Any Chance You Can Take

The Chances #9

by Emily E.K. Murdoch

A marriage of convenience isn’t supposed to be this inconvenient.

Miss Jessica Chance, daughter of Viscount Pernrith and confirmed wallflower, is accustomed to being overlooked.
Prettier sisters, cleverer cousins, more charming friends—yes, she is well aware, thank you.

Which is why when a handsome, young man with a title and devastating charm rides up at the family estate and proposes matrimony, Jessica is more than a little surprised.

She has never met the man, after all.

But Reginald Blakley, Baron Llyne, can’t wait around for romance. His family is about to be devastated by a scandal that hasn’t yet broken, and marriage to the highly respectable and powerful Chance family is his best opportunity to shore up their defenses.

So what if his birth is a little scandalous? So what if he’s ranked all the eligible Chance ladies and chosen Jessica as the most pliant and desperate to be wed? They shall be married!

What Reginald didn’t expect was love. What Jessica didn’t expect was secrets…

When a marriage of convenience collides with passion and lies, can either Reginald or Jessica put aside what they presume of love…and accept any chance they can take for happiness?

This novel continues the highly anticipated Chance family drama, with sixteen cousins and triple the problems. Tropes marriage of convenience, spy/traitor, wallflower, secrets and lies, close-knit family, and of course, Emily E K Murdoch’s tried and true method of sizzling, joyful romance.

This full-length novel is a steamy Regency romance with a happily ever after and no cliffhangers. It is part of a series that can be read in any order.

Tropes you'll Marriage of ConvenienceSpy/TraitorWallflower HeroineSecrets and LiesClose-Knit FamilyCocky HeroFast Engagement
Read in Kindle Unlimited!

The Chances Series
Book 1: A Fighting Chance
Book 2: A Second Chance
Book 3: An Outside Chance
Book 4: Half a Chance
Book 5: A Chance in a Million
Book 6: Not a Chance in Hell
Book 7: An Eye for the Chance
Book 8: A Sporting Chance
Book 9: Any Chance You Can Take
Book 10: Chance Would be a Fine Thing
Book 11: Take a Chance on You
Book 12: Don’t Fancy Your Chance
Book 13: Give Him a Chance
Book 14: A Chance of a Lifetime
Book 15: In with a Chance
Book 16: Jump at the Chance
Book 17: Let the Chance Slip By
Book 18: Why Take the Chance?
Book 19: A Calculated Chance
Book 20: Leave it All to Chance

Genres: Historical Romance

284 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 1, 2025

About the author

Emily E.K. Murdoch is also known as Emily Murdoch.

Emily Murdoch is a medieval historian and writer. Throughout her career so far she has examined a codex and transcribed medieval sermons at the Bodleian Library in Oxford, designed part of an exhibition for the Yorkshire Museum, worked as a researcher for a BBC documentary presented by Ian Hislop, and worked at Polesden Lacey with the National Trust. She has a degree in History and English, and a Masters in Medieval Studies, both from the University of York. Emily is currently working on a new four part Regency novella series, two of which are now published.

You can follow her on twitter and instagram @emilyekmurdoch, find her on facebook at www.facebook.com/theemilyekmurdoch, and read her blog at www.emilyekmurdoch.com

Reviews

[pat · Rating 5 out of 5]

delightful, very lovely

should’ve picked i up sooner, i dont know why i didn’t, but i finished it in 1.5 day and that does mean something ❤️

i needed something light and fun and romantic, and it checked all the marks. good pacing, witty characters (reginald was so pathetically in love 😩😩😩), a secret, and drama. i did see the plot twist coming, but this is a romance, not a crime novel, so it is a bad thing? no

