Olivia Dade’s upcoming novel delivers a delightful blend of warmth, humor, and heartache in a story about rediscovering love and healing old wounds. Set in a cozy small-town backdrop, this mature second-chance romance captures the emotional nuances of two people reconnecting after years apart—and it does so with wit, depth, and a touch of spice.
The story follows Molly and Karl, former high school friends whose paths cross again under unexpected circumstances. Molly believed Karl had died years ago, so their reunion is nothing short of shocking. What begins as an awkward reintroduction slowly blossoms into something tender and romantic, with plenty of laugh-out-loud moments along the way.
Told from both characters' perspectives, the dual narrative adds richness and emotional clarity, letting readers fully experience their internal conflicts and desires. The chemistry between Molly and Karl is palpable, and their dynamic—grumpy meets grumpier—keeps things fresh and entertaining. Their banter is razor-sharp, their vulnerabilities feel genuine, and their growth feels earned.
One of the standout aspects of this novel is its inclusive portrayal of plus-size characters. Both leads are authentically written, and their bodies are celebrated, not sidelined. It’s refreshing to see that kind of representation handled with care and confidence.
Though the plot is engaging and well-paced, the story does lean a bit too heavily on the miscommunication trope, which may feel slightly frustrating for readers who prefer more direct character interactions. Still, that’s a minor quibble in an otherwise compelling read.
Every character, aside from a certain ex, is likable and well-developed, and the world Dade has crafted feels lived-in and real. The novel is easy to get lost in, and I found myself racing through it, completely immersed.
Fans of romantic comedies—especially those who appreciate emotional depth and steamy moments—will find plenty to enjoy here. I’m giving it a solid 4 out of 5 stars.
Please note: the story includes explicit language and sexual content.
Thanks to NetGalley, the author, and Avon/Harper Voyager for the opportunity to read this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The book is slated for release on November 25, 2025—mark your calendars!

Second Chance, He is grumpy but I wouldn't call her sunshine

I liked the story and it was very entertaining. He does a lot of swearing but in a cute way. She has a lot of men trauma and is not very open. He is more of a "if I show it, I don't have to say it" and she is a "if he doesn't say it, then how can he feel it?". Those two together made for lots of funny scenarios and lots of lack of communication. It was a real easy read minus some cringey romance book references.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for this advanced copy in exchanged for my honest opinion.

DNF at 10%

Honestly, I think this was a me problem. I am not a fan of books written in third person, so I had a really hard time starting it. I’m normally not one to not finish a book, but I had such a hard time reading this. It was confusing and did not make sense to me. However, I did love that it was a body positive book. Just not my cup of tea.

Thank you NetGalley, Olivia Dean, and Avon and Harper Voyager Publishing for this ARC!

⭐️: 1.0
📖: Kindle

Set in the small coastal town of Harlot’s Bay, this body‑positive reunion romance flips an obituary typo into an opportunity: two former high‑school crushes are inadvertently reunited. The emotional pull of rediscovery is strong: both Karl and Molly are layered, funny, and wonderfully real—especially with Dade’s signature blend of wit and heart. I loved the slow‑burn build: they relearn each other through awkward dinners, doughnut runs, and introspective jokes. Even in a plot built on coincidence, the chemistry feels earned. The prose balances hot scenes with genuine emotional stakes—trust broken and mended, insecurities faced and outgrown. Plus, there's glorious representation—both plus size MCs, both confident and romantic beyond the usual tropes. And the humor! I laughed out loud at multiple lines, especially during their “grumpy × grumpy” moments. Dade doesn’t shy away from depth either: there’s real discussion about body image, grief, and community judgment in tiny-town life—without sacrificing that swoony, love‑at‑first‑exactly‑16‑years‑ago spark I adore.

Favorite tropes:
Second‑chance
Mistaken obituary
Grumpy/grumpy
Body‑positive hero and heroine
Small‑town community
Slow burn rediscovery

The way I was kicking my feet & smiling to myself during this book! It is so well written & really a breath of fresh air to have mature characters! The pacing of this book was perfect & I truly felt connected to Molly’s character! I loved the love story between these two! Will always love plus size representation! Such a great book!!

