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Taking Chances

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When journalist Rachel Carmedi is kidnapped and murdered by a Colombian drug cartel, her lover and partner Tom Chambers, racked by guilt, vows to avenge her death. Ellen Shelby and Michael McCann want to turn Rachel's story into their first Hollywood movie, whilst Chambers agrees to track down the killers. But his need for vengeance soon overrides their desires. In London, high-flyer Sandy Paul, helping to raise finance for the film, still harbours a fierce passion for Michael, and aims to remove Ellen from his life. Love, lust, jealousy and ambition take the stage with high finance, power and mortal danger. Torn loyalties, male pride and female desires turn the movie into a terrifying trap of death threats and destruction...

500 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1999

30 people are currently reading
261 people want to read

About the author

Susan Lewis

67 books1,180 followers
Librarian Note:
There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.



Susan Lewis is the bestselling author of over forty books across the genres of family drama, thriller, suspense and crime. She is also the author of Just One More Day and One Day at a Time, the moving memoirs of her childhood in Bristol during the 1960s. Following periods of living in Los Angeles and the South of France, she currently lives in Gloucestershire with her husband James, stepsons Michael and Luke, and mischievous dogs Coco and Lulu.

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Community Reviews

5 stars
215 (44%)
4 stars
144 (29%)
3 stars
95 (19%)
2 stars
21 (4%)
1 star
12 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
Profile Image for Michelle.
1,540 reviews245 followers
March 19, 2022
It took a good 100 pages for me to get into this one but then I couldn't put it down.

Four stars.
Profile Image for Lisa.
39 reviews
February 25, 2018
A book of two halves. The first half was dreadful. It was based around shallow, nasty, bed hopping over achievers. While the premise is around drug cartels, and child slavery, the first half all you read about is squabbling movie producers, and their personal problems.
The second half redeems it slightly, it was OK. The people become a bit more likeable, and there are actually some things of interest. While other reviewers have told you that it opens a side of child slavery, previously unknown, don't expect too much. If you know that child slavery exists, you already know all that this book will teach you.
So overall, you have to read 100 pages of rubbish first to read an OK book. 100 pages is longer than it seems. If I had my time over, I wouldn't have bothered.
110 reviews1 follower
December 10, 2008
For some reason I just couldn't get into this book. I couldn't connect with the characters and didn't get past the first few chapters. Very surprising as I have loved all of Susan's other novels
Profile Image for Vicki Robe.
395 reviews2 followers
December 5, 2019
This was a very interesting look into the Colombian drug cartels, and the lengths they will go to in protecting themselves once they have been called out committing crimes.

They were prepared to kill once they were linked to the capture, rape, torture and death of an American reporter to protect their identities. What they didn't know was they were up against some pretty strong-willed Americans that were making a movie about the whole affair, and amongst it all the partner of that reporter hell bent on revenge.

143 reviews2 followers
August 22, 2020
Brilliant story lines. Characters you will fall in love with. The main thrust of the story revolves around the drug cartels. The vicious treatment metered out and no morals. The Colombian drug lords are involved up to their necks in this book. Hollywood movie men careers and money are all rolled out as well as love interest. This book keeps on giving right until the end it leaves you wanting more.
Profile Image for Terri.
110 reviews
November 18, 2022
This was a bit gory in places which I wasn't expecting. . It was quite a good story, if a bit confusing at times. The bad characters are really bad and the good ones are not perfect but a bit too Hollywood for my liking. The ending was a bit disappointing as it wasn't a happy ever after for all the main characters, but that's just my preference.
179 reviews
July 5, 2023
Lovely read, got the feeling now that I have read this before but couldn't remember all of it.so read it all the way through. Without spoiling the ending for any one reading this book, I was disappointed with the end of the book involving 2 of the characters.
The wording in the book was very disciptive leaving nothing to the imagination
Profile Image for Diane Murphy.
122 reviews2 followers
July 21, 2019
I initially found this book a little difficult to get into but after the first couple of chapters it was ok. On the whole the story was good if a little drawn out. It could be shorter at the beginning as there was lots of setting the scene that could have been condensed.

Profile Image for Gita.
59 reviews51 followers
October 3, 2019
Overall I enjoyed this book. I really liked what author did with Sandy character, it made you hate it and then love it. Ending though... UGH. Really hated the ending, very unclear. I really dislike those books that just stop. At least there was an ending for Ellen & Tom's stories.
Profile Image for Rowlie.
327 reviews2 followers
April 20, 2020
Another great Susan Lewis book. Gripping till the end.
Profile Image for Toni xx❣.
20 reviews
March 17, 2021
Wasn't my favourite by Susan Lewis. Took me a few times to get into the book but enjoyed the end.
57 reviews
August 31, 2021
Taking chances

I enjoyed reading this novel because it kept me interested to hear more. I could picture the characters and places and welcomed the twists and turns.
712 reviews
June 21, 2025
It was an easy read quite thrilling but a bit too sentimental and much too lengthy
Profile Image for Karen Robertson.
12 reviews2 followers
April 24, 2023
This book was okay and picked up in the second half. I found it frustrating nasty people trying break up relationships and stab others in the back. Not a book I will keep or read again.
Profile Image for Amanda Fair.
7 reviews
February 25, 2013
After all the reviews I was start reading with some subjectivity. Must say that the story line was not as boring or detached as expected. Enjoyable read, few twists, happy ending- ingredients for holiday reading.
Profile Image for Kirstie.
794 reviews15 followers
July 24, 2013
It was ok. Didn't grip me at the start but 300 pages in I started to enjoy it! A good storyline and not too predictable
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews

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