A marriage in trouble, Liz who is neurodivergent working for an outdoors adventure company. She wants to be heard within the company, but her idea for the marketing department is way off. I had wondered why she is pushing for an improv club. Maybe for a team get together for a night but not for a couple of days. But, anyways, Liz has had enough of Tobins out going ways and not really listening to her concerns especially for her birthday. She’s about of an introvert and he’s not. This was ok to read but I don’t know if I would recommend.

COULD NOT PUT THIS DOWN!!! Maggie North absolutely KILLED it!!

Liz feels like people view her as the weak link--in her marriage, in her family, in her job. After being mistaken for a server at her own birthday party, Liz decides it's time for a change. She tells her husband, Tobin, she needs a break, then vows to become a new person. Step one? Signing up for improv comedy classes. Unfortunately, Tobin is the only person willing to be her improv partner.

Tobin and Liz must unpack all the things that went wrong the first time around and learn to give each other a second chance--and I was ALONG FOR THE RIDE. I was LOCKED IN. I was HYPERVENTILATING.

Increasingly niche list of things you can expect:
🤝 second chance romance
🏞️ outdoor exploration
🧑‍🏫 workplace competition
😂 improv classes
⛳️ golf lessons
🧜🏻‍♂️ mermaid costume

Second chances come in many forms and Liz took them by storm. Between figuring out her job situation and her re-falling in love with her husband, you are in for a wild ride with hilarious scenarios that are just the perfect in-between cringy and making you die laughing.

I am a killer for angsty romance and Maggie North's debut is full of it. I still don't know if I feel bad for Tobin because he deserved for Liz to tell him the blunt truth. My favorite thing about this book was probably that it wasn't just the romance between Liz and Tobin that was holding the book together, it was Liz finding herself in a way that made her happy. It felt very much like a Sarah Dessen book which is maybe why I love it so much. The focus wasn't always about romance and it was very realistic in that aspect.

I could start telling you my issues with the book, which would be the pace and the formatting, or I could tell you about the representation. North writes of an autistic character who doesn't know she is with an autistic niece and it is very real. You see it throughout the book and when she makes the connection, it is a heartbreaking but inspiring moment. As a reader, we don't often get to see the neuro-divergent representation in the book community and Rules for Second Chances does a wonderful representation. Honestly, I would recommend the book solely on this representation.

***Received an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review***

A fabulous story about finding your way back to the beginning of your love story when you thought the magic was gone forever,
I absolutely adored this story about a couple finding its way forward after they've lost sight of what drew them together in the first place.
One of the most evocative, beautiful stories I've ever read about rescuing a marriage on the brink of implosion.
Full review to come on Bookbub,

I liked the writing enough but I just wasn't super interested in the characters or storyline. It's probably a me thing but I just kept putting ut down.

I applaud the author taking a chance on a h you don't typically find in romance.

3.25 stars. I feel like there’s a little too much going on in this book for the relationship to truly shine — there’s the relationship in crisis, a job pitch for a promotion, improv classes, family issues for both the the MMC and the FMC, and an autism diagnosis. The setting is great and well-done, so there’s a great sense of place, and I do like both MCs. My favorite parts were when they were actively working on their relationship and the friendships the FMC made in her improv classes as she came into her own. The emotional angst the FMC felt at her life was palpable as well, and made me cry. I would read this author again, and the book seemed to set up a different relationship for the future, so I’ll probably check that out.

A great spin on a second chance romance! It felt a little more Women’s fiction then a rom com but there were some laughs. Overall I enjoyed it!

*Thank yout to NetGalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review*

3.75 Stars

In Rules for Second chance, thirty year old Liz, who's married to Toben, is tired of beeing overseen by everyone in favor of her husband with the 'magic'. The Magic being his ability to charm everyone, be well liked and easily draw attention to himself. She's convinced that nobody sees her for who she is, and decides to join an improv class and temporarily separate from Toben, all in favor of bettering herself.
So the book is mainly about Liz trying to change and be more like Toben, but it's also about them finding their way to each other again, dealing with dysfunctional family and making new friends.
It's not usually the type of book I read and that's why I wasn't really looking forward to it, but once I started I really liked it. I wasn't a fan of the sister, Amber, or the mother, and more than once Liz and Torben are push-overs, so even though by the end they both stand up for themselves more, I still wanted them to be more assertive. Also, the conflict was solved pretty quickly. The improv parts were truly weird, more than funny, but I guess that's just not my humor. All in all, a great premise that fizzled out a bit too quickly.

Rules For Second Chances is a cross between finding yourself fiction and second chance romance. Liz Lewis feels like no one SEES her or appreciates what she offers. Always pushed to the fringes of the crowd, she feels like no one likes her and she’s missing out on her dreams. Even though her husband is a bit of a dreamboat, she feels the distance growing between them as everyone loves Tobin and he is always rushing to save her but not actually hearing her. She wants friends. She wants the promotion at work. She wants the admiration for her intelligent ideas.. Improv helps Liz work on the parts of herself that she struggles with and just might save her marriage. Liz’s journey to finding herself and falling back in love with her husband is at times frustrating and Liz seems to make things harder than they should be. But the role playing in improv is often sweet and you cannot help but root for Liz as she makes friends and saves her marriage. The ending is quite satisfying and makes up for all the silent screaming I did at Liz in my head. My voluntary, unbiased, and non mandatory review is based upon a free review copy from NetGalley.

Liz and Tobin love each other but their marriage is in crisis. Liz moves out, and after a few weeks Tobin approaches her with a book written by a co-worker that uses improv scenarios to work through communication problems.

