Rules for Second Chances was a book I was really excited about since I love marriage-in-crisis stories (who knew I would ever say that?). Unfortunately, despite my best efforts, I just couldn’t get into this one.

What didn’t work for me was that there was so much going on that the story became hard to follow. The reasoning behind wanting a divorce didn’t feel fully fleshed out or even rational (though, to be fair, who is rational during such moments in life?). I would have liked to see both POVs so I could understand Tobin's thought process. I spent much of the book feeling bad for him, given Liz’s treatment of him and what I could see on the page.

I appreciated that they addressed their problems in an unconventional way, but it would have been great if they had just, I don’t know, talked to each other.

What I think was really well done was the representation of autism and social anxiety. You could see Liz's growth throughout the story.

Lastly, I wouldn’t recommend the audiobook—I had trouble with the narrator choice.

Rules for Second Chances is a captivating and heartfelt novel that delves into the complexities of second chances—both in life and love. I immediately connected to Liz's character, so despite her specific situation being unrelatable for me, I was drawn into the story. Set against a small town backdrop, Maggie North created wonderful characters that immersed you in the story and I was invested in their journey. The exploration around forgiveness, courage and life not going to plan was well done.

Thank you St. Martin's Griffin for the copy through NetGalley in exchange for a review.

This book had me sobbing, smiling, sobbing, laughing, weeping, and smiling all over again. It was a rollercoaster of emotions, a love story, and, most importantly, self-discovery. This is a unique book that needs to be cherished. This is real and raw.

Tropes:
-Neurodivergent rep
-Second chance
-Forced proximity
-Personal Growth

Second chance romance is my favorite trope and I love books about married couples so I was exicted for this one but it was a miss. I didn't connect emotionally to any of the characters. Plus it's very slow paced. There were some nice moments sprinkled throghout but overall it fell flat.

I was so excited for this eARC because "Second Chances" is one of my top favorite trope, but unfortunately this book missed the mark for me. While RfSC does feature some great representation by way of its main characters, it felt less like of a romcom (which is what it's being marketed as, more or less) and more of a coming-of-age/lit-fic story— which isn't necessarily a bad thing, as I do think North was able to successfully write about more everyday, relatable experiences in a way that is easy for us, as readers, to latch onto. However, going back to my original point: The romance "featured" here was underwhelming and, despite being able to resonate [for the most part] with the overarching themes of this book, it was rather difficult for me to do the same with or get behind any of the characters.... and, to be honest, I think that was due in part to North's writing style, which read confusingly and felt a little haphazard throughout multiple points in the book. With stronger writing and/or perhaps a tweak in style, I think this issue could easily be resolved. That said, while this book didn't really work for me, I'm still open to checking out North's future works!

This one just wasn't for me, which breaks my heart because second chance romance is my jam.. but this marriage in crisis book took on a much heavier and self deprecating tone than I bargained for, add in the improv plot- one of my least favorite plot devices, and I was pretty much checked out.

Aside from the issues mentioned above I struggled with the FMC, the pacing, and just connecting with the story in any meaningful way. There was a lot going on in this book, like 10 different sub plots, that made this feel chaotic and lacking in depth. I felt like when push came to shove we couldn't focus on or dig into the nitty gritty of any one thing because the FMC was trying to fix EVERYTHING all at once.

All in all I won't be recommending this one

I was drawn to Rules for Second Chances because of the setting, which is a fictionalized version of a mountain town close to my home, and I stayed for the main character's journey of self discovery and the second chance romance. I didn't love the improv sections much but that's likely due to personal preference and not the writing. I appreciate the e-copy of this book, thanks to NetGalley and SMP.

I voluntarily read an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I guess I didn't love the main character and how she was thinking of herself for most of the story. It made the book more of a general fiction than a romance, one more about self discovery. By the last quarter of the book, I could understand her more, and her motivations. I'm glad it worked out for the characters.
It was definitely an unforgettable book. I'm glad I read it till the end. Was nice to see a second chance romance really delve into the differences of a couple whilst keeping the love for each other there.
3.5 stars

Such a good read that I enjoyed! I'm so glad that I got the chance to read it early and will definitely be recommending it to multiple people who enjoy these types of novels. I enjoyed the characters and especially enjoyed the writing by this author. I'm excited to see what the author comes out with next as I'll definitely be reading it! Thank you to the publisher for my early copy of this book!

Rules for Second Chances is the debut novel for Maggie North. This is the story of Liz Lewis, her husband Tobin Renner-Lewis, her sister Amber, and niece Eleanor as they weather a particular season that effects them all.

At the party celebrating Liz’s 30 birthday, the party the lady that was more wallflower than life of the party dreaded, things begin to come to a head when one of the new West by North employees mistakes Liz for the help. This sends her promptly scurrying to her home next door from her mother-in-law’s, Marijka Renner, home.

