Cover Image: Second Chance Christmas

Second Chance Christmas

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

A sweet and steamy friends-to-lovers Christmas story that leave you feeling warm and fuzzy!

Jana moved to Twilight 7 years ago after living on the streets as a troubled teen. While she’s overcome a lot at the age of 26, an unexpected event leads her to face her past head on. Otherwise, she might lose the best thing that’s ever happened to her.

Joel has been friends with Jana for two years when she came to work for him part time on his boat. He’s very close to his family and struggles to understand how to make Jana sees what he does. As he and Jana take in a week old baby that was left in the Twilight manager, he has to find a way to show her how he’s felt the past 2 years without scaring her off.

This is the 12th book in the Twilight, Texas series but can be read as a stand alone. I love the quaint town of Twilight and the sense of community it has. Joel and Jana are opposites that work well together and I’m glad they got a chance to explore their feelings.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon for an advanced copy!

Was this review helpful?

An enjoyable addition to the series- a baby left in a manger with a note saying the mother will be back, sets the scene for a lovely Christmas tale of an entire town coming together to help take care of the child until she returns and of our the two main character, Jana and Joel finding love when they least expect it.

Was this review helpful?

Jana finding an abandoned baby reminds her of her time in the foster care system. Spending time with Jana taking care of the baby makes Joel realize she is the one he wants in his life forever. Will Jana tell Joel all her secrets and will he still want her as she wants him? I received an ARC from NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for my honest review.

Was this review helpful?

Imagine the surprise of finding a real baby in the Christmas manger scene! That’s exactly the situation Jana and Joel find themselves in. As friends and coworkers, the two work together to make sure this baby has the best start in life that’s possible. I enjoyed the romance and even the conflict between Joel and Jana. This was a good heartwarming story about redemption.

Was this review helpful?

Jana and Joel are co-workers and friends. They find a baby abandoned in a manger in front of the church. A hastily scrawled note on the diaper says the mother will return for little Gabriel by New Years. Jana decides to give the mother a chance to return and promises to care for the baby and Joel agrees to help. This time together allows the couple to talk about their pasts and heat up the sparks that are between them.

This book is the 12th novel in the Twilight series by the author and there are also 7 additional novella's. I read it as a stand alone but clearly there is a lot of history with the various characters and couples in the story. If you're a reader of the series this is a must read. As a holiday romance for someone who has not read the series this is decent story but there are issues. The book is a little slow at peeling back Jana's history, explaining why she is such a private person. Also I didn't like that when Joel shares her secrets with his twin brother he brushes it off with, I share everything with my family, instead of validating her feelings of betrayal. Lastly, other than the baby in the manger the story seemingly could have taken place anytime.

This is sweet and steamy without being overly graphic. I enjoyed the book but the 3 star rating reflects the fact that I didn't immediately put the series on my TBR list. Thank you to NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager for an ARC ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

This is the second book in the Twilight Texas series, and despite not reading the first book I didn't feel once that I had missed out on anything, I think you can easily read them as stand-alone's.

Second Chance Christmas is a cute, steamy and feel-good festive read, I really liked the romance between Jana and Joel, their relationship develops very naturally throughout the story and you can't help but back them as they progress to their happily ever after.

I did think that for a relatively short story it was a little long-winded at times, there were times it did drag on a little bit more than I would have liked and there were parts that I felt were a little too heavy for a Christmas story.

This is the first book I've read by Lori Wilde, I thoroughly enjoyed her writing which tugs and the heartstrings and will certainly be reading more by her in the future.

I liked the premise of this as soon as reading the back blurb, I thought it was a fresh take on the nativity story, I liked that the character had a deep friendship that swiftly moved into a full-on relationship. I liked how each of their backstories is revealed, but I would have liked a little more festivities seeing as this was a Christmas book - but that's just me I have been in the mood for Christmas books lately.

I must also mention the cover, it's what caught my attention of this book, it's so festive and charming. I'm not sure it fits in with the overall story, but it is exceptionally pretty to look at.

Overall, Second Chance Christmas is a lovely and emotional romance, to fully grasp this book you do need to persevere past the slow and heavy parts and keep reading, you won't be disappointed.

Was this review helpful?

The question asked is what did you like about the book and my answer is a whole hearted everything. You will fall in love with Joel and Jana and Gabriel, plus all of Joel's supportive family members and the sympathetic sheriff. I could go on, but suffice it to say I liked everybody.

It's Christmas and Jana and Joel are helping out at the Christmas manager when they find a little baby in the manger. With the help of the pastor, his wife, and the sheriff Joel and Jana are awarded temporary custody of Gabriel until New Years when the mother's note said she will return for him.

As Jana and Joel spend time together taking care of Gabriel, their long hidden feelings for each other intensify.

#SmallTown #LoveStory #LoriWilde #NetGalley #ARC #TwilightTexas #HarperCollinsPublishers #AvonBooks #Moonglow

Was this review helpful?

Second Chance Christmas, made me cry several times. It is such a great Christmas story. Very heart warming.

Was this review helpful?

