I love a good second chance romance especially if the couple has grown between chances and this fit that perfectly. This was a story about a women who is trying to find herself for the first time in her life instead of being what every wanted her to be or what she thought they wanted.
The growth of these characters throughout the book was my favorite part of the story. You can't help but root for both of them and hope that together they can both become what they want & need.

I did feel like this story was missing the chemistry I wanted between the couple and they had more chemistry I think I would have loved this book.

Thank you NetGalley and St Martins Press for this ALC!

This book follows a woman named Liz who struggles with knowing who she is both as a person and as a spouse. She basically breaks down one day and ends up separating from her husband then taking time to work on herself and then see if they can make their way back to each other. To do this, she enrolls in an improv class, and this is where the premise gets interesting. Some of the principles from improv applied to relationships are actually pretty creative, but the author just tried to make things way too awkward or quirky sometimes and it lost me. The MCs were also just not at all relatable or connected as a couple. It’s hard to root for characters to get a second chance when you aren’t invested in them. Good idea, but fell short on execution for me. Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Liz walks out of her birthday party and tells her husband that she wants a divorce. Cue the rest of the book where Liz & Tobin made me question how they got married in the first place. Secret admission— I felt more chemistry between Liz and her improv instructor!! 🤷‍♀️
Usually the audiobook is better than the print/ebook for me, but this narrator made the male characters sound like they’re talking with cotton in their mouths.
*Thanks to MacMillan Audio and NetGalley for the audiobook review copy

Second chances....

Liz is neurodivergent, quiet, and likes to keep to herself while her husband, Tobin is gregarious and sociable. At her thirteenth birthday party, she decides it is time to make a change in her life after being mistaken for a server and not the birthday girl. Her solution is to move out of their home and in with her sister, work on herself, and take an improv class. She wants to work on her confidence which is a worthy thing to do but I did find some of her actions to be a little abrupt and dramatic. What happened to communication? Okay, okay, that is one of the things Liz needs to address.

The tips on improv were fantastic and applied to relationships as well. I loved these tips and the messages that were shared. While I appreciated the emphasis on Liz's desire to make changes and her bravery in doing so, the conflict at work and home didn't work for me. It is obvious that Liz and Tobin have things they need to work on in their marriage, but I just had a hard time connecting with them.

I enjoy second chance romances, but this one didn't work for me that way that I had hoped. What worked for me was Liz's journey, her courage to make changes, her acceptance and realization of her own issues, and learning to speak up for herself was the best part of the book (besides the improv tips).

I had both the book and the audiobook and though the narrator of the audiobook did a fine job of bringing this book to life.

This was cute and sweet and overall an enjoyable read/listen. However, I did think the female MC was a bit whiny? Not sure this was just me, but it was a bit difficult.

This book worked for me in parts, but mostly... didn't. I was rooting for Tobin in this story, however the main character was not great for me. While I understand her being neurodivergent was supposed to convey through her quirks, I found her selfish and whiny. I wasn't invested in anyone - there was just too much jumping around to focus. 
The narrator did a good job. 
Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC.

Rules for Second Chance by Maggie North and narrated by Gail Shalan was a good listen. The narrator did a good job telling the story.

Liz Lewis is a people-pleaser and a wallflower. Always doing everything everyone else expects her to do.

Until now.

Liz's mother-in-law throws her a 30th birthday party (which she did not want, but agreed to), and she is mistaken as one of the servers. If the guests did not know better, they would have thought that the party was for Tobin, Liz's adventurous, out-going husband.

Liz is pissed. She has had it. She packs a bag and heads to her sister's house.

Liz wants something different. She wants to have friends. She wants to be social. She doesn't want t0 settle for what everyone else thinks she can wants/needs.

Tobin tries really hard to get Liz back, but she keeps pushing him away. Does Liz go too far? She realizes how much Tobin does love her and care for her, but she has pushed too hard. Tobin's world is falling apart.

This is an entertaining story. I enjoyed the story and was rooting for Tobin, as he seemed to really love Liz.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillian Audio for this advanced listen in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Rules for Second Chances is a second chance romance following married couple Liz and Tobin as they try to fix their complacent marriage while working for the same company with drastically different experiences. Liz is highly introverted whereas Tobin is the life of the party. I was skeptical in the beginning if I would enjoy the romance due to Tobin seeming too sunshiney and Liz not communicating, but there is immense growth for both characters as the story develops. Narration was performed by Gail Shalan, and I highly enjoyed her performance.

Perfect for introverted romance readers or readers who have ever had a moment thinking, "Is this what my life is supposed to look like?"

I received an ALC from Macmillan Audio via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

First thing’s first: thank you Netgalley for the ALC of this book!
Rules for Second Chances was bittersweet. It follows Liz as she takes a step back from her marriage while she tries to find herself again and her husband tries to make her fall in love with him again.
This was okay. The FMC was sort of annoying but I guess she was probably supposed to be. This was kind of sad and a little hopeful at times. Reading the description made me think it would be more in the rom com camp, but it definitely wasn’t. I’m not a huge fan of sadder love stories so this wasn’t my favorite, but if you like that type of thing you’d probably have a better time.
3⭐️

Tropes:
Marriage in trouble
Second chance romance
Neurodivergent FMC
Charming, charismatic MMC
Opposites attract

This book was absolutely unexpected and I loved it SO. MUCH. Thank you NetGalley for the ALC. ❤️

5 stars!