i hope the next book is about Irene, can’t wait to read about her

will definitely add the author to my reading retainer

keep ‘em coming 😩

thank you netgalley for the arc ❤️

[dessie*₊⊹ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sorry but I love the idea of a wallflower character who’s kinda unpleasant and bitter about it, which Jessica was in the beginning. I would’ve liked for her to keep some of that attitude more BUT it was also sweet that she lightened up as she felt less lonely. And I love that her man was riddled with guilt and anxiety for most of the time, not gonna lie. Sometimes the historical romance leads let themselves off the hook too easily after they do the most heinously dumb things.
They were cute together, and gave me the sweet moments and angst I was waiting for without drawing anything out for too long.
I’m curious about the next installment setup too. Childhood friends to lovers is a tough sell for me but I have hope after reading this one.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Miss Jessica Chance, daughter of Viscount Pernrith and confirmed wallflower, is accustomed to being overlooked. Which is why when a handsome, young man with a title and devastating charm rides up at the family estate and proposes matrimony, Jessica is more than a little surprised as she’s never met the man. Reginald Blakley, Baron Llyne, can’t wait around for romance. His family is about to be devastated by a scandal that hasn’t yet broken, and marriage to the highly respectable and powerful Chance family is his best opportunity to shore up their defences.
The ninth book in the series but it’s easily read on its own. I do love the Chance family, so I’m glad there’s so many of them! I really liked both Jessica & Reginald. She was bitter at the beginning but came into her own throughout the book. He was riddled with guilt & not the confident hero. I loved how their relationship grew & deepened, their characters had lovely depth & I really felt their connection. A well written, delightful romance
I voluntarily read and reviewed a special copy of this book; all thoughts and opinions are my own

[Mahnoor Lasania · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the idea of a wallflower character who’s kinda unpleasant and bitter about it, which Jessica was in the beginning. I would’ve liked for her to keep some of that attitude more, but it was also sweet that she lightened up as she felt less lonely. They were cute together and gave me the sweet moments and angst I was waiting for without drawing anything out for too long. I cannot wait for the next one!!!!

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adore the Chance family and always leap at the chance to read about another family member. Each book in the Chance series has been a pleasure to read, well rounded characters with realistic strengths & flaws, a heartwarming romance, and that all important dash of humor that I greatly enjoy.

Jessica Chance is the daughter of Viscount Pernrith, and with her shy and quiet nature she's used to being overlooked. She's considered a wallflower but it's pretty obvious that it's mostly due to being overshadowed by her boisterous, dazzlingly gorgeous, and outgoing family members. Jessica wants to marry and have a family of her own, but suitors are so blinded by her sister & her cousins they don't really have the chance to see her. My heart went out to Jessica, as I could identify with how she felt and how she wanted the opportunity to shine in her own place.

Enter Reginald Blakley, Baron Llyne. He's in a panic, thinking he needs to quickly marry someone from a prodigious family quick before his family becomes embroiled in a ruinous scandal. With the Chance family being so well known and powerful Reggie is certain that marrying a Chance will secure protection for the Blakleys. He thinks that with his good looks, charm, and eligibility as a bachelor the Chance "wallflower" is certain to accept his marriage proposal. I was laughing at Reggie at this point because he was pretty full of himself. Overall though, Reggie was a good guy with a caring heart who was trying to protect his family (especially his younger sister) as best as he could.

Jessica shocks everyone by accepting Reggie's proposal. Her family members can't believe she's going to go through with it as this is the first time they have met. But Jessica is adamant, and the plans for the marriage of convenience commence. Things of course go astray, as they always do, as Reggie & Jessica spend more time with each other, becoming friends and then falling for each other. Reggie's growing feelings for Jessica churn up the guilt he feels for the secrets & lies he's kept from her. Things have a way of coming out, and I enjoyed how they worked through the conflict to repair their relationship.

Thank you NetGalley & DragonBlade Publishers for the ARC. My reviews are my own opinions of what I have read.

[Jenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I voluntarily read and reviewed this advanced copy via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I love reading about all the wee branches on the Chance family tree. It's a bit difficult at times to remember all the various members, but I managed to scrape by. I wish there was a character list in the back of the book. It's wishful thinking, yet I know it would be a welcome addition to the series. Any Chance You Can Take is the ninth book in the collection and focuses on Frederick's daughter, Jessica Chance. She was a very relatable character because the author writes shy characters so well. I really feel seen when reading about her wallflower characters. I can't imagine being surrounded by a family full of beautiful and successful relatives. But then again, I can. It's hard to compete with a firefighter brother and children's director sister, when all I do is caption grandma gossiping all day. Enough about me, Jessica Chance felt like a reflection of myself on the pages and I loved reading from her perspective.



