Second Chance Romance Novels to Celebrate New Beginnings

Jeff Zentner, best known for his young adult novels, pens a slow-burn second chance romance between high school sweethearts whose lives spin out in two directions.

Colton Gentry is a country music star banished from the music scene due to a controversial statement he drunkenly made on the microphone, promptly canceled by the industry.

Returning home becomes fruitful when he stumbles upon his high school sweetheart's farm-to-table restaurant.

As Colton navigates sobriety and rejection, he finds a new life at the restaurant and a rekindled love affair with Luann.

Tune in to the Book Gang podcast, where we discuss Zentner's debut romance writing and the surprising influences in his life that helped shape his beautiful foodie romance novel.

Readers who love an angsty romance will find this novel delivers in emotional spades. 

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Pitched as HBO's Hacks meets Carley Fortune's Every Summer After, this love story brings a comedian back home to the Jersey Shore to confront all she lost ten years ago, including her old flame.

The author of this debut novel is also a stand-up comedian. Her comedic skills are on full display in this story, which features a dual timeline structure that promises readers a glimpse of the relationship in both past and present.

Release Date-  21 May 2024

After four years apart, Theo and Kit decide to use the European food and wine tour voucher, which they have yet to use together as the expiration date for their vacation investment looms. 

However, things get complicated when they are trapped together for three weeks.

The two decide to keep their floundering relationship fresh with a friendly wager on who can sleep with their hot Italian tour guide first. 

But will this competition reignite their love, or will it tear them apart? I can't wait to find out!

Release Date- 6 August 2024

Early readers profess this new Carley Fortune book to be her best book yet, and I can't wait to dig in. 

Lucy vacations at a beach house on Prince Edward Island, unaware that her irresistible fling, Felix, is her best friend's younger brother. 

Despite vowing to avoid each other, their chemistry reignites each year. 

Years later, Lucy returns to PEI to support her friend, Bridget, and she must finally confront her lingering feelings for Fleix, risking her heart and friendship.

Release Date- 7 May 2024

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My new favorite romance from Cochran delivered an unexpected second-chance romance twist that reminded me of The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle.

Rosemary & Logan were childhood best friends until an incident fractured this friendship and turned them into bitter rivals.

Now in their thirties and working as teachers at their alma mater, they are asked to help their beloved English teacher fulfill the road trip of a lifetime as he faces the final months of his life.

However, readers discover that Joe has a surprising reason for wanting to pull these two together, bringing them on a side excursion with an old flame.

Get ready for a stunning second-chance romance with some ties to a pivotal moment in LGBT History.

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My go-to recommendation from Hogle would be You Deserve Each Other, a hilarious romp of a book that is also a second-chance romance. But I wanted to offer some fresh recommendations for your summer, too, and Hogle's new book timed perfectly with today's list!

Readers should note that early reviews are split on this book regarding a plot twist detail, but you can be assured this one offers the witty banter you've come to expect from her other novels with a cozy, magical spin.

Romina Tempest runs a magical flower shop in the small town of Moonville, Ohio, where she helps people find love. She gave up on her own big romance eleven years ago, but at least she can bask in the promise of others.

When a potential financier announces his wedding, she attends the nuptials with her colleague, Trevor, to discuss a business deal with him.

But things get complicated when Romina discovers that Trevor's soon-to-be stepbrother is Alex, her high school sweetheart.

Fake dating shenanigans ensue, but she must decide whether to give Alex another chance or finally let go of the past.

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In this marriage of convenience romance, high school sweethearts get their second chance at love.

Violet is now a successful celebrity stylist who has navigated a public breakup with her ex-fiancé.

On a birthday trip to Vegas, she runs into her old high school sweetheart, Xavier, and the two impulsively tie the knot.

They decide to continue playing the part of a blissfully wedded couple, realizing how this relationship can benefit them and their careers.

Yet, when their passion reignites, they realize their feelings are just as real as when they were teenagers.

If you loved Forest's The Neighbor Favor, this BIPOC romance might be your new favorite!

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Sage Flores returns to her hometown after eight years of avoiding her family's "gifts" since her younger sister's death.

Her special gift is that she can communicate with plants, which allows her to discover rare heritage specimens on the land.

But her return home also brings up Sage's feelings for Tenn, who broke her heart in high school, something she never fully recovered from.

Now working together, new feelings began to take hold between these high school sweethearts.

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Eva struggles to balance her writing career, chronic pain, and single motherhood in this steamy, open-door romance.

But her world is rocked when prize-winning author Shane Hall reenters her life, reigniting their past love affair in glorious detail.

In a legendary plot twist, these authors spent only one week together as teens, but those seven days left such an impact that they still include references to each other in their books 15 years later.

This emotional romance book chronicles their difficult childhoods and grown-up challenges as successful Black authors.

It gives readers a peek behind the curtain at the romance writing process and the creative challenges of creation. It is one of my all-time favorites.

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This childhood friends-to-lovers story is offered on audiobook and narrated by the legendary Julia Whelan.

Best known for her incredible reporting on NPR, Linda Holmes has drawn readers who don't typically gravitate toward cozy stories in this sophomore effort.

Laurie inherits her Great-Aunt Dot's house, prompting her to confront her past choices, including a decision to be unmarried and child-free.

As she navigates the complexities of the estate, she rekindles connections with old friends and flames.

Laurie's romance is a bit secondary to a fun caper involving an old wooden duck in her aunt's belongings, as readers discover a Nancy Drew-esque mystery within this curious chain of events.

But, readers should be aware that this novel offers a twist on the traditional rom-com ending. In this case, a happily ever after is undoubtedly in the eye of the beholder. 

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I'm new to the Christina Lauren fan club and only read this backlist gem last year, but it was so incredible that it made my Best Fiction Books of 2023 list.

It's a slow-burn second-chance romance story about Macy and Elliot, whose childhood friendship developed into a romantic relationship.

The book has a unique blend of heartwarming adolescent bookish elements reminiscent of Judy Blume's writing as they discover more about themselves and each other in a cozy little reading nook seemingly made for two.

I couldn't put this down.

I can't share a list without acknowledging this classic, which was Austen's last completed work before her death.

Anne Elliot and Captain Frederick Wentworth reunite years after being separated in this tale of yearning and longing.

As they navigate their emotions and society's complexities, the couple get a second chance at love in Regency England.

If you have Spotify Premium, you can choose from various audiobook narrator options, including Yolanda Kettle, Cynthia, Erivo, Rosalyn Landor, or PJ Roscoe to immerse yourself in this story. Be sure to try the sample before using your monthly credit to find a voice that matches your listening style.

This slow-burn small-town romance brings together Sandy and Hank, whose high school dreams of escaping their small town for artistic pursuits were put on hold when circumstances intervened.

Now, fifteen years later, they find themselves at a crossroads as their paths intersect again.

Sandy is thriving at her local business and must confront her lingering feelings for Hank when he returns home, both as a successful country singer and a single dad.

Readers who like a vibrant supporting cast of characters weren't disappointed with Kerry Winfrey's sweet townspeople who were reminiscent of Gilmore Girls.

It looks like the perfect book pairing for readers who loved Colton Gentry's Third Act.

Fortune's debut romance offers a captivating story set in Ontario's cottage country, following the evolving relationship of Percy and Sam over two decades.

The novel alternates between past and present, exploring their friendship from awkward teenage years to adulthood as they are reunited after years of being estranged.

I appreciated how Fortune's retelling of what could feel like a YA book feels so sophisticated and steamy. It's a grown-up coming-of-age story that any reader can immerse themselves in. 

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Who needs second chances when you can have three, four, or even a hundred? Time loop stories rarely work for me, but one of my favorites this year has been this romance that offered readers a quick 24-hour cycle to fall in love.

Jack finds himself stuck in a time loop that progresses only when Gemma falls for him. Unfortunately, she has no memory of any of their previous encounters.

When the story starts, we discover that this is loop 147, so thankfully, the repetitive nature that these stories traditionally explore are skipped, making the plot progress quickly.

Now, Jack has begun unlocking the key to the time loop and Gemma's heart. I loved every minute of this sweet story, including the nods to iconic rom-com films like When Harry Met Sally & Love Actually.

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If you have yet to dive into this delightful series, the first book delivers a fun second-chance romance and introduces you to a memorable book club concept.

A group of men form a book club to read romance novels to find new ways to connect with the women in their lives.

The first character to apply this romance knowledge is Gavin Scott, a man navigating a troubled marriage.

Somehow, he convinces his wife to give their relationship another try and promises to woo her by their agreed-upon timeline.

Readers will swoon over his shenanigans as he puts those romance book moments into practice.

Lana navigates a rough workplace dynamic when her high school ex-boyfriend, Seth, takes an assignment at her company.

But things escalate when Lana's boss pits the pair against each other in a competition. Assigned an article series, they must compete to win a highly coveted columnist spot.

Lana boldly writes about staying single, while Seth has to learn to settle down in his pieces.

But, their relationship history and undeniable chemistry make the competition challenging in more ways than one.

If a little rom-com film called How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days was your favorite, this novel will sit in your wheelhouse.

Yasmen and Josiah faced devastating emotional losses in their marriage, but both are now ready to find happiness again by beginning a new chapter of dating and first love.

But they can't deny their intense connection, which always draws them back to each other's orbit.

As the two begin a steamy, illicit affair, readers will have no choice but to root for this couple to find a more profound love the second time, especially as their backstory comes together for the reader.

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Jeff Zenter brought this Emily Henry story to our show as one of his favorite second-chance romances. 

This forced proximity romance has Harriet and Wyn hiding a secret breakup during a week-long vacation in Maine with their friend group. 

Emily Henry always brings a fresh perspective to all her love stories.

She offers readers an emotional escape as old sparks reignite slowly, bringing the reader to an emotional conclusion about why the two broke up in the first place. 

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