Second Chance Summer

By Morgan Matson

Taylor Edwards family might not be that close - everyone is a little too busy and overscheduled, but for the most part, they get along just fine. Then Taylor's dad gets some devastating news, and her parents decide that the family will spend on last summer together at their old lake house in the Pcocono Mountains. Crammed into a place much smaller than they are used to, they begin to get to know each other again, but as the summer progresses they're more aware than ever that they're battling a ticking clock. And as Taylor tries to deal with the drama at home, she is faced with the fact that the friends she thought she'd left behind haven't actually gone anywhere. Her former summer best friend is still living across the lake and still as mad with Taylor as she was five years ago, and her first boyfriend has moved in next door… but he's much cuter at seventeen than he was at twelve. Can one summer be enough time to get a second chance - with family, friends, and love?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK
• Release date: Jun 7, 2012
• ISBN: 9780857072719

Morgan Matson

Morgan Matson is the New York Times bestselling author of six books for teens, including Since You’ve Been Gone and Save the Date, and the middle grade novel The Firefly Summer. She lives in Los Angeles but spends part of every summer in the Pocono Mountains. Visit her at MorganMatson.com.

Reviews for Second Chance Summer

[Azn · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Writing was standard and the plot was average, the only reason I read so far was because I was intent on finding out what they were so angry about and when I did find out I felt like screaming "that's it??" it felt like the author was trying to hard to create some unnecessary complications.

[Ololade Agbabiaka Temitope · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Everything about the book was great. It started slowly until it drew me in. I cried so hard at a point

[AS · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Very poignant yet realistic story of a family's final summer with their dad, told through the teen daughter's eyes and emotions. Read it and weep.

[ainjel-3 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

If you think you're ready for this book, you're wrong.

Reading this book made me discover I have a favourite type of book and that is:

summer setting romance with two characters who were childhood friends but something happened and now they are forced together again and must deal with their regrets and feelings.

yeah, it's a mouthful but dammit, it's a sure-fire way to win my heart.

There's a lot I could say about Second Chance Summer, but in the end it comes down to this: it's amazing. Don't let it pass you by.

[heatherlinc · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was a lovely, touching read about family, growing up, grief and second chances. I liked Taylor from the start and could sympathise with her as she watched her father's deterioration. I found the moments she spent with her father extremely moving and brought me to tears, especially near the end. A sweet read.

[Crystal · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Found myself crying my heart out feeling so emotionally attached to this book feeling like it is now a part of me and how something so good can end so quickly

[pnh002 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This story brought back so many memories. The reason being: its the most raw, most realistic, most fact based story I've ever read. For this to be my first book by Morgan Matson, I am very pleased with it. It surely will not be my last. My aunt just passed away from breast cancer and I found out about 3 months ago that my grandmother has Stage IV Ovarian cancer, so this book really hit home for me. As read it I noticed all the things that I noticed while watching my grandmother (who is now in the care of hospice) and my aunt. It really felt like Matson was going on personal experience because everything was there. Even the smallest of details. This is actually what I liked the most. (Even though it made me cry like non stop!) It really feel like this was the first "real" realistic fiction book I've ever read. I also really liked the characters. Although Taylor had her faults, someone helped her understand and come to terms with them. I also liked Henry. (I mean he works in a bakery! What's not to like?!) It was obvious that he genuinely loved Taylor and would do anything for her. With Lucy, I really liked her, but I really thought their little feud was stupid. At 12, none of that should've been as important to them as it was. As far as all the supporting characters, Davey was my favorite. I thought he was adorable. Lastly, I loved that the writing style was so easy to read. For such a tough subject, Matson's writing style made it easy to read and easy to understand. She will bring out your best and your worst emotions at the same time and leave you wanting more. Honestly, last night when I finished I had already thought of when I would take the time to re-read this. Matson is an amazing author and I''m upset that I waited until now to read something by her. I know that I've absolutely loved something when I can relate it to my own personal experiences as well as completely getting "taken away" with the author's words and that's exactly what this one did for me.

