Olivia Dade is a go-to author. Everything she writes hits deep, especially fat representation of real bodies. Second Chance Romance is no exception. While this will release in the fall, this scorching romance sent heat waves as I read. I couldn't even imagine the hero working in the bakery because the chemistry would burn all the buns in the oven. There was a great mixture of grump to grump then grump to sunshine in this story. Both characters had their own issues to resolve, but mostly, they had to overlook the obstacles and find a way to each other. I loved the fact that the heroine was a voice actress who narrated Romance audiobooks. The character building is top notch and the secondary storylines left me wanting more of the community members and their potential romance. This is a first read of the series but I will definitely read the others.
Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and Avon for this ARC!

I really enjoy Olivia Dade’s books and this was no exception, though it’s not my favorite of hers. I enjoyed getting to know Molly and Karl and particularly that Karl was plus sized as well. Karl’s grumbly nature was endearing initially but I would have liked that to change through the book as they communicated more. It changed some, but it began to feel repetitive. Similarly, Molly’s pedantry but was funny initially but it got old for me quickly.

Rating: 3.5 rounded up

The title shares the trope, but these two characters are so lovable and quirky. She is a strong, bold, out spoken woman, and he is a steady, determined, man who speaks mostly in swear words and grunts. They are laugh out loud hilarious, but you also want to hit them over the head sometimes too. However, the way they learn is so tender and beautiful, especially for Karl as he tries so hard to learn to do more than grunt. This is a cute, very quick and easy rom com to enjoy.

Thank you #netgalley for the advanced copy for my honest review!

This second chance romance novel was charming and heartfelt! This book was emotionally satisfying, as it made me laugh many times throughout the book! I really enjoyed the main characters! The banter between the main characters was hilarious. The dual point of views were great, because I can really get to know what they are thinking. I love the plus size representations and how it came with both of the main characters. I found this book to have a very intriguing plot and I also found it to be well executed. I love the scenery of a small town, it gives off cozy atmospheric vibes. I really felt the chemistry between these two! This was more of a mature romance, with a dash of spice to it!

These characters were strongly developed in the story. Furthermore, the characters were all lovable, except for Molly’s Ex. It is easy to read, well structured and the setting fit the story. The only critique I have is the miscommunication trope, I feel like these two could have spoken to each other a lot sooner. Overall, I loved this grumpy and grumpy trope romance! It was addictive and I was fully immersed while reading it!

“Second Chance Romance” is a small town romantic comedy. It centers around the characters of Molly and Karl. These two used to be friends back in high school. Molly thought that Karl had passed away, but he is very much alive! They end up seeing each other again at a reunion. As the story unfolds, these two friends turn into lovers. I rate this book a 4 out of 5 stars!

Content warnings include strong profanity and sexual content. I think fans of romantic comedies would really enjoy reading this one!

Thank you to NetGalley, author Olivia Dade and Avon and Harper Voyager | Avon for this electronic ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

This book is expected to be published on November 25, 2025!

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon/Harper Voyager for the advanced reader copy.

2.5 stars

Karl has been in love with Molly since the day she transferred to his high school in Harlot's Bay, Maryland. The two remained good friends until Karl started dating someone else, thinking that he didn't want to jeopardize his friendship with Molly by telling her how he felt. But when Molly moves to California for college, Karl loses out on a chance for anything romantic with her. Until, twenty years later, Molly (who's now divorced and living a small life in L.A. as an audiobook narrator) hears that Karl has died and she flies back to Harlot's Bay to pay her respects. When she finds out that it was all a mix-up, Karl convinces her to stay until their twenty year reunion, to prove that she can trust him with her heart.

Did I get the level of spicy romance that an Olivia Dade novel always suggests? Yes, I did. Did I get interesting main characters and a continuation of the quirky secondary characters that we first met in AT FIRST SPITE? Mostly. But what I didn't get was a storyline that held up for me. This has less to do with Dade's writing and more to do with a realization that I don't think most second chance romances work. Molly and Karl are sufficiently gun-shy about delving into a romance they've both been thinking about for twenty years and the set up of the false obituary was a good "romance reasons" way of getting the characters into proximity. But I didn't find that either character had actually changed much from being teenagers to being adults, in terms of their ability to walk into this second chance at a relationship. Not every book can be a banger; I'll still look forward to the next Olivia Dade book.

Second Chance Romance is out November 25, 2025.

4.5 stars - The friends to lovers trope is one of my favorites and Second Chance Romance is that and more. It’s witty, inclusive and fun to read. The characters are also so relatable and genuine. It’s a great, steamy read.

title: Second Chance Romance

author: Olivia Dade

publisher: Avon

publication date: November 25, 2026

pages: 400

peppers: 3 (on this scale)

warnings: fake news

summary: Two years after her ugly divorce and twenty years after leaving Harlot's Bay just before her high school graduation, audiobook narrator Molly learns of the murder of her high school best friend and secret crush Karl. She returns to town for his funeral and ends up being surprised by what she finds.

tropes:

grumpy-sunshine
second-chance romance
been burned before
horrible ex
I'm unlovable/not good enough
overworked
caretaker
learn to trust

what I liked:

plus-size representation
great dialogue and humor
grumpy-sunshine romance is my favorite (reasons obvious)
so much food

what I didn’t like:

though there are reasons they don't talk things out, they probably could have talked things out earlier

overall rating: 5 (of 5 stars)

As always, you can click on the photo above if you want to buy the book.

Very intriguing plot, believable romance, little off putting that we are now naming books after a trope

3.5/5 stars…The FMC’s ex-husband is a dick head and I’m glad he got told off but I wish it didn’t take so long for that particular scene to play out. The MMC gave “big teddy bear 🧸 but I’ll rip your throat out if you even look at her wrong😡” energy and I love that for the FMC. Bonus points for him having the biggest heart ❤️and being a kick ass baker👨‍🍳. This was a really cute story that touched on hard topics but gracefully. I wanted a bit more though.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

I thought this was a cute romance story set in a quaint town with some fun quirky side characters.

Olivia Dade novels never disappoint, especially if you are looking for plus size representation. I like that she often includes both an FMC AND MMC that are fluffy, as is the case here. No weight loss storylines or anything of the sort, just two people who appreciate those aspects of each other. There is a time jump initially as these are two people who knew each other in high school. I love that Karl is SUCH a grump and everyone knows it and Molly is straight shooting. This was a fun read and I hope to see more from Harlot’s Bay!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book! Below is my honest review.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

While this book was enjoyable, it doesn't quite feel like a second chance romance to me. Our main characters met in middle/high school and were close until senior year. They never dated but they had unspoken feelings for each other (though that wasn't clear to anyone because the guy ends up dating a girl for a couple of years--on and off, but still). Twenty years later, the girl returns back to their home town for his funeral, only to find out he's actually alive. He convinces her to stay so that he can build her trust with him again. She agrees. Then they fall in love with each other. It's more of a miscommunication trope than a second chance romance. I also didn't get best friend vibes from them when they were younger, so it was hard for me to connect the two romantically.

I was really enjoying this and was about halfway through when it disappeared. It seems to have archived early and I'm so sad! I have tried to download again to no avail.

I did really like the set up, humor, and angst of this one and will definitely borrow or purchase it, when available, to find out how it ends. Three stars only because i don't feel I can rate higher until I finish.

I've been reading Olivia Dade for years and always enjoy her witty, heartfelt stories. I'm not usually drawn to second chance romances, but this one turned out to be a pleasant surprise. Karl and Molly never officially dated, but there was definitely something there, until a silly misunderstanding sent them in opposite directions. Years later, an accidental obituary (!!) brings them face to face again, and sparks (and old feelings) resurface.
I really enjoyed the setup, unique, a little ridiculous in the best way, and the emotional journey as they navigate their history and lingering feelings. Molly, now a romance audiobook narrator (which I loved), and Karl, the grumpy local baker, are both charming in their own ways.
It’s a sweet, cozy read with plenty of humor and warmth. While the second chance trope isn’t my go-to, this one was genuinely fun and satisfying.
Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publishing house for the chance to read this book in advance.

This was such a breeze to get through because it was so funny and endearing every step of the way. We meet Karl and Molly as teens for a moment to see where their beginning happened, and then we're catapulted 20 years later. Karl was so foul mouthed and his threats were so creative, I loved that he was a plus sized baker that tried to seem like he hated everyone and everything but was really such a sweetheart under all that mouth. I loved that he recognized Molly's voice immediately and made it a ritual to listen to her audiobooks in his bakery every morning just to be close to her; his devotion to her (even before she entered the scene) was so sweet. Molly had been through enough with her douche of an ex so it was totally understandable what she really wanted from Karl to make her stay. I loved that she always dished it right back to Karl and nitpicked him constantly when he got mouthy, it was so much fun. Athena was another great sub character that added to the humor and wasn't annoying to have around. Karl's support system was great and they didn't let him get away with anything. I also really loved the communication for the most part, they didn't run from things and there wasn't a final chase scene because they actually were adults, rationalized things, and didn't make impulse decisions. I loved how it all came together in the end for them, though I wish her douche of an ex got more than he did; just desserts though honestly but what he was doing really was harassment at that point. The heat was nice but I personally wished for a bit more spice than what we got but it was still fine, they were so cute together and the way he loved her was just a giant heart squeeze. There was dual point of view which really added to the story and made it that much funnier. We also got an epilogue 10 years into the future which was quite a jump that doesn't normally happen, it wasn't much but a solidification on how happy they are and grateful they both are for each other which was lovely.

