The Museum of Second Chances

by Jo Leevers

Every morning, Evelyn Silver walks the shoreline before the rest of Portheast wakes, gathering what the tide leaves behind. Broken cups. Lost trinkets. Objects others have discarded. In her small Museum of Maritime Curiosities, each one earns its place—because to Evelyn, every forgotten thing deserves to have its story told.

At the heart of the museum lies her most precious a fragment of Cornish lace, found pinned to her blanket when she was abandoned as a newborn. For over sixty years, she has kept it close, hoping someone might one day recognise it and tell her who she really is.

So when the local council threatens to close the museum, Evelyn stands to lose far more than her livelihood. Forced out of her solitude, she rallies the community around the museum’s curious collection—and as the objects begin to give up their secrets, lives start to intertwine in ways nobody expected.

Because sometimes, the most precious things aren’t lost at all. They’re simply waiting to be claimed.

Genres: Fiction, Mystery, Contemporary, Historical Fiction, Adult, Historical, Family Secrets

357 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication July 1, 2026

About the author

Hello there. My next novel is The Museum of Second Chances, out 1 July. My debut, Tell Me How This Ends, was a BBC Radio 2 Book Club pick, followed by The Last Time I Saw You, all published by Lake Union (Amazon Publishing). In Germany, my books are published by Droemer, as Café Leben and In den Augen Meiner Mutter.
I've also written an interiors book, Victorian Modern, out with Thames & Hudson. You can find me on social media as @joleevers and my website is joleevers.com

Reviews

[Jenée · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really beautiful and well told story. Initially, I wasn’t sure what to make of Evelyn. She’s quirky antisocial very withdrawn, and I wasn’t sure if she could hold the story. The nice thing is a story is not just about her. It also centers around people in her community and that some of the items that she holds in her museum have a history tied to them. What I really enjoyed the most was how the author gave each person their own individual story and told it in a way that was thoughtful and meaningful.

I received this as a e-Arc in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher.

[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a masterfully written book, I had trouble putting it down to go to bed. Our first meeting of Evelyn I wasn’t sure what to make of her, and I was surprised at first when we started getting perspectives & storylines for characters other than her. Over the course of the book though we get to learn who they all are now, and get to follow along as they make discoveries about their pasts, all of which tie back to Evelyn and her museum.

The histories of the museum pieces were told so wonderfully, at just the right pace to keep you hooked, and to let the characters learn & grow. I absolutely loved seeing how Evelyn changes and blooms by the end of the book. Seeing she and her friends getting a chance to reconnect with their pasts, and change their futures for the better, had me on the edge of my seat at times, literally gasping out loud and even crying a bit. I highly recommend this book.

I received a free e-ARC and am voluntarily leaving an unbiased review.

[Vanessa Sumner · Rating 4 out of 5]

If I began a review of this book about how tired I am of every single book I read having violence against women in it, I would never finish the review. I would like a solitary book that doesn’t have violence against women or homophobia to be written in my lifetime. I’m kind of at a breaking point here. I don’t want all women and queer experiences to be marred by male violence.
But the book was great. Distinct characters, great plot, careful plot planning, a wee, wee bit of romance. It’s all there. I’m glad this was on offer for First Reads

[KDRBCK]

The Museum of Second Chances by new to me author Jo Leevers published by Lake Union Publishing is a full length, stand alone novel.
Heartwrenching, teary eyeing, and heart warming at the same tme.
I loved spending time with story and characters, loved the pace and the beautiful writing, 5 stars.

[Virginia Dianne Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Connections of lost items to individual stories and secrets made for a highly enjoyable read.

Slipped into life on the Cornwall coast, with a cast of interesting and relatable characters. Especially appreciated the clean story and smooth storytelling. Made me curious about a painting featured in the story, so I checked out images of the paintings of Peter Layton. Am a BIG believer in 2nd chances, having had multiple instances in my own life. Would love to read her debut novel next!

