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The Second First Chance
The Second First Chance is a big, wonderful, messy love story about family, heartbreak, strength and courage. It shows us that sometimes what we want is what we least expect, and that everything we need is often right in front of us.
Strength comes in many different forms.
Riya Desai and Dhillon Vora grew up together. Sharing secrets, hiding in their tree house, they were playmates, best friends and later—as teenagers—almost something more. Until the devastating house fire that ripped them apart, claiming the life of Dhillon’s father and Riya’s big brother, Samir. Riya and Dhillon have barely spoken since that terrible night, but they both made big decisions based on that fire.
Riya has chosen to fight fire with everything she’s got, but it’s not easy. As the only female firefighter and one of the only people of color at her fire hall, she has to prove herself over and over. Plus, she’s hidden her career from her family.
Dhillon wanted to heal things, so he became a veterinarian. When a chance encounter with a rescue dog throws Riya and Dhillon together again, he’s furious at her career choice. After what happened to them, how can she run into fires on purpose? For Riya, Dhillon’s anger is unacceptable: How can he not see that she’s protecting others from the very losses they both experienced?
Strength comes in many different forms.
Riya Desai and Dhillon Vora grew up together. Sharing secrets, hiding in their tree house, they were playmates, best friends and later—as teenagers—almost something more. Until the devastating house fire that ripped them apart, claiming the life of Dhillon’s father and Riya’s big brother, Samir. Riya and Dhillon have barely spoken since that terrible night, but they both made big decisions based on that fire.
Riya has chosen to fight fire with everything she’s got, but it’s not easy. As the only female firefighter and one of the only people of color at her fire hall, she has to prove herself over and over. Plus, she’s hidden her career from her family.
Dhillon wanted to heal things, so he became a veterinarian. When a chance encounter with a rescue dog throws Riya and Dhillon together again, he’s furious at her career choice. After what happened to them, how can she run into fires on purpose? For Riya, Dhillon’s anger is unacceptable: How can he not see that she’s protecting others from the very losses they both experienced?
352 pages, Paperback
Published August 2, 2022
31 people are currently reading
6046 people want to read
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October 7, 2022
The Second First Chance by Mona Shroff is a contemporary romance novel. The story in this romance is a second chance clean romance with diverse characters and does change the point of view between them to give both sides.
Riya Desai and Dhillon Vora were once very close but fate ripped them apart when a devastating fire occurred. Riya lost her older brother Samir that night and Dhillon lost his father putting them both on a path that took them away from one another.
Riya is now a firefighter doing whatever she can to save lives and Dhillon has become a veterinarian. When Riya walks into Dhillon’s life again after all these years he’s shocked that she chose to put herself into the same danger that tore their families apart but they both cannot deny the attraction between them once again.
The Second First Chance by Mona Shroff was wonderful story of healing and family that also had a side of romance. I loved that this book showcased an amazingly strong female lead and it was also nice to get a glimpse into the Indian culture that surrounded both characters. The author did a great job bringing the emotion that fueled the story to life and I definitely couldn’t turn the pages fast enough to see how it would all turn out between the characters. Definitely an author I would return to again.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
Riya Desai and Dhillon Vora were once very close but fate ripped them apart when a devastating fire occurred. Riya lost her older brother Samir that night and Dhillon lost his father putting them both on a path that took them away from one another.
Riya is now a firefighter doing whatever she can to save lives and Dhillon has become a veterinarian. When Riya walks into Dhillon’s life again after all these years he’s shocked that she chose to put herself into the same danger that tore their families apart but they both cannot deny the attraction between them once again.
The Second First Chance by Mona Shroff was wonderful story of healing and family that also had a side of romance. I loved that this book showcased an amazingly strong female lead and it was also nice to get a glimpse into the Indian culture that surrounded both characters. The author did a great job bringing the emotion that fueled the story to life and I definitely couldn’t turn the pages fast enough to see how it would all turn out between the characters. Definitely an author I would return to again.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
January 14, 2024
The Second First Chance by Mona Shroff
Contemporary romance. Own voices. India descendants.
Dhillon Vora and Riya Desai have grown up next door to each other since they were children. During their teen years, a devastating house fire caused a loss in both families and Dhillon and Riya have barely spoken since then. Dhillon became a veterinarian as a result of the fire after the firefighters saved his dog. Riya is a newbie fire fighter, the first female in her particular firehouse. She’ll put up with the pranks and low level tasks she has to do to pay her dues until the next newbie is hired. She just has to convince the rest of her coworkers that she can pull her weight the same as any of them.
When Dhillon finds out the Riya is a firefighter, he’s angry. He can’t believe she would willingly run into a fire. Riya doesn’t understand his anger. Why wouldn’t she want to honor her brother’s death to help someone else out of a fire?
Dhillon and Riya have been mostly ignoring each other over the years. They can’t do that anymore, first because of a puppy, second because Dhillon has always been in love with Riya and he cant walk away anymore.
Dhillon and Riya have a lot to discuss and work out with the different opinions on her new job. Riya also has to tell her parents about her job, which she’s been afraid to do. Dhillon wants more for the two of them but is afraid for Riya.
There are many cultural references to India food and to how family are addressed which is similar to other books by this author.
The story is emotional and healing for them both though it takes family and friends to get them through it. It’s a beautiful building of love and dealing with grief and growing stronger together.
Contemporary romance. Own voices. India descendants.
Dhillon Vora and Riya Desai have grown up next door to each other since they were children. During their teen years, a devastating house fire caused a loss in both families and Dhillon and Riya have barely spoken since then. Dhillon became a veterinarian as a result of the fire after the firefighters saved his dog. Riya is a newbie fire fighter, the first female in her particular firehouse. She’ll put up with the pranks and low level tasks she has to do to pay her dues until the next newbie is hired. She just has to convince the rest of her coworkers that she can pull her weight the same as any of them.
When Dhillon finds out the Riya is a firefighter, he’s angry. He can’t believe she would willingly run into a fire. Riya doesn’t understand his anger. Why wouldn’t she want to honor her brother’s death to help someone else out of a fire?
Dhillon and Riya have been mostly ignoring each other over the years. They can’t do that anymore, first because of a puppy, second because Dhillon has always been in love with Riya and he cant walk away anymore.
Dhillon and Riya have a lot to discuss and work out with the different opinions on her new job. Riya also has to tell her parents about her job, which she’s been afraid to do. Dhillon wants more for the two of them but is afraid for Riya.
There are many cultural references to India food and to how family are addressed which is similar to other books by this author.
The story is emotional and healing for them both though it takes family and friends to get them through it. It’s a beautiful building of love and dealing with grief and growing stronger together.
Read
February 12, 2024A longer m/f contemporary with desi leads. I love Mona Shroff's Harlequins; this one didn't land quite so well for me. Riya is a great, determined, somewhat bullheaded heroine, but Dhillon was just a bit too controlling for me. Couldn't fault his feelings about his sister and love-of-his-life being firefighters, but very much could fault his belief he had a say in the matter. This is doubtless a cultural thing in that my expectation of my siblings having an opinion on my life, or vice versa, is a number that makes zero look big, and I suspect Dhillon will seem a lot more reasonable to people with a different starting point. Really enjoyed the firefighting elements and everything about Riya.
July 22, 2022
Good best friends to lovers clean romance story.
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One thing that caught my eye about this story was the ethnicity of the characters. I love to read stories about different cultures as the characters really have to break the mold of what is expected of them by the family. Shroff crafted this story beautifully.
The push and pull between the characters were what cemented this story. The deep-seated love between them but the pain of loss and miscommunication caused chasms that were hard to cross and heal the hurt.
