The Chance

The Chance

by Karen Kingsbury

About the book (from the publisher):

Years ago, the day before Ellie moved from Georgia to California, she and her best friend Nolan sat beneath the Spanish moss of an ancient oak tree where they wrote letters to each other, and sealed them in a rusty old metal box. The plan was to return eleven years later and read them. But now, as that date arrives, much has changed. Ellie, bereft of the faith she grew up with, is a single mom living in a tired apartment trying to make ends meet. Sometimes she watches television to catch a glimpse of her old friend - Nolan, now an NBA star, whose terrible personal tragedies fueled his faith and his athletic drive in equal measure. But Nolan also suffers from a transcendent loneliness that nothing has ever eased. In their separate lives, as Ellie and Nolan move towards the possibility of a reunion at the old oak tree, Kingsbury weaves a tale of heart-wrenching loss, the power of faith, and the wounds that only love can heal.


My take:

I have read and loved most of Karen Kingsbury's books. Her Baxter series are among my favorites, and I own most of them. When it came to this book, I was slightly disappointed. As I read the book, the story line seemed vaguely familiar to me. Girl moves far away from boy because of a family scandal. Boy continues to write letters long after she has moved away. They both have feelings for each other that last over the years. Where had I heard this story before? In A Moment of Weakness, with Jade and Tanner. Granted, it was not the same exact story, but it was close enough that it made me wishing for a different story and hoping that her future novels will not repeat some of the same story lines. However, all that being said, I still enjoyed the story because I enjoy all of Karen Kingsbury's books. This story also brings back characters from The Bridge, Kingsbury's 2012 novel, and I enjoyed hearing about them again. Kingsbury has a wonderful writing style, and an amazing gift for words. I truly enjoy reading her work and look forward to her next novel. I would have to give this one a "4."


About the author:

After graduating from college in 1986 with a degree in journalism, Karen became a full-time reporter for the Los Angeles Times. Her first book, Missy’s Murder, was based on a murder story she covered in Los Angeles as a reporter. She sold a version of the story to People magazine in 1989. A New York agent read her People story and asked her for a book proposal. The book hit stores in 1992. She then wrote three more true crime novels. Next she wrote four collections of answered prayers and miracle stories before transitioning to inspirational fiction in 1998.

Her first novel, Where Yesterday Lives, was a real challenge for Karen to get published. Although publishing companies said they liked the story, they were not sure what to do with it since it didn’t contain foul language and had no sex scenes. Finally, the Christian publishing house Multnomah, published her novel and gave her a multi-book contract. Her books made a real connection with contemporary romance fans. Since her first novel, Karen has written more than 40 faith based novels, many of which have hit #1 on national lists. There are more than 15 million copies of her award-winning books in print.

Dubbed by Time magazine as the “queen” of Christian fiction, Karen receives tens of thousands of letters from readers who say that Karen’s fiction has dramatically changed their lives. These letters and e-testimonials of improved marriages, spiritual awakenings and new found hope have enabled her to formally trademark her work Life-Changing Fiction™.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Howard Books through NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising