Hindsight is 20/20, so if you had a chance to redo some regrettable portion of your life, would you?

Sadie is in that very predicament. She’s had a Very Bad Year, and is now jobless, boyfriend-less and homeless, sleeping on her little brother’s friend’s couch. The start of the year had seemed so promising too! Kasumi, her good friend, begs her to come to a New Year’s Eve party to hopefully ring in a better year. Sadie drags herself there and encounters a fortune teller who grants her wish to restart this past year. Before she falls asleep that nights though, she and Jacob, her roomie, share an amazing kiss.

Sadie wakes up in the previous year, with all her memories intact (including of that kiss), but with her old job as a pastry chef, boyfriend Alex, and apartment back.

She’s determined to keep her life as it was, but as the months pass, what does she lose of her self instead?

I truly LOVED how Melissa wove the message that we need to be true to ourselves throughout this book. Sadie keeps hitting pivotal points through the year again where she chooses to be less authentic in order to keep the peace, and it feels like you can see each one chiseling away at her soul. Especially as women, I think it can be easier to go along with the flow rather than making waves, but does that create a worse situation later on?

Throughout the book, Jacob, a true Cinnamon Roll, keeps showing up for Sadie, without knowing about their future/past? kiss. They both fight it so well, and the slow burn feels genuine. I could imagine this story actually happening, unlike a lot of romance novels I read. Melissa does a marvelous job creating characters that are real and almost tangible.

Alex is also changed by his circumstances, as he is working on Wall Street with his finance “bros”. He sounds like he was a sweet guy before they got ahold of him. I wish Melissa had touched a tiny bit more in the wrap up on how things turned out for him.

I also adored the whole Higher Grounds crew, Zoe, Mrs. Kaminski, José Luis, and the lovely community in the coffee shop there. It made me wish that I lived near so I could pop in for a coffee and one of Sadie’s pastries! I would love a sequel focusing on a different person (maybe José Luis?), just so I could spend more time “at” Higher Grounds.

tw: sexual harassment
Melissa writes well about the struggles women go through in the workplace to both be taken seriously and also not objectified. It seems sometimes like we have to work twice as hard to get to the same positions in our careers. There’s also a main plot point around sexual harassment at work, though it turns out well in the end.

Overall, great writing, well paced, genuine characters/banter. A well earned 5 stars from me!

Many heartfelt thanks to Forever Publishing and NetGalley for the advance review copy in return for my honest review.

I love a good romance, and this one was wonderful! It had witty banter, and lovable characters. I was rooting for them the whole way through!

This is the best feel-good book I've read in a long time. It was such a cute story and there's something so satisfying about reading a book with a nicely wrapped ending. I would recommend to anyone who wants a quick little romance read.

A unique story of second chances, standing up for what you believe in, smashing the patriarchy and sexual harassment in the workplace, and lifelong love that takes awhile to discover. I liked this book and it’s length. The story was told well but not overdrawn.

I couldn’t put The Second Chance Year down! It will change the way you look at those things you second guess..

Sadie has had a very bad year and now it is New Year’s Eve and she is single and living on the couch of her brother’s best friend, Jacob. A former pastry chef with big dreams, she now works in a coffee shop. Tired of seeing her moping, Sadie’s best friend convinces her to go to a NYE party. There is a sword swallower (interesting), a clown (terrifying), and a fortune teller (life-altering). Sadie asks for a do over for the last year. The fortune teller says it never ends well, but Sadie knows she can fix it all with a second chance.

I enjoyed how Sadie thinks her problems are her flaws, yet they are really what make her shine. This is a great book for any woman who has ever decided that her not going along with a man’s idea is somehow her fault. And that maybe all a second chance will tell you are some things are just meant to be the way they are.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever Publishing for a chance to review this novel ahead of its December publishing date in exchange for my honest review.

I'm a sucker for alternate timeline/time loop stories, and this one did not disappoint! It didn't necessarily break new ground in this genre, but it was perfectly paced and exactly what I hoped for when I requested to read it.

I'd recommend this book to anyone who enjoys romance, likes the whole "do-over" idea, and/or needs a reminder:
- to follow their passion
- not to let others push them around (both well-meaning others or bullies/harassers)
- that good guys really do exist
- that sometimes what we need is something that's been there all along

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a digital ARC in advance of publication!

The really liked The Second Chance Year. It was sweet and cute, but also deals with the very serious subject of sexual harassment.

Sadie is a really interesting character as she both devolves and grows. She tries to mold herself into someone's she's not during the repeated year, so it was a very interesting journey and I was rooting for her the whole way. Jacob is a sweetheart and I love him. I enjoyed seeing Sadie getting to know him more and more.

I loved the secondary characters. Sadie's best friend, brother, and the people she works with at a coffee house are all well written, eccentric characters. It really feel like a found family aspect.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys contemporary romance and I will be looking forward to anything else this author puts out.

Anything with a time travel moment is it for me, and The Second Chance Year was no exception. That's it, I'm giving nothing away. I really, really liked this story and all of the growth in our FMC. Pick it up!

I wasn't sure I'd be able to enjoy this book with the magical realism but the story overcame it's trope and was really enjoyable. I think this would be a great New Year's romcom

I LOVED this.

Sadie has had a bad year, so on New Years Eve she makes a wish to change some of her past decisions and ends up getting the chance to re-do the year. Things don’t go as expected!

This was so uplifting! I love Sadie as a character and all of the side characters were likeable as well. A perfect holiday read, especially before New Years resolutions are made :)

Let me just start by saying this book was super cute and overall, I loved it! It is a quick read and kept me engaged throughout the entire book. It starts with Sadie, our main character, reminiscing on how awful her past year was. Not only had she lost her job, but her long term boyfriend had also broken up with her. To make matters worse, she could no longer afford her apartment so she had to move in with her brother's nerdy best friend who she never had a relationship with. She would do ANYTHING to re-do her past year. Long story short, she meets a fortune teller who grants her wish and the book focuses on her "new" year.

