On the eve of a new year, we meet Sadie sitting on a sofa in an apartment that’s not hers contemplating how her life could have gone so wrong in just a year. With no job, no boyfriend and now living with Jacob, her brother’s best friend, things are not looking up. After being persuaded by her friend to go to a New Year’s party she meets a fortune teller and wishes to start the past year over again because she knows if given the chance, she can get it right this time. After coming back from the party close to midnight, she walks in on Jacob playing the piano, one thing leads to another, and they kiss and suddenly how is it that she’s never paid much attention to him before? How is it that she's never noticed how good looking he is?

When she wakes up the next day, she’s in her old apartment in bed with her ex-boyfriend and her job that she’s been fired from is calling to know what’s her ETA and she realizes she’s traveled to the start of her very bad year, and now with the knowledge of how to avoid the conflicts in her work and relationship she can get everything she’s wanted back.

But she can’t stop thinking about Jacob and the kiss and it doesn’t help that she keeps running into him.




It's hard to say where I stand with this book one hand, I liked the premise of the book, I’m not sure what it is but I’m really liking books that are about do over years/travel to the future, so I was very excited to get early access to this but on the other hand I had a hard time with some of the things in this book. For me the ending felt a little rushed and it felt that way because it takes the FMC almost the whole book to realize that if she sacrifices to much of herself for job that isn’t looking out for her and a relationship that has run its course, she loses the people that have always been in her corner, and she begins to lose sight of who she is as a person. I wanted more time on her working to rebuild the relationships she hurt on the road to get this life she thought she wanted.

Another thing is her parents, man are they a piece of work, the only time that they seem to like her was when she had “successful” boyfriend on her side, and it bothered me how much they always down played what she did for a living, I wish Sadie had told them something that finally made them see that the “successful” boyfriend wasn’t everything they thought he was because in the end I felt like we didn’t get a good conclusion on that, heck even the brother could have said something because if I’m being honest they value his opinion more than hers. Yeah, they’re that bad.

The romance, to say I wanted more is an understatement, now I love slow burn as much as the next girl but if you’re going to do a slow burn there has to be a big payoff at the end to make all the pining worth it and I just felt this didn’t deliver.

Now don’t get me wrong, I did like the book. I finished reading it in less than one day, and I recommend it to anyone that loves a Groundhog Day/year trope, slow burn trope, and he was always there why didn’t I see him before trope. I just wanted more.

Solid 3 stars



Thank you NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

You know how the trope unfolds… a woman experiences a series of horrendous personal losses and so she makes a wish to have life return to the way it used to be. That’s the premise of this story. There is no new ground in the book, and you may feel deja vu here and there (and no, that isn’t a pin about repeating the year twice!). Despite this, the book is enjoyable- I read it in one evening, in fact. I can’t call it a slow burn because there isn’t much ‘burn’ in it, but it’s not a “closed door” title (close, though!).

Sadie lost her job, her boyfriend, and her apartment. What she has are good friends, but you don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone (sorry, the song lyric popped in my head). In a moment of gloom and despair at a New Year’s Eve party, she meets the requisite fortune teller who gives her a weird incantation and voila’- the next morning, her new year begins.

There are some things I don’t understand with the book, including the cringy ending (SPOILERS) when the hero tells her he’s loved her since the 4th grade when she rescued him on the playground. That isn’t cute. That’s a cute story for how you met, or a laughing moment for how you initially had puppy love. That isn’t the basis of loving someone for 20 years as the character said.

So

Thank you Netgalley and forever for the free e-Arc in exchange for my honest review. I think this would make a great adaptation however on page there were too many stories going on at the same time, and for me too many characters to keep track of. I liked the idea of it.

3.5/5☆

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and author for a copy of this book. Readers should know there are described instances of sexual harassment and sexual assault without trigger warnings though the author does handle the situations carefully.

Sadie Thatcher is in need of a do-over. In the span of a few months she loses her job, her apartment, and her boyfriend due to speaking her mind a little too loudly. So, when a fortune teller offers her a chance to redo the entire year and prevent her heartache, she jumps at the opportunity. During her do over year, Sadie learns the importance of standing up for what she believes in, to never shrink herself or her self-worth (especially for men), and most importantly, that a do-over can cause more problems than help.

