Getting on Jackie Lau’s advance reader copy list has been a delight. I received this novella from the author in exchange for an honest review. I enjoy Lau’s books. I like the way she often balances romance tropes, indulgent food descriptions and weightier issues her characters face. In past books she has had characters deal with mental health, abortion, and finding connection with their Chinese roots in a white dominated culture. A Second Chance Road Trip for Christmas is lighter than previous books, mainly dealing with contemplating the road not taken.
As established in A Match Made for Thanksgiving, the matriarchs of the Wong clan, Ah Ma (grandmother) and Mrs. Wong (who is white) have decided the Wong siblings need help finding love. For Canadian Thanksgiving, they set up each of the Wong siblings with a blind date according to various romance tropes from Ah Ma’s books. Greg was set up with Lily, who had already had a one night stand with his younger brother, Nick. In a misguided attempt at a second chance romance, the matriarchs had set Greg’s sister up with her ex. He didn’t make it to the dinner table before being evicted. Not one to rest on her laurels, Mrs Wong then asks Greg to drive his high school sweetheart from Toronto for Christmas. She is not subtle about hoping the old flames will reignite.
Tasha and Greg dated in high school and eventually broke up in college. It was amicable, but they haven’t stayed in touch and Tasha has a no second chance rule for romance. A late start, a snow storm and a closed highway mean a 3 hour drive becomes an overnight stay in an unheated hotel room with only one bed.
It’s a lovely romance with two people who start to think that maybe they are ready to try again. Greg is quiet and a bit stuffy, but he brings some stern CBC radio daddy energy to the bedroom. Tasha is a little more of a cipher. She doesn’t like to look back, but she starts to remember all the ways Greg showed that he paid attention to her as a person.
A Second Chance Road Trip for Christmas is not my favorite Jackie Lau book, but it’s still lovely and worth a read.