I loved the strong female lead who broke barriers all the while fighting insecurities and demons inside.
A lovely read that features a long term slow burn romance that makes you just a bit crazy! Beautiful family dynamics and a story that will stay with you for a long time to come! Perfect for your summer book binge!
* copy received for review consideration
* Full review - https://amidlifewife.com/the-second-f...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
One thing that caught my eye about this story was the ethnicity of the characters. I love to read stories about different cultures as the characters really have to break the mold of what is expected of them by the family. Shroff crafted this story beautifully.
The push and pull between the characters were what cemented this story. The deep-seated love between them but the pain of loss and miscommunication caused chasms that were hard to cross and heal the hurt.
I loved the strong female lead who broke barriers all the while fighting insecurities and demons inside.
A lovely read that features a long term slow burn romance that makes you just a bit crazy! Beautiful family dynamics and a story that will stay with you for a long time to come! Perfect for your summer book binge!
* copy received for review consideration
* Full review - https://amidlifewife.com/the-second-f...
July 23, 2022
Thank you so much to Harlequin Romance for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Oh my god this story was so so beautiful and such a great read for anyone looking for a best friends to lovers and a second chance romance. I loved the sibling and familial relationships in this book--Hetal and Dhillon, as well as Riya and Samir's relationship reminded me so much of my relationship with my own sibling. Mona Shroff always does such a great job of portraying sibling relationships within South Asian families, and this was only emphasized more in The Second First Chance with the theme of Raksha Bandhan. This Hindu ceremony is one that my family participates in every year, and the way that it was portrayed in the novel matches my own experience celebrating the holiday perfectly. (I'm in love with the rakhi on the cover!!)
There's also large themes of grief and healing from a traumatic event in this novel. Dhillon and Riya's families, being neighbors, experience loss the day that their houses catch fire. Dhillon loses his father, while Riya loses her older brother Samir. The way these two best friends navigate their grief and are drawn to each other through their healing process was really emotional. It's so clear that they're each other's mirrors, and that there's truly no one else for them. Of course, both Riya and Dhillon have incredible, loving support systems from their families, who are also grieving in their own ways, and I really loved seeing these relationships. Not only does the novel explore actual familial relationships, but found family relationships as well through Riya's firefighting unit. Even with Riya being the only female firefighter in her unit, the love and support from her fellow firefighters was blatantly clear.
There's so many more elements that I can talk about for The Second First Chance--it's truly a multi-faceted story and I can't recommend it enough! Overall, I'd give this story 4.25 stars, rounded up. I'm going to have to read Annika and Daniel's book right after this one.
TW: fire, fire injury, animal death, medical content, grief, sexual harassment, child death, death of a parent
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Oh my god this story was so so beautiful and such a great read for anyone looking for a best friends to lovers and a second chance romance. I loved the sibling and familial relationships in this book--Hetal and Dhillon, as well as Riya and Samir's relationship reminded me so much of my relationship with my own sibling. Mona Shroff always does such a great job of portraying sibling relationships within South Asian families, and this was only emphasized more in The Second First Chance with the theme of Raksha Bandhan. This Hindu ceremony is one that my family participates in every year, and the way that it was portrayed in the novel matches my own experience celebrating the holiday perfectly. (I'm in love with the rakhi on the cover!!)
There's also large themes of grief and healing from a traumatic event in this novel. Dhillon and Riya's families, being neighbors, experience loss the day that their houses catch fire. Dhillon loses his father, while Riya loses her older brother Samir. The way these two best friends navigate their grief and are drawn to each other through their healing process was really emotional. It's so clear that they're each other's mirrors, and that there's truly no one else for them. Of course, both Riya and Dhillon have incredible, loving support systems from their families, who are also grieving in their own ways, and I really loved seeing these relationships. Not only does the novel explore actual familial relationships, but found family relationships as well through Riya's firefighting unit. Even with Riya being the only female firefighter in her unit, the love and support from her fellow firefighters was blatantly clear.
There's so many more elements that I can talk about for The Second First Chance--it's truly a multi-faceted story and I can't recommend it enough! Overall, I'd give this story 4.25 stars, rounded up. I'm going to have to read Annika and Daniel's book right after this one.
TW: fire, fire injury, animal death, medical content, grief, sexual harassment, child death, death of a parent
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August 2, 2022
Dhillon Vora and Riya Desai are a couple who faced the bad and good, the sad and happy, and found their way to love in this beautiful second chance romance by Mona Shroff. Their past was tragic as a fire took his father and her older brother Samir. This tragedy was only one factor that drove them apart even though they were friends from a very young age.
Years later, Dhillon has become a veterinarian and Riya is now a probationary firefighter. She finds herself not only as the only woman there, but also as one of the very few people of color. Her challenges are monumental, especially considering her tragic past. A rescue dog is what brings Dhillon and Riya back together. Old feelings, some very painful and many very emotional, rise to the surface. And, the more time they spend together, the more they realize that they never stopped loving one another.
The huge problem is that tragic fire when they were younger. This presents the major conflict with any possibility of a growing relationship. Shocked about Riya’s career choice, Dhillon has a hard time allowing himself to trust his growing feelings for her. Not only must Riya show trust and strength in her decision to become a firefighter, she must deal with Dhillon’s feelings and also the fact that she has not told her family about her new job. She started off as a paramedic and that’s what they think that she is still doing with her life.
Not only are Dhillon and Riya a wonderful couple in the story, the story itself is nothing short of beautiful. Well-written, with compassionate characters, The Second First Chance was a delightful read from start to finish. Another factor that made this book works so well was Dhillon and Riya’s relationships with their families. This dynamic led strength to two characters that were already strong in this compelling read. Lastly, this book was rich on culture, and this only enhanced this thoroughly enjoyable book.
Many thanks to HQN and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
Please enjoy my YouTube video review - https://youtu.be/woeXT-wmv5E
Years later, Dhillon has become a veterinarian and Riya is now a probationary firefighter. She finds herself not only as the only woman there, but also as one of the very few people of color. Her challenges are monumental, especially considering her tragic past. A rescue dog is what brings Dhillon and Riya back together. Old feelings, some very painful and many very emotional, rise to the surface. And, the more time they spend together, the more they realize that they never stopped loving one another.
The huge problem is that tragic fire when they were younger. This presents the major conflict with any possibility of a growing relationship. Shocked about Riya’s career choice, Dhillon has a hard time allowing himself to trust his growing feelings for her. Not only must Riya show trust and strength in her decision to become a firefighter, she must deal with Dhillon’s feelings and also the fact that she has not told her family about her new job. She started off as a paramedic and that’s what they think that she is still doing with her life.
Not only are Dhillon and Riya a wonderful couple in the story, the story itself is nothing short of beautiful. Well-written, with compassionate characters, The Second First Chance was a delightful read from start to finish. Another factor that made this book works so well was Dhillon and Riya’s relationships with their families. This dynamic led strength to two characters that were already strong in this compelling read. Lastly, this book was rich on culture, and this only enhanced this thoroughly enjoyable book.
Many thanks to HQN and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
Please enjoy my YouTube video review - https://youtu.be/woeXT-wmv5E
August 7, 2022
Shroff has done it again. The emotional journey that we go on with Riya and Dhillon is everything I thought it would be, considering this is the 4th book I've read by this author.
Both of our characters deal with their shared trauma and grief of when they watched their homes burn as children differently. Riya decides to do it head on as a firefighter, and Dhillon didn't initially support this decision in her.
