I made it about halfway through the book but ultimately chose not to finish it, as it didn’t hold my interest or keep me engaged.

That said, this may resonate more with readers who are fans of the genre, as it falls outside my typical reading preferences.

I wanted to like this book . I liked the premise but it did not deliver..I struggled to finish..was way to slow for me and really didn't go anywhere. Sorry, but no recommendations for this one
Thank you NetGalley for the e copy.

This cover is what pulled me in but the story was lovely. I was so lucky to have a chance to read this one before the world saw it--thanks so much for the gifted copy!

What a beautiful second chance romance story this book is! This Midwestern girl thoroughly enjoyed it and Nickolas Butler gets those of us who live here in Wisconsin. It is sweet, wistful and very much character driven. I love that it is about rekindling of love in those of an older age. I devoured this sweet story and I believe if you also are looking for a romance about mature characters and stories about second chances, this one is for you

This is what I call a mature, adult novel. It's deep, emotional and calls to your very soul. The storyline is really thought provoking and makes you reflect on your own life and past decisions. Charlie and Vivian were married for four years and had a strong love for each other but a tumultuous relationship. They divorced and decades later Charlie has a strong need to reconnect with Vivian. This is such a good plot, I couldn't wait to read what happened next.

Charlie and Vivian got married young and when the difficulties and strains of life became too heavy for their young marriage, they ended up parting ways, divorcing and moving forward with their lives. But we meet them 40 years later, as Charlie has decided it is time to meet with Vivian again and revisit their past and the time in between the "then" and the now to determine how to find closure after all this time. Can a deep forever love be enough to bring the two back together again after so much time has passed, or has their love simply transformed into a deep friendship? Nickolas Butler's novel explores past hurt, mistakes, and the unavoidable pitfalls which ultimately shattered their marriage, immersing the reader into an ageless question of "what if?" which many separated and divorced couples face at some point.

I wanted so much to fall deeply in love with this book and to immerse myself in the story and lives of Charlie and Vivian. It failed to grab my attention and became a "Did not finish" for me. I do not know if it was a failure to connect with the characters or if given more time with the book, I would have found its rhythm. I felt very much on the outside of the story. like I was at a luncheon or party to which I'd arrived late and did not find that I could fit in. I often find that I can identify with the characters in some way or at least be able to slip into their shoes even if just for the book, but I was simply unable to do so with this. I like Butler's writing style, however, and to me, that does not necessarily mean that it's a book I would never return to. Like Charlie and Vivian's marriage, it may just not have been the right time for A Forty Year Kiss. This is a book I would keep on my bookshelf and perhaps revisit in a few years, when I feel I may be in a better place to try connecting with it again. For that reason, I am giving it 3 stars because I don't think it's a lost cause for me.

A Forty Year Kiss is a heartfelt novel that will resonate with readers interested in stories of personal growth and the complexities of rekindled love. its strength lies in its character-driven storytelling and exploration of mature themes.

novel's pacing can be uneven. While the initial reunion is a good, some scenes feel repetitive or slow to progress the plot.

This book was made me feel so many different emotions. At some points I was very near to tears, and at other points I was truly in awe.

I’m on the fence about this one. It was ok as it was a really sweet, and sometimes emotional, romance. The characters were likable and the writing was great. Also, I don’t think there is a lot of romances that centers around older couples so that, alone, was nice to read. But I kept expecting something big to happen and it never did. Maybe that was the point?

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

I tried this in print and couldn’t get into it. It’s written without quotation marks, which isn’t an issue for me. It was something else. Once I moved to audio it was a whole different experience. I loved the narration. This is set in Wisconsin, specifically an area of the state I have a deep affinity with, so I am impartial. A second-act later in life second chance love story/romance. It’s complicated, nuanced and layered- exactly what I expect from 60+ yr old characters.

Charlie and Vivian have been divorced for 40 years, and went on to build new lives. After an eye opening experience, Charlie seeks out Vivian and realizes she is the only woman he ever wanted and he courts her again.

This is a slow moving, beautiful, second chance love story. It really struck me in my heart, and I was rooting for them to make it through the whole novel.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this novel.

this book handles tough family things relatively well, and both looks at them head on but gives the characters each other to help support through it all. i usually read books that feel hyper-realistic where people fall short and betray each other, but i’m glad that this one was hyper-realistic in that people fell short but had the trust, communication, and love to keep fighting for each other.

thank you sourcebooks and netgalley for the advance reader copy.

A Forty Year Kiss by Nickolas Butler was a very engaging read. I enjoyed the story of Charlie and Vivian who were married in their younger years and then come together again later in life. Can Charlie be trusted, can you go home again, and what does family mean are all considered as we travel with these characters.

I especially appreciated the character of Charlie and I found myself rooting for him.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. A Forty Year Kiss is available now.

