A Smart Girl’s Guide to Second Chances

Steph Vizard | Paperback | October 2025

What happens when the man who broke your heart reappears just before your wedding?

The new romantic comedy from award-winning author Steph Vizard for fans of Beth O’Leary, Mhairi McFarlane and Lizzy Dent.

To Do List

1. Replace decapitated groom cake topper

2. Complete twenty-page questionnaire for second-choice celebrant

3. Break family curse

4. Ignore ex-boyfriend / current client

Rebecca, a super-smart consultant, is determined to defy the family marriage curse, which claims no woman marries their first fiance, and prove that Matt is The One.

Although the wedding planning lurches from one disaster to the next and she has to steer a major work project before the big day, Rebecca is sure she can stay on top of things. That is until Alex the ex who dramatically broke her heart at Oxford University reappears in the boardroom as her new client. How dare he still be as infuriatingly clever and hot as before? And sincewhendid he start wearing shirts with collars?

As Rebecca’s past and present collide, she realises her choices can’t be resolved with a trusty pros and cons list. Before she makes it down the aisle, she’ll have to finally come to terms with the age-old question: head or heart?

Praise forA Smart Girl’s Guide to Second Chances

‘Get ready to feel deeply and fall in love hard.A Smart Girl’s Guide to Second Chancesisas smart as it is swoony.’ Ali Berg & Michelle Kalus

‘Charmingly brilliant and brilliantly charming’ Jodi McAlister

‘A fun, perfectly executed romcomthat plays cleverly with the idea of missed connections and what-ifs … Vizard’s characters are intelligent thirty-somethings whose personalities work against the stereotype of the emotionally naive or unstable female protagonist so often seen in coming-of-age romances. Readers who enjoy multilayered plots that extend beyond the novel’s central relationship will enjoy the triumph of friendship in Vizard’s sophomore novel …Readers of Emily Henry, Abby Jimenez and Mhairi McFarlane will be swept awaybyA Smart Girl’s Guide to Second Chances, an Australian romcom that deserves the bestseller status of its international counterparts.’Books+Publishing

‘I haven’t been this gripped by a love triangle since Mark Darcy and Daniel Cleaver.Smart, sweet and oh so satisfying‘ Karina May, author ofThat Island Feeling

‘Steph Vizard once again pulls off a highwire high concept mash-up of delectable romance tropes – love triangle, second chance, A CURSE – and grounds it with deeply human, loveable characters. Think Richard Curtis, via Melbourne, with a dash of Oxford glamour and lens-flared young love. This is asparkling, cinematic and satisfying modern romance, deftly written.’ Clare Fletcher

‘A standout. Sharp, witty and utterly charming, I devoured this in one day. An absolute joy to read, from the first page to the last. Perfect for fans of Mhairi McFarlane’ Jessica Seaborn, author ofIsn’t It Nice We Both Hate the Same Things

‘Warm, witty, and delightfully romantic.A Smart Girl’s Guide to Second Chanceswill tug at your heart and leave a soft lump in your throat. With whip-smart dialogue, tender moments, and an ending that truly feels earned, Steph Vizard knows exactly how to keep readers turning pages well past bedtime. Curl up, and enjoy every heartfelt twist.’ Holly Brunnbauer, author ofWhat Did I Miss?

——–

Author Info

Steph Vizard is an Australian writer and lawyer. After studying literature at Oxford University, she worked in publishing in London. Her debut romantic comedy,The Love Contract, won the 2022 HarperCollins Banjo Prize and has been optioned for a TV series by a major UK production company. She is a connoisseur of salt and vinegar chips and lives with her family in Melbourne.