When they were reunited over a rescue dog that Riya brings to his vet clinic, they have a chance to start over as friends, and finally explore a romance between them.
As always with her writing, the families are a large part of the story. She uses these opportunities to beautifully weave culture and family stories into them in beautiful ways. It's something I always love in her stories.
Things go slowly for this couple, but it wouldn't have been believable to me if it had gone any faster. I can't wait to see what is next up for this author.
Both of our characters deal with their shared trauma and grief of when they watched their homes burn as children differently. Riya decides to do it head on as a firefighter, and Dhillon didn't initially support this decision in her.
When they were reunited over a rescue dog that Riya brings to his vet clinic, they have a chance to start over as friends, and finally explore a romance between them.
As always with her writing, the families are a large part of the story. She uses these opportunities to beautifully weave culture and family stories into them in beautiful ways. It's something I always love in her stories.
Things go slowly for this couple, but it wouldn't have been believable to me if it had gone any faster. I can't wait to see what is next up for this author.
August 6, 2022
4.5 Stars
/working on review/
was given an ARC by the author for an honest review
/working on review/
was given an ARC by the author for an honest review
August 8, 2022
This beautiful written novel by a new to me author is a fascinating look at a romance that started when the couple were children and were best friends to a life where they basically ignored each other but were thrown together because their family are friends with each other. Finally at 30, they begin to notice each other again and a rocky and often contentious relationship begins to become a possible romance.
Riya Desai and Dhillon Vora grew up together. Their families shared a duplex and they became best friends as children. They played together and shared their secrets with each other. When an electrical fire started in their homes, Riya's beloved brother and Dhillon's father died in the fire. It changed their lives completely and their friendship drifted apart. They saw each other occasionally because their parents were friends but they basically had no relationship beyond the fact that they knew each other's profession - Dhillion became a veterinarian and Riya became an EMT. At least she WAS an EMT. When she brings a stray dog into his office, she slips up and he finds out that she has been trained to fight fires and has a probationary job at a local fire department. He is extremely upset that she is putting herself in harm's way when they both lost family members in a fire. He felt that he had picked a profession where he could help other people but she had picked a dangerous profession that could put her life at risk. She became angry that he didn't understand that being a fireman was her way to helping other people. As they began to spend more time together, they gradually learned to respect each other again but is their past enough to help them fall in love with the people that they've become as adults. Will they have a second chance at love?
Another intriguing side story is the way Riya is treated at the male dominated fire station. The men feel that she will be less effective because she's a female. Most of them constantly remind her that she didn't have what it took to be successful in this male dominated field. Because she had to prove her worth and had a great big chip on her shoulder, she took chances to prove herself that the chief felt indicated she wasn't a team player. She finally realizes that she won't reach her potential until she learns to work effectively with the rest of the department and become a team player.
This is a novel about grief and healing, siblings, family love and romance. I enjoyed the way that both characters grew as they accepted their shared past and their current lives. I also enjoyed learning more about another culture and their celebrations and lives. After reading about the ups and downs of this couple over the years, I was thrilled when they got their happily ever after ending.
Thanks to goodreads for a copy of this book to read and review.
Riya Desai and Dhillon Vora grew up together. Their families shared a duplex and they became best friends as children. They played together and shared their secrets with each other. When an electrical fire started in their homes, Riya's beloved brother and Dhillon's father died in the fire. It changed their lives completely and their friendship drifted apart. They saw each other occasionally because their parents were friends but they basically had no relationship beyond the fact that they knew each other's profession - Dhillion became a veterinarian and Riya became an EMT. At least she WAS an EMT. When she brings a stray dog into his office, she slips up and he finds out that she has been trained to fight fires and has a probationary job at a local fire department. He is extremely upset that she is putting herself in harm's way when they both lost family members in a fire. He felt that he had picked a profession where he could help other people but she had picked a dangerous profession that could put her life at risk. She became angry that he didn't understand that being a fireman was her way to helping other people. As they began to spend more time together, they gradually learned to respect each other again but is their past enough to help them fall in love with the people that they've become as adults. Will they have a second chance at love?
Another intriguing side story is the way Riya is treated at the male dominated fire station. The men feel that she will be less effective because she's a female. Most of them constantly remind her that she didn't have what it took to be successful in this male dominated field. Because she had to prove her worth and had a great big chip on her shoulder, she took chances to prove herself that the chief felt indicated she wasn't a team player. She finally realizes that she won't reach her potential until she learns to work effectively with the rest of the department and become a team player.
This is a novel about grief and healing, siblings, family love and romance. I enjoyed the way that both characters grew as they accepted their shared past and their current lives. I also enjoyed learning more about another culture and their celebrations and lives. After reading about the ups and downs of this couple over the years, I was thrilled when they got their happily ever after ending.
Thanks to goodreads for a copy of this book to read and review.
August 11, 2022
𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙎𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙙 𝙁𝙞𝙧𝙨𝙩 𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 is, in my opinion, Shroff’s best story yet. It follows Riya and Dhillon, two childhood friends who are both traumatized by the past and trying to move forward after a fire killed her brother and his father years ago. Dhillon’s way of dealing has been to distance himself from anything to do with that memory, and as a veterinarian he’s found his calling. Riya’s always been the risk taker and is now walking into fires as a firefighter. They’ve been distant recently until Dhillon learns of Riya’s new career path. He’s livid and worried and has it out for her.
It’s a delicate balance to dredge up traumatic memories and also have characters live in the present. I thought it’s done wonderfully in 𝙏𝙎𝙁𝘾. I never felt overcome by their sadness, only that I got to understand them better. Both their POVs were given equal depth. Even side incidents such as the sexual harassment Riya endures at work is given enough attention within the framework of the story and dealt with positively.
This is also a romance, a friends-to-lovers scenario where there’s a delightful push and pull between them until they get their acts together.
I for sure recommend this to anyone looking for an inspirational and heartfelt story. The sweet growing romance spurred on by shared grief, Riya’s ambition to be the best firefighter and fight sexism in the workplace, the importance of family … this is all good stuff from Shroff and I hope she keeps in going!
Many thanks to @harelquinbooks and @NetGalley for my arc. This is my honest review.
.
It’s a delicate balance to dredge up traumatic memories and also have characters live in the present. I thought it’s done wonderfully in 𝙏𝙎𝙁𝘾. I never felt overcome by their sadness, only that I got to understand them better. Both their POVs were given equal depth. Even side incidents such as the sexual harassment Riya endures at work is given enough attention within the framework of the story and dealt with positively.
This is also a romance, a friends-to-lovers scenario where there’s a delightful push and pull between them until they get their acts together.
I for sure recommend this to anyone looking for an inspirational and heartfelt story. The sweet growing romance spurred on by shared grief, Riya’s ambition to be the best firefighter and fight sexism in the workplace, the importance of family … this is all good stuff from Shroff and I hope she keeps in going!
Many thanks to @harelquinbooks and @NetGalley for my arc. This is my honest review.
