Thank you to the publisher and to Netgalley for providing an advance reader's copy of this book. Unfortunately at this time I will be unable to read it and give it the attention it requires. I will return to the book and provide a review at the earliest possibility.

A slow, second chance romance with characters who flawed but trying really hard. Nickolas Butler presents the struggles of alcoholism and how it can effect one's life in an interesting relatable way. I did don't the lack of punctuation regarding conversation to be difficult and distracting. Thanks#NetGalley #Sourcebooks

I love a slow-burn romance and I love a literary one even more. A Forty-Year Kiss was both of those things, and I enjoyed it a lot. The lack of quotation marks was incredibly annoying, but I dealt with it, and I think ultimately this book will be forgettable to me. But while I was reading it, I was very into these characters and their story, and I really rooted for them to get their shit together and have their happily ever after. I liked it a lot.

A Forty Year Kiss by Nikolas Butler follows Charlie and Vivian who were once married. After 40 years Charlie never stopped thinking about Vivian. Not a fan of a second chance romance by this book was such a delight. I really loved the premise of this book. This is a wonderful story of love, forgiveness and personal growth.
This was beautifully written, I couldn't put it down. Highly recommended.
Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for providing an arc of this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks | Sourcebooks Landmark for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I did enjoy this book. This was the first book I have read by this author and I will be looking for more. Loved the storyline and the characters. I felt like I was there. I would definitely recommend this book.

This was a sweet read! I enjoyed the romance between the two main characters and the characters themselves were complex and grew throughout the story. I just wish we had gotten a bit more from the story. The pacing and romance was a bit slow for my taste and plot itself didn’t really feel like it had a big moment to it where we felt a climax for the characters or the plot. Everything felt like it was easily fixed without much tension. The text itself also felt a bit confusing to me since there were no quotations for dialogue. Overall though a sweet story that I definitely recommend looking into!

This book was such a beautiful, emotional read! It’s a story about love, timing, and second chances that completely pulled me in. The characters felt so real, and their journey—full of longing, missed opportunities, and undeniable chemistry—had me hooked from start to finish. The writing is heartfelt and nostalgic in the best way, making you reflect on your own "what ifs." If you love love stories that tug at your heartstrings and make you believe in fate, this one is a must-read!

A Forty Year Kiss by Nikolas Butler is a gentle romance between two people who are now in their sixties but had been married forty years earlier and had not seen each other until Charlie opened a Facebook account so he could find her. They had arranged a meeting and he was nervous. One of the things that had broken them up was his drinking so here they were, meeting in a bar. And he had a beer. He had tried a root beer but it wasn’t enough. She was beautiful. They hugged and it felt so right. It began a relationship that would have definite ups and downs and surprises, no question. A story of alcoholism, disabilities, pre-conceived notions, and love..

Charlie had retired from forty-years on the railroad. He had inherited an old house and was fixing it up. As it turns out, he had taken the advice of a kid he worked with and bought Apple stock, as well as some others. He had plenty but he was alone. Vivian lived with her daughter and two granddaughters in a run-down rental, but it was full of love. She had made a bad choice with her second husband, too, so was alone except for her family. They were excited about Charlie. She wasn’t sure she was. This was an endearing story of love and commitment. It was more a slice-of-life that plot driven but that is what made it a good story. And certainly a romance different than most. It was good to see older people falling in love and written by a man. It was a terrific readable!

I was invited to read a Forty Year Kiss by Sourcebooks. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #Sourcebooks #NikolasButler #AFortyYearKiss

Charlie is rethinking his life choices at the age of 64. His biggest regret is the dissolution of his first marriage to Viv, lasting only four years, forty years ago. Charlie tries to rekindle his relationship with Viv, now a grandmother who has had a hard life. I appreciated the older characters, reevaluating their choices. There are secrets they are both hiding from each other. I didn’t like the dialog without quotation marks, which I felt slowed down the story and made it feel less realistic. Just okay for me. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

3.75 rounded up

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark for providing a review copy of A Forty Year Kiss. I have mixed feelings about this contemporary romance/family drama that published this week.

