I'm a big fan of Nickolas Butler (read all of his books). I appreciate that they are all very different books - I feel like he's willing to take chances on telling different kinds of stories and is not wed to a particular subgenre of fiction. What is similar about them all is that they are well-written and provide compassionate and insightful views of human nature. I will admit that Forty Year Kiss isn't my favorite of his books, but it's still excellent. It tells the story of a second chance romance between a man and woman in their sixties. They've been through a lot in the time they were a part (and also through a lot in the time they were together!) so the rediscovery process is both scary and intoxicating. I liked the characters and enjoyed following their romance, though this wasn't a book I'll probably come back to again (as a couple of his others are).

Thank you to Net Galley and Sourcebooks Publishing for an early copy of A Forty Year Kiss by Nickolas Butler

Vivian and Charlie have a history: they were a young married couple early in the 1980s whose marriage came apart after four years. Several factors contributed to their marriage ending, primarily Charlie's drinking and inability to "be there" for his wife.

Now in their sixties, Vivian and Charlie meet up informally in the town they both know, Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. Charlie has never been able to forget Vivian and his life with her. He wants to make amends and give them a second chance to be together. Vivian's life has gone in a different direction with two daughters and two granddaughters. While Charlie is the love of her life, Vivian has kept secrets from him and is unsure of the role he could ultimately play in the years ahead.

Author Nickolas Butler has created characters each with unresolved issues that eventually must be dealt with if there is any chance for stability and fulfillment going forward. These same characters possess the willingness to admit mistakes and take advantage of the chances now given to them.

A Forty Year Kiss is a kind of "feel good" story of overcoming obstacles when love and the hope of redemption win out.

I love Butler's writing. Simple but occasionally cutting with profound insight. A realistic portrayal of living a what-could-have-been moment with lots of hope and sadness sprinkled in, ultimately ending on an up note. A great read.

We meet Charlie in the place he is most comfortable, a bar. He has been in contact through text messages and phone calls with his first wife, Vivian..Vivian is nearly broken down by life, and is delighted to reconnect with Charlie, though she doesn't trust him. They divorced after a few years of marriage, primarily because Charlie couldn’t get his drinking under control.
Forty years have gone by. They’ve both lived lives, married other people, and struggled. Now they meet again.
A Forty Year Kiss is the love story that unfolds when two people who loved each other once reconnect. Charlie’s life has been full of material goods, and wealth, while Vivian is devoted to helping her daughter, who is a single mother, and with whom she shares her impoverished life. The story is beautifully told, through eyes that have learned to appreciate the beauty still present when two people can get out of their own way. The book is filled with emotion and great mid-western characters. It feels like going home. Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the review copy. A Forty Year Kiss will be released on February 4, 2025

3.5/5

Charlie and Vivian were married for four years - forty years ago. Now in their sixties, and with forty years of loves and losses under their belts, they have found their way back to each other.

This was a beautiful story of life and so sweet to see the love played out in characters who are older than the typical ones. Charlie and Vivian, after forty years apart, are completely different people with completely different pasts. They had originally divorced due to Charlie's alcoholism and immaturity, and Vivian has to overcome the hurt and distrust founded in their original relationship while Charlie works to prove he is a changed man. The author portrays this process very well. Charlie, financially, is in a very good place nowadays whereas Vivian is helping to support her single-mother daughter and doesn't have much left over to spare. This was also a very interesting dynamic to see played out as they navigate their new relationship. Vivian's daughter, Melissa, and her two daughters made such a great contribution to the story. Seeing the relationship between Melissa and Charlie develop was my favorite. Some of the characters made decisions I didn't agree with, but it goes to show the brokenness of each of them and how they developed and grew even in spite of the circumstances. The writing was great; the author made the everyday moments very meaningful. The story was slow at some parts, and there was some questionably immature decisions made, specifically by Vivian, but otherwise, was well-written, and I loved the sweet storyline!

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for this eARC; all opinions are my own.

Thank you to sourcebooks and the author for the advance review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I was only 5% into the book when I had already realized that I won't like this book but I kept going on, but around 15-16% mark I gave up, the story is great, plot is great but the writing style isn't for me... no matter how hard I try, I can not bring myself to read more...

A Forty Year Kiss is my first Nickolas Butler novel and I really enjoyed this quiet, character-driven story. As I was pulled into Charlie and Vivian’s story I found myself rooting for them to overcome their demons and find happiness with each other. I really liked this novel and plan to read more of Nickolas Butler. Thank you for the advanced readers copy.

I imagine it’s not easy: to write from the perspective of an older couple when you were born in 1979. Anyone at that age can only guess what it’s like to wake up and be glad for another day with a body that’s been through a lot.

This is a story about a retired couple that had been divorced for several years. Charlie wanted his first wife back but she wasn’t so sure. There were a lot of apologies from poor Charlie who kept saying he made mistakes – hurtful ones. He said he was a different man now. Charlie would do anything now to make her happy. Violet treated him like a dog that had to beg for forgiveness.