I have read quite a few books by Lori Wilde and have enjoyed them immensely. Unfortunately, this was just an okay read for me. While I liked the characters, I found the pace to be a bit slow for my tastes.

Was this review helpful?

Second Chance Christmas by Lori Wilde is a cute, somewhat steamy, holiday romance and is her twelfth book in the Twilight, Texas series, although this book can easily be read as a stand-alone book.

Joel and Jana are both working on the live Nativity in their hometown of Twighlight Texas when they find a live baby in the manger with a note pinned to his diaper explaining that his mother will be back to collect him by New Years Day. Jana and Joel immediately take the baby home, and the Sherrif decides to let them keep the baby until the New Year before he reports the abandoned baby to authorities.

Jana has had a rough upbringing and lived in foster homes most of her life, so she can’t allow the baby, she named Gabriel, to go into the foster home system. She hopes the mother returns to get Gabriel, but she’s growing attached to the baby. Joel has grown up in Twilight and decides to help Jana with the baby by having both Jana and Gabriel move into his home, as he has an extra bedroom.

I enjoyed this cute, holiday story, and was rooting for Jana, and Joel to find their happily ever after. And I was rooting for Gabriel and his mother to be reunited. The book took off quickly, immersing me in the story right away, but I did get bogged down a bit in the middle, and then I thought the end wrapped up a bit too quickly. But, overall it’s a very satisfying romantic story that I enjoyed. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Was this review helpful?

A nice Christmas story. A typical ending but still an enjoyable read. Interesting characters and a donkey.

Was this review helpful?

Oh man this was so cute and the story was straight out of a Hallmark Movie but it was fun to read. I really enjoyed the fact that even though this is very far into a series I was never lost while reading and while they did throw out a bunch of names at me which I am assuming were from previous books everything still made sense. Jana and Joel discover a baby abandoned on Christmas Eve in the manager of the nativity in from of the church with a note from the mother saying she will be back for him before new year’s when she has somewhere for them to stay and please take care of her baby. Impulsively they take him in and in doing so start to work to getting together since Jana was under the impression that Joel had a girlfriend which he doesn’t’ and they start to fall in love and work through Jana’s intimacy issues from her own childhood dealing with being abandoned by her mother, the foster care system and bad relationships with men while she was very young. This was a really easy read and such a good Christmas story.

Thanks to Avon and Harper Voyager and Netgalley for the complimentary copy of this book in e-book form. All opinions in this review are my own.

Was this review helpful?

I absolutely adored this book. It was everything I want from a holiday story!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are completely my own.

Was this review helpful?

This book was perfect for Christmas in July. I love reading Christmas books all year because they can be positive and heartfelt. This book was about second chances , it was really good. Although the ending wasn't what I expected, it was still heartfelt and romantic. I am grateful that netgalley let me read this in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

Very enjoyable read. Two best friends find a baby in the manager of the local church and when they read the note with the baby, decide to take care of him until the mother returns. I felt so bad for the teenage mother who thought she had no choice but to leave the baby. She was so young. As Jana and Joel learn to take care of the baby, feelings about the baby hit them strong plus they learn they are not only best friends. Secrets come out that could shatter them, but their friendship wins out. Very good read.
I got the book f rom NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review

Was this review helpful?

A young single teen mother is out in the cold trying to survive. I emphasized but was also frustrated at her. I liked the dialogue

Was this review helpful?

Love this story, filled with love, forgiveness and blessings.
Joel and Jana find a baby in the church nativity manger on Christmas Eve. They decide to keep the baby for ten days, giving the birth mother a chance to come back. Thrown together in a unique situation brings to light the feelings they have for each other, as well; as all the trust issues Jana has because of her past. It takes a lot of patience, tears, and ups and downs to find their way to happily ever after.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Was this review helpful?

This story is about a couple of friends who find a baby in a manager at Christmas. The journey this couple takes to find the baby’s mother and find their own love story through their troubles.

Was this review helpful?

This was a great book. I enjoyed every bit of it. Joel and Jana are out doing one of their civic duties on Christmas Eve and they find a live baby in the manger in front of the church. There is a note with the baby asking them to take care of the baby until New Years. Jana and Joel and good friends but Jana works for Joel some during the Christmas season and also has her own business. Jana is a tough girl that came up from a rough background and she is into self preservation more than anything but she is also very fond of Joel. Joel is a businessman in town but also has great affection for Jana. They decide to take care of the baby through the holiday season and they bond more and more over the baby. This is a great story and will make your holiday reading fun and interesting.

I have voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book that I received from NetGalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion

Was this review helpful?

Christmas is a special time when miracles and magic happen!
It is a warm and fuzzy season that most folks love.
When Jana and her best friend Joel find a "real" infant in a manger late one cold night, it truly is a miracle.
Their journey has begun.
Will friendship turn in to love? Will baby Gabriel find his mother?
Can Jana share her secrets and learn to trust her friends?
A Christmas story like no other!
I really adored the characters in this novel, the warmth and the happiness that comes forth from this little town in Texas to help others when needed!
It truly warmed my heart!

Was this review helpful?