discover the best second chance romance books that are worth reading and that will make you believe in happily ever after.
*disclosure: I participate in the amazon affiliate program, so if you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, I get a small commission at no additional cost to you.
You are reading: Free second chance romance books
anguish.
Who hasn’t felt it at some time in their life?
and when you’re suffering from heartbreak after the loss of a relationship, it can make you wonder if happily ever after is in the cards for you.
But that’s what I like best about second chance romance books.
They can inspire even the most hopeless romantic to believe in happily ever after again!
what are second chance romance books?
Second chance romance books have a story in which former lovers meet again after a breakup or separation and finally meet their happy ending.
however, these epic love stories do not imply a reconciliation after a simple fight or a week of separation. it may be years after the characters find love once again, together.
why I love second chance romance books
I love second chance romance books because they are hard fought love stories.
The characters can be childhood friends, high school sweethearts, or just people whose timing wasn’t right the first time, but their connection is undeniable.
No matter the cause of the breakup or the amount of time you’ve spent together, happy endings in second-chance romance books are very satisfying when two soulmates meet again.
Also, this special category of romance books can show you that love can be found a second time.
my favorites in this category will give you all the feelings that only second chance romance books can offer.
You’ll find childhood friends turned lovers reunited, high school sweethearts reunited, and lovers separated for various reasons who eventually find their way back to each other.
I guarantee your heart will melt and you’ll discover a new book boyfriend or two.
Happy reading!
my favorite second chance romance books:
judith mcnaught’s paradise
a classic second chance romance book
Mathew Farrell is well known for his corporate buyouts, but he was once the guy on the other side of the tracks.
That didn’t stop 18-year-old Meredith Bancroft from disappearing from the country club with Matt and finding a once-in-a-lifetime connection.
only the department store heiress finally betrayed him.
Now, years later, Matt is back and ready to take revenge on Meredith and the Bancroft Empire, only to discover that his past is laced with lies and deceit and his feelings return with a vengeance.
This is without a doubt one of the best romance novels of all time and one of the first that inspired my love for the genre.
I’ve reread it so many times and love it more each time.
is the ultimate second-chance romance book filled with young love, heartbreak, miscommunication and deception that drove two lovers apart only for them to come face to face with their past years later.
loved the tension in their reunion and the arrangement between matt and meredith’s forces, which finally allows the truth to come out.
I think this is the ultimate second chance romance classic that every romance lover should read!
amazon | good reads
evil beautiful by j.t. singer
a second chance romance book with revenge in mind
victoria price is a self-help coach who travels the world empowering women and sharing her message that you don’t need a man.
He blocked his own heart from falling in love again after Parker Maxwell, his first love, broke his heart as a teenager.
When Victoria meets Parker again, she is unrecognizable to him with a new look and a new name, but the sparks still fly.
It’s the perfect setting for Victoria to get her revenge on the unsuspecting Parker, but the more time she spends with him, the more she reconsiders her plan.
i love so many of geissinger’s romance books because not only is she a talented writer but she writes amazing characters that i can’t help but fall in love with and wish i could meet them in real life.
I loved how victoria could go toe to toe with the best and never apologize for her attitude.
However, beneath this tough exterior is a woman who has spent years running from a wound that has never fully healed.
This was a wonderful second chance romance book where love meets again after great heartbreak. I can’t recommend it highly enough.
read it for the romance, but also read it for the strong anthems to reclaim your own power.
I loved the anecdotes Geissinger includes when Victoria is on stage to drive home a message of female empowerment which added another great element to this must-read book.
amazon | good reads
beard needs by penny reid
a second chance romance book between childhood soulmates
Billy Winston and Claire McClure (aka Scarlet St. Claire) once found the deepest, yearning love in a forest in backwoods Tennessee, but cruelty and circumstance drove them apart.
Secrecy and silence have kept them apart, but Billy’s family has seen enough and is ready to step in and bring these two together if it’s the last thing they do.
Mischief ensues on a family trip to Italy where Billy and Claire are either forced together, but it remains to be seen whether the forced proximity will bring them back together or drive them further apart.
If ever there was a second chance romance book I couldn’t wait to get my hands on, this was it.
Beard Necessities is the seventh and final book in the Reid Winston Brothers series and it was well worth the wait.
Billy and Claire’s story unfolds throughout the series, culminating in their origin story in book six, Beard With Me, before concluding in this beautiful second-chance romance book.
