A Forty Year Kiss

by Nickolas Butler
A Forty Year Kiss cover
Good Books rating 3.67
Romance
Technical:
  • ID: 513
  • Added: 2025-09-13
  • Updated: 2025-09-13
  • ISBN: 9781420521498
  • Publisher: Thorndike Press Large Print
  • Published: 2025-02-26
  • Reviews: 3

A Forty Year Kiss is a deeply emotional and lyrical novel by Nickolas Butler that explores the second chance at love between Charlie and Vivian, who parted ways after just four years of marriage. Forty years later, Charlie returns to Wisconsin, determined to reconnect with Vivian and confront the regrets, secrets, and scars that have shaped their lives. The story is a tribute to mature love, redemption, and the hope that persists despite time and hardship. Butler’s narrative richly captures the texture of small-town life and the nuanced evolution of a long-term relationship, blending vivid imagery with a contemplative pace. The characters are flawed and realistic, navigating challenges such as alcoholism, abandonment, and economic hardship, making this a thoughtful and poignant exploration of love’s endurance and the possibility of healing after decades apart.

Reviews
Bookreporter.com · 2025-02-04
tender 4.25

The story is a tender and compassionate tale of rekindled love that avoids sentimentality by grounding the romance in the characters' burdens and backstories, making the love story feel gritty, real, and deeply moving.

This novel beautifully balances romance with literary depth by portraying its characters with all their flaws and histories, which adds heft and realism to the love story rather than diluting it. The connection between Charlie and Vivian is portrayed as an underdog romance worth rooting for, enriched by Charlie's redemptive relationship with Vivian's daughter, which adds layers of complexity and emotional resonance. The story is especially appealing for book clubs due to its lyrical prose and poignant themes of reconciliation and redemption.

Quick quotes

    Although it's a tender and compassionate tale, Butler is never overly sentimental or mawkish, choosing instead to let his characters' burdens and backstories ground the otherwise romantic plot and give it some real literary heft and muscle.

    Far from diluting the love story, this choice actually helps the romance between Charlie and Vivian come to life, almost turning it into a third character, the underdog you really root for.

    Perfect for book clubs, A FORTY YEAR KISS is dazzling in its lyricism and poignant in its takeaways.

NetGalley · 2025-02-04
realistic 2.75

The book offers a sweet and realistic portrayal of second chances in love, with well-woven themes such as alcoholism and adoption, but suffers from slow pacing and moments that felt rushed or unconvincing.

While the story presents a refreshing take on romance featuring older characters reconnecting after decades, some readers found the pacing slow and the development of key romantic moments abrupt, which affected their engagement with the characters. However, the inclusion of serious themes like alcoholism, abortion, and special needs adoption adds depth and makes the story stand out, and the realistic portrayal of flawed but likable characters is appreciated. The narration was generally well done, though some listeners struggled to maintain interest, indicating mixed reception depending on the reader's expectations.

Quick quotes

    A Forty Year Kiss by Nickolas Butler felt underwhelming, struggling to fully capture my attention.

    There is a scene early on, when Charlie goes all in and kisses Vivian - but it's almost immediately after reconnecting... it felt very rushed and if I'm being honest, I felt icky about it as Vivian wasn't quite there yet.

    Other than that, I found the relevant topics woven in, refreshing TW for alcoholism, abortion, special needs adoption.

Hungry for Good Books? · 2025-02-04
heartfelt 4.00

The novel is a warm, old-fashioned Midwestern love story that portrays older characters with depth and avoids stereotypes, delivering a heartfelt narrative about second chances and personal growth.

This story feels like a comforting mug of hot chocolate on a cold day, capturing the essence of a tender, realistic romance between two older people reconnecting after many years. The author skillfully portrays Charlie and Vivian as full, complex individuals rather than clichés, emphasizing their efforts to do the right thing despite their flaws. The setting and tone evoke a Kent Haruf style, appealing to readers who appreciate honest, grounded stories about love, redemption, and family ties in a Midwestern backdrop.

Quick quotes

    Butler is masterful in the art of portraying older characters without stereotyping them.

    A Forty Year Kiss is a mug of hot chocolate on a cold winter day.

    This is an old-fashioned, Kent Haruf-style, upper Midwest love story about good people trying to do the right thing.

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