A holiday time travel rom com is totally up my alley and this book delivered that. It had the right amount of cheesy goodness. Characters Sadie and Jacob were great and had wonderful character development.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC!

This was such a fun read. I flew through the book and enjoyed it a lot. The chapters are short, which made the pacing feel quick. Sadie, the protagonist, essentially gets to do over a really bad year in her life where everything seems to go wrong for her.

Throughout her reliving her “second chance year”, she learns some lessons about why her year went wrong the first time around and she grows from her mistakes. There was a lot of heart warming moments and insightful takeaways for the reader as we experience Sadie’s do-over year with her.

While the book felt magical and cozy in some instances, there are some heavy topics that the reader should be aware of as potentially triggering, such as sexism and workplace sexual harassment. The author does provide a disclaimer in the beginning to warn of these topics, which was nice to see.

Synopsis:

Sadie has had an awful year - she lost her bf, job and apartment thanks to her big mouth. With a bit of magic at a NYE party, she gets a chance to do it over again, but not before she kisses her roommate and brother’s BFF Jacob. As she goes through her second-chance year, keeping quiet when she had spoken up, she sees red flags in her job and bf and can’t stop thinking about her NYE kiss with Jacob; the one he doesn’t know even happened. She begins to wonder if her only mistake was asking for a second chance…

Review:

Heading into the end of this year, I’m sure a lot of us feel like maybe some things didn’t go exactly as planned and this book reminded that everything happens as it was meant to. That being said, this book had me hooked and I read it in one sitting. Sadie is such a lovable FMC and I wanted the best for her. Jacob was sooo nerdy and sweet - for those of you who have met my husband, you know this is my type 😅 but in the end, I was left crying tears of joy on the beach. The community, the friendships, the rescue cat, it was alllll so heartwarming. I’m dubbing @melissawiesnerauthor the queen of a slow burn romance because this was the second book of hers that I’ve read in the last 24 hours, but thought to post this one first since it’s pub day! You have to read this book; I’m sure you’ll love it!

Thank you to @readforeverpub for this ARC.

Review will be posted on 12/20/23

Sadie is down on her luck. Her boyfriend dumped her and she lost her job as a pastry chef at a high-end restaurant. Is this because she just can't fall in line? Her ex, Alex, didn't like that she pushed back on his sexist Wall Street colleagues and she also questioned her boss at work. To top it off, Sadie can't pay rent, so she has to stay in the spare bedroom of Jacob, her brother's best friend. Needless to say, this is a very, very bad year. Her best friend convinces her to come out to a New Year's Eve party and while there she asks the fortune teller for a chance to do the entire year over. Well, the magic works and she wakes up the next day with her boyfriend and her beloved job. She can avoid all the problems in this do-over year, right? Except can she forget the magical kiss she had with Jacob on New Year's Eve? Melissa Wiesner's The Second Chance Year is the perfect read as the New Year approaches.
I really liked Sadie from the start of The Second Chance Year. She is opinionated, spunky, and an all-around likable person. I felt bad for her because how her family doesn't really respect her profession as a pastry chef. It was irritating. While this is a holiday romance with some time loop moments, I did appreciate the feminist undertones throughout. Sadie questions her boyfriend's sexist friends as well as the abusive behavior at her work. While she probably could have handled it better at times, I felt like her comments were 100% necessary. Overall, this was a delightful romance and a great way to end the year.

I can't think of a better time to read this book than at the end of the year. With the great 1 year time slip "rewind", this women's fiction read included many heavier topics (sexism in the workplace and parental expectations) that makes one believe in the power of standing up and using words to make a difference and/or wonder if things really do happen for a reason.

The romance storyline is adorable too. Josh - the nerdy brother's best friend - has always had eyes for strong-willed Sadie. Laugh-out-loud banter was lacking some, but Josh 100% made up for it in sweetness and always supporting, encouraging, and empowering Sadie to go after her goals.

Read if you like:
- brother's best friend romances
- time slips and a little magical realism
- opportunities for re-dos

Thank you to @netgalley and @foreverpublishing for an advance copy!

