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Second Chances
When Vanessa’s tumultuous marriage ends with the unexpected death of her husband, she’s left battling a mix of emotions. Haunted by her husband’s final words, Vanessa must find the strength to keep it together for the sake of her two children. But being a widow and single mother isn’t easy.As Vanessa starts to put the pieces of her life back together, she runs into an old high school friend. Alex convinces her to take a chance on love again, but the burden of her unresolved emotions and the challenges of blending two families take their toll, leaving Vanessa fearful that second chances aren’t for everyone.
189 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 14, 2018
37 people are currently reading
19 people want to read
About the author
Teresa Roman
22 books161 followersMy absolute favorite things in life are my family and books. In fact, my love of reading is what inspired me to become a writer. I love the way stories can take you to another time and place.
I currently live in beautiful Sacramento, CA with my husband, three adorable children and a doxiepoo named Parker that my son convinced me to adopt. When I'm not at my day job or running around with my kiddos, you can find me in front of the computer writing or with my head buried in another book.
I currently live in beautiful Sacramento, CA with my husband, three adorable children and a doxiepoo named Parker that my son convinced me to adopt. When I'm not at my day job or running around with my kiddos, you can find me in front of the computer writing or with my head buried in another book.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
August 19, 2018
I really wish this site would put more than 5 stars. This book deserves a 10 star rating. This book blew me away with emotions and experiences that I faced growing up and even a few years ago. This novella was a great love story but be careful...emotions will run high. A total must to read this book. This was basically my story told but in a different way. Men and women should all read this book!!!
Teresa, you just became my most favorite author of all time!! Keep writing these kinds of books!!☺
Teresa, you just became my most favorite author of all time!! Keep writing these kinds of books!!☺
August 6, 2018
Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite
Second Chances is a contemporary romance novel written by Teresa Roman. Vanessa felt trapped in her life, despite the love she felt for her two young kids. She would wake up and get them ready for school just as her husband would be getting home from his job at the hospital. Their relationship, which was a sweet and awesome one while they were both in college, had grown more and more uneasy as the years passed. Ryan was hostile and paranoid, often accusing Vanessa of turning the kids against him. For her part, watching him treat their son harshly and yell at the two kids was breaking her heart, yet the idea of divorcing him seemed so daunting. When she got the call that morning from Dr. Mallet, the ER physician at the hospital where Ryan worked, she was already running late for getting the kids ready. What he had to tell her was stunning and left her unable to process what was real and what wasn’t -- her husband had fallen asleep at the wheel on his way home from work. Ryan Collins was dead.
Teresa Roman’s contemporary romance novel, Second Chances, is an absorbing and gripping story about a widow’s life in the immediate aftermath of her abusive husband’s unexpected death. We see the strength of Vanessa herself, which combined with the support of Marla, her best friend, somehow serves to get her through the initial shock and back into the new reality awaiting her. Roman paints a sympathetic picture of a woman who is almost relieved by her loss and who instinctively feels guilty for that sense of relief. When she meets Alex, an old school friend, and they renew their friendship, the reader sees most vividly the extent of the damage Ryan had inflicted on his wife’s self-esteem and confidence. Roman’s plot feels real, and her characters have depth and dimension. Second Chances is most highly recommended.
Second Chances is a contemporary romance novel written by Teresa Roman. Vanessa felt trapped in her life, despite the love she felt for her two young kids. She would wake up and get them ready for school just as her husband would be getting home from his job at the hospital. Their relationship, which was a sweet and awesome one while they were both in college, had grown more and more uneasy as the years passed. Ryan was hostile and paranoid, often accusing Vanessa of turning the kids against him. For her part, watching him treat their son harshly and yell at the two kids was breaking her heart, yet the idea of divorcing him seemed so daunting. When she got the call that morning from Dr. Mallet, the ER physician at the hospital where Ryan worked, she was already running late for getting the kids ready. What he had to tell her was stunning and left her unable to process what was real and what wasn’t -- her husband had fallen asleep at the wheel on his way home from work. Ryan Collins was dead.
