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3.99 AVERAGE
3.99 AVERAGE
The premise was lovely, but this book was not a good fit. The writing assumes the reader is forgetful/potentially just stupid, and the amount of pastry similes had me annoyed by the second chapter. I was also confused as to why the author specifically avoided saying years while also making time-sensitive references to things like TikTok and Olivia Rodrigo’s SOUR album. Can’t recommend this book unfortunately!
Listened / read it in one day!! Fantastic easy light hearted story. I’m a sucker for second chance / “sliding doors “ theme !
Love the characters and love the story ! Such a fun book
Love the characters and love the story ! Such a fun book
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The Second Chance Year was an interesting concept. After a no good, very bad year, Sadie gets the change to do it all over. She’s able to make different choices, hoping for different outcomes.
Yet, she’s changed after her very bad year. So when she holds back her voice, doesn’t stand up for the underdog…she realizes that maybe what she thought she wanted, isn’t what she wants anymore (say that five times fast!). This story is less of a romance and more of Sadie’s year of discovering her true self. She deals with a misogynist boyfriend and boss, and there are some very real moments involving workplace sexual harassment. And at the end of the day, what Sadie learns from her very bad year made her a much better person (and character to like!).
The romance was sweet and cute, although very predictable. Regardless, I loved seeing their friendship develop and watch Sadie fall in love. I mean, who wouldn’t fall in love with Jacob? He was so shy and sweet and adoring and I can’t believe it took Sadie so long to truly see him.
And wow, after reading this I need a pastry, stat.
Thank you to Forever Publishing for the review copy.
Yet, she’s changed after her very bad year. So when she holds back her voice, doesn’t stand up for the underdog…she realizes that maybe what she thought she wanted, isn’t what she wants anymore (say that five times fast!). This story is less of a romance and more of Sadie’s year of discovering her true self. She deals with a misogynist boyfriend and boss, and there are some very real moments involving workplace sexual harassment. And at the end of the day, what Sadie learns from her very bad year made her a much better person (and character to like!).
The romance was sweet and cute, although very predictable. Regardless, I loved seeing their friendship develop and watch Sadie fall in love. I mean, who wouldn’t fall in love with Jacob? He was so shy and sweet and adoring and I can’t believe it took Sadie so long to truly see him.
And wow, after reading this I need a pastry, stat.
Thank you to Forever Publishing for the review copy.
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
Pastry chef Sadie Thatcher has had a very bad year. She lost her job and her boyfriend, the studio apartment she loved, and she's been rooting on her brother's best friend's sofa for months while working as a barista, as she's been blacklisted by her former boss, a celebrity chef.
Who wouldn't, under these circumstances, after being dragged to a New Year's Eve party they didn't want to be at, ask a fortune teller to let them relive their very bad year? It's worth a shot, slightly tipsy Sadie believes as a clown chases her into a fortune teller's tent.
Steps taken to grant wish, check.
Number of kisses with brother's best friend who is actually pretty hot and far deeper than you imagined? One.
Nights left in Very Bad Year, Zero.
After sharing a steamy kiss with her brother's bestie, Sadie wakes up and finds it's January first of her very bad year. She still has her boyfriend and her job. She has everything she's ever wanted. So, why can't she stop thinking about Jacob (aka brother's bestie)? It's no matter. She's got her second chance and she's determined to make it all work out this time, no matter what. Too bad she didn't think of the other things she might lose in the process.
I really enjoyed this read. Yes, there were a LOT of food puns and mentions. This is to be expected since Sadie is a chef. Yes, there are a LOT of mentions of the "Very Bad Year", but that makes sense because Sadie is trying not to repeat big mistakes from that year. Yes, there are a LOT of "why didn't I notice Jacob before" musings.
None of them detracted from the story, for me.
There are themes of sexual harassment and sexism, none of which are examined too closely, since this is a romance.
Everything is pretty much surface-level, as it turns out, which worked just fine for me. I often read books with heavy themes, which results in at least one reading slump a year. This is the first book I've been able to finish in 2025, despite having started six, so I'm very pleased with how low stakes and accessible the writing is in this novel.
Pros:
Time loop
Golden retriever "hero"
Nothing is too deep
Self-discovery (Sadie learns what she thought she wanted isn't at all what she needed)
Cons:
Heavy on the foodie puns and metaphors
Sometimes repetitive (Sadie keeps saying things like, "How did I not notice")
Overall, this is a fun read with some of my favorite elements. I recommend for romance readers who enjoy time loop and low-stakes romances.
