The story of rekindled love after decades apart had potential, but the audiobook didn’t fully pull me in. The pacing felt slow at times, and I struggled to connect emotionally with Charlie and Vivian’s journey. While sweet and heartfelt, the story was also quite predictable, making it less impactful than I’d hoped.

I liked that we get the perspective of both protagonists.
It's a very slow burn, always, cute and charming.
I loved the narration, I think it elevated the story.

Well, o wanted to like this one more than I did. I’ll
Be upfront that I listened to an ALC (audiobook) and o think that affected my enjoyment of it a bit.

The narrator did a fine job, I just couldn’t connect with him. Some of the martial was dry and didn’t pull mw in sadly.
I did appreciate the older changers and all the ups and downs of a second chance romance. Especially when grown children are involved so certain readers may really connect with the story.

The book is out now so check out the deception and see if it is to your liking!


I am thankful to have gotten the ALC for free from SOURCEFIRE- landmark Books through NetGalley to read which gave me the opportunity to voluntarily leave a review.

My rating system since GoodReads doesn’t have partial stars and I rarely round up.

⭐️ Hated it
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, really not my cup of tea (potentially DNF’d or thought about it)
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but nothing special
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really enjoyed it! Would recommend to others
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! Will circle back and read again

A Forty Year Kiss by Nikolas Butler follows Charlie and Vivian who were once married. After 40 years Charlie never stopped thinking about Vivian. Not a fan of a second chance romance by this book was such a delight. I really loved the premise of this book. This is a wonderful story of love, forgiveness and personal growth.
This was beautifully written, I couldn't put it down. Highly recommended.
Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for providing an arc of this book.

A Forty Year Kiss by Nickolas Butler felt underwhelming, struggling to fully capture my attention. The pacing was slow, and I found the characters to be somewhat one-dimensional, lacking the depth needed to make their journeys compelling. While the themes of love and nostalgia are relatable, they weren’t explored in a way that felt fresh or engaging. Overall, it didn't quite resonate with me as much as I hoped.

With Valentine’s Day on Friday, this feels like the perfect week to read a love story.

This book is about the one that almost got away. Charlie and Vivian divorced after only four years together. They each brought too many problems to the relationship and it wasn’t the right time for them. After some work on himself, Charlie returns to Vivian FORTY YEARS LATER. Is it too late? Has too much time passed? Charlie is now successfully retired, Vivian is a grandmother - what happens when they reconnect?

If you love second chance romances then this audible is a gem. Absolutely a perfect choice for valentine's day.

What a wonderful story about love, life, and what cause and effect does. Is there a chance in rekindling an old love 40 years later after all this time and everything they have been through. I fell in love with it. This is my first novel by Nickolas Butler and it won't be my last I'm positive.

This is narrated by Richard Poe and he does such a fantastic job at bringing this book by Nickolas Butler to life in this audible.

Thank you @netgalley forallowing me to listen to this amazing audible.

A Forty Year Kiss* was a good read, though it took me a little while to get into it. The second-chance romance between Charlie and Vivian—reconnecting after 40 years—had some sweet and emotional moments, but it didn’t completely grab me the way I’d hoped. That said, if you enjoy stories about rekindled love and navigating the past, it’s worth a read.

Thank you to NetGalley and RBMedia for the opportunity to listen to an advanced copy of this audiobook.

Lots of thoughts and feelings about this book. They ranged from “I don’t think I can finish this”, “I have to finish this” and at times somewhere in between. This is a story about people. Regular people who are all living their lives and dealing with the consequences of their choices, relationships and everything that has gotten them to where they are and figuring out where and how to move forward. Can they let go of their past hurts and experiences and take a chance on new love, a new path and let happiness in? It’s a slow story, but a slice of life that leads to a very sweet place.

A delightful second chance and small town romance love story. Charlie and Vivian divorced after four years of marriage. They had many problems and struggled with a few things. Fast forward forty years later and Charlie returns hoping to rekindle the friendship with Vivian.
The audiobook is narrated by Richard Poe. He was the perfect voice for Charlie. I could feel the emotions and remorse in his story recounting his past and looking towards the future.
It is a slow burn but such a sweet second chance romance story.

Talk about a second-chance romance! Charlie is now in his sixties and retired, but he’s thinking of Vivian.

Vivian and Charlie were married over forty years ago, but their marriage only lasted about four years. Charlie never really got over Vivian, so he moved back to Wisconsin to see if there was still a chance.

While the story unfolds at a very measured pace, you must be patient. This really is about two people rediscovering each other as well as finding something new. While it may seem like not much happens until the end, it’s about doing life, messing up, missed opportunities, and the daily grind. It’s also about finding those people who feel like home to you and about offering forgiveness.


