Cute rom-com with a fun premise. The characters were interesting and I found myself invested in the FMC and how she plan to redo her year. It was a bit heartbreaking to watch her be so unaware of her personal strengths and how much people cared about her, but I’m glad that she eventually realized it in the end.

In regards to the audiobook, I really enjoyed this narrator. She did a great job emoting the FMC and other characters in the book.

This book is exactly the type of book I love to listen to. The narration was wonderful. Older brother’s best friend. Romance. Friendships. Family dynamics.


Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance reader audio book.

I received this book as an audiobook from NetGalley.

Narrator Helen Laser did an excellent job bringing the characters to life.

I enjoyed this book. It was a sweet book about second chances. While this book was a lighter read, it did deal with some heavier topics like sexism and sexual harassment in the workplace. I loved that the FMC finds herself and learns how to do not only for herself but for those around her. After reliving her “Very bad year,” she comes into her own, realizing that sometimes your chosen family can be more supportive than your actual family. The slight aspect of the forbidden love, the brother’s best friend/shy boy next door, was cute and heartwarming. I struggled with the repeated phrase “My very bad year.” Overall, this book is a great read.

I received this book as an ALC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Sadie has had a Very Bad Year - getting dumped, fired, and becoming essentially homeless and living out of her brother's best friend's bedroom was not where she thought she would be on New Years but it's where she finds herself. During a particularly chaotic carnival themed New Year's party, she approaches a fortune teller who gives her the option of reliving the entire last year. Sadie doesn't necessarily believe it will work but when she wakes up the next morning and it's January 1st of the year before and her ex-boyfriend is in her bed...she is suddenly offered the opportunity to redo everything she regretted from the year before.

I really enjoyed this! Sadie has some major character growth to do throughout the book but the payoff really works - to get to see her finally stand up to her awful boss, to see her choose to breakup with her boyfriend who wants a very different life than she does was really nice.

The romance was also super sweet though I wouldn't call this a romance as it focuses much more on Sadie's life. I loved how much it focused on Sadie's relationships with everyone in her life and how she gained a different perspective during her "second chance year".

I really enjoyed the audio narration by Helen Laser and thought she added a lot to Sadie's character.

Thank you to Hachette Audio and Forever for the ALC. All thoughts and opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This was such a cute book! The story follows Sadie, who is a pastry chef and has had a terrible year. She finds a fortune teller on NYE and makes a wish to go back and do the year over. Her wish is granted and Sadie vows to fix everything that went wrong. I enjoyed all the characters and the side characters added such depth to the book. I appreciated how thoughtfully harassment in the workplace and gender equality were addressed. There was a nice balance of important topics covered with swoon worthy, sweet moments. I loved the themes of self discovery, found family, and being true to yourself. I thought the narrator was fantastic. She had great, tone, inflection, and made the story enjoyable to listen to.

Read if you like:
🔮Magical realism
🔮Brother’s best friend trope
🔮Found family
🔮Second chances
🔮Recuse cat

Thanks to Hachette Audio, Forever for the advance copy of this audiobook.

“When your role has been clearly laid out for your entire life, it’s not easy to pivot to being someone else.”

I looooove a good timeline jump story where the main character gets a redo. In The Second Chance Year, Sadie has the WORST year - losing her job, apartment, and boyfriend. On New Year's Eve, she meets a fortune teller and wishes for a redo... and wakes up on January 1 of last year with a chance for a redo.

Not only was this a second chance at love (with a BROTHER'S BEST FRIEND), this is a story that touches on sexism in the workplace, parental expectations, and friendship. I laughed, I teared up, and I adored this book. This one is for all the girlies who tend to speak their minds, who are struggling to live up to a role or expectation someone has set for them, or who just wish they could have a reset.

Highly recommend picking this up in December - it's perfect for New Year's Eve! The narration by Helen Laser is also top notch if you are an audiobook lover!

