This heartwarming romance has a female firefighter of Indian descent named Riya and a handsome vet named Dhillon. Their two families have been entwined since the main characters were 5. But a tragic fire and family deaths have left their relationship in tatters.

Riya is a skilled firefighter who is passionate about her job, but she is also struggling to find her place in the world. She feels like she doesn’t fit in with her male colleagues, and she is still grieving the loss of her brother in a fire.

You can tell that the author did extensive research to ensure the book was authentic and accurate. This research helped to create a realistic and believable story that resonates. The challenges faced by Riya were realistic.

Dhillion has been feeling the weight of taking care of his mother and sister since he was a teen and lost his father in the same fire. His life is filled with responsibility and taking cautious steps.

The will they/won’t they was well done, and this is a heartwarming and inspiring story about love, loss, and finding your place in the world.

For more information about this author and all their books, CLICK HERE.

SUMMARY

“Striking a perfect balance between drama and romance, this is sure to please.”—Publishers Weekly

The Second First Chance is a big, wonderful, messy love story about family, heartbreak, strength and courage. It shows us that sometimes what we want is what we least expect, and that everything we need is often right in front of us.

Strength comes in many different forms.

Riya Desai and Dhillon Vora grew up together. Sharing secrets, hiding in their tree house, they were playmates, best friends and later—as teenagers—almost something more. Until the devastating house fire that ripped them apart, claiming the life of Dhillon’s father and Riya’s big brother, Samir. Riya and Dhillon have barely spoken since that terrible night, but they both made big decisions based on that fire.

Riya has chosen to fight fire with everything she’s got, but it’s not easy. As the only female firefighter and one of the only people of color at her fire hall, she has to prove herself over and over. Plus, she’s hidden her career from her family.

Dhillon wanted to heal things, so he became a veterinarian. When a chance encounter with a rescue dog throws Riya and Dhillon together again, he’s furious at her career choice. After what happened to them, how can she run into fires on purpose? For Riya, Dhillon’s anger is unacceptable: How can he not see that she’s protecting others from the very losses they both experienced?

I hope you’ve enjoyed this Coastal Magic Convention Featured Author Spotlight post. Mona Shroff will be one of the amazing authors we’ll be hanging out with during the 12th annual reader weekend in Daytona Beach, FL, Feb 22-25,2024. 

For a full list of Featured Authors, info about the weekend, and link to register to attend, visit http://www.CoastalMagicConvention.com. And be sure to watch for more Featured Author spotlights coming up here each month