Another romance for the over 40. Can one sexy silver fox face the woman he once left behind but never let go?Her.A widow at forty-four, her husband left her a letter.Contact Denton.Once upon a time, the three of them had been best friends.Mati Rath isn’t sure she should look back. Her heart isn’t ready, or so she thinks.Him.A pleading phone call forces him to make a decision.I’ll be there. Yet, … him to make a decision.
I’ll be there.
Yet, he hasn’t been home in twenty-seven years.
Denton Chance isn’t sure he should return.
The past still haunts his heart.
A desire that never left them, along with circumstances beyond their control, brings the past to the present.
Can one sexy silver fox face the woman he once left behind but never let go?
Sometimes love deserves a second chance.
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Second Chance was my second L.B. Dunbar read of this series and while I enjoyed it I didn’t think it was quite as good as Restored Dreams
I like that the characters ages make them more relatable – especially as I’m in that 40 something bracket!! 🙂 – and I was rooting for Denton and Mati but there was just something missing that didn’t completely sell me on their story..
I’m looking forward to more in the series and will be going back to read the earlier books that I’ve missed.
4*
What can I say about this series! I absolutely love it!!
As a woman just crested over her 50’s, I truly enjoy reading about woman closer to my age, and the struggles they go through!
Meet Mati, widowed in her 40’s and trying to start over, married young to her high school sweetheart, because of pregnancy, which she doesn’t regret. Her only regret is that the other love of her life, Denton, who was part of the threesome of Mati, and her husband Chris. They were perfect until the day Denton left her behind, they had big plans and when you read this story you’ll see what they were, what happened, and what brings them back together.
I can’t say enough about L.B. for writing this series! It’s what I can relate to at my age and her books in this series just get better and better! I can’t wait for the next book in this series! 5+ stars for this one! Grab this as soon as it comes out!
Mati & Denton have known each other since they were children. They were friends along with a boy named Chris. Denton had an abusive father which no one was aware of except for Mati & Chris. Denton would come to Mati on those extra bad days, and she would comfort him. As they got older, the comfort came in the form of a car ride… The three made plans for a road trip they never took, and now 27 years later… just Mati and Denton are left…
This was a sexy roller coaster ride of love that lasted through the years…. love once thought was lost, now found.
Great addition to the silver fox stand alone stories she tells.
This author is definitely one of my favorites! I love her Sexy Silver Foxes Series and this book did not disappoint!
After losing her husband Mati is finally ready to honor her husbands last wishes and reconnect with their childhood friend Denton. The problem is that this brings up so many emotions for Mati and she isn’t really sure she is ready to face them.
Denton has been gone from his childhood home for many years, but a call from his sister forces him to come back.
When the two reconnect secrets are discovered and emotions run strong.
This book is amazing! I loved these characters and the writing is beautiful. I was feeling so many things throughout the entire book and was hooked from beginning to end.
A must read book for sure. – By Alisa
Second chance we finally get to meet Denton Chance from Tommy and Hanks story.
Denton Chris and Mati where childhood friends growing up, the three of them was inseparable but after graduation Denton leaves town to pursue his dreams to become a rockstar, 27 years pass before their paths meet again Denton returns to his home town not knowing what to expect can he face the women that he has loved all his life, all he want’s is for her to see him just him, and she does all her family know that Denton is the one for her, Chris final wish is that she meets him again and she does lets just say sparks fly and they both realise they are meant for each other, LB has written a fantastic series with these over 40 books,I really have loved them all dive in and read them now you won’t regret it I promise you.
