Second Chance Summer

Summer and Damian are both fighting demons. Thrown together when she inherited the house he is fixing up, while hiding his mom and 10 year old sister from an abusive stepfather. A good story overall, and one I recommend.

Second Chance Summer is the first title in the Whispering Pines series. Damian and Summer are both running from their pasts, or in Damian’s case his family’s past. Summer has little memory of the night her younger brother died, and she’s been estranged from her father ever since. The last thing she expected was to inherit a rundown mansion after his death. The main house is being remodeled by someone she knows and Damian, whose mother and sister are living (hiding) in the cottage on site. She intends to sell quickly and get out of town – but the family who is staying in the caretaker’s cottage obviously don’t deserve to have their home ripped out from under them. It doesn’t help that her attraction for Damian is giving her second thoughts about so much.

There are so many underlying nuances in Second Chance Summer. Not only a growing romance for Summer and Damian but also suspense and mystery as Summer’s flashbacks to that night emerge – and danger faces them all. I enjoyed Summer and Damian’s story, the romance is a bit light, the suspense and mystery have a stronger presence. This title was previously published and has had revisions and updates to the original story.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from DFM Publishing via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

I was surprised by how much I liked this book. It was a book that held my interest. I wanted to know all the secrets that were hidden by the characters. I also liked the characters and was eager for them to be out of danger and settled. I found that I couldn't put the book down.

Second chances to make things right and to fall in love. This sweet romance has a bit of mystery, suspense and even a bit of danger. When Summer returns to Whispering Pines to get the house ready that her dad willed to her after he died, Summer will find that it’s not that easy to walk away and sell the house as she thought. Being sent away after a car crash 10 yrs ago that killed her little brother, Summer feels that the heartache in the town will be too much. But she doesn’t remember what really happened that night, so to be able to put the past behind her, she will need to find out. And when she meets Damian and his family, things are no longer as clear cut as they were.

A nice story, even with a twist I didn’t see coming at all. This is a nice small town romance and you get to feel the emotional turmoil of Summer’s life, as well as Damian and his family. There is a HEA here, and it would have been nice to read an epilogue, since so much of Summer’s time in the book is confusion and sadness, it would have been nice to see a bit into the future of her being a bit more happy, but this is a charming story that shows you that you can go home again.

Thanks goes to the publisher and Net-Galley for the complimentary copy of Second Chance Summer by Allie Boniface for the purpose of reading and reviewing prior to publication. A contemporary romance and Book 1 in here Whispering Pines series. My opinions are my own and no one has influenced me.

Second Chance Summer is a well written novel with engaging characters and an emotionally charged plot. The pacing is excellent and kept me enmeshed from the first page to the last. Ms. Boniface paints a lovely picture of the small town, Whispering Pines, giving me enough description without interfering with the story.

Summer Thompson’s character is a woman with a lot of baggage. She has holes in her memory of a horrific car crash that took the life of her brother ten years before. Now she’s back in Whispering Pines, and she’s having flashbacks. I became enthralled with her character and felt her confusion and emotional pain.

Damien Knight is an amazing hero. He’s doing everything he can to protect his mother and sister from their abusive husband and father. When he meets Summer, he’s immediately attracted to her, but he believes he would be making a huge mistake if he pursued her. I could fell his pain and fear, and I became completely invested in his character.

The romance between Summer and Damien builds slowly because of the baggage both characters have. This is a lovely sweet romance, and although the focus of the book is more on their struggles to overcome the issues that separate them, I wanted them to find a way to find their happy ending.

If you enjoy sweet contemporary romance with characters that will touch your heart and a plot to pull at your heartstrings, then you well love Second Chance Summer as much as I. This is the second book I’ve read by Ms. Boniface, and I can’t wait to read the next book in this amazing series. Happy reading!

Second Chance Summer is a small town love story about two people battling their demons from the past.

Summer has returned to Whispering Pines as her dad has passed away. She's having a hard time figuring out why one, he left a mansion that's in need off repairs to her, and two what really happened that night 10 years ago as she has very few memories from it, only what's been told to her.

For Summer a drastic car accident from 10 years earlier haunts her. So coming back to the small town Whispering Pines brings back many painful memories. Damien feels it his duty, and that he is responsible for taking care of his mother and his much younger sister, who loves more than his own life from his abusive step-father.

She tries to decide what to do with the property as she had been planning to sell, but she finds out her father had paid until the end of summer for the 2 handymen to do what they need to fix it. One of these 2 men also just happens to be Damien and he lives with his family at the farm house on the sprawling property Summers father left her.

It was a great book, to me a fairly light read as I read half one night before bed, the other half the next morning.

If you like a slow burn, with some intrigue and family love, then this book is for you.

