This is probably my favourite book in this series. There was drama and there was romance, what more could you want? I’m not sure if there’ll be any more in the series after this particular ending but either way it was a great read

Such a heartwarming tale. With vividly portrayed, warm characters, this book is an absolute winner. Simply a joy to read.

I thoroughly enjoyed being back in this world. Holly is a wonderful character, and following her journey has been a delightful experience. Hannah Lynn knows how to evoke a wide range of emotions. All the characters feel like old friends, and I will be sad to see this story come to an end.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for this ARC.

Hannah Lynn's 'Happy Ever After at the Second Chances Sweet Shop' is a sweet and warm-hearted finale to the series. Back in the picturesque Cotswolds, we are with Holly as she makes her way through unexpected twists and turns in her own life whilst managing her dear sweet shop. Lynn expertly crafts a story of friendship, second chances, and having the courage to be true to yourself. The comfort and lovable characters make it like visiting old friends. It can be read as a stand-alone, but those who have been with Holly from the beginning will enjoy this as a good and sweet ending. It is the ideal cozy read for those who love cozy settings and heartwarming tales.

After difficult times, Holly is finally adjusting to her new normal. Her daughter Hope is happy, she’s created a beautiful home, and an unexpected offer may mean fantastic opportunities for her sweet shop, Just One More.

But her sense of calm is shattered when best friend Giles drops a bombshell – a proposal to Sienna, a woman Holly barely knows and who isn’t right for Giles at all.

For Giles’s sake, she tries to make peace with Sienna, throwing herself into wedding planning. But as everyone else cheers on the ‘happy’ couple, Holly’s left questioning whether her doubts are about them – or about something in her own heart…


Review: The eighth book is probably a bad place to start with a series. However, I’ve come in late with others and not had many problems. Sadly, the same cannot be said for this instalment of the Holly Berry Sweet Shop series – you really do need to have read the previous ones to have any idea what’s going on at first. I did eventually find my balance, but I still didn’t gel with the story.

First off is Holly. I understand being close to someone and not realising that your feelings go deeper. Holly has also had heartbreak, which makes her put her head in the sand even more. I’ll note that her hurt is not explained in this book – all you know is his name was Evan and he’s dead. No idea how or why.

Anyway, Holly. She has a child, but not with Evan. There was a one-night-stand (I think) with another guy, but they still get on and share childcare duties. He’s got married and Holly is friends with his wife. In fact, she has a tight circle of friends, most of whom have paired off.

She’s supposed to be 40, if I recall correctly, but her behaviour is very immature. She absolutely refuses to entertain that she might feel more towards Giles than friendship. Her friends are awful about this – seeing how well Holly and Giles get on but pussy-footing around the subject after Giles announces his engagement.

As Happy Ever After at the Second Chances Sweet Shop is only told from Holly’s POV, you don’t get to know how Giles met Sienna. Unless that’s in another book. Typical for romances lately, the “other woman” is a complete bitch. Shallow as a puddle with no redeeming qualities whatsoever. Without the backstory, one is left wondering why Giles is dating her, never mind proposing.

And here is my problem with this book: there are mentions over and over of things that have happened in others, but no context for the story. It’s a shame because, Holly’s weird blinkeredness aside, the writing is really good. I kept reading because of that… and in the hope that someone would slap Sienna.

There is very little action in the sweet shop that the title mentions. Very little sense of place (the Cotswolds, apparently) and this lack is disappointing. I like to lose myself in a romance and I just couldn’t do that.

However, I will note again that I have not read the other books. Read in order, I might feel somewhat differently. If you haven’t read this series, I definitely recommend starting at the beginning!

**ARC Review: *Happy Ever After at the Second Chances Sweet Shop* by Hannah Lynn**

A perfectly bittersweet, heartwarming farewell to the charming world of **Just One More**, *Happy Ever After at the Second Chances Sweet Shop* is a **cozy hug of a book** that celebrates **love, friendship, and the courage to fight for your own happy ending.**

*The Story:
Holly has come so far. After all the heartbreak and rebuilding, she’s finally finding peace in her cozy home, with daughter Hope thriving and her beloved sweet shop offering new possibilities she never dared to dream of.

