Rachel Price has a near-perfect life: she's an avid reader working in a bookstore which is located across from her favorite chocolate shop and runs a lively book club. The only things missing are a man to rival her many book boyfriends and the courage to pursue her dream of being a published author.
Tom Haynes loves his career as a photographer for surfing competitions. He gets to travel the world, eat delicious local cuisine, visit gorgeous beaches, and hang out with his best friend. Everything’s perfect...if you don’t count the accident that destroyed his own surfing career and cost him his fiancée. Even if he wanted to risk loving again, his nomadic life doesn't exactly lend itself to relationships.
It's hard to deny their chemistry, but if they want to commit to seeing if things can work, Rachel must confront the fears keeping her from her dreams while Tom decides if he's strong enough to take another chance at love.
This strangers-to-lovers contemporary romance has humor, lots of book references, chocolate, travel, and only steamy kisses.
ARC Review - thank you so much for the advanced copy! This was a very sweet romance story (PG, PG-13 zone) - a fun flip through especially as we get into the colder seasons.
This was a cute, sweet story about Tom (a former surfer turned traveling sports photographer) and Rachel (a book seller and aspiring author). Both have been burned by love in the past but, in spite of their reluctance, are drawn to each other and decide to “take a chance” on love 💕
The characters were likeable, the story was cute, and if you like a sweet PG romance (kissing only, no profanity ) then this is highly recommended for you!
CW: There is talk of an abusive past relationship and a past struggle with depression
So first, I want to say that there is potential here. It’s not all bad. Some things could be good - some things could work. They just didn’t work for me.
Here I will explain why I* decided to DNF this book. All personal opinions and feelings. I think there are people out there who could enjoy this book.
First things first, one of my biggest pet peeves in books is talking to the reader. “Did I mention he’s cute? Because he is.” That kind of talk takes me right out of the story. It’s like I’m reading a diary entry of mine from 7th grade. And this is just the style not working for me thing - not necessarily a “bad” thing.
Next is the lengthy description of thought processes. Sometimes each character would have 2 pages of just them thinking about something and the thoughts would go ALL over the place. FMC randomly mentioned her sister whom we haven’t met and proceeded to tell us about her occupation and then ranted on to compare HS sister to HS her and I just went “where is that train of thought going?” These random musings have nothing to do with the actual plot and just bore me. 😅
Which brings me to another point of there’s a LOT of telling and not a lot of showing. The FMC TELLS MMC she’s an introvert. Darling, we knew that. We knew it from the getgo - and he would easily learn it too. And then after she told him that, she then decided to explain what an introvert IS. 🤦♀️ Does the MMC not know? Or do we think the reader doesn’t know?
Now, around 40 pages in, I was very confused because I didn’t really… “get” the plot - what was the conflict in this book? I actually went and read the summary to find out because it didn’t feel like there was a conflict right away? I was reading diary entries from these two people who occasionally saw each other. I was starting to see more conflict around 80-100 pages but by then, I was very bored and skimming everything but the dialogue.
Five kindle clicks of him teaching her how to throw a frisbee. 🤣 A frisbee? My 5yo can throw a frisbee. 😂
The text convos…. Sigh. Text conversations should not have actions between EVERY LINE. I don’t need to be TOLD her text was dripping with sarcasm. I’m literally reading her text and it sounds like sarcasm. 😅
All in all, I GET what the author was trying to do here. I sort of saw it underneath it all. Two people with occasional meetings coming together and liking each other. It was a good idea and I think it was trying to work. Ultimately though it wasn’t working for me.
I think I could read this author again in the future but I’d give her a few books first to see if she has improved a bit on her showing vs telling. There’s potential. It could happen.
Meg and Tom couldn’t be more different on paper. Megan is a bookseller, head first into her job, afraid of even imagining success. Tom had all the success he could ask for and even a successful career after his dream was no longer in reach. Despite this, they are both struggling to get out there, open their hearts and be truly happy. Before they meet each other they don’t know how much they yearn for it. This is a very sweet story, with very relatable characters and it was truly a fun read! Most characters make you root for them and the descriptions of the places make you feel like you’re in Asheville. Also, I very much enjoyed how they jumped through the obstacles to reach a healthy, steady relationship, despite the distance and their own personal demons. I’ll be on the lookout for the next chapter of Tom and Meg!
