TAKE A CHANCE ON ME, by Elizabeth Eulberg, Scholastic Inc., March 4, 2025, Paperback, $12.99 (young adult)
A girl who runs to England following a breakup discovers you can’t run from everything in Take a Chance on Me, by Elizabeth Eulberg.
Evie is heartbroken and betrayed when a video of her confronting her cheating ex boyfriend goes viral, so what’s a girl to do? Flee to London for the summer, of course! Evie loves everything about London ― the double decker buses, afternoon tea, history around every corner. Everything that is but having to stay with the person who’s hurt her most of all ― her father.
Desperate for a distraction from their contentious relationship, Evie spends her days wandering the historic streets . . . where as though fate is intervening, she keeps meeting a charming and beautiful British busker named Aiden.
Evie doesn’t want to open herself up again, but Aiden is funny, kind, and he never treats Evie like she’s too much. He may just be worth taking a chance on . . . if Evie can keep her past from getting in the way of her future. —Synopsis provided by Scholastic Inc.
Take a Chance on Me is a summer romance set in London.
Evie is the kind of protagonist that’s not going to be a hit with everyone. Her sort of stream-of-consciousness first-person narration takes a while to get used to. And she’s very good at wallowing. You don’t get the full story for her betrayal until way into the story, so it can be hard to relate. Mostly, she’s messy and has a lot of baggage. And while she eventually grows, it’s a long path getting there.
Take a Chance on Me is a romance. But it’s more a study of relationships — Evie with Aiden; Evie with her dad; Evie with her new friends; Evie with her dad’s girlfriend. And truthfully, it’s Evie’s relationship with her dad that really stands out.
In this relationship, author by Elizabeth Eulberg works through a lot — feelings of abandonment, eating disorders, living up to expectations. There’s a lot to unpack and it feels deeply personal. It’s something for readers to consider should any of these topics are triggering.
Take a Chance on Me is a fast (less than 300 pages) standalone novel, that’s sweet with a bit of depth tucked in for good measure.
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