A Season for Second Chances

By: Jenny Bayliss

Narrated by: Ell Potter

Length: 12 hrs and 11 mins

Publisher's summary

A charmingly quirky seaside town offers a recently separated restauranteur a fresh start and possibly a new lease on love in A Season for Second Chances, by the author of The Twelve Dates of Christmas.

Annie Sharpe’s spark for life has fizzled out. Her kids are grown up, her restaurant is doing just fine on its own, and her 26-year marriage has come to an unceremonious end. Untethered for the first time in her adult life, she finds a winter guardian position in a historic seaside home and decides to leave her city life behind for a brand new beginning.

When she arrives in Willow Bay, Annie is enamored by the charming house, the invigorating sea breeze, and the town’s rich seasonal traditions. Not to mention, her neighbors receive her with open arms - that is, all except the surly nephew of the homeowner, whose grand plans for the property are at odds with her residency. As Christmas approaches, tensions and tides rise in Willow Bay, and Annie’s future seems less and less certain. But with a little can-do spirit and holiday magic, the most difficult time of her life will become...a season for second chances.

©2021 Jenny Bayliss (P)2021 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

One of Buzzfeed’s Best Books of October 

One of BookBub’s Best Holiday Romance Books

“[An] inspiring tale of strength, integrity, and self-respect. . . Readers will be enchanted.”—Publishers Weekly

“Bayliss’s fans and readers who enjoy laugh-out-loud rom-coms will want to spend a cozy winter evening by the fire with Annie and the residents of Willow Bay.” —Library Journal

“There's so much to love about this enchanting story. Readers will want their own seat at the cafe Annie opens and to attend every quirky holiday party the townspeople dream up. This lovely, cozy read is perfect for winter.” —BookPage (starred review)

loved it

Loved it. A lovely book to read during the holidays. Under blankets with a cup of tea. Enjoy.

Added to List of Christmas Must-Listens

I love this novel. It’s a perfect Christmas time read. It has all the elements built into it without being overly dramatic in any one area. It’s warm, full of good friendship and family, love, compassion, empathy, and all the sights and sounds of the holidays. And it’s all the holidays at the end of the year, not just Christmas. It’s perfect. I’ll be listening to this one annually for sure. I love it so much I could repeat it now that I’ve just finished it. Highly recommend!

Wonderful story of second chances.

Too many Romcoms have no story line. This has an excellent story of Annie who finds that life can really begin at 40.

Didn’t finish…

Didn’t finish the entire book so take this review with a grain of salt. I initially enjoyed the premise of the story, but the undertones were a bit to feminist for my liking!

Satisfying story well told

I enjoyed this story, perhaps you will too. Engaging story very ably narrated in a way that made the book even better than it would have been on its own.

Nice story

This was a relaxing meandering story that I was in the mood for while cleaning. Excellent narrator! Truly one of the best, so many characters and accents and I was never confused. She became each character. The story was okay with a nice homey feel. The author creates quite a picture, but the story itself lacked depth which is critical to a great book for me.

Every Detail Enlarged

This book started out nicely then got bogged down 1/3 of the way in. The plot moves slowly because every minor detail is lifted to importance and profundity by metaphors and overwrought descriptions. Yet it has many chapters that are between 5-10 minutes long so it also feels too short and superficial. Of course all the characters are adorable save one. I suppose this type of book is not for me.

I love Holmes

This is a wonderful series! One of my favorites! If you haven’t read it, it’s a must!

Laugh out loud funny, warm and real.Adding this one to my favorites

This book has everything you could want in a rom-com but better. The performance is excellent. The characters are warm and kind with so much depth that you want to get to know them better and become a part of the group. The setting and the flow from beginning to end is perfection. I will definitely add this book to my favorites list.

Can’t wait for authors next book

Love Jenny’s books. Great character development. Funny. Touching romances w interesting supporting casts. Loved this holiday rom-com.