Second Chances

by Rachel Cullen

WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOU GOT A SECOND CHANCE?The tale of four very different women whose lives have fallen off their expected paths and the story of how they navigate the friendships, relationships, and uphill journeys through their entangled ‘do-overs’ in the game of life.A single mother deserted by her adulterous ex-husbandA socialite who abandoned her family and fled to the CaribbeanA high-powered executive with a disconcerting fear of commitment and a questionable sense of judgmentA privileged teenager plagued with a lecherous father and absentee mother while bewildered by an unforeseen opportunity with the most sought-after boy in schoolAlthough the women are each dealt cards they never expected, they find friendship, family, and love in the least likely of places, and with those, they find hope.

Genres: Fiction

329 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 16, 2017

Reviews

[Sherri Thacker]

Sometimes when you read a book, you keep asking yourself should I keep going? This is that book. I didn’t love it and I didn’t hate it. I felt like I could only connect with part of the story so for that reason, this one only gets 2 stars. Maybe if I had read her first book prior to this one (The Way I've Heard it Should Be), this book would've "read" better, I just don't know. Thank you for this complimentary copy of this book from Darice Rowan PR through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[Audrey Beerman]

I love the format of this book. Cullen gives each character her own platform to express her truth by having each of the four women "own" her chapters. It's refreshing; even the best omniscient narrator would be hard pressed to jump, authentically, between the teenager living out her young love fantasy, for instance, and a mom of teenagers grappling with her complex family situation. I won't reveal any spoilers but there are a few plot twists which really surprised me! Terrific read!

[Marsha Lambert]

I loved this book. A light hearted easy to read story that had some life lessons in it without going too deep. A quick read that I thoroughly enjoyed. A young woman whose older husband decides he doesn’t want another baby after she’s already pregnant, his teenage daughter who once hated her becomes her babysitter, a middle aged woman living apart from her family become a good friend.. A heartwarming story of friends and family.

[Fluff Smut & Murder]

Thank you to NetGalley.com for the opportunity to read an Advanced Reader Copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book could have been absolutely amazing but its being held back from greatness from itself. The individual characters are well thought out in the present day; they are strong women who seems to feel comfortable in their own own skin but the skimpiness on their history left me wanting a lot more. The ending reminded me of Snow White’s Scary Adventures at Disneyland – a dark ride with where you don’t know what’s around the corner and then poof! Sunlight and they lived happily every after without any means of getting there.

What I loved: Megan was my favorite – maybe because I think she is a teenager who doesn’t exist naturally in the wild and is only a figment of a parent’s imagination. A teenager who willingly would get up 5 days a week at the crack of dawn in the summer to go into the city to be with her little sister? That’s about as rare as an all white liger born in captivity.

What I didn’t love: Sabrina seems to have a serious drinking problem that she magically resolves by the end of the book with true love. Danielle can easily head back to work with her toxic ex-husband with no issues in a few short weeks as her maternity leave winds down – because all major law firms love their associates to have babies. Michelle throws more money at their children because you always take the billionaire spouse back even if he’s a cheater. Megan’s the only one who wins – she gets her own place. It would have been nice to see how all of these things came to be instead of just a poof!

What I learned: Country mouse here…

Overall Grade: B

www.FluffSmutandMurder.com

[Melody Morris]

Second Chances – Rachel Cullen

I was fortunate to receive this novel as an Advance Reader Copy, in exchange for an objective review.

Set in Manhattan and suburbs, this is the story of four different women who are trying to make their way in a crazy world. We first meet Michelle, who in a moment of anger/despair, walks out on her husband and children, for reasons not yet known to us, and isolates herself in a small apartment. We then meet Danielle, a newly divorced and now single Mom to a newborn, who’s father wants nothing to do with her. She’s all alone and frantically trying to manage a screaming baby. We meet Sabrina, Danielle’s friend, who works in a sales venue, which has her traveling frequently, having one-night stands with men, who seems to shy away from any commitment, but suddenly finds herself in a compromising situation that threatens everything. Then we meet Megan, daughter of Danielle’s ex-husband; she’s 15 years old, and struggling with the autocratic ways of her father.

