An interesting romantic drama with some good insights into the improvisational comedy community, Rules for Second Chances is very warm-hearted, if a bit slow-moving.
Liz Lewis is looking for some way to get the spark back into her life. She feels absolutely ignored when compared to her cheerful and big-spirited adventure-guide husband Toby Lewis-Renner and realises she’s spent too much time disappearing into the background. Dissatisfied with her life, she uses an embarassing incident at her thirtieth birthday party to change her whole life.

First she asks Toby for a separation and moves in with her friends Amber and Eleanor. Then she decides to open herself up creatively – by trying improvisational comedy. Toby, determined to try to save their marriage also joins the group and turns out to be an absolute natural at improv. They find themselves working really well together, but it forces them to open up the Pandora’s Box that is their relationship. Can the Lewis-Renners save their marriage and find true accord with one another?

They can, and the ride is pleasant if not particularly exciting. Liz is likable enough, and Toby is cheerfully blithe, but aside from some memorable turns of phrase, this is a pretty flat story. I liked the supporting characters but everything else is just all right. The romance is decent but not spectacular.

The best part of the book is definitely its solid insight into the world of improvisational comedy. This leads to a super corny scene at the conclusion of the book, but the journey there was worthwhile.

Overall, Rules for a Second Chance is a nice, pleasant romance – there’s nothing particularly wrong with it, but there’s nothing particularly exciting about it either.