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ekwebb's review
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
natalie_wyatt's review
4.0
Received as an ARC in return for my honest review.
Single Mum FMC x Train enthusiast MMC
Small town
Board game café
This is the 3rd book in the Little Board Game Café series and I genuinely don’t know why the hell I haven’t ready this sooner?!?! Board games? Check. Cute cosy Yorkshire village? Check. Fiercely independent single Mum FMC? Check. Adorable and shy MMC? Check. What’s not to like……
I loved the writing style for this, it was like visiting home and being drawn back into the lives of your best friends with all the comfort that comes with that. Despite this being slightly longer than average at just over 400 pages I ate this up in record time. Now just to go back and read the first 2 and then patiently wait to see what’s the come next from Jennifer and her brilliant mind.
Single Mum FMC x Train enthusiast MMC
Small town
Board game café
This is the 3rd book in the Little Board Game Café series and I genuinely don’t know why the hell I haven’t ready this sooner?!?! Board games? Check. Cute cosy Yorkshire village? Check. Fiercely independent single Mum FMC? Check. Adorable and shy MMC? Check. What’s not to like……
I loved the writing style for this, it was like visiting home and being drawn back into the lives of your best friends with all the comfort that comes with that. Despite this being slightly longer than average at just over 400 pages I ate this up in record time. Now just to go back and read the first 2 and then patiently wait to see what’s the come next from Jennifer and her brilliant mind.
karenandherbooks's review
5.0
Review
I loved this book just as much as the first one in the series. I've not read the second one but you don't have to as they can be read as standalones.
Max was just the best little character and my heart warmed to him, Taylor and Harry. Max and Harry had such a wonderful connection and it really added something special to the book.
Books like this hold such a special place in my heart, I love a good feel good story and this didn't disappoint.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I loved this book just as much as the first one in the series. I've not read the second one but you don't have to as they can be read as standalones.
Max was just the best little character and my heart warmed to him, Taylor and Harry. Max and Harry had such a wonderful connection and it really added something special to the book.
Books like this hold such a special place in my heart, I love a good feel good story and this didn't disappoint.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
sarahthereadingaddict's review
5.0
I absolutely loved reading this revisit to The Board Game Cafe.
It was so lovely to go back to this cosy little town. It has a really lovely community feel and coming back to it each time feels like a big hug.
I am still to try some of the board games mentioned in this book, but I will. I love scrabble which is the reason the first book appealed to me so much along with it's beautiful cover.
I love the romance in this book, it's a bit of a will they, won't they situation and I am here for it. I like a touch of drama and I thought this was really well thought out and perfectly approached throughout.
I am absolutely honoured to be mentioned in the Acknowledgments, thank you so much Jennifer. It's been an absolute pleasure supporting your writing and promoting your beautifully written books.
It was so lovely to go back to this cosy little town. It has a really lovely community feel and coming back to it each time feels like a big hug.
I am still to try some of the board games mentioned in this book, but I will. I love scrabble which is the reason the first book appealed to me so much along with it's beautiful cover.
I love the romance in this book, it's a bit of a will they, won't they situation and I am here for it. I like a touch of drama and I thought this was really well thought out and perfectly approached throughout.
I am absolutely honoured to be mentioned in the Acknowledgments, thank you so much Jennifer. It's been an absolute pleasure supporting your writing and promoting your beautifully written books.
calistacyq's review
5.0
Sweet, interesting and meaningful, Second Chances at the Board Game Café by Jennifer Page tells a story about a single mother who dreams of being a fashion designer and a man who lacks confidence in himself after a breakup.
Summary: Taylor Sweet has always dreamed of becoming a fashion designer but had to give it up when she had her son Max. Now, she is a single mother who fixes and alters clothes for a living. But a railway enthusiast named Harry unwittingly provides her with the chance to fulfil her dream.
Tropes/Genres:
• strangers to friends to lovers
• single mother
• small town
• slow burn
• contemporary romance
• found family
• set in Essendale and Hebbleswick
Review: The story started a little slowly, but it set up the scene very well. Every little piece of drama in this book was executed well and evoked plenty of emotion. I also love the double meaning of "second chances", one being Taylor's second chance at being a fashion designer and two being both their second chances at love. It's so smart!
Taylor is a single mother who seeks to fulfil her dream, and I find this plot so beautiful. It's nice to see her on her way to fulfilling her longtime dream, and her positivity and contentment are honestly admirable. I love that she never once thought of Max as a burden even though he was the reason why she couldn't pursue her dream. That's on top of the fact that Max is a "difficult child". To her, Max is a gift, and that's simply beautiful. I also love how she upcycles clothes. It's so inspiring!
Harry is a train geek who is afraid to show his true self due to insecurity, particularly after his ex Fay broke up with him because he was a nerd. I feel that this is realistic because many people may feel insecure about certain aspects of themselves that others may deem boring or unattractive. But I just love how perfect Henry is for both Taylor and Max. Just like Harry, Max is a train geek! I already loved him for them from the very beginning.
It's so nice to see characters from the first two books, The Little Board Game Café and Love Letters on Hazel Lane, in this book again. Well, everyone except Tarquin, who never fails to be a jerk that nobody wants to see. He's so gross, but let's forget about him. It's SO NICE to see Emily, Ludek, Jo and Kate (with that one mention of Raz), along with other side characters. The community spirit at Essendale and Hebbleswick is lovely (minus Tarquin).
The classic The Railway Children appeared in this book a lot. As I haven't read that book yet (it's still on my TBR), I didn't understand the references immediately. However, I love that the author explained the details just enough such that I can understand them in context with the story! It adds on to the train theme in this story, along with the board game Ticket to Ride. I didn't even know such a board game existed, and it looks so fun! I want to play it someday because of this book :)
All in all, I recommend this book to anyone who would like to read a slow-burn friend-to-lovers romance with a touch of realistic issues. This book has plenty of references to The Railway Children, that being Max's favourite book, so if you've read that book and perhaps enjoyed it, you may enjoy this book a little bit more!
Thank you, NetGalley, for the read.
Summary: Taylor Sweet has always dreamed of becoming a fashion designer but had to give it up when she had her son Max. Now, she is a single mother who fixes and alters clothes for a living. But a railway enthusiast named Harry unwittingly provides her with the chance to fulfil her dream.
Tropes/Genres:
• strangers to friends to lovers
• single mother
• small town
• slow burn
• contemporary romance
• found family
• set in Essendale and Hebbleswick
Review: The story started a little slowly, but it set up the scene very well. Every little piece of drama in this book was executed well and evoked plenty of emotion. I also love the double meaning of "second chances", one being Taylor's second chance at being a fashion designer and two being both their second chances at love. It's so smart!
Taylor is a single mother who seeks to fulfil her dream, and I find this plot so beautiful. It's nice to see her on her way to fulfilling her longtime dream, and her positivity and contentment are honestly admirable. I love that she never once thought of Max as a burden even though he was the reason why she couldn't pursue her dream. That's on top of the fact that Max is a "difficult child". To her, Max is a gift, and that's simply beautiful. I also love how she upcycles clothes. It's so inspiring!
Harry is a train geek who is afraid to show his true self due to insecurity, particularly after his ex Fay broke up with him because he was a nerd. I feel that this is realistic because many people may feel insecure about certain aspects of themselves that others may deem boring or unattractive. But I just love how perfect Henry is for both Taylor and Max. Just like Harry, Max is a train geek! I already loved him for them from the very beginning.
It's so nice to see characters from the first two books, The Little Board Game Café and Love Letters on Hazel Lane, in this book again. Well, everyone except Tarquin, who never fails to be a jerk that nobody wants to see. He's so gross, but let's forget about him. It's SO NICE to see Emily, Ludek, Jo and Kate (with that one mention of Raz), along with other side characters. The community spirit at Essendale and Hebbleswick is lovely (minus Tarquin).
The classic The Railway Children appeared in this book a lot. As I haven't read that book yet (it's still on my TBR), I didn't understand the references immediately. However, I love that the author explained the details just enough such that I can understand them in context with the story! It adds on to the train theme in this story, along with the board game Ticket to Ride. I didn't even know such a board game existed, and it looks so fun! I want to play it someday because of this book :)
All in all, I recommend this book to anyone who would like to read a slow-burn friend-to-lovers romance with a touch of realistic issues. This book has plenty of references to The Railway Children, that being Max's favourite book, so if you've read that book and perhaps enjoyed it, you may enjoy this book a little bit more!
Thank you, NetGalley, for the read.
jennysometimesjen's review
4.0
Another trip to Hebbleswick and Essendale. This time it's single mum, Taylor, who has dreams of fashion design but spends her days sewing zips and buttons. Her son, Max, is being bullied at school because he likes trains, not football. Harry is an accountant, who also likes trains and routine, but somehow Taylor disrupts his life without knowing.
