This was lovely. It was beautiful and charming and felt like a warm cup of tea. It took me a little while to get into it but then I fell for the characters and was hooked. It’s tender and sweet and very sad at times but a great afternoon read.

A lovely book about taking your second chance. Delphine has been struggling to keep her head and those of her father and later her daughter Em above water since the death of her mother when she was 13. Now, she's lost her job at a cafe, Em is 11 and incredibly intelligent, and her dad is, well, still deeply depressed. A chance conversation with her daughter's teacher, however, leads to a job speaking French with Letty and then a role in a band. Em finds her a job in a cafe. And it all makes her think- can she go back and take her A levels and then move on to University? It's not easy, none of it is, and there are pitfalls along the way. I loved this for the characters- not just Delphine but the wise young Em, Letty, the people in the cafe, and so on. Delphine's kept a secret for years, one which will surprise you (it surprised me). Morrey is a great storyteller- she sweeps you up into Delphine's world and pulls you along. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. Great read.

Delphine Jones Takes a Chance by Beth Morrey. Pub Date: April 5, 2022. Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟. Delphine Jones is a young woman raising her daughter, taking care of her father and getting lost and feeling stuck in the unknown. She works at a low paying and thankless job, lives with her father and doesn’t have enough funds to branch out to get a place of her own with her daughter. Throughout the story, little scenes of inspiration start to unfold and Delphine begins a journey of reawakening, new experiences and hope. I absolutely adored this novel and loved how the story unfolded. Thanks to Penguin Group Putnam and NetGalley for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review. #netgalley #putnam #penguinbooks #delphinejonestakesachance #bookstagram #bibliophile #igreads #bookworm

This book has also been published with the title "Em & Me". It is the first book I have read by this author.

This is the story of Delphine Jones, who is raising a smart young daughter by herself. She lives with her father, who has never gotten over the accidental death of his wife. Delphine was once a gifted student who gave up all her dreams when she became a teen mom. One day in her dead-end job, an old schoolmate comes in and mocks her. As a result, Delphine is fired. This sets off a whole chain of events and Delphine begins to bloom.

That's so much to love in this book. The food, the music, the literature, the culture. Even the way the author wrote the story, the words she chose, there was something about it that just grabbed me. I found myself reading parts out loud.

I found myself cheering for Delphine. Each new person she met, each situation. We as readers knew before she did that things would probably work out, and it was a treat to see her gain confidence and bloom. I was very happy with the ending. I am looking forward to reading more by this author.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the chance to read and reviews this book. All opinions are mine, and are freely expressed.

Thank you, NetGalley

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, PENGUIN GROUP Putnam and by #NetGalley. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

It was a lovely story about a mom, daughter and sacrifice.

DNF. Unfortunately, this was a book I started multiple times but could just not get into. I appreciate having the opportunity to read this book, it was just not a good fit for me as a reader. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my gifted review copy.

Thanks to PENGUIN GROUP Putnam, I was provided an ARC of Delphine Jones Takes a Chance by Beth Morrey via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Delphine Jones had a baby at age 16, so this sets her on the path to having waitressing, barista and maid type jobs. After many failures, one of her bosses gives her the opportunity and along with her daughter’s encouragement, she decides to finally complete her high-school degree. Will she be able to be successful with the opportunities she is given, so she can provide for her daughter in ways she wasn’t able to before?

This book is about a mother’s journey to raising her daughter, so that her daughter doesn’t end up in the same situation. This heartfelt book shows the struggles of a single mom who with support from her family, friends and peers can become successful!

Even though this is quick read, it’s not an easy one as this book brings out all kinds of emotion covering topics of personal struggles, love, loss, rape, taking care of an aging parent,second chances and friendships. This would make a great book club pick as it will spark many great discussions.

I love a good reawakening. Delphine wins your her with he devotion to her daughter. She has you cheering for her as she opens her world to what may be. She wins your heart as she finds the means to trust her heart and mind in trusting that who she is now has grown from the young mother of her youth. A wonderful look at lives that are constantly evolving,and wonder that can be.

I received an ARC of this upcoming novel through NetGalley. Many thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley.

This is an uplifting story of a woman who is eking out a bare-bones existence living in her father’s basement while raising her pre-teen daughter and working a dead-end job she is ultimately fired from. She starts spreading her wings and taking chances to lead a more fulfilling life. Seeing her develop and grow is very rewarding.

Delphine Jones adored her daughter, and therefore accepted living in her childhood room and working a dead-end job. The universe, and her daughter, seemed to have different plans for her, as a string of opportunities came her way, extending her circle of friends and reviving her dreams.

This story was something special. As a single mom, I related so much to many of Delphine’s experiences. I also have a daughter who I adore and was worth making sacrifices for. It doesn’t mean you can’t want more, and as I read, I wanted more for Delphine. Her life wasn’t easy before she became a teen mom, and it got even harder after. Seeing Delphine step outside her comfort zone and take these chances was such a reward for me, and I was cheering her on every step of the way.

There was something really wonderful about the how the events unfolded. One opportunity lead to another, and some came with a side of healing for Delphine. The pain of losing her mother was something she carried with her, and she felt her memories of her mother fading more and more each day. Two of the characters who entered her world help her reconnect with her mother. This reconnection pushed Delphine’s healing process forward, and like almost all things in this book, it had a domino effect on her life, making other positive things happen.

The opportunities that came her way plus Delphine’s hard work and perseverance resulted in so many amazing things for her, but there was a little help from her friends. And, wow! What an incredible group of people came into her life. She already had the love of her spectacular daughter, but the new additions to her world made things even better. They helped restore her hopes and made her aspire for more. They pushed her, encouraged her, and supported her. Most of all, they believed in her. Cue the tears because I found it all really moving.

Overall: A beautiful and uplifting story of making changes and taking chances that really touched my heart.

"What are we but a series of evolutions?"

Deeply emotional and wonderfully uplifting, Delphine Jones Takes a Chance (releasing as Em & Me in the UK) is a beautiful story of second chances and the power we all have to not be defined by our circumstances. Delphine is a single mom of a brilliant little girl, still living in a dank basement apartment with her father, and works at a low-paying job. She is haunted by the death of her mother when she was younger, an accident that she still blames herself for. Then she saw her bright future evaporate when she found out she was pregnant at 16, but she wouldn't trade sweet Em for the world. The story opens with Delphine getting fired from her current job, and her dreams of achieving the future she always wanted - she and Em in a home of their own, furthering her education, finding love again - seem farther away than ever.

As we move through the story, Delphine gradually starts opening herself up to new opportunities, letting more people into her carefully-constructed world. Seeing her growth throughout this book, watching her self-confidence build and her heart and mind open up to others, is a wondrous experience. Through Delphine we see that life is indeed a series of evolutions. What we are today is not necessarily what we will be tomorrow, or next year, or when we're in our 80s. We come to understand that it is never too late to make a change, no matter how difficult the road may seem to be or how trapped we may feel by our current circumstances.

While Beth Morrey gives us a slew of marvelously well-developed characters in this book, my favorite has to be Letty. She is an elderly widow and is straight-forward and sassy and brooks no nonsense from anyone. In other words, she is everything I aspire to be at her age. Letty hires Delphine to come to her home so that she has someone with whom she can converse in her native French. Delphine grew up speaking the language with her French mother, but now finds herself a bit rusty. I studied French for many years in my younger days, but now find myself a bit rouillée myself. Despite that, I was thrilled that I could still understand almost every French word on the page. I guess it really is like riding a bike. 😊

