The Queen of Second Chances by D. M. Barr is a delightfully sweet, modern-day romance that caresses the heart and restores our faith in human nature. Carraway, known to her friends as Carra, Quinn is a recent college graduate and a budding author who is struggling to find her direction in life. Broke and needing help, Carra reluctantly accepts the offer from her real estate stepmother to assist her in finding listings by finding employment in the local seniors' leisure center in the area. Her stepmother figures seniors are a prime target for an aggressive real estate agent. Carra, however, is none too thrilled with the prospect of the actual job or the subterfuge. Jay Prentiss is a well-respected young lawyer, some ten years older, who specializes in protecting the elderly from the unscrupulous and has political ambitions for the future. Jay’s fragile Nana is an attendee at the senior center and when Carra’s plans to update and excite the seniors' leisure activities require funding, she and Jay are thrown together. Although the electricity between the pair is evident from the beginning, Carra is not the type of girl Jay would normally date and both have issues in their pasts that will make any potential relationship difficult.

The Queen of Second Chances required no great depth of thought, just a deep enjoyment, and pleasure in the reading of a sweet but difficult romance. Author D.M. Barr has created in Carra the quintessential strong, opinionated, and somewhat aggressive young woman of today, who despite being outwardly confident in her own abilities still harbors doubts and fears about rejection and abandonment dating back to her childhood. I particularly enjoyed the premise that two modern people, so different in many ways, were equally lost in their romantic relationships because of difficulties in their childhoods. That they could be attracted to each other and be prepared to confront and address their individual demons in order to make this relationship work was a triumph in the writing. The ability of the author to tap into the deepest parts of the characters' psyches and to uncover their true motivations in their actions was part of why this story succeeded so well. The highlight for me was the reminiscing of many of the seniors, as Carra made them address and deal with their own pasts, their own regrets, and their own perceptions of their lives. This is easy reading; it is beautifully written and the sort of book you can read in front of the fire on a lazy Sunday afternoon. I’m always a sucker for a sweet romance, with a touch of sarcasm and bite thrown in, and this fits the bill nicely. For that reason, I can highly recommend this book.

The Queen of Second Chances by D.M. Barr is an endearing romance story based on two unalike characters. Though she desperately needs her new job at a senior center, Carraway “Carra” Quinn wishes she could spend her time writing, which is her true passion. Her job as a recreational aide is also only a ruse devised by her stepmother who is determined to expand to residential resale, and the seniors at the center are among her primary targets. Unsure about the whole deal, Carra takes up the job acting as a secret realtor. Carra, however, finds herself invested in the lives of the seniors she encounters. She also falls for a hot-shot lawyer whose grandmother is one of the seniors at the center. Both struggle to overcome their pasts and learn to trust each other.

Carra and Jay’s relationship develops organically in the novel. Their differences are evident but they also share similar views on significant topics. The relationship’s unfolding is not seamless and includes some compelling, tense moments. Told from Carra’s point of view, the style provides a deeper sense of Carra as a character. Her charm, wit, and vulnerability are revealed as she narrates the story. Her opinions of other characters including Jay also provide details about them. Both of their backgrounds are also explored which adds other interesting sub-plots in the novel. One of the sub-plots includes that of Jay’s grandmother who is determined to revisit someone from her past and rekindle what they once had. The story is developed well. It is humorous, exciting, and moving. The Queen of Second Chances by D.M. Barr is a lovely, deftly-written romantic comedy that fans of the genre will love.

The Queen of Second Chances, a nimble little comedy romance written by D.M. Barr, begins with a sense of urgency from the point of view of its female protagonist, Carra Quinn. She recently graduated college and is in need of an impressive credential to put on her résumé. But the competitive job market does not care about her piling bills. Her cunning realtor stepmother, once known as Queen Bea, recruits her as a key strategist in a residential sale and gives her the mission to infiltrate a local senior center, pose as a recreational aide, and convince its senior residents to sell their property. Jay Prentiss, an attorney with control issues and one of the most eligible bachelors in all of Rock Canyon, is one of the center’s biggest contributors because his grandmother is one of its attendees. Jay is impressed by Carra’s unique proposal for the center’s improvement, but when she conducts a memoir-writing workshop, Jay’s grandmother sets off to search for a lost love. On their mad dash to find Jay’s nana, their search will lead to personal revelations that can either make or break their blossoming relationship.

Hats off to D.M. Barr for managing to preserve the happily ever after element of the genre without being predictable as the story progresses. In the real world, many people are becoming cynical about relationships that have pushed many of us to believe there is no more ‘til death do us part. A story like The Queen of Second Chances acknowledges the flaws in human relationships but does not celebrate them. Instead, it tries to find a way to work through such flaws to renew our faith in those dramatic moments. Here we have imperfect characters, but such imperfections, like Jay being a control freak, are part of their allure. The great thing about love is that it comes when you least expect it—from the most unlikely people in the most unlikely places. The Queen of Second Chances would make a great sleeper film, and as a novel, it is an awesome example of navigating the turbulent waters of modern relationships.