**Book Review: *Second Chance Christmas* by Jahquel J.**

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*Second Chance Christmas* by Jahquel J. is an enchanting, heartfelt holiday romance that will tug at your heartstrings and leave you feeling all warm and fuzzy inside. From the very first page, the author captures the magic of the Christmas season, blending it seamlessly with a story about love, redemption, and the power of second chances.

The story revolves around two characters, both carrying their own emotional baggage, who are given the opportunity to rediscover love during the most magical time of the year. Jahquel J. does an incredible job of developing their relationship, making it feel authentic and full of depth. The chemistry between the two leads is undeniable, and their journey to healing and reconciliation is beautifully written.

What makes *Second Chance Christmas* stand out is how it effortlessly blends romance with emotional growth. Both characters face personal struggles that are relatable and poignant, and watching them work through their issues while falling back in love is incredibly satisfying. The Christmas backdrop adds an extra layer of warmth and sentiment to the story, making it feel like the perfect holiday read.

Jahquel J.’s writing is evocative and vivid, bringing the holiday setting to life with every page. The small-town charm, holiday traditions, and family dynamics add depth to the plot, making it feel like more than just a romance—it’s a story about second chances in life, love, and healing.

The pacing is spot on, keeping the reader engaged without feeling rushed or dragging. The balance of romance, personal growth, and holiday cheer makes this novel a delightful escape for anyone in need of a feel-good story.

*Second Chance Christmas* is a heartwarming, beautifully crafted story that will appeal to fans of holiday romances and anyone looking for a book that celebrates love, family, and second chances. A perfect read to curl up with during the holidays, and one that will stay with you long after you’ve turned the last page. Highly recommended!

Faith Stone left town years ago, determined to escape the shadow of her past. Now a single mom navigating divorce, she finds herself back in her hometown for the holidays, only to run straight into Rome Atkins—the high school sweetheart she never really got over. Their love story ended in heartbreak after a tragic prom night, but the spark between them never quite faded. As the holiday season unfolds, so do old wounds, lingering feelings, and the question of whether love is worth risking one more time.

Jahquel J. brings plenty of emotional depth to this story, blending small-town charm with a romance that feels raw, real, and hard-won. The Christmas setting adds a cozy touch, but this isn’t just about festive twinkle lights and mistletoe kisses—it’s about confronting the past, healing, and figuring out what truly matters. The pacing takes its time, but once Faith and Rome start peeling back the layers of their history, the story hits all the right emotional beats.

I’m giving Second Chance Christmas a heartfelt 4 out of 5 stars! It’s the perfect read for anyone who loves a holiday romance with depth, drama, and the kind of chemistry that doesn’t fade with time. If you’re in the mood for a second-chance love story that tugs at the heartstrings, this one delivers.

*Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book for review,all opinions are my own*

I don't really know how I feel about this book, I think it's pretty much the definition of a 3-star book.
First I wanted to say that the title kind of misleads us, it does take place at Christmas time, but I feel like it doesn't have much of a Christmas atmosphere in it.
But let's go, this isn't a bad book, but it's kind of poorly written, edited and revised (but it could be my advance copy too, keep that in mind). But even so, I thought it was poorly structured and could have been better developed.
I think if the author had written another 100 pages developing some situations, I would have believed in the romance more.
In fact, I don't even feel like this book is much of a romance, but more of a book about our protagonist and her growth and development as a woman.
So I liked it because it's a quick and interesting story to read.
But know that I don't consider it a very good book, so I don't know if I recommend it.
But if a book with a background romance that follows an older woman rediscovering herself interests you, I think you might like this story.

I am a fan of second chances, it is my favorite romance trope. So I was happy to read this ARC provided by Netgalley.

I enjoyed the story of Faith and Rome, coming back together after being high school sweethearts torn apart due to tragedy and family issues.
I like when a romance has more than just fluff, and has some substance.
You will get POV from at least 3 of the characters.

I am rounding up to 4 STARS, I would ultimately give the book 3.75 Stars, for the following reasons:
1- This isn't a Christmas book, the bulk of the events take place before Christmas, and Christmas is just mentioned, there is no XMas feel to the book.
2- The writing needs some editing, and the book was longer than necessary.
Overall, I enjoyed the book.

Loved this! It had the perfect amount of drama from page one and just enough mentions of Christmas for it to be considered a Christmas book without being cringey. I almost thought she was going to get back with her ex husband because he seemed to be having second thoughts but everything worked out the way it should have. This book focuses a lot on relationships in general not just romantic ones and I appreciated that.

This was truly a second chance romance. The story captured me from the very beginning. Giving lessons in love and forgiveness makes for an emotional read during certain parts of the story. I appreciated how Ashton recognized the sacrifices Faith made and didn’t give her too much of a difficult time. There was a lot to unpack emotionally but it was an enjoyable holiday read.

