Took a little bit of getting into this but I am glad that I kept going, lovely story, well written and I enjoyed it. I bit of a surprise at the end but very welcome. Beth writes super novels and this one was no different. Well done. 4 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for this early ARC

I’d like to thank NetGalley and Boldwood Books for approving me for an ARC of this book.

I love a feel good romance with loveable characters, a brilliant family and plenty of drama. The Donovan’s were fantastic, they reminded me of a family from a tv show I used to watch, 7th Heaven. They were chaotic, close knit and infectious, at the centre of it all was the mum Gabriella. She was the glue that held them all together and I often found myself giggling at her brutal by honest way of addressing everything. The sisters all had their quirks but Sofia was my favourite, despite what she was going through she always managed to find time to help one of the others and make them see sense. She was definitely cut from the same cloth as her mum, with a more subtle way of being honest, and managed to look out for her siblings even when they didn’t realise. Bridget was my least favourite sister, she almost seemed a little spoilt to me. From the start her manner and way she treated Cooper seemed really off and I couldn’t warm to her.

During the story the author explores the long term illness ME (chronic fatigue syndrome). This is a fairly new illness that not many know an awful lot about but Beth Moran explores the side effects and plights that many with this illness face. I thought the inclusion of it was done really well without being too clinical and over the top and she has definitely shined a light on an illness that is often tagged as someone being lazy, which it certainly isn’t!

The whole concept of getting married at first sight is completely unusual but highly entertaining! I don’t know if I could be brave enough to do it but Emma’s reasons for joining seemed to make sense to me. I felt sorry for her because she legitimately went into it in the hopes of finding her happy ever after and Cooper joined to get over Bridget, which is of course what you should do when getting over someone! After they were married I enjoyed seeing how they both adjusted to this new way of life. As the story went on I really warmed to them as a couple and thought Cooper was turning into a lovely partner for Emma. Whilst they had some issues to work through they both seemed willing to give it a try.

This was more than a story about being married to a stranger. It was a story of hope, family, belonging and taking a chance. Whilst I wasn’t keen on the ending I did love the Donovan’s and all they had to offer. The strength of sisterhood was tested and there was plenty of moments to make laugh and well up. The perfect bit of light reading as the warmer weather hits.

Take A Chance On Me is full of family dynamics. A loving family of five sisters, a disease-stricken father, a bossy mother, and all who join the gang as family or friends highlights modern “scientific” dating love matches against the backdrop of a noisy, messy, fully-engaged family showing the good, the bad, and the ugly. Nurture versus Nature is depicted as love stories are examined. The age-old “marriage ban/contract” is examined as the questions of whether love is developed or naturally designed attraction between two people. The loyalty of family and friends is tested, and love wins!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review. 

This book has an interesting premises- I was immediately intrigued by the idea of doing an experiment to find your soulmate.  It is certainly a creative storyline! I found it a little difficult to keep track of all of the family members and other characters though, and all of their storylines. I have a few friends who love "ensemble" reads who would love this but I felt slightly scattered.

With a household of sisters, the marriage bells were bound to ring, but what happens when you're the "odd" sister out?  Everyone expects the eldest down to marry, but when Emma (the eldest) is caught without an ALTAR-native plan, the needling begins.  Grant it, it's all from the heart, but it doesn't make it hurt any less, even if she doesn't really let it show.  Meanwhile, Cooper is stilling struggling to get over his longtime, long held love affair with her sister.  I mean, it's not everyday that you change the course of your life studies because a pretty girl has turned your head and your heart.  It seemed bound to be written in the stars, but turns unrequited when those feelings are never revealed.  Now, the "object" of his affection is getting hitched to another, and his lonely heart is left adrift.  Enter the experiment of a lifetime, thought could make or breaks hearts!  Matchmaking has been done for eons, but never quite with this amount of scientific input.  One match made, and a bet between professorial minds is in play.  Could this be the push they both need to reach their happily ever afters?  Or will it be the final straw in proving to them both that the good guy/gal never wins?

