Thank you to Netgalley and publisher for this ARC!
🌴song: all I want for Christmas is you
🌴 summary: Eli’s life is not so slowly falling apart after losing his job, leaving New York, and moving back home to his homophobic Florida neighbourhood. What he doesn’t expect is to end up on a trip down memory lane when he runs into his first boyfriend, Nick. Can they bridge the gap after all these years and be friends again, or maybe something more?
🌴you’ll love this book if:
- you love a good hometown Christmas romance
- you are a fan of TJ Alexander
- you love a good second chance romance
🌴thoughts: this is a super cute holiday romance, I loved ElI’s family and the retake photoshoot was just too cute it melted my heart a bit. I loved Nick and Zoe and their dynamic. I think Kay was a really important character to explore the attitudes of the neighbourhood that Eli was struggling with. I loved that Eli wasn’t perfect and Nick called him on it. I really wanted to see more of what came from Laurie and Zoe moving so far away, but I know that wasn’t the story being told. I do wish Margo was explored more because I really liked her character. I also think there were some loose ends with nick’s restaurant. Overall a great read and perfect for the holidays!

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
TJ Alexander continues their winning streak of queer romance, this time with the queer holiday romcom, Second Chances in New Port Stephen. Writing queer fiction is a tough balancing act, both bringing one’s own perspective on present-day LGBTQ+ issues, while also providing hope for the better, and Alexander definitely does this. The book is set in Florida, and while there’s commentary on the bleak political climate in that state in particular, from the anti-trans legislation to book banning in the name of “protecting our kids,” it’s done with both sensitivity and a touch of humor. I’ll never forget reading the snide quips about the lack of improvement in the Florida school system or the description of the governor (who is not named in-text) as “a guy who looked like undercooked pizza dough and with a haircut to match.”
The two leads are great, and I liked that they were a bit older, being almost forty, and are dealing with the impact of the life experiences they’ve had, while also still struggling with starting over and figuring things out. Eli is perhaps the more fleshed out of the two, in my personal opinion, given he’s now forced back to his family home amid scandal threatening his tv writing and comedy career. While it was less of a plot point than I initially expected, his description of alcoholism and its impact on his life was also quite moving. And with his transition having occurred largely after he left town, there’s also a lot of family tensions he’s still dealing with, especially from his father, who doesn’t fully understand.
Nick is also pretty solid as a character too. While I can’t say his daughter Zoe blew me away, being one of the child characters I didn’t actually care for, I did respect his role as a single father, amid the other responsibilities he had on his plate.
These two have a pretty interesting dynamic, due to their past relationship. There’s clearly still a connection, and there isn’t any animosity. However, while the mutual attraction is there, neither is aware of what the other wants out of the relationship. While it was nice that they had each other to lean on when things got tough, I did want them to stop dancing around each other and make things clearer much earlier, although that’s kind of the only thing that the romantic side of the book had going for it, conflict-wise.
I also really liked the holiday vibes, with it starting right before Christmas, and concluding at New Year’s, with an epilogue set in the following year. It was also interesting to have it juxtaposed against that Florida setting, both for the politics that colors the narrative and because I feel like so many Christmas books are set in snowy places, so it’s cool to have one with more tropical vibes. And with the compressed timeline, it’s fairly fast-paced and light, making it simultaneously a great cozy holiday and beach read.
This was another enjoyable offering from TJ Alexander, and I’d recommend it to readers looking for lighthearted queer fiction to read during the holidays, or anytime of year.

Omg! I loved this book. I cried so many tears of happiness and laughed so many times. I loved the sort of twist on a second chance queer Romance. The author does an amazing job connecting you to the characters. I really adored this book. It's a must read.

Thank you @atriabooks @netgalley for this queer holiday romance. Eli is a trans that is back home to a small town in Florida and catches up with his first love, Nick, who is a divorced dad. I love the setting of Florida and references to the current state of affairs there. Seeing their friendships redevelop was great. I love that they were both at crossroads and seeing their growth journey. Eli's parents were so amazing and supportive and Nick's dad was great too.

Now this ate. This was my first ALEXANDRR book and it def won’t be my last. It truly was amazing and I did cry.

This book is a bit cutesy for my taste, but I still enjoyed it. As a holiday romance, this was fine. Zoe, the precocious child, was an annoying, unnecessary presence. Eli's parents were great- supportive and a bit awkward. Eli and Nick acted like teenagers, which was good sometimes, but not great otherwise.

