Must Read Second Chance Romance Books

When I am picking out my favorite tropes, second chance romance is not usually a “must read” for me. But there are a few second chance romance books that live rent free in my mind and I can’t wait to share them with you! 

1. Forget Me Not by Julie Soto

This book was recommended to me by a friend who always has the best romance suggestions. Ama is thriving as a wedding coordinator and is about to get her biggest client yet. But when she finds out that client is planning on using Elliot, her ex-boyfriend, as the florist, she has to decide if she can handle working closely with someone she used to love. 

2. Something Wilder by Christina Lauren

Christina Lauren is an auto-buy author for me. I do not even need to read the plot to know I am going to add it to my cart. Lily Wilder has decided to create a business out of her absent fathers legacy of “treasure hunting.” Now she takes tourists through the wilderness of Utah using her father’s old maps. But when Leo Grady shows up on one of her tours, a face from her past, she is stopped in her tracks.

3. Forever Never by Lucy Score 

Another auto-buy author for me is Lucy Score. When Remi Ford returns to Mackinac Island, she convinces everyone she is just there to visit. But Brick Callan knows better. He knows Remi is hiding something and will do just about anything to keep her safe. The only problem is they did not depart on great terms years ago, and it might be too late to build that trust before Remi’s past comes for her. 

4. Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan 

This was my first book by Kennedy Ryan and it did not disappoint. Make sure you read the triggers before reading this book. Yasmen and Josiah have been through hell and back. Divorced, running a business together, and co-parenting, they are doing the best they can to survive. But when Josiah starts to date after a few years, Yasmen feels like the small grasp she had on life is slipping away. 

5. The Final Offer by Lauren Asher

The perfect ending to the perfect series, The Final Offer allows us to look into Callahan Kane’s past. His grandpa tasked all three brothers with something that has to be completed in order to receive their inheritance and keep their father away from the family business. But Callahan’s task looks a little different. He must go back to the house he was raised in, fix it up, and sell it. Little does he know his ex-girlfriend has been living in the house for several years with her daughter, and has no plans on moving. 

6. For Always by Ari Wright 

Ari Wright is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. For Always is the first book in The Instant Always series. Grayson and Ella met in 2013 on the subway one afternoon. Their attraction quickly blossomed into something more, leaving them madly in love. We flash back and forth between the past and the present, and in the present they are no longer together–they are strangers who are about to collide again. Slowly the past starts to unravel and all of the secrets start to reveal themselves. 

7. Every Summer After by Carly Fortune 

This book took Bookstagram by storm in 2022. Persephone Fraser returns back to Barry’s Bay after receiving news that Sam’s mom has died. Sam, the man she thought she would be with forever, is now a stranger. As soon as she returns back to the Bay she sees Sam, and their connection is undeniable. But what happened six years ago is still in the front of her mind, and the secret she is hiding is unforgivable. 

8. Just My Type by Falon Ballard 

Lana is always in a relationship, with only a few months between boyfriends. So when she receives a break-up instead of a proposal after four years of dating, she knows she won’t be single long. When her ex-boyfriend from 12 years ago arrives in town the day after her break-up, Lana’s world is shaken again. Even worse, her boss puts them into a competition against each other, where the winner gets to write what they want for their company website. They each have 10 tasks to complete: Lana’s to help her learn to be alone, and Seth’s to help him learn to settle down. Both journalists accept their tasks, but can they both follow through? 

9. Things We Left Behind by Lucy Score

Sloane has lost her father to cancer and is trying to pull herself out of her depression. At the funeral, Lucian shows up–someone from her past that she wishes would stay there. But Sloane starts trying to finish some of the projects that her father started, only to find Lucian around every corner. 

10.Bad Girl Reputation by Elle Kennedy 

Genevieve comes back to town after a year of being away and, of course, one of the first people she sees is her ex-boyfriend. Evan and Gen had a fun and exciting, possibly even toxic, relationship in the past, but Gen has changed. She is becoming a new version of herself, and Evan is so unconditionally in love with her that he is trying to do the same. However, it is hard to change your reputation, especially in a small town.

A few of these books are part of a series but can be read as standalones. You never know what tropes might surprise you, so never cancel a book just because it has a trope you might not love. All of these books brought me joy and I would recommend adding them to your TBR! What are some of your favorite second chance romances?