There was a lot of nostalgia. What happened during all those years? Now they were trying their best to renew their friendship. Charlie felt like it was better to enjoy his retirement with someone comfortable than to be alone. Seriously? Did he think as a really nice guy with fairly good looks that he would be without anyone? That’s sad.

The book showed a contrast between the older and younger generations, those with money and those that scrimped over the years. There was the typical different perspectives between males and females. It also focused a lot on the value of families. There were secrets and forgiveness with lots of tears, tenderness and kisses.

This also challenges the perspective of an unusual affair. The book was slow going in parts but it opened up the effects of past relationships as it’s been said what happens in the past should stay there. This story would be a good for discussions. Can people change? Sure, but it helps when someone has deep pockets. There is a reading guide with questions at the end.

My thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark for allowing me to read a copy of this book with an expected release date of February 4, 2025.

A sweet, second chance romance. This later in life love story successfully navigates the themes of forgiveness, redemption and healing..

4.5 ⭐️

I’m normally not much of a fan of romance novels, but A FORTY YEAR KISS by Nickolas Butler was a real hit for me!

Why?

I really enjoyed these older protagonists. Vivian and Charlie were married for 4 years back in their 20s. Charlie was a big drinker, and Vivian was sick of it. Forty years and a whole lot of life later, Charlie seeks to reunite with Vivian. Vivian has spent a lifetime struggling financially, and she has taken in her single mother daughter Melissa and her two young granddaughters. When Charlie re-enters Vivian’s life now, her life is way more complicated than it was in her twenties.

I loved the small moments in this book that were so big. Different gestures resonate in different ways depending on your age and life experiences. I was so taken by Charlie and Vivian’s gestures toward each other.

I also really liked the focus on economics and lifestyle affordability. It made this novel very relatable and grounded in the day-to-day, waiting-for-payday existence.

I also have to give props to the author for having interesting plot points that seemed unique to me. The voice, likely due to being from a male author, of this author was fresh and propulsive.

Sometimes I felt like this novel had a more vignette than novel feel, so occasionally I was wanting a bit more connective tissue.

I will definitely seek out more by this author. A FORTY YEAR KISS publishes February 4, 2025.

A Forty Years Kiss was definitely a different kind of read for me but in a good way. I've never read a romance where the main characters were older than forty. In this case they are in their sixties. This is a very sweet realistic story about a couple named Charlie and Viv who married when they were very young but falls apart in only four short years due to alcoholism, neglect and finance issues. Both characters are actually flawed in their own ways. They both move on with their lives. Charlie moves away in search of new career opportunities and Viv gets remarried and then divorced again. Forty years later Charlie decides to move back to town in hopes of rekindling his relationship with Viv. Charlie reaches out to Viv via social media and to his surprise Viv agrees to meet. Even though they have a history there is still a spark. I really enjoyed this book even though it was different than what I'm use to reading. I was totally rooting for these characters! Who doesn't love a very realistic second chance romance, especially when it's released right around Valentine's Day! Perfect timing! Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read and review this ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

This is a book about second chances and love lost and found again. Charlie and Vivian met and married way too young and his alcoholism and immaturity caused them to part after only four years. Vivian stayed in Wisconsin, married again and despite struggles with poverty has a daughter and two grandchildren she adores. Charlie followed his railroad job to the southwest, made some clever investments, and was able to retire comfortably. After inheriting the family farm he evaluated his life and realized that money doesn't make up for missing friends and family connections and returned to Wisconsin to reconnect with Vivian and make up for the pain he caused her.

The physical and emotional connections are rekindled immediately, but while Charlie is eager to prove he has changed and deserves another chance, Vivian is slow to trust and too proud to accept Charlie's help and money. Charlie also continues to struggle with alcohol and must put it in his past if he is to have a future with Vivian.

This is a slow moving book but the characters are wonderfully developed. This is a beautiful, touching story.

"A Forty Year Kiss" is a beautifully nostalgic and deeply emotional story about lost and found love. Following the lives of two people who were once married, then divorced, and then reunited 40 years later, this novel explores the complexities of second chances and the enduring power of love.

The story evokes strong The Notebook vibes, with its poignant themes of rekindling a past relationship and rediscovering the deep connection that never truly faded. The characters are wonderfully developed, their chemistry palpable as they navigate the emotional terrain of rediscovery, forgiveness, and new beginnings. The passage of time adds a layer of richness to their reunion, making every moment of their second chance together feel all the more precious.

What makes this novel so compelling is the way it captures both the heartache and the joy of love—how it can slip away, only to return when least expected, yet with a deeper understanding of what really matters. It’s a beautiful exploration of how love changes and evolves over time, and how sometimes, we need to go through life’s ups and downs before we can fully appreciate what we had all along.

If you enjoy stories of enduring love, second chances, and emotional depth, A Forty Year Kiss is a must-read. It’s a perfect blend of heartache and hope, with a touching reminder that it’s never too late to rediscover love.

Thank you to Netgalley, Sourcebooks, and Nicholas Butler for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review!

