Seconds. I love them all, especially desserts. Children love to jump off the roller-coaster and run back to get in line for a second turn. Many of us love to return to a well-written mystery for a second read so we can catch the clues we missed the first time. And who hasn’t had better success with a complicated recipe the second time around? (Oh, that’s what they meant by folding in the egg whites!)
I write about seconds, as well, and I’m so enamored with the idea that things work out better the second time around that all my story titles begin with the word “Second.” But I love, love, love reading about them. When we name romance tropes, “second chance” love stories almost always make the list, but to me, almost all romance involves a second chance. It comes up each time we must find a way back from that proverbial dark moment when it seems there’s no hope left for the couple.
In this column, I’m going to discuss seconds in romance: the blatantly obvious (today’s primary title) and the not-so-obvious. None of the books or authors I mention have requested or paid for my attention; they’re just my personal picks. Full disclosure: I’m a terrible TV/movie watcher. I inevitably fall asleep or promptly forget the details of anything I do watch through to the end, so my ramblings will usually be lacking in the popular media references the rest of the world follow.
In the spirit of the holidays, I recently read Jenny Bayliss’ A SEASON FOR SECOND CHANCES. The trope’s right in the title, but I loved the slow reawakening to love: Annie Sharpe’s gradual realization that she still deserves happiness after the life and business she built with her cheating husband is no longer front and center in her life. The actual seasons come to play as well: the story takes place in a wind-swept British coastal town, where only the natives stick around for the brutal winter. Annie is running away from the detritus of her life, including the reputation she built from scratch as an award-winning chef and restaurant proprietor. She agrees to house-sit a “secluded beach apartment and small (closed) business premise” for an elderly woman, but once she arrives, the town’s magic begins its work. She’s quickly caught up in the local traditions (parties, bonfires, and gossip!) as late summer slides into fall and then winter, and the adversarial relationship that arises instantly between her and the elderly woman’s nephew gradually evolves into . . . well, this is a romance novel, right?
Don’t start Bayliss’s novel expecting fireworks—oh wait, they’re there, right after the November bonfire—but take a chance if you’re interested in a delightful immersion into a town and love story that fills your heart with quiet contentment.
Another holiday title I recently read also spoke seriously about second chances. In Jenny Colgan’s heart-warming THE CHRISTMAS BOOKSHOP, Carmen is a failed-to-launch young woman who reluctantly agrees to move in with and help her spectacularly successful older sister, now pregnant with her fourth child. Much under-the-breath grumbling ensues, but Carmen accepts a part-time job at a dying bookshop, and almost against her will, finds ways to revitalize the store, the aging owner, and herself.
And yes, I said I don’t watch movies, but who among us hasn’t seen “It’s a Wonderful Life” at least once with George Bailey getting a last-ditch do-over? Put that together with a tearful Rudolph and a melting Frosty, and it’s pretty clear that many holiday favorites are emblazoned champions of second chances.
So this holiday season, have a second glass of that delicious eggnog, wrap yourself in a comfy blanket, and settle down with a good story that will warm your heart and make you believe there’s always a second chance waiting just around the corner.
For a bit of short holiday magic, check out my story “The Second Christmas Star” found in CHRISTMAS WISHES AND NEW YEAR'S KISSES, a collection of holiday romance novellas. For a longer, exciting read that will keep you on the edge of your seat, SECOND STANZA takes you across the country and on a chase through cyberspace in search of a second chance at a love that everyone involved thought dead and buried.
Christmas Wishes and New Year's Kisses is a wonderfully festive collection of holiday-themed novellas and short stories from some of the world's most loved indie authors.
Authors contributing to this set include:
Award-winning and International Bestselling author Kathleen Ryder
A.M. Olenick
USA Today Bestselling author Amy L. Gale
Ruby Rare
USA Today Bestselling author Melonie Johnson
USA Today Bestselling author Jeanine Lauren
Meg Napier
Suzanne Cass
Lulu M. Sylvian
Sharon Wray
Jordan Elizabeth
Caitlyn Coakley
USA Today Bestselling author Renee Lee Fisher
Jakki Frances
Keighley Bradford
Adelyn Zara
USA Today Bestselling author Katherine Moore
Cynthia Terelst
International Bestselling author Pandora Snow
Susannah Kade
Debra Deasey
Romance Anthology [Ryder Publications, On Sale: November 1, 2022, e-Book, / eISBN: 2940165429125]
Meg's friends during her high school years all expected her romance novels to hit the shelves decades ago, but she foolishly allowed "serious pursuits" to get in her way. Now that her beloved children can feed, clothe, and most importantly, support themselves, she's free to turn her attention to her first passion - putting words to paper that capture your attention and make your heart sing in quiet joy. Her stories tell most frequently of second chances--in life, love, and sometimes even at rediscovering a soul-mate from a previous life.
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