I thought Reginald and Jessica were really sweet together. It was an unusual courtship considering he picked a random Chance to fix his reputation from crumbling due to his brother's antics. I couldn't believe he wrote his choices down on a piece of paper with rude commentary. Rule number one: don't leave a paper trail, dude! I really enjoyed the majority of this romance until the brutal third act breakup. I audibly gasped and facepalmed over the heartbreaking turn of events. I'm so tired of seeing climax separations in every other book I read. Surely there's another form of conflict we can utilize in romance.



All in all, this was a lovely entry in the series. I love reading all the happy endings gifted to the Chance family. I love their various personalities and interesting hobbies. I'm looking forward to the next second generation story and their eventual romance. I don't know the specifics, but I'm willing to accept Any Chance I Can Take.

[Alexandra G · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good old wallflower story, but just that little bit different.

Viscount’s daughter Jessica is painfully shy, overlooked and forgotten – even by her own family. She’s never even been asked to dance. Imagine her surprise when a handsome stranger rides up to the Chance family house party and promptly offers for her hand. Imagine her family’s surprise when she accepts...
Baron with a devastating scandal looming, Reginald figures marrying into an untouchable family is his saviour. He isn’t picky, any Chance girl will do, but just to be sure he’s chosen the most desperate one; a spinster, plain and pliable – or so he believes... Imagine his surprise when he discovers her still waters hide infinite depth.

This story was lighthearted and endearing. It’s not one of those sweep-you-of-your-feet romances, but a careful slow burn with humour, heart and naughty delight. You know immediately which mistake is going to bite him in the arse, but the build-up was simply beautiful and his grovel very old-school romantic.

I loved seeing the shift in Reggie; how he quickly realises his somewhat mercenary plan has consequences for his own heart as well, how sweet and respectful he was with Jess, how he struggles with his conscience and feelings. He really is a good guy.
I loved Jessica finding her voice, seeing her become a bit bolder and giving in to her heart. I really felt for this woman; she’s so very conscious of her own shortcomings, she wants better and more, and he’s the first person who takes the time to know and see her.
Not that her family is unkind, but to them she just is, and while there is a busload of Chances hovering around at any time, they never drown out the main couple.

I can’t pinpoint what it was about this story, but I just couldn’t put it down. For some reason I was completely invested in their HEA from the start. There’s something about this author’s stories; they all instantly feel like comfort reads and this one stood out a little more.

[Anonymous 5 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a lovely addition to The Chances series!
This is one of those marriage of convenience goes sideways stories where everyone thinks they know exactly what they’re doing—and absolutely no one does. Jessica, long used to being the overlooked Chance cousin, is quietly practical, deeply observant, and far more emotionally resilient than anyone gives her credit for. Watching her be chosen—not for her beauty or sparkle, but because she’s assumed to be pliant—made the eventual emotional payoff even sweeter.
Reginald Blakley is… complicated. On the surface he’s charming, titled, and confident, but underneath is a man making ruthless choices out of fear and loyalty. I really enjoyed how the story didn’t let him off easy for his assumptions about Jessica. Their relationship builds from awkward strangers to allies to something much messier and more heartfelt, and the shift felt earned rather than rushed.
I loved how the Chance family loomed large—protective, nosy, and deeply entwined—which made the stakes feel real and personal. The family dynamics alone are enough to keep me invested in this series.
And yes, it’s steamy. This talented author continues to nail that balance of emotional intimacy and sizzling chemistry, with moments that made me grin and others that genuinely surprised me.
If you enjoy Regency romances with marriage of convenience, underestimated heroines, complicated heroes, and a strong sense of family (plus a guaranteed HEA), this is absolutely worth picking up. I’m already eyeing the next Chance cousin. 
I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley and Dragonblade Publishing and am voluntarily leaving my review. 

