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Donna K. Weaver
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Second Chances 101 Paperback – November 21, 2014

by Donna K. Weaver (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 353 ratings

Thirty-seven-year-old Francie Davis is sure her luck has changed when she lands a job on campus that will pay her tuition. But when her handsome new boss yells at her on the first day of work, Francie learns that the last person you expect to fall in love with might be the one that’s the most perfect for you.

Books in the Safe Harbors Series

  • A Change of Plans (#1)
  • Torn Canvas (#2)
  • Swing Vote (#3)
  • Second Chances 101 (#4)
  • Kings Crossed Lovers (#5)
Previous page
  1. Print length
    124 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publication date
    November 21, 2014
  4. Dimensions
    5.5 x 0.28 x 8.5 inches
  5. ISBN-10
    0989992861
  6. ISBN-13
    978-0989992862
  7. See all details
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Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Emerald Arch Publishing (November 21, 2014)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 124 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0989992861
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0989992862
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 8.1 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.28 x 8.5 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 353 ratings

About the author

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Donna K. Weaver

Donna K. Weaver

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USA Today best-selling and award-winning author-wife-mother-grandmother-Navy brat-Army veteran-karate black belt-Harry Potter nerd-online gamer.

To get a complimentary copy of Waves of Deceit and news about upcoming releases, copy and paste this link into your browser: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/v7r5z4

Visit Donna's website at donnakweaver.com

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
353 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

430booklover
5.0 out of 5 stars Clean, sweet, quick read
Reviewed in the United States on November 6, 2023
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This is a fun, quick read with great characters. Francie and Alex are a good pair and so are their children. Clean romance.
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Bananaann
5.0 out of 5 stars Well written
Reviewed in the United States on October 6, 2023
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I love to read, especially clean romances. This book had some intriguing events plus some romance. I learned a little more about autism too. I enjoyed it immensely.
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Elisabeth Carey
4.0 out of 5 stars Sweet second-chance romance
Reviewed in the United States on December 18, 2021
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Francie Davis has struggled for years to support her family. Her husband, crippled badly in an accident years ago, and embittered by it, has died a few months ago, leaving only Francie and their son, Rafe, now heading off to college. He'll be attending Harvard on scholarship. Francie will only be supporting herself, now, but will be doing it on her own, without Rafe's help in the vegetable garden which has largely fed them for years. But Francie has her own dreams, long on hold, and she's now pursuing them.

Francie has gotten a job at the local college, and the benefits include a 3/4 discount on tuition. She'll be a full time student, and a full time worker--while trying to complete the harvesting that was not yet completed when Rafe left North Carolina for Massachusetts.

Alex Diederik is a history professor at that same local college, sharing office support with Prof. Kevin Eldred, and has a daughter, Samantha, who is also a student there. They're going through a rough period in their relationship, because Samantha, or "Sam," finds herself defending her divorced parents against each other. Vicki has remarried, a French man whom Alex, and we later learn Sam, both find rather creepy

Francie, in her job capacity, is assigned as the office support for Professors Diederik and Eldred.

Let it be noted here that it's hard to imagine that Vicki's new husband is much creepier than Eldred, who is preying on female students.

Francie first sees Alex and Sam when Sam is leaving her father's office at the end of a heated argument. They aren't introduced, and Francie assumes she's a student. Sam later sees Francie in the cafeteria, looking very much like the student she also is, and introduces herself by her middle name only, "Rose."

Francie and Rose become friends, while Alex and Francie gradually recover from their first meeting, where Alex was apparently berating a student. Then a history club project brings Alex out to what he doesn't know is Francie's house. She inherited it from her grandmother, and it has recently been added to the historic register. This is the start of Alex and Francie, Alex and Sam, and Francie and Sam all connecting better and more closely.

It's a nicely done novella, with everybody growing a bit as human beings, and a very nice little romancce.

I bought this book.
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Jen Peters
5.0 out of 5 stars lovely story
Reviewed in the United States on May 4, 2022
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Sweet, clean romance between a single mom whose son has just left for college and her professor boss, also a single parent, with a delightful–but-confused daughter and a vicious ex-wife. Great characters and I love the interactions between each of them, plus the romance. The author did a good job of contrasting workplace romance versus harassment. I especially liked Francie and of the way she worked her garden and cooking because she had no money To speak of.