[Heather Stone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful winding story

This book literally takes you to Cornwall and the characters become so real that you don't want to put the book down. It's also an unusual premise that became more interesting as you read. Love the book will read more from this

[Edmond Porter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unexpected interwoven events create a story that grips the reader. There is no way Evelyn Silver, an antisocial recluse in her clutter museum should touch so many lives, but she does. A well told story that keeps the reader involved from start to finish.

[Theresa Baethke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding! Honestly I wasn’t sure if I would like the book. Not really my preferred read. But what a great book!

This book kept growing on me more profoundly every day. It even crept into my dreams. The characters were so well written they felt like real people to me.

Read this book!!

[Roger Lundquist · Rating 5 out of 5]

Triumph

Wonderful character driven story. People are forced out of "their box" and move on triumphantly at the end. Who could ask for more?
Donitta

[Angela Bowers · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a touching story of found family, revealed secrets and rediscovering the inner self. I could not put this book down! My only comment is there was one loose end that didn’t get tied up as tightly as I wanted but it was addressed. Loved this one!

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

just ok

It was ok. Not certain there were any characters that I could truly relate too. And way too many convenient threads woven throughput the story that bound the characters together.

[SnowDevil · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read for First Reads June 2026.
Like another reviewer, I happened to read this right after reading Remarkably Bright Creatures - and unfortunately, this book has some obvious parallels but does not compare favorably. (For one thing, it's missing a grumpy octopus to make things right :) ).

Like Remarkably Bright Creatures, The Museum of Second Chances also features a slightly reclusive/anti-social older woman with no living family, living in a small town, working alone in a museum (in this case it's more of an antiques/secondhand shop that happens to display old things rather than sell them; in RBC it's an aquarium). Unlike the other reader, I did not pick this book from the June selections *because* of its similarities to RBC, but the similarities became obvious in the first couple chapters.

Our main character Evelyn is younger than RBC's Tova by about a decade (she's in her mid-60s), but she acts like she's in her 30s, or sometimes even younger. She is very anti-social and feels uncomfortable interacting with people in town, pre-judging them all and going out of her way to avoid interactions with them even when they're going out of their way to be nice. It was hard to empathize with Evelyn, even though I am an introvert and don't relish social interactions, because her outlook was incredibly naive. She didn't avoid interacting with people in town because they had previously shown themselves to be bad actors... she avoided them because she herself was naive and had never bothered to question what was going on around her; she had accepted things that happened to her in her past at face value, and never really confronted them.

The book's plot hinges around Evelyn and her business neighbor Della trying to save their repurposed boat sheds with prime waterfront property from being purchased by a modern fish 'n' chips restaurant chain. At Della's urging, Evelyn allows her "museum" to take the lead in a human interest campaign to save them for the town and prevent the outside investment by a (presumably predatory) enterprise. For the first half, or more, of the book, though, I really couldn't understand why it was compelling to try to save this "museum" to begin with. After they tried to find connections to some of the objects, it was clear that saving the museum was just serving as an entry point to a small-town story of community and rediscovery, but the museum of lost things and Evelyn's backstory was all rather pathetic and trivial and really didn't hold up for me.

As a feel-good story about community building and giving everyone around you a second chance, I also felt that this book underdelivered. All of the stories involved someone in a previous generation lying to their children or grandchildren, with the "feel-good" conclusion being that the younger generation (the book's protagonists), upon learning the truths, all individually conclude that it's better to have the truths out in the open in order to build positive relationships with the people around them, than it is to hide uncomfortable realities and deceive your children and neighbors. It was all much more superficial and predictable than the deeper issues in RBC. None of the characters in this book had much depth, and the seemed to share a unifying character trait of not wanting to do anything to better themselves or their situations until this outside force came in and threatened them. Evelyn in particular struck me as a frustrating character with little to define her aside from her reactions to things that had happened in her past.

Additionally, it annoyed me that Evelyn spent the entire book (as a mid-60s woman) desperately wanting to understand her parentage, after having spent the previous 50 years just sitting around and hoping that her unknown birth mother would come in and talk to her about a piece of lace in her junk display. It felt contrived and overly shallow - as if the author found a tick-list of tropes that are selling right now and tried to slot them all into the book (feel-good, community building, small town, rustic/sea setting, older protagonist, family secrets...).

