When Mallory inherits a run-down family store in small-town Oregon, she decides to relocate from the big city to run the business, but discovers property developer Grayson Matthews wants to buy the shop and knock it down to make way for a fancy mall. Yes, that’s a fairly typical set-up for contemporary Christian fiction, but Melody Carlson treats it in a way that’s a little out of the ordinary.
As the title suggests, Second Time Around is a second chance romance.
What makes it a little different from most romances is that it features an older couple—Mallory and Gray are both the empty-nest parents of adult children. They’ve both been single a long time and effectively raised their children alone, Mallory after her husband decided he wasn’t interested in being a father, and Gray after the death of his wife. I liked the fact they were both intelligent, competent adults who acted in a professional and respectful way towards each other.
I also liked the fact the story was low angst.
The set-up is familiar in small-town romance, but inevitably sets the story up to have a winner and a loser, and part of me always feels a little sorry for the loser (inevitably the one who wants to knock things down). There are also occasions when I suspect knocking the buildings down is the right solution, but that’s rarely the outcome in small-town romance. Without wanting to give spoilers, Mallory and Gray quickly reach an amicable agreement, which allows plenty of time for a slow-burn romance to develop. Other problems were quickly solved in a similar low-angst way.
I particularly enjoyed the setting of Seaport, even though we didn’t get to see much (if anything) of the sea. The author does a great job of describing the store and the renovations—this is one novel where the illustration on the cover is exactly what is described in the story.
Overall, Second Time Around is an enjoyable contemporary Christian romance, recommended for those who like small-town romance, second chance romance, and romance featuring older characters.
About Melody Carlson
Melody Carlson has written more than 200 books (with sales around 6.5 million) for teens, women and children. That’s a lot of books, but mostly she considers herself a “storyteller.” Her novels range from serious issues like schizophrenia (Finding Alice) to lighter topics like house-flipping (A Mile in My Flip-Flops) but most of the inspiration behind her fiction comes right out of real life. Her young adult novels (Diary of a Teenage Girl, TrueColors etc.) appeal to teenage girls around the world. Her annual Christmas novellas become more popular each year.
She’s won a number of awards (including Romantic Time’s Career Achievement Award, the Rita and the Gold Medallion) and some of her books have been optioned for film/TV. Carlson has two grown sons and makes her home in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and yellow Lab dog.
Find Melody Carlson online at:
About Second Time Around
Who doesn’t love a second chance?
With a lot of hard work and a little bit of help, Mallory makes incredible progress turning the store into an eclectic home décor shop called Romancing the Home–all while trying to ignore the depressing and decrepit apartment she’s living in on the second floor. When the shop catches the eye of a popular renovation TV show producer, Mallory is thrilled–until it becomes clear that her apartment is to be part of the segment as well.
She’s tempted to abandon her dreams and the town under a cloud of shame. But perhaps there’s more to Grayson than meets the eye. Can he swallow his pride, change his plans, and help Mallory romance her own home–and possibly her life?
A fun loving Aussie girl at heart, Narelle Atkins was born and raised on the beautiful northern beaches in Sydney, Australia. She has settled in Canberra with her husband and children.
Passionate might best describe Liz Tolsma. She loves writing, research, and editing. Her passion shone through in her first novel which was a double award finalist. On any given day, you might find her pulling weeds in her perennial garden, walking her hyperactive dog, or curled up with a good book. Nothing means more to her than her family. She’s married her high-school sweetheart twenty-eight years ago. Get her talking about international adoption, and you might never get her to stop. She and her husband adopted three children, including a son who is a U.S. Marine, and two daughters.
Erin Bartels is the award-winning author of We Hope for Better Things, The Words between Us, All That We Carried, and The Girl Who Could Breathe Under Water (coming January 2022). Her short story “This Elegant Ruin” was a finalist in The Saturday Evening Post 2014 Great American Fiction Contest and her poetry has been published by The Lyric. She lives in the capital city of a state that is 40% water, nestled somewhere between angry protesters on the Capitol lawn and couch-burning frat boys at Michigan State University. And yet, she claims it is really quite peaceful.
Kimberly Duffy enjoys writing historical fiction that takes readers back in time and across oceans. Her books often feature ahead-of-their-time heroines, evocative settings, and real-life faith. When not writing or homeschooling her four children, she enjoys taking trips that require a passport and practicing kissing scenes with her husband of twenty years. A Long Island native, she currently resides in southwest Ohio.
Heidi Chiavaroli is a writer, runner, and grace-clinger who could spend hours exploring Boston’s Freedom Trail. She writes Women’s Fiction and won the 2014 ACFW Genesis contest in the historical category. She makes her home in Massachusetts with her husband, two sons, and Howie, her standard poodle.
A Carol award finalist and Selah award winner, Sarah Monzon is a stay-at-home mom who makes up imaginary friends to have adult conversations with (otherwise known as writing novels). As a navy chaplain’s wife, she resides wherever the military happens to station her family and enjoys exploring the beauty of the world around her.
Christina Suzann Nelson 