3.5 ⭐️

Thank you @recordedbooks for the gifted audiobooks. #rbmedia #audiobooks #netgalley

Can a couple reconnect after getting married and divorcing at a young age? Falling in love is easy but keeping it forever is the tough part. Charlie is back in town trying to reconnect with Vivian and make right the wrongs that broke them apart. The growing of the characters through the story is great and their second chance is mean to be. The audiobook with Richard Poe is very enjoyable. Thanks to NetGalley for providing the ALC copy. This is my honest review.

Nickolas Butler's latest exquisite tale, A FORTY YEAR KISS, is utterly captivating! It's never too late for love & second chances —lyrical & big-hearted, from lost love, forgiveness, hope & redemption. I loved it!—a perfect literary Valentine read.

A compelling small-town love story. A couple who met up again forty years after their divorce. There is a lot of hurt, mistrust, and living in between. Will they make it the second time around? Their moving, emotional journey will surely resonate with readers.

About...

Charlie and Vivian divorced after four years of marriage. There were too many problems. Charlie drank too much, and they both went on to live their lives.

Forty years later, Charlie returns to Wisconsin and knows he wants to rekindle his relationship with the one love. Even though he married twice after. He wants to try to pick up the broken pieces. They have had other relationships, regrets, secrets, mistakes, and baggage; they are set in their ways and from different economic backgrounds.

Charlie is an alcoholic with a vast wine collection and has just taken over a large farm. He wants Vivian to be a part of his life. He has done very well for himself at age 64, retired from the railroad, and has stock in Apple. So, financially, he can help Vivian. He is a giving man and has the best of heart.

On the other hand, Vivian barely gets by and lives with her daughter and two children by different men. They struggle financially. She shops at Walmart and thrift shops.

While she enjoys the attention and the lavish dinners, she is also guarded and has her pride. She does not make it easy for Charlie to return to her life. He still must make changes for them to try again. Is he up for the challenge?

In addition, Vivian has a big secret that could also affect their relationship. This secret, when revealed, adds a layer of complexity to their journey, making the story even more compelling.

My thoughts...

I loved A FORTY YEAR KISS! and the reveal was unexpected. I am not typically a romance reader; however, I adore literary fiction and late-in-life stories of redemption.

Being older with so many regrets and life takes work, and it was refreshing to hear from Charlie and Vivian's perspectives. Their growth and resilience will inspire you.

Your heart will break and be put back together before the end. I loved reading the inspiration behind the story from the author, Nickolas Butler. He drew from his observations, which added a personal touch to the narrative.

A FORTY YEAR KISS is a profoundly moving, transcending, beautifully written, uplifting story of love, family, second chances, forgiveness, wisdom, kindness, and redemption. My first book by the author, and I was highly impressed. I cannot wait to read his backlist and upcoming works. His storytelling is truly admirable.

Audiobook...

I had the privilege of reading the e-book and listening to the audiobook narrated by the talented Richard Poe, elevating the novel and capturing its compelling characters and raw emotions, making the story come alive. I was hooked from the beginning. I highly recommend the audiobook, and it is perfect for Valentine's.

Recs...

A FORTY YEAR KISS is for fans of the author, Richard Paul Evans, Nicholas Sparks, Catherine Ryan Hyde, Tim Johnston, Allen Eskens, Viola Shipman, Fredrik Backman, Ken Jaworowski, and Ethan Joella. (all favorites).

If you enjoyed it, I recommend Only After We Met (audio fantastic) by Alice Keelen, narrated by Gail Shalan and Benjamin Crow. It is about a younger couple who had many issues and came back together after a world of hurt, addiction, struggles, and wisdom.

Thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark and Recorded Books via NetGalley for an advanced review and listening copy—and the introduction to this talented author!

blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars +
Pub Date: Feb 4, 2025
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Thanks to NetGalley and publishers for providing me not one, but two ways to enjoy this story! This is my first by this author.

I loved the premise of this book. Long lost loves and second chances. Charlie and Vivian married way too young. Charlie's drinking got in the way and they divorced just 4 years later. Life went on very differently for them (as we see in flashbacks). He never stopped thinking about her despite remarrying a rebound. And after some soul searching, 40 years later, he decides to make contact with her again.

The story is set in Wisconsin. Vivian has had quite the hardship life. She's now a single grandmother, supporting her daughter while her daughter is also single, trying to keep a job to support her child. I won't go into too many details, other than to say, Butler does a fantastic job going back and forth with them together and separately, to get us to the present time. It is a slow burn, though, and not much exciting happens -- but that's also OK because it's more real life.

