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BOOK RECS BY TROPE: Second Chances

Book Recs By Tropes is a series where I recommend books according to tropes.

There’s always a certain pang when meeting an old love and still feeling that spark. And there’s nothing sweeter than having that spark burn hot once more.

From former high school sweethearts to separating husbands, here are some of the most moving and entertaining stories of people who found each other again.

Also, you might want to check out: 
BOOK RECS BY TROPE: Partners To Lovers
BOOK RECS BY TROPE: Roommates To Lovers
BOOK RECS BY TROPE: Enemies to Lovers.
BOOK RECS BY TROPE: Friends to Lovers
BOOK RECS BY TROPE: Fake Relationships

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Not Dead Yet – Jenn Burke (4 stars)
(paranormal, mystery)

If you’re dead set on having some paranormal second chances, this book is a unique take on an age-gap romance between a not-ghost and a vampire and also a hella fun police procedural.

Not Dead Yet is a fantastic opener to the series of the same name. It’s heavy on humor, light on spook, with just the right balance of romance, mystery, and paranormal. The second chance subplot comes in when Wes, the not-ghost, meets his ex-boyfriend and vampire, Detective Hudson Rojas, whom he hasn’t seen since the 80s. Get a thrill out of the whole process of catching up, dancing around barely suppressed feelings, and hashing it out. Recommended if you like your ghosts sassy, your detectives gruff, and your stories twisty.

Bookshop: US
Amazon: US UK

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Torch – Jocelynn Drake & Rinda Elliott (4 stars)
(suspense, crime)

Feel the fire go from embers to blazing in this cathartic romantic suspense story between a grief-stricken widow and his former military buddy with whom he had something going on back in their days.

Grieving spouse stories could be painful, but this book lets you feel Rowe’s grief and pain without overwhelming you. Torch wonderfully portrays all the complicated feelings involved in moving from the past to the present. It celebrates the two greatest loves of Rowe’s life, his late wife, Mel, and his boyfriend, Noah. A brilliant example of a second chance romance that gives justice to both the past and present relationships. 

Bookshop: US
Amazon: US UK

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Falling Sky Duology – L.A. Witt (4.5 stars)
(sci fi, paranormal)

For a mix of sci-fi and paranormal, this duology shines a light on forbidden love, betrayal, and two ex-lovers brought together by the will to survive and a chance to save the world.

Falling Sky hits the ground running with bullets, explosions, death-defying stunts, and one father hell-bent on having his son killed. Squee at how the vampire Liam reunites with his human lover, Daniel. Feel the crackle and zing all over the place!

The stakes get higher and higher as the couple work to take down the evil dad and his cybernetics company. It’s non-stop action from start to finish. This is one of my all-time favorite duologies, and I recommend this as an audiobook because of the super talented narrator, Nick J. Russo. His portrayal of Liam and Daniel lives in my head to this day.

Bookshop: US
Amazon: US UK

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The Night Of – Tal Bauer (5 stars)
(murder mystery, politics)

For an unforgettable evening, tag along with a Secret Service agent as he digs deep to uncover secrets beneath secrets to save the life of the man he loves, the POTUS.

If you are, like me, not keen on politicians as love interests, this book might be a game changer. The titular night Sean and the then VPOTUS, Jonathan, spent together poses very intriguing questions, leaving you guessing what happened and asking why Sean is beating himself up about it.

The case is a locked door mystery and a damn good one. The WHO might be relatively easy to suss out, but the WHY and the HOW makes it so clever. The book deals with heightened emotions that jump off the page. You might find yourself holding your breath on some of the most emotionally raw scenes. I highly recommend audiobooking this because John Solo’s performance will wreck you

Amazon: US UK

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Beautiful Mistakes – Felice Stevens (4.5 stars)
(contemporary romance)

For good ole frenemies to lovers romance, this beautifully rendered drama has two men come to term with their feelings after years of pining, one night’s mistake, and major daddy issues.

Beautiful Mistakes is an angsty slow-burn read. The way Wolf and Spencer zing throughout the book! The push and pull between the two men is intense! There are also family drama and deep dark secrets. The book is deeply moving, heartbreaking, funny, snarky, sweet, and heartwarming. After a hard-won HEA, you’ll feel how right it is when they finally came to terms with their feelings and let each other in. This book is pretty damn near perfect, and I couldn’t recommend it enough!

Amazon: US UK

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Down Low – Parker St. John (4.5 stars)
(western, contemporary romance)

Get the lowdown on how a has-been bull rider discovered that his podunk hometown, his old nemeses, and his forbidden first love, have all changed, yet somehow, still the same.

Down Low is an emotional rollercoaster, an angsty, friends-to-lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers story of high school sweethearts Calvin and Eli, the pastor’s son. It perfectly depicts all the conflicting, heart-crushing emotions of seeing your first love after ten years, the one who betrayed you but still loved after all this time. The longing, the USTs, the hate kisses, the flames gloriously coming back to life. The book also excels in portraying the thrills and pains of bull-riding life. It will take you through a whole gamut of emotions, sad, happy, painful, sweet, and more. Enjoy the ride!

Amazon: US UK

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Is It Over Yet? – L.A. Witt (4 stars)
(contemporary romance)

Cheating is a deal breaker to many, but this book might make you reconsider.

Is It Over Yet?  boldly tackles the challenge of a second chance for two husbands about to divorce because one of them cheated. The deed was done off-page and happened months before the story started. There’s hurt and anger, but it is pretty obvious the couple still love each other. The romance and the USTs have a different vibe, a complicated love/hate/lust relationship. The story is both a road trip across states and an emotional journey to forgiveness. It might not be everyone’s cup of tea but do give it a try if you are looking for a second-chance romance where the head wants to go, but the heart wants to stay.

Bookshop: US
Amazon: US UK

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Chrysalis – S.E. Harmon (4 stars)
(sci fi, mystery)

Witness a thrilling execution of the classic amnesia trope in this memorable sci-fi romance about one assassin’s second chance at love and life.

Chrysalis follows Chris as he traces clues to his identity, fights off bad guys, and wins back his ex-boyfriend, Gray, the only person he remembers after waking up in the hospital with amnesia. It has mystery, action, humor, a couple of painful separations, and long-overdue reunions. It is about a man looking for answers and delivers those answers in one suspenseful, gripping package. This is another audiobook recommendation because narrator Kai Rubio delivers a killer performance.

Amazon: US UK

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