Second Opportunities Books In Order

Publication Order of Second Opportunities Books

Second Opportunities is a series of historical contemporary romances by Judith McNaught, one of the most popular fiction authors. She has more than 30 million of her works in print over two short stories and more than fourteen novels that have been international bestselling titles on “USA Today,” and “The New York Times.” In fact, “The Chicago Tribune” wrote that she is in her class by herself and compared her writing to that of Edith Wharton Edge. Her first novel was “Whitney My Love” that she first published in 1985. The novel went on to become an instant hit and won the Best New Historical Romance Award by the Romantic Times. “Tender Triumph” a contemporary romance also won the Critic’s Choice Award for Best SuperRomance by the Romantic Times. She has also won several other awards including the Good Housekeeping’s Novel of the Month for “Once and Always,” and Best Historical Romance for the Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Award. Before she became an author, McNaught worked in finance, motion pictures, and radio where she was very successful. She worked at a CBS radio station and was the first female executive producer ever at the station. Judith also worked as president of an executive search company, president of a temp employment agency, comptroller of a major trucking firm, and assistant director of a film crew in addition to heading many philanthropic endeavors. She is now a full-time author and lives in Dallas, Texas.

Second Opportunities by Judith McNaught are some of the best historical romances out there. They combine the painful, tearful, joyful, horrible, stressful, frightening, exciting aspects of love to make for satisfying rollercoaster reads. They have a contemporary feel though they are set in a historical period and hence they are more of historical romances. As such, they embody the best of historical romance – sweet young love that is almost always followed by destructive heartbreak almost like the Romeo and Juliet story. The protagonists face what seem like insurmountable odds but finally power through with love.

“Paradise” the first novel of the series tells the story of ruthless corporate raider Matthew Farrell, who is set to take over the legendary department store owned by the Bancroft family. Matt is the scruffy small-town Indiana kid who goes against Meredith Bancroft the sophisticated heiress. Right from the start there is electric chemistry that leads to a brief ill-fated marriage. He was an outsider that was butting into the country club world and he was inevitably betrayed. But he is willing to risk everything for a passion too strong to be denied. The second novel of the series “Perfect” tells the story of Zachary Benedict, a man that was unjustly cut out from his life of wealth and privilege and made something of himself only to find himself back in the dust. Convicted for a murder he never committed he manages to escape prison and meets Julie a sweet and kind woman who is nothing like the women he met in Hollywood. But they cannot stay together given that he is a fugitive. But the love he has for her proves stronger than he had expected though he cannot afford to get caught. The third novel is about a police officer named Sloan who joins her estranged father on an FBI investigation on his invitation. It is an unfamiliar world as she meets one of her father’s business associates named Noah Maitland and the chemistry is off the charts. The only problem is that he is one of the prime suspect in the FBI investigation.

In “Paradise” the first novel of the series, Matthew Farrell is a corporate raider who has worked hard to become the best at what he is. He had been a poor scruffy kid from a small steel mill town in Indiana but he now brokers some of the biggest deals in the country. Matt still feels like an outsider in the posh country clubs where he now mingles with some of his clients. He had also dared to fall for Meredith Bancroft, a beautiful blonde who had completely messed him up. She had given him a once in a lifetime passion and then followed it by betrayal that still haunts his memory. But as one of the best in the business, the media is watching his every move and world leaders are courting him as he is set to pounce on the Bancroft business empire. On her part, Meredith Bancroft is a poised and cool executive in charge of the family business. She had once upon a time defied her father and had a romantic relationship and marriage with Matt Farrell that ended in betrayal. Her family’s business is now facing the threat of a takeover and Meredith has to deal with Matt. There is a lot uncertainty, restlessness, and bittersweet memories as tensions build. Can they grasp the tender miracle that has brought them back together?

Julie Mathison the lead of the second novel of the series “Perfect” had been a rootless foster child who blossomed as she was showered with love by her foster family. She has grown into a vivacious and lovely young woman and a respected teacher as she lives according to high standards she has set for herself. She is determined to give back to the community that had given so much to her. She will not let anyone shatter the perfect life she had made for herself. But then she meets she meets the Academy Award-winning actor and director Zachary Benedict. He had lost everything he had after he was wrongly convicted of killing his wife. He had been sentenced to prison but had successfully engineered a daring escape. Outside the Texas prison, he had taken Julie hostage forcing her to take to his mountain hideout in Colorado in her car. Being the girl that she was, she is cautious, outraged but is still unable to ignore her instincts which tell her that he is innocent. He is wary and cynical but increasingly being attracted to her. They are about to be enveloped by the fierce embrace of passion but it is going to be a long journey to true commitment and trust. Proving his innocence is just the beginning of their relationship.

“Night Whispers” the second novel of the Second Opportunities series is about Sloan Reynolds a policewoman working in a small town in Florida. She was brought up in modest surroundings in Paris, away from the social whirl of Palm Beach where her sister and her father live. They have never tried to contact her until now when she gets an invitation to go to Palm Beach to meet and indulge them in the social season. She loves and values her job as an investigator, and does not think much of the gesture from her father to finally spend time with her. But then Paul Richardson her friend the FBI agent informs her that her father and some of his friends are prime suspects in a murder, conspiracy and fraud ring. Sloan is not one to let such an opportunity go and she continues with her plans to meet her father even as she never reveals her true identity as an investigator. She is doing so well undercover until a multinational corporate player and one of the suspects named Noah Maitland comes into the picture. She finds him so magnetic even as she is going against her instincts. But then a grisly murder bursts the façade of glamour and wealth surrounding her. She now needs to navigate through the maze of passion and deceit and find some ally she can trust.