This is the second book in Susan Mallery's Happily Inc series. I was really looking forward to Carol and Mathias' story and it did not disappoint. She is such a good story teller. This story was very emotional, I laughed and cried. I can't wait for the next addition in this new series.

What an adorable story again. I am loving this series. It is light, sweet, beautifully written story that will definitely make you fall in love.

I completely empathized with Carol. Unfortunately I felt for her self-esteem issues as I experience a lot of those ideas myself. I loved Mathias. He was sweet and charming and definitely made me swoon.

I can't wait to read more from this series and more from Susan.

Can we just get Roman's book and make me happy? I was hoping to have his relationship with the rest of the family mended by the end of this book, but as it turns out his lady is going to be the one who will show him how much they love him and that he is a blind idiot. I didn't like having a sad Mathias because of it. I hope the next book will be released soon because I like Happily Inc. and the people who live in this town. Silver has to find her happily ever after too. I don't know who is going to be her man (Drew maybe?), but she is a good character and I would like to see her more.

Besides Mathias and Carol, another couple gets their happily ever after in this book as a secondary plot. Violet, Carol's sister, and Ulrich, an Englishman with a title, who came to Happily Inc. to accuse Violet of stealing. Isn't that a great way to begin a love story? Your future husband travels across the ocean to accuse you of something horrible while in your mind you have great memories of him and you dancing. These two could have gotten their own book, but I liked their story as it is. For me, they had a better story than Mathias and Carol.

If I exclude Carol and Mathia's relationship, this book was great, but I thought that a spark was missing between the two main characters. Their chemistry wasn't explosive enough but with everything that went on in this book, it was hard to realize it until the book was finished and I had to recap it in my mind. I had strong feelings for Mathia's parents though. I disliked his mother because she should have stood up for her children, but feel sympathetic towards her because she was lost one of her sons for something that wasn't her fault. We all hate Mathia's father and there is no excuse for him, especially after finding out some stuff he did to Mathias.

Despite the lack of a spark between the two main characters, I liked this book. There are simply too many things going on in this book for one aspect of them to make me see the whole book in a negative light. For romance, I got the button lover Violet and her man, Ulrich.

A quirky town keeps bringing happily ever afters when people least expect it! With the second book in her Happily Inc series, Susan Mallery brings us another Mitchell brother romance along with lots of fun and laughs as wedding fever continues to reign! The main characters were a joy to watch get together ... I still feel like this series is a tad confusing with all of the characters thrown at you, but at least the core families are becoming familiar.

Gamekeeper Carol Lund might fancy her neighbor Mathias Mitchell, but she knows she's just a plain Jane in comparison to the one-off bridesmaids he prefers, so she appeases herself with his friendship. When he steps up and finds a brilliant way to raise money to buy the herd her giraffe Millie desperately needs to keep her company, she just can't believe he'd go so far out of his way to help her. He really is a great guy, even if he doesn't want anyone to know it!

Mathias grew up in a volatile family atmosphere, and it's only gotten torn apart more in recent years. He was never one to hold back on giving his love and affection, but there's only so much heartache a man can take before he has to protect himself ... and in his world, love hurts ... so he wants no part of it!

I have just recently gotten into to Susan Mallery Books but after reading You Say It First I was very eager to get my hands on more books by this author , so when I got the chance to read Second Chance Girl early I dived into it as soon as soon as possible and I thoroughly enjoyed this story .Watching Carol and Mathais love story play out over the course of this story was just perfect . Susan Mallery is such a talented writer and it shows In Second Chance Romance . Iam so sad to be ending this story because it was sexy , sweet and left me with all those happy feelings but at the same time Iam so very excited to what Susan Mallery has In store for us next in the Happily Inc Series .If you are wondering if you pick this book .The answer is yes go pick up a copy as soon as you can

MY RATING: 3/5

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is my second Susan Mallery book and I must say her writing is simply addictive. Second Chance Girl tells the story of Carol who has low self-esteem and doesn’t see how she could ever attract a man like Mathias ever. It just doesn’t seem to be plausible since Mathias is super attractive and Carol doesn’t see herself especially attractive in any sort of way.


