I enjoyed this second installment in the Happily, Inc series even more than I did the first spin-off from the author's Fool's Gold novels. Mathias is the next of the Mitchell brothers to be featured, and what a hero he makes! Carol Lund is the gamekeeper of the town's animal preserve and never dreams she is special enough to gain the attention of Mathias, a famous glass-maker and artist. How they both come to realize that their friendship will indeed lead to true love makes a memorable story, one that is enhanced by Carol's sister, Violet, also finding her happily-ever-after. As always, I will be awaiting the next entry!

For me, Susan Mallery is one of the best old school romance writers out there and I've always enjoyed her writing style. And Second Chance Girl definitely doesn't disappoint. It is sweet and romantic, with a dose of heartbreak and sprinkle of hotness. It is the story of two people, fighting the ghosts of their pasts. The story of two people finding shelter in each other's arms but still looking for the strength to reveal and believe in their feelings.

Mathias and Carol are two intriguing characters. Both of them have reasons to be shy of intimacy and love. Both of them have been hurt by people close to their hearts and still live in the shadows of that pain and betrayal. Whereas for Carol, that's her previous experience in the boyfriend department that left her hiding, for Mathias it is the dynamics in his own family. The behaviour of his parents thought him to be reserved and not to trust other people with his feelings. And the last nail in that coffin was the day Ronan pulled away from him. But with Carol's help, he finds his way through the labyrinth of his feelings. Even if he need a little bit of a kick in the backside in the end ;) Carol on the other hand is more aware of her feelings but it still takes Ronan to point out that she has more than friendly intentions towards Mathias.

Another part of the book I loved a lot was the secondary love story. Violet and Ulrich were so lovely and even fun. Their story was kind of fast romance ending with HEA but it was definitely intriguing :) As a bonus you also get to meet again some of the Fool's Gold characters and that's always a treat. Especially, when you have Mayor Marsha and two old ladies who are quite partial to men's physique and love letting their hands wander :D

So if you are looking for a sweet romance with some heartbreak and a touch of hotness, don't look any further. Carol and Mathias will definitely give you that sweet warm feeling that a good old school romance brings. If you've read the first book in the series, you will get your fix of your favorite characters and you will meet new ones. Right now, I am completely focused on Ronan and I can't wait to get his story in my hands. I hope it will come out soon :)

This review was originally posted at Living In Our Own Story Book Blog. I received an ARC of the book in exchange of an honest review.

I really enjoyed this story, but this book really needs to be read along with the Fools Gold series in order to really understand Mathias. I felt the attraction between Mathias and Carol throughout the book and even in the previous book, however I could see how someone coming into this book without any previous knowledge of the characters would struggle understanding why they should care about them or at least Mathias in particular. However, since I am familiar with the backstory, I couldn't help but love these two as a couple and continue to fall in love with the Happily Inc. characters and can't wait to get to know the town more.

Second Chance Girl

*thank you to the author and publisher for providing an arc**

5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Welcome back to Happy Inc. where you can get the wedding of your dreams, visit an animal preserve and see three talented artist. The second book in the series will capture your heart even more than the first one and you will see what is in store for both Lund sisters. And see what is in store for Mille, the lone giraffe looking for a herd.

Carol loves her animal preserve and would do anything for any of the animals, especially Millie. But she would also do anything for her next door neighbor, Mathias. But she knows that most guys see her as nothing special and thinks Mathias believes the same. That is until one night that will change everything or so she thinks.

Mathias has always been talented like his two brothers but long ago gave up doing real art pieces and now only makes plates, bowls, cups and vases. But every morning when he watches Carol and Millie, he is itching to make them come alive in glass but it never comes out right. He also can’t deny the attraction he feels for Carol but believes that he can’t have any relationship with her because of his past and family. Until one night he finally gives in, but was it real or just a dream.

Mathias continues to stand by his decision that he isn’t worthy of Carol but needs to help her with Millie. He asks Ronan to donate a piece of his art so that Millie can get her herd. Carol can’t help but wonder what is really going on with them.

