Title: Second Chances in New Port Stephen
Author: T.J. Alexander
Genre: Romance
Rating: 4.00
Pub Date: December 5, 2023

I received a complimentary eARC from Simon & Schuster Canada via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #Gifted

T H R E E • W O R D S

Funny • Nostalgic • Warm

📖 S Y N O P S I S

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.

💭 T H O U G H T S

Second Chances in New Port Stephen is the third book I've read from T.J. Alexander and they are an author I will continue to read for simple pleasure. Each of their books offers me something different and contain underrepresented characters. This one with a holiday twist.

Told from the POVs of Nick and Eli, this middle-aged, interracial, second-chance romance was an absolute delight. The character development is fantastic and the moments with Zoe were so sweet and wholesome. It was also encouraging to see the evolution of Eli's family from start to end.

Despite touching on the current anti-trans legislation and growing anti-trans sentiment in Florida, the author manages to keep the narrative lighthearted, even while tackling some serious topics. I greatly appreciated the honest exploration of sobriety as an ongoing process. There are also some hard (and necessary) conversations throughout the book.

Although it is set during the holiday period, it could easily be read at any point of the year. The festive season doesn't play a crucial role in the plot and its easy to forget it is even set during that timeframe.

Second Chances in New Port Stephen was such a refreshing way to kick of Pride month. The conversations in T.J. Alexander's books are relevant and informative, I always come away having learned something. I am looking forward to reading their latest release Triple Sec and whatever else they write in the future.

📚 R E A D • I F • Y O U • L I K E
• second-chance romance
• queer romance
• mid-life romance

⚠️ CW: sexual content, transphobia, alcoholism, death, death of parent, car accident, anti-Asian racism, divorce, cursing, xenophobia, outing

🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S

"I've concluded that I need to stop worrying so much about what the future holds. I want to be happy when I can be."

It’s their third #novel in less than two years, and still, “Second Chances in New Port Stephen” is signature #TJAlexander.

Humorous, full of heart, and with a hopeful holiday twist, "Second Chances In New Port Stephen has all the positive queer representation of the Chef’s Kiss series, once again giving a voice to underrepresented trans and questioning voices.

I always learn something new in every TJ Alexander book I read.

But beyond that, it’s just good storytelling that keeps me coming back to this author.

Both Eli and Nick are such strong characters, at once familiar and relatable, while still so vastly distinct from Simon and Ray and Luna and John-Pierre. And I fell in love them both.

So much so that I’m hoping this isn’t the last we get to see of ElNick. A couple name? Oh, cringe.

But I digress… read this book.

I am so unbelievably happy after reading this book. I adored these characters and I love reading about queer joy and celebrating it through these angels.

Every single event in this story is significant. It adds so much depth to the characters and describes another step in not only their queer journeys, but their emotional journeys too. So many big, healthy discussions happen in this book, involving queerness, self discovery and some politics. The author emphasizes the threat that is living in Florida while being trans, how at a moment's notice, Eli's healthcare could be taken away from him. It's heartbreaking but absolutely necessary to highlight such a heavy topic.

Eli and Nick are pure sunshine together. The laughter and uninhibited joy that they bring to each other's lives is so special. I could read about these two and their lives together forever. I loved these characters, I loved the enthusiastic support of every single side character, I loved how this story was written. The dialogue was flirty and witty and sarcastic and lovely. Most importantly, it was so real. I absolutely need to read more of this author's work because I loved every second of this book. Not only is it an amazing second chance romance, it's filled with exceptional character development too.

Thank you so much to Simon & Schuster and Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. I can't wait for more people to read Eli and Nick's story.

This was one of my MOST anticipated holiday romances and it did not disappoint!! Solidly my favorite 'holigay' romance of 2023, this dual POV, interracial, second chance romance features a trans man and a demisexual Asian American divorced dad.

Returning to his small town Florida home after losing his job as a writer in New York, Eli is loathe to face his family and all the toxicity that comes from life in such an anti-trans state. What Eli isn't expecting is to run into his ex Nick or to so easily rekindle their friendship.

Things get confusing when Nick starts to question his identity, having his own queer awakening in his 40s. I loved how nuanced the author's characters always are. There are so many layers to Eli and Nick which makes them feel so real and relatable.

I also loved Eli's family in this story. While they weren't the best at the start (his mom kept all the old photos of Eli that really hurt him) by the end they really showed up (from restaging the old photos with present day Eli, to supporting his relationship with Nick and encouraging him in his acting career).

Great on audio narrated by Aden Hakimi and Feodor Chin, this is easily my new favorite by the author! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and @simon.schuster for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review!

Steam level: open door

I liked the story, it was interesting to see how politics issues in Florida were introduce in the story.
Eli and Nick, together they made a cute couple. Personally I liked Nick a bit more than Eli, the reason is that both are in their 40s but Eli is portrayed as less mature and insecure, probably because his transitioning happened in his 30s and still a very sensitive subject for him.