[soplada · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

second chances are blessings , I wish everyone knows how second chances could turn everything to a safe and calm side
I wish everyone is generous enough to give ..

[rivkabelle_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Review originally published on my blog: AWordsWorth.blogspot.comWhew. This book ... I don't normally cry over books or movies. If anything, I may have to blink rapidly a few times, and call it "touching." Every now and then, something comes along and makes me cry my eyes out. Like Pegasus and Spoken from the Heart (reliving 9/11 through Laura Bush's eyes? wowzers). I can now add Second Chance Summer to that list.Taylor's family has been given a deadline. A horrible, heartbreaking deadline. One that changes all their plans, and sends them back to the lake house in the Poconos - for one last summer. Everyone knows it is a summer of "goodbye", but for Taylor, maybe - just maybe - it will also become the summer of second chances. Taylor hasn't been to the lake in five years, not since that summer when things ended so badly, and finding herself back in the place where she knew the most happiness and love, at such a painful time, is rough. But as the summer begins to settle into a routine, Taylor finds that your past doesn't have to dictate your future. Soon, she finds herself actually enjoying this last summer. Until reality slams back into focus, and she finds old habits die hard. Running away from things is the easiest and safest response, she thinks. But as things play out, and the inevitable end arrives, Taylor discovers a new reality, a new mindset: one that says things like Love are worth fighting for. That being scared isn't something to run away from. That sometimes you have to rely on other people's strength, when yours is failing. Life is full of second chances.This book ... First, I should point out the cover is gorgeous. You can't tell in that image, but the title is silvery-shimmery, and it's just beautiful. As for the story itself: it's real. It's raw. It hit so very, very close to home. The summer I turned seventeen was also a last summer - the last summer with my granddaddy. Only we didn't know it at the time. He was checked into the hospital on my birthday, and a little under five months later, I said goodbye. So yeah. I bawled my eyes out reading this, because I know the feelings, the fears, the pains. Second Chance Summer is a beautifully written account of a journey that I hope most of us don't have to endure (especially at seventeen), but that all of us can relate to on some plane. We've all experienced heartaches and mistakes, wanting second chances and for things to not end/change/start. A moving, powerful, beautiful-even-if-it-made-my-heart-hurt story that is just the right balance to summer "fluff" while still being distinctly summery. Wow. Just wow.

[Gina Evans · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

An enjoyable book with much emphasis on father/daughter relationship and coping strategies, I just didn't enjoy it as much as other books! I wasn't racing to finish, excited for the next page like I have been with other books... Definitely worth a read and it isn't too in depth with regard to cancer itself, suitable for teenagers and young adults.

[sasha-mir king-smith · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

that book is amazing... the letter made me cry... that always happens with the letters, it happened with the fault in our stars

[Beatrice · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

There isn't much to say about this book except that it's amazing !!. It's dramatic , romantic and emotional . If u are a girl going through a bit of a rough patch with either your friends or family this is going to be just the book for you . You immediately connect with Taylor's voice , you feel like you are her . Honestly , it's just such an amazing books i don't have anymore words to describe this book with . I guess you're just gonna have to read and find out what I mean when I say this book is amazing on so many levels !!!

[vanessa_menez-453497 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Beautiful heart touching story :)

