Second Time's a Charm

by Taylor Epperson

Returning home after years away, Reece is going to have to avoid her assassin ex-boyfriend as she learns to care for the magical creatures now under her protection.

Three years ago, Reece McCarthen solved her problems the best way she could think running as far as possible. Abandoned by her childhood sweetheart, she left her gossiping small town, heartbreak, and emotionally distant father in the past. Now, she's happy if not just a bit bored running a magical flower shop with her best friend. Until she receives notice that she’s inherited her father's sanctuary for magical creatures.

Reece heads back to her cozy, magical town of Honey Brooke that unfortunately still hasn’t gotten over that one teeny, tiny fire incident when she was a teenager. What should've been a calm, quiet homecoming turns into chaos incarnate when Reece comes face-to-face with the reason she left in the first Laken Augustus. Her ex-boyfriend who seems to have grown up to also be a part-time assassin.

It's one tragedy after another, from dodging fire-spitting chickens and a poisonous porcupine to bolting after a runaway raccoon and realizing Laken is the only person who knows how to run a magical sanctuary. Not only did her father leave her with a whole slew of problems, but poachers are lurking in the shadows. Now Reece finds herself knee-deep in feathers, mud, and an inconceivable amount of debt. To save the sanctuary, she will have to work side-by-side with Laken.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Cozy Fantasy, Adult, Romantasy, Cozy, Fiction

400 pages, Paperback

Expected publication April 21, 2026

Reviews

[sofi🎀🧸 tears cleanse the soul~winter vibes🧸 · Rating 4 out of 5]

first, before i get into ANYTHING, i would love to give a ginormous thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for allowing me an early copy of this book. i enjoyed it so much. it was the perfect cozy fantasy, with the perfect second chance romance (do i like second chance? no. did this book write it well? hell yes.) this took me about a month to read, but that is not the book’s fault. i have been so unbelievably busy bec no one warned me doing sports 10+ hours a week and school everyday would take so much of my time 😭
now, without further adeu? adeuiu? adue? adieu? dammit that sounded really cool in my head and i’ve always wanted to say it but idk how to spell it.
adieu? that seems right.
now, without further adieu, my actual review!
🫶🏼💝🌺💐
𝓻𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰:
𝓯𝓸𝓾𝓻 𝓼𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓲𝓷𝓰, 𝓼𝓹𝓪𝓻𝓴𝓵𝓲𝓷𝓰, 𝓰𝓵𝓲𝓶𝓶𝓮𝓻𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓼𝓽𝓪𝓻𝓼!
(4.25 but goodreads doesn’t allow that so whatever)

𝓷𝓸𝔀 𝓹𝓵𝓪𝔂𝓲𝓷𝓰: i shot cupid by stella cole!

AWWWW THIS BOOK WAS SO CUTE AND FUNNY AND I MISS ITTTT

tl;dr😼
is it the next classic that they will pore over in future history classes? possibly not. was it extremely fun, cute, heart warming, laugh out loud worthy, funny, hilarious, and cozy?
Y. E. S.
if i could bottle this book up and drink it on bad days, i would.
our fmc was extremely real i fear and i loved her🙂‍↕️ she was funny and literally so me core.
our mmc in one word: golden retriever. ok that was two words but it’s one name so close enough. literally he was so cute and nice but also had a hot assassin side. the plot was actually good and i had fun. it was like jumanji; it seems high stakes and dangerous but lowk we’re just here for the laughs and the fun adventure. and that cover holy frick 😍‼️
𝓶𝔂 𝓪𝓬𝓽𝓾𝓪𝓵 𝓽𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱𝓽𝓼 𝓵𝓸𝓷𝓰 𝓯𝓸𝓻𝓶💗❄️
lowk wish we got more info on the dad but it’s fine; this is a cozy fantasy.
if this was advertised as an epic fantasy, this would not be okay. this would be like 2 stars. i think for being a cozy fantasy the author did a VERY good job of incorporating magic, magical animals, and world building. was it very fleshed out? no, but again, this is not a epic fantasy. ts isn’t lord of the rings, and that’s okay bc it makes up for it in laughs. i rate based on the genre, and this is the epitome of what i think of when i hear the words “cozy fantasy”. i am used to high fantasy so this was a bit of a shock, but i lowk like the cozy low stakes. a few quills in the ass was the biggest danger, and that scene was very funny. i had fun bro icl.

