Riley Conrad served thirteen years in the military until three bullets sent him home. After a year and a half of physical therapy and scraping together a living, all he wants is to live a simple life and perhaps even open the coffee shop he dreams about. However, the weight of failing his parents’ expectations doesn’t make it easy, and working as a bartender isn’t getting him anywhere fast.
Could a “chance” meeting between Alex and Riley set them both on the path God always intended?
Book Review
This book made me really hungry. And that is often a good indication of an excellent story. Blueberry pancakes, cinnamon rolls, cheesy garlic bread... even the descriptions of coffee made me wish I liked coffee. It also helps that Alex is a well-developed, extremely relatable protagonist.
I love how the characters are, realistically, doing what they have to in order to scrape by while still holding onto their "someday" dreams. And the true struggle of seeming to do everything "late," from finding a stable career to dating and getting married (and, in the case of Mindy and Zach, having kids). Speaking of Mindy and Zach - Alex's married best friends - I adored the portrayal of their relationship and the banter between them. No Chance Meeting falls solidly into the category of clean new adult fiction, which is a rare but wonderful thing.
Most of my complaints with this novel revolve around ideological differences, so I tried to look past them as much as possible. Regardless, punching people in the face should not be encouraged as an acceptable form of conflict resolution (this happens only once). And although I appreciate the positive way mental health was addressed in this book, I didn't feel like the treatment was super realistic, and it wasn't talked about much later in the book. There was a lot of potential in that area, and I was disappointed when it didn't follow through.
Overall, I found this to be an enjoyable read, and I devoured it happily (and hungrily). Highly recommend to fans of clean romance. Oh, and did I mention that Jaye Elliot (aka Jaye L. Knight) also happens to be one of my favorite Christian fantasy authors?
4/5 leaves
About the Author
Jaye Elliot is an
award-winning author, country girl, and hopeless romantic at heart. She loves a
good hero and will always sigh happily during the lights scene in Tangled. She
writes from her home in the Northwoods of Wisconsin, which she shares with three
cats she considers her kids. When not writing romance novels, she pens fantasy
and adventure stories as Jaye L. Knight.
To celebrate the release of No Chance Meeting, Jaye is giving away a reader bundle that includes a signed copy of NCM, a hand-painted watercolor bookmark, a coffee mug, and a bag of Dove chocolates! Enter using the link below. U.S. entries only.
For her second giveaway, Jaye is offering 3 ebook copies of No Chance Meeting. Open internationally!
Visit Jaye Elliot's blog to see the full tour schedule. Other participating blogs are sharing author interviews, excerpts, and other fun content you won't want to miss!
Available now from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, and more!
20% of all February sales will go to the Mighty Oaks Warrior Programs.
