Reboot: Romance With A Second Chance Part One

What happens when love drops the ball, when it fumbles because of what life tosses you? Our heroes and heroines are offered a second chance to get a tight grip on the catch of their lives. Check out our favorite 12 stories about love, lust and getting another chance at bat...while hopefully hitting a home run to happily ever after.

Winterheart Designs / Via amzn.to

Rejoice in the traditional and break out the tissues! If you love a story arc that spans the decades, you need to prepare for all the feels this lovely story brings as it batters your heart.

“Don't let the cover put you off! This is a beautiful and often gut wrenching second chance romance between a girl and the boy she loved from the wrong side of the tracks.”

- Little Lamb Reader

“OMG I have never read a more touching and emotionally gripping book than this one. This book went from young love to ‘Did that really just happen to please, please, please make it so’. The writing is excellent. The character are so well developed and complex. I absolutely love this book.”

- Equal Judgment

“Oh my f*cking god YES!!!!!!! I love love love love this book!!!!

- Shots and Pages

Published 2005

Note from My Own Bookshelves:

I messaged with the author recently. Good NEWS: Not only is the cover getting a update but it will be back on eRetailers shortly.

Golden Trail (The ‘Burg series) by Kristen Ashley

Kristen Ashley / Via amzn.to

Left in the dust? Fake Marriage? Gunshots? What more can you ask for… other than attempted murder and intrigue? The Grand Dame of ‘Let’s do this over’ hit this story out of the park with our book friends.

“This woman knows how to do second chance romance. Rocky and Layne - a girl's first love is never forgotten; a guy's forever love is never abandoned - now decades later they give it another try and with the help of friends and family they find their way back to each other.

- Spiritual Wanderer

“This book was so emotional. Rocky had to overcome so much to find a place where she could let go of her fear and let herself be loved.”

- Glitter Gulch Queen

Published 07/05/2011

Honorable Mentions for Kristen Ashley:

Fairytale Come Alive

Rock Chick Reckoning

About that Night (FBI_US Attorney series) by Julie James

Rita Frangie / Via amzn.to

Be careful when you decide to take up hacking as your day job. Sometimes reality comes in the form of a hot prosecutor… who just happens to be an ex.

“What I love about this book is that usually when reading a second chance romance we expect a sob fest and this is exact the opposite. One chance encounter with a good looking guy, one walk home and the promise of an amazing second date that never came. Fast forward 9 years and you're in for a lot of humor, love and two strong characters colliding.”

- Teacher By Day

Published 04/03/2012

Trying To Score (Assassins series) by Toni Aleo

Lynn Andreozzi / Via amzn.to

Our heroine has nothing to ‘whine’ about — the hero was a complete jerk to her in their past. However, can a bad boy of hockey learn to mellow with age?

“Hockey romance, one hot summer, 9 years of separation, and some shocking revelations lead to an incredible second chance romance. It also has a great follow-up novella: Twenty-Two.”

- Fashion Forward Teacher

“I loved that you saw the hero change. He was such a jerk on the first time and really makes up for it the second time.”

- My Own Bookshelves

Published 04/10/2012

Stinger (A Sign of Love novel) by Mia Sheridan

Mia Sheridan / Via amzn.to

What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, right? Are we sure these two lovebirds have forgotten that advert tag? Obviously they aren't paying close attention to TV commercials.

“Stinger is freaking awesome!! Carson made huge changes in his life to be the man that Grace needed, but did not realize she needed. The heartbreak that was suffered by them, but esp. Carson, was so heart wrenching. Stinger is a different book, but it is so worth the read. The story line is amazing.”

- Equal Judgment

“…Stinger is my favorite book and that's a second chance book. The way Carson changes everything that he is because of the impact his weekend with Grace had on him.”

- Shots and Pages

“I loooooove Stinger!!!!”

- Teacher by Day

Published 01/16/2014

Honorable Mentions for Mia Sheridan:

Leo

Kyland

Reed’s Reckoning by Ahren Sanders

MG BookCovers and Designs / Via amzn.to

Our hero learns that all the fame and money of a professional football career can’t buy back the girl whose heart you broke. Can he make it to the final quarter and win the game?

“College sweethearts, huge misunderstanding, football, Florida, a man on a mission to prove himself.”

- #1 Braves Fan

“Ahh, yes! I read it forever ago, and still think of it sometimes. It's cute and sexy—the best combo in books.”

- Snarky Aussie

Published 08/26/2014

Honorable Mention by Ahren Sanders:

Sexy Six

Understatement Of The Year (The Ivy Years series) by Sarina Bowen

Tina Anderson and Shannon Lumetta / Via amzn.to

You unload your hockey gear and discover a shocking revelation. You’ve just found the heart you left behind…

“Rikker and Graham are the blueprint for how I want my MM heroes to be - lovable yet strong, hard-headed yet sensitive, with lots and lots of stamina ;) Also, for what I dubbed the hospital scene - I'll never forget it.”

