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!

thank you to netgalley for the e-arc. instant DNF because of no punctuation for dialogue. also hard no for sex scenes and the like between elderly people. just literally not for me.

This story was a lovely second chance romance between two people with 40 years between their last kiss and the one that reunited them.
Honestly, it took me a minute to connect to these characters. But I think that it is because of how well the characters are written- hear me out.
I was unsure and distrustful of Charlie and that he’d really grown and his intentions are coming from the right place. When I did believe it I was in and waiting for our FMC to get there too.
This was a great story about second chances, found family, unlikely friendships, the power of trust and love, and how empathy and wisdom grow over time. It’s a lesson to look back and reevaluate earlier to give yourself time and not make the mistake of losing time with who and what actually matter to you.

Have you ever read a book that just gets what it means to be human? That’s A Forty Year Kiss by Nickolas Butler. It’s one of those stories that sneaks up on you—gentle at first, then suddenly, you’re completely wrapped up in it, thinking about your own past, your own regrets, and the people who slipped away over the years.

The premise is simple: Charlie and Vivian were married once, young and full of hope, but life had other plans. Now, forty years later, they find themselves back in each other’s lives. And honestly? It’s messy. There’s baggage, there’s hesitation, there’s that terrifying question of whether you can—or should—try again with someone who once broke your heart.

this book simply feels “real.” Butler doesn’t sugarcoat anything. Charlie is flawed in ways that make you want to shake him and hug him at the same time. Vivian is holding onto a secret that makes everything even more complicated. Their history isn’t neatly wrapped up—it’s raw, full of love and pain and missteps. Just like real life.

if you’ve ever lived in a small town, you’ll relate to this book. The local bars where everybody knows your business. The chill of an early autumn night. The weight of memories hanging in places that haven’t changed much, even though you have. Butler nails that nostalgic, almost haunting atmosphere. Butler also handles the subject of Down’s Syndrome with a gentleness, that will warm your heart.

For full disclosure, the pacing slows a bit in the middle. It lingers on emotions and inner struggles more than big dramatic moments, which worked for me, but might not for everyone. Also, the dialogue doesn’t have quotation marks, which can be a little jarring at first, but I promise—you get used to it.

This is a book about love, but not the shiny, fairytale kind. It’s about love that’s been through the wringer. Love that’s bruised, hesitant, and still—somehow—worth fighting for.

This is the love story of Charlie and Vivian. Years earlier, they married, and after 4 years, they divorced. Since then, they both remarried, but now are single. Charlie has never stopped thinking about Vivian and wants to rekindle their relationship. However, Vivian is hesitant, as Charlie's past as an angry alcoholic has her concerned. Charlie works to prove to Vivian that he has changed, and will work to gain her trust.
This is a slow build love story, one with tenderness and mistakes and forgiveness.
Lovely.

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC copy for review 💕

Something about the plot kept me invested, although it wasn’t the easiest reading style since this author does not use quotations. Not the first author I’ve read who favors this style but the first I’ve been able to finish, ultimately. It isn’t good for my ADHD brain so I really avoid this but again, I was intrigued by the premise.

Sadly the characters fell flat for me, no actual chemistry coming to me as I read.

I guessed at least one of the twists very quickly.

I like the idea of regrets and wanting to right decisions later in life. Not thinking twice once your mind is made up.

I really wanted to love this story so much more than I did. It will be recommended to those I know love the style and plot line. Just wasn’t for me, and that happens sometimes.

Vivian and Charlie married young forty years ago and divorced four years later due to Charlie's excessive drinking. Now Charlie is retired, having moved back to Wisconsin to his parents' farm, he wants to try to reconnect with Vivian. Over the years he has made a lot of money, due to some successful investments. He's still drinking but seems to think it's under control. Vivian has struggled financially all her life, now sharing a home with her daughter and two granddaughters, they live from paycheck to paycheck.
Charlie and Vivian go out on a few dates. He's interested, she foresees a lot of unpleasant issues and can't forget the unpleasantness of the past. Besides, she's keeping a secret from Charlie and doesn't know how to tell him about it.
Will they be able to overcome forty years of separation? Will they be able to connect their lives in a meaningful way? Or will they each go their separate ways? The story moves slowly, pretty appropriate for a couple in their sixties, who are re-learning each other.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark, in exchange for a review.

A beautiful story tucked inside a beautiful cover. Another first-time author for me (thank you, NetGalley!), and I will be back for more!

A Forty Year Kiss is a late-in-life, second-chance romance between Charlie and Vivian. While I appreciated the idea, I struggled to maintain interest with the story and characters. It could be a personal thing, I just couldn’t quite connect as much as I’d hoped.

Richard Poe did a decent job narrating the audiobook.