𝓬𝓱𝓪𝓻𝓪𝓬𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓼💝🥹

reece. i love her. so much. this was a character driven book, and the characters delivered.
pros:
•funny
•relatable
•very fleshed out
•likable
•funny
•funny
cons:
•

alr, now laken. i loved him. he’s such a sweet kind funny adorable golden boy but secretly a hot assassin?? sign me up.
the romance was very cute and cozy and my heart got all warm and fuzzy at the end (that was one of the best endings i’ve ever read)
but, i feel like i wanted a teensy bit more angst. sorry, this isn’t on the author. literally js me being picky bc i only read epic fantasy with enemies to lovers that try to kill eachother.
that’s the only con.
i loved the writing style it felt so approachable, like you could have a beer with it (hamilton ref sorry sorry)

𝓭𝓸 𝓲 𝓻𝓮𝓬𝓬𝓸𝓶𝓮𝓷𝓭 𝓲𝓽?

yes. if you want smth
•cozy
•easy to get through
•funny
•romcom
•low stakes
100% recommend.
again, tysm for letting me access this arc!!!
byeee! <3

[Aamna Qureshi · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was so so fun!!! reece my bestie and laken loml

here’s my official blurb:

“Equal parts delightful and riotous, SECOND TIME'S A CHARM is a ridiculously fun ride. Like a wizard concocting the perfect potion, Epperson melds together a charming small town, magical chaos, hilarious banter, and an irresistible romance to create the perfect cozy escape with this utterly original debut.”

[BONNIE SMITH · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you love quirky love affairs and magical creatures, then Second Time's a Charm should be on your TBR.

Reece McCarthen is running her magical flower shop and minding her own business until she is notified that she has inherited her father's magical creature sanctuary.
The biggest dilema is that this will bring her back to the town she abandoned after a not to pretty breakup with her childhood sweetheart Laken.
Now back in Honey Brooke, she is dodging exes and dirty looks (along with poisonous porcupines) and trying try stay afloat. When she comes face to face with Laken, well- the romance flies.

I've decided I want to LIVE in this magical world of fire breathing chickens and magically chilled beer mugs, and I do hope this will be part of a series of at least give us another book in this wonderfully magical world!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for a chance to read this delightful little book!

[Selene · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really loved the cozy charm of an enchanted flower shop and animal sanctuary. I thought fmc was hilarious and self deprecating which made it enjoyable, I plan to re read this when it is published because I’m not quite sure I was in the right mood for this one (I’m in a bit of a gothic dark monster Yule mood) but fire breathing chickens and a tiny adorable dragon are 10/10. This is a second chance romance and I personally wouldn’t have forgiven mmc but you do you honey boo boo . Thanks so much to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for the arc!

[James McRay]

I’m confused. To begin with, I’m confused on what time period this book is supposed to be set. I was all the way to Chapter 3 when the FMC, Reece, says she has to take a carriage back to her small town. Wait, what? Up until then I thought it was modern time, with her running a magical flower shop with her best friend. But, no this is more a fantasy/medieval time period? Worldbuilding - D+

When Reece gets back to her small town, where she really doesn’t want to be, she immediately rejects the help of the one guy, the MMC Laken, who’s been running the place because, history. Broken heart and all that I suppose. Romance setup - C-

And then, in the absence of help, Reese struggles mightily in handling the magical creatures on the rescue/sanctuary/farm where she doesn’t want to be, but insists she does. Then, of course, Laken offers—again—to help Reese who turns him down—again—because, history. Why am I supposed to like Reese? Character set-up - D.

So I’m DNF’ing this at 20 percent because I’m confused on the setting, confused on the magic, confused on the worldbuilding, and confused on why the hell I’m supposed to care about the leading lady, her self-imposed struggles, and repeated rejection of the one person in the whole damn town who is still trying to help her.

I’m just completely confused.

I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley, and my harsh review is my honest opinion.

[Joanna · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was so hard to read. This was supposed to be a fluffy, end of year pick me up and it definitely wasn’t that. The premise should have made the book more compelling. Reece was an annoying FMC, who was self deprecating and insecure with no redeeming qualities. You can tell by how she compares herself to her best friend (my best friend is so put together and girly while my hair is a mess and I like weird socks). Plus, this whole entire book was a contradiction. It’s set in medieval times where there’s carriages and royals, but some of the language was very 21st-century with sex jokes. Reece is such an outcast in town but everybody likes her. She doesn’t want to take over the sanctuary cause her dad was mean but she hates the idea of anyone else running it. She hates Laken because he left three years ago without telling her; but she’s missed him this whole entire time and hasn’t had another relationship. There was so much this book could’ve gone into in a deep yet lighthearted way like her relationship with her father and more good memories of the sanctuary. And there were plots like the poachers and Laken knowing her father was leaving that kind of just fell off. This book just completely missed the mark and nothing about this book was likable to be honest besides the animals.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the ARC.

[Joshua Covington · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this publication for the purpose of review.

Reece McCarthen hasn't had an easy life. Her mother died when she was young, and her father has been detached and absent ever since. Her one saving grace was her best friend turned lover, Laken. That is until he leaves as well with only a note left behind to tell her things are over. She's filled her time in the three years since Laken left away from home with her new best friend running a flower shop, but when word comes back that her father has left town for good she either has to return to take care of the family's magical animal sanctuary or see it be closed for good.

I was really excited about the premise of this book and was immediately sold on the idea of a magical sanctuary for animals. The animals were far and away my favorite part of the whole story. They have great little personalities and I also really liked that the author had compelling reasons for why each of the animals needed to be at the sanctuary. Blaze was a particular favorite of mine and he'll likely be other's favorite too.

There are also some really funny parts to this book. I'd say this leans more humorous than cozy most of the time and leans into absolute batshit more often than not. The opening scene does a lot to give readers and idea of what to expect, witch Reece and her best friend stumbling around their flower shop screaming while they try to deal with a critter that snuck its way in. It's way over the top, but a lot of people are going to get a kick out of all the antics.

I personally struggled with just how much of a catastrophe Reece is. I found myself wondering more than once throughout the book how she made it through childhood because she can't seem to do much of anything. The only thing she seems to do well is snark and that's her default response to everything. Her mother died young and she says her dad was largely absent so my gut would say she'd need to be self reliant, but she seems the type to burn toast then start a house fire.

I also didn't personally buy into the romance. Reece's internal dialogue tries to sound conflicted from the start, but there's little to no conflict that seems to come from her and Laken's breakup. She ruminates on the fact that his leaving ruined her life, but then she's flirting and playing darts with him on her first day back in town. There's also a lot of miscommunication and jealousy which isn't my cup of tea at all.

The world building is such a mixed bag, and mostly negative for me. The animals are awesome, but so much of the world feels like a really bizarre mix of modern and typical medieval fantasy. There's a drinking age of 21, but the barkeep frosts her mugs with magic. Reece takes care of fire breathing chickens and stunted dragons, but she talks like a teenager in 2025. It made it really hard to immerse in the magic for me personally. There's also tons of anachronisms scattered throughout. You'd be hard-pressed to go more than a few pages without a pop culture reference played for a gag or an "oh I know that reference!" There's a lot of Princess Bride references and Laken made a lot more sense when I started thinking of him as Wesley from Princess Bride, though still not nearly as charming as Reece finds him.

Along with the world building, the plot is fairly scattered. There are a few of what I considered to be major plot points that are either glossed over or dropped before the end of the book. If there were a planned sequel then one, maybe two, of them would have been fine being explored in a followup but as it stands they just feel left out to dry by the end of the book. I had more questions than answers by the time I finished.

I think there's an audience for this book, but I don't think it's me. I was drawn in by the animal sanctuary aspect, but the magic just wasn't there for me. Honestly, if it wasn't for the pervasive cursing and the scattered explicit sex scenes I'd say this would be a good middle grade read. That really seems like it should be the intended audience as I feel like a middle grade audience would be more willing to overlook some shallower world building, casual modern tone, and pop culture references. I very much appreciate the opportunity to read an advanced copy for review.

[Cortni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Second Time’s a Charm by Taylor Epperson is a sweet and quirky take on second-chance romance. The storyline felt unique, with just the right mix of heart and humor that kept me smiling. The characters were easy to root for, and their journey of forgiveness and growth was both charming and fun. It’s the kind of book that makes you believe in do-overs and happily-ever-afters.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for letting me read this delightful story early!
#secondtimesacharm

[Katie May]

2.5 rounded down. Unfortunately this was a miss for me mostly because of the romance but a little bit because of the FMC.

