Brimming with both hope and heartache! I loved reading Lara Avery’s The Year of Second Chances, an emotional, insightful page-turner romance exploring love, grief, alcoholism, family and, yes, second chances - set primarily in the Minneapolis - St. Paul area of Minnesota. Spunky widow Robin is a vividly drawn Midwestern woman carrying her family on her shoulders and simultaneously processing the raw grief of the loss of her husband from cancer while still residing in his family’s ancestral farmhouse and, at her husband’s behest, exploring the challenging realm of online dating. The often clever and witty communications between Robin, her dates and other characters are particularly noteworthy, as are the chapter headings culled from dating profiles and the descriptions of both the farmhouse and Robin’s family’s restaurant. I would have preferred a different ending, but nonetheless highly recommend this story - especially to fans of Emily Henry and other authors of smart, multi-layered romances.

Many thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for the complimentary ARC. Opinions are my own.

Robin is a young widow who is mourning the loss of her husband Gabe a year ago. On the anniversary of his death, she receives an email from Gabe, telling her to move on and find love again, and he’s signed her up for a dating app. She talks with her younger brother Theo and decides to try it out. She enlists her husband’s best friend Levi to help her with the app, and she starts dating. This book follows up on that journey into the dating world.

This was a very quick read. The dating app stuff is too relatable sometimes! Robin had a lot to deal with, having lost both her husband and father in her life. The conflict with her mom was good, though I definitely saw what happened coming. I also knew that Levi would have feelings for Robin, it was way too obvious! I think this book was a predictable romance, but it was sweet.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Lovely written book about moving on after the death of a loved one and being able to find out who you are without that person. I really enjoyed this novel and could connect to all the characters and was invested in what would happen in Robin and her family. I would definitely recommend this one and plan on reading future works from Lara Avery. I want to thank NetGalley and William Morrow for the digital arc in exchange for an honest review,

Such a funny, poignant, life-affirming story! For a book about a young widow healing and learning to open her heart again after losing her husband to cancer, I did not expect to find myself smiling and laughing out loud as I read. I love that main character Robin's journey wasn't entirely focused on finding a man to fill the open slot left by her deceased husband -- as is true to life, her loss revealed so many things about her life that needed to change, and watching her move through this story was like watching a flower unfurl after a long cold winter. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this one early!

The Year of Second Chances
Author Lara Avery
Publisher: William Morrow
Pub date: August 22, 2023

TW: Death, Grief, alcoholism

The Year of Second Chances is the story of a 30 something widow, Robin who receives an email from her husband, Gabe…a year after he has died. He had arranged and paid ahead for her profile to an online dating site. The story follows her through some awkward dates and “date coaching” with Gabe’s best friend, Levi. Through the next year, Robin works through her grief over Gabe and begins to realize that she has been there for everyone but herself. She discovers parts of herself that have been dormant, come to life.

I thought this was a touching story of what happens when life throws a curve ball. I related to Robin’s character in that she was the “glue” in her family, making life easier for everyone else, while losing herself. I think many women in all ages and life places would relate to that. I can’t speak for the pain of widowhood but I felt so much empathy for her especially when she nearly had a breakdown over Jake using Gabe’s mug. I think the run was the turning point for her, where she could quiet everything enough to really process her love and loss for Gabe and finally lay him to rest. My heart absolutely broke for her. I was pleasantly surprised by Levi and that turn of events. I am glad that the book ended with her going towards her dreams of being a makeup artist.

I recommend this book to anyone looking for a heart tugging read. 4 stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow/Harper Collins for the advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

#netgalley, #theyearofsecondchances, #williammorrow

The Year of Second Chances by Lara Avery is a sparkling debut.
I was so excited to jump straight into this little beauty and it didn’t disappoint.

