I loved this book! The plot, setting, characters, all of it was just perfect. I laughed, cried, whooped and gasped all the way through. Perfect for an afternoon snuggled up with a blanket, snacks and a cuppa!

Thankyou to @netgalley for ARC
Fabulous book follows story of Annie who was a teenage mum and then worked really hard to accomplish her dream of becoming a chef her and her husband Max then invested in a Resteraunt which Annie worked hard to make extremely popular and financially profitable.
Then she caught her husband cheating with a member of staff it destroys Annie and she packs and checks into a hotel for a few days and meets a very nice lady who tells her about a place that is looking for a tenant for 6 months it’s by the beach and is being sold of for development after that.
Annie heads down there and decides it will do for her and starts to settle in to the little community and after the owner’s permission opens the little cubby hole to serve hot drinks to the late season customers maybe this little cafe could be answer to her prayers ? Or will the owner’s nephew get his way and have it demolished?

Annie finds her husband, Max, having an affair at the restaurant they have built up together and leaves him. She finds herself on the coast at Willow Bay house sitting for Mari for the winter period.
Jenny has created a satisfying tale. Annie, the villagers, Willow Bay are all beautifully portrayed creating a satisfying tale.
Just right for snuggling down in front of the fire with on a rainy day.
It would be lovely to hear more about Willow Bay in some future books.

A perfect heartwarming wintery treat!
We first meet Annie as she steps in to a nightmare that marks the end of her patience and her marriage. Within days she's walking away from her business and her life in London and moving to be a resident guardian of a tiny but charming cottage by the coast.
As her life slows down and she's able to make friends, and address her past, her confidence grows and I loved seeing how she found her passions again.
Her sons were really lovely characters that I became very fond of as well as her new friends Sally, Gemma, Maeve, Alfred etc. John was an enigma to start with but I soon had his number.
This was a funny book, full of warmth and a welcoming comfort as it took us through the second chances of the inhabitants of Saltwater Bay.

Wow absolutely loved this book. A great storyline leading up to Christmas. The main character, Annie, is a very strong and lovely person who has been dealt a rough blow by her husband after a long marriage. Annie really finds herself again as she moves to Saltwalter Nook as a caretaker for the winter. It’s a lovely community and they all rally round each other. A really heartwarming, cosy read that I thought was just fantastic. Would definitely recommend

I loved curling up with this and getting lost amongst the pages. I was gripped right from the beginning and didn’t want it to end.

I absolutely loved everything about this book. Annie moves to Saltwater Nook as short term caretaker and quickly becomes part of the community. I love her ‘can do’ attitude, when she opens the coffee kiosk and things go on from there. Ok so the ending was predictable but what a fabulous journey we had reading the book. The book club made me laugh, Max, the smarmy husband made me boo and Alfred was a great addition to the story. I can not wait for the next book by Jenny Baylis, she certainly has a gift for story telling that pulls you in and leaves you with a smile on your face

Recently I have been so in the mood for all the festive reads; the books that would make me feel warm and fuzzy, and have me reaching for the mulled wine. Unfortunately this book wasn’t that, it spans 3 months, from September through to December, and not a huge amount happens through most of it, just a bunch of book clubs and parties, like some modern day Pride & Prejudice. I didn’t overly care about any of the characters, which is not what you want in a romance book because without good characters the story is nothing

What a lovely read! From the offset, this book had me laughing, almost crying and definitely hooked. I really felt for Annie, especially as her husband was a cheating scumbag! I loved her storyline and her move to Saltwater Nook. The town was so great and I really enjoyed reading about the setting.

This book had great romance elements, but my personal highlight was the focus on self growth, healing and female friendship! The book club within this novel was fabulous and I loved the four women in it. Their support and love for each other was so special and heartwarming! This was such a great book and I definitely recommend it!

Thank you to Pan Macmillan and Netgalley for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this sweet book. I loved the character and the fact it was set in a place I know so well and had a lot of holidays in Broadstairs as a child. The descriptions of the cottage and cafe were brilliant. My only grouse was the frequent references to sex which did spoil things a little. But, apart from those I enjoyed reading about this community. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

This was an enjoyable read with engaging characters. I enjoyed the humorous style of writing, which make me smile on many occasions. Annie was such a brave woman to go out on her own, with the encouragement of her sons. I loved the setting and the strong sense of community in Willow Bay. The festivals and celebrations came thick and fast, so there was always something of interest happening. The book club was hilarious! There is also the relationship between Annie and John Granger, often stormy but sometimes flirty. But is Annie ready to move on and there is still her ex, Max, to contend with. This was a heartwarming story, just right for the coming season. I received a copy and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Well Jenny Baylis is definitely not a ‘one hit wonder’ What an absolutely delicious book; one of those that you don’t want to put down, even at 2am! Read it in a 24 hour period and loved it!

The Winter of Second Chances by Jenny Bayliss has Annie, a chef and restuarant co-owner leave her husband, and move to the seaside, where she becomes the caretaker for Saltwater Nook.

