After Sadie loses her job, apartment, and boyfriend due to her outspoken nature, a New Year’s Eve fortune-teller grants her a do-over of the disastrous year. She wakes up the next day in the bed of her ex, with her former boss expecting her at work. Sadie slots back into her old life but sees warning signs she overlooked before. As doubts surface about her wish, she keeps encountering Jacob, her brother’s best friend. He doesn’t remember the secret kiss they shared, but she can’t forget it. Was redoing her terrible year a mistake after all?

This book is heartwarming and fun, a reminder that what we want and what we need aren’t always the same things. Sadie and Jake are adorable together. I loved how the story played out to a satisfying conclusion.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

This is such a cute and light read, especially for this time of year. Not only is the character relatable but the story discusses harassment in the workplace, which is also a relatable issue for many female readers.

I like this, didn’t love it.


The beginning started strong, but I found this a struggle to finish. The characters were lacklustre and I didn’t find them easy to root for. I just think this authors writing isn’t for me

Cute romance that definitely kept me engaged. Great premise, but the plot was all over the place and I almost gave up ~30 pages in because it was getting a bit too *whimscal* and not in a good way.

I thought the character development overshadowed the love story, which was maybe the point.

Honestly, great for those who like Katherine Center (cute love stories) and for those who enjoy reading about baking. 2.5 stars for me. Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Second Chance Year may be one of my top favorite debut novels this year. Melissa Wiesner is officially on my auto-read, auto-buy, auto-devour every book that she writes.

The idea of reliving one of the worst years of your life in the hopes of changing things to make it better? I feel like it’s something that we all have wanted to do at one point of our lives. What I loved most about this book is that along the way, you learn a lesson that changing yourself for the worst is not how you turn a bad year into a good year.

I adored Sadie (the cat lady) and I adored Jacob. The side characters were FANTASTIC. They were very memorable in the story and I loved the chemistry that they had with each other.

Give me more books like this and my whole reading shelf will be full of 5 star reads.

Thank you to Forever and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I received early access to this book from netgalley. Overall I enjoyed this book. It was a quick and cute read perfect for the holiday and this time of year. In this novel, Sadie has the worst year ever. Finding herself in front of a fortune teller at a NYE she wishes for a do over. The next morning she finds herself waking up to a time before her year took a turn for the worse. She is determined to change the outcome this time. In the process she comes to find that what she thought she wanted, the man and the job, was not right for her. I think we can all relate to Sadie in wanting a do over during some part of our lives. Would recommend reading this book!

Thanks to NetGalley and Forever for an Advanced Reader Copy - pub date 12/5/2023. Wow. Thank you so much, Melissa Wiesner, for giving me such a lovely, feelings driven, “contains important issues and messiness but does not make its entire personality about them” book that tickles all of the modern romance happy places I sometimes forget I have. I know. That was a very long sentence with words that aren’t adjectives being used as adjectives. If you read this book, though, you will forgive me. Seriously. There are so many Good Things going for it.

The plot is a fairly basic wish fulfillment trope - Doing a Bad Year Over While Knowing What You Know Now. You meet Sadie Thatcher at the start of the book, fully wallowing in her misery after Her Very Bad Year - lost her pastry chef job, lost her long-term boyfriend, lost her apartment and reduced to crashing at her brother’s best friend Jacob’s apartment, eating Ben & Jerry’s, and binging Golden Girls. (Let’s face it, as therapy goes, nothing beats calories and The Girls.) She has decided that all of these things have happened because she is herself - brash, confrontational, confident, and very willing to call out toxic status quos and behaviors. When she gets dragged to a New Year’s Eve party, she gets her wish for a do-over from a fortune teller. Before it kicks in, though, she and Jacob share a whopper of a moment.

I have to admit that, for the first bit, Sadie annoyed me a little. She was just so mopey and selfish and self-pitying. Then the prose pulled me further in and I started to sympathize with her. This was a woman who never before doubted her core self and how she faced the world but now a very rough 365 days left her confused and turning all of her anger inwards as she tried to figure out what she did wrong. It hurt to read her go through this. Unfortunately, I can all too clearly see how it happened, how she got so turned around, because a lot of us DO do that to ourselves, right? Hit me in the gut, why don’t you, Author? Once you meet her parents, her boss, her boyfriend… Well, it becomes even more painfully clear. Even the strongest of personalities can be twisted in on itself under near constant dismissal and losing what you love and want the most.

