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by Katherine Slee

A charming, uplifting novel about love, loss, and finding your way in the world, perfect for fans of Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine and The Keeper of Lost Things.

Emily can't remember the last time she left the house. Or spoke to anyone besides her grandmother, beloved children's author Catriona Robinson. After Catriona's death, Emily is at a complete loss . . . until she gets an unexpected letter from the woman she loved most.

Catriona has revealed there might be one last, lost unpublished manuscript in her wildly popular book series. And she's left a secret diary and trail of clues that only Emily can follow. From London to Paris to Verona, Emily traces her grandmother's past, finding out more about her family — and herself — than she ever imagined possible.

Hopeful and adventurous, The Book of Second Chances celebrates books and bookstores, the power of imagination, and having the courage to shape our own destinies.

Genres: Contemporary, Fiction, Chick Lit, Romance, Adult Fiction, Adult, Books About Books

321 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 5, 2020

About the author

Katherine Slee has a Masters in Modern History from Oxford University and is a member of MENSA who left the crazy and chaotic world of investment banking to enter the crazy and chaotic world of being a stay-at-home mother to two children and wife to a workaholic husband. She grew up as a bit of a tomboy, with scars on her knees and mud in her hair, and as a result developed a taste for everything from Star Wars to whiskey, with a dash of ornithology thrown into the mix. When she’s not either reading or writing, she enjoys baking (with various degrees of success), photography and walking the dog. Her favorite place to be is on the beach in France, where the light is always surprising and the ice cream is the best she’s ever tasted.

Reviews

[Tucker Almengor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many thanks to Forever Pub for the free copy in exchange for an honest review

This was was super cute and reminded me of Abby Waxman’s books. I loved the illustrated birds at the beginning of every chapter! I highly recommend checking it out!

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[Brooke — brooklynnnnereads · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel has everything that I love to read in a story. It was emotional, it was powerful, it included travel, and everything from the atmosphere to the writing was beautiful.

I think many could relate to the character of Emily with her fear of beginning to truly live after existing a certain way for so long. Maybe readers won't relate to the exact situation or circumstance that Emily is in but the aspect of moving beyond fear is relatable to all.

I loved that as much as there was a romance in the story (more than one actually) it wasn't the purpose of the whole novel. The romance, as enjoyable as it was, sat quietly in the background while the main story held centre stage.

Aside from my enjoyment of the overall novel, I really loved the bonus material that was included at the end of this ARC and hopefully is in the finished edition. There was Book Club resources included along with question and answers from the author. I felt this additional information added to my understanding and made the story that much more meaningful.

***Thank you to the publisher for supplying me with an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book incredibly slow reading even if it's a short book. Emily dithers more than I ever thought humanly possible. It is explained that she has PTSD after a car accident took the lives of her parents and left her in a wheelchair when she was about 12. She went to live with her maternal grandmother who wrote an immensely popular children's series and Emily became the illustrator.

They lived in a small house in England and Emily rarely mingled with other people after recovering from the accident. While she walked again she had a scar on her face she was very self aware of so when Emily's grandmother started dying there was a huge concern about what would happen to her.

Her grandmother's solution was to send her on a treasure hunt of her grandmother's life that takes her to Paris, St. Tropez and Rome among other places. I found this odd as I am not sure of why reliving her grandmother's life was healing but this is what happened. The book tells of that journey.

It is a great book telling you to come to terms with life but, again, I found it rather slow and Emily on the annoying side.

[Robin Loves Reading · Rating 5 out of 5]

This touching story follows one woman’s journey as she solves a puzzle of sorts left by her grandmother.

Full review to come.

[Anna (bibliophiles_bookstagram) · Rating 1 out of 5]

In my humble opinion, one who has read a lot of books, this was a mess of a plot and characters. I would have DNF if I wasn’t already half way. I had no desire to keep reading, and I felt like the story was just all over the place. As much as the promise of a heroine traipsing over Europe sounded promising, the setting was not enough to keep me engaged.

[Brandy Painter · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

Taking the Goodreads "it was ok" two star description literally. I didn't feel much while I was reading this. The pacing was a bit slow, and it felt like it was trying super hard to be Important and Meaningful. That being said, I didn't hate it, and I made it to the end. I was left with just a feeling of meh while closing the book, unmoved one way or the other.

