Sadie is having a rough time - she's lost her boyfriend, her apartment, and her job in one fell swoop. Stumbling on an opportunity for a do-over, she jumps at the chance. As Sadie experiences her second chance year, she realizes that a do-over may not be the quick fix she thought it would be.

I tend to enjoy books with a time travel premise, and this one was nicely done. Initially, Sadie came across as a bit irritating, but she grew on me, and Jacob was such a cinnamon roll hero. I liked that the author explored some more substantial topics like family dynamics and expectations, workplace harassment, and personal development.

The audiobook was wonderfully done. The narrator had a really crisp voice, even when listening at increased speed, and she did a great job with pacing and emotional expression.

Thank you to Hachette Audio for gifting me with an ALC to review! All opinions are my own. I enjoyed it!

Second Chance Year will 100% give you the warm fuzzies.

Sadie has had a Very Bad Year in which she got broken up with and fired within a short period. When the opportunity arises for a do over, she is skeptical that something like that could happen. Until she wakes up January 1 in her old apartment with her ex.

This was so heartwarming. Sadie is such a wonderful character and I feel like her arc of trying to minimize herself is something most women can relate to. I loved her outspoken attitude and inability to settle for anything other than the best.

There is also a very strong story here of equality in the workplace and that feeling of not being able to speak out. I thought the conversation Sadie had with her mother was so heartbreaking and real. There were quite a few touching, emotional moments that so relatable.

At the heart of it all, Second Chance Year is a story of authenticity and found family. Loved it!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to listen to an early copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review. The Second Chance Year by Melissa Wiesner will be released on December 5th, 2023.


Have you ever had a really bad year and wished that you could have a do-over? That is exactly how Sadie felt after her Very Bad Year, and it is what she got. A re-do - her boyfriend back and her job back - but is changing the past ever a GOOD idea?

I can't even explain how much I love the 'let's change the past' trope. I will pick up any book that has a plot related to that theme, even more so if romance is involved. So when I saw this book available to request, I jumped on it and was so excited to see that I was approved and OH BOY did this book not let me down.

I loved following Sadie on her journey to self-discovery, as she realized that her life was going in the direction that it needed to go during her Very Bad Year. Also - I hate self-entitled, gross men but I love when they get exactly what they deserve. Just saying.

The narration of the book was amazing too. I loved the way that she did the voices and gave emotion to each character.

It’s New Year’s Eve of a spectacularly bad year for Sadie - she’s lost her job as a pastry chef, her boyfriend dumped her and she had to move out of her apartment and move in with her brother’s best friend (was he always this cute?). Her best friend drags her off the couch to a NYE party and at the party finds a fortune teller who grants her a do-over. When she returns from the party but before the night ends she ends up kissing said brother’s best friend, Jacob - and that kiss has sparks! But then she wakes up the next morning on Jan 1 and everything is reverted back to the way it was, one year earlier with her old job, old boyfriend and old apartment and she gets to do it all again and this time she will not mess it up. But as the year goes on Sadie realizes that maybe things turn out the way they are meant to...

I thought this was super fun and cute and I spent the day sneaking time to listen to because I wanted to know what happened next. As I’ve said before, I love a good time loop/time travel rom com so this was exactly what I needed after finishing Iron Flame. As a baker I personally enjoyed all the baking references (although comparing everything to a pastry did get a bit annoying). The cast of characters were adorable and this was a perfect light read. The narrator was great to listen to as well.

4.25 stars

Thank you Hachette Audio and NetGalley for the ARC to review

Immerse yourself in the enchanting audio rendition of this captivating tale of redemption and triumph. The narrator's voice skillfully weaves through the protagonist's journey, infusing each moment with a depth of emotion that is both moving and authentic.

The audio version brings to life the character's struggles and successes, allowing the listener to feel the highs and lows with a heightened sense of intimacy. The pacing is expertly executed, maintaining a rhythm that keeps the audience engaged throughout the narrative.

The decision to forego the typical time-travel trope in favor of a more realistic exploration is accentuated in the audio format. The nuances of the character's growth and resilience are conveyed with such clarity that it's impossible not to be drawn into the unfolding story.