What kept me reading was me finding out the reason why Mathias is so standoffish and keeping his guards up whenever he was around Carol. In addition, I also wanted to see Carol learn to fall in love with herself. The poor girl needed to have more confidence in herself and believe she deserves the things in her life including love.

I loved the writing and the subplots that went along with this story. It was so fun to read!

MY RECOMMENDATION

Definitely read this series!

4 Stars from Renee!

I was pulled right into this story. The story has laughs, pain, and heartbreak.

If you have not read the below I would recommend reading those books(s) first:
You Say It First (Happily Inc. #1)

This is Carol and Mathias’s story. Mathias has experienced the worst betrayal from family. Once he moves to Happily Inc., California he covers all that hurt with easy smiles. He has his choice of one nights with all the bridesmaids in the town. But even with all the temptation he is drawn to his neighbor. Carol thinks she is no one special and has nothing to offer anyone. When her alpha neighbor offers help she wonders what he is going to get out of helping her. But it takes her time to trust him and when she finally does he breaks that trust. Can he get a second chance with her so he can prove that he is the man she thought he was or will she make sure to stay away as she does not need more heartbreak?

I felt I could connect with the characters and the story was a great read.


I recommend this book.

Sometimes you just need a perfect love story or a fairy tale and that is what you will get with this book. A feel good love story.
Two sisters, Violet and Carol, both single live in a small town that is known for its weddings. Both sisters meet men whom it would seem they have impossible relationships with. Or not. They do after all live in a town known for its weddings...
Working things out, family drama all in one love story. A fun read that will make you smile.

So here's the thing, as much as I liked this book I wish it was shorter. I would've much preferred this book be split into two where each of the sisters get their own focused story rather then the back and fourth between four characters. I have a hard time focusing on books with more then 2 characters and it took me a bit of time to get used to the characters, who was with who, and separating the stories at times. Eventually I did get used to it but I think I would've appreciated both stories a bit better if there wasn't that confusion going on for myself. Looking past that I did like the stories there was times it dragged and some parts felt like the story could've dont without but it was still an enjoyable read. I enjoyed seeing the characters and learning about them. Learning about the backstories and different point of views so see what was really going on in the mind of the characters to make some interesting decisions. Overall this book was pretty good, too long for my tastes but still an enjoyable one.

I have chosen not to review this title or feature it on the blog.

I’ve been a fan of Susan Mallery for awhile now and I admit freely that I miss the character’s from her Fool’s Gold series. Well, if you also feel that way, then the wedding destination town of Happily Inc is for you.

The biggest thing I enjoyed about this book, and the author itself, is that for the most part, things are kept light. Yes, there are some conflicts but for the most part, I always feel like this author keeps me pulled into this fantastical small town. Are some pieces a little unrealistic? Yes, but I also think that makes it fun. I mean, who wouldn’t love a pub called “The Board Room” where you play board games while having drinks? I know I would love that.

Another thing that was different about this book was the fact that we have almost simultaneous love stories happening. We have Carol and Mathias, but then we also have Violet and Ulrich. I enjoyed getting a little more story in this book. I haven’t read every Susan Mallery book but I don’t feel like I’ve seen her have two love stories in one. So I enjoyed that aspect.

With that said, there were a few things I did struggle with. This is only the second book in the series and there were a lot of characters floating around. By the time I got to the 30% mark, I had met almost thirteen different people in this town. Combined with the fact that you have two love stories happening, it was a bit much at times. There was almost a point where you’d miss someone, and then be trying to figure out where you met them before. It wasn’t a crisis to me, but I will say it made the book not flow as well for me because I kept trying to keep track of everyone.