But when Giles—her best friend and anchor through so many storms—**suddenly proposes to Sienna**, a woman Holly hardly knows and can’t seem to trust, her newly balanced world tilts again.

Determined to be supportive, Holly throws herself into the chaos of wedding planning, even as a tiny, painful voice in her heart asks: **What if Giles is making a mistake? Or worse—what if she’s made one herself by letting him go?**

As confetti is thrown and vows are written, Holly must confront her own feelings and ask herself: **Does she believe in second chances not just for her sweet shop—but for her own heart?**

**Why You’ll Love It:**
🍬 **All the cozy Cotswolds charm** – Quaint villages, a sweet shop you’ll wish you could step into, and **characters that feel like old friends.**
❤️ **Angsty best-friends-to-lovers feels** – **Slow, tender, and full of pining**—Holly’s internal struggle is gorgeously messy and real.
✨ **A beautiful exploration of growth and healing** – It’s not just about romance; it’s about **knowing when to choose yourself and when to take a leap of faith.**

A fitting end to an enjoyable series. It’s lovely to see such an ending for Holly Berry after the ups and downs of previous books. This could be read as a standalone but I would recommend reading the rest of the series. Lovely to see how grown up Hope is and how the others in the groups have moved on with their lives. Definitely very sweet!

Thank you Netgalley

I loved this story, but that’s not a surprise to me as I love this series and Hannah Lynns books. I am sad to say this is the last book, but am looking forward to where Hannah takes me next.

This is an emotional read full of longing, heartbreak,love, friendship , manipulation and hope. I love the message that we could all do with remembering, sometimes things just don’t work out, sometimes they do and either way there’s a reason ultimately, but friendship, community, support is always there.

I was really happy with the resolution for this (no spoilers here) and highly recommend the series to anyone wanting a gorgeous reading experience.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I just finished Happy Ever After at the Second Chances Sweet Shop by Hannah Lynn, and it honestly made my heart so happy. The setting in the Cotswolds is super cozy, and I totally fell in love with Holly—she’s such a sweet, strong character trying to balance everything from running her adorable sweet shop to figuring out love and family stuff.

It felt like a warm hug in book form, with just the right amount of drama and romance. If you’re in the mood for something light, heartwarming, and totally charming, this one’s a little gem.

The perfect end to a brilliant series which I would highly recommend. Read it in order or you will have no clue what is going on
Very well written, great characters , sad to see it finish .
Thank you to Netgalley, Boldwood Books and Hannah Lynn for letting me read this book in exchange for an honest review

Thank you boldwood books, Netgalley, & Hannah Lynn for the e-arc. This was a sweet love story. I enjoyed this book. I wouldn't mind reading more by this author.

I have adored each and every book in The Second Chances Sweet Shop series and I'm absolutely gutted that it's over.

We've come full circle with Holly and see her through so many pivotal moments in her life. The highs, the lows and the heartbreaks and those moments of joy, so it seems a fitting end.

A return visit to Just One More is always welcome...who doesn't love a good old fashioned sweet shop where you can buy a paper twist of sweets, a sugar mouse or Humbugs from a jar?

It was so lovely to catch up with Holly and some old faces, some new. I have become so emotionally invested in these characters over time it's going to be hard to say goodbye.

A charming and enjoyable read.

Happy Ever After at the Second Chances Sweet Shop is the eighth book in the Holly Berry Sweet Shop series. I have not read any of the previous books, and will be doing so as soon as possible. I'm not going to lie, parts of the book didn't make sense to me but only because I think they must have referenced a previous book in the series. This didn't detract from the story since I mostly figured everything out but I would definitely recommend reading the Holly Berry Sweet Shop books in order.

Love is in the air in Happy Ever After at the Second Chance Sweet Shop, but it isn't necessarily the best type of love or the kind of love anyone is expecting. Her bestie, Giles, just announced his engagement to a new person to the group. Sienna and Giles haven't been together very long (in Giles relationship terms) but yet he drops to one knee in front of their entire friend group and asks for her hand. Now Holly is faced the reality that her friendship with Giles may change, and she finally admits what her heart has been trying to tell her all along. But she might be too late.

I really enjoyed this story. I may not have a lot of the backstory but I loved the path carved out for a second chance romance. Holly gets into a few situations where she's unable to stand up or defend herself, which only makes her eventual assertiveness shine. When she finally gets the chance, she lets the person know her feelings. I love Giles and completely understand where he's coming from regarding his engagement to Sienna. You can only wait for someone for so long before moving on and, in many cases, when the person finally recognizes their feelings, love sometimes just isn't enough.

Broken hearts, longing, and manipulation fill this story. The story is also filled with love, compassion, realization, friendship, and support. Sometimes things just don't work out, other times, they work out just like they should, and sometimes you get a mix of both. I've been in Holly's shoes and when I finally realized what my feelings truly were, it was too late. There wasn't any reconciliation or even coming back together as friends. That actually worked out for the best for me. Now I'm married to an amazing man and our relationship is much better than the one I thought I missed out on.

Leave it to me to start the series with the final book...Lol. I never used to be this way. I was very strict about reading books in order, but lately I just start a series as soon as I discover it. I'll go back to the beginning eventually, but I can't wait to meet the characters and explore the locations, and so now, I don't wait.

Lovely story. It’s the end of a series so better to start from the beginning and end with this one. The characters were very sweet and felt like a nice conclusion. There is some miscommunication bits that were a bit much but otherwise cute story.

I received an arc from netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I'm sorry this is the last book as I've really enjoyed them.

After the heartbreak of the last book it was good that this one was lighter, but also not without drama.

It was great to be back with Holly, Hope and friends and we had a new addition in the form of Giles’s girlfriend/fiancée Sienna. Holly doesn't feel Sienna is the right person for Giles and unfortunately I didn't really like the way Holly treated her. She came across as nasty and childish at times.

It was nice that Holly and Giles finally have come the full circle and I'm glad we had a good ending for them both.

Thank you to the author, Boldwood Books and Rachel's Random Resources for my gifted copy and spot on the tour.

Happy Ever After at the Second Chances Sweet Shop by Hannah M. Lynn

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to Rachel's Random Resources and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Blurb

After difficult times, Holly is finally adjusting to her new normal. Her daughter Hope is happy, she’s created a beautiful home, and an unexpected offer may mean fantastic opportunities for her sweet shop, Just One More.

But her sense of calm is shattered when best friend Giles drops a bombshell – a proposal to Sienna, a woman Holly barely knows and who isn’t right for Giles at all.

For Giles’s sake, she tries to make peace with Sienna, throwing herself into wedding planning. But as everyone else cheers on the ‘happy’ couple, Holly’s left questioning whether her doubts are about them – or about something in her own heart…

My Opinion

This is a series that I am definitely not reading in order but I have had no issues following the plot – although I would recommend reading the books in order. With this series Hannah Lynn has become a must-read author for me. Happy Ever After at the Second Chances Sweet Shop was a sweet, charming read with some great characters. Hannah Lynn has once again written a lovely book.

Rating 4/5

I have read another book in this series and want to go back and read the rest now. Seeing your friend engaged and planning to marry someone you don't like is always going to be a challenge. This book takes us there with bells on and through a few hurdles in along the way. A great read.

I actually can't believe that this is the last book in the whole series! I loved every installment This time Holly finds out that her best friend Giles is getting married and she isn't best pleased that it's to the one girl she doesn't like!

I'll say no more because it really is a joy to read and find out yourself

Even though i've read the whole series I do believe it could easily be read as a stand alone. Just a cosy hug of a book!

Highly recommend

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for sending me a copy of this book to review.

This was a fun chick lit novel, and I enjoyed it a lot. I am looking forward to reading more by this author.

I hate to see the series end. The author has written a book about acceptance of another one's choice for a spouse. Hope has to learn to accept Sienna, Giles choice for a wife even though she doesn't think that she is the one for him. The gang is all here in the book.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and the Publisher and leaving a review by my own accord.