CW: domestic violence. While it wasn't super graphic, it felt a bit off-color in the way it was depicted, and it annoyed me that that particular dimension was even in the story at all. Are there no other struggles that female characters can have that don't involve abuse at the hands of men close to them? Unnecessary and poorly addressed in this book in particular.

Even worse: one of the suggested "book club questions" at the end of the book asks if the abused woman should have left her abusive partner sooner. WTF people.

[Katherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have not read this author before but found this to be a completely enjoyable book. Most people, I suppose, like myself, beachcomb but like things such as seashells, pretty pebbles, sand polished glass shards, interesting pieces of driftwood and consider anything else either uninteresting or irritating, having been deemed the products of mindless littering. Not so Evelyn Silver, a 61 year old spinster living in the seaside town of Portheast in Cornish. She has no family, both parents having died and no other siblings. She moved to London in her 20's to work at the British Museum but some mysterious misfortune destroyed her chances at a promising career so she returned to the seaside home in which she'd grown. A tiny town everyone knew her history--a foundling with a piece of lace pinned to the blanket in which she'd been wrapped, who'd been adopted somewhere up north by the Silvers. She cherished the piece of lace and when Mr Silver gave her place for her to store it and the incredible collection of discarded shoes, pieces of boat boards, balls of twine and pieces of plastic she'd collected from the beach and named it the Portheast Museum of Maritime Curiosities she eagerly took on the role of curator. Each morning she took a tote bag to the beach and brought back more pieces for her collection--broken china, odd shaped pebbles, a dog's leash. Not many people came to peruse these things but she kept busy on the beach and rummaged garage sales and thrift shops for other items that represented daily life and was quite content. Her only discontent focused on her desire to know who a real mother had been and hoped that one day someone would recognize the lace scrap and realize who she was.
Life went on for Evelyn in this way until the town councilors came to call on her and Della, her next door neighbor who ran a bakery in the next boatshed. It seemed that a development company wanted to buy the sheds, raze them and build a hotel. Della and Evelyn were renting from the town and so were told they would need to move out when their leases ended. Della was not going to take that laying down and so managed to persuade Evelyn to appeal to the townsfolk for help. The idea being that the items in the museum were part of the town's history. And with that, Evelyn's life and the dusty old museum found themselves turned upside down and inside out--with secrets and stories unearthed in ways no one could have expected!!

[Richard Propes · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Museum of Second Chances" isn't my usual sort of read, however, I was between reviews and decided to for a bit of a literary palate cleanser.

Jo Leever's writing is gently atmospheric. It's the kind of writing that makes us not just see her characters but feel them. At the center of all this here is Evelyn Silver, a bit of a quirky sort and not particularly likable early on. I kept thinking "Is she really going to center this entire book around Evelyn?"

Indeed, she does.

Fortunately, we begin to understand that the more we invest ourselves. Evelyn spends her mornings walking along the shoreline in her home of Portheast. She finds little objects, some to be thrown away but others to take a place of honor within her barely visited Museum of Maritime Curiosity.

As often happens it seems, her picturesque place is threatened by the arrival of a corporate giant who finds it to be a perfect spot for a fish & chips spot. This leads us into a journey toward rallying the community, discovering oneself, telling stories, and sometimes finding a different path.

It begins with Evelyn and a mysterious fragment of Cornish lace, but in due time other stories will be told and other characters introduced. Indeed, while Evelyn is front-and-center here this is very much an ensemble piece.

"The Museum of Second Chances" carries with it a gentle rhythm throughout. We can't help but enjoy these characters and their whimsical ways. We can imagine this village, and we can visualize the stories being told. I could easily see "The Museum of Second Chances" as a small independent motion picture. Throughout the book, there's an identifiable theme of seeking community, longing to find a place to belong, and a search for oneself and one's stories.

The book is very appropriately titled. In this cases, second chances arrive for places, people, and even the smallest objects that carry big meaning in our lives.

An Amazon First Read for June 2026, "The Museum of Second Chances" is lovely storytelling about people we grow to love.