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! The Chance family is such a delightful tangle of personalities and it was wonderful to see the wallflower enjoy her moment in the sun. Jessica is the eldest daughter of the Pernrith Chances, yet so painfully shy that she often fades into the background. Her first meeting with Reginald, Baron Llyne, caught me off guard in the best possible way. It sets up a spicy, surprising journey that still feels thoughtful and warm.

The pacing is strong from the start. There is just enough suspense to keep you leaning in, and the growing connection between Jessica and Reginald feels steady and satisfying. I found Jessica such a heartfelt protagonist. She is honest, gentle and quietly brave. Reginald is a perfect match for her with his grounded nature and the sense that he sees her clearly when others do not.

And then there is Emily EK Murdoch’s writing. Her turns of phrase are lush and her romantic tension is delicious. I always fall into her worlds with ease and this one might be my favourite of the series.

If you enjoy a marriage of convenience story, especially one with a shy wallflower who discovers her strength, I would absolutely recommend this book.

[Colleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Any Chance You Can Take is the ninth book in The Chances series.

Miss Jessica Chance, daughter of Viscount Pernrith and confirmed wallflower, is accustomed to being overlooked. In a family such as hers, it is easy to feel lonely with sisters, cousins, who have no trouble standing out and are delighted to do so. To everyone's surprise a handsome man on a horse, barges uninvited into the family event and offers to marry Jessica and she agrees to the proposal shocking her family. Neither of them has ever met the other. They each will have their reasons for choosing to marry, but can they overcome the obstacles that lay in their way.

I loved this story. There is always someone in the family that shines brighter than the others. It is totally relatable and fun to watch them overcome the obstacles.

After finishing book eight I was certain this would be about Maude after her announcement. I guess we will just have to wait for Maude to have her day.

I received an ARC from NetGalley for an unbiased review.

[Ann-Maree]

Any Chance You Can Take
by Emily E K Murdoch

I was genuinely excited to finally read a book by Emily E K Murdoch, having heard so much about her unique storytelling style. However, my experience with this particular novel left me quite disappointed. The writing was heavily descriptive, which, while beautifully crafted, became a hurdle for me. I tend to prefer dialogue-driven narratives that allow for dynamic character interactions and quicker pacing. Unfortunately, the extensive blocks of descriptive text felt overwhelming and slowed down my reading experience.

As I progressed through the book, I found myself skipping ahead in hopes of finding dialogue or action that could reignite my interest. By the time I reached 92%, I realised I couldn't invest any more of my time into a story that wasn’t resonating with me.

I understand that this is merely my personal opinion, as I can see many readers absolutely loving this book, along with Murdoch's other works. It simply wasn’t the right fit for me, and I sincerely wish the author all the best with her future endeavours.

[May · Rating 4 out of 5]

Any Chance You Can Take is a wonderful historical romance following Jessica Chance, a wallflower who feels invisible even in her own family, and Reginald Blakley, a baron who is willing to do whatever he needs to in order to save his family’s impending societal scandal, even if that means proposing marriage to a stranger. The love between Jessica and Reginald is just so sweet and tender. As a reader, we see how both of the characters slowly lose themselves in each other.

My main critique for this book is that the ending felt a little rushed. When the characters are eventually met with the major conflict, it felt like the timing was a little too convenient and the characters weren’t entirely true to their nature (Jessica specifically).

Otherwise, I truly enjoyed this novel and I’m looking forward to reading more by the author.

Thank you NetGalley, Emily E K Murdoch, and Dragonblade Publishing for providing me with this arc.

