Friday, May 9, 2014

Second Chance Grill by Christine Nolfi

Synopsis from Goodreads

 An unforgettable tale of love, loss and second chances.

Second Chance Grill is the prequel to Treasure Me, 2012 Next Generation Indie Awards Finalist, which The Midwest Book Review calls “A riveting read for those who enjoy adventure fiction, highly recommended.”

Dr. Mary Chance needs a sabbatical from medicine to grieve the loss of her closest friend. But when she inherits a struggling restaurant in Liberty, Ohio she isn’t prepared for Blossom Perini. Mary can’t resist falling for the precocious preteen—or the girl’s father. The bond they forge will transform all their lives and set in motion an outpouring of love that spreads across America.

Welcome back to Liberty, where the women surrounding the town’s only restaurant are as charming as they are eccentric

My review

What is a person to do when they need to take a break from their life, when things have become too overwhelming to go on? For Mary Chance, the answer comes in the form of a small-town diner.

Second Chance Grill is the second in Christine Nolfi's Liberty, Ohio, series which began with Treasure Me. In this story, we finally get to learn how Liberty and all of it's inhabitants came to be where they were in the first novel.

The first thing I liked about this book is that it can be read alone or as a part of the series. I had read Treasure Me a while ago, but had trouble remembering some of the finer details. I was a bit worried about how that would effect me while reading this story, but as I read on I realized that you don't need prior knowledge to enjoy this book.

Christine Nolfi is probably one of my favorite authors. She may not be a bestselling author yet, but if she keeps up the good work I know she will be. Christine has mastered the art of writing a story full of adventure, suspense, and love, while being able to leave out the overwhelmingly graphic language and violence. Now, I'm not saying that I don't like reading stories with violence, foul language, or gratuitous sex. I'm simply saying that this story was able to engage me and keep me reading without the need of any of that. And in this day, where it seems like the only way to get anyone's attention is with something over-the-top, I feel like that is a huge accomplishment.

My favorite thing about this book was how it drew me in and made me feel like Liberty was my home. Though it is in no way a utopia, Liberty is striking similar to the small town in which I grew up which is coincidentally right outside of Cincinnati (another key location in the story.) From the little locally owned diner to the neighborhood gas station/garage, Liberty could easily have been my home.

Who would I recommend this to? Well, the better question is who wouldn't I recommend it to. I don't recommend you read this if you are looking for an action-packed thriller or mystery, something erotic, or a horror novel. But if you want a book that will sometimes make you smile, sometimes make you tear up, and always make you wanting more? Check out Second Chance Grill by Christine Nolfi.

My Rating: 5 stars!


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