the character of Nick. He gave of himself straight from the heart. He was a man's man, but he was not afraid to show emotion and was so incredibly thoughtful. Can you say dream guy? I also felt such empathy for the character of Darla. She was a fine lady, but she had allowed the scars of her past to hinder her future happiness. This was a sweet romance written by a rich storyteller. The portions of the book about her cancer were written on a deep emotional level. which will tug on your heart strings. There was also a particularly funny moment in the book when Darla is babysitting her sister's children. It was a well placed humorous moment showing the antics of children and caused me to laugh out loud.

I could write all day about how much I loved this book. I loved it that much. You can never go wrong with a book penned by Miranda Liasson.

Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This is the second book I've read in this series written by Miranda Liasson. I want to go find book one and then read the whole series at once. Definitely worth rereading books two and three! The Summer of Second Chances warmed my heart. The lack of information on the lost ten years between Nick and Darla had me giving a four star rating. But I loved the long time friendships and family relationships that kept me engaged in the lives of the characters. I continued to be completely invested in them. The trials Darla endured pulled at my heart strings, as well as her interactions with Mackenzie. Nick won me over from the beginning. I loved reading about him. The HEA had me smiling ear to ear as I finished the book. I'm sorry to see the end of this world. I look forward to reading more from this author.

Thank you NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing/Hachette Book Group) for the ARC of this book. This is my voluntary and honest review.

The Summer of Second Chances by Miranda Liasson, book three in her Seashell Harbor series is a wonderful, emotional tale for Darla and Nick; two people rediscovering each other after time apart and the new and different people they have become. The novel follows ex-spouses Darla and Nick as they navigate trying to help their friends get married in two weeks while also dealing with their complicated past and possibility of a future together.

Darla, a best-selling writer of suspense novels and cancer survivor, has just returned home from a year away in California. The last thing Darla expects to see is her ex-husband, Nick, in her home. She needs to sell the house so she can return to California for a full time teaching position and move on with her life. The last thing she needs is to have feelings for Nick surface. Her best friend is going to marry Nick’s brother in two weeks, and she and Nick are thrown together to help with the planning after all their plans fall through. Darla has a two week book deadline for a book she hasn’t written, helps with all the wedding stuff and spends a lot of time with Nick. Both Darla and Nick are struggling with their feelings. Neither stopped loving the other, and now those feelings are growing. Both Darla and Nick are no longer the same person they divorced after their tumultuous short marriage. With so much trying to keep her in Seashell Harbor, she is unsure if she can move away and make a new start.

Ms. Liasson wrote a romance with all the feels, that was sweet, emotional, electrifying, and should not be missed. This read was particularly emotional due to the complicated past between the two characters, Darla's previous battle with cancer and subsequent worry that it would return, and her helping another young cancer patient deal with her own trials with the disease. Filled with chemistry, good intentions, and a cast of secondary characters assisting Darla and Nick rediscover the love they both deserved. I highly recommend The Summer of Second Chances to other readers.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.