I received an email to sign-up to read an ARC of L.B. Dunbar’s book, Second Chance. Prior to the email, I had never read anything by Dunbar. I became intrigued by the ages of the main H/h of this book. I’ve read so many books in the past year (something like 457…), and I have never read a romance with two older (not in their 20s) characters. I thought they are my age. What would a “second chance” romance at my age look like? So…I went for it. For the most part, I enjoyed this read. I could commiserate with the changes in bodies and the struggles of re-discovering each other after almost two decades apart. I loved many aspects of this book, but I also struggled with the main male character, Denton. Let’s talk about the good first:
Mati. I love Mati. She has endured being left behind by a former friend, finding out she was pregnant at 18 with twin boys, giving up several dreams to find different dreams, and encountering the death of a spouse unexpectedly. She is also the only female in her family with lots of testosterone focused on her in the form of her brothers and sons, yet she holds her own. She is a power-woman. Her sons are older, one is married and one is struggling to figure out his life. Yet, she loves them both through their differences and challenges. She coaches the local high school volleyball team, and she’s successful. She is trying to find a new big dream for herself: coaching college volleyball. And she is trying to move past her grief and find her new “normal.” I admired her tremendously in this story. Quite frankly, if she laid down in her bed, pulled the covers over her head, I would deem it justified. However, she encounters every challenge in her life and with Denton with grace and resiliency even when she wants to give up. She held my heart in this story.
I really liked the older age storyline. I think it’s different, and it shows that anyone over the age of 40 can still get “it on” AND they can still follow their dreams. Mati’s character is the best representation of continuing to challenge one’s self no matter one’s age in contrast to Denton’s sister, who has allowed her life to stagnate. Thankfully, after Denton’s return home, his sister can follow her heart and find a new life for herself, regardless of her age. A lesson for all of us in the over 40 set.
The story, in general, is strong. This a second-chance romance story, so it is a common romantic trope. It isn’t really doing anything new here, other than putting it in the lives of older characters. However, it works. There are quite a few moving parts to it that can border on confusing. The chronology moves between past and present, but Dunbar does a good job of keeping it clear for the reader. All in all, the story is interesting.
Now, to what I didn’t care for…
Denton. It took me most of the book to like this guy. He seemed self-absorbed and clueless. There are plenty of male characters I’ve read who are abhorrent characters. As I read dark romance, this isn’t unusual. However, Denton is disguised as a potential good guy who makes life all about him. For most of the book. Thankfully, Mati is the type of character to help Denton see the truth. Add the women in his family to the mix, and he finds out what he truly wants from this time in his life. Unfortunately, this epiphany comes late in the story, so you have to be patient for his change.
Mati’s son, Jax. He was a bully to his mom, as far as I could read. Yes, he’s fiery like her. Yet, he takes his ire towards Denton a bit too far for someone old enough to know better. I thought Mati should have “put him over her knee” in the story. Thankfully, like Denton, Jax matures by the story’s end, so he redeemed himself.
I love that L.B. Dunbar writes stories about people my age. I sometimes love to read romance where I find or see myself in the characters. I think she provides enough sexiness, angst, and love to draw you into the story and find the power in a second chance at love.
Overall:
As kids and teens, Mati, Chris, and Denton are best friends, doing everything together. Both boys fall in love with Mati, and while she hides her feelings for Denton thinking he doesn’t return them, she dates Chris and they end up married. Denton dreamed of big things, and needing an escape from his abusive father, he headed for California right after their high school graduation. He hasn’t returned since, not even for the deaths of his father and former best friend. His mother is dying, though, so he makes the trip home to Georgia.
Mati has no idea Chris begged Denton to leave her behind on the road trip they had planned on taking together. She is angry with him for abandoning them 27 years ago. But feelings didn’t die for either one of them. She has to reconcile her heart with her head. Can she trust Denton to stay this time?
I liked these characters. I’m 40 myself now (how did that even happen??) so it’s nice to read about characters with adult kids, established careers, and memories of a 20+ year marriage. Mati is finally following her dreams after being sidelined by life. Denton lived his dream and is now realizing what is really important. And these two together are intense!
This was a very good book. I can’t wait to read Delores’s story of her adventure in California. I also hope Mati’s brother Billy gets a story with the bookstore owner down the street. There seems to be something going on there for sure.
What draws me to read this book was the blurb. To my shame, I never heard or seen a book from this author and I’m so sorry about that. I promise I will rectify that. So this book was a first time read for me from this author. I have no words to describe what this book made me feel.
After I saw that the book is a second chance romance and a romance over 40 I panicked. But this was so much more than that. For me, it wasn’t just a second chance romance, and about the age of 40…reality hit me, I’m 32 this year. Time flies like a motherf@ker. So I said…Let’s do it!
