I will keep this short and sweet, because I don't have too much to say about this one. I tried my best to like it and care about the story, but I just couldn't. The thought of the second chance romance between Charlie and Vivian made me request this book, but while reading it, I was a bit disappointed with the execution. I went through the whole book wondering when something would actually happen, and nothing really did, and when the one major point of this book happened, I had already guessed it long before it was revealed, so it wasn't even a surprise and I still didn't really care about it. Everything was just so monotone throughout the whole book.

Charlie was just terrible. I couldn't root for him and Vivian and very much just wanted Vivian to leave him and be with someone else, because she deserved better. But then again, Vivian was also a mess and I didn't want to root for her either. Their first marriage ended because of Charlie's alcoholism, his anger issues, and the way that he treated her when they were together, and Vivian was very willing to get back together with Charlie even after everything, even though he hadn't proven himself that he had actually gotten any better. There were even times when he still drank more than he should have and his anger came out, but Vivian was still all for it. Plus, the book is told from the POV of Charlie and it seemed like most of his perspective was told in a constant sexual nature. Instead of actually seeing an emotional connection between the two, I really only feel like the connection was just sexual.

Thank you to Sourcebooks, Nickolas Butler, and NetGalley for the eARC of this book. This is my honest opinion.

Title: A Forty Year Kiss
Author: Nickolas Butler
Genre: Romance
Rating: 3.75
Pub Date: February, 4 2025

I received complimentary eARC and ALC copies from Sourcebooks and RBmedia via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #Gifted

T H R E E • W O R D S

Fresh • Clear • Gentle

📖 S Y N O P S I S

Charlie and Vivian parted ways after just four years of marriage. Too many problems, too many struggles, even though the love didn't quite die. When Charlie returns to Wisconsin forty years later, he's not sure what he'll find. He is sure of one thing -- he must try to reconnect with Vivian to pick up the broken pieces of their past. But forty years is a long time. It's forty years of other relationships, forty years of building new lives, and forty years of long-held regrets, mistakes, and painful secrets.

💭 T H O U G H T S

I was offered an ARC of A Forty Year Kiss and accepted the opportunity solely based on the cover. It was a bonus to be granted access to an ALC as well, so I was able to tandem read. I went in basically blind, knowing only it featured older main characters were older (one of my favourite micro tropes).

Told from both Charlie and Vivian's perspectives, this is a story of redemption, forgiveness, painful secrets, nostalgia, and second chances. The main characters are both equally flawed with their own baggage, which felt relatable. I greatly appreciated the sobriety storyline and getting a glimpse into some of Wisconsin's best spots.

This book lacks quotation marks (a pet peeve of mine and somehow the second book in a row I read without them). I cannot figure out the reasoning why the author would choose this route, as there is a lot of dialogue. The failure to indicate when someone is talking made for a very clunky experience, and I eventually switched solely to listening for a more seamlessly reading journey. The use of so much dialogue also meant, the characters weren't developed as much as I would have liked.

The audio, narrated by Richard Poe, offered an authentic and mellow tone for Charlie. I thought he did a fantastic job of bringing his character to life with authenticity. However, Poe narrates Vivian's perspective as well, and that felt completely wrong. This is definitely one of those cases where dual narration was needed and would have made for a more realistic relationship.

A Forty Year Kiss was a heartwarming story filled with many hard moments and the need for open communication. While I personally enjoyed the concept, there were definitely some flaws in the execution. It's one of those book I would anticipate having vary polarizing opinions. If older characters are not your jam, you won't enjoy it that's for sure.

📚 R E A D • I F • Y O U • L I K E
• mature MCs
• rekindled romance

⚠️ CW: toxic relationship, mental illness, addiction, alcohol, alcoholism, divorce, poverty, pregnancy, abortion

🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S

"I don’t think we’ve peaked. Not by a long shot. I think our best days are ahead of us."

A Forty Year Kiss is Nickolas Butler at his best! An instant must-read, this beautiful small-town story so perfectly expresses the hope of second chances, the hurt of past regrets, the joy of redemption, and the wonder of a once-in-a-lifetime love story. Butler's characters are always so authentic and multi-layered, while his writing and settings evoke a charming sense of Midwest nostalgia, culminating in powerful stories that explore what it means to be human. I hadn't read one of his books since Little Faith, but I should have known that his latest would be just as compelling.

