Synopsis
Does first love deserve a second chance?
Ava Flynn sometimes feels like the clothes donated to her charity shop have seen more life than her, but ‘maximum dedication for a minimal wage’ is what it takes to keep her mother’s beloved wildlife charity, All Critters Great and Small, running – especially in the village of Dapplebury, where business is certainly not booming.
But when Ava’s first love, Henry Bramlington, returns to the village, suddenly life becomes a little too eventful. Henry escaped Dapplebury many years before, but now he has the power to make or break the village he left behind – All Critters Great and Small included. Can Ava trust the boy who ran away to give both her and her charity a second chance?
Available as an eBook and audioBook on all platforms. Paperback available from all good bookshops and online stores.
Carol Thomas
Carol Thomas lives on the south coast of England with her husband, four children and lively young Labrador. She has been a playgroup supervisor and was a primary school teacher for over fifteen years, before dedicating more of her time to writing. Carol is a regular volunteer at her local Cancer Research UK shop. She has a passion for reading, writing and people watching and can often be found loitering in local cafes drinking too much tea and working on her next book.
Carol writes for both Choc Lit and Ruby Fiction.
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I really enjoyed getting to know Ava and Henry in this story. It was full of laughs and sweet moments – a perfect summer weekend read! Looking forward to more from this author.
I loved a Summer of Second Chances from the first page to the last. Such a heart-warming book with great characters and story. Ava and Henry were the perfect hero and heroine and surrounded by a great supporting cast. The villagers of Dapplebury were so much fun. Thank you Carol, I hope that this isn’t the last we hear from Dapplebury.
Ava run the All Critters Great and Small wildlife sanctuary that her Mum started. She runs the charity shop and her best friend Mary works at the sanctuary.
When Ava’s childhood sweetheart Henry returns to the village the attraction is still there but the fate of the village lies in the hands of Henry and Ava isn’t sure if she can trust him.
I found the twists and turns in this book kept me wanting to read more, secrets are unearthed, secret attraction is revealed and of course the gorgeous dogs which are always entertaining in Carol’s books and add to the fact that the characters were all likeable.
I adored Flo, such a fun character and Gino’s theme nights sounded very entertaining.
Ultimately this wonderful story is about not living in the shadows of the past and I would highly recommend it.
Initially this romance lets you think it is a very simple story but Carol is a gifted storyteller who kept me reading way beyond the time I should have stopped. Ava and Henry have an old, unrequited love and it should be an easy path to rekindle it. However, all of the obstructions the author places in their path are well crafted and often I didn’t know where the path would go next. I enjoyed the book apart from a couple of late nights when I couldn’t stop reading!
I believe this is the best of Carol Thomas’ books so far – a very enjoyable story with an unexpected twist in the latter half, and a bonus extra romance. There is quite a bit of humour too – mostly in the charity shop donations. I had to keep reading without putting it down for long, and have no hesitation in recommending it to anyone who likes a good clean story, without unnecessary sexual details. I’m looking forward to the next book from Ms Thomas.
Great story from start to finish. Ava and Henry have a history, but can they move forward from that to sort out Ava’s animal charity and both of their futures? Fun, twists and possibly romance in a great setting. I highly recommend it!
A good read when you just want to be entertained.
Ava Flynn’s whole life seems to revolve around running the village charity shop started by her late mother to finance a wildlife charity. Unfortunately the shop is struggling as business is too quiet in the small village.
When Ava’s childhood friend and first boyfriend, Henry, returns to Dapplebury after years away, he manges to turn her life up side down. Will he stay this time, or leave again.