Sunny’s Second Chance

Title:  Sunny’s Second Chance

Author:  Nola Cross

Publisher:  Beachwalk Press, Inc.

Publisher URL:  http://beachwalkpress.com

ISBN/BIN:  9781940744292

Genre:  {M/F} Contemporary, Interracial, Holiday

Rating:  4 Nymphs

Literary Nymphs Reviewer:  Amethyst Nymph

Sunny Williamson finds it hard not to compare herself to the woman who took her husband.  But, she can’t spend too much time on a pity party with her daughter Jasmine expecting Santa to bring her daddy home.  When Jasmine becomes inseparable from her new friend, Sunny has no choice but to spend time with the boy’s father.  After a while, Sunny can’t continue to use the kids as an excuse.  Spending time with Ben is something she’d come to enjoy.

Now that his son Spencer has a reason to laugh again, Ben Stillman feels like things might be alright.  He’s just barely been going through the motions since his wife’s death. Never in a million years did he expect to feel attraction to any woman right now.   But meeting Sunny has given Ben a new, unexpected outlook on life.  She fits into his life so comfortably that Ben can’t imagine the future without her. 

In the blink of an eye, Sunny and Ben bond and stop thinking of reasons not to be together.  Sunny feels desirable again while Ben starts to let go of some of the guilt he lives with.  The kids are happy and life can’t get any better.  Then their Hallmark holiday gets thrown off by Sunny’s ex-husband and Ben’s family.  Obligations almost ruin everything for Sunny and Ben but they refuse to let it. 

Sunny’s ex-husband really did a number on her self esteem, even before he left her for another woman.  Ben appreciated her in ways that she deserved and helped her get her groove back.  Like many mothers, Sunny was so focused on her daughter that she lost sight of her own needs.  And Ben was in the same boat with his son.  Death is different than divorce, so Ben doesn’t get the same kind of closure as Sunny.  He feels guilty about finding another woman in what he thinks is a short time after his wife’s death.  And just when he convinces himself it was okay to move on, Ben’s family puts doubt in his mind again.  I was happy that the story ended without a dramatic scene between them and Sunny because I was praying that wouldn’t happen.  Thumbs up to Nola Cross for concluding this story the way she did.  Relating to her characters is easy because their real life issues could easily be anyone’s issue.  Finding the romantic side of day to day life isn’t always easy, but the author did it.    Sunny’s Second Chance is a sweet, empowering story of hope and family and I enjoyed every page.