The Year of Second Chances

by Lara Avery

In this dazzling debut, Lara Avery crafts a story about one woman's uplifting journey of possibility, second chances, and falling in love again…with life — perfect for fans of P.S. I Love You . "In The Year of Second Chances , a young widow reenters the world after a substantial loss, taking us on a lively, witty ride along with a strong cast of supporting characters. Avery tackles the topic of grief in a way that manages to feel lighthearted and profound at the same time. I flew through this book and loved every page." — Meg Mitchell Moore, bestselling author of Summer Stage

Robin Lindstrom spent her first year as a young widow cocooned in the safe haven of the Minnesota farmhouse she’d once shared with Gabe, the love of her life—the man she thought she’d be with ’til the end. But her world is turned upside down when she receives an email informing her that her late husband has enrolled in something called “Fluttr”—a dating service?  "The app subscription lasts 12 months; use it!," Gabe’s message-from-the-grave reads . "I don’t like the thought of you being alone. If you won’t do it for yourself, do it as a favor to me . Please."
After twelve months of pulling herself together, Robin’s fragile equilibrium is knocked sideways. How could Gabe , of all people, be asking her to venture out into the murky waters of 21st century online dating? As her underemployed brother, Theo, points out, it’s “only” a year, and it’s what Gabe wanted; he set this all up to go into effect a year after his death, which means it was basically his last request. And so Robin tentatively takes steps to put herself out into the world once more, even if it means awkward outings at bowling alleys, club-hopping with DJs she meets online, and stammering conversations at dinner. Along the way, she’s surprised to find herself meeting new people, trying new things…and even getting to know a new version of herself. Because everyone deserves a second chance at love—and loving life.

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Contemporary, Audiobook, Chick Lit, Adult, Contemporary Romance

288 pages, Hardcover

First published August 22, 2023

Reviews

[J (Midnight Book Blog) · Rating 3 out of 5]

❥ 3.5/5 What a tender, sweet story!

What I liked: The premise of this book was so unique! A widowed woman whose husband signed her up for a dating site to use after he passed away?? So sweet and heartbreaking. This was where the book really shined, with plenty of deep and moving reflections on dealing with grief, balanced by the hilarious and often chaotic world of online dating. I was hooked from the first pages, and genuinely did not want to put it down until I saw how everything played out.

What I didn’t like: the “who she ends up with” is quite clear as soon as he ends up on the page, although this wasn’t a huge drawback for me. And maybe this is just me being bitter buuut…everything seemed to wrap up too nicely in the end. All of the family issues, career aspirations, and struggles with moving on from grief were totally figured out in under 300 pages. It was a nice sentiment, but one that didn’t feel entirely realistic to me.

I will also say there was a scene with burning sage that I wasn’t sure of the accuracy/sensitivity of as I know the use of sage spiritually is a closed practice belonging to Native Americans. I would love to hear Indigenous reviewer’s thoughts on this!

Overall: I would recommend this for the tender love story and reflections on grief, if you don’t mind a predictable and perhaps overly optimistic ending

Content warnings: death of a loved one, alcoholism

—————————————————————————
Thank you William Morrow for providing me a finished copy! I am ready to get my heart broken (:

[Monica Hills · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was ok. Robin is a widow and decides to take up dating again when her dead husband has set up an online dating profile for her. Robin doesn't know that she is ready for this and has a lot on her plate. She has a brother who she is supporting, and a mother who is trying to keep her business afloat while being an alcoholic. Robin learns a lot about herself during her second chance year.

This was extremely predictable which is not a bad thing but I will admit that there were some parts that were a little slow. Overall, it did have a good message but I definitely wanted more of a spark.

[Sarah | Kerosene.Lit · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't realize until finishing that this is the same author who wrote The Memory Book, a YA contemporary I read and loved back in 2017. And once again, here I am many years later loving her latest release!

If you're not already sold by this gorgeous cover, The Year of Second Chances follows Robin, a young widow who receives an email from her late husband revealing he enrolled her on a dating app, requesting she use the service for 12 months.

Whether you’ve experienced loss or not, this story captured the waves of grief in such a palpable way. My heart ached for Robin. Although thrusted into an unwanted scenario, she ultimately discovers more about herself in the process—who she is without her husband.

