Family Ties at the Second Chances Sweet Shop

Holly Berry Sweet Shop #3

by Hannah M. Lynn

Life has finally settled down for Holly Berry... Holly’s family has always been there for her, and when her dad is made redundant she is only too happy to help out. But giving her father a job wasn’t quite what she had in mind.

And when she tries to involve herself with Ben’s family, tensions rise quicker than one of her delicious cakes. Will family complications be too much for her blossoming relationship or is this the next step on the path to happy ever after?

Grab yourself a bag of your favourite sweets and settle down for this charming and heartwarming story, perfect for fans of Holly Martin, Jessica Redland and Polly Babbington.

A delightful, well written tale, full of wonderful characters in a charming setting. I loved it!” Katie Fforde

Previously published as Turmoil at the Sweet Shop of Second Chances

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary, Romance, Chick Lit

274 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 21, 2023

About the author

Hannah Lynn is a multi award winning novelist. Publishing her first book, Amendments – a dark, dystopian speculative fiction novel, in 2015. Her second book, The Afterlife of Walter Augustus – a contemporary fiction novel with a supernatural twist – went on to win the 2018 Kindle Storyteller Award and the Independent Publishers Gold Medal for Best Adult Ebook.

Born in 1984, Hannah grew up in the Cotswolds, UK. After graduating from university, she spent 15 years as a teacher of physics, first in the UK and then Thailand, Malaysia, Austria and Jordan. It was during this time, inspired by the imaginations of the young people she taught, she began writing short stories for children, and later adult fiction.

With over 30 publications spanning a number of genres and translated into a dozen languages, Hannah has proven herself to be both an accomplished and prolific author.

Now settled back in the UK with her husband, daughter and clowder of cats, she spends her days writing romantic comedies and historical fiction. Her first historical fiction novel, Athena's Child, was also a 2020 Gold Medalist at the Independent Publishers Awards.

Reviews

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has become my favourite one of the ‘Sweet Shop’ series so far and I am excited to see what happens next with Holly Berry. In this story, I thought the writer made the plot quite unpredictable and I enjoyed not being able to foresee how the novel would conclude.

Book three of the series, it was great to return to the familiar faces of the story. There are a few new characters and I liked how refreshing their additions were. Furthermore, knowing the backstory and relationships of the characters from previous books added to my enjoyment of this story; I think this is a series where starting from the beginning is a big bonus.

One more we are treated to endless jars of endless sweets, although Holly’s current obsession with chocolate limes sounded rather gross… even to my chocolate-mad tastebuds! It was lovely to see her sweet shop thriving and how life seems to be just right for the protagonist… until family throws a spanner in the works. Family complications from her own side and Ben’s puts a massive strain on her relationship with Ben and this takes the central focus of the story. With questions arising about commitment and closeness, Holly suddenly feels that Ben is not wholly invested in their relationship. The scene where Ben and Holly are having a meal with Ben’s sister was particularly awkward and I really sympathised with how Holly was made to feel.

Yet, family complications are just the beginning with a new housemate to contend with and the return of an old nemesis. This just added to the stresses that Holly feels and I admired how she kept on persevering when things got tough – I think I would have screamed into a pillow at several points! Undoubtedly, Holly knows she needs to keep looking after herself and her business, instead of hiding away, so it was lovely to see her meet these issues head on.

Watching Holly navigate the bumps in the road that life throws at you was satisfying; I think her character has really grown since readers first met her in book one. I like the community that has now been established by the writer and am looking forward to continuing with this series.

With thanks to Boldwood books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Hsiau Wei · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this series, the author explores Holly's ongoing journey in a way that keeps her character authentic by addressing the consequences of her past decisions. The story begins with Holly's struggles with her own relationships and those of her roommate, which might be relatable for new readers but could feel slightly prolonged for those familiar with the characters. The plot takes a dramatic turn as a figure from Holly's past reappears, setting the stage for the next book. I recommend reading this series to connect the dots between the books, as no single installment brings closure to Holly's personal growth. It's rewarding to watch her gradually navigate life's challenges. While some books in the series may be more appealing than others, it's a great choice for readers who enjoy a continuous character development narrative with straightforward and emotionally engaging writing.

