I love second chance romances. Not the ones where people dated briefly in high school or had a youthful fling, but those stories where people fell hard out of love and now, years later, have a chance to try again. Give me a Cam and Gigi, a Tara and Ford, a Adam and Marissa, a Josiah and Yesmen, or a Lyon and Olivia and I am in romance heaven. (I even have a soft spot for the utterly un PC Jack and Sherrie.)
Truth: Out of the five couples of my family of origin–my parents, my three siblings and I–every couple but one, my sister, broke up for at least a year before reconciling. Dr. Feelgood broke my heart so badly our first go round that when, a year later, we kissed and made-up, I had a friend tell me I should get professional help. (37 years later, I think she might have been wrong.)
Perhaps that’s why tales of hardwon second love call to me. How about you? Do you love them? And if so, what are some of your faves?
I am not really a fan of second chance romances. I think I may be too cynical to believe in them. Having said that “The Spiral Path” bei Mary Jo Putney is a great book about secind chances, that I liked very much. (Note: This has apparently also been published as Phoenix Falling)
The King’s Man by Sally Malcolm came to mmind immediately. It’s a beautifully written historical romance set in England in the aftermath of the American Revolution, and focuses on a side of the war we don’t think about: what happened to Americans who were loyalists. It has more impact if you’ve read the previous novella, Rebel. (Both are m/m) Lovers of KJ Charles historicals like The Society of Gentleman series will enjoy this.
Sally Malcolm also wrote The Perfect Day, a present day m/m retelling of Persuasion, which is excellent.
Lily Morton’s After Felix is a great humorous second-chance romance with enough emotional tension to keep it from being fluffy.
A Dangerous Kind of Lady by Mia Vincy is so well done! I recommend it on audio for Kate Reading’s incredible narration.
And I’ll also mention the excellent book Him by Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy, along with Sarina Bowen’s Understatement of the Year, both hockey related m/m books that pack an emotional punch.
Perfect Day, After Felix, and Him are amongst my very favorites and I highly recommend them too!
I just finished the audiobook of A Dangerous Kind of Lady by Mia Vincy, it was great! I hadn’t read the book first so had no idea where it was going to go (other than the happy ending of course).
Kate Reading’s narration is a master class in how to do it right. The book has so much tension, and you can hear it vibrating in Arabella’s voice. I felt a bit exhausted at the end, but so happy with the HEA..
Second chance romance especially one between a still married couple, is my favourite romance trope. The idea that after a very rough go-around the first time, with better understanding, maturity and forgiveness, two people can find their way back to loving each other is one that I find very romantic.
The Black Hawk by Joanna Bourne made me wish I could wipe my memory at will so each time I read it, it would be new to me. Sherry Thomas’ Private Arrangements and Not Quite A Husband are also top choices. My heart broke a lot for Cam & Gigi and Bryony & Leo. Duke of Shadows by Meredith Duran was equally an emotional read for me. I also love Katharine Ashe’s In The Arms of A Marquess
OMG. I can’t believe I forgot The Black Hawk. So. Good. Gods, do I miss Joanna Bourne.
Duke of Shadows is one of my all time favorite romances. I thought about including it but though their first go round was intense, it was brief.
I really like second-chance romances when they’re done well – as you say, the “first chance” has to have been more than a kiss or fling – and the second has to be about the characters getting to know each other and fall for each other as they are NOW. Carrie has mentioned this one already, but I have to second her recommendation of Sally Malcolm’s King’s Man – not only a great second-chance romance but one of the best historical romances of recent years.
I’d also echo her recommendation of Perfect Day – I’m not one for Austen re-tellings but that one really works.
Most recently I enjoyed KD Casey’s Diamond Ring and Trick Up Your Sleeve by Ainsley North – although that’s the first in a series, so there’s more story and relationship development to come. I also enjoyed Martha Waters’ To Woo and To Wed, the final instalment in her Regency Vows series.
“Ooops, we’re still married” is one of my favorite tropes. I love stories featuring couples who think they were divorced years ago, only to discover they’re still married—and, of course, the spark is still there, but they have to resolve whatever caused their breakup in the past in order to move forward. Two recent books that used the trope to great effect were Zoe York’s REBEL AT HEART (angsty, melancholy, and hot, hot, hot!) and Annika Martin’s JUST NOT THAT INTO BILLIONAIRES (although the hero has always known he and the heroine were not divorced).