Overall, I enjoyed spending time in Sadie's world. I love the characters she interacted with and how they became a pseudo family to her. My biggest complaint about the book is that I wish everything was more fleshed out. The romance, though hinted at throughout the book, reaches the "I love you" stage extremely quickly. Some of the characters that we are supposed to love, we barely know. I can picture Zoe and Mrs. Kaminsky's vibes but don't really know them as a whole. I just wish the characters were more developed so that the relationships felt more fleshed out.

This was so good! I loved it! This is something that we all wish we could do, go back ibvtime to fix things. But would we really? This is a great book and I can't stop thinking about it.
I just reviewed The Second Chance Year by Melissa Wiesner. #NetGalley
[NetGalley URL]

Oh, what a delightful romance! This was my first book by Melissa Wiesner, and I'm sure it won't be the last. Sadie was a pastry chef in a high-end restaurant when she gets fired, dumped by her boyfriend, and has to live with her younger brother's best friend who owns his own apartment. Wallowing in self-pity on the couch, her best friend convinces her to go out for New Years, and while out, she connects with a fortune teller and wishes to start the year over. The next morning, she wakes up next to her old boyfriend and goes back to work at the high-end restaurant. But as the year progresses and she makes the changes that she thinks she should to keep all that she lost, she slowly but surely realizes that all that she lost was for the best.

While The Second Chance Year is a romance, the story is about so much more than that. Sadie's parents don't support her career and her boyfriend wants her to be someone she's not. She struggles with her identity of being someone who doesn't hesitate to stand up for those who can't do it themselves, and when she stops speaking up, she loses a key part of who she is. Sadie is looking around all the time for ways to change to she can fit in better, but it takes the whole book for her to realize that she's fine as she is--and the ones who love her just as she is are the ones she needs to hold onto.

There's a slow burn romance--her roommate/brother's best friend--is a painfully shy successful composer and it's pretty clear from the get-go that he adores her. But she doesn't see him until she does--and then it's crystal clear. Sadie and Jacob have a wonderful relationship because they accept each other for who they are and don't try to force them to be someone they're not. And that's the overarching message of this book--be true to yourself!

I usually like my romances a lot spicier, but this was a highly enjoyable read--an absolute treat. Highly recommend.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

I'm not a big fan of romances with time loops and jumps, but I thought this was really cute and didn't overdo it like some books do. The book follows Sadie as she gets to do over her "very bad year", which ended with her kissing her brother's bff Jacob. I did like how sweet Jacob and their relationship was. I was not a fan of the OW drama in her do-over year and was confused by the timeline of it. I though it took away from him supposedly being so into her (and is probably why I won't rate this 4 stars...).

For a light hearted book, there are some heavy topics (sexism + sexual harassment in the work place). Also, there is a lot of baking talk in this book.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This book is like a breath of fresh air. I enjoyed it so much and would absolutely recommend it!!

Sadie's year has not been good. So many things have gone wrong and she's not sure what to do next. Luckily her brother's best friend, Jacob, let's get crash in his empty room until she gets on her feet again, if she ever does.

She talks to a fortune teller (as you do) and asks for a redo. The fortune teller cautions her against it but she thinks it's the only way.

Her second chance year starts off great. Everything is going according to plan until it isn't anymore.

Imagine all the things you'd do differently. Imagine you know what's coming and you're prepared this time. Imagine it all goes spectacularly wrong, again.
I love how Sadie works through it all, good and bad and comes out better in the end!!

This was a charming book with lots of heart and a little dash of quirk. I will say that if you don't like cooking and baking metaphors and similes, this book is going to make you go bananas. It is impossible to forget that the main character is a cooking professional. That aside, there are some really wonderful things, including:
-An adorable love interest with a long history of unrequited love
-A badass best friend
-Demonstrating the importance of speaking up against patriarchal and sexist actions
-A scary clown used for comedic purposes
-A cat!

This will be a great recommendation for Jolabokaflod.

