Book 2 in the Harlot’s Bay series, Second Chance Romance, can be read as a stand alone without feeling lost. Friends from high school, Karl and Molly get a second chance to right the wrongs that kept them apart for 2 decades. It was good to have a break from the rock hard abs and Barbie like figures, having our mains be more the norm body types we see daily. Harlot’s Bay was described so fun and friendly, a far cry from my city life, and the townspeople were a riot. What gets Molly back after 20 years is a hilarious misunderstanding or prank depending on who in town is asked. There is a town book club that I totally want to borrow the name and start my own. And lots of laughs between the spice. I would say the pacing was slow, some dialogue seemed to run a bit on. But overall I enjoyed!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC and for requesting my opinion.

Olivia Dade writes reliably wonderful fat girl romance, and we love her for it. She went above and beyond this time, though, by providing a male lead who truly grows throughout the book in the most satisfying way. #teamkarl

In the interest of full disclosure, I received an ARC of Second Chance Romance by Olivia Dade from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

I loved All the Feels and really liked At First Spite, so I requested this book the second I saw that Karl, everyone’s favorite gruff and emotionally constipated side character, was getting his own story. I’ll be honest, I wasn’t enthused by the plot description, because I’m usually not a fan of second chance romances that hinge on unspoken high school crushes; something about 30- and 40-somethings obsessing over what could’ve been in homeroom just feels like kind of pathetic arrested development to me. That said, Second Chance Romance managed to make the trope feel more like "unfinished business" than "immature obsession," and I actually really enjoyed how Dade makes it work by grounding it in genuine warmth, humor, and growth.

The setup is gloriously unhinged: Molly, an audiobook narrator of monster erotica, returns to Harlot’s Bay after stumbling across Karl’s ridiculous obituary, only to find out he’s very much alive, still very much hot, and very much still in love with her. One thing about me is that I love absurdism that leans into the unhinged just enough to stay plausible, and this hit that sweet spot perfectly. The obituary mix-up is honestly one of my favorite meet-cutes ever, and Karl’s increasingly creative curses and threats gave me life.

Molly is great. Cynical, confident, stylish in a wonderfully nontraditional way, and refreshingly secure in herself, she brings an energy to the book that plays beautifully against Karl’s "gruff teddy bear who speaks in F-bombs" vibe. Their chemistry works, and even when I wanted to shake Karl for being allergic to multi-word sentences, I still rooted for them. They were each obtuse in their own own ways, but they tried for each other, which was refreshingly emotionally mature.

On the cozy small-town front, Dade leans hard into the whimsical and occasionally bonker vibes of Harlot’s Bay. From the delightfully unhinged book club (The Nasty Wenches, bless them) to a feud between rival sex shop owners, to My Kangaroo, My Kidnapper which lives in my head rent-free, Harlot’s Bay might be my favorite literary small town. I usually don’t enjoy books set in the same town with recurring characters—it often feels like fan service—but seeing Matthew and Athena again actually made the world feel more fleshed out, not less. Also, the next Harlot’s Bay book NEEDS to feature Lise, who might secretly be the most unhinged side character of them all.

I give this a full 5 stars. If you liked At First Spite, this is a must-read follow-up. And if you’re new to Harlot’s Bay, I’d recommend reading book one first just to ground yourself in the world. I’ll definitely give the next book a shot, especially if it involves rival sex shop owners.

Things I loved: Plus-size representation for both leads, without fetishization. Everything about Karl, who may be my favorite grumpy hairy dude since Roy Kent. This man listened to Molly’s unhinged audiobook narration for two years like a pining fool, kickstarting an entire town obsession because he was so down bad for his girl. And his sandwiches, swoon. Also, for some reason Matthew’s recurrent straight man foil to Athena’s chaotic energy just took. me. out, especially in the tux fitting scene.

Things I didn’t: Not much honestly, but if I had to nitpick, I’d say not hearing more about Lise’s side of the deal, which I understand might be the set-up to another novel but still feels like a loose end. I also didn’t love the timeline it both felt too short (one month is a short time to decide to uproot your life) and too long (kept rehashing the same issue over and over).

