Reviewed by Cheryl
TITLE: Once Upon A Second Chance
SERIES: Once Upon A Holiday Story Book
AUTHOR: Davidson King
PUBLISHER: Self Published
LENGTH: 136 Pages
RELEASE DATE: November 15, 2024
BLURB:
Can two men weighed down by their pasts find a future with each other?
Daniel Laverton is a wealthy man who was born into privilege. His family helped build Everlasting Springs, and he spends his days ensuring it prospers. The town is in his veins, the love he has for it keeping him there, happily. In his big house on the top of a hill he resides—just him, his cat, and his past. With middle age knocking at his door and the holidays approaching, loneliness is creeping in.
Aaron Darwin is used to struggling. He lives a moment at a time, traveling in his not-so-trusty car, going from place to place and looking for work. When a huge storm looms, Aaron’s luck goes from bad to worse and his vehicle decides to die. With no shelter, very little money, and a town ahead that is closing down, Aaron has no idea how he will get through this impending disaster.
Perhaps it’s the jingle bells in the air or his own solitude, but there’s no way Daniel can leave the man stranded. When he takes a reluctant Aaron in to hunker down and ride out the storm, the two get more than they bargained for. It is easy for them to see all the reasons they shouldn’t work and overlook all the ways they do, but it is holiday season in Everlasting Springs, a time for miracles and second chances. A time for two lonely men to realize they’ve already received the best gift for Christmas: each other.
Once Upon a Second Chance is a part of the multi-author series Once Upon a Holiday Story. Each book can be read as a standalone and in any order. What links these books together is The Hook’s Book Nook Traveling Library, a library on wheels owned by two old ladies in love.
REVIEW:
A tale as old as time – two men of disparate age and socio-economic backgrounds, with tragic backstories are holed up together during a snowstorm. Daniel, a rich, forty-something, semi recluse whose name is blazoned on half the stores in the town his family founded, and Aaron, the kid who slipped through the cracks and is living out of his broken-down car.
In reality, this story would never happen. Even if someone like Daniel did offer succor to a complete stranger in these circumstances, there is no way everyone else would fall so easily behind them. However, this author is not known for the hyper-realism of her situations, and instead, offers pure escapism. This is not the world as it is, but a different world that might be better or worse, but is somehow simpler and purer, and especially at Christmas, is selling something we all want to buy.
This author is a master at writing series, getting us invested in the lives of multiple characters and building a community one person at a time, gradually developing them, both when they are main character in their own story and when they are side characters in someone else’s. I think this book suffers from the fact that it is a single story, without the luxury of multiple books, multiple arcs and multiple characters. The characters are a little two-dimensional and the story, at times, feels forced.
That being said, it’s a sweet story, in an easy to read, relaxed style with lots of flavour, enriching details and a good narrative flow. It works well as a Christmas story and is essentially a Hallmark movie in words. I liked Aaron and Daniel, and I liked the town of Everlasting Springs. I’m not sure it’s a place I’d like to live, but it’s a nice dream.
RATING: 
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