Will Mathias reveal his true feelings for her and let go of the past or will their fears get in the way of their happiness?

Happily Inc.! What a charming and unusual name for a town of warm citizens, with hearts of gold and happily-ever-afters. Susan Mallery has a penchant for creating wonderful romances in tiny little towns, magical and enchanting.

It has been a while for me reading Susan Mallery, and it always delights me when I read her romances. And her latest, “Second Chance Girl” is no surprise as Mathias Mitchell, the resident artist and infamous playboy makes home, right next to his attractive and so called friend and gamekeeper, Carol Lund.

It’s hard to review a book that deserves to be read to enjoy its full beauty and the romance between Mathias and Carol. Their relationship is one made of the perfect blend of friendship, lust, arguments and indulgence. The supporting characters of friends and siblings, the duke and the button lady, the cute nightmare of a dog Sophie, and the intense and rib tickling dialogues that bring out the flavor and spice of “Second Chance Girl” is a pure pleasure of a read.

Received an ARC from Harlequin (HQN) via NetGalley for an honest review.

Life carries on for the artistic and moody Mitchell brothers. This story centers on Mathias, who has repressed his creative side for practicality... until he stumbles upon an unlikely muse – his neighbor Carol’s giraffe. Or maybe it’s his neighbor Carol.

Second Chance Girl is filled with the family dynamics of the Mitchell family as they try to avoid their famous but angry father, and the sweet family dynamics of Carol and her sister Violet. There’s a worthy cause, British humor, a few art shows, sparkly buttons, some broken glass, and some broken hearts. For the soft-hearted, there are two well-deserved and well-written romances, a charitable event, and a very cute puppy.

Happily, Inc is no Fool’s Gold, but it’s still a nice place to visit.

Susan Mallery included dual romances, sisters Carol and Violet both find love, in this book - a two-fer. Mathias was an elaborate character with a wide variance of his passions. Ulrich is incredibly charming; making me totality jealous of Violet.

Happily Inc is an incredible town full of amazing characters. As a bonus we got to visit with some of the folks from Fool's Gold.

I only wish that someone (anyone) would kick Ceallach in the bottom - really hard - several times.

4.5
I'm loving this new series, Happily Inc. by Susan Mallery. I've been a fan of hers for years and I so happy to meet these characters in Happily Inc. and the transplants from Fool's Gold. Second Chance Girl isn't just Carol and Mathias's story. I love that Susan gives us glimpses into everyone's lives. Carol and Mathias are an unlikely pair, but somehow their easy friendship and fun banter makes them the perfect match. They have a connection and they want to deny it, but it's stronger than they are. Mathias is determined to only have no strings attached relationships with women, but there is something about Carol that calls to his heart and the artist within him. Violet is also dealing with a man from her past. I loved seeing their relationship bloom alongside Carol's. Can Carol and Mathias get past friends and let Fate lead them? I really enjoyed this story. There is a lot going on with these characters and the secondary ones, but I loved seeing them all evolving. I'm looking forward to the next one!

Damn she was beautiful, he thought, forcing himself to start moving again. She was everything he'd ever wanted and nothing he could have. Sometimes life was a bitch.

"You okay?" Del asked.
"Never better."
"Does lying help?"
"It doesn't hurt."

Welcome back to Happily Inc., the adorable little town saved by a massive PR stunt. While the legend of the brides and the wagon train is pretty much pure bunk, it turned this small town on the edge of the California desert into a destination wedding extravaganza. Happily Inc loves its brides, and they love it right back.

The terrific first book in the series, You Say It First, focused on one of the creators of those destination weddings, Pallas Saunders and her Weddings In A Box, now very much out of the box, business. But now that we’re into the second book of the series, it looks like the series as a whole is focused on the artistically talented Mitchell brothers finding their happy ever afters, in spite of the way that their parents seriously screwed them all up.