Avery has created another beautiful, heartwarming, and a genuine story with endearing characters.
It's a heartwarming story about timing, second chances, self-growth, and adapting to change.
I truly felt for Robin and her journey. It was eye opening to me in a way.
Her emotions was my emotions and I wanted nothing but the best for her.
It was well-paced, had likable characters and a strong message.
Lara Avery crafts a story of heart, humor, and hope, as a young widow learns that her late husband signed her up for a dating service before his death, propelling her on an uplifting journey of possibility, second chances, and falling in love again… with life.

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

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

The premise of this book was wild to me. But it was something new and definitely something I wanted to read and give a shot. Overall it was a good book focused on grief and introspection.

Starting with a 30-something main character that’s freshly widowed isn’t necessarily fun, but it is rewarding! Robin Lindstrom was married to a wonderful man, Gabe. But Gabe has passed away after a battle with cancer, and Robin has no clue how to move on, or even move. She’s in the throes of depression when she receives a scheduled email from Gabe, written to help her after his death. So begins Robin’s adventure into online dating, specifically on an app. Gabe has enlisted his college-roommate-turned-best-friend Levi to help push Robin out of her comfort zone, and he does so in a charming, rock-n-roll, kind of way. Robin dates several different men in the greater Twin Cities area, to varying levels of success, while also juggling her frustrating family and time for herself.
This book was a slow starter for me, but I really enjoyed it once it got going! Robin and Levi are well-written, while the cast of characters parading around them are the exact people you meet in a small Midwestern town. There’s grief, growth, and some good ol’ fashioned fun. My only issue was that by the end, I felt like I had spent too much time on Robin’s dates with miscellaneous men, and didn’t have a deep connection with some of the main characters.
For a more detailed review (with spoilers), check out my blog!
Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Robin's beloved husband dies. They were in the prime of their life; he was mayor of a small community. Everything was going so well, until it wasn't.

On the one year anniversary of his death, she receives an email from "beyond the grave". Her husband wants her to try a dating site for one year.

Robin has a quick wit and I loved her personality. I loved her quirky passion for Halloween makeup; a unique talent that I had not previously appreciated.

Being from the Midwest, I also appreciated the Minnesota setting.

Thank you to NetGalley for (yet again) introducing me to a "new to me - and everyone else - author".
Lara Avery - congratulations on your debut novel!
Thank you to Lara Avery and publisher William Morrow for the opportunity to read the advance read copy of The Year of Second Chances in exchange for an honest review. Publication date is 22 August 2023.

I had high hopes for this one but it was just ok for me. I didn’t really connect to the story as much as I had hoped. I thought it’d make me cry but no tears shed. It has a good premise so I’m sure others will enjoy.

1. The basic premise is that a woman lost her husband one year before the story begins and she’s still actively grieving. On the anniversary of his death she discovers that as he lay dying in the hospital he created a dating profile for her with an online platform and paid for a year’s subscription.
2. First of all, yes, yes this does sound like PS, I Love You. The two stories do go different directions though.
3. It was so painful to watch this woman and all drama with her mother and her brother try to please her dead husband by forcing herself to fall for another man before she was ready.
4. I don’t really love books about grief but I do think this one truthfully portrays how grief might play out for someone. The thing is that grief looks different on everyone and I can’t get past how infuriating her husband’s preemptive strike at her grief by forcing her to fill what he assumes will be his empty spot - grief which he wasn’t there to witness or participate in - was to me. It really soured the whole story. Maybe I need to lighten up and teenage me (this is not a YA) probably would have thought it was romantic but forty-something me wonders why he couldn’t just encourage her to open up and live again…oh right, because that was PS I Love you. In this one he chooses to believe she’ll only be alive and fulfilled if she can find another man. 🙄
5. That’s just me though. This is still a well written book with some dear moments. Ultimately, the end is sweet but yikes this premise didn’t work for me.

I had high hopes for this, but found myself not only unable to connect with any of the characters; I didn’t like them either, or grow to care about them over the course of the story.

I kept feeling as though I were missing an integral part of the story - the writing told me more than showed me, and as I kept reading and waiting for it to open up for me, it never did.

I’m sure others will find more from more than I was able to.