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May 18, 2024
okay i'm thinking 3.75 or 4...
this book has been on my shelf for a very long time and i've been excited to read it!! the premise is so interesting and i really liked how the synopsis gives you just enough so you're ready to start the story but there is still much to learn. that was probably one of the best things about this book, the writing style. from the very start this book moves fast and that really helped my enjoyment level. since the romance plot was really not that interesting, the pacing made the story.
this is a second chance romance... kinda... not really. it's like a story of reconnecting and growing together. with all their shared trauma, dhillion and riya probably shouldn't have ended up together. or maybe it would've been impossible for them to end up with other people, i don't know. i just feel like the things that were holding up the relationship wouldn't have been solved by the end. the issues with firefighting were big, basically they both needed some more therapy and then they would've been golden!
this author has a very good writing style and i would be interested in picking up another story by her!
this book has been on my shelf for a very long time and i've been excited to read it!! the premise is so interesting and i really liked how the synopsis gives you just enough so you're ready to start the story but there is still much to learn. that was probably one of the best things about this book, the writing style. from the very start this book moves fast and that really helped my enjoyment level. since the romance plot was really not that interesting, the pacing made the story.
this is a second chance romance... kinda... not really. it's like a story of reconnecting and growing together. with all their shared trauma, dhillion and riya probably shouldn't have ended up together. or maybe it would've been impossible for them to end up with other people, i don't know. i just feel like the things that were holding up the relationship wouldn't have been solved by the end. the issues with firefighting were big, basically they both needed some more therapy and then they would've been golden!
this author has a very good writing style and i would be interested in picking up another story by her!
September 7, 2025
wanted to love this, but it was just okay. Where was the romance?!!
FMC and MMC were already in love before the book started, as in most friends to lovers or second chance romances. But we never really got to see their relationship develop and see them rekindle whatever was broken between them. It was more about FMC's path to becoming a firefighter and MMC accepting it.
FMC and MMC were already in love before the book started, as in most friends to lovers or second chance romances. But we never really got to see their relationship develop and see them rekindle whatever was broken between them. It was more about FMC's path to becoming a firefighter and MMC accepting it.
Read
August 18, 2022Heat Factor: Closed door
Character Chemistry: I have always loved you but can’t say anything because we have too much history and also our families do everything together
Plot: Dhillon doesn’t mind his damn business
Overall: This book commits the cardinal sin of being boring
I really wanted to like this book, for a very niche reason: it takes place in Howard County, MD. I grew up in HoCo, so I recognize the references enough to know that things are specific, but I haven’t lived there in years, so I don’t notice if small details are inaccurate. (I hate it when I notice inaccurate details.) Also, Shroff does a great job of balancing specificity with story, so that the sense of place is real but not overwhelming.
Read our full review at The Smut Report
I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. We disclose this in accordance with 16 CFR §255.
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Character Chemistry: I have always loved you but can’t say anything because we have too much history and also our families do everything together
Plot: Dhillon doesn’t mind his damn business
Overall: This book commits the cardinal sin of being boring
I really wanted to like this book, for a very niche reason: it takes place in Howard County, MD. I grew up in HoCo, so I recognize the references enough to know that things are specific, but I haven’t lived there in years, so I don’t notice if small details are inaccurate. (I hate it when I notice inaccurate details.) Also, Shroff does a great job of balancing specificity with story, so that the sense of place is real but not overwhelming.
Read our full review at The Smut Report
I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. We disclose this in accordance with 16 CFR §255.
Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
December 29, 2024
What a beautiful story!! Riya D and Dhillon V are very much in love with each other but their love is unrequited because of the tragedy of a house fire they both share. They don’t seem to be able to express it to each other. Both are passionate about their career choices but Riya’s causes friction between her and Dhillon due to their shared past and some cultural/gender bias. I enjoyed reading and learning everything about them, especially their family cultural celebrations. I loved how they eventually worked out their feelings for each other to finally admit and claim their love for each other and get the HEA they deserved. I LOVED their confessions of love to each other. Thanks for this gorgeous love story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 18, 2022
Wow - this book is so much more than just a romance. It goes so much deeper than many contemporaries. Deep-seated wounds to be healed, deep-seated family love, deep-seated prejudices to be overcome. It gives you ALL THE FEELS still with the romance, though - Riya and Dhillon are clearly meant to be with each other. And they just as clearly both have a lot of things to work through before they are ready to see what is right in front of them. This is an absolutely beautifully written book that opens a wonderful window into Indian-American culture as well.
September 26, 2024
I’ve always enjoyed reading Second-Chance Romance stories, and The Second First Chance was an emotional and beautifully written story about two childhood best friends who were always meant to be together. Unfortunately, one night, when they were younger, tragedy struck them both, changing both of their lives. Fast-forward to when they are adults, and the former best friends are thrown back together due to an adorable rescue dog, but one of them is not happy with the other’s job choice.
Mona Shroff did a beautiful job of telling Riya and Dhillon’s Second Chance Love story. There were times I wanted to go through the book and tell these two characters to stop being so stubborn and just admit their feelings. It was clear that both of them cared deeply for one another, but they were still coping with the grief of losing loved ones years ago in a house fire. I understood Dhillon’s frustration with Riya for being a firefighter because he lost his father, and she lost her brother in a house fire. However, he needed to understand why she came to become a firefighter.
I loved Riya’s character and how passionate she was about her job as a firefighter. It was clear how much she loved her career, and she reminded me of Stella Kidd from the show Chicago Fire, which happens to be one of my favorite TV shows. Stella is one of my favorite characters on the show because she loved being a firefighter and giving back to the community, especially to other women who wanted to be firefighters, too. Riya definitely reminded me of Stella Kidd a lot when reading this book.
I really appreciated how Mona addressed the challenges faced in a male-dominated profession like firefighting. Riya not only had to prove to all the others she should do her job, but she also had to deal with a fellow firefighter harassing her. However, in the end, Riya handled the firefighter who was harassing her and also found herself a supportive firefighter family who were very protective of her.
I loved Dhillon, too. He was very protective of his mother and sister, even though he should have realized they could handle themselves. I loved how both his mother and sister pushed him to find his happiness with Riya. He is stubborn, though, when it comes to accepting Riya for being a firefighter for most of the book, but things change when he finds himself in a situation that requires firefighters to rescue him.
This book was emotional for me to read, not only because Riya and Dhillon have to deal with what happened years ago to them but also because one particular part in the book made me bawl my eyes out—it all involves a dog that they both loved and cared for. My oldest daughter should have warned me that this book was going to make her mama cry because she had read it before me.
Overall, this book gets 4.5 stars, and I look forward to reading more books from Mona Shroff. I just have to remember to have tissues ready in case she has me cry again.
If you are looking for a Closed Door Second Chance Romance story between two childhood best friends who finally admit their feelings after so long, then this book is for you. Just have tissues on hand.
What to Expect:
✓Childhood Best Friends to Lovers
✓Second Chance
✓Closed Door Romance
✓Firefighter Heroine
✓Veterinarian Hero
Check out all my book reviews at A Book Lovin' Mama's Blog
Mona Shroff did a beautiful job of telling Riya and Dhillon’s Second Chance Love story. There were times I wanted to go through the book and tell these two characters to stop being so stubborn and just admit their feelings. It was clear that both of them cared deeply for one another, but they were still coping with the grief of losing loved ones years ago in a house fire. I understood Dhillon’s frustration with Riya for being a firefighter because he lost his father, and she lost her brother in a house fire. However, he needed to understand why she came to become a firefighter.
I loved Riya’s character and how passionate she was about her job as a firefighter. It was clear how much she loved her career, and she reminded me of Stella Kidd from the show Chicago Fire, which happens to be one of my favorite TV shows. Stella is one of my favorite characters on the show because she loved being a firefighter and giving back to the community, especially to other women who wanted to be firefighters, too. Riya definitely reminded me of Stella Kidd a lot when reading this book.
I really appreciated how Mona addressed the challenges faced in a male-dominated profession like firefighting. Riya not only had to prove to all the others she should do her job, but she also had to deal with a fellow firefighter harassing her. However, in the end, Riya handled the firefighter who was harassing her and also found herself a supportive firefighter family who were very protective of her.
