Taking Chances

by Susan Lewis

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. 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 . . .

Genres: Fiction, Chick Lit, Romance

496 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

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.

Reviews

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took a good 100 pages for me to get into this one but then I couldn't put it down.

Four stars.

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

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.

[Mel · Rating 1 out of 5]

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

[Janine · Rating 1 out of 5]

Couldn't get into it at all.

[Vicki Robe · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Elaine Hargrave · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Terri · Rating 3 out of 5]

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.

[Linda Leedham · Rating 4 out of 5]

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

[Diane Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Gita · Rating 3 out of 5]

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.

[Rowlie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great Susan Lewis book. Gripping till the end.

[Toni xx❣ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wasn't my favourite by Susan Lewis. Took me a few times to get into the book but enjoyed the end.

[De Beresford · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Sandra Preston · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read

[Julie Rohan]

A great read.

[Ashley Dale · Rating 4 out of 5]

A slow start but brilliant!

[Marie Bouteille · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was an easy read quite thrilling but a bit too sentimental and much too lengthy

[Karen Robertson · Rating 3 out of 5]

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.

[Amanda Fair · Rating 3 out of 5]

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.

[Kirstie · Rating 3 out of 5]

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

[Emma Long]

Another fantastic Susan Lewis book.