It sounds a little bit off the wall, but somehow the premise works. It took me a little bit to get into the characters and story, but once I did, I was all in. I was rooting for Liz and Tobin to resolve their problems, and got a few laughs at some of the scenarios. There are some great secondary characters as well.

This is not the usual second chance type novel, but it's very original and I loved it! Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this novel.

Wow this book! this book hit me right in the feels! I am a bit wary of second chances but I think this was done amazingly!
love the characters and the writing! the author did amazing capturing the feelings and making it all feel so real! I am seriously in love! I couldn't put it down and I read it in one sitting! beautiful story! 5 stars and definitely recommend if you are after an amazing second chance read!

I love second chances romances. However this one veered a bit too close to women’s fiction for my taste. Despite it, I enjoyed Liz’s POV and how she’s navigating a stagnating failure in her personal and professional life. I empathized with her feeling invisible in contrast to her vibrant, life-of-the-party husband. I do wish we got to see Tobin’s POV. The improv premise was interesting to read, but I wished we’d gotten more of Liz x Tobin vs Liz’s emotional journey.

This is not a book on improv, but it does involve several improv scenarios. At its core, the narrative is about Liz, who has settled and made herself fit as a square peg in the round hole of life. She is tired of not being seen and will finally do what it takes to alter that.

I really related to the character of Liz. I believe that we all want to fit in, be admired, not make waves. I truly enjoyed the interaction between Liz and Tobin as they worked through scenes in the Second Chance book. I rooted for them to find their way back to one another.

I wasn't sure what to expect, but I'm so pleased I had the opportunity to read this book. 4⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin's Griffin for this complimentary ARC. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I had such high hopes, I love a good second chance romance, but unfortunately this one just did not do it for me. The whole plot just didn't work for me, the fact that the MMC decides to do something just when the threat of divorce comes.

Rules for Second Chances by Maggie North
Pub Date: June 25, 2024
Rating: 4/5 stars

From the very first time Liz sees Tobin in this book, I was absolutely hooked, and knew that, based on the premise/book description, these two were going to wreck me a couple times. I was right, and I'd read it again and again just to relive it.

If you're a fan of Sarah Hogle's "You Deserve Each Other" I really think you will enjoy Rules for Second Chances. The story is very different, and this one is not funny in the way so much of the tormenting in Hogle's book is. But this book gave me the same longing for the couple, Liz and Tobin, to work out. And when I say longing, I mean I literally felt sick to my stomach at the thought that they might possibly not work out the problems in their marriage.

The love between Liz and Tobin is so palpable, even when they're causing one another emotional hurt. Maggie North has a magical way of making you invested in this love story, and in Liz and Tobin's personal development (we get much more of Liz's given the POV in this book, but what we get of Tobin from Liz's perspective is also compelling). This book so wonderfully captures the challenges of a marriage that can come about when the people in the marriage haven't taken the time to really see themselves and one another, or the ways in which they can make each other stronger and support each other even as they have individual growth journeys to go on.

I won't provide quotes since I read an ARC and not the final copy of the book, but as someone who doesn't highlight a ton while reading, I highlighted all over this digital copy; this included the way Liz described how social interactions are for her, what she felt she needed for her husband, what she loved about him, her descriptions of him that just scream at the reader how much he clearly adores her. I re-read so many lines in this book that I just LOVED.

If the book description does not totally hook you while you're book browsing, but you have any interest whatsoever in the marriage in trouble trope, READ THIS. Another author whose work I enjoyed shared this book on Instagram, which is what made me seek out the ARC. But reading the book description again now that I've read the book, I really do not think it does it justice.

The only reason I didn't give 5 stars is because I didn't really connect well with the improv aspect of the story; which, given its importance for Liz's development and thus the evolution of her relationship with Tobin, sounds sort of ridiculous to say. But, I just found myself wanting to quickly skim those sentences to get to other things.

ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for honest review

When her marriage falls apart she realizes it's time for a change. Will she take a leap of faith try something new? Or is life greener on the other side? Never know what will happen when you are going through a tough time.

Thank you to NetGallery and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review..

I’m very appreciative of the opportunity to read this as an ARC, however, I was unable to finish it. Some parts felt disconnected to me, therefore having me consistently ask “wait what?”. I had high hopes given the other reviews online. I’m sincerely sorry I wasn’t able to finish this!

This book's premise sounded interesting to me as a person that has been married, divorced and remarried to my spouse. I find that concept so interesting and love to see how it lines up with my own experience. However, the FMC is so hard to relate to and it's not because she has difficulty in social situations. I think as a very outspoken person, I'm drawn to characters that show how the derive strength in the face of their adversities and she was just to slow to react. I understand that she is dealing with social anxiety and spectrum based diagnosis but for me, personally, I have a hard time reading page after page of this struggle. I DNF this book but it's mostly based on my personal dislike of the "weakness" of this character.

maggie north is a genius and this book was phenomenal!!! this is one of my favorite second chance romances ever. liz and tobin are EVERYTHING. the angst, emotion, and swoon worthy moments are so so good. i can't wait for maggie to release more books in the future.

What a unique and special book! Written with great care and passion, “Rules of Second Chances” is a love story about what happens when people feel like the connection is fraying and are trying to figure out if they can prevent an unhappy ever after. Liz has always known she is slightly different and introverted . Tobin, her husband, has always been extroverted and Mr. Popularity. When Liz finally vocalizes that she is not happy in the marriage, the journey of discovery begins for both people. The ultimate question is are they at their breaking point or can things change for the better.
The journey, at times painful, is one you will enjoy walking with this couple. This book may make you cry, but it will give you hope for humanity.