I love books about sisters so much. The bond between sisters is truly stronger and more complex than many other relationships. Sisters can be the most loving but also the most combustible relationships. Sisters can be at odds and also fiercely loyal. I know this in my soul, I have a sister myself. And I bet we would both say no one can get to us like the other can, but we love each other no matter what.

The Second Chance Supper Club by Nicole Meier is a heart-warming story of two sisters who have not only lost touch with each other, but have lost their way a bit in life. When they come together in an unlikely circumstance, they find that together, they can heal and move forward in love.

About the Book

Two estranged sisters reunite in an emotional novel of family, forgiveness, lost hope, and new beginnings.

They had a forever bond, until a sudden tragedy thrust them apart. Now, each at a crossroad in her own life, two sisters’ paths are about to intersect.

Broadcast journalist Julia Frank has it all: a career, an ambitious fiancé, and the hard-won respect of her peers. Until a ruinous decision destroys her reputation, puts her job at risk, and sends her reeling toward the only soul left to turn to: her estranged sister, Ginny.

The owner of a clandestine supper club hidden in the Arizona desert, Ginny Frank has a lot on her plate. The last thing she wants is more drama—or the burden of nursing her younger sister’s wounded ego. But family is family. Besides, Ginny can use the help in more ways than one, and she’s going to make sure Julia pulls her weight.

As a tenuous reunion reopens old wounds, Julia and Ginny have no choice but to confront the pain and betrayals of the past. Will working to keep the secret supper club running be just what they need to find common ground and a path toward forgiveness, or will the increasing stress push them even further apart?
Reflection

One thing I really loved about the way Meier wrote this novel is that though it was narrated by both sisters, Julia and Ginny, it wasn’t split evenly in alternating chapters. The first several chapters in fact were told from Julia’s perspective and were so gripping, that I was glad they weren’t broken up for the sake of keeping it even in terms of the two stories. This is a risky move, because it could easily have been ineffective! But Meier nailed  the structure of her book, and its one that clearly took quite a bit of thought.

When we open, Julia’s anxiety is palpable. She awakes late and is rushing to get to work. She immediately gets called into a meeting where she’s told she isn’t bringing in enough viewers, which is obviously media speak for “you’re too smart and leading with your brain instead of your boobs and we can find a younger, sexier co-star for a male lead who will dress the part.” I thought the tension in that entire scene leading up to the on-air incident was so expertly written. I could feel it!

As Julia’s life crumbles in what feels like a single moment, I was glued to the book, unsure of what I would do if I were her. When that leads her to her sister Ginny’s house in Arizona, I knew that this felt like rock bottom to Julia. To call Ginny and Julia estranged feels like an understatement! As the narrative switches to Ginny and we see where she has come after she left her highly successful career as a chef in New York to run an underground supper club in her house, I wanted to know what happened. What caused this? And Julia arriving mid-meal, with Ginny’s daughter Olive driving away…well awkward doesn’t begin to cover it!

Through their own need to rely on one another, I loved seeing the sisters work to heal their relationship. And it wasn’t easy! But it happened eventually the way it does with sisters. Each knowing they love each other, while not totally being over the hurt feelings and skepticism that it will last. I loved the moments with the food, where we really saw how different Ginny and Julia approach life. They are both hard workers and career-driven women, which I was really happy about. Not a weakling to be found in this family!

I think readers will love learning the story of these two women—these two sisters—as much as I did. I don’t want to say too much beyond the set up, because I found the whole concept of the supper club and what Ginny was doing to be fascinating. I was equally as interested in Julia’s career and life in New York, and I was so curious how it would all come out. And you do get a satisfying ending but of course I’m not going to tell you what it is! You’ll have to read it!

A book for women. A book for anyone with a sister or even a sister-like friend who knows what it is like to have a falling out and still fiercely love each other. A beautiful story of healing, sisterhood, food, careers, love, loss, and recovery.

Thank you to Suzy for my spot on the tour! And thank you to Suzy and Amazon Publishing for my copy. Opinions are my own.

This is a story of second chances. Two estranged sisters, Julia and Ginny Frank, are brought together after Julia makes a bold move to try and make herself relevant again in the highly competitive world of TV hosts. Her bold moves backfires, and she finds herself needing to get away. She can think of nowhere else to go, but home to Arizona where she grew up. There she will find her sister running a "secret supper club" out of her apartment and struggling to make ends meet.  