[Doreen · Rating 2 out of 5]

When Catriona Robinson, a beloved children’s author, dies, she leaves her granddaughter Emily grieving. Raised by her grandmother after the death of her parents in an accident which left her physically scarred, Emily has become a virtual recluse. Since she illustrated her grandmother’s books, Catriona’s death leaves Emily feeling she has no further purpose. Then Emily discovers that she has ten days to follow a trail of clues if she wants to inherit her grandmother’s estate in its entirety. Reluctantly, Emily sets off with Tyler, a childhood friend whom Catriona designated as Emily’s companion, on a journey that takes them to London and on to France and Italy.

A problem for me was that I could not connect with Emily. She is 28 years old but is so immature. She suffered great tragedy when her parents died but that was 15 years earlier. Catriona let her granddaughter remain a 13-year-old? Emily is so self-centred and whiny that she just becomes tedious and annoying.

As expected, the journey she undertakes is a journey of self-discovery. The issue is that the reader is given no credit for intelligence: the author states the obvious over and over again. There are explanations like “Every single interaction, no matter how small, has an impact on who you turn out to be. Every conversation, every disappointment, every touch, they all combine into one huge mess called life” and “it’s not possible to appreciate the good without the bad. The light without the dark. The joy without the sorrow” and “Face your fears. Don’t give in to the voices of doubt. Embrace the terror because you never know where it might lead you” and “no one ever really knows what goes on inside a person’s mind, or their heart, that each and every one of us have [sic] demons to battle with at some point along the way.” A well-written novel does not need to state its themes; it will show, not tell.

There are problems with Catriona’s posthumous scavenger hunt. There is no way that she could have foreseen that Emily would walk down a street in Paris and see a particular art shop! People seem to carry parcels around with them just on the chance that Emily will show up? For instance, Emily meets one man as he docks his boat; he immediately takes her for a boat ride to a hotel restaurant where he presents her with a “brown paper parcel tied up with string”!

There are other events that are illogical. A woman says to Emily, “Let me show you what it is I asked you here for’” and then begins “to search through stacks of books, then clambered onto one of the desks and moved aside dusty cardboard boxes from a top shelf” in order to find it? This same woman had hotel reservations made for Emily and Tyler though she didn’t know they would be in Paris on that day? Tyler seems to have things happen to him even though there is no time for those things to happen. The contents of Catriona’s will are only revealed four weeks after her death? Tyler’s dad is called William and then Charles? Why did Tyler and Adrianna disappear as soon as tragedy struck? Emily hasn’t seen Tyler since her 21st birthday 7 years ago? Does Catriona have no flaws?

There is little to keep a reader’s interest in the book. It is so slow-paced and plodding. I kept wanting to abandon it but felt obligated to finish since I had received a galley. Truly, I feel as if I gave The Book of Second Chances more chances than it deserved.

Note: I received a digital galley from the publisher via NetGalley.

Please check out my reader's blog (https://schatjesshelves.blogspot.com/) and follow me on Twitter (@DCYakabuski).

[Heather❀Kiss The Pages❀ · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Book of Second Chances by Katherine Slee takes our recluse heroine Emily on a scavenger hunt across Europe. A journey that's forced upon her by her grandmother who recently passed away. As someone who never ventured beyond the borders of her small town due to a traumatic event she experienced as a child, this was an incredible challenge for her. I loved the moments that she found the strength to do things she never imagined possible. As she discovers the secrets of her grandmother's life, she also discovers who she really is. The first half of this moved really slow but the second half picked up with a really nice pace.This is a beautiful coming of age novel with a touch of romance that was so uplifting and heartwarming!

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a sweet book. At first I was not such a fan of Emily but as I got further into the story, you could say that Emily. Despite not really getting to know Emily's grandmother very well before her death; I did love Catriona right away. As more details came out about her and the things she did for Emily made me just fall in love with her more.

Then there is Tyler. He was likable and an nice addition to this story. He helped Emily on her book adventure to solve her grandmother's mystery. The clues that she left for Emily each had a personal meaning. Which brings the readers closer to Emily and her grandmother.

While, I did like this book. I did find the pacing to move slowly. It did not seem as if the story really did pick up and start until about a third of the way into the story. Yet, I still did enjoy reading this book and would read another book by this author.

[Amanda Borys · Rating 2 out of 5]

Honestly, I didn't like Emily, Taylor, or Phoebe. The really interesting characters in this book were the grandmother, Catriona Robinson and her five friends from when she was young and carefree in Paris. It was disappointing how rarely they came into the story and added life, fun, and intelligence to the mopey, whiny trip undertaken by Emily. The only good thing about it was it only lasted 10 days.

