It's funny, I mentioned in the introduction to our interview with Jane Green that she's one of the most divisive chick lit authors: you either love her or hate her. Um, except that I didn't love her or hate her. I hated Straight Talking and loved Bookends and wasn't that fussed on Babyville. So I guess that would put me in the "meh" category. But still I thought I had a strong sense of what Jane Green's novels were like and I felt (without having read most of them...) that I didn't like them (which, yes, I now appreciate was stupid, but these things happen). So I approached Second Chance with trepidation...
When Tom is killed in a terrorist attack, his old school friends (who, over the years, haven't kept in touch with each other, but did all keep in touch with Tom) meet for his memorial service and find themselves, for various reasons, enjoying being back in each other's lives again. Holly is stuck in a loveless marriage, but finds herself becoming attracted to Tom's brother, Will. Paul and Anna have been trying to have a baby, but with cycle after cycle of IVF failing, are beginning to become disheartened. Alcoholic actress Saffron is having an affair with a married Hollywood superstar. Olivia is trying to get back on her feet after the end of the relationship she assumed was forever. Plus, of course, they've all got their grief and shock at losing Tom to deal with.
You probably won't be surprised to hear that I was surprised at how much I enjoyed Second Chance. Funnily enough, since Jane Green was one of the original chick litters, it's much more "women's fiction" than chick lit (is this inevitable as chick lit authors get older, married and have children? Probably). The characters are fairly stereotypical, but they're also believable and warm, particularly Holly whose story is more central than the others - I really liked her.
One complaint would be that all (or at least most) of the characters call each other "my darling". Doesn't matter if they're British, American or Swedish, it's all "my darling" all the time. (Plus there was the small matter of Holly - who lives in the UK - going off to Barnes & Noble, which we don't have in the UK...)
But that's just nitpicking, really. I found that the more I read Second Chance, the more I wanted to spend time with these character, the more I wanted everything to work out for them, and the more I realised how wrong I'd been about Jane Green.
Remember those adverts - "You know more Crowded House songs than you think you do"? You might find you like Jane Green more than you thought you would. Give her a second chance. (God, I didn't even plan that - I'm brilliant!)
Rating: 4/5
Like this? Try 21 Dream Street by Lisa Jewell
