#Audio #Review: Second Chance Summer by Jill Shalvis - 4.5 Wine Glasses

Title: SECOND CHANCE SUMMER
Series: Cedar Ridge #1
Author: Jill Shalvis
Narrator: Karen White
Format: Unabridged Audio, 10 hours and 1 minute
Published: Hachette Audio, June 30, 2015
ISBN: ASIN:B00Y1JV1DG
Links:  Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Audible
Reviewer: Linda
Source: Library
Rating: 4 1/2 out of 5 Wine Glasses

RESCUE ME

Cedar Ridge, Colorado, is famous for crisp mountain air, clear blue skies, and pine-scented breezes. And it's the last place Lily Danville wants to be. But she needs a job, and there's an opening at the hottest resort in her hometown. What has her concerned is the other hot property in Cedar Ridge: Aidan Kincaid-firefighter, rescue worker, and heartbreaker. She never could resist that devastating smile . . .

The Kincaid brothers are as rough and rugged as the Rocky Mountains they call home. Aidan has always done things his own way, by his own rules. And never has he regretted anything more than letting Lily walk out of his life ten years ago. If anyone has ever been in need of rescuing, she has. What she needs more than anything are long hikes, slow dances, and sizzling kisses. But that can only happen if he can get her to give Cedar Ridge-and this bad boy-a second chance . . . 

Linda's Thoughts:
“He remembered kissing her… falling for her.
Then how she’d left the mountain without looking back, forgetting about him with shocking, heartbreaking ease.
Now she was back. And she’d kissed him like maybe she hadn’t forgotten him after all...”

SECOND CHANCE SUMMER is a wonderful second-chance-at-love story set in Cedar Ridge, Colorado. I wanted to take deep breaths of the Rocky Mountains' clear crisp air and overdose on the clear blue skies. It took a couple of chapters to get fully vested in this one, but, once I did, I was thoroughly hooked, and found myself searching for ways to cram in additional listening time. Love is in the air in Cedar Ridge and another Kincaid brother is fixing to bite the dust...

This is the story of Aiden Kincaid and Lily Danville. Aiden is one of the Kincaid brothers and, therefore, part-owner of the family's popular ski resort. He's also a firefighter and on call for search and rescue. He's a hero of epic proportions and hot, hot, hot! He's also been enamored of Lily for years. She broke his heart when she left leaving him in a condition akin to the walking dead. Now she's back...

Lily escaped from Cedar Ridge years ago after her sister tragically died while trying to conquer a climb and after her father had passed at her sister's funeral. She never looked back. She has made a name for herself at a world-famous spa, but after her boss back-stabbed her, she desperately needs a job and Cedar Ridge is the only place that has offered her a chance. She's a basket case having had her life pulled out from under her and now she has to face her hometown teeming with memories that she doesn't want to face. One of those most painful memories is Aiden...

Following please find a few of my favorite quotes from this delightful listen:

“There were some men who just knew how to kiss, the kind of kiss that could send a woman reeling. The kind of kiss that could take away problems and awareness and … and everything. The kind of kiss that could shatter her into a trillion little pieces. The kind of kiss that somehow both calmed her body and soul even as it wound her up for more. Aidan was that kind of kisser.
---

“Nice,” the clerk said without a smidgeon of judgment in his voice as he rang her up. “I especially like the way you’ve got the entire junk food pyramid represented here. That’s not easy to do.”
She had a rack of donuts, two pies—one lemon, one cherry—a pint of caramel delight ice cream, a family-size bag of chips, and now cookies as well.
“Bad breakup?” the clerk asked.”
---

He stepped closer. "Lily---"
"No. Stay back," she said, pointing a finger at him.
He went still. "Why?"
"Because when you come close I do stupid things."
"Like?"
"Like let you kiss me."
"Let me?" He laughed ruefully. "Lily, you just about crawled up my body to get at these lips."
She narrowed her eyes. "Like I said. Stupid."

One of my favorite laugh-out-loud scenes involved Penny, Gray's wife. Gray is the oldest Kincaid brother. Penny and I are on the same page as regards spiders:

Penny: "PROBLEM."Spider in the clean laundry basket and now it’s gone. I have to burn down the house."
Gray: "No."
Penny: "You’re not grasping the severity of this situation. The spider is huge and it’s going to eat the cat. "
Gray: "Then the spider will rightfully take our cat’s place and become our beloved spider cat."

The telling of NOBODY BUT YOU was exponentially enhanced by Karen White's performance. Karen always delivers stellar executions and she's hands-down one of my very favorite narrators. She has a pleasing, clear voice and delivers realistic, genuine-sounding female and male voices. Her narration makes it very easy for the listener to differentiate between the characters. Simply said, she brings the characters to life.

All of Jill's books that I've read could be easily enjoyed as standalone reads. There are interconnected characters and a common setting, but Jill seamlessly provides whatever nuances needed to fully enjoy each book individually. So... feel free to dive in to Jill's books whenever and wherever.

I'm a huge fan of Jill Shalvis' books. If you enjoy sexy, well-paced, solidly-plotted romances with plenty of swoon-worthy moments and liberal doses of humor, I'd highly recommend any of Jill's books. Her characters can be counted on to steal your heart. I am reading this series out-of-order. I've thoroughly enjoyed all three books in this series and highly recommend them all.


Suggested Reading Order: 
SECOND CHANCE SUMMER (Book #1)
MY KIND OF WONDERFUL (Book #2)
NOBODY BUT YOU (Book #3)