And with the dating app comes some majorly hilarious duds! But also many wonderful, unexpected connections, including a reunion with her late husband's best friend, Levi, who was so dependable, easygoing, and downright charming. I absolutely adored him.

I'd say this one has a slightly ambiguous ending, but with the vulnerable reveals and heavy emotions along the way, it was the perfect fit. My heart was left happy and full!

(heat level: one mild, brief open-door scene)

[Aly Lauck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Popped into my local indie bookstore and happened upon the author. It was my birthday and Galentines day! Thanks for signing my book. Cute, heartwarming book 😊

[Jenna Gareis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Five things about A Year of Second Chances by Lara Avery 📚📚📚

1. The basic premise is that a woman lost her husband one year before the story begins and she’s still actively grieving. On the anniversary of his death she discovers that as he lay dying in the hospital he created a dating profile for her with an online platform and paid for a year’s subscription.
2. First of all, yes, yes this does sound like PS, I Love You. The two stories do go different directions though.
3. It was so painful to watch this woman and all drama with her mother and her brother try to please her dead husband by forcing herself to fall for another man before she was ready.
4. I don’t really love books about grief but I do think this one truthfully portrays how grief might play out for someone. The thing is that grief looks different on everyone and I can’t get past how infuriating her husband’s preemptive strike at her grief by forcing her to fill what he assumes will be his empty spot - grief which he wasn’t there to witness or participate in - was to me. It really soured the whole story. Maybe I need to lighten up and teenage me (this is not a YA) probably would have thought it was romantic but forty-something me wonders why he couldn’t just encourage her to open up and live again…oh right, because that was PS I Love you. In this one he chooses to believe she’ll only be alive and fulfilled if she can find another man. 🙄
5. That’s just me though. This is still a well written book with some dear moments. Ultimately, the end is sweet but yikes this premise didn’t work for me.

[Literally Booked Johanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

⌛️🕰⏳
4🌟🌟🌟🌟
📖Book 79/100
📚The Year of Second Chances
💫Genre: Women’s Fiction
✍️Author: Lara Avery

📝Synopsis 📝
Robin, a grieving widow has been lost the love of her life. She’s left to grief meanwhile trying to keep her family together. Moms an alcoholic and her free loading brother is momma’s enabler. She’s the one that has to fix their finances, yet her life is a mess. Before her husband passed he scheduled an email to be sent to her…and only because he knows her all too well. With the help of his friend, he’s able to get her on a dating app and the story takes off from there. Minnesota is the setting, and I’m all for it 🫶🏻
💭My Thoughts 💭
I really enjoyed this book so much, and my favorite part was her learning how to live for herself all over again. There was hardly any romance, yet she realized in order to love and move on she needed to prioritize herself 🫶🏻🙌🏻🫶🏻 The writing style was amazing, character development was on point, and I loved the story development. I only wish it had a bit more romance🤭 I could visualize Minnesota’s scenery and cold winters (lived there many moons ago), and it brought back so much nostalgia. I also loved the horror movie & makeup artist twist to it. This was such a great book on grief and domestic issues.
🧡Special thanks to @netgalley and @williammorrowbooks for an advanced readers copy of a book I truly enjoyed🫶🏻
✨✨✨✨
#bibliophile #netgalley #bookstagrammer #bookstagrammersunite #bookstacommunity
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[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been excited for this women's fiction debut since the moment I spied its GORGEOUS cover and I'm happy to report it did not disappoint!!

Perfect for fans of books like P.S. I love you, this story features small town accountant Robin, a young widow who is still hesitant to move on a year after her husband died of cancer. When she gets an email from him out of the blue saying that he's signed her up for online dating and wants her to try to love again, it's the reluctant nudge she needs.

What follows is a series of dating disasters (some funny, some sad) and a reunion with her husband's former best friend. I really enjoyed seeing Robin try to put herself out there and deal with her grief. It was a little obvious who she was meant to be with from very early on but I still had fun watching her get there.

Good on audio narrated by Helen Laser, this was a solid debut and marks Lara Avery as an author I'm excited to read again. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

🔥Steam level: kissing only
⚠️CW: alcoholic parent

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

When his last wish makes you uncomfortable.


When Robin LIndstrom lost her husband Gabe, she was lost and heartbroken.

