What a lovely book, it takes you on a twist and turn of a ride with a story of friendship and love alongside, I loved the characters of Olivia and Jacob they complimented each other perfectly, it really was a story with a difference, Emily really is a writer that takes you through emotions.

Pick up this book and enjoy.

'Take A Chance on Me' is another beautifully paced contemporary romance from Emily Houghton; the story is wonderfully written, with amazing settings across India and starring Olivia and Jacob, two characters that couldn't be more different in their approaches to just about everything.

Olivia is a repressed uptight young woman, struggling for control in her world following the tragic death of her younger sister. She can't think of anything worse that leaving things to chance, she has a spreadsheet and an itinerary for absolutely everything, calendar reminders and alarms to organise her hectic life, and she lives in dread of missing anything off of her to do list. When she passed away, Olivia's sister left her a ticket to India with strict instructions to go and have a good time - and so she jumps on the plane ready to explore India, in line with her carefully constructed timetable.

Jacob on the other hand is about as laid back as you can imagine - he drifts from country to country, town to town, with his life choices dictated by a pair of dice. Wherever the dice tell him to go in the world, he's there- or stays put for another week and another chance to roll. Outwardly he's a loveable clown but underneath the outgoing exterior there's some buried pain that he's not going to let out and he tends to keep people at arms' length as much as Olivia does.

Olivia and Jacob literally bump into each other on her first day in Delhi- he's a godsend as he helps her to navigate the chaotic bustling streets and bazaars, and they enjoy spending time together. As Olivia moves on to her next pre-planned destination, she assumes that's the last she'll ever see of Jacob, but does fate have different ideas?

The chemistry between Jacob and Olivia is electric but they are both so wary of being hurt by life that they run away from every chance of happiness rather than risk being hurt. The slow burn romance was deliciously played out, with countless missed opportunities to take action on both sides. And the descriptions of the Indian settings were magnificent, all of my senses were reeling from the thoughts of the sound, smells and sights all around.

I have read and enjoyed Houghton's two previous books, so was delighted to have the opportunity to read this one.

Olivia is one of life’s planners who likes to be in control of everything. But when her sister dies of cancer and leaves her the gift of a plane ticket to India, she sets off with some reluctance – but with a detailed itinerary in place. In Delhi she bumps into Jacob, someone who couldn’t be more different from her – he has been travelling the world for five years and decides his next destination on the roll of a dice. They are certainly an unlikely combination but sparks fly from the outset

Told from alternate points of view, I very much enjoyed Olivia’s story of self-discovery as she is take out of her comfort zone and we also learn more about Jacob’s ups and downs and begin to understand why he is the way he is. I have never been to India but this book made me want to book a trip, with people and places - and food - brought vividly to life. There is humour, there is heartbreak and of course romance and it all ends on a hopeful, if uncertain, note - a perfect summer read.

Olivia lives an ordered life until her sister dies and leaves her a ticket to travel.
Jacob is a constant traveller going wherever the notion takes him
I really liked this book the characters are chalk and cheese but somehow they gel. It took a little while to like Olivia but she was grieving and clearly out of her comfort zone. She becomes more likeable as the story progresses.
Each character makes the other think about their life and the way they live it. It is written from both points of view.
I liked the writing style and enjoyed the book.
Thanks Netgallery.

Olivia's life is one big to-do list. But after her sister tragically dies and leaves her a ticket to go traveling, Olivia has to leave her perfectly ordered world – albeit with a meticulously organised itinerary. Jacob couldn’t be more different. He’s been traveling the world for five years and lets destiny decide where he goes next with a roll of some dice. Do opposites really attract?

Set in India, this book takes on a journey filled with wanderlust, grief, connection, & letting go of things that are not in your control.

Olivia & Jacob are complete opposites & I adored how every interaction of their proved so. But even though they were on polar ends, they connected so well.

This story deals with grief, similar to Emily's other books. But here, the "eat, pray, love" aspect balances out the anguish. It's not my favorite by Emily, but I definitely enjoyed reading this. I don't think anything will top my love for "Before I Saw You."