[Books By Your Bedside · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union for the advanced copy of this title in return for an honest review.

I have loved Jo's books so far - Tell Me How This Ends and The Last Time I Saw You - and this ne wone sounded just as delightful.

It has 55 chapters which is roughly 6 pages a chapter; I love short chapters so that was good.

I loved Evelyn as a main character. She's 61 but my mind decided she was this very old women who was a bit mysterious. Think silver hair, mismatched clothes, whimsical...think Phoebe Buffay but older. And I don't know why because she clearly isn't but the very first description of her on the beach, that was the figure that came to mind and I couldn't get rid of it.

There are a core group of main character who are all different, some more likeable than others, but they are all passionate about the same cause and they're a bit like an odd-couple (in group form) but somehow they work. They all have their own stories, so they're not just there to support Evelyn's story, but they do all work together overall.

Her books, this one included, are genteel, easy to read, but she doesn't skimp on the deep topics. It's meaty but not overwhelming.

I loved this idea that not all trash is trash and that treasure can mean something completely different to different people.

I didn't find it as emotional as her previous books, which isn't a negative, just an observation. But that's not to say I didn't find it moving because it really is. The emotion and the heart woven through it all.

If I'm honest, I did find it a little show going to begin with. It did pick up quickly and it wasn't a bad opening, but I just felt I was getting distracted quite easily at first.

She has really captured this idea of wanting to belong, to a community, to a family, to a home, to a friendship group. But it's not mushy or corny.

We're three books in and she's already a go-to author and I remain excited for what she does next.

[Cleopatra Pullen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having enjoyed Tell Me How This Ends, I was eager to see where Jo Leevers would take her storytelling next. The Museum of Second Chances begins quietly, and I’ll admit it took me a little time to settle into its rhythm. But once the story opened up, the characters and the emotional threads tied to the museum’s “treasures” became wonderfully absorbing.

Drawing on the novel’s premise, Evelyn Silver, a foundling raised by adoptive parents who opened a tiny seaside museum filled with objects washed ashore or donated by locals. These stories explore how forgotten or discarded things can hold the truths people would rather keep buried. As the council threatens closure, Evelyn and a small, mismatched group of townspeople rally to save the museum, and in doing so, they begin to confront their own histories.

Evelyn herself is quirky, withdrawn, and not immediately easy to warm to, but her backstory as a foundling gives her a quiet intrigue. As the novel progresses, she becomes the emotional anchor of the book, not because she demands attention, but because the author allows her to grow in small, believable ways. The cast around her is equally engaging, each character shaped by their own regrets, secrets, and hopes.

What makes the novel so heart‑warming is the way Jo Leevers uses the museum’s objects to create stories that feel entirely believable. Each “treasure” becomes a doorway into a relationship blown apart by misunderstanding, loss, or silence. These stories never feel gimmicky; instead, they deepen the novel’s themes of belonging, identity, and the fragile connections that bind people together.

By the end, the book becomes a gentle, uplifting reminder that community can be built from the most unexpected places, and that sometimes the smallest found object can change the course of a life. It’s thoughtful, warm, and full of emotional resonance.

A lovely, discussion‑rich read and absolutely one for a book club.

[Leanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Museum of Second Chances is one of those gentle, quietly luminous stories that feels like stepping into a seaside morning before the world wakes — soft light, salt air, and the sense that something long‑lost might finally be within reach.

Evelyn Silver is the beating heart of Portheast, even if she doesn’t quite realise it. Her dawn walks along the shoreline, gathering the broken and discarded, give the town a kind of quiet magic. In her Museum of Maritime Curiosities, every object earns a story, every forgotten thing is given a place to belong. And at the centre of it all is her own mystery: a fragment of Cornish lace, the only clue to the life she was denied as a newborn.

When the council threatens to close the museum, the stakes become far more personal than a lost livelihood. Evelyn is forced out of her solitude and into the arms of a community she’s spent decades observing from a distance. As the museum’s odd little treasures begin to reveal their secrets, the people of Portheast start revealing theirs too — tenderly, unexpectedly, beautifully.