I also recently read Julie Soto’s FORGET ME NOT, a second-chance romance between a wedding planner and a florist. Although I found the book a little “busy” at times, I still thought it was a worthwhile read as the story moves back & forth in time showing the couple falling in love, breaking up, and then slowly getting back together a few years later when they are working together on a big “event” wedding.
Forget Me Not was the first one I thought of, I liked it so much. I look forward to her new book coming out in July.
I read Forget Me Not last year and really enjoyed it. I mentioned this somewhere else on this site that the book has a very unusual structure where the chapters alternate between hero and heroine’s POV but his were all from the past and hers were all from the present. I had not seen that before and found it interesting, although I kind of also wanted to know what the hero was thinking/feeling about the present situation. Still, a pretty impressive debut novel and like Kayne, I am interested to see what this author does next.
I am more of a, “knew each other as kids then lost contact” sort of person, such as in Rogue Spy by Joanna Bourne.
This is not one of my favorite tropes but I have enjoyed it. Carrie G already named some great M/M romances and I would add these 3 (all M/M):
Rare by Briar Prescott – rich boy Alex gets into trouble and has to do community service where he meets Noah. They fall in love then Noah breaks it off. They meet by chance years later and Alex finds out the real reason. I won’t spoil it but one topic of the book is something I knew nothing about and have not seen discussed to this extent in any other book I have read.
Summer Kisses by Charlie Novak – chefs Aaron and Josh fall in love but Josh leaves due to Aaron’s self-destructive behavior. They meet again years later when Josh is hired to work at the restaurant owned by Aaron and his best friend (Aaron is much more mentally healthy by then). Tension ensues until one day it all explodes and they start up their relationship again.
P.S. I Spook You by S. E. Harmon – first in a series. Rain (government agent) broke up with Danny (police detective) because Rain can see ghosts but couldn’t tell anyone as he would be thought crazy. They meet up again several years later due to a common case and eventually it all comes out (it’s not a big spoiler that Danny can handle it).
I have a goodreads folder entitled ‘second chance or reunion romance’ (289 entries) – looking at some of the 5 star titles there I have Delicious by Sherry Thomas, Snow-Kissed by Laura Florand, Crazy Thing Called Love by Molly O’Keefe, Be Mine Forever by Kennedy Ryan, Taming the Legend by Kat Latham, Chaos Station and Not Dead Yet both by Jenn Burke, The Mistake by Elle Kennedy, Can’t Hold Back by Serena Bell, The SEAL’s Second Chance by Anne Calhoun, Into the Blue by Chanel Cleeton, The Trouble with Mistletoe by Jill Shalvis, Sweetest Regret by Meredith Duran and many more. It’s definitely a favourite trope of mine!
Link to the goodreads folder if you’re interested: https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/29334580-maria-rose?ref=nav_mybooks&shelf=second-chance-or-reunion-romance
I forgot Not Dead Yet by Burke! I enjoyed that series immensely! I also enjoyed Chaos Station which I just recently read, but it wasn’t quite 5 stars for me- a solid B though.
Yeah, I really like the Not Dead Yet series alot too, it’s up there with Allie Therin and K.J. Charles in favorite authors/series to reread
Wow! Your Goodreads bookshelf is amazing. Thanks for sharing. I saw Do Over by Serena Bell on it, one of my favorite Second Chance romances.
Thanks! Yeah, Serena Bell has a few second chance romances on her backlist.
I do not have a book to recommend on this theme. But I do have a favorite television serial on this theme: As Time Goes By with Judi Dench and Geoffrey Palmer. It is a sitcom but also a tender love story.
Second chance romances can have real depth and complexity, and a good one can seriously tug at my heart strings. The Black Hawk is terrific, and Caz and Carrie mentioned a number of my favorites in the m/m category. I particularly enjoy books that show the couple when they were falling in love the first time and the intensity of those feelings, and then gives plausible reasons for their breakup and failure to reconcile. Then the author needs to give us a believable scenario for their reconnection and the rebuilding of trust and reestablishment of their relationship, recognizing that they will have changed in the intervening years. Honestly, it’s not the easiest to pull off, so when it’s done well, it’s super fun to read.
Thanks everyone for your favorites. I can’t think of anything that hasn’t been mentioned, but I will definitely look into yours.
Black Hawk One of my all time favourites
At Your Pleasure, Duke of Shadows and The Sins of Lord Lockwood by Meredith Duran
Crossing the Line by Kele Moon
My favorite second chance romance of ALL TIME is Day of the Duchess by Sarah Maclean. The pain, repentance and how he woos her back. This is a story that has stayed with me.
I liked that one too. I liked how redemption was possible for Mal and how Sera forgave.