This is the first book I've read by Jennifer Page and has made me definitely want to pick up more books by her! It was a super wholesome read that made me feel good at the end. You can tell this is a sequel with the mentions of the previous board game cafe etc, but it doesn't take away from the story at all, and you find out enough to be able to enjoy the story thoroughly.
Taylor is a single mum and a seamstress who has dreams of being a designer, but her sometimes challenging son is her top priority. Harry is a man of routine, who is set in his ways but is an absolute gentle giant. They are an unlikely pairing but when you get to know them both and the struggles they've been through, you see why this book is written around them. Harry is very similar to Taylor's son Max (it isn't specifically mentioned but Max seems to be neurodivergent) and they share a love of all things trains.
The main story is about Taylor finding her confidence through the people in the village of Hebbleswick and realising that accepting help isn't the same as asking for it. The characters were all super likeable and I really enjoyed this book!

I absolutely loved this book. It was charming and sweet and I fell in love with the characters. It's everything I expected and more and I've since downloaded another book by this fab author.

Started reading this book and didn’t gel to the main character, seriously wondered about finishing the book. Carried on and it became a sweet easy read with tangents in the story I wasn’t expecting. Enjoyed the twists and the supporting characters.

3/5 ⭐️

Thank you NetGalley and publishers for ARC of this book.
Another cozy, small town story from Jennifer, unfortunately not nearly as engaging as Love Letters.
I tried really hard to like our MCs but I found them both pretty dull and frustrating at times.
One improvement on Love Letters is that we actually get to see the MCs spend time together and their relationship progress (most of that was done off page in LL), so I definitely enjoyed that aspect of the story.
And I do hope we’ll get a Kate story next cause that girl is BUSY!

quite a sweet read, initially | thought it was going to be a bit dull but I soon liked the characters and the gentle nature of the story, really quite pleasant bedtime reading!

Taylor is a single mom to Max, who's a bit unique. Max is super smart with numbers but struggles socially, and he's not into sports. He likes things to be just so, like having fish fingers on the same day each week. Taylor's dreams of being a fashion designer got put on hold when Max's dad bailed. Now she does clothing repairs from her small apartment. She wants to move to a better place and get Max into a school where he won't get picked on, but Max is resistant to change.

Harry is an accountant who's obsessed with trains. He's a bit of a loner, sticks to routines, and even dresses up for work when he's at home. His favorite hobby is playing train-themed board games. After being used by his ex and dumped, he's wary of getting close to anyone.

When Taylor first meets Harry, she thinks he's just a dull accountant. She's more drawn to flashy Tarquin, a real estate agent. But she soon realizes Tarquin's not as great as he seems, while Harry is genuinely kind. Taylor worries Harry won't want to be with her because she has Max. On the other hand, Harry doubts someone as amazing as Taylor would be interested in a train enthusiast.

Their paths cross when Taylor alters a pair of Harry's jeans by mistake, turning them into something unique. Encouraged by this, she starts a sewing class and plans a fashion show to showcase her skills, hoping to land more interesting work than just fixing zippers.

This story is about warmth and romance. Taylor's independent nature makes it hard for her to accept help, but her friends and neighbors find clever ways to support her, like organizing the fashion show. She learns that sometimes accepting help doesn't mean losing her independence.

Just finished an advance reader copy of Second Chances at the Board Game Cafe.

Brilliant. And I don’t say this lightly. An intriguing tale overcoming adversity whilst navigating a child with additional needs, a business, a fledgling romance and a collapsed house.
A good lesson in Upcycling, it leads into a tale of romance with a happy ending

This is the third in the board game café series and although we do catch up with some of the characters from the previous books it can be read as a stand alone story.
The story starts with a prologue from two years ago introducing you to Taylor a single mum to Max. Living in a tiny one bedroom flat she dreams of her own bedroom, a work space for her sewing business and a living room she can play with her son in.
I must admit that I felt sorry for Taylor. Not only does she have to sleep on the sofa every night but, her son is quite challenging and she has no support network. She has no social life and spends her evenings working.
The opportunity arises for her to move into a much bigger property with two bedrooms and a bath. She feels hopeful for the future and her upcycling of clothing is attracting interest. Things are looking up for Taylor.
Some beautiful moments of true friendship when the owners of the Board game café help her to run sewing classes for the locals and she starts make new friends. There are lots of twists and turns to keep you turning the pages and as in all these books a happy ending.