This was such a clever story - using improv to save a marriage. Loved the book, loved the audio even more. I especially liked how the narrator voiced Tobin.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the chance to enjoy this audiobook in return for an honest review.

4.5

Maggie North took my heart on a JOURNEY with this marriage in trouble story that left my heart feeling tender but full of hope and tears welling up in my eyes. In most romance books, we get the beginning stages of a relationship, the butterflies and warm fuzzies that all lead to the HEA, but there aren’t many books that focus on the after. Sure we might get an epilogue, but this is a curated peek that doesn’t show the messiness and struggles of longterm partnerships. What I appreciate about a marriage in trouble/crisis story is how it dives into life following the HEA and explores the characters’ shared history, the hurt they’ve inflicted on each other, and the massive decision of whether they will fight to mend their hearts and relationship or whether loving the other means letting them go… these moments don’t show up on the highlight reel, BUT they are the moments so many of us can relate to. North does an exceptional work of bringing these emotions and threads together seamlessly that leave you holding your breath and turning the pages quickly because you have to find out what happens.

Liz and Tobin were incredibly relatable characters and there were countless times I personally felt seen in both their personal and relationship journey. My heart ACHED for them as they floundered in their efforts to communicate, listen to, and bare their souls, struggles, and desires with each other. Their story was heart wrenching and North didn't hold back in exploring the cracks that developed in their marriage, BUT she gave us incredible moments of beauty, bravery, and some laughter that left you with a renewed sense of hope. I also appreciate how the themes and discussions in the story are applicable to all forms of relationships - romantic, familial, friendship.

I really enjoyed the audiobook experience and found myself completely drawn in by Gail Shalan's narration and the incredible emotion delivered to every cast member. There were countless times where Shalan's delivery of Liz and Tobin's lines had me holding my breath as tears were streaming down my face. It was a very emotional and impactful experience.

This book is so very special and even though your heart will fracture into a million pieces along the journey, I promise that North will expertly piece it back together in the end. If you want a book that will reach right into your soul and leave an imprint on your heart, Rules for Second Chances is a must read. I cannot wait to read what North writes next!

A sweet second chance at fixing their marriage and Liz discovers more about herself. She discovers through an improv class that she could be on the Autism Spectrum. That could be why she didn’t feel like she had a voice or was seen at work.

I really enjoyed the narrator. A sweet story with a common theme.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for an ALC of this one via NetGalley - these are my honest thoughts!

I enjoyed this book a whole lot. I love a good marriage in trouble romance, but this one took it just a little bit further. Liz, our FMC, is extremely lost in her own life. She feels like her whole identity has been absorbed into her husband, her job, even her sister, and she's finally had enough. At her 30th birthday party, she snaps and decides she's done. She decides she wants to leave her husband, but her toxic masculinity riddled workplace (where her husband, Tobin, also works) is riddled with problems. She wants a promotion that she'll never be considered for because she doesn't have "the skills" her boss is looking for. He encourages her to do an improv class in order to learn "the skills," and it turns out Tobin's best friend is leading the class. And Tobin gets early access to the teacher's class, because he's actually a kind of famous improv psychologist who wrote a book on second chances for relationships utilizing improv. It's all very *on the nose* yet feels like therapy within the pages of the book.

Liz learns the yes, and mentality of improv and begins applying it in all of the spaces she exists. She learns so much about herself, and creates these spaces in her life that allow her to take deeper breaths and ask for what she needs in that moment. Being forced to move back into her parent's house, where her sister and niece currently live while her parents are snowbirding in Arizona, Liz has to confront all sorts of things she never realized about herself until she stepped away from it all (and doubled down on getting the promotion she's deserved forever). Through the improv class, she learns a lot about herself, she makes friends with other people (HER friends), AND she starts to see Tobin and her marriage in a different light.

I loved Liz's relationship with her improv friends and her niece! I thought those were important spotlights in this story that's a little on the heavier side, topics-wise.

The transformation for both Liz and Tobin went through in this story was incredibly realistic and uplifting. I loved the support of one and other that developed by the end. I loved how Liz felt like Tobin didn't know her, and yet Tobin showed he knew her all along. Sometimes we all get in our own ways, and Liz was a prime example of that!

This audiobook was great, but it wasn't love. I felt like the narrator did a great job with Liz, but her Tobin reminded me of a pack-a-day smoker and was unnecessarily gruff in her delivery at all times? If Tobin is the life of the party, I don't expect to picture him as a grumpy recluse in the mountains, and that's the vibe I got from her take on this character in particular.

Liz is so tired of not being seen in her life. Her husband is charismatic and lovely and she’s the quiet shadow in the background. Her family isn’t near as kind as they should be to her.

Tobin is baffled that things were actually bad. He thought they were just ok which isn’t good enough anymore. When they finally started talking to each other, you could really see both sides.