I enjoyed getting to know these two characters then AND now.  It was great to see how their experiences shaped their lives, and the possibilities that this chance pairing might open.  They both had good hearts, and deserved to find their own happiness....much like many of those in our own lives.  Sometimes that chance encounter, that random right turn instead of left, the moment that kept us from being on time versus late, adds up to something more wondrous than we can imagine.  Following these two on their journey of the heart was both heartwarming and humorous, just as a love story should be.

Recommended for Contemporary Romance fans.

Beth Moran’s Take a Chance on Me is a book you will just want to dive into. Sparkling with warmth and humour, Take a Chance on Me is a brilliant tale about the joys and frustrations of a tight-knit family, the many surprising paths life take us down and falling in love when you least expect it…

Much to her Italian mother’s frustration, Emma Donavon seems to have taken up permanent residence on the shelf. While her four younger sisters are all either married or engaged, Emma seems to have no luck when it comes to finding her own Mr. Right. With her mother forever wailing that there must be something wrong with her and despairing of ever reversing her dating fortunes, Emma decides to take a compatibility project to get married at first sight. Emma might get her mum off her back as she will finally have a ring on her finger, but does she know what she has let herself in for? One thing is for certain: she is going to get the shock of her life when she finds out just who will be the person waiting for her at the end of that aisle…

Patrick Cooper cannot remember a time when he wasn’t in love with Bridget Donovan. Unfortunately, Bridget is in love with somebody else and Patrick knows that his feelings for her will never be reciprocated. Down on his luck and with his life going nowhere fast, Patrick thinks that the time has finally come for him to take stock and stop wallowing in the doldrums. Sick of life passing him by, the very single Patrick decides to take the bull by the horns and jump off the shelf he seems to be permanently perched on, but little does he realise that his decision to take a leap into the unknown will change his life forever, but will it be in the way he had hoped for? Or will he end up regretting this impulsive decision?

Emma and Patrick have both taken a chance on their happiness, but will the end result provide them with what they have been seeking for so long? Or will heartache and disappointment be what they will have to look forward to in the future?

Beth Moran’s Take a Chance on Me is such a lovely book. A delightful romantic comedy guaranteed to lift your spirits, Take a Chance on Me is a brilliantly funny, heart-warming and feel-good tale full of wonderful characters you would just love to have as close friends. Emma was a fantastic heroine you cannot help but warm to and Patrick is a character you will just root for. Add plenty of humour, drama and emotion and you have a spellbinding rom-com that makes for absolutely perfect escapism.

A highly recommended tale that will make you laugh and cry, don’t miss Beth Moran’s latest novel, Take a Chance on Me.

A gorgeous, romantic book, that will whisk you away to sunnier happier times. Make you forget what we are living through at the moment and pop a smile on your face as you sink into a lovely romance.

This was such a beautifully crafted novel. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this and was so sad it ended. Wonderful characters and a great feel good story.

When I received Take A Chance on Me by Beth Moran I was eager to jump right in as the idea of a compatibility test dictating your love life intrigued me, and the book certainly teaches you that it's not. 

 

But back to the book, The Donavan’s are a large Irish/Italian family, who’s 5 daughters are now adult’s, experiencing their own lives, and when all of her younger siblings are either married or getting married, Emma wanted that too and was even willing to take a compatibility test for her sister Bridget, along with Bridget’s best friend Cooper. But as you may have guessed it all ends in disaster, pain, and betrayal. And you are left wondering if the Donovan’s will ever be the same. 

Overall I found Take a Chance on Me an enjoyable read, though I will warn you this book is not for the faint of heart, it jumps from family member to family member and you get a little dizzy in parts, and at points, I wondered if it was just too much of one book, that maybe it would be better in a series, as I never fell headfirst into the story, but felt like I needed to get out a not book to keep everyone straight.  