This was an emotional read as we navigate the lives of Charlie and Vivian, the decisions that shaped their lives and the reasons behind them. It made me pause and think of my own life from time to time, as I am sure many readers will. Loved the book from cover to cover and highly recommend.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Landmark/Source Books for providing an ARC of *A Forty-Year Kiss*, set to be released in time for Valentines day February 2025, in exchange for an honest review.

This story features a right person, wrong time romance—a kiss forty years in the making. It tells a sweet love story between Vivian and Charlie, who married young. They faced struggles due to being at different life stages, and ultimately, the universe had other plans for them. Both married again but eventually found each other after 40 years. In that time, they had grown, matured, and changed.

Vivian harbors a significant secret from her past that impacts Charlie as well. While the book delves into her background, I felt that Charlie's story, including his work in the railroad
And past relationships could have been developed further.

As others have mentioned, the lack of quotation marks in the book made it confusing at times, requiring me to go back to fully understand what was going on.

I also felt that the middle of the book was a slow burn. It started out intriguing, introducing the concept of reuniting after forty years and their first date. I wanted to keep reading to find out what ultimately happened to Vivian and Charlie.

4/5 stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟

I really wanted to love this one but there just wasn’t “much going on” for most of the time. We follow the two main characters after they are reunited after being apart for 40 years.

Charlie has retired from the railroad at 64. His life is quite empty and he has had no one special in his life - he was always comparing women to his first love - Vivian. He is on a mission now to win her back.

Vivian lives in the small town of Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin (shout out to my home state). She is a widow who is constantly busy as she takes care of her two young granddaughters while her daughter works. She loves her family but hasn’t had an easy life and is always worrying about the future.

I won’t go into the plot as the blurb does a a good job of that!

PROS:
I really liked the premise - love lost and love found!

Having actually been to Chippewa Falls I felt that it was very well described, small town, beautiful area, great people

Absolutely loved the trip to Wrigley Field to watch the Cubs - that was probably my favorite part of the book!

CONS:
I didn’t enjoy the author’s writing style. As others have mentioned, the lack of quotation marks is just an annoyance while reading

I kept waiting for something “really exciting, emotional and wonderful” to happen, but it didn’t, at least in my reading experience.

I thought I knew Vivian and her family better than Charlie. We know that he worked for the railroad but that part of his life isn’t really well described.

The ending!

This was an entertaining book, especially if you want a bit of a lighter read.

I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher through NetGalley. It was my pleasure to read and review this title.

Charlie and Vivian were passionately in love and married forty years ago. After just four years of marriage they divorced. Their lives took very different paths but they never forgot each other. Through Facebook they begin to reconnect. Charlie has inherited a piece of property, has moved back to Wisconsin and is hoping to rekindle the long lost relationship with Vivian. Will they find love again after all these years or will the mistakes, failures and secrets of the past be too difficult to understand and overcome? This heartwarming story provides a glimpse into growing older and understanding the importance of lessons learned while looking forward to seeing them from a new perspective and a future that will bring happiness and peace to your life no matter your age. This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was the first book I had read from this author and it was a different genre than I usually read. But I must say I am so glad I read this! It was a raw, thought-provoking story of two people who were married and then divorced after only four years. Then, forty years later, Charlie takes the chance that Vivian would possibly be interested in dating/getting back together and searches her out. I found I was holding my breath on more than one occasion about his actions based on his thoughts. This book was one that made you feel privileged to be able to be a part of his inner emotions and feelings that he wouldn't be able to express outwardly.

Reading this also made me think about what I would do in the same situation, both from Charlie's perspective and also Vivian's. Would the same problems that caused them to divorce still be hindering them from moving forward this time?

I did find at times that the book seemed a bit slow so I chose to rate it with four stars. However, I do highly recommend this book.

Thank you, NetGalley, for a chance to read and review this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks | Sourcebooks Landmark for allowing me to read an ARC of A Forty Year Kiss by Nickolas Butler, in exchange for my honest review.

3 1/2 stars

You're never too old, and it's never too late for a second chance.

I enjoyed this story; it's a heartwarming, realistic portrayal of love, growth, and forgiveness, no matter your age.

The lower star rating is due to the dialogue being "told" rather than "spoken". It felt somewhat stilted to me.

What a lovely, lovely novel. It truly read like a dream. Charlie and Vivian, our main characters divorced forty years ago as young immature newlyweds who did not understand what they had. They both went on to live slightly disappointing and lonely lives but never forgot each other. After much deliberation and self doubt Charlie decides to make contact with Vivian again after forty years. It goes well but there is still much hurt and and back history between them that they must work through if they want to be together, and Charlie REALLY wants to make it work. He is a changed man from his youth. Vivian has also changed and is hesitant to let Charlie back in to her life, as well as her daughters and grandchildren. This is a wonderful story of love, forgiveness, aging and personal growth. I loved how the characters personally progressed throughout the story. I highly recommend The Forty Year Kiss by Nickolas Butler. 5 solid stars.

Many thanks to Net Galley and Sourcebooks | Sourcebooks Landmark for a chance to read an ARC version of this delightful book. All opinions are my own.