Review: The Second Ending by Michelle Hoffman 4.5⭐️

The Second Ending follows two main characters - Prudence, a child prodigy who is now an empty nester looking for her purpose, and Alexei, a young virtuoso searching for his passion - as they compete in a piano duel on live tv.

While Prudence is the born talent and Alexis is the hard work talent, they have similar struggles to find their true identities and discover their second endings. It’s a heartwarming novel filled with quirky and unique characters, humor, and fun.

There is a lot going on in this book - New characters are constantly introduced in addition to backstories. But the author seamlessly weaved all the stories back to the two main characters and present day plot. It kept the book moving and was so entertaining.

If you play and appreciate music, I think you’ll love this even more. I can’t read a note but I still adored how music tied everything together.

I love books about music, so I was delighted to receive a copy of The Second Ending by Michelle Hoffman. This book about former prodigy Prudence Childs navigating adulthood is one that kept me turning the pages. Former rival Alexei is also an engaging character.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me. All thoughts are my own.

“The Second Ending” if you want a character-driven book fully of zany people and multiple POVs. It’s not action packed, but it’s fun!

Former child prodigy Prudence Childs agrees to compete on a dueling piano reality TV show — and then her ex-husband shows up to blackmail her. Her competition on the show is a Russian virtuoso whose parents have ensured his entire life was dedicated to his craft. The book alternates between their perspectives leading up to the competition.

I found this storyline really unique and engaging, and I love that the author is a former reporter for the Arizona Republic. I thought the characters were really well done, and I loved the subtle humor throughout this one. That’s not easy to pull off.

I enjoyed this quirky and fun story- it was fast paced with interesting characters and a lovely story line. It brought delight to my heart. I can’t wait to read more from this author!

Prudence Childs was a child prodigy. Her grandmother exploited this and Prudence spent her youth traveling and performing. Once she was old enough she ran away and supported herself writing jingles for commercials. One specific jingle earned her a fortune. But was it truly her work, or did she steal it?

At 48, Prudence decides it’s time to unpack her past and agrees to compete on a TV show- dueling pianos. She never could predict what happens personally and professionally as she is scrutinized and blackmailed, but eventually comes out conqueror. As a pianist I enjoyed the musical references and watching how the story unfolded.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Reminded me of similar vibes to Kevin Wilson’s books and Where’d You Go, Bernadette. Enjoyable and fun romp!

Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for this ARC for an exchange for an honest review.

Enjoyed this book very much.

The Second Ending is a story about obligations, guilt, shame, and finding what you loved in the first place. We meet Prudence, a middle-aged former child piano prodigy who has an ex-husband and an unfulfilling career as a jingle writer. And there is Alexei, the young piano star with worldwide popularity. They have been asked to compete in a televised piano playing competition.

Prudence and Alexei are products of their environment. While they both have natural talent, it's the adults in their lives who made them the stars they are (or were, in the case of Prudence). Prudence left it all behind when she realized she was being used by her grandmother. Alexei is ready to quit because his parents treat him like a machine. He has no friends or hobbies. Just the piano.

Prudence also has a secret. And her unpleasant ex-husband wants a piece of the show's winnings...or else he'll ruin her life.

This was a quick read and rather predictable. That was OK, though, because Prudence and Alexei are the kind of people you'd like to get to know. I liked the characters and the story.

My thanks to NetGalley and Random House Ballantine for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The premise was what pulled me in. Solidly written with characters you can't help but root for despite themselves, this was an interesting novel about what it means to fulfill your full potential.

A former child prodigy and an internet sensation go head-to-head in an epic dueling piano competition... what could go wrong?

Dreamy virtuoso Alexei Petrov's Russian upbringing (and family's lifestyle) depend on his practicing all day, every day. There's no room for error and absolutely no room for fun.

When she was three, Prudence Childs taught herself to play piano. At 48, she's sent her daughter off to college and wondering whether there's more to life than writing jingles for commercials.

For the competition, both pianists will need to learn something new and will discover whether they might find a new way to play— on the keys and in life.

A story full of music references of two classically trained pianists who have to come to grips with the relationship they have to being a musician. I appreciated the contrast between the child prodigy Prudence and the young virtuoso Alexei.
Honestly Gabe was my favorite character. Seeing someone who has gone through it all and come out the other side steady and with a calm outlook is refreshing. It was nice to have a chill character.

I didn’t find myself ever truly pulled into this storyline. I had difficulty connecting to the characters. It was okay but missing something to be a five star read.

I ran hot and cold with this book. There were parts that were delightful and others parts that seemed to drag. I found the book to be much more serious than the cover would lead you to believe. This is more of a character study than a playful book. It took a while to get into the book as I didn't really connect with any of the characters.

Those that play music and those that don't both know how certain pieces can reach in and touch your soul. The Second Ending is a written piece that does the same thing. It is about overcoming fear, growing beyond expectations, and finding your true self (no matter your age). This story will touch your soul and maybe (hopefully) awaken a long lost dream and you'll have your own Second Ending. Brava!

Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review. DNF. I tried. I really tried to get into this book, but I just could not. Even after reading others’ reviews that said there were enough funny bits to balance the slow parts, I could not find them. It was just too slow and uninteresting for me to finish this one. I hate walking away from a book before finishing, but there just wasn’t anything that made me want to keep going.

The first sentence of the debut book's summary reel me in to request an arc: "A former prodigy who refuses to believe her best years are behind her and a young virtuoso searching for his passion both get an unlikely shot at their dreams in this sparkling debut about second chances, unexpected joys, and the miraculous power of music."

Who doesn't love a comeback story about second chances, a potential rivalry between past and future, and music? The book was a warm hug with optimism about starting over or again and how small the world is. There are multiple POV from different characters, which I liked because I was able to spend a brief time in the character mindset. I think it provided a better understanding of why the characters are who they are and to see how they grew from the first chapter. The pop culture references throughout about Dancing with the Stars and the song A Thousand Miles by Vanessa Carlton is a nice touch. Also, the book is set in my home state of Arizona, which is rare to read about it.

I would recommend to readers who like fiction about second chances, new beginnings, multiple POV, and a non-linear timeline. I received an ARC in exchange for a honest review.

Oh this book was so much fun. I wasn't expecting it to be a fun comedy, although let's face it, most comedies are fun. It totally reminds me of "Old dog teaching new dog tricks" so to speak. I loved every minute of it!
Prudence Childs, is just so awesome. After realizing she had been taking advantage of as a child prodigy, she said goodbye to music. Or so she thought.

Enter Alexei Petrov, he reminded me of a yes man. He's a self made sensation thanks to the wonderful ins and outs of social media.

These two come together and the story takes off from there!!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

3.5 ⭐️ I enjoyed this book except for the Bobby/Tamara plot elements and found myself skimming those parts. Otherwise parts of this book were quite special. Overall, it was an engaging and quick read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance copy of A Second Ending by Michelle Hoffman in exchange for my honest review and opinion. Loved this book and how the characters were developed. I found this to be a fun, quick read and was thrilled to be chosen to read this ahead of all my friends and family. This is one that I will for sure recommend to everyone!

There was no shortage of things that bothered me throughout this book. But, the good/fun parts of the book were enjoyable enough to help compensate for the not-so-good bits. After skimming through some other reviews, it seems I'm not alone in finding some similarities between this book and Where'd You Go, Bernadette and Lessons in Chemistry; reader who enjoyed either/both of those titles are likely to enjoy The Second Ending.