Or what you think you love and want the most, anyway. The entire Do Over Year proves to be exactly what Sadie needs and in a way she never could have expected. Even as a reader familiar with the trope, I found myself charmed by each slow moment of discovery and I wanted to shout whenever Sadie took a step back into a corner or refused to notice things.

Like, uh, the Statue of Liberty sized torch that Jacob’s been carrying around for her since elementary school. Like how she isn’t a disappointment but her parents sure are. Like how you need to be yourself in order to really find your people.

Through Sadie’s experiences, Wiesner deals with so many things that AFAB and female-presenting people face - patriarchy, sexual harassment, double standards for men and women, self worth and self doubt issues, the pressure to present in very certain ways. Of course these things affect all humans but, by seeing it through Sadie’s eyes and witnessing the repercussions, it is decidedly female slanted and, boy, does it suck. Hence the wanting to scream at Sadie sometimes.

Thankfully, Wiesner manages to include these all while still having a very real and very building romance at the heart of the story. Romance, after all, never happens in a vacuum and Sadie’s journey to her HEA feels like it really does take that whole year and faces outside influences as well as inside forces that keep her grasping at what she thought she wanted. But we should all be so lucky to have a Jacob in the wings, supporting and showing how friendship and love and true partnerships (both romantic and platonic) should be.

Seriously. Jacob is the best. Tall and handsome and musical and shy and smart and kind and a little old fashioned and definitely nerdy and awkward… And, most of all, accepting.

(On a different note, I never realized how mad I could get at a main character’s parents. Sadie’s are The Worst.)

So, basically, go and read this. Please. It will make you mad about society rules and expectations and the patriarchy without keeping you from enjoying a good organic romance and laughing at silly things and adoring a colorful supporting cast. It’s like a perfectly balanced lemon meringue pie - not too sweet, not too tart, and light with a feeling of gravity.

TW: Sexual harassment.

The Second Chance Year, by Melissa Wiesner combines a light dusting magic with a whole heap of trust the timing of your life. The premise of this book sees Sadie traveling back a year in her life, in an attempt to save her job and her relationship. As we travel with Sadie through her redo year we explore if sacrificing who you are is worth the trade-off of keeping what you think you want.

I really enjoyed this book. I found the characters, charming, relatable, and I was rooting for all of them. There were a few characters who served as antagonists in this book and they were believable adversaries without being cartoonish. While the book deals with an unbelievable premise of time travel - the characters situations, and challenges that Sadie faces are all too real. I got very invested in the characters and was worried about how it was going to end. I’m happy to report the ending was satisfying without being unbelievable or too convenient. Like a perfectly balanced dessert. This will probably be a re-read for me when I can get my hands on an audiobook version!

Thank you to Forever and NetGalley for letting me enjoy the ARC of this book!

This book was as sweet as an almond croissant (you'll get the baking references after you read this one)! If you need a feel good, get your life together girl kinda book, this one should be at the top of your TBR.

Sadie was such a cute main character and Jacob was a quirky counterpart. They really seemed to fit together, even if their chemistry wasn't as strong as I would have wanted. My favorite part was the found family Sadie creates for herself with the coffee house crew. I could fully envision Higher Grounds and just wanted to jump into the book to go there.

I will say, this was not a Christmas book. The beginning and end of the book takes place on New Year's Eve, but this encompasses an entire year in the life of the main character. It was the perfect book to get me into the spirit of holiday rom coms though! Also, be aware of the trigger warnings. If workplace harassment isn't something you are ok with, I would skip this one.

Overall, I gave this one 4/5 stars!

One horrible year brings Sadie to wish for a do-over.

One shot vodka.
Three spins.
Pixie dust.
Your wish will be granted.

