A Forty Year Kiss: A Novel

by Nickolas Butler

"A story that captures the hope, grace, and joy of new love—but also the mistakes, scar tissue, and regret of past love. It's a wonder to behold, a novel capable of such breadth. This is the kind of book that makes me a better human." —Nathan Hill, New York Times bestselling author of The Nix and Wellness

From the critically acclaimed author of Shotgun Lovesongs comes an exquisitely written, small-town story about one couple's hard-won second chance at love, forty years after their divorce.

Charlie and Vivian parted ways after just four years of marriage. Too many problems, too many struggles, even though the love didn't quite die. When Charlie returns to Wisconsin forty years later, he's not sure what he'll find. He is sure of one thing—he must try to reconnect with Vivian to pick up the broken pieces of their past. But forty years is a long time. It's forty years of other relationships, forty years of building new lives, and forty years of long-held regrets, mistakes, and painful secrets.

A brave and triumphant exploration of redemption and sunset triumph, A Forty Year Kiss is a once-in-a-lifetime love story, written with dazzling lyricism and remarkable clarity of spirit, from a celebrated author at the top of his game. It's a literary valentine that promises to be a love story for the ages.

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Audiobook, Contemporary, Family, Literary Fiction, Book Club

343 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 4, 2025

About the author

Nickolas Butler is the author of the novel "Shotgun Lovesongs" and a collection of short stories entitled, "Beneath the Bonfire".

Born in Allentown, Pennsylvania and raised in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, he was educated at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of Iowa Writer's Workshop. His work has appeared in: Ploughshares, The Christian Science Monitor, The Kenyon Review Online, Narrative, The Progressive, and many other publications.

Along the way he has worked as: a meatpacker, a Burger King maintenance man, a liquor store clerk, a coffee roaster, an office manager, an author escort, an inn-keeper (twice), and several other odd vocations.

He presently lives on 16 acres of land in rural Wisconsin adjacent to a buffalo farm. He is married with two children.

Reviews

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Author Nickolas Butler got his inspiration for “A Forty-Year Kiss” at a bar in Wisconsin. He was eavesdropping while bellied up to the bar. An old man (his father’s age) who sat next to him told a woman that he still dreams of her and loves her and asks to kiss her. When they kissed, it was one of those Hollywood dramatic kisses, so passionate that he was embarrassed witnessing it. This event stuck with him enough that he was motivated to write a story. Plus, few authors write about “old love”. Our culture is obsessed with young, attractive people in love.

In Butler’s story, Charlie, now in his sixties, never got over his first wife, Vivian. Charlie states, “You live long enough, you understand the value of a second chance. A new beginning”. What Butler does well, is having his character, Charlie, recognize his past mistakes. What did he do to lose Vivian? Well, this is no plot spoiler, Charlie was an alcoholic.

Butler brilliantly writes about the ramifications of being an alcoholic. He shows the pain it causes, the collateral damages. This is one of the best books I’ve read about an alcoholic admitting his issues and working on them. Charlie struggles, and we feel his struggles. We feel Vivian’s frustrations, her fear of giving Charlie a second chance.

Vivian has a family. She’s the main caretaker of her grandchildren. She has the normal struggles of a woman of her age, who lives paycheck to paycheck. In her heart, she is a kind, compassionate woman. Butler wanted to write a story about redemption, second chances, a hope. Both Vivian and Charlie are good people, trying to get by and be upstanding citizens.

In an interview, Butler did admit that writing about happiness is extremely difficult to do because of the risk of stepping into the melodramatic. I listened to this one, narrated by Richard Poe. I felt there were too many melodramatic parts in the story, but I attributed that to Poe’s performance choices. I’m not a fan of the melodramatic. I wonder if I read it, my own interpretation would have been different. In that interview, Butler questioned, “why, as writers, we only deem the sort of darker stories as being critically or culturally valuable?” That caused me pause, wondering about my own beliefs. It caused me to re-evaluate the book. He had dark themes, alcoholism just one. But the main energy of the story is redemption and forgiveness.

My biggest criticism is that Charlie was just “too” happy and excepting of Vivian and her choices. Vivian seemed to forgive too easily. But I think that’s my jaded thoughts. Butler also gave Charlie some, to me, unreasonable lucky breaks with regard to finances, especially given he has a drinking problem.

After reading a couple of author interviews that he gave, I found a better appreciation of what Butler was trying to accomplish in this book. Plus, he provided me fodder to contemplate my jaded mind….

