REVIEW: Take a Chance by Shelley Shepard Gray

In Take a Chance by Shelley Shepard Gray, Kurt Holland has moved his younger brother, Sam, to Bridgeport, Ohio with the hopes he’ll have a better chance to get into a good college if he goes to a better high school. When Sam gets in trouble for standing up for a girl he’s interested in, Kurt meets Sam’s English teacher, Emily Springer. While Emily and Kurt get closer, he realizes he himself needs to branch out and make new friends. He forms the Bridgeport Social Club, a poker game where he can hang out with guys and blow off some steam.

I didn’t love this book. One reason was the way the bullying situation was handled. Someone had taken a picture of Kayla changing in the locker room and sent it to everyone at school. When Sam confronted one of the guys sharing the picture, it leads to Garrett hitting Sam. Yet Sam gets in trouble when he didn’t start anything. And instead of the school insisting everyone delete the picture or reporting it to the authorities, they just let the incident go. This leads to another incident later where more pictures of Kayla are distributed, which ends up with another fight between Garrett and Sam, off school grounds. Sam gets in trouble again because the principal didn’t want Garrett’s father to complain.

One, I don’t think Sam should have gotten in trouble for something that happened outside of school hours and off school property. It’s just not something that would normally happen. Two, the school should have done more to stop the bullying incidents, especially when they knew it was still going on. They should have brought the police in, considering it was a violation of Kayla’s privacy. Instead they sat back and allowed a young girl to be humiliated, and a young man to take matters into his own hands. Three, Garrett’s parents themselves, knowing what their son had done, should have taken steps to prevent him from doing it again. Yet they just let it go, and they don’t feel like he should be held accountable for his actions, but they expect Sam to be punished for his.

My next issue was with the brief drama between Kurt and Emily. It was over so quickly it made me wonder why it was even included at all. There also is no HEA in this book, only a happily right now, which leads me to another issue I had. The ending is very abrupt, and instead of it being about Emily and Kurt, it was a sentimental moment between Sam and Kurt. It felt like the book was more about the relationship between Kurt and Sam instead of Kurt and Emily.

Speaking of Emily and Kurt’s relationship, I just wasn’t feeling it. I don’t know if it was because it seemed like the book was mainly focused on Kurt and Sam and Sam and Kayla, instead of the couple themselves, but I didn’t feel any chemistry between them. It fell flat, almost to the point where it probably could have been taken out completely and just had the book focus on all the other things that were going on instead.

Each chapter beings with a lesson regarding poker, yet the poker itself wasn’t a large part of the story. Yes, Kurt made some friends, but I think there were only two games that were shown in the book. The group decides to call themselves the Bridgeport Social Club, but when Emily and her friend try to get in on a game, the guys have an issue with it because they’re women. As Emily’s friend pointed out, it said Social Club, not Men’s Club.

I liked Sam and Kurt’s relationship. I liked how Kurt was willing to make the sacrifice to move somewhere else to give his younger brother a shot a better future. It was an admirable sacrifice. I also enjoyed Sam and Kayla’s relationship. It was sweet and innocent, and Sam was very protective of her. Unfortunately, these weren’t enough to make up for the issues that I had with this book.
 

Book Info:

Publication: September 18, 2018 | Blackstone Publishing | Bridgeport Social Club #1

Kurt Holland wants the best for his younger brother, which is why he moves Sam to Bridgeport, Ohio. It’s a bigger town with a well-known high school. Just the place to give his little brother more opportunities-maybe even a scholarship to college. Kurt hopes his gamble pays off, since Sam’s future isn’t the only thing riding on it. Kurt’s put most of his savings into a new landscaping business there, too. But when Sam gets in trouble for fighting at school, Kurt isn’t so sure it was the right decision … until he meets Sam’s English teacher.

Emily Springer is passionate about helping all of her students succeed, but there’s something about Sam Holland that makes her want to go the extra mile. When he’s caught in a fight at school, she goes to bat in his defense, and during a conference with the principal she meets Sam’s rugged older brother-and guardian. Emily has a strict no-dating policy when it comes to her students’ parents, but Kurt isn’t technically Sam’s parent. It’s OK to bend the rules a little bit, right?

In an effort to make some friends and find a place in the Bridgeport community, Kurt starts up a weekly poker game in his garage. It’s not long before everyone wants in, and they all soon discover that these Friday night poker gatherings are about more than just the game.