- Spiritual Wanderer

Published 09/29/2014

Honorable Mention by Sarina Bowen:

Pipe Dreams

All I Want (Alabama Summer series) by J. Daniels

Okay Creations / Via amzn.to

He is a heart-breaker of epic proportions. She is a man-eater extraordinaire. What happens when they try their hand at hating each other? Well, let’s just say our e-Readers almost caught fire.

“Oh, the angst, the anger. Luke + Tessa just about KILLED me with their heartbreak, their confusion and their love. It was frustrating and funny and so freakin' perfect. ASK ME.”

- Not a Bored Panda

“I loved how tough Tessa was, it made me feel sorry for Luke on more than one occasion. I always admire strong female leads because sometimes I feel anything but.”

- Desert Bookworm

“Yes!! OMG I so wanted to lock them in a room and get them together.”

- My Own Bookshelves

Published 11/24/2014

Kiss Me Kate (Blueberry Lane – The English Bros series) by Katy Regnery

Marianne Nowicki / Via amzn.to

What sucks about not having older brothers? Having older cousins that behave as such. Throw in a hero with a major chip on his shoulder and no wonder our heroine was tough but sweet.

“Oh Kiss Me Kate is the best! You go through 5 books hearing about how the cousins of Kate don't like the guy and everything just comes together perfectly in this book! Like sheer, utter, perfection!”

- Kleenex Hoarder

“I wasn't sure how I'd feel about Etienne when I started this book and then... ah, I fell head over heels for him—and Kate. I love how Katy melded past and present, and how these characters communicate and repaired their hearts. Sigh, so swoony.”

- Snarky Aussie

Published 02/13/2015

Honorable Mention by Katy Regnery:

After We Break

Fighting Silence (On The Ropes series) by Aly Martinez

Ashbee Designs / Via amzn.to

This heroine delivers a ‘one-two’ upper cut that leaves the man deaf to all but her. Can the sparks of early teenage love be found amongst the ropes?

“Till and Eliza start out life fighting an uphill battle. They are stronger together if they can only agree that reality can be better than any fantasy. I love how these characters built a family of siblings and friends when the people they should be able to depend on let them down.”

- Glitter Gulch Queen

Published 02/23/2015

Nothing Like Paris (Bend or Break novel) by Amy Jo Cousins

Romanced By The Cover / Via amzn.to

When a break in your life is thrust upon you, you turn tail to lick your wounds. Can getting over the anger and hurt be best healed by the one you left?

“Jack leaves college unexpectedly and has to decide what he's going to do to continue on the path he has chosen. Mike is doing the right thing - supporting his family by growing the business. But sometimes the path you think you should be on turns out to be the one you were originally on. So that element of second chance really made the story. You don't need to read book one but I had less than positive thoughts about Jack. But this is definitely also a redeeming character arc too.”

- My Own Bookshelves

“Oh, yes! I can't believe I didn't think of it first. I was so impressed by how Amy Jo Cousins handled Jack's transition from villain to hero. An incredible, smartly-written and sexy romance, for sure.”

- Not a Bored Panda

Published 03/23/2015

Before We Were Strangers by Renee Carlino

Renee Carlino/Atria / Via amzn.to

Who says that Craigslist is just a place to find old and worn-out overpriced goods? How about finding that heart you left behind on a subway platform?

“It was a VERY serendipitous, by complete luck second chance romance. Not the run of the mill reunion. IMO an original.”

- Thumper's Bestie

“This is my first time reading anything by Renee Carlino and I am definitely looking into her other books! She knows how to pull you into a story and you live there and feel everything right along with the characters!! This is definitely one of my top 5 reads - ever!!! Matt is amazing and wonderful! Grace is so strong, fun and likeable; I want to be her friend!!! Highly HIGHLY recommend this one!!!”

- Hush, Grandma’s Reading

Published 08/18/2015

Honorable Mention by Renee Carlino:

Swear On This Life

Coming Attraction: Hot Georgia Rein by Martha Sweeney

Martha Sweeney / Via amzn.to

When you ask your book friends for recommendations for second chance and you have to yell “STOP”, you learn that there are quite a few books spanning the publication years. Well, we wanted to give our BuzzFeed friends a taste of coming to soon-ish.

“Can first loves become second loves with secrets?”

Ohhhhh, did you get chills? We did! And it's available for preorder on Amazon TODAY.

Publishing: 09/17/2017

WAIT!! We are NOT finished...

quotesgram.com / Via goo.gl

… Neither are the love birds who our book friends adore. We had SO many amazing recommendations you’ll need to come back and check out Part 2 of Reboot: Romance with a Second Chance to see if your favorite made the cut.