This is part of the Safe Harbors series, falling between books 3 and 4, but only has a tenuous link to it. I still loved it though and would recommend it.

ETA: I was wrong! Now that I've read Safe Harbors #4, I know that Second Chances 101 is actually a prequel to it. It was really nice to have Sam's background and know her before reading her own love story with Ethan.
One person found this helpful
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S. S.
3.0 out of 5 stars Really liked the beginning
Reviewed in the United States on February 23, 2019
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This was a really good book up to a certain point. Then it just seemed like the author wanted to be done and the book came to a rather unsatisfying end rather quickly with not a lot of substance in between the first time the professor checked out the historic house and the ending.
2 people found this helpful
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Julie C
5.0 out of 5 stars Really enjoyed this one! Great second chance novella!
Reviewed in the United States on November 19, 2020
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I loved Francie and Alex's story! I've had a copy of this kindle book for a little while and have thought about it off and on over the years. I've seen them in a couple later books by this author and wondered about their story. I'm so glad that I finally was able to dive into their story.

They have some moments in their backgrounds that are hard and have had quite an impact on them. And their initial meeting isn't a meet cute by any means. Sort of a meet disaster, need a massive do-over. But I really loved how they realize that people make mistakes and are willing to forgive and move forward. Which is probably good because they're going to have a few more interactions that will need understanding and forgiveness.

I loved seeing the other connections in the story come about and unfold. They made me smile and made my heart happy for Alex and Francie. I loved Francie's home life and how kind and gentle she is. As well as her willingness to reach out to others whom she can sense are struggling and need help.

The sweet love story and friendship that develops between Alex and Francie was great. I really enjoyed it and kept hoping that they could work out their differences and find hope, joy and love with each other. *Happy sigh*

Content: Clean. Some of the topics discussed are divorce, untoward advances (secondary characters), and emotional manipulation. All of these topics were address very well and not graphic in nature.

Happy Reading!!!
4 people found this helpful
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Judy King
5.0 out of 5 stars It's never too late to learn - or to love
Reviewed in the United States on September 28, 2015
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Francie and Alex are made for each other, but both had been married before with disastrous results. Francie's son, Rafe has just left for college as the story opens and she is feeling she needs something to fill the hours. She decides to go back to school and takes a job as an assistant to two professors in order to pay for tuition and put food on the table. It's still a struggle and she has to grow and bottle fruits and vegetables to make it through the winter.

She meets and befriends a young girl named Rose and takes her under her wing, teaching her how to cook and preserve foods.

Francie becomes very interested in one of her employers, even though they get off to a rather rocky start. The other, she recognizes as a lecher, and is very concerned when she sees her young friend, Rose, going into his office during off hours on several occasions.

The book moves along well and is an enjoyable read.
11 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

easyreader
4.0 out of 5 stars Charming
Reviewed in Canada on August 6, 2021
Verified Purchase
Engaging characters, good flow, nice values--all in a sweet romance, Worth 5 stars had the author not rushed the burgeoning relationship and tidied up the issues with the ex. I wanted more.
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CoffeeTime
4.0 out of 5 stars Sweet and clean
Reviewed in Australia on February 23, 2019
Verified Purchase
An enjoyable read but slightly lacking in the romance. I know it was short but one minute they are agreeing to date then the next page he is proposing. At first, I thought I had skipped some pages but no. Another chapter there would have finished it off better.
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Cathy Morgan
4.0 out of 5 stars fun book
Reviewed in Australia on October 3, 2017
Verified Purchase
I think I've read other things by the author before and not been thrilled, but I decided to try this anyway, and enjoyed it enough to keep for a potential future re-read. The writing is good, the story clean, and the storyline enjoyable, albeit somewhat predictable in places. Other bits were definitely unexpected (in a good way!) though, so that kept my interest. Recommended as an enjoyable light, short read.
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K. Edwards
4.0 out of 5 stars Fast read
Reviewed in Australia on April 19, 2020
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A quick read, which although nice, felt too rushed at the end for me.
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