Gentle Reads: The Chance

Listen to the perfect playlist while reading:

Author: Karen Kingsbury

Genre: Christian Romance

Publication Date: 2013

Number of Pages: 320

Geographical Setting: Georgia and California

Time Period: Modern day (2013)

Plot Summary: After her parents separate, teenager Ellie moves away to California with her father. Before she leaves, she and her best friend Nolan write each other letters and bury them in a box under their favorite tree, promising to return in eleven years to dig it back up. As the years pass, Ellie loses her faith in God while Nolan becomes a famous NBA star known for his faith. As the date approaches for them to dig up their box of letters, can Ellie’s long-repressed love for Nolan be enough to face him after eleven years, and will Nolan’s long-cherished love of the one who got away be enough to make her stay?

Subject Headings:  Man-woman relationships -- Fiction.

Friendship -- Fiction.

Faith -- Fiction.

Appeals

Heat Index: Chaste

A testament to the genre of Christian romance, The Chance stays far away from spice, save for one bedroom flashback void of any detail.

Theme: Prodigal Returns

A popular theme among Christian romance, The Chance features more than one prodigal character who returns to their faith through the faith of others, and one who receives forgiveness for what they did wrong. The prodigal, like the biblical tale, is usually one who begins life as a Christian but loses their way, experiences hardship, and either returns to their loved ones or begins a new life with a different community.

Characters: Likeable

Ellie and Nolan are examples of the normative romance character archetype. Ellie more than Nolan comes "to understand [herself]" and while she is not "forced to change", she does "relinquish preconceptions about [herself]" like her "lack of self-worth [and] desire for control" (Wyatt & Saricks, p. 217). The Chance also features "well-developed, interesting secondary characters" as we see life through the perspectives of Ellie's parents. (p. 218)

3 terms that best describe this book: Inspiring, moving, romantic

 

Read-Alikes: 

The Masterpiece by Francine Rivers

Roman Velasco, a famous artist, has everything he could ever want-- save for someone to rely on. Tagging buildings as the unknown graffitist "The Bird" is his only way to escape the fake lifestyle he's been forced to build. When recently divorced Grace Moore enters his empty mansion to support her infant son as Roman's personal assistant, the two clash in every way possible. But when Grace begins to see the man behind the cracks in Roman's hardened, pretending exterior, she begins to see how maybe their broken pieces could fit together.

Similarities: Readers who loved following Ellie's story may find two new characters to root for in The Masterpiece. Both stories feature a character who struggles with their faith, and one whose faith is all they have.

Life After by Katie Ganshert

Autumn Manning is the sole survivor of the deadly train bombing that devastated Chicago one year ago. Paul Elliott, made a widower and single father in the attack, wants to finally let the memory of his wife sleep for the sake of himself and his young children. When Paul and Autumn's lives collide, he's afraid of losing the ground he's worked so hard to gather-- but are the Elliotts the cure Autumn needs to move on from her own survivor's guilt?

Similarities: Like The Chance, Life After immerses the readers in a story of personal redemption and the power of love. Fans of Ellie's inner battle will appreciate Autumn's own struggle.

Send Down the Rain by Charles Martin

Childhood sweethearts Joseph and Allie are separated when Joseph is drafted into the Vietnam War. When he returns to America, he does not go back home. When an act of kindness has him returning to his hometown, Joseph witnesses the tragic death of Allie's husband and offers to help the new widow. When they begin to reconnect, the 45 years of life they missed begin to show just how much they've changed, and how they can be there for each other again.

Similarities: Those who loved Ellie and Nolan's return to each other after their young love will find a new couple to root for in Send Down the Rain. Like The Chance, Rain features a moving story that will enthrall readers.

For readers wanting real-life examples of Nolan's faith and fame...

Through My Eyes by Tim Tebow

A talented and praised quarterback to the Denver Broncos, Tim Tebow rose to fame not just for his talent, but for his faith in God. This autobiography brings fans closer to the seemingly unreachable star of American football. 

Soul Surfer by Bethany Hamilton

This is the story of Bethany Hamilton, a girl from Hawai'i who, despite losing her arm to a shark attack, persevered to continue to be the same talented surfer she was before that fateful day. In her autobiography, Bethany Hamilton credits God and her faith in making her the person she is today.

Coming Back STRONGER: Unleashing the Hidden Power of Adversity by Drew Brees

In his autobiography, Drew Brees details how an injury that was supposed to ruin his career turned him into a man who put his faith at the forefront of his mind. Not only is this a story of himself, but also of his team and the city of New Orleans rising through hardship together. 

Wyatt, N., & Saricks, J. G. (2018). The readers' advisory guide to genre fiction (3rd edition). American Library Association.