It’s been a week since I finished the book, and I’m still hangover over this book. The word AMAZING seems nothing. The present is tangled with the past, and the story is told in dual POV…The book tells the story of an unfulfilled love story.
Denton, Mati, and Chris were best friends since they were kids. Mati and Denton had a more special connection because they were neighbors, much special and stronger than with Chris. Although Chris and Denton were best friends with Mati’s brothers, the always were closer with Mati…Time passed, they grew up, they became teenagers, Mati became a beautiful and sexy girl. Chris’s and Denton life changed in a bad way so their relationship changed too. Chris and Denton stopped seeing Mati as a best friend…they both wanted more.
After a misunderstanding, the first rupture occurred. They were still best friends, but the things were never again the way they were before. After graduating from high school, the things changed forever. Denton runs away in California, leaving behind all and everyone.
After 27 years Mati is a sexy as hell, fierce redhead widow at forty-four, but she looks like she is pulled out of the model’s magazines. And guess what?! She is a volleyball coach at the high school in town. (I totally loved her for that, because I played volleyball for more than ten years). Two years after the death of her husband, finds a letter from her husband.
It’s been 27 years since Denton left from his home town, and now he is forced to come back. Mati is a widow, Chris no longer being between them. Does she still love her husband? Does he have a chance? He became a famous rock star, he lived the dream and lived the life, now he is a well known male model and photographer. He has money and fame, but he is not happy…he has no love in his life.
I loved Mati and Denton with all my heart. Trust me you will love them too. At the end of the book, my heart broke for Mati and Denton. I can’t say why…you have to read that. I loved Denton with all my heart. He was caring, he was determined, he was stubborn, hot, sexy, dominating and evil in a very delicious way. I am 100% sure that Mati loved one of them more than the other (I’m talking here about Chris and Denton)One of them was a selfish motherf@ker (my opinion), but life is a be@ch…Life sucks sometimes.
The side characters were AWESOME. I wish they all have their own story. Please…I need their own story…Denton’s sister, Mati’s brothers, her best friends…Pleaseee!
I am going to stop right here. I don’t want to say too much what happens in the book… but this book is a MUST READ! You have to grab and read this AMAZING book.
Definitely unforgettable for me…Definitely a re-read any time from me.
This book has EVERYTHING I love in a book…is hot, sexy, funny, with twist and turns, suspense, love, hate, friendship, and loyalty.
I highly recommend this book!
A totally emotional, beautifully written, second chance love story!
Childhood best friends, Mati and Denton had plans. Then things changed and after graduation Denton left town without a backward glance. It’s been twenty seven years and now he’s back, but alot has changed but the mist important thing hasn’t…his love for Mati.
After Denton left, Mati went on to marry the third of their trio of friends, have a family and then unexpectedly her husband died a year ago. Now, she’s trying to heal and figure out how to move on.
Denton’s back in town after finding his own fame and fortune. He never forgot Mati. Now she’s single and he’s ready to take what he’s always wanted.
This story played on my emotions. Mati’s a widow in her forty’s trying to be ready to start over when Denton comes back into her life. He’s a take control, dirty talker that knows exactly what she needs. A second chance is what they deserve. This story makes you believe that anyone can have their happily ever after and these two deserve to have theirs…finally! I LOVED it!!!
I love second chance romances, because someone who was hurt in the past, gets his or her chance of regaining that love that was lost. This book is very poignant, because this second chance comes from the death of a friend. Denton, Mati and Chris were best friends since childhood. Inevitably, both guys fell in love with Mati, but only one of them was going to be able to keep the girl. Twenty-seven years ago, Chris got the girl, and Denton left town, never to come back. He never visited, never kept in touch with his friends. It was a real heartbreak.
Now Mati has been a widow for one year, and Denton comes back to town because his mother is dying. He didn’t come back for his father’s funeral, nor for Chris’ funeral. He just cut off all ties to Blue Ridge, including his mother. Now he’s coming back, mostly because his sister asked him. There are so many layers in this book that made it so riveting. Denton had an abusive father and a mother who didn’t protect him. His sister Dolores has been taking care of their mother, their grandmother, their farm and her diner all during his absence. Meanwhile, he went on to become a rockstar, later a photographer and at the moment, he’s a model. You want to hate him for his selfishness until you learn all the incidents that led to his departure.
Mati is an extraordinary woman, had a happy marriage, twin sons that brought her joy, a grandchild on the way, her parents and four older brothers. The whole family appears in the book, and have a part in the plot. Her father and brothers own and operate the Giant Beer Company, while she’s the high school volleyball coach. She has led a happy and fulfilled life but now she wants more, she has the yearning for a partner and for adventure.
I loved this book, loved the characters and was cheering so hard for Mati and Denton to get their second chance. I felt so sorry for Denton, because even though he went on to collect fame and fortune, I felt he was the less fortunate of the group. He made a huge sacrifice for friendship and I wanted so much for him to get his second chance. I also felt he needed to make amends for his neglect of his family, he could have made their life so much better if he had cared enough. In my opinion, the author’s writing style was a little choppy and her dialogues were a little brusque, I had some problems adjusting to her style. Even so, the story was so full of heartbreak, yearning, and possibilities that it kept me hooked until the end. Another thing I loved is that the characters are in their forties, with some grey hairs and very sexy!
Ms. Dunbar’s Romance for the Over 40 series is something you need to read. Every story so far is entertaining and fun to read.
Denton, Matti, and Chris were 3 close friends that grew up together. They helped each other and supported each other as friends even though there were more than friendship feelings for all 3 involved. However, youthful misinterpretations between Denton and Matti changed the course of their lives. Twenty-five years later, Matti is going through her deceased husband Chris’ office when she find a letter that he had written her to remind her of their promise to each other to live their life and also to contact Denton.
Denton’s heart has always belonged to Mati but he stepped aside when Chris wanted a relationship with Mati. Denton left town and became a rockstar, then a model and now a photographer. When his sister calls him home since their mother was dying, Denton makes the trip. He is surprised to get a text from Mati since he has had contact with her in over 25 years. She has something that Chris wanted him to have so she is trying to get it to him. Mati has always loved Denton but she loved her life with Chris too.
This could be Denton and Mati’s second chance at a relationship that it seems everyone knows they should have! Will they be able to work on a future when it seems that they have moved in different paths and then there are secrets that come out that surprises both of them.Fin
Another great story in this series. I can’t wait to find out whose story we get next!
Second Chance is the next over 40 romance by LB Dunbar. And this one delivers on all fronts. There are two characters that had loved each other in their teens but nothing ever came to be (and the book explains why), and then they are reconnected later in their 40’s because of life circumstances. We get to see Mati and Denton discover their love for each other through not so easy events surrounding them in their hometown. And then add the fact that Mati has two adult aged boys that maybe are not so keen on their mom moving forward after the death of their father. Which all makes for a very interesting and emotional read.
LB knows how to write these very real life stories of characters over 40. This is not a everything is wonderful kind of story. It is real with real emotions evoked during the reading from both the characters and the reader. I can’t wait to read more from this author.
This book…it has almost broken me. There are so many things about Denton and Mati that are a reflection of things that I am currently experiencing and feeling. I have teared up many times while reading their story. A great book does that to you.
This over 40’s romance series of stories has been so refreshing. I’m finally reading romance situations that happen in my own age group and it makes me happy.
This story follows Denton, former rock star and his hometown girl Mati. After returning to town years later after his career, he and Mati navigate through the ups and downs of past secrets, current temptations and a possible future of love again.
There are a few awkward moments in getting to know each other again, a lot of tug of war situations in the story, misunderstandings and a great big secret to reveal. Let’s not forget our sexy times too. Over 40 still have it going on! Another great addition for my more mature romance shelf.
This was a new to me author and book and I am so glad I had the opportunity to read it because it will not be my last. I am a sucker for second chance romances but I love that this one was about some 20 somethings who have been apart for a few years or some of the other generic second chances out there now.
Mati, Chris and Denton were best friends growing up until Mati and Chris started dating and Denton left town. Flash forward 27 years later and Denton is back in his hometown and forced to face the girl he left years and years ago.
With Denton back in town will true feelings be revealed, and secrets discovered?
I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of this book. I loved that it broke the mold of traditional romances and the main characters were both in the 40’s, it truly felt like they were getting a second chance at love and life.