[Joni Janice Mielke · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this. The characters are consistentn(if consistently annoying with regard to some of their foibles!) but there is still character development, which unfolds itself at a very normal pace for human beings, i.e. very slowly. As with book 2, one or two new characters appear on the scene. They certainly add colour to the story! The reappearance of an old face also adds interest...although I'm not entirely sure how I feel about that person as yet. Ooh, and there's an Easter Egg for anyone who has also read Hannah's Peas and Carrots series - AND that's all I'll say about that. Overall, this book was good and I enjoyed it.

[Karen Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review
Book 3 has been as amazing as books 1 and 2 and this has been so funny. Scenes that remind me of Bridget Jones Diary with the men fighting had me chuckling.

I love the characters in these books and feel I'm part of the community.

Hannahs writing is easy and addictive and I feel like I'm in the pages, it's amazing how lost you get. Off now for book 4.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Lucia]

Favourite of the books so far ! Particularly liked the character development and depth which was lacking previously, and plot was a bit more varied

[Luisa Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a quick and entertaining read. A little predictable perhaps, but that didn’t spoil my enjoyment. It could possibly be read as a stand-alone, but my enjoyment was enhanced by the fact that the characters were already familiar to me and I knew their back story. It was easy to slip back into Holly’s world. The story swept me along at a fast pace and the new developments were fun. I hope there’ll be more adventures with Holly and her friends in the future.

[ana darcy · Rating 5 out of 5]

So much drama!! :D

[Anjana · Rating 2 out of 5]

I surprisingly read this book out of order. I read it after the fourth, and this might be the reason I did not enjoy it as much.
Although Holly's life should have levelled off by now, the author ensured she continued to be realistic by chalking out how the previous decisions would pan out.
Holly spends the first part of the book coming to terms with her own relationship status and that of her roommate. Having already met the pair, I felt like she went a little overboard. Newer audiences might better appreciate this sequence of events.
Things take a serious turn, and another face from the past turns up to muddle Holly's head. After reading this, the start of the next book definitely made more sense.
I would recommend reading this to connect the dots between the other books.
This series is the kind that is a joy for people who enjoy books that continue a tale. No one book is enough to close the chapter of Holly's growth arc. There was something satisfying about seeing her tackle her life bit by bit. I may have liked some of the books more than others, but I highly recommend this series for people who like to follow a single lead protagonist with minimal distractions as she learns and changes.
The author's writing is simple, to the point and flows, making each book a quick and easy read, even with emotional ups and downs.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

[Mks Bookcorner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley, publishers and Hannah M. Lynn for gifting me a copy of Family Ties at the Second Chance Sweet Shop in return for my honest opinion.

3.5/5 stars

Life has finally settled down for Holly Berry... Holly’s family has always been there for her, and when her dad is made redundant she is only too happy to help out. But giving her father a job wasn’t quite what she had in mind.

And when she tries to involve herself with Ben’s family, tensions rise quicker than one of her delicious cakes. Will family complications be too much for her blossoming relationship or is this the next step on the path to happy ever after?

What I loved
-Holly's journey is such a wonderful story to read about! Hannah M. Lynn did a great job developing her characters!
-There are summaries when something is brought up from another book in the series so minimal confusing moments

What I liked
-I really enjoy the continued storyline.
-The addition of new characters in each book, but it isn't an overwhelming amount.

What I wish was different
-Some of the characters were stand offish and annoying. I couldn't seem to connect at all with them.

Final thoughts
This is a well written book that is a fast passed read. There is great character development and I can't wait to see what happens next with Holly and Ben!