Perfect for fans of: Roy Kent energy, grumpy/sunshine dynamics, plus-size romance, cozy chaos, escape rooms, inspiring sandwiches (and if anyone knows where I can get a butterscotch latte, let me know!), busybody neighbors, second chances, and communication.

Molly and Karl spent so many years apart (2 decades)as a result of not telling each other joe they felt about each other. Que my lesast favorite trope of miscommunication. I really enjoy that Molly and Karl was a plus size man and woman in this book. After not talking to or seeing Molly in 20 years, Karl still recognized Molly’s voice and had listened to all of her audiobooks that she narrates. (That part had melted me. ) He still had a chance to listen to her audiobooks as a way to keep her close to him.
When they were in close proximity, after she came back to Harlets grove after 2 decades, they have a chance at a second chance romance but the plot was that they were to do these trust building exercises, I felt that was a bit silly because he wanted to actually build trust for a relationship while she just merely looked to hook up before building the trust.
During the majority of this book I did feel that Karl was cussing worse than a sailor, and had felt Karl could benefit from anger management. I do love the aspect of his and Charlotte’s surrogate dad/daughter role and the role that he plays in her children’s lives. However at the endnote book, I’m glad Molly didn’t sale to her narcissistic ex husband!!
This is really light and fluffy which is a breath of fresh air as to the dark romance I’ve been reading a lot about. Second chance romance by Olivia dade would make for a great read and I highly recommend it if you like the miscommunication, grumpy/sunshine, second chance romance, friends to lovers tropes.
I would like to thank @netgalley for a chance to read this advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

#netgalley #secondchanceromance

Second Chance Romance is a warm, heartfelt story about love, regret, and the power of reconnection. Olivia Dade delivers a tender portrayal of characters who have grown and changed—and still find their way back to each other. The emotional maturity of the characters was refreshing. Their second chance felt earned, and Dade’s signature blend of humor and vulnerability made the romance deeply satisfying.

3.5 ⭐️ rounded to 4.

I very quickly read At First Spite, so I could start Second Chance Romance. Karl was so lovable in the first book, so for him to be his own MMC was exciting.

Molly, a recent divorcee, reads an obituary for her high school friend, Karl. The unexpected timing of the obituary has her traveling home to mourn. Except when she returns, she finds that Karl is very much alive and incredibly attractive. Their rekindled "second chance" friendship might be exactly what they both needed.

My sweet, Karl. What's not to love about an emotionally stunted man who can bake and love monster romances? As for Molly, I admire her self-worth and confidence in herself. Together, I love their banter and genuine relationship. They felt very real in the sense that I could 100% picture their relationship in real life.

My favorite part of the book was the representation of plus-size main characters. The author wrote these plus-size characters in such an authentic way that it didn't feel forced. Just characters are portrayed as normal everyday people.

Thank you, Netgalley, Avon & Harper Voyager, and Olivia Dade, for the advanced reader copy of Second Chance Romance.

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager, and Netgalley for an ARC of this book which I voluntarily read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

SECOND CHANCE ROMANCE had a lot of great things going for it. First off, I loved the plus-size representation! It shouldn’t be notable and exciting that both main characters are in bigger bodies, but, unfortunately, it is still so rare. Even seeing one book out of one thousand where characters look like myself and experience love, joy, desire, and many of the same things I and so many other plus-sized people go through helps.

I also really enjoyed the characters who make up the zany town of Harlot’s Bay. Their antics and outrageousness (like the dueling sex shop owners and erotic book club!) helped move the story along and made me want to keep reading, especially when Molly and Karl’s story seemed to drag at times.

Molly and Karl were unique characters who won’t be for all readers. Molly is very exacting and doesn’t let Karl get away with any hyperbole or unrealistic threats of bodily harm and Karl can tend to skew almost too grumpy and oblivious. But each also had their own positive qualities as well that had me rooting for them to overcome the insecurities that would have kept them from living their happily ever after.

Overall, SECOND CHANCE ROMANCE was a good read and I’m definitely interested in reading more books in the series!

