Then and now: Second Chances series

Three friends whose university bond was shattered by tragedy meet again after fifty years of silence for one weekend reunion. Reflective, warm-hearted contemporary fiction about ageing, regret and whether an old wound can still be mended.

Sandy is about to retire following an illustrious career as editor of an upmarket fashion magazine. Michael can't retire; he thinks his work explaining the dangers of climate change is far too important. Jonathan would like to retire from running his fundraising consultancy, but a family crisis is getting in the way.

These three were the best of friends at university before a tragedy wrecked their friendship. That was fifty years ago, and they haven't spoken since.

Sandy urges the other two to join her for a weekend reunion. Together they reminisce about their student days, a wild era with its heady mix of free love, drugs and ground-breaking music. They share their life journeys since the Swinging Sixties: the successes and failures, the happiness and despair, their optimism and fears for the future.

The reunion is drawing to a close. Dare they tackle the incident that tore them apart, the event that's carried guilt for so many years? If they're to have any chance of reconciliation, they have to. And their time together is nearly up.

Then and now is a standalone novel in the Second Chances series, a tale of love, loss and the chance to put things right, for readers who love reunion stories, sixties nostalgia, and friendships given one last chance. Perfect for fans of David Nicholls, Anne Tyler and Maggie O'Farrell.

'I didn't just 'enjoy' this book. I rapidly became mesmerised by it, lost in it, consumed to the extent that I couldn't put it down and had to stay up all night to finish inhabiting this timeless take on life, love, risks, wins and losses.'

What book review bloggers are writing about the novel:

"A gorgeous ray of sunshine of a book. I can't put into words how much I love this author's style of writing. The characters truly feel like people you know and their stories are very real but also captivating." Wrong side of forty

'Loved it all. Enjoyed it. Devoured it. Recommended.' Between the Pages Book Club

Full of humanity and gentle humour - another wonderful and thought-provoking read from R J Gould.' Ceri's Lil Blog

A poignant and life affirming read - I absolutely love this author's books and writing style.' Rachael, NetGalley reviewer

'Fiction at its best with the characters in the story living on in the reader's thoughts after the book is read.' Reading High Reviews

'An amazing book with lives examined, the past slowly revealed, and most of all, the truth told.' NetGalley reviewer

'I was gripped by this emotional and true to life story.' Beyond the Books

A fantastic read - a book that really pulls on the heartstrings.' TBHonest

'I loved Then and now. I was utterly hooked and thought the characters were brilliantly written. A great and superbly written, almost life affirming read.' Niki, Professional Book Reviewer