Second Time Around Book Review

 I thought that this cover and title sounded very intriguing even before I got to the summary of the book.  I have also read a bunch of different books by this author and I have enjoyed them all.  I can't relate to having an empty nest yet but but I totally think that being overwhelmed by the move and construction is something that I can totally relate to. I tend to prefer the books when I can find something I sympathize with or relate to in the main character. Mallory Farrell was starting over in a new life with what her grandmother left her in her will.

 

 

 

When empty nester Mallory Farrell inherits her grandmother's run-down tourist shop in Seaport, Oregon, it seems the only sensible thing to do is to sell it. But when her former secret crush, Grayson Matthews, wants to buy the property in order to complete his plans to redevelop the funky town's business district into a soulless, cookie-cutter outdoor mall, Mallory digs in her heels and decides to renovate the property herself.

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?

The story jumped directly into the middle of the big life decision where Mallory was dealing with her grandmothers estate and traveling back to the small town she spent summers at as a child.  I thought it was really interesting to see how Mallory avoided dealing with Grayson based on their history together when she was a child. But she quickly decides to give up her career and house and move to the small town because she has decided that this was exactly what her empty nest life needed.  I am not sure what decision others would make in her place but I thought it was a great story. Mallory has to move all of the stuff out of the shop and quickly finds a great buyer to take all of the things in the shop and starts making big strides to renovate the shop to turn it into the home decor shop that she has envisioned.  All of the fun parts of the story where Mallory is connecting to others in the small town and making her new life is the best part of the story.  The only part that is hard to understand is that she so set on doing things herself and being miserable because things aren't going well.  Although I am sure we can all relate to wanting it to be independent, it is a great improved story when she starts to trust and rely on others. I hope that you check out this book for yourself and enjoy it as much as I did. It was a great story with great characters.

 

**I was provided a copy of the book for my review but I was not required to provide a positive review.