Sylvia's Second Act: The hilarious, heartwarming and utterly feel-good read for 2025!

by Hillary Yablon

'Hilarious, heartwarming and delightfully refreshing' CAROL KIRKWOOD'Will put a twinkle in your eye and a spring in your step. Fabulous fun!' VERONICA HENRY'Wickedly funny and utterly engaging. Sylvia is our queen!' ALEX BROWN'Joyful, feel-good fun with a feisty heroine you can't help but love!' FANNY BLAKEGrowing older doesn't just mean growing wiser.But it does mean a lot of fun...When 63-year-old Sylvia finds her husband in bed with another woman, she's shocked and furious . . . at first. But by the time her head stops spinning, Sylvia realises she hates the retirement community she's living in - it's for old people. And she certainly doesn't feel old!So, she enlists the help of her best friend, glamorous 70-year-old widow Evie, and the pair flee to Manhattan to start a new life in the city that never sleeps. Sylvia's husband may have lost her life savings, but they're scrappy and determined - and they weren't born yesterday...Before long, Sylvia is reviving her wedding planning business and even finds herself back in the dating game! And no matter what her meddling daughter thinks, it's her time now - and she's determined that in this glorious second act, the best is yet to come!Hilarious, heartwarming and utterly feel-good, Sylvia's Second Act is perfect for fans of Heartburn by Nora Ephron, Grace & Frankie, and Sex and the City. ***Praise for Sylvia's Second 'A first-rate novel of second chances that will have you laughing right from the start. Sylvia will show you that it's never too late to reinvent yourself, especially if you have a good friend by' STEVEN ROWLEY'Novelist Hillary Yablon gives readers hungry for a midlife romance a fizzy, delicious story we didn't know we needed. Take a bow, Sylvia, cause readers are gonna give this laugh-out-loud female buddy story made in Manhattan a standing ovation' MARY KAY ANDREWS'Sylvia's story hit all of my favorite notes - laugh out loud funny, action packed and ultimately redemptive. It's a love song to women of a certain age, and I'll be humming it for years to come' ANNABEL MONAGHAN'A gem! Every page of this book is a delight' KJ DELL'ANTONIA'I'm ready to audition real-life candidates for the Sylvia to my Evie (or the Evie to my Sylvia)... These two are living the dream and getting up to exactly the level of post-retirement fun I want to have one day. Pure delight!' MARY LAURA PHILPOTT'I'm ready to audition real-life candidates for the Sylvia to my Evie (or the Evie to my Sylvia)... These two are living the dream and getting up to exactly the level of post-retirement fun I want to have one day. Pure delight!' JESSE Q. SUTANTO

Genres: Fiction, Audiobook, Romance, Chick Lit, Contemporary, Humor, Book Club

344 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 12, 2024

Reviews

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A laugh out loud story that could easily have been titled "Sex and the City with Seniors". Add "Thelma and Louise" and "The Wedding Planner" and you have the outline for this book. (Just not including the ending from Thelma and Louise.) Somewhat spicy, slightly risqué, and peppered with colorful language throughout, this story takes readers on a romp with 63-year-old Sylvia, her dearest older friend, Evie, and an entire cast of supporting characters.

After finding her husband in bed with a neighbor, Sylvia decides to leave her retirement community life in Florida behind and recreate herself as a wedding planner in New York. Hilarity ensues as Sylvia and Evie deal with problems surrounding apartment hunting, job searching, financial woes, family issues, and dating.

This was a surprisingly good adult romantic comedy, debut novel. I can definitely see Sylvia and her cohort, Evie, branching out and returning for another round of amusing high jinks. If you have any experience with planning a wedding or enjoyed watching the reality TV series "Say Yes to the Dress", this might be the book for you.

[Meagan (Meagansbookclub) · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED THIS BOOK!

[Keri Stone · Rating 4 out of 5]

What do you do when you find your husband in bed with the floozy of your retirement community? Well, after you help her find her underwear and your husband explains it was an accident after he lost your life savings… you reevaluate your life.

Sylvia decides it’s time to make a change! She decides she’s tired of Florida, there’s no second chances for her marriage, but a second chance at life means moving to Manhattan and trying to resurrect a wedding planning business she had many years ago. And her feisty widow friend Evie decides to go with her.

Sylvia’s daughter and husband think he’s crazy. Not in a nice crazy way, but in a demeaning, you can’t take care of yourself way. It pisses Sylvia off - she’s a grown woman, not a child! As the two women find their way together through this new time in life they have challenges and success. And a lot of fun!

This is a great to listen to or read, have fun, and remember it’s never too late to start something new. Don’t let other’s actions define you or keep you down, but believe in yourself.

[Danielle Thompson · Rating 2 out of 5]

This started out really fun and exciting before it became very repetitive and vapid. Sylvia, the 63 year old main character, thinks and behaves like a young twenty year old. She doesn't exhibit any wisdom or gravitas you'd expect from a woman her age. The side characters are one dimensional and exaggerated to the point of absurdity. Also, I really don't understand the need for all the references to the show Sex and the City, a series that is 20 years old as of the writing of this review. This novel did not work for me on any level.

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

A hilarious Sex and the City x Girls remix for the older set!! I couldn’t put this incredible debut down!! Sylvia walks in on her husband having an affair with a woman she loathes and decides to leave him, moving to NYC and restarting her 63 year old life with her 80 year old bestie.

What follows is a series of hijinks, sexual escapades and family drama as Sylvia tries to revive her wedding planner career and find love again in middle age. Amazing on audio, this was pure laugh out loud fun and I can’t recommend it enough!

[Amanda Stanley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book!! Good feels and made me laugh out loud. I could see this story turning into a movie.

[Kari Ann Sweeney · Rating 4 out of 5]

SYLVIA’S SECOND ACT is a bit heartbreaking, a lot funny and ultimately uplifting debut that left me craving a sequel. ⁣
⁣
I was laughing with and cheering for 63 year old Sylvia as she reinvented herself on her own terms. I adore stories with older, mature characters who make no apologies and embrace the possibilities. Sylvia and Evie - my kind of gals!⁣

[Mary E. Gilmore · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did not want to say goodbye to Sylvia and Evie.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh my goodness this was such a fun read. I laughed out loud so many times while reading this book. A truly delightful read and I thoroughly enjoyed it from start to finish. Highly recommended.

[Jennifer Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's hard to describe a story about a 63-year-old woman as “cute,” but for lack of a better analogy, that’s exactly how I felt about it. This was a fun, lighthearted novel that had me rooting for the main character and her septuagenarian sidekick. Sylvia truly deserved her second chance, and Evie was determined to make it fabulous.

Sylvia and her husband are living the retired life in Boca—until she walks in on him having an affair with the community's big-busted floozy. This event serves as the final straw in a marriage she's been disengaged from, both mentally and physically. Taking control of her life, she decides to start anew in New York City, bringing her best friend along.

The pair finds themselves in one hilarious situation after another as they navigate their way through the city. Each of them secures jobs and somehow manages to tackle the challenges of rent and career goals in an area where even the youth struggle. Sylvia’s constant daydreams and her controlling family dynamics lead her to take a bold chance on a path she thought was lost: wedding planning. Amidst a bridezilla moment, she discovers the possibility of love again, the opportunity to mend her relationship with her daughter, and realizes how capable she truly is when she sets her mind to something.

I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of Sylvia and Evie’s antics and found myself laughing out loud several times. I loved the focus on a mature woman and the chance for a fresh start. In the end, we are really only as old as we feel.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

So much fun!!!
You’ll be cheering for Sylvia every step of the way.

[Janssen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun and a little unique. Not a favorite, not a flop.

[Samantha Bilan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC from a Goodreads giveaway.

This book was a delightful read and I love the idea of two best friend finding courage and strength in each other to follow their dreams. The fact that they’re “of a certain age” makes it all the better. I laughed out loud at multiple parts! I liked that it was heartwarming without being a tearjerker.

[Eileen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hillary Yablon shares Sylvia Fisher and the challenges she faces after finding her husband in bed with another woman. This shocking scene is both a catalyst and awake-up call for her. She realizes how unhappy she is and does something about it. This book manages to be both light and serious. When you are in your 60s and beyond, it's easy to settle for life in a retirement community following a predictable routine with the spouse you've outgrown and false friends who are only too happy to show you how little you matter to them. Sylvie and her true best friend Evelyn Neiss move to New York and get jobs and a sublet apartment to share. Sylvie recaptures a career as a wedding planner and Evie finds an encore of her professional piano playing. They manage to live a real life version of Sex in the City (mature women's edition) with similar ups and downs to those seen on TV. Expect career issues, family problems, and romance.

[Lindsey Bellitti · Rating 2 out of 5]

So many thoughts. I'll try to condense so I can just move on from this book.

First - Way too many grammatical errors. Noticed the first one on the 3rd paragraph in chapter 1. Who edited this book??

Second- EVERY character sucks

Third - Unnecessarily vulgar

Premise is after catching her husband cheating on her, a 60ish year old leaves the Florida retirement community she hated and reinvents herself in NYC. She convinces her BFF to join her and the two of them live their new life desperately wanting it to mimic the show Sex and the City. I do love the themes of defending/showing up for yourself, not caring what other people think and owning that it's never too late to be happy and live your dreams. Age is just a number. But seriously - not one character is likable. Sylvia also has a problematic drinking problem that was never addressed and glorified more than anything. Did I stay up late and finish it because I was invested to see how it would end? Yes. So there's that.

