Season of Second Chances

In an earlier post about holiday romances, I admitted that holiday romance novellas are one of my biggest guilty pleasures this time of year. After putting up the Christmas tree at my parents' house, I wanted nothing more than to read one. So, that's exactly what I did yesterday on a lazy, dreary Sunday. I'd purchased Brighton Walsh's Season of Second Chances last year while I was in "read all the Brighton books" mode, but I didn't get around to it. Now I'm equal parts sad I put it off and happy I read it when I did. Claire's stranded in Chicago, a city she left after she and Logan broke up. They were once engaged, but things went south when Logan couldn't make Claire a priority. She felt like she was constantly coming in third place – behind his daughter (understandable) and his job (so not) – and her heart couldn't take it any more. When they're reunited at the airport during a blizzard, there's no denying there's still a spark between them. Fortunately for them (and us!) the hotels in Chicago are booked and Claire will be spending a few days with Logan until she can fly back to California. That'll give them plenty of time to work through their past and make a fresh start, right? Second chance romances are one of my favorite tropes and somehow they're even better when they're set in the snow and cold. It gives characters a perfect excuse to heat things up. *eyebrow wiggle* That's exactly what Logan and Claire did in this book. This one was short and sweet – with a bit of spice – and I adored it. Did I mention there was plenty of swooning and feels packed into this novella? Because there was. Single dad Logan was super swoony. Claire was a fantastic and relatable heroine. I loved reading along as they spent time together and allowed those old feelings to resurface. If you're looking for a new favorite holiday romance novella, look no further. Season of Second Chances was wonderful. There were lots of big grins (and perhaps a tear or two) with this one.

I enjoyed this second chance story. Easily relatable in that I don't know anyone who doesn't know a workaholic. It is sad when work becomes more important than family and loved ones. Priorities are an important topic for everyone in a relationship.

Reviewed for Read Your Writes Book Reviews by Kim Raised by a single mother who worked two jobs just to keep them barely afloat, Logan Dawes made a promise that he would never go back to that life. Driven to be successful, the architectural engineer has put work before everything else. That dogged determination helped to contribute to the failure of his relationship with Claire Hanlin. Claire understood she wouldn’t be number one in Logan’s life. She just didn’t expect to be last. Two years ago, when Claire needed Logan the most, he let her down. With a snowstorm stranding Claire in Chicago on Christmas Eve, she needs him again. This time, Logan is determined to not let her down. Fate has given these two another chance. But just when everything seems to be on track, old insecurities and miscommunication threaten to tear these two apart forever. Claire and Logan are two people you can’t help but fall in love with and hope that things work out for them. Without a doubt, the chemistry between them is still there and hot as ever. Season for Second Chances is the story of two people who needed time away from each other to see what was important in life and learn the art of compromise. It’s about forgiveness and of course, second chances. Source: Author/NetGalley

A cute, quick romantic read. A little predictable, but was well written and pretty hot. If you're looking for a smexy holiday read, give this one a try.

Claire just wants to get out of Chicago and the memories that have assaulted her since she arrived. Christmas with her sister seems like the perfect remedy for her wistful thoughts but she's now stuck in town awaiting a storm to pass. Trying not to think of the man she once left behind in Chicago, Claire focuses on finding a hotel nearby to stay while the flights are sorted out. Logan is ready to head home after spending a hectic morning tending to his business and wasting time in the airport while waiting for a flight that ultimately was cancelled. As he's striding towards the exit he spots a face he's never forgotten - Claire's. The woman who meant the world to him once upon a time and who he hasn't seen in two years. He knows he should walk away, but he can't. Not only does he regret how things ended but he knows he'll regret much more if he doesn't approach her. I loved this story! This is the second book by Brighton Walsh I've read and she has not disappointed me yet. With roughly 74 pages of content, Brighton Walsh managed to bring to the page a story packed-full of emotions, yearning and passion. I loved the way Logan and Claire related to each other. Neither of them had forgotten what they had shared, but both had their doubts that it could be picked up again this time around. I enjoyed watching them getting to know each other gain and how frustrated they became whenever they were near each other. The sexual tension between them could cut glass. Each look, touch and whisper word revealed the feelings they had for each other still. Their chemistry was off-the-charts HOT, but it was their quiet moments and their unspoken words that got to me and kept me interested. I wanted to know where their story would lead and ultimately see them find their happily ever after. All in all, a fantastic holiday story with interesting characters, chemistry abound and the kind of romance that brings a smile to your face.

Sweet and Romantic This is not the first time I’ve read something by this awesome lady and I certainly wasn’t disappointed with Logan and Claire’s sweet story of a second chance romance. Once engaged, it’s been two years since they last saw each other when a winter storm intervenes. After cancelled flights, they run into each other in the crowded airport and Logan offers up his place to stay and wait out the storm…for four days. Sounds like plenty of time for these two to kiss and make up, right? And boy do they! I loved Logan. He was swoony. He was masculine. He was sweet. He was the sexiest dad I’ve read in a while. All in all, a 10 in my book. I thought Brighton handled their tense reunion and gradual fall back into comfort and then into love with a very genuine and natural hand. Logan’s daughter, Sophie, was completely adorable and the moments between the two were enough to make my ovaries explode. The author mentioned in her acknowledgments that there is nothing more sexy than a good dad. This story definitely made me a believer. Four stars. While the love story and everything about their time in isolation had me rolling in feels and swoons, I had a few issues with the ending. I think that due to the shorter format, I didn’t get enough backstory on the problems that led to the end of their engagement and were the main conflict of the story. Without that, I ended up feeling frustrated with Claire for acting selfish and immature instead of frustrated with Logan, as the story intends. I still loved the story but the ending made me like Claire a little less than I did at the onset.