I loved Dhillon, too. He was very protective of his mother and sister, even though he should have realized they could handle themselves. I loved how both his mother and sister pushed him to find his happiness with Riya. He is stubborn, though, when it comes to accepting Riya for being a firefighter for most of the book, but things change when he finds himself in a situation that requires firefighters to rescue him.
This book was emotional for me to read, not only because Riya and Dhillon have to deal with what happened years ago to them but also because one particular part in the book made me bawl my eyes out—it all involves a dog that they both loved and cared for. My oldest daughter should have warned me that this book was going to make her mama cry because she had read it before me.
Overall, this book gets 4.5 stars, and I look forward to reading more books from Mona Shroff. I just have to remember to have tissues ready in case she has me cry again.
If you are looking for a Closed Door Second Chance Romance story between two childhood best friends who finally admit their feelings after so long, then this book is for you. Just have tissues on hand.
What to Expect:
✓Childhood Best Friends to Lovers
✓Second Chance
✓Closed Door Romance
✓Firefighter Heroine
✓Veterinarian Hero
Check out all my book reviews at A Book Lovin' Mama's Blog
May 9, 2022
This book was a fun and quick read!
Rating: 3/5
Synopsis:
Riya Desai and Dhillon Vora grew up together. Sharing secrets, hiding in their tree house, they were playmates, best friends and later—as teenagers—almost something more. Until the devastating house fire that ripped them apart, claiming the life of Dhillon’s father and Riya’s big brother, Samir. Riya and Dhillon have barely spoken since that terrible night, but they both made big decisions based on that fire.
Riya has chosen to fight fire with everything she’s got, but it’s not easy. As the only female firefighter and one of the only people of color at her fire hall, she has to prove herself over and over. Plus, she’s hidden her career from her family.
Dhillon wanted to heal things, so he became a veterinarian. When a chance encounter with a rescue dog throws Riya and Dhillon together again, he’s furious at her career choice. After what happened to them, how can she run into fires on purpose? For Riya, Dhillon’s anger is unacceptable: How can he not see that she’s protecting others from the very losses they both experienced?
Thank you NetGalley for giving me an eARC!!
Rating: 3/5
Synopsis:
Riya Desai and Dhillon Vora grew up together. Sharing secrets, hiding in their tree house, they were playmates, best friends and later—as teenagers—almost something more. Until the devastating house fire that ripped them apart, claiming the life of Dhillon’s father and Riya’s big brother, Samir. Riya and Dhillon have barely spoken since that terrible night, but they both made big decisions based on that fire.
Riya has chosen to fight fire with everything she’s got, but it’s not easy. As the only female firefighter and one of the only people of color at her fire hall, she has to prove herself over and over. Plus, she’s hidden her career from her family.
Dhillon wanted to heal things, so he became a veterinarian. When a chance encounter with a rescue dog throws Riya and Dhillon together again, he’s furious at her career choice. After what happened to them, how can she run into fires on purpose? For Riya, Dhillon’s anger is unacceptable: How can he not see that she’s protecting others from the very losses they both experienced?
Thank you NetGalley for giving me an eARC!!
July 11, 2022
“Somehow he grounded her, yet made her feel like she was floating at the same time.”
This is not my first Mona book but trust me when I say it definitely won't be my last. Her writing is so unique it truly amazes me how she is able to create such resilient, captivatingly strong characters that are so realistic it makes you love them even more. I also cannot get enough of how much she shares bits of her culture and tells them so beautifully, with so much meaning, it makes me absolutely love learning about the traditions the characters hold so near and dear to their hearts.
Riya and Dhillon were so adorably frustrating it had me hooked from the beginning and I completely finished this book within hours. Now this might just be me being biased because me and Riya have the same name but she was such a strong and independent character that made you connect to her so easily and Dhillon was no different. They are both such complex characters that make this story so much more than just a romance and I highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for a new book to binge so be on the look out when it is finally released!
This is not my first Mona book but trust me when I say it definitely won't be my last. Her writing is so unique it truly amazes me how she is able to create such resilient, captivatingly strong characters that are so realistic it makes you love them even more. I also cannot get enough of how much she shares bits of her culture and tells them so beautifully, with so much meaning, it makes me absolutely love learning about the traditions the characters hold so near and dear to their hearts.
Riya and Dhillon were so adorably frustrating it had me hooked from the beginning and I completely finished this book within hours. Now this might just be me being biased because me and Riya have the same name but she was such a strong and independent character that made you connect to her so easily and Dhillon was no different. They are both such complex characters that make this story so much more than just a romance and I highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for a new book to binge so be on the look out when it is finally released!
Read
September 25, 2023Loved that Riya's a firefighter, and all the side characters.
Got into this one pretty easily but then found it faltered a bit - there was too much "middle" for me, to the extent that it took me out of the story a bit. I also struggle with main characters who act immaturely, even when I understand why they're doing that. Glad they both got their stuff together by the end but it wasn't always fun waiting for them to figure it out (not just their romantic relationship but how they treated each other, their careers, their familial interactions...).
Mona Shroff will remain an author whose work I'll pick up, given how much I enjoyed another romance by her, but this wasn't for me.
I imagine it'll work better for those with more patience and who are bigger fans of coming of age themes in romance.
Got into this one pretty easily but then found it faltered a bit - there was too much "middle" for me, to the extent that it took me out of the story a bit. I also struggle with main characters who act immaturely, even when I understand why they're doing that. Glad they both got their stuff together by the end but it wasn't always fun waiting for them to figure it out (not just their romantic relationship but how they treated each other, their careers, their familial interactions...).
Mona Shroff will remain an author whose work I'll pick up, given how much I enjoyed another romance by her, but this wasn't for me.
I imagine it'll work better for those with more patience and who are bigger fans of coming of age themes in romance.
June 30, 2024
I absolutely adored this book. I found it to be a story about siblings just as much as a romance between the two main characters. A beautiful story of blood siblings was woven, but the closeness of the two families led to a story of siblings that stretches outside of the bonds of blood.
The story centers on a female firefighter and two families who lost a good deal to fire. There are themes of females fighting for their rightful place in a job that some believe they don’t belong; the author did it well and highlighted those that do believe in gender equality in nice ways.
I liked that the two main characters had a history and pretty much knew they loved each other, but they had some stuff to work through before they could make it work and events forced that to finally happen!
I recommend!
The story centers on a female firefighter and two families who lost a good deal to fire. There are themes of females fighting for their rightful place in a job that some believe they don’t belong; the author did it well and highlighted those that do believe in gender equality in nice ways.
I liked that the two main characters had a history and pretty much knew they loved each other, but they had some stuff to work through before they could make it work and events forced that to finally happen!
I recommend!
Read
May 10, 2022DNF at 100p. I'm actively disliking both main characters. That's not a good thing in a romance.
October 21, 2023
This book by Mona Shroff is an excellent read. It is about Riya and Dhillon that grew up together and were best friends. They were neighbors and did everything together until a fire happened, and they grew apart. This book has you wanting to continue reading on to see what happens next. Riya is a firefighter at an all male fire department. She is proving that women can do things that guys can do. Dhillon is a vet and has his own clinic. He doesn't like that Riya is a firefighter and let's it known how he feels about it. "The Second First Chance" is such a cute book and I highly recommend it.
dnf
August 17, 2022DNF at 5%
This writing was just not it…
This writing was just not it…
September 8, 2022
I was so excited to read thisas I saw some South Asian Bookstagrammers and Booktokers talk about it! I was expecting a cute contemporary romance with emotional damage, and I got none of that :/
The protagonist Riya Desai and the love interest Dhillion Vora are childhood best friends and neighbours who both lost a loved one during a shared fire. The book says they both distance themselves from each other but it’s Dhillion who randomly slips away from Riya when she needed him the most, and it didn’t even make sense lol. Later, they both make decisions based on the fire, and Riya’s decision to become a firefighter is something Dhillion, who’s now a veterinarian, isn’t happy about, which I get but also don’t to some extent???
