You Can't Hurry Second Chances: A Novel

by Michelle Stimpson

“An utter delight from start to finish.” –Terah Shelton Harris, author of One Summer in Savannah, for Sisters with a Side of Greens
A heartwarming small-town tale of rediscovering joy in unexpected places. Starting over isn’t easy, but sometimes it’s exactly what we need.
Newly divorced and determined to prove she can stand on her own, Joyce Hicks moves back to small-town Texas, leaving behind the life she has known for decades for a fresh start in her late father’s home. Unfinished renovations force her to share her kitchen with her tenant, Gabriella Santos, an aspiring chef with dreams of opening a restaurant inspired by her Black and Mexican roots. What begins as an inconvenience blossoms into an unlikely friendship between the two women as they learn to navigate their shared space.
Just as her life begins to settle, Joyce’s summer plans upend when her grandson, Elijah, is dropped off for an unexpected seven-week stay, dredging up all kinds of buried things from her past—including visits from her ex-husband, judgment from her daughter, and insecurities that she never quite healed from. Meanwhile, Gabriella’s passion for cooking and her vibrant personality infuse the household with energy, even as she faces her own struggles with self-doubt and heartbreak.
Together, Joyce, Gabriella, and Elijah form a patchwork family that supports each other through life’s highs and lows. When an old flame, Richard, reappears in Joyce’s life, she must decide whether to embrace love head-on or to slow down and wait just a little longer for her happy ending.
More Praise for Michelle Stimpson
"Stimpson delivers raw, complex characters and a delicious storyline that will stay with the reader long after the last page." — New York Times bestselling author Kim Michele Richardson for Sisters with a Side of Greens
“Full of heart, generosity, and charm.” — Lucy Gilmore, author of The Lonely Hearts Book Club, for Sisters with a Side of Greens
"This is a heartwarming story of misconceptions and learning to love people for who they are, not what you expect them to be." — Booklist for Sisters with a Side of Greens

Genres: Fiction

320 pages, Paperback

Expected publication May 5, 2026

About the author

Hello, Goodreads community! I'm Michelle Stimpson, and storytelling is my heartbeat. I've found my calling in penning heartwarming women's fiction that offers a seat at the table of family, humor, and hope. As an author, my greatest joy comes from crafting narratives that resonate with anyone seeking to find laughter and light in the pages of a good book. My tagline, 'Read. Love. Repeat.', is a promise of the emotional journey I aim to provide—engaging stories you’ll love and yearn to revisit.

Happy Reading

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Reviews

[Ladiami · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was immediately invested in Joyce’s journey, not because it was dramatic, but because it felt real, tender, and earned. Watching her start over after divorce, returning to her late father’s home and confronting old insecurities, was both moving and quietly empowering. Her determination to rebuild her life on her own terms served as a beautiful reminder that courage doesn’t disappear with age, and that new beginnings are still possible later in life.

The relationship between Joyce and Gabriella quickly became the heart of the book for me. Gabriella brought so much warmth, hope, and life into Joyce’s world right when she needed it most. Their unlikely friendship felt organic and comforting, like something that slowly grows without either of them realizing how much they need it. Gabriella’s presence, her passion for food, and her quiet resilience added a vibrancy to the story that made the home feel alive.
I also appreciated how the story didn’t shy away from complicated family dynamics. I’ll be honest, I side eyed Joyce’s daughter from beginning to end. Her judgment and lack of grace toward Joyce made me ache for a little more understanding, especially given how hard Joyce was trying to stand on her own and heal old wounds.

There was an undeniable coziness to this book. The shared kitchen, the small town setting, the food, and the evolving relationships all wrapped together into something that felt safe and comforting, even when heavier emotions surfaced. The bond that formed between Joyce, Gabriella, and Elijah was especially touching. It truly felt like a patchwork family built on choice, care, and mutual support.

By the end, I found myself wishing the story didn’t have to stop. I wasn’t ready to let go of these characters or the world they created together. This book left me with a quiet sense of hope and the comforting belief that love, friendship, and second chances can arrive exactly when we need them most, even later in life.

Thanks Netgalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark | Sourcebooks Landmark for the ARC and opportunity to provide an honest review.

[Kimberly A · Rating 5 out of 5]

REVIEW:
First of all I dont think I have finished a book in two days before. This was definitely an I dont want to put down book for me.

I will admit that I was looking a little cross eye at everyone at the beginning. But Michelle Stimpson brought it home for me. Made me want to go in my kitchen and cook up some good recipes!

I feel this book was written for me at the right time of my life. And the conclusion that Joyce came to, I did for myself and said Go Live!

My favorite quote "I knew you'd been kind of a buffer all this time, but I just realized that the person who is the buffer has to absorb all the sharp edges. And there is only but so much one person can take"

PreOrder Now! Releases May 5, 2026

[Jeannie Moran Gardner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Net Galley for this Advanced Reader Copy!

This is the story of Joyce who is starting over in her early 60s. Recently divorced, one she initiated, she navigates new friendships, opening herself up to relying on others again, and embracing community. It’s a story of love - between two women at very different stages of life who become roommates and then family - between a beloved grandson and his favorite person - and very subtly about a patient man, an old friend really, who waits for Joyce to see him differently. It was a very sweet book.