What do you think?
Rate this book
Hope Springs #1
The Second Chance Cafe
Growing up, Kaylie Flynn was shuffled from foster home to foster home before being welcomed into Winton and May Wise’s family. It was May who taught Kaylie the comfort of home, and the healing power of baking the perfect brownie. Years later, May leaves Kaylie the money she needs to open her own café in the charming Victorian house they once shared. Now back in Hope Springs, Kaylie’s determined to finally make all her dreams a reality—and unearth answers to lingering questions about her past.
Soon, however, Kaylie’s carefully laid plans take an unexpected turn. The house needs far more work than she realized, and Tennessee Keller, the carpenter Kaylie hires, is proving to be a very handsome and very unneeded distraction from her quest to uncover the truth about her parents. When a crisis threatens to destroy everything she’s worked so hard to build, Kaylie must decide where her heart lies: with the ghosts of her past or the love and promise of her future.
Soon, however, Kaylie’s carefully laid plans take an unexpected turn. The house needs far more work than she realized, and Tennessee Keller, the carpenter Kaylie hires, is proving to be a very handsome and very unneeded distraction from her quest to uncover the truth about her parents. When a crisis threatens to destroy everything she’s worked so hard to build, Kaylie must decide where her heart lies: with the ghosts of her past or the love and promise of her future.
358 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2013
872 people are currently reading
1498 people want to read
About the author
Alison Kent
129 books643 followersI often read of or hear about authors who knew they were meant to tell stories from the time they left the crib. Me? I didn't decide what I wanted to be when I grew up until I was thirty years old - and then sold my first book at thirty-four. Still, it was obvious that I always knew I was going places.
Like so many other authors, I was a voracious reader from day one, devouring everything from Nancy Drew to My Friend Flicka, which I remember sitting hovered over the heater vent in the kitchen floor to read while my father made his coffee.
I moved on to my mother's Phyllis Whitney, Dorothy Eden, and Mary Stewart gothics before discovering my first true romances written by Lucy Walker and set in the Australian Outback. And then, at last, when I was 18 I found 'The Flame and the Flower'. (My son almost spent his life as Brandon because of that, but I spared him and named him Casey instead!)
Why write romance? Because love stories have always been a major part of the books I've loved. Father Ralph and Meggie Cleary. (I did name my daughter Megan after reading The Thorn Birds! Do you see a trend here?) The aforementioned Brandon Birmingham and Heather Simmons. Wolf Mackenzie and Mary Potter.
Even more so, it's because I love writing romance heroes. The men who sweep both heroines and readers off their feet - not to mention their authors, too!
I've spent several years happily writing action adventure romance for Kensington Brava along with hot and sexy series romances for Harlequin Blaze. Now I'm thrilled to be a launch author for Vows.
Like so many other authors, I was a voracious reader from day one, devouring everything from Nancy Drew to My Friend Flicka, which I remember sitting hovered over the heater vent in the kitchen floor to read while my father made his coffee.
I moved on to my mother's Phyllis Whitney, Dorothy Eden, and Mary Stewart gothics before discovering my first true romances written by Lucy Walker and set in the Australian Outback. And then, at last, when I was 18 I found 'The Flame and the Flower'. (My son almost spent his life as Brandon because of that, but I spared him and named him Casey instead!)
Why write romance? Because love stories have always been a major part of the books I've loved. Father Ralph and Meggie Cleary. (I did name my daughter Megan after reading The Thorn Birds! Do you see a trend here?) The aforementioned Brandon Birmingham and Heather Simmons. Wolf Mackenzie and Mary Potter.
Even more so, it's because I love writing romance heroes. The men who sweep both heroines and readers off their feet - not to mention their authors, too!
I've spent several years happily writing action adventure romance for Kensington Brava along with hot and sexy series romances for Harlequin Blaze. Now I'm thrilled to be a launch author for Vows.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 329 reviews
July 17, 2021
Bir yere kadar gayet iyi ve eğlenceli gidiyordu. Ama sonradan çok sıktı. Sürekli tekrarlanan iç sesler bezdirdi. Ve asıl bu kitabı benim için yok eden 2. çift. Yazar ikisi arasında çok iyi bir bağ kurmuşken sonlara doğru dur ben bunları bozuyum başkaları ile yapayım demiş. Ve öğrendim ki 2 ve 3 kitapta ikinci çiftimiz başka karakterler yazılmış. BİR KİTAPTA EN NEFRET ETTİĞİM ŞEY. Bu yüzden çok sevilen serileri yazarları harcadım. En başta birisi ile yaptın ettin sonradan bu karar değiştirmek niye. Böyle olmasaydı çok güzel bir seri olabilirdi.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 27, 2013
I had read this author's Dalton Gang series, liked it so wanted to check out this one. This one is different from the Dalton Gang, those were light, sexy, fun reads, while this one was more melancholy, where characters take a second look at their life and what and where they are. It is due to that, that caused me to not like the book as much as I had hoped before starting.
I loved what Kaylie was trying to do with buying the house where she felt the safest and happiest, loved even more that brownie recipes were added for us, can't wait to try a couple. I liked the new relationships that Kaylie was forging, but still felt like something was off. It took me a bit, but I realized that a lot of things happened off the page, we didn't get to see some big revelations, just the aftermath, I didn't like that. A lot of what happened was pretty predictable and I felt like things were wrapped up very quickly.
I see that there is a next book. I will probably check it out, but it will be a make or break book for me in the series.
I loved what Kaylie was trying to do with buying the house where she felt the safest and happiest, loved even more that brownie recipes were added for us, can't wait to try a couple. I liked the new relationships that Kaylie was forging, but still felt like something was off. It took me a bit, but I realized that a lot of things happened off the page, we didn't get to see some big revelations, just the aftermath, I didn't like that. A lot of what happened was pretty predictable and I felt like things were wrapped up very quickly.
I see that there is a next book. I will probably check it out, but it will be a make or break book for me in the series.