I love Harlot's Bay and all of the inhabitants. This is the second book and it is so fun to see the supporting characters! I was sooo happy to see a Karl book!

Teenage angst.... love it. Karl and Molly had crushes on each other but were never together - they were just good friends in high school - until they had a misunderstanding. He stayed in Harlot's Bay and became and baker and she went to LA and got married. One day, she reads a strange obituary that Karl died and Molly felt that she had to go back to Harlot's Bay to pay her respects while her house is being renovated following her divorce.

Grumpy/Sunshine, Karl's love of monster smut, and body positivity for the win! Total win - I hope we get to read about Lise next!

I've never been one to read books out of order so when I learned that this was a second book in a series I scramble to find the first book prior to reading this ARC. In the first book, we are introduced to her boss/neighborhood grump Karl. Book two is his story. Now that I have completed both books in the series I can say that you can read Second Chance Romance without reading At First Spite.. While the couple from book 1 (At First Spite) is mentioned there is enough explanation of them as neighbors/friends to not need to know their entire backstory.

For Karl and Molly, the romance is interesting. Molly moved away after high school and the two lost touch. After a sarcastic joke was heard, but misunderstood, (by an elderly neighbor who happens to write for a newspaper), Karl's obituary is published. However, Karl is still very much alive. Molly receives word that her old friend died and she hops on the first plane. Now that she's in Harlot's Bay and Karl is very much alive the two will have their chance for their (as the title says) Second Chance Romance.

A well written story. Even though the HEA is obvious, the road to get there is interesting and the characters are well developed.

I will never not commend Dade for her reparation of the female and male plus size community. Another stunning installment in Harlot’s Bay complete with the love story we’ve all be dying for - Karl! I absolutely loved this sequel.

I love Olivia Dade. I love Harlot’s Bay. I love this setting of this series. This one wasn’t necessarily my favorite, but still a fun, quick read.
I love the world-building that Dade does. She has fun, truly delightful characters. The bizarre erotic romance subplot in this series is so absurd that I crack up. (Kangaroo shifter had me REELING.) And I absolutely cannot wait for the inevitable part of this series where Dade tackles the dueling sex shop owners.
I really loved both Molly and Karl. Their banter was cute, their growth even better. I loved the yearning in this novel. If you loved Karl in the first book of this series, you will not be disappointed. He’s a grumpy cinnamon roll with a heart of gold. I love Olivia Dade’s focus on plus-size representation. With full disclosure, I was weirdly excited to read an MFC that I felt both looked and acted like me from page 1 (and even the cover!). Molly has my heart.
But the actual plot in this was pretty paper-thin, with just a focus on the two characters building trust with one another. And while I’m not a huge miscommunication trope hater, there was a lot of it.
If you’re going in for Olivia Dade vibes, you’ll like this one. But it might not be the best fit for a casual reader and isn’t the best entry point to her work.
Thanks to Net Galley and Avon Fiction for the eARC in exchange for my honest review of this book.

⭐⭐⭐⭐.5/🌶️🌶️ Second Chance Romance by Olivia Dade (Harlot's Bay #2)

This book was a breath of fresh air. Hilarious, unique, and just delightful. I loved how truly grumpy Karl is, and how cynical and feisty Molly is (her inner dialogue had me rolling!!). Their chemistry is undeniable, and the banter! Molly is witty and funny and has the best job -- narrating monster smut. The writing is like listening to a friend tell a story, in the best possible way, with their own personality interjected throughout.

"As various stupid bastards said right before they parkoured to their goddamn deaths: YOLO motherfuckers!"

🤎Second chance
🥐Small town
🤎She's a cynical, spicy book narrator
🥐He's a grumpy baker
🤎Friends-to-lovers

It is impossible to pick what I loved best about Second Chance Romace: Karl and Molly themselves, the town of Harlot's Bay (I need a map with all the street, square, and business names please!), the people of Harlot's Bay, or the many, many, many variations of monster romance woven through the series.

