What do you think?
Rate this book
The Second Chance
In The Second Chance, RITA award nominee Jaclyn Reding takes us to a charming seaside town in New England, where two lost souls learn to embrace new beginnings and the first rays of love rising over the horizon... Flora MacCallum, a young widow with three children, thinks happiness is behind heruntil a friend asks her to run a bed-and-breakfast on the Massachusetts shore. Suddenly, summer is full of a new business, new friends, a new home, and even a new love.
Gavin Matheson retreated to the small town of Ipswich-by-the-Sea to grieve his lost marriage and son. Though he was once a successful composer, the music has gone silent for him...until he hears Flora's magical voice floating on the breeze one morning. Together Gavin and Flora discover that all is never lostand that hope can be found in the most unlikely places.
Gavin Matheson retreated to the small town of Ipswich-by-the-Sea to grieve his lost marriage and son. Though he was once a successful composer, the music has gone silent for him...until he hears Flora's magical voice floating on the breeze one morning. Together Gavin and Flora discover that all is never lostand that hope can be found in the most unlikely places.
308 pages, Paperback
First published February 7, 2006
2 people are currently reading
45 people want to read
About the author
Jaclyn Reding
20 books59 followersJaclyn Reding is the award-winning author of numerous historical and contemporary novels, including an Amazon.com #1 bestseller and a RITA award nominee. Since first publishing in 1993, Jaclyn has seen her stories translated into nearly a dozen languages around the world.
Jaclyn can usually be found at her home in New England, or Venice, Italy...or somewhere in between. Jaclyn loves hearing from readers and answers every letter personally.
Find her on FaceBook at:
http://www.facebook.com/jaclynreding....
Jaclyn can usually be found at her home in New England, or Venice, Italy...or somewhere in between. Jaclyn loves hearing from readers and answers every letter personally.
Find her on FaceBook at:
http://www.facebook.com/jaclynreding....
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
February 19, 2018
This is the first book by Jaclyn Reding that I have read. To me, it's not the typical romance novel but it does have some interesting twists and turns. In addition to romance, there's mystery, adventure and intrigue. I love books like this. In this story, Flora MacCallum is a Scottish young widow with 3 children who agrees to renovate and manage a friend's former family home and turn it into a bed-and-breakfast. She is mourning the loss of her husband who was tragically killed 3 years before. Flora then starts a new chapter in her life in the States, leaving family and friends behind. So she gets adjusted to living along the Atlantic coast in Massachusetts, starts her new business, meets some of the people in the town and even makes some friends along the way. Including Gavin Matheson, who is divorced from his wife and is desperately trying to get his son back. His wife has apparently kidnapped their son and both are missing. He has hired an investigator to try and find them. Gavin is an accomplished, award-winning composer who feels he's lost his knack for music, that is until he sees and meets Flora. They become friends then quickly become more as they find how they enjoy being around each other. Later, Gavin meets Flora's kids. At first they remind him of what he's lost but as he gets to know Flora and her children, he finds he enjoys spending time with them. They also find some mysteries that are connected to the house-turned B&B and the little town they live in. Together, Flora and Gavin find they they haven't lost everything. Together they find love again and hope in second chances. This story is definitely filled with many highs and lows. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. Loved it from start to finish.
July 25, 2024
Treasures
What readers will come to value from Reding’s stories is her ability to generate an original narrative, endearing characters, witty dialogue and intermingling romance and mystery. This book can be read as a standalone, but the MFC was introduced in the first book “The Secret Gift”. Widow Flora MacCallum was born on the Isle of Wrath in Scotland and is currently working as an estate manager at Castle Wrath for Libby Mackenzie, who owns a B&B on the Isle of Ipswich on the coast of New England. Libby asks Flora to temporarily get the B&B ready for opening since the current managers were unavailable. Leaving her 3 children with her brother Angus, Flora embarks on this journey not knowing she’ll soon be rediscovering what it is to be a woman without her children.
Gavin Matheson is a musician and composer who has lost his ability to compose ever since his ex-wife kidnapped his son. Read how this couple discover historical treasures, buried treasures, the treasure of children and the treasure of having a second chance at love. I intend on reading this 5 star 🌟 novel once again after rereading the first.
I have received an ARC from OHB and am leaving an unbiased review voluntarily.
July 23, 2024
Let me start by saying I have turned into a big fan of this author's work. While I rarely read contemporary Romances, I could not resist this one. It's a sequel to The Secret Gift, and although both were published once before (a number of years ago), they are new to me, and I am so glad this publisher has them now. If not, I may never have stumbled upon them!
Nestled in a small New England town, The Second Chance tugged on my heartstrings and pulled me in very quickly. It didn't take long before I found myself rooting for Flora and Gavin to have their "Happily Ever After" after the tragedy and heartbreak of the years leading up to their fateful meeting.
Now, before you go thinking this is a straightforward contemporary romance, I must add that there are some well-crafted twists and turns here. It's even rekindled my interest in old coastal New England history! Of course, I'm not going to spoil anything and tell you why.
You'll just have to grab this book and see for yourself!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Nestled in a small New England town, The Second Chance tugged on my heartstrings and pulled me in very quickly. It didn't take long before I found myself rooting for Flora and Gavin to have their "Happily Ever After" after the tragedy and heartbreak of the years leading up to their fateful meeting.
Now, before you go thinking this is a straightforward contemporary romance, I must add that there are some well-crafted twists and turns here. It's even rekindled my interest in old coastal New England history! Of course, I'm not going to spoil anything and tell you why.
You'll just have to grab this book and see for yourself!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 30, 2019
Flora MacCallum was widowed young when her oil rig worker husband was in a helicopter crash. Left with 2 children and a 3rd on the way, she became the local estate manager for the Marquess of Waltham. When Marquess' wife and Flora's good friend asks her to go to MA from northern Scotland for the summer to open her family home as a B&B, Flora does it. She meets and falls in love with Gavin Matheson, a Grammy winning composer who's struggling. Two years ago, his ex-wife took off with his 6-year-old son Gabriel to get back at Gavin. He's been unsuccessfully trying to locate him since. Eventually they work through their issues, especially when Flora becomes pregnant after their first night together. Cast of small town characters sets up for a related book about Ipswich-on-the Sea. They also solve the local mystery of the "witch of Ipswich" and Gabriel is found and made part of the family. Fun, interesting summer read material.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 25, 2024
I enjoyed this sweet romance, especially as Flora had played such a big part in the first book of the series. Flora has never left her home and children and is filled with trepidation as she crosses the ocean to prepare for the opening of a B&B on the coast of Massachusetts. Her meeting with the man from table No. 7 in the coffee shop is hilarious, thereby setting the stage for romance to bloom. Both Flora and Gavin are nursing broken hearts and venturing into a relationship is filled with pitfalls, especially as Gavin's past comes to visit them. The novel ends on a sweet note, although one has to guess what happened between the final chapter and the Epilogue. I received a copy of this book as a gift through BookSprout and this is my honest and voluntary review.
July 14, 2024
This is the second book in a series but it can be read as a standalone. There are references to past events but everything is summarized for the reader.
Gavin has lost his child and his love for creating music. He’s trying to find his way back but he just doesn’t hear the music anymore.
Then Flora walks into his life and he once again hears the music. But Flora has her own past.
The two have to decide whether they are willing to risk pain for love. The book also has two other plot lines-Gavin’s missing son and a historical mystery.
An enjoyable read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Gavin has lost his child and his love for creating music. He’s trying to find his way back but he just doesn’t hear the music anymore.
Then Flora walks into his life and he once again hears the music. But Flora has her own past.
The two have to decide whether they are willing to risk pain for love. The book also has two other plot lines-Gavin’s missing son and a historical mystery.
An enjoyable read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
July 30, 2024
Flora and Gavin have both suffered losses. Flora lost her husband and is a widow with three children. Gavin has lost his son, but to an extent kidnapping him and taking him out of the country.
Yet, once they meet each other, they slowly build a tentative friendship after a few mishaps and misunderstandings.
This was a good story about recovering from loss and finding love and joy in life again.
Yet, once they meet each other, they slowly build a tentative friendship after a few mishaps and misunderstandings.
This was a good story about recovering from loss and finding love and joy in life again.
July 23, 2024
This is a poignant love story. The two main characters in the story have both suffered loss and finding each other is the thing that begins to heal them. All the characters, including the children, are interesting. The plot is easy to follow and understand. This is a good story that readers should enjoy.
March 25, 2009
Meet Flora MacCallum, a Scottish widow with three younguns' living in a small Scottish village managing a pregnant friends castle. Said pregnant friend is a Laird's (and Duke's) wife who happens to own a very large beach house in Ipswich, Massachusetts that is in the process of becoming a bed and breakfast and has just lost its caretakers. Flora agrees to move to America and run this B&B until a proper caretaker can be found.
Now meet Gavin Matheson, a "left behind spouse" also staying temporarily in Ipswich Mass recovering from a wife who has stolen his 6 year old son and disappeared abroad for 2 years now. Gavin is a composer of songs and has obviously lost his muse (his son) and hasn't created any music in the two years without his son. He is merely going through the paces of survival but nowhere near actually living.
They meet at a local cafe and the sparks fly. Thus starts a wonderfully romantic novel that will (morther or not) tear at your heartstrings. I'm not a mother but parts of this book had my tearing up something fierce. What a wonderful tale. I love Jaclyn Reding and her White Quartet novels are spectacular.
Now meet Gavin Matheson, a "left behind spouse" also staying temporarily in Ipswich Mass recovering from a wife who has stolen his 6 year old son and disappeared abroad for 2 years now. Gavin is a composer of songs and has obviously lost his muse (his son) and hasn't created any music in the two years without his son. He is merely going through the paces of survival but nowhere near actually living.
They meet at a local cafe and the sparks fly. Thus starts a wonderfully romantic novel that will (morther or not) tear at your heartstrings. I'm not a mother but parts of this book had my tearing up something fierce. What a wonderful tale. I love Jaclyn Reding and her White Quartet novels are spectacular.
May 23, 2011
this book took way too long to read, mostly because it was incredibly boring at times.
Linda Lael Miller may have said that she's an author to watch, but i still think she needs a few more years of writing before she can produce something interesting and meaningful that lasts the whole book!
Linda Lael Miller may have said that she's an author to watch, but i still think she needs a few more years of writing before she can produce something interesting and meaningful that lasts the whole book!
August 11, 2012
Flora MacCallum, a young widow with 3 children thinks happiness is behind her until a friend asks her to run a B&B on the Massachusetts shore. Suddenly the summer is full of promise: a new business, new friends, and new home and a new love.
A great story, but a little too neatly tied up at the end.
A great story, but a little too neatly tied up at the end.
August 31, 2014
Must buy this book. Buy it with it's companion: SPELLSTRUCK. Read and enjoy them. (Not for borrowing/library) You will want to re-read them. Jaclyn is a talented storyteller with a vivid wonderful imagination. If you don't find this in your bookstore, ask for it!
September 14, 2010
review coming soon
July 27, 2011
Another great story . . . fast read.
May 12, 2012
The book started off rather slow. But it sure is a good read, with a great ending :)
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews