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NetGalley Review of Second Chance Romance

Posted on November 18, 2025July 27, 2025 by caritagardiner
Screenshot 2025-07-24 at 7.17.58 PM

title: Second Chance Romance

author: Olivia Dade

publisher: Avon

publication date: November 25, 2026

pages: 400

peppers: 3 (on this scale)

warnings: fake news

summary: Two years after her ugly divorce and twenty years after leaving Harlot's Bay just before her high school graduation, audiobook narrator Molly learns of the murder of her high school best friend and secret crush Karl. She returns to town for his funeral and ends up being surprised by what she finds.

tropes:

  • grumpy-sunshine
  • second-chance romance
  • been burned before
  • horrible ex
  • I'm unlovable/not good enough
  • overworked
  • caretaker
  • learn to trust

what I liked:

  • plus-size representation
  • great dialogue and humor
  • grumpy-sunshine romance is my favorite (reasons obvious)
  • so much food

what I didn’t like:

  • though there are reasons they don't talk things out, they probably could have talked things out earlier

overall rating: 5 (of 5 stars)

As always, you can click on the photo above if you want to buy the book.

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WHAT I DO

I serve as a class dean and teach English to high schoolers at a boarding school in Connecticut. I’ve earned a Bachelor of Arts (Amherst College), an Education Master in Learning and Teaching (Harvard University Graduate School of Education), a Master of Arts in English (Bread Loaf School of English), and most recently a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing with a certificate in the online teaching of writing (Southern New Hampshire University).

As a writer, I hope to capture the complexity and joy of life in the New England boarding school world. On this site, I share what I know about trying to write fiction while deaning, teaching English, coaching, and doing the other tasks associated with helping to raise over six hundred other people’s children.

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Read my recent “Why” Wednesday Blog Posts

  • 362. Why Have a Motto
  • NetGalley Review of An Academic Affair
  • NetGalley Review of Hate You, Maybe
  • 361. Why Life’s Going to Life
  • NetGalley Review of Something Wicked
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