Karolyn James

Oh my, What a thrilling novel! I loved that Shayna Searched for her twin, enough to put herself in an underground fight club that was run by the mob! I LOVED that Finn took one look at Shayna in a place he had no business being in and one smashed glass over a man's head and to save Shayna's life, he had to beat Zander's man, but it was only the beginning of his troubles. A fast paced novel that I could not put down, this novel as a few twists and turns!

4.8 stars

Good lord. This book punched me in all the feelings. It was so much more than the blurb. The two perspectives of how they were feeling gave such amazing insight of how one handles the loss of something and never really heals. Just as a piece of paper truly doesn't need to show if you are 100% committed it also doesn't mean that it means that those feelings are over. There is a tendency to make that piece of paper mean more than it does.

Axel and Shelby. Good lord. My heart hurt for show more them. Even though they were divorced their hearts hadn't gotten that memo about a dissolution of marriage and time to move on. They still loved unconditionally and always. Their love was like a gypsy; wild and free.

This is the second book about St Skin. I loved the first too. I think I need to go catch up on the rest. I'm invested in this "family" now. show less

4.8 stars

Good lord. Nothing like a punch to your heart. This book had me all choked up. The characters were real. You felt everything they felt. EVERYTHING. The letters gutted me. I cannot even put into words how beautifully crafted they were. I love that they were bookends to the story. It made it more personal.

This author collaboration is one of the best out there. You can't tell who wrote what. There is a fluidity to their work that is magical and special.

Family ... secrets ... and unexpected life changes ...

Sullivan Chasen is a successful billionaire real estate developer from Alexandria, Virginia. A man claiming to be his half-brother requests that he come to Ferry Creek, NC and fulfill his dying biological father's wish to meet him. One unexpected phone call, a DNA test, and a childhood photo will send Sullivan on a journey to confront a past and a family that he never knew existed, changing his life forever.

Bobby Strate took over running show more his family's diner, The Pot Diner, in Ferry Creek, NC when his father Bob was diagnosed with a terminal heart disease. His world is turned upside down when his dying father confesses that he has an older brother, and his dying wish is to meet him.

Jess Winthorne is a waitress at The Pot Diner. She fled from her parent's home when she became pregnant at the age of eighteen, finding comfort in the small town of Ferry Creek. But Jess' troubled past and secret baggage leaves her struggling to commit to any serious relationship ... that is until Sullivan Chasen walks into the diner.

Can Ferry Creek, a small town built upon the values of family and community provide a healing and redemptive balm and a chance of a new life and love for Sullivan?

In A Chance At Love, the first book in the Ferry Creek series, author Karolyn James weaves an intriguing tale that is so much more than your usual romance story. While the main storyline revolves around Sullivan's unexpected discovery of a family he never knew existed, the author cleverly interweaves the complicated personal histories and relationships of the various townspeople into the story, all with ties to one man who touched so many of their lives.

The author transports the readers to the small southern town of Ferry Creek, NC, where they get a real sense of family and community from a captivating and rich description of the town and its inhabitants. With an interesting and large cast of characters who are realistic, the reader can't help but get drawn into the intricacies of their lives, and the intimate community relationships that they share.

I think that A Chance At Love is an intriguing story that had more depth than what I originally expected from the book's description. I loved that the author introduces the reader to her new series with a glimpse into the small town and townspeople's lives, she whets your appetite and keeps you on your toes with enough emotional drama, secrets, and unexpected twists and turns that leaves you wanting more.

A Chance At Love is not your typical romance story, in fact it isn't the main focal point, and in a way I found that to be refreshing, as I was more intrigued by the secret past surrounding Sullivan's new found family and the complicated personal stories of the various townspeople. I look forward to catching up with the townspeople of Ferry Creek in the second book in the series, A Place To Heal.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Reading Addiction Virtual Book Tours.

http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot.com/2014/03/a-chance-at-love-by-karolyn-ja... show less