Something Old: a fresh start in a new town

Something Old is the first book in The Second Chance Shop series by Ev Bishop. Madeline’s world came crumbling down when she lost her husband, daughter and sister in a fatal car accident. Tired of the limbo of grief and loneliness, she decides to move to a small town and open a second hand shop. A dream that she shared with her daughter. She doesn't know if it will work but she is determined to make it work. As opening day gets closer and closer, she finds that there is hope in life after all. She finds herself with friends again, laughing and even adopting a moody old cat. Could there even be a second chance for love? Can she find the strength to fully embrace life again? 

I love stories about finding the strength and courage to move forward after a tragic event. I looked forward to reading Madeline’s new life in this small town. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to really connect with Madeline or the people she meets along the way. I admire her determination to start living again and feeling a fresh start in a new town was her only option. There was very little conversation other than surface communication. I feel the conservation really didn’t get deep enough especially on such hard topics as loss and grief. There are a lot of silent musings and internal dialogues that slowed the story down. Overall, the story was okay; however, I will not be continuing the series. If you enjoy second chances for life and love, you may enjoy Something Old. 

Something Old is available in paperback and eBook

Chances Are: an enjoyable second chance romance

Chances Are by Kellie Coates Gilbert is the first book in the Pacific Bay series. Allie Barrett keeps her mom’s words of wisdom close to her heart. Especially “Chances are, you never know what story might be in the very next chapter.” So after her divorce and receiving a letter that she has inherited her uncle’s home and fishing charter business,. she packs up her son and everything they own and makes the trek from Texas to the Oregon coast. Her high hopes for a fresh start are dashed when the cottage and boat need more work than she expected. But never afraid of hard work, Allie and Ryan set out to make the home livable and the boat seaworthy. As a friendship with Cam, a local widower, grows, her good-for-nothing ex-husband shows up. Will she be able to meet the challenges ahead of her? 

Many of the reviews complained that Chances Are was taken from the 1985 movie, Murphy's Romance. While I am aware of the movie, I have never seen the movie, so I can’t say whether this is true or not. A single mother starting over in a new town, meets with challenges and a new love is a common trope. Either way, I enjoyed this story. It’s a good, clean romance with a sweet ending. It was a nice break from the heavier stories I read recently. I enjoyed the small town friendly feel even with the common small town “enemies.” Although I must admit the “villains” of the story could have been more developed. However, I still enjoyed the story for Allie and Cam’s relationship. I look forward to reading the rest of the series. If you enjoy second chances with life and love, I recommend Chances Are. 

Chances Are is available in paperback and eBook