It’s a great story, although flawed. But this is fiction. It’s not real. We all need a little Disney in our lives!

[Fairuz ᥫ᭡. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Huge thanks to RBmedia and NetGalley for the ALC! 🎧💌

DNF @29% – I REALLY tried, okay? I tried to like it, but nope, couldn't do it! 😬📚

So, I gave A Forty Year Kiss a shot – I really did, I wanted to like it! But from the moment I started listening to the audiobook, it just felt SO uncomfortable. The whole thing is in Charlie's POV, and narrated by Richard Poe, and lemme tell you, it was not the vibe. His voice was like... a creepy uncle who doesn't know how to be chill. 🙄

I was expecting this cute, heartwarming second-chance romance, right? Well, instead, I got weird vibes with a side of nope. Charlie is in his 60s (which, okay, cool, fine) BUT the way the language is used – when he’s thinking about... sex... was just... WHY? I mean, I know the dude’s supposed to be older, but his internal monologue on that stuff felt super uncomfortable. Like, it honestly sounded more like a man in his 60s trying to sound 20 but missing the mark entirely. 🤢

The last straw for me? A sex scene at 29% in – I could’ve literally gone and scrubbed my ears out with soap. Why was there a steamy moment between two 60-year-olds??? And why was it so... eww? 😖 At that point, I just knew it wasn’t for me. Not in a million years.

The narrator? Richard Poe – the guy sounded like he was in his 60s, and I get it, Charlie’s older, but the tone just didn't match the vibe of what was going on in the story. It was like listening to someone read about steamy romance... in a voice that reminded me of my grandfather.

I think this book is probably for someone who’s, like, 40+? Not me. It felt like the whole "romance" was more about regret and nostalgia than actually falling in love. The main guy keeps saying he's changed, but does he? Does he really? I wasn't convinced. Not to mention Vivian (the FMC) just kind of lets him back into her life with nothing proving he's actually changed... girl, NO. That’s like me saying, “I’ll trust you with my heart... even though you crushed it once and did NOTHING to fix yourself."

🌹 Second Chances
❤️ Reunited Lovers
🌹 Age Gap
❤️ Forgiveness
🌹 Small-Town Setting
❤️ Love After Loss

CW: Alcoholism, Unresolved trauma, Uncomfortable romance

Long story short: I’m too young for this. If you like slow burns and love stories in your 60s... maybe this is for you, but for me? Nope, not the one. 🙅‍♀️



━━━━━━━━━━━⊱♡⊰━━━━━━━━━━


I'm both excited AND a little hesitant to start this one! It’s the first time I’m diving into a book where the second chance spans a whopping 4 decades and the MCs are in their 60s! 🕰️ Definitely stepping out of my comfort zone here, but I’ve heard so many good things about it, so I'm ready to give it a go! Let's see how this love after loss story unfolds! 💕

[DeAnn · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 second chance mature romance stars
*now available

I took a chance on this one because I had liked an earlier book by this author. Set in the Midwest, our two main characters share their points of view throughout the book. Charlie and Vivian were married for four years, but forty years have passed. Charlie is at a junction in his life where he wants to see Vivian again to see if he can reignite the spark they once had.

Charlie spends a lot of time apologizing and trying to do the right thing with Vivian. He realizes that his drinking was a problem years ago and still is today. If he wants a second chance at love with Vivian, that will probably have to change.

Vivian is skeptical. Can someone really change? Now, she has an adult daughter and two grandchildren to take care of. But she is lonely, and it’s nice to have a man around again, especially when he’s as caring and generous as Charlie.

This is not a fast-paced thriller, but if you are in the mood for a different sort of love story, I enjoyed this one. I rooted for Charlie and Vivian, and I think they grew and changed throughout the book. Do you believe in second-chance love? Can people change? How much does alcohol influence our behavior?

My thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark for the opportunity to read and review this one.

[Delaney · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book doesn’t have any quotation marks around the dialogue. I had to DNF because it is far too distracting for me as a reader to constantly be reminding myself “oh wait, that’s dialogue not just a thought in the narrators mind”

If this doesn’t bother you, go ahead and read it. But if you also cannot fathom the creative decision to exclude basic punctuation, don’t pick it up.

Thank you to the publisher for the gifted copy (please include lack of quotation marks as a disclaimer on request forms going forward, I beg.)

Edit to add: this wasn’t because it was an ARC copy, I was sent a final copy and checked it.