The Second Chance Year by Melissa Wiesner

I absolutely loved this magical realism.

The humor gets an A+ from me. I loved Sadie and her “loud mouth”. Her character arc has a broad range and was a little cathartic for all the times I’ve ever made myself small to fit in.

The romance is so sweet. It pulled at all my heart strings and was such a joy to watch it develop.

The side characters were quirky and fun to down right villainous. They played their roles well and really enhanced the story.

Perfectly predictable in the way that second chance/do-over plots are. I wouldn’t change a thing.

Content: mild language, closed door (you are aware something has happened but no details are described), harassment in the workplace

Already revised on goodreads. Will be posting to instagram this week.

Sadie had it made. She was an up and coming pastry chef at one of the city’s exclusive restaurants. And her boyfriend Alex was a very successful investment banker on Wall Street. Sadie and Alex were the perfect couple. But Sadie had one flaw — her mouth. Known to be outspoken, Sadie’s mouth often shifted into gear before her brain could register her thoughts. And because of Sadie’s outspoken and sometimes caustic language, she lost her job, her boyfriend, and her apartment all in the same year.

To get herself out of a deep rut, Sadie accepted her best friend’s invitation to a carnival themed New Year’s Eve party. It was supposed to be epic with acrobats, clowns, and even a fortune teller. On a whim, Sadie indulges in getting her fortune read and a wish granted. A chance for a do-over of the last year. Surprisingly, Sadie’s wish comes true and what follows is an adventure as Sadie attempts a make over of herself in hopes that she gets back what she lost.

I really enjoyed The Second Chance Year. It was one of the best romance novels that I’ve read in 2023. There were elements of friends to lovers, rom-com, and second chances. A fantastic combination of all the tropes that I love.

The characters in the novel were perfectly developed with movie-like quality. There was enough snark and banter between the players that kept me humorously entertained. And of course the villains in the novel were the ones you would love to hate. A great balance of good guys and bad guys.

Overall, The Second Chance Year is a must read for fans of second chance rom-coms. Five outstanding stars.

I received a DRC from Forever (GCP) through NetGalley. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a sweet romance novel. I loved the story and it was so wonderful.

I LOVED THIS BOOK!
it had everything I liked, even including some cringey moments and headshakes that were necessary for the storyline.
I'll start with saying the premise of the book is great!! a second chance at the worst year of your life to fix/change things or do whatever else you thought of doing differently, how many of us haven't thought of that at some point before right?
but as usual, things aren't what they seem to be and ultimately everything happens for a reason, there's a very mystical and sort of fate factor to the story too that I thoroughly enjoyed, just seeing that one way or another what's meant to happen always happens one way or another is really comforting, and also reading through this book reminded me to stop focusing on the little things and get out of my own head and look at the big picture.
Sadie, Jacob, Owen, Kasumi and every character was incredibly well thought of and equally important to the story in one way or another.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone feeling some type of regret, lost, or just wanting to read a heart-warming story. 5/5 cause it has everything I look for in a book and then some.

note: received an ARC in exchange for an honest unbiased review, thanks publishers!

This started off fairly strong for me, but I felt myself struggling to make it to the end. This is pretty light on the romance (not necessarily a negative thing) but at times felt a bit unbalanced - there’s some fairly dark subject matter (mainly SA) but the overall tone of the book is VERY light.

This book was an automatic 5 stars for me! I devoured this book in less than a day and I haven't stopped thinking about it since. I absolutely loved the storyline and the "second chance year" that Sadie gets to do-over again after her disastrous one. I didn't stop rooting for Sadie the entire book, I loved the way her character grew and found the confidence to be herself. The romance between Sadie and Jacob was cute and heartfelt, but Sadie's self-discovery really took over the tone of the book and I loved every moment of it!

I was so excited to read this because the synopsis sounded like it was right up my alley. I enjoyed every minute of it, I had trouble putting it down when I read it. It is sweet, relatable, and empathy inducing with a little bit of life magic thrown. There is that saying, "be careful what you wish for" that sums this book up. We may have regrets and think that if we could go back and change it, our lives would be better. But that isn't the answer. All the choices we've made, good or bad, make the life we have and for a reason. Loved this from start to finish and I can't wait to read more from this author.