The thing I cannot forgive is improv class karaoke that was sung as a cat. I cannot do secondhand embarrassment.

I liked Gail Shalan as the narrator in this.. The nuances of her performance added to the book really well.

Thank you to Netgalley, Macmillan Audio, and St. Martin’s Press for a copy in advance.

I really wanted to love this one but I just couldn't get into it. It was confusing and the miscommunication was horrible. It just fell completely flat for me and I couldn't continue.

This book is fantastic. It is well written and unique. The characters and setting were amazing. I loved this book. Definitely would recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/St. Martin’s Griffin for the eARC, and Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Story Rating: 4.5 Stars rounded up
Narration Rating: 5 Stars

Some of my favorite authors have hyped this book up so much, I was sold on it even though ‘marriage in trouble’ is not one of my go-to tropes to read. I’m grateful I listened to them because this book made me feel so many things and I very much enjoyed it.

Gail Shalan did a fantastic job with her narration. Her performance really brought Liz to life. I felt like she really captured her personality and her emotions. Her pitch/voice changes for each character were also well done, and it was easy to differentiate between the characters as the story continued. Listening in tandem with eyeball reading helped me feel even more immersed in the story rather than any part of her performance taking me out of it.

Liz was a character I had so much empathy for and also so much admiration for her bravery. No one could possibly say she handled everything in her marriage or how she confronted it ‘correctly’, but it was easy to understand where she was coming from and why she felt the way she did. It was also understandable that it was difficult for her to see where she was going wrong until it was almost too late. There is no discounting the effort that she put into what she thought was the right path for her though. As unconventional, scary, and out of her comfort zone it was for her to open up her world with improv and her approach to social situations, she went all in and really committed.

I didn’t feel as connected to Tobin until later on in the book when we started to see more of who he was beneath the perfect people pleaser exterior he tried so hard to project. Given that the book is entirely from Liz’s POV, this is to be expected. It was easy to feel her frustrations with him because we were experiencing her emotions alongside her. As Tobin’s character got to be explored more and he began facing the difficult conversations and outcomes to his relationships that he’d avoided in the past, it became easier to see the real man that he was and how he and Liz fit together.

The idea of improv as a way to reconnect with a partner when a relationship is struggling is not something I would have ever thought of, but it actually seemed to be fairly effective. I think what I liked most about it was the each time Liz and Tobin began a scenario, they would adopt their characters but eventually the ‘scene’ would inevitably shift to them talking authentically to each other. Some of the scenarios I didn’t entirely get and combined with the amount of time spent in the improv group scenes it did venture into a bit much for me, but I liked the originality of that part of the plot.

The secondary characters added a lot of depth to the story and to Liz and Tobin’s characters, whether that was in a good way or a frustrating, infuriating way. There were a lot of players but they each served a purpose. That is something I always appreciate in a book and always try to highlight it when I feel it.

In my first instinct initial rating as I finished this book, I went with 4 stars, but as I’ve sat with it and worked through my thoughts while writing this review, I’m changing my mind to 4.5 stars rounded up. It is an incredibly impressive debut novel. I look forward to what Maggie North delivers next.

Rules for Second Chances
Maggie North
Pub: 6/25/24
4.5 ☆

This book was such a surprising read. Surprising in a good way. I’ll admit, I almost didn’t read it due to some of the reviews, and I am so glad I didn’t let them sway me.

Second chance romance is one of my favorites, but Rules for Second Chances was so much more. It was a unique and heartwarming story full of humor, hope, and healing. It was an open and vulnerable look at the messy sides of relationships/marriage we don’t always see in romance reads. I think anyone who’s been in a long-term relationship will relate. And maybe learn something from it.

North created some of the most realistic and beautiful characters in Liz and Tobin. I felt fully invested in their story and was routing for them every step of the way. I related so hard to Liz. I felt like I was constantly nodding in agreement and smiling while reading her struggles. I just saw so much of me in her. It was kind of eye opening. What a beautiful debut. I look forward to more from North.

What I adored;
✨ Second Chance Romance
✨ Marriage In Crisis
✨ Real/Relatable Characters
✨ Gorgeous Setting
✨ Yeti

I alternated between reading and listening (mostly listening) and although I enjoyed both, I think the audio is the way to go. Gail Shalan’s narration was so perfectly paired to tell this emotional story.

For the romantics out there who like feeling all the feels and truly believe in second chances, this book is for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest review. .

This second chance romance features Liz and her husband Tobin. Their marriage is just not what it was. The spark is no longer there and although Tobin seems to shine and thrive, Liz does not feel she does the same. This marriage is in obvious crisis. Liz takes a break and moves in with her sister and her niece. In addition, Liz joins an improv group to practice with her husband and find each other once again. The improv added a funny undertone to a series subject.

I love the realistic storyline of a couple who loves one another slowly losing steam and the journey to find each other.

This was not my favorite, but I didn't hate it either. I have a hard time pinpointing what exactly didn't go well. Perhaps that it just felt like much of the marital issues had an easier solution and this storyline was a bit drug out.

The narrator for this story was enjoyable and successfully achieved the different emotions and tones of this storyline.

Thank you, Maggie North, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.