Sadie ends the year in a colossal heap of garbage. Her job, relationship, living situation - it's all complete crap. She begs a fortune teller for a redo on New Years and wakes up to one year ago when everything was the opposite. Sadie jumps at the opportunity to make the changes necessary to reverse every bad decision to end the year on a high note instead.
I did not read the synopsis (cue all the laugh crying emojis). Love the cover and I LOVE second chance romances. It's in the title, okay?? This is not a second chance romance. LOL
But can I just say WOW?! I loved every second this was in my ears. I rewound a few times just to make certain scenes sit a little bit longer. If this isn't a "me" book, I don't know what is. My recommendation to other readers would be to expect more women's fiction (I know we hate this classification but until someone comes up with something better, it is what it is), less rom-com. I loved Sadie's journey and light bulb moments of clarity. And Jacob? Be still my heart.
The narrator, Helen Laser, does an excellent job performing this story. I've only had the opportunity to listen to her before with a couple of YA books, but her voice translates well to both genres.
Thank you to Hachette Audio and Netgalley for the alc. All thoughts are my own.

Awww super cute! I really enjoyed this one - loved the food and music core and the message of just being your damn self!

This was a cute story. I wasn't completely invested in the romance but I did like the story overall. We all have had a time in our life where we wish we could go back in time and have a redo. Sadie got the chance. In her redo year she realizes that some of the bad moments she wanted a second chance at happened f9r a reason. We've all gone through bad times, maybe they happened for a reason? This story also touches on sexism and the way the author wrote it was well-written

Oh wow! The Second Chance Year is such a fun read. 4 stars!

Sadie had a Very Bad Year - she lost her job, apartment, and boyfriend in quick succession - and wishes she could go back in time to course correct her path and life. And sometimes, wishes do come true. Sadie travels back one year in time and is given a chance to relive the past 365 days.

I loved Sadie as a character and felt invested in her choices and relationships. It’s been a while since I’ve cried while reading a book but this had me tearing up.
Wiesner also did an excellent job of tackling issues such as sexism and harassment in the workplace.

Overall, the story was great and this book was really a joy to read.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the advance copy.

Thank you Hachette Audio and NetGalley for audio ARC of the book.

Sadie just had the most awful year of her life - she lost her job, her apartment and her boyfriend broke up with her. So when during new a Year's Eve party a fortune teller offers her a second chance to redo the last year Sadie agrees. Can Sadie fix all past mistakes and have her wishes come true?

This book is filled with great humor and cute characters you want to be friends with. The main character Sadie has a strong and nice personality and I was happy to witness her journey through this book. I liked that not only romance and family relationships were big topic in this book but also career, sexism and friendship played a big role.

The narrator Helen Laser did a great job voicing different characters and their emotions.

The Second Chance Year is a new genre I’ve been told is romance+. Romance+ is reserved for those novels that often follow the typical sweetness and plot lines of romance novels, yet often have a little more depth to them. In The Second Chance Year, the protagonist deals with sexual harassment in her workplace. There is a clear imbalance of power as she struggles to for a promotion.

When I first started this book I thought it was going to be the typical do-the-same -day over and over until the protagonist finally gets it right and realizes the love of her life was in her sight the whole time. I was only partially right, The main character, Sadie, attends a NYE party after having a terrible, no good year. At the party she makes a wish and finds herself waking up to re-do the previous year (not just day). She sets out to fix all of her regrets. Will she get it right the second time?

I enjoyed this book. The narrator was perfect for the part. It was easy to listen to (even at 2x). Of course, the ending was predictable throughout the entire book, but isn’t that the reason we read romance? We like to know it all turns out as it should in the end. What didn’t work as well for me was the chemistry between Sadie and Jacob; I just didn’t buy it honestly. Overall, The Second Chance Year is a sweet closed-door romance with some depth and good narration.

Thank to Netgalley and Forever Audiobook for this ARC.

Melissa Wiesner's, "The Second Chance Year," is a fun, quick read. I listened to the audiobook narrated by Helen Laser. I would give this story 3.5 out of 5 and so will round up to 4. There should be a content warning for readers; the story contains descriptions and fall out related to sexual harassment and assault and some emotional abuse.

The narration and the story flow well together. Laser breathes life into the this first person narrative about a young woman, Sadie Thatcher, who is stuck in a rut after a year of personal and professional disappointments. She's been broken up with after 3 years with her ex; fired from her job at a high-end restaurant; and resorted to working as a barista while living in the spare room of her brother’s long time best friend and good family friend. With a chance encounter with a fortune teller on New Year’s Eve, she is given the opportunity to relive her past year. Will it be everything she hoped?

Sadie Thatcher is a relatably flawed main character. Her struggles with feeling accepted and supported will resonate for anyone with a difficult relationship with their parents. Since this is a single first person narrative, only a couple of character end up being fully flushed out. For one thing, her parents seem to be caricatures of disapproving parents. Her relationship to them is left fairly unexamined which makes her desire for their approval despite their belittling view of her career and abilities but their active antagonism toward her goals strain credulity. Their lack of dimension makes this part of the story fall flat. Just because they are professors doesn’t mean they can’t appreciate other forms of success or achievement. The assumption is of course professors wouldn’t approve of a child who wants to go into a creative field. This rings hallow. Especially with a child who is actively pursuing their goals and showing some results.

The storyline contains a surprising amount of pushback around patriarchal society standards and behaviors, which was interesting. Wiesner explores this within the world of cooking primarily and how gender and power dynamics are used and abused in this field of work. I wish more would have been developed between Sadie and her best friend. I do feel like Wiesner did a realist job of evoking the isolation that can be experienced by people who have been assaulted.

Overall I would recommend this book to people who have enjoyed other books with magical realist elements such as “Cassandra in Reverse,” by Holly Smale or “Oona Out of Order,” by Margarita Montimore.

I was strangely drawn to this book and found the premise interesting but wondered just how the story would fall into place.

I needn't have worried!

I fell into this story very quickly and wondered throughout if I would have been tempted to do the same in the same circumstances and the answer is...I just don't know!

There were enough twists and turns to make you question just how this was going to end for Sadie and if she would have any regrets about her choices.

Melissa Wiesner has a new fan and I'm keen to explore this new-to-me author's other publications.

A cute romcom story with a time twist. I thought this was a good read. I really enjoyed Sadie. A female character who was strong and opinionated! Love it!! I wish the relationship with Jacob had more banter, but it still kept my interest and I was rooting for them. Really enjoyed the audiobook! The narrator was absolutely perfect for Sadie's voice.

*Thank you @readforeverpub and @harperaudio for the #gifted egalley and audiobook in exchange for an honest review.*

I’m definitely not one for typical romance, but something about the description snagged my attention and I’m so glad it did! The Second Chance Year was fun, flirty, comedic, and downright witty. I absolutely loved the baking puns and they definitely flowed throughout the novel better than “peanut butter through brownie batter” …see love it, lol! This novel also tackled some incredibly relevant women’s issues that had me applauding Sadie and her decisions in the end.

Sadie Thatcher has had “a no-good year”. A few major decisions to speak her mind has landed her couch surfing at her little brother’s best friend’s apartment. She’s lost her long-term boyfriend and the possibility of making her baking career a go. With a little bit of pressure, she attends a New Year’s Eve party and fate allows her a “redo” of the previous year. The major difference…she cannot speak her mind and must take daily doses of sexism, double standards, toxic masculinity and loses friendships she holds dear. However, she does get the guy and job back that she thought she desperately wants. As Sadie navigates this redo year small decisions have resounding impact and she begins to realize what she thought she wanted has definitely changed.

I absolutely would recommend this book as a fun and light holiday read with a little deeper context. Well done Melissa Wiesner for taking on important issues for women with a fun spin that didn’t make light of their importance. I enjoyed the audio production of the novel immensely. Helen Laser did a fantastic job with her narration and this may also be why I liked the story so much.

The Second Chance Year was a cute, sweet story about Sadie and how her wish to redo her terrible year came true. Not wanting to run into the same issues on her first go-around, Sadie is determined to make better choices with her relationships and career. Sure, this means she's not her usual vocal self, but if that allows her to keep her longtime boyfriend and land a job promotion, surely it's worth it, right? Well...

Of course, things don't go perfectly and she finds herself in equally stressful problems. She disappointed her best friend. She conforms to her boyfriend's wishes that don't match her own. Her parents still don't respect her job as a pastry chef. She finds herself crushing on her brother's best friend, Jacob.

I enjoyed how this book wasn't a full-on romance but instead had a more expansive plot. The conversations about the sexism she faces while working in a professional kitchen was especially interesting. I continually rooted for her to take charge and follow her dreams, even if they didn't match her original plans.

The narration was also very well done, and I thought that Sadie had a very "believable" voice. Sometimes the wrong narration can really pull you out of the story, but this was an ideal match for this outgoing character.

ALC REVIEW 🎧

The Second Chance Year - Melissa Wiesner
Narrated by @hlaserwolf
7 hours, 21 mins

Available on December 5th

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

The Second Chance Year follows Sadie as the WORST year of her life is finally coming to an end. Recently unemployed, heartbroken, and living in her brother’s best friend’s spare room, her one wish? A chance to get it right! When she meets a fortune teller at a NYE party, her wish is granted but she soon finds out why you need to be careful with what you wish for. As she works to avoid her ‘mistakes’, she loses far more than she bargained for … including herself.

“If you need to be anything other than exactly who you are, then the problem is with them, not you.” ✨

The story expertly explores themes of family expectations, self discovery, bullying, sexual harassment, and equity within the workplace, with an ease that leaves you feeling empowered and confident in who you are.

Thank you @netgalley and @hachetteaudio for the advance copy of this audiobook! 🫶🏻

The perfect read to ring in the new year AND a new book boyfriend 😝 Jacob has my whole heart ❤️

Also read if you enjoy:
✨ Brother’s Best Friend
🔮 Second Chances
✨ Found Family
🔮 Time Loops
✨ Quirky Side Characters
🔮 Cinnamon Roll Hero AND actual Cinnamon Rolls
✨ Rescue Cat
🔮 Little to No Spice

I thought this book was good, it had a decent plot and string characters - I liked the slight fantasy aspect in the book as well.

I thought the narrator was really good.

Devoured this in one sitting. It was like pure warmth and fuzz (plus an extremely well-handled discussion of important issues) injected straight into my veins. This was an absolutely stellar read and will warrant many re-reads in the future, it solidly earned itself a place as one of my favourite reads of this year.
The audiobook performance was also impeccable. Not a single fault to be found, Helen Laser is a talent.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review

Funny, relatable, heartwarming. A really fun read with a magic twist and a quest for happiness. I truly was invested in Sadie’s journey and I love where she ended up. Full review on instagram

I am disappointed that I chose this book. This is filled with the same storyline, so predictable, sadly.

Thanks to the pub. for the ALC.
This was such a fun time loop story. Now, if this isn't your favorite trope, there is only one here, and it's so worth it to give this one a chance because it was such a well thought out story that really showcased the lessons the main character learned through her second chance year. It was easy to root for Sadie and what she wanted. I felt like since she had so many life changes happening, she was an easy character to relate to. I felt so many emotions while listening because of the great character development here. This is a perfect book for someone who wants a story with depth and occasionally asks their own 'what if' type of questions.
The audio narrator did such a great job capturing the complexities of this story in her performance. It's a book I would highly recommend on audio.

This was a fast-moving entertaining romance, perfect for a new year's read. It's inherently far-fetched, of course, with its inclusion of a time loop, but no less enjoyable because of it.

Sadie Thatcher, a rising star in the pastry cooking world, has found her once-promising life shattered. She's lost her job at a prestigious restaurant. Her boyfriend has moved on from their romance, and she's now without an apartment as a result. She begins to suspect the problem is her — more specifically, her big mouth and big opinions. She attends a party on New Years' Eve in an attempt to cheer herself, and there she meets a fortune teller who grants her a single wish: to have a do-over for the last year, so that she can exercise more self-restraint and keep her life on track. She wakes the next morning back with her boyfriend and job, a year in the past and determined to succeed. But as she navigates the year for a second time, she begins to wonder if it's really the best fit for her after all, and if her brother's best friend Jacob might be the perfect fit she's been hoping for all along.

Melissa Wiesner did a great job of capturing my attention immediately, with likable characters that I wanted to root for. One of my pet peeves in romance is the miscommunication trope, where just a drop of maturity would resolve the miscommunication in a second. Thankfully, that wasn't the case here. I felt the missed opportunities between Sadie and Jacob were understandable and believable. Helen Laser did a great job of narrating the book, with an animated and engaging voice that didn't pull my attention from the plot.

Thank you Hachette Audio, Forever and NetGalley for the ARC.

Sadie finds herself like so many of us ringing in the New Year with a less than ideal year behind her.
She lost her boyfriend, her job, and her dream apartment and is now roommates with/crying on the couch of her brother's best friend. She feels pathetic, lonely, and unable to see the glimmers of good that have gotten her through the last year so when she finds an fortune teller at a NYE party who apparently can also turn back time, she jumps on the chance.

I listened to the audio book narrated by Helen Laser and let me first say that she did a PHENOMENAL job delivering this book. Oftentimes with audio books I have a hard time staying engaged and spend most of my mental energy judging the way they say things and cringing over some pretty weird voices (looking at you Vero from the Finlay Donovan series). but I truly loved every choice Helen made here.

The story was sweet, but the love story felt a little forced in places. I am SUCH a sucker for a "it was always you" trope but this one didn't hit home like I thought it would. All in all I did really enjoy listening to this one. Loved the lessons laid out in this book about looking around to see the beauty in the people who surround you even when circumstances aren't ideal, as well as the whole "whats meant to be will be you just have to let it be" lesson.

Looking forward to more fun reads from Melissa Wiesner in the future!

This book was so cute! I loved it so much! This was a contemporary romance, which is the type that I prefer. Also, the characters were so great! I liked our MCs, Sadie and Jacob, a lot, but I also liked the side characters too. Owen, Kazumi, all the people at the coffee shop, Mrs Kaminsky, were side characters that made the book feel more flushed out while adding the depth and comic relief needed in a good romance book. I love books that have fully developed characters all the way around. I will definitely start looking for more books by this author as soon as I hit post.