This one took me a bit longer than my norm because it starts off kind of slow. Then I realized this is book 2, and I hadn't read book 1, and it felt like I would appreciate the story better after reading the first in the series. So about 30% in I started the audiobook for book 1, and then after that continued reading. It did help me connect with the characters more and enjoy this story more. I really think I would have liked this better as an audio version, and if the audiobook should come up on NetGalley, I'd love the opportunity to review it. Here's the review I'll be Shari elsewhere:

Molly doesn't have any reason to trust Karl's intentions with her are lasting, every man in her life has always let her down. Karl finally has a second chance with the woman of his dreams and he's determined to get her to trust him. This is a sweet story of two nearly 40 years old people working through their baggage and insecurities to come together. I got a little bored in the beginning and ultimately think I would have liked this better as an audiobook. A good narrator can really bring a story to life. Still a great story and it starts to get fun and enjoyable around 40% in.

A cozy story that will inspire you to heal your inner dialogue and fully embrace your true self, as you are in any moment.
This romance is more than just about finding true love, it’s packed with body positivity, healing emotional wounds, restoring trust, discovering the importance of communication, being yourself and thereby finding your people!
The author is a talented writer, using satisfying vocabulary variety in the descriptions and narrations while matching the dialogue vocabulary to her characters’ personalities and experiences.
The MCs work through a lot of trauma, but in a well-paced manner that doesn’t feel slow or frustrating or unrealistic.
If you’re looking for a very sweet, cozy, healing romance with green flags galore, this is your next read!

Side Note: My only request would be for a more concrete description of the main characters in the beginning of the story.
My imagination of their body sizes yo-yoed until about 3/4s of the way through the story.

I didn’t realize this was the second in a series until I started it but I was able to follow along pretty easily!! This was cute but the third person was not my favorite and while I liked the Mcs they were pretty forgettable. It was an easy ready though

In this second installment to the Harlot's Bay series, the book follows story of Karl and Molly, who knew each other during high school, but never connected romantically due to a misunderstanding. Molly moved to LA and got married, and Karl stayed in town and eventually opened a bakery. Little do they know that they are still connected - through the audiobooks Molly narrates and Karl listens to. When Molly learns that Karl's obituary has run in the press, she returns to Harlot's Bay distraught - only to find that he is very much alive. The two reconnect and go through what led to their separation, and Karl becomes determined to prove to Molly that she can trust him.

I loved this second chance romance by Olivia Dade, who is quickly becoming one of my must read authors. She has a knack for writing accessible and real characters, and making the chemistry between the pages sizzle - and certainly delivered with this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a 2.5 star read for me. I really wanted to love it, but it was really hard to get past the lack of communication from both parties for pretty much the entire book. I never really connected with the characters. Plus, the writing style was just odd at times and the book just seemed to drag (why was the prologue 20 mins long???).

So what did work? I liked the plus size representation. As a plus size gal myself, I appreciated that. The town was cute. At first I found the town odd, then I read the author worked in Colonial Williamsburg, and a lightbulb went off to explain why the town had the whole historical re-enactment/interpreter thing going on. I liked that neither Karl nor Molly were popular in high school, but were very smart; I could relate. I liked that Karl was a baker. That was kinda cute. And the funny cakes he had to make were hilarious. But that's where the good things end.

Communication ... it was nowhere to be found. Molly and Karl both kept everything inside their heads and never spoke about it to each other, not until the end of the book. It was soooo frustrating and made them both seem way more immature than I'm sure they were, being they were nearly 40 years old and should know better.

Karl's dialogue left a lot to be desired. It was like a Temu-Kristen Ashley hero. I've been a fan of hers since the Rock Chick series, and the choppy alpha caveman type dialogue usually works for her Hero's since they're tough and outwardly display that same persona. But Karl wasn't that and it just came off as weird and immature when he spoke in grunts, curse words every other word and half-formed sentences.

Then there's the rest of the writing. I consider myself very intelligent with an expansive vocabulary, but I honestly had to use the dictionary feature so many times on my Kindle to learn the meaning of a new-to-me word. When I'm reading contemporary romance, I'm not reading for a literary masterpiece or historical fiction-esque words. Modern language needs to be used to match the contemporary label. But maybe that's just me.

Maybe the audio book would have been more enjoyable for this one.

Friends from high school, Karl and Molly get a second chance to right the wrongs that kept them apart for 2 decades. On the positive side, I love that Olivia Dade hits all different notes when she writes plus size/fat lead characters. While a lot of romances rightly spend time exploring the complexities of body positivity both within the MC and those who come in contact with them, it was refreshing reading a romance where this body type just....was. Now, to the rest of the book, I found the writing style really odd. It read like a Classic Lit novel in language and structure. And while that's not necessarily a bad thing, it felt really disparate to me. I'm sure some readers will really love this aspect of the writing style, but I failed to connect with it. And on top of that, the chemistry between characters was more told than felt. But the spicy scenes were fantastic! Can't end a book review without discussing the spice. Overall I kind of liked it, kind of bored me. But mostly it was a good and cute book. I guess it is a good book that just didn't resonate with me, but I am certain a ton of other readers will love it.

