It’s giving Pat Conroy and The Notebook vibes… I considered DNFing a few times along the way, but ultimately it ended up being a sweet story of reconciliation, personal growth, and found family. Covers some heavy topics but a happy ending all in all.

Rating: 2.5/5 Stars
Genre: Literary Fiction/Romance

Thank you Sourcebooks Landmark for an eARC. The below thoughts and honest review are my own.

Charlie and Vivian were married young, in their 20s, and subsequently divorced after too many issues and four years of marriage. Forty years later, Charlie returns to Wisconsin to try to reconnect with Vivian though they haven't been in contact at all in the past four decades. They've had other marriages, families, careers, and baggage, let alone what they still harbor from their own marriage so long ago.

I usually eat up a second chance romance, but I didn't love the premise of this one. Forty years?! This wasn't like a missed connection that they couldn't stop thinking about. They were married and had a life together and it wasn't good. And honestly, a lot of the issues were still there forty years later. They were able to communicate about them better though and Charlie had a lot more money, I guess I'll give them that. The secrets that they were holding onto were also kind of unforgivable in my opinion and they just let it go, like better late than never was the optimal response. My biggest issue was the lack of quotations around dialogue though. That was so distracting and took me out of the story every time figuring out who was talking to whom or in their head. I genuinely am curious what drives an author to make that choice, so that I could understand it better. I will say Charlie and Vivian did have some sweet, nostalgic, and thoughtful moments as a couple in their 60s, but unfortunately I couldn't get past some of my other concerns to fully enjoy.

This is the story of Charlie and Vivian who reconnect 40 years after their divorce from a four year marriage. The love didn’t die after the marriage did, but the life struggles were too much to handle staying together. Charlie goes looking for Vivian to try to pick up the pieces and try again as he’s never gotten over her. This story wasn’t the “literally valentine” it was advertised to be. It was just okay for me.

Forty years is a long time. Charlie has never forgotten Vivian, his wife of just four years, even though their separate lives have led them in very different directions. Now retired, Charlie returns to Wisconsin to seeking to reconnect with her. This is not a typical love story. Their current interactions and memories create a new relationship forty years later.

A beautiful premise and well written. I give this a solid 3 stars because while it was lovely, it was not really “for me.” It was very emotional and we walk with Charlie and Vivian as they process and work through a lot of things in the forty years since they to divorced. Very deep, lots of feelings, and it was definitely not what I typically read but ultimately, I am glad that I did because it was a beautiful story in many ways and it’s something I can recommend to friends of mine who do enjoy stories in this genre.

A great second chance love story for a couple who spent a short time married in their early years. He comes to the table knowing she was the one, be he let his drinking get in the way. She comes in knowing she has a secret that may change things.

A second chance romantic novel - that is not a beach read as it really causes the reader to think about "what if" and when do you give someone a second chance. I loved that it took place in the Midwest - and the author hit all the Midwest notes and personalities that you will really understand if you are from the Midwest.

It's well written and the idea of second chance is always a great topic - the way the author handles it was well done, and I would recommend that everyone give it a chance!!

My thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark and Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review this one.

I really enjoyed reading A Forty Year Kiss. It was a perfect, light read. It was a story about finding love again after a lifetime of mistakes & heartache. The characters are so believable & well written. I would recommend this book & author.

What a beautiful and uplifting family romance. First love is always something you remember. Through love, heartache, hardship and love, Nickolas Butler took me on a beautiful ride.

Thank you #NetGalley, #Sourcebooks, #NickolasButler and #AFortyYearKiss for the ebook for my honest review.

I loved this book. A second chance love story thats well earned. Its also a love letter to WI, which I wasn’t expecting! This author understands people and I thought both characters were believable.

am a bit late to reading this novel which was published in time for Valentine's Day. Still, there is always a good time for a good story and, after all, this is a story about time having passed.

