The Season of Second Chances

by Kristina McMorris and T. Greenwood

I do not usually choose novellas and in the case of The Season of Second Chances, my thought was that this is a novel written by Kristina McMorris and T. Greenwood as a joint effort. I had read two works of historical by McMorris and consider her a very good author. It was on the basis of my appreciation for her work that I selected this book. I was unfamiliar with the work of T. Greenwood. 

The Christmas Collector is McMorris’ contribution. It is the story of Jenna, a woman who inventories and prices goods in preparation for estate sales. In performing her job she has to confront her widowed mother’s addiction as a recovering hoarder and her fears that she too will become a hoarder. One of Jenna’s clients needs to move in with her adult children as she is loosing her ability physically to live alone. Her grandson Reece is initially resistant to that idea. Reece and Jenna are drawn together over a mystery box that holds secrets of his grandmother’s past. Sadly, this book is the perfect example of an excellent plot idea with multiple threads but not enough time or room in a novella to flesh out the characters.

Greenwood’s contribution, Gifted, is that rare novella that has an appropriately limited number of characters. The author jumps in with chapters that alternate between two storylines, and each time the reader finishes one chapter, the next chapter will demand attention. Each storyline equally clamors to be continued.  Alex, a talented ballet dancer, is 19 years old and has given up her life to advance in ballet, pleasing her mother who because of an early pregnancy had to abandon her own career goals. Sofia is a 54 year old birth doula. She loves her mother, but she never had a close relationship with Simone who as an itinerant classical violinist spent much time traveling. When Sofia’s father dies, she finds that Simone has Alzheimer’s and needs Sofia to care for her. In her panic to locate her mother who goes missing on Christmas Eve, Sofia learns that they had a closer relationship than Sofia ever imagined. The author does a beautiful job of tying these two stories together. 

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Christmas Collector

Rating: 3/5

Category: Women’s Fiction, Novella

Publication: August 22, 2023—Kensington

Memorable Lines:

Business and pleasure don’t mix, she reminded herself, citing her boss’s basic rule. A clichéd concept but valid nonetheless. In fact, it was one her father had bulldozed right through, leaving Jenna and her mother in his trampled wake.

Disposing of others’ items had always brought relief—at least until the craving returned. Which it always did. Like an addiction, some might say. Like cigarettes or alcohol, or…hoarding.

Reporting the winter weather in Portland—rain, drizzle, downpour—had to be as thrilling as reporting sunshine in Arizona.

Gifted

Rating: 5/5

Category: Women’s Fiction, Novella

Publication:  August 22, 2023—Kensington

Memorable Lines:

Her mother must have suspected something was wrong lately, because despite being a three-hour train ride away in Connecticut, she was hovering, the blades of her helicopter propeller sharp and steady and humming.

She envied that for Zu-Zu, ballet was joy, while for her, it felt like an obligation.

As she looked at the woman in the photo, her clear blue eyes and confident smile, she thought about how easy it was to lose your way, to forget why you were here. How easy it was to find yourself lost.