Second Chance Summer is the first book in Allie Boniface’s Whispering Pines Sweet Small Town Romances. Although there is romance in the book, for me the main plot threads were interpersonal relationships, mystery, and coming to terms with your own life story.

Summer Thompson left Whispering Pines ten years ago after the accident that had taken her younger brother’s life, pledging to never return. Now here she was back in her hometown and meeting with her father’s attorney. It seems that when her estranged father recently passed he had left his estate to her, including the old ramshackle McCready house which he had already begun restoring and had set up funds and a crew to complete the task.

Summer’s friend from her youth, Mac Herbert, is the foreman on the job working alongside newcomer Damian Knight, who is also the tenant, together with his mother Hannah and little sister Dinah, in the caretaker’s house on her property.

Summer and Damian click immediately but each is dealing with their own issues. Summer has a period of amnesia around the time of the accident and wants to remember so that she may come to terms with whatever actually happened. Damian is the protector for his mother and little sister as they hide out from his mother’s brutal ex-husband, Theo.

Although the attraction between Summer and Damian is palpable, they are orbiting each other trying not to acknowledge the draw. As Summer becomes more entrenched in her hometown and Damian opens himself up to one not a relative, they both try to ignore the obvious. When danger strikes taking Dinah to parts unknown, their ranks close to find the girl, drawing them to a heart pounding climax.

This is a very interesting new series and I do look for the next addition. I did enjoy this book and I do recommend it

Days after her younger brother was killed in a car accident, her father sent Summer Thompson to live with her aunt. Ten years later, her father has died and she returns to sell his home. She still doesn’t remember what happened the night her brother died, but will her memories return when she is back home? Damian Knight has been repairing her father’s home and renting the smaller home on the property. He lives with his mother and younger half-sister, keeping them safe from his mother’s abusive ex. He finds himself attracted to Summer, but she plans to sell the property and return to San Francisco. A complex romance with both main characters dealing with past issues to move on with their lives. I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (by paytonpuppy)

I was grateful to receive a free copy of Second chance Summer in exchange for an honest review. This was a great novel with a well thought out plot, and easy to follow characters.

Summer was dealt a pretty crappy hand in life growing up without a mom, loosing her brother as she was finishing high school, and being sent away and estranged from her father. I can't begin to imagine how tough it would be to be 28 years old without any immediate family,

Damian is the type of guy that every mother would be proud of. His family comes first, and the respect he shows is mother is commendable. I also like the fact that he was willing to put his needs and feelings towards Summer aside for his family. He also chose to give Summer space when he thought she might have feelings for her high school boyfriend Gabe. I'm not sure there are too many men out there that would do that.

Overall, this was a quick and easy read with a few surprises along the way. I'm so glad Damian and Summer got their happily ever after.

I'd definitely recommend this book to friends and family.

Summer leaves her home town after her then boyfriend and her were involved in a car accident that killed her younger brother.
After being estranged from her father for many years; she is gifted a house her father bought for her before he died. Determined to sell this house in a few days and return home; Summer begrudgingly returns to see the house.
But things don’t always go as planned. Especially when a good looking man happens to live on the property owned now by herself.
Summer and Damian have quite a lot of sparks flying between them and many reasons why the should t be involved
There’s a few little surprises in this book which I liked. Although categorised A’s a romance; I loved the unexpected arrival of thrill!
Great book. Lots of character and easy read

Loved this well written romance. Great plot with believable characters and a great setting. Romance readers will enjoy this book. I received an arc from the publisher and this is my unbiased review.

Summer hasn’t been back to Whispering Pines since a tragic accident, she has put that behind her , so why did her estranged father but a run down mansion and leave it to her?

Damian has one goal, keep his mom and sister safe from his abusive step father .

When Summer and Damian meet, there is an immediate attraction, but Summer is leaving and Damians life is already too complicated.

I am a huge fan of this author and I love books revolving around small towns and Whispering Pines is a place I want to visit again and again .

This is the first book I have read by Allie Boniface but I shall be searching for other books. I really enjoyed the setting of Whispering pines and loved Damian's little sister.

Summer is back in Whispering Pines after her estranged father left her a house, which although derelict is being renovated. Summer wants to get the house finished and sold but while in the area she keeps getting flashbacks to the night of the car crash when her young brother died. Damian is one of the builders working on the house and he is renting the farmhouse In the grounds. . He lives with his mother and young sister and is protecting them from his father who was a little handy with his fists.

What I enjoyed about the book was the fact that both main characters had a past and it wasn't just a romantic novel. Each event made me want to keep reading and although some areas were predictable others weren't. I would recommend this book and hope there might be a follow up centred around other support characters.