When Liz first met Tobin they had both just begun working for West by North a decade ago, both working as wilderness guides, and had complemented each other so well. But as outgoing Tobin moved ahead in the outdoors, reserved Liz found herself becoming a numbers person in a back office. True, Liz had a gift with numbers and organization and was a whiz at expediting orders and deliveries over his fishing expeditions, but Liz was tired of being unseen, barely more than a fixture in the company.

Later the night of the party, and as intimacy was brewing with Tobin, something made her feel unseen even in his eyes, prompting Liz to pack a bag and head further down the street to her parents’ home where currently only Amber and Eleanor were living as their parents were at their winter home in Arizona. Grudgingly single mother Amber took her sister in, but there were conditions like helping with Eleanor.

Through a series of developments, disappointments, and near disasters, Liz learns to make herself seen and allows others to see what they’ve missed. This is a very well told tale of a young woman struggling with her identity as she also comes to terms with the fact that she may have the same autism as her niece. But once Liz stops trying to fit into a box defined by others and begins being true to herself many good things come her way.

I found this story enlightening and enjoyable and I do recommend it!

This main character was so dramatic about everything for no reason. Like omg your husband looked at you after you left him over nothing... get over it. I probably should have DNFd this because I really struggled to make it through. I was intrigued by a second chance romance with her husband, but not with this girl.

Always love a book by Maggie. The tropes were on point, and will be recommending to people I know. I will be looking for a copy in my bookstore.

I really enjoyed the witty writing and neurodivergent representation in this book. I'm all for socially awkward FMC's discovering themselves!

Although second chance romance has become one of my favourite tropes, this was my first time reading about it from the perspective of a seemingly perfect married couple - which was different. Main characters Liz and Tobin appear to have a very loving relationship so I wasn't fully convinced that their marriage would have been at such a crossroads. The conflict between them seemed a little unrealistic to me, as did Tobin himself (he was far too flawless in my opinion). I think I needed a little more grit and a lot more authenticity to break through the surface level of the story and get to the good stuff. I would have liked to see more depth from the main characters and a little less from the side characters/side story plot lines - which I found to be distracting and a little hard to follow.

Overall, this was an entertaining read with a unique premise and I appreciated what the author was attempting to do with the important themes.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for access to the e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

The cover for Maggie North’s debut Rules for Second Chances is what first drew me to the book, but then I read the synopsis and felt seen. As someone who developed anxiety and social anxiety late in life, but is married to an extravert who (thankfully) draws most of the attention, sometimes you want to be seen…. but not seen. Which only a fellow introvert will probably understand. This is where Liz finds herself when she is mistaken for the server at her own birthday party, when suddenly she can’t handle the loneliness anymore and decides she needs and wants a change, including a break from her husband Tobin.

This is mostly Liz’s story about discovering herself, but along the way she rediscovers those around her, rebuilding relationships, including her marriage. While it seems like this is a predictable story of a second-chance-romance, North has some surprises up her sleeve, which was a nice surprise.

Rules for Second Chances currently has a mix of reviews, but I can see how those who don’t understand anxiety or introversion might feel like Liz is frustrating. For me, being inside her head was very familiar, as well as inspiring.

Liz decides to join an improv group to help her feel more comfortable in social situations, especially for work. She’s hoping her pitch for a new idea will win her the promotion up for grabs. She’s tired of being behind the scenes and wants to be appreciated as an important member of the team.

Along the way Liz discovers she’s terrible at improv and needs to find someone to practice with. The best available choice? Her boisterous husband who’s determined to get her back. The reader gets some sweet and steamy moments between the two, and even though the setup had a very rom-com feel, I enjoyed it immensely.

Liz and Tobin are not perfect. They make mistakes, which only made this one more enjoyable for me. I enjoyed Liz’s journey to find herself, admit her failures, and accept—and embrace—her uniqueness. I feel like this is one I’ll be thinking about for a while. It may even stick with me until the end of the year. If you’re an introvert, deal with anxiety, or discovered you’re on the spectrum as an adult, you might enjoy this one!

This one just wasn't for me, which breaks my heart because second chance romance is my jam.. but this marriage in crisis book took on a much heavier and self deprecating tone than I bargained for, add in the improv plot- one of my least favorite plot devices, and I was pretty much checked out.

Aside from the issues mentioned above I struggled with the FMC, the pacing, and just connecting with the story in any meaningful way. There was a lot going on in this book, like 10 different sub plots, that made this feel chaotic and lacking in depth. I felt like when push came to shove we couldn't focus on or dig into the nitty gritty of any one thing because the FMC was trying to fix EVERYTHING all at once.