Two things threw me for a loop, though:
1, There were no quotation marks used. That threw me for a huge loop. I've never encountered that and found I wasn't able to follow along as well. So I requested the audiobook to go along with the e-ARC.
2, There is a scene early on, when Charlie goes all in and kisses Vivian - but it's almost immediately after reconnecting! I get if you've missed someone so much that you're about to burst, but it felt very rushed and if I'm being honest, I felt icky about it as Vivian wasn't quite there yet. (I get that's a me thing.)

Other than that, I found the relevant topics woven in, refreshing! TW for alcoholism, abortion, special needs adoption. I'd be willing to explore more from this author!

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced audio copy of A Forty Year Kiss by Nickolas Butler.

This was a surprising love story from Butler. While I would call him a romantic writer, of setting, place, and yes, people, I really wasn't expecting this kind of romance from him. It was a very sweet and realistic story of two people that had divorced 40 years ago, but found their way back to each other. A story of evolvement and bettering oneself, and finding the meaning of true happiness.

The narrator told the story well and sounded authentic.

I liked the sound of this book about a couple looking back on their lives and taking a second chance on love in old age. While the premise was great for me, the execution fell a little flat and I struggled to connect to the characters. The narrator did an okay job but I wasn't finding myself keen to keep listening and ending up DNFing after about 20% in. It does sound like it might appeal to fans of books like Homeseeking or This is a love story. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

This is a novel about second chances in love and life. Vivian and Charlie were married forty years ago but after a short amount of time they got a divorce. With full lives lived in forty years they reconnect to see if maybe they deserve a second chances at the love of a lifetime.

The audio for this one was perfect. I have listened to a few different audiobooks for romance stories and it is almost always a female narrator, this time it was an older male which fit the mature tone of the novel. The narrator had a comforting tone that felt like being read a bedtime story almost.

Overall I thought the story was a good one about finding love again later in life. It was also about how we carry our past with us and how we can grow from those moments. It was a low stakes book and felt like an easy love story. There wasn’t a lot of drama that I have seen in some other romantic novels. It was very cozy and just a fun one to spend some time with. Vivian at times seemed so insecure about things and a little over dramatic in some situations. Luckily it is short lived and really the story is mostly focused from Charlie’s point of view.

“Marriage really isn’t about romance. Especially at our age. Marriage is about the day-to-day. Marriage is about steadiness. Marriage is a partnership. Marriage is hundreds, thousands of days without passion. Just groceries and bills and sickness and heartache and oil changes and snow that needs to be shoveled and bunions and missing reading glasses and appointments with the cardiologist, or maybe the endocrinologist, or the podiatrist.” Straight FACTS!

3.5 stars rounded up! I really enjoyed this mature second chance romance about Charlie and Vivian, who find themselves reacquainted 40 years after their divorce from a four year marriage. Their love story is so sweet and I rooted for them so hard. Watching them reacquaint themselves after so many years was so enjoyable as love in your 60’s is different than love in your 20’s. You want and prioritize very different things and the reflection on past mistakes felt very authentic.

The audiobook really kept me going. The narration harnessed the emotion of these characters so well, especially Charlie.

Thank you to Netgalley, RB Media, Sourcebooks Landmark, and the author for the ALC and ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts.

I can’t recall ever reading a book quite like this-a second-chance, contemporary romance but more?! First, the main characters are in their sixties, getting a second chance at love after their divorce forty years prior. Second-the setting was in my home state of Wisconsin and the author got everything right about it. Third, other than Nicholas Sparks books, I haven’t read a romance written by a male author that felt so heartfelt, honest, true and relatable. And last but not least: not only was this a romance but really a character driven romance where both Charlie and Vivian recognize their past mistakes and look towards the future together. The emotions were ever present, and despite their shortcomings, I adored Charlie and Vivian.
I am so glad that I was able to tandem read this with an electronic version and the audio. (There were no quoting marks…) The single male narrator, Richard Poe, did a fine job narrating-his voice calming and did not lack in emotion. Thank you the author, NetGalley, Sourcebooks for the eARC and RBMedia for the ALC.

I've read a lot of books lately that are slow but man oh man was this a Slooooooooooowwwwww burn book. From the start to the end. It could have definitely been sped up. The only thing that felt fast was how quickly this 60ish couple that divorced 40 years ago, rekindled and got back together. I was surprised because she didn't ever wait to find out if he was still an alcoholic or to see if he'd changed. and never asked if how he felt about always having her grandkids with her. They quickly merged their life. The ending was very abrupt and uneventful.

If you like a book about a 60ish people that is just the in and outs of everyday life with lots of issues to get through, you may enjoy this book.

The narrator Richard Poe was very good, mellow and thankfully kept the book moving.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this audiobook arc.