As the novel progresses, these women’s lives all merge – each chapter detailing a different character and her story, as each individual struggles with betrayal, hope, self-confidence, and self-worth, as they make the most of their situations and attempt to find their happy-ever-after’s.

I truly enjoyed this book! It is a sweet story, one suitable for the beach or rainy day, with thoroughly engrossing characters, scenarios and situations that we can all likely relate to! A wonderful read!! Thank you Ms. Cullen! I loved Second Chances!!

[Louise Foerster]

I know this story well, having grown up and lived in this part of the country for most of my life, so I expected an interesting time, a fresh take on women having to make their own ways forward when their expectations fall terribly short. The premise is interesting, the characters different and compelling, but the story did not come to life for me. I abandoned it with a heavy sigh and great disappointment. I hope that the writer continues to grow and develop her craft and look forward to what she comes up with next.

[a🧚‍♀️]

2 stars ⭐️

[Cristie Underwood]

This book focuses on friendship, romance and heartbreak via a group of four women. This is the perfect summer read, as it is easy to leave and pick up the plot.

[Danielle]

DNF when the Jewish woman started talking about her curly hair and big nose being fixed and that’s the miracle that made her attractive finally in her 40s. I almost stopped at when Sabrina complimented her own alabaster skin. Nope. This was shit writing. Not worth my time.

[Terri Bond]

a great story about love and friendship and how they survive heartache and find happiness again. i loved this book

[stephanie]

This book was terrible. I DNF’d it less than halfway in. Terrible writing, hard to follow. Not for me.

[Eileen Quigley]

Second Chances submerges readers into the lives of four women in various life stages and circumstances. All four are at a crossroads with sink-or-swim moments. The title unsubtly hints each will get a second chance. How will their second chances look? A chance for a re-do? A chance to leap into the unknown and pursue an entirely different path?

The author introduces us to Michelle, an educated, professionally successful mid-life woman who left her home, husband and two children for reasons unbeknownst to readers. Slowly readers learn why she left her cozy life in the suburbs to return to Manhattan and an uncertain future (along with the lesson, money doesn’t always yield happiness). Then, through paper-thin apartment walls we hear a baby wailing at all hours of the day and night and get introduced to Michelle’s neighbor, Danielle, a sleep-deprived new mother of 11 days, who left her husband and is trying to figure out her new normal all on her own. Danielle’s best friend, Sabrina, is a successful young professional living life fast-and-loose, without meaningful romantic attachments. Why would Sabrina need a second chance? And then we meet 15-year-old Megan, Danielle’s former stepdaughter, who is stumbling through the aftermath of her parent’s divorce, with no loving adult guidance in sight.

“You know when you think about what your life would have been like if you had made just one decision differently?” muses Michelle as she reflects on the path her life has taken.

Throughout Second Chances, the author shares how individual burdens ease when women lift each other up. No one has the luxury of turning back the clock and choosing a different route, but with supportive women in their lives acting like a GPS navigation system, these women help each other “recalculate” how to get on a successful life path.

I appreciated how the author created something for everyone with her characters, so no matter your age: from teen to mid-life, readers could identify with the plights of the characters and cheer them on to find their happy endings. The ending felt a bit too tidy, as if the author hit her target page number and then went for the quick close, tying up loose ends too quickly and neatly. I would have preferred a few more “ups and downs” for the characters, wanting to see how the trajectory of their lives would unfold for a bit longer. This was a quick read, and if you want to feel good about humanity and women helping each other when the going gets tough, this book will be worth your time.

[Kathy Lewison]

I loved this book. A very light hearted novel. I read this book on a road trip. I enjoyed the different characters and their struggles and accomplishments. The story is relatable on many levels. A former young attorney whose former much older husband decides he doesn’t want a relationship after she’s already pregnant. He has a rocky relationship with his teenage daughter. The daughter, who once despised her becomes her nanny. She confideds tha her dad is now having yet another relationship, this time with a young nanny. Her neighbor who has a complicated relationship becomes her rock. This is a wonderfully story of friends and family. Highly recommended.