[Zoé-Lee O'Farrell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I do love this series as I have made it quite clear now, 3 books in 3 days, kind of gives it away. But this book, well Holly felt off. She went all sorts of crazy and quite destructive, which made it sad to see. I love Holly but I didn't enjoy what happened. On one hand, you could kind of forgive her for reasons I can't explain but then I don't think it's also a good enough reason to do so.

This book has a lot of highs, I loved it when her Dad came to work in the sweet shop with her, as he was proud and that made my heart swell thinking of my dad. Then we have Jamie and Finn - her hot new fella, whom Holly just didn't trust. A revelation and someone from the past come back to the village.

I must say, I quite liked this character coming back, I thought it added a nice dynamic to the book near the end and I am interested to see where we go with it. I think I need to slow down on the audiobooks I only have 2 days left in the week and 2 more audiobooks! Eeek!!

This series is a little bit special, and despite Holly being a little radical at times she still is such a lovely character to follow. She has a journey to come ahead and I am looking forward to spending more time at the sweet shop.

[n • a • d · Rating 4 out of 5]

JAIME IS NOTTTTT A GIRL'S GIRL🙅‍♀️🙅‍♀️🙅‍♀️🙅‍♀️

though it would be easy to hate the book for ruining the cozy and magical vibes of the books, it greatly captures the unfortunate realities that our friends have lives that sometimes crashes terribly with ours.

holly and her friends make many mistakes. they hurt. they feel lonely. but by the end of it all, they understand the importance of each other in their lives.

i would loveeee though if we could see the struggles and experiences that holly's friends are living through, so we'd understand why holly feels so alone.

fuck ben and his non existent balls and his inability to apologize for his shit. (though holly COULD have voiced her problems better)

[Natasha's Shelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have enjoyed reading the sweet shop series books, and Hannah Lynns writing style makes it so you dont want to put her books down, and i always found myself excited to read the next chapter. In this book, I enjoyed the unexpected turn of events throughout, and with each book I found, I really do like Holly's character as she grows both personally and in her business. Is it bad that I still have hopes for romance blossoming between her and Giles? I would like to see if that eventually goes anywhere. Who knows, it could be a possibility

[Valerie Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book. I have chosen to write this honest review voluntarily and it reflects my personal opinion.
I enjoyed the first 2 books in this series, rating them pleasant, easy reads with a lovely setting and interesting characters. I think this book has taken a step up, with some twists and surprising reactions. It was interesting and introduced a level of unpredictability that left me wanting to read the next book, rather than thinking I'd like to read the fourth in the series.
I definitely recommend they are read in order.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this under the title "Family Ties at the Cotswold Candy Store". [I'd prefer if these were numbered in this series]

So much for Holly to deal with: her roomie falls in love with a kombucha loving, organic, free range american/brit, she's had an awful fight with Ben who can't say he's in love with her, evil Giles is back, and her father's been laid off again and this is all within a week.

[Calliss · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very sweet follow-up in the series about Holly (and Ben) I liked the introduction of new characters - and more info on some we already knew.

I laughed a couple of times and I got very annoyed when Holly became very judgful of someone she knew nothing about, that seemed very out of character for her. (Thats my only reason for giving the book 3* instead of 4*)

I am looking forward to reading the 4th book in the series :D

[Lynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Holly and Ben are enjoying their romance (finally). When a series of unfortunate misunderstandings causes them to break up, Holly is devastated, but still has a business to run. Her roommate has a new boyfriend and he is moving in, and Holly is sure he’s using Jess as an ATM, and dislikes him. So much drama, but all is resolved in the end.

[Molly Kilsby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great addition to the story of Holly Berry. Whilst I’d thought that the 2nd instalment in the series wasn’t as detailed or enticing as the 1st, this 3rd instalment kept me on the edge of my seat!! I thoroughly enjoyed reading this instalment, and the surprise of Giles’ return made for sn unexpected twist. I’m definitely going to to be reading the 4th book next :)

[Divya Mangotra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining and full of drama is the only way to describe this book.

If you have read the first two parts of this series, buckle up for a ride. Holly’s life takes a series of very dramatic turns in the storyline. It also introduces some new and old characters and is as cosy as the first two parts.

If you are a fan of the series, pick this one up.

[Susan Spinks · Rating 2 out of 5]

Repeated the story a lot (I guess if you hadn't read the previous 2 books, this would have been good). The main character was being so negative although the reason behind this was explained later in the book. Not sure if I'll read many more in the series.

[Jacqui Foster · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great

Great to catch up.with Holly and co, still don't know what to make of Fin, but we will see, will Holly and Ben manage to stay together.

[Pat Langhelt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed book 3 of this series, Holly and Ben things are not as they seem onto the next one

[lynn dallas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun read

Loving this series of books, easy fun and quick reading. Getting ready to read the next one in the series.

[Charlotte (Bogrejser) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ikke helt så god som de andre, men stadig hyggelig serie!

[Jade Pitman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loving this series so far. Looking forward to reading the next one

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
I love this series and this one was the best so far and the funniest by far.

[Emily Abrahams · Rating 5 out of 5]

These books just become more and more heart warming, this book made me smile so much. Onto the next book immediately!

[Caro · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the third book in the ‘Second chances sweets shop’ series. There is mention of what happened in book one and two, but that is summarized so you can red this book as a stand-alone.
This book feels a bit like Bridget Jones’ Diary, with Holly being like Bridget, Ben is a stuffy version of Darcy and Giles is Daniel Clever, the slick bad guy played by Hugh Grant. Of course it is not the same plot, but with the Bridget series there is also a HEA between Bridget/Holly and Darcy/Ben after which they get into a silly fight, they breakup and then bad guy Daniel/Giles turns up again.
Like Bridget and Darcy, Holly and Ben are blissfully dating for three months now. Then one day they have a fight and Holly thinks they broke up. That’s when the story started losing me. I kept thinking ‘When is Ben going to tell her that they just had a fight?’ since neither of them uttered the phrase that they had broken up, but go my astonishment that is the status quo. Holly also makes assumptions (Ella) that aren’t based on anything, so she just makes it up. Also I didn’t understand why Holly would want to accompany Giles to meet his sister and having a late-night pizza with him, after all he has done to her and her business. I was also a bit disappointed in Ben, for being so incredibly passive and not going to see Holly and sit down and talk things over! I like the Hero to be manly and assertive instead of a wait and see attitude.
I appreciate that this was a clean story. The secondary characters were funny. It was no surprise that Holly’s dad made a cake of himself as an employee at the candy shop. And Fin’s organic views on life were so ridiculous that they were funny:
•After taking a shower: I’ve even left some of my cucumber-and-apple body wash in there. It’s made with essential oils. Organic ones, obviously.
•After folding hundreds of paper crane birds: I found once I was in the rhythm, it became almost meditative. I was listening to an immersive sound bath. It really helped me connect with the purpose of what I was doing.
I kept thinking of Lars in ‘Serendipity’ in my mind while reading about Fin! Overall, a nice read but I missed the sizzling romance that you might expect from the Hero and heroine. Jamie and Fin had more chemistry and spark together.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Nikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the 3rd book of this delightful series, Holly is running her sweet shop in Bourton On The Water in the Cotswolds. With a couple of extra helpers things are ticking along.

However, Holly knows that things can change in an instant, and when Jamie finds a boyfriend; her Mum asks her to employ her Dad and Ben finding it hard to express his feelings for her, things start to downhill. Or, is something else going on?

I absolutely love this series and cannot wait for thre 4th book to be released.

The books are best read in order of publication to preserve continuity of the characters and series.

[Carol Ann Rooney · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am enjoying this series. I have no idea where it is going so I will keep going with the next five books

[penny robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five stars !

Another lovely read in this series. I feel part of the village now as the characters are so familiar as is the scenery. Thank you Hannah for painting the picture and letting me in. Looking forward to the next instalment!