Carina Gaskell

A young woman jilted by her ex-fiancé is given a second shot at love when her meddling relatives contrive ways to pair her up with her handsome neighbor in this laugh-out-loud contemporary romance novella that will sweep you off your feet.After Sophie’s long-term boyfriend decides he doesn’t want to marry her, she flies back home to her native Philippines with her tail tucked between her legs. Forget romance. With the help of Ninang, her wealthy grand-aunt on her mother’s side, she picks her pieces back up and throws herself headfirst into her dream opening a coffee shop on the famous beach resort island of Dalisay.But there’s a catch. Ninang agrees to help fund the cost of starting a new business, if and only if Sophie hosts her younger sister, Narra, and their cousin, Layla for the summer. Fresh out of college, Narra and Layla have come to Dalisay for three months of fun and romance, and they refuse to leave Sophie out of it.Enter Archie Hastings. A smooth-talking, motorcycle-riding Brit, he moved to the island to work at a non-profit and nurse a heartbreak of his own. When Narra indulges in a little too much fun and romance, he’s there to help Sophie save the day, only to find himself pulled into a scheme to get Sophie—and by extension, himself—laid.Sophie just wants to be left alone. But love has a funny way of sneaking up on you, and this summer, on the beautiful sunny island of Dalisay, where the white sand is soft like powder and the blue sea impossibly clear, it might just catch her off-guard.

Only three things stand in the way of the life Nell had always envisioned for a bookstore, its book club, and the boy of her dreams. *** When Nell's brother-in-law walks out on her pregnant sister, it falls on Nell's shoulders to cover their mountain of bills. To do so, she must convince the owner of a secondhand bookstore to sell his property so she can earn a commission. But when she visits the store, two unexpected things the owner offers her a job sorting the shelves—extra income!—and her childhood crush, Thomas Whelan, turns out to be the only other employee there. Only a fool would turn that opportunity down. When Thomas reveals he needs help with his love life, it seems all too get an in with Tom by helping him prepare for his dates, recruit him towards her cause of convincing their boss to sell, get paid, and live happily ever after. Except the more time she spends with Tom, the more she gets to him, to the bookstore that soon might not even exist, and its customers. Set in a small town in the throes of gentrification, Second Chance Books is a novel that explores the power of love, literature, and community when it comes to changing and saving lives.

Only three things stand in the way of the life Nell had always envisioned for herself: a bookstore, its book club, and the boy of her dreams. When Nell's brother-in-law walks out on her pregnant sister, it falls on Nell's shoulders to cover their mountain of bills. To do so, she must convince the owner of a secondhand bookstore to sell his property so she can earn a commission. But when she visits the store, two unexpected things happen: the owner offers her a job sorting the shelves—extra income!—and her childhood crush, Thomas Whelan, turns out to be the only other employee there. Only a fool would turn that opportunity down. When Thomas reveals he needs help with his love life, it seems all too perfect: get an in with Tom by helping him prepare for his dates, recruit him towards her cause of convincing their boss to sell, get paid, and live happily ever after. Except the more time she spends with Tom, the more she gets attached: to him, to the bookstore that soon might not even exist, and its customers. Set in a small town in the throes of gentrification, Second Chance Books is a novel that explores the power of love, literature, and community when it comes to changing and saving lives. * * * “We are, all of us, the result of a long history of someone, somewhere, loving another and choosing to act on it. Love, after all, is more than a feeling. It's a choice.” Second Chance Books is a feel-good cozy romance with lots of heart. It features: - Slow burn romance - Childhood friends to lovers - Found family - Dual POV - A bookstore in a small town "This was such an adorable and cozy story! It has everything that will warm up your heart -- the cutest found family, a sweet romance with childhood friends, a strong sisterly bond and well developed characters." — Paola (5-star Goodreads review) ""Second Chance Books" is a heartwarming romance novel that explores the power of forgiveness, selflessness and faith in Love. With its endearing characters and narrative depth, this book captivated me from beginning to end. [...] The author does a commendable job of crafting complex and relatable characters." — Clay (5-star Goodreads review)

Two paths, one summer—what would you give up for forever? Faced with incompatible circumstances, two young lovers must choose between the commitment of a lifetime or going their separate ways in the second book of the Invincible Summer series by Carina Gaskell. After two weeks of a whirlwind summer love, Narra Fàbregas thought she could check her first relationship off her bucket list. But Théo Gallagher is back, and this time he intends to stay. When he proposes the most ludicrous of ideas, one which will be needing an answer by the end of the summer or else it’s goodbye forever, Narra envisions two paths branching out before her: one in which she spends the rest of her life with Théo, and the other without. The answer should be obvious, but with meddling relatives and the weight of familial expectations, Narra and Théo must consider everything they’ll have to give up in exchange for what they stand to gain, and whether the price is too steep to pay.