If you are already a fan of Susan Mallery, and in particular, if you were a fan of her Fool’s Gold series, you will love Happily Inc. We even get a couple tiny mentions of Fool’s Gold in this book. This book is light and I always enjoy a trip to one of the author’s fantastical small town worlds.

A couple of days ago I finished Second Chance Girl by Susan Mallery. I actually wanted to read this story, because cover is soooo adorable. However, the story was an all right read. We have Carol Lund, who was a bit of a downer. After awhile you kind of get tired of her saying she's not so special, and the boy next door isn't going to ever be in love with her. Then we have the player next door, Mathias Mitchell. He has many issues they all stem from his family. He's a bit of commit phobic, and this is the reason he's friend zone Carol. However, he's trying hard to fight his feelings for Carol. Actually, I liked Mathias a lot. Also in the story we follow Carol's sister and the Duke. I actually like their storyline a lot better than main story line. I kind of wish the story focused more on Violet and Ulrich; oh well.

Like I said it wasn't a bad read. I felt a little down as I was reading Carol's head. However, I did like her interaction with Millie, the giraffe. I also liked how they were trying to get Millie some friends that was sweet of them all. Anyway, Second Chance Girl was an all right read to me. I think the town is a bit adorable, so I'm willing to continue on with the series.

Copy provided by Harlequin via NetGalley

I am loving this series. Mathias & Carol's story is sweet, humorous, sexy and fun and has everything that makes up great romance. I like that it shows such character growth in Mathias in going from a real "ladies man" to being the kind of guy we just want to dream about. Great story

Second Chance Girl is book 2 in Happily Inc. This is a series about a group of women who work in a town known for destination weddings. We met Carol in book one – You Say it First. Carol is the only woman that isn’t directly involved in the weddings. Carol runs an animal refuge and in this book she is trying to raise money to purchase a herd for Millie, her giraffe.

Mathias is one of the three brothers that we met in book one. Each brother is an extremely talented artist. Mathias works with glass. It was so touching to see him work on the piece of Carol and Millie. Mathias is still dealing with serious family issues. We meet their horrible father in this book. I was holding my breath scared to death the father was going to destroy the piece of Carol and Millie.
It was a heartwarming side story as we watch the town come together to help raise money for Millie and her herd.

There was a secondary story with Carol’s sister, Violet that makes a living selling unique and vintage buttons. A man from her distant past shows up and accuses her of stealing from his grandmother. Watching them work through that misunderstanding was fun. Then Millie ensures that he stays in town a few more weeks. I almost teared up when I thought he was going to leave her.

Susan is an extremely talented author that knows how to write women’s fiction. The friendships are unique and touching and even funny at times. The board game night is fun and adds a continuity throughout the books.

Sexual content: lots of thoughts about a physical experience even before it happens,
Drinking: lots of casual drinking

Second Chance Girl is the second book in the new series about the town of Happy Inc. This is Carol and Matthias's story. I really wanted to love this one, but in the end it just ended up being OK for me. The issue for me was the lack of chemistry between Matthias and Carol. I just didn't feel it. Carol was kind of annoying with her constant "I'm not special" thoughts. Matthias had his own issues with is brother and his father. I didn't understand why the brother's just didn't finally tell of their father and be done with it. In the end, I think there was just too much going on in the book.

The one thing I did like was the secondary romance between Ulrich and Violet. I almost wish the book had focused on that romance instead. It was sweet and much more believable. I loved their chemistry. Despite not loving this one, I'm not giving up on the series. I'm hoping Ronan's story is next because that boy needs some serious therapy!

