ARC Review: The Widow's Guide to Second Chances
Hey folks! It’s -checks notes- Thursday and I’m here with another advance review! This time for a new to me author, Valerie Pepper and her romance: The Widow’s Guide to Second Chances. I had a really good time reading this one and (like usual) have a lot to say about it all! You ready?
I’d like to thank Valerie for the advance review copy, thoughts below are my own, enjoy!
If the title of the book didn’t clearly communicate it, this is a romance that focuses on life and love after losing a spouse. So if that is gonna be hard for folks, I would recommend you be gentle with yourself while reading. For me though, from the first moment we meet Devon I was firmly in love with her. She’s hilarious in that classic way of this humour comes from my trauma and not in a I took an improv workshop after work. So, all that to say: same friend.
Her and her brother Rick are driving back to the small town she left behind after her spouse tragically died. She’s being driven back though because their grandmother passed and stipulated in her will Devon would need to fix up her home for a minimum of 6 months, else the local historical preservation society would swoop in and take it.
So, like okay yes to all of that right?! It’s such classic background for so many of the bonkers things I just LOVE about romance. When she gets back into town almost immediately she needs to confront her grief. Devon also is like the poster child for avoidance, and see above (same). There are classic small town hijinx, a cast of extended characters that will worm their way into your heart, and a TOWN DOG THAT IS SO FREAKING CUTE.
The main romance between Aaron and Devon is really lovely. He’s out here giving fully obsessed golden-retriever (but with major abandonment issues) and Devon is the aloof (but cute) rescue cat that is like hmmm maybe I will love you, maybe not, who’s to say I feel anything at all about anything?!
There are classic rom-com moments that play really well off the bigger (sometimes heavier) themes associated with how we move through grief, and how we can reach for happiness only after progressing through the tough times.
There’s so many things in this one that fans of the genre will really enjoy. From laugh out loud narrative voice, the caretaking of Devon, to bossy in the bedroom Aaron, to the 3rd act (really heart-wrenching) break, and super satisfying happily ever after, The Widow’s Guide to Second Chances is a romance for romance fans.
If this sounds like something you would like, be sure to add it to your TBR today or pre-order it so you can dig in when it hits retailers April 11th 2023!