Maya Gupta is a survivor. After escaping an impending arranged marriage in India as a teenager, she has thrived in America. But now she faces her greatest challenge yet—cancer has invaded her life, and unless she finds a way to participate in a clinical trial in Washington, DC, this may be one battle she loses. When Maya’s best friend Kari offers Maya the lifeline of a place to stay—her brother’s currently vacant DC apartment—the young woman eagerly accepts and goes to meet her fate . . .
Ben Evans’s plans have changed, and he’s heading home for some much-needed rest and relaxation during his off-season in the major leagues. Upon arriving at his DC apartment, however, Ben is shocked to find Maya—his sister’s friend, who he hardly knows—in residence. He soon finds himself trapped between protecting his above-reproach reputation and searching for a way to help a woman he is coming to admire. When Maya’s fight to survive her disease becomes more complicated than ever, she and Ben scheme an extreme solution to her predicament that tests to what lengths they’re willing to go together to save Maya’s life.
My Take--
It only took 5 hours to read. Note, not the best to read while flying. It's emotionally powerful and I cried through many scenes leaned up against the airplane window in an effort to hide.
Abramson makes you care about Maya from the very beginning. Her quiet strength and tenacity makes you ache with each thing that tries to tear her down. I wasn't sure about Ben at first, but it didn't take him long to be raised to "knight in shining armor" status.
We don't get bogged down in medical terms, but everything feels real and believable. The entire story is heartbreakingly sweet. The ending might have felt a touch easy, but if Abramson had gone into all the recovery still to come it might have ruined the "happily ever after" affect.
I give Chances Are by Traci Hunter Abramson a solid 5 because I couldn't put it down and it made me laugh and cry.
1-5 scale and what it means:
1: I couldn’t even finish it / just plain bad
2: I hope I didn’t pay for this / disappointing
3: I didn’t hate it, but it was still missing something / forgettable but inoffensive
3.5: On the line between good and ok / like, not love
4: Solid mind candy / worth reading
4.5: So very close to perfection! / must read
5: I could not put it down and I’m still thinking about it! / a true treasure
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