Karl y Molly nunca estuvieron juntos. Hubo un momento, justo después de la preparatoria, en el que parecía que finalmente pasarían de amigos a amantes... pero, en cambio, un malentendido absurdo hizo que nunca volvieran a hablarse. Molly se fue a Los Ángeles y se casó. Karl se quedó en Harlot's Bay y compró una panadería.

La única conexión que la pareja ha compartido a través de los años es dolorosamente unilateral: ahora divorciada, Molly narra audiolibros de romances monstruosos, y Karl es un oyente siempre diligente, aferrándose a su única parte del romance que se le escapó.

Aun así, Molly no ha abandonado por completo Harlot's Bay. Al enterarse de que el obituario de Karl ha aparecido en el periódico local, un dolor inesperado la impulsa a tomar el siguiente vuelo a Maryland... donde encuentra a Karl con vida, víctima de nada más que un obituario accidental.

Al reencontrarse, la pareja finalmente resuelve su conexión perdida. Es cierto que Molly aún no está lista para volver a confiar, pero Karl está decidido a demostrar que es digno de su fe y devoción. Y a medida que se agota su tiempo en la Bahía de la Harlot, Molly, la cínica habitual, podría descubrir que Karl, el cascarrabias del pueblo, es imposible de dejar atrás una segunda vez.



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Es un libro ligero por lo que no esperan la super historia de amor.
Tanto Molly como Karl son algo inmaduros, pero son perfectos juntos y siempre pudieron estarlo, solo que ambos tenían miedo al rechazo y nunca le dijeron al otro sus sentimientos por lo que la vida paso y los separa. Y cuando una equivocación los vuelve a reunir, Karl sabe que esta es su última oportunidad para poder demostrarle que él es el indicado.



Gracias NetGalley por el ARC.

Olivia Dade delivers another charming love story in Second Chance Romance. Molly and Karl’s reunion is equal parts snarky, steamy, and emotionally satisfying. Their grumpy/grumpy dynamic is refreshing, and Dade’s trademark humor and body-positive rep shine through. A few pacing bumps aside, this was a cozy, feel-good read I thoroughly enjoyed.

Will a mistaken obituary lead these star crossed lovers to a happily ever after? Find out in this sweetly poignant book about the one that got away and getting a second chance to make it happen.

The characters are delightful, from plus size Molly, a baker by day and monster romance narrator by night, and Karl, who didn't know it but were each other's one and only. The story is unique and wonderful and sad and all in between about what ifs and could've beens.

I have not read any of Olivia Dade's books (depite seeing them everywhere), so this is my first one, but I really liked it and plan to read more! First of all, I love that she has plus size/fat representation in this book (as well as her others) and this time, BOTH main characters are plus size. I love this, because this is something you don't often see and I really resonated with this. I also am not a huge fan of the second chance romance trope, but I think this was really well done! Molly and Karl knew each other as teens and were good friends, but then there's a misunderstanding and they lose connection for a long time. Then, Molly reads Karl's accidental obituary and finds herself back in town. Karl makes it his personal mission to prove to Molly that he's a good guy, and that she belongs in Harlot's Bay. I love that he baked for her, took care of her, and swore like a sailor. Molly is sweet but sassy, and she is so witty. Their banter was hilarious and you could feel their chemistry! I will be reading At First Spite next, because I really enjoyed this book and want more from Harlot's Bay and Olivia Dade.

Thank you to NetGalley, Olivia Dade, and Avon for the eARC of this book.

Second Chance Romance by Olivia Dade is a sweet reunion story with just the right blend of humor and heart. A mistaken obituary reunites grumpy baker Karl and cynical audiobook narrator Molly after years of silence and sparks fly.. ✨

Their chemistry is great, the banter is top notch and the emotional payoff is satisfying, even if the pacing drags slightly in places.
I also loved the body positivity!!

A deliciously feel good read with charm, spice, and second chance swoons!