Have you been in a relationship that ended when you were young? Have you ever wondered what could have been? Would you have wanted to see if it was possible to find new love with a former love? If yes, this beautifully written novel, is for you.

Spend time in Wisconsin with Chris and Vivian. Watch as they meet up again. Find out how their lives went? What will happen to them?

This is a gorgeous story of love after time has passed. It was such a delight to read this story with its mature characters.

Note that there are extras in the book including a reading group guide and a conversation with the author.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for this title. All thoughts are my own.

Charlie and Vivian are richly drawn, imperfect and achingly human. This book isn't a page-turner in the traditional sense, and it meanders at points, but it rewards you at the end for sticking around.

Unfortunately, I dnf'd this book. I had started out reading the digital copy but could not continue past the first chapter. I then tried listening to the audio hoping that it would be better that way. The narration was not easy to listen to. I did not like either of the main characters. It was not for me.

Thanks for the opportunity.

I made it about halfway through the book but ultimately chose not to finish it, as it didn’t hold my interest or keep me engaged.

That said, this may resonate more with readers who are fans of the genre, as it falls outside my typical reading preferences.

I wanted to like this book . I liked the premise but it did not deliver..I struggled to finish..was way to slow for me and really didn't go anywhere. Sorry, but no recommendations for this one
Thank you NetGalley for the e copy.

This cover is what pulled me in but the story was lovely. I was so lucky to have a chance to read this one before the world saw it--thanks so much for the gifted copy!

What a beautiful second chance romance story this book is! This Midwestern girl thoroughly enjoyed it and Nickolas Butler gets those of us who live here in Wisconsin. It is sweet, wistful and very much character driven. I love that it is about rekindling of love in those of an older age. I devoured this sweet story and I believe if you also are looking for a romance about mature characters and stories about second chances, this one is for you

This is what I call a mature, adult novel. It's deep, emotional and calls to your very soul. The storyline is really thought provoking and makes you reflect on your own life and past decisions. Charlie and Vivian were married for four years and had a strong love for each other but a tumultuous relationship. They divorced and decades later Charlie has a strong need to reconnect with Vivian. This is such a good plot, I couldn't wait to read what happened next.

Charlie and Vivian got married young and when the difficulties and strains of life became too heavy for their young marriage, they ended up parting ways, divorcing and moving forward with their lives. But we meet them 40 years later, as Charlie has decided it is time to meet with Vivian again and revisit their past and the time in between the "then" and the now to determine how to find closure after all this time. Can a deep forever love be enough to bring the two back together again after so much time has passed, or has their love simply transformed into a deep friendship? Nickolas Butler's novel explores past hurt, mistakes, and the unavoidable pitfalls which ultimately shattered their marriage, immersing the reader into an ageless question of "what if?" which many separated and divorced couples face at some point.

I wanted so much to fall deeply in love with this book and to immerse myself in the story and lives of Charlie and Vivian. It failed to grab my attention and became a "Did not finish" for me. I do not know if it was a failure to connect with the characters or if given more time with the book, I would have found its rhythm. I felt very much on the outside of the story. like I was at a luncheon or party to which I'd arrived late and did not find that I could fit in. I often find that I can identify with the characters in some way or at least be able to slip into their shoes even if just for the book, but I was simply unable to do so with this. I like Butler's writing style, however, and to me, that does not necessarily mean that it's a book I would never return to. Like Charlie and Vivian's marriage, it may just not have been the right time for A Forty Year Kiss. This is a book I would keep on my bookshelf and perhaps revisit in a few years, when I feel I may be in a better place to try connecting with it again. For that reason, I am giving it 3 stars because I don't think it's a lost cause for me.

A Forty Year Kiss is a heartfelt novel that will resonate with readers interested in stories of personal growth and the complexities of rekindled love. its strength lies in its character-driven storytelling and exploration of mature themes.

novel's pacing can be uneven. While the initial reunion is a good, some scenes feel repetitive or slow to progress the plot.