Teresa Roman’s contemporary romance novel, Second Chances, is an absorbing and gripping story about a widow’s life in the immediate aftermath of her abusive husband’s unexpected death. We see the strength of Vanessa herself, which combined with the support of Marla, her best friend, somehow serves to get her through the initial shock and back into the new reality awaiting her. Roman paints a sympathetic picture of a woman who is almost relieved by her loss and who instinctively feels guilty for that sense of relief. When she meets Alex, an old school friend, and they renew their friendship, the reader sees most vividly the extent of the damage Ryan had inflicted on his wife’s self-esteem and confidence. Roman’s plot feels real, and her characters have depth and dimension. Second Chances is most highly recommended.
August 28, 2018
Vanessa Collins feels guilty that she's not sad her immature emotionally abusive husband died in a car accident on his way home from working overnight as an x-ray technician. She only stayed with him because of their two children Jacob and Lydia. Alex Brooks just finalized a divorce with his cheating gold digger ex-wife, but he's had a thing for Vanessa since high school and wants to date her. Years of abuse from her husband has made Vanessa distrustful and feeling like she'll never be good enough. Alex has to help her get past this and that he hid that he has a daughter with his ex that's not his biologically almost tears them apart. Vanessa's divorced single mom friend Marla was a riot. I hope she gets her own romance soon.
October 18, 2018
This isn't a typical romance in that Vanessa is a victim of emotional and verbal abuse. The book follows her as she deals with losing her husband and raising two children without a father. She has insecurities, which I would imagine many victims like her would have, and is on an emotional roller-coaster ride.
This was an easy read, but I never really connected with Vanessa or Alex as characters. Vanessa had some anxiety issues that I wish had been developed more. It would have been nice to see Alex's character developed more. With that said, the topic of abuse can be difficult to write about. I have to give kudos to the author for sticking to it and writing this novel.
I received a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This was an easy read, but I never really connected with Vanessa or Alex as characters. Vanessa had some anxiety issues that I wish had been developed more. It would have been nice to see Alex's character developed more. With that said, the topic of abuse can be difficult to write about. I have to give kudos to the author for sticking to it and writing this novel.
I received a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
August 20, 2018
This is in my top 2 favorite of Roman's books. I love it when she writes about real people, because she tells the story in a way it feels like no one else has the courage to tell it. Vanessa's husband dies unexpectedly, and she goes through a roller coaster of emotions -- shock, worry about her children, guilt over feeling some relief because she was actually in a pretty terrible marriage. But in the end she is a champion because she lets herself feel all those feelings, and she keeps everything together even though the hard times don't end with the tragedy that starts the story. She gets a second chance, and we're left feeling like this time it's all going to turn out right in the end.
August 21, 2018
Ok
This book was an easy read. I did not feel a real connection to the characters so I would have gone 3.5 if I could. I struggled to like the female character who stayed with a husband she disliked and that scared her children that she kept saying over and over meant the world to her. Just seemed she did not want to be alone or independent. I didn’t really get to know Alex either. I would have liked a bit more character development of Alex and of their relationship. Seemed like they just didn’t want to be alone and kinda fell into a relationship.
This book was an easy read. I did not feel a real connection to the characters so I would have gone 3.5 if I could. I struggled to like the female character who stayed with a husband she disliked and that scared her children that she kept saying over and over meant the world to her. Just seemed she did not want to be alone or independent. I didn’t really get to know Alex either. I would have liked a bit more character development of Alex and of their relationship. Seemed like they just didn’t want to be alone and kinda fell into a relationship.