Second Chance Christmas by Jahquel J is a heartfelt and emotional holiday read that feels like a Hallmark movie with deeper layers. Rome and Faith’s story pulled at my heartstrings as they navigated the pain of a shared tragedy from high school and reunited 15 years later in their small hometown. Their journey toward healing and love is beautifully written, and the audiobook narration perfectly brings the emotions to life. While the story unfolds over the Christmas holiday, it focuses more on the characters' emotional journeys than festive scenes. I recommend reading this now, especially if you enjoy second-chance romances with serious and heavy themes. Five stars!

This happily ever after read was a true second chance at love. There wasn't a lot of Christmas throughout the book but it landed in that direction. The heartbreak of first love and the rekindling of that love made this a great romance read. I know this isn't an enemies to lovers but I wanted Faith to make Rome work for her forgiveness just a little more, but that's me being cynical I guess. The MCs were likable. This story of past & present had me gasping and clutching my pearls. The plot was great and moved along swiftly.

This was a super cute story about second chance love, overcoming childhood trauma, and letting go of guilt. It was slightly darker than expected but I love a good HEA and this had that! This deff makes me want to fall in love at Christmas time. Lol. My only critique is that I was disappointed in how vague the description of the characters were. I was looking forward to a black love story and you couldn't really tell if the characters were black or not.

It was cute but a little lacking when it came to the Christmas aspect. This started out a bit darker than I was expecting and if I’m being honest it was kinda sad until maybe halfway through. I do appreciate how Jahquel approached the second chance aspect. I didn’t need to hear from Ashton at all and I wish those chapters could have been dedicated to Faith/Rome. It almost read like a Hallmark movie at times and I wanted more of that. I did love Faith building a relationship with Marie and the way she and Rome just fell back into things with each other. It was a quick reunion but it felt right. I’d say check it out, Jahquel hasn’t written a book I haven’t enjoyed.

Second Chance Christmas by Jahquel J is a feel good romance about second chances and what we do for family. I enjoyed the character development and downhome/small town feel to the story and town.

I wanted to love this bookm because i was excited for it but it just didnt vibe with me. the writing style just kept me out of the story.Iit was repetive and it drove me crazy. i started to skim and skip

One unforgettable night, a few words exchanged in anger turned everything upside down for Rome and Faith. Can a journey back home help mend the wounds of their past?

I love a second-chance romance! There's something special about seeing someone acknowledge their mistakes and work to make things right.

If you're in the mood for a quick, feel-good read that captures that cozy vibe of Lifetime and Netflix Christmas movies, then this book is just what you need!

This was a heavy read. It was so powerfully written and the characters were so strong. Rome and Faith had the perfect second-chance romance. They were perfect for each other, I loved how they helped each other through their individual trials.

I love an angsty and sexy second chance romance, and this one delivered. Faith is a divorced mother of twins who has been summoned back to her small home town to help her Dad. She's never visited home since she fled with tears in her eyes after a tragedy took two important people from her.

She almost instantly reconnects with her high school boyfriend Rome, and all those feelings of heartbreak, betrayal, and longing come flooding back. Rome has been stuck in limbo for years. The tragedy his family has faced was more far reaching than even Faith could imagine. She finds herself falling back into old habits with the kid who broke her heart all those years ago.

Things between them are easy, fun, and exciting, and I really love how this author wrote their romance. Rediscovering themselves through love is something special, and these two grow together beautifully.

First of all the chemistry between these two characters was off the chart. I love a good second chance romance I feel this two had the best redemption set up and story. I love how realistical these two were, they weren’t the perfect couple but just perfect for each other.

However the dialogue did not seem like Normal folks talking at times. There was also a very unrealistic way I feel like the Mc’s came together. You mean to tell me after all that grief and time spent y’all go back like y'all didn’t miss a beat. Ehhhhhh.

And lastly I don’t understand the point of the ex husband’s POV. It was unnecessary to the plot.

I will say the pain of the sins of the mother was felt through the pages and I loved that.

I liked this & I would still recommend this for a short festive read however I didn’t love it, I’m usually a big fan of second chance romances but this one just fell a little short for me.

Overall: 4
Spice: 2

Miscommunication when you are young and parents that don’t like each other lead to them breaking up and later reconnecting in life. A great story that you can go home again, but home doesn’t always look the same when you do. Great redemption story that you aren't your parents and parents do make mistakes.

Faith and Rome thought they had their life planned out but all that changes one night when tragedy strikes. Faith decides to leave their small coastal Florida town to get away from the hurt and sadness from that night. Fast forward 15 years and Faith is forced to return home to help her Father through an illness. However, Faith is not the same and neither is her small town. Fresh off of a divorce and learning to split custody with her kids, Faith has given up on love until she bumps into Rome. They both have to travel the road to get over past hurts and words unspoken. Jahquel has created an amazing book about processing grief and forgiveness while fighting for the love you deserve.

I received the book through NetGalley and am sad it took me so long to read it. My heart ached for Rome and Faith and I am glad they got some closure and are now able to live the life they both deserve. One of my new holiday favorites.

Loved this. This was a perfect holiday read. This book will get you in the spirit. I also loved that this was a black romance. If you want all the feels check it out.