“This place can try to bury me all it wants. I’m not going to let it. Even if I end up here for my whole life, I’ll still be me. Life’s too short to be anyone else.”

I received an advanced readers copy of Second Chances in New Port Stephen by TJ Alexander in exchange for an honest review. Here are my thoughts!

🦩 Eli Ward does not want to head home for the holidays, but when scandal threatens his career he doesn’t have anywhere else to go. The thing is, Eli has changed a lot since he was last in New Port Stephen. He’s sober, he’s in his forties, and he’s in the post transition part of his trans journey.

While Eli has changed a lot, it seems New Port Stephen is the same - including being home to Eli’s old best friend (and boyfriend) Nick Wu. But Nick has grown up too. A divorced dad, he dedicates his time to his father and daughter. When Eli and Nick meet up again, they can’t deny the chemistry is still there - but have they both changed too much? Or maybe just enough? 🦩

Y’all. Y’ALL. This book is AMAZING. Like, it is exactly what I look for in a Christmas romance novel. Friends to lovers to strangers to lovers?? Queer af?? Balancing hilarity and heart wrenching? Listen, if you love Christmas romcoms you will not be disappointed. Hell, even if you don’t like Christmas I think you might enjoy this one!

Second Chances I’m New Port Stephen is out December 5th so get your preorders in at your local indie bookstore! 💕

Given the triggers I thought this might be a pretty heavy book despite the cute cover, but thankfully the story is pretty light.

Eli, who is trans, is back home in Florida to spend the holidays with his family. While home he runs into an ex who hasn't seen him since his transition, and the two reconnect.

This was honestly cute, and I loved this, but will say I HAAAATTTEEE the miscommunication trope so much and wish it didn't exist.

Thank-you to Atria and Net Galley for an ARC of this book. I loved it! I throughly enjoy TJ Alexander’s writing. This is the perfect LGTBQ+ Christmas romance. I greatly appreciate that both Eli and Nick were on paths of self discovery. I love the meeting of the main characters and the ease of their dialogue and interactions. I’m giving it 4.5/5 stars.

4.5 Stars

While this book touches on a multitude of deeper issues, there is so much queer joy to be found. I loved that this book centered on two main characters that were almost 40, who were still finding themselves, and settling in to who they really are.

I related to this book on so many levels, and it was so easy to fall in love with all these characters and their journeys.

I truly believe this was an excellent read with takeaways for every reader. There are direct quotes I plan on using with my own family.

When Eli returns home after losing his job as a comedic writer, it's his first time home for the holidays post-transition--and the first time seeing his high school ex-boyfriend turned DILF, Nick, in almost two decades. But despite both of their changes and twenty years, there's still an undeniable connection between them. Nick and Eli struggle with their developing feelings, the possibility that Nick may not be straight, and whether things could turn into something serious despite the distance between them.

I've enjoyed Alexander's previous books, and this one lived up to the standard--and perhaps even beat it. I love a good holiday romance, and this was unlike any other I've read but with classic tropes, like second chance romance. I was rooting for Nick and Eli from the get-go, and loved some of the nostalgic moments they had (the sinkhole! Nelly!). This book was a little on the long side, but it also dealt with so many serious topics while keeping a sense of humor, I'll cut it some slack.

Thanks to Atria for my eARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

5 stars - 9/10

Thank you NetGalley, Atria Books and TJ Alexander for providing me with an eARC of Second Chances in New Port Stephen for review.

⭐⭐⭐⭐✨ - Rounded Up - Available 5 December 2023

Oh I had an absolutely wonderful time with this read. Eli returning to his home town in Florida is way to relatable 😂😂😂. I really enjoyed the dual narration, I found Eli to be hilarious and Jack to be such a beautiful person. It might have been my recent reads but the adult characters in this books was exactly what I needed after being surrounded be fictional YA main characters for a while.

And the writing of the interactions between Eli and Zoe always left me smiling.

My own real concern was the lack of communication in the last quarter of this book. I was groaning with the knowledge that we held from both the narrators but they weren't telling each other 😂. Miscommunication to the MAX!

