Thursday, March 29, 2018

Book Review: A Chance at Forever by Melissa Jagears


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Title: A Chance at Forever

Author: Melissa Jagears

Series: Teaville Moral Society #3

Genre: Historical

Audience: Adult

ABOUT THE BOOK

Mercy McClain joined the school board to protect the children of Teaville, Kansas, from the bullying she experienced as a child. When the worst offender from her school days applies for a teaching position, she is dead set against it. Yet Aaron Firebrook claims to be a changed man. Can he earn Mercy's trust - and her support for the challenges to come?

~ MY REVIEW ~
**4.5 stars**

A Chance at Forever is a worthwhile read! Even if it took me awhile to start enjoying the story, I ended up loving this book. I'm definitely a fan of author Melissa Jagears with her wide variety of characters and deeply meaningful messages.

Book Three in the TEAVILLE MORAL SOCIETY series centers on Mercy McClain, who we've meet in previous books. Still hurt by rude remarks made about her missing hand, Mercy is horrified when the boy who bullied her the most returns to Teaville.
But Aaron Firebrook has had to deal with his own wounds and deeply dark injustice done toward him. Now he returns to the town he grew up in hoping to make amends and help children.

As I said, this book took me awhile to get into for some reason or another. I was perhaps on page sixty-six when I decided I just needed to finish it. So I began reading again, rather quickly became wrapped up in the story, started loving it, and finished it the next day! The message / themes of redemption / backstories completely caught my attention and my heart. It was heartrending and beautiful. It was refreshing to see how Melissa Jagears calls out the arrogant, selfish, and "holier-than-thou" people. Her stories of men and women with a passion to help prostitutes, orphans, and the lowly are amazing. When we all want to make it about rules and "are you good enough?" and revenge, the truth is that God sees the heart. He gives grace to the humble, but opposes the proud (1 Peter 5:5). I feel Melissa Jagears brings that across wonderfully in her novels.

Also, I came to appreciate the big cast of characters in A Chance at Forever. Mercy, Aaron, Nicholas, Lydia, Caroline, Henri, Jimmy, Owen, Sadie, Charlie, the sweet little babies, etc., etc. Though they might not get a lot of screen time, each character has their purpose. The villains were well-done too, which means they really, really upset me! There were some sweet secondary stories as well ... and A Chance at Forever really wrapped everything up in a satisfying and hopeful way.

I almost cried from the agony. I gasped in anger. I smiled because of the sweetness. I truly love how Mercy and Aaron's story turned out. The TEAVILLE MORAL SOCIETY series is one I'm glad to have read, and recommend to fellow historical fiction fans!

I received a copy of A Chance at Forever from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for my honest review.

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