Pros
+ Second chance romance of a couple in their 60s rekindling their relationship after 40 years
+ Dual points of view from Charlie and Vivian
+ Includes the emotions and consequences of real life issues such as divorce, alcoholism, and single motherhood
+ Set in the Midwest, primarily Wisconsin but also Iowa and Illinois
+The plot was inspired by overheard conversation in a WI bar

Cons
- The emotions felt surface level - few deep thoughts from Vivian or Charlie
- The way alcoholism was handled felt very unrealistic and trivialized
- The final chapters were like an unrelated short story in tribute to the Chicago Cubs. It was well written, but why spend so much time on a single event?

I love reading Midwestern authors so I’ll be checking out Nickolas Butler’s books, both backlist and future publications.

What's not to like? A book that takes place in my home state, mature characters and a second chance at love. Can Charlie and Vivian rekindle their relationship after forty years apart? How have they changed so they don't repeat the same mistakes? This was another comfortable read from Nickolas Butler. Thanks to NetGalley, Sourcebooks and the author for a copy to read and review.

The title says it all because it's 40 years. When Charles and Vi VL.A.N we're married and then divorced. Charles wanted to get back with her so he moved back to wisconsin. This.
Was really interesting because they really did love each other.But they were different people when they were younger. It was nice to see when people are older and they get back together and try to make a new friendship for new romance. Charles.
Worked on the railroads and he really had no friends, so he decided to move back.To his uncle's farm Charles's contact number through a facebook app. D I v l a n responded so they met up one night. He had a drinking problem.And this is what led to their divorce. She remarried and had her a girl named Melissa.And had two grandchildren. It was very hard for her because he became disabled through an accident. Then when he died she was all alone with her daughter and her grandchildren Before he died melissa used to take care of him because her mother had to work. Things were hard for melissa as well but she like charles. Charles was a very interesting character because he tried to change and tried to become a better. She had another daughter named jessica and this is a surprise we'll find out at the end of the book. I love this love story because it went very slow and beautifully written.How he expressed his love. F o r e V I v l a n. She was a fighter because she always was giving him a hard time. There's so many different aspects of this book. As you read it, you realize how complicated life can become. But sometimes in the end, you can all get back together.

Forty years. That's how long Charlie and Vivian have been divorced. Unexpectedly, Charlie contacts Vivian. He wants her back and now all he has to do is to convince her he is now a better man. Can he do it and will she believe him?
Beautifully crafted, A Forty Year Old Kiss is a heartfelt tale about the possibility of second chances. Filled with deep emotions and memorable moments, this is a story well worth reading. The characters are believable, and their stories are compelling. Told with sensitivity and candor, A Forty Year Old Kiss is a memorable story. Highly recommended.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

A new author for me. This is my first book to read by this author and I will be looking for more...

A quote from this book:
"There were only so many years when a child believed in magic, and that was something. Something precious, really. To still believe in magic."
I love this quote. So many parents forget this one. Let your babies stay babies as long as they can. The world is too cruel for them to act grown. Let them enjoy not having worries. <3

This story was so good. So deep and light at the same time. How to deal with a lost love... Forty years later.

Charlie and Vivian were once married. Very much in love. Then they weren't. They moved on. Away from each other. New lives. But Charlie never forgot Viv. His Viv. He knew he was the one that caused her so much pain and unhappiness. What he wouldn't do to rectify that. Yes it's taken him forty years but that kind of made it the more romantic. They are both in their sixties and living their own lives. Charlie will do whatever it takes to win back Viv's love...

Vivian is living with her daughter and two granddaughters. She takes care of the girls while her daughter works. She doesn't have much but it's her life. She never dreamed that Charlie would come back into her life and she's not so sure she wants him too. It wasn't that great the first time around. He hurt her. Broke her heart. But should she give him a chance? Her daughter and granddaughter's think she should.

This book takes you deep into their lives. How things were. What broke them apart. How they meet again. What Charlie is willing to do to prove his love. And to kiss her again. He thinks she is the most beautiful woman alive. If that's not true love what is? He has made money over the years and wants more than anything to take care of Viv. To help her. But she doesn't really want his money. She just wants to be loved. Can they find that again after forty years? Will that Forty Year Kill be rekindled?

I loved this book so much. I loved Charlie and Vivian. They both are so likable and so perfect for each other. I rooted all the way for them. Even when some secrets were revealed I rooted for love to win. But did it?....

