Goodreads says, "In one century she loved him madly, and in another she wants nothing to do with him. In 1844 Ireland, Liam O’Connor, a rogue and a thief, fell madly in love with a squire’s daughter and unwittingly altered the future. Shy and naive Cora McLeod thought Liam was the answer to her prayers. But the angels disagreed and they’ve been waiting for the right moment in time to step in. Now Liam finds himself reunited with his beloved Cora in Providence Falls, North Carolina. The angels have given Liam a task. He must make sure Cora falls in love with another man—the one she was supposed to marry before Liam interfered. But this Cora is very different from the innocent girl who fell for Liam in the past. She’s a cop and has a confidence and independence he wasn’t expecting. She doesn’t remember Liam or their past lives, nor is she impressed with his attempts to guide her in any way. Liam wants Cora for himself, but with his soul hanging in the balance, he must choose between a stolen moment in time or an eternity of damnation."
In 1844 Liam O'Connor is a bit of a bad boy in Ireland; he is a known thief and consorts with all sorts of disreputable people. While on a "job," he has fallen for the squire's daughter, Cora, who is obviously an unlikely match. Their relationship drastically changes their lives forever. Fast forward to present day, Liam has been given a second chance to erase the many mistakes he has made over and over again in his lives. His new task is to help Cora McLeod end up with the right guy for once: Finn. So, Liam is in North Carolina, a heck of a lot different than Ireland in the 1840s, and he must help Cora fall for Finn. However, Cora in this century isn't shy and naive like she was in the past. She is strong, a police officer, and she doesn't need a man. Worse yet, she doesn't remember Liam from their past lives and isn't interested in him at all despite her father reminding her that Liam's father was a good friend of his. Liam's soul depends on his mission with Cora, so he needs this to go well, but how can he accomplish his mission if he still has feelings for her? Whatever he does, he can't fall back into his old habits as his fate depends on it. Chance of a Lifetime by Jude Deveraux and Tara Sheets is a solid romantic escape that is part of a new series.
I loved the world that Deveraux and Sheets built in Chance of a Lifetime. The idea of past lives, angels intervening, and loves that span many lifetimes is a swoon-worthy one, especially with the time travel element. It was great how they connected Liam and Cora's story back to 1844 and set the stage for their new relationship in present day. Cora is a modern woman though, so this was a tough pill for Liam to swallow; however, we can't forget the point of him being there. It isn't for them to rekindle their love, but for him to facilitate a relationship between Cora and Finn. Cue the drama and unrequited love vibe. I do wish I liked the characters a bit more in Chance of a Lifetime. They were entertaining enough, but I didn't connect with them at all and I feel they could have been fleshed out a bit more.
During the time I read Chance of a Lifetime, I really needed a Hallmark movie type of read and this fit the bill. There is a murder mystery subplot that kept me engaged, but overall, it definitely read more like a light romance. So if you like your romances with a side of time travel elements, give Chance of a Lifetime a try this fall.
I love books with a mix of romance and time travel - thanks for putting this on my radar!
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely! It was a good escape--just when I needed one. Thanks for visiting, Angela!
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