A Smart Girl’s Guide to Second Chance - coming October 2025
To Do List
1. Replace decapitated groom cake topper
2. Complete twenty-page questionnaire for second-choice celebrant
3. Break family curse
4. Ignore ex-boyfriend / current client
Rebecca, a super-smart consultant, is determined to defy the family marriage curse, which claims no woman marries their first fiance, and prove that Matt is The One.
Although the wedding planning lurches from one disaster to the next and she has to steer a major work project before the big day, Rebecca is sure she can stay on top of things. That is until Alex - the ex who dramatically broke her heart at Oxford University - reappears in the boardroom as her new client. How dare he still be as infuriatingly clever and hot as before? And since when did he start wearing shirts with collars?
As Rebecca's past and present collide, she realises her choices can't be resolved with a trusty pros and cons list, and she'll have to finally come to terms with the age-old question: head or heart?
A warm, laugh-out-loud funny second-chance romance by the award-winning author of The Love Contract.
Praise for A Smart Girl’s Guide to Second Chance
'A fun, perfectly executed romcom that plays cleverly with the idea of missed connections and what-ifs ... Vizard's characters are intelligent thirty-somethings whose personalities work against the stereotype of the emotionally naive or unstable female protagonist so often seen in coming-of-age romances. Readers who enjoy multilayered plots that extend beyond the novel's central relationship will enjoy the triumph of friendship in Vizard's sophomore novel ... Readers of Emily Henry, Abby Jimenez and Mhairi McFarlane will be swept away by A Smart Girl's Guide to Second Chances, an Australian romcom that deserves the bestseller status of its international counterparts.' Books+Publishing
‘Steph Vizard writes with warmth and charm, and with a level of nostalgia that is like a big hug. Characters are vivid and loveable, banter is crisp and the chemistry, pulsating. Get ready to feel deeply and fall in love hard. A Smart Girl’s Guide to Second Chances is as smart as it is swoony.’ Ali Berg and Michelle Kalus, author of Love Overdue
‘Pulling off a love triangle where the protagonist has two equally compelling options is almost impossible, but Steph Vizard has done it. I loved every second of Rebecca deciding whether she was going to take the man from her past or the man from her present into her future. A Smart Girl's Guide to Second Chances is charmingly brilliant and brilliantly charming.’ Jodi McAlister, author of An Academic Affair
‘Steph Vizard once again pulls off a highwire high concept mash-up of delectable romance tropes--love triangle, second chance, A CURSE--and grounds it with deeply human, loveable characters. Think Richard Curtis, via Melbourne, with a dash of Oxford glamour and lens-flared young love. This is a sparkling, cinematic and satisfying modern romance, deftly written.’ Clare Fletcher, author of Love Match
‘A sharp, swoonworthy, and deeply satisfying read that will keep you guessing—and turning the pages—until the very end. Offering a refreshing take on second chances, Steph Vizard beautifully captures the ache of tough choices, the fragile pull between the heart and the head, and the hope that, even when you think you have it all figured out, love can still surprise you.’ Natalie Murray, author of Lights, Camera, Love
‘I haven't been this gripped by a love triangle since Mark Darcy and Daniel Cleaver. Smart, sweet and oh so satisfying' Karina May, author of That Island Feeling
'A standout. Sharp, witty and utterly charming, I devoured this in one day. An absolute joy to read, from the first page to the last. Perfect for fans of Mhairi McFarlane' Jessica Seaborn, author of Isn't It Nice We Both Hate the Same Things
'Warm, witty, and delightfully romantic. A Smart Girl's Guide to Second Chances will tug at your heart and leave a soft lump in your throat. With whip-smart dialogue, tender moments, and an ending that truly feels earned, Steph Vizard knows exactly how to keep readers turning pages well past bedtime. Curl up, and enjoy every heartfelt twist.' Holly Brunnbauer, author of What Did I Miss?
