Meet Lyla, Rowie, and a Castle Full of Secrets
What if love could get a second chance?
Lyla Zimmerman thought the best part of her life was over. Two years after losing her beloved husband, Patrick, her house is too quiet, her heart is too heavy, and every road leads back to the memories they made together.
Then her best friend Rowie calls with an invitation. Come to Ireland, to the centuries-old MacGregor Castle where Rowie lives. Spend a few weeks there before Lyla’s daughter’s wedding. Laugh again. Breathe again.
But the castle has a secret, and he’s wearing a flowing white shirt and a very familiar smile.
Paddy MacGregor has been dead for three hundred years. The village pubs swear he’s a legend and a scoundrel. Lyla finds he’s a gentle, funny, lonely soul who looks exactly like the husband she lost. He understands her sadness and he seems to know her heart. Why can only Lyla see him? Why does a stray dog follow her around? And why does the eccentric dressmaker in town speak only in riddles, insisting that Lyla “will have to choose”?
With the help of her loyal friends, a Rottweiler who may know more than she lets on, and one very stormy night, Lyla begins to uncover a love story that began long before she was born. She learns that second chances may come in ways no one could ever imagine.
A heartwarming blend of romance, cozy mystery, friendship and humor, The Chance To Do It Again will make you laugh, tug at your heart, and remind you that love never really goes away.
Perfect for readers who love clean romance, castle settings, gentle ghosts, and happy endings.
✝️ A Note From My Heart
Dear Friend,
This book came from a place very close to my heart.
The Chance To Do It Again began with a question I think we all ask at some point: “If I could go back and do it again, what would I do differently?” Most of us carry a few of those “what ifs” around with us, along with the love we’ve lost, the words we never got to say, and the dreams we put on a shelf because life got busy.
I wrote Lyla’s story for anyone who has ever felt lonely in a room full of people, or been sure the best chapters of their life were behind them. I wanted to remind you, and myself, that you are never as alone as you feel. Love doesn’t just disappear. Friendship can carry you through the hardest days. And sometimes, when you least expect it, life hands you a second chance.
I also had so much fun writing it! There’s a castle in Ireland, a mysterious ghost with a twinkle in his eye, a loyal friend who makes you laugh when you need it most, and a dog with a few secrets of her own. It’s a story with a lot of heart, a little mystery, and plenty of laughs, and it’s a clean read you can enjoy and share with the people you love.
I believe in a God who loves us, in angels who walk beside us, and in the little signs that tell us we are being looked after. If any of that shows up between the pages, it’s because that’s how I see the world. My hope is that you finish the last page smiling, feeling a little lighter and a little more loved.
Life is such a gift. Thank you for spending some of your time with me and my characters. Grab a cup of tea, get comfortable, and let yourself believe in second chances.
With love and faith,
Marilyn 💜
Finding Life’s Magic