Reviews

Second-Chance Family by Karina Bliss

emmalowe73's review

5.0

I needed some quiet reading time and picked this book from my bookshelf without even reading the blurb. What a read. Bittersweet, thought provoking and fun on many levels. I loved the humour that came across in the little children's personalities and the way Jack and Roz were forced to face and deal with the demons head on. In many ways it was a rollercoaster, but in the same way, it was impossible not to feel the pain and heartache they'd been through and the love they felt for this second chance family.
Definitely recommend :)

cdb393's review

3.0

3 1/2 stars

bananatricky's review

4.0

Jack Galloway threw himself into his construction business after his marriage imploded and is content to avoid his family and former friends as much as possible until the death of his brother Anthony and sister-in-law Julia while on holiday forces him to face them all. Then in a shocking revelation Jack discovers that he and his ex-wife Roz have been named as guardians to his brother's three children Sam, Liam and Cassie. His sister-in-law's sister Fee was on holiday with Ant, Julia and the children and is determined to take the children back to England with her. Jack barely knows the children and has no interest in looking after them, even agreeing that Fee can take them, but Roz is determined to look after them rather than uproot them from their schools, their friends and their family home.

As Roz struggles to look after three grieving children she also tries to reach out to Jack and rekindle their love, but Jack is determined to protect his heart from being broken, no matter that Roz is the only woman he's ever loved.

This has got everything, cute kids, family feuds, second chance romance, billionaires, cats - you name it. I really enjoyed this slice of New Zealand family life, its realistic and funny and sad all at once.

hatgirl's review

3.0

8/18/2011 ; 9/23/2021 Repubbed as Mr. Undeniable--I reread and realized it was one I had read although I had been hoping there was a Bliss I had missed.

jkh107's review

4.0

After his brother and sister-in-law die in a car accident, the hero is left guardian to their children (ranging in age from 3 to 15)--along with his ex-wife! Bliss notes in her reader's letter that she originally intended to write something more lighthearted, but this book ends up also being a meditation on grief. Not only do the hero and heroine have to overcome their past to work together and move forward, they have to deal with their shared grief over both the current tragedy and the tragedy that broke up their marriage in a healthier way. This was really good, and yes there were some funny parts with the kids as well as heartbreak and love.