I fell so in love with these two star-crossed lovers that they sacrificed so much for each other at the expense of their own love and happily ever after.
Her story was breaking my heart, which made their reunion in this second-chance romance book even sweeter.
do yourself a favor and read the entire winston brothers series before reading this book. it’s very worth it.
amazon | good reads | my review
moses law by amy harmon
a heartbreaking second chance romance book with paranormal elements
georgia’s mother warned her to stay away from moses. Moses was in bad shape. the child known as the crack baby found abandoned by her mother.
only georgia saw him as someone beautiful, who she couldn’t get away from. although she maybe she should have and things could have turned out differently.
Let’s be real. Second chance romance books can rip your heart out, and Harmon does just that in this tender and touching love story.
It’s hard to go into detail without spoiling the story or giving spoilers, but be prepared to read this with a box of tissues by your side.
georgia loved moses, who eventually left her when tragedy struck.
When he returns, it’s clear their past was never far from their minds, but they have to survive the present to see if they really have a future.
I will say that if you want a second chance romance book with a paranormal element, then this is your pick.
amazon | good reads
lust for penny wylder
the perfect second chance romance short story
sam logan was fiona’s first kiss, but then he went and broke her heart on prom night.
She’s hated him ever since, but now she’s forced to see him again when her sister gets engaged to Sam’s brother.
can sam explain the past so they can have a future?
if you’re looking for a quick sample of a second chance romance book and a redemption story, then this is the one for you.
This is a second chance romance short story that I couldn’t put down until I found out why Sam hurt Fiona and how they could overcome the hate and indulge in the lust that still existed between them.
wylder always brings steam to his romance books and he did it again with this one!
amazon | good reads
relentlessby skye jordan
a second chance romance book set in hollywood
As a stuntman, Troy Jacobs is used to taking risks and taking heavy falls. he only once fell in love with giselle “ellie” diamond and they broke his heart, promising never to trust again.
but when ellie, now a country music star, lands on his film set as the star of the film, old feelings return.
ellie had to choose between love and her dreams a long time ago and she paid the price. Reunited with Troy on set, it’s clear they still have feelings for each other, but their issues are just as real.
I loved this second-chance romance book starring a stuntman and a famous singer.
This love story looks at whether love really can be enough when it comes to finding happiness and whether or not love should be sacrificed to follow one’s dreams.
this is a standalone read, but i loved all the jordan stunt stories in the renegade series!
amazon | good reads
drive me crazy for julie kriss
a second chance romance book between secret lovers
emily and luke were never meant to be. she’s a cop’s daughter and he’s a kid from the wrong side of the tracks.
However, at 18 they began a wild and secret affair that lasted until she left for college and he hit the road to nowhere.
Eight years later, they’re both back in town with relatives on both sides of the law. they should stay away from each other, but they have never been good at resisting temptation.
Who doesn’t love a story with a bad boy from the other side of the tracks?
See Also: Best Hong Kong Travel Guide Books 2022 for Travelers
oh the warmth between emily and luke was off the charts like no time had passed between them and i loved it.
However, nothing can be as simple as a secret adventure in a small town. I loved how they had to navigate their growing feelings for each other with the facts stacked against them.
This is a fantastic second chance romance that I highly recommend reading!
amazon | good reads
out of air by l.h. cosway
a second chance romance book between athletes
leanne simmons and callum davidson never had an easy relationship. from enemies to lovers and back to enemies, they’ve been on/off for years.
The two parkour athletes are now filming a reality show about their freerunning escapades and it remains to be seen if they will survive the month.
Both signed a contract that they will not have any romantic relationships while filming or risk leaving the show, but the contracts were meant to be broken.
talk about a second chance romance book that actually earns you that happy ending!
oh how i felt for leanne and callum who just couldn’t seem to get their act together and put the past behind them.
There was definitely a lot of emotion between these two with the history they went through and the constant pain they felt seeing the other person move on with another person.
my heart broke for them, and yet cosway mended it right at the end.
I also loved the unique look at the sport of parkour and what these athletes can do.
It was a great angle for this second chance romance book that you’re going to love.
amazon | good reads
i was there made by hope ellis
a second chance romance book after a disappearing act
As if Zora Leffersbee didn’t have enough to worry about with her tenured position in jeopardy, employee funding uncertain, and a bogus engagement to manage, the boy who broke her heart when he suddenly disappeared is now back on the job. city and in your office.
Nick is back, now a billionaire and willing to do whatever it takes to get Zora back, if she lets him.
