Sarah has come back to her hometown of Last Chance where things shouldn't change. Of course there must be a hitch in that dream. Enter Chris Reed, who is new in town and wanting to make lots of changes, then get ready for sparks to fly. Full review is at my website.

One More Last Chance is the first book I have read by Cathleen Armstrong. I thought it was a fun and quick read. I look forward to the next book of the series and will be looking for the first book, as well. 4 stars.

It seems I'm in the minority in not enjoying this book.

Chef Chris Reed has recently moved to the small town of Last Chance where he has taken over the Dip 'n' Dine diner with the hope of turning it into a destination restaurant–a plan that might be foiled by stuck-in-the-mud employees, and the fact he now has to care for his seven-year-old niece, Olivia. Sarah Cooley has returned to Last Chance to teach second grade, having recently broken up with her college boyfriend, Brandon Miller, as he was too controlling.

I liked the writing. I liked Chris, especially the way he had such patience with his stubborn employees, and the way he cared for Olivia. I really liked Olivia, who struggled to cope with feelings of rejection and abandonment (and I would have liked to have seen more of her personal growth). Elizabeth, Sarah's grandmother, was wonderful the way she stepped in and looked after Olivia. In fact, Olivia was the only thing that kept me reading.

But I didn't like Sarah, and didn't I understand what Chris saw in her. At one point she describes herself as "too stupid to live", and while that might be a bit harsh, she came across as narrow-minded and judgemental, unfriendly, and none too bright. She doesn't like the fact Brandon keeps texting and calling her, yet doesn't think to change her cell phone number (or block his number). She doesn't like Chris because he's from the city (Albuquerque might be the biggest city in New Mexico, but it's hardly Chicago or New York). And there's no noticeable change or growth in her character.

It seems I already own the first book in this series, Welcome to Last Chance, although I haven't read it (it was a free download). After reading this, I'm not sure I want to, even though it won the 2009 ACFW Genesis Prize. The writing in One More Last Chance is good, the plot had potential, and the minor characters are portrayed well (several of them are annoying, but they are portrayed well). But those positives aren't enough to outweigh the Sarah effect. I have a hard time enjoying a romance novel where I don't like the heroine and can't understand what the hero sees in her.

Thanks to Revell and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

This second book in the A Place to Call Home series is just as incredible as the first! And we're right back in Last Chance, New Mexico with the same collection of well-meaning town busy bodies who don't know the meaning of the word 'no'. They just bulldoze their way through any situation with enough love to make up for their lack of finesse. I want to live in Last Chance!

And everyone needs a grandmother like Elizabeth. Spunky and gracious and full of unconditional love. There are life lessons to be learned just reading about Sarah's grandmother.

I love the fresh angle of small-town girl wanting to come home after college. She comes back for her first teaching assignment basking in the glory of how unchanged Last Chance remains. Sarah has a problem with change. Unfortunately our hero, Chris, is full of plans to instigate change. Talk about a clash of wills! Sarah is prejudiced right from the very start while poor Chris is royally smitten.

And if that isn't complicated enough there's a gut-wrenching secondary plot that will pull at your heartstrings. One More Last Chance is a beautiful celebration of embracing change in order to live life to the fullest.

*My thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

One More Last Chance

By: Cathleen Armstrong

A book you won't want to put down one you start. This is a sequel to Welcome to Last Chance. Sarah is going home to Last Chance where nothing ever changes. Tired everyone including a x boyfriend trying to change her. She wants to be who she wants to be. She has decisions to be made about her boyfriend Brandon if she does want to marry him or not. Mean while she will be a teacher. Small towns tend to be that way where no one likes change.

New man in town Chris owns the Dip "n" Dine and he is making waves by wanting to put new things on the menu. Now he is already to make changes and is all for it.

Will things work out for Chris and Sarah? Nice romance not over done. The characters are just like people in my small town. Can this small town except new changes or will it tare the town apart? I look forward to book 3. I really enjoyed the characters I think they are well written. I think Cathleen did a wonderful job writing this series.

Disclosure of Material Connection: This book came to me free from the publisher, Revell, In exchange for my own honest review. I have expressed above are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255.