Charlie and Vivian's marriage ended after just four years. Now, forty years later, Charlie returns to Wisconsin to try and reconnect with Vivian. A lot can happen during that timeframe, however, and in order to reconcile they will have to deal with regrets and more. This is an emotional book about second chances. Both characters are flawed, but not in a way that I found them dislikable. In fact, I thought their flaws made they seem real and I wanted them to find happiness, hopefully with each other. I also appreciated that this was a love story with older protagonists. It also addresses the theme of whether or not people can truly change. I enjoyed Butler's writing style as well.

I am always searching for older protagonists in novels now that I've reached that age myself, so I was beyond excited to read this second-chance romance. I was intrigued by the premise that we become older and wiser and learn from the mistakes of our younger selves - always becoming better versions of who we are.

I guess my expectations (stated above) are what ultimately ruined this one for me. As someone close to a person who struggles with alcohol issues, I felt like Butler was too careless with this aspect of the story. To know that their marriage dissolved largely in part because of Charlie's drinking, but then to have him drinking the first time he meets Vi in forty years? Instantly turned me off. And the fact that Vi registered it, was maybe a little disappointed, but proceeded to blow right past that concern? Again, turned me off.

Nickolas Butler’s portrayal of second chances in the senior years is a tender story with characters facing their own regrets, flaws, losses, and hopes. Charlie and Vivian married young, stayed together for four years, and divorced in a flash of volatility, selfishness, immaturity, and too much alcohol, particularly on Charlie’s part. Forty years later Charlie, after subsequent marriages and finding himself financially secure, longs to reconnect with Vivian back in Wisconsin. He knows how much he hurt her and what he lost. Vivian’s life has been hard over those forty years. She is devoted to her daughter who lives with her and to her two granddaughters, and she has a secret she protects. Neither Vivian nor Charlie is the same young person who thought love was all that was needed to be happy together. They meet again. Vivian is wary but gentle, and Charlie is still impulsive and drinking too much. But he is aware of his mistakes and deficiencies and yearns to change and do better for her, for them, for a future. The story unfolds with them exploring a rejoining of their lives - but not like before.

Butler’s kindness toward his characters is palpable as well as respectful of what people of their age feel, encounter, desire, or rebuff. Some recent second chance novels, even of septuagenarians (of which I am one), hit a spot in the story timeline where they gather in sophomoric group encounters and silly discourse, as if they were back in high school. Not this fine writer’s characters. His are mature and seasoned. He also addresses and integrates well issues, such as alcoholism, with compassion but with a grasp of the ensuing challenges. It is a beautiful story of second chances, but also of imperfect people and self-realization and taking responsibility, forgiveness and healing, and longing for the years remaining to be full ones - a love story of a second chance couple, but also of love in a much wider sense. These fine characters and story remind me of the late (great) Kent Haruf’s works. I do wish quotation marks had been used with dialogue.

I am grateful to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for early access to this fine book. This opinion is all my own.

This was a quiet, different kind of love story. Charlie and Vivian married young and divorced quickly - mainly due to his drinking. Forty years later Charlie reaches out again and they have to work through their issues from the past, get to know each other again, and share some secrets.

Overall this was a good book that I enjoyed.

In Nickolas Butler's A Forty Year Kiss, Charlie and Vivian used to be married. And 40 years after they divorced, they find themselves together again. After reevaluating his life, Charlie seeks out Vivian to ask for a second chance. Vivian, grateful to be cared for and not the caretaker for once, allows him back into her life.

Their courtship continues for the entirety of the novel as Charlie gets close to Vivian, her daughter, and her grandchildren, and Vivian realizes just how much Charlie has changed since she first knew him.

They weather health crises, deal with jealousy and uncertainty, and not only find themselves back together again but really find themselves.

One thing I didn't like about the novel was that the author didn't use quotation marks when someone was speaking. This made it kind of difficult to separate speech out loud from internal thoughts and narration.

But other than that, this is a lovely look at second chances and personal growth. The Reading Group Guide discussion questions at the end of the book offer really good discussion for book clubs.

A Forty-Year Kiss is published by Sourcebooks Landmarks and is available to purchase now. I received a free e-book in exchange for this review.

Special thank you to NetGalley, Nickolas Butler and
Sourcebooks for an ARC of this lyrical romance novel. I enjoyed the authors poetic writing style which enhanced the romantic aspects of the novel. Overall, the book was “good,” but not incredible. I would rate it 3.5 star ⭐️, but would still encourage others to read.

I absolutely adored the depth of love and reflection in The Forty Year Kiss. I appreciated the way the author tackled the nuances of addiction and how it affects relationships. This romantic novel was a breath of fresh air compared to all of the young tropes romcoms I’ve been reading (which I love! It’s just a nice change of pace). We need more love stories featuring older characters! I was so moved and in awe of this book, I am definitely running to read others by the same author!