Second Winter cover art

Second Winter

Preview

Audible Standard 30-day free trial

Try Standard free
Select 1 audiobook a month from our entire collection.
Listen to your selected audiobooks as long as you're a member.
Get unlimited access to bingeable podcasts.
Standard auto renews for £5.99 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Second Winter

By: Sophia Soames
Narrated by: Jaxon Jensen
Try Standard free

£5.99 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for £12.75

Buy Now for £12.75

About this listen

Ten years ago, Ned Anderson made the biggest mistake of his life.

Now he’s been invited to go back to Sweden for his exchange-year high school reunion. It’s a chance to reunite with all the people he once considered friends, and the invite promises a charcuterie board, open bar, all that…crap.

The biggest mistake of his life was leaving, and if he went back…Does he even want to?

Teddy Backman has become exactly what everyone expected of him. He runs his farm the way his father once did. Gets up in the morning and gets things done. Tries to remember what’s next. Wonders why he feels so violently lonely when he’s surrounded by so many good things. The sun. The sky. The earth. The trees. All the trees.

He’s already deleted that email—the one inviting him to someone’s idea of a joke. There’s no one from back then he’s interested in talking to, let alone drinking or, God forbid, dancing with.

A high school reunion is Teddy’s idea of a nightmare, and he probably shouldn’t let anyone drag him along. He’ll only regret it.

But what’s the point of regret in the grander scale of things? It’s not like Ned Anderson’s going to turn up, is it? The guy who fled straight back to Arizona without even a last longing glance.

Second Winter is the story of something that was always there. A second chance at happiness in the last place you’d expect to find it. This book is a standalone contemporary M/M romance with a HEA, dealing with the death of a loved one and the grief that follows. Please listen with care if these topics could affect you.

©2024 Sophia Soames (P)2025 Sophia Soames
Contemporary Romance Heartfelt
All stars
Most relevant

Listener received this title free

I love Sophia Soames’ writing, the detail, the thought, the humour is always there and this was still evident with the two Edwards - Teddy and Ned. I found the loss of Teddy’s dad and the letters really emotional and the Swedish cleaning quite fascinating yet still so very sad.

I liked the narration - Jaxon Jensen is new to me but their general narration style is easy enough to listen to.

Cute and yet quite emotional

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

Listener received this title free

This is one of those stories one reads that quietly captures one's attention, before you know it you're done with a satisfied smile. No big angst or drama, just 2 guys reconnecting after a brief encounter 10 years prior.
Ned finished high school as an exchange student, in Sweden where he meets (and falls for) Teddy. Sadly Ned returns to the US and loses touch with Teddy.
Fast forward 10 years: Ned is unsatisfied with his life, goes back for the high school reunion in Sweden and reunites with Teddy, who has been dealing with an ailing father.
Not all is plain sailing, the men have their baggage, grief and some insecurities to deal with, then there is some unrequited feelings for Teddy (by a good friend) that he has to deal with.
I felt the narrator did a good job, I knew who was talking. He conveyed the atmosphere of the story and the ups and downs of the MCs quite well.
Great for those who love second chance romances and/or stories with feeling.

Quiet, emotional story

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

Listener received this title free

The first time I've heard this narrator, and I hope to hear a lot more, it was particularly well done.
Story - 4.25 stars. This didn't feel the same as the other books I have read by this author, but it was still really good. The grief Teddy struggled with was sympathetically written, and the shock of the Swedish death clean was understandably traumatising. It was really sweet that Ned figured himself out in time to help Teddy, especially as they had barely connected during school. The scenery and other characters were lovely.

excellent

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

Listener received this title free

A lovely story set in Norway, which follows the lives of two men who are still figuring out how to live their lives for themselves.

Brought back together by a high school reunion, Teddy and Ned find themselves and happiness.

The story is tender and full of complicated emotions, but it has a quiet warmth and a beautiful payoff.

The audiobook is narrated by Jaxon Jensen, who is new to me. He has a lovely voice and delivered a compelling performance. I did struggle a bit to differentiate between the two characters, but otherwise, it was a wonderful listen, and I would enjoy hearing more from him.

beautiful

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

Listener received this title free

As always, this author's writing is fantastic, and created a tremendous sense of place. Second chance isn't my favourite, but it was done well here, and absolutely worth the pain, although it was truly heartbreaking at times. The narration was great, I loved the audiobook. Highly recommend you get this in whatever format, it's a beautiful story and somehow felt cathartic and healing.

beautiful story

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

See more reviews