[Katrina · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was just OK. This is a sweet and (very) slow burn love story between two 60 something’s who were once married for 4 years 40 years earlier.

I appreciated that the characters were very well developed and likable. Especially the MMC. However, I kept waiting for something big to happen but it never did. Or it did but it wasn’t treated as something big. These big events were merely hiccups to the plot and resolved in a single chapter. When you read the book you’ll understand.

I loved the premise of this book. Long lost loves and second chances. I enjoyed the uncommon theme of older adult love. As someone who has had my own struggles with alcohol, I related to and understood the theme of alcoholism.

What I absolutely did not like about the book was the author’s decision to not use quotation marks for dialogue. There’s literally no reason to make it more difficult for the reader. So please, authors, don’t do this.

Thank you, NetGalley, for this ARC.

[Kerry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a fan of Nickolas Butler, now having read 4 of his books. Each is quite different and this is another I would not have expected from him. That is one of the things I enjoy about his writing. I read an E-ARC from NetGalley due out Feb 15 2025 for an honest review. The release date is no surprise as this is a romance, it might be labeled a Second Chance Romance but I found it to be a late in life, coming of age novel and working to get a relationship right this time romantic trop.

It is the story of Charlie and Vivian. Married and divorced young. Charlie, now retired and in his 60's returns to their small town in upstate Wisconsin hoping to find Vivian and to reconnect in some way not knowing what he will find. Charlie has done all right for himself but this one part of his life haunts him and he wants to see if there is any chance of setting things right. Yet while Charlie has good intentions he has not really changed in important ways. Vivian is skeptical and has baggage/problems of her own.

It is a heartwarming story and like romance stories has its own happy ever after but Butler does pack much more into the telling. I felt it did look at some of the problems older couples can face in renewing a relationship from younger/wilder days but at times felt like it lacked a little of the drama and attained its HEA (happy ever after) almost too easy thus the 4 stars. Good story telling and certainly the excellent, easy to read writing I've come to expect from Butler. I just wanted a little more drama to spice up the tale.

[Susan's Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just what I needed! A Forty Year Kiss was a sweet read with massive doses of regret, making amends, nostalgia, and a second chance for love with the one who got away....



Charlie loves to drink, and he does so usually to excess. He is the life of the party, but he is also his and his loved ones own worst enemy when he is drunk.



Now in his sixties and lonely in his retirement, Charlie can't stop thinking of his one true love, Vivian: the one he drove away with his selfishness and excess.



Charlie is a true romantic, but alcohol changed him into someone who was heedless of everyone else's needs but his own.



The author reveals in his acknowledgement that this story is based on a conversation he overheard one evening while he was at a bar, battling writer's block. I loved how the author described the gift of inspiration. A magical knowing filled him and he knew that this couple's story would fill the chapters of his next book.



And what a book it is. Vivian has not had an easy life and she is wary of re-establishing ties with Charlie. At first she decides to have fun with him, not take him too seriously, but this irks Charlie, because he is playing for keeps. He has to prove to Vivian that he is a changed man, and will keep on changing in order to be the type of man that Vivian and her family need.



There are a few surprises in store for Charlie as this emotionally charged story progresses. I often sighed with contentment when Charlie started pouring it on! Go Charlie and Vivian! I was definitely rooting for them (but I was also secretly pleased and proud that Vivian did not make things easy for him when he tried to buy his way into her family's affections!)



Nicholas Butler's writing style resembles Kent Haruf's only to the extent that he does not use quotation marks to signify spoken conversations. I certainly had no issues with the lack of quotation marks (although I can understand that many other readers and reviewers might.) I felt that the story flowed seamlessly.



This was a big "5 out of 5/well satisfied/big smile on my face/glad I requested this ARC from an author I was not familiar with" read for me. Highly recommended!!!



My thanks to the author, Nicholas Butler, his publisher, and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review. I enjoyed every minute of it!

[bookandachai · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best romances I've read in a long time.

See Charlie and Vivian married young, too young and broke up after four years. Their lives took very different turns and yet they find themselves back in the same small town in Wisconsin forty years later. Can Vivian forgive Charlie for leaving? Can she cope with his success? Can Charlie face his alcoholism? Can Charlie and Vivian fall in love with who they are now? Or should this have stayed in the past?

I love the writing style of this story and could not put it down.

[Beth Gordon · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️

I’m normally not much of a fan of romance novels, but A FORTY YEAR KISS by Nickolas Butler was a real hit for me!

Why?