What Jo Leevers captures so well is the quiet ache of longing: for identity, for connection, for a place to call home. The story unfolds with warmth and a touch of whimsy, but always grounded in the very real truth that sometimes the things we think are lost are simply waiting for us to be ready.

A heartfelt, hopeful novel about belonging, community, and the stories we carry — and a reminder that even the smallest found object can change a life.

With thanks to Jo Leevers, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC

[Jerri Bosley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I chose this book out of my two monthly freebies from Amazon's First Reads. It is the first time I have done this so I was not aware I was reading before it is published - how exciting!

Now I read this coming off the back of reading Amazingly Bright Creatures, a lovely heart-warming story about an elderly lady. When I was scanning the titles available on First Reads I saw another mention of an elderly lady and I was sold - I wanted more feel good/heart-warming/hug in a book feels.

This book is about Evelyn, an only child, a foundling. A lonely lady who prefers her own company, and is a curator of a museum which is about to be shut down. The local community come together to try to help her to save her museum, but to also answer the questions about her own story. Who she is and where did she come from.
Along her journey she soon discovers that she does not prefer her own company, and her friendships thrive whilst she discovers local history and the story of her own life.

Little did I know - Evelyn is not elderly! She is early 60's, something I greatly misunderstood from the way she was depicted in the book.

I do believe if I had read this before Amazingly Bright Creatures, I would have rated this book a lot higher. Sadly for me, now holding that book as my comparison - this book did not live up to the same level. Whilst it made me smile and yes, it was a lovely story, it did not bring out such emotions in me that I was sobbing in several places.

Therefore I am rating this book 3 stars. A lovely story, I am very glad I chose to read this book and I look forward to reading more by Jo Leevers in the future.

[Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

📚✨ Book Review: The Museum of Second Chances by Jo Leevers ✨📚

"Every object tells a story. Only one can lead her home."

If you've ever wondered what stories might be hidden behind the objects we treasure, The Museum of Second Chances is a book you'll want to add to your TBR. 💙

This novel combines family secrets, self-discovery, and a charming museum filled with meaningful objects, each carrying a piece of someone's history. As the protagonist uncovers the stories behind these artifacts, she also finds herself unraveling truths about her own past.
What I loved most was the cozy, hopeful atmosphere. The museum felt like a character in its own right, packed with memories, emotions, and the possibility of fresh starts. The object-based storytelling gave the book a unique touch, and several stories tugged at my heartstrings. 🥹

✨ Expect:
🗝️ Family mysteries
🏺 Sentimental treasures with hidden stories
💔 Healing and second chances
🌿 Cozy, reflective vibes
📖 A character-driven journey
The pacing is gentle rather than fast-paced, so this is perfect for readers who enjoy sinking into a story and connecting with the characters. While it took me a little time to fully immerse myself, the emotional payoff made it worthwhile.

Overall, The Museum of Second Chances is a warm hug of a book that reminds us that sometimes the things we leave behind—and the things we hold onto—can help us find our way home.

Thank you so much to Jo for gifting me the arc I had a wonderful reading this.

[AngieA Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story has many layers. Evelyn Silver, the protagonist, is the curator of The Museum of Second Chances. She lives a solitary life until her museum and the café next door are threatened by development. Enter Della. And Jacob. And Allison. They are all in the need of second chances and the preservation of the boat sheds that house these two shops is just what they all need to embrace that opportunity.

I received this Kindle edition via Amazon First Reads for free and offer this review voluntarily.

I love Evelyn. She is a survivor of trauma and heartbreak and keeps on going. The secondary characters are well drawn and each have their own story. They learn to support and lean on each other as they navigate what is happening in their lives. There is a secret and they are determined to discover the answers they seek. They each contribute their own strengths to the cause of saving the museum and café as well as helping each other through what is revealed. I think what I liked best about this book was the casual way it meandered through the story. Just revealing what we needed to know when we needed to know it and it was soft and mellow. There was tension but not overwhelming and the resolutions are satisfying. And proving that second chances should be embraced. Highly recommend.