Second Chance Romance is a novel between two high school friends who almost became more but didn't quite get there before the FMC, Molly, abruptly moves across the country for college. Fast forward 20 years when Molly, hears that the MMC, Karl, has died so she flies back to her hometown to pay her respects for the friend she once had. To her surprise, it was all a misunderstanding and Karl is actually alive. With Molly back in his life, Karl feels like this is the opportune time to finally shoot his shot and make Molly his.

We don't get much background of their high school years so I didn't feel convinced about their 'almost romance' or even their friendship for that matter. So marketing this so boldly as a 'second chance romance' fell flat for me. Especially because when they reunite in their mid-to-late thirties, it seems like they are still in high school.

Aside from the abundance of cursing and hom!c!dal comments (which I didn't like) and the body and sex positivity (which I did like), this read quite juvenile. I understand and appreciate that it was hard for the two characters to communicate from both their past traumas but when they finally do air everything out, I didn't feel satisfied. Except for maybe one true conversation they had, I didn't feel any growth within their relationship. I enjoyed their personal growth with the side characters the most and wished that their romantic relationship was as fleshed out instead of random forced activities to push the plot along.

This entire novel felt more like the embodiment of the miscommunication trope rather than the second-chance, friends to lovers trope that they were clearly going for. There were many instances where their friends clearly tell them to just SAY HOW THEY FEEL and both MC's acknowledge, yes, that would solve a lot of problems, then proceed to not do it.... it was very frustrating.

I think Olivia Dade always hits it out of the park with the character personalities but it's hit or miss with the romance for me. If you want a hot romance with a super grumpy dude and a bada*s lady, with deeper themes this is a great choice. Unfortunately it was just not for me.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

Note: Though Second Chance Romance is a standalone novel, it is the second installment in the Harlot's Bay series. If you want the full story of Matthew and Athena (who are secondary characters here), read At First Spite prior to this one.

Molly and Karl are high school friends that secretly have a crush on each other. 20 year later, Molly returns to their hometown after a very big misunderstanding. She goes on to stay in town for a month while her home is having some work done on it. During this time, Karl goes above and beyond to earn the trust and love of Molly.

This book is a romance delight that covers so many topics. There is depth to the characters as they discover more about themselves and each other. Quirky friends and other characters tie into the story nicely.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read the ARC for this book.

Oh how I loved coming back to Harlot's Bay for Second Chance Romance, the second installment of this standalone interconnected series.

I knew when I read At First Spite, that there was more to Karl and his reason for listening to monster smut every day. We get that reason in Second Chance Romance when we are introduced to Molly, the narrator of said monster smut and the one that got away from Karl's past. while Molly is the one that got away from Karl, Molly comes to us with some baggage as well. With both characters being so emotionally constipated, you know this is going to be a match made in heaven.
This book is full of Dade's signature wit and nuances she absolutely pulled from her experience in Williamsburg. We also have wonderful plus size representation for both the FMC AND the MMC; so refreshing. Added bonus, they characters are about 40, and as someone is hanging out in that decade, it was nice to read a story where the characters not only look like me but are also in the same age bracket. With loveable characters, familiar and new, I devoured this book and couldn't love it more.


Thank you NetGalley, Avon & Harper Voyager, and o author for an eARC in exchange for my honest review!

Thank you Olivia Dade and Avon Press for giving me the opportunity to review an ARC for this second installment in the Harlot’s Bay series.

Karl is the most lovable misanthrope I’ve ever encountered in a book, but it was hard not to fall in love with him from the start. Molly is a woman after my heart. Like her, I do not take being called a pedant as an insult. And Karl doesn’t call her that as an insult. Together, Karl and Molly are so hopelessly in love with one another, but because they’d both been burned by love and other circumstances, they put up barriers. And those barriers nearly keep them apart.

The story is both second chance and somewhat slow burn. There’s a great deal of angst, for sure. It’s told in third person omniscient point of view with a fairly simple plot. There’s are cultural references in the flowing plot, as well as the trope standard third act “break up.” One thing Dade is really good at is taking the reader on the emotional roller coaster. Just as the lovers are cresting the hill and everything is sunshine and roses, she throws an unexpected kicker in. This leaves the reader feeling as betrayed as her couple are.