I really enjoyed these older protagonists. Vivian and Charlie were married for 4 years back in their 20s. Charlie was a big drinker, and Vivian was sick of it. Forty years and a whole lot of life later, Charlie seeks to reunite with Vivian. Vivian has spent a lifetime struggling financially, and she has taken in her single mother daughter Melissa and her two young granddaughters. When Charlie re-enters Vivian’s life now, her life is way more complicated than it was in her twenties.

I loved the small moments in this book that were so big. Different gestures resonate in different ways depending on your age and life experiences. I was so taken by Charlie and Vivian’s gestures toward each other.

I also really liked the focus on economics and lifestyle affordability. It made this novel very relatable and grounded in the day-to-day, waiting-for-payday existence.

I also have to give props to the author for having interesting plot points that seemed unique to me. The voice, likely due to being from a male author, of this author was fresh and propulsive.

Sometimes I felt like this novel had a more vignette than novel feel, so occasionally I was wanting a bit more connective tissue.

I will definitely seek out more by this author. A FORTY YEAR KISS publishes February 4, 2025.

[☮Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nickolas Butler understands the Midwest and those who inhabit it. Always a comforting read for this Midwestern gal.

Thanks to NetGalley for putting this on my radar. The audiobook narration was superb.

[Precious ✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

”I don’t think we’ve peaked. Not by a long shot. I think our best days are ahead of us.


Forty year kiss is a wistful, character driven story about a second chance between to old lovers. I am always down for a second chance romance but this one was something I chose to broaden my reading taste while having something to anchor me. I figured this be the only way I would read a story about two people who are in later stages of their lives , because I thought, how could I relate to them? Well, all these pages later and I’m so glad that I did. This novel was great in its rawness regarding addiction, poverty, life’s disappointments, and the fear of love and being let down.
My heart ached for Charlie, it ached for Melissa, it ached for them all. This story was also uplifting and inspiring at times as well.

The book opens with Charlie at a restaurant bar waiting for his ex-wife Vivian to arrive. The poor guy had got there an hour early to make sure he wasn’t late and that he was there before her so she wouldn’t have to wait on him. Early on in the first chapter you already can see how earnest and genuine he is, and how sincere he is in trying to impress her again. 🥺 we find out that Charlie has been a longtime alcoholic and that is the reason his marriage with Vivian broke down in the first place. But he’s changed in a lot of other ways during the time they’ve been separated, including his awareness of how alcohol effects him.

Vivian agrees to meet Charlie after he finds her on Facebook and is swooped off her feet by him. However, she has to battle the years of disappointments and struggles to allow herself to be happy and accept this new version of Charlie. It felt super realistic because it wasn’t like they ended on good terms. While Charlie has been living, albeit poorly, she’s been the responsible parent (her daughter Melissa) making ends meet in her second marriage. Followed by being a secondary caregiver to her granddaughters as she currently lives with her daughter and her two granddaughters. This causes friction across their reconciliation.

During the course of the novel the dynamics that run between them all get pulled and stretched and then come back closer together. I really adored the relationship Charlie and Melissa developed as well. This was indeed a great story about second chances at love and at life. The only con I really had was that the author wrote in 3rd person which is not my preferred method of consumption lol. Overall, like I said the story is well done that I was able to look pass it and continue on.


Thank you Sourcebooks Landmark for the eARC via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review 💕

[Susan Z (webreakforbooks) · Rating 5 out of 5]

To be honest, I'm not a fan of second chance romance, it's probably my least favorite of all the romance tropes, but A Forty Year Kiss is just so special. It's making me entirely rethink my position on the trope

Truly inspiring, I walked away with the mantra IT'S NEVER TOO LATE on repeat in my mind. It was a wake up call of sorts, a personal journey for me. Not about love lost, but time spent not being my best self. If a fictional book can leave me with a figurative smack on my head, it deserves all the stars.

A Forty Year Kiss is about 2 people, Charlie and Vivian, who reconnect FORTY years after a divorce. It was full of all the real life messiness that comes with being older and having responsibilities, but it was also so uplifting and heartwarming.

I absolutely loved it.

I found this video on YouTube about the inspiration for the story. https://youtu.be/X29xiUUlnso?si=1061M...

I wish fictional Charlie, and real life Charlie, had a chocolate in his pocket at their first meet up, but I love how it came full circle #iykyk

One last point, as someone who lives in suburban Chicago, I loved the Wisconsin setting. It's such a great state.

