Cait’s ARC Review of “The Second Chance” by Ann Maree Craven and Michelle MacQueen

By: Cait Marie

Goodreads Blurb

They’re exes…
…nothing more.

Harper Chapman is running away. From her overbearing parents, and from a husband who broke her heart, a man who also happened to be her boss at one of the most prestigious newspapers in the country.
The job was a dream come true. The husband, not so much.
She just wants to go back to a simpler time when summers at her grandmother’s house could fix anything. But going back means facing things better left in the past.

Small town gossip.
And him. The first boy she ever loved.

Carter Ashford is everything she never wants to remember. Charming, drop-dead gorgeous, and a member of the exclusive Ashford family, practically town royalty. Ten years ago, Harper walked away from Superiore Bay, from him. Now, back in town, she does everything she can to avoid the feelings she’s never gotten over.
When she realizes the local newspaper has turned into a gossip rag, Harper knows she can fix it. She can spend her limited time here reviving something that actually matters, and then move on to the next chapter of her life.
But could her return prove to be more than she can handle? Harper might learn the only thing better than running away is finding a reason to stay.

Review

If you read my review on book one, The Winemaker, you know I love this new series. This is the second book, but each can technically be read as a standalone, and Craven and MacQueen made me fall even more in love with Superiore Bay and its citizens.

There is almost nothing I love more in a book than a charming, cocky character with a secret heart of gold, and Carter Ashford is the very epitome of that. Don’t get me wrong, I loved Connor, but Carter is now my favorite Ashford. His heart is so big, so open.

Then, there’s Harper. She’s determined to start fresh, but in order to do that, she has to face her past. AKA Carter. Their chemistry is evident from the very beginning. Everything between them feels so natural.

I really appreciated that Carter accepts that she can only be friends upon her return, and that he welcomes her back as if no time has passed, even though he wants more. The way they work to rebuild their friendship while trying to figure out their lives is so perfect.

I truly enjoyed this second book. It was hard to stop reading; I just wanted to devour the whole thing. The end had a little bonus glimpse into the next book, so I’m eagerly waiting for Conrad’s story!

The Second Chance releases November 4, 2021!