[Aneets · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a fanciful fairy tale that was a lot of fun to read. It is begging to be made into a movie and I'd be surprised if the rights haven't been snapped up yet. 4 stars

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not my normal genre but this was hilarious. I laughed a lot but only recommend if you can handle a bit of (what are the cool kids calling it?) Spice haha

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

Light, fun, quick read, with many, many references to Sex and the City, this is a mix between that show and the Golden Girls. About two friends who leave their retirement home in Boca and move to New York for adventure and a better life. Mistakes are made, challenges are overcome and this is another welcome reminder, that you should really not underestimate women over 60, they've lived a life!!

With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC win exchange for an honest review.

[Leticia🌻 · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5

If we could give this book more than 5 stars, this book definitely deserves it. It's been a while since I've read a book that had me laughing out loud. The story is beautifully written and all the characters are so lovable. The friendship between Sylvia and Evie is like no other. If you love the TV show, Grace and Frankie, Sylvia's Second Act is definitely for you!

[Corinne Carson · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a refreshing read this was! I laughed and cheered on this 63 year old woman who took her life in her own hands and reinvented herself when no one believed she could. Here’s to kick-ass women, who live their lives on their own terms! 🍾🥂👊🏽

[Danna Wiseman · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was fine. There were some very entertaining parts and I enjoyed Sylvia’s arc overall. The ending was chaos though. It’s like 3 different books happened in the last 20 minutes. Just less polished and random to what could have happened. But I enjoyed the rest.

[Cat · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great surprise from an author I had never heard about.

I really liked Sylvia, even though I didn’t agree with some of her actions, and her best friend Evie. I hated her husband Louis and didn’t like Isabel, their daughter. These two were horrible to Sylvia.

The end was bittersweet and I’m still wondering if I liked it. It also made me decrease my rating; I was going for 4,5 stars.

I guess that, as I approach 40, reading books with older female characters has become my cup of tea. Even if in this particular case Sylvia is old enough to be my mother.

Another one I recommend.

[Ashley Bayley · Rating 5 out of 5]

More of a 4.5 rounded up but I LOVED this book. It was just what I needed to start the year off!

So lighthearted and an easy read, that kept me laughing & rooting for Sylvia and Evie!

[Maggie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ugh, really not sure what to rate this one. My gut is 2.5⭐️

I did not find Sylvia particularly likable. Like sure, she got cheated on and her husband and daughter are absolute trash people but she isn’t so amazing herself. She never seems to think she is wrong, voices whatever thought comes to mind and lies pretty often and, most annoying, she constantly zones out of conversations. Like did no one notice how she never paid attention to a full conversation with spacing?? In her defense, she mostly did this with Louis and Izzy, categorically two of the worst people to ever exist.

The story line with Evie’s grandson and daughter-in-law was totally unnecessary except to have Sylvia tell yet another lie that would come back later in the story but serve no purpose.

It was also unnecessary to me that Frank and Verena ended up together. Why not make it Nora he ends up with OR just have Sylvia go to Italy and end things gracefully if ending their relationship is the route you’re going? Frank was a perfectly adequate person but then he turns into a sh*t bag because Sylvia isn’t ready to say I love you back?

Lastly, the final chapter/epilogue could not have ended on a more cliche note if it freaking tried. She could’ve simply had a career in Italy, been featured in a magazine, continued living happily with her best friend - literally anything besides ending on a pregnancy.

End of rant.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a debut! Great audio. Humor and great characters. Didn’t want to say goodbye to these characters.

[Kate Harsh · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 rounded down - overall really liked it, very cute and had a lot of funny parts. A lot of things felt like they wrapped up too neatly or happened too perfectly though, to the point where it almost felt too unrealistic?

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS BOOK IS EVERYTHING. Made me laugh out loud and also reflect on the value of mature women- Silvia and her crew are absolutely hilarious. And Silvia herself is GOALS.

[Meddings_Musings: Erin Meddings · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my word! I absolutely, insanely loved this!

There seems to be an influx of novels where women-of-a-certain age are having to start over and I’m obsessed with them! Perhaps I’m just now noticing them as I have also become a woman-of-certain age!

I love mature women being portrayed as strong and resilient, beautiful and desired, hard working and more than willing to offer their skills and wisdom to the world.

This is definitely in my Top 10 Mature Women’s Romance list for 2024! Go get a copy now!

[Kovaxka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ó, ezt imádtam! Felhőtlen szórakozás volt, ráadásul a főszereplő korosztályához tartozom. New York meg hab a tortán, még a márkás cuccokat és az esküvőszervezést is el tudtam viselni ebben a környezetben. Naná, ha a főszereplő Szex és New York rajongó, a 80 pluszos barátnője meg Coldplayt zongorázik. Vicces, ironikus, nagyon empatikus, egy pillanatig sem csöpögős, mégis vérbeli chick lit történet, élő, jól megformált karakterekkel. El se hiszem, hogy első regény, akarok még!

[Debbie Love · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg I haven’t laughed that hard reading a book in forever! This one literally had me in tears laughing several times. Very poignant at times, yet such a delight to read! I LOVED that the fmc was older, witty and unapologetically herself. The whole idea that you’re never too old for a new start really hit home for me. I highly recommend this one!!