[Chrissie Whitley · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

I was excited to read a mature, second-chance romance, but sadly A Forty Year Kiss did not deliver. While there was nothing inherently wrong with it, there was also not much going for it. This was a novel that essentially went no where; it did nothing. The little moments of conflict that would crop up were handled within that very moment, as if they were each their own little bubble of a 1980s sitcom where it's wrapped up within 26 minutes. From each main characters' introduction on the page, you could tell where this entire novel was going — and there were no surprises. Despite trying to layer in some secrets and unresolved resentment, Butler couldn't write himself out of this tame, middling mess.

I received this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This affected neither my opinion of the book nor the content of my review.

[Kerry Crabbs · Rating 1 out of 5]

I listened to the audiobook and the narrator sounded creepy which didn't do this book any favors. The MMC was an alcoholic with red flags everywhere and the FMC didn't seem to care, even though she'd already divorced him once. The ending was a ridiculous happily ever after. In my imagination, those 2 are divorced again within a year.

[Katie Holcomb · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a second-chance romance for the ages! It follows Charlie & Vivian who were married for a short time in the 80’s but then sadly divorce.

We now fast forward to where the book truly begins—40 years later. Charlie finds his way back to the Wisconsin town where he & Vivian first fell in love, hoping to possibly rekindle the bond they once shared. They both have secrets that were kept during that 40-year timespan, one that isn’t so secret (Charlie’s alcoholism that ultimately caused them to split in the first place). Can/will Charlie change? Will they change & grow together and be able to start again? This is a book about forgiveness, compassion, family, and of course, second chances. 💕 It is so beautifully-written!!

**One note I will make so that you’re not surprised, should you choose to pick this book up—he chose not to use quotation marks throughout for when there is dialogue between characters. It took only a tiny bit to get used to it, but then it didn’t bother me AT ALL..the book still flowed seamlessly for me 👌🏼**

*THANKS again to the publisher, @bookmarked for this gorgeous completed copy!!*

[Katy O. · Rating 4 out of 5]

(free review copy) To be fair, I am incredibly biased reader here. A book set in Wisconsin? My quadrant of Wisconsin? And they travel to MY TOWN? I simply can’t be partial. But the story itself is a beautiful second chance romance, as messy and complicated as just about anything later in life can be.

Source: digital review copy via Edelweiss

[Stacey · Rating 5 out of 5]

** now listening on audio to prep for book club and the author visit (squee) at my library in July.

Thank you NetGalley for an opportunity to read the ARC of Nikolas Butler’s upcoming release.

I have enjoyed all of Butler’s books and this was no exception. I took a few days to think before writing about it. I spent time on leave covered trails contemplating the story, I felt very connected to the book, whether it is my age or my own losses, I found myself immersed. This is a story of rekindling.

Charlie and Viv were married briefly more than 30 years before, it was tumultuous, and ended painfully. They both went on to experience their lives and various trials.

Charlie purposefully seeks Viv out and invites her for a drink. They’ve lived entire lives and are now in their 60’s. Charlie is lonely and regretful, while Viv is deeply loved by her family but companionless. Charlie was very selfish in their marriage. He deeply regretful and he is old enough now to see who he was, and while still not perfect in real time (I mean, who is?), he wants to do better. Much better. But we all know things take time and sometimes many tries to get it right. Viv was hurt, we see how deeply her pain goes as the book develops, and while she is gun shy she also has a forgiving heart and wants to believe in change. She considers the possibilities but is not a kid anymore, there will be expectations, she has learned to love and respect herself. Can Charlie be who she needs him to be?

The story unfolds as the two rediscover one another. Some of what they find is downright ugly and painful, the depth of the story is refreshing. This is not a rom-com, this is very real and raw. It is a story to savor a bit as love, life, can be hard but worth the effort.

In my 50’s now and seeing my own dad alone after losing my mom, the absolute love of his life, I am seeing Charlie and Viv through a lens of hope - regardless of missteps and imperfection, as it is relatable and human. We, as a society, are in a time of great loneliness, this book really allows me to believe there is still time to carve out a new path after losses of all kinds. And I’m smarter now, we can figure so much out with time if we continue to have curiosity. I’m lucky to have had the same partner by my side for over 36 years, but it wasn’t always easy. Some days still aren’t easy. The second chances Butler writes about so earnestly allowed for me to reflect and have gratitude for my own life’s blessings.