I really liked the romance and the characters in this book. It was kinda overly cheesy at times, but I expect that from a romance. I liked Nick's wife, until she decided not to tell him that she was thinking about moving to another state with their daughter. I know it was discussed later, it just felt like a sucky thing to do to him and to their daughter. Some of the miscommunication/noncommunicatuon between Eli and Nick was annoying and it felt like it didn't make sense between two characters who were communicating so well about everything else. But overall, I would highly recommend this book if you're looking for a good romance.

Second Chances in New Port Stephen is an adorable read! Eli heads home to Florida for the holidays to visit his parents and also because…he is currently unemployed and has no prospects. Eli struggles to feel comfortable in this place that he felt stifled who he really was growing up but a chance encounter with his first love makes the holidays a little more bearable. As Eli and Nick spend time together, both realize they still have a lot to learn about themselves despite how much they’ve grown up since they last saw each other.

An adorable second chance romance with fun queer characters. If you are looking for a cute romance, I would definitely recommend Second Chances in New Port Stephen!

Such a charming fun read! There are heavy topics discussed in the book, but also many light moments.Eli and Nick get a second chance at love at almost 40 years old. Everyone was so supportive and positive - such a nice thing to read in a setting such as Florida. This was my first novel by TJ Alexander, but it won't be my last. I laughed and teared up a bit too.

"Eli Ward hasn’t been back to his suffocating hometown of New Port Stephen, Florida, in ages. Post-transition and sober, he’s a completely different person from the one who left years ago. But when a scandal threatens his career as a TV writer and comedian, he has no choice but to return home for the holidays. He can only hope he’ll survive his boisterous, loving, but often misguided family and hide the fact that his dream of comedy success has become a nightmare.

Just when he thinks this trip couldn’t get any worse, Eli bumps into his high school ex, Nick Wu, who’s somehow hotter than ever. Divorced and in his forties, Nick’s world revolves around his father, his daughter, and his job. But even a busy life can’t keep him from being intrigued by the reappearance of Eli.

Against the backdrop of one weird Floridian Christmas, the two must decide whether to leave the past in the past…or move on together."

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for the free ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed herein are my own.

This book was a real mixed bag for me because there were some parts I loved so much, and then some parts I wanted more from.

What I loved:
- A second chance with a high school sweetheart after big changes in their lives
- Older main characters (turning 40), and still learning about themselves!
- The suggestion of demisexuality and combating asexual stereotypes
- Exploring an experience of being trans (and queer) in a conservative state and still finding pockets of communities sharing queer joy
- How this wasn’t just a story about Eli, or Eli and Nick, but about the relationship between Eli and his parents. Eli is dreading coming home to Florida for the first time since his transition (his parents usually visit him) and while his parents are pretty supportive, there are some communication issues and minor conflicts, but also an incredibly moving scene showing his parents have truly listened and are putting their child first
“Oh my god, I’m sorry, I just didn’t expect all this,” he said, wiping at his wet eyes with his T-shirt sleeve.
“Oh, my baby… I want you to expect it from now on, okay? Expect the effort.”

What I didn’t love so much:
- I normally avoid stories with kids in them, but I really liked Zoe and was disappointed when her role disappeared towards the end of the book. Everything was going well until it was announced that her mother wanted to move with her to the other side of the country and that Nick would agree to it if he was looking out for Zoe’s best interests. I’m not a parent, but I didn’t really understand this (did they really have to leave the state for a nursing job? Wouldn’t it be best for Zoe to have both her parents who generally co-parent well to be within close proximity?), and the issue didn’t really get solved satisfactorily for me in the end, especially without the epilogue. This just added a lot of anxiety to my experience of the end of the book, which was disappointing after the first half.
- Eli, who I don’t expect to be a perfect person, continually brushing aside Nick questioning his sexuality (by constantly referring to just how straight he was) even when Nick was showing his interest in Eli… I wondered if it might be a protective mechanism for him (trying to convince himself Eli couldn’t possibly be interested in him), but the continual dismissal was rough, especially when I would think Eli would understand some of the nuances of sexuality
- It’s suggested to Nick that he might look into demisexuality and there is another mention of him doing some research, but the conversation kind of ends there. I respect that in the end he’s still exploring and lands on “queer,” but as an asexual person I’m a little greedy for explicit ace rep!

Overall I enjoyed most of this book, I would definitely recommend it, but there were some hanging threads I would have liked more exploration of at the same time. And selfishly, I didn’t want this extended family to be split up in different areas of the country!

