Review: Second Chance Cafe by Alison Kent

Title:  Second Chance Cafe
Author:  Alison Kent
Genre:  Contemporary Romance, Women’s Fiction
Pages:  358
Published:  March 2013
Publisher:  Montlake Romance
Source:  NetGalley
Buy Link:  Amazon

Synopsis:

Growing up, Kaylie Flynn was shuffled from foster home to foster home before being welcomed into Winton and May Wise’s family. It was May who taught Kaylie the comfort of home, and the healing power of baking the perfect brownie. Years later, May leaves Kaylie the money she needs to open her own café in the charming Victorian house they once shared. Now back in Hope Springs, Kaylie’s determined to finally make all her dreams a reality—and unearth answers to lingering questions about her past.

Soon, however, Kaylie’s carefully laid plans take an unexpected turn. The house needs far more work than she realized, and Tennessee Keller, the carpenter Kaylie hires, is proving to be a very handsome and very unneeded distraction from her quest to uncover the truth about her parents. When a crisis threatens to destroy everything she’s worked so hard to build, Kaylie must decide where her heart lies: with the ghosts of her past or the love and promise of her future.

Life has not been easy for Kaylie.  Having grown up in the foster care system, she was taken from her Mother and placed with a family who loved her dearly.  Now many years later she’s returned to the home she grew up in and has decided to turn it into a cafe.

With a great deal to do on the house, she’s hired a local contractor Tennessee – at the recommendation of a friend; to help her put things back together.  This is no simple project as the house is a disaster and Kaylie herself isn’t much better.  Ten sees a woman who needs help and can’t help but want to be her knight in shining armour.

This was a really great story – Kaylie has had a lot of ups and downs in her life and has finally been able to get where she wants to be.  The home she’s dreamed about isn’t in the shape she’d hoped, and is going to take more then she expected.  One thing after another seems to stand in her way.

Ten was an interesting character, he’s the white knight who can’t help helping everyone – from the guy trying to get back on his feet to the woman who says she doesn’t want help but really needs it.  He’s there for Kaylie before she evens knows it.

Would I recommend this book?  I really enjoyed the story and how Kaylie and Ten helped one another overcome their issues and have a happy ending.  Alison wrote some great characters who I couldn’t help but adore.  Would I read more by this author?  Yes!