Second Chance Romance by Olivia Dade
Second Chance Romance delivers everything I want from an Olivia Dade story. Heart. Humor. Spice. And two gloriously flawed characters who absolutely should have gotten it right the first time but fumbled it in true teenage fashion. The audiobook elevates all of it. I love a Stephen Dexter narration and Joy Nash continues to impress me every time. I started with the eyeball read, but the audio is where this book shines.
Karl and Molly were never a couple, but they were one breath away from it after high school. A painful misunderstanding ended their friendship and sent them on separate paths. Molly runs to LA, gets married, and eventually becomes a monster romance audiobook narrator. Karl stays in Harlot’s Bay, buys a bakery, and listens to every book she narrates like a man nursing the quiet ache of what could have been.
When Molly reads his obituary in the local paper, grief hits hard. She flies home only to find Karl very alive and very cranky. The mistaken obituary becomes the spark that throws these former best friends back together. Their reunion is messy, sweet, and painfully honest as they finally confront the past they avoided.
Karl is a lovable curmudgeon who still struggles to communicate. It is his fatal flaw and Dade writes it with compassion and realism. Molly is wary, bruised by life, and not ready to trust anyone. Their timeline is tight. Molly is not staying in Harlot’s Bay, and Karl is determined to show her he is worth the leap.
Audiobook Narrated by Stephen Dexter and Joy Nash
Dexter and Nash breathe life into both characters. Dexter nails Karl’s gruff exterior and tender undercurrent. Nash captures Molly’s cynicism, humor, and the softening she never expects. Together they make the story feel intimate, grounded, and deeply character driven.
This is a grumpy meets grumpy reunion that proves second chances are messy, emotional, and worth every risk. Dade’s writing remains body positive, warm, and full of relatable imperfections. The audiobook is absolutely the best way to experience this one.