Now when it comes to the characters I have to be completely honest and tell you that I disliked Bridget, there was just something about her at the beginning that niggled at me, and by the end, I just knew I was right. Cooper annoyed me at times and honestly, he seemed like a bit of a wet noodle. I loved Emma, from her wish to be married to her courage to be the bigger person, she really was an absolute star.

I’ll start by saying I really enjoyed the writing of this book. The flow, the character development, the stories within stories. It was all good. Each character had a background and their own things going on that we knew enough about to be invested in, without it overtaking Emma’s story. 

With that said, I wasn’t a full fan of the story itself. I absolutely hated Cooper. He was terrible and selfish and was doing something that would only end up hurting the people around him. I never liked or trusted him, and hated the fact that everyone let him go about his business. Reading this as Emma’s story, it’s heartbreaking knowing Coopers truth, and having a feeling that things won’t work out for Emma. 

I enjoyed Emma as a character until her enlightening speech at the end. I just hated her high and mighty stance and the fact that she has just given up completely on other people. It wasn’t real to me that she would reject everything around her so much.

When I checked out the reviews for Take a Chance on Me, I was thoroughly shocked. How could everyone not love it as much as I do?

The cast of characters were wonderfully full and bursting with personalities. You could not want more from a character stand point. So many different women, all in different plaes, with so many different points of view.

The plot was original while also fitting neatly into the romcom world. I noticed a trend in the reviews saying they were disappointed because the book didn’t turn out the way that they thought it would. So, basically, you dislike a book because it wasn’t predictable and exactly like thousands of other books within the genre?

I usually try ridiculously hard not to put spoilers in my reviews, and I am going to try with this one, but I have to express my love for Take a Chance on Me and in doing so, how I believe other reviews were wrong. Along the way, I might spoil some things. At the very least, I will give you a general idea of how the book unfolds, which could affect how you read the story. Please stop now if you want to avoid all types of spoilers.

*POSSIBLE SPOILER ALERT*

The reason Take a Chance on Me works so well is that it isn’t exactly what you would expect. Yes there’s a couple and they are put together, but does that necessarily mean that they will fall in love? Is it possible that within the romcom genre we could have a book that shows a more realistic outcome to extraordinary situations?

Instead of trying to force books into what you want them to be, just let a book tell you its story. Read the authors words, hear their story, and take it in for what it is. This is exactly why I only read a bit of blurbs. I do not want to put my expectations on someone else’s work.

Every book is that author’s story that they have chosen to tell, and I wanted to read Beth Moran’s story. I’m so glad I did.

Conclusion
A wonderfully fresh take on the romantic comedy genre that’s both heart warming and funny.

Readers beware! Prepare to laugh and cry at a story about Sisters and Sisterhood, about love at first sight and sibling loyalty. About the joys and pain of parenthood, about the strength, yet fragility of Family bonds. What’s not to love?

Emma comes from a large Irish family and is the last of her 4 Sisters to be married or engaged, despite not being the youngest. She was cheated on by her then fiancé 8 years ago.

Bridget, Emma’s younger Sister ends up running a compatibility project to win a bet for her bumbling boss; he claims to have the secret to the perfect match. The best applicants turn out to be Emma and Bridget’s colleague Cooper; unbeknown to Bridget, Cooper has been in love with her since the day they met. What can possibly go wrong!?

I thoroughly recommend reading this book for yourself, to find out if Emma goes through with marrying Cooper, and whether or not Bridget comes to realise that her Sister’s scientific match is more in love with her, than Emma.

The editors blurb sounded like it would be a fun light read.  A mental getaway of sorts about a sort of loving slightly crazy, but judgmental big love filled family all trying to get through life and trying to find love. This turned out not to be that book for me.  Emma is the oldest sister and still single, which in her family makes her a pariah. Her mother keeps wanting to know “what is wrong with her” and “where she went wrong”.  Ugh. Trite, old school and truly makes her an horrible parent that everyone in the family for some reason kowtows.  Emma is a good person who has been emotionally beaten down and has pretty much given up on everything except her ability to make amazingly beautiful and creative wedding cakes.  She has been on so many dates that have lead nowhere, except further self doubt from herself and driven home by every single member of her family.  Then there is Cooper, who has been hopelessly in love with his best friend Bridget (Emmas sister)and struggling to move on, is unemployed because his integrity wouldn’t allow him to lie about results about his scientific work and is pretty much depressed about life, but when push comes to shove, he knowingly alters info to make sure he is set up with Emma who has signed up to meet someone through a “Compatibility project” that is part of a bet he is in on.  There are too many characters, too much going on, too much noise. I felt like I needed a score care to keep everyone straight.  I really was hoping for a fun light HEA that would leave me smiling.  It didn’t come close.  By the time it ended I was happy it was over.

I thought this book was slow to get started and it really felt prolonged but, paradoxically, rather chaotic too. With a large cast of characters to keep track of and a muddle narrative style, I did not feel as engaged with the story as I wanted to.
First of all, I was really excited about the premise of two strangers getting married and then growing to know each other after the event. After all, it’s something we have seen on television and in films before and I like the romance associated with it. 

However, I did not feel that Moran’s plot development really grabbed the essence of the story. It felt really slow to get going: the marriage doesn’t actually occur until half way through the story. Although the writer is establishing the reason behind these two characters getting married, I was hoping there would have been more focus on the couple’s relationship, rather than the events leading up to it. After the ceremony, I thought the story rushed forwards too much to reach the closing academic dinner, where the challenge had been established a year previous. I couldn’t see there was enough focus on watching Emma and Cooper grow as a couple. Consequently, I don’t think Moran found the right balance in the story and by speeding up the first half, could have allowed better plot development throughout.

There are a lot of characters in this story which I was generally able to keep track of. However, at the same time, I wanted to know more about their circumstances. Emma has four siblings, all at very different stages of relationships. They are implied as big personalities, but Moran assigns them as supporting characters. Instead, I think there is enough material to break this book into a series: focusing on each sister and the “crisis” you would expect them to encounter in a book of this genre. The sisters are all very individual and I think it is a shame this was not considered. I don’t normally request for books to be broken into a series but this time I think there is plenty of scope and opportunity for excitement.

My biggest distraction in this story was Moran’s writing style. The sentences were far too long for my liking. There were very, very long sentences – they could be an entire paragraph – with too many clauses and commas. I found it very muddled and that’s how my brain responded too. Often, I found myself re-reading big sections (ie, a single sentence), because I had lost the drift and focus. I wish this had not been the style of writing because it really ruined my enjoyment of the story, leading me to consider this as an average read. I struggled to engage with the characters and did not have a spark with the story – a bit like Emma’s own relationships. As such, when I reached the final chapters, I was quite relieved, caring little about the experiment that Emma has become involved in.

Don’t get me wrong, this is a lovely story but I think it could have been refined further to make it even better. My biggest criticism is based on the sentence structures: if they had been more controlled, I think I would have engaged and enjoyed this story far more.

