Fresh from the Bookshelf: Chance of Loving You {Book Review}

There are times that I like a light read. Something with good heart-warming stories, but that moves fairly quickly and doesn't require a major plot connection to enjoy. Because of this, I really enjoy novellas--a series of short stories by different authors, all put together in one book. When I had the opportunity to review Chance of Loving You, a romance collection by Terri Blackstock, Candace Calvert and Susan May Warren, I jumped on the opportunity and hoped it would be the type of book I enjoyed.

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Chance of Loving You is a collection of three short stories revolving around the theme of the risks we take for love, yet each of the stories stands alone. Each story is also followed by a recipe!

For Love of Money

by Terri Blackstock

For Love of Money explores the fun idea of someone giving you a lottery ticket and it being the winning 20 million dollar ticket! This story takes it even further as it follows Julie and Blake as they experience this--but there's a kicker--Blake left the ticket as an IOU when he discovered he didn't have enough money for a tip at the restaurant where Julie was his waitress. Now she owns half the ticket--and half the 20 million dollars! They explore their instantaneous attraction to each other, as they deal with being thrust into the limelight and overnight millionaires. She is desperately trying to kick off her fashion design business, and he wants to design vehicles for the handicapped--can they deal with their attraction AND their instant fame without losing everything--including their reliance on God in the process? A recipe for Double Chocolate Cinnamon Cookies is included.

The Recipe

by Candace Calvert

The Recipe follows the escapades of Aimee Curan, a hospital dietary assistant, as she tries to win the Vegan Valentine Bake-off and prove to herself and the world that she's finally found her calling--cooking! Lucas is a CSI photographer who runs into Aimee while she's caring for one of her patients--his grandmother. Both are drawn to each other, but have inner battles getting in the way of love. Aimee can't see past her desire for success and recognition, and Lucas just can't let go of his rapidly fading away grandmother. Will they be able to take a chance on love, even if they both lose their heart's greatest desire? A recipe for Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble is included.

Hook, Line & Sinker

by Susan May Warren

Abigail Cushman is a grad student with a hunger for books and a fierce competitive spirit. Ross Springer is a senior trying to fill his brother's shoes leading the school's social events and trying to leave his mark on New Haven--one of the Christian college groups he is in charge of. Abigail is in love with Ross. Ross is in love with Abigail--But there is a problem. Ross is convinced that Abigail was in love with his recently deceased older brother Scotty and she still is hurting from his cruel declaration of such at Scotty's funeral. Now Abigail, leader of the Christian group Sojourners, is dealing her greatest challenge yet--can she lead the struggling Sojourners to victory in the big Deep Haven fishing contest--and beat Ross' New Haven group? Can she learn to fish from books alone and real in the prize--and maybe Ross' heart? A recipe for Tropical Salsa is included.

My Thoughts

I thought this was a pleasant read. Each story was definitely a stand alone and was well written.

For Love of Money actually reminded me a lot of the 1994 movie It Could Happen to You where a police officer offers to share his lottery ticket with a waitress in lieu of a tip. Perhaps the author had recently watched that movie and was inspired! LOL!

My favorite character in Hook, Line and Sinker was actually the mysterious fisherman at the contest who kept popping in and out, and seem to know everything there was about fishing--even what was in Abigail and Ross' tackle boxes. It was a very cute reveal when everyone learned the identity of this old fisherman.

Out of the the three stories, I think I liked the story of Aimee and Lucas, in The Recipe, the best. Aimee just had this spunk and quirkiness about her and this "love me with all my faults" personality that appealed to me. I thought the story had the most depth of all of them, despite its abbreviated length.

These books are contemporary inspiration fiction, which while it's not my favorite genre (I prefer the historical inspiration fiction), they are still heartwarming stories with a faith based plot--did I mention they all included recipes?? I'm a massive recipe freak-so I am copying these down to try! I would love to eat them all!

The reason I am giving it 3 1/2 stars is because I didn't LOVE the book--but I definitely liked it, enjoyed it, and would recommend it. If I had liked all the stories as much as the middle story, it probably would have gotten a 4 star rating. 

Chance Of Loving You

by Terri Blackstock, Candace Calvert, and Susan May Warren

ISBN #978-1496405371

Available as Paperback and Kindle

Chance of Loving You is a romance collection by Terri Blackstock, Candace Calvert and Susan May Warren. You can stay in touch with each of these inspiring authors to learn more about what they have in the works!

Terri Blackstock --view author info or connect on Facebook

Candace Calvert --view author info or connect on Facebook

Susan May Warren --view author info or connect on Facebook

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