A Season for Second Chances
Score: 4.5/5 Bookmarks
Steam Level: 🍆
Thank you to GP Putnam’s Sons for gifting me a review copy of A Season for Second Chances by Jenny Bayliss. I don’t know how she does it, but every time I read a book by this author I am completely transported to that location and by the end of the book I feel as if the characters are all friends and family I’ve known my whole life. So yeah, this was exactly the cozy, winter, seaside story I didn’t know I needed.
Annie’s kids are grown up, and she’s just caught her husband cheating (and not for the first time) so she’s packed it all in and moved to Willow Bay for the winter. As she gets to know the locals, the village (and its history) she starts to rediscover herself as well. The sea air, and the change of pace is exactly what she needed to reset and focus on what’s really important.
All of the characters were just delightful, except Annie’s ex, but you’re not supposed to like him, and Willow Bay is practically its own character. I want to visit so badly. There is some cheating and mention of divorce, in case you are sensitive to those subjects.
Plus if you haven’t read Jenny Bayliss’ holiday rom-com The Twelve Dates of Christmas you absolutely must, it was probably my favorite holiday book of 2020.
Synopsis:
Annie Sharpe's spark for life has fizzled out. Her kids are grown up, her restaurant is doing just fine on its own, and her twenty-six-year marriage has come to an unceremonious end. Untethered for the first time in her adult life, she finds a winter guardian position in a historic seaside home and decides to leave her city life behind for a brand-new beginning.
When she arrives in Willow Bay, Annie is enamored by the charming house, the invigorating sea breeze, and the town's rich seasonal traditions. Not to mention, her neighbors receive her with open arms--that is, all except the surly nephew of the homeowner, whose grand plans for the property are at odds with her residency. As Christmas approaches, tensions and tides rise in Willow Bay, and Annie's future seems less and less certain. But with a little can-do spirit and holiday magic, the most difficult time of her life will become...a season for second chances.
