A Fighting Chance (A Bridge Abingdon Novel, Book 2)
by Tatum West
Dillon:
I don’t do relationships. I’ve been abandoned all my life, and I don’t trust a soul except my own damn self. But there’s something different about Jack Chance. From his lithe, gymnast’s body to his soulful hazel eyes, he’s everything I never knew I wanted. When he’s wrapped up in my arms, begging for more, everything seems right about the world.
I’m not boyfriend material—everyone in Abingdon knows that. I’ve got a moonshine-making hillbilly family, a heart hardened by war, and I walk into burning buildings for a living. Oh, and I’m still in love with my best friend.
Jack shouldn’t want anything to do with me. He shouldn’t keep coming back each time I make a total a$$ of myself, and he shouldn’t forgive me when I keep refusing to tell him how I feel. And he should definitely run for the hills when I’m slapped with custody of my sister’s three kids.
But he doesn’t run. Instead, he’s making pancakes the morning after they move in. He’s up with Joey, soothing him through nightmares. He’s taking Chrissy to ballet. And he’s making sure Jordan knows how smart he is. No one has ever done that for those kids. No one has ever done that for me.
That’s the kind of man Jack Chance is. He’s a man who stays. It’s only when the court orders him away that I realize I was never done with love. I was just waiting for Jack.
Jack:
I like a good project—maybe that’s why I’m madly, ridiculously, over-the-moon in love with Dillon Manning. I want him to see what I see when I look at him—a hero, a whole, real man. I’m addicted to his touch, his body, the way he kisses me so deeply and so tenderly. There’s more to Dillon than he lets on. I just want him to realize it.
But Dillon is just about on my last nerve, and I’m ready to be done. That’s when the unthinkable happens. Dillon’s sister is caught up in a meth lab bust, and her kids have been breathing all of it in for months. It’ll take a village to get these kids healthy. And I’m Dillon’s village, whether he knows it or not. Every day, I’m falling more and more in love with him.
I might be gentle, and loyal, and kind. But when our family is threatened, I’ll do everything in my power to keep us together—even if that means putting my own life at risk. Dillon Manning is worth it. I’ve always known that.
And I’ll move heaven and earth to make sure that he knows exactly how I feel.
A Fighting Chance is the second novel in the Bridge to Abingdon series. Each book focuses on one adorable couple, and each can be read as a super-awesome standalone read. A Fighting Chance steamy scenes, a dollop of suspense, some amazing kids, a hillbilly reunion, and a family vacation that gives everyone a surprise. There are mentions of abuse and a couple of edge-of-your-seat scenes with an end-days preacher you’ll love to hate. Jack and Dillon are the heart of Abingdon, and the second chance we all wish we had. Enjoy!
🌟🌟🌟🌟4.5 stars
🔥🔥🔥Heat level 3.5 (steamy and seamlessly intwined with the story)
WOW! I have no words, it was just so real!
This is a story about finding your person, having your life flipped on its head (a few times) and coming out the other side, stronger and more alive than you were before.
This book is so real world its not even funny. I found the trials and tribulation the main characters and their family face, so captivatingly real that it made me count my blessings in some ways and take heart in the knowledge that with the right supports and encouragements anyone can rise above their situation and be better for it.
Dillion and Jack seem to be opposites in many ways; the extrovert and the introvert, the joker and the stoic but they just work.
I haven’t read Tatum’s first book in this series (but I will now), so I wasn’t familiar with any previous characters. With this in mind Dillion’s ‘love’ for his previous ‘partner’ Gil (if you could call him that) was a little frustrating at times as it seemed very one sided and didn’t endear me towards Gil. Dillion seemed as a little lost and unsure of himself. His identity seemed so linked with Gil, he seemed to feel he wasn’t worth much because Gil ‘left’ so therefore anyone else would leave to, and then Jack came along! Jack seems to have his own problems with self worth and miscommunication, but held on. He faces Dillion’s lack of communication and deals with his emotional highs and lows, while doubting himself and Dillion’s feeling for him.
After only a few weeks/months of dating their lives are turned upside down and they are now in a fight for custody of 3 kids who have been failed by the system. Their lives turn hard fast and they seem to meet a challenge at every turn. While this would ruin a new couple, Dillion and Jack find themselves and the love they each deserve, while creating an instant family they will both do anything to protect!! I loved Jack’s sass and spark and his drive to stop at nothing to save the kids. The three kids in this book are amazing. Tatum’s writing style is so authentic and genuine, that I feel like I know the kids. I feel their fear and anxiety, their hope and tenacity and even their delightful pre-teen attitudes (thanks Jordan). Tatum’s approach to real life situations (CPS) is very well done and makes you feel the disappointment in the system when it is so caught up in red tape that it fails people which sadly happens in the real world.
All in all this book was amazing and worth a read even if you haven’t read the first in the series. I was gripped by the writing style and the easy flow of words to create a real family I feel like I now know. It follows their heart-ships, love, hope and drive to keep their family together. The kids are an amazing part of the story and deserve praise. Tatum wrote them so well I felt such pride at what they were able to do with their life as if they were my own.
An extra note: If you’ve read the book you’ll know what I mean when I say; oh my goodness! The kids letters to Jack just about broke my heart 😍
Anyway, that’s enough from me
Thanks for reading 📚!
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