[Emma-Claire Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Museum of Second Chances by Jo Leevers.
I won’t pretend that I am a new reader of Jo’s work. I’ve been a fan since I turned the final page of her debut novel – but I have to admit, this book may just take the blue ribbon as my favourite of her books so far. I was completely absorbed from the first page, drawn into a world where lost things and lost people are given the chance to breathe.
Evelyn is an incredibly endearing character, and she reminds me of the love I found for Eleanor in Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine. The book and its characters are tender, heartfelt, and written with breathless care on the page.
Jo writes with such quiet confidence, allowing the smallest of moments to land with real weight and importance.
Jo writes emotion in a way that is so vivid it lingers in the air long after the final page and creates characters that live on in your mind long after you’ve left the story behind.
The Museum of Lost Things is a moving, beautifully written novel that only served to prove to me why Jo’s storytelling abilities draw me back to her each and every time.

[Rich ✧ ✭ ✧ · Rating 4 out of 5]

An absolutely charming read about second chances and the power of human connection.

Set by the seaside I could almost smell the sea salt air, as Jo does a brilliant job and creating a wonderful atmosphere on the beach, in the museum of oddities and other settings within the story.

The story is packed with such warmth and love, I challenge anyone not to finish this without a huge smile on their face.

Whilst Evelyn, the owner of the museum being threatened with closure, is central to the story, Jo has crafted some worthy and diverse characters who are all longing for change in their life too. There’s relatability amongst these characters and each has their own tender story which unravels alongside Evelyn’s. This community of people tell the stories of loneliness, domestic violence, a longing to belong, job security and much more.

I loved how items from this somewhat forgotten museum bring people together and help change peoples lives. It’s a really clever story concept and highlights the power of change, community and love.

It’s an uplifting story that reminds you change is always possible and connections can be lifechanging. Congratulations Jo, this is such a wonderful book.

[Shawna Briseno · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even though Evelyn has lived in the small seaside town of Portheast for her entire life, she's a bit of a loner. She's always known that she was a "foundling", a child left on a doorstep to be found and raised by another family. Now, with her mother and father long gone, she spends her days walking along the beach, looking. As the saying goes, one person's trash is another person's treasure. To Evelyn, everything has a story worth telling. So these found objects make their way to her tiny Museum of Maritime Curiosities, a ramshackle collection of objects ranging from antique teacups to discarded sunglasses. This is her life, her existence. She has no close friends and no remaining family. Just her museum and her treasures. And then that safe and secure world is threatened. Her museum, as well as another small business, is in danger of being sold and converted to a large and well known restaurant chain. Evelyn forces herself to step out of her solitary world and take action. With the help of community members who eventually become friends, she discovers the true stories behind her found objects. Can she find out the truth about her beginnings as well? This was a good story with interesting characters.

[Dee · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Museum of Second Chances is an engaging and thoughtful read that handles complex life situations with a remarkably deft touch.

What Worked Well
Intertwined Relationships: The heart of the book lies in how the characters connect with one another. The relationships are intricate, believable, and kept me genuinely invested in how they would unfold.

Engaging Characters: The people inhabiting this story feel real. They are well-developed, easy to root for, and stay with you after the final page.

A Delicate Balance: The book touches on several difficult and heavy topics. However, Jo Leevers manages to deal with them lightly. This approach perfectly matches the overall style of the book—it never feels bogged down or overly bleak, yet it still successfully communicates the true weight of the characters' struggles.

Final Verdict
This is a beautifully balanced novel that manages to be both uplifting and grounded. If you enjoy character-driven stories about connection, resilience, and new beginnings, I highly recommend picking this one up.

[Fran McBookface · Rating 4 out of 5]

Evelyn Silver has always been quirky and her museum of lost objects is quirkier still. Featuring discarded everyday objects - throwaway signs and broken teacups - she is a firm believer that every object tells a story. Though the museum set in a small Cornish village is hardly a big attraction, when it is threatened with closure the community pull together to rally round Evelyn, save the institution and discover the power of friendship.

This was a joy to read. Just a lovely book with a great story and fabulous characters. I read it in one sitting on a rainy Sunday with a big cuppa. Perfection!

