Book Review // More Than A Second Chance

Hey y’all! Today’s post is a review of Lisa Renée’s contemporary Christian novel More Than A Second Chance.

I had a nasty stomach bug when I was scheduled to post this review, so I’ve been trying to finally finish the draft!

I saw many bloggers excited to read this book, so I decided to read it myself. To be honest, I was a little disappointed with this book, but that’s getting ahead of myself. Review further down in the post.

About the book:

Cassie Chambers, a dedicated youth worker, is determined to rescue the troubled youth in the city of Perth, Australia.

   Cassie has made mistakes but hasn’t allowed tragedy or divorce to stop her. She devotes every working hour at Youth Connect. But her own needs are neglected.

   Chef Chris Evanson offers work experience to young men from Youth Connect. Cassie and Chris’s encounters become more than sassy bantering with a hint of attraction. Chris is a sincere romantic.

   How will Chris respond when he finds out her secret? She must tell him before he falls in love. Will he believe she deserves more than a second chance?

   To complicate matters, one of Youth Connect’s troubled teens needs rescuing. She’s pregnant and moves in with Cassie, bringing absolute chaos. Chris gains insight into what life with Cassie involves. Does he still want the total package? Is Chris her true soul mate?

Amazon link: 
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0648664902/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0
Youtube book trailer: https://youtu.be/f2u9h2cUXe4
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lisareneeauthorwriter
Website: https://www.lisarenee.com.au

My review:

What I liked about the book: The ideas behind it. Australia. Dealing with tragedy in a God-glorifying way. Youth workers. A chef. Respect. Abortion. Abuse. Taking things that are complicated and deep and trying to shine the light of the Gospel on them.
I LOVED CASSIE’S BROTHERS.

What I disliked: The execution of the ideas. The Aussie accents went on and off. You couldn’t tell where the book was set. Although there was some godly handling of issues, there’s also a lot of complaining. Melissa came in about to get an abortion and Cassie stopped her with what…one paragraph? A short page? Wow, I was disappointed with how shallow and short the confrontation on abortion was. It was really hard to tell what the main point of the book was. If it was working with the youth, it really needed more. If it was the romance, well no. The romance was mostly Cassidy’s commentary on Chris’ physical features and how he’s the godly dream guy. Even though they’re both Christians, it felt really flat and I never at any point felt a connection between them. Cassie’s tragic backstory seemed way overdone and as if the book is trying to scrounge up a lot of pity for her. Meh. Overall, the cons outweigh the pros.

Although this book wasn’t my favorite, I don’t want to warn anyone away from it! I feel like it could really click with some people, so if you like the description, give it a read.