Second Chances at the Board Game Café by Jennifer Page tells the story of two lost adults who, in finding each other, are offered a second chance at love. Not only is this my favorite romance trope, but the setting of this book also really won me over. I love a cozy little town romance.

Read if you like:
• friends to lovers
• second chance romance
• small cozy town
• contemporary romance
• single mother looking for a new start

My review: The middle and ending of this book were the real winners here! I loved the slow burn beginning, but it didn't drag too long which was great. I really rooted for the main character, I wanted Taylor to fulfill all her dreams and find love. I loved the idea of these two filling in the missing parts of each other's lives. Overall, the family aspect was really cute and the smalltown setting was really fun.

Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone who would like to read a slow-burn friend-to-lovers romance in a cute smalltown.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the read!

3.5 stars

I love the writing style of this author and enjoyed the previous book in the series very much so was looking forward to this. Nice story, nice characters and a real sense of community and belonging.

I was so excited to return to the Board Game cafe and I wasn't disappointed. Another arm, witty, heartfelt tale of quirky characters, friendship, love and community. Definitely one I'll be recommending.

The third book in a series and returns to the cafe that as well as being a cafe promoted board games. This storyline focuses on Taylor a single Mum and Harry. Lots of fun as well as romance. An easy 5 stars. Thanks to Jennifer and her publisher. Thanks also to NetGalley

A definite feelgood book with plenty of warmheartedness and community spirit. Set in a small town in Yorkshire, the book is part of a series and, although I've read the first book, I think it does stand alone not having read the second. Delightful ordinary everyday characters with even a villain in the piece highlighting different issues of our time. Light read and enjoyable.

I loved the first book in this series and read this without knowing there was a second. It stands alone very nicely. Such lovely characters with some real life issues such as a single mum trying to help her son cope with bullies while she tries to make ends meet while following her dreams as a fashion designer. The upscaling of clothes is a very topical issue too, and was woven in very well. A truly lovely read, very enjoyable

This is the third book in the Board Game series but it works very well as a standalone. That said it was a delight to meet the characters from the previous books and meet new ones in this book. It is a gorgeous story following single mum Taylor, her son Max and unlucky in love Harry. Really enjoyed this and read it in a single day.

Sweet, interesting and meaningful, Second Chances at the Board Game Café by Jennifer Page tells a story about a single mother who dreams of being a fashion designer and a man who lacks confidence in himself after a breakup.

Summary: Taylor Sweet has always dreamed of becoming a fashion designer but had to give it up when she had her son Max. Now, she is a single mother who fixes and alters clothes for a living. But a railway enthusiast named Harry unwittingly provides her with the chance to fulfil her dream.

Tropes/Genres:
• strangers to friends to lovers
• single mother
• small town
• slow burn
• contemporary romance
• found family
• set in Essendale and Hebbleswick

Review: The story started a little slowly, but it set up the scene very well. Every little piece of drama in this book was executed well and evoked plenty of emotion. I also love the double meaning of "second chances", one being Taylor's second chance at being a fashion designer and two being both their second chances at love. It's so smart!

Taylor is a single mother who seeks to fulfil her dream, and I find this plot so beautiful. It's nice to see her on her way to fulfilling her longtime dream, and her positivity and contentment are honestly admirable. I love that she never once thought of Max as a burden even though he was the reason why she couldn't pursue her dream. That's on top of the fact that Max is a "difficult child". To her, Max is a gift, and that's simply beautiful. I also love how she upcycles clothes. It's so inspiring!

Harry is a train geek who is afraid to show his true self due to insecurity, particularly after his ex Fay broke up with him because he was a nerd. I feel that this is realistic because many people may feel insecure about certain aspects of themselves that others may deem boring or unattractive. But I just love how perfect Henry is for both Taylor and Max. Just like Harry, Max is a train geek! I already loved him for them from the very beginning.

It's so nice to see characters from the first two books, The Little Board Game Café and Love Letters on Hazel Lane, in this book again. Well, everyone except Tarquin, who never fails to be a jerk that nobody wants to see. He's so gross, but let's forget about him. It's SO NICE to see Emily, Ludek, Jo and Kate (with that one mention of Raz), along with other side characters. The community spirit at Essendale and Hebbleswick is lovely (minus Tarquin).