August 26, 2018
This is a bit difficult to review because although it was a sad story with a HEA, I couldn’t connect with Vanessa, all the other characters were fine, the ending felt a bit anticlimactic too, I’m not saying it’s a bad read and I am actually leaving 4 Stars because it is a difficult story to tell, it’s just isn’t my favourite, sorry.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 11, 2018
I liked this book. Vanessa is not in a happy marriage and when her husband is in a car accident and dies, she is left with conflicting feelings. She knows she should be sad, but just isn't. After a couple months, she is getting by when she meets an old high school friend. They start excercising together and feelings grow. They have a few missteps, but over all, it's a good match. I got this book from Hidden Gems for an honest review.
February 4, 2019
Second Chances
The story revolves around two people. She lost her husband in the first part of the book. The story dragged on the beginning. I almost quit reading. In the second half she had met her old high school crush. They both had been through ruff marriages and had excess baggage. The plot line was good but drawn out way too much. I almost gave it a two star but the last three chapters were better than the others.
The story revolves around two people. She lost her husband in the first part of the book. The story dragged on the beginning. I almost quit reading. In the second half she had met her old high school crush. They both had been through ruff marriages and had excess baggage. The plot line was good but drawn out way too much. I almost gave it a two star but the last three chapters were better than the others.
June 24, 2024
Emotional funny interesting realistic
Interesting and extremely detailed for such an emotional roller coaster relationship in this storyline. I truly enjoyed reading this story of hope and love. The author wrote some realistic situations that may cause issues, but nothing seriously bad. This realistically situations were incredibly written and proved emotional abuse is just as bad.
Definitely recommended for anyone to read
Interesting and extremely detailed for such an emotional roller coaster relationship in this storyline. I truly enjoyed reading this story of hope and love. The author wrote some realistic situations that may cause issues, but nothing seriously bad. This realistically situations were incredibly written and proved emotional abuse is just as bad.
Definitely recommended for anyone to read
August 21, 2018
Amazing Book
My mother went through emotional and physical abuse at the hands of my father. Luckily for the family, he died when I was a teen. This story talks about emotional abuse and how it affects the one being abused and I hope you read this book so you can possibly share it with someone going through this. Excellent writing!
My mother went through emotional and physical abuse at the hands of my father. Luckily for the family, he died when I was a teen. This story talks about emotional abuse and how it affects the one being abused and I hope you read this book so you can possibly share it with someone going through this. Excellent writing!
August 26, 2018
I was given this book by the author for an honest review.
I loved the interaction all the characters had, felt the stresses she felt when her husband died. But I got slightly annoyed at how she worried she wasn't good enough.
All in all it was a well written book, even if it had a very needy character. Which is acceptable since she survived emotional abuse.
I loved the interaction all the characters had, felt the stresses she felt when her husband died. But I got slightly annoyed at how she worried she wasn't good enough.
All in all it was a well written book, even if it had a very needy character. Which is acceptable since she survived emotional abuse.
August 28, 2018
You never know what life will throw your way. Vanessa and Alex have demons they are fighting. Vanessa has two kids and has lost her husband in a car accident. Alex is coming out of a messy divorce. When they meet again, can they find happiness together or will their baggage be to much. This was a good read I recommend it to all. I received it from booksprout and voluntarily left my review.
August 29, 2018
A well-written second chance story that I found drew me into and did not let go until the last page. Both Vanessa and Alex have things that must be resolved from their pasts that carry over to the future. I would recommend this book. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 30, 2018
Her marriage to her husband had not always been easy so when he does suddenly she has mixed emotions. She is now a single mum of two and she is struggling. He comes along and tries to help but she wonders if she will not deserve this second chance as her mixed feelings are still haunting her. See how she will get on
September 4, 2018
Vanessa and Ryan thought they had it all until one fateful night took his life. Now she is trying to raise their two kids without him. She is confused and trying to find herself. This is a boo full of emotion and heartfelt. I Recommend for OVER 18DUE TO CONTENT.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 4, 2018
This was a good read. I just didn’t really connect with Vanessa. I sympathized with her and how her relationship turned out with Ryan but most of them time it seems she let her insecurities rule her. She lived in her head too much, over thinking things to the point it made her insecurities worse.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews