The Summer of Second Chances coming May 5th, 2026 from Sourcebooks Fire; 400 pages
Content Warning: Depictions of dementia
About the Author: “K.L. Walther was born and raised in the rolling hills of Bucks County, Pennsylvania surrounded by family, dogs, and books. Her childhood was spent traveling the northeastern seaboard to play ice hockey. She attended a boarding school in New Jersey and went on to earn a B.A. in English from the University of Virginia. She is happiest on the beach with a book, cheering for the New York Rangers, or enjoying a rom-com while digging into a big bowl of popcorn and M&Ms” (Bio from author’s Goodreads profile).
Find K.L Walther on the following platforms:
After deferring her college enrollment to stay close to her grandmother, Annie, who has dementia, Olivia Lupo feels lost. Annie isn’t the person she used to be, and Olivia can’t fathom being away from her when she’s struggling. When her stepmother announces the family must spend three weeks on Martha’s Vineyard, Olivia refuses to leave Annie. However, when she finds old pictures of Annie on the island, Olivia jumps at the chance to learn more about her grandmother’s youth. On Martha’s Vineyard, she meets Connor, a boy who scares her because of how much he feels. Olivia’s never thought about building a future with someone before, and all she can think about right now is her grandmother. But as Connor helps her recreate Annie’s photos, Olivia can’t help but wonder if it might be time to open her heart to love.
K.L. Walther is the queen of young adult (YA) summer romances. I read her first book set on Martha’s Vineyard, The Summer of Broken Rules, last summer, and The Summer of Second Chances captured that same magic. Olivia is stuck in limbo after putting her life on hold to spend time with Annie before she no longer remembers who she is. On top of this, she has never let a boy into her heart for fear of being left, a fear rooted in the deaths of her mother and grandfather. Like with all of the best YA romances, the romance is the cherry on top of the personal journey. On Martha’s Vineyard, Olivia discovered a whole new part of her grandmother’s life, rediscovering how to live her own life in the process. After years of feeling out of place in her own family, Olivia also reconciled with her stepmother and finally felt like she belonged. Her romance with Connor was the cherry on top, but it was also the final step she needed to take to open herself up to others. I loved how open Connor was with Olivia about his feelings. While it scared her, it helped her confront her self-imposed isolation. I wish we could’ve gotten a little more insight into Connor’s personal struggles and journey, but I also loved the focus on Olivia and how her relationship with Annie helped her grow. As always, K.L. Walther has set the bar high with The Summer of Second Chances.
The Summer of Second Chances releases on May 5th, 2026.
Pine Reads Review would like to thank NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for sending us an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change before final publication.
Sam Yanis, Pine Reads Review Lead Writer
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