What are the chances that twelve little tokens could change a life? Seventeen years ago, Eve Roberts had the wonderful life she’d always dreamed of: a degree in archaeology, a gorgeous boyfriend, and exciting plans to travel the world with him, working on digs. But when her sister Faye died, the life Eve knew ended too. Faye’s daughter Caitlyn came to live with Eve, her boyfriend left, and she … boyfriend left, and she quickly gave up on her dreams.
Now approaching her fortieth birthday, Eve faces the prospect of an empty nest as Caitlyn is leaving home. Caitlyn gives Eve a set of twelve ‘Be Kind to Yourself’ vouchers, telling her that she has to start living for herself again, and that she should fill one in every time she does something to treat herself.
With her very first voucher, Eve’s life will change its course. But with eleven more vouchers to go, can Eve learn to put herself first and follow the dreams she’s kept secret for so long? Because life is for living – and as she well knows, it’s too short to waste even a moment…
What readers are saying about A Dozen Second Chances:
‘Leaves you with a tremendous sense of warmth and satisfaction, a journey accomplished – and with an enormous smile on your face.’
‘This book starts off like you’re on a slow boat ride down a calm river and gradually builds until it feels like you flying down thundering rapids’
‘Kate Field’s writing is touching, uplifting and emotionally engaging and I loved reading this book.’
‘A gorgeous, heartfelt and emotional read. I loved it.’
‘If you’re looking for a romantic read that is heart-warming, thought provoking and simply gorgeous, then you’ll love A Dozen Second Chances.’
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If you tell yourself something often enough, it becomes your truth, even if it isn’t the truth.
Life has not been fair to Eve Roberts. She lost her sister, Faye, her father, the love of her life and her career, and her mom remarried and left the country. Raising Faye’s daughter, Caitlyn, was the focus of Eve’s life because she adored the child as much as she had her deceased sister. All her decisions were made with Caitlyn in mind, including where she lived and worked.
When Caitlyn leaves home for a job abroad, Eve gets more than the empty nest blues. Caitlyn’s gift of twelve self-kindness vouchers, coupled with her fortieth birthday approaching heightens her anxiety as she takes stock of her life, past and present. She doesn’t have an awful life, but the pain and loss of Eve’s past hinders her future.
Anxiety turns to anger when Paddy, the man who abandoned her seventeen years ago reappears. Though she tries to avoid him, the world conspires against Eve, slipping Paddy into every aspect of her life, from work to family, and even her home. The more she sees Paddy, the more she realizes he’s not the man she’s convinced herself he is.
That sea of pronouns sounds like an emotional journey of redemption and forgiveness, right?
It’s not. It’s complicated.
I understood Eve’s pain, and her anger. She had every right to them. But she went from being lost and alone to reaching out and helping others to being infuriating and inflexible. And I got that. She did what she had to do to keep more loss and pain and bay. However, it didn’t keep me from wavering between wanting to hug her, high-five her, or smack her.
Thank God for Phyllis, Eve’s octogenarian grandmother.
A force of nature—and resident of a senior care home—Phyllis says and does whatever she wants, much to Eve’s dismay, and it’s her determination to have things done her way that helps move Eve’s life in a new direction.
Great plot twists added mystery to this women’s fiction, and it became a page-turner as I, like Eve, had questions I needed answers to. Eve comes to realize her reality has been the safe one, not the truth, as admissions come from everyone… including Eve.
A Dozen Second Chances was one of those stories I didn’t want to end simply because I enjoyed the characters so much. Paddy Friel is a guilt-ridden man with his own pain to work through, but Paddy the boy and Paddy the man couldn’t be more different, and even Eve’s absent mom had a few stories to tell. Caitlyn’s a good kid who appreciated Eve’s sacrifices, but I won’t miss Rich… ever. And if the author ever decides to write a story for Phyllis and her rowdy gang from The Chestnuts, I’m here for it!
However, the ending is perfect and adorable and glorious, and even includes Phyllis… kinda sorta, because she wouldn’t have it any other way.
Set aside some time and download this one today!
Enjoy!
This was a feel good read. It’s a story about loss, love, forgiveness, sacrifice and second chances.
The writing was a bit jumbled around but it was readable.
I enjoyed this book
A Dozen Second Chances is just the sort of romantic fiction I like. The characters are real and relatable, mature and shaped by their lives. And being characters in a book Eve and Paddy have had plenty of history, which has done just that. The will-they-won’t-they story of their second chance made me unwilling to put the book down. It has a clever and beautifully sewn up plot, great secondary characters and believable settings. Definitely recommend.
Easy to read. A pleasure.