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A review by katemc7
Rules for Second Chances by Maggie North
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
slow-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? Yes
4.0
I was so on the fence about this one because I kept seeing it recommended by other authors I like but the reviews seem so mixed. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this book. The premise is unlike anything I have read before. As were the characters to be honest or really just Liz. There were so many things that made this book unique in my opinion. We have a marriage that is failing. We have two characters that have opposite opinions on how to handle it. We have an improv class that turns into kind of couples therapy in the BEST way. We have relationships that are not healthy in this but that are endured because of how things can look to the world or be misinterpreted.
I have to say I had a hard time connecting with Liz at first. We start off with her being so blunt with Tobin- she's done. She has been trying to tell Tobin her challenges for a minute but he isn't hearing her. Well he is now. She moves out. She doesn't give him a chance at first which is what I struggled with BUT as I mentioned there was a lot of background we missed. Tobin just seemed like a lost puppy without Liz. Liz is at a point in her life where she feels like she has lost herself. She has been in a marriage where she doesn't feel heard and at a job where she keeps getting passed up. She needs a change of scenery. So she decides to push the envelope and take an improv class. The problem is that the teacher happens to be one of Tobin's best friends, and they haven't told anyone that they are on a break (whatever that means). She decides that she isn't going to back out. She is going to do this! Then Tobin approaches her about trying something a little outside of the box. His friend also wrote a book about couples therapy- it puts couples in different environments and tries to rebuild the foundation they had from the start. Liz finds herself agreeing reluctantly. But every scenario they have reminds her of the man she fell in love with. The man who is doing all of these ridiculous things lie dressing up as a pirate or a merman and not talking so their body language will. But Liz has put these rules in place like no touching or kissing. She wants clear boundaries. She has made up her mind on where they are- but now she is starting to question if she is losing the best thing she ever had and if she has pushed Tobin too far to get him back to tell him how she really feels.
I can't recommend this one enough. I found myself covering my eyes from embarrassment, laughing out loud, swooning, crying. Just such a wide range of emotions because of what this couple went through. I LOVED watching them reconnect and realize that all is not lost and that relationships are WORK. This was a breath of fresh air in my opinion and I am SO happy that I got that ARC for book 2- can't wait to watch those two unravel each other :)
I have to say I had a hard time connecting with Liz at first. We start off with her being so blunt with Tobin- she's done. She has been trying to tell Tobin her challenges for a minute but he isn't hearing her. Well he is now. She moves out. She doesn't give him a chance at first which is what I struggled with BUT as I mentioned there was a lot of background we missed. Tobin just seemed like a lost puppy without Liz. Liz is at a point in her life where she feels like she has lost herself. She has been in a marriage where she doesn't feel heard and at a job where she keeps getting passed up. She needs a change of scenery. So she decides to push the envelope and take an improv class. The problem is that the teacher happens to be one of Tobin's best friends, and they haven't told anyone that they are on a break (whatever that means). She decides that she isn't going to back out. She is going to do this! Then Tobin approaches her about trying something a little outside of the box. His friend also wrote a book about couples therapy- it puts couples in different environments and tries to rebuild the foundation they had from the start. Liz finds herself agreeing reluctantly. But every scenario they have reminds her of the man she fell in love with. The man who is doing all of these ridiculous things lie dressing up as a pirate or a merman and not talking so their body language will. But Liz has put these rules in place like no touching or kissing. She wants clear boundaries. She has made up her mind on where they are- but now she is starting to question if she is losing the best thing she ever had and if she has pushed Tobin too far to get him back to tell him how she really feels.
I can't recommend this one enough. I found myself covering my eyes from embarrassment, laughing out loud, swooning, crying. Just such a wide range of emotions because of what this couple went through. I LOVED watching them reconnect and realize that all is not lost and that relationships are WORK. This was a breath of fresh air in my opinion and I am SO happy that I got that ARC for book 2- can't wait to watch those two unravel each other :)