An emotional book about a woman who moves to her partner’s village, in Ireland, to reclaim a run down old house. Trigger warning, there is a death and mention of a historical death of a baby. Both are dealt with with care. It’s hard to explain more without spoilers, if you are concerned I can see others explain the main death so you could check out other reviews if you want more information. I did think there was going to be a description of a domestic violence relationship but, for me, I think it was more of an emotionally abusive relationship which again threatened peril but I was glad it didn’t take a more difficult turn. I felt the death was forewarned and I can’t work out if it was the writing changing or just a sense of impending doom but for a little bit I thought I might stop reading as I felt quite agitated. I kept going though and I am glad I did. The book’s twists and turns and the relationships the protagonist develops were really interesting. I loved the number of female relationships, yes there were male ones but multiple female relationships in a book just makes my heart sing. I loved the Priest and Greta, the latter was so direct and yet so giving. The whole sense of a community coming together was a joy. The home itself was definitely another character, sometimes I felt it was the main character for me.

I absolutely love Roisin Meaney's books and Second Chances is no exception. From the very first word you feel you're part of whatever is going on. In this case a young couple's life and the sudden unexpected changes that life can have in store. Lydia is a city girl who is taken in by a village after life deals her a cruel blow. They slowly bring her back to life without her realising it. The way the author writes pulls at the heartstrings and brought me to tears on several occasions without being overly sentimental. A lovely read I'm happy to recommend.Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy. All opinions are my own.

I absolutely love Roisin Meaney's books and Second Chances is no exception. From the very first word you feel you're part of whatever is going on. In this case a young couple's life and the sudden unexpected changes that life can have in store. Lydia is a city girl who is taken in by a village after life deals her a cruel blow. They slowly bring her back to life without her realising it. The way the author writes pulls at the heartstrings and brought me to tears on several occasions without being overly sentimental. A lovely read I'm happy to recommend.Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy. All opinions are my own.

I absolutely loved this gorgeous exploration of loss,healing and the power of community. As with all of Roisin's books it had relatable characters and emotional depth. A perfect balance of heartbreak and hope, a soothing balm in times of turmoil.