The second book in the Happily Inc series. In this story Mathias one of the Mitchell brother seems to be constantly sparring with Carol. Though he seem to think nothing of it Carol has been secretly wanting to be more than Mathias friend. Carol along with her father oversees a Animal preservation which includes a giraffe named Millie. Millie gets a very starring role in this novel. Carol wants to get Millie company but another giraffe is very costly that is when Mathias comes to the rescue and ask his brother Ronan to donate a piece for a worthy cause. As with the previous book the hero Mathias feels like he cannot give love because of the issue that happened to his family years ago and allowed him not to be close to his family or twin Ronan anymore. But alas Carol realizes through Mathias glass piece in which he design her feeding Millie is him showing his love for her through his heart. Nick and Pallas from the previous book shows up and other cast of characters. Carol sister Violet also gets her happily everafter with a duke name Ulhurich. Review on Goodreads and amazon.

I really wanted to love Second Chance Girl. It has so many features that should’ve made it a hit for me: cute animals, small town, quirky characters, yet this fell short for me. The characters were very one-dimensional, making it hard for me to feel any connection to them or their stories.

Part of the story was Sophie, a cute and mischievous beagle, foisted on Mathias by his mother even though he strongly objected at first. Mathias grew to like her, but the connection seemed tepid at best. I was hoping for emotional bonds that seeped into his human relationships. Instead Mathias stays with his mantra of “people who were supposed to love you betrayed you”.

Mathias’ relationship with his brother Ronan is strained, and there was really no movement with that. Hi relationship with his parents was bad from the beginning and no change through the story. His father was a narcissistic jackass, bullying his sons. Trying to undermine their confidence for his own ego. His mother wasn’t any better. Yeah, she was nice on the surface, but a classic enabler. I lost complete respect when she defended her husband’s obviously horrid behavior toward their boys. So, Mathias’ relationship with them was a frustrating addition to the story.

The romance between Mathias and Carol was underwhelming. I didn’t feel their connection, no sparks, no sexual tension or build-up, IMO. I wasn’t sure what it was about Carol that was supposed to change Mathias from a bridesmaid-hopping-manwhore into a committed in-love guy. She was nice and all that, but I wasn’t moved by their “passion”. Also, I detest relationship drama late in the story, at 87% it doesn’t give you much time to enjoy the couple sorted and happy. It also doesn’t give much time to forgive the characters for their stupidity. Mathias needed to grovel, and yet Carol was the one stepping up to mend their fracture. That does not inspire swooning.

I was excited by Violet’s, Carol’s sister, romance with an English Duke. It started out promising, but fizzled out quickly. Still, I liked their romance better than Carol and Mathias’.

I see a lot of love for Susan Mallery’s stories, so I want to believe that Second Chance Girl wasn’t her best writing. I haven't given up on her writing yet, but, this was just okay to me.

I have mixed feelings about the second book in Susan Mallery's Happily Inc. series. On the one hand, I really enjoyed the story/plot - Matthias' background with his family is heartbreaking and almost enough to give him a pass for his manwhore ways. As with You Say It First, animals play an important and delightful part in the story as well. That being said, while I loved Matthias, it was not his love story with the insecure game warden Carol that kept me turning the pages, it was her sister Violet's story with Ulrich that really kept my attention. But I did enjoy this friends-to-lovers slow burn and look forward to continuing with the series. I give Second Chance Girl 3.5 out of 5 wine glasses.

Second Chance Girl is the second story in Susan Mallery’s Happily Inc. series and it is a delightful story that touched me with her heartwarming and insightful writing. This story deals with one of the younger Mitchell brothers that has real issues with love and commitment due his family’s dysfunctional upbringing. Neighbors Matthias Mitchell and Carol Lund are friends and get along great because they tease and keep things light between them. Neither are aware of the others feelings and keep it that way because Carol doesn’t feel special enough and Matthias thinks she deserves better. Getting these together wasn’t easy and throw in a trouble-causing beagle, and you have a wonderful romantic story.

Matthias is a brilliant artist who works with glass and has uses the host of weddings and bridesmaids the way to scratch his itch without building a relationship. He moved here 5 years ago along with Ronan and Nick, in order to escape their father’s criticism and vitriol and carve out their own artistic careers. Things haven’t been the same between him and Ronan his twin and it has really left him lost and abandoned. He has etched out a good life but it could be so much more if he could let go of his past and believe in himself and his art. Matthias makes only with dishes and pottery and leaves the ‘art’ to Ronan and Nick, much to their dismay. He believes is that he isn’t cut out for relationships and wouldn’t really know how to go about it. It didn’t mean he couldn’t imagine what it would be like with Carol, considering she is the woman of his dreams.

Carol is the gamekeeper of the animal preserve on the outskirts of town and has a huge crush on Matthias but doesn’t feel special like the women he goes after. She’s your average girl whose goal at the moment is to raise money to get Millie the giraffe a herd to belong to. She loves what she does and lives simply but doesn’t know how to attract a man like Matthias and keep his interest. When Matthias intervenes to help her cause she got a big eye opener to what his life was like with his family and wants to do what she can to have his back. Their friendship grows throughout the story and the development of their romance has a bit of a hitch, but works out in the end. I like her style and how she goes for what she wants to get her man.

A bonus in this story is a second romance blooming between a British Duke and Carol’s sister Violet. The girls are close and the best of friends and want what’s best for the other. I love how these two navigate their way to finding love for themselves and how certain choices had to be decided. Throughout this whole story we saw how families should work and how some will never work right at all. It just takes that special someone who sees you for what you are and not for what you do. Carol and Matthias saw that in one another and how their love and friendship could be the best thing for both of them. Susan Mallery has really touched something here and created such depth with her characters. They grow emotionally and found the love of their life. Second Chance Girl warmed my heart and I look forward to more stories from Happily Inc.

I loved Second Chance Girl! Having just read and reviewed You Say It First (you can read that review here), Susan Mallery’s first offering in the Happily Inc. series I already knew a little about Carol and Mathias coming into Second Chance Girl. I was intrigued by the stoic Carol and the charming Mathias. Susan Mallery didn’t let me down in telling their story.

Mathias is a laid back charmer who typically beds bridesmaids because they’ll be leaving town with little risk of emotional investment, which is important because the people in his life have a history of tromping on his heart and trust. Carol is his friend and neighbor, someone he feels comfortable with. Although he’s attracted, he doesn’t want to change their relationship.

As children, Carol and her sister Violet were always told how special they were by their parents. At school, Carol is the first to learn that maybe they aren’t that special; it’s something that Carol’s taken to heart especially when a few relationships seem to reiterate the point. How could the marvelously talented and handsome Mathias ever view her as something more than a pal?

It would have been very easy for Mallery to write Carol as self-pitying, but she doesn’t. Carol seems like a real-life woman with depth and a self-deprecating kind of humor. She’s the type of woman who loves animals and loves to be outdoors and hasn’t pictured her wedding since she was five, which I appreciated. Mathias is her perfect other. He accepts her as she is. They are swoon-worthy and sweet. This is one of the few couples that I’ve read about in romances lately where I could imagine them having a long happily-ever-after because it’s not just based on lust but on love, affection, and companionship as well.

As a companion story, Carol’s younger sister, the quirky Violet meets up with a man she had a crush on when she was fourteen, an English Duke, Ulrich. Their story is charming and fun and makes a great side story to Carol and Mathias’.

And, as if that isn’t enough, we have Millie, the giraffe, and Sophie, the mischievous beagle. I loved these two characters. Millie’s story of being a lone Somali giraffe tweaks the heartstrings. Sophie, as a perfect foil, brings the laughs.

There is just so much going on in Second Chance Girl that I almost want to read it all over again and tell you more about it, but then I think you’d be happier reading it for yourself. It is so well written and the characters have depth and…well, just read it! If you love romances that are more on the chick lit side with characters who seem like real people and events that don’t always work out, give it a go. You might want to read You Say It First first though. While I can imagine that Second Chance Girl could be read as a standalone, I think you’ll have more background if you read You Say It First. As I mentioned in my review of You Say It First, there are a lot of characters to keep track of.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.