[Carey’s Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5-4 Stars! This is book 9 in ‘The Chance’s’ series & can be read as a standalone. The main characters are Jessica Chance and Reginald Blakeley/Baron Llyne and I liked them but Jessica was kind of annoyingly shy. I guess I just don’t relate to super shy and awkward. I’m the weird type that has no issues with public speaking so I can’t relate to Jessica. She’s a wallflower and he’s not. I felt bad for her and was rooting for her to get her HEA ending. The story felt a tad predictable and seemed to drag on at times but it was still a decent read. It kept me entertained and invested in the main characters. A pinch of sexy times, a unique proposal, possible scandal, falling in love, family banter and an HEA ending. All in all, it’s worth the read and I enjoyed it. I would definitely read this author again.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.*

[Natalia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every book in this series, I swear, every single book in this series grabs me from the first page and leaves me hanging with each subsequent chapter.
.
When Reginald Blakley receives news that his family could be tarnished by scandal, he can only think of ways to protect his sister and the family name.
The only fast solution he can think of is to tie his name to one of the most prominent families, the Chances. With a very short list of available women, he mounts his horse and crashes into a private party, asking for the most suitable Chance young woman who he thinks is going to say yes, miss Jessica Chance.
.
Jessica was a complete mystery, from her nervousness and shyness to the moment she says "yes" without hesitation, and the whole situation changes, and now he's the one who doesn't know what to do.
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The chemistry between this two, and all the say and unsaid things, all the little gestures and hesitation that build the slow burn is so perfectly crafted. I could only enjoy with a smile on my face
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I´m already dreaming and whisfully thinking what its going to happen in the next one.
.
Thanks to Emily EK Murdoch and her team at Drangonblade Publishing for give me a copy of this beautiful book in exchange for my honesta an voluntary opinion

[Pat Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I so loved this story! I identified with Jessica as I lived her shyness and discomfort in large crowds.The author does a fine job of depicting the struggles faced when dealing with such shyness. I have to say, I did not like Reginald in the beginning , feeling he was selfish and hurtful.. WAtching his trajectory change was interesting, especially his realization that he forgot to think of others when dealing with his own issue. Seeing Jessica blossom was so beautiful, especially how she stepped out of her comfort zone to stand up for herself.I was very irritated with her family,”forgetting” her so much. The sticking point in their relationship was rather easy to pinpoint , but the resolution was priceless! I really enjoy the Chance family and look forward to the next.

I received this story for free and these are my own views.

[Lesley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reginald Blakely, Baron Llyne is desperate to save the family name and so resolves to marry into an influential family as quickly as possible before the news of his brother’s actions become public knowledge. To that end he researches the unmarried Chance ladies and fixes on wallflower Jessica as being the mostly likely lady to accept him. All goes more, or less, to plan and he secures the lady’s agreement. What he doesn’t expect is to be invited to stay at the family’s summer houseparty and fall in love with the lady. When Jessica finds his list of pros and cons of herself, sisters and cousins and finds out how she was chosen, she is heartbroken and breaks off the engagement…
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Isabela Gouvêa · Rating 3 out of 5]

From the beginning I had trouble suspeding my disbelive and connecting with the characters. The concept of marrying a total and complete stranger is terrifying and I got no real conviction of the main female character's why. She was happy with being a spinster but suddenly is desperate enough to marry a random guy. And than the third act breakup made no sense, she had already acknowledge that him only wanted because he thought she was the most likely to be desperate from her family. On the male lead's side the whole treason scandal was so vague that it didn't give any sense of urgency on why he needed to marry. Those things have big impact on the reading experience but I think that a few tweaks would solve it. The second act romance was solid and enjoyable, I believed the couple and could have rooted for them. Will pick up the next in the series.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Secrets and Love!

What started off as a slight deception suddenly turned into the biggest and most wonderful love of his life!

Jessica was shy, a wallflower, quiet and never thought she would marry until this amazing adonis came into her life and suddenly proposed.

Reginald had secrets and was mysterious, romantic and falling madly in love with Jessica had never been part of his plan. Now he had to fight his consciousness, can he tell her the truth and if he does, will he lose her because now it’s his heart in play.

Their romance is tender, full of discovery about each other, some steamy moments leading to a wonderful HEA.

