Chances

by Jaime Scarfuto

In high school, I thought I'd end up with James. In college, I thought I'd end up with Alex. As the years went on being with Alex wasn't what I wanted anymore. I wasn't being loved and cared for, I was being neglected and forgotten. After the final straw I had enough and started my life over. Being alone for the first time in almost six years. Little did I know, my high school reunion was right around the corner and maybe a second chance to be with James too. But was that what i wanted? Who doesn't want to end up with their high school sweetheart? or is there someone else out there for me?

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347 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 13, 2016

About the author

Jaime Scarfuto grew up in Staten Island before moving to Brooklyn with her husband.
She has a love of reading and romance.
When she’s not working or writing she can be found spending time with her family.
She is a proud mother to a 5-year-old little girl and a 5-month old baby boy.
Jaime and her family currently reside in New Jersey.

Email Jaime : JaimeScarfutoAuthor@Gmail.com
Facebook Author Page: www.facebook.com/Jaimescarfutoauthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Jaime_Scarfuto
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaimescarfuto/

Reviews

[Bayley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Little did I know, my high school reunion was right around the corner and maybe a second chance to be with James too. But was that what I wanted? Who doesn't want to end up with their high school sweetheart? Or is there someone else out there for me?

I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Chances is about Jeanie Camello who, at the beginning of the book, is dating her college boyfriend Alex of six years when she realizes that he isn't making her happy anymore and she wants something else. Unfortunately for her, soon after her break-up she finds out about her upcoming 10 year high school reunion and the chance to see her high school sweetheart again.

That's where the book went wrong for me. Not only did Jeanie move on pretty fast from her break-up with Alex, she only dwelled on what she didn't really have with James. James was her so-called "high school sweetheart," but I feel like that isn't the right word for what he was. Through flashbacks, we see what he was that Jeanie was too blind, and still too blind, to see which was he only wanted her for sex. It was clear from the beginning when he was only IM-ing her at night and the conversations were basically just them sexting. Then not only did he only want her for sex, he got somewhat of a night with her and then completely stopped talking to her. And 10 years later that's all she's worried about. Not her break-up from a real relationship, one that lasted a long time, but the one that lasted a couple months and that wasn't a real relationship at all.

The premise of the book also made it seem like most of the plot would take place at the high school reunion, but the reunion only got one chapter. If that. I was a little disappointed with how fast it went by and before I knew it we were back to her regular everyday life.

After Jeanie breaks up with Alex she moves in with her best friend Gabby, who seems to be a character that we really only need to see when she's relevant to the plot. We see a lot of her in the beginning, but when Jeanie's story really gets going she disappears into the background and we hardly see her with the excuse that she's always at her boyfriend's house. We never really even get a resolution on her or any of the supporting characters. Gavin, Jeanie's cousin, is much like Gabby where he sticks around for relevant parts, like helping Jeanie choose clothes because he loves fashion, then stops coming around and we don't see him for most of the last third of the book. If they weren't directly helping Jeanie's love life, they weren't important.

Jeanie herself was contradictory and never really had any back bone. She spent the whole time wanting answers from James but the second she saw him and somewhat of an excuse from him, she seriously told him no that's fine I don't want answers let's live in the now. That threw me into a spin because she actually whined about it for so long then brushed it off so quickly and stopped caring about the one thing she spent half the book (and apparently 10 years of her life) stressing about.

Because of this, Jeanie's world never felt real to me. Even the "love triangle" was so forced that I couldn't really root for any guy. Well, I never liked James from the beginning because I got immediate bad vibes. It lacked something to really suck me in, which sort of sucked because I was looking forward to this and it was the type of book I would've fell head over heels for a few years ago. I just grew out of the writing style, I guess.

Overall, I was a little underwhelmed with the book, but it was an easy read. If you are looking for something that has romance and is short, this is the book for you.



2.5/5 stars

[Ibukun · Rating 2 out of 5]

*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Chances features Jeanie Camello, who is just realizing that her boyfriend of over five years is no longer the right guy for her. Soon after she breaks up with Alex, she receives an invitation to her ten year High School reunion. Believing that this would be the chance for her to get answers about a failed almost-relationship from ten years ago, she decides to attend the get together.
From the synopsis, you’ll probably get the impression that most of the story revolves around the reunion (like I did). That’s not the case here; in fact, the reunion happens to be a very minor aspect of this story.
I would describe Jeanie as someone who is sometimes blind to the obvious. James, her high school crush was (and still is) evidently not very interested in a relationship; but somehow, she has never noticed. Her relationship with Alex has been on a downward spiral for a long time; but everyone excluding Jeanie is aware of that fact.
With the help of various flashbacks, it’s possible to have insight to Jeanie’s high school days and the events that transpired between her and James (the almost- boyfriend). It’s not hard to miss the fact that Jeanie is more worried about a relationship that didn’t even happen a decade ago than she is about the five year relationship that just ended.
In the beginning of the story, we see a lot of Jeanie’s closest friends; but as the story proceeds, they only get together whenever Jeanie wants to have some girl talk about her love life. Even Gabby, who’s supposed to be her room mate, is always unavailable with the excuse that she’s staying over at her boyfriend’s house. Jeanie’s other BFF, Gavin, is pretty much the same as Gabby, since he’s only ever present when there’s a part he’s playing in the story (which is not often).
I would say my main issue with Chances is Jeanie, herself. She spent ten years bemoaning a relationship and wanting answers; but when the chance comes for her to get closure, she’s suddenly interested in forgetting about the past and focusing on the present. That, coupled with the fact that the story’s not character- driven ended up being the deal breaker form me with this book.
Overall, Chances didn’t exactly succeed in rocking my world but if you can overlook the little things that don’t really add up, you’ll have an easy read that will appeal to readers who are not a finicky as I am.

[Sakurakiss · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this book. It really draw me in and had me wanting me. Can't what to find out what happens next with Jeanie and what will happen next for Gabby.

[Irene Burricco · Rating 1 out of 5]

I couldn’t actually finish this book because it is too boring. The author repeats the same things over and over again, nothing interesting happens and I’ve read 180 pages. It’s written very badly, don’t waste your time on it. It focus on how people are dressed for going to the bar, it repeats so many times that the protagonist want to leave her boyfriend, searching for answers from a old boyfriend, having fantasies about a new guy that she met just twice and never talked to him. I’m sorry but 1 star is all I can give to this book.

[Lynxie]

DNF @ 1%

The writing is juvenile, the dialogue stilted and clumsy and to top it off there’s a glaring typo in the opening line.

Jeanie is a shallow, basic bitch who will never be happy no matter what happens in her life.

BORING!

[Terry Hammoutene · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jeanie was duped in high school and never understood why now that her high school reunion is coming up she is hoping to get closure. She is meeting new people and moving along with her life. Her four best friends are still by her side.
I felt that she was so stuck on the past and the fact that she was still stuck on her high school boyfriend and the reason why he stopped talking to her was too much. I think that she had a hard time making any decision unless her friends were involved.
I was torn in this story because I expected the character to be stronger than what she was. I also felt that the reunion was going to be a huge part of the story and it wasn't. Overall it was good and if you like a HEA this is the book for you
.

[Tiffany pritchard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book

This book is a great read. I loved the fact that you really felt for Jean the main character. It was nice getting. To see her grow up and realize that she wasn't the same person she was in high school. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a good upbeat feel good story.