Sometimes All You Need Is a Second Chance

Expected Publication: March 5th, 2013
The Second Chance Cafe
By: Alison Kent
Montlake Romance
ISBN-13: 9781611097894

Kaylie Flynn was luckier than most children left to the Texas foster care system, blessed with a foster mother who taught her the comfort of home and the healing power of baking the perfect brownie. Now, Kaylie has journeyed back to Hope Springs to open a cafe in the charming Victorian she once shared with her foster family and to finally find answers about her past and where she came from. Yet Kaylie's carefully laid plans quickly become complicated. The house needs far more work than she realized, and Tennessee Keller, the carpenter Kaylie hires, stirs up feelings she hasn't felt in a long while. When an unexpected crisis threatens to unravel her dreams, Kaylie seems to have all the ingredients for a perfect disaster or quite possibly the perfect love.

Review

 

      Kaylie Flynn had a tough life before she was taken in by her last set of foster parents - the ones that made her feel like she finally had a home.  But when she aged out of the system and went to college, Kaylie never looked back until the couple both died.  Then she waited for the house to be for sale again.  After she finally buys her childhood home, Kaylie returns to Hope Springs, Texas to open a cafe and live in the place she was always the happiest once again.  Helping her realize her dreams, contractor Tennessee Keller comes with baggage of his own and a one-man, ex-convict crew.  Her new friend Luna also has something to hide - a secret bigger than Kaylie ever imagined that involves her in the most personal way possible.  With the help of her new friends and the hint of romance in the air, can Kaylie confront her past once and for all, leaving it behind for a new future?  Or will she always be looking for a place to call home?  This was a really good romance on the surface, but there was another layer of story much deeper between Kaylie and her birth Father who she always though abandoned her and her Mom.  Kaylie's issues of trust and problems with abandonment rang very true, making me wince at certain parts that were especially harsh.  Luna was definitely a friend that was good for Kaylie, but the secret that she kept was too much in my opinion.  Ten Keller felt kind of unrealisitic, in the way he insisted on martyring himself for something beyond his control.  It got on my nerves after a certain portion of whining had already been done.  The romance between him and Kaylie was sweet, but nothing to set my soul on fire.  Overall, I reallyy enjoyed the family and friendship aspects of this book and the heroine was well characterized and written (even if I did like her dog, Magoo, best at the end still!).  I would recommend it to those who like fluffy romance reads, but prefer something with a bit more substance added to the recipe.  Oh yeah, and there are some great brownie recipes in this book too! :)

 

VERDICT:  4/5  Stars

 

*I received an Advanced Reading E-book Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book's expected publication date is March 5th, 2013.*