I was totally captivated by this second-chance romance in which high school sweethearts break up one night and don’t meet again for many years.
loved how ellis doesn’t shy away from an awkward reunion for her lovers or sharing how they fight to get back what they once had.
It also makes you wonder if good intentions can outweigh actions that cause so much harm, and if it’s worth forgiving after such actions.
This was such a well written book with an amazing cast of characters and a story that makes you think and feel.
It’s a must-read second-chance romance and also one of my favorite billion-dollar romance novels.
amazon | good reads | my review
sign by sarina bowen
a second chance romance book with an ex-con
jude and sophie were in love until one day everything fell apart. sent to prison when he crashed his car into a tree, jude never thought he’d ever return to colebury, vermont, and never thought he’d ever see sophie again.
Being an ex-con and recovering addict is reason enough to stay away from sophie. the fact that she is the daughter of the chief of police is reason number three.
Only time will tell if she can trust him again and if he can feel worthy of her love.
bowen hit me full of heart with this one!
is a story of forbidden romance wrapped in a sweet second-chance romance with a bit of “oh my god!” mixed.
I have a penchant for ex-con romance books of this type and was rooting for jude and sophie’s happy ending from the start.
This book will definitely tug at your heartstrings and is well worth your time.
amazon | good reads
educated by emma chase
a second chance romance book with high school sweethearts
Garrett Daniels is at the peak of his career – idolized football coach and “cool” teacher in his hometown – until Callie Carpenter comes home.
Callie is living her best life on the opposite side of the country, but returns to her hometown to help her parents.
Now working as a substitute teacher at her old high school, she runs into her old high school boyfriend, Garrett.
They broke up after high school, but now that she’s back and she sees him every day, she’s starting to wonder if she should go back to California or stay.
This story is a quintessential second-chance romance in which two high school sweethearts meet again on their old turf, but this time as teachers.
even though it’s been years since they’ve seen each other, there’s no denying the chemistry between callie and garrett.
I love how they have to maneuver between their resurgent feelings while also dealing with distraught teens in their classrooms and on the field.
this is such a funny and super sweet second chance romance book from an author who always knocks it out of the park.
amazon | good reads
difficult to handle by k. bromberg
a second chance romance and sports book
dekker kincade will do anything to help save his family’s sports agency. Even if it means trying to sign professional hockey star Hunter Maddox, the only man to ever break her heart.
Hard to Handle is not only a wonderful second-chance romance book, but I enjoyed it so much that it made my list of the best romance novels of 2020.
I loved the situation between the sports agent and the hockey star, but more importantly, both hunter and dekker had to learn to trust love and each other again.
I also enjoyed how this story was a second chance at love between adults who had a brief fling that ended when neither of them spoke up to say they wanted more. a must read!
amazon | good reads | my review
i hate you by ilsa madden-mills
a second chance romance book for college
charisma, a senior at waylon college, is still reeling from a humiliating and very public breakup of her brief relationship with blaze, the star football athlete who just helped her team win the national championship .
blaze doesn’t think he can have the girl and the game, but he can’t stop thinking about charisma and trying to win her back.
This is a second chance romance book where you can experience some serious hate that is released after a new breakup.
But what I loved most about this college romance is how charisma and radiance learn to trust love and let go of the fears that have kept them from experiencing it.
This is the book of perfect enemies for lovers, second chance romance for those who once had their hearts broken in college and still remember it.
amazon | good reads
set aside by sawyer bennett
a second chance romance book for first loves
eden goodnight left her small town in georgia to make it big in los angeles as a model and actress.
But after being publicly humiliated by her cheating fiancé, she returns to her hometown to put the scandal behind her.
The only person sympathetic to her recent problems is Cooper Mayfield, the boy she left behind.
Cooper has no interest in Hollywood, but he can’t resist falling under Eden’s spell again.
Will a life-changing role end her love for a second time, or will Cooper stay with her forever this time?
I really like second chance romance books where the “breakup” was the result of one of the characters making the difficult decision to pursue a dream at the expense of love.
Somehow, it makes reunion and reconciliation sweeter for me when the other person can recognize that they had to let go of each other so that they would eventually find their happiness together.
I also like alpha males who have no interest in hollywood glitz and yet bow down when it comes to the love of their life 😊
This is definitely a great second chance romance worth reading!
amazon | good reads
love and other words by christina lauren
a second chance romance book with childhood sweethearts
Macy Sorensen’s life is turned upside down when she meets Elliot Petropoulos, the first and only love of her life.