[Mary McBride · Rating 4 out of 5]

Can a love be rekindled after a forty year gap?
Charlie has been living with regrets since the ending of his first marriage to Vivian. With the hope that it can, he arranges a meeting to find out if she’s still the one.
A Forty Year Kiss is a tale of love and hope and change.
And to cherish the time you have left with the one love that might have gotten away.
Loved the characters and the humanity and the optimism.

[Rachel Brackett · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was beautifully written but not really any major plot line. Little conflicts here and there. The lack of quotations took a while for me to get used to reading. I wouldn’t say the small town played a huge role in this story. It was really just a second chance romance with an older couple.

I received an arc from netgalley and the publisher.

[April · Rating 5 out of 5]

First thing I want to address is the reviews by some of the 20 and 30-something readers thinking a romance between a couple in their mid-60’s is weird or cringy. Let me try to give you a different perspective. Examples of men, just like our MMC, that are over 60 years old, are 𝙆𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙣 𝘾𝙤𝙨𝙩𝙣𝙚𝙧, 𝘽𝙧𝙖𝙙 𝙋𝙞𝙩𝙩, 𝙂𝙚𝙤𝙧𝙜𝙚 𝘾𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙮, 𝙅𝙤𝙝𝙣𝙣𝙮 𝘿𝙚𝙥𝙥, 𝙆𝙚𝙖𝙣𝙪 𝙍𝙚𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙨, 𝙎𝙚𝙖𝙣 𝘽𝙚𝙖𝙣, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝘾𝙤𝙡𝙞𝙣 𝙁𝙞𝙧𝙩𝙝. I think most people would agree that these are attractive, sexy, virile men in their 60s. Y’all making it sound like the MCs are decrepit. Which by no means, they are not.🙄

Anyway, on my review…
This was an endearing and heartfelt, feel good, contemporary, second-chance-romance. I was drawn in from page one and enchanted the entire time. I finished the book in 24 hours. Charlie and Vivian were married in the ’80s but split after his drinking tore them apart. Forty years later, they reunited in present day. Their reunion hits the ground running from the very first chapter, as they willingly confront the past, rebuild trust, and get to know each other for the second time now that they are older and wiser. To move forward, they have to unpack old wounds, conquer lingering demons, ask hard questions, reconnect, and heal one step at a time. They also encounter a few surprises along the way!

𝘐𝘵’𝘴 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘩 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴𝘯’𝘵 𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘲𝘶𝘰𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘥𝘪𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘶𝘦, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘯𝘰 𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨.

If you’re in your 20s or 30s, this might feel different from the romances you’re used to. *But* if you’re an old soul, don’t miss it. It’s a sweet, satisfying story that ends just right.

[Jackie Sunday · Rating 3 out of 5]

I imagine it’s not easy: to write from the perspective of an older couple when you were born in 1979. Anyone at that age can only guess what it’s like to wake up and be glad for another day with a body that’s been through a lot.

This is a story about a retired couple that had been divorced for several years. Charlie wanted his first wife back but she wasn’t so sure. There were a lot of apologies from poor Charlie who kept saying he made mistakes – hurtful ones. He said he was a different man now. Charlie would do anything now to make her happy. Violet treated him like a dog that had to beg for forgiveness.

There was a lot of nostalgia. What happened during all those years? Now they were trying their best to renew their friendship. Charlie felt like it was better to enjoy his retirement with someone comfortable than to be alone. Seriously? Did he think as a really nice guy with fairly good looks that he would be without anyone? That’s sad.

The book showed a contrast between the older and younger generations, those with money and those that scrimped over the years. There was the typical different perspectives between males and females. It also focused a lot on the value of families. There were secrets and forgiveness with lots of tears, tenderness and kisses.

This also challenges the perspective of an unusual affair. The book was slow going in parts but it opened up the effects of past relationships as it’s been said what happens in the past should stay there. This story would be a good for discussions. Can people change? Sure, but it helps when someone has deep pockets. There is a reading guide with questions at the end.

My thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark for allowing me to read a copy of this book with an expected release date of February 4, 2025.

[Krissi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for providing a free audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

While I did not completely enjoy this book, I could not necessarily give it a low rating because it is not a bad book. It is about a couple in their 60s who were originally married in their 20s, rekindling their relationship and finding out things about each other along the way and working through them.

The premise is sweet, and it plays out well. However, I'm not sure if it's the writing style of the author or just that I found nothing relatable in this story whatsoever. I also felt like the relationship was kind of just forged together again out of fear of being alone as morbid as it is, as the couple is entering towards the latter half of life. I could not really connect with the characters well, but some of the scenes were sweet with the couple. However, some parts could have been left out, I feel.