As adults, we can no longer blame our lack of knowledge on an absent parent or poor parenting (she still has her mom though?) it’s sad but there’s nothing stopping her from learning how to do things on her own now that she’s grown. It got really old finding out yet another thing Reece was not good at because she wasn’t taught something.

The romance did not hit for me at all. She completely idealized the MMC because they were together as kids and then he ghosted her (he gives a reason later but ehhh) she even mentions after running into him for the first time in years that he’s the same old Laken unable to say anything real. So why have we been pining after him for 3 years? They barely discuss how him leaving affected her and he doesn’t have enough redeeming qualities to get a second chance.

Between the boring characters and the bland romance I couldn’t really recommend this. However, I really did enjoy reading about the magical plant shop and caring for the magical creatures but there’s so much cozy fantasy out now with those elements that you could probably skip this one.

Thank you to Netgalley and the author/publisher for an early copy of this book in exhange for an honest review.

[Callie Rowland · Rating 5 out of 5]

The cottagecore fantasy of my dreams! Perfect for fans of Studio Ghibli and The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst. The romance gives STRONG Tangled vibes—if you like Flynn Rider, you’ll be obsessed with Laken Augustus. Do yourself a favor and add this gorgeous novel to your shelf…because don’t you want to stare at the fire-breathing chickens on the cover all day?

[Lia Stevens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book so so much. Perfectly cozy. Perfectly fantasy. Taylor has the gift of writing such believable characters with quick wit and a romance you want to root so hard for.✨🫶

Don’t get me started on the chickens. The true star of the show.🐓🔥

[Grace Morrow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Had the honor of reading an early copy and this is by far one of my favorite reads of all time!!! You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll be avoiding the fire-breathing chickens! Enjoy your stay at McCarthen's Sanctuary for Magical Creatures, you're in for a wild ride!!!💐🐔

[Julia Carter · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars. Rounded down to 4. I recieved the ARC of Second Time's a Charm by Taylor Epperson from Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

This book has lots of interesting elements straight away. We have elements of magic spread through-out and although it doesnt scream paranormal it most definitely is. This book is definitely giving cozy vibes and is perfect for fall reading.

We first meet or main character Reece, as she is dealing with a magical creature, a raxxen. Which sounds terrible as it's described as having six legs and a nasty set of razor teeth. Chaos ensures and much hilarity and this is just the first few pages. It definitely sucks you in and makes you wonder what will happen next. Reece works with her friend Maggie, who owns a floral shop called Dirty Hoes. Love the name obvi.

Even though Reece is happy working with her best friend, she feels like something is missing and when opportunity comes knocking in the form of her getting her fathers sanctaury for magical creatures, she knows she has to go back home to Honey Brooke to take care of the animals.

Of course, we have a love interest, or more accurately an ex love interest, Laken broke Reece's heart 3 years ago after just vanishing from her life. And of course, said love interest happens to pop back into Reece's life. The chemistry is still there, even if Reece wishes it wasn't. As Laken and Reece spend more time together sparks fly like flaming chickens.

The story continues, and of course there's a problem to solve but I don't want to give too much of the story away. But I will say that I really enjoyed this book. It's fast paced enough to keep you engaged without feeling like your missing things. The characters are likeable and funny. There's magical aspects that add to the story and just add to the small town cozy feel . It's a feel good story about finding yourself and how sometimes you can go home.
I'd recommend this book to anyone who enjoys cozy romance, magical creatures, magical elements and just good stories in general.

[Nandini Arakoni · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded down. honestly so entertained by the themes of this book. exes to lovers and the idea that you cant run away from home. i continue to feel despair about reece and maggie being separated forever now. bring back my best friends!!! laken annoyed me at the start but damn the man is a yearner!!! im so invested in them. i will always love a getting back together moment.

[Norees · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was swooning, laughing out loud, and tearing up. This book is absolute perfection. Come for the romance, stay for the fire breathing chickens!

[Michelle]

DNF@37%. Ive been struggling through this book for two weeks, not wanting to give up too soon because it’s a NetGalley ARC. Some of that is holiday blues, but most of it is the book. I just never wanted to pick it back up. I chose this book because it was about a magical animal sanctuary, but there’s been very little interaction with the animals so far. This book is a romance first and foremost. Not my cup of tea.

