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.

Wishing to redo a year sounds so fun. And this book also showed that the things she lost that she wanted back were not the right fit and she had lost three meaningful pieces by starting over. Enjoyed the baking and the evolution of her career. But the toxic relationships with her work, ex, her parents were so awful. She decided that if she changed herself maybe they would like her but the moral of this story is that you shouldn’t have to change yourself for relationships or bend over backwards in awful situations and keep quiet. This is why a lot of industries are toxic because people are allowed to get away with abusing people.
But the people that have been right there the whole time that were trying to get your attention and were def the one you needed finally got your attention. #brothersbestfriend

I have seen quite a few Groundhog Day-type stories over the last year or so, and I really enjoy them, but it took me a bit to get into this one. Overall these types of books are predictable with their lesson learned, but I ended up really enjoying The Second Chance Year. It was nice to see Sadie evolve, and I loved the found family aspect. I loved Jacob and that the author chose to have a childhood relationship be the basis of the romance - It always adds such a good layer to the story and authenticity to the new romance that they’ve known each other for so long.

The number of food analogies got to be a lot, but overall I really enjoyed this and is a great book to transition into the new year.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the eARC!

I am a S U C K E R for stories that explore alternate realities & time traveling!!!

Thank you Hachette Audio, Forever and NetGalley for the advanced copies of Melissa Wiesner's latest!!

Think Oona Out of Order with the vibes of 13 going on to 30 and a little bit of John Tucker Must Die.

The Second Chance Year is rom-com perfection!! This is everything that I love love love love love!! It has that unique element that helps keep the story engaging. It has a love interest who is someone we all wish to drop into our lives. The main character is a spunky & bold woman we all wish we could grow up to be. There is a best friend we all want to adopt into our lives. Bonus points it takes place during one of my favorite holidays, new years!!! The format is perfect. Each chunk of chapters goes through a month of Sadie's life. It's incredibly interesting to experience this "second chance" life in the eyes of the present day Sadie. I loved the comedic moments where she would mistakenly would mention a tid-bit from her future life & confuse everyone involved.

Don't even get me started on how much we stan Melissa Wiesner writing in all the moments that shed light on the importance of women's equality. I can not say it enough because I have experienced it myself. It's hard work being a female in a male dominated work environment. You rarely get taken seriously or respected. Sadie's job working in a high-end restaurant is eye-opening. I appreciate that these situations were written into Wiesner's latest because it represents the chance the needs to be made. It's not okay for women to feel unsafe. It's not okay to feel disrespected. It's important for us women to be bold and stand up for ourselves especially if we work hard.

I always have something to say about the audiobook. The Second Chance Year's narration is perfect. I have no complaints about Helen Laser's performance. The pacing. The inflection. The ease of listening was great. In fact, I listened to the story in forty-eight hours because it was so well done from the author and the production of the audiobook.

Truly... one of my top five favorite romances of the year!!!

- Magical Realism
- Friends to Lovers
- Oona Out of Order, 13 Going on to 30, Groundhogs Day Vibes
- New Years Eve Magic
- Second Chance Romance
- For All My Foodies

thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy. I really enjoyed this and will be getting copies for my shop.

Thanks to Netgalley and Grand Central Publishing for the ARC of this!

It’s the season for holiday magical redos with friends to lovers 😂 apparently I am obsessed with this very specific trope combo. I loved seeing the redo play out, and another character realize how much their choices have shaped them in a multitude of ways.

One of my favorite books of the year. Not only was it a well-written romance, but it made you think about the ups and downs in life. I can’t wait to read more from this author.

4 1/2 stars

This was such a cute book that left me feeling all warm and fuzzy. It started off feeling a little like the movie Big when the main character, Sadie meets with a fortune teller and wishes for a do-over year. It ends up being one of those things where you need to watch what you wish for. But it takes her a while to realize that.

This story has a strong message attached to it. In addition, it just pulled me in because I was pulling so hard for Sadie to find happiness. I did like how the author let's things happen differently the second time around but still eventually end up the same. It's just a different route to get there. It's a clever read that kept me quite entertained.

AUDIOBOOK: In addition, I was also given an early review copy of the audio and I loved it. The narration really worked for me. It felt spot on perfect for the characters and helped me to feel further immersed in the storyline. 5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley for early copies of both the audiobook and ebook. I chose to review both and the opinions contained within are my own.

Ooooooh Melissa Wiesner killed this one! While the love interest in this book is wonderful, the fmc self-love and growing confidence at the end was next level.

Sadie Thatcher has officially given up on this Very-Bad-Year. In just 12 months she’s been fired, broken up with, and lost her apartment all because of her big fat mouth. What Sadie needs is a do-over. Just one try to re-right what’s gone wrong - please.

When a fortune teller at her friend’s carnival New Year’s Eve party grants her just that, Sadie wakes up to find that it worked. She wakes up on January 1st…of last year. Now that’s able to go through everything again though she begins to wonder if maybe how things went the first time, weren’t so bad at all. And her best friends brother, the one whose house she crashed at for months and then kissed on NYE, doesn’t even know it happened. The more time they spend together, the more she questions if this second chance year was what she really needed.