Carol Lund is the gamekeeper at the local wildlife rescue operation. While Carol’s need to find a herd for her giraffe Millie provides much of the driving force in this story, the entire operation that Carol, her dad and her uncle have created is a marvelous thing. Her dad and uncle began with a cutting edge recycling and waste management company, added a fantastic wildlife refuge and are continuing to expand their world-renowned business into profitable projects that help their community and the surrounding area.

Carol, and Millie, and the zebras, gazelles and other animals, are just part of the package, but a great one. But Millie is lonely. Male giraffes may be solitary, but female giraffes live in herds, and Millie doesn’t have one. However, creating a herd of giraffes is not exactly cheap. It’s not just purchasing the animals, but also transporting them, dealing with the host of regulations, and then feeding and caring for them.

Carol needs half of a million dollars. That’s a lot of giraffe feed. Or it’s a lot of weeks (months, years) of collecting from little tins all over town.

And that’s where Matthias Mitchell comes in. He’s her neighbor. He’s also one of the very talented Mitchell brothers. And he’s utterly gorgeous and Carol, like many of the single women in Happily Inc., has more than a bit of a crush on him. But Matthias doesn’t do relationships. He’s rather infamous for doing one of the bridesmaids from pretty much every out-of-town wedding party. Easy sex, no commitments.

But something about Carol, and Millie, draws him in. And not just because they are neighbors who run into each other regularly. Or because watching Carol and Millie walk together around the preserve is the highlight of his day.

Matthias wants to help Carol. He’s also having a damn hard time admitting to himself that he just wants Carol. But everything he does to help Millie pulls the two of them together that much closer. And the deeper in he gets, the more he wants, and the less he’s able to resist.

Even though he’s sure that he’s much too damaged to be good relationship material for anyone. Especially someone he actually cares about.

And he might be right.

Escape Rating B: I liked Carol and Matthias a lot, and I also enjoyed the secondary relationship between Carol’s sister Violet and the quite surprising Duke of Somerbrooke. I actually enjoyed the development of Violet’s relationship more. It begins with a meet-cute, only to discover that they met even cuter once long ago. And after Ulrich screws up, he gives very good grovel. Their story was just plain fun from beginning to end.

The thing about Carol and Matthias’ relationship is that Matthias is really screwed up. Not that Carol doesn’t have plenty of her own issues, because of course she does or we wouldn’t get some of the lovely delicious tension in the story.

But Matthias’ father Ceallach Mitchell is the ogre that looms over the entire story. I want to say that he’s evil, but unfortunately he’s just human. And a complete and utter bastard. Also a violent abuser who only stopped when the oldest of his sons got big enough to stand between him and the rest.

Ceallach has attempted to ruin all of his sons’ lives in the desperate attempt to keep any of them from outshining his legendary artistic self. And he’s aided and abetted by his doormat of a wife, the boys’ mother, who has never defended her sons from her husband’s abusive fists or his destructive words.

That she still doesn’t understand why they can’t get along is icing on a very ugly cake. Especially when the whole family comes to Happily Inc for a family wedding, and Ceallach does his best to ruin everything his sons have touched, including the fund raiser for Millie that Matthias has arranged.

From the moment Ceallach shows up, he sucks all the air out of every room. That it sounds like is named for the “Winter Hag” of Celtic folklore is weirdly appropriate, because he overshadows every scene with a deep and abiding chill.

His sons have turned out alright in spite of him, so I hope we see less of him in any future books in the series. He’s done more than enough damage already. And I do hope there are future books in this series, because Happily Inc is a lovely place and the people we’ve met (with the exception of the Mitchell parents) are marvelous and great fun. I want to see everyone get their HEA.

It looks like Matthias’ “twin” brother Ronan might be next. I certainly hope so, because he really needs it.

