A Forty Year Kiss by Nickolas Butler

 Sixty-somethings are not often the main characters in romantic novels, but in A Forty Year Kiss by Nickolas Butler coming out February 4, Charlie and Vivian get a second chance for love after 40 years apart.

Charlie left Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, 40 years ago after his four-year marriage to Vivian ended. He knew his drinking had played a big part in the breakup, but he could also admit to being too young and immature for marriage. The one thing that had not changed during their four decades apart was the love he had for Vivian. Might she still have feelings for him? He was about to find out as she agreed to meet him at the Tomahawk Room for a drink.

Vivian hesitated in her car before meeting Charlie in her hometown telling herself that one drink together does not mean anything. After all, he is just a man she once knew a lifetime ago. She recalled how he broke her heart, but she also knew she held a life-changing secret from their marriage that she was not likely to share over a drink.

Turns out, Charlie was moving back to the area from Albuquerque where he had recently retired from the railroad. His uncle had left him a farm about an hour away in Spooner, but mostly he was meeting her because he wanted to find out if it was possible that the love they shared had not perished.

Charlie has taken the first step on a long road to try to win Vivian back into his life. Vivian has lots of reservations including the way Charlie treated her in their marriage and his drinking problem. Vivian’s life has been hard what with a second husband who became an invalid before passing away. She had endured lots of disappointments and hardships, having made mistakes and lived in sadness. Charlie was offering her the world, and she was just too afraid to accept.

Slowly the two become friends, but even in that kind of relationship, they suffered ups and downs. The mistakes of the past haunted them. However, Charlie was financially able to make Vivian’s life—and the lives of her daughter and granddaughters—easier although Vivian was sensitive to money issues. The guy even bought her a horse, a lifelong dream finally realized for Vivian.

The questions remain. Were they truly in love with one another or was their courtship just a stopgap to loneliness? How could Charlie give up alcohol after all these years? What might happen if Vivian reveals the secret she has kept from Charlie for 40 years? What had they done to deserve a second chance at love? What kind of challenges would they face if they restarted their relationship?

Nickolas Butler is the author of four other novels: Shotgun Lovesongs, The Hearts of Men, Little Faith, and Godspeed. Born in Pennsylvania, raised in Wisconsin, Butler lives in rural Wisconsin with his family.

My review will be posted on Goodreads starting January 22, 2025.

I would like to thank Sourcebooks Landmark, an imprint of Sourcebooks, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in return for an objective review.