It was a view into life - but I wouldn't have welcomed Charlie in my life so openly with the demons he was still facing. It was complicated, it was a second chance - it was life

A Forty Year Old Kiss by Nickolas Butler.
Sweet romance, slow burn. It really needed quotation marks. This was an old fashioned love story. It was a tad flat for me, it stayed at a very slow pace although it was a good story.
Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks for providing me with the arc in exchange for my honest review.

A Forty Year Kiss takes on the question of whether you can have a second chance in love and what the consequences of that might be. I was intrigued by this quiet story until the end. Charlie and Vivian are not perfect characters, they don't have a perfect life, and if you are looking for an escape, you might want to know that this story deals with life with realism. There were times that Charlie made me cringe, but it was definitely real.

I liked the story. I liked the main characters and their quest for a second chance. It made me think about it and that makes for a great story in this reader's mind.

A solid four stars.

What I love about Nickolas Butler is all his books are very unique and written in wonderful prose. He also has you travel through the beautiful Wisconsin landscapes and breweries.

I knew this was a romance book, even though I didn't read the synopsis...lol. So, yeah, this book is not one of my favorites. He's writing is superb and I love the inclusion of Wrigley Field, but The Hearts of Men and Shotgun Lovesongs will remain my favorites. I hope Butler's next book is about male-bonding and their relationships. He writes with such emotion and yet very masculine...I would love to see more of those books...hint, hint :)

A Forty Year Kiss by Nickolas Butler is a poignant and reflective novel that explores the complexities of love, time, and memory. The story centers around two main characters who shared a kiss 40 years ago and have lived their separate lives ever since. As they reconnect, the novel delves into their pasts, the choices they've made, and the what-ifs that have lingered in their minds. Butler's writing captures the essence of long-lost connections and the enduring impact of a single moment. The narrative weaves through their memories, creating a touching and heartfelt exploration of how love can shape and transform lives over decades.

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks for providing this E-ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts :)

This was a sweet, slow burn, second chance romance. Can a love that was lost 40 years ago be rekindled?? I enjoyed this story, however I think a little bit more romance would have added so much to the story. Overall this was a solid read.

Unfortunately this book did not hold my interest. I may give it another shot at a later date, Oh well.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

This book is about two people who are in their 60s and are looking for a second chance with each other. They were married for a brief time 40 years ago and Charlie has decided he wants to see if he and Vivian can make a go of it a second time. The story unfolds as the two rediscover one another. Some of what they find is downright ugly and painful, the depth of the story is refreshing. This is not a rom-com, this is very real and raw. It is a story to savor a bit as love, life, can be hard but worth the effort. Showing how priorities change and realization of what you might have missed out on pursusing addictions. A Forty Year Kiss is a beautiful novel of love, forgiveness, and redemption. Charlie is a likable character who has worked hard to deal with his problems, he still has one that will take work to get under control. Vivian is a giving woman who struggles to accept Charlie’s generosity. She is skeptical that Charlie is truly a changed man. Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity.

A Forty Year Kiss takes place in a small town and is about one couple who gets a second chance at love after their divorce forty years ago. The author wrote this well and all of the characters in this were so good. I was cheering on Charlie and Vivian from the start. This was such a beautiful romance story and I look forward to reading other books from this author. I highly enjoyed this read and would recommend it to any reader who loves romance. Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for this read in exchange of my honest review of A Forty Year Kiss by Nickolas Butler.

I really enjoyed this book! I found it easy to read and understand. I highly recommend this book! I really honestly suck at leaving reviews.

Not good. I’m not sure if it just isn’t my genre preferences - mature second chance love. But I found it very plodding. Don’t recommend.

I suffered reading through this book hoping it would get better. Sadly, it did not. Why?

Issue 1: The 2 main characters are very unlikeable and super cringey. They did not learn anything or evolve from start to finish.

Issue 2: Where the heck was the editor for this? Where was a proofreader, if the editor didn't want this job? Someone did not do their one job! When there was any dialogue in the book, it was hard to know if it was a discussion or the thoughts of the character. Zero quotation marks! This was an epic fail.

Cannot recommend. Not for me.

THanks to Netgalley, Nicklas Butler (not your best work), and Sourcebooks Landmark for an ARC in exhange for an honest review.

Already available

I received this as an advanced reader copy and failed to read it before release date (2/4/25.) But I read it all today!

