Second Chances At The Board Game Café (Little Board Game Café Book Three) by Jennifer Page

 

Second Chances At The Little Board Game Café  by Jennifer Page.

Published 6th June 2024 by Aria.

From the cover of the book:

OUT NOW The next warm and uplifting instalment in The Little Board Game Café series

In the cosy Yorkshire village of Hebbleswick, single mum Taylor dreams of a fashion design career, but she spends her days fixing zips, hemming skirts and worrying about her son, Max.

At the local board game café, railway enthusiast Harry, still recovering from a painful breakup, dreams of fatherhood. When Taylor and Harry cross paths, sparks fly, but Harry's confidence issues and Taylor's concerns for Max threaten their budding romance.

Can they find a second chance at love where they least expect it?

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Single mum Taylor is struggling to keep her head above water in a tiny one-bed flat, in the little Yorkshire village of Hebbleswick. She once dreamed of becoming a fashion designer, but now spends her days repairing and altering other people's garments, fitting her business around her eight-year-old son Max's need for routine.

Accountant and railway enthusiast, Harry, likes routine too. He longs for a partner, but has had his heart broken in the past and is anxious about letting someone new into his ordered life, despite the encouragement of his friends at the local board game café.

When Taylor and Harry meet there is an immediate spark between them, but both are unsure about embarking on a new romance. Can Harry step out of his comfort zone, and Taylor look beyond her worries about Max, to give love a second chance?

Welcome back to the picturesque environs of Hebbleswisk and Essendale, for the third book in the enchanting Little Board Game Café series by Jennifer Page.

This time around Page does a lovely job of mixing everything that has come before with the arrival of new characters Taylor and her son Max, crafting a story that sets up lashing of romantic suspense with train obsessed Harry, who we met in the first book in the series. There are familiar faces galore from the first two books, and although you do not need to have read them to enjoy this story, I highly recommend that you do as it adds so much context and emotional texture to what happens. 

Taylor finds herself in an unhappy place at the beginning of this book, worrying about her living arrangements, her sewing business, and the needs of her son Max, who is neurodivergent. Her dreams of a different kind of life are never far from her thoughts, but try as she might there are always obstacles in the way, and there is no time for a romantic life for herself. Cue the sweet, and truly adorable, Harry whose caring, routine loving, railway-addicted, and mathematically precise ways make him the perfect partner for Taylor and prospective new dad for Max - if only they can both overcome their lack of confidence and past heartbreak.

Inevitably, the course of true love does not run smooth in all the ways you want from a cosy love story, and Page keeps you on tenterhooks with a will-they-won't-they plot that will completely melt your heart. Along the way she brings in some wonderful themes, using her established characters to throw spanners in the works (sleazy Tarquin, I am looking at you) or pull out all the stops to guide the couple to their happy ending, via make-and-mend fashion shows, budding friendships, and a pulling together of the community - with a little bit of help from The Railway Children!

This book positively celebrates neurodivergence, and touches sensitively on a wealth of subjects about acceptance, belonging, and being yourself, that fit beautifully into the story. Various board games are a fascinating central feature once more, and Page also brings in lots of splendid stuff about upcycling clothes to combat fast-fashion that will set the creative among you dusting off your sewing machines.

This is the perfect snuggle up on the sofa book. I think Taylor and Harry's romance is my favourite one of the series so far, and Max's channelling of The Railway Children to bring them together is simply magical!

Second Chances At The Little Board Game Café is available to buy now in paperback, ebook and audio formats.

Thank you to Aria for ending me a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

About the author:

Jennifer Page wrote her first novel - a book about ponies - when she was eight. These days she prefers to write romance. When she isn't writing, Jennifer can usually be found playing board games which are the inspiration for her first novel. 

She has worked as a television producer, a music teacher and has even run a children's opera company. 

She now lives near Hebden Bridge in West Yorkshire with her husband and his large collection of games.