~Holly Kerr

Second Chance Summer by Holly Kerr warms you like the sun shining down on a warm July day – Canada Day maybe, eh? It’s familiar, nostalgic, and carries the kind of “what if” that lingers long after the sun dips below the horizon. While it’s a second-chance romance, it leans hard into the first-love kind of energy that never quite dissolved, just waiting for the right season to stir again.

Tessa Harrow has built a stable life in Tiny Beach. Brick by brick in a small beach town that knows her as well as she knows it. She never left. Married local, had kids, divorced, took over the family business, and became the backbone of her community. Brandon Rice left thirty years ago to chase the big leagues. Never said goodbye, not a glance in the rearview mirror as the sun rose over Tiny Beach. But after thirty years of circling success, regret, three marriages (and divorces), and everything in between, he’s back. Not for just a visit, he’s moved back. Retired from baseball, weathered, and still carrying a torch he never bothered to put out – the past doesn’t knock, it walks straight into Tessa’s shop and drops a baseball smack, dab in the middle of her freshly made fudge. But picking up thirty years later isn’t going to be the stroll along the beach Bran imagines. What follows is a rekindling of hesitation, old wounds, and questions of whether a love that old can still grow into something new and promising.

Kerr has given us characters that carry this story with ease. Tess is grounded and relatable – strong without being completely hardened by life, independent without shutting the world out entirely. She is real and vulnerable. But the one trait given to her by Kerr that makes this story stand out is the maturity shown between her and her ex-husband. The ability to maintain a respectful relationship, more friendship, and not just for their kids adds a layer of emotional intelligence not always seen. Brandon, on the other hand, walks in with charm, regret, and just enough naiveté to make you question whether he is really just naïve or narcissistic. His belief that he can step back into Tess’s life after three decades feels bold and borderline unrealistic – but not entirely impossible. People do circle back and sparks do reignite. The banter between the two works well, giving their connection that natural rhythm that keeps things engaging even when the premise raises an eyebrow or two.

The supporting cast is strong, adds texture, and helps hold the story together. There were a few moments, though, where relationships blurred making me double-take to figure out who was related to who or who they weren’t related to. It didn’t deter from the overall story – that’s the important part.

Transitioning and pacing was smooth allowing readers to fully immerse themselves, wanting to keep turning pages. I did feel a slight imbalance in the story. The past takes up a lot of ink. At times I felt more than necessary – especially when I wanted to know more of their current and future. This is going to sound wishy-washy, but in some instances I felt that the backstory could have been trimmed making room for deeper development of their rekindled relationship, BUT the heavy focus on the past did one thing very well: it roots you in who these characters were and how they became who they are now. You understand them. You feel their history. I just wish for a little more building of their future.

A few moments did stretch believability – specifically Bran moving back to Tiny Beach slipping past Tessa completely despite the fact her finger is clearly on the pulse of the community. But that didn’t derail the overall experience – it just sat in the back of my mind throughout the story waiting for the shoe to drop that explained it other than he didn’t want her to know. I’m from a small-town and something like that doesn’t make it past the one stop light, much less a single person.

Overall, Second Chance Summer is a quick, bingeable read that delivers exactly what it promises: a sweet, second-chance romance with heart. It might not have hit every beat with perfect precision for me, but it carried enough charm, emotional familiarity, and character strength to keep me turning pages and finish it in one sitting.

So, if you are someone who believes love can circle back despite being messy and delayed, yet still intact – this one is for you. A cute, engaging story with strong characters and nostalgic pull that releases on July 8, 2026 but available now for pre-order on Amazon!

I would like to thank Holly Kerr for the opportunity to Alpha/Beta/ARC for Second Chance Summer. As always, all opinions and reviews are of my own volition, The Tx Lit Chic. I have not been promised any compensation, current or future, by the author or publisher for a fair and honest review of Second Chance Summer.