Thank you #NetGalley, #Sourcebooks, #SourcebooksLandmarkm for this book.

@bookmarked | #gifted Though Nickolas Butler has written a number of books, I’ve only read one prior to 𝗔 𝗙𝗢𝗥𝗧𝗬 𝗬𝗘𝗔𝗥 𝗞𝗜𝗦𝗦, publishing today. That book was 𝘚𝘩𝘰𝘵𝘨𝘶𝘯 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘴 and I absolutely loved it. I was excited to find Butler’s new book was also a more mature love story, and eagerly awaited reading it.⁣
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This is the story of a long divorced couple who until shortly before the story begins had been fully out of touch with one and other. After a four year marriage, Charlie and Vivian divorced for several reasons, including that Charlie was an alcoholic, bringing too many highs and lows to their young marriage. After 40 years, Charlie gets in touch with Vivian again with the hope of rekindling their romance. The time apart has been good to him, though the drinking never stopped. Vivian had a rougher go, but has a wonderful daughter and 2 granddaughters she adores.⁣
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Sadly for me, this romance just felt too unreal for a lot of different reasons. Chief among those was the way alcoholism was depicted. I don’t want to give away much, but generally, I thought it was treated much too lightly. I’ve known alcoholics well, and recovery is just plain difficult…really really difficult and I never felt like Butler dealt with that, instead he more or less glossed over it. That, combined with too many eyeroll-worthy moments made 𝘈 𝘍𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘺 𝘠𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘒𝘪𝘴𝘴 a love story I just couldn’t believe in.

Forty years after divorcing, Charlie reaches out to his ex-wife Vivian hoping to rekindle their relationship. This is a total feel good book about love, second chances, redemption and joy. Once I started it, I had to finish it. It's wonderful to have a love story that involves mature adults dealing with their shared history, what has made them the adults they are and the hopefulness that doesn't evaporate with the added years.

I struggled for much of this story because I really couldn’t see a redemption arc for Charlie. He destroyed their marriage with his drinking, disregard and callousness, yet forty years after his and Vivian’s divorce and now very comfortably retired, he’s still drinking and being less than forthcoming. I also didn’t see the appeal of Vivian. She’s a very poor woman who has been beaten down by life, but who pours all of her love and attention into her daughter and granddaughters. She leads a very insular life, and understandably, has trust issues with men. So, it was difficult for me to cheer for the rekindling of their relationship.

Having said this, it was very life-affirming to see two people in their 60s realize that they’ve grown up a lot in forty years and that loneliness (even when surrounded by people) and forgiveness are choices. They can choose to let past hurts and mistakes keep them from moving forward, or they can acknowledge the hurt, forgive each other, and embrace a new life together. Butler intentionally chose dual narration which was a wise decision because it gave clearer insight into Charlie and Vivian’s insecurities, regrets, and secrets. I still don’t understand why Charlie never told Vivian where his money came from, especially since she had such a problem with him spending it on her and because he had shared the truth with her daughter, Melissa. Finally, I also didn’t like the choice to limit punctuation. I’m a grammar snob, so it was difficult, at times, to distinguish what was dialogue without the use of quotation marks. A minor quibble, but one that took me out of the story more than once.

I recommend this to readers who are looking for a mature, closed door romance and women’s fiction. Yes, it’s written by a man, but not from the male gaze, in my opinion.

Sadly, I don’t think this book was for me. I didn’t feel very connected to the characters and the writing style didn’t draw me in. I liked the idea of the story more than the actual story.

Nickolas Butler delivers a slow-burning, deeply reflective story about love, regret, and the passage of time. If you’ve ever wondered what could have been—or if old flames ever truly fade—this book will hit you right in the nostalgia.

This is the kind of book that makes you want to call an old friend, pour a drink, and stare wistfully into the sunset. If you love wistful, tender storytelling with heart, this one’s worth the listen.

A slow burn-second chance romance…..can love be found once again? A love that was lost forty years ago?
I loved Vivian and Charlie…..getting to know them from the beginning of their friendship/marriage to their divorce and 40 years later to their reunion.
The story is sweet and so very nostalgic. Very slow burn which I can appreciate to some degree. But, I feel a bit more romance/spice would have made the story more relatable to me.
All in all, a beautiful story of true love, accepting forgiveness and finding redemption.
Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.