The romance has also been driving me nuts because it’s ridiculous. Reese hasn’t seen Larken in three years and he left her without a word and broke her heart. She pretends to be all mad, but she continues to flirt and think about how hot he is. If someone left me like that, I would not even be talking to them. She also thinks about how he never says anything real and he’s charms everyone, so why is she pining after him? Also, there’s a been a couple of strange instances where Larken seems hateful towards her. There is one point where he is described as staring at her “with a ruinous loathing.” I don’t know if this is a mistake that will get edited before publication, or if he actually has a reason to hate her. He is constantly mocking her and trying to rile her. “His voice sounded hard, sharp like a blade aimed to wound and eager to draw blood.” Again, why would she be attracted to this guy. It just made no sense to me.

The world-building has been nil so far and very confusing. There is magic, but so far we’ve learned nothing about it except that it exists. The MC is annoying and a complete mess. She doesn’t even seem to have common sense. Larken keeps arriving to save her from herself, just like her best friend did in the beginning of the book. She doesn’t appear to even know the basics about caring for the magical creatures even though she grew up there. Her father not allowing her the chance to lear doesn’t really explain why she’s so inept. Also, she did help while her mother was still alive.

I just can’t keep pushing myself to read this book that I’m not enjoying. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Ann · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

So, I really wanted to like this book. I love a good cozy fantasy romance, and exes back to lovers? A magical creature sanctuary? It all seemed right up my alley. Unfortunately, I just couldn't get into it because Reece is such a disaster of a protagonist. Now, don't get me wrong; I like a messy disaster of a protagonist sometimes, but Reece was the kind of character that 35% into the book, I was wondering exactly what if ANYTHING she was good at. There never seemed to be a puddle she doesn't step into, an obstacle she won't trip over, or a disaster she couldn't find herself in that wouldn't result in her ex Laken waltzing in to show her exactly how it's done. And yes, some of that can be written off as inexperience due to the fact that her dad kept her away from all work on the magical animal sanctuary this whole time, but since she grew up with it and worked there when her mother was still alive, shouldn't she know some of the basics anyway? Like the fact that she has to wake up early to feed all the animals, or else they'll get super cranky and pissed off? Or how to sell stuff at the market that the animal sanctuary seems to get most of its income from?

In addition, Reece's relationship with Laken never hit the depth of feeling that I wanted from childhood sweethearts broken up because Laken just up and left. Their dialogue never reached the venomous bitterness that could have been mined, and instead was mostly just, Laken flirting with innuendo, Reece reacting with annoyance, Laken shows her up yet again, and Reece stomps away. It was honestly a bit dull for a romance.

Where the book does shine is with the magical creatures: I really did love seeing all of them and hearing about the detailed care and feeding of all the different species (even if it was almost always Reece messing it up and Laken explaining it to her yet again). The worldbuilding of the book overall is a bit disjointed, but the magical creatures make up for a lot of it.

[Daniela807 · Rating 1 out of 5]

First off, thank you to Net-Gallery for a free digital ARC in exchange for my honest review. I will attempt to avoid any spoilers... but honestly, there really aren't any.

How I wish I ended of stopping this book... but I just can't "not finish" a book I started... but I really wish I had.

This book is horrible. I hate to say that, but it's just really, really bad. It reads like a (maybe) second draft at best and really did not need to be as long as it was. The writing itself was not even worth it. There is absolutely no character development, world building, or even common sense in this novel. The characters are shallow and completely forgettable to the point I really did forget who people/creatures were after awhile. There was no real drama, no build up of emotion or caring. Epperson chooses to reuse trope after boring trope over and over again, creating people who are one dimensional and not worth the time to care about at all. I have no idea what kind of time period this is taking place in, nor any real idea about the creatures Reece is supposed to be protecting.

Reece as a character is at best annoying, at worst a five year old child. All she does is repeat the same thought process over and over: hating the ex who abandoned her three years ago, yet practically jumping into his lap the first chance she gets, but then "oh no. my mortal enemy." That's it. That's the book. Laken is also very boring "golden child" who apparently became a part time assassin (literally right there in the description of the book). I would have loved ANYTHING to make this make sense. Anything at all. Instead, we get firey chickens.

Clearly, this was not my thing. Nothing in the novel made me want to read it after putting it down. Nothing in here made the investment worth the time - except finally being done with it. Maybe if Epperson had more time and a truly dedicated editor/beta reader, they would have produced something other than this. My opinion - don't waste your time.