Loved this new twist on an old classic- redo the last horrible year of your life. It was interesting to watch Sadie "do over" the bad year while making different decisions and in retrospect being able to see situations differently in order to determine what she really wanted. . Sadie was such a fun and complex character. I loved Jacob and his sensitivity and kindness. This book was really humorous and had some laugh out loud moments. It was a quick read and I really enjoyed it.

If you enjoy a time travel do-over book this is a must read! It was a little predictable but I loved going on the journey of self discovery with Sadie!

Such a cute little rom com! If you’re looking for a cheesy little holiday romance, this one is great! I could have used a little more character development and a little less baking metaphors, but that’s just personal preference! Overall, adorable!

I'm gonna be straight with you - I read this book so long ago now, that all I can really remember for this book were the feels it gave me: which was LOVE LOVE LOVE.

rating: 4.5 STARS
genre: romance
release date: 12/5/2023
format: digital

I think my favorite part about this book was the idea that how you feel about your life is all about the perspective. At the beginning of the novel, Sadie can't believe how unlucky she's been. She was dumped, fired, and homeless all in very quick succession. She's unable to find a new job, she's lonely all the time, and she's crashing on her little brother's best friend's couch (like a loser). So you'd think that when she gets the magical chance to live the last year over again, she'd be thrilled and everything would be perfect right?

WRONG.

I absolutely loved watching Sadie live through the same moments and make different decisions and see the consequences of those decisions play out...and maybe not in the way she expected they might.

Pick this one up. It's honestly so good, I think you'll love it too.

This time-loop romance takes us on a whirlwind journey with pastry chef Sadie, who wakes up reliving her awful year after a New Year's Eve wish. Armed with the knowledge of her past mistakes, Sadie tackles her relationships, career, and self-discovery with a new perspective. Readers love the witty banter, second-chance moments, and the message of embracing second chances and living life to the fullest.

Arc received from the publisher; all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thanks to Forever for the #gifted ARC and NetGalley widget in exchange for my honest opinion. This book came out a week ago, but I finished it today, and you can pick up a copy now, too!
I gobbled this book right up - it was such a joyful read! Main character Sadie has had a Very Bad Year - losing her job, her boyfriend, her apartment… nothing has gone her way. When she meets a fortune teller at a New Year's Eve party who offers her a potion to have a second chance year, Sadie jumps on the opportunity. She relives the year but works to make those events not happen. However, not everything is perfect this time around, either.
This book has a lot to love - including an adorable cat, Gio. I loved the main message about learning to love where you are (and who you are) and to not live life to others’ expectations. There is a really sweet romance, too, with the MC’s brother's best friend (I know some of you love that trope!). The writing and pacing made it even more enjoyable.
All in all, I couldn't stop smiling while I was reading The Second Chance Year, and I hope it has a similar effect on you!!

Melissa Wiesner's "The Second Chance Year" is a delightful and thought-provoking journey that blends elements of romance, humor, and a touch of magical realism.

The protagonist, Sadie Thatcher, is an immediately relatable character whose life is a series of unfortunate events. After losing her job, apartment, and boyfriend, Sadie's encounter with a fortune teller leads her to an opportunity to redo her disastrous year.

The magic in "The Second Chance Year" is subtle yet impactful. Wiesner doesn't rely on over-the-top fantastical elements; instead, she uses this slight magical twist to explore deeper themes of self-reflection and personal growth.

One of the novel's strengths is its character development, particularly Sadie's. Her evolution from a woman overwhelmed by her misfortunes to someone who actively seeks to understand and change her life's trajectory is both inspiring and heartwarming. The secondary characters, including the charming Jacob, add depth and humor to the story, making the narrative more engaging.

The romantic subplot between Sadie and Jacob is skillfully woven into the story. It's not just a tale of love but also one of timing and understanding.

My only critque would be wishing we could spend a little more time with Sadie and Jacob.

I will be returning to this story again.

This was a great read. The characters were so interesting, and the story really kept me going. I can’t wait to read what the author writes next.