While the existing romantic elements are beautifully expressed in the audio version, a slightly more pronounced exploration of this aspect could have added an extra layer of emotional richness. Nevertheless, the overall performance is commendable, delivering a powerful reminder of the strength of the human spirit.

In summary, the audio rendition of this tale is a triumph in itself. The narrator's skillful delivery enhances the storytelling experience, making it a must-listen for those who appreciate narratives of redemption, resilience, and the enduring power of second chance

Filled with the warmest of fuzzies and an abundance of charm, The Second Chance Year is an ultimate feel good read. I love a do-over story and Wiesner so beautifully crafted an alternate timeline story infused with friendship, laughter, and love… and a dash of magic.

I appreciated that Sadie’s do-over year was more centered around her personal growth, rather than on the romance and her trying to ‘get the guy’. While it wasn’t always painless, Sadie’s journey of realizing that ‘mistakes’ can lead to new possibilities and opening your heart to a new twist on an old dream was endearing. Sadie’s choices during her second chance year to ‘fix’ past mistakes in order to prevent future heartbreak initially frustrated me, BUT her decisions were so relatable - who wouldn’t want to avoid pain and who hasn’t made certain decisions from a place of fear? I truly loved how her journey unfurled and how she learned that the ‘picture perfect’ life is never worth silencing your voice or losing out on what your heart wants.

The audiobook was a true delight and the narrator did a spectacular job bringing such emotion to the story and drawing the reader into Sadie’s world.

sadie's had a really bad year: she was fired from her job, broke up with her boyfriend, and lost her apartment. when at a new year's party, she is given the opportunity to redo that year of her life, she jumps at the chance. but maybe seeing the year from a fresh perspective makes her realize everything happens for a reason, and that better things come to those who deserve them. this was so fun & i flew thru it. i love a time travel trope, and seeing sadie's personal development, as well as her romantic developments, was great. highly recommend!

4.25⭐️

Sadie has had a very bad year. So when, on New Year’s Eve, she encounters a fortune teller who grants her wish for a do-over, she begins a journey to fix her past mistakes. She hopes to save her failed relationship and keep her prestigious job, and sets about doing anything she can to keep her boyfriend and her boss happy.

But, is SHE happy?

Sometimes what you wish for isn’t really what you want. And sometimes, what you really did want is right there all along, you just weren’t ready to see that yet.

Sadie was a very relatable character. So much so, that I found myself quite frustrated in some of the early chapters, watching her make some painful mistakes, wishing we could move past that part of her journey a bit more quickly. But the payoff was lovely in the end.

Helen Laser did an excellent job narrating the audiobook.

Thank you Melissa Wiesner, Forever (Grand Central Publishing), Hachette Audio, and NetGalley for providing this ARC for review consideration. All opinions expressed are my own.

I usually don't like my romance laced with fantasy, but The Second Chance Year might have changed my mind. Sadie has found herself single, recently fired, and living in the guest room of her little brother's friend. When given the chance to re-do the last year of her life, she takes it. But is the ability to live a year over again as good as it seems?

While internally torn between the choice to be quiet and allow the patriarical to control her or to be loud and stand up for what is right, I found myself emotionally tangled in Sadie's second chance year to see if doing it over again leads to happiness.

As we all know, an audio book's narrator will make or break the experiene and Helen Laser gave a beautiful voice to Melissa Wiesner's entertaining work.

Sadie had a very bad year, in which she lost things she wishes she hadn't. But when that widh is combined with a bit of magic, she gets a second chance to keep the people and things she lost. Her Very Bad Year will no longer be, she'll change things, and change herself in order to fix what was wrong. But was it actually bad, or did things need to go to make space for what she deserved and needed? She soon finds out that some things happen no matter how much you try and resist them, and they do to get uou where you need to be. I loved the characters, the plot, and it did make me want cinnamon rolls and cake quite a lot. Great read!

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced copy. I absolutely loved this book, a quick read and cute romcom. After having the worst year of her life she wishes for a do over and gets it, but along the way she discovers that all the things she longs for were not what she thought. After changing who she was to fit into everyone else’s view and how of how her parents think she should act, and starts sucking up to her boss all in hopes to keep the job that she lost, only to lose everything again. After some personal and discover what she needed in her life was already there if she just opened her eyes.