[Diane]

Very predictable

This book involves several women, who are all struggling with relationships. This is the second book by this author that I have read recently. While it appears that most readers think the author is fabulous, for me her writing is a bit overdone, too cute. I found this to be true in both books. The stories are, however rather interesting, but in both books, the last part of the book resolves all issues, all problems are solved, all misunderstandings corrected. Everyone is joyous, sharing meals and funding love. Too much for me!

[Ellen]

Danielle is a single mom after her husband cheats on her and they divorce. Michelle fled from her husband and kids and her privileged life in Westchester, but we don’t yet know why. Sabrina is a high powered executive looking for fun with no commitment, while Megan, Danielle’s stepdaughter is navigating the challenges of teen life. Each chapter alternates with their stories, and is a pleasant read. No real surprises here, but an easy read.

[Gail Singleton]

More chances...

I really enjoyed reading Second Chances by Rachel Cullen. This is only the second of her books that I've read. She's a great storyteller. I love Danielle's story. She was knocked down a few times but she bounced back and didn't let it make her bitter. Sometimes marrying the wrong person can really mess some people up and having the kind of husband she had would've been a nightmare. I can't wait to read more books by Rachel Cullen.

[Nicole Gubler]

Entertaining chick-lit book! The story covers a newly divorced young single mom, a middle aged woman working through a life crisis, a mid 30’s exec level female valuing her worth, and a young teenage girl trying to figure out her way through life. Each of the women are working to overcome their challenges and seeking to find their own happiness. It’s probably not a book that is going to make you question your own positions in life but it’s a good read to make you sit back and possibly enjoy your life a tad more.

*I received a free e-copy of this book via NetGalley for an honest review.

[Lois]

I'll give this 3.5, because it is set so perfectly in Manhattan in the same areas I am regularly visiting since I moved here. This is not a deep novel, but it was fun and engaging. I like how it's able to gloss over money issues because everyone in it has more than enough, or much more than enough.

[John Nelson]

If you are looking for a good summer read on vacation, this is for you. Building on her first book, The Way I've Heard It Should Be, Second Chances brings he emotions of her characters to life. I was sorry when the book ended, wanting to know what was next. An excellent second novel.

[Christine Shaffer]

loved this one!

I liked everything. Not predictable and finally figured out all the story lines for each character. I really enjoyed the book. Great read for the beach or after work.

[Alexandra]

A silly, far fetched book where everyone has a happy ending. It wasn’t necessarily bad though. At least everyone acted their age lol! My expectations for books have really been lowered since reading my last two.

[Marcy Fetherston]

I wish there were half stars. Because this more than a 3 but not quite a 4. It was hard to keep straight who was who and who was friends with who. It I’m glad I stick with it while it got better and better to follow along. Perfect ending I wanted for everyone and more!!

[Rosie Haro-Hernandez]

It’s a good book to read in between your most desired book to read. It’s not great but it’s okay. I like reading about the rich and their day to day life, I didn’t read it to try to relate to it but I was intrigued enough to continue on. It’s a cute book.

[Kealy Szymanski]

enjoyable enough to read through but the awkward phrasing of several lines in the story made it a little difficult to read. i found it hard to care about the plot at times because honestly there didn't seem to be much of a direction with the storytelling.

[Carolyn Beckman]

I didn’t realize that this was the book prior to Only Summer. No where does it list these as a set. A little strange going backwards in the story, but still gave some character background

[Mary C]

Fast reading!

I couldn't put this book down. There were a few different plot lines going on and each one was pretty interesting. Good for a rainy day.

[Neva]

Rachel Cullen is one of my new favorite authors. I could just read her books everyday and be happy as a clam.

[Gladys Quizhpi]

Such a cute book! Easy beach read. I enjoyed reading about the four different women at different stages of their dating life...the teenage dating, single life, single-mom dating, and married life.

[Janice Chamberlain]

Fun Read

Light and fun read. Mistakes, jerks, love and fun all come together to make us thank for what we find in life.

[gail]

Please read

This is a great book, yes it has a happy ending. Its a great summer book. A great travel or book club. Please do you a favor.. Read it