The Chance by Karen Kingsbury

Title: The Chance

Author: Karen Kingsbury
Read by: January LaVoy
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Length: Approximately 9 hours (8 CDs)
Source: Simon & Schuster Review Copy – Thank-you!

Fifteen year old Ellie is about to have her entire world turned upside down. Her parents have been fighting, and it turns out her mother is pregnant with another man’s child. Her father makes the abrupt decision to move himself and Ellie from Savannah to San Diego. Ellie is devastated to leave her best friend, Nolan. Together they write a letter about how they feel about each other and bury it under a tree with a promise to meet and retrieve it in 11 years. It is their one “chance” to be together.

Ellie moves away and Nolan and Ellie’s worst fears come to pass. With no way to communicate with each other, their lives move on, but they never forget each other. Eleven years pass, will Ellie and Nolan be able to find each other? What will happen to Ellie’s parents? I don’t want to get into too much detail and ruin the plot!

I really enjoyed listening to this audiobook. January LaVoy was an excellent narrator and had a distinct voice for all of the characters. I found myself happy to drive to and from work just so I would have a chance to listen to more of it. To me, The Chance is a Christian fairy tale novel. The book is not preachy, but does have characters that are living out their faith or that have fallen off the path and are a seeking a way back on. All of the storylines are tied up quite happily with much forgiveness and waiting for true love involved. It is not so much the way the world is, but the way we would like the world to be, like a fairy tale.

I really wanted to know how the storylines would end for all of the characters. I think the main strength of the novel is the well written characters including Ellie’s parents. They started off as one-dimensional characters, but after learning more of their stories, they both had great character growth and development.

Overall, if you are looking for a story that will sweep you off your feet and get you away from the troubles of the real world, I highly recommend this novel.