February 27, 2014
What can I say except that I was bored throughout the entire novel. I'm surprised I even finished it. I guess I was holding out for something major to happen. I don't know, something, anything major. Instead I got a novel that was predictable and mundane. The novel had elements of romance and suspense, both of which I thought fell flat. There was absolutely no passion or heat between Kaylie and Ten. Nothing. Zero. Zip. Nada. And yes, his name is Ten which is short for Tennessee.
It wasn't until I finished the novel and sat back pondering about it for a while that I finally realized what irked me the most. It was Kaylie that rubbed me the wrong way. From the minute we meet her it was like she could do no wrong. Constantly smiling, making friends with everyone she meets, they in turn loving her along with her new up-and-coming business, a little too sweet. Of course there's nothing wrong with all these qualities, but if she was mad or sad, I honestly couldn't feel those emotions emanating from her. I guess you could say I found her to be quite the bland heroine. There were also a few things that didn't make sense or felt realistic. She went to the library to peruse old newspaper articles about the night her life changed when she was five. Wanting to learn more why not contact the local police? With all the disposable money she has, why not hire a lawyer? A detective? Yes, she was hesitant and procrastinated when it came to finding the answers, but regardless, with her always wondering and talking about her parents, I don't get how she never bothered to look for answers earlier in her life. Which brings me to Mitch. He mentions that he hired a detective to find his daughter. Okay, so she's in the juvenile system. Since Kaylie didn't change her last name to "Flynn" until she was eighteen and no longer part of the juvenile system, it makes no sense that the detective or a lawyer could not locate her. Mitch also says that since he wasn't named on the birth certificate he had no rights to her. How about getting a lawyer and having a paternity test done? He searched for twenty long years which floors me since he never pursued other avenues in locating his missing daughter. Give me a break! If it's just me people, tell me; but I'm sorry, the fact that Mitch or Kaylie didn't take proper steps just made the story feel unrealistic.
The novel, unfortunately in my opinion, includes two major pet peeves of mine:
1. Kaylea was a virgin when she first slept with Ten. Give me a fucking break!
2. Ten proposed to Kaylea after just a few months. Seriously?
How I detest these qualities in romance novels.
I'm not finished. I do have a few questions that I believe went unanswered especially since this is the end of Kaylie and Ten's story:
- What actually happened to Kaylie's mother when she was released from prison? Is she alive? Dead? There’s no mention of this anywhere.
- Was the fire really caused by the electrical wires?? If so, Ten should be blamed for the whole thing. I mean he is the carpenter she hired to renovate the entire house, which included the wiring. Am I alone on this?
- When did Kaylie actually find the bundled letters Mitch left on the kitchen counter? She tells Mitch that she was still contemplating if she should read them or not, and that she was unable to save them from the fire. Hello?? There is absolutely no mention of her coming across the letters, picking them up, or even considering whether she would read them or not. I mention this because the entire novel is filled with every other minute detail about her life, the house, the café, and her feelings. I'm curious as to why the author chose not to include Kaylie's discovery of the letters, which I would think is an important part of the story considering they're all written by her father.
Maybe these questions will be dealt with in the next installment of the “Hope Springs, TX” series, and if they are it won’t make a difference to me as I have no plans on reading book 2 or any other novel by this author.
PS: How I love my local library.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 19, 2013
★★★☆ 3.5 Stars
Growing up in foster care has made Kaylie self reliant to the extreme. She returns to Hope Springs... to the only place she has ever called home, a large three storey Victorian which she plans on turning into a café. She immediately sets about renovating the house with the help of Ten, a local contractor.
Anyone who reads contemporary romance will know there are some themes you'll see time and time again. Renovations; restaurants; returned servicemen; handymen / contractors; cooking; hard-headed business women; and women who have suffered a difficult past.
This book has all of that, and at times it felt like a bit too much. The basic story...Kaylie and Ten, Mitch and Luna were what this story was about and some of that other stuff was a bit distracting.
Many thanks to Amazon Publishing and Netgalley for providing me with this ARC
Growing up in foster care has made Kaylie self reliant to the extreme. She returns to Hope Springs... to the only place she has ever called home, a large three storey Victorian which she plans on turning into a café. She immediately sets about renovating the house with the help of Ten, a local contractor.
Anyone who reads contemporary romance will know there are some themes you'll see time and time again. Renovations; restaurants; returned servicemen; handymen / contractors; cooking; hard-headed business women; and women who have suffered a difficult past.
This book has all of that, and at times it felt like a bit too much. The basic story...Kaylie and Ten, Mitch and Luna were what this story was about and some of that other stuff was a bit distracting.
Many thanks to Amazon Publishing and Netgalley for providing me with this ARC
November 10, 2014
I'm having a hard time deciding what to write about this book. I was all set to Love this book....the storyline sounded like one I would really enjoy; fixing up an old house, hooking up with the carpenter, cooking-brownies, what is there not to like? For some reason, this book just fell short for me and I really can't figure it out.
As I said, perhaps I'm being overly critical about this book. Maybe I've taken the few things that bothered me and blew them out of proportion. You may really love the book. So try it for yourself! I'll be interested to see what you think of it!!
As I said, perhaps I'm being overly critical about this book. Maybe I've taken the few things that bothered me and blew them out of proportion. You may really love the book. So try it for yourself! I'll be interested to see what you think of it!!
March 14, 2013
I was not prepared for such a delightful and heartwarming story as the one Alison Kent has written. The Second Chance Café had me hooked from page one and hope to read many other books by her.
This book introduces, Kaylie, a foster child who has spent most of her life in foster care. After going from one foster home to another, Kalie arrives at May and Winton's home and remains their for eight years. It is the best home she has ever been placed in and now she is returning to Hope Springs with her dog Magoo, to open a café in her former home.
This story is beautifully written and you will almost think you know the characters. Life has not been easy for Kalie but she had a dream and now is trying to make it come true. She returns to the home she shared with May and Winton for eight wonderful years.
Kalyie has worked hard, graduated from college and had owned the Sweet Shoppe before returning to Hope Springs. What Kaylie is not prepared for are surprises about her past, who her parents were and why she ended up in foster care? Along the way she meets people she had gone to school with, meets new friends and might actually have time for finding "Mr Right" which is something she has never even thought about.
The Second Chance Café had me hooked from page one and hope to read many other books by her. A truly wonderful story and one I was sad to finish as I wanted more and you will too.
This book introduces, Kaylie, a foster child who has spent most of her life in foster care. After going from one foster home to another, Kalie arrives at May and Winton's home and remains their for eight years. It is the best home she has ever been placed in and now she is returning to Hope Springs with her dog Magoo, to open a café in her former home.
This story is beautifully written and you will almost think you know the characters. Life has not been easy for Kalie but she had a dream and now is trying to make it come true. She returns to the home she shared with May and Winton for eight wonderful years.
Kalyie has worked hard, graduated from college and had owned the Sweet Shoppe before returning to Hope Springs. What Kaylie is not prepared for are surprises about her past, who her parents were and why she ended up in foster care? Along the way she meets people she had gone to school with, meets new friends and might actually have time for finding "Mr Right" which is something she has never even thought about.
The Second Chance Café had me hooked from page one and hope to read many other books by her. A truly wonderful story and one I was sad to finish as I wanted more and you will too.
February 6, 2018
Romanzo rosa leggero, molto leggero. Che poi la storia in realtà c’è, i personaggi pure ma la scrittura io l’ho trovata noiosa, noiosa forte. Sono arrivata finalmente a pensare “ora succederà qualcosa” che ero al 98%. Anche l’accendersi della passione, L’ innamoramento tra Kaylie e Ten è stato poco incisivo. E almeno sotto questo punto di vista avrebbe dovuto essere perfetto.
Ma la cosa che più mi ha lasciato allibita è che (inizia lo spoiler ma non ci posso nulla) ritrovato finalmente suo papà non gli abbia chiesto dove era sua mamma. Ci sta averlo allontanato dopo la rivelazione ma è impossibile scordarsi certe domande. E io capisco che c’è un seguito (anzi ben altri 4 libri) ma anche senza dare la risposta la domanda doveva fargliela fare.
Ma la cosa che più mi ha lasciato allibita è che (inizia lo spoiler ma non ci posso nulla) ritrovato finalmente suo papà non gli abbia chiesto dove era sua mamma. Ci sta averlo allontanato dopo la rivelazione ma è impossibile scordarsi certe domande. E io capisco che c’è un seguito (anzi ben altri 4 libri) ma anche senza dare la risposta la domanda doveva fargliela fare.
August 4, 2018
I listened to the audio version of this book and really liked it. There is more depth and more intense topics than it seems most people were expecting, going by what this author apparently usually writes. I had no preconceptions and maybe that's why it's a 5 star book for me. It is definitely more Chick Lit (or Women's Literature, if you prefer) than straight up romance. The characters have issues. Deep, dark issues with very serious topics involved.
Having said that, I loved the relationship between the hero and the heroine. There's not a whole lot of trust towards other people for either of them, but there is a definite something between them that allows them to tell each other things from their past that they don't usually discuss. It could be the push towards forgiveness that they both need.
The development of the relationship between Kaylie and Ten (Tennessee) may have been fairly slow, but we're dealing with two fairly messed up people here. It's only right that they are cautious.
Kaylie is finally at a good place in her life and is surrounded by people that care about her. Then everything seems to go to hel_ in a hand basket. Will it be too much for her or can her new happiness be saved?
Having said that, I loved the relationship between the hero and the heroine. There's not a whole lot of trust towards other people for either of them, but there is a definite something between them that allows them to tell each other things from their past that they don't usually discuss. It could be the push towards forgiveness that they both need.
The development of the relationship between Kaylie and Ten (Tennessee) may have been fairly slow, but we're dealing with two fairly messed up people here. It's only right that they are cautious.
Kaylie is finally at a good place in her life and is surrounded by people that care about her. Then everything seems to go to hel_ in a hand basket. Will it be too much for her or can her new happiness be saved?
June 4, 2017
I've had this book for a while and am so glad I finally read (listened to) it. The female lead is a baker who has bought the house she grew up in as a foster child to turn it into a cafe. The male lead is the contractor she hires to renovate the house. Each has guilt and tragedy in their pasts and are separated from family (for different reasons). Their attraction and chemistry are strong and evident. They do take time getting involved, and I liked how Kaylee is pretty honest and up front about things she likes or doesn't like.
There is also a secondary character who plays a role in Kaylee's search for her family as well as starting a relationship of her own. I suspect she'll be the lead in a future book. It seems all of the characters who are followed have some serious life difficulty in their pasts that still affects them. This made the story deeper than I expected. However, there wasn't a ton of angst, the characters struggle with decisions they make, but don't lash out or do reckless things as a result. They are pretty aware of themselves, but still human and make mistakes, have doubts, and feel guilty over things that weren't their fault.
The plot is pretty simple and is mostly about the relationships of the characters and their own historical issues. I enjoyed this, as there were no unnecessary scenes of violence or crime in order to ratchet up the tension. There is a lovely HEA, though not all questions are answered.
There is also a secondary character who plays a role in Kaylee's search for her family as well as starting a relationship of her own. I suspect she'll be the lead in a future book. It seems all of the characters who are followed have some serious life difficulty in their pasts that still affects them. This made the story deeper than I expected. However, there wasn't a ton of angst, the characters struggle with decisions they make, but don't lash out or do reckless things as a result. They are pretty aware of themselves, but still human and make mistakes, have doubts, and feel guilty over things that weren't their fault.
The plot is pretty simple and is mostly about the relationships of the characters and their own historical issues. I enjoyed this, as there were no unnecessary scenes of violence or crime in order to ratchet up the tension. There is a lovely HEA, though not all questions are answered.
October 9, 2019
a heart warming story of a troubled up bringing leading you to the only place that you called home & finding home plus all the answers you have been looking for!
My first book by Alison Kent & I'm impressed
My first book by Alison Kent & I'm impressed
disperatamente-abbandonati
March 20, 2022Ho trovato la trama estremamente prevedibile. Sono arrivata a metà ed era esattamente come me l'ero aspettato, arrivata a pagina trenta. In più l'autrice cerca di presentare i personaggi subito, creando quindi ripetizioni quando li fa incontrare. Non so, non mi ha convinta.
November 26, 2024
Good story about a woman who goes back to the place she was in foster care to find answers and closure.
February 17, 2013
As a child, Kaylie Flynn moved from place to place in the Texas foster care system, finally finding a stable "home" with a foster family in Hope Springs. Her kind foster mother, May Wise, taught Kaylie about life and instilled in her a love of cooking and baking. When Kaylie turned eighteen and was no longer a "foster child", she left Hope Springs and started the next chapter in her life, working here and there and managing to earn a business degree. All along, she had one master plan in mind: to someday return to Hope Springs and become the owner of the only home where she had known happiness. A decade later, after her foster mother and father had passed away, and Kaylie had saved enough money, she made her dream come true. However, she didn't just want to live in the house, she also wanted to make it a social eatery where people could come for comfort and good food. The house would need a lot of work, and everyone told her Tennessee Keller was the carpenter who do the best work and be honest in his business dealings. As Kaylie and her dog, "Magoo", settle into the home that Tennessee had wanted for himself, he begins to visualize his work orders that will make her dream come true. He also has lots of thoughts about Kaylie herself, with whom he is quite taken. Kaylie is also drawn to "Ten", and they grow close while working to make her cafe hopes and dreams come to life. Kaylie is also seeking answers to her childhood about the truth of her mother's death and what happened to her father. Ten has secrets of his own, secrets that may come between him and Kaylie. When all truths are finally revealed, will Kaylie and Ten each find a "second chance" at life and love with each other? "The Second Chance Cafe" is a sweet love story of redemption and renewal--made even more delicious by the wonderful brownie recipes sprinkled throughout the book!
Review Copy Gratis Amazon Vine
Review Copy Gratis Amazon Vine
February 7, 2017
Kaylie ha 28 anni, dopo la morte dei suoi genitori affidatari ha deciso di comprare la casa dove è cresciuta con loro e di trasformarla in un caffè.
Dopo anni di case precarie, e un'infanzia difficile, questa bellissima abitazione di Hope Springs è l'unico posto in cui Kaylie si sia mai sentita amata e accettata, questo luogo è legato ai suo ricordi più belli e sente il bisogno di ripartire proprio da dove si è sentita più felice da adolescente.
La casa ovviamente è da ristrutturare per poter essere adita a caffè, in città le consigliano un tutto fare molto bravo: Ten.
Ten è un uomo chiuso e riservato, la sua vita sembra dedita al lavoro, ma nasconde un animo tormentato dai sensi di colpa per non essere riuscito a tenere unita la sua famiglia e aver rovinato il rapporto con i suoi fratelli.
Tra Kaylie e Ten sarà subito attrazione, ma non puramente fisica, il loro rapporto di evolve piano piano, con dolcezza e comprensione. Si apriranno un po' alla volta come non hanno mai fatto prima, rivelando l'un l'altro le paure più nascoste, i timori e anche le speranze.
Continua sul blog-->http://lettricedilibri.blogspot.it/20...
Dopo anni di case precarie, e un'infanzia difficile, questa bellissima abitazione di Hope Springs è l'unico posto in cui Kaylie si sia mai sentita amata e accettata, questo luogo è legato ai suo ricordi più belli e sente il bisogno di ripartire proprio da dove si è sentita più felice da adolescente.
La casa ovviamente è da ristrutturare per poter essere adita a caffè, in città le consigliano un tutto fare molto bravo: Ten.
Ten è un uomo chiuso e riservato, la sua vita sembra dedita al lavoro, ma nasconde un animo tormentato dai sensi di colpa per non essere riuscito a tenere unita la sua famiglia e aver rovinato il rapporto con i suoi fratelli.
Tra Kaylie e Ten sarà subito attrazione, ma non puramente fisica, il loro rapporto di evolve piano piano, con dolcezza e comprensione. Si apriranno un po' alla volta come non hanno mai fatto prima, rivelando l'un l'altro le paure più nascoste, i timori e anche le speranze.
Continua sul blog-->http://lettricedilibri.blogspot.it/20...
March 14, 2013
This review and others can be found at my blog, My Written Romance. Just click here.
This was a difficult review for me to write. I have mixed feelings about this book, having wanted to enjoy it more than I ended up doing. It was a lovely well-written story, but unfortunately there was something missing for me.
The romance between Kaylie and Tennessee (or Ten as he is referred to throughout the book) is slow in developing, and they take their time getting to know one another before becoming involved. However to me, the romance didn’t appear to be the focus of the story.
Kaylie’s journey back to Hope Springs and her need to reconcile with her past and find her family seemed to be the main driver of the story. It read more as women’s fiction with strong romantic elements, rather than an actual romance – which is fine, but I was anticipating much more focus on the romance between Kaylie and Ten.
I did get a little irritated with Ten’s constant self-flagellation over the issues with his siblings. He was all about shouldering any blame for the situation, which was really out of his control – this tired me out a little. He got a little holier-than-thou with Luna and Mitch (two minor characters), telling them to make things right when he refused to do it with his own siblings.
Other than that, I did enjoy aspects of this story, in particular the side story involving Luna. I see that she is the subject of the next book in the series, which I am keen to read.
My rating: 2.5 out of 5
Note: I was provided with an advanced reader copy of this book by Montlake Romance via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
This was a difficult review for me to write. I have mixed feelings about this book, having wanted to enjoy it more than I ended up doing. It was a lovely well-written story, but unfortunately there was something missing for me.
The romance between Kaylie and Tennessee (or Ten as he is referred to throughout the book) is slow in developing, and they take their time getting to know one another before becoming involved. However to me, the romance didn’t appear to be the focus of the story.
Kaylie’s journey back to Hope Springs and her need to reconcile with her past and find her family seemed to be the main driver of the story. It read more as women’s fiction with strong romantic elements, rather than an actual romance – which is fine, but I was anticipating much more focus on the romance between Kaylie and Ten.
I did get a little irritated with Ten’s constant self-flagellation over the issues with his siblings. He was all about shouldering any blame for the situation, which was really out of his control – this tired me out a little. He got a little holier-than-thou with Luna and Mitch (two minor characters), telling them to make things right when he refused to do it with his own siblings.
Other than that, I did enjoy aspects of this story, in particular the side story involving Luna. I see that she is the subject of the next book in the series, which I am keen to read.
My rating: 2.5 out of 5
Note: I was provided with an advanced reader copy of this book by Montlake Romance via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
October 30, 2017
I really liked this book.
This was the first time I’ve read this author. With a new author you just never what you’re going to get. I was pleasantly surprised.
This book was a nice change of pace for me. While there is a romance woven into the plot, it wasn’t the main focus of the book. This book was about Kaylie, reconnecting with the only roots she knew, and finding who she truly is. And being ok with what she finds.
A lot of the books I’ve seen lately seem to rely on the insta-lust/love storylines. Where the characters meet and within a chapter, have fallen into bed and the rest of the book is all about the sex. And less about the characters and their stories. While there is sex in this book, it is not the main focus of the story. It was just a well written, slow burn romance. I loved the characters. They were real, and all of them had some healing they needed to do. Guilt over mistakes they had made.
The story is told from several points of view, which I loved. Which helped to build the story. I liked knowing what was going on in the others heads.
I did have a few problems with the book. A lot of things, fairly big things, seemed to take place “off page” the reader is told about them after the fact. No details. I missed the details. There were a few storylines that were never wrapped up. Some characters that just disappeared. Maybe they’ll show up in a future book? Who knows.
Overall it was a fresh story idea (for me at least), it was well written and had great characters. Kaylie and Ten do get their happy ending. There was no cheating, no angst, very little drama. Just a nice “finding yourself” story.
This was the first time I’ve read this author. With a new author you just never what you’re going to get. I was pleasantly surprised.
This book was a nice change of pace for me. While there is a romance woven into the plot, it wasn’t the main focus of the book. This book was about Kaylie, reconnecting with the only roots she knew, and finding who she truly is. And being ok with what she finds.
A lot of the books I’ve seen lately seem to rely on the insta-lust/love storylines. Where the characters meet and within a chapter, have fallen into bed and the rest of the book is all about the sex. And less about the characters and their stories. While there is sex in this book, it is not the main focus of the story. It was just a well written, slow burn romance. I loved the characters. They were real, and all of them had some healing they needed to do. Guilt over mistakes they had made.
The story is told from several points of view, which I loved. Which helped to build the story. I liked knowing what was going on in the others heads.
I did have a few problems with the book. A lot of things, fairly big things, seemed to take place “off page” the reader is told about them after the fact. No details. I missed the details. There were a few storylines that were never wrapped up. Some characters that just disappeared. Maybe they’ll show up in a future book? Who knows.
Overall it was a fresh story idea (for me at least), it was well written and had great characters. Kaylie and Ten do get their happy ending. There was no cheating, no angst, very little drama. Just a nice “finding yourself” story.
April 19, 2013
This is one of those novels where the author takes a heartbreaking past, matches it with a strong yet flawed main character and then adds one of my favorite sidekicks...food!
Kaylie Flynn has moved back to the town of Hope Springs, Texas where she spent 8 years with a foster family she adored and loved. Those foster parents are gone now, but she jumps at the chance to buy their home where she found healing and love after a traumatizing event. It's her dream to turn this home into her own cafe to honor those foster parents who taught her so much and helped her move on with her life. It's here that she also plans to find the answers to her past. What happened to her parents? Why did she end up in the system? It's here that she discovers how to open up her heart again, find friendships and the answers she needs.
I know it only got 3 stars, but I did like the book and it was clean except for one LONG love scene. Man, the author really went into detail on that one huh? :) I liked that there wasn't any language and the love story was a sweet one. Even though I enjoyed it, it wasn't one of those books that I was aching to get back to and finish it. I think it took me a week to read it which is long for me. Overall a good read, a tender story and best of all...brownie recipes!! Can't go wrong with that.
Kaylie Flynn has moved back to the town of Hope Springs, Texas where she spent 8 years with a foster family she adored and loved. Those foster parents are gone now, but she jumps at the chance to buy their home where she found healing and love after a traumatizing event. It's her dream to turn this home into her own cafe to honor those foster parents who taught her so much and helped her move on with her life. It's here that she also plans to find the answers to her past. What happened to her parents? Why did she end up in the system? It's here that she discovers how to open up her heart again, find friendships and the answers she needs.
I know it only got 3 stars, but I did like the book and it was clean except for one LONG love scene. Man, the author really went into detail on that one huh? :) I liked that there wasn't any language and the love story was a sweet one. Even though I enjoyed it, it wasn't one of those books that I was aching to get back to and finish it. I think it took me a week to read it which is long for me. Overall a good read, a tender story and best of all...brownie recipes!! Can't go wrong with that.
December 1, 2017
Growing up, Kaylie Flynn was shuffled from foster home to foster home before being welcomed into Winton and May Wise’s family. It was May who taught Kaylie the comfort of home, and the healing power of baking the perfect brownie. Years later, May leaves Kaylie the money she needs to open her own café in the charming Victorian house they once shared. Now back in Hope Springs, Kaylie’s determined to finally make all her dreams a reality—and unearth answers to lingering questions about her past.
Soon, however, Kaylie’s carefully laid plans take an unexpected turn. The house needs far more work than she realized, and Tennessee Keller, the carpenter Kaylie hires, is proving to be a very handsome and very unneeded distraction from her quest to uncover the truth about her parents. When a crisis threatens to destroy everything she’s worked so hard to build, Kaylie must decide where her heart lies: with the ghosts of her past or the love and promise of her future.