Carol devotes her body and soul to her animal preserve and has a special love for the sweet giraffe Millie . Now she needs money to buy a herd for Millie who feels alone and she finds support in Mathias to get the money needed plus something else she did not expect.
Mathias is her hot, womanizing neighbor who actually has a crush on her and a trauma to relationships and family, but as she thinks she's not especial she would never have imagined that the guy might be interested in her. Little by little, they are approaching beyond friendship and will need to face their fears and risk living the love they feel for each other.
The story is very good to read, very light and fun besides having the little dog Sophia who steals the scene at several moments beyond Millie, of course. It also has the love story of her sister who is super romantic and starts kind of like cat and rat for my joy and delight.
I loved every detail and every event that leads to the happy ending.
4/5 stars
Kisses, Myl

"Second Chance Girl" picks up not too long after "You Say It First" and focuses on sisters, Carol Lund, gamekeeper, and Violet Lund, button connoisseur. Each has had feelings for a man for years, and each finally gets the chance to act on those feelings. Carol and Mathias, who is the brother of Nick from "You Say It First", have known each other for several years, they are neighbors and acquaintances. Violet had a school girl crush on Ulrich, a British lord, as a teen and meets him again as an adult. It wasn't quite a meet cute as he angrily accuses her of theft when they encounter each other. Ooops!

Just as in the first book, there's a wedding at the center of the story so we get the two romances and a wedding (not either of the sisters). This book moved at a slightly faster pace than the first book but was also a bit less focused, trying to cover the romances, the wedding, a herd for Millie the giraffe, and some family drama. The family drama, which encompasses Mathias and Nick's family, seems to be a series arc, and apparently began during the Fool's Gold series. Mallery gives us sufficient information about it to understand the family dynamics. Family can be exhausting and frustrating and oh so challenging and a source of great pain. But Mallery also shows us that family, whether of blood or choice, can be a source of love and comfort and support.

Carol and Mathias's romance gets more time than Violet and Ulrich's which was unfortunate as Violet and Ulrich's relationship happened quickly and could have used some more development. It was a sweet romance, they were cute together, but it lacked depth. It really should have had its own book pr novella. Mathias and Carol's romance was bumpier with each thinking the other is uninteresting and then a doozy of a misunderstanding. But once they sort things out they really heat things up.

The supporting characters again were a joy and are a highlight of the books. Also, I love the Boardroom Pub and its collection of board games and its game challenge nights. For a small town, Happily Inc has a fun nightlife. :) And I loved the preserver - the idea of it, learning about it, and how it fits it into the wedding business in Happily Inc.

"Second Chance Girl" was another delightful story in this series. Bring on more Happily Inc stories!

Received an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

So other than wanting to smack the crap out of both Celleach and Ronan, I really liked Mathias's story. I liked the easy bond between him and Carol and as much as I wish we had seen a little more about how they met, seeing their relationship go from friendship to a lust-y one, to one with a lot of heart was a lot of fun. It was fun watching Mathias change over the course of the book. Taking in Sophie and spending more time with Carol really opened up his creative side (which had been dormant thanks to his jerk father), not to mention his heart. And Carol, bless her, needed a little more confidence, but it was great watching her realize how much the people in her life cared about her...and Millie.

I have to say, I really liked the subplot of Violet and Ulrich. That was perfect and I almost wish they had their own book. That said, I don't feel like I missed out on any of their story...I just wanted more.

I'm looking forward to Ronan getting his story and hopefully being able to come to terms with his parents. The way he treats Elaine is totally uncalled for and their father needs to see the light and stop being such a butthead. That's right, a butthead.

I'm really enjoying Happily Inc.

Second Chance Girl is a sweet, small town romance that never quite picked up for me. Despite the witty and snappy dialogue, the book fell flat, the characters mostly one-dimensional, and the promise of a town designed just for weddings never fulfilled. It wasn’t a difficult read, the story is fairly light, the pace quick, and I never felt the need to skip ahead, but I constantly found myself hoping for something more.

