Rating 3.5/5

The Winter of Second Chances was my tenth festive read of the year and honest by time it came round I was getting a little bored of them. However, I really enjoyed it. The pacing of it was very quick, to begin with and honestly, I really liked that. The very first thing you read is Annie finding her husband cheating, talk about starting with a bang (pun 100% intended).

This brings me to my next point, this book is quite crude at times so I do suggest it is only for older readers. There aren’t any explicit bedroom scenes though so no need to worry about that but there are a lot of graphic references to things of this nature.

Honestly, for a while, I didn’t think I was going to enjoy this book as it was nowhere near as Christmassy as I thought it would be. The Winter of Second Chances is more of a later half of the year book. I don’t think this is actually marketed as a Christmas book, however, the title suggests to me that it would take place during December. Most of the book actually took place in October, especially around Halloween. But I did quite like it for this reason, it wasn’t trying too hard to be something it isn’t. Festive feelings were not forced upon anyone and I liked that it had such a strong focus on character relationships.

Speaking of character relationships, I adored the book club. A bunch of women who are eccentric and unique in their own ways join together to discuss victorian literature. Hilarious. Some of the books best moments happened during the book club meetings and they were my favourite set of people in The Winter of Second Chances.

The Winter of Second Chances was very plot and character-driven is very unlike most books you see being published this time of year. Every character had a strong backstory and played a vital part in the story. I especially liked the dynamic between Alfred and Maeve.

If you are looking for a serious read with moments of hilarity then you should absolutely check out The Winter of Second Chances. Not only will you get to see the latter half of the year play out in a wonderful seaside town, but you will also see the beginning of some amazing character relationships.

As usual in my reviews I will not rehash the plot (there are always plenty of reviews out there that do so!)

This is an enjoyable light read, just right for reading whilst curled up under a cosy blanket on a wintery afternoon! Plenty of interesting and fun characters, an amazing location, and a community that sounds almost too good to be true (but is possibly based on some real places out there)!

As plots go it's fairly predictable, but no less enjoyable for that. Sometimes all you want to read is something comforting, and I'd put this book firmly in that category.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC. All opinions my own.

I enjoyed this book very much and it was a nice, curl up by the fire, book. Annie is a pleasant character and I enjoyed the way she dealt with Max. I enjoyed reading about her challenges but mainly I enjoyed being in amongst the community of Willow Bay. The characters were charming and the events were fun - just the kind of thing I enjoyed with my children when they were younger. I’d love to live in a community like this where everything centers around the village. The love interest was ok. John was more interesting than some but it did bother me slightly that we had this strong, independent woman who sets up her own business and yet somehow isn’t complete without a man by her side. I would have liked the story to have been about her triumph over adversity without feeling she was ‘rescued’

Loved it! Such a lovely, feel good story. Annie finally grows a backbone and leaves her long time cheating husband and it turns out to be the best thing she ever did. Finding herself in a secluded seaside town she quickly becomes a big part of the community and embraces everything that brings.

When the owner of Saltwater Nook’s nephew John walks through the door the atmosphere most definitely changes, but I did have a small inkling as to what was going to happen. John and Annie’s first encounter is during a Book Club meeting which Annie hosts, a very interesting encounter that made me laugh out loud.

Maeve, one of the Book Club members, was one of my favourite characters in the book – witty, laugh out loud funny and extremely straight talking.

The ex-husband Max was frustrating and irritating in equal measures. Thinking he could have his cake and eat it, I am glad Annie finally had some self respect to show him she couldn’t be treated in this way.

‘The Winter of Second Chances’ is a book that made me feel all warm and fuzzy, perfect for those cold winter nights. Highly recommended!

A perfect christmas cosy read. Loved the storyline and the main characters. However at times it was difficult to distinguish between some of them as there were so many. The book ended exactly as was to be expected despite a few twists and turns throughout. Really enjoyed and would highly recommend

This was an almost perfect, fun, seasonal, light read.

After Annie splits from her cheating husband, she impulsively answers an add to be a winter tenant/caretaker for an old house by the sea, while she figures out her next steps. I love books set in small coastal villages. It's a thing.

And this book is actually laugh-out-loud funny. Some of Annie's thoughts plus the dialogue had me cackling on several occasions. I loved the supportive and open atmosphere of the book club, and that the women had frank and fun discussions not just about books but about things like sexual aids and masturbation. Maeve in particular was an amazing, take-no-shit character.

I really loved Annie. She was funny, smart, independent and kind, while still having flaws and insecurities. And the soon-to-be ex husband made me seethe, but like in a good way - he was supposed to make me angry. Annie's relationship with her adult kids was also great, and the build-up of her and John's relationship was mostly enjoyable - I loved the banter.