I did hang on to the end to see what her grandmother's legacy would be, sadly it was exactly what I thought it would.

A book about Catriona and her friends should be written.

[Kate · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was not for me.. It never really grabbed me. The storyline was one I've read many times before. The writing was rambling and repetitive.

*Thank you to Netgalley and Forever Publishing*

[Lorilin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emily’s beloved grandmother and famous children’s book author, Catriona, has just passed away from cancer. The two had relied solely on each other for years, ever since a tragic car accident took the lives of Emily’s parents and left Emily severely injured (and eventually agoraphobic). Now, with her grandmother gone, Emily is beside herself with grief and uncertain of how she will go on.

To make matters worse, while reading over her grandmother’s will, Emily discovers that she won’t inherit the house she’s lived in for years unless she agrees to complete a set of tasks outlined by Catriona—almost like a scavenger hunt—within the next two weeks. Emily hardly feels up to the challenge, but since homelessness would make her situation decidedly worse, she agrees to set out on one first-and-final adventure.

This book has a slow, sloooooow start. Prepare yourself. But if you can make it past the first 100 pages, you will be rewarded with a really lovely, thoughtful, and moving story. The last half of the book brought honest-to-God tears to my eyes, and I loved getting to know Emily’s grandmother through the people she left behind, the people she loved most. The lesson to live your life with a spirit of adventure, to take risks while still being true to yourself, is so beautifully illustrated in Catriona’s life. It’s just a story, I know, but she is an inspirational character for me. I really wish the story had moved along more quickly at the start, but I sure did love where it ended up.

Big thank you to Forever Books and Amazon Vine for the ARC.

See more of my reviews at www.bugbugbooks.com!

[Zoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nostalgic, optimistic, and heartwarming!

The Book of Second Chances is a sweet, uplifting tale that takes you into the life of the lonely, grief-stricken Emily as she reluctantly embarks on a journey stipulated by her late grandmother's wishes that takes her from London to Paris to Italy where she learns of a life she never knew existed, and in turn, discovers her true self, finds contentment, and learns to take chances.

The prose is light and smooth. The characters are hesitant, wary, and vulnerable. And the plot is a touching, compelling tale about life, love, family, friendship, self-discovery, happiness, independence, confidence, birds, books, and heartbreak.

Overall, The Book of Second Chances is a lovely, absorbing, emotive read by Slee that reminds us to always surround ourselves with those we love and live every day to the fullest.

Thank you to HBG Canada and Forever for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Kavanand (Reading for Two) · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were a lot of things I liked about this book, but in the end it was only a three star read for me. I liked the idea of a woman who's shut herself off from the world getting out there and doing things. But I had issues with how she's pushed into doing it.

Emily has severe PTSD, the result of surviving a horrific car accident at age 13 that killed her parents and left her severely injured. Since the accident, she has lived with her beloved grandmother Catriona who is a writer. Together, they create a series of beloved children's books about a young girl in a wheelchair who has magical adventures.

When her grandmother dies, Emily learns that she won't inherit her grandmother's estate and the house she's lived in since her parents died unless she takes on a quest engineered by her grandmother. So, following a series of letters, she goes in search of her grandmother's past. The journey she goes on is an interesting one, but the idea of forcing a woman who's had a very rough life out of her comfort zone under the threat of losing her home just felt really cruel to me, and it tainted my enjoyment of the book.

I received an ARC from the publisher through Amazon Vine.

[ME · Rating 2 out of 5]

Honestly, I'm sorry I spent the three days on this book that it took to get through it. What a waste. This is a book about selfish people doing selfish things for selfish reasons with no satisfaction in it at all. The potentially rich environment was as flat as a cardboard cutout, and the people, well, I already mentioned them, didn't I? It's a book about nothing, where nothing happens, and it grates on your nerves the whole way through in its high-minded self-serving, not-at-all-quirky-just-uncomfortable hippy dippy way. The grammatical construct is also very strange. I credit that to cultural differences. I hope. Because "I was stood in the hallway..." is just weird. Enter at your own risk.

[Penny (Literary Hoarders)]

I'm thinking that For Emily is this same book, but different name? It's confusing because both show up. Looks like it's The Book of Second Chances here in NA. (I find it odd that the same book is released in the UK with one name and in NA with an entirely different name/cover. Why?)

