Book Review: Second Chance

Second Chance. Jeanette Skalski. Self-Published, 2023. Trade Paperback and e-book, 341 pages.

Reviewed by Kelly Fumiko Weiss.

Second Chance by Jeanette Skalski is a romance novel centering around Jane, a woman overcoming tremendous loss after the tragic death of her husband and children in a car accident, and Alex, Chicagoland’s most eligible bachelor. The narrative oscillates back and forth between Jane’s perspective and Alex’s, allowing the reader to understand where each character is coming from and how they are viewing the relationship.

The book is at its strongest when we are with Jane. Skalski’s depiction of grief is nuanced, has depth, and is beautifully written. Alex’s character is a bit more on the wish fulfillment side of things—an impossibly beautiful, rich, and ultimately lovesick man who changes his whole life and personality after falling in love at first sight. But I think that’s why we need Alex’s perspective in this book. If Skalski didn’t take the time to tell us what Alex was thinking, his pursuit of Jane would have seemed trite compared to the depth of what Jane was going through. 

The gravitas of Jane’s grief keeps this book centered. Their friend groups and families also keep the story grounded, although I would have liked more time with Alex’s family, particularly his parents. Still, all the characters were well thought out; I could picture each of them and fully understood their personalities and place within the lives of our two main characters. 

Also kudos to Skalski for having this romance novel’s sex scenes feel particularly earned. By the time they are together, we understand both of them and where they are in their journeys. Each time they have sex is different, serves a different purpose, and moves the story along in important ways. Don’t get me wrong, the scenes are not just plot points. They are as spicy as you’d want them to be. But it was great that they weren’t sex scenes for sex scenes’ sake. They had an important place in the story. 

Overall, you can tell the author loves romance novels herself. There were callbacks to different authors and books, specifically Fifty Shades. But she puts her own personal spin on them and her story felt wholly new. 

I was skeptical that the deep-rooted loss of her family would be honored enough against the backdrop of a romance novel but Skalski never loses the thread. The times we are with Jane and confronting her grief are always engrossing. And the steps and time she takes to move on make sense and you are rooting for her to embrace life again.

I truly enjoyed Second Chance. I read it in two sittings, not wanting to put it down. Whether you are a fan of romance novels or not, Jane’s story will pull you in and the fantasy of Alex’s over-the-top adoration of her will keep you there. I wouldn’t mind reading another story about these two. There’s a lot more life for both of them to live.