<i>Thank you Netgalley and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.<i>

Another thoroughly enjoyable book from this author. I don't usually enjoy stories that take place in countries I know nothing about but I loved this one. India really came to life and I could feel, taste and smell all the wonderful flavours of the place. The characters that Olivia met on her travels were vibrant, funny, quirky and loveable people who brought humour to the story. Yes, there were dark themes of terminal illness in the book that may be triggering for some but overall this was a light, easy read with a satisfying conclusion. My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Emily has done it again! Another great read, with Olivia and Jacob who are polar opposites. Olivia's sister died and left her a letter which she was reluctant to open, when she does inside is a plane ticket to Dehli, so begins Olivia's planning right down to the wire for the trip, Jacob on the other hand has been travelling for 5 years and leaves his destination to the roll of a dice to decide if he moves on and where he goes to.
Jacob and Olivia meet and Olivia is very standoffish with Jacob, they then accidentally meet again.
As characters together they are fantastic, Olivia I took a while to grow to, she takes time to break down her barrier, not only with Jacob but with other travellers along the way.
There is an unexpectant twist, that leaves you wondering if there is to be a happy ending for Olivia and Jacob or if it was just a 'holiday meet'
Fantastic characters, writing that really let you feel as though you were there, the Taj Mahal being one of my favourite parts of the book.
I cannot wait to read Emily's next book.

3.25 stars⭐️

Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for the e-arc of this book. I really liked this book but I did think it was a bit slow and I just didn't connect with the characters

Olivia Jackson likes to live her life knowing exactly what will happen next, she has a plan for everything so, when her little sister passes away, leaving each of her family members a letter, Olivia can't bring herself to open hers. When she eventually does she finds a ticket to go travelling to India and can think of nothing worse in life but, it was her sister's dying wish and she has to honour this one last thing. Jacob Green is the complete opposite, he's been travelling for the last five years and his life is determined by the throw of a dice, where he ends up is, to him, all down to fate. When these two literally bump into each other in Delhi she is frustrated by how laid back he is about everything but, when it's time to go their separate ways, she wonders if fate will bring them back together and if she'll discover who Jacob Green really is...

Take A Chance On Me tells the story of two people who are polar opposites in personality and beliefs about how they live their lives. Olivia is all about control, Jacob is a fly by the seat of your pants kind of guy who lives for the moment. Olivia is still grieving the death of her sister and, even though the thought of a trip to India scares the life out of her, she guesses she needs to do it. Jacob is a bit of an enigma, not giving anything away about his backstory and why he relies on the roll of a dice to determine his next destination. Told in alternate chapters from the perspectives of the two main characters we are led on a journey of discovery and life changing adventures for both of them. I wasn't sure about Olivia at first, but she steadily grew on me, I loved Jacob from the start, although he was a bit too enthusiastic at times but, as we discover later in the book, there's a very good reason for that. I loved everything about this book, the setting was perfect and the story, which had me smiling one minute and crying the next, had a good mix of humour and emotion. I've loved Houghton's previous books and this one did not disappoint either, but you will need tissues!

I'd like to thank Random House UK, Transworld and Netgalley for inviting me to read this book, I will post my review on Goodreads now and Amazon on publication day.

A nice story and interesting to read the places in India.

Olivia ends up going on a trip to India via her younger sister. She meets Jacob and forms a sort of friendship with him. Olivia plans everything to the precise minute of where she needs to be. Jacob is certainly different he rolls a dice and this decides where he goes next in the World.

It was interesting to read where Olivia ended up and all the things she did. It was interesting to see the two prospects of Olivia and Jacob.

The book was good and sad in places and of course there was romance in it.

Lovely setting of India and two opposites of Jacob and Olivia with different viewpoints on how to approach life and the adventures it brings made for an interesting read. 3.5 stars.🌟

Travel romances are my fave so Take a Chance on Me, which has the two main characters (Olivia and Jacob) meeting in India, was a no brainer. I'm going to bullet point this one because I have a lot of thoughts. Beware: I've edited this but it's still essentially a stream of consciousness.

The good:
* I loved the concept and especially the thought of Jacob throwing dice to decide his next destination - I'm actually going to borrow this idea for my next couple of adventures! This scares me a bit as I'm a travel consultant and used to planning (not quite the extent that Olivia goes to) but it's a great idea and very grateful to have come across this for inspiration!
* the descriptions of the locations (Delhi, Jaipur, Udaipur and Goa) were exceptionally good and made me feel like I was there, which is exactly what I want from any book I read
* I found myself annotating like I've never annotated before. And I haven't ever annotated before. There are several quotes which featured in some of the chapter breaks which I've not heard. "The best and most beautiful things in this world cannot be seen or even heard, but must be felt with the heart" - Helen Keller, and "an end is only a beginning in disguise" - Craig D. Lounsbrough were my faves.
* It sometimes felt like the author knows exactly how isolating it is to travel for extended periods e.g. "at first it was quite nice to hear the news from back home, to see the way everybody else's lives were unfolding in the way he had expected his to. But then there came a point when it didn't feel relevant any more. In fact, it felt painful. He was away from that world and unlikely to ever rejoin it." but also somethimes very much the opposite. e.g. the way characters such as Kushal and Suki speak - their voices came across the same as Olivia and Jacob's.

