💔✨ Book Review: Rules for Second Chances by Maggie North ✨💔

A beautifully raw and hopeful story about love, forgiveness, and the messy road to a second chance. Maggie North’s novel perfectly captures the tension between holding on and letting go—and the courage it takes to try again.

What it’s about:
After a heartbreaking breakup, Claire and Adam are thrown back together by fate and circumstance. As old wounds resurface, they must navigate the tricky rules of forgiveness, trust, and whether some love is truly worth a second chance.

Tropes You’ll Love:
💞 Second chance romance
💔 Emotional baggage
🔥 Slow burn
👫 Reunited lovers
✨ Healing & growth

If you’re a fan of emotionally charged romance that pulls at your heartstrings, this book will stay with you long after the last page.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#RulesForSecondChances #MaggieNorth #SecondChanceRomance #EmotionalReads #SlowBurnRomance #Bookstagram #BookReview #RomanceReaders

I enjoyed this refreshing take on a marriage-in-trouble/second chance romance! It will resonate with anyone who suddenly looks up and realizes that their life isn’t what they thought it would be, and I loved how Liz takes matters into her own hands. I also appreciated that Liz and Tobin had to genuinely try to make their relationship work again; this isn’t a “fix it quick” kind of romance. While I wish we’d also gotten Tobin’s POV, being in Liz’s head added a level of depth that I wish more contemporaries would have. Four stars!

What a gem! I loved Liz's journey through improv to find her voice was both hilarious and deeply touching. The way North weaves in her estranged husband, Tobin, as her improv partner is pure genius – it creates such a unique and honest exploration of their relationship. I loved how the book tackled self-discovery making it far more than just a romance. It's a truly tender, funny, and empowering read that left me with a full heart. Definitely add this one to your TBR!

I had pretty high hopes for this. I’m not sure why, maybe its the pretty cover. I’m not usually a harsh reader, but wow, did the FMC (Liz) annoy me so much. I can’t even pinpoint why, but it made it hard to want to keep going. I did enjoy some parts of it, but not my fav. I most likely will pick up the second book, because surely, I will like It more.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to @netgalley & @stmartinspress for the digital copy.

I could talk about this book for days! I haven’t read very many romances tied to “the great outdoors” or improv comedy. I learned so much about what improv is all about and how it can build character. And that’s something this book has — fantastic character development!

I haven’t read many second chance romances where the couple is married and works through issues to stay married. It felt like a fresh view for me, and I felt hopeful for them all the way through.

Read for:
- Second chances
- lived experiences — neurodiversity, autism & social anxiety.
- LGBTQ+/bisexual representation.
- A book set in the Canadian wilderness — The author is Canadian.

While this novel is a standalone novel, I do think that readers who enjoyed this book will enjoy their return in the follow up novel, The Ripple Effect, by the same author.

Thank you to NetGalley, Maggie North, and St. Martin's Press for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I was not expecting how difficult it would be to read this book. It was hard for me to believe that this couple still belonged together. Their relationship felt toxic to me. This book wasn't for me.

I did not finish this book. I didn’t love the writing style. I like the concept I am just not sure this author is for me, willing to try again another time.

I liked this. It was more heartbreaking than I was expecting. I haven't read many estranged couple books but this one was handled very well. The personal growth these characters go through was very authentic and had me rooting for the FMC.

3.5 Stars
Thank you to the publisher for an eARC of this novel; all opinions are my own.
I liked this - I thought the beginning was absolutely heart wrenching. While the heroine frustrated me at points, making hypocritical decisions, ultimately she realizes her hypocrisy, and I think that’s an important lesson that we all ultimately learn.
I do think this had too many subplots, and the main plot suffered because of it: there was just too much going on. Regardless, I liked our hero and heroine as a couple, and I think their story was so sweet.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the arc of this book. All
Opinions are my own.

This was good! I enjoyed it. I read a lot of romance, but I always love new to me authors and this was one. I enjoyed the writing style and think this was super good! Definitely intrigued to read more.

Rules for Second Chances is a heartfelt second-chance romance about Liz, an introvert trying to rebuild her confidence—and her marriage—after a major birthday meltdown. When she signs up for an improv class to step out of her comfort zone, her estranged husband Tobin joins too, and sparks start to fly again.

It’s got great tropes like marriage in trouble, opposites attract, and personal growth, with a fresh twist thanks to the improv setting. A warm, reflective story about learning to speak up, take risks, and rediscover love.

