Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson
Published July 2015 by Simon & Schuster Children’s UK
RRP AUD $17.99
★★★★★
From the Flying Start author of Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour, a powerful novel about hope in the face of heartbreak.
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.
It simultaneously broke and warmed my heart. Before starting this one, I had recently finished Amy and Roger’s Epic Detour, and was in the mood for more Morgan. Now I’ve read all of her books written under her actual name (so not the Katie Finn books (yet!)), and loved all of them. Second Chance Summer was so beautiful.
The story was beautifully written, and I don’t really want to spoil the story, but I can really relate to Taylor and her family, as it happened to my family too not that long ago. The descriptions are achingly accurate, and deeply moves you. I was reading it in school, and had to stop because I was going to cry. It’s a very moving story, and I feel like even if a reader hasn’t been in this particular situation before, they’ll still end up bawling like a wee baby.
The romance was (mostly) super cute (it’s a Morgan Matson story, what do you expect?? :D), but I’m glad it wasn’t the main focus of the story! This book was so much more focused on family, and I loved it. It also helped show how important relationships are, whether they’re family or friendly relationships. I loved how the summery feeling of the book kind of contrasted the typical ‘summer fling’ kind of relationships, like I tend to associate temporariness and summer together, y’know what I mean? But this book felt more concrete and permanent, and I really enjoyed that.
Taylor’s character developed so well throughout the story, and I liked how she worked hard to rekindle past broken relationships, I thought she was quite mature when dealing with certain things throughout. I loved how she was able to overcome her fears! I didn’t find her whiny or annoying, BUT I really didn’t like some parts of the romance!! Let’s just say I’m not a fan of history repeating itself, ahem. The rest of the family was a lovely group of people, I liked how they interacted together and how they grew and bonded as a family
