Book Review: “Second Chance Summer” by Morgan Matson | Spoiler-Free

Hello! Today we will be discussing Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson. Now I did not think I would get as attached to these characters as I did, especially since I was warned that I would cry in this book. My automatic reaction to being told I would cry, is to say I am not going to cry. Because I am not a book crier, like at all. But I cried. I sobbed. I drowned in a puddle of my own tears. But that’s not to put you off of this book. It had really happy moments, funny moments, and just really good and cute moments mixed in with the sadness. This is definitely worth the read. However, if you are looking for a fluffy, cute contemporary, this is not the book for you. Let’s go ahead and get into the review!

Synopsis:

“Taylor Edwards’ family might not be the closest-knit—everyone is a little too busy and overscheduled—but for the most part, they get along just fine. Then Taylor’s dad gets devastating news, and her parents decide that the family will spend one last summer all together at their old lake house in the Pocono Mountains.

Crammed into a place much smaller and more rustic than they are used to, they begin to get to know each other again. And Taylor discovers that the people she thought she had left behind haven’t actually gone anywhere. Her former best friend is still around, as is her first boyfriend…and he’s much cuter at seventeen than he was at twelve.

As the summer progresses and the Edwards become more of a family, they’re more aware than ever that they’re battling a ticking clock. Sometimes, though, there is just enough time to get a second chance—with family, with friends, and with love.”

My Thoughts:

Wow, this book was spectacular. I loved the plot line, the repaired relationships, and the immense character development that Taylor goes through. The writing was on point. Lucy was such a great friend to Taylor and I am so happy that they became friends again. I am immensely happy that she repaired her relationship with Henry as well. Her dad was so funny and I really enjoyed his character. And now the sad part. For the last seventy pages or so of this book I did not stop crying. I can’t tell you the last time I cried this hard in a book. I am not okay right now. The ending…I knew it was coming and it still managed to make me sob uncontrollably. This was such a fantastic book and I am now going to start something hopefully a bit more lighthearted so that I don’t end up a sobbing mess for a while. I highly, highly recommend this book and this author. This was phenomenal!

What kind of contemporaries do you prefer, light and fluffy or deep and maybe even a little sad? I think I prefer the deep ones, even if they make me cry. And that is going to be it for this review today. Thank you so much for reading this, I hope you enjoyed it, and I will see you next time.