I have now read several of Maddie Please’s books featuring “older women” in their 60’s to early 70’s and have enjoyed them all. This one is in many ways a sequel to The Old Ducks Club and includes a number of the same characters in the earlier book—Juliette, Sophia, Anita and Kim—but also features a new one, Denny (Denise) Lambert, recently retired and a bit bored. Denny’s step-sister Juliette calls to tell her she has gotten engaged and invites Denny to join a ten-day ”hen holiday” in Mallorca.

The ladies are a fun-loving group determined to continue to live an enjoyable life and soon sweep Denny into their adventures. In Mallorca, The villa next door turns out to be occupied by dedicated male bird-watchers, one unhappily married, one engaged, and one, Bruno, who was Denny’s university boyfriend of long ago. Though not a bird-watcher, he joins his friends on their holiday as he lives not far away..

The “hens” get into adventures, big and small, awkward and not and gradually give Denny a sense of needed female friendship. There is romance aplenty for these ladies “of a certain age” who are determined to live life to the fullest. The author drops amusing truths along the story, such as when Denny realizes “so we really are the older generation now, aren’t we?”

This book will mostly appeal to the more mature lady and gently teaches some great lessons on enjoying life at any age. My thanks to #NetGalley and #Boldwood Books for an advance copy. Highly recommended.

I've not read the linked first book to this; however, it was easily read as a stand-alone.
Denny is hitting a certain age and is welcomed into her older stepsister Juliette's group of Old Duck friends when a hen do is planned for her wedding.
The group of women end up in Mallorca, where Denny slowly learns to embrace her recent retirement and begins to think about whether she is happy alone or whether it would be good to meet someone to share her upcoming twilight years with.
It is a lovely read, where second-chance romances are discovered, and the author has rightly shown that you can have a good time at any age and dreams can come true!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an ARC.

This is the second Old Ducks book I have read and this one, like the first, did not disappoint. We met some ‘new ducks’. Real escapism and great fun.

“We were born to be real, not perfect”.

A sweetly wistful tale of aging, regrets, and second (or third, or even fourth) chances as we follow the Mallorca-based adventures of a group of British sixty-ish female friends, charmingly naming themselves “the Old Ducks”.

A Hen party in sunny Spain, to celebrate the new marriage of sixty-four year old Juliette, the fun-loving and uninhibited stepsister of Denny, our first person POV protagonist, could be the opportunity needed to recharge and redefine the recently retired, never married, ex government employee Denny’s “wasteland of empty weeks” now looming as her current life unfolds.

As Denny and her fellow Ducks discover the delights of their exotic vacation villa and the surrounding Spanish delights, a surprise beckons as a party of male bird watchers takes up camp in the villa next door. A surprise, and for Denny, perhaps an opportunity, to rekindle the flame with her long-ago University days ex-boyfriend - a love that ended without closure, or clarity, that has haunted her dreams for near-on forty years.

A lovely read, sensitive and thoughtful to the hopes and dreams that never age, and the possibilities, for each of us, at any stage of life, gracing every corner.

A great big thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for an ARC of this book. All thoughts presented are my own.

It’s never too late for second chances. In Mallorca.

Denny has just turned sixty, and she’s surprised to find herself adrift.

She has never married, nor had children, but has prided herself in pouring all of her energies into her work – to the extent of never taking vacations, certain the office couldn’t do without her. Sadly, she learns the office can do just fine when they place her on early retirement.

As she wallows in pity, her older stepsister, Juliette, invites Denny to escape Britain’s dreary weather on her bachelorette/hen holiday to Mallorca. There, Denny finds herself embraced by a feisty and fun-loving clutch of older women. Lifelong friends of Juliette, the Old Ducks quickly take Denny under their collective wings. Slowly, Denny crawls out of her shell and realizes she’s been sidelined most of her life, laser-focused only on work, while never truly living.

Enter former college love – aka The One Who Got Away. Between The Old Ducks and working through her feelings with her ex, Denny learns it’s never too late for second chances – in both life and love. This was a fun, feel-good novel, with amusing banter and reflections on embracing second (and third, and fourth) chances.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy - all thoughts are my own.

An enjoyable book. A group of friends in their sixties go to Mallorca for Juliette's hen do. Next door there is a group of similar aged guys on a stag do. Friendships develop. It's an amusing and perceptive book. Being slightly older than the group, I could really connect with the banter. A light-hearted fun book.

Another gorgeous read by Maggie Please. Well written, funny and feel-good it is so refreshing to read a story about older characters having fun. 5 big fat stars from me.

I absolutely loved The Old Ducks' Club so I was excited to read this follow up. However, it just didn't reach the same heights for me. There was still witty dialogue and a few hijinks, but it didn't seem to have the same depth or warmth. There were a lot of internal conversations and angst which got a bit repetitive, much of the storyline involved what they were eating/drinking and the conversations between characters were a bit dull.

I received this arc from netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

Light hearted and uplifting story. Reinforcing that you are never too old to change your life and mindset.
A week in Majorca for a hen do, an old boyfriend, new friends and fun exploring.
No pub crawls but laughter and good food, conversation and support.
Enjoy I did

A wonderful tonic of a read with lots of smiles! Denny has been invited to a hen do- a few days away in Spain with her sister and a couple of friends known as the Old Ducks. All are ladies in their prime and have been around the block a few times. Denny has remained single and is now happily retired, or at least she thinks she is. She realises she needs something more in life than just doing as she pleases getting up late. There’s a focus or hobby or activity missing as she wants to make the most of her life and there is no time like the present. On arrival, she hears a voice from the next door villa she recognises from almost forty years ago- a man she went out with. What are the chances? He broke her heart as he didn't stay in touch, despite Denny writing. No, she really can't fancy him now can she? Life is for living, but does that include a man in her life after all these years?
This is one of those reads where you can't help but smile. There’s a wonderful light heartedness about it and a sense of fun and even mischief. Maybe a book for those of us who have also been around the block a few times and also been through the wringer on the way. It’s a look at life through mature eyes and making the most of life and taking every opportunity. Of life's ups and downs and perhaps putting the past where it belongs- behind us with only a glance to it now and again. We’ve learnt from life and now’s the time to put our best foot forward and enjoy what we have with fun and laughter and putting our big girl pants on perhaps! An uplifting thoroughly entertaining read I so loved.
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Thanks Netgalley and the Publishers. I loved this as I am an Old Duck too, this made me smile about the antics of all the characters. Loved it.

So much fun to visit with the Old Hens again. A group of friends over 60 sassy smart funny.I enjoyed the addition of Juliette’s cousin Denny.A book to cozy up relax and enjoy.#netgalley #boldwoodbooks

The old ducks are back and still uo to their mischievous cheeky ways. This time julieetes cousin Denny has joined them
This group is always allt of fun. They are the definition of a hoot.

The Old Ducks are back together again, this time with Juliette’s cousin Denny. They all still get into a lot of mischief. They may all be over 60 but they know how to live it up. I like Denny a lot. It’s a fun read about the ups and down of being over 60 and friendship. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced free copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley..

This is a novel that reads like nonfiction at times. The characters are quirky and realistic. They make me chuckle. Their escapades, thoughts, and opinions are so diverse. Love and friendship. This talented author has written a cannot put down novel. Curl up in a cozy chair and enjoy. Travel with the ladies. Laugh with them. Escape for an afternoon. Thanks Netgalley.