We all dream of having a second chance at life but sometimes that isn't always a good idea! Sadie is a bold and outspoken lady and when she speaks her mind sometimes it doesn't always turn out well for her. All the characters were well developed and Sadie's love for dessert made my mouth drool!

The Second Chance Year by Melissa Wiesner
eARC review
Pub date: December 5, 2023

4/5 ⭐️

<b>Fans of the time-loop trope will not be disappointed in <i>The Second Chance Year</i> by Melissa Wiesner! </b>

Sadie has had a Very Bad Year. Her boyfriend of three years dumped her. She was fired from her job as a pastry chef. And to top it all off, she is currently eating ice cream on her little brother’s best friend’s couch because she lost her apartment. As Sadie examines the reason behind her Very Bad Year, she realizes she lost all of these things because of her outspoken, and sometimes confrontational, attitude. When she meets a fortune teller at a blowout New Year’s Eve party, she has just one wish: to redo the year and correct her previous mistakes, and live the life she lost. <i>But, and there’s always a but, is the life she lost worth keeping if it means losing herself? </i>

Sadie and Jacob’s romance is swoon-worthy without being too over the top. Of course, it *is* a romance, but I think the absence of spicy scenes allows Wiesner to explore the other relationships in Sadie’s life, most importantly the one with herself.

<b>Things I liked/tropes: </b>

-Main character wakes up in a time-loop/parallel universe
-Brother’s best friend trope
-He fell first
-strong female characters and relationships
-self love and acceptance at center of plot

Why the rating? Spoilers below!

I really did love this book, but there were a few things I didn’t love.
* I needed *more* Mrs. Kaminski. She is mentioned a lot, and there is even a passing comparison to the fortune teller from the NYE party, so I would have liked a bit more background on her.
* I didn’t get closure with Sadie’s parents. I was so hoping Sadie would just unleash on them. To be perfectly honest, her parents sound like awful people. We see a change in her mother’s attitude at Thanksgiving when she asks Sadie about work. I *assume* it was because Jacob talked to them after the disastrous dinner, but we never get clarification on it. I would have loved for Sadie’s brother to tell Sadie that Jacob scolded her parents for being so awful.
* I grew a tad tired of the use of baking analogies. We get it, Sadie is a gourmet pastry chef!

Hmmm

Cute enough, I’ve read too many Groundhog Day, time rewind romances I think and this one just was very meh. Nothing particular to make it stand out but I know there will be a sweet little niche audience that hits the sweet spot for.

This was a really well done time loop story. There was a great balance of being a fun read while also tackling heavy topics. I think the author did a great job at making the story not feel overly repetitive and allowed it to feel fresh throughout. Great read!

Thank you to @netgalley and @grandcentralpub for this ARC. It’s a great introduction to new-to-me author @melissawiesnerauthor — this book super fun and though it does involve time travel, it does not feel like it’s been done before. It answers the very real question of what happens if we ask for a do-over and it comes true?

Sadie (love a Sadie, IYKYK) has hit rock bottom. She’s been dumped for mouthing off to a sexist friend of her social-climbing and career-climbing ex Alex, and fired from her pastry chef job for telling her creeper boss Xavier to go fudge himself (lol sorry, I did write that, I should be flambéed).

She can’t afford rent for the apartment she loves, so she’s couch crashing on her older brother Owen’s best friend Jacob’s couch. There are weird vibes between her and Jacob but we all know where these vibes are going right? 👀 On NYE, her best friend Kasumi drags her out to a circus themed warehouse party where she meets a fortune teller, and she asks for a do over. After fleeing the party, she and Jacob unexpectedly kiss, and when calmer minds and tongues prevail, Jacob apologizes profusely. Feeling worse than she thought possible, Sadie goes to sleep.

She wakes up January 1 a year ago in bed with her ex Alex and the do-over she requested. But everybody knows the best laid plans fall apart…

This book is so much fun, a little bit sad, a lot hopeful, as Sadie tries to right the wrongs she believes she made before the do-over. But now, she finds herself missing Jacob, and has to figure out how he fits into her life.

This book made me feel like there was a little space heater in my chest, it’s so warm. While it’s not super sexy (and not really all that open door, even), the sexual tension between Sadie and Jacob is absolutely there. And it’s really delicious. It’s a quick read, and because it comes out December 6, seasonally appropriate!

CW: sexual harassment from several sources, verbally abusive parents.

Sadie has had a really bad year, so when she’s presented with the opportunity for a do-over she jumps at the chance! As she relives her year she learns that a second chance isn’t always what it’s cracked up to be.

The Second Chance Year was an enjoyable read that focused more so on Sadie’s journey to be true to herself than the romantic plot. Well written and handles sensitive topics with respect (tw: sexual harassment, sexism, and workplace bullying).

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced reader copy.

Cute time-travel rom-com - great beach read (or when you wish you were on the beach)! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

The Second Chance Year is a cute, feel-good, slow burn romance that touches on some bigger issues. Despite any positive attributes the book had (and it does have them), I couldn’t get past the cringey food similes that littered the book (often several in each chapter). I rolled my eyes at the first couple, but it didn’t take long before they kept me from being able to take the story seriously. I think the book would be much better without them. On the plus side, I really liked the reserved and reliable MMC and camaraderie of the female characters, especially toward the end.

This is my third what if / alternate timeline type romance this year and I think it was my favourite. Sadie had me hooked from the start and the premise of getting a ‘do over’ of a rubbish year was great. Sadie’s redo of her “ Very Bad Year” was entertaining, random, funny, sad and rage making at times. I found myself eagerly reading this to see where she would end up. I enjoyed the journey she went on,with all the good and bad elements, and what she ultimately took away from her second chance. I also really liked Jacob, he was so lovely and sweet and had good chemistry with Sadie. Also liked the other supporting characters in Owen, Zoe, Jose, Mrs Kaminski and Gio. An enjoyable and engaging read. 3.75 ⭐️ rounded up.

This was such a fun and easy read! I could not put it down! Who wouldn’t want a second chance year? The story, the characters, the romance.. *swoon* 🤍

Thank you to NetGallery for an DRC in exchange for an honest review.

The Second Chance Year is every trope I LOVE in one book. Friends to lovers, magic/supernatural, fate, and of course he-falls-first. I love the theme of time travel with the main character having the knowledge of how to fix what went wrong and having to decide what’s worth saving and what’s worth letting go. Whenever I see a book with this theme, I pick it up every time because it’s such a great theme, and of course Melissa Wiesner crafted a beautiful story of self discovery through it. The worst thing about the book is I really wanted another 100 pages. I really wanted more of Jacob and Sadie, I could have read a whole book of just them figuring it out. Their relationship was so sweet and tentative and sizzling when they ever did let anything happen. I just wanted more! Not a terrible criticism really, just a feeling of wishing there was more story development.

The best thing is that it was a fast read that just went by so quickly—a true one day read. I was so stunned by how the second chance year was turning out at around 40% I couldn’t put the book down and just didn’t until it was finished. I was so nervous about Sadie’s journey I literally chose to keep reading over sleep. So the trade off of wishing there was more story/relationship development between Jacob and Sadie is that at least it is a quick, high quality “beach read”

Spoilers beyond this part because this is an ARC review and I want to be more specific about my favorite and least favorite elements.

If I could change one thing, I would change how Alex proposed. Either he had changed or he hadn’t and the story was easier to stomach with him having the “finance bro” mentality so when he shows up in the sweatshirt hoodie in the rain and seeming much like his pre-finance self I felt really devastated for his character and almost hated how lost and out of place he was. I get why the author did it, it showed Sadie’s commitment to making the choice that was right for her, even if it seemed like it wouldn’t be returned. It gave substance to her love for Jacob even if he wasn’t available, but I really wish Alex hadn’t been included there since it was just so sad and perhaps the same effect could have been created without that. It was just a disturbance in the flow for me.

I was really glad the author wrapped up the loose ends with fate guiding the missed connections and recreated the correct paths in the end. I really loved that Jacob and Sadie got their second chance but actually knew each other on a deeper level and it was set up for a much healthier start to their relationship. (I will remove this spoiler from my social media review but wanted to add it for feedback to the author/editor).