Sadie Thatcher has had a terrible year. She lost her job, her boyfriend, and her apartment. When given the chance to try it again, she takes the opportunity, only to find that second chances come with their own struggles. What happens when she tries to not act like herself and what exactly happened with the New Year's Eve kiss from her brother's best friend, Jacob? This novel is quick, quirky, and super cute. The writing was a little basic and repetitive, but the strong characters and fun story kept it going and made it enjoyable. This is the perfect New Year's romance read.

This was such a fun and sweet read! I found myself rooting for Sadie from the very beginning. I liked the growth she made during her redo year and that even while trying to make things that had gone wrong work out she still ended up in close to the same situations she already went through.

Jacob was such a great love interest and I really enjoyed seeing his friendship with Sadie.

While this had a very sweet romance within, it really was more of a story of growth and rediscovering yourself than it was a romance.

I would highly recommend this one.

Oh my heart. What is it with books with some sort of time slip, that makes me go absolutely feral? I loved this one. I could not sleep because I was thinking of this book.

Short Synopsis:
Sadie just lived through her worst year ever. She lost her job. She lost her boyfriend. She lost her apartment. When her best friend drags her to a NYE party, she meets a fortune teller and wishes for a redo on the year. But when she wakes up to a second chance year, will it turn out the way she wanted?

My Thoughts:
This book was absolutely perfect. That’s it. I loved it so much. It’d be a PERFECT book to read around New Years!

Read if You Like:
✨ BROTHERS BEST FRIEND (the superior romance trope)
✨ Magical realism or time slips
✨ Fighting the patriarchy
✨ Found Family
✨ Sexy nerdy musicians

Thanks NetGalley and Forever for my gifted arc in exchange for an honest review.

This was a very sweet and cute do-over romance that would be perfect for any Hallmark-loving, closed-door enthusiasts on your gifting list this holiday season.

I thought things got repetitive pretty quickly (I get it, Sadie stands up to bullies) but the story kept me hooked and I thought the ending was lovely, even with a fair amount of cheesiness.

TW/CW: sexual harassment, sexism, misogyny, toxic relationship, bullying

I liked the premise of this novel and everything the fortune teller said to Sadie totally resonated with me. However, I felt the author relied a little to heavily on the “don’t have a meaningful conversation” trope, which isn’t one of my favorites. I felt that Sadie came across as immature because she just kept assuming she knew the answers to questions she never asked. Wiesner’s storytelling style kept me reading, not to mention I wanted more Jacob. I recommend this novel, but know what you are getting into going in.

I did not expect to go through such an emotional roller coaster in this book! The plot of the Second Chance Year was very intriguing to me, as we have all experienced regrets from “mistakes” we have made in the past. In this story, Sadie is given a chance for a redo the past year. I could immediately relate to Sadie for being criticized by loved ones from not holding my tongue, or controlling my temper in situations that I have deemed unjust. The author did a fantastic job at normalizing the perception of assertive woman being shamed for being too “aggressive”, while men are rewarded for their assertiveness.

The meaning found in this book is more around developing confidence, truth and individuality more than the love story. Sadie’s realization that she is lovable because of her outspokenness and that she does not have to sacrifice her morals in order to be successful is way more important character development than the love story. However, how can you NOT fall in love either Jacob? Besides him being a talented dark-haired hottie with glasses? Well, if you are not moved by the quiet gestures of sweetness and love, and his admiration of Sadie’s strength, then you might want to take a break from dark romance for a bit, just saying …

Thanks so much for NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for providing me with an ARC of The Second Chance Year in exchange for an honest opinion. All the opinions and ratings listed above are entirely my own.

The Second Chance Year is about Sadie, a woman living in New York in her early 30s that has just had the worst year of her life. She lost her job and was blackballed from the restaurant industry and her long-term relationship ended, both seemingly because of her big mouth. Her best friend lures her to a New Year's Eve party, where she meets a fortune teller and asks for a do-over for the previous year.

Sadie's wish is granted and Sadie immediately begins to make different choices. She learns a lot about herself while stifling her voice in order to advance in her career as a high end pastry chef and with her boyfriend. There are sumptuous descriptions of desserts and a wonderful cast of endearing characters. I really enjoyed Sadie's journey and how she realized what she had previously taken for granted. The story reminded me of The Good Part by Sophie Cousens. I listened to the audiobook, which Helen Laser wonderfully narrated. Highly recommend if you're looking for a lighthearted and uplifting romance about second chances and finding yourself.

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for this ebook/audiobook ARC. All thoughts are my own.

This book was absolutely delightful. I so enjoyed the themes that this book explored about being true to yourself even in the face of judgement from others. This was a beautiful story of self discovery and reflection. Even though there was romance in the book I think the parts I loved the most dealt with navigating our own love for ourselves. I am in awe of how courageous and awesome Sadie is and I was so invested in her story. If you’re looking for a book that examines family and societal pressures, overcoming our own insecurities and true love, then this is for you.

A cute read...I was expecting more of a holiday romance, but it was still a cute story about trying to change the past and realizing that things may have actually changed for a reason. I enjoyed the happy ending.

I loved this book! Felt it was fast paced and I needed to know how this story was going to unfold.

If you want a RomCom with fast pace and great characters this one is for u. But sorry to you lovers of steamy romance as there was none of that which was kind of nice. I may be a prude in my old age lol

This was my 100th read on my #bookstagram!