Take a Chance on Me

My Foolish Heart

“A lighthearted, punchy story about two wounded souls who find love and a new lease on life . . . [that] nicely balances the funny and realistic.”

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

“Warren’s charming inspirational romance has it all: the boy next door and the princess isolated in her tower, past histories and new beginnings, poignancy nicely blended with hopefulness, and troubled