A sweet, slow and steady, second-chance love story.

Charlie and Vivian were married for 4 years in their twenties. After retiring, Charlie begins to look back in his life, realizing, now in his sixties, he doesn’t have a lot of life left to live, and decides to track down his ex-wife to make amends. When he and Vivian reconnect, she realizes just how much she still loves him, but she’s skeptical that he’s actually changed.

It was nice to read a love story about two mature characters, even if their struggles weren’t necessarily relatable to me personally. The characters were complex, well-developed, and likable. Despite Charlie’s behavior in the past, it’s easy to root for his redemption and his happily ever after.

I had a hard time getting into this one. The writing style, just did not work for me. It was too distracting with how it was written for me to feel fully immersed in the story.

The story premise itself, I did enjoy. I just feel I could not enjoy it to the fullest because it just was not my cup of tea.

if you enjoy second chance romances, this book is for you!!

while it did not turn out to be a 5 star read for me or even 4 because of a not so set plot line I loved that it about a couple in their 60s who were for few years in their 20s and now 40 years later they are rekindling their relationship and finding out things about each other along the way and working through them.

For me the story did not work out as I could not connect to the characters well which can be due to the age they were set at but back again that is more of a me problem than the book. I felt there was no actual love for them to get back together 4 decades later but only the fear of loosing which was morbid tbh!!

3.5 second chance mature romance stars

I took a chance on this one because I had liked an earlier book by this author. Set in the Midwest, our two main characters share their points of view throughout the book. Charlie and Vivian were married for four years, but forty years have passed. Charlie is at a junction in his life where he wants to see Vivian again to see if he can reignite the spark they once had.

Charlie spends a lot of time apologizing and trying to do the right thing with Vivian. He realizes that his drinking was a problem years ago and still is today. If he wants a second chance at love with Vivian, that will probably have to change.

Vivian is skeptical. Can someone really change? Now, she has an adult daughter and two grandchildren to take care of. But she is lonely, and it’s nice to have a man around again, especially when he’s as caring and generous as Charlie.

This is not a fast-paced thriller, but if you are in the mood for a different sort of love story, I enjoyed this one. I rooted for Charlie and Vivian, and I think they grew and changed throughout the book. Do you believe in second-chance love? Can people change? How much does alcohol influence our behavior?

I read this book in two days. I am from Wisconsin and around the same age so it felt very familiar. A Forty Year Kiss is a book of regrets but also of hope and second chances. The reflections that the characters experience are spot on.

I am giving it a 4 rather than a 5 as I felt there could have been a bit more substance to the book. Also, things went a bit too smoothly. I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop. There were some bumps along the way but probably should have been more given the history between Charles and Vivian. However, I did think the subject of alcoholism was well fleshed out and described both with honesty and grace.

I would recommend this book especially for anyone in the reflection stage of life.

I LOVED this book!! Nickolas Butler does such a great job weaving an intriguing story that readers will fall in love with like I did!! I would highly recommend this read to anyone who loves romance books with great depth!!

3.5 ⭐️

It isn't often I come across romance books with older characters. This book is about two people who are in their 60s that 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.

This book is a character driven book and readers are witness to the flaws and secrets these two have. While ai liked the characters well enough I didn't love them. At times I thought Charlie was a jerk and wondered what Vivian ever saw in him. But by the end of the book I had a better understanding of Charlie and didn't see him.as such a jerk.

This being a romance type book there are some bedroom scenes but they are written well enough and are respectful of the ages of the characters.

All in all this was a pretty quick read for me and I believe this book would be enjoyable for those looking for a romance between mature characters and stories about second chances.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book.

A Forty Year Kiss by Nikolas Butler is an enjoyable second chance romance.

Charlie is in his mid-sixties and retired from his railroad job. He is hoping to rekindle his relationship with his ex-wife, Vivian. Their four-year marriage ended in divorce but he has never forgotten his first love. While Charlie is self-confident, he is endearingly nervous about meeting Vivian again.

Charlie broke Vivian’s heart when they divorced. She lives with her daughter Melissa and takes care of her adorable granddaughters, Ainsley and Ashley. Vivian has not had an easy life so she is reticent about getting involved with Charlie again.