One aspect I always enjoy in Dade’s novels is the way she resolves the 3rd act heartbreak, without resorting to cheap plot twists. Her characters, mostly plus size women, are believable and she doesn’t resort to stereotypes. Her inclusion of not only plus size people, but mental health, diversity, safe sex, and even consent issues is organic. She never preaches or makes those aspects her characters sole focus.

I loved this and was happy to run into characters from the first Harlot’s Bay novel, including the infamous Spite House. This was a fun, easy read with a lovely HEA, and a sweet as spun sugar epilogue. I strongly recommend this book when it is released.

Thank you NetGalley and Olivia Dade for this eARC.

When Molly thinks her high school friend has suddenly died, she back to Harlot Bay after living a whole life in LA. This second change romance (nicely named) follows Molly and Karl (btw I love the name choice, Olivia) through a body positive love story.

I have really enjoyed the Olivia Dade books I have read in the past, but this one was just ok in my opinion. I am not a fan of the miscommunication troupe, and this book had some of that throughout. I also didn't connect to the characters the way I have in other Olivia Dade books.
3/5 stars

This is just a fun, second-chance romance, grumpy vs. smart-ass, small town kinda book.

The small town is like Stars Hollow but quirkier. The town folks all grew up together and yet have this unspoken affection for each other. Molly and Karl has this weird connection, but in high school being weird teens, they never got together, but she has always been on his mind. When one day, someone listening to an audiobook and Karl heard her voice, he was certain it's her.

For Molly, her friend back in Harlot Bay sent an obituary about their mutual friend, Molly was devastated. Poor guy, he was grumpy but not a bad guy, and he died of some mysterious camping incident?!?!

This book did have some laugh out loud moments. As Karl navigate and put into action his feelings. Molly needs to navigate and find herself, the version of her self that is true - and so happens the one Karl loves.

The book is cute, and the banter is quippy and fun. I really enjoyed this. The plot was good, there were bit that they went too in-depth of the background, but doesn't feel like tee-ing up for the next book in the series. So it was kinda left field. Overall, it's a fun read.

Thank you to NetGalley & Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC.

Thank you Avon and HarperCollins for this ARC via NetGalley.

Karl is a 10/10 charming, kind man.

Molly could listen to her own advice.

Overall I really enjoyed this book. Perfect light read.

ARC Review

This is a solid 3.75 for me. While Molly is pedantic and funny, she could have used therapy. She mentions how no one wants a reluctant lover which is totally true, however she is reluctant to share herself with anyone. Karl is truly a sweetheart with a tough outer shell and he is trying to protect himself the best way he can; by taking things slow. I wish we got more backstory to why he had to work so hard as a kid.

While I understand you gotta have conflict, this was low stakes to me. The writing was good and I definitely got sucked into the plot and world building.

You’d like this if you are a fan of second chance romcoms where the characters have quick wit and snappy comebacks.

Thank you Avon and HarperCollins for this ARC via NetGalley. All opinions are my own and I hope this helps readers find great works.

I was soooo happy to return to Harlot's Bay! I really loved Love at First Spite and think about it on the regular. I grabbed this before even reading the description, only to be completely delighted that this is Karl the baker/monster romance reader's book. Karl is a big grumpy guy who has made his life in Harlot's Bay running his family's bakery. He is more of a softie than even he realizes - serving as a surrogate father to his young single mom employee, begrudgingly attending a monster-themed romance book club, grouchily continuing his friendships with Matthew and Athena (from the first book). His one big regret is that he messed things up 20 years ago with Molly, his close friend/love interest who abruptly moved from Harlot's Bay to California just before high school graduation and has been gone ever since. I loved finding out that the reason Karl listens to wildly spicy monster romances during his morning baking is because Molly is the narrator for romance author Sadie Brazen's audiobooks (and I loved that he gets them on CD, like I didn't even know you could do that now). Due to a grumpiness-related misunderstanding, the local paper runs an obituary for Karl that makes its way to Molly, who flies back to attend his funeral. Molly is completely burned out, desperately in need of a vacation, and constantly dodging calls from her dirtbag of an ex-husband who wants to buy the house they lived in, which she inherited from her grandparents. When Molly finds out that Karl is actually alive, he convinces her to stay in Harlot's Bay for a month. He wants to prove that he can be trusted with her heart, she wants to hook up with her old crush, and things just generally get complicated for them. I really just loved this - probably not a perfect book, but perfect for me at the moment, and I laughed out loud many times (mostly at the plots of romances with titles like My Kangaroo, My Kidnapper).