To make things even more awkward, they still keep meeting each other because their families are so close so the whole drifting apart thing while also speaking with each other AND being secretly in love with each other felt super weird and unnatural.
Despite the childhood friends-to-lovers trope, there was minimal to no chemistry between Riya and Dhillion. You miss a lot of the development feeling you’re supposed feel, the one that makes you squeal and heart flutter. The scenes where you get snippets of their childhood and friendship were extremely short and made me feel disconnected. There was barely enough insight into their friendship to create that development feeling, so it didn’t feel like a childhood friends-to-lovers thing.
I found it really strange how, after years of being awkward and not doing anything other than small talk, Dhillion suddenly takes deep interest in Riya’s life when he learns she’s a firefighter. He was the one who seemingly chose to drift away because he was grieving or something. It just seems like a bad excuse because Riya also lost someone in the fire and she needed her best friend with her, and he wasn’t. The sudden act of caring was kind of random and made me think, “Oh, you actually care?”
I literally wanted to slap Dhillion after he blamed Riya for the small fire at his veterinarian clinic when she clearly saved him. Dhillion’s sister, Hetal, looked up to Riya and thought of being a firefighter to which Dhillion opposed like an ass lol, but Riya kept encouraging Hetal. During the clinic fire, Hetal went back inside to save two dogs from being burned alive and Dhillion ran to protect Hetal but couldn’t handle the smoke so he fell unconscious. Hetal got burned on her arm and thigh trying to save the dogs and Dhillion being an asshole blamed Riya, which made her doubt herself and quit her job. Seriously don’t know what Riya sees in him because, in the end, she waved it off as a misunderstanding and confessed her love to Dhillion.
The story overall was a bit too depressing and sad that just ruined the vibes for me. If a crybaby was a book, it would be this book lol.
You’d think the entire fire incident backstory would play an important role in the book and be well-mapped out, but the vague manner in which the fire incident was written from both POVs felt like it didn’t even happen. The explanation as to what caused the grief for both families was written quite poorly, and as the reader, I barely got to wrap my head around it before I could even experience the terrible incident.
The plot, writing, character development, and character relationships felt lazy, weak, and sometimes cringe. The whole book wouldn’t exist if Riya and Dhillion just communicated their feelings and stopped doubting themselves and misunderstanding the whole situation. The only good aspects of the book were the representation of Indian culture and Riya being a badass desi and female firefighter in a male-dominated world. If it weren’t for Riya being all strong, empowering, and amazing, I would’ve given the book one star lol.
The protagonist Riya Desai and the love interest Dhillion Vora are childhood best friends and neighbours who both lost a loved one during a shared fire. The book says they both distance themselves from each other but it’s Dhillion who randomly slips away from Riya when she needed him the most, and it didn’t even make sense lol. Later, they both make decisions based on the fire, and Riya’s decision to become a firefighter is something Dhillion, who’s now a veterinarian, isn’t happy about, which I get but also don’t to some extent???
To make things even more awkward, they still keep meeting each other because their families are so close so the whole drifting apart thing while also speaking with each other AND being secretly in love with each other felt super weird and unnatural.
Despite the childhood friends-to-lovers trope, there was minimal to no chemistry between Riya and Dhillion. You miss a lot of the development feeling you’re supposed feel, the one that makes you squeal and heart flutter. The scenes where you get snippets of their childhood and friendship were extremely short and made me feel disconnected. There was barely enough insight into their friendship to create that development feeling, so it didn’t feel like a childhood friends-to-lovers thing.
I found it really strange how, after years of being awkward and not doing anything other than small talk, Dhillion suddenly takes deep interest in Riya’s life when he learns she’s a firefighter. He was the one who seemingly chose to drift away because he was grieving or something. It just seems like a bad excuse because Riya also lost someone in the fire and she needed her best friend with her, and he wasn’t. The sudden act of caring was kind of random and made me think, “Oh, you actually care?”
I literally wanted to slap Dhillion after he blamed Riya for the small fire at his veterinarian clinic when she clearly saved him. Dhillion’s sister, Hetal, looked up to Riya and thought of being a firefighter to which Dhillion opposed like an ass lol, but Riya kept encouraging Hetal. During the clinic fire, Hetal went back inside to save two dogs from being burned alive and Dhillion ran to protect Hetal but couldn’t handle the smoke so he fell unconscious. Hetal got burned on her arm and thigh trying to save the dogs and Dhillion being an asshole blamed Riya, which made her doubt herself and quit her job. Seriously don’t know what Riya sees in him because, in the end, she waved it off as a misunderstanding and confessed her love to Dhillion.
The story overall was a bit too depressing and sad that just ruined the vibes for me. If a crybaby was a book, it would be this book lol.
You’d think the entire fire incident backstory would play an important role in the book and be well-mapped out, but the vague manner in which the fire incident was written from both POVs felt like it didn’t even happen. The explanation as to what caused the grief for both families was written quite poorly, and as the reader, I barely got to wrap my head around it before I could even experience the terrible incident.
The plot, writing, character development, and character relationships felt lazy, weak, and sometimes cringe. The whole book wouldn’t exist if Riya and Dhillion just communicated their feelings and stopped doubting themselves and misunderstanding the whole situation. The only good aspects of the book were the representation of Indian culture and Riya being a badass desi and female firefighter in a male-dominated world. If it weren’t for Riya being all strong, empowering, and amazing, I would’ve given the book one star lol.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 1, 2023
This book sounded like a fun, possibly second chance lovers or enemies to lovers, so I wanted to give it a read. First and foremost, I really enjoyed the culture that was woven into the story. It featured dynamic characters, especially Riya and a ton of emotion as the two leads as well as others went through the process of healing and reconciling after the traumatic event that impacted them and altered their lives.
All in all this was a very emotional and touching story that was full of culture, growth and healing. The writing was easy to read and flowed really well, making the story easy to progress through. Shroff is definitely an author I would pick up again after reading this.
All in all this was a very emotional and touching story that was full of culture, growth and healing. The writing was easy to read and flowed really well, making the story easy to progress through. Shroff is definitely an author I would pick up again after reading this.
January 3, 2023
It was a nice, quick read…but just felt meh.
The whole book felt less romancey, and instead, but issues with firefighting because of their trauma. Fun ✨romanticism of firefighters✨.
It honestly felt like the love interests lacked any connection. I was bored anytime they interacted. Like jeez, we get it, you’ve loved each other for 20 years but neither will make a move. Yet, there just was no chemistry until the last like five pages.
Was a meh from me.
The whole book felt less romancey, and instead, but issues with firefighting because of their trauma. Fun ✨romanticism of firefighters✨.
It honestly felt like the love interests lacked any connection. I was bored anytime they interacted. Like jeez, we get it, you’ve loved each other for 20 years but neither will make a move. Yet, there just was no chemistry until the last like five pages.
Was a meh from me.
November 23, 2022
I don't know why, but I didn't love this book the way I did her previous two. Maybe it was because this one wasn't as angst-y or maybe it had more to do with the whole firefighter thing.
The story wasn't bad overall. Lots of doggies and puppy love. Just hoping the next one will be better.