There's a lot of semi-flowery description in this book, which I mostly enjoyed and it contributed to my immersion, but on some occasions it seemed a little try-hard, and those times where the descriptions didn't work for me kind of pulled me out of the story a bit (I'm not good with detailed clothing descriptions but the fuck is a tie waisted shirt dress in baby wale cord? All I could think of were baby whales...).

It was hard to tell all the side-characters from the village apart, so I would have maybe cut down on some of them. This was exacerbated by similar names like Pam and Sam and Bill and Billy. Though the characters that we got to know a little better were all great and really came to life.

The story is very predictable, but this did not really take away from my enjoyment, as what I loved was the characters and setting and the development of the relationships between them.

A lovely easy going story. With a real sense of community.

I loved all the different events - things I had never heard of.

I loved the relationship between Annie and Max. It really shows how complicated things can be. But loved that Annie was strong in the end.

Annie discovers her husband has cheated on her - again. Finally done with him, she moves away from everything and everyone she has ever known and into an old beach house in a small village on the coast. There, she finds a quirky but tight-knit community who all welcome her with open arms. All, that is, except for the nephew of the woman whose house she's renting. John has his own plans for his aunt's house and they don't involve a fortysomething divorcee reinventing herself. Then again, life never really goes according to plan, does it?

This had a charming cast of characters and the small-town setting was great, but it still felt like a slog to get through. Something about the story's pace felt off, and the story was padded out with scenes that added little to no value to the story. This book could've been at least 75 pages shorter.

Every single time Annie's ex turned up, my enjoyment of the story took a steep dive and I never really recovered. For a romance, the ex turned up too frequently. On top of that, the love interest didn't properly show up until about halfway through. This was more women's fiction than romance.

It was a cosy read with eventually a sweet romance, but I enjoyed Jenny Bayliss' previous book The Twelve Dates of Christmas a lot more than this one. I was left feeling rather disappointed, but maybe I had built up my expectations too much based on my experiences with that first book.

I loved this book. Although I guessed the ending fairly early on in the book, there were so many twists and turns that made me think that I was wrong. I would love to go to Saltwater Rock and enjoy a hot chocolate and a piece of cake! I imagine that it is a lovely place to visit and everyone is so welcoming.
I also want to know what happened with Maeve and Alfred.
I would highly recommend.

What an absorbing read. Loved the setting, loved the characters and loved the story line.
Romance, drama, tears, laughter all weave together for a wholesome tale.
Everything about the book was right up my street. Pure escapism and no need for deep thoughts. Something to enjoy and get involved in.
I want to go there! Now!

For around 80% of the book you have a lovely gentle slow burn romance, included with a story of Annie transforming her life after finding her husband cheating again.

And it was all rather enjoyable, and I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know all the characters that locals to Saltwater Nook.

Yet it was all building to a dramatic climax in ways I wouldn't have predicted turning the last bit into addictive, I have to read it all now, utter brilliance.

This is the authors second novel and I have loved them both. She is clearly a talented writer and it was a pleasure spending time between the pages of this book.

There is humour including memorable scene involving little John and the newly formed book club. The banter between Maeve and Gemma is brilliant, and Alfred has a special place in my heart.

I only hope this isn't the last we see of this setting and these characters, as I want more!!

Thank you to Pan and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

I simply adored this book. The Winter of Second Chances by Jenny Bayliss has everything you could possibly want from a novel.. The book centres around Annie who is at a crisis point in her life. We are brought on a journey of self discovery with this really lovely funny and likeable character. The town and café of Salwater Nook is a main character in itself. And its community of funny, charming people add so much to the story. I could have read and read and read about Annie and John and Alfred and Maeve and all the characters because they were so enjoyable. This is the second book from Jenny Bayliss that I have read. Both have been superb. This book has everything I wanted for cosy read at this time of year. I think if I could write I would like to write like Jenny Bayliss. Her way of drawing you in from the very first page up until the last and all the genuine laughs on the way make her one of my favourite authors. I cannot wait for her next offering. An easy five stars from me.

This was a thoroughly enjoyable, feel good Christmas story. Some very appealing characters that made the story come to life. Lots of character to the story which finished on a high.

If you have this picked out as one of your Christmassy reads then I feel I should warn you, its not a Christmas read, not really. It ends at Christmas time, that's about all.
I read the Author's 12 Dates of Christmas last year and loved it, it's up there as one of the best but this one hasn't lived up to its predecessor unfortunately.