Thank you Nickolas Butler, Sourcebooks Landmark, and NetGalley for providing this ARC for review consideration. All opinions expressed are my own.

Unfortunately, this book wasn’t for me. I really wanted to enjoy it based on the blurb, but I just couldn’t connect with the characters. At first, I saw Vivian as the voice of reason, but that quickly changed when she seemed willing to forgive Charlie for actions that were problematic from the start of their relationship. Behaviors that had led her to leave him in the first place, resulting in some serious consequences.
As for Charlie, I found him to be an extremely untrustworthy narrator. I’m not sure if it’s because he’s selfish, a heavy drinker, or just tends to talk more than listen, but I found it frustrating every time the story was told from his perspective. He repeatedly contradicted himself, and I often found myself questioning whether he was truly in love with Vivian or just the idea of who he wanted her to be.
While I understand that, at a certain point in life, people might be willing to overlook certain flaws, I felt that both of them were ultimately lying to themselves. These characters, just like most people, still have a lot of healing to do before they can have a healthy relationship together. That said, if you enjoy romance stories dealing with second chances and flawed characters, this book may be a good read for you.
*Thank you to Nickolas Butler, Sourcebooks Landmark and Netgalley for the ARC copy. I am freely leaving my honest review.

DNF. This was not for me. It was just too sappy to finish. I do n0t think I am the market for this type of book.

A Forty Year Kiss reminds me of The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks in all the best ways. Raw, emotional, melancholy, and realistic. So many romance books focus on couples when they are young, and depict how those couples first meet and fall in love. A Forty Year Kiss flips the classic narrative on its head by presenting a romantic story about ex-spouses falling back into love forty years after their divorce.

It touches on a variety of real-life situations, challenges, and life lessons, while simultaneously pulling at your heartstrings and depicting a cast of characters you’re sure to love. I really appreciated these unique story.

Huge thank you to Nickolas Butler, RB Media, Sourcebooks, & NetGalley for the ARC! All opinions are my own.

A Forty Year Kiss by Nickolas Butler ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Sourcebooks Landmark
Pub Date: 2-4-25

Thank you @netgalley, @bookmarked, and @wiscobutler for the opportunity to read this eARC.

This story definitely caught me by surprise - a sweet story of love, family, secrets, challenges, and redemption. From the very beginning, I found myself rooting for Charlie and Vivian as they reunited after forty years apart, facing the complexities that come with recollections of the past and a lifetime of living separate lives.

"You live long enough, you understand the value of a second chance. A new beginning. If you’d told me two, three years ago I could sit down at a bar and talk to you, be this close to you… how much money would I have paid for that chance, that time? I would have paid anything."

"He did not feel like a man over sixty-years old. He did not feel any age. All he felt was love. Promise. He tried to tamp down his emotions, but it was almost impossible."

"#bookstagram #booksofinstagram #bookishlife #bookcommunity #whatimreading #currentlyreading #dailyreading #jamiesreading #bookreview #bookrecommendation #advancereadercopy #netgalleyarc #netgalleyreader #netgalley #afortyyearkiss #nickolasbutler #sourcebookslandmark

I didn’t like the conversation layout—for example: “Same thing? The bartender asked. Leinie’s? Yeah, he said.”—There are no quotations or anything; just a bunch of they said, he said, and she said, but I got past it pretty quickly. On top of that though, the conversions could be a little off in my opinion—like there wasn’t enough depth. It felt too rushed sometimes.

The romance is super hurried and to the point, which I didn’t favor too much, but I moved past it because they’re old and gray now; time is dwindling for them, so I understood why it was written that way.

The writing, though, was pretty darn good! It evoked such raw emotion from me that I couldn’t help but admire it. The only problem I have with the writing is that at times, there was too much filler, and some things came off as a bit odd to me, and the grammar was here and there, but overall it was truly lovely.

Despite those small issues I had, this book was beautifully written and I liked it! I don’t read—or find—many romance books by male authors, so this was such a good experience!

𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙤 𝙉𝙚𝙩𝙂𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙪𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘼𝙍𝘾.

A Forty Year Kiss by Nickolas Butler is a family drama/older adult second-chance romance. Vivian and Tom were married for four years. Tom was an alcholic and their marriage ended in an abrupt divorce. Now it's been 40 years and Tom is moving back to Wisconsin. He's determined to find Viv and see if he can reconnect with her. But he's unsure if Viv will give him another chance because 40 years is a long time.

I'm all for a low drama love story, but this was not it (for me). I was so surprised at how quickly Vivian just rekindled things with Tom. There was not really any development of past behavior and no conflict really, just acceptance and moving on. And the whole secret other child situation was just weird.

I think if you enjoy character driven stories of second chances then you might enjoy Viv and Tom's story. It just wasn't for me.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts.