If you're a fan of Sally Rooney(and many people are), you may like this book. I am not one of those people.

I hate the lack of quotes. I hate unlikable characters (though I don't think the characters in this book are supposed to be unlikable). I pressed on, thinking maybe there would be some big twist or lesson to be learned... and there was a lesson, but I feel it is one that I've already learned, well before my 30 years of age.

[I also don't think I like to be in the male mind for this long, especially during a supposed "romance" book. There is one scene where he says "breasts" like four times within two sentences. I get it, that probably is what is running through a mans mind when he has his hands on boobs, but I'd rather not be reminded of that fact. I would prefer him to feel like "touching her breasts after 40 years, lit his hand on fire and twisted his stomach in knots" rather than the caveman version "breasts in hands. I have breasts in my hands. Now, I'm touching the butt. Oh my god, it's a butt". See the difference? I mean I know the later is the more realistic version of events, but...

My next qualm with this book is that a second chance romance needs more "show me" and less "tell me" that you regret our relationship ended. I just couldn't forgive this guy. He kept saying he had changed, but I didn't see it. He kept saying he was an alcoholic, but I didn't see him seek help, AA, or therapy. And she let him back into her life so easily because she had "nothing to lose"... girl your HEART! You're putting your heart on the line with a man who has already broken it and done very little to prove he's changed!!! If my ex walked back into my life after 40 years like "I'm finally ready to be the husband you needed 40 years ago" I would say "F off". I wanted to scream at her I was so mad. I was not rooting for them at all.

Last thing is that the feminist in me was screaming at the female stereotypes used in this book. The FMC didn't feel realistic to me. She thinks to herself how nice it would be to have a man swoop in and save the day, and how great it would feel to be taken care of, but THEN she also gets mad at him when he tries to pay for everything... She also throws away her dream of opening a clothing store for a new dream that she created with him.

I also do not know much about down-syndrome or how easy it is or isn't to care for a person with down-syndrome, but the use of this condition in this book felt icky to me. I saw another review explain that it felt like a plot device to make the MMC emerge as a hero. This reviewer also said that it highlights the MMC and FMC's inability to deal with emotional complexities and I agree with that, with my whole chest. (hide spoiler)]

Long story short, I felt more emotionally mature than these characters and they are twice my age. This "romance" is also my absolute worst nightmare of a life. If you asked me how I don't want my life to look like in 30 years, I would say this.

Thank you to NetGalley and RB Media for the audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

Tropes: Late-life coming of age, the one that got away/second chance romance

I loved that this took place where I grew up! I could picture exactly where he was and how the author described it was spot on. The premise of this book hooked me, who doesn't love second chance love, especially when it's for a mature couple. The story was sweet but not much to it otherwise. I was a bit disappointed in this one. Had it not taken place where I grew up I probably wouldn't have finished it. Thanks NetGalley for the ARC audiobook, the narrator was fantastic and had a perfect voice for listening.

This story was just OK. This is a sweet and (very) slow burn love story between two 60 something’s who were once married for 4 years 40 years earlier.

I appreciated that the characters were very well developed and likable. Especially the MMC. However, I kept waiting for something big to happen but it never did. Or it did but it wasn’t treated as something big. These big events were merely hiccups to the plot and resolved in a single chapter.

I loved the premise of this story. Long lost loves and second chances. I enjoyed the uncommon theme of older adult love.


Thank you, NetGalley, for this ARC.

Charlie and Vivian were married, and divorced after 4 years. Forty years later, Charlie returns to their small town and attempts to rekindle their relationship.

Charlie acknowledges that his drinking caused a problem before, and agrees that it may still be a problem. Vivian is lonely, but scared - she has a family to look after now, and she's not sure that Charlie has really changed.

The writing was lovely, and the characters were well drawn. This was a slow and sweet tale, but I kept waiting for something to happen, and it didn't really.

I listened to the book, and the narrator did a nice job of leading you along with both characters.

☆ALC & ARC REVIEW☆
Publication date: February 4, 2025


⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

'A Forty Year Kiss' was such a beautiful, unique story of second chances for love, parenthood, and all life's obstacles.

It dealt with some very real topics such as alcoholism, disabilities (specifically down syndrome), and the complicated dynamics of relationships, parenthood, and life in general.

I thought overall it was really cute, real, and to my surprise had some spice about 25% of the way in.

I really enjoyed the narrator, Richard Poe. He has that unique and soothing voice one could listen to for a long time, similar to Keith Morrison.

Thank you, NetGalley, Nickolas Butler, and RB Media for an advanced listeners copy in exchange for an honest review.

If you want a low drama, sweet story. This might be just right for you. Regretfully, it is not what I’m looking for in a book. I can love a character driven book with a great cast of characters. But neither plot nor character development hit home for me on this one.

Vivian and Tom are exes reuniting after 40 years. And despite implied past harms (which should have been developed and flushed out much more), they rekindle things almost too quickly and too easily. There wasn’t much conflict, the characters needed more depth or even some great banter. This was just about two people learning to be part of each other’s lives again. Just not for me.

Thank you to @netgalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC audiobook version of this book. I liked the book. I loved the idea of the story. What I did not like was the few parts of the story that absolutely did not need to be included. Such as the walmart scene. That part could be omitted and nothing would be lost. Overall this was a nice clean romance novel. How on person goes back over forty years later to his first love. They rekindle a long lost romance. They re fall in love with on another. He finds out he is a dad with his long lost love. It is a cute love story.

This book is about two people who are in their 60s and are looking for a second chance with each other. They were married for a brief time 40 years ago and Charlie has decided he wants to see if he and Vivian can make a go of it a second time. The story unfolds as the two rediscover one another. Some of what they find is downright ugly and painful, the depth of the story is refreshing. This is not a rom-com, this is very real and raw. It is a story to savor a bit as love, life, can be hard but worth the effort. Showing how priorities change and realization of what you might have missed out on pursusing addictions. A Forty Year Kiss is a beautiful novel of love, forgiveness, and redemption. Charlie is a likable character who has worked hard to deal with his problems, he still has one that will take work to get under control. Vivian is a giving woman who struggles to accept Charlie’s generosity. She is skeptical that Charlie is truly a changed man. Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity.

I just finished listening to A Forty Year Kiss by Nickolas Butler. I enjoyed this audiobook and definitely recommend it.

Cute story of two older people at the end of their lifeb looking back on their lost love and catching up. It was a little boring in parts, but the storyline was sweet.

Thank you to NetGalley, RBmedia and author Nickolas Butler for gifting me an ALC of A Forty Year Kiss. In exchange I offer my unbiased review.

I fell in love with author Nickolas Butler years ago, when I read Shotgun Love Songs. That book became a benchmark I used when comparing other coming of age novels, written by a contemporary male authors. When I discovered Butler, now in his golden years, had written a new novel, specifically about a later in life couple re- coupling after a 40 year separation, I was delighted.
This novel is definitely sweet, and gentle. Filled with warmth and nostalgia, it sadly lacks sizzle, spice, sparks and intensity. It’s a very slow burn with zero heat or passion. I appreciate Butler writing for a more mature audience and shining light on second chance romance but there was no excitement or fire on these pages. I was hoping for a deeper, sexier story and all I got was same old/same old. If I’m being completely honest, this book was more meh than yeah.
Second chance couples deserve more than just a chaste kiss, this book could have dared to be braver, bolder. This was just too timid in my opinion.

This is a second chance love story between two people in their 60s set in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. Of course I had to read it.

𝗔 𝗙𝗢𝗥𝗧𝗬 𝗬𝗘𝗔𝗥 𝗞𝗜𝗦𝗦 by Nickolas Butler is a slow burn love story four decades in the making. Charlie and Vivian were married for four short, but tumultuous years in their early 20s. Their relationship faced challenges - some of them significant - that neither was mature enough to handle. They divorced and went their separate ways having no contact until Charlie finds himself back in Wisconsin thinking about his first love.

In those forty years they both lived lives full of choices. They’ve loved, they’ve struggled, they’ve moved on. Charlie wants to rekindle what he considers the greatest love of his life, but is it possible with time, heartache, and secrets between them?

Narrated by Richard Poe, 𝗔 𝗙𝗢𝗥𝗧𝗬 𝗬𝗘𝗔𝗥 𝗞𝗜𝗦𝗦 is a slow burn look at two lonely, damaged people trying to find the happiness that eluded them so long ago. Poe’s voice is well suited for this gently paced story.

I had a few small issues with this book, but ultimately the tenderness and sincerity won me over. Plus, a Wisconsin setting always speaks to my heart.

Thank you to NetGalley and RBmedia for the advance copy in exchange for my unbiased review.

Mr. Butler crafted a story that feels like that Mary Poppins song; Spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down. There’s a sad story that often makes you ache for these two main characters but so much love wrapped in the years apart. Charlie is 60something and reflecting on the demise of his first marriage when he was in his 20’s. He jumps in with both feet trying to reconnect with Vivienne. Their story isn’t smooth by any means and at times I don’t agree with either of their choices but I didn’t resent the decisions and found that it made the unfolding layers feel authentic. I really adored Charlie. He really saw his second chance like winning the Golden Ticket in Willie Wonka. This story on audio is narrated so beautifully. Highly recommend this book as a love story by real people.

I did my best to get through this, but the subject matter just didn’t interest me and I found the narrator to be extremely monotonous. I like the concept of the story, but it just landed did not land with me personally.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for providing a free audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

While I did not completely enjoy this book, I could not necessarily give it a low rating because it is not a bad book. It is about a couple in their 60s who were originally married in their 20s, rekindling their relationship and finding out things about each other along the way and working through them.

The premise is sweet, and it plays out well. However, I'm not sure if it's the writing style of the author or just that I found nothing relatable in this story whatsoever. I also felt like the relationship was kind of just forged together again out of fear of being alone as morbid as it is, as the couple is entering towards the latter half of life. I could not really connect with the characters well, but some of the scenes were sweet with the couple. However, some parts could have been left out, I feel.

Definitely give the book a try, though, if you enjoy slow burn, numerous minor conflicts, second chance romances

What a refreshing idea for a love story.

First, the story begins after Charlie and Vivian have reconnected. See Charlie and Vivian were married for a short four years before they decided to get a divorce. Since then they have lived completely separate lives, and grown and evolved in their own ways. We don't know what initiate this reconnection, but Nickolas Butler takes us on this journey between the two former lovers.

Charlie is the primary narrator. We learn about his struggles and vulnerabilities and I found myself rooting for him.

This is a very sweet story. A bit of a slow burn.

I enjoyed the narration in the audiobook. And I would read more works by Nickolas Butler.

I really liked this story was about love, regrets and redemption. We all hope to find that epic love. However the narrator was really hard to fully enjoy the story and it was hard to focus. I will be getting a kindle version and rereading