Mary Flinn. Second Time’s a Charm. New York: Aviva, 2011.

 

The title removes any suspense that this novel might have had, but Second Time’s a Charm is nonetheless an engaging, enjoyable read.  Stacie Edmonds was burned by her first husband, Rick, a good-looking runaround with a cocaine habit.  Stacie came out of that marriage with her restaurant, the Sound Side, but also with a fear of betrayal and a disinclination to trust her heart to another man.  Tyson Garrett, the chef at the Sound Side, loves Stacie and wants her to see that he is not like Rick.  The novel follows the development of their relationship through a series of challenges–a vengeful former employee, a hurricane, a fragile pregnancy, and a meltdown by Rick, who still lives nearby.  A large cast of characters populate the novel–friends, family members, local characters, and staff from the Sound Side.  The Sound Side itself is almost a character; readers will get a sense of the varied work and the camaraderie  that make a restaurant successful.

Kyle Davis and Chelsea Davenport, the main characters in Ms. Flinn’s first book, The One, have minor roles in this story.  The two will be back as the main characters in the author’s next book, Three Gifts.

Check this title’s availability in the UNC-Chapel Hill Library catalog.

3 Comments

Filed under 2010-2019, 2011, Coast, Dare, Flinn, Mary, Romance/Relationship

3 Responses to Mary Flinn. Second Time’s a Charm. New York: Aviva, 2011.

  1. Thank you for posting this review! I’m glad you saw the Sound Side as a character itself. It was indeed a real place in the late seventies and early eighties in Kill Devil Hills. Lots of locals I’ve talked with were glad to see it resurrected in the pages of Second Time’s a Charm.

  2. Elizabeth DeBold

    Dear Ms. Flinn,

    We’re so glad that you found our review enjoyable! Thanks so much for the fascinating information on the Sound Side- it’s wonderful that you were able to bring it back to life for your readers, especially since places like that are often defining aspects of their communities. Please let us know when you publish again!

  3. Another local tidbit which might interest readers, is the cover of Second Time’s a Charm features a Greensboro girl. Her name is Margaret Kinlaw and I took her picture on Wrightsville Beach on October 23,2010. I wanted a particular look for that cover, and Margaret was the closest person I knew who resembled Stacie Edmonds. Margaret, her mother, Mary Susan, and I took off for the beach that Sunday afternoon, and after about an hour, we had the cover shot for Second Time’s a Charm. My third book, Three Gifts was released in November 2011, and is a continuation of the Kyle and Chelsea story. A fourth book, Forever Man is in the works right now. I hope you enjoy the journey as much as I’ve enjoyed writing it!