The story wasn't bad overall. Lots of doggies and puppy love. Just hoping the next one will be better.
September 5, 2022
3.3 stars
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
They had both made decisions based on that fire.
Riya and Dhillon were townhome neighbors since the age of five and became best friends, until a sophomore dance ends in a kiss. But before they can explore the new turn in their relationship, a fire breaks out in their homes and Riya loses her hero big brother Samir and Dhillon loses his father. Not being able to process those feelings of grief in the same way, they drift apart. Dhillon still lives at home deciding that his mother and younger sister Hetal still need him, while Riya has moved out and is now hiding that she is the new rookie and only woman, at the firehouse. When a puppy gets rescued at a fire and brought to veterinarian Dhillon, he learns about Riya's new occupation.
She was going to be the death of him.
And he was completely in love with her.
The Second First Chance, was a family fiction story that had all those family dynamic emotions with the thread of Riya and Dhillon knowing they loved one another but never being able to admit it to the other. They see each other occasionally because of Dhillon still living next door to her parents and family and cultural celebrations but when Riya's mother has a heartattack and she decides to stay at home for a while to help take care of her mother, their feelings for each other start to come to a head. I went into this thinking there would be more romance than there was. The story is told from alternating pov chapters from Riya and Dhillon, Riya is dealing with trying to fit in at her fire station, dealing with sexual harassment from one of her colleagues, struggling with reconnecting with her parents, and then still loving Dhillon but thinking he wants nothing to do with her, especially since she's a firefighter now. Dhillon is dealing with outgrowing living with his mother and sister, trying to be a father and brother to Hetal, grow his veterinarian business, and loving Riya but thinking they can't be together. These two live busy lives and why, while the romance thread is steady throughout, it spends more time as background music.
And Dhillon-V never could refuse Riya-D anything.
Something I really enjoyed in this was how all the characters added to the world, they were all believable and added richness. Riya's jerk co-worker is one with a capital J but who hasn't meet that guy? I would have liked more flushing out of her relationship with her mother, we get some faint explanation that Riya got lost in the grief after her brother died and they do talk and seem to grow a little closer at the end but I would have liked more of a solid, focused emotional scene of them coming together, especially with her mother. Dhillon's sister had a very small secondary romance that my romance loving heart would have liked for them to have their own romance book but I did enjoy how Dhillon and Hetal's relationship was flushed out.
This was her best friend, her confidant, the man she had loved since she was a little girl. This was her Dhillon-V.
Readers do come in when Riya and Dhillon already love each other, so I missed some of the development of feelings. I also was disappointed that we didn't get an open door bedroom scene, just as the pants were coming off the door slams shut, I felt the emotional part of the story needed to show their intimacy in this way, would have really brought those feelings in as these two had loved and wanted each other for so long. This happens in the first half of the story and they end up parting thinking the other just saw it as a one night stand, which felt a little meh in keeping these two apart for the rest of the story.
The pace didn't feel like it had enough steam to make it to the end and then the ending had a rush of a fire, danger, and a black scene that felt forced with Dhillon blaming Riya, Riya blaming herself, and then a quick “eh, misunderstanding”. This does end with a happily ever after but I wouldn't necessarily say read this for the romance. It's obvious from the beginning but be aware there is a death of a pet. If you're looking for a family fiction or book club read, this would give some rich material to discuss.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
They had both made decisions based on that fire.
Riya and Dhillon were townhome neighbors since the age of five and became best friends, until a sophomore dance ends in a kiss. But before they can explore the new turn in their relationship, a fire breaks out in their homes and Riya loses her hero big brother Samir and Dhillon loses his father. Not being able to process those feelings of grief in the same way, they drift apart. Dhillon still lives at home deciding that his mother and younger sister Hetal still need him, while Riya has moved out and is now hiding that she is the new rookie and only woman, at the firehouse. When a puppy gets rescued at a fire and brought to veterinarian Dhillon, he learns about Riya's new occupation.
She was going to be the death of him.
And he was completely in love with her.
The Second First Chance, was a family fiction story that had all those family dynamic emotions with the thread of Riya and Dhillon knowing they loved one another but never being able to admit it to the other. They see each other occasionally because of Dhillon still living next door to her parents and family and cultural celebrations but when Riya's mother has a heartattack and she decides to stay at home for a while to help take care of her mother, their feelings for each other start to come to a head. I went into this thinking there would be more romance than there was. The story is told from alternating pov chapters from Riya and Dhillon, Riya is dealing with trying to fit in at her fire station, dealing with sexual harassment from one of her colleagues, struggling with reconnecting with her parents, and then still loving Dhillon but thinking he wants nothing to do with her, especially since she's a firefighter now. Dhillon is dealing with outgrowing living with his mother and sister, trying to be a father and brother to Hetal, grow his veterinarian business, and loving Riya but thinking they can't be together. These two live busy lives and why, while the romance thread is steady throughout, it spends more time as background music.
And Dhillon-V never could refuse Riya-D anything.
Something I really enjoyed in this was how all the characters added to the world, they were all believable and added richness. Riya's jerk co-worker is one with a capital J but who hasn't meet that guy? I would have liked more flushing out of her relationship with her mother, we get some faint explanation that Riya got lost in the grief after her brother died and they do talk and seem to grow a little closer at the end but I would have liked more of a solid, focused emotional scene of them coming together, especially with her mother. Dhillon's sister had a very small secondary romance that my romance loving heart would have liked for them to have their own romance book but I did enjoy how Dhillon and Hetal's relationship was flushed out.
This was her best friend, her confidant, the man she had loved since she was a little girl. This was her Dhillon-V.
Readers do come in when Riya and Dhillon already love each other, so I missed some of the development of feelings. I also was disappointed that we didn't get an open door bedroom scene, just as the pants were coming off the door slams shut, I felt the emotional part of the story needed to show their intimacy in this way, would have really brought those feelings in as these two had loved and wanted each other for so long. This happens in the first half of the story and they end up parting thinking the other just saw it as a one night stand, which felt a little meh in keeping these two apart for the rest of the story.
The pace didn't feel like it had enough steam to make it to the end and then the ending had a rush of a fire, danger, and a black scene that felt forced with Dhillon blaming Riya, Riya blaming herself, and then a quick “eh, misunderstanding”. This does end with a happily ever after but I wouldn't necessarily say read this for the romance. It's obvious from the beginning but be aware there is a death of a pet. If you're looking for a family fiction or book club read, this would give some rich material to discuss.
July 8, 2024
Crystal Recommends: The Second First Chance by Mona Shroff
A fire tore their families apart years ago, leading Riya and Dhillon to devote a lot of time to ignoring the fire that exists between them. The fire was also a catalyst for Riya realizing her calling to be a firefighter and Dhillon is none too happy when he finds out. A spark of anger at her life choices helps to reignite the flame between them and sets in play some much needed healing for both Riya and Dhillon.
What I expected going in:
I expected a solid second chance romance which is my absolute favorite trope. The title suggested this second chance would be the first real relationship between these two, and I began my reading curious as to why they had never had a first chance. I was also curious as to how Riya, a female, would navigate a male-dominant field and to what level that dynamic would play in the story.
What I loved throughout:
Beyond the immediate romance, this story has strong themes of family and I adored the emphasis placed on the sibling relationships, especially that of brother and sister. Throughout the story we learn about a festival called Raksha Bandhan, participated in by both families. This festival is used to show the strength of the bond of both Riya with her late brother Samir and Dhillon with his sister Hetal. I found the festival and the bond between these characters to be beautiful, leading to some of the more moving parts of the story. Due to the loved ones lost in the fire, there were themes of grief and moving forward that drove the storyline as well. The sibling aspect of this story is what makes this second chance romance a 5-star read for me.