As well as Evelyn, the campaign gives much needed impetus to several members of the community and they all resolve various personal issues throughout the story.

I’ve been fortunate enough to visit several Cornish villages and Jo really brings the setting to life and Portheast definitely gave me Mevagissey vibes

This is a brilliant heartwarming hug of a book and the perfect escape. Huge recommend

[Linda Ferguson]

Review of the Museum of Second Chances (not yet published) by Jo Leevers.i found this to be a quaint summer read that focuses around Evelyn & Della, the owners of businesses in Portheast on the boat sheds that a New business Rufus Fish and Chips wants to take. Evelyn has her Museum’s of Maritime Curiosities and Della, from Australia who ran the ice cream shop next door.
The town council agrees with Rufus because The museum doesn’t get much foot traffic.

First, Jo Leevers, is an excellent writer because she describes in detail each character in great detail making them really come to life.

Second, the ongoing theme of the boat house in her previous books and in this one make you wonder if she doesn’t live on the water getting her active imagination the calming waters.

Lastly, this feel-good, community read with different characters connecting for various reasons and oddities is just what we need in our great nation at this time and place!

Thanks to Net Galley, Amazon First Read June 2026, and of course the author for an advanced copy of the book.

[AngelaC · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another wonderful book from Jo Leevers.
There are no long descriptions of people or places yet, as I read, I could see the Cornish village in my mind's eye, and the local people including the "three wise men" sitting on a bench watching the harbour and forecasting the weather, the village busybody striding along with her three dachshunds, Della the offbeat Australian cafe owner and, of course, Evelyn, the introverted owner of the museum with its eclectic collection of exhibits that most would have relegated to the dustbin.
It is these exhibits that allow the second chances in the book's title - a secomd chance at blighted relationships, a second chance at resolving family histories that have been hidden for decades and, ultimately, a second chance at living life to the full.
I love Jo Leevers' ability to create a warm, fuzzy world that draws the reader in and puts life, in all its quirkiness, under a very gentle spotlight.
Highly recommended.

[Judith A · Rating 4 out of 5]

trigger warnings

I have not finished reading this book. I’m not sure I will. It is well written. My problem with the book is there are people who have been or are being abused.

When you ask a woman how her rocky marriage is going and she says it’s fine while she tugs on the sleeves of her shirt, you might want to ask her again. When a woman suddenly quits something that she was thoroughly enjoying and wears sunglasses when the weather is rainy and you know her spouse is a hot head, you might want to question a little further. When another woman tells you about her abusive mother whom she hasn’t seen in 15 years because she left home at age 15, it’s probably not a good idea to suggest she go talk with her mother. Yes, I read past these incidents, but the incidents did not sit well with me at all.

I’ve read a few other reviews and I know they’re saying the book has a happy ending. However, I may never find out. This book should come with trigger warnings.

[Carol Mcgrath · Rating 5 out of 5]

Second Chances

Evelyn is running a museum in Portheast and Della has the coffee shop next door. The City Counsel wants to.shut both down by not renewing their leases. Evelyn's museum has a lot of junk that she has collected over the years. When people hear that the museum is going to have to close they start coming in to visit. Allison comes up with the idea that Evelyn should have a show and invite people to come to the museum. Allison, Jacob, Sariah, George. Evelyn and Delle form a committee to try to save the museum. This is a very interesting book. The show is called Second Chances. Some of the items that the show revolves around changes peoples lives. he characters are well developed and the story line keeps you engaged. I believe you will enjoy this book

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

3, maybe 3.5…..Read on a long air flight. Daily, Evelyn, a 60+ year old somewhat curmudgeon, combs the beach and rummage-type sales, collecting items that she believes might mean something to someone. Her museum becomes the central setting for the novel. The local town government is threatening to close her boat shed of collections, and her next door neighbor’s, to make way for a restauranteur. So she must figure out a way to survive and fight, since this place is all she has. Inevitability she becomes connected to a variety of locals who become a tour de force and her friends (although it takes Evelyn forever to figure that out. Secrets are revealed, unintentionally, when an exhibition is promoted. And so, the novel unfolds. I enjoyed it but would not consider this a memorable book.