Of the two, Charlie is most changed except for the reason they divorced. Despite Vivian’s qualms, she sets aside her misgivings and allows Charlie back into her life. Melissa is rightfully suspicious of Charlie especially since her mother kept her first marriage secret. Will Charlie and Vivian be able to overcome their respective baggage and find a future together?

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. But 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. Melissa finds herself turning to Charlie when faced with an unanticipated situation. Charlie and Vivian’s relationship is sweet but not without bumps and a few detours. The storyline is engaging but some of the inner monologues can be rambling. Nikolas Butler’s writing style takes a bit to get used to. However, it is well worth sticking with this compelling story of second chance love.

This is the ultimate second chance love story. Charlie & Vivian, once married, reconnecting after 40 years & finding their way back together. It was a beautiful story of resilience, growth and love. The book does not have quotation marks at all which really added to the feeling of almost urgency that the book had. Charlie & Vivian lost so much time while they were apart that once they found each other it all progressed smoothly and without pause. While the missing quotation marks were distracting at first I felt like it really added to the overall feeling of the story. I enjoyed watching these two people fall back together and figure out the rest of their lives together.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are mine alone!

I enjoyed this book. It's not one full of action that will knock your socks off. It has it's slow moments for sure, but the protagonists are in their sixties, so it kind of parallels that stage of their lives.

It is about Vivian and Charlie who were married in their twenties and divorced after a couple of years. His drinking is the main thing that drove them apart. Now forty years later, he has looked her up and wants a second chance to be with her (even if it's just as friends). Vivian's life has had a much different outcome than Charlie's. Some good points, some not so good. They each have their struggles, but can life be better if they are back together?

This is a very sweetly written book about love old and new and the impact it can have on your life. Very, very memorable.

Thanks to Sourcebooks and NetGalley for the copy. All thoughts are my own.

This is the most realistic romance story I've ever read. Does it feel slow sometimes? Yes, but falling back in love with someone who wrecked your heart SHOULD take time.
Hash things out. Have the hard conversations. Tell each other what you did love that hurt so badly to lose.
I did have some questions that didn't flesh out in the story, but they didn't matter in the end.
This is a melodic, late-in-life, redemption love story.

I expected to love this book based on the synopsis but it fell flat in so many areas that it was a chore to finish. I don’t recommend it.

📚BOOK REVIEW

📖: A Forty Year Kiss 💋
✍️: Nickolas Butler @wiscobutler
📚: Sourcebooks Landmark @sourcebooks
Genre: Literary Fiction
Pub Date: Feb 4, 2025
Format: Paperback (ARC)
Pages: 352

same author as: Shotgun Lovesongs
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"You live long enough, you understand the value of second chance. A new beginning.”
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💭 A FORTY YEAR KISS is a beautifully written, sweet yet realistic love story with second chance romance, but later in life. This is the first book I read by Nickolas Butler, and his writing is captivating!

We follow Charlie and Vivian, a 60 year old couple, who were married for four years, forty years ago. After their divorce, they each went their own way and disconnected completely. Forty years later, Charlie had a sudden desire to reconnect with Vivian, and he decides to return to Wisconsin. After meeting one night at a bar, they continue to spend time together. Yet that bring back memories of their divorce as well as a few secrets and some regrets.

The author does such a great job at describing topics like addiction, motherhood, marriage, divorce, and economic difficulties. I loved that he brings out the fact that not everyone at that age has necessarily reached their dream love story or has their financial life figured out. One big thing that stands out to me is that there isn't much drama or a big turning point in the story. Perhaps it's the fact that this is a romance late in life as opposed to younger and inexperienced days.

This book ended up being such a nice story to read. It was something different and quieter. It's definitely a perfect Valentine's Day gift as this publishes on February 4th! I received the paperback arc but the hardcover version that is coming out is beautiful with ombre sprayed edges.

Thank you @bookmarked for the #gifted ARC!