I really enjoyed reading about Sadie coming to the self-realization that the things she thought were important in her life, actually weren't. This book reminds everyone to focus on the simple things in life that sometimes we overlook, as well as the common saying "things always happen for a reason". It also brings some common hot topics into the mix such as sexual harassment in the workforce, not feeling worthy of parent's love and praise, etc.

One of my favorite parts of the book, was the authors use of similes comparing situations to desserts. Which is super relatable since Sadie is a pastry chef. It was a fun addition that did not go unnoticed. "I blush brighter than a red velvet cake" and "Paige is clinging to him like caramel on an apple" are some of my favorites!

As always, thank you to NetGalley, Forever (Grand Central Publishing), and the author for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review. This book will be published on December 5th 2023 and I definitely recommend you all to read!

Who wouldn't want a second chance to set things right and make different choices. Sadie is an outspoken pastry chef who has had a very bad year and all she wants is a chance to go back and make things right. However her second chance might not be quite what she was expecting. The Second Chance Year was not just a great and relatable story but it also had a strong message that I think is important for all readers. Also the story discussed sexual harassment in the workplace and I thought the author did an excellent job addressing the issue. This book is a fast read that will have the reader feeling a range of emotions as you fall in love with Sadie and many of the secondary characters. A great read that I think anyone would enjoy!

Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for this ARC. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

My full review will publish on my blog, ARCsandBetas.com on November 4 (closer to the book release date!). I’ve given a review on StoryGraph as well which is published now.

Here is a snippet:
The Second Chance Year is a contender for my favorite ARC read of the year. The writing is tight and the plot is very engaging, it kept my attention and I wanted to keep reading. I like the little bit of magic in the redo of the Very Bad Year.

Sadie is not a character that I have a lot in common with, she’s got a loud mouth, she’ll stand up for her beliefs and it seems like she has a big personality. I definitely felt myself drawn more to Jacob, maybe that’s intended because he is the love interest of the book, but he’s also a lot more like me in personality: quiet and introspective.

Thank you for the opportunity!

Sadie Thatcher's life has fallen apart in epic fashion. She loses her job, her apartment, and her boyfriend all at once. When she stumbles on a fortune teller who offers her a single wish, she wishes to redo the past year. She knows she can do better the second time around.

OMG. This was an awesome book. Who hasn't wondered if we could 'fix' things by making a different decision at some point in our lives?! This book is a powerful statement on feminism and workplace harassment. The second chance for Sadie to learn and grow from the first time around offers a sweet and heartfelt romance and a lot of life lessons. Beautifully written.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced digital reader's copy (ARC) in exchange for an honest review!

If I had a second chance to read this book for the first time, I’d take it! I said what I said! There have been plenty of book’s & movies that have used the “second chance or back in time" plot. But this was a fresh take. I loved Sadie’s personality. Although it’s not stated or necessarily even hinted that Sadie is neurodivergent I found that I related to her quite a bit. I myself am autistic and to see a character with a strong sense of justice felt so empowering. I simply could not put the book down! Watching Sadie evolve throughout the book was at times so sad but ultimately filled me with such love for her character and her chosen family. Thank you netgalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for allowing me the opportunity to read and review this book. All opinions are my own and I wholeheartedly recommend this book if you love a good romcom with lots of heart.

Second chance is my very favorite trope to read in romance books and I really, really liked this one a lot.

Typically, I'm not a big fan of alternate timelines and different universe stories, but there was something about this one that was intriguing. And lo and behold, I'm so glad I listened to my gut because I loved this story!

You always wonder "What if" when looking back at the past, but Sadie actually got to relive it, and by the end, understand that some things do happen for a reason.

The storyline was super sweet, and kept my attention all throughout the book. I was excited to find out how Sadie would come to the conclusion that everything worked out the way that it was supposed to, that she wasn't meant to be with her ex, that she lost her job for a reason, and that Jacob was who she was meant to be with.

I do wish there were more interactions between Sadie and Jacob - I would've liked the romance and the dialogue between the two of them dialed up EVEN more. That being said, I appreciated the little tidbits that were shown to demonstrate Jacob's long lasting love for her.

This one was just okay for me -- I struggled to connect with the characters, but I liked the story and thought it was well-written. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read it early!

3.5 rounded up to 4. Cute second chance love story. Quick read, characters were relatable. It started off a little slow but did pick up.

I absolutely love alternate timeline/universe stories, I feel like it's such a relatable and common day dream, whether it's because you made a mistake or you want a do-over or you just wish something went different for you. Everyone has had the thought "what if" you could have a do-over? Readers meet Sadie, a pastry chef who has had a bad string of luck, she lost her job, her apartment and her boyfriend and is struggling to see what is next for her. She meets a fortune teller at a New Year's party and is offered one wish...she wishes that she can re-do her horrible year. Unfortunately for Sadie, she learns the phrase "be careful what you wish for" and realizes that the grass isn't always greener on the other side. Through new (and old but newly re-discovered) friends, Sadie learns what she truly wants in life and also what is truly important to her.

I love Melissa Wiesner's take on harassment and sexism in the workplace as a women, because again it is so relatable, every women has had a moment where she is scared to speak up or be "the loud one" out of fear of repercussions of their actions, even if what they are standing up to is wrong.

The romance between Sadie and Jacob is adorable and as sweet as all of the baking puns sprinkled throughout the book (couldn't help myself). The scene with the CD had me tearing up! You do not want to miss this relatable, quirky rom-com!