[eomalley_2 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Meet Taylor. Taylor likes to run away from her problems and difficult situations. See Taylor come face-to-face with something she can’t outrun – her father’s cancer.When Taylor Edwards’ father is diagnosed with stage 4 cancer, her family decides to spend their last summer together at their lake house in the Poconos. As if dealing with the shattering news of her father’s illness isn’t enough, now Taylor has to return to the place that holds some of her happiest memories – and some of her worst. Can the place she fears the most provide the second chance she needs?I loved, loved, LOVED this book – the emotion, the realism, the characters. I’ll admit I was a little leery picking up a book about a girl and her family having to deal with some of the worst news imaginable. But since I loved Morgan Matson’s first book, Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour, I tossed aside my reservations and dove into a story that turned out to be even more emotional than I anticipated. Heartwarming – and heartbreaking – Second Chance Summer is a beautifully written story about family, friendship, forgiveness and love.Matson switches gears just slightly from Amy & Roger; instead of the unexpected loss of a father, her protagonist Taylor has to actually cope with seeing her father waste away before her eyes. The way this is handled by Matson is what bumped this to my highest rating. I felt I was getting to know Taylor’s dad and experiencing this devastation right along with Taylor. In fact, I had a difficult time writing this review because I kept tearing up just thinking about some of the scenes that wrecked me the first time around! When a book can call out that kind of emotion in me and have me feeling like I’m part of the family dealing with a tragic loss, then it deserves that fifth star. The final stages of the illness just seemed so REAL, and I applaud Matson’s skill in taking me every step of the way down this emotional path and out the other side to acceptance and hope, with gentle laughs and sweet moments generously scattered along the way.Matson balances the heavier side of the story with a peaceful summer setting and an interesting family as the focus – because the Edwards are not perfect and have issues. Everyone has been in their own little world for the last several years with busy schedules and not much family time. Big brother Warren is an overachiever with a high IQ who has been focused on getting into law school and is now using his college textbooks as summer reading, little sister Gelsey is a budding prima ballerina whose life has been dedicated to the dance, and Taylor is the middle child who has been drifting along trying to find her calling. This summer in the Poconos throws all three of them out of their comfort zones and into unexpected relationships. Warren finds himself head-over-heels in first love while Gelsey has her first “best” friend. As for Taylor, she has to deal with the fall-out from the mess she left behind the last time she was at the lake house involving her best friend Lucy and first love Henry.When Taylor’s dad suggests she get a summer job (because he’s getting a little freaked out by the way everyone is always watching him), she finds herself working alongside Lucy at the beach snack bar for the summer and running into Henry every time she turns around. Suddenly, Taylor isn’t just getting a second chance to strengthen her bond with her dad – she is rebuilding a friendship and rekindling a romance she thought were long gone. These old relationships of Taylor’s need some major repairs, so there’s no instant forgiveness from Lucy or Henry for the damage she caused. Flashbacks are used to slowly uncover what happened that long ago summer day, and present-day events and conversations highlight the awkwardness of a teenage girl who finds it easier to push people away than let them in. The frayed bonds of a deep friendship are easily felt whenever Taylor and Lucy are together, while a gentle chemistry springs up whenever Henry joins a scene. Matson does a fantastic job of layering everything with feeling.While I enjoyed Taylor’s interactions with Lucy and Henry, it was the scenes with her father that were the highlight of this book for me. Small moments here and there – drives into town, breakfasts at the café, movie night at the beach – that built on each other until I had a deeper understanding of her father, just like Taylor did. It was wonderful to see both Taylor and her relationship with her father growing stronger as he grew weaker. By providing the little moments, Matson makes the bigger ones that much more emotional.Morgan Matson’s Second Chance Summer is a beautiful story of a family coming together after receiving devastating news, and a girl discovering the strength to face her fears after a lifetime of running away. For readers who love tears mixed with their laughter, Second Chance Summer is a perfectly seasoned tale that will linger long after the last page is turned.

[saschad-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A beautiful book.

[ninadangelo · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I discovered Morgan Matson by accident. I read her novel Amy and Roger's epic detour and knew after reading it, I had to read more books by her. For starters, Morgan Matson is the Queen of poignant stories.

I was saddened by her first novel and almost welled up but it was seond chance summer that made me cry hard. It's the story of Taylor Edwards, who on her 17th birthday finds out her father has only three months left to live. Her family decide to spend that last summer together at the beach house.

The beach house has many good and bad memories for Taylor. It's where she spent her summers with her best friends Lucy and Henry before their friendship changed forever the summer they turned 12. It was where she learned running away doesn't always solve issues and if you run away those issues always come back to haunt you.