The not so good:
* I'm pretty sure this was deliberate because sometimes you need a "love to hate" character but Olivia was SO unlikeable and rude for no reason at all. I know some people just are. I just don't want to read about them, especially in a romance novel. The irony of her asking Jacob if he got tired of being such an arse all the time... ugh.
* the emails between them when they were apart didn't build up the relationship. I absolutely would not meet up with someone I'd met on holiday if they had emailed me any of the messages these two sent each other, let alone start a relationship with them.
* some of the character's behaviours - Jacob's dad in particular, whyyyyyyyyy
* a HUGE bugbear of mine throughout this book is repeated mention of character's sugar levels and blood sugars (I appreciate this is niche). Neither are diabetic and this isn't a concern of anyone who doesn't have this condition to the extent it was mentioned over and over and over. When Olivia fainted, ok, maybe. Every other time? Absolutely not. I've assumed it was meant to be a red herring but it annoyed me.

Still, a not quite light, but entertaining summer read!

Olivia loves to plan. She has mapped out her future….her job, her house, her husband (who she has yet to meet) , her children and their names.
What she did not plan was to have a terminally sick sister who would leave her a plane ticket in her Will with instructions to tour India.
In India she meets Jacob who has been travelling for five years and believes in fate and the universe using the roll of the dice to decide his future plans.
I loved the descriptions of India, the colours, smells, sights and sounds were vivid.
It was difficult not to become involved with this couple. The writing was excellent as it drew you into strange lives, decisions and fate of the characters.
This became a quick read as I desperately wanted to discover what happened.
Highly recommended

I absolutely adored Emily's first two books and have fallen in love with the characters in this beautiful third novel just as much!

Olivia and Jacob couldn't be more different. She likes to be in control, whilst he is happy to throw caution to the wind. When Olivia's sister tragically dies, she leaves her a ticket to go travelling. Olivia, not wanting to let her sister down, is forced to leave her organised life behind; even if she has prepared a detailed itinerary to follow! On the other hand, Jacob has been travelling the world for five years, letting destiny (a roll of a dice) decide where he should go next. When the two first meet, Olivia finds Jacob's laid back outlook on life infuriating, not to mention him refusing to answer her question about why he's been travelling for so long without going back home. However, as they part ways, Olivia can't help but wonder if their paths will cross again. Will fate bring them together and reveal the secret Jacob is hiding?

Olivia and Jacob were such fantastic characters and I loved wondering why Jacob chose to stay travelling for five years as I was reading. I could never have guessed the reason for his decision! I loved how he used a dice to determine where he would travel too. He was such a free spirit compared to Olivia and her super organised and meticulous ways. I found myself really relating to Olivia though, as I would feel totally out of my comfort zone too if somebody told me I had to go travelling on my own for 3 months haha!

I really liked the dual narrative of this story and getting to see the interactions both characters had and the friendships that were formed. The sights, sounds and smells of India really leapt from the pages too thanks to Emily’s beautiful descriptions. In particular, sunrise at the Taj Mahal sounded so wonderful as did the Monsoon Palace. I feel like I went on a real journey with these characters as I was reading, and it was certainly full of emotion! I loved the final ‘One Year Later’ chapter too; it was the perfect end to a beautiful story.

I honestly cannot recommend this heart-warming story enough.

I found myself so swept away by Olivia and Jacob’s stories that I didn’t realise I was near the end until I got to 91%! This book flowed so easily for me and had the right momentum throughout. I love a good old Dual POV and found both lead characters to be so engaging in their own ways. The characters around the leads also drew me in and honestly this was just such a fun, enjoyable but also grief-stricken read. I would recommend it to anyone that wants to pick up a story they can easily get lost in but also be prepared to feel some deep feels. ✨ Thank you Penguin Random House for sending me the eARC to review on NetGalley ✨

“Two shakes and a roll. Show me, Universe, where I should go…”

Olivia Jackson’s life is one big to-do list. When her sister tragically dies, leaving her a ticket to go travelling, Olivia has to leave her ordered world.