A refreshingly different take on the second chance romance. Eli has come home to Port Stephen a changed person- and as a trans man. His ex, Nick, is now a divorced father (who has a good relationship with his ex and his daughter) and he's still attracted to Eli. Can this relationship work now that things are physically different? No spoilers from me but know that this is funny (Eli is a comedian), heartfelt, and in many ways family focused. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. A gentle and happy read.

I was given an Advanced Readers Copy by Netgalley. Thank you for the opportunity to review!

This is my first experience with a romance book featuring a trans protagonist and I approached it with a lot of curiosity. As an outsider to this experience, I was careful to read it with objectivity.

First, the positives. I thought the second half and especially the romantic conclusion were very sweet and modern, and with a second chance romance, the relationship is built on a lot of history and knowing each other. In that way, it was very satisfying. I especially enjoyed Nick's character and his journey to self-discovery. I loved this beautiful man and his beautiful heart! It's so nice to see an Asian American man as an assertive romantic partner. In my opinion, Nick, his love for Eli and his relationships with his family were the most thoughtful and meaningful in the book.

However, his depiction is not without flaws. Most of my issues with this book is the writing and unfortunately, T. J. Alexander gives him one of the most cringey lines of dialogue--"Guess I'm not most guys." Please don't do this to my poor Nick. He deserves better. This leads me to my next issue with the book, which is all the preachiness and villainous conservative family members. Another trope I hate is when the author uses parent/child dialogue to teach the audience and Nick's daughter is used this way. I started highlighting in two different colors: yellow for preachy, cringy passages and pink for creative, sensitive, or intriguing parts. Here's an example of a yellow passage: [ It didn’t seem fair that no one questioned her presence in her granddaughter’s life. Just because someone was family, did they need to be given so much leeway?

TJ Alexander. Second Chances in New Port Stephen . Kindle Edition. (hide spoiler)] Maybe it's just my relationship with the writing style, but I think Nick's inner monologue deserves better. Here is a pink passage: [ “Do you ever get the feeling like your dad misses the kid you used to be? Like, he would rather have that kid back than deal with adult-you? Or is that just me?”

TJ Alexander. Second Chances in New Port Stephen . Kindle Edition. (hide spoiler)] This line is said by Eli to Nick and while they're similar sentiments, one is so much more personal and emotional.

That brings me to my biggest quibble with the book, which is the character of Eli. I was ready to love Eli, but as a comedian, he's not very funny and treated Nick's identity like it was nothing, while constantly advocating for himself. I don't expect protagonists to be perfect, but Eli never apologizes for assuming things about Nick's sexuality or blowing up at his parents, who were trying their best. There's no redemption arc for Eli, but his life works out in all the ways he wants but lacks character growth. And his humor? here's a joke: "A virgin sangria is just fruit salad!" ok, he says this when he's angry. Here's another, where the author says he's cracking a joke with a friend: “Wow, you’re already a Californian. Soon you’ll be putting flax on everything and telling me how shitty the four-oh-five is.”

There are some serious high points in this story, particularly the intimate scenes between Eli and Nick and the romantic journey. There were far more pink passages than yellow. I would read this author again.

I really enjoyed this! It was lighthearted but still explored harder topics. I think it could really be eye opening for a lot of people about trans issues. Eli was so funny and Nick was such a great single dad character. It's almost a beach read moreso than a holiday book but I enjoyed it either way!

2SLGBTQIA+ Holiday Romance in which a trans man returns to his Florida hometown for Christmas after his career goes up in flames, only to cross paths with his high school ex.

5/5 stars: Alexander is new favorite author and their Holiday Romance is a winner. Tackling the second-chance romance trope, Alexander brings plenty of heart and humor that will have you swooning. Alexander's characters are incredibly complex and yet remain infinitely likable. While Eli and Nick are both dealing with a big changes in their life, I love how the two come back together. Additionally, I adore Eli's parents and Nick's daughter is adorable. Oh and Alexander sure knows how to write steamy OPS scenes, they're deliciously spicy. Not only does this book takes place in Florida and touch on the effects of the states politics have on the 2SLGBTQIA+ community but it touches on other tough topics, so take care and check the CWs. If you're looking for a great holiday read, be sure to add this book to your TBR!

I received this eARC thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books, Atria/Emily Bestler Books in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.