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Review

4 second chance stars

Enchanting, funny, beautifully romantic and vividly descriptive, this book is pure escapism, and I loved it!

Avery’s picture-perfect life comes to a screeching halt when she catches her husband with another woman. Although understandably hurt and betrayed, rather than falling to pieces over his devastating betrayal she realises the situation is a massive wake up call. Her life is not her own – she fits into the wealthy world that she was born into and then the social elite circle that she married into, but somewhere along the way she lost herself.

Yes, I was put together, and yes, I looked the part, but I wasn’t happy. Thinking about it, I couldn’t remember the last time I was.

And so, with divorce proceedings underway, when her best friend invites her to come and stay with her for the summer in Rome, Avery jumps at the chance of a new adventure and the opportunity to immerse herself into some culture, and so she sets off for the Eternal City.

On her first night in town, she is dragged out to a party and it’s there that she sees Marcello Bianchi. Marcello was the great, lost love of Avery’s life. They met while studying in Barcelona nine years previously and shared an amazing few months together – one that changed them both before it all fell apart.

We knew from the beginning that we were on borrowed time, but for those four months I was the real me. He let me fly.

And now, as Avery embraces her second chance at life, is she also going to get a second chance at love?

“Tell me what happened nine years ago, when you left to go back home and forgot all about Barcelona. And me.”

I loved this book! Sweet, fun, exciting and romantic, I read it in one sitting unable to put it down. I think everybody has dreamed of leaving their troubles behind and starting fresh somewhere new and exciting, and as somebody who shares Avery’s wanderlust, I relished in her journey as she did exactly that. The authors do a wonderful job a capturing the magic that is Italy – I love reading books with a travel theme to them, and as Avery explored her new city, I got lost in it right alongside her  (I mean, look at that cover!  Can’t you just FEEL it? *dreamy sigh*).

And the romance is so gorgeous! Avery’s relationship with Marcello is beautifully depicted, with a wonderful sense of anticipation leading to the inevitable confrontation, followed by friendship, more anticipation, and then a beautiful, all-consuming, passionate romance. Marcello is all kinds of hot, and the open affection, easy banter and intensity between them was beautifully written. And as we see each magical moment between them as they fall for each other all over again, I completely fell in love with Marcello as they recaptured the magic from their past.

“It wasn’t love or lust, but something we both recognized as a possibility of something. It was so pure, so uninhibited … We just threw ourselves into it. These moments that were little pockets of perfection. It was like nothing else mattered. Just us.”

I really enjoyed Avery as a character; she’s very relatable, and I loved watching her journey as she fights to rediscover who she is and finds the strength to claim the life that she wants. Helping her along the way with unquestionable support and absolute honesty, her best friend Daisy is a riot, and I loved the quick glimpse we got of the third member of their trio, Fiona. I’m hoping we get more books for these fantastic girls and their whirlwind lives.

This was a sweet, easy read that had me smiling all the way through. It’s romantic and fun with very little drama, and it left me wistfully longing to pack my bags and head off on my own adventure.

I loved it! 4 stars.

An Advanced Review Copy was generously provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest opinion.