The immediate romance was second chance romance perfection. These characters had a friendship first and it was joyful when circumstances led to moments of falling back into that friendship and remembering the moments once shared. The friendship was front and center, with a hint of the love being reawakened and a simmering attraction that had me holding my breath when they were on the page together.
I also greatly enjoyed the firefighter aspect. I feel like I got a glimpse into Riya’s world as a female firefighter, and appreciated seeing how she stood her ground but also built alliances and became part of a team. There was a beauty to her reason for realizing her desire to fight fires and it was heartbreaking watching her come face to face with fears she didn’t even realize she had due to what fire stole from her.
What I didn’t love:
I loved it, but at the same time I wanted to strangle these two characters for standing in their own way. It isn’t simple miscommunication though, it is unresolved issues that both need to work through before they can give themselves fully to a relationship. So while it is frustrating to watch them dance around each other and go on dates with other people and keep ignoring their feelings, there are understandable reasons for it.
My final thoughts:
This is a lovely story about how love will find a way. I am such a believer in second chance romance and things happening when the time is right. Riya and Dhillon grew while they were apart and life has given them a chance to see that they are still just right for one another.
I would recommend this book to those who like happily ever afters and second chance romance.
(Possible) Trigger warning: If elderly pets hit a little too close to home for you at this time, I’d wait to read this wonderful story. The elderly pet in this book plays a beautiful role in this couple’s youth as well as their getting reacquainted with one another.
A fire tore their families apart years ago, leading Riya and Dhillon to devote a lot of time to ignoring the fire that exists between them. The fire was also a catalyst for Riya realizing her calling to be a firefighter and Dhillon is none too happy when he finds out. A spark of anger at her life choices helps to reignite the flame between them and sets in play some much needed healing for both Riya and Dhillon.
What I expected going in:
I expected a solid second chance romance which is my absolute favorite trope. The title suggested this second chance would be the first real relationship between these two, and I began my reading curious as to why they had never had a first chance. I was also curious as to how Riya, a female, would navigate a male-dominant field and to what level that dynamic would play in the story.
What I loved throughout:
Beyond the immediate romance, this story has strong themes of family and I adored the emphasis placed on the sibling relationships, especially that of brother and sister. Throughout the story we learn about a festival called Raksha Bandhan, participated in by both families. This festival is used to show the strength of the bond of both Riya with her late brother Samir and Dhillon with his sister Hetal. I found the festival and the bond between these characters to be beautiful, leading to some of the more moving parts of the story. Due to the loved ones lost in the fire, there were themes of grief and moving forward that drove the storyline as well. The sibling aspect of this story is what makes this second chance romance a 5-star read for me.
The immediate romance was second chance romance perfection. These characters had a friendship first and it was joyful when circumstances led to moments of falling back into that friendship and remembering the moments once shared. The friendship was front and center, with a hint of the love being reawakened and a simmering attraction that had me holding my breath when they were on the page together.
I also greatly enjoyed the firefighter aspect. I feel like I got a glimpse into Riya’s world as a female firefighter, and appreciated seeing how she stood her ground but also built alliances and became part of a team. There was a beauty to her reason for realizing her desire to fight fires and it was heartbreaking watching her come face to face with fears she didn’t even realize she had due to what fire stole from her.
What I didn’t love:
I loved it, but at the same time I wanted to strangle these two characters for standing in their own way. It isn’t simple miscommunication though, it is unresolved issues that both need to work through before they can give themselves fully to a relationship. So while it is frustrating to watch them dance around each other and go on dates with other people and keep ignoring their feelings, there are understandable reasons for it.
My final thoughts:
This is a lovely story about how love will find a way. I am such a believer in second chance romance and things happening when the time is right. Riya and Dhillon grew while they were apart and life has given them a chance to see that they are still just right for one another.
I would recommend this book to those who like happily ever afters and second chance romance.
(Possible) Trigger warning: If elderly pets hit a little too close to home for you at this time, I’d wait to read this wonderful story. The elderly pet in this book plays a beautiful role in this couple’s youth as well as their getting reacquainted with one another.
August 21, 2022
TW: house fire, death of loved ones, loss of pets, grief, sexism, car accident, fire injury, sexual harassment
“…I do want to be the guy who sends you off to save the world. But more than anything, I want to be the man you come back home to. You’re everyone else’s hero. Let me be yours.”
This is the third book I’ve read by Mona Shroff and I feel like I love each book even more than the last one.
Narrated from a dual POV, this was such a unique love story, which explores the second chance romance trope and many other interesting themes that added a lot of depth and complexity to the story and leading South Asian characters.
Riya is a badass fire fighter in a male dominated profession trying to prove that she is just as good at her job as her male counterparts, while dealing with workplace sexual harassment, her parents’ concerns about her risking her own life to save others, especially after they lost their son in a house fire, and the grief over the loss of her brother. She is now my most favorite female protagonist!
Dhillon is a veterinarian and an overprotective brother and son, who also lost his father in the same fire. I appreciated how he never acted like Riya’s male savior but rather gave her the space to handle difficult situations on her own terms.
Riya and Dhillon are childhood best friends and neighbors. They have had feelings for each other since childhood but the aftermath of the fire caused them to drift apart.
This is not a frothy romance but rather a story of loss, grief, healing, letting go and moving on.
It explores not only the Hindu tradition called Raksha Bandhan, a celebration of the sibling bond between brothers and sisters, but also how antiquated the idea of widows not being able to start dating again is.
I loved the family dynamics of both Riya and Dhillon’s families especially the sibling relationship between Dhillon and his younger sister, Hetal.
All the firefighting incidents felt so real and authentic, which I truly appreciated, especially given the extensive research that the author conducted.
Overall, I highly recommend this novel, which not only made me cry but also smile. Please read with care given the heavy themes.
Thank you to the author for a gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review.
“…I do want to be the guy who sends you off to save the world. But more than anything, I want to be the man you come back home to. You’re everyone else’s hero. Let me be yours.”
This is the third book I’ve read by Mona Shroff and I feel like I love each book even more than the last one.
Narrated from a dual POV, this was such a unique love story, which explores the second chance romance trope and many other interesting themes that added a lot of depth and complexity to the story and leading South Asian characters.
Riya is a badass fire fighter in a male dominated profession trying to prove that she is just as good at her job as her male counterparts, while dealing with workplace sexual harassment, her parents’ concerns about her risking her own life to save others, especially after they lost their son in a house fire, and the grief over the loss of her brother. She is now my most favorite female protagonist!
Dhillon is a veterinarian and an overprotective brother and son, who also lost his father in the same fire. I appreciated how he never acted like Riya’s male savior but rather gave her the space to handle difficult situations on her own terms.
Riya and Dhillon are childhood best friends and neighbors. They have had feelings for each other since childhood but the aftermath of the fire caused them to drift apart.
This is not a frothy romance but rather a story of loss, grief, healing, letting go and moving on.
It explores not only the Hindu tradition called Raksha Bandhan, a celebration of the sibling bond between brothers and sisters, but also how antiquated the idea of widows not being able to start dating again is.
I loved the family dynamics of both Riya and Dhillon’s families especially the sibling relationship between Dhillon and his younger sister, Hetal.
All the firefighting incidents felt so real and authentic, which I truly appreciated, especially given the extensive research that the author conducted.
Overall, I highly recommend this novel, which not only made me cry but also smile. Please read with care given the heavy themes.
Thank you to the author for a gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review.
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