If you are seeking a contemporary novel that brings you love and friendship in their many forms, deals with the lasting effects of grief, and shows you the power of finding your tribe, all with a smattering of quirky characters thrown in, then Delphine Jones Takes a Chance is definitely worth checking out.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Delphine Jones Takes A Chance is about taking life's chances and having your support group circle motivate you to awaken from a past. Delphine, a single 28 yr old  mother. living in London with   her 11 yr old  daughter , and in her father's basement flat she grew up in, sharing a small  bedroom (he ,still greiving after losing his wife when Delphine was 12).
Delphine's life feels a void and in a rut ,emotionally and financially. She expands her life with new things to bring more money in. A particular one, she converses with a  French widow who hires her to be a companion and speak in her native French language. Delphine, fortunately remembers some of the language and throughout her visits, is able to bring back french words she hadnt spoken since her mamma was alive
.Letty at the same time helps Delphine discover herself again,that she CAN do the things she wants to, and fall in love again. Reminds Delphine she can also have fun in her life and rediscover what she is capable of. 
Such as The musician trying to win her heart and the couple who runa local cafe jazz club . She joins the band and rediscovers her musical talents.
There is a also mystery  about  her daughter Em's father. Delphine knows her precocious daughter needs the truth about him. Em is questioning who her father is . This story goes back to a time as well,when Delphine was pg at age 16. here we find a new story about a love that could or couldnt happen.
I liked the uplifting challenges she takes in her life,knowing she can either stay in this rut forever or make changes to improve herself and her daughter's life . Her father also takes note on the emotional harm he has done in their lives . His grumpy moods or being depressed isn'ta good environment for either of them.
Em is the encourager here,she helping her grandfather and mom to change their worlds.
This is a story thats inspiring that we too can bring out the best we have to give not only to others but to ourselves.
Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Books Publishers for giving me this ACR copy to review.

My feelings toward this read are ho hum. As I read I felt like I was skimming along the surface, not able to dive deeply into the text. A young mother is striving to improve herself, get her degree, and shore up some issues from her past, especially dealing with her daughter’s father.
This novel just was not for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group (Putnam/Random House) for the ebook copy of Beth Morrey's Delphine Jones Takes a Chance. I enjoyed this story of Delphine's exploration of second/new chances in her adult life and how the narrative wove in a range of thoughtful literary and media references that gave added depth and nuance to the story. Delphine 's chances involve finding time, and perhaps motivation, to return to her dreams before unexpectedly becoming a mother before she could pursue higher education; the story also involves her return to embracing her love of singing, and exploring her mother's life and heritage (speaking French again) and continuing to process how her death when Delphine was twelve impacted Delphine's life and her father's as well. 3.5 stars rounded up

I enjoyed this book, wanted to love it a bit more than I did, as for me the pacing was slower than I wanted, which is not to say other reader won't enjoy the detailed development of Delphine's story and the weaving of chapters about her past with her present story. The major strength was the depth of Delphine's chances, it was not about taking a chance on love but about her as a multi faceted character, I really appreciated that her main focus was education and a career.

3 things I liked:
1. There are thoughtful parallels with her daughter's intellectual passions (cleverness!) and gifts, her daughter's emerging interest in knowing who her father is/was, all while she attends her mother's former school which brings back complex relationships and memories for Delphine, and her father's slow return to engaging with the outside world. I thought this was well done and added nice depth to the story and secondary characters.

2. The focus on multiple passions and interests for Delphine, it was nice to read a book that wasn't really about an adult woman finding happiness through a relationship but more finding joy in pursuing a range of interests and talents she has. It's nice to read a well rounded character.

3. Adult friendships were nicely integrated into the story, Delphine had a richness to her life already and I enjoyed seeing her have and explore a range of relationships in her life and add more friends and support systems throughout the story. She was a character with a lot of compassion and kindness that she gave towards others and there were a lot of people who liked her for who she was already, not just after she took chances.

Recommended for book clubs who enjoy contemporary and women's fiction, readers who like The Unsinkable Greta James and themes often explored in Taylor Jenkins Reid's books.

There was a lot to enjoy about this book; I really liked the characters, I liked the relationship between Delphine and Em, I liked Delphine's slow, slightly crooked unfurling. The different languages sprinkled throughout was fun and kept me googling. The plot wasn't gripping and some parts seemed to drag, but overall I found this book quite enjoyable.

