Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson

Happy Sunday Everyone!!

Have any of you ever read a book where you found yourself wanting to do something afterwards, because it inspired you?  Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson is one of those books.  I found myself wanting to run to my parents and giving both of them a big fat hug and telling them I love them.


From Goodreads:



From the Flying Start author of Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour, a powerful novel about hope in the face of heartbreak. 

Taylor Edwards’ family might not be the closest-knit—everyone is a little too busy and overscheduled—but for the most part, they get along just fine. Then Taylor’s dad gets devastating news, and her parents decide that the family will spend one last summer all together at their old lake house in the Pocono Mountains.

Crammed into a place much smaller and more rustic than they are used to, they begin to get to know each other again. And Taylor discovers that the people she thought she had left behind haven’t actually gone anywhere. Her former best friend is still around, as is her first boyfriend…and he’s much cuter at seventeen than he was at twelve.

As the summer progresses and the Edwards become more of a family, they’re more aware than ever that they’re battling a ticking clock. Sometimes, though, there is just enough time to get a second chance—with family, with friends, and with love.



My Thoughts:

I read Morgan Matson's first debut novel Amy and Roger's Epic Detour back in 2012 and absolutely raved about it for months!  Morgan has this way of writing one of my favorite types of novels...summer novels.  I love summer reads!  Morgan, along with Sarah Dessen, Susane Colasanti, and Deb Caletti write some of the best summer novels!

Anyway, after two years, I finally got around to reading her 2012 release, Second Chance Summer, which I found at the library a couple of weeks ago.  And let me just start by saying straight off the bat...it was amazing!

What a beautiful, touching, sad, happy novel this is! The characters were great! The story was realistic and incredible! It is just one of those books where you find yourself grabbing the tissues and crying throughout the last few chapters, but in the end loving it so much.

While there was one thing I would have done differently, it is something so minute that it doesn't even matter because this book is just perfect in the exact way it was written!  The one thing I would have possibly made different would have been that Taylor and Henry "dated" when at fourteen, instead of twelve, and then possibly made Taylor a year older (so 18, instead of 17), but like I said it is such insignificant change after you read the book, that it honestly doesn't even matter!  At first, while I was reading it, I was just cringing at the fact that these two kids were 12 when I started "going out", and that freaked me out because my little brother is 12, and I'm so NOT ready for that!

I must say, my absolute favorite part from this book was Taylor and her father's relationship.  Which made it all the more difficult when the end came...because guys, I will warn you straight off, the ending is devastating, while you'll be hoping for the inevitable not to happen...it will.  I'm sorry to spoil it for you, but honestly, you'll see that there are so many other aspects of this story that you'll find make the story even stronger!


Overall rating...

Of course!

How could I not, after raving about it above?  I HIGHLY recommend this one!  I love these stand alone summer novels, because you get the entire story in one book!  I love that it took place in summer, that the not just the main character, but also the surrounding characters, evolved so much through the story.  It was just beautiful!

You can get your copy either at the library (hopefully!), or buy it through Amazon or Barnes and Noble!

Hope everyone is having a great weekend! I'll be back soon! :)

The Romance Bookie :)

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