Definitely give the book a try, though, if you enjoy slow burn, numerous minor conflicts, second chance romances

[January · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Forty Year Kiss by Nickolas Butler (2025)
334-page Hardback

Genre: Romance, Adult Fiction, Domestic Fiction

Featuring: Praise, Bibliography for Nickolas Butler, Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin; Spooner, Wisconsin; Second Chance - Ex-Spouses, Sexagenarians, No Quotations, Children, Halloween, Alcoholism, Thanksgiving, Sex - Low to Moderate Details, Family Dynamics, Eau Claire, Wisconsin; Chicago, Illinois; Secrets, Minnesota, Union Pacific, Dog, Trisomy 21, Christmas, Walmart, Reading Group Guide - Discussion Questions, A Conversation

Rating as a movie: R for adult content

Songs for the soundtrack: "Clair de Lune" by Claude Debussy, "Thinking Out Loud" by Ed Sheeran, "It Isn't Fair" by Frank Sinatra, "Nick Of Time" by Bonnie Raitt, "Hey, Good Lookin’" by Hank Williams, "Walkin' After Midnight" by Patsy Cline, "Misguided Angel" by Cowboy Junkies, "A Kiss to Build a Dream On" by Louis Armstrong, "Sugar" by Billie Holiday, "A Horse With No Name" by America, "Blue Christmas" by Willie Nelson, "If I Could Turn Back Time" by Cher, "Fancy" by Bobbie Gentry "All I Want For Christmas Is You" by Vince Vance & the Valiants, "Glory Days" by Bruce Springsteen, "Fire And Rain" by James Taylor, "Everybody's Jumpin'" by Dave Brubeck, "Blue In Green" by Miles Davis, "My Foolish Heart" by Bill Evans, "A Love Supreme" by John Coltrane, "Rocky Raccoon" by The Beatles, "DNA" by BTS, "Rhapsody In Blue" by George Gershwin, "True Colors" by Cyndi Lauper, "Lovely Day" by Bill Withers, "The Star-Spangled Banner" by Francis Scott Key,

Books and Authors mentioned: The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick, Damnation Spring by Ash Davidson, Peace Like a River by Leif Enger, The Nix and Wellness by Nathan Hill, When Harry Met Sally... by Nora Ephron, "Variations on an Old Standard" by A. E. Stallings, Jack London, Robert W. Service, Louis L'Amour, Robert Frost, Anne Sexton, Elizabeth Bishop, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz aka The Wizard of Oz by L Frank Baum (Lyman Frank Baum) - Oz #1, The Hundred and One Dalmatians by Dodie Smith, How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss, O. Henry Short Stories by O. Henry

Memorable Quotes: She felt her throat constricted with sympathy and something more than sympathy. Some emotion she had predicted, and it was like love. I still dream about you, he said. She felt her breath stolen away. She had not anticipated this from him. This unexpected poetry. This sweet candor.

Yeah, he said. You start to lose people. First your grandparents. And then your parents. Then it's your favorite musicians and actors. Athletes and writers. Then it's your friends. And you want to see those people again. At least I do. I miss those people. I hope heaven is a long party where I never get drunk. Someone just keeps passing me flutes of cold champagne, and I go from one room to the next seeing old friends, old relatives. But no one ever has to stop to clean the dishes. They just‐--disappear.

My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️👨‍🦳💔👩‍🦳😚💖🚄

My thoughts: 📖 Page 65 of 334 [Chapter] 8 - It took a few chapters to get rolling but it's not bad. Something about it is giving me As I Lay Dying flashbacks, why do I have to figure out when they're talking?
📖 252 [Chapter] 31 - These people really have grown on me this does not feel like a romance novel but it doesn't feel like literary fiction either it just feels like straight fiction.

I was told this was literary fiction but it is not listed as literary fiction so I feel duped into liking it due to my expectations being lowered. It is written in the older awkward style and it's character-driven but it is not literary fiction. I feel misled, but I know if I was expecting contemporary fiction I would have been a bit annoyed early on. I also know I wouldn't have picked this book up nor stuck it out if it wasn't for the painted pages I needed for a challenge. I'm glad I read it. It's a pretty good story, it's a love story but not a romance if you know what I mean.

Recommend to others: Maybe, I think this story is for mature readers; if this book was a meal it would be something like pot roast or pâté, a mixture of classic and sophisticated, and not for people with tons of taste buds, because babies (they have the most taste buds) would spit it out, or in this case DNF.