I loved it! The main characters have real depth, and the course of their relationship, what went wrong with it, and how they learn to get it right the second time around, rings true because it isn't instant, and they encounter many setbacks.
The reality for neurodivergent people struggling to navigate life and relationships is a big theme in the book, and it is treated sensitively and believably.
This is a second-chance love story about an estranged couple, a hopeful story about dysfunctional families, and a story about one woman's voyage to self-acceptance and self-discovery, finding her true voice, and showing up authentically for those she loves.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic copy of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Fans of part-romance, part-motivational-life-advice with a neurodivergent protagonist at the helm will adore Maggie North’s debut novel, “Rules for Second Chances”.
Liz Lewis has aways been a secondary player in her own life. Her husband, Tobin, charismatic and extroverted, makes friends easily and is the most popular guide at the outdoor adventure group both he and Liz work for. At Liz’s job, her boss continues to tell her she is so valuable, she cannot be replaced, leading her to stagnate in the one position she’s held for years because she is too uncomfortable to ask for a change. Finally, after her thirtieth birthday party where she was, yet again, hiding in the background, she decides to take her own life into her own hands and make the necessary changes so that she, and only she, is responsible for what happens in her life.
Right from page one, Liz is eccentric, socially awkward and next level delightful. She knows her faults and wears them proudly, until the day comes when she realizes she is pigeon-holed by never taking chances. Although not diagnosed until the very end of the book, Liz comes to terms with her autism diagnosis as well, which makes her feel even more segregated from everyone else. Liz was the perfect protagonist, brave, independent and kick-ass and her relationship with Tobin was enviable, even when they were having problems.
“Chances” encourages readers to take their lives into their own hands, to make uncomfortable changes and seemingly unreasonable demands, all while navigating the struggling romance of Liz and Tobin and the challenges of the outdoor adventure business market. The plot is unique and highly enjoyable, where the romance components are more about Liz falling in love with herself then back in love with Tobin (although when they connect, there are definitely some steamy scenes).
North’s “Chances” is refreshing, quirky and motivating. Although not a fan of romance novels, in general, I wouldn’t necessarily qualify “Chances” as such (that’s my story, anyway), as it was more uplifting and realistic than saccharine and cringy. I am thrilled to see that “Chances” is getting a follow-up, focusing on Liz and Tobin’s best friends (both characters I loved), so I’ll definitely have to keep my eyes peeled for that one.

I'm always a little bit evenly split on opinions when it comes to "marriage on the rocks" romance but this book definitely fell on the positive end of the spectrum for me! I really enjoyed how heartfelt it was and how, overall, it was a story of growth. Both Liz and Tobin had me invested in not only their own individual journeys, but the fate of their love.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press for gifting an early copy of this book on NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. It was such a pleasing and enjoyable novel and I'll be keeping my eye out for more by Maggie North in the future.

I adored this (kind of) second chance romance debut novel by @maggienorthauthor and cannot wait to read her second book which comes out in June.

As someone who suffers from anxiety, feels socially awkward, and is an introvert most of the time I understood Liz. I could relate to her and her feelings of being unseen and not fitting in.

While this novel does deal with some heavy topics at times but it reads like a romcom. I highly recommend this one of a kind heartwarming novel.

I tandem read the ebook while listening to the audiobook. @grshalan does a great job with the narration. I actually just put a few books on hold @libby.app with her narrating so that I can listen to more of her work.

I got 30% of the way in and I couldn’t do it anymore. I found it hard to follow and it was kind of all over the place. Just not for me. 🙂

2.5

Rules for Second Chances has some really fun and fresh elements. The use of improv therapy as a plot device was a standout—it brought humor, energy, and something genuinely different to the story. Those moments had a spark to them that I really enjoyed, and they gave the book a unique voice.

But overall, I struggled to stay engaged. The pacing felt uneven, with major plot developments—like big emotional confrontations or turning points—rushed through without enough buildup. I also had a hard time connecting with Liz. While I appreciated her character growth, being in her head the entire time just didn’t work for me. I found myself getting bored, and honestly, I think if we’d had Toby’s perspective too, it would’ve added much-needed depth and balance.

I also didn’t love the romance. For a second chance love story, I felt like we didn’t get enough of their first chance to really root for the second. More flashbacks or insight into their past relationship would’ve made their reconnection feel more meaningful and emotional.

It’s a creative book with some charming, funny moments—but the emotional core just didn’t fully hit for me.

This one was just okay for me! Honestly, I found the conflict reached absurdity when it dragged on for so long. I understood it in the beginning, but at some point it was just plain insecurity driving them apart. I wish the conversation of autism was more spread out through the book. The conclusion wrapped up too easily for my liking considering everything these characters went through emotionally. The improv concept was fresh and new and I love how it was woven throughout the story to bring characters closer together. A unique and fun idea.

Thank you, Maggie North, St. Martin’s Griffin, and NetGalley for this ARC. While this wasn’t my favorite rom com, it was an interesting read. I found some of it relatable though the main character was unlikable in many ways and other characters simply unrealistic. I did appreciate the journey to self-discovery through diagnosis though it panned out in a way that was a little off in a way that I couldn’t quite put my finger on.

I don't even know how to describe all the feelings I felt when reading this book. I wish I could go back and read it again for the first time; it's funny and sad and happy and thought-provoking.

Maggie North's writing is superb in this single POV relationship-in-crisis romance about Liz and Tobin, a couple at a crossroads when Liz decides she needs and wants to be seen for who she really is, and determines she can only do that on her own, moving out of her home and moving in with her sister and niece - just a few houses down the street. Liz takes improv classes, starts making new friends, starts to say and do "yes, and," even when Tobin asks Liz to try to work on their relationship.

There were scenes that had me laughing out loud, scenes I wanted to cry, scenes I wanted to reach into the pages and hug Liz. And there were scenes in which I felt so seen, where it felt like Maggie had reached deep into my life, my brain, my heart and pulled out some of my deepest vulnerabilities, difficult experiences, hopes and dreams and put them into words that I couldn't dare articulate myself.

It is a romance so we do have an HEA and it is so well earned. It's beautiful and true to the characters.

This book is definitely one of the best books I have ever read.

Huge thank you to St. Martin's Press and Maggie North for providing me with an eARC of her debut book (all opinions are my own), and for being willing to become a friend. It is an honour and joy to know you and I'm so excited for you.