I saw this book described as ‘A beautiful ode to the one life you have.’ And that just sums The Second Chance up perfectly. It’s a book that gently tells us that life is too shor to sweat the small, or big, stuff. We know this. But somehow seeing it reinforced through fiction, it can’t hurt to be reminded, can it?

Whilst for some the root of the story may seem far-fetched (but isn’t that the beauty of fiction), the underlying messages, the journey that Nell is on, and the way in which she goes about her second chane, are all a little bit relatable. There’s a great balance of humour, poignant moments and bits where you just really dislike the characters. Their decisions, choices and behaviours are quite frustrating at times but it’s reality – the nature of being human – and Charlotte Butterfield has captured that beautifully through this novel.

Life is short, but it’s also long. This book reminded me of the Live Your Dash mentality. It doesn’t matter the day you were born, or the day that you die, what matters is the bit in-between. The dash. Charlotte’s book is all about the dash and the realisation that you could know, or you could not. But does it matter in the end? You can truly say it doesn’t, if you’ve lived life like it’s your second chance.

‘A life is just that, a string of days tied together.’

About the Book

Nell has always known her expiry date.

After a psychic predicted her death date twenty years ago, she has lived life accepting she would never see forty – embracing adventure and travelling the world, choosing fun over commitment and laying down roots.

So, when the fateful day comes, Nell feels ready. She posts five excruciatingly honest confessions to her sister, parents and past loves, knowing she won’t be around to face the consequences. Then, with her heart laid bare, all that’s left to do is check into a glamorous hotel and wait for the inevitable…

But when Nell unexpectedly wakes up the next morning broke, single and very much alive, she must figure out exactly how to seize this second chance at life. And then it also hits her:

What on earth happens now that everyone knows how she really feels?

About The Author

A former magazine editor, Charlie Butterfield was born in Bristol and studied English at Royal Holloway. She moved to Dubai by herself on a one-way ticket with one suitcase in 2005 and left twelve years later with a husband, three children and a 40ft shipping container. She now lives in the Cotswolds, where she is a freelance writer and novelist.

Author Photo from https://charlottebutterfield.com/

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