[Maudaevee · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a hard book to review, some parts were wonderfully written and some were hard to read through, the beginning was the most difficult part I think. It was the set up, it seemed cruel and forced in a way that was just not that enjoyable. Once you get through that and the journey begins, it is more enjoyable, but I just didn't love it the way I thought I would.

[Nursebookie]

The Book of Second Chances
by Katherine Slee

This book felt so magical to me reading this with all the symbolism as the book and Slee celebrates books, bookstores and power of imagination in dealing with love, loss and family. Emily has suffered the loss of her parents in a tragic car accident and now with her grandmother gone, she is just so grief stricken and unable to move on. Her incredible grandmother Catriona has set up a will where Emily has to fulfill specific tasks to inherit the house. So it's either be homeless or set out on this forced adventure. The story was sweet and completely uplifting where it takes our main character Emily into a journey not only of of self - discovery but also through London to Paris and to Italy.

This definitely was an escape read for me. The writing was easy to read, immersive, and had me in all sorts of tearful and happy emotions. This is a wonderful story and a well written novel I highly recommend.

[Tarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

My book club read it and most of us really liked it. It was a slow start but definitely got better. It was very sweet with beautiful words and uplifting messages. We had one member who didn't like it and I can see how this book is not for everyone. Maybe a little too sweet. It has been different not being able to get physical books from the library during the quarantine so it was wonderful to have these ARCs from the publisher. There was lots of food and travel that would have made a great theme and menu for an in-person book club. We loved the illustrations and role of birds in the book and had fun selecting a bird based on the descriptions provided in the reading guide. I would recommend they be published in the back of future editions.

[Angie Simmonds · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disjointed story and I didn't feel like the characters were real enough or fleshed out enough. I did like the slightly fairy tale feel to it that I got in the beginning when i felt she was conversing with the birds much as Cinderella would have. Middle of the road read according to the 1/4 of our book club that actually finished it.

[Heather Olszewski · Rating 2 out of 5]

What I did like about this book was the authors use of quotes. I enjoyed the quotes used and thought they were fitting to the storyline. I found it hard to connect to the main characters which made the book, for me, a slow read.

[Gaele · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sequel if you will to For Emily, this is Emily’s story after the death of her grandmother Catriona from cancer, and Catriona’s final lessons, in puzzle form, meant to provide Emily with the courage, strength and ability to move forward and become her own person. After she was horribly injured in a car accident that claimed the life of her parents, Emily went to live with her grandmother in a small Norfolk cottage by the sea. Closing themselves off for the most part from the world, and allowing Emily to lock away her memories as she worked to illustrate what would become a very successful series of children’s books penned by her grandmother, Emily has stagnated. Now after her death, and rumors of a “last” story, Emily’s grief and her grandmother’s last will and testament offer her choice. Follow the trail of clues to get her bequest: money, the cottage and the security she knows, or head off following the trail for one last puzzle to work out. In ten days. To a girl/woman who’s not left the village .

Emily had been allowed to push away her grief and her memories, but with the reappearance of her first childhood love and friend Tyler, also on his own sort of redemption tour, the two use a combination of photographs, books, scattered diary entries and plenty of travel to unveil Emily’s last lessons from her grandmother. From London where Emily remembered a visit with her parents, to the bookshop in Paris where her grandmother met and made lifelong friends and loves, through Italy and through monumental steps in learning, remembering and understanding the ties that bind, and the pain, grief, legacies and lessons that exist simply because of the connections made. Emily is slowly, and not without reluctance, discovering the life she led is nothing like a life lived: her grandmother’s true desire for her.

A bit slow to develop, and Emily does get frustrating: but there’s the core of someone special here. From her fascination with birds (and in many cases, seeming to be the bird whisperer) to her artistic talents, the way she ‘frames’ a picture with words, and the secrets she hides within each image –most not revealed until she’s accepted enough memories to come forward and reveal themselves to her. Emily is truly one of the more uniquely developed and drawn characters I’ve ever encountered: and with the connection to books, stories, their creation and their genesis, the references and gentle unfolding of the story up to ‘crisis points’ for Emily when she feels overwhelmed are beautifully created and brought forward: allowing readers to experience the poignancy of grief, loss, friendships and memories, and just how those elements become and fill a life – making it one well lived although never entirely comfortable or without pain. I loved the book, the birds at the start of each chapter, their meanings from folklore and the growth as Emily finds a new footing with her memories, her talents and her own dreams.

