Second Time Around

Tragic events have turned Marcus Barlow’s world upside down. Unknown to his wife and family, he has turned his back on a lucrative career in the City which has provided them with everything. He wakes up on Easter Monday in the middle of a pandemic to find himself the custodian of two small children he has only known for a couple of months. In the aftermath of a tragedy, Marcus and his wife, Alice, face some tough choices. With two grown-up children of their own, their parenting days are almost over. A comfortable retirement lies ahead. Why would they want to become parents again for a second time in their fifties?

Engaging, humorous and resonant, Second Time Around is centred on the everyday lives of the Barlow family and their friends, as they face the challenges of the unprecedented events in 2020. With each of them struggling to cope with the reality of their own situation, a series of lies, deceptions and discoveries produces a rollercoaster of events and emotions for everyone. The family comes closer together around a key decision that would change all their lives – but at what cost?

Second Time Around is a sequel to Maybe It’s About Time.

• Publication date: 28 October 2026
• Page count: 560
• Dimensions: Height 234 mm; Width 156 mm; Thickness 39 mm
• Publisher: Troubador Publishing
• Format: Paperback
• ISBN-13: 9781806347018