Who wouldn't, under these circumstances, after being dragged to a New Year's Eve party they didn't want to be at, ask a fortune teller to let them relive their very bad year? It's worth a shot, slightly tipsy Sadie believes as a clown chases her into a fortune teller's tent.
Steps taken to grant wish, check.
Number of kisses with brother's best friend who is actually pretty hot and far deeper than you imagined? One.
Nights left in Very Bad Year, Zero.
After sharing a steamy kiss with her brother's bestie, Sadie wakes up and finds it's January first of her very bad year. She still has her boyfriend and her job. She has everything she's ever wanted. So, why can't she stop thinking about Jacob (aka brother's bestie)? It's no matter. She's got her second chance and she's determined to make it all work out this time, no matter what. Too bad she didn't think of the other things she might lose in the process.
I really enjoyed this read. Yes, there were a LOT of food puns and mentions. This is to be expected since Sadie is a chef. Yes, there are a LOT of mentions of the "Very Bad Year", but that makes sense because Sadie is trying not to repeat big mistakes from that year. Yes, there are a LOT of "why didn't I notice Jacob before" musings.
None of them detracted from the story, for me.
There are themes of sexual harassment and sexism, none of which are examined too closely, since this is a romance.
Everything is pretty much surface-level, as it turns out, which worked just fine for me. I often read books with heavy themes, which results in at least one reading slump a year. This is the first book I've been able to finish in 2025, despite having started six, so I'm very pleased with how low stakes and accessible the writing is in this novel.
Pros:
Time loop
Golden retriever "hero"
Nothing is too deep
Self-discovery (Sadie learns what she thought she wanted isn't at all what she needed)
Cons:
Heavy on the foodie puns and metaphors
Sometimes repetitive (Sadie keeps saying things like, "How did I not notice")
Overall, this is a fun read with some of my favorite elements. I recommend for romance readers who enjoy time loop and low-stakes romances.
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book was the PERFECT read to kick off the new year and it left me filled to the brim with joy and hope. Our FMC, Sadie, was a badass who let the disappointed voices of her ex, her parents, and her boss echo in her head and heart and get the better of her. After her dumpster-fire year, all she wants is the chance to go back and do the year over...and better. She knows what went wrong now, so she can correct all her mistakes and maintain her dream life. But, when her wish comes true, she is surprised by what she learns.
Y'all --- this book is just SO delicous. I fell in love with Kasumi, Zoe, Mrs. Kaminski, Jose Luis, and Owen. Sadie's life is so full of love and community and acceptance. There are, of course, the less lovable supporting characters that also have a role in Sadie's story, but the good ones were pure joy. And I do not have enough words for Jacob! He was *chef's kiss*, book-boyfriend goals, and he had my heart from the very beginning.
The stats: There are scenes of workplace sexual harassment - so if this is a trigger for you - please read with care. This is closed door and it straddles the line between women's fiction and romance. If you have a sweet tooth: be warned to have sweet snacks handy. Sadie is a pastry chef in the book, and the myriad of delicious-sounding desserts constantly had me salivating.
Thanks to Melissa for writing this beautiful novel and thanks to the team at Forever Publishing for the review copy. All opinions are my own.
Y'all --- this book is just SO delicous. I fell in love with Kasumi, Zoe, Mrs. Kaminski, Jose Luis, and Owen. Sadie's life is so full of love and community and acceptance. There are, of course, the less lovable supporting characters that also have a role in Sadie's story, but the good ones were pure joy. And I do not have enough words for Jacob! He was *chef's kiss*, book-boyfriend goals, and he had my heart from the very beginning.
The stats: There are scenes of workplace sexual harassment - so if this is a trigger for you - please read with care. This is closed door and it straddles the line between women's fiction and romance. If you have a sweet tooth: be warned to have sweet snacks handy. Sadie is a pastry chef in the book, and the myriad of delicious-sounding desserts constantly had me salivating.
Thanks to Melissa for writing this beautiful novel and thanks to the team at Forever Publishing for the review copy. All opinions are my own.
i did in fact read this in the course of like 12 hours and tbh? i really liked it ^^ was some pretty decent cheesy romance and fairly realistic. included girlboss narratives in an actually natural way! imagine that! probably more of a 4.5 but i think 5 stars is fitting. just a really nice happy non stressful story. did not remotely get tired of it even tho i more or less read it all in one go
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No