About the Book

Who doesn’t love a second chance?

When empty nester Mallory Farrell inherits her grandmother’s run-down tourist shop in Seaport, Oregon, it seems the only sensible thing to do is to sell it. But when her former secret crush, Grayson Matthews, wants to buy the property in order to complete his plans to redevelop the funky town’s business district into a soulless, cookie-cutter outdoor mall, Mallory digs in her heels and decides to renovate the property herself.

With a lot of hard work and a little bit of help, Mallory makes incredible progress turning the store into an eclectic home décor shop called Romancing the Home–all while trying to ignore the depressing and decrepit apartment she’s living in on the second floor. When the shop catches the eye of a popular renovation TV show producer, Mallory is thrilled–until it becomes clear that her apartment is to be part of the segment as well.

She’s tempted to abandon her dreams and the town under a cloud of shame. But perhaps there’s more to Grayson than meets the eye. Can he swallow his pride, change his plans, and help Mallory romance her own home–and possibly her life?

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In My Opinion

Whenever I pick up a book by Melody Carlson, I expect interesting characters, a great setting, and a slow-burn romance. Second Time Around delivers on all of those.

The first book I ever read by Carlson was one her Diary of a Teenage Girl books. Through the years, Carlson’s characters have aged, and I appreciate that. In Second Time Around, we meet Mallory with three grown children, a successful business, and a few wrinkles. Mallory celebrates her life.

This book is a good palate cleanser. You know, those books you need to read after an emotionally heavy or draining book? Yeah, this one is exactly that. It’s cute and sweet with interesting small-town characters and a romance that you know is developing but at a snail’s pace, but there is little angst or heaviness to the story.

Second Time Around was just the book I needed when I picked it up.

Disclosure statement: I receive complimentary books from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including NetGalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.