‘Take A Chance’ and Stay With It!
I was really interested in reading this book because of the author. Although she was writing in a different genre than usual, her previous books made me eager to try this current work. I must admit that it started out really slow for me. Usually, I know within the first chapter if I will finish a book. The first chapter of this book did not grab my attention. However, as the title says, I took a chance and continued to read it - and I am so glad I did. So, that is my advice to whoever may decide to read this book. Stay with it! The story will grab your heart as you watch each of these characters develop trust in their relationships while they handle their challenging situations.
My only dislike was the use of profanity throughout the story - although I am grateful it was kept to a minimum. While I understand that most of the characters were not Christians and the author was trying to make the characters down-to-earth and realistic, this was my least favorite thing about the book. For that reason I am giving it only 4 stars and I would not place it in the Christian fiction or Christian romance genre.
DISCLAIMER: I voluntarily received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. However, the thoughts and opinions given in this review are my own.

I recieved an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is a new-to-me author. I really enjoyed this story line, and the way it flowed. The characters are well written. I am looking forward to the second book!

After his mom dies, and his dad gets laid off and spirals downward, Kurt moves himself and his 17 year old brother, Sam to Bridgeport, He is trying to help Sam get opportunities he never had because he feels he has it in him. However, when a girl Sam likes is the laughing stock of the school because of a locker room picture taken of her, Sam avenges her. When Kurt goes to the school, he meets Emily, Sam's teacher and advisor. Will this make for an awkward school year for Kurt? Or a budding relationship?

I really enjoyed Take a Chance by Ms. Gray. I liked all of the characters. The hero was a man who became guardian to his little brother and was working hard on making a good life for them both. I also liked the heroine who was a school teacher who seemed to really love what she did. The story was easy to read and flowed well. The secondary romance with Sam and Kayla was sweet as well.

I have been a fan of Gray's Amish and historical books, so when I saw she had this contemporary romance available I wanted to read it. However, I was a bit surprised at the language that was used in the book. This is a clean romance, but I wanted readers who are accustomed to her historical and Amish books to know there are curse words in it. I'm not going to ding any stars off because it's not billed as Christian. This author is talented and I will continue to read her stories. In fact, I'm invested in these characters and want to read the next book in the series.
I just wish she didn't use curse words in the story. It would have been just as good without it.
*I was given a copy of this book by the publisher via net galley and this is my honest opinion.

Take A Chance reminds me of Susan Wigg's series; both Wiggs and Shelley Shepard Gray have a knack for creating an instant attachment between their readers and the characters whose stories they tell. When seventeen-year-old Sam's test scores astound his guidance counselor, she recommends that he attend school in a different city where he can have the best opportunity to succeed and have a better chance at college scholarships. Realizing this will give his brother an incredible opportunity, thirty-year-old Kurt becomes Sam's legal guardian and they move to Bridgeport. While it seems like a place where golfers and athletes fit in, as opposed to poker-playing landscapers, Kurt meets Sam's English teacher, Emily, and not only does he find a woman who loves him, but also introduces him to others who share similar interests. It's a quaint story with only a bit of drama -- definitely suitable for lovers of Hallmark movies and PG romance novels!

This is the first time I have read a Shelley Shepard Gray novel not set in an Amish community. Ms. Gray is such a talented and expressive writer, that she takes to any genre she writes in. I thoroughly enjoyed "Take a Chance", and look forward to "All In", which is the next in this new series. In "Take a Chance", readers are introduced to brothers Kurt and Sam, with Kurt a much older brother and a guardian to Sam; and we also meet Emily, an English teacher and adviser in the school Sam transfers into when the brothers leave their small West Virginia town and move to Ohio for increased educational opportunities for Sam. Ms. Gray's skillful storytelling brings us deep into the characters' lives as we see how Sam, and Kurt, draw on the values they were raised with to protect the women who are special to them. For Sam, its' his new girlfriend Kayla, at school. For Kurt, its' the teacher, Emily. Kurt also starts to embrace meeting other people in their new town and starts to bond with other local men including Emily's brother over poker.
At its' heart, this is a story all about relationship building, and how important such relationships are in every day life. I cannot recommend this book highly enough. I already want to re read!