There were parts that I loved. Second Chance Girl is actually a two for the price of one love story, featuring the Lund sisters as the book’s heroines. Violet’s romance with Ulrich, an English Duke, had some spark. I enjoyed their “meet-cute” and the romance that followed. They’re a well-matched couple. The animals of the little desert town of Happily Inc. really stole the show, with giraffe Millie stealing my heart. Her new-found friend, Sophie the Beagle, was just as cute, bringing a smile to my face with every scene she was in. I was intrigued by the Mitchell family drama (which started books ago in the Fool’s Gold series). Mathias’s “twin”, Ronan, definitely had me yearning for his story as he’s just the type of book hero I like, all broody and broken.

But, the main story-and main couple-just didn’t work for me. While I liked Carol, she was just a bit boring. I would’ve loved to know more about her work on the animal preserve she runs. The character would have come to life if just a bit of her passion for working with the animals had shined through. Even though most of the story revolves around raising money for a herd of giraffes to keep Millie company, it’s Mathias, not Carol that figures out a way to make that happen. Without his idea, Carol would have been content to depend on the donation cans she’d left all over town.

Mathias is not the alpha promised in the book blurb. I liked him-as part of the Mitchell family and all that he and his brothers had to endure. That story-the narcissistic father, neglectful mother, secrets that tear a family apart-that was worth reading about. Mathias as a romance book hero? Not so much. Yes, he’s emotionally stunted due to his family issues and justifiably so. But… he just came across as sort of a wuss. He’s sweet and funny, but won’t confront the people in his life that he needs to, he has let his talent go to waste because of his father, and (spoiler) he lets Carol be the one who lays down the law to fix their relationship. Which is fine, but not an alpha move.

3 stars for Second Chance Girl. Heat level: 3

I received this book in exchange for honest feedback.

This is book 2 in the Happily, Inc series by Susan Mallery. I read book 1 a couple weeks back and immediately fell in love with the town and the people. We met quite a few characters in book 1 and I am super excited for their stories to unfold. I will start by saying that this book was a little different than what I had imagined. I knew it would be Carol and Mathias' story simply because there was an excerpt at the end of the 1st book. I was completely surprised with the fact that this book actually has 2 happy endings. I enjoyed this book but it did fall just a little flat for me. The unfolding relationship between Carol and Mathias was well done but they spent a lot of time internalizing their issues and it was distracting. Carol has self esteem issues with her looks and while I certainly get it...there was a scene where I kind of just wanted to shake some sense into her like she did to Mathias. I liked the way these two opposites really do complete each other. The other main story was Violet and Ulrich's. Violet is Carol's younger sister that we met in book 1 and Ulrich is the Duke of Somberbrook. I loved everything about their story. The chemistry is amazing and I love the traditional romance of it all while taking place in a town geared toward the non-traditional.

We meet some more members of the Mitchell family. Their dad should be dropped off a very high cliff for his behavior. Del and his wife-to-be Maya ( I really love her personality) show up to get married and with the pending nuptials comes all kinds of family drama. Elaine, the boys mother, is a tough character to like because I mostly just feel sorry for her but you have to read the books to figure out why. Sophie is the family beagle who is simply hysterical. She gets into everything and is just full of energy. She not only makes friends with Millie the Giraffe but she even shows her how to escape her pen. We meet Carol and Violet's dad and uncle and learn about their contribution to Happily, Inc. There are also some cross over characters visiting from Fool's Gold for the wedding.

Overall I give this a 3 star rating. I did enjoy the book but felt a little let down by the constant insecurities of the main characters and I really missed having more interaction with the main girl squad like in the 1st book. I am hooked on this series though so I am super excited for the next story to unfold.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin for the ARC and allowing me to leave my honest review of the book.

