As a book lover and avid traveler, I was drawn to "The Book of Second Chances" based on its a blurb. Emily, a young illustrator who has led a sheltered life, is drawn into a cross-European "treasure hunt" of sorts after the passing of her grandmother, novelist Catriona Robinson. Catriona left a letter and a series of clues, and specifies that Emily has 10 days to follow the leads to their conclusion in order to receive her inheritance, or she may lose the seaside cottage she loves.I thought the story was well written, and it was interesting to read Catriona's diary entries and uncover her past as Emily attempted to solve the clues. I enjoyed (virtually) traveling across Europe with Emily and her childhood friend, Tyler, as they encountered some of the people who had a huge influence on Catriona's life. There was an element of mystery and romantic tension woven throughout the tale, and overall, I felt the novel had a nice balance of adventure, mystery, and romance.The only thing that kept this from being 5 stars for me was that I found Emily to be too too self-pitying and too angry at the world to be very likeable or relatable. Yes, she was dealt a difficult hand, losing her parents and suffering a traumatic accident in her adolescence. But she was raised by a loving grandmother, and they created a much-loved series of children's books together. As a cancer survivor myself, I believe that a large part of overcoming adversity depends on your attitude. Remaining positive and always being appreciative of others helped get me through it. But Emily can be dismissive or borderline rude toward people who are trying to be helpful or express their appreciation for her and her grandmother's work.I think author Katherine Slee was trying to show a growth arc in Emily's character, and we do see her gaining confidence and perhaps a bit more empathy over the course of the novel. But she could have started off just being shy and unsure of herself rather than angry and self-absorbed, which I think would have helped readers relate to and root for her more. My perception of any novel depends in large part on my perception of the protagonist. And while I really liked Catriona and found her daring and intriguing, Emily came across as annoying and self-centered.The first maybe 1/4 of the novel focused a bit too heavily on Emily and her anger and her waffling over whether she wanted to follow the trail her grandmother set out for her. But it really picks up once she sets off for Paris, and I zipped through the last 3/4 of the story much faster. (After picking it up and setting it down a few times, I finished the last 3/4 of it within a day.) So if you can get past the first few chapters and see the novel through to its conclusion, I think you'll enjoy it as much as I did. On balance, I'd give it 4.5 stars, and I look forward to Katherine Slee's next book!