She lost him way too soon. And after a year of his being gone she received a shocking email that he had signed her up for a year of online dating. She was still grieving and feeling that he was her one and only true love.

After some serious thought and talking to her brother, she decided since "it;s only a year" she would go through with it.

So we learn more about Robin, we see her growing and still hurting over her loss, and having new experiences.



I like Robin and liked her experiences they seemed true to life.

I enjoyed the story, there were somethings about her family I wasn't thrilled with but again they were realistically written. I liked the parts where Robin would remember times with Gabe so we got glimpses of how they were when he was alive.

This was the authors first book but I've read 2 others that were published first and I enjoyed those.

Thank you Netgalley, the author and publisher

4 stars highly recommended

[Lucia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the story of Robin, a sweet young widow whose husband sends her an email a year after his passing. In this email he is telling her how he signed up for a dating service which takes her into several dates where she gets to meet some interesting people.
I really liked how the author explores the grief of Robin and how it affects her entire family.
"Love should connect you to people, not chain you to them". This was one of my favorite quotes.
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity of giving me this advance copy of this beautiful book.

[Ashlee (bookswithnopictures) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars RTC

[Lyne · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars
Audiobook - Narrated by Helen Laser

Robin, in her 30’s, is a young widow. Following a year of grief and tough times, she receives an e-mail from the grave. Her husband, the love of her life, had arranged for it to be sent. In it, he indicates that he has enrolled her in a dating app. “Use it!” Gabe’s message-from-the-grave reads. “I don’t like the thought of you being alone. If you won’t do it for yourself, do it as a favour to me.”

She tentatively takes the plunge and finds herself in the dating world. Awkward outings, boring conversations and in all of this, Robin finds herself. She meets people, tries new things, gets involved and discovers what she really needs and wants for herself.

This is a sweet book. Ms. Avery managed to put a humorous spin on things in spite of the grief. The discovering of oneself, being brave, angry, laughing and cherishing the sweet memories and to live life.

[Bryna Adamo · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW! I did not expect this! I laughed. I 100% cried, a lot. And I am wiped. The Year of Second Chances, if I were to do some book math, it would be Eat, Pray, Love meets Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood with a sprinkle of The Fault in Our Stars. It was about moving on and staying still. It is about how to live when everything you once had disintegrates around you.

I completely loved this book! Highly Recommend if you want to be devastated and then be put back together again. 5 stars!!!

[Devon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ehhh

This book was fine. Not something I would read again. It didn't blow me away... and was a little stressful, actually. LGBTQ, language and sexual considerations... but nothing overly graphic.

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can relate to stories about grief. There are many fabulous ones out there that seem to effortlessly wrap words around the unthinkable. I’m not sure this one has that spark.

[Aggie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Robin’s character. She’s vulnerable, loves her family and in the end chooses herself.

[Carrie Carroll · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book!! Didn’t want to put it down. Loved the characters and the writing.

[Micky Cox · Rating 5 out of 5]

This author has done the impossible. She has presented grief in a humorous way while still making sure the reader gets hits hard in the feels. You will not only want a tissue while reading, you'll need to have the whole box on standby. You'll find yourself sniffling and giggling at the same time. It's a beautifully written book that is so incredibly realistic and yet, absolutely entertaining in a fun and relatable manner. I absolutely felt Robin's grief and felt like I was living through the process with her. The email from the past was absolutely the perfect jumping off point for this story. I am in love with this author's writing and can't wait to immerse myself in more of her books soon! Her characters are so realistic with flaws and mistakes that lead them from one point of life to another so perfectly imperfectly. It's a very inspiring story of finding your way to a second act after losing the most important person in your life.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is both a love letter to grief, and a love letter to Minnesota. I enjoyed every moment of it and the pay off at the end was well earned. I thought I knew where it was going, and it turns out I did, but with some unexpected surprises.

This book really flipped the traditional love story on its head and I felt so satisfied by the choices each character made.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am Robin. Robin is me. We are the same.

I don’t think I’ve ever identified with a character this much, which is wild since we have zero life experiences in common.

Most of my four star rating is purely based on the catharsis of watching a character that is 100% you overcome your flaws and self-actualize. But I do think this book would still be moving even for people who aren’t exactly like Robin. Her journey towards realizing what she actually wants out of life feels very organic. The book isn’t winning awards for plot twists, but the character development is natural and satisfying.