I thought this was a good book; very well written. It's a little slow and unrealistic at times, but a sweet second-chance romance.
We follow Charlie and Melissa as they meet up 40 years after their divorce from each other.
This story is full of feelings; love, loss, guilt, grudges, and forgiveness. Alcoholism is a decent part of the story, delving into how it affects individuals and families.
All in all, this is a good read!

A Forty Year Kiss by Nickolas Butler is a beautifully written book. The depth of feelings and the joy this couple feels is so real. Full disclosure - I'd love that story to be mine.

“I don’t think we’ve peaked. Not by a long shot. I think our best days are ahead of us“


Forty year kiss is a wistful, character driven story about a second chance between to old lovers. I am always down for a second chance romance but this one was something I chose to broaden my reading taste while having something to anchor me. I figured this be the only way I would read a story about two 60 year olds, because I thought, how could I relate to them? Well, all these pages later and I’m so glad that I did. This novel was great in its rawness regarding addiction, poverty, life’s disappointments, and the fear of love and being let down.
My heart ached for Charlie, it ached for Melissa, it ached for them all. This story was also uplifting and inspiring at times as well.

The book opens with Charlie waiting at a restaurant bar waiting for his ex-wife Vivian to arrive. The poor guy had got there an hour early to make sure he wasn’t late and that he was there before her so she wouldn’t have to wait on him. Early on in the first chapter you already can see how earnest and genuine he is, and how sincere he is in trying to impress her again. 🥺 we find out that Charlie has been a longtime alcoholic and that is the reason his marriage with Vivian broke down in the first place. But he’s changed in a lot of other ways during the time they’ve been separated, including his awareness of how alcohol effects him.

Vivian agrees to meet Charlie after he finds her on Facebook and is swooped off her feet by him. However, she has to battle the years of disappointments and struggles to allow herself to be happy and accept this new version of Charlie. It felt super realistic because it wasn’t like they ended on good terms. While Charlie has been living, albeit poorly, she’s been the responsible parent (her daughter Melissa) making ends meet in her second marriage. Followed by being a secondary caregiver to her granddaughters as she currently lives with her daughter and her two granddaughters. This causes friction across their reconciliation.

During the course of the novel the dynamics that run between them all get pulled and stretched and then come back closer together. I really adored the relationship Charlie and Melissa developed as well. This was indeed a great story about second chances at love and at life. The only con I really had was that the author wrote in 3rd person which is not my preferred method of consumption lol. Overall, like I said the story is well done that I was able to look pass it and continue on.


Thank you Sourcebooks Landmark for the eARC via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review 💕

*4.5 Stars On My Instagram Account*

"I dream about the mornings when we were lying in bed...I can still see the curtains in our bedroom, the white lace, moving with the wind...I dream about kissing you. Can I? Can I kiss you?"

The tenderness in the language used by remarkably poignant author Nickolas Butler, in his meaningful later in life second chance romance, A Forty Year Kiss, often left me breathless.

Charlie and Vivian were married for 4 years in their early 20s. Their divorce wasn't about falling out of love. It was about disappointment. Charlie's excessive drinking, fighting more than making love, and the bills piling up. Now 40 years later, Charlie has reached out to Vivian.

They both have led their lives. Vivian is a widowed grandmother. Charlie is divorced, retired from the railroad. His mind keeps going back to Vivian. The regrets, the mistakes, the what ifs. Vivian wonders about him too. Seeing him again still gives her butterflies. But all she can think is, "But please, don’t break this woman’s heart twice."

This writer doesn't use quotation marks. Reading the book is like waves lapping over
thoughts. It takes a moment to realize they are speaking not thinking to themselves. Listening to the audiobook, beautifully performed with quiet compassion, by Richard Poe, takes away this experience but doesn't change the honesty of the prose.

The author heard the starting quote above sitting at a bar. He took an overheard conversation and created a love story about an older couple, having their own secrets, lies, griefs, loneliness and finding the courage to try again. His brilliance makes A Forty Year Kiss the perfect Valentine Day gift.

I received a free copy of this book/audiobook from the publishers via #NetGalley for a fair & honest review. All opinions are my own.

The story of rekindled love after decades apart had potential, but the audiobook didn’t fully pull me in. The pacing felt slow at times, and I struggled to connect emotionally with Charlie and Vivian’s journey. While sweet and heartfelt, the story was also quite predictable, making it less impactful than I’d hoped.