Thank you NetGalley, Hatchett Audio and Melissa Weisner for the audiobook of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

And in all honesty- I didn’t want this one to end. I’m an avid audiobook reader- and when you listen to so many of them most books are like a meal of broiled chicken and a baked potato. It’s fine- I didn’t hate it, but it didn’t have my full interest either. This book was the triple layer crushed raspberry cake, the bite that stops you for a minute all five senses just leaning in.

This book was beautifully performed- the main character, Sadie, was funny and charming and she felt alive in the performance. I wanted to live in that coffee shop. I wanted to ruffle Owen’s hair like a sister would do and I completely fell in love with Jacob early on.

Of course there have been other versions of the plot. Girl meets fortune teller and wishes for the opportunity to redo her year (or be “big”). It’s not Groundhog Day and we aren’t living the day over and over, and it’s not magic dust covering the roof of Jenna’s dream house. But this book had the same magic those big screen movies had. I loved, loved this romance, because it’s nice to have that little bit of magic and happy ever after.

Thank you for the gift of this story! And to the author- assuming you plan on writing another novel, more romantic comedies please!

<b>Read Completed 11/20/23 |</b> 4.25 stars
<I>Thank you to the publisher at Hachette Audio and Netgalley for the early listening copy!</I>

THE SECOND CHANCE YEAR is the perfect holiday read without being a Christmas book. The story starts and ends around New Year's and also has some holiday vibes with some Thanksgiving and Christmas. We get to see a whole year, but I loved that this helped me get into a little holiday spirit without being ALL about the holidays.

THE SECOND CHANCE YEAR is about Sadie and how she wishes she could do over her Very Bad Year. She ends up getting a wish granted by a fortune teller and getting sent back to the beginning of the year to do it all over. I love cute little time loops stories and this one definitely delivered! We get to see Sadie do the whole year over, which doesn't come off as long as it seems, and learn things about herself. She tries to change how she acted and makes different decisions to try to make things better and ends up asking herself if all of these changes to who she is really made anything better at all.

There's also a lovely, sweet romance between Sadie and her brother's best friend. I loved the way this was set up in the time loop so we get a dash of romance nearly right away and then spend the rest of the book pining for him, so we have a reason to keep encouraging this romance. The ending of the book was so sweet and I loved the personal journey that Sadie took to really be confident in herself. She ended up doing what other people wanted in one way during her "original" year and then trying to do what she *thought* she wanted for herself in the "do over" year and had to find a balance in the right way.

My ONLY complaint was the amount of baking similes and metaphors. It was sooooooo cheesy in the beginning and had me rolling my eyes every time one popped up. I seriously cringed and hated it so much. It took me out of cute romcom and was going into cheesy cozy mystery (obviously not a mystery but how blindly theme-driven cozies can be). That settled down in the middle of the book but popped up in the end, and I got reminded how much I hated it. Sadly, that ruined the writing for me a bit.

Overall, I'd definitely recommend this one and had a lot of fun reading it! It was so sweet and very well written. The time loop concept didn't feel overdone or overused, and the romance was just lovely.

<b>Audiobook Impressions:</b> Helen Laser was the audiobook narrator here and I've listened to a couple other books from her, but I didn't even realize it. Along with those other books, I really liked her narration here! She reminded me of a lot of my favorites from the romance genre and her voice just really fit the book. I liked her narration of Sadie since this is in the first person, and I think she did everything else really well. Everything was very pleasing to listen to and this was a kind of narration that I'd seek out again!

While I am not the biggest fan of magical realism, this book was the exception. I loved the flow of the book, the outspoken main character, the family she creates along the way, and how she finally gets the guy of her dreams.

This book is a true caution of “be careful what you wish for.” Because, I mean, who hasn’t wanted to redo a moment, a scenario, or even a whole year??

When Sadie gets a chance to redo her horrible bad year, she takes it and doesn’t think twice. She got everything she wanted back, her job, her apartment, and her “perfect” boyfriend. But she starts to realize that not everything is what it seems in her new perfect year.