I literally flew through this read in a day. It was enthralling the way she experienced new versions of herself only to realize maybe the grass isn't greener on the otherside. Jacob & Sadie are adorable in this friends to lover story. His mix-CD and piano playing was so swoon worthy! He's definitely a cinnamon role - Hannah is a pastry chef so it works here!

I'd also like to visit the Higher Grounds Coffee house for some coffee, sweets with its fun staff and patrons. This author is NOW added to my always read list.

Thank you Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the complimentary copy.

A huge thank you to Forever Publishing and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book!!!
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Admittedly, I am not a huge fan of books with magical elements, but this one absolutely stole my heart! I really felt for Sadie who at age 31 feels like the world is imploding around her, losing her job, her boyfriend, and her apartment in the same year, and in three decades still not able to earn the pride of her parents. It’s no surprise that having spent months wallowing in the spare room of her younger brother’s best friend Jacob, she wishes she could just go back and do this year over again. The real surprise is that she gets her wish, but not before one mind-blowing kiss with Jacob that he no longer remembers.
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The plot was enchanting, and the side characters were just as fleshed out as Sadie and Jacob, making the world feel whole despite having not experienced the Very Bad Year with Sadie. I would love a further look at Sadie’s brother, Owen, and his own struggles with their parents. This was a friends-to-lovers romance, but also a study in self-discovery and confidence. I particularly loved the ending that swerved differently than I was anticipating in a really poignant way outside of the norm. Definitely recommend adding this to your TBR list!

This book is about Sadie Thatcher, a 30 baker whose having a really tough year. I thought the premise of the book sounded so fun, who doesn't want to have a chance at a do-over?
I liked this book until I didn't. I didn't care for all the punny food references and the way she describes the other main character towards the beginning of the book. The reasons I didn't like this book may be up other folks alley. There are also many pop culture references. There are so many instances of sexism both in her relationships outside of work with others and in the workplace. I didn't make it to the end without skimming (started skimming around the 30% mark) but there is a element of found family that I would like liked to be explored more. The main female character is headstrong which I appreciate. Thanks for letting me read this early, but again because of the reasons I outlined this book just was not my taste after all.

I enjoyed this but I feel like it was too slow for me. She didn't actually spend that much time with Jacob. I sort of believe that she was in love with him but I needed more of them. Maybe if we got a longer epilogue with them actually being together.

I received an arc through netgalley.

Don't read this book if you are trying to avoid dessert. Not only is our main character Sadie a pastry chef, but the narrative is full of baking similes. I myself am a big fan of a delectable dessert, so I plunged ahead. After a disastrous year where she lost a job, boyfriend, and her apartment; Sadie is ready to try anything. Desperate enough to try the vodka shot potion given her by a fortune-teller at a NYE party. She wishes for a do-over and wakes up like that last year never happened. Now what will she do to avoid the mistakes of the past year? It is hard work! There is a good amount of déjà vu as you might imagine. I appreciated the variations that would pop up while the cast of characters remained constant. What if Sadie discovers that she really didn't want what she thought she did? Will it be too late? Includes a strong #metoo thread, an adorable rescue kitten named Giocuso, and the most adorable boyfriend ever.

Thank you to Hachette Audio, Forever(Grand Central Publishing), and NetGalley for both audio and digital ARCS. All opinions are my own.

Thank you Netgalley & Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for this ARC in return for my honest review.

Goodness. This was such a fun read.

Sadie. Pastry Chef. Defender of the mistreated. Outspoken. And she's having a Very Bad Year.

That loud mouth got her fired. Her boyfriend dumped her. She lost her apartment and was forced to move into her brother's best friend's spare room: where she basically binges The Golden Girls while eating spoonful's of Nutella.

We meet Sadie on New Year's Eve. Her best friend convinces her to attend a party where Sadie encounters a fortune teller. Sadie asks to re-do her year -- and wakes up the following morning on January 1 -- of that Very Bad Year.

This book incorporates a little magic (time loop) - but the fun thing is that Sadie remembers what happened the first time round and so is able to change her reactions to specific events. While she focuses on keeping her job and her boyfriend - other things start to shift. And not always for the better.

I LOVED that this is a book about Sadie figuring herself out. She has to really examine who she is, what she wants and who she wants in her life. Sometimes wanting what you had isn't all it's cut out to be ... and maybe letting go and opening yourself up to something new is what is best for you.

The love story between Sadie and Jacob is a sweet, slow burn. He is a strong, silent type. There are themes of sexual harassment, bullying, sexism (in the workplace) - which made this a bit more "serious" read. I thought that those events were treated with care.

Recommended read. I hope Melissa Wiesner decides to continue with these characters and gives us Owen's story next.

Melissa Weisner's THE SECOND CHANCE YEAR offers such a bright promise: young woman given the chance to do over a horrific year of work and romantic upheavals she believes is centered on her vehement calling out bad behavior and confronting those she believes are behaving badly directly and loudly. Given that opportunity, she lives the encounters, the relationships, and moments, but with the perspective of the long-term outcomes. Does she continue with the terrible relationships or does she remain quiet and let them wash over her -- or does she come to realize it was never about her big mouth and harsh takedowns and create an entirely new life? While I loved the concept of the story, I did not like the protagonist nor the ones in her world, feeling the ultimate story had its moments, but was not a pleasurable read or particularly engaging. I received a copy of this book and these opinions are my own, unbiased thoughts.

Sadie's life is not exactly where she wants it to be. Getting fired, loosing her long time boyfriend, and forced to crash in her brother's best friend's spare room all lead to a very bad year. But when a wish on NYE gives her a chance to redo it all, will she really change that much?

This was such a cute book. Here's what I liked:
- The structure. It's told month by mont in the year Sadie relives. I loved this because it didn't drag things out and really got to the points that mattered to the story.

-The premise. I love time books. They are always so clever with how things are put together, and this was put together really well. Not a lot of time was wasted on explaining the time travel, focusing more on Sadie and what she's going to do with the new time.

- Jacob. I loved this man. He was that sweet, nerdy guy that really does hold his heart on his sleeve. He's just such a great guy and melted my heart with how much he does for Sadie.

All in all, this was a really good time travel book that looks at what you think you want versus what you really want.

-Brother's best friend
-time travel

Thank you to the author for the gifted copy.
My reviews are always honest.

4.5 stars

Thanks to Forever for the advance copy of this book!

“When your role has been clearly laid out for your entire life, it’s not easy to pivot to being someone else.”

I looooove a good timeline jump story where the main character gets a redo. In The Second Chance Year, Sadie has the WORST year - losing her job, apartment, and boyfriend. On New Year's Eve, she meets a fortune teller and wishes for a redo... and wakes up on January 1 of last year with a chance for a redo.

Not only was this a second chance at love (with a BROTHER'S BEST FRIEND), this is a story that touches on sexism in the workplace, parental expectations, and friendship. I laughed, I teared up, and I adored this book. This one is for all the girlies who tend to speak their minds, who are struggling to live up to a role or expectation someone has set for them, or who just wish they could have a reset.

Highly recommend picking this up in December - it's perfect for New Year's Eve!

Sadie has not had the best year. First she gets fired from her job at a prestigious restaurant then her boyfriend breaks up with her and now she’s living with her brother’s best friend Jacob. At a New Year’s party Sadie meets a fortune teller who gives her the chance to relive the past year. When Sadie wakes up on January 1st she is still with her ex-boyfriend and working as an assistant pastry chef. But the more she tries to change herself and outcomes of the past year the more unhappy Sadie becomes. She ends up losing her best friend and being sexually harassed at her restaurant. The only constants seem to be Jacob and the small coffee shop she has grown to love. With time Sadie learns that she does not to change who she is in order to create the life she’s always wanted.

This book was such a delight! First of all I loved all the desserts and nods to the GBBO. Second, the message that there is only so much bending we can do for other people is VITAL and something I am working on myself. Lastly, Jacob just melts my heart with how soft of a character he is! This will be a holiday romance that I read every year! Loved it!

Cute story, quick read, trying to write a review a couple of weeks after finishing and I am failing to come up with anything else to say. A Groundhog Day-esque premise where the lead character gets to relive one whole year of her life, and she finds new family and purpose and passion along the way and basically realizes everything turns out the way it does for a reason. An enjoyable read with sweet characters.