Nickolas Butler has written a beautiful, quiet, contemplative story unlike any I've ever read before. Charlie and Viv got married young but the relationship and Charlie's drinking took a toll and they divorced. Forty years later Charlie returns to see if a reconciliation is possible.

There's not a lot of story here, but I loved the realistic angle on love lost and found from an older perspective. Gorgeous prose and thoughtful characters are a reminder of why Nickolas Butler is one of the best writers of this time.

loved that the main characters were older in age and youthful in heart, and I do love a second chance redemption arc and gentle storytelling. I think if I didn't compare all of his novels to Shotgun Lovesongs, one of my favorite books of all time, that I would have liked this one more, and the fault in that is mine. I know better than to think the feeling evoked by one reading experience can translate to every other one by that author. It's earnest, but not in a way that felt authentic to me. It also contains everything plus the kitchen sink, which is I think one of the ways it went off the rails. Thanks to Netgalley for the free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

Understanding the value of a second chance

Charlie and VIvian fell in love when they were young back in the 1980's. They got married only to discover that love wasn't enough to keep the marriage alive, particularly in light of Charlie's drinking and fighting. After four years they divorced and Charlie left town, leaving Viv behind with a broken heart and both bearing scars. Now forty years later, during which time Charlie has never (despite two subsequent marriages which he acknowledges should never have happened, their failures entirely his fault) stopped thinking about Viv, the two agree to meet at the Tomahawk Room in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, the town where their story began all those years ago. Charlie had found a way while living in Albuquerque to contact her online...these past three years she had been increasingly on his mind...and after exchanging emails and phone calls they are finally seeing one another face to face. Charlie wants another chance with Viv, to create a life with her after all of the mistakes he has made with her and elsewhere in his life. Viv is nowhere near as certain that its a good idea, she remembers the pain he had caused her back when they were together. But Charlie seems to have changed, and it certainly feels good to feel wanted. Viv's life hasn't been easy either; she lives with her daughter Melissa, a single mother raising two young girls with no help from the men who fathered them. Her days remain a struggle for money, cooking and cleaning and washing clothes over and over again. Does Charlie deserve a second chance? Does she? Charlie hasn't completely shed his demons, and Viv has a secret she kept from Charlie for forty years...could love be enough this time around?
A Forty Year Kiss is a story about love that isn't really a romance novel, featuring two very ordinary people who have lived lives full of mistakes and regrets and challenges. Can love survive and be rekindled after four decades? Can you ever learn to trust again someone who hurt you badly? What would you be willing to risk for a second chance at love? Charlie and Viv are complex and flawed characters, authentic, endearingly imperfect and yearning for something that once was and might be again. The gentle pacing reminded me of Kent Haruf's novels, and the Midwest small town setting is well rendered. In today's world it is refreshing to enter a story that maintains optimism in the face of regrets, and it was impossible for me not to root for these two weary people who find the courage late in life to grasp for the brass ring one last time. For those who enjoy authors like Kent Haruf, Robert James Waller, Leif Enger and even Nicholas Sparks...carve out some time to spend with Charlie and Viv...you won't regret it. Many thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for allowing me early access to this quiet gem of a novel in exchange for my honest review.

A lovely story a story of love rekindled a marriage that ended years and years ago.Now the characters are in their sixties working on reuniting healing their previous issues and falling back in love.I was drawn in from the first pages from Charlie and Viv meet for the first time and they begin their new story.so well written so involving.#netgalley ##randomhouse

This is a novel about second chances in love and life. Vivian and Charlie were married forty years ago but after a short amount of time they got a divorce. With full lives lived in forty years they reconnect to see if maybe they deserve a second chances at the love of a lifetime.

Overall I thought the story was a good one about finding love again later in life. It was also about how we carry our past with us and how we can grow from those moments. It was a low stakes book and felt like an easy love story. There wasn’t a lot of drama that I have seen in some other romantic novels. It was very cozy and just a fun one to spend some time with. Vivian at times seemed so insecure about things and a little over dramatic in some situations. Luckily it is short lived and really the story is mostly focused from Charlie’s point of view. One thing that made it hard to read was that there are no quotation marks for dialogue which can make it hard to follow at times.