Jacob Green couldn’t be more different. He’s been travelling the world for five years leaving his plans to destiny and a roll of the dice.

When the two first meet, Olivia finds Jacob’s laid-back attitude infuriating. But as they part ways, she can’t help but wish that fate bring them together again. And if it does, what secret is Jacob hiding?

The book is set in India and takes Olivia across the length of the country as she explores different cities and meets all kinds of people, whether local or travellers. Houghton’s descriptions about India and the experience are beautifully captured and, no doubt, could be mesmerising for readers, especially those unfamiliar with India.

I liked how Olivia’s time in India changes her and how Jacob’s story takes the reader through the highs and lows of his life. I loved how the writer used a pair of dice to move the story along. I am not a fan of Olivia and Jacob’s chemistry and wished there was more of their story together, before the end, especially after that heart-breaking reveal. Even so, I appreciate the writer leaving it open-ended for the reader to interpret as they wish.

A journey amidst the vibrant colours and flavours of India, this fated love story finds its home on the path to self-discovery and comforts your heart with hope.

This ARC courtesy of NetGalley and Transworld Publishers.

#TakeAChanceOnMe, #EmilyHoughton, #TransworldPublishers, #PenguinRandomHouseUK, #RandomHouseUK, #NetGalley

Thank you to @netgalley for sending me this book in exchange for an honest review. Take A Chance on Me by Emily Haughton will be published on 1st August 2024.

This book follows two main characters Olivia and Jacob. Olivia is grieving for her sister and ends up in India for three months after having to take time off work. The trip was booked by her sister who recently passed away to get her to live a little and enjoy life. She creates an intense itinerary to follow to see as much as possible. Then we meet Jacob who makes his decisions by rolling a dice and this is how he decides when and where to go places. Chance brings them together as their paths cross and alter each others plans whether they like it or not!

The characters are built up so well, normally I like reading about one character more than another but that wasn't the case with this one! This book will take you on an adventure around India, make you hungry and emotional all at the same time. The settings were amazing and I did laugh out loud at parts!

It's a book you can get through really quickly if you wanted to as it's written so well.

I did have a big gripe about it though. The ideas seemed copied or overdone from other books. For example Jacobs dice rolls were like the coin flips in The Flip Side by James Bailey and how many books have we all read where female character has an episode at work and hr get involved like in The Switch by Beth O'Leary! It doesn't take away how good the book is but I feel just if it was a smidge more original it could have been a wow book!

This is a lovely easy summer read that I really enjoyed. Olivia is a 'planner' and can't do anything spur of the moment or without a spreadsheet. She ends up going to India , completely out of her comfort zone and meets Jacob who is her polar opposite. He is a man that goes with the flow and has a crazy travel plan!
There is a lot of warmth , humour and the story will tug at your heart strings.... A perfect summer read

Some people only take a day to change your life… You can’t plan when you fall in love… The universe decides 🎲

A trip of a lifetime to India. Grief. Loss. A chance encounter &Hidden secrets. Sometimes you need to be brave.

Read in 1 sitting - absolutely devoured it!

Perfect for those who enjoy:
- Stories that take you places
- Books that you can’t put down
- Loveable characters
- Storylines with depth and the perfect ending

With thanks to Random House UK, Transworld publishers and Netgalley for an ARC copy in return for an honest review.

I enjoyed Take a Chance on Me, which was both heartwarming and heart wrenching in equal measure. Olivia and Jacob were such polar opposites in their view of the world that it left me really reflecting on their perspectives and the question of what makes a life meaningful.

This was a gentle read and I found myself carried along with Olivia’s travel experiences. It perfectly captured the sense of being in a new place and having your world view radically shifted. I found the ending a bit abrupt, but overall it was the journey, and Olivia’s development, both individually and in her relationship with Jacob that kept me hooked.

It could be a more difficult read for someone with a loved one with terminal cancer, so I’d recommend checking out trigger warnings. The exploration of grief through the people Olivia meets on her journey captured well both the universal and personal experience of grief, and was an interesting theme throughout.

Thank you Random House UK and NetGalley for this book. Opinions expressed are my own.