I highly recommend this one, especially for those who are fans of second chance romances.
Denton and Mati. Chris and Mati. Denton and Chris. This book has such a strong back story to lead you into the current one. The whole book is shifting waves of emotions. Second Chance will yank you into the story and overwhelm you with all the feels.
LB Dunbar gives us the most delicious silver foxes and she doesn’t disappoint with Denton. Rock star, model and photographer, he ran away from a bad situation leaving the girl he loved in the hands of his best friend.
Mati stayed and married Chris. Mother to grown twins, she is recovering from the death of her husband. She has started looking at what her life might be like in the future when Denton comes back into her life.
As wonderful as this story is, it would not be so if not for the poignant back story of 3 best friends and how they came to care for each other so much. The caution that LB takes in the story that brings Denton and Mati together for the right reasons is heartfelt.
With a host of secondary characters, this book is highly entertaining.
A story filled with memories, emotions, regrets, and secrets. They were a part of a trio of best friends. They have been strangers for the past twenty-seven years, yet their longing for each other is still there. A wonderful story of characters over the age of 40 who have lived a life and still have plenty more years to live. Told from dual points of view. You’re taken on the rollercoaster of emotions as these two reconnect yet won’t fully share their real feelings, feelings that have been there since they were teenagers.
Engaging characters, a well crafted story and plenty of heat
Part of the author’s romance for the over 40 series, you don’t need to have read the earlier books in the series as the crossover is pretty minimal.
I’ve been enjoying this series as it makes for a nice change and shows that there can be just as much heat for over forties as in any new adult/twenty something romance. I thought the author did a great job with the setup here and an even better job with the follow through. Dealing with the scars of the past, death and aging amongst family member, and learning to live again while dealing with adult children accepting changes are all realistically and sympathetically handled and helped add a lot of depth to the love story.
A second chance story as you’d guess from the title, Mati and Denton were both engaging characters and there are plenty of secrets behind why didn’t get together when they were kids. Learning the truth behind all those secrets, and a few others as well, provided some nice tension and mystery for the story. It definitely helped keep me turning those pages, though really, I was cheering for them to get together almost from the very beginning. There were so many sparks between them, but all those secrets too, which only made the anticipation of them finally getting together all the sweeter.
There were plenty of interesting secondary characters here as well (like Mati’s brothers), and I hope we’ll get their stories soon. Engaging characters, a well crafted story and plenty of heat means another great read from this author for me. 5 stars
B2B Kelly
My Rating:
4.5
Favorite Quotes:
My now best friend Cora tells me I need to get back out there. I don’t know where there is—or where I’d go.
I’m not certain how to categorize what just happen. It was the best non-sex-sex I’ve ever had.
My Review:
I have adored this series and author but I struggled more than a bit with this installment as it was a full-on angst-fest with near constant conflict, neither of which will ever be among my favorite tropes. I seek an emotional balance in my world but find I am willing to put aside my discomfort for exceptional wordsmiths such as the skilled raconteur known as L.B. Dunbar. The two main characters were each struggling with old regrets as well as recent losses and ongoing grief, as such, the tone was understandably heavy and other than occasional lashings of levity and bone-melting sensual scenes, it remained a chest squeezing read with thirty years worth of secrets and memories, wistful longings, resentments, disappointments, heartbreak, domestic and child abuse, family drama, and the emotional seesaw of their current indecisiveness and ambiance. Welcome respites from the ratcheting tension were found in the comedic flair of the family drama and observant insights of southern small-town living and pettiness, sassy and clever banter, and the breakneck speed of gossip.
I absolutely LOVE the Sexy Silver Foxes! L.B. Dunbar has sure mastered the writing of romance books for the over 40. I enjoy reading about characters who have real life expectations, real life problems and how these issues are resolved with experiences that come naturally to me.
Growing up, Mati, Chris and Denton were inseparable. Best Friends always having each other’s back. When graduation comes, and Denton leaves town, Mati and Chris grow closer. Eventually marrying and starting a family.
While Denton took off and became a successful musician, he has never been back to town.
Now 27 years later…is it time to reveal the secrets…
Or
Are secrets meant to be kept silent forever?
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