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really loved Lara Avery's book The Memory Book and I was really excited to get a chance to read The Year of Second Chances. However, this book while beautifully written fell a little short of my expectations.

Robin is a recent widow and on the one year anniversary of her husband's passing receives an email for her husband telling her to get back into the dating world and try to find love again by giving her a one year subscription to a dating app.

While stepping back into the dating world, Robin finds out who she really is and struggles on making decisions that make her happy instead of what makes other happens.

While it would pretty obvious early on who her potential love interest would be, I feel like the connection would feel more genuine with out the whole Jake story line. While the growing connection between Levi is eluded it isn't always shown and more talked in passing.

I'm am happy with the ending however and how it leaves the possible romance open and not super rush and leave Robin to really find more about who she wants to be.

3.75 stars

Thanks to netgalley and the publishers for a copy of this book. I voluntarily read this book and all opinions are my own.

[Miruna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 3.75/5

The Memory Book is one of my favourites; so when I saw that this was written by the same author, I knew I had to read it. And, I have to say that I was not disappointed.

The Year of Second Chances follows Robin Lindstorm, who after being widowed a year ago, receives an email from her dead husband saying he has signed her up for a dating app.

It was definitely clear who she was going to end up with, as soon as we are introduced to him; however, I still enjoyed reading about how they got there.
I only just wish there was more romance between the two; probably one of the few times I was hoping for an epilogue.

The writing is so beautiful that I would read just about anything Lara Avery writes.

Overall, a real tear-jerker with a very retable main character.

[Krislyn Vergara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved how raw and real the characters and struggles were... grief, addiction, and finding love. I just didn't care for the relationship with Jake and Robin.

[Bernadette Bloom · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is everything women’s fiction should be.

Emotional, honest, with lighthearted moments amidst a deeper subject. A year after she loses her husband to cancer, Robin gets an email from him. He signed her up on a dating app before he died. She just has to activate it. She’s an introvert, and a people-pleaser, and Gabe wants to make sure she doesn’t stay alone forever.

Robin has to adjust every role she’s ever had, as the former small town mayor’s wife, as a sister, daughter, friend. It all shifts and changes without Gabe. Never mind trying to find love again. Her attempts to discover who she is outside of widowhood is beautiful, and sad, and painful at times but my God, I loved every word of this novel.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[AnneMarie Roscoe · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lot of the book was predictable with a few sprinkles of shock. Still a good story with a good ending!

[Kelsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this in a Good Reads Giveaway. Follows the typical Rom Com formula with a few twists. Overall, I liked the concept and the main character was interesting enough. I figured out the ending about 1/3 of the way through which unfortunately made it really hard for me to stay invested and interested. All major issues are resolved and it ends wrapped in a pretty bow.

[Robyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

THE YEAR OF SECOND CHANCES
Lara Avery

I really enjoyed this story about a woman who might have been just a bit different from the rest and who lost her husband early. Dealing with the grief, and getting back into life is tough and this was a glimpse into how to do it right.

4 stars

Happy Reading!

[Love_booksforlife Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Robin is still struggling after her husband’s death when she gets an email and an online dating profile he set up for her. Now, she embarks on a year of messy dates, family drama, and trying to find out who she is without her husband.

This book was so good! It had a low key humor to it, like an Emily Henry or Abby Jimenez book, but still packed a huge emotional punch. You feel for Robin, not only in her love life but I’m her family situations as well.

The dates she goes on each help her see things in her life more clearly. But it’s her relationship with her husband’s best friend that this book really shines. Her and Levi are so different from each other but share this past with Gabe that really connects them.

Overall, this was a funny and heart-wrenching book that I can’t recommend enough!

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the gifted copy. My review are always honest

[Soon Perez · Rating 4 out of 5]

-Libby 🎧

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for an ARC of The Year of Second Chances by Lara Avery. Overall I thought this was a really sweet story of a woman grieving the loss of her husband and everything else that entails. I did have some trouble staying interested at certain parts but overall I love the message of the book. Everyone grieves and moves through life in general in their own ways and I thought this book did a great job portraying that.

[Kari · Rating 2 out of 5]

Setting: Minneapolis area. The setting was fun, but that was about it. I found the book hard to follow, and very hard to get in to. Forced myself to finish, but really disliked the ending.