Karl and Molly missed their chance at romance during and after high school and lost touch for 20 years, but they never forgot each other. So when Molly hears that Karl has died, she travels across the country for his funeral, only to find him very much alive and as kind and cranky as ever. He convinces her to spend a month in Harlot's Bay ahead of their high school reunion, and his not-so-secret goal is for Molly to fall in love with him, move back to Harlot's Bay, and live happily ever after. I don't want to say too much because every reveal is both tender and hilarious (corporate trust building! reunion themed like a prom! book club meetings!). In short: READ THIS BOOK. And then promptly join me in squeeing until everyone around you reads it as well.

ARC REVIEW! (Thanks NETGALLEY!)

This is my 3rd try for Olivia Dade and sorry babe but you’re out.

We were grasping at straws here for a fucking plot. I never read the first in the series so maybe that’s my fault but like is harlots bay some sort of colonial Williamsburg? wtf was this place? Why does small town romance have to be so goofy?

This was a cute one! I read the first one. So to finally get a Karl book was amazing! I liked the rapport between the characters. It was a cozy fast paced read, with a slow burn.

Filthy, subversive, hilarious, and heartbreaking as well as heartwarming, this is everything I’ve come to expect from Olivia Dade.

After a friend shared news of her long ago high school bestie slash crush’s unusual obituary, audiobook narrator Molly returns to the one town she felt connected to throughout the entirety of her nomadic childhood, historic Harlot’s Bay, Maryland. When she arrives she learns that not only were reports of his death greatly exaggerated, but that her long lost friend has designs on keeping his Molly in his life for good.

Hard working, perfectionistic bakery owner Karl has been in love with Molly for two decades, and for the past two years since surreptitiously catching her voice floating through a patron’s car speakers, he’s been listening to her dulcet tones daily as he toils in his commercial kitchen. When she shows up to attend his fortunately unnecessary funeral, he’s determined to convince her she belongs with him in Harlot’s Bay.

Of course wary divorcee Molly won’t rush headlong into a relationship, but Karl knows if things are kept casual, he’ll lose his best sh0t at securing their shared future. Through a series of elaborate, funny, and poignant trust exercises, Karl is this close to convincing his beloved Molly that they’re better off together. Outrageously profane, grunting Karl, however, isn’t great at using his words, and Molly desperately needs those to feel certain of making the right choice.

The quirky friends and coworkers who do their best to champion the would be couple as well as the divine steamy scenes between Molly and Karl make for a delightful read.

I was very fortunate to have received an advance reader copy from the author and NetGalley, and I’m pleased to share my honest and enthusiastic review.

Second Chance Romance is a heartwarming, witty, and deeply satisfying story about missed chances, old wounds, and the unexpected ways fate can meddle in even the most stubborn of hearts.

Karl and Molly were never officially together—but they almost were. Right after high school, sparks nearly flew, but one foolish misunderstanding burned their connection to the ground. Molly left their small hometown of Harlot’s Bay for Los Angeles, where she got married (and later divorced), now making a living as the narrator of steamy monster romance audiobooks. Meanwhile, Karl stayed behind, turning into the town’s grumpy baker—and her most loyal audiobook listener, clinging to the sound of the woman he lost.

Their paths seem destined to stay separate—until Molly reads Karl’s obituary. Grief-stricken and blindsided, she returns to Harlot’s Bay… only to discover that Karl is very much alive, the victim of a misprinted death notice. What follows is an unexpected reunion, filled with awkward tension, lingering feelings.

ARC: Loved this book. It was the first book over ever read from this author. I loved it so much I looked at my library to check out more of her books. The romance was sweet and well developed. I enjoyed how the characters grew together and helped each other be themselves.

Absolutely love this new world of Olivia Dade's and it is charming, funny and heartfelt. I just adore it!

I wanted to like this so much more than I did. The idea of a "plus sized" couple really is a great concept. However, I felt like it was talked about to excess...to the point where it's all I felt like I could focus on. The talk of belly/bellies was a little much. It just deterred from the storyline in my opinion.

That being said, I still believe it is a book that some people will really love and enjoy.