Don't get me wrong, it was good, easy to read and all that shitingle but there was no content here that hasn't been done 100 times already and at this point I'm looking for a bit of originality but here we had the same old predictable plot with not much else, it gets a bit bore after a while these days, It was crying out for something else running alongside which may have halted the plot from going stale.

I did like the swearing (of which I'm always a fan! 🙊) and funny pal Maeve, she certainly kept me going but apart from that it was all a bit snoozy, sorry 🙁 Much preferred The 12 Dates of Christmas (and no, I'm not just in a mood cos I expected a christmas read, trust me I've plenty of those to get through to be bothered by that)

- Leanne 😊

A cosy, warming, Christmas read! You will love the characters and want to move to the coast to be part of the village life and people!

Annie is a successful chef and restauranteur, with twin grown up sons and a loving husband. But of course, things are not as they seem and she surprises her husband with one of the staff, and it's not been the first affair he has had.

Well, Annie says Enough!! She moves to a small coastal village and becomes the tenant of Saltwater Nook, which is a beach hut with living accommodation. She is looking after the property for a gentile old lad and her nephew is wanting to make sure her later years are well cared for. He is in discussions with a developer, but then he meets Annie and of course there is an instant attraction.

Annie can't sit still and opens the tea kiosk, forms a book club and is a welcome new resident.
It's a fabulous read, you so want Annie to have a happy ending. My 5 stars may give the game away!

Long suffering wife Annie finally reaches her breaking point with her chetaing husband when she walks in on him in their restaurant, getting it on with a new waitress 20 years younger than her. At long last, Annie packs her bags and says goodbye to her spouse and business, and finds a new place to call home in Saltwater Nook - a cliffside haven perfect for a woman needing to reinvent herself. Soon Annie becomes involved in the community, but her new home is in danger from property investors who want to change it beyond recognition.

This was an enjoyable read that is great for Autumn/Winter with minimal Christmas (literally just the epilogue) so it could be read any time of year. I really appreciated following a character having up up her life and figure out what to do next who wasn;t in her twenties or early 30s but instead someone approaching 50, with grown up children and real experience with life and everything it throws at you. Annie as a character is strong, level-headed and business-savvy and I found her, and her new look on life, really refreshing.

One of the best things I think Jenny Bayliss does in her novels (having read both) is a sense of community. She writes these amazing settings that are so welcoming and real, from the types of shops and businesses you would expect to see in a little town to all the different personalities living there. Everyone is unique and you remember who everyone is - and I always find myself wishing she would write more in the same setting so I can get to know everyone a little bit better, and just stay there a while longer.

I also loved the different celebrations and festivals from Halloween to Bonfire Night, and then Christmas. All fun and different, and I loved how the Saltwater Cafe became a real highlight in the community and how welcoming everyone was to Annie and supportive of her new business.

There is a Victoria Book Club in this with Annie and some friends which contained some funny scenes but I do think some of the discussions they had about the books they read could actually have been cut down, as I'm not really reading a book to get a review of another book, and I found these conversations at the start went on a bit too long.

While I enjoyed this, it didn't hold quite the same sparkle for me as 12 Dates of Christmas - however, I will definitely be making Jenny Bayliss a yearly read if she brings out a new book every winter like I hope she does.

This book is brilliant I loved every page especially Annie character I loved how everyone loved her she so caring and lovely help people. Annie is a chef and start a new life by the sea and it’s a great community I would love to love there my self. I love this author writing style you feel that you in the book with them it’s so additive this book is didn’t take me long to read it. You love this book x

I loved the author's first novel and this second one didn't disappoint. It's a lovely story with great characters. I found it very entertaining, and laughed out loud several times. Very moving as well. I think this should be the first of a series as it would be wonderful to develop the characters and their lives further.
With grateful thanks to Netgalley, Pan Macmillan and Jenny Bayliss for my copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley  and the publishers for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.


The Winter of Second Chances is a book about Annie, who finds herself at a point in her life where everything she once thought made her happy, doesn't anymore. So Annie leaves her old life behind and moves into a little town, where she is supposed to stay only for a few months. But soon she finds herself enamored with the place and the people and the festivities.

This was the perfect festive read. The little town by the sea setting felt cozy, and I got all the Christmasy vibes. Annie is the perfect protagonist. She is likable, a feminist and is not afraid of speaking her mind. I absolutely loved everything from the women book club to the cozy café. The romance was really wholesome and made me smile a lot. All in all, this is the perfect read to fly through whilst snuggling under a blanket and listening to Christmas music.

I loved this book, it's a heartwarming story in many ways and Jenny Bayliss is skilled at including many laugh out loud moments. I loved Jenny's previous book, the twelve dates of Christmas too and so already look forward to next year's read too. Thanks to Netgalley a the author and publisher for my arc.