First, I did not finish this book by choice. I could hear the violins playing right from the first page and it kept getting louder to the point where I couldn't take it.
Picture a man who has now been divorced three times, who finds himself not able to stop thinking of wife number one. He inherits his uncle's nearby-ish farm, moves out of state to get back there, fixes up the needed repairs at the farm and drinks a lot. Then he reaches out to her on FB, then text messages, a couple of phone calls until finally an in person meeting. At this first in person meeting, where he arrives an hour early to have some drinks ahead of time, he tells her how much he wants her back.
Now picture her. It's been 40 very hard years for her raising children, working hard, having little money. She now lives with her daughter and watches her grandkids so her daughter can work as a bartender. She has not dated and probably has not thought of him except in anger for abandoning her and for his drinking. Picture what it must be like to hear this out of the blue. Hear the violins?
His drinking problem has not gone away and while he actually does stop to think a few times, he really hasn't changed all that much,. Then enter her jealousy over his past wife and wonder, huh? It's been 40 years and you are angry that he had a photo of an ex in his house? Seriously? We don't know for sure what her secret is that she is keeping from him, but who is she to be angry over relationships not mentioned?
That is when I said enough. This is a train wreck waiting to happen, especially when her daughter, knowing his problem with alcohol, bullies him into drinking.
Thanks NetGalley for an advance reader copy. Honest opinions expressed here are my own and are freely given.

Amazing story, so beautifully written and emotionnal.

I was hooked from the first pages.

If you need something that will absorbed you this is it.

This was my first novel by this author and I enjoyed it. There were parts that were unexpected, some that were romantic, others that were hard to read, and some parts I just couldn't get on board with what happened. Nickolas Butlers writing and story telling are great though and I would love to read other titles by him. This story was like a re-coming of age of two older people who have connected after two decades. Lots of hurts and reckonings with who they've become while a lot of newness baked in as well. I can't relate to this time in life as I'm not there yet but I presume with that much time under one's belt on this earth that all the wisdom and growth has to come with some regret and yearning too. The author captured all of this well. It was an interesting and engaging story for sure.

This is a sweet novel that explores a romance between older characters, something we don't see often enough. I imagine this will appeal to many of our library patrons, particularly those who enjoy quieter stories, midwestern settings, and complicated love stories.

Thank you to Sourcebooks and Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book.

I'm a sucker for second chance. Never have I read a second chance that spanned over 40 years. Charlie and Vivian were married at the start of their young lives. A marriage based on love and passion, and not much logic. Once the novelty of first love wore off, the cracks started to show until they were both falling into a pit of loneliness and contempt.

40 years after their divorce, Charlie seeks out Vivian. Realizing she may be the only woman he has ever loved makes him strive to be a better man for her and her family. It's an uphill battle and the author does a great job navigating Charlie's character arc from an alcoholic to a family man.

Vivian hasn't had an easy road in her life and was a single mom to two girls and now tends to her grandchildren. Never enough money, never enough time, the last 40 years of her life have been spent scraping by. Her tentativeness toward Charlie is warranted and again the author does this character justice by highlighting her insecurities. You really get a sense of what makes these characters tick.
I found the story to be very heartfelt, emotional, and timeless. A true full circle of love lost and rekindled.

A slow paced character study where a divorced couple reconnect in their 60's. Their marriage was at a young age, for a short time and they did not have children. Once it was over, it was over, until he took a chance and reached out to his old love on social media. The book reminded me that dreams can come true and love can find you, no matter what age you are. For that, I am appreciative. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary digital ARC. This review is my own opinion.

I try each year around Valentine's day to at least read one romance. It is definitely not my usual genre and there is something saccharine in a lot of these types of books that feel vapid to me. When I read the premise for this book, it seemed like it would have at least some substance. There was a good underlying story here and I very much became invested in the 'will they, won't they' aspect. I found it heartwarming to see Charlie's life really change with the re-addition of Vivian into his life. There was a lot that was thoroughly predictable and I am never a fan of the long lost, deep dark, secret in a book that when unleashed just seems to be fine when it is a huge deal. I would probably rate this a 3.5 out of 5 and am rounding this up to a 4 as this was one of those books I could not put down. I started this book this evening and finished it in one sitting. Thanks for the ARC, NetGalley. I would definitely be interested in seeing what else this author writes.