Title: Take a Chance on Me
Author: Beth Moran
Publisher: Boldwood Books
Publication date: February 4th, 2021
4/5 stars
Goodreads Synopsis
Meet Patrick Cooper – desperately down on his luck, and head-over-heels in unrequited love with his best friend Bridget.
Meet Bridget’s sister, Emma Donovan – eternally single maker-of-cakes for many a happy couple, whilst never making it down the aisle herself.
Emma has four younger sisters, all of whom are married or getting married, and an Italian mother who can’t understand what is ‘wrong’ with her eldest daughter, who seems to be stranded on the shelf. Despairing of her own ability to find a suitable husband, Emma agrees to be part of a compatibility project to get married at first sight.
Meanwhile Cooper is struggling to get over his crush on Bridget and seems destined to stay firmly on the shelf too. Perhaps it’s time his fate was taken out of his hands…
Is happily-ever-after just about daring to take a chance, or do you need some extra magic to make love last?
Join Beth Moran, Cooper and the Donovan sisters on this life-affirming and uplifting tale of love, family, friendship, and risking it all for happiness
Review
Take a Chance on Me is a new romance with a Married at First Sight plot line. There are 5 sisters in the Donovan family and they are all super close. Emma is the oldest, and looks to be the last to be married. Her youngest sister Bridget just got engaged, which brings her singlehood into stark reality. Enter Patrick Cooper, Bridget’s best friend, who also loves her. He knows Bridget is off limits to him, but wants to remain in her life. When their work decides to put on a Married at First Sight experiment, Emma puts herself forward and Cooper does as well to marry her.
This book was more serious than I expected it to be, in the best of ways. I expected a light, easy contemporary romance but this book really tackled some serious issues with relationships and romance and it was a really great story to read. I really resonated with each Donovan sister and by the end was SO invested in the family. It made me wish I had a bigger and closer family. I even really like Cooper, though his intentions and behaviors weren’t great through the book. I think the best part of this book is there are two “main” characters – but the “side characters” are just as important and are each given their own story arc.
The only critique I can give it is the ending. I wanted more. I won’t spoil anything, but it left me wanting an epilogue or a one year later… type chapter that I didn’t get. I understand and respect the ending, but wanted a follow up. But, that is my singular critique and I loved the rest of it so much.
Thank you to Boldwood Books and Netgalley for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Happy reading, folks!
Baltimore Bibliophile 