[PT]
A Meg e o Tom não podiam ser mais diferentes na teoria. A Megan é uma livreira, dedicada ao seu trabalho e com medo de pensar em sucesso. O Tom teve todo o sucesso que podia imaginar e uma segunda hipótese numa carreira de sucesso depois do seu sonho ter sido destruído. Apesar disto, ambos lutam com abrirem as portas ao mundo, abrirem o coração e serem totalmente felizes. Antes de se terem conhecido não faziam ideia do quanto desejam isso. É uma história adorável, com personagens muito realistas e e foi mesmo uma leitura divertida! A maioria das personagens faz com que torçamos por elas e as descrições dos sítios transportam-nos para Asheville. Uma coisa que também gostei bastante foi como conseguiram saltar por cima dos obstáculos para obter uma relação saudável e estável, apesar da distância e dos seus conflitos internos. Vou ficar à espera do próximo capítulo do Tom e da Meg!
Positive thoughts: I love the support Tom gave Rachel, it was so encouraging, even when he went beyond without her knowledge, he only had good intentions. If you are not a fan of insta-love, then this is a book for you! It's sweet love story is what really happens in real life, love takes time and uncertainty mixed with anxiety until you get that oh so good feeling together. I loved watching their love and trust in one another grow.
Negative thoughts: There is a strong inclination to Christmas throughout the book, thought I should mention this, since it's something not mentioned in the blurb (good for those that like reading Christmas love stories). I would have loved to see how Rachel's success as an author turned out.
Overall: I can't say the book is slow or bland, although we only see Tom and Rachel together in the very end of the book. The whole journey to the happy ending was engaging and felt very real, I liked that a lot and I truly enjoyed the book. It was a clean and proper romance, fast and easy read for all ages.
I received an arc in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Megan!
Good: ⭐️⭐️ There wasn’t much plot to this book. The story was a little too much like real life. There wasn’t a clear place we were trying to get to, the story just kind of floated around. Some romance beats were innovative and fun. Clean: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ There we’re some kisses of course, but this book was very clean! Fun: ⭐️⭐️ I liked some of the side characters. The MCs had good arcs, but I wasn’t given enough time to care about them before they started telling me about the things in their past. I couldn’t relate to either of them. None of the dialogue was realistic. There were some cute moments, but they got ruined by the dialogue.
I think some people could like this book, it just really wasn’t for me.
📚ARC Review📚 I absolutely loved this book! It was so cute, fun, and romantic. A very PG-13 book, it was a nice change from reading some spicy romances. I loved Rachel and Tom’s relationship. The only thing I didn’t like is that I wished they would have communicated more in their relationship it would have saved a lot of heartache. I also want to say that this book gives you a nice, fuzzy warm feeling. If you love cute, fun romances, you will definitely love this book!
So many wonderful things are in this story that was keeping me from putting it down. From the location, the books shop, to wanting all the truffles, a trip to Asheville is needed.
First of, Rachel works in a bookstore. A BOOKSTORE!!!! The bookworm in me was doing backflips about this. Then we find out she holds monthly book club meetings at said bookstore. All that just makes my heart dance.
Tom is an ex pro surfer turned sports photographer. Almost as an amazing job as Rachel 😉, but one he loves just as much. He is also a great salesman at his sister’s chocolatier shop.
How the two meet is hysterical. If someone almost ran me over with a cart full of books, there is a good chance my bookish self would be asking which book on the cart is their favorite. 🫣 Then their accidental runs ins after and those interactions had me smiling like a goofball. Both had not so great experiences with past relationships, so it was understandable that both were a bit weary at first. You cannot tell love to pump the breaks, though.
What made me love their love story was how they made it work. Being the holidays and with Tom always traveling, they were falling love with each other and figuring out how to make a long distance relationship work. It made me believe their feelings that much more.
So, really big question. Who wants to to go the Biltmore at Christmas with me this year?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
This was a fun cute rom-com. No explicitl spice so a great read for someone looking for romance. Story line is well thought out and has a few little twists that keep everything interesting!
This is a cute and clean read!! It gave me all the hallmark feeling vibes! I want to be best friends with Rachel and eat all the chocolate from the Little Shop of Sugar! If you haven’t read Accidentally Yours check it out. It is the novella to TACOM! ❤️ Anxiously waiting for book 2 in this series!!
This story that kept me smiling the whole way through. Tom and Rachel are adorable! I'm looking forward to learning more about the characters in future books!
Disclaimer: I was given an Advanced Reader Copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
What would you do if you were given a second chance at love? Would you take it?
"Take a Chance on Me" by Megan Byrd is a romance novel about Rachel, an aspiring author, and Tom, a former surfer turned photographer. After a funny chance encounter at the bookstore Rachel works at, they begin seeing each other around town more and more, and sparks begin to fly. Despite both being hurt and betrayed in the past, romance begins to blossom between Tom and Rachel, and they begin to see each other more intimately. What follows is a series of increasingly cute dates between them and some more time spent together. Along the way, new friends are made, miscommunication and conflict arise, and--most importantly--the beginnings of love begin to take hold. When I first requested to be a part of Megan Byrd's ARC team, I was looking forward to reading a cute, wholesome love story. I'm pleased to say that I got exactly that. I absolutely adored this book!
The first thing I loved about this book was the characters. Tom and Rachel were very charming and likable while still being flawed. Even when they're acting rashly or struggling with their insecurities, they never come off as annoying. They feel like real people, and that's a plus for me. The secondary characters (friends, family members, book club members, etc.) were also all very likable. They each had their own personalities, which tends to be rare for secondary characters in romance novels. Even the characters that served more antagonistic roles helped give more context and depth to the main characters.
One of the strongest aspects of this novel was the romance. I found Rachel and Tom's love story very wholesome, sweet, and realistic. There wasn't any Instalove in this book--a trope rife within this genre. The progression of their relationship seemed natural and well-paced. The awkward introduction phase. The awkward seeing-you-around-everywhere phase. The first date phase. The growing fond phase. The cute dates phase. All of that was in this book, and it was all done very well. I thought even the conflicts that arose between Rachel and Tom felt natural and were resolved in satisfying ways.
I really enjoyed Mrs. Byrd's writing style. Her style was fresh, descriptive, and pleasant to read. There wasn't any overly flowery, tedious language. Her writing style kept the story moving forward, never making it feel muddled or slow. Her writing had a light, fun tone when it needed to and a more serious tone when necessary. There were a few grammatical errors here and there, but that's normal for an ARC, and they were never distracting. Those are fixed in the published version of the book, so they won't even be noticeable.
Overall, I really loved this novel. As a busy college student who almost never has time for leisure reading and is always stressed, this book was a great comfort to me. I loved the characters, and I loved watching them evolve. I loved getting to know them. I loved watching them fall in love. There were many moments where I audibly said, "Aweeeee." I will definitely be picking up a physical copy of this book when I have the chance. I want to thank the wonderful author for allowing me to be a part of her ARC Reading Team. I felt like I was a part of something really special. I look forward to reading more of her books in the future. Read this when you get the chance! I highly recommend it!
this cute, fluffy romcom is perfect for the upcoming christmas season! unlike a lot of strangers to lovers stories, tom and rachel’s relationship is developed quite well and not rushed. I think that particular trope pretty much always has to be combined with slow burn, because otherwise it gets too insta-lovey. it is pretty predictable, but all romance novels are, to be honest. it was fun to watch rachel’s character arc, as she slowly gained confidence in her abilities as a writer, encouraged by tom. the dialogue felt a little choppy at times, particularly when the MCs were complimenting each other - they seemed rather impersonal and rehearsed, but that was really my only issue with the writing, which was overall good. watching tom come up with all different gestures during the ‘probation’ phase of the relationship was so cute! and of course, the epilogue wrapped everything up perfectly. say it with me: authors who include epilogues deserve the world!
♡ thanks to the author for the eARC in exchange for a review!
This was such a sweet and romantic book! It did take me a little bit to get into the story, but once I did I absolutely loved it! I loved the connection between Rachel and Tom. There was a chemistry there from their first meeting. I also loved the connections between the different groups of friends in the story. I have to say, I think the frisbee scene is my favorite!
Rachel is an aspiring writer but is too afraid of putting her work out into the world because of her ex’s harsh comments. Tom is a retired surfer and currently travels the world photographing surfers during competitions. Both Tom and Rachel have been hurt in past relationships and find it hard to open up and trust.
This was a sweet read and great for a palette cleanser. If you love clean, small town romances that hit all of your emotions (I did shed a few tears reading this), then this book is for you! I’m looking forward to Julie and Abbie’s stories!
Unputdownable romantic read.Rachel Price is the ultimate example of an avid reader done good , works in a bookshop across from a chocolate shop runs a book club…need I say more . Perfect life. She dreams of being a published author and maybe finding mr right for reals. Tom Haynes is an ex competitive surfer who is an accomplished photographer for surfing competitions who loves his job and gets to hang out with his best friend as well as travel the globe and eat good food . Perfect …right? Except for the accident that lost him his career and his fiancée . He’s not looking for love , doesn’t want to be hurt again. Both were hurt and are vulnerable but they have an instant chemistry that somehow works . Do they take a chance on love and each other? Swoon . This is amazing writing as always by Megan Byrd who grasps your attention with great engaging characters , sublime narration and superb descriptors. A totally immersive experience
This book was so cute and super fun to read. I couldn't get enough of Rachel and Tom. I loved their meet-cute and each of the following times they ran into each other again. Tom was so supportive of Rachel's dreams. I also liked most of the supporting characters in this however I felt like the supper club took away from some of the story. As a fellow introvert, I know that I would never open up like she did to a group of near strangers. It would have been better if similar interactions had taken place with her book club friends since she knows them all much better. Other than that, I really enjoyed this book by Megan Byrd and I look forward to reading more by her.
Rachel works in a bookstore, which is probably every reader's dream job. She likes her life and her boyfriend, and she dreams of someday being a good enough writer to be published.
Tom is a photographer who was a professional surfer until he wasn't, and channeled his knowledge into an adjacent career where he gets to travel and excel at what he does.
A chance encounter leads these two into a friendship with lots of fun banter, comforting and annoying conversations, and eventually, as you can tell from the cover, love and romance.
A very cute and clean read. I think it would make a really fun Hallmark movie.
Thank you to Megan for a review copy of her new novel! I really enjoyed it.
I am honored to be part of the #ARCTeam for Megan Byrd’s #TakeAChanceOnMe. This was such a cute romantic comedy read! This novel follows Rachel (a bookseller) & Tom (a photographer) as they navigate new love. Each have had their share of tough relationships & obstacles, so seeing them grow both individually & together was really beautiful. I loved the nerdy themes of books, photography, & surfing. The characters were likable & the plot was well paced. I would recommend this one to lovers of rom coms!
This is a good book. I have to say the heroine was a bit shrewish - but you’ll figure out why. The hero is clueless but a good guy. It’s a good story worth reading.
This book was filled with sweetness. Both characters were well developed, with interesting story arcs. A ‘feel good’ read with love, heartache and compassion. Loved it!!
2.75 ⭐️ Appreciate this is a fully clean romance; parts were not engaging for me; had issue with the fact both these MCs seemed largely unhealed from past relationships and blame/project on each other for those past relationships throughout the book
A sweet, clean romance; quite reminiscent of a Hallmark movie. I enjoyed the travel and photography aspects with Tom, as well as the literary and book-loving focus with Rachel. It missed the five-star mark for me as it took a bit of time for me to become interested and there were a couple of very minor editorial issues. All said, though, it did find a good pace and was a great winter holiday read.