This time the board game theme is train games - my family loves ticket to ride and it's lovely to read stories that aren't based around the usual romance themes.
I've really enjoyed these books and the development of the original characters too. It's nice to see what they're up to, even if they're now mainly in the background. I wonder if Kate is the star of the next installment (if there is one!).
Once again, the characters are well written and some are thoroughly dislikeable (Tarquin doesn't seem to have got any nicer in the 2 years that have passed since the first book).
I would note that Max isn't explicitly autistic but likes routines (same food on particular days) and trains, seemingly to the exclusion of all other interests. He's bullied at school, even by the teachers, and that might be upsetting to some readers. Same with Harry - not explicitly autistic but has a backstory of bullying.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced ebook copy in exchange for an honest review.
This time the board game theme is train games - my family loves ticket to ride and it's lovely to read stories that aren't based around the usual romance themes.
I've really enjoyed these books and the development of the original characters too. It's nice to see what they're up to, even if they're now mainly in the background. I wonder if Kate is the star of the next installment (if there is one!).
Once again, the characters are well written and some are thoroughly dislikeable (Tarquin doesn't seem to have got any nicer in the 2 years that have passed since the first book).
I would note that Max isn't explicitly autistic but likes routines (same food on particular days) and trains, seemingly to the exclusion of all other interests. He's bullied at school, even by the teachers, and that might be upsetting to some readers. Same with Harry - not explicitly autistic but has a backstory of bullying.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced ebook copy in exchange for an honest review.
piperkitty's review
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.0
Thank you to Netgalley and the tagged publisher for my copy.
I'm reading the third book in The Little Board Game Café #3 series, which introduces us to a list of characters within this community. This book focuses on Harry, Taylor, and Max. I appreciate that Taylor is a single mom and that she shares her struggles with her son, who, from my perspective, appears to be neurodiverse. It's heartwarming to revisit this sweet little café run by Emily, who is so wholesome and kind.
Taylor has given up on her dreams of being a fashion designer and settled for making repairs and alterations from her cramped rented flat since Max's father decided he wasn't cut out for fatherhood. She's desperate to move and would like to transfer Max to a closer school where he wouldn't be bullied as much. However, Max is adamant he doesn't want anything to change.
In addition to Max, we are introduced to Harry, a character with similar tendencies towards routine and a sweet demeanour. However, due to negative experiences with females, he can be hesitant around them.
One day, Taylor mistakenly cuts six inches off a pair of jeans that Harry had asked her to alter by only six centimetres. To make up for her mistake, she upcycles the jeans by adding a tartan flare and pockets. This led her to start an upcycling sewing class above the café and eventually put on a fashion show at the local school to showcase her talents. Taylor hopes that by doing so, she will be able to attract more interesting work than just replacing zips and taking up hems.
This class gets a lot of attention and is packed and then we see some progression between Harry and Taylor although there are some hiccups as well that made me laugh out loud.
I'm reading the third book in The Little Board Game Café #3 series, which introduces us to a list of characters within this community. This book focuses on Harry, Taylor, and Max. I appreciate that Taylor is a single mom and that she shares her struggles with her son, who, from my perspective, appears to be neurodiverse. It's heartwarming to revisit this sweet little café run by Emily, who is so wholesome and kind.
Taylor has given up on her dreams of being a fashion designer and settled for making repairs and alterations from her cramped rented flat since Max's father decided he wasn't cut out for fatherhood. She's desperate to move and would like to transfer Max to a closer school where he wouldn't be bullied as much. However, Max is adamant he doesn't want anything to change.
In addition to Max, we are introduced to Harry, a character with similar tendencies towards routine and a sweet demeanour. However, due to negative experiences with females, he can be hesitant around them.
One day, Taylor mistakenly cuts six inches off a pair of jeans that Harry had asked her to alter by only six centimetres. To make up for her mistake, she upcycles the jeans by adding a tartan flare and pockets. This led her to start an upcycling sewing class above the café and eventually put on a fashion show at the local school to showcase her talents. Taylor hopes that by doing so, she will be able to attract more interesting work than just replacing zips and taking up hems.
This class gets a lot of attention and is packed and then we see some progression between Harry and Taylor although there are some hiccups as well that made me laugh out loud.