Review of Second Chance

[Kajori Sheryl Paul]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Second Chance" by Patricia Morton.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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Life is an adventure full of opportunities. However, we often tend to miss those opportunities. We get so engrossed in the daily routines of life that we forget to make the most of it. For most of us, life passes us by in the blink of an eye. Then, comes a time when we find ourselves thinking about all the things that we missed. Few of us get a second chance to reinvent ourselves.

In Patricia Morton's spectacular book, Second Chance, Carole Peters gets the rare opportunity to live life on her own terms at the age of sixty-one. After thirty years of living with her friend and housemate, Paula, she finds herself adrift when Paula passes away. With no friends and family, Carole faces a bleak existence overshadowed by the frugal specter of Paula. Suddenly, life throws a curveball when she runs into her childhood best friend, Valerie. Valerie gives her the chance to pursue her heart's desire by inviting her to join the University of the Third Age, also known as the U3A. Carole throws caution to the wind and gets a new lease on life by being a part of the U3A choir and mustering up the courage to join the keyboard group. She even finds herself forming an unexpected bond with the charismatic choir director, Robert. However, nothing is so simple in life. To her astonishment, Paula's long-buried past comes back to upend her life.

Does Carole let Paula's secret affect her life? Is she able to mold Paula's past into something positive for herself? Will Carole finally catch a break and live life to the fullest? Most importantly, is she able to reinvent herself?

Second Chance by Patricia Morton is a beautiful novel that shows us that it's never too late to reinvent ourselves. If Carole, a retired and lonely sexagenerian, can do it, so can we. Divided into twenty chapters, Second Chance makes us feel like a part of Carole's life. We understand her trepidations. We feel her pain. The way she struggles to acclimate with society after thirty years of staying under Paula's shadow feels relatable. It was a treat to see her joy after trying little things for the first time. I loved how Morton portrayed Carole's transformation from an isolated old lady to a confident woman. I especially enjoyed her makeover. It made me want to go shopping.

Carole's relationships with Jenny, Eva, and James make us as happy as her. I love how Carole uses her experience as a primary teacher to bond with the children. From Valerie's grown son, Mike, to toddlers like Charlotte, James, and Eva, she tries her best to make a difference in their lives. The way she tries to bestow Eva's fashionable dolls with something useful to do is admirable. I have to mention that I found Carole's interactions with Charlotte to be adorable. Charlotte was a neglected child who had her world turned upside down in a very short amount of time. Carole's patience and compassion for the little girl made her one of my favorite characters. I loved the way Morton portrayed Carole's inhibitions and doubts about the child. This made her more human. Charlotte was a complex character. I would love to get inside her head and get to know what went on in there. Though she appeared to be a difficult child, I rooted for her from the very first moment. I have to mention that Robert was a resilient man. He tended to be with Carole when you least expected it.

Patricia Morton is an amazing author. With her vivid words, she made us experience the milieu of Liverpool and the beauty of Paris. I truly enjoyed Carole's outings with Robert. Along with them, I got to enjoy concerts, parties, and art galleries. Morton brilliantly depicts the power of music. The way Carole's past comes to haunt her while she sings Faurè Requiem is heartbreaking. I also love how music plays a healing role in both Carole's and Charlotte's lives.

I did not find anything worth disliking in the book. However, there is one little thing that I would like to mention. The administrator of the group home in Ormskirk is named Amanda Adams in Chapter 16 and Amanda Banks in Chapter 18. Some readers might find it baffling. Also, I only found a few editing errors. However, this did not affect my reading experience at all.

Keeping in mind the pros and cons, I rate Second Chance 5 out of 5 stars. I truly enjoyed the book. Hence, I have awarded it a perfect rating. This book is highly recommended to anyone who likes reading about second chances in life. Any fiction lover would enjoy this novel.

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Second Chance
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[Kaptich]

Interesting, I enjoyed the book

[Amy Luman]

Boy, anyone is lucky to get a second chance. Carole seems to take full advantage of hers. Even though she missed Paula, it had to be freeing to be able to get out from under that shadow. I’m glad to hear about the few errors. It raises my view of this book.

[Monale Bariyima Ueh]

It's quite sad to me how we often live our lives in a robot-like motion and how we fail to live in the present most time. Most people never get a chance of a do over and lay on their deathbed with lots of regrets and wishes of how they would have lived better.

[Dennid Chukka]

It's quite sad to me how we often live our lives in a robot-like motion and how we fail to live in the present most time. Most people never get a chance of a do over and lay on their deathbed with lots of regrets and wishes of how they would have lived better. Let live the life that makes us happy without having to care of what others have to say or think about life is too short to let it slide without you being happy

[Emily Meadows]

Lovely review of what sounds like a wonderful book. I would love to read about Carole's newfound freedom. I'll go take a look at the book online...

[Hazel Mae Bagarinao]

Yes, it's never too late! See, a sixty-one-year-old isolated woman turns into a confident one! I'm happy Carole find a community that embraces her and makes her fully live! I learned that it's never too late to enjoy life, everything is going to be great; make better connections to live a happy life. Your review is very detailed and beautiful. I like it!

[Kemzy5]

Not everyone gets a second chance to live this life. But Carole took that opportunity to enjoy her life to the fullest. Your review is catchy and wonderful. Thank you.

[Ajay Rudrapati]

I am very much awaited to read this book, Your review motivated me to read this book ASAP. The way you inculcated the details of the book in a very clear manner is impressive. Thank you