All in all this is one I can't and won't be recommending. I'm sure it'll find its audience, I'm just not it, and that's okay!

I tried this one on my kindle and when I couldn't get past the 20% point I swapped to the audio version to power through. Although the narration made the process quicker I can't even recommend the audio as the performance I felt was poorly done. It was all written from the FMC's POV so its one narrator and when she switches to the husbands voice it pulled me out of the story every single time. Not the best I've heard, and im a pretty forgiving audio listener!


thanks to the publisher and net galley for the E-ARC as well as McMillan Audio for the ALC, I wish I enjoyed this one more than I did!

This was not the journey of self-discovery I was anticipating. Am I disappointed? Nope!
I love a good second-chance, marriage-in-crisis, it's something about the hope of it all..

This book was a lot more relatable than I thought I would find it. Liz finding out that she is neurodivergent later than you'd typically be diagnosed was a nail-on-the-head moment. I feel like so many women are experiencing that right now. Was extremely validating to read and I think other women would also find it important. Another piece that I believe a lot of women many stages of life will be able to relate to is the idea of "you lose yourself and it takes a bit to find YOU again" whether you lose yourself in marriage, motherhood or maybe even the workplace.

Overall this whole novel felt more real than typical second-chance books. Showed off the messy and rough sides to marriage and family. Big props to North for not being afraid to write it. I do want to read more of their work! But many just a teeny-tiny bit more happy!

I was surprised by how much I liked this book. I requested an ARC after my friend recommended it to me, but I did this without reading the summary. When I found out this was a second-chance marriage I was skeptical, because I am usually not a fan of that trope, but this book ended up being the exception!

I think this worked for me because the romance was not the primary focus. The book was more about self discovery and learning to step out of your comfort zone. Since I share a lot of traits in common with the main character, I really enjoyed watching her transformation. Using improv to make changes both personally and romantically was a really creative touch. Personally, I am not a fan of improv, but in a way, I think that made it more appealing- she was able to put herself out there even though others might judge her for it. Similarly, I can see how improv could help couples with communication, since they might be more willing to share their feelings under the guise of "being in character."

Overall, I really enjoyed watching Liz push herself and grow. The romance was cute too, although it certainly was not what stood out for me. If you enjoy women's fiction, shy FMCs, and second-chances, I highly recommend this. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

I kept pushing Rules for Second Chances down my prioritized reading list because I hadn't been having the best luck with debut or new=to-me authors, and I'm so mad at myself because I adored and deeply connected with this book.

Rules for Second Chances stars Liz, who is struggling to feel seen at work and in her personal life, so she decides she needs time away from her husband Tobin, who is easy-going, loved by all, and seemingly very different from Liz. During this break, Liz takes an improv class recommended by her boss as a way to help her prepare for a pitch competition at work. Tobin, who was not on board with the break, suggests that he works with Liz on her improv while working through an improv for relationships self-help style book.

There is a lot about that premise that made me nervous. I thought Rules for Second Chances was going to be cringy and instead found it to be singular, emotional, and lovely. Two things made this book a standout for me. First, I appreciated the focus on Liz understanding herself. I recently read something from an author (so frustrated I can't remember who) that the difference between their YA books and adult books is that their YA books focus more on identity. It's not something I'd thought of before, but I realized that YA's focus on identity is likely why I cannot stop reading YA as a 30-year-old. I love an exploration of better understanding who you are, and I'm so grateful to see an adult romance spend so much time on identity. It didn't hurt that I connected with and saw pieces of myself in Liz.

Second, I feel the need to preface this by saying I am usually lukewarm on second chance romance as a trope, having the second chance romance focus on a long-term/married couple right after they separated really worked for me. I've already made this review a lot about me, but to get even more personal: it was a lot easier to see my relationship in this romance than most others, partially because of the stage of their relationship. Not because I'm separated or near separation, but because the issues they faced felt real and realistic to my life. And instead of wanting to yell at Liz and Tobin when they could have communicated better, Rules for Second Chances had me reflecting on how I could be a better communicator in my relationship.

Also, the improv was actually funny and only made me want to die of embarrassment when it meant to - a real feat!

Loved this second chance romance book. It’s nice to get a romance book about an already married couple. Really enjoyed this debut novel!

Rules for Second Chances is a blend of a second chance romance and mixed with a coming-of-age novel. It has some nuanced and relatable themes, as well as important representation. And while I liked all the character growth, but the romance itself was underwhelming. It ended well, but for the majority of the book I was annoyed with Liz for completely ignoring Tobin, and a few scenes were a little cringey as well. As a whole, I do think it's a solid story, mostly for the aforementioned themes, but I can't say that I loved every minute of it.