This book is about learning and embracing who you are. Loving your life and sticking to your choices. Getting back up when you’re knocked down. It teaches us to appreciate what’s in front of you and make the best out of even the worst situations. I loved all the eccentric characters and of course, I LOVED JACOB.

This is a great new years read to ring in YOUR new year with. Thank you to NetGalley and Melissa Weisner for this advanced audio copy!

I love these sorta time travelling books where someone gets a do over and revisits moments and gets to live it differently and this one is really well done. I listened to the audiobook version of this book and loved the narrator who did an excellent job drawing me into the story and giving the characters life and dimension.

I love the setup of the story where everything has gone wrong and Sadie stumbles upon an opportunity to try it all over again and fix what she thinks are the mistakes she’s made in the past year. I liked how the author didn’t just focus on her love life but also on her family relationships as well as friendships and her career as a pastry chef as well. It would have been all too easy to just focus on one aspect but because the book focused on all aspects, it made Sadie more dimensional and nuanced. I also thought it was interesting for the author to deal with workplace harassment and power dynamics in a male-dominated field. She never shied away from the tough moments and showed how even strong, opinionated people can end up struggle to find their voice when it feels like you could lose everything if you speak up. I did enjoy the comeuppance that comes later though as it was well deserved.

I enjoyed the romance between Jacob and Sadie. He is such a sweetheart and the type of man any woman would dream of meeting. I like that the second go round gave them more time to really get to know one another so when the HEA comes, you don’t feel as though it was rushed.

There was just the one issue I had and that was the near constant baking metaphors and puns. I get that Sadie has made a career out of sweet treats but I don’t think anyone would reasonably believe that it would mean she thought only in baking terms at all times. It became distracting as the book went on and especially in more serious moments. Other than that I enjoyed the writing and the humour in the book. I laughed, I cried, I rooted and cheered. Definitely a great read for this time of year where everyone is looking back and thinking of how they might have done things differently just to realize that sometimes the hard things you go through, get you to where you need to be even when the ride isn’t that fun.

I received an early audiobook copy of this book through Netgallley and the publishers in exchange for my honest review.

I was trying to think of the perfect way to describe the vibes of this book. It’s cute but not corny. Sweet and cozy but not cheesy. Best way I can say is how the movie, The Holiday, has romance and a happy ending that makes you feel good without being Hallmark cheesy.

This is a perfect holiday read because it is centered around New Year’s Eve. I think it would be a great book to read and maybe see your life in a new perspective.

The narrator, Helen Laser, did a fantastic job! Her voice conveyed every emotion perfectly.

I would definitely read more from the author. I really enjoyed listening to the audiobook.

Thank you to NetGalley, Melissa Wiesener and Hachette Audio for the opportunity to read The Second Chance Year. I have written this review voluntarily.

Narration works for the story. 2x listening speed was no problem

Sadie ends the year with a broken heart after being dumped by her long term boyfriend and losing her job as a pastry chef at a prestigious restaurant. On NYE, though, one wish turns the clock back a full year and gives her a second chance to get it right. But... does changing her thoughts and actions as she redoes the year give Sadie the life she imagined for herself?

A pretty uncomplicated, lighthearted read that tackles typical situations associated with being a woman. Sadie's cast of characters are lovable and charming, making the plot move in a more interesting way than she does on her own.

Overall: 4 stars

I'll tell my students about: language, alcohol, sexual harassment

**Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the free ALC. All opinions expressed are my own.**

I'm just getting into audiobooks and the cover intrigued me on this one! I enjoyed the story so much. It was cute and easy to follow and the narration spot on for the characters. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

What a great, lighthearted listen! I couldn’t wait to get in my car and listen to this book while I was driving. I’ve been dealing with the loss of a loved one these last few weeks, and listening to this story has given me a welcomed distraction.

I loved the love story! What a great concept! You get a do over after what you consider the worst year of your life, but after making different choices, was it really what you wanted?

This book was great, the narrator was great, and I definitely recommend!