“Marriage really isn’t about romance. Especially at our age. Marriage is about the day-to-day. Marriage is about steadiness. Marriage is a partnership. Marriage is hundreds, thousands of days without passion. Just groceries and bills and sickness and heartache and oil changes and snow that needs to be shoveled and bunions and missing reading glasses and appointments with the cardiologist, or maybe the endocrinologist, or the podiatrist.” Straight FACTS!

3.5 stars rounded up! Fair warning there are no quotation marks for dialogue in case that bothers you. It doesn’t bother me but it is definitely a different reading experience.

I really enjoyed this mature second chance romance about Charlie and Vivian, who find themselves reacquainted 40 years after their divorce from a four year marriage. Their love story is so sweet and I rooted for them so hard. Watching them reacquaint themselves after so many years was so enjoyable as love in your 60’s is different than love in your 20’s. You want and prioritize very different things and the reflection on past mistakes felt very authentic.

Thank you to Netgalley, Sourcebooks Landmark, and the author for the ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts.

I enjoyed Charlie and Vivian's journey, that of a 60ish couple who are exploring what would happen if you rekindled with an ex 40 years later, with wisdom, self-awareness and fresh insight and not much to lose. Charlie at this point in his life has nothing left to lose so he seeks out Vivian his ex-wife to see what could be. Vivian struggles to live for herself and let go of the baggage of the past.

There aren't a ton of books written for characters past their 30's so this was a nice change. This book felt real to the point where it wasn't a rom-com or even a romance, more like book club fiction. It was a quick read and one that I think will appeal, especially to audiences over 40.

I can’t recall ever reading a book quite like this-a second-chance, contemporary romance but more?! First, the main characters are in their sixties, getting a second chance at love after their divorce forty years prior. Second-the setting was in my home state of Wisconsin and the author got everything right about it. Third, other than Nicholas Sparks books, I haven’t read a romance written by a male author that felt so heartfelt, honest, true and relatable. And last but not least: not only was this a romance but really a character driven romance where both Charlie and Vivian recognize their past mistakes and look towards the future together. The emotions were ever present, and despite their shortcomings, I adored Charlie and Vivian.
I am so glad that I was able to tandem read this with an electronic version and the audio. (There were no quoting marks…) The single male narrator, Richard Poe, did a fine job narrating-his voice calming and did not lack in emotion. Thank you the author, NetGalley, Sourcebooks for the eARC and RBMedia for the ALC. 4.25 stars

I loved this book so much! The heartwarming story is just what I needed. I highly recommend you give this one a read.

This was an interesting take on a second-chance. While I wouldn't categorize it as strictly romance, more contemporary fiction, it centers on Charlie and Vivian now in their sixties, who were married forty years ago. They reconnect when Charlie retires and inherits his uncle's home near where Vivian still lives all these decades later. He's never stopped loving her, but he also remarried twice and knows his alcoholism has been a factor in every one of his relationships. She's faced struggles and triumphs of her own through the years and currently lives with her adult daughter and two granddaughters.

I appreciated the connection and communication between the two main characters, the ways they grapple with the past, and try to imagine a future together despite all the baggage they carry both from their marriage and the years in between. The lack of quotation marks didn't cause too much confusion for me, but it took a little getting used to. The writing was beautiful. The plot was slow moving, and every time I thought something dramatic might happen, it didn't. It was a story that kind of snuck up on me and lingered a little. There were some elements that weren't exactly my taste, but it was a nice change, especially with the older protagonists, to some of my regular reads.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for the DRC. The above is my genuine opinion and reading reaction.

How does a love story play out when you're not young and have the whole world in front of you? Charlie and Vivian seek to rekindle a flame that burned out 40 years ago with their divorce. There's is a story filled with forgiveness, acceptance and hope.