With thanks to Boldwood Books, NetGalley and Rachel’s Random Resources for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I have been a fan of Beth’s work for a little while now.  I haven’t quite caught up with everything that she has written but I am getting there.  I read the synopsis for ‘Take A Chance On Me’ and it certainly sounded like the kind of read I have come to expect from Beth Moran- a fun, light hearted, amusing read.  Well it certainly was that and so much more.  I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘Take A Chance On Me’ but more about that in a bit.
I loved the characters of Emma and Patrick and I warmed to them from the start.  In fact it didn’t take me long to consider them to have become friends of mine.  Both are a bit lost at the moment.  Emma is the last remaining single Donovan woman.  Her sisters have paired off and have either got married or become engaged.  Emma was attached but for one reason and another that didn’t work out.  Emma is kind, funny, determined, occasionally stubborn and compassionate.  Patrick had a crush on Emma’s sister back in the day, which to a degree still applies today.  Patrick is having a bit of hassle work wise and ends up finding a job at the same place as Emma’s sister.  Patrick is funny, sometimes a bit too serious, kind, compassionate and very caring.  Is Patrick destined to be with Emma, her sister or somebody else entirely?  Will Emma find the ‘happy ever’ after ending that she so deserves?
I have to be honest and say that it took me a little while to get into this story but when I got into it that was it, I just couldn’t put the book down.  My book wasn’t exactly glued to my hand but it might as well have been because it travelled everywhere with me.  I think part of the reason for my addiction to this book was because I took so well to the main character of Emma and Patrick and I had to keep reading to see if they both found their ‘happy ever after’ ending.  I had my own suspicions as to what was going to happen and I needed to know how the story panned out for them both.  I became so wrapped up in the story that I lost all track of time and just how quickly the pages were turning.  All too soon, I came to the end of the story and I had to say goodbye to Emma and Patrick.
‘Take A Chance On Me’ is really well written but then I have thought that to be true of all of Beth’s books to date.  She has a way of grabbing your attention and subtly drawing you into the story.  I like the way in which Beth writes such fun, light hearted romantic comedies that make the reader feel included in the story, as in the reader is another character.  That’s how I felt at any rate.  For me, ‘Take A Chance On Me’ was a delight to read from start to finish and kept my attention throughout.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘Take A Chance On Me’ and I would recommend it to other readers.  I will certainly be reading more of Beth’s work in the future.  The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 4* out of 5*.

Emma Donavan is the eldest of five daughters,  and the only one not married or engaged. She makes cakes for everyone else's happily ever afters and has almost given up hope on having her own. But when her neuroscientist sister Bridget comes up with a project to match a couple by their DNA and a compatibility test,  have them marry and agree to be filmed for 9 months for science, Emma decides to give it a try.  But when Emma is paired with her sister's best friend Patrick, life becomes even more complicated. 
Patrick has been secretly in love with Bridget for years but now that she's getting married,  Patrick decides to join her compatibility project. He fudges the results in order to be paired with Emma. But will being married to the wrong sister help him forget Bridget or did he just make the biggest mistake of his life? 
This one was just too unbelievable. First thing, I got lost with the introduction of too many characters, spouses, and  children and it was a bit overwhelming. And while I understand the frustration and heartbreak of an unrequited love,  why would you pair yourself with their sibling,  being forced into constant connection within their close family group? And Emma, knowing that Patrick still has a crush on her sister,  goes ahead with the marriage anyway! I just don't get it.  I'm sorry but this one just gets a meh! from me. 
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. The views and opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

As soon as I got the email from Boldwood featuring this book, I went "Ooh, another book by Beth Moran!" I'll admit, I was really excited about it. After having reviewed How Not to be a Loser, I was keen for another book from her. 

Take a Chance on Me has an inviting title and synopsis. I was in the mood for something fun. I was hooked at the start and enjoyed the twin sister storyline but I quickly lost my way as to the characters. 

The disaster date scene was fun and I was smiling at that. I liked the novel but there were too many subplots and characters mixing. I felt the pacing was fast. This did not help with getting to know the characters but there are some very interesting ones judging by the details that are given. 

I did want more backstory and the Italian-Irish heritage was a great fun mix. The novel is very energetic at times and there is a strong sense of family which I loved. The sisters` WhatsApp group was fun and well woven in. 

There are some sad, raw parts and I identified with the references to Bear not having the best day or not being able to always control his body. The family network of support and acceptance was heartwarming. 

Overall, a fun and laid-back novel but also realistic in dealing with tough issues. 

In these challenging times, it serves as a reminder that the best families are those who stick by you no matter what. 

This is only the second book by Beth Moran I have reviewed yet it has her signature style of a witty plot with darker more serious undertones. 

I was reminded of the film My Big Fat Greek Wedding (which I love and is one of my all-time favourites) in all the scenes where the family come together. 

I think Beth Moran's Take a Chance on Me is feel-good but it also shows the reality of what some people go through and it also gives us a good reality check. 