I would like to thank Penguin Book and Net galley for the opportunity to review Delphine Jones Takes a chance as an ARC. Delphine Jones is a single mother living in England. Her daughter, Emily is a teenager and has never known her father. Delphine's mother is dead and she and her daughter live with Delphine's elderly father. Delphine became pregnant as a teenager and never finished school. She is working 2 jobs, trying to make ends meet. Her daughter is very bright and doing well at school, as Delphine was, until she became pregnant. It sounds like this could be a depressing story, but it is pretty uplifting. Delphine loses her main job and decides to take a chance, several actually, with the help of her daughter and friends, both old and new. The story toggles between the past ( Delphine as a teenager) and the present. Sometimes it is hard to follow, and some of the British terms ( will I ever get used to reading about A levels) can be confusing. It is a cute story, a nice take on a familiar tale. Thanks again for the chance to read this book.

Delphine, a young single mom struggling to get by, loses her job after an encounter with a customer/former classmate. This leads to her finding work at an Eritrean restaurant, becoming a sort of companion to an elderly woman who wants to practice her French, deciding to return to school for a degree, and joining a band. This was good. 3.5 stars rounded to 4.

Thank you @putnambooks for this @netgalley ARC of Delphine Jones Takes a Chance!

(US Pub Date: April 5th 2022)

This was such a sweet story, centering around Delphine’s love for her little family, with a twist near the end that hits you like a punch in the gut.

I loved seeing Delphine’s relationship with her father and with her daughter, Em, grow in direct parallel to her relationship with herself. It was realistic and flowed at just the right speed to pull you along with the first chance Delphine takes - and then all the ones that follow.

After becoming pregnant and dropping out of school at 16, Dephine Jones fell into a rut. The days became entirely about caring for her father - who is still grieving the loss of Delphine’s mother after nearly two decades - and her now eleven-year-old daughter, Em. Traveling from miserable job to miserable job, her days brightened only by the clever friend she’s found in Em, Delphine feels that she’s trapped both of them in a life they’ll never move up from.

But when she becomes friends with Em’s teacher, Delphine realizes that she can take a chance and finish the schooling she abandoned years ago. And when she realizes that she can take a chance on herself, she finds it’s easier to take another.

Before long, Delphine’s world is expanding to include new friends, hobbies, and joys - much to the delight of Em and her father. But opening up to the world that she’s shuttered herself from for so long also means that Delphine is opening herself up to questions from her past - and the answers will hurt more than just her.

Fun! I've purchased it for the library. I'm currently clearing out all of the books that were published in 2019-21 from my title feedback view!

This is the second book written by Beth Morrey. I read her first book, The Love Story of Missy Carmichael and knew I found an author to add to my “must read” list. I anxiously waited for another book to be released and I am happy to say that her second book is just as fantastic as her first!

Is it too early in the year to claim this book as my favorite for the year of 2022? I honestly do not think so. If it does not hold on to the title, I can state positively, it will definitely be in the top 5!

I was immersed into this wonderful story immediately. It is one of those stories that I wanted to race through to find out what would happen, and I also wanted to read very slowly to savor each word and never finish it, staying in this world Beth Morrey created. I did stop at 90% and forced myself to take the last bit slowly, knowing it was ending.

I really cannot express how much I adore the characters! Each one contributes so much to the plot. I care deeply for all of them. I especially love a book that has a character of the older population, and this book has Letty, who stole a piece of my heart. I admire Delphine so much, for constantly pushing through obstacles. Emily, who is only 13, is wise beyond her age and is a shining star to all that she encounters.

The precious gift of a loving mother/daughter relationship was a joy to experience through reading about Delphine and Emily. Personally having the blessing of unforgettable teachers, I applaud the accolades shown to them in this book. The story also deals with how grief can destroy the progress of living and how precious it is to have family and friends to support you.

I want to thank Penguin Group Putnam and NetGalley for giving me the immense pleasure of reading the advance reader copy, with no obligation to write a review. My review is written freely as a hobby, and is totally my own opinion, not influenced by receiving the ARC.