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Laurel Kristick · Rating 4 out of 5]

4-1/2 star read for me! A charming historical romance with a heroine I loved - the overlooked wallflower is one of my favorite historical tropes. It is the 9th book in a series, but I haven't read the others and it worked fine as a standalone. I liked the side characters (except for the hero's brother) - I especially liked the relationship between Jessica's sister and her best friend (I bet they get the next book in the series). One half star deducted because I wished the hero had groveled a little bit more once his self-serving plan was discovered by the heroine.

This was a Netgalley eARC and I am grateful to the author and publisher for the chance to read this in exchange for an honest review.

[Cherie S · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wallflower, Proposal, Rewarding Romance Story.
This series has been most enjoyable, and the cousins continue to find romance one by one.
This story is about Jessica a young, frustrated girl filled with anguish about being unnoticed.
The unknown hero of this story is Reginald a young man in need of escaping his family's looming scandal.
This is a delightful story of finding love that was thought impossible.
Both Reggie and Jessica conquer many uncomfortable emotional situations before they discover their hearts
are bursting with love for one another.
The stories of the Chance family have all been enjoyable.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley. If you are the wallflower of the Chance family and a complete strange comes to the Chance family get together looking for you. He introduces himself and asks you to marry him all with in five minutes. What are your feelings about that? Jessica says she will and much to everyone's surprise Reginald is invited to stay for the remainder of the get together. He needs someone with a good name and who thinks she'll never be asked. Reginald is in for a big surprise. Jessica is not the girl he thinks she is. She may be shy but she really is pretty and once she opens up easy to talk to and a good kisser. It does not go smoothly but they find a caring relationship.

[Cassandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favorite brother’s eldest daughter is on her adventure to find love. Jessica might be my favorite FL in this series. When she agreed to the proposal it reminded me of one my my favorite movies cause she was just like sure! ( Eat Drink Man Woman oldest sister with her coach husband). Reginald is a jerk in the beginning, I was like don’t do it Jessica! Also, the first 3rd act break up I have really agreed with in quite a while. My main complaint, her dad wasn’t in this enough. Fredrick you are my fav still no one holds a candle to you.

[Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book of this series that I have read and I will definitely be reading more of them. The Chance family is full of intetesting characters and this book is the turn of Jessica, a wallflower who is overlooked by society and often her own family. The romance is believable and its refreshing to have some actual depth to the main characters falling in love, based on their personalities as well as looks.

With thanks to Netgalley and Dragonblade Publishing for this ARC.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reginald is in a bind. He needs to save his family's reputation. He decides to marry into the illustrious Chance family. Picking the wallflower of the family, he asks Jessica to marry him. Jessica sees this as a way to not be lonely anymore. As their love grows, lies come to surface that has Jessica questioning her decision to marry Reginald. I received an ARC from NetGalley and Dragonblade Publishing for my honest review.

[Ruba Abu Ali · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘Any Chance You Can Take’ by Emily E K Murdoch pulled at my heartstrings. The romance was sweet, relatable, and realistic.

I particularly appreciated the depth of the characters and the transparent depiction of their inner turmoil.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the e-ARC of this engaging novel.

[Kathy Garcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

you end up cheering for both

You know how it will end, but nonetheless, there were times I was thinking “oh you fool!”, “speak up” and on and on. What a truly delightful couple Jessica & Reginald are and Murdoch captured how a person can be overwhelmed by too many people and the noise & demands of it all. Great characters and fun to hang out with the Chance family again.

[Kristin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would like to thank Netgalley and Dragonblade Publishing for a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

A shy heroine done well, with a unique proposal. I loved that the better he knew her the more attractive she was to him.

[Emma Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had forgotten how much I love a wallflower story. The one who gets forgotten. Not all the Chances can be trail blazers!! Then is suddenly seen. This story was perfect for that! Off to find some more now!!!

[Dick Montgomery · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unusual betrothal.

The family picnic was going strong when the Baron rode his horse into the middle of the group and ask who Jessica Chance was. Once he determined who she was he asked her, a woman he had never met, to marry him.

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an awesome series of the Chance family. Each book takes one of the family members and we get to see them find a hea. In every case, the writing is beyond compare. The plot difference and the characters challenging, fresh and realistic. I highly recommend this entire series.