🔹He falls first
🔹Found family
🔹Second chance

Title: The Second Chance Year
Author: Melissa Wiesner
Narrator: Helen Laser
Pub Date: December 5, 2023

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you #partner Hachette Audio for the #gifted listening copy and Forever Pub for the #gifted advanced copy of The Second Chance Year!

The Second Chance Year was pure perfection! I was pulled in from the first page and hooked until the end. I love books that really stop and make me think, and this book did just that. If you are looking for a heartfelt story with an amazing female main character, please read this book. The Second Chance Year will certainly be one of my top books of the year!

Sadie had a terrible year. Thanks to being too outspoken, she lost her job, her apartment, and her boyfriend. On a whim, she follows the advice of a fortune teller who gives her one wish. Sadie wishes for a chance to redo the past year. Realizing that nothing has changed once she opens her eyes after making her wish, she ends up kissing her brother’s best friend, Jacob. When Sadie wakes the next morning, she is at her former apartment with her ex-boyfriend, and Sadie still has her previous job. Upon checking the date, she finds out it’s January 1st of last year! Thus begins Sadie’s second-chance year. Throughout the year, Sadie finds many red flags that she missed the first time around, and while she is somewhat happy to be back with her ex-boyfriend, she can’t stop thinking of Jacob. As the year progresses, Sadie starts to wonder if wishing for a second chance was a mistake.

The Second Chance Year had all the elements! Magical realism, romance, a strong female main character, and so much more. There was a subplot of sexual/workplace harassment that was infused into the book and it was very well done. Overall, I feel like this book had it all and was so well written. Melissa Wiesner has quickly become one of my favorite authors!

The Second Chance Year:
🧡Pastry Chef FMC
🧡Found Family
🧡Magical Realism
🧡Baking Puns
🧡Cinnamon Roll Hero
🧡Do-Over Year
🧡Brother’s Best Friend

I started reading a physical copy and then went back and forth between the physical copy and the audiobook. Let me tell you, both are equally amazing! The narrator, Helen Laser, nailed it! I don’t think I could have picked a better voice for Sadie and the rest of the characters. The pacing was spot on just such a great listening experience!

Easily a really great book that I enjoyed a lot. I loved Sady the cat lady! This was a second chance at life story. I really enjoyed the main character and the romance was sweet. I was glad where Sady ended up at the end, even if it took far too long. Did not love her parents at all. They needed to be way more supportive!

Thanks, NetGalley and Forever, for the gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This one is a 3.5 stars for me, the story had a lot of potential but it felt flat at times. The premise for this type of stories is that the second chance will help them grow up and but in this one that second chance was mostly hiding her true-self. I feel like because of that I could not fully connect to the story!
Also I hated her relationship with her parents! They were the worst!
What I loved was the sentiment behind it. Forget the past, figure out what you want and go for it!

'The Second Chance Year' is an adorable love story with a HEA that feels earned. The characters were well developed and the pacing of the romance felt very reasonable, especially for a holiday romance.

Premise - 31-year-old baker Sadie has a terrible year in which she loses her boyfriend and her job, but when she bumps into a fortune teller at a NYE party she gets a chance to do the whole year over. At first she's thrilled, but as the months pass by she realizes maybe things went wrong for the right reasons...

Sadie is a relatable heroine with gumption. I love that she's an older FMC at 31 - I'm 100% here for more mature love stories! I also like that romance is a solid side plot here, but she's at least as motivated by ambition as she is by the pursuit of love.

This book has:
* realistic siblings
* 30+ romance
* friends (with her brother) to lovers
* a touch of magic
* second chances
* Mr. Wrong
* career-focused FMC

'The Second Chance Year' was so much more fun than I expected it to be. It lived up to the cuteness of its cover! I look forward to reading more from this author and would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a feel-good romance.

Thanks, NetGalley and Forever, for the gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was just an okay read for me. I love a good time loop, second chance at life story but this one fell a little flat for me. Sadie has a 'very terrible year' and wishes for a do-over only to get her wish and repeat the same mistakes. The love interest was cute (her brother's best friend) but it took her a while to dump her horrible ex. Slow moving at times and lacking the kind of romance I crave. This was okay on audio as well. A solid read but nothing special for me unfortunately. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review!