Publishers Weekly
07/31/2023
YA author Avery’s adult debut (after The Memory Book) explores grief with humor and warmth as 33-year-old widow Robin Lindstrom does her best to honor her husband by moving on. After a year spent wallowing in horror movies and her Sisters in Grief support group, Robin receives an email from her late husband, Gabe, on the anniversary of his death from cancer, saying he’s signed her up for a dating app. Family and friends convince her to respect Gabe’s “last wish” and so begins the “Widow Humiliation Show,” in which Robin learns she’s far from the only one with emotional baggage. As she endures some disastrous dates with the help of dating app aficionado and Gabe’s best friend, Levi, who also received a posthumous email asking him to help, Robin soon learns that moving on isn’t just dating. She must address the fractures in her own family, experience her grief head-on, and find a way to move forward. Levi’s advice to “say yes” leads to community theater, running, ice fishing, and new relationships as Robin figures out who she is without Gabe. The concept is fresh and the voice full of heart. Fans of Annabel Monaghan should take note. (Aug.)
From the Publisher
Avery debuts with a tender novel full of heart and healing…. Avery’s funny and engaging writing, plus Robin’s strong voice, will keep readers turning pages. Suggest to those who enjoyed Catherine Newman’s We All Want Impossible Things.” — Booklist (starred review)
"In The Year of Second Chances a young widow reenters the world after a substantial loss, taking us on a lively, witty ride along with a strong cast of supporting characters. Avery tackles the topic of grief in a way that manages to feel lighthearted and profound at the same time. I flew through this book and loved every page." — Meg Mitchell Moore, bestselling author of Summer Stage
“It speaks to Avery’s skill that the novel soars from this implausible beginning. While there is romance and there is humor, this is not (as it might first seem) a meet-cute rom-com. It’s a story about grief, and about finding a way to move ahead after a traumatic loss—even if ‘moving ahead’ might not mean what you think it does.” — Minneapolis Star Tribune
“Avery’s adult debut explores grief with humor and warmth…. The concept is fresh and the voice full of heart. Fans of Annabel Monaghan should take note.” — Publishers Weekly
“Sammie’s narrative voice is sardonic, distinctive, wildly intelligent, and sometimes hilarious...Readers will feel her mind and heart shifting with the illness. Indelible.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review) on The Memory Book
“Sammie's voice is a bright, relatable, and uncompromising one...Strengths abound in Avery’s touching novel, and Sammie’s relationships, both friendly and romantic, are no exception...Fans of John Green’s work and Jennifer Niven’s All the Bright Places will be reaching for the tissue box at the book’s tear-inducing end.” — School Library Journal (starred review) on The Memory Book
“Avery (Anything but Ordinary) crafts an emotionally charged story about a young woman who has kept her eyes trained on the future, only to learn that all she has is now...Avery’s novel stands out for its strong characters, a heartbreaking narrative that shifts to reflect Sammie’s condition, and a love story that will leave many readers in tears.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review) on The Memory Book
“Avery brings an emotional honesty to Sammie’s narrative.... Teens will be inspired by Avery’s heart-rending story about a special and intelligent young woman coping with a devastating disease―a story buoyed by the strong love of family flowing through Sammie’s narrative and by an exquisite love story in which Sammie experiences happiness with Coop.” — VOYA (starred review) on The Memory Book
“Avery (A Million Miles Away, 2015) balances humor and devastating sadness perfectly. Sammie’s voice is sympathetic but not pitiful as she relates her hopes for the future and thoughts on the past...a story of self-discovery that’s hard to put down.” — Booklist on The Memory Book
Library Journal
06/01/2023
YA author Avery's (The Memory Book) debut adult novel combines humor and romance with a serious premise. Robin Lindstrom is facing the first anniversary of her husband Gabe's death. They'd been the perfect couple, but now she discovers that Gabe, with the help of his best friend Levi, had arranged a profile on a dating site for her, to go live one year after he died. She has to try it out, as her husband's last wish. There's a predictable series of strange encounters, but Robin also meets people who shape her story, even if not romantically. And then she meets Jake, who seems like the perfect fit. But Levi is still nearby at all times, even while Robin deals with her mother's alcohol addiction and their struggling family restaurant. Avery's novel of loss and redemption sometimes gets bogged down in an abundance of subplots. The main character is complex and well-drawn, but some supporting characters are thinner. VERDICT The level of chaos in Robin's life overwhelms the issue of widowhood at times in the novel, but there is a strong setting and many elements to engage readers. Recommended for fans of Emiko Jean or Marisa de los Santos.—Melanie Kindrachuk
