Title: Chance of a Lifetime
Author: Marissa Clarke
Series: Anderson Brothers #3
Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Release Date: November 16, 2014
Publisher: Entangled: Lovestruck
Summary:Sometimes the biggest risk is playing it safe…
Gen Richards is tired of living down to her family’s expectation of the helpless blind girl. Resurrecting her high-school bucket list that begins with “kiss a total stranger” seems just the thing until she finds herself in a panty-melting lip lock with her big brother’s best friend.
Chance Anderson thrives on adrenaline, but Genny’s the one risk he’s not willing to take. His recklessness a decade ago landed her in the hospital and ejected him from her life. He’s bad for her and everyone knows it—especially her big brother.
Chance reluctantly helps Gen complete her bucket list in order to keep her out of trouble. Running through a freezing fountain, playing Spin the Bottle while fending off a mad horde of stinging insects, and skinny dipping with homicidal attack swans don’t hold a candle to the real danger: falling for the one person he can never have.
“From the time I was little,” he continued, “I’d binge—on adrenaline, usually, but sometimes on foods or activities. And when I went off the deep end that last semester of my senior year, I stepped off the ledge to the point of being self-destructive.”
“But you aren’t like that anymore. You don’t drink. You have a killer job.”
Under her thumbs, the corners of his mouth lifted into a gentle smile. “I still love the rush of adrenaline, though. But you’re right, seven years ago I cleaned up my act. And for that, I thank you and your crazy-hot Christmas party dress your senior year of high school.”
He turned his head toward the ocean and she dropped her hands, confused. What dress?
“Once I’d stepped away from you, I gained a better perspective of exactly who you were to me. Instead of just being my closest friend, you became my inspiration. I wanted to be like you. Be with you. Be worthy of your friendship again. Worthy enough for you to forgive me.”
Again, her insides churned at the realization they’d hurt similarly.
“Suddenly, being the party guy held no appeal. After some painful false starts, I got clean, finished college, and applied to law school. The rest is history.”
The sea breeze was blocked momentarily, and she sensed him stand. His soft footfalls confirmed he had moved a few steps.
She stood as well, facing the direction of the sound of hands slapping over fabric, as she imagined him brushing sand off of himself. “I don’t remember a Christmas party dress my senior year.”
He rested his hand on her waist. “It was red, knee-length, with a silver sequined border on the top and sequined straps. I’d never seen anything like you in that dress before.”
She threw her head back and laughed. “Oh my God, Chance. That was my school choir uniform for the holiday concert. I hated that thing.”
“It was hot.”
“It made my boobs look huge. Everyone said so.”
“I stand by my previous statement. Hot.”
She gave his shoulder a playful punch. “You goofball! You turned your life around because of a choir uniform!”
“I turned my life around because of you.”
Marissa Clarke lives in Texas, where everything is bigger, especially the mosquitoes.
When not writing, she wrangles her rowdy pack of three teens, husband, and a Cairn Terrier named Annabel, who rules the house (and Marissa's heart) with an iron paw.
Marissa also writes young adult novels for Penguin USA under the name Mary Lindsey. She is represented by Kevan Lyon of the Marsal Lyon Literary Agency.
KOBO / iTUNES / GOODREADS TBR
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