Second Chance Girl by Susan Mallory is the second installment in the Happily Inc Series.
Every book in the series is a stand-alone.
Carol Lund is a citicen of Happily Inc and cares for the towns wild preserve. She has a crush on Mathias Mitchell, one of the famous Mitchell brothers. He´s a successful artist, just like his father and his brothers.
He´s a good man, gruff but with a soft heart.
She had a major crush on him for forever, But he doesn´t do relationships, he does only bridesmaids. Somehow they´re worlds apart, but have a lot in common. Mathias is torn. Carol is all in but he can´t decide what he wants.
And there´s a second story. The lovestory about Violet Lund, Carol´s sister and the infamous Ulrich Duke of Somerbrooke. Both have a thing too.

The Happily Inc Seriea by Susan Mallory is a spin-off from her Fools Gold Series.
" A touching modern fairy tale that won't let go of your heart, from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Fool's Gold romances! "
I greatly enjoyed reading this second book in the series. Just lae You Say It First, Second Chance Girl is a great read with lovable characters and a brilliant story.
I recommend the book and the series and give 5 stars. Thank you so much, Susan Mallory !

Mathias isn't looking for a lasting relationship, he's more the love 'em and leave 'em kind of guy. With past family relationships turning sour he doesn't believe in true love. Enter Carol Lund, Carol is the local gamekeeper and his property is right next to the wildlife refuge where Carol works. Carol has been attracted to Mathias for a while but doesn't feel that she is worthy of his love. Both have wants and needs but neither know how to dive right in and take them. Follow along as Carol and Mathias work through their insecurities, find a lonely giraffe some friends, and figure out just what love truly means. This was an enticing read with characters that had me laughing one minute and bawling the next. You can't help but fall in love with this quaint town and it's residents and all it has to offer. I'm already excited for the next story in this fairy tale town.

We're back in Happily Inc. the premier wedding destination in America.  Maya is marrying Del Mitchell bringing the Mitchell family and other familiar characters from Fools Gold to celebrate. Like a true fairy tale we get to meet the wolf and see the darker underbelly under all the sparkle and light.  Readers who enjoy a meaty tale will enjoy all the facets of this story that showcase Ms. Mallery's talent.

At nineteen, Mathias Mitchell's artistic hopes were crushed by his father who was perhaps a little afraid of his son's talent. Now Mathias creates dishware and pottery that in no way uses even a drop of his talent. He downs his emotions under his charming smile and one night stands with the bridesmaids who flock to his hometown which is the ultimate wedding destination.
Carol Lund had once believed she was special. School and cruel teenagers robbed her of her specialness such that she no longer has confidence in her ability to attract a handsome man or find love.  Carol covered up her hurts and lived her life focused on her beloved animals lusting after Mathias from afar.  As her relationship with Mathias slowly moves from the platonic into something "more" she still does not believe that she has what it would take to keep a man like Mathias.  Little does she know that she's slowly but surely awakening the artistic heart of Mathias as he sketches her and her giraffe looking for that perfect vision that he can cast into glass.
As the Mitchell family comes into town and gathers under Mathias's roof to celebrate Maya and Del's wedding all the bad and ugly that's been seething and simmering under the covers breaks out into an open confrontation between father and sons with their mother trying to play peace keeper and stuff it all back where its always been. Can Mathias and his emerging artist survive or will his fledging relationship with Carol become a casualty to the spewing volcano?
Sophie the beagle and Millie the giraffe bring in a nice touch of laughter and charm.  This is not the usual light hearted romance that we've been enjoying in this series. Ms. Mallery gives full rein to her artistic talent with the emotional intensity of the Mitchell family relationships and the toll that its taken on each one of the members.

This is the second book in the series and I was really looking forward to this one. It didn't disappoint. I was hooked right from the beginning, I really liked Carol. She's not the typical girl and she works on a wildlife preserve. How cool is that! Plus we get to know Millie the giraffe. Plus playboy Mathias meets his match with Carol. She brings out a calmer side of him. It was tough watching him navigate his family. It broke my heart at times. I also enjoyed the secondary story with Carol's sister. I thought it brought a lot to the book, but never overshadowing Carol and Mathias' story. As I was reading this book I fell more in love with this series. If you're a fan of Susan Mallery's Fool's Gold then you will love her Happily Inc series!