A wonderful and captivating novel about how to navigate the life we have when we encounter the unsuspecting curveball. Bringing together four women with different experiences---they are drawn together to find friendship, love and most of all--hope for the future. Thank you for the opportunity to have read this title prior to publication--I loved it!

Danielle is a single mom after her husband cheats on her and they divorce. Michelle fled from her husband and kids and her privileged life in Westchester, but we don’t yet know why. Sabrina is a high powered executive looking for fun with no commitment, while Megan, Danielle’s stepdaughter is navigating the challenges of teen life. Each chapter alternates with their stories, and is a pleasant read. No real surprises here, but an easy read.

This book focuses on friendship, romance and heartbreak via a group of four women. This is the perfect summer read, as it is easy to leave and pick up the plot.

Second Chances – Rachel Cullen

I was fortunate to receive this novel as an Advance Reader Copy, in exchange for an objective review.

Set in Manhattan and suburbs, this is the story of four different women who are trying to make their way in a crazy world. We first meet Michelle, who in a moment of anger/despair, walks out on her husband and children, for reasons not yet known to us, and isolates herself in a small apartment. We then meet Danielle, a newly divorced and now single Mom to a newborn, who’s father wants nothing to do with her. She’s all alone and frantically trying to manage a screaming baby. We meet Sabrina, Danielle’s friend, who works in a sales venue, which has her traveling frequently, having one-night stands with men, who seems to shy away from any commitment, but suddenly finds herself in a compromising situation that threatens everything. Then we meet Megan, daughter of Danielle’s ex-husband; she’s 15 years old, and struggling with the autocratic ways of her father.

As the novel progresses, these women’s lives all merge – each chapter detailing a different character and her story, as each individual struggles with betrayal, hope, self-confidence, and self-worth, as they make the most of their situations and attempt to find their happy-ever-after’s.

I truly enjoyed this book! It is a sweet story, one suitable for the beach or rainy day, with thoroughly engrossing characters, scenarios and situations that we can all likely relate to! A wonderful read!! Thank you Ms. Cullen! I loved Second Chances!!

I loved this book. A very light hearted novel. I read this book on a road trip. I enjoyed the different characters and their struggles and accomplishments. The story is relatable on many levels. A former young attorney whose former much older husband decides he doesn’t want a relationship after she’s already pregnant. He has a rocky relationship with his teenage daughter. The daughter, who once despised her becomes her nanny. She confideds tha her dad is now having yet another relationship, this time with a young nanny. Her neighbor who has a complicated relationship becomes her rock. This is a wonderfully story of friends and family. Highly recommended.

Sometimes when you read a book, you ask keep asking yourself, should I keep going? This was that book. I didn't love it and I didn't hate it. I felt like I could connect with part of the story so for that reason, I'm only giving this 2 stars. Maybe if I had the read the book prior to this one The Way I've Heard it Should Be before this one, maybe this one would've made more sense? I just don't know. Thank you for this complimentary copy of this book from Darice Rowan PR through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I know this story well, having grown up and lived in this part of the country for most of my life, so I expected an interesting time, a fresh take on women having to make their own ways forward when their expectations fall terribly short. The premise is interesting, the characters different and compelling, but the story did not come to life for me. I abandoned it with a heavy sigh and great disappointment. I hope that the writer continues to grow and develop her craft and look forward to what she comes up with next.

I loved this book. A light hearted easy to read story that had some life lessons in it without going too deep. A quick read that I thoroughly enjoyed. A young woman whose older husband decides he doesn’t want another baby after she’s already pregnant, his teenage daughter who once hated her becomes her babysitter, a middle aged woman living apart from her family become a good friend.. A heartwarming story of friends and family.

Second Chances
Rachel Cullen
Available: April 18, 2018
Thank you to NetGalley.com for the opportunity to read an Advanced Reader Copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
This book could have been absolutely amazing but its being held back from greatness from itself. The individual characters are well thought out in the present day; they are strong women who seems to feel comfortable in their own own skin but the skimpiness on their history left me wanting a lot more. The ending reminded me of Snow White’s Scary Adventures at Disneyland – a dark ride with where you don’t know what’s around the corner and then poof! Sunlight and they lived happily every after without any means of getting there.
What I loved: Megan was my favorite – maybe because I think she is a teenager who doesn’t exist naturally in the wild and is only a figment of a parent’s imagination. A teenager who willingly would get up 5 days a week at the crack of dawn in the summer to go into the city to be with her little sister? That’s about as rare as an all white liger born in captivity.
What I didn’t love: Sabrina seems to have a serious drinking problem that she magically resolves by the end of the book with true love. Danielle can easily head back to work with her toxic ex-husband with no issues in a few short weeks as her maternity leave winds down – because all major law firms love their associates to have babies. Michelle throws more money at their children because you always take the billionaire spouse back even if he’s a cheater. Megan’s the only one who wins – she gets her own place. It would have been nice to see how all of these things came to be instead of just a poof!
What I learned: Country mouse here…
Overall Grade: B

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