I wish I could have known the characters better although I did get the impression they all had their own personalities but they were introduced too quickly. 

Thanks to Beth Moran, Rachel's Random Resources and Boldwood Books for my ARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review. 

4.5 stars.

I was drawn to this book by the gorgeously bright and striking cover. I was also intrigued by the tag line, and keen to know the outcome of this unusual, far-fetched and original storyline
The opening of the book is engaging and throws us into the drama and horrifying hilarity of Emma’s failing dating life. We also quickly get a sense of the close knit nature and togetherness of the Donovan family, especially the sisters.

The plot, as I have said, is original and far-fetched, and one that I was hooked on. It took me a little while to get into, but then I got swept into the drama of family life and intrigued by the experiment Emma decides to take part in, and I struggled to put it down from about 40% in.

One quote that stands out, and is returned to throughout the book is this: “Chemistry, kindness and commitment – good soil in which love can take root, and a family can grow.” I really love this quote and I actually completely agree with it. A longlasting romantic relationship is more than just a physical attraction. That’s important, but commitment to one another, to common life goals, and kindness and respect for each other, in all sense of the word, is also vital for a healthy and resilient relationship. Emma goes on a journey that seeks to find out if these three things can be created and nourished after the wedding. Will it be the start of a new, happy beginning, or will it be a big mistake?

I would definitely describe this as an uplifting and original read. I would recommend it to fans of Portia Macintosh and Paige Toon.

Family, and in particular, Sisters, feature very heavily in this romcom. It centres on an Irish family with five grown-up daughters. Only the oldest on is unattached. This is the cue for much maternal interference and hint dropping on the need to catch a man. However, the affection in the family is genuine as they gather up lost souls and take them into their family. Their father has ME and much of the families' thoughts centre on how to make his life bearable. Each of the five siblings have different qualities and talents and it seems nothing can break them apart.

    Cooper is the polar opposite of the Donovan girls. He has no family and longs to feel included. I enjoyed each of the daughters' stories as they move in and out of the marrative. Childlessness, both wishrd for and hated looms large. I found Emma to be a surprising character who had a lot of courage and an independent streak. I enjoyed the banter, especially between Cooper and Bridget, as they struggled to make sense of their friendship. A fun read with some humorous moments but also a few more serious thoughts, this is an entertaining and diverting read.

In short: Family is all...isn't it?
Thanks to netgalley for a copy of the book

Thinking about it, this reads more like a contemporary family saga than romance. It is told from the points of view of Emma Donovan and her sister Bridget’s best friend from Uni, Patrick Cooper. Emma is the oldest of five sisters and she’s the only one who isn’t in a long term relationship. When Bridget’s task at University is to endeavour to trial a compatibility project with the hope of getting a couple to marry at first sight, Emma volunteers to participate and is matched, thanks to some skulduggery on his part, with Bridget’s co-worker, Patrick Cooper. Cooper fell in love with Bridget at first sight at University and, despite knowing she’s in a long term relationship with her childhood sweetheart, has always longed for a closer relationship with her. Now she’s engaged and about to get married he needs to move on and hopefully this will prove the way for him to do so…..

Meanwhile the other sisters and their partners are also having their own dilemmas, their Irish and Italian parents are coming to terms with his diagnosis of ME and there are family dramas galore. This isn’t a story where everything ends with everyone settled living their HEA in bliss. It is a story where some folks do get there but there are others still to do so. It really feels like a saga that needs continuing but I have no idea if there’s more to come or not.

The story is set in and around the Nottingham area and includes some places that are familiar to me. There’s even mention of the Nottingham Panthers who I’ve been to watch playing – though I actually support one of their rival teams (Sheffield Steelers). There are so many tasty treats, throughout the story and it also helps raise awareness for the dreadful condition, ME. It feels like a story of real folk, one that is on going and definitely not finished yet as they still have their lives to lead and futures to face.

Thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for my copy of this book which I have voluntarily read and honestly reviewed.