A Chance at Forever by Melissa Jagears

Reviewed by Martha Artyomenko

About the book:

Mercy McClain joined the school board to protect the children of Teaville, Kansas, from the bullying she experienced as a child. When the worst offender from her school days applies for a teaching position, she is dead set against it. Yet Aaron Firebrook claims to be a changed man. Can he earn Mercy’s trust–and her support for the challenges to come?

My Review:

I have to say that I have come to expect quality and a subject matter that other authors won’t touch in this author’s books. I was not disappointed. Bullying was only one topic that could have been considered highly emotionally driven in this story, but other topics that are touched on are sexual abuse, dealing with a handicap, theft, parental abuse, abuse of power, revenge, and other such topics.

All that, but this book is so well done that it is not as if you are reading a book that is going to leave you feeling dirty. Instead, you will feel that you found hope in this book. Each character that seeks redemption, finds it. Those that are determined to not see the wrongful bent of their ways, are clearly shown to be not healthy.

While some may feel some of the subject matter to be above teenage reading level, I would say that this is what our teens need to be reading. We need to be giving them literature that causes them to think about these matters. How would they handle it if a childhood bully came back into their lives? Would they seek revenge? Or would they struggle with trusting them?

I know that a childhood bully came back into my life as an adult. I struggled with it. He deeply apologized, and seems to be a changed man, a wonderful father and raising his children to not be like he was. It was hard for me, and I felt that I could relate to this story in so many ways.  I loved the stories of the orphan’s and my only complaint was that I wanted to see the in-between progress of some, like Jimmy in particular, a little more.

Great book series! I highly recommend it!

This book was obtained from the publisher. The opinion contained herein are my own.

You can purchase this book from local booksellers or on Amazon. A Chance at Forever