[Amy M · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book so much I didn't want it to end. This is less heavily focused on the magical creatures than I expected, but it gave me just enough to feel satisfied while still wanting more. This book was also so funny. A heist where the FMC uses talk of menstrual blood to make the guards uncomfortable? Loved it. Men being like sewers because they are full of shit? Taylor Epperson you are speaking my language. Also this book has small LGBTQIA+ representation without it being cliche, tokenism, or only being used as a plot point.

What made this book 5 stars for me was Reece, our FMC. I have never seen so much of myself in a character as I did Reece. The complaining as a means of motivation, the fuck-it mentality, the casual well-mannered violence. Reece had absolutely nothing to prove to anyone but herself, and I loved it. It was super relatable to see her accept that she was lying to herself about her feeling, but being comfortable knowing that she wasn't ready to deal with it yet. The emotional pacing of this book was perfect for me because it never felt forced or rushed.

The author proved in this book that she knows how to do a well written friendship, regardless of gender. Reece and Maggie have no lies between them and no qualms about sharing harsh truths. Reece and Laken also rebuild the foundation of their relationship as friends first, which made the romantic transition even more believable.

Thank you to NetGalley, Grand Central Publishing, and Taylor Epperson for the free eARC

[Yesenia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Talk about a cute book! If you’re into cutesy romance with a splash of magic this is for you! Nothing like a second chance at love to make your heart ache and grow. This story follows Reece and Laken and their bumpy past and rocky future. Reece inherits a gift from her father causing her to return home. Only to be blindsided by her ex. Their story in true romance fashion is heated and fierce but eventually shows the deep rooted love and connection these two have. With a deadline approaching Reece has to put on her big girl panties and accept that she’s not alone and truly needs the help Laken offers.

Reece girl, you have guts of steel to return home 😆. She’s the type of FMC I feel like a lot of women can relate with. Strong, independent, stubborn, and a little snarky. But all for a good reason! She had a great live only to end up heart broken in the end. The girl is entitled to be a little grumpy toward her ex 😆. Those walls were built for a reason. But deep down she knows that one person is all she needs in life. But is too stubborn to follow her heart.

Laken, I have to admit I didn’t like him the beginning until he explained what happened. Then I melted into a pile of goo 😆. Who doesn’t want a strong man to help save you. Especially one that has been in love with you since… well forever. He’s got a heart of gold but muscles that make you swoon 🤤. But he has such a way of piasing you off with his secrets. Like dude! Just tell her 😆

I received this as an arc book from NetGalley.

[Lexie · Rating 3 out of 5]

First I want to say I love reading new authors, especially their debut novels. So big thank you to NetGalley and Forever Publishing for allowing me to read and review this in exchange for my honest opinion.

Just in the synopsis alone I was excited. It was giving “Fantastical Beasts and Where to Find Them” mixed with small town romance vibes. And Second Times a Charm delivered on all of that. The world building is charming and whimsical. The characters are hilarious and pigheaded. The second chance romance wasn’t perfect but it was fun from beginning to end.

Now even though I enjoyed this debut I still have some gripes. My biggest gripe is the “plot holes” if you even want to call them that. I honestly thought this was going to be a series, but according to Goodreads it’s not. Overall, I feel like there a lot of things that just wasn’t answered. And we just have to accept there will never be a resolution for it. Like the assassins debt, the poachers just bouncing, Reeces dad. Are all just a few examples of things that were addressed but just left unresolved. Because of this the books ending left me feeling unsatisfied and wanting more.

Overall, even with my gripes I enjoyed this. It was a fun, quick easy read. And I will definitely be checking out more of Taylor’s books in the future

[☆Laura☆]

Reece McCarthen dejó Honey Brooke hace años, después de una tragedia y de que el chico que amaba desapareciera sin decir adiós. Pero cuando su padre la nombra heredera del santuario familiar de criaturas mágicas, no le queda más remedio que regresar al pueblo que tanto le duele.
Lo que no esperaba era reencontrarse con Laken Augustus, el mismo hombre que la rompió y que ahora vive a unos pasos del santuario. Cuidar juntos animales mágicos mientras intentan ignorar el pasado no es precisamente sencillo.

______-



Tenía muchas expectativas, pero no me gustó. El desarrollo del mundo es inexistente; todo el tiempo tuve que imaginar si estaba ambientado en el pasado o en el presente. La magia nunca se explicó ni se mencionó cuántos tipos existían o cómo funcionaba. Fácilmente la autora pudo haber ambientado todo esto en un rancho y nada cambiaba; incluso se habría entendido mejor y no quedarían tantas dudas en este tema.