She starts taking part in community events, and starts thinking about opening up the cafe that's onsite, but the John, the nephew of the owner is unhappy about what she's doing.  Max, her husband, has decided that he can win her back. 

This is a lovely autumnal book, full of cosy moments, hot drinks, and bracing seaside descriptions!  I enjoyed the story, and the community that Annie is put into!

The Winter of Second Chances was published on 11th November 2021, and is available from Amazon, Waterstones and Bookshop.org.

You can follow Jenny Bayliss on Twitter and her website.

You can read my review of Jenny Bayliss's first book, Twelve Dates of Christmas here.

I was given this book in exchange for an unbiased review, so my thanks to NetGalley and to Pan MacMillan.

Brilliant book!! Really enjoyed and savoured!
Annie Sharpe runs a successful well renowned restaurant, her sons are grown up and independent, when she returns home one night and hears sounds, what she finds is more than she bargained for! No spoilers here!
Her life takes an enforced change to the Kent coast, and a friendly welcoming community, and lots of parties and celebrations!!
A joy to read, absolutely loved this second book from Jenny Bayliss!
The story has stayed with me, as one who lives by the sea, loved the characters, loved their relationships and diversity!! Refreshing yet classic!
Totally recommend this book this Christmas.
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read early.

Perfect story for this time of year. Annie and Johnn’s story was the perfect Christmas read, fukk of cheer and hope. Loved it!

Having loved her first book I hoped this one would deliver. Annie has been putting up with too much from her cheating husband. It's time for a new beginning. Set in Kent this is a heart warming tale of new adventures and finding your place in a new community.

Grab a copy of this fabulous book now! Annie Sharpe has a golden life, wife to Max, her childhood sweetheart, with twin sons Peter and Alex, and chef/owner of a MIchelin starred restaurant. Then a small error on her part leads Annie to confront a truth she's been ignoring for too long. A chance sighting of an unusual advertisement leads Annie to a role as short-term caretaker of a tiny cottage on the Kent coast called Saltwater Nook (the cottage not the village) while its owner holidays with a friend in Cornwall.

The village of Willow Bay is small and friendly, soon Annie, and Saltwater Nook are at the heart of village life, hosting various festivals and parties to mark the passing of the seasons. The only issue is her landlady's nephew John, who seems determined to sell Saltwater Nook to a developer.!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I jumped at the chance to read The Winter Of Second Chances.
A middle-aged woman like me - starting again..
Annie Sharpe has it all. A successful restaurant, two lovely children in the forms of her grown-up twin sons and an adoring husband.

Or does she ?

A husband who is too busy caring about others, not her. And she catches him, in the act with his latest bit in the side.
What's a wife going to do?
We watch as Annie ups sticks, and removes herself from a toxic situation that has been simmering for a long while, and finds herself as the tenant and guardian for a small, beach hut/kiosk/tea room called Saltwater Nook.
Here, Annie finds her feet, making what she expects to be temporary friends, and a little hobby to keep her busy as. she figures out her life.
But nothing is straightforward.
I loved Annie. She was a straight-talking woman, who found her voice regarding her marriage a little later than in other aspects of her life. It tales quite a backbone to leave everything you have worked for, and start afresh.
The locals she encounters are fab, especially her new book club friends, who become a little raucous, but with funny consequences.

The owners of the two local pubs welcome her, and she even makes a tentative friend with the local homeless man, Albert.
And who can forget John? John, the nephew of her landlady, who seems hellbent on selling this little nook she is looking after. John, who has different layers. John, who becomes rather fanciable to a newly single woman,
Lovely cosy reading perfect for this time of year..

I loved this so, so, much! The Winter of Second Chances reminded me of an adult version of Enid Blyton’s Famous Five books with their smuggler’s coves and secret passageways under the sea, but without the ‘lashings and lashings of ginger beer’, and instead, lots of hot chocolate with marshmallows!

Annie needed to get away. From her husband, her restaurant, and her life in the city, and so she finds a nice little hideaway on the coast where she can begin to reset her life. However, her plans to relax and take some time out for herself soon embark on a different route, and soon Annie finds herself busier than ever.

The Winter of Second Chances is a beautiful, cosy read which will warm the cockles of your heart. Alfred reminded me of Tammylan in Enid Blyton’s, ‘Children of Cherry Tree Farm’, with his outdoor living and love of nature. I know that Enid Blyton’s books never became popular in the US, but those of you in the UK will understand completely!

This is a brilliant book for a stormy winter’s day, so grab yourself that hot chocolate, settle back, relax and enjoy this amazing read from Jenny Bayliss.

Thank you to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of The Winter of Second Chances by Jenny Bayliss.

This is a heartwarming and riveting story, one of those book perfect for a grey and cold afternoon.
It's not one which redefines a genre as the plot is a bit predictable but it's surely highly entertaining.
I like story set in small community and like those that features over 40 characters.
This story ticked all the check and I liked it.
Likeable and well written characters, a lovely setting, good storytelling.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine