Taking Chances: A Novel (Taking Chances, 1)

Taking Chances is a book that will probably stay with me forever. After it being recommended by several blogging sites I decided to give it a whirl and to be fair wasn't disappointed I have never loved and hated a book all at the same time. I made the mistake of reading a few reviews with spoiler alerts so in a way thought I knew what was coming...how wrong was I! I instantly fell in love with the first half of the book.The story was relatable and the characters likeable, I have never been torn between two male characters before however, then came the middle of the book.... ********** SPOILER ALERT ********* Killing off one of the main male leads after the story was developing into something beautiful completely ruined it for me had the story continued with Harpers and Chases story I would have given this book 5 stars however, it pulled at emotions I didn't even know a book could I "ugly cried" for hours after making it as far as the funeral then for me I was done I decided to leave the book and not finish it as I couldn't handle the upset which hats off to Molly McAdams, she did what most authors can't and that is getting the reader completely involved within the story. After a couple of weeks, several books later and a box of tissues at the ready I decided that I could not leave the book unread I needed to know how things panned out and I am so glad I gave it another chance. Yes I still felt defalted at how the story developed but I am glad that I finished it I feel I should have a T-Shirt made saying "I read Taking Chances and Survived". The story is of love, devastation, loss and a happy ending it certainly isn't for the faint hearted but I do believe its a must read and it is a definite book that will stay with you.

I would like to start by saying that I did have some issues with this story as you are already aware I hate cheating BUT I have to say that this story-line really did work. I did feel as if the characters were unrealistic (except Chase) however their dynamic really worked and provided a compelling plot. Told in first person narrative from Harper's point of view. She has had a very different upbringing, her mother died in childbirth, her father is a career marine who raised her as if she were one of his recruits. He doesn't pay her attention or give her affection (which she craves) while being overbearingly strict. Harper moves a long distance across the country in order to attend college and attempt to discover who she is as an individual free from her fathers control. Harper is very naive in a lot of respects not able to read people very well and this can lead to some embarrassing moments. Harper's new roommate, Bree is a vivacious character and initially the complete opposite to Harper. Bree takes Harper under her wing and gets her to relax. They soon become close friends, no matter where Harper goes people feel protective of her, its as if she gives off an invisible vibe that she needs looking after even though she is quite a strong, confident character. Bree and Chase's family are amazing, they are very loving and open, something Harper hasn't experienced before and it makes her realize what an emotional wasteland her childhood was. The family take Harper in as one of their own which while being heart warming did confuse with me with their reactions to certain events putting Harper before their own children just did not ring true in my mind. Harper doesn't really get a chance to develop as an individual as she originally intended with her move to college. She quickly becomes embroiled in not one but two every intense relationships. I absolutely hate cheating but Molly McAdams is able to pull this one off without me wanting to throw the book across the room. I could see the appeal of both Brandon and Chase, although Brandon does seem a little too good to be true. Harper's innocence shows through the narrative in the way she handles the situation. Chase is definitely the tattooed bad boy for me. The idea that Harper inspired him to be a better person is the essence of love for me. While I was not at all happy about the way the plot panned out I will say that it was a necessary tool in order to control the story-line. I did feel as if the feelings and relationship that Harper had for Chase were a little trivialized in the second half of the book. While the characters may not be realistic and the situations extreme the story revolves around second chances, showing it is never too late to be the person you want to be. You control your own destiny and can create your own family, circle of friends filled with ...

** spoiler alert ** I'd like to say from the beginning that I usually don't like love triangles, I just can't imagine being in love with two people at once. It goes against what I feel 'love' is to me. That said, I really did enjoy this book. I bizarrely wish it could have existed just as it is but without her being in love with two men! Impossible I know! Of course, I did know it was a love triangle before I started it so I couldn't really hold that against the book. How I usually react to love triangles is getting exceptionally annoyed at the female character. I just want them to make a choice and get on with it already. In this case though I actually liked Harper. Molly McAdams did a great job of allowing me to feel it how she felt it, to empathise with Harper, to want the best for Harper. There were times I was reading with a big grin on my face because I was so happy for her, and times where I was anxious, angry, distraught. I felt it all. It was a very emotional book. I was Team Chase all the way and expected to dislike Brandon. I find I always pick a side in a love triangle and the other character, the one they rarely end up with, I find boring, often too 'perfect'. In this case Brandon was a little too perfect for my tastes, I mean no-one is that thoughtful (male or female), but I ended up feeling quite warmly about him. I think it was the desperate emotions portrayed when Harper left after the fight and the fact that he did actually make a mistake once in awhile. Obviously I cried when Chase died but I think it was brave of the author to do this. I was sure of where the book was going up until that point and was just confused that I was only half way through. Boy was I wrong. My reason for not giving the full 5 stars is twofold. Firstly, I couldn't fully stomach Harper loving them both and her going back to Brandon to quickly and everyone being all happy about it. It just seemed too quick and weird everyone just accepted it. Where do all these selfless, understanding people live? I'd like to know. If it had been my brother I might have come round eventually, but not that quick. Secondly, I felt that tying up all the loose ends of Carter and Sir and following them the next 4 years just dragged a bit. The momentum of the story and my interest in the characters wained a bit after they got married. I'm not sure I needed more out of the story. To sum up I feel that the author did a great job of painting characters, main and side characters, that felt real and that I cared about. I think I'll be still thinking about them for a few days, like they're family. This was an emotional read full of love and heartache, just perhaps a little too long for my tastes.

I bought this eBook from Amazon after reading good reviews for it. I have to admit that it was the cover that really caught my attention - it just screamed love triangle at me and if you're a regular Me, My Books and I reader you'll know that I love a good love triangle. Harper had a fairly sheltered but strict upbringing which included being home schooled by her father who was in the Marine Corps, she was about to head to college and was looking forward to the freedom that it would give her. Having been brought up surrounded by Marines all Harper's friends were guys and I thought that this would make her pretty clued up on the male species, it turned out that I was wrong! I enjoyed Harper's reactions to everything as she discovered her new surroundings and lifestyle, she seemed to transform in front of my eyes. The confusion she felt when she met Chase and Brandon was palpable, I could completely understand this confusion because they were both hot and sexy guys who were chasing her in a very irresistible way. If you're a fan of fictional love triangles I'm pretty sure you'll love this book because that side of the story was very intense and exciting. Other than the love triangle (yes I really did love that part) I also enjoyed the various fight scenes and crazy parties because they always seemed to be so full of drama. There were lots of twists and turns that kept me interested, even though some of them were a little bit predictable. At one point during the story I felt sure that something bad was about to happen and when it did I was really shocked about what it was - I actually found myself in floods of tears. It wasn't all drama and tears though, there were a quite a few light-hearted, funny moments and also some wonderful heart-warming scenes which were very touching. The whole book had a young feel to it and after so many ups and downs I felt pleased that it came to a satisfying conclusion. It did contain some sexual scenes so if you are likely to be offended by this then it may not be a book for you. This was a fantastic tale of self discovery and heartbreak, it was everything I had expected and more!

A few weeks back, I read Taking Chances. It was another book that came out and was getting a lot of buzz right away. Who am I to argue with buzz, people? I downloaded it and immediately started reading. The story follows Harper, a marine brat who has been home schooled on a military base in North Carolina by her father. Her dad, whom she always calls Sir, is a tough guy to love. He's cold, distant, strict, and a man of very few words. Unfortunately, she never knew her mother as she passed away when Harper was born. "If anyone were to ask, I would let them know that I was raised by a bunch of immature jarheads that I adored, not my father." - Harper After eighteen years of life with her dear old dad and the marines he's trained, Harper is finally off to college on the other end of the country - in California at San Diego State University. Let the self-discovery begin... Breanna is Harper's new roommate and soon to be best friend. She is fun, gregarious, stylish, and just what Harper needs for her new start. Understand that Harper has never worn anything other than the clothes she could get on base at the Post Exchange. She has never dated, never been kissed, never done ANYTHING really. Breanna is a girl's girl and is insistent that Harper embrace her feminine side. She gets her set up with new clothes, new make-up and is determined to get Harper caught up on everything from fashion, to parties, to boys. The drama kicks in almost immediately when Harper accompanies Breanna to a party thrown by her brother, Chase, and his buddies. Chase, Breanna's brother, is a confident hottie with blonde hair, blue eyes, a killer smile, and tattoos on his taut body. From their first encounter, he evokes strong emotions in Harper which always seem to ride the line between love and hate. "He had that bad boy model look going for him, and unfortunately he knew it." - Harper Needless to say, they see each other as a challenge and their snide remarks to each other are laced with sarcasm and desire. Chase even has a few nicknames for her which everyone else picks up on immediately - Princess and his personal favorite, PG. "One of these days, you'll be begging for me to touch you." - Chase When Harper meets Brandon, she is just as attracted to him as she is to Chase albeit in a different way. Brandon is interested in her too... and Chase notices. "I wasn't used to feeling anything for a guy, and now I couldn't stop going back and forth between him and Chase." - Harper Brandon has short, buzzed hair, a warm smile and single dimple on his right cheek. Unlike Chase, Brandon isn't a man-whore and conversation comes easy between the two of them. Although Chase does his best to lay claim to Harper and come between her and Brandon, he is unsuccessful and they fall into a relationship pretty quickly. <...