While this is a story about life and death and the way relationships can be brought together by such crises it's also a story about discovery, first loves, heartbreak, loss, learning to stand on your own two feet and learning to not run away every time a problem comes your way.

It's beautifully written and makes me eager to read anything else by Morgan Matson.

Considering how deeply it tugs at the heart strings, I would suggest you read this alone, and with a box of tissues by your side.

[edgoldberg · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Birthdays are supposed to be great, but not so for Taylor Edwards. It was on her seventeenth birthday that she found out her father had pancreatic cancer and would not last the summer. So, it was decided that the family would spend the summer at their summer home on a lake in Pennsylvania, a place Taylor left abruptly five years earlier and had not returned to since, leaving behind her best friend, Lucy, and her boyfriend, Henry. It was a big shock for everyone being back at the lake. Of course, Lucy and Henry were still there harboring unresolved hostility towards Taylor. Taylor wanted to be anyplace else but the lake, however circumstances wouldn’t allow it. And how do you act ‘normal’ when you know it’s your father’s last summer? Morgan Matson’s Second Chance Summer is a book about second chances…second chances with friends, family, yourself. Taylor, always in the habit of running away when things got tough, is forced to stay and confront all those difficult situations. In doing so, she becomes a stronger person. In this day when there are many families with two working parents there’s not enough time for family. Second Chance Summer reinforces how fleeting life is and how important family is. The book is 468 pages and I was fine until the last 15 when tears welled up in my eyes. While I don’t want to think about my own mortality and leaving my children, I admire the way Taylor’s father made sure he was still in their lives long after his passing. Second Chance Summer is quite nicely done. Congrats, Morgan.

[elliedreams · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I was not prepared to read this book, even after multiple reviews saying how it is not what you expect. This book is amazing, beautiful, and touching, so much that it made me cry. Full on tears streaming down my face for 20 minutes. I understood and related to Taylor in multiple ways and loved Henry and all the characters. I have never legit cried like I did with this book. And I look at that as a good thing, no a great thing. Never have I ever read a book that moved me so much and made me feel like this was happening to me. Of course, it doesn't help that I know someone who is going through what this book talks about right now, but still. While this was emotionally heavy, there was so much romance, too, and friendship and that made it lighter. I'm rambling because there really are no good enough words to describe how good this book is. It is a must read, but be warned: You might cry.

[poetrytoprose · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

As I recently told a few friends, YA contemporary books are often the ones I’m most critical and particular about. I couldn’t say why, as I have read some fantastic ones, but I find myself overlooking many titles for seemingly sounding too dramatic and being full of cliches. Up until a little over a year ago, I hadn’t read many recent contemps, but Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour was one that I ended up giving into and I absolutely loved it. After finishing it, I knew that Morgan Matson was an author who got it right and I eagerly looked forward to her sophomore novel, Second Chance Summer. The result? I got a beautifully written book that made me feel so much.If you’re looking for a feel good and cutesy summer read…this is not it. There is a romance, and Henry is all sorts of great, but it’s not the focus in any way. There are great friendships and family relationships, but there’s also plenty of heartbreaking moments to go along with them. Morgan Matson handles the relationships and heartbreak with so much honesty. It would be easy to throw in some angst and have that be it, but Matson allows her characters, Taylor especially, to grow from their difficult moments. While their sadness and pain was definitely palpable, their happiness and triumphs were equally so.Second Chance Summer deals with rebuilding friendships, family ties, love, and loss, and Morgan Matson incorporates all of these themes seamlessly. There was a balance of emotions, from the highs to the lows, that made this such a heartfelt book. I definitely cried plenty while reading it, but I also laughed and smiled until my face ached.Morgan Matson crafted a beautiful story in Second Chance Summer and she now has a spot in my must-read author list. I can’t wait to read what she writes next — I know it’s a guaranteed quality read.