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Review first appeared at

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Emily illustrates her grandmother's children's books. Upon losing her grandmother, she is left with a series of clues that send her on an adventure to try to find the last unpublished book in the series. Emily is not alone on her journey; she is joined by her childhood friend, Tyler. She is normally known to be somewhat of a homebody so traveling to London, Paris, and Verona is quite a change for her. This book was suggested for fans of Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine which is one of my favorite books. I do see some parallels where the main character has a difficult past that colors how she lives in the present, but I wasn't quite as charmed by Emily. I thought that The Book of Second Chances has good writing and some valuable lessons, but there were maybe a few too many clues that just didn't quite wrap up in the end for me. It was a meandering story which is some ways fit with Emily's personality, but I just wanted there to be a little bit more depth and a little bit more explanation to help me feel more for these characters. I think you will enjoy this book if you are looking for a new beginning.

Thank you to Read Forever Pub and Grand Central Pub for the gifted copy. All thoughts are my own.

[kaylasbookishlife · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Chat | Review 🌷
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The Book of Second Chances by Katherine Slee ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

About the book: Emily is the granddaughter of the late Catriona Robinson, beloved children’s author. At 28, Emily has barely been out on her own since childhood as she prefers to stay in her home in the small, quiet village. Dealing with past childhood trauma and the death of her grandmother, the last thing Emily wants to do is leave the comforts of her home to search for a lost manuscript and follow the clues her grandmother has hidden within her books throughout various countries.
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Thoughts: I loved this book! It was so heartwarming and beautifully written. I love the incorporation of birds and their symbolism throughout the novel. Emily is such a unique character and it is lovely to watch her grow from a shy, sheltered woman into a more confident one.
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This book takes you to the oldest bookshop in London, the south of France and to Verona, Italy. We meet friends of Catriona who help Emily learn more about her grandmother. Emily finds clues hidden within the pages of the children’s books her grandmother created and finds her passion once again. This is the perfect book to curl up with and just leaves you feeling so content and happy when you’re done!

[Mom_Loves_Reading · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful, touching, emotionally heartfelt story about loss, grieving, personal growth, overcoming life's obstacles, learning to love ourselves (flaws & all), & pushing ones self out of their comfort zone. The main character, Emily, has some physical & emotional disabilities due to a very traumatic car accident when she was younger, but she is also very introverted, claustrophobic, agoraphobic, anxious, & has low self-esteem.
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This is such a well-written, vulnerable, compelling debut novel! It's a wonderful book for book clubs or discussion groups & the book has a guide & questions at the end of it. I encourage to go on this journey of self-discovery with Emily. You may even discover parts of your inner self that needed some TLC as well! Add it to your TBR list & for this book at your local indie bookstores soon! (Another edition of this book is titled "For Emily" just FYI)

[Kristen Cook - A Book Ninja · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hmmm. I am not sure I have ever been so torn about a book before. There were points in this book that I wanted it to never end. I loved Emily's story but then there were parts that I felt flowed way too slow and I felt like there was information missing from the story.

This is a book about a girl who experienced an unimaginable loss which obviously and rightly so impacts the rest of her life. Her grandmother, a famous author, raises Emily and together they write and illustrate a series of children's books that are beloved by children all over the world.

This is a book about friendship, love, sacrifice, and healing.

I received an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Dawnny · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love books about a granddaughter finding things after her grandmother dies. Emily has many issues after an accident. She discovers a diary that belonged to her grandmother that sends her on a journey. I felt for Emily and what she was going through. I have a son with PTSD and my late husband also had PTSD from an accident. I liked the journey of Emily. This was a slow burn but in the end I enjoyed it.

[Trianna/Treereads · Rating 2 out of 5]

This had some poignant lines that made me thing, but I could not get into this story.

The pacing was slow, I could not follow it at times, the internal dialogue the main character had was slow, and I honestly had not idea what was happening.

I'll put this one in a Little Free Library in hopes it finds a new home.

*Thanks to the publisher for a free copy in exchange for an honest review*

[Riveriana · Rating 2 out of 5]

La trama mi sembrava promettente, e probabilmente lo è, però l'ho trovato così lento e noioso che a pagina 230 l'ho abbandonato.
Mi stava per mandare in blocco.
Probabilmente non era il momento giusto. Vorrei dargli una seconda possibilità.
Magari più avanti.

[Equine Dragon · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s good. The first half was really slow but the second half was really good. It’s a good quick read.
It didn’t blow me away. But I definitely enjoyed the second half a lot.