He was the boy she bonded with through the books and who restored her heart after the loss of her mother only to go on and break it.
Elliot never understood Macy’s decade of silence, but when life gives them both a chance to discover the truth about the past, they may also discover that they have a future after all.
this is definitely one of my favorite christina lauren books.
I loved the mix of present and past scenes where you get to see the close bond macy and elliot once shared, only to destroy it one night, leaving them strangers as adults.
Second chance romance books often include instances of misunderstandings and miscommunication destroying young relationships and that’s the case with this romance.
It’s a beautiful and emotional read worth adding to your tbr stack.
amazon | good reads
fix this:
the day penélope ward came back
a second chance romance book with the help’s daughter
Raven never expected to meet the man of her dreams that summer, nor did she ever expect to fall in love with the son of the wealthy family she and her mother worked for.
Being the hired help didn’t stop their attraction, but then it all fell apart.
She never expected to see him again, but ten years later everything changed once again the day he returned.
This second-chance romance book has it all: young love, parental disapproval, tragic separation, and a heartwarming reunion.
I especially loved the prologue which instantly hooked me, wanting me to quickly read to the point of the story hanging in front of me.
This is a great feel-good read and I highly recommend it!
amazon | good reads
the fire between high and loby brittany c. cherry
opposites attract, second chance romance book
logan silverstone and alyssa waters had nothing in common if you looked at them.
See Also: Best PMP Exam Prep Books To Read in 2022
However, beneath the surface they were more alike than they thought, battling abandonment but finding their soulmate in each other.
Although they had the highest high points together, that didn’t stop the lowest low points from breaking them.
oh, leave the drama and angst in this second chance romance book like only brittany c. cherry can provide!
You can’t help but fall in love with these two souls who deserve more in life and who are lucky enough to have found friendship and more with each other.
but cherry is never so kind to the hearts of her readers, making us suffer before happily ever after can be found! 😊
if you love second chance romance books that touch your heart and give you all the feelings, then this is the one for you.
amazon | good reads
melanie harlow’s unforgettable
a second-chance romance book between one-time lovers
april sawyer is a wedding planner who helps others find their happy ending, but she has yet to find her own.
One of the reasons has to do with Tyler Shaw, the boy she was friends with in high school who turned more the night before he left to become a famous MLB star.
Eighteen years later, Tyler is back in town recovering from a ruined career and the sparks between them fly again.
Can April close the chapter on that fateful night and still find love in the end?
Enjoyed this second chance romance that looks at whether friends who became more for one night could rekindle those feelings and find a future.
I loved April’s character especially in this one. she is a self-assured woman facing a past that she no longer wants to stop her from a future that she desires.
There is definitely more to the story (no spoilers!) that made this an excellent second chance romance book worth reading.
amazon | good reads | my review
nicholas sparks notebook
a heartwarming second chance romance book
noah and allie met one summer they would never forget.
Noah may have been on the wrong side of the tracks, but that didn’t stop Allie from defying her parents and spending every moment with him.
But ultimately, it was their differences and circumstances beyond their control that tore them apart.
Years later, after returning home from the war, Noah is determined to keep his promise to the Allies to restore an ancient plantation he had once hoped to make his home.
When a newly engaged ally sees Noah’s work in the newspaper, she herself goes to see the house and the boy she once loved.
This second chance romance book has always stuck with me, both after reading it and seeing the movie.
I love how the story is told in different timelines and has the most moving ending.
This is the story you should read if you want to believe in the power of love. It also made my list of the best romance novels of all time.
amazon | good reads
lauren layne’s love problem
a second chance romance after being left at the altar
Emma Sinclair is a writer for Stiletto Magazine, and when you’re tasked with writing an article about exes, you can easily draw on your personal experience.
Five years ago, none other than her boss, Alex Cassidy, left her at the altar.
alex and emma have been able to stay professional at work, even hiding their history from their friends, but all bets are off when this article sheds light on the past and possibly gives them a step into the future.
> p>
oh I loved this book because it presents a second chance love story after being left at the altar!
the tension between emma and alex was off the charts because neither wanted to give the other the satisfaction of knowing that just being around them aroused so many feelings.
this was the perfect office romance wrapped up in a second chance romance book that is one of layne’s best.
amazon | good reads
meghan quinn’s eternal girl
small town second chance romance book
Best friends since sixth grade, Harper Sanders was supposed to be Rogan Knightly’s eternal girl. however, tragedy struck and it never came forever.
Seven years later, Harper has returned to her hometown and they battle not only against memories, but also against Rogan’s supposed family curse.
this was a really sweet second chance romance book that also gives you moments of hilarity i was expecting from meghan quinn.
loved the banter between rogan and his brothers that shows what a nosy family he has, but also the close bond between them.
I also really enjoyed the flashbacks throughout the story because they brought out the love, connection, and history between these two, making you cheer for them to come together.
If you’re looking for a second-chance romance book set in a small town that brings together childhood friends, this is it.
amazon | good reads
clear shot by sarina bowen
a second chance romance book with a hockey player
Sports agent Bess Beringer is approaching thirty, so she heads into the new decade with a five-year plan to improve her personal life.
That plan did not include Mark “Tank” Tankiewicz, his previous fling.
mark hasn’t had a great few months. His team lost in the playoffs, he got traded to a new team, and his wife just served him divorce papers.
the one upside down? Now in Brooklyn trying to blend in with her new crew, she comes face to face with an old flame: Bess Berringer.
These two pick up right where they left off, until Bess asks him for the one thing he can’t give her.
This was a great second chance romance book that I ended up reading in one sitting.
bess and mark didn’t end their affair with much drama.
They just broke up, but when they meet again years later, it was an exciting reunion! no need to drag things out with this one.
I loved their connection, but I also loved the theme that comes up between them (no spoilers!) that isn’t often talked about in books or relationships.
Read this second chance romance book if you like hot hockey players and strong women who know what they want!
amazon | good reads | my review
how the light enters by l.h. cosway
a second chance romance book with a duet ending
It had been eleven years since Evelyn last saw Dylan O’Dea, the boy she once loved.
managed to build her perfume empire, everything she had always wanted when she left her old neighborhood.
but evelyn, she’s still in a dark place but ready to let in the light and maybe dylan too once again.
This is a second chance romance book that is part of a duo so revealing that you need to read book one, a crack at everything, before reading this one. but believe me when I say it’s worth it.
Cosway is a master of words and world building, creating a second-chance romance book so endearing that it was a must-have for this list.
amazon | good reads
the finish line by kate stewart
an unforgettable second chance romance book
Secrets and lies were the makeup of my life to achieve my only purpose: revenge.
I denied my own desires for so long until her. when cecelia burst into my life, i finally took her for me, and she cost me dearly, not just my heart.
I can no longer deny her or my heart, but my mistakes are catching up with me. I have no intention of losing her.
I just hope we can reach the finish line before it’s too late.
what was once a duet became a three-part series with Finish Line, the third and final book in the series.
I had to include it on the list because it’s an amazing series and this book is one of the best second chance romance books I’ve ever read.
If love alone was enough, happily ever after wouldn’t be so hard to fight.
This book follows two lovers who have suffered greatly from the love that consumed them and examines whether they can make it work for their own happy ending.
Not to be missed is Stewart’s work, and this incredibly moving, emotional and satisfying ending to a wonderful series.
amazon | good reads | my review
k’s sweet cheeks. bromberg
a second chance romance book between first loves
Saylor Rodgers may have called things off with her ex-fiancé, but she wasn’t expecting to receive a wedding invitation from him and her new fiancé just a few months later.
I also didn’t expect his reply card to be returned with a yes and a plus one.
enters hayes whitley, her first love and the guy who left her without saying goodbye to pursue her dreams in hollywood.
Now he’s back in town ten years later and he wants to help saylor and see if they can rekindle his past.
I loved the structure of this second-chance romance book in which Saylor is reunited with her first love to save face when her former fiancé easily switches to someone else so soon after their breakup.
And she does it with a hot and famous actor!
It’s not easy to learn to love and trust again when someone just gets up and leaves you, even if that person is your soul mate.
I appreciated the struggle Saylor went through, but I also enjoyed the humor in this one.
if you love second chance romance books with hollywood actors and a brother’s best friend, then this is the one for you.
amazon | good reads
related posts:
- best friends for romance book lovers
- best enemies for romance book lovers
Looking for more?
Be sure to like my facebook page and follow me on pinterest so you can stay on top of the latest in romance books.
Make sure you don’t miss a single book list or review by joining my email list, and I’ll also give you my Top 10 Romance Book Boyfriends list!
See Also: 19 Easy Homemade Recipe Book Ideas