This is a story of forgiveness, of family, of starting over, and following your dreams. Although I found the writing simply average, I did enjoy the premise of the story and was instantly rooting for the characters. This story shows that sometimes it's the little things in life that matter most, and we all too often forget that. While somewhat predictable, this book provided me with a light and easy read in a time when I really need one.  If you're looking for a book about food and sisterhood, than this is the book for you. 

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. A special thank-you to NetGalley, and Lake Union Publishing  for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Anything to do with good food interests me immensely! This book apart from the food aspect has another good combo Sisterly relationships.

Here Ginny and Julia's one is fraught with tension. One feels that she did it all when their parents died suddenly, uprooting herself and her family to deal with the aftermath of a sudden death. The other cut herself away from everyone, building up her career not thinking deeply of the consequences of her sister's life. When one of them is faced with a crisis, she runs away to the only place she knows she will surely not be turned away - her sister's home.

Coming home to Arizona was not the homecoming Julia expected. A home which is being run as a sort of illegal restaurant, catering for exclusive diners and a sister who seems to be living on the edge - facing financial disaster as well as a disaster of a relationship between her daughter and herself. Stepping into this minefield Julia feels out of place and she has to find a way to mend fences with both her sister Ginny and try to bridge the gap between her niece and herself.

The relationship part and how the story evolves from this was the best part of the book and the story is a commonplace one where miscommunicationn and no communication results in such a lot of misery and misplaced judgements.  I enjoyed the story emotional though it was.

The Second Chance Supper Club is a novel about finding yourself again. The story revolves around sisters, Ginny & Julia. Ginny is a former NYC chef who moved back to Arizona a few years earlier when her parents passed. Now she runs a secret weekend supper club out of her house with the somewhat reluctant assistance of her 21 year old daughter. One evening, mid-service, Julia shows up on her doorstep.

Julia is a morning news show anchor who might have just destroyed her career with a single question during a show. Now the only place she can think of going is to her estranged sister. Over the course of the coming weeks will they learn to forgive each other and rediscover their passions in life.

This is one of those enjoyable women's fiction novels that make you feel like even when you get to your late 30s to early 40s there is still hope that things can get better and you can change your life.

This is definitely an easy-read chick-flick type book. If you’re looking for something that’s not too difficult to get out you out of a slump, look no further. Somewhat predictable but an overall sweet story.

First, I loved the cover of this novel, so much so that I grabbed it to review! This endearing little book about family reconnections had delightful sprinkles of food. That story is of two sisters, one Julia who has a high-powered broadcasting job, and the other Ginny who is a world-class chef. It is a story of their family’s redemption, but not without a few irksome moments. Julia gets herself into some hot water when she follows her gut during an on air broadcast, which as a reader I often found myself frustrated that she didn’t address and defend herself on a timeline I expected. I kept turning pages wanting her to be brave. 

Julia’s snafu is what brings her across the country in search of familial redemption. Enter her sister Ginny, who was equally frustrating to me as a reader. She’s very stubborn, and incredibly critical of those around her. I enjoyed the storyline, and there were no unpredictable moments within the story. As a reader I wish that Julia would’ve fought stronger for herself, as a female character, no matter the outcome, and I wished that Ginny would’ve been more accepting and understanding of others’ differences. If you are a foodie, or know someone who is, then you will enjoy this book. I give the story three stars out of five.

I'm not sure about you, but I've failed a LOT of things the first time. And sometimes you don't get a second chance! When we've all got a limited time on this Earth - you kinda want to get most of it right - the first time!

The Second Chance Supper Club was chock full of possible do-overs and second chances and packed with ALL the emotions! But I think my most favorite part was the trio of women that carried this story. All three in different, tough situations but all three were also strong and pretty awesome... they just needed a bit of a second chance. A do-over. A change. Or a fresh start.

Julia and Ginny, estranged sisters, come together after years of not speaking when Julia shows up on Ginny's doorstep asking for help. Ginny, a bit bitter of the past, realizes that she might need to suck it up and put her big girl panties on, cause, well, she kinda needs help, too. Rounding out this trio is Ginny's daughter Olive, who is just starting her life, but a bit resentful of her mother holding her back.

I felt like these ladies could be my friends. I wanted to help them, to hug them, and I rooted for them all to figure out their differences and work together to achieve their individual goals. But will the pain of the past and grudges of the present tear them even farther apart?

Really fun read for me. There's not worse than spending your life doing "have-tos" when we should all be doing our "want-tos" I LOVE a good comeback story and this one is heartwarming, funny, and totally relatable! 

And make sure you've got plenty of snacks when you dive into this one cause all the delicious food descriptions will make you super hungry!!

3.5-4 stars. It’s a good book. It is about two sisters, Ginny and Julia. Their parents have died and Ginny , being the oldest, moved back to Arizona from New York to clean up their estate. Ginny ends up staying in Arizona while Julia is in New York pursuing her broadcasting career. The sisters lose touch for about three years until Julia hits a hiccup with her job and runs across country to her sister. So while it is a good story, at times it seemed to me, that maybe I was reading the author’s story or something because it seemed a little “preachy” or drawn out or something. It is a good book but I don’t know these sisters and it seems I don’t really care. Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union for allowing me to read an advance copy for my honest review.

PLEASE LET THERE BE A SEQUEL!!!

Not only are the three characters just on the cusp of taking off onto their own adventures, there just still seems to be a hint of unfinished business between Olive and her Dad, Julia and Shane. and Ginny and the restaurant.

Well written with thoughtful characters this has potential to be a terrific series... I cant wait for more!

It goes without saying that this book is about second chances, primarily for sisters Julia and Ginny Frank whose relationship since their parents' death has fragmented to such an extent that they've barely spoken in three years.

Ginny returns to Arizona to sort out the family's affairs, none of which is straightforward and all of which is time-consuming. Her business as successful, award-winning chef in New York is put on the back-burner as she deals with the aftermath of both her grief and the bureaucracy of death. When her sister Julia cannot even take a day off from her media career, resentment builds up for Ginny and it's hard for her to see past what she sees as her sister's lack of respect and responsibility.

Ginny decides to stay in Arizona, uprooting her daughter Olive too. Theirs is a fraught relationship as Olive frequently - too often for Ginny - turns to her father (separated from Ginny) for support. Still a foodie at heart, Ginny opens up their home to an underground dining club, "employing" Olive as a server/hostess/table arranger/floral designer - all in return for bed and board.  The problem is exacerbated by Ginny's increasing debts and a tendency to bury her head in the sand. 

Julia, meanwhile, is co-anchor for a large network's breakfast show, enjoying all the trappings of New York life with its hustle and bustle. Engaged to James, she leads a fast-paced life, rushing from place to place in order to further her career. But when the network's bosses show some dissatisfaction with her performance, she throws caution to the wind and makes an on-air accusation against the mayor for which she has no real evidence. Yep, it all backfires and she is put on temporary leave while the network tries to calm things down. 

Unsure what to do next, she turns up - uninvited - at Ginny's door. While they initially bristle around each other, neither wanting to be the one to raise the matter of their fallout, over time the tension thaws and the sisters begin to open up to each other. Olive, too, responds to the change in atmosphere that Aunt Julia brings to the home. Together, the trio work towards making the supper club a success, even though there are many more issues at stake. 

As the story develops, they come to recognise and understand the difficulties they've both faced, and come to appreciate the power of family as they finally learn to get along again. Both Ginny and Julia are strong, opinionated women with different goals, but it is their sisterly bond that brings them together to rebuild their relationships with each other, and with Olive too. 

It was a joy to read this story, not only for the very believable and honest characters but also for the scrumptious food offerings and the stunning Arizona sunsets, the flower and food markets, the fascinating guests at the supper club, and ultimately for the message that second chances don't always come along, but when they do, they are to be grabbed with both hands. 

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley. My thanks to them and the author for a most enjoyable reading experience.

A delectable tale blended with all the ingredients you need for a perfect heartwarming read.
•A generous dose of heart.
• A sizable dollop of conflict. 
• A heaping spoonful of misunderstanding.
 • A liberal sprinkling of drama. 
• A peppering of romance.

 A delightful mixture of food, family, and fun! The story of two sisters Julia and Ginny Who not only find their way back to each other, but also rediscover themselves. A second chance at sisterhood, a  second chance at love, and a second chance at life. A tale not only about the bond between sisters, but also the bond between mother and daughter. An engaging story about forgiveness, understanding, and discovery.

   The story jumps back and forth between the perspectives of Julia and Ginny. I really like this because we really got to know both characters and understand where they were coming from. I would have however really loved getting Olive’s perspective as well. Olive was Ginny’s daughter and I found the tension and relationship between these two the most compelling part of the story. I think this is more so because I have a daughter the same age and I do not have a sister, so I was more connected to the mother daughter relationship then the sister sister relationship. Both sisters frustrated me at times, they both tended to be a bit selfish and I never quite got a clear picture as to why there was such a rift between them. They both had a lot of growing up to do, sometimes I had to stop and remember that they were in their late 30s early 40s. I loved how the story ended, I was so happy for all of them especially Olive. A feel good story that will make you smile and crave a good meal!

This book in three emojis: 🍽 💐 🎙

Such a beautifully written book about second chances, forgiveness and sisterhood. I love books that are based around food, especially when it brings people together. 

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.

Well I always love a novel that has a bit of family drama, so when you combine that with descriptions of food, and cooking, you know I’m going to love it!

This delightful book had all of that and more, with themes of friendship and family, forgiveness and hope, and yes to the romance!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 stars!

*thank you to suzyapprovedbooktours and getredpr and publisher for this free copy to review. All opinions are my own

My first ever foodie book and honestly I enjoyed it. I loved the writing, so I’ll be definitely picking up some more of Nicole Meiers other books. It was such a chilled book to read (probably the most Chilled book I have and ever will read) no major ups and downs that I’m used to, but the cons of this, is that nothing really exciting happens in the book, it has no twist and turns or big revels. However, if this is something you’re into, it would be the PERFECT book.

Please see my personal Instagram book blog the_little_perks_of_life

A feel good novel! I was rooting for both sisters all the way! This story just made me feel warm and cozy the entire read! A glorious celebration of new beginnings, sisterhood and the power of good food!

Julia is a high flying media star, a presenter on a morning news programme, engaged to a wealthy financier - her life is 'perfect'. 

Ginny is the chef at an illegal 'supper club' that she runs from her house in the depths of Arizona. 

Ginny and Julia are sisters, but they haven't really been close since the death of their parents in an accident a few years ago. Then Julia, feeling threatened in an increasingly competitive work environment, oversteps during an interview and finds herself banished. Needing to escape the cut throat media driven life she lives, Julia takes off and finds herself at her sisters door in Arizona.

Over the next few weeks the sisters relationship is tumultuous and this is not helped by the arrival of a journalist determined to 'out' Ginny's Supper Club and tell the world where Julia is hiding.....a really lovely easy read that made me very grateful for the close relationship that I have with my sister.

A heartwarming story of sisterhood, second chances and savoring the healing power of food, which I think truly brings people together. A delicious story that will leave you feeling satisfied.

THE SECOND CHANCE SUPPER CLUB by Nicole Meier

I honestly feel bad about this review. I usually love all the Lake Union books but this one was just not one that I found enjoyable. It had good parts no doubt and I finished it but it took way longer than it should have. It was a disappointment for me. I’m in the minority about that I know but I have to be honest.

While the story had some good parts I didn’t like any of the characters. To me Olive was just a spoiled young lady who needed to be brought down to earth and appreciate all the sacrifices her mother has made for her. On the other hand Ginny, Olive’s mother, was a bit irresponsible in that she kept spending money she didn’t have in the hopes of making more. If you can’t pay your bills you can’t run a business. Then there is Ginny’s sister Julia. Julia did the unthinkable with her job as a reporter. I just didn’t find that believable at all. She was suppose to be very good at her job and have great potential but she blasts an official on the air. That was just not professional at all and if she was as good as it this story says she would not have done that.

I didn’t like any of the characters in this book. To me none were likable at all. They were whinny, self centered, spoiled and I just didn’t like them. I mean Julia is going to give up a job she’s worked hard for? I don’t believe that would happen. 

They do all come together in the end and everyone has a big happy ever after but from start to finish this book did not hold my interest at all. It was boring to me and I’m very sorry about that. It just wasn’t for me.

Thank you to #NetGalley, #LakeUnion and #NicoleMeier for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I recommend this to anyone that does not expect any real action or edge of your seat thrills. If you like a story about selfish siblings and one’s daughter then it’s for you. And you may love it. Many have. It was just me I’m sure. 

I give this 3 stars and that is because I finished it.

The Second Chance Supper Club by Nicole Meier was a book I would recommend for others to read. If you love a book about sisters rekindling their relationship...then this was that book. The relationship between the sisters was intriguing. Also, it's a book about finding yourself, again, most of us can relate to a moment in our lives where we felt lost and needed time to reset. There were moments I thought it was slow and some things that weren't fully given a closure for me, but it's a solid read and I would recommend to friends.

This is a wonderfully written emotional captivating read about two sisters reunited and learning to re build their relationship.  I loved the author's depiction of the sisters both so different yet bound together by their family ties. 
The setting of the desert , the strained relationship and the emotions here are well portrayed and kept me turning the page to the end. 

I highly recommend this book for your reading enjoyment. Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley for the opportunity to review this wonderful book. My review opinion is my own.