Hay muchas cosas que no se explican y, bueno, me quedaré con la duda. A eso le sumo que Reece es una damisela en apuros que no puede hacer nada por sí misma y necesita que su ex la salve, y se supone que Laken la lastimó, pero aun así sigue enamorada y cae de nuevo muy rápido. ¿Es mucho pedir un poco de amor propio?



Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

[Avery · Rating 2 out of 5]

SPOILER FREE REVIEW

The author’s vision is very clear, and her creativity shone through this book. Though it wasn’t my particular genre of reading, the premise of this book excited me.

This book was witty, humorous and light, with many characters being likeable and interesting, but it felt as if that was all there was. If it wasn’t lighthearted and cozy, it was mainly plot holes and questions unanswered. Overall, it was a fun read, but it also left me slightly confused and a little disappointed with the romance as it felt flat. Many issues in the book weren’t exactly explored enough, and often times led me to wonder, ‘Can Reece do anything but give witty comebacks?’

Not only that, but I was also a little disappointed with the fantasy portion of the book. Reece feels immature for someone with heavy responsibility, and it felt as if her character, internal monologues and personality weren’t befitting of someone her status, I mean, she literally takes care of dragons.

Overall, it was a fun, interesting read, but not so much my type of book. Many characters could have been explored more, and the plot could have been developed a whole lot more. The romance was good in the last few pages, but I definitely got frustrated like 80% of the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Central Publishing for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Kaitlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story focuses around Reece inheriting her father's mystical creature sanctuary after he father goes on an adventure and doesn't tell her. The worst part is, the sanctuary is $12,000 in debt which makes the sanctuary an easy target for poachers. Or maybe the worst part is that Reece's ex, Laken, has been helping around there since her father left.

There are definitely still unresolved feelings and unanswered questions between the two of them. The dynamic between them felt very juvenile to me, so when things started to get a bit sexual it was really cringe for me. The majority of the story is just Reece going "I hate him, I love him, I hate him, I love him." They do eventually start to get along again, but I feel like the chemistry just isn't there.

I enjoyed the mythical creatures and I loved that the author created new creatures that have never existed. My personal favorite were the chickens just because they gave Reece such a hard time. I wish we would have gotten to see more of them and that they had more to do with the story. While the story does revolve around them for the most part, we don't really get to see their personalities shine a whole lot. Overall, the story is cozy and those who enjoy that vibe will enjoy this book. Thank you to Netgalley, Grand Central Publishing, and Taylor Epperson for an ARC of this book. This review is my honest opinion.

[Jordan Brittany · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for this advanced copy of Second Time’s a Charm.

Overall: 3.25 stars out of 5, rounded to 3

Second Time’s a Charm tells the story of a magical modern world where magical animals are everywhere, and small town gossip is as well. It tells the story of Reece, who escaped her small town after the heartbreak of a her high school sweetheart. She returns after to her family’s magical animal sanctuary as the new owner after being gone, only to find her ex has been running it in her absence.

What follows is a story about finding herself after pain, and learning to move on.

My overall impression is I loved the cozy fantasy style world, but I wasn’t a huge fan of the characters. I liked the quirky world and the comedic storytelling, but I honestly felt like a lot was unresolved by the end. Laken still was leaving her for long missions, and I didn’t feel like Reece had fully moved over from that. Not to mention, it never felt like she dealt with the frustration and anger over her Dad not training her for raising the animals, even though he trained Laken.

I’d give this author another chance, but overall, it wasn’t quite as good as I hoped.

[Stephanie Buck · Rating 5 out of 5]

To start with. Dirty Hoe’s Flower Co. is the best shop name I have ever heard of… ok, moving onto the story!

Our loveable FMC is Reece. Her dad runs a magical animal sanctuary and she’s been called back home to take care of the animals in his absence. And she feels like a bit of a town outcast because one time when she was in charge of the sanctuary, some chickens set the town on fire…

The animals in the sanctuary are all adorable scamps. They have their own little personalities and quirks and I want to visit. Sign me up for the tour!

The love interest (because this is a love story) is Laken. They were childhood sweethearts but one day he disappeared and she didn’t hear from him in three years… when she sees him again she punches him in the face…. As she should.

This story was super cute, cozy low stakes fantasy that had me kicking my feet!

Love that our girl had a “dagger phase” and
jumping out of a window to avoid confrontation? Who hasn’t been there?

Highly recommend this book to anyone who loves cozy fantasy!

Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Book group for the eARC!

[Sara Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you’re looking for a cute, low stakes, second change romance with a fantasy element, this one is for you.

In this novel we follow Reece and Laken. Three years ago, Laken ghosted Reece, only leaving a note for his mom to tell her he had to go. Reece cannot handle living in their town, so she sets off to find a new adventure as a florist. Here is where our story picks up. Reece’s father went AWOL and left his magical creatures sanctuary to her. When she returns home to run the place, she finds Laken there. What will happen as these two try to put aside their differences for the sake of the animals?

This story was cute. I will say I was a bit bored by the continuous list of the feeding schedules for animals and so on. I understand why we need this (because what is a magical creatures sanctuary without magical creatures in the story) but it could have been woven in better.

I do like the little side plots of getting the sanctuary out of debt, Laken’s assassin job, and the poachers. It wasn’t too much but it helped the story stay interesting.

*An ARC was provided in exchange for an honest review.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

𝑆𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑 𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑟𝑜𝑚𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒
𝑂𝑛𝑒-𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑑 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑙𝑖𝑘𝑒-𝑡𝑜-𝑙𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑠
𝐶𝑜𝑧𝑦 𝑠𝑚𝑎𝑙𝑙-𝑡𝑜𝑤𝑛 𝑣𝑖𝑏𝑒𝑠
𝐿𝑎𝑢𝑔ℎ-𝑜𝑢𝑡-𝑙𝑜𝑢𝑑 𝑚𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑠
𝑀𝑎𝑔𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙 𝑎𝑛𝑖𝑚𝑎𝑙 𝑠𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑟𝑦 𝑠ℎ𝑒𝑛𝑎𝑛𝑖𝑔𝑎𝑛𝑠
𝑊𝑖𝑙𝑙-𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑦/𝑤𝑜𝑛’𝑡-𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑦 𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛

After three years away, 𝑅𝑒𝑒𝑐𝑒 McCarthen returns to Honey Brooke to inherit her late father’s chaotic sanctuary for magical creatures—and its crushing debt. To keep it afloat, she must work with the one person she swore off forever: 𝐿𝑎𝑘𝑒𝑛 Augustus, her childhood sweetheart turned assassin. With poachers in the woods and magical beasts on the loose, Reece has no choice but to team up with the boy she once loved and the man she definitely doesn’t trust.

Such a delightful read! With Reece’s sharp wit, magical creatures brimming with personality, small-town charm, laugh-out-loud moments, and a perfectly balanced will-they/won’t-they tension, this cozy romantasy deserves a spot on your tbr!

✦ Thank you Taylor Epperson + @grandcentralpub + @netgalley for a #gifted early e-copy!

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were some great elements of this book:
- The sanctuary animals
- Reece's sass
- The singing plants (until, they didn't - ha)
- The friendships

However, those didn't keep the book afloat for me. It seemed like Reece never really enjoyed the animals or being at the sanctuary, but then later is claiming all this passion for the animals (which she calls creatures, and even if that's true, it hurts my animal loving heart a little bit), it didn't fit with everything the book showed us to that point.
I get that the character has to grow, and I believe Reece did, it was just done in an uneven way.

There was also such a good story brewing just under the surface for Laken and his choice of profession, but it was just barely touched, give me a whole book of freeing pigs with these two, heist away!! That's where this book shone.

Overall, I thought it was a creative tale, and wish some of those animals existed in real life!

[randi rush · Rating 3 out of 5]

*3.5
this was such a charming, whimsical read, highlighted by the cutest animal sanctuary in the small town of honey brooke ⋆ ˚ ｡⋆

otherwise, the romance was decent, but i felt a little disconnected from it. second chance doesn’t always work for me when the entire basis of the relationship is that they have a past together that we don’t get to fully explore, and that’s kind of how this was. i think i would’ve enjoyed more moments between them showing their chemistry, because i do think they were good together. the plot was also a little scattered, without deeper exploration of all the different points — such as everything to do with laken being an assassin. i know that this is a cozier romantasy, so that’s probably why it felt like that, and it definitely did hit that mark!

thank you to netgalley and grand central publishing for the arc!