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a a sometimes sad and sometimes joyous life reflection. Two people, Vivian and Charlie were once married, briefly, in their younger years. They are now both in their sixth decade of life. Both are lonely and wondering if their is another chance to have a future together now that they are mature and life experiences has changed them both. So much has happened in forty years.
I could totally relate to Charlie and Vivian. They had much to work out before committing to a new relationship but at the same time there is that realization that the clock is ticking and a chance at true love again should not be delayed. I thoroughly enjoyed this story. I liked how the author explored each person’s perspective as the story unfolded.

[Kristen · Rating 5 out of 5]

It took me a bit to settle into Charlie’s earnestness. But then I devoured this sweet story with the best characters!

[Kristi · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

It isn't often I come across romance books with older characters. This book is about two people who are in their 60s and are looking for a second chance with each other. They were married for a brief time 40 years ago and Charlie has decided he wants to see if he and Vivian can make a go of it a second time.

This book is a character-driven book and readers are witness to the flaws and secrets these two have. While ai liked the characters well enough I didn't love them. At times I thought Charlie was a jerk and wondered what Vivian ever saw in him. But by the end of the book I had a better understanding of Charlie and didn't see him as such a jerk.

This being a romance-type book there are some bedroom scenes but they are written well enough and are respectful of the ages of the characters.

All in all, this was a pretty quick read for me and I believe this book would be enjoyable for those looking for a romance between mature characters and stories about second chances.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book.

[Stacey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This enjoyable romance was a delight to read. Charlie and Olivia were married for 4 years before dissolving the marriage. As youth goes, bad decisions and cringy choices often go hand in hand. After 40 years Charlie never stopped thinking about Olivia. He looks her up and asked her out. A lot of life can happen in 40 years. Is it possible for people to change after that many years? Charlie is counting on the opportunity to show Olivia that he isn't the same irresponsible kid she divorced, if she will take that leap of faith. The slow dance of getting reacquainted is a whole lot of fun as these two adults navigate their new circumstances.

I loved everything about this book. The growth of an older couple, blending of families and confronting addictions for a meaningful relationship the second time around

I would encourage romance readers to pick this one up or if you're looking for something with different challenges than a couple just starting out. Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for an early copy.

[Jen (The Jenerator) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I seriously need to stop reading books just because they're pretty!

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charlie and Vivian married young and divorced after four years. 40 years later Charlie returns to Wisconsin and hopes to reconnect with Vivian. Somewhere deep inside they never stopped loving each other and now, older and wiser with complicated pasts to deal with, they may have a second chance

This is a quiet, simple story about very complex people. Each has demons they need to put to rest, especially Charlie who is an active alcoholic. He loves drinking, but he knows that in order to keep Vivian, he’s going to have to give it up. Vivian has had a hard life. She now lives with her daughter and her two grandchildren, and they are barely scraping by. She is very unsure about Charlie on so many levels, but he is sure enough for the both of them.

The writing is exquisite. It is quiet, lyrical, emotional, and just stunning at times. The portrayal of mature love is tender and profound. It is refreshing to read a book about older characters, dealing with their pasts and looking towards the future, without all the angst and drama that books about younger characters can bring.

If you’ve ever wondered about what it would be like to reconnect with an old love from 40 years ago, this is the book for you.

An absolute recommend.

[Jazz .☘︎ ݁˖ · Rating 3 out of 5]

The yearning and heartache>>>

I didn’t like the conversation layout—for example: “Same thing? The bartender asked. Leinie’s? Yeah, he said.”—There are no quotations or anything; just a bunch of they said, he said, and she said, but I got past it pretty quickly. On top of that though, the conversions could be a little off in my opinion—like there wasn’t enough depth. It felt too rushed sometimes.

The romance is super hurried and to the point, which I didn’t favor too much, but I moved past it because they’re old and gray now; time is dwindling for them, so I understood why it was written that way.

The writing, though, was pretty darn good! It evoked such raw emotion from me that I couldn’t help but admire it. The only problem I have with the writing is that at times, there was too much filler, and some things came off as a bit odd to me, and the grammar was here and there, but overall it was truly lovely.

Despite those small issues I had, this book was beautifully written and I liked it! I don’t read—or find—many romance books by male authors, so this was such a good experience!

𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙤 𝙉𝙚𝙩𝙂𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙪𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘼𝙍𝘾.