A wonderful awesome storyline. The more you read the better it gets. 5 stars
Soon, however, Kaylie’s carefully laid plans take an unexpected turn. The house needs far more work than she realized, and Tennessee Keller, the carpenter Kaylie hires, is proving to be a very handsome and very unneeded distraction from her quest to uncover the truth about her parents. When a crisis threatens to destroy everything she’s worked so hard to build, Kaylie must decide where her heart lies: with the ghosts of her past or the love and promise of her future.
A wonderful awesome storyline. The more you read the better it gets. 5 stars
February 1, 2014
All I could think while I was reading this book was that it was boring. Just plain boring. There were no real conflicts or plot twists.Some story lines were started and then dropped, perhaps as introductions for the next book, but within this book they felt meaningless and served only as fillers.
Basically it was too mundane for me. Finishing it became a challenge and struggle with myself. I liked both MCs, but I didn't fell like there was anything for me to care about in their story. It just didn't click with me.
A sincere 2 stars...It was OK. Just OK.
Basically it was too mundane for me. Finishing it became a challenge and struggle with myself. I liked both MCs, but I didn't fell like there was anything for me to care about in their story. It just didn't click with me.
A sincere 2 stars...It was OK. Just OK.
January 8, 2016
I struggled through reading about half of this book. I never had that "I can't put this book down" moment. I felt the chapters were too short. It never showed things happening, just the aftermath of things. I felt Ten was a tad creepy, at times. I think he was supposed to come off as romantic, but it ended up having creepy feel. This was in the "inspirational" section at the library...but there wasn't much inspiring in it.
September 6, 2017
The Second Chance Café is an incredible story of second chances and not of the romantic kind . ..it's about parents and children and the impact and consequences of actions and decisions . .. it is an amazing story and I don't only love Kaylie and Ten and Mitch but also all the other important characters we meet ... I have the next book already downloaded and I will dive into it now! It's good that it is the Labor day weekend !
March 17, 2013
I want to call this a sweet romance (and it is!) but there are enough conflicts, obstacles, and hardships to keep it from being too sweeeeeet. I love that I can count on Alison Kent for real grown up characters who behave like adults -- flawed adults who struggle to work it out and do the right thing.
Narrator Natalie Ross is terrific as usual.
Narrator Natalie Ross is terrific as usual.
April 25, 2013
I really enjoyed this one. It's very different from Alison Kent's Harlequin Blazes and romantic suspenses, but it's very well done. I certainly didn't want it to end, though I imagine that the next book in the series, although it isn't about these characters, will continue to let us see how they are getting on.
August 29, 2016
This was an inspiring book. Never stop following your dreams!
February 6, 2017
mi è piaciuto molto !! bei personaggi , bella storia ... voglio leggere anche gli altri della serie . ben scritto (soprattutto la versione originale in inglese) con dei bei personaggi
March 19, 2018
Kaylie Flynn has returned home to Hope Springs, Texas, where she lived as a foster child from age ten to age eighteen, in an unusually fortunate foster experience. Having built a successful career and a nice nestegg as baker, she has now bought the old home of her late and much-loved foster parents, Winton and May Wise, to be not only her home, but her new business, the Two Owls Cafe, serving lunch from 10am to 2pm.
She also has another mission, finding out what happened to her birth parents, and why they never came back to get her after the awful events that landed her in foster care.
Hope Springs is a charming town, and the characters are likable and interesting. Having spent ten years in Austin, Kaylie is sometimes surprised at how many people remember her and her foster parents, here in small-town Hope Springs. They also remember her brownies--then and now, her method of dealing with emotional crises is to bake brownies, and then find people to eat them before she can eat them all.
But Kaylie has her own memories, some clear, others buried, and she wants to find out her parents didn't want her. Like many children, she blamed herself for the upheaval of her childhood, and as an adult hasn't shed those feelings.
Old neighbors and classmates, as well as people she didn't meet as a child, become new friends. The hunky contractor the old classmate who became the realtor who sold her the Wise home recommended, Tennessee Keller, is skilled, perceptive of her needs in the renovation, and, oh, yes, very attractive personally as well as physically. Luna Meadows, local maker of a stunningly successful line of hand-weaved wool scarves, becomes a good friend--but turns out to be sitting on a potentially explosive secret. Tenn Keller has his own secrets. Kaylie herself is keeping secrets from her new friends as well as from herself.
Of course this all has to explode over all of them, and the question is whether the relationships she's built, and her new business, are strong enough to survive it.
There were points at which I wanted to give Kaylie, Tenn, Luna, and others whacks upside the head with a clue-by-four, as I felt they were being more obtuse than the reasonable demands of the plot required, but really, I liked them all, and I'm not fond of violence.
Recommended with the above-noted reservation.
I bought this audiobook.
She also has another mission, finding out what happened to her birth parents, and why they never came back to get her after the awful events that landed her in foster care.
Hope Springs is a charming town, and the characters are likable and interesting. Having spent ten years in Austin, Kaylie is sometimes surprised at how many people remember her and her foster parents, here in small-town Hope Springs. They also remember her brownies--then and now, her method of dealing with emotional crises is to bake brownies, and then find people to eat them before she can eat them all.
But Kaylie has her own memories, some clear, others buried, and she wants to find out her parents didn't want her. Like many children, she blamed herself for the upheaval of her childhood, and as an adult hasn't shed those feelings.
Old neighbors and classmates, as well as people she didn't meet as a child, become new friends. The hunky contractor the old classmate who became the realtor who sold her the Wise home recommended, Tennessee Keller, is skilled, perceptive of her needs in the renovation, and, oh, yes, very attractive personally as well as physically. Luna Meadows, local maker of a stunningly successful line of hand-weaved wool scarves, becomes a good friend--but turns out to be sitting on a potentially explosive secret. Tenn Keller has his own secrets. Kaylie herself is keeping secrets from her new friends as well as from herself.
Of course this all has to explode over all of them, and the question is whether the relationships she's built, and her new business, are strong enough to survive it.
There were points at which I wanted to give Kaylie, Tenn, Luna, and others whacks upside the head with a clue-by-four, as I felt they were being more obtuse than the reasonable demands of the plot required, but really, I liked them all, and I'm not fond of violence.
Recommended with the above-noted reservation.
I bought this audiobook.
February 4, 2020
The Second Chance Café: A Hope Springs Novel, Book 1 is by Alison Kent. This book is very emotional and is about second chances, whatever and wherever they are. It is well-written and definitely realistic. Second chances can come when you least expect it and when you don’t know you need a second chance.
Kaylie Flynn had come home to Hope Springs and the house she had lived in with Winton and May Wise between the ages of ten and eighteen. The Wise’s took in foster children and treated them just like they were their own. May made sure they always had good lunches and always had time to talk during snack time. They made each child feel special on their own birthday and made a bigger issue of it than Christmas when they got group gifts such as games. On their birthday, however, it was all about the individual child. That was what Kaylie needed most- to feel special.
After leaving home, she had finished college and then set out to open a bakery that specialized in brownies. She became well known in Austin where her bakery, Sweet Spot, became the place to go. However, she sold it when May died and left her an inheritance. This gave her enough money to purchase the Wise house for cash and still have money to renovate it. She intended to turn the first floor into a lunch room and café. It just needed renovations. Tennessee Keller was the man in town to call on. He had also wanted the house; but didn’t know it was for sale; but he was happy to renovate it.
As Kaylie waits for Tennessee to finish her house, she began looking for a cook. She had two people in mind, one a lady she had known in the past and the other a man who worked in Gruene in a restaurant. Little does she know what an effect they will have on her life.
Kaylie has another reason for coming back to Hope Springs. She wants to see if she can trace her parents. Her Father left when she was four and at five, her Mother slit her wrists while high and was sent to prison for endangering a child. Then, she disappeared. Kaylie was put in the system and seemed to have disappeared.
Will Kaylie get her business off the ground? Will she find out anything about her parents, even something terrible? Will she have a second chance to become happy? Will she give Hope Springs a second chance?
Kaylie Flynn had come home to Hope Springs and the house she had lived in with Winton and May Wise between the ages of ten and eighteen. The Wise’s took in foster children and treated them just like they were their own. May made sure they always had good lunches and always had time to talk during snack time. They made each child feel special on their own birthday and made a bigger issue of it than Christmas when they got group gifts such as games. On their birthday, however, it was all about the individual child. That was what Kaylie needed most- to feel special.
After leaving home, she had finished college and then set out to open a bakery that specialized in brownies. She became well known in Austin where her bakery, Sweet Spot, became the place to go. However, she sold it when May died and left her an inheritance. This gave her enough money to purchase the Wise house for cash and still have money to renovate it. She intended to turn the first floor into a lunch room and café. It just needed renovations. Tennessee Keller was the man in town to call on. He had also wanted the house; but didn’t know it was for sale; but he was happy to renovate it.
As Kaylie waits for Tennessee to finish her house, she began looking for a cook. She had two people in mind, one a lady she had known in the past and the other a man who worked in Gruene in a restaurant. Little does she know what an effect they will have on her life.
Kaylie has another reason for coming back to Hope Springs. She wants to see if she can trace her parents. Her Father left when she was four and at five, her Mother slit her wrists while high and was sent to prison for endangering a child. Then, she disappeared. Kaylie was put in the system and seemed to have disappeared.
Will Kaylie get her business off the ground? Will she find out anything about her parents, even something terrible? Will she have a second chance to become happy? Will she give Hope Springs a second chance?
February 5, 2020
The Second Chance Café: A Hope Springs Novel, Book 1 is by Alison Kent. This book is very emotional and is about second chances, whatever and wherever they are. It is well-written and definitely realistic. Second chances can come when you least expect it and when you don’t know you need a second chance.
Kaylie Flynn had come home to Hope Springs and the house she had lived in with Winton and May Wise between the ages of ten and eighteen. The Wise’s took in foster children and treated them just like they were their own. May made sure they always had good lunches and always had time to talk during snack time. They made each child feel special on their own birthday and made a bigger issue of it than Christmas when they got group gifts such as games. On their birthday, however, it was all about the individual child. That was what Kaylie needed most- to feel special.
After leaving home, she had finished college and then set out to open a bakery that specialized in brownies. She became well known in Austin where her bakery, Sweet Spot, became the place to go. However, she sold it when May died and left her an inheritance. This gave her enough money to purchase the Wise house for cash and still have money to renovate it. She intended to turn the first floor into a lunch room and café. It just needed renovations. Tennessee Keller was the man in town to call on. He had also wanted the house; but didn’t know it was for sale; but he was happy to renovate it.
As Kaylie waits for Tennessee to finish her house, she began looking for a cook. She had two people in mind, one a lady she had known in the past and the other a man who worked in Gruene in a restaurant. Little does she know what an effect they will have on her life.
Kaylie has another reason for coming back to Hope Springs. She wants to see if she can trace her parents. Her Father left when she was four and at five, her Mother slit her wrists while high and was sent to prison for endangering a child. Then, she disappeared. Kaylie was put in the system and seemed to have disappeared.
Will Kaylie get her business off the ground? Will she find out anything about her parents, even something terrible? Will she have a second chance to become happy? Will she give Hope Springs a second chance?
Kaylie Flynn had come home to Hope Springs and the house she had lived in with Winton and May Wise between the ages of ten and eighteen. The Wise’s took in foster children and treated them just like they were their own. May made sure they always had good lunches and always had time to talk during snack time. They made each child feel special on their own birthday and made a bigger issue of it than Christmas when they got group gifts such as games. On their birthday, however, it was all about the individual child. That was what Kaylie needed most- to feel special.
After leaving home, she had finished college and then set out to open a bakery that specialized in brownies. She became well known in Austin where her bakery, Sweet Spot, became the place to go. However, she sold it when May died and left her an inheritance. This gave her enough money to purchase the Wise house for cash and still have money to renovate it. She intended to turn the first floor into a lunch room and café. It just needed renovations. Tennessee Keller was the man in town to call on. He had also wanted the house; but didn’t know it was for sale; but he was happy to renovate it.
As Kaylie waits for Tennessee to finish her house, she began looking for a cook. She had two people in mind, one a lady she had known in the past and the other a man who worked in Gruene in a restaurant. Little does she know what an effect they will have on her life.
Kaylie has another reason for coming back to Hope Springs. She wants to see if she can trace her parents. Her Father left when she was four and at five, her Mother slit her wrists while high and was sent to prison for endangering a child. Then, she disappeared. Kaylie was put in the system and seemed to have disappeared.
Will Kaylie get her business off the ground? Will she find out anything about her parents, even something terrible? Will she have a second chance to become happy? Will she give Hope Springs a second chance?
January 17, 2017
Quando Kaylie torna a Hope Springs ha solo un desiderio: comprare l’unica casa in cui sia mai stata felice e farne un caffè. Perché è proprio qui, in questa piccola comunità, che Kaylie all’età di soli nove anni capisce cosa voglia dire avere una famiglia e qualcuno che si occupi di lei. Data in affido dai quattro anni in poi, la sua vita è stata un' altalena emotiva di scelte sbagliate. Così una volta cresciuta capisce che per poter essere felice c’è un unico posto in cui tornare: l’unica casa affidataria che l’ha accolta senza giudicarla mai. Ma i suoi genitori affidatari sono adesso morti e la casa può essere comprata. Quindi parte per Hope Springs e cambia radicalmente vita. Da qui l’idea di aprire un caffè nell’unica casa che adora, ma i lavori sono tanti e ha bisogno di qualcuno che se ne occupi.
Ed è così che nella sua vita entra Tennessee Keller, un sexy tuttofare gentile a amato da tutti in città. Anche nel passato di Ten ci sono delle ombre, segreti che custodisce gelosamente e che non ha mai condiviso con nessuno. Quando i due si incontrano una forza li avvicina l’uno all’altro, ma segreti e incomprensioni non faranno altro che allontanarli.
Kaylie è una donna forte. Cresciuta nel più crudele dei modi, sente il bisogno di avere finalmente un posto tutto suo che possa chiamare casa. E’ indipendente, decisa e risoluta, ma tutto quello in cui crede vacilla quando incontra Ten e la paura di essere abbandonata di nuovo dalle persone che ama torna più prepotente che mai.
Ten Keller, è un uomo solo. Il lavoro è la sua unica compagna di vita. Ha due fratelli che non vede mai e con cui parla raramente ed un passato difficile da spiegare. E’ un uomo semplice che non desidera nulla, eppure quando incontra Kaylie tutte le sue convinzioni e le sue certezze vacillano e il bisogno di starle accanto diventa più forte di tutto. Continua su CrazyForRomance
Ed è così che nella sua vita entra Tennessee Keller, un sexy tuttofare gentile a amato da tutti in città. Anche nel passato di Ten ci sono delle ombre, segreti che custodisce gelosamente e che non ha mai condiviso con nessuno. Quando i due si incontrano una forza li avvicina l’uno all’altro, ma segreti e incomprensioni non faranno altro che allontanarli.
Kaylie è una donna forte. Cresciuta nel più crudele dei modi, sente il bisogno di avere finalmente un posto tutto suo che possa chiamare casa. E’ indipendente, decisa e risoluta, ma tutto quello in cui crede vacilla quando incontra Ten e la paura di essere abbandonata di nuovo dalle persone che ama torna più prepotente che mai.
Ten Keller, è un uomo solo. Il lavoro è la sua unica compagna di vita. Ha due fratelli che non vede mai e con cui parla raramente ed un passato difficile da spiegare. E’ un uomo semplice che non desidera nulla, eppure quando incontra Kaylie tutte le sue convinzioni e le sue certezze vacillano e il bisogno di starle accanto diventa più forte di tutto. Continua su CrazyForRomance
October 30, 2019
Kaylie è la protagonista, una donna che ha un passato con qualche ombra, abbandonata dai genitori a 5 anni viene adottata da un adorabile famiglia che la crescerà fino all età del università. Da questa famiglia ha imparato e custodito gli aspetti belli e dolci del significato famiglia, ed ha adottato anche la passione dei dolci, motivo che la porta ad acquistare adesso che son passati anni, la casa adottiva, per aprire un speciale coffe bar. Ritornando al paese ha intenzione anche di capire cosa si nasconde dietro l'abbandono dei suoi genitori. Intenzionata a cercare il padre e la madre scavera nel suo passato e anche in quello di alcuni simpatici personaggi che si introdurranno nella storia. A partire da Ten, Con il quale da subito nasce una buona intesa. Altri personaggi molto carini e interessanti faranno apparizione e daranno un tocco di colore alla storia, luna Indiana mitch.... Un libro quindi dalle sfumature romantiche e dolci che promette bene soprattutto all inizio, grazie ad un buon stile linguistico le descrizioni ci trasmettono chiaramente l'idea del paesaggio e delle ambiente. Tutto profuma di romanticismo. Però c'è qualche ingrediente che non mi hha fatto appassionare né alla storia né particolarmente ai personaggi. Qualche ingrediente fuori tono, come la frettolosa svolgersi della storia in alcuni passaggi che invece meritavano un più delicato approccio, ad esempio i pm m rapporto con Ten, o la scoperta che fa Mitch il cuoco del ristorante del paese... Verso la fine poi, dopo che ormai leggevo in preda alla curiosità perdevo i caratteri dei personaggi, perdevano tono e colore perché tutto sembrava dover svolgersi in fretta. Non sono riuscita ad appassionarmi a nessun personaggio, perché ho sempre avvertito un muro invisibile che m i impediva di toccare i protagonisti e lasciandoli così semplicemente in vetrina, con le descrizione su etichetta data dall autrice. Peccato perché penso che spesso sia il legame con i personaggi a faRci conivolgere e appassionare alla lettura.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 329 reviews