A Forty Year Kiss was an enjoyable love story between a couple who were looking for that second chance at love and happiness. Most of the romances that I’ve read are about younger couples, so it was nice to see an older couple’s story being told. I appreciated the fact that the author told their story with all of the passion, longing, and honesty that it deserved. The characters were far from perfect. They were flawed, not always likable, but that’s what makes it realistic.

Charlie and Vivian were married only four years when their relationship ended. A lot had transpired during the forty years since they had last seen each other. People grow, mature, and can change.

Charlie had taken a chance by contacting Vivian again after all these years, especially since he had broken her heart. He didn’t know if she was married or what her life and circumstances were. Luckily, she wanted to meet up with him again, too.

Charlie and Vivian had lived very different lives during their time apart. Easing back into a relationship was going to be an adjustment. Vivian had a few reservations, and rightfully so. After all, there were reasons why they had split up all those years ago. Throughout the novel, we get to witness them fall back in love, we get to know what had originally torn them apart, and we get to see what their lives have become. Not all the parts of their lives are easy to share, though, and someone is harboring a secret that could potentially tear them apart again.

All in all, A Forty Year Kiss was a good story about family, love, and second chances.


*3.5 Stars

I read very few romances, but this is Nicolas Butler, and his novel is set in part of Wisconsin I love and know well: Eau Claire, Chippewa Falls and the Spooner Northwoods. Wisconsin will always be my favorite state,(even as it sadly turns towards red.)Butler’s tale centers around alcoholic Charlie, retired now , who has returned to manage his inherited farm. Charlie’s real goal, however, is to reunite with his first and only true love,Vivian. Charlie and Vivian were married for a few brief years in their early 20’s and neither has forgotten their young love. Now reunited in their sixties , they seek to rekindle and secure a second chance at love.

I loved this book and the characters created therein. Highly recommend.

A Forty Year Kiss is a slow paced second chance romance, and an intriguing read! Charlie and Vivian made it down the alter, but their marriage didn't make it to its fifth year; sometimes love just isn't enough. When Charlie returns home forty years later he is determined to reconnect with Vivian, but a lot has happened since their divorce, is it worth it to try again?

I was interested in reading this because of its description of lyricism and honesty, and I definitely found that the writing met that description. One of the reasons that Charlie and Vivian broke up is because of his alcoholism, and this is an issue that remains in their rekindling romance but with more experience and maturity, they are able to handle it differently from their younger selves. I am a big fan of slow burn romance and convincing storytelling that is descriptive, I don't require a lot to happen in the story and slow pacing is actually something I love, so I really enjoyed this story. I think the challenge is that with stories like that, you often have to love the characters. I think that there is a missing element of memorability for me, and so it just slightly misses the mark on perfection for me.

An enjoyable read for any fan of slow-burn romances!

DNF'd @ 40%

This unfortunately was a DNF for me. The writing was decent, but the plot was boring. I think a big thing was that this was supposed to be a love story made up of small moments between Vivian and Charlie, but it felt like they never amounted to anything. That and lack of quotation marks was driving me bonkers - I just couldn't do it.

Thank you to Nickolas Butler, Sourcebooks Landmark, & NetGalley for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

All the stars for this truly wonderful love story about second chances and stumbling into an unexpected life in middle age. Don’t miss this one - it’s quite remarkable.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

A couple in their 60s gets a second chance at love after a failed marriage 40 years before. A lot has happened during that time and Charlie is determined to make things right. Vivian is not so sure. One of the reasons they originally split up was due to Charlie's alcohol abuse. Living with her grown daughter and 2 granddaughters, Vivian doesn't want anything to happen to them. The couple takes it slow, knowing that while they have a history, they have a lot to learn about each other. I really enjoyed this one. I also loved that the story was set in central Wisconsin. Beautifully written, it's sweet but not saccharine, and was the perfect palate cleanse after reading some really intense books.

My thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the advance copy of this novel.

I assumed from the title that this novel was about a romance that spanned forty years and ended happily, as romances do. Butler gives readers more than that, however. First of all, it’s an unusual romance that is written by a man and highlights the male protagonist’s point of view, but he also gives the woman her own story to tell.

More important, the title’s forty years are those that have passed since Charlie and Vivian have seen each other, when their youthful marriage ended after four mostly distressing years. Youth and poverty had a lot to do with that, but the key issue was Charlie’s drinking. After a few more failed relationships, Charlie, now alone and wealthy, reaches out to his first love, whom he has come to believe was his only true love. He has bought a fabulous house near the deteriorating Wisconsin town where they started out, and she still lives. Vivian, still beautiful, is alone too, though with an adult daughter who has two girls of her own, and they all share a decrepit little house. The cycle of poverty continues for her.

This would be a very short story if their long-ago passion didn’t immediately re-ignite. Vivian is leery; Charlie, and life, have left their scars. He has learned his lesson, and from the start, he is gentle and sensitive, determined to convince her that he has changed.

Both characters insist that they must, and are, ‘taking it slow,’ but they seem to re-adapt quickly, and Charlie is integrated into Vivian’s family circle very smoothly. It helps that he’s a very lavish spender, and the he seems to have the perfect solution for every one of their problems. In fact, the older, wiser, wealthier and still handsome Charlie is too good to be true. Except that he still drinks, despite admitting to his alcoholism. And he encourages Melissa, also an alcoholic, to drink as well. Yet Vivian, although bothered, says very little about it. Most of the obstacles they encounter seem to find pat resolutions, whether couple, family, health or financial issues. The little mystery inserted near the end seems almost tacked on. Butler writes well, but, while he focuses on character development, Charlie and Vivian ultimately seem like stereotypes, rough but sensitive cowboy and poor little single mother. Still, it is refreshing, as noted, to read a romance novel by a man, about an older couple, and who doesn’t love a second chance?

Just what I needed! A Forty Year Kiss was a sweet read with massive doses of regret, making amends, nostalgia, and a second chance for love with the one who got away....

Charlie loves to drink, and he does so usually to excess. He is the life of the party, but he is also his and his loved one's own worst enemy when he is drunk.

Now in his sixties and lonely in his retirement, Charlie can't stop thinking of his one true love, Vivian: the one he drove away with his selfishness and excess.

Charlie is a true romantic, but alcohol changed him into someone who was heedless of everyone else's needs but his own.

The author reveals in his Acknowledgement that this story is based on a conversation he overheard one evening while he was at a bar, battling writer's block. I loved how the author described the gift of inspiration. A magical knowing filled him and he knew that this couple's story would fill the chapters of his next book.

And what a book it is. Vivian has not had an easy life and she is wary of re-establishing ties with Charlie. At first she decides to have fun with him, not take him too seriously, but this irks Charlie, because he is playing for keeps. He has to prove to Vivian that he is a changed man, and will keep on changing in order to be the type of man that Vivian and her family need.

There are a few surprises in store for Charlie as this emotionally charged story progresses. I often sighed with contentment when Charlie started pouring it on! Go Charlie and Vivian! I was definitely rooting for them (but I was also secretly pleased and proud that Vivian did not make things easy for him when he tried to buy his way into her family's affections!)

Nicholas Butler's writing style resembles Kent Haruf's only to the extent that he does not use quotation marks to signify spoken conversations. I certainly had no issues with the lack of quotation marks (although I can understand that many other readers and reviewers might.) I felt that the story flowed seamlessly.

This was a big "5 out of 5/well satisfied/big smile on my face/glad I requested this ARC from an author I was not familiar with" read for me. Highly recommended!!!

My thanks to the author, Nicholas Butler, his publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review. I enjoyed every minute of it!

What a very well done example of love later in life. And also a study of how if we had only made a change or two our life could have been. We all grow and change throughout life. The chance to make right an old mistake is almost to delicious a dream to pass up.
Vivian and Charlie are both flawed and this book displays those flaws proudly.
I received an ARC of this title, all opinions are my own.