The Second Chance Year audiobook was such a delightful companion to my everyday responsibilities over the past couple days. The book itself flows smoothly and main character Sadie is charming and witty and relatable.

Sadie is a pastry chef living in New York City. At the start of the year, she can see the future she wants so clearly in front of her - a best friend who would do anything for her, a serious relationship with the man of her dreams, and a promising job promotion on the horizon. In a turn of events Sadie finds her dream unraveling and by the end of the year she’s wishing for a second chance at the past year of her life. This book follows her through just that - a second chance. Will she make different choices the second time around? Will she get the life she dreamed of?

This book started off strongly for me with a British Bake Off reference, and I quickly realized that the cute baking references were tastefully sprinkled (pun intended) throughout the whole book - so fitting to Sadie’s profession and personality. Just one more thing to love about Melissa Weisner’s writing! I found Sadie so easy to love - the combination of the witty internal monologue that Melissa created for Sadie in her writing, along with Helen Laser’s spectacular performance bringing Sadie’s voice to life.

The audiobook version was all around wonderful to experience. As a listener, I found myself wondering a few times if Sadie was saying something out loud or just in her mind - while a reader has quotation marks to help with noting spoken phrases, a listener may not always catch those differences. This wasn’t an issue in the experience of the story, but worth mentioning. Everyone who worked on this book and the audio production did such a great job! Highly recommend!

“…and I’m, well I’m eating Nutella straight from the jar. I mean, I have some standards. At least I’m using a spoon.” - Sadie

3.5 stars

This was a light hearted and quick listen!

The sentiment of the story was great. The characters had their moments but overall were fabulous and I absolutely adored the ending.

Thanks to NetGalley, Hatchette Audio & St Martin's Press for advance copies in exchange for an honest review.

This is such a fantastic story!! I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator was excellent, I could listen to her all day (and I did!). I loved the author’s style of writing, the main characters, and the relatable issues surrounding family, bullying, sexual harassment, and equal rights within the workplace. I was fully invested in Sadie’s life and relationships. I didn’t want to stop listening until I knew how it ended. I thought this was a great reminder that everything happens for a reason. The Second Chance Year is now on my list of favorites. I highly recommend. Thank you Netgalley, Hachette Audio, and the author for this ALC!

This book was absolutely wonderful! I loved all the nostalgic rom com vibes it gave me. If you like 13 Going on 30, you will love this book. This story was so sweet and really had you rooting for Sadie and Jacob. I’ve read quite a few time jump novels and this one was one of my favorites. I felt like it focused more on the development of the characters rather than the passing of time and I loved that. Plus there is a cute cat, what’s not to love!

What would you do if given a chance for a do-over year, restarting at midnight with a second shot at a relationship, job, family, & friends? Sadie Thatcher has had her worst year with a breakup, job loss, couch surfing and more, when at a NYE party, she meets a fortune teller giving her a chance to re-do everything that wrong that year. When she wakes up on New Year Day next to her ex-boyfriend Alex in her old apartment, she realizes it’s the year before. As things set into motion again, she begins to alter her path and make different choices like not speaking up or trying a new venture early, but starts to realizes maybe fate’s first path was the right one all along.
Helen Laser narrated this beautifully with heart and humor everywhere the story called for it, adding a dynamic feel to the characters.
Thank you to Hachette Books Audio for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. This is out 12/5!

The Second Chance Year by Melissa Wiesner is a delightful and captivating tale that offers readers a mix of charm, wit, and just a hint of magic. The audiobook version and narrator were amazing! Sadie Thatcher, our relatable protagonist, finds herself in a downward spiral after losing her job, apartment, and boyfriend due to her outspoken nature. When a fortune teller grants her one wish to redo her disastrous year, Sadie takes a leap of faith. However, the twist of waking up in the past, with her former life and boyfriend, sets the stage for an intriguing journey of self discovery. This novel is a captivating page turner that will leave readers pondering the magic of new beginnings and the lessons we can learn from revisiting our past.