"A Chance at Forever" by Melissa Jagears

A Chance at Forever (Mar. 6, 2018) by Melissa Jagears.*

Living up to one’s name can be daunting, and Mercy McClain has felt the pressure of it, especially with the reappearance in Teaville, Kansas, of George “Aaron” Firebrook. Aaron was her biggest tormentor as a youth, daily harassing her about her right arm, which never fully formed. Mercy hasn’t seen him in over a decade, as she moved in fifth grade, and when she returned to Teaville, Aaron was no longer in the area. She finds fulfillment working at the local orphanage for Nicholas & Lydia Lowe, participates in meetings and group efforts with the Teaville Moral Society and serves on the school board. Though her heart may feel otherwise, her mind has long expected and accepted her spinster status.

            Aaron’s return throws many wrenches in. The biggest childhood bully she’s ever known is licensed and wants to, of all things, be a teacher. Unfathomable! But Aaron has been working to turn his life around one bullied classmate at a time, and Mercy is definitely on his list. When he lands a job working at the same orphanage as Mercy, he finds she’s also on his mind and perhaps even on his heart. But just because her name is Mercy doesn’t mean she will forgive easily. He’s got his work cut out for him and not just because of Mercy. Jimmy, a young teenager at the orphanage, is an angry, hurting, stubborn bully reminiscent of himself at that age, and he wants to redirect his path. Will he succeed? Can old wounds be healed and new, positive paths be forged? Or are these chances ones which will fail?

            The next story in the Teaville Moral Society series, I thought the pace moved steadily forward. Bullying isn’t new to the news, and I found it interesting that the author chose a lead character who was a bully in the past. He is trying to atone for his vast misdeeds of the past, and that is admirable. Meanwhile, Mercy struggles to forgive Aaron. She knows she should, but it’s too easy to hold onto the grudge. They both find it difficult to let go of the past, but you “shouldn’t let the voices of your past or present define who you are. Let God do that” (p. 94). This inspirational, historical fiction (set in 1909) novel is gripping. The only critique I have is that, with everything going on, I sometimes felt the story was too chaotic. Is that real life? Certainly. But there were too many things going on that weren’t central to the story of Mercy and Aaron. From a very difficult orphan to a fire at the lumber mill to the relationship issues between employees Sadie and Franklin to Caroline, there’s extra stuffing. The author wrote it well, but leaving a few items out would not have detracted from the story.

            Also from this series, which I’ve reviewed: A Love So True

* Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions are expressly my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”