The classic The Railway Children appeared in this book a lot. As I haven't read that book yet (it's still on my TBR), I didn't understand the references immediately. However, I love that the author explained the details just enough such that I can understand them in context with the story! It adds on to the train theme in this story, along with the board game Ticket to Ride. I didn't even know such a board game existed, and it looks so fun! I want to play it someday because of this book :)

All in all, I recommend this book to anyone who would like to read a slow-burn friend-to-lovers romance with a touch of realistic issues. This book has plenty of references to The Railway Children, that being Max's favourite book, so if you've read that book and perhaps enjoyed it, you may enjoy this book a little bit more!

Thank you, NetGalley, for the read.

Board games -☑️. Slow burn romance - ☑️. Cozy small town vibe -☑️.

If these are all things you love in a book, then this wholesome book is for you. It was like a warm hug after a long day, and I found myself really looking forward to it! While it’s not the first book in the series, it’s a standalone novel so can be read on its own. But you can bet I will be going back and reading the rest of the books in the series.

I thought the author did a great job at touching on topics like parenthood, bullying, and having the courage to chase your dreams. I thought Taylor was a great, empathetic FMC and her journey from hyper independent to accepting help from those who cared about her really made me happy.

Harry is also now one of my favourite characters. I love that he doesn’t fit the bill of your stereotypical MMC, and his desire to help others, especially Taylor, and the challenges he faced in previous relationships were handled with such care. Plus his relationship with Max was so adorable.

It’s such a sweet story, that focuses more on relationships than romance (though it’s definitely not without romance!) and I just loved everything about it!

Thank you to NetGalley, Aria Fiction and Jennifer Page for providing me with an early access copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review.

Another trip to Hebbleswick and Essendale. This time it's single mum, Taylor, who has dreams of fashion design but spends her days sewing zips and buttons. Her son, Max, is being bullied at school because he likes trains, not football. Harry is an accountant, who also likes trains and routine, but somehow Taylor disrupts his life without knowing.

This time the board game theme is train games - my family loves ticket to ride and it's lovely to read stories that aren't based around the usual romance themes.

I've really enjoyed these books and the development of the original characters too. It's nice to see what they're up to, even if they're now mainly in the background. I wonder if Kate is the star of the next installment (if there is one!).

Once again, the characters are well written and some are thoroughly dislikeable (Tarquin doesn't seem to have got any nicer in the 2 years that have passed since the first book).

I would note that Max isn't explicitly autistic but likes routines (same food on particular days) and trains, seemingly to the exclusion of all other interests. He's bullied at school, even by the teachers, and that might be upsetting to some readers. Same with Harry - not explicitly autistic but has a backstory of bullying.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced ebook copy in exchange for an honest review.

Loved going back to the board game cafe. I enjoyed reading what was happening with the characters. So uplifting and warm and fuzzy
Wholeheartedly recommend everyone to get a copy

hank you to Netgalley and the tagged publisher for my copy.

I'm reading the third book in The Little Board Game Café #3 series, which introduces us to a list of characters within this community. This book focuses on Harry, Taylor, and Max. I appreciate that Taylor is a single mom and that she shares her struggles with her son, who, from my perspective, appears to be neurodiverse. It's heartwarming to revisit this sweet little café run by Emily, who is so wholesome and kind.

Taylor has given up on her dreams of being a fashion designer and settled for making repairs and alterations from her cramped rented flat since Max's father decided he wasn't cut out for fatherhood. She's desperate to move and would like to transfer Max to a closer school where he wouldn't be bullied as much. However, Max is adamant he doesn't want anything to change.

In addition to Max, we are introduced to Harry, a character with similar tendencies towards routine and a sweet demeanour. However, due to negative experiences with females, he can be hesitant around them.

One day, Taylor mistakenly cuts six inches off a pair of jeans that Harry had asked her to alter by only six centimetres. To make up for her mistake, she upcycles the jeans by adding a tartan flare and pockets. This led her to start an upcycling sewing class above the café and eventually put on a fashion show at the local school to showcase her talents. Taylor hopes that by doing so, she will be able to attract more interesting work than just replacing zips and taking up hems.

This class gets a lot of attention and is packed and then we see some progression between Harry and Taylor although there are some hiccups as well that made me laugh out loud.

#secondchancesattheboardgamecafe #romance #sweet #books #booksofintsa
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