From the bestselling author of Shotgun Lovesongs comes A Forty-Year Kiss, a poignant novel that explores the complexity of love lost and rediscovered. Nickolas Butler’s tender, lyrical storytelling breathes life into the enduring connection between two people who circle back to each other after decades apart. Read on for A Forty-Year Kiss book review.
A Forty-Year Kiss Book Review
Set in the quiet heart of Wisconsin, the novel follows Charlie and Vivian, once married but long divorced. Their marriage lasted only four years, yet it left behind lingering emotions, silent regrets, and a love that never fully faded.
Charlie returns to their hometown, haunted by the past and hoping for closure. He soon learns that time hasn’t erased the wounds—but it has brought new clarity. Vivian also carries the weight of grief, missteps, and unsaid truths. Together, they step into old shadows and explore what might still remain between them.
Themes That Resonate: Love, Loss, and the Courage to Start Again
What elevates A Forty-Year Kiss beyond a traditional romance is its honest look at grief, alcoholism, aging, and the deep, sometimes painful work of forgiveness. Love doesn’t save everything here—but it does offer the strength to begin again.
The story gently reminds us that it’s never too late to rewrite our lives. Charlie and Vivian’s emotional arcs move quietly but powerfully, offering an intimate and quietly triumphant reading experience.
My Take
Reading A Forty-Year Kiss felt like taking a slow walk through memories that aren’t mine, but somehow felt familiar. The pacing was intentional, the characters layered, and the emotions quietly powerful.
This isn’t a flashy love story. It’s a story about timing—how life can pull people apart and how sometimes, unexpectedly, it circles them back together. Charlie and Vivian felt real to me, like people you might pass by in a quiet town without realizing the stories they carry.
Nickolas Butler writes with warmth and restraint. The love in this book isn’t loud—it’s steady. It’s in the small choices, the quiet pauses, the unspoken what-ifs. I appreciated how gently he handled themes of aging, reflection, and second chances.
By the final page, I wasn’t overwhelmed—I was thoughtful. This book doesn’t demand emotion from you. It simply invites you to consider the people and moments that shape us, and how love sometimes lingers in the background, waiting for the right time.
If you’re in the mood for something quiet but emotionally resonant—something that doesn’t rush to the point—this one’s worth sitting with.
Recommended For Readers Who Love:
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Literary fiction with emotional depth
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Second-chance romance
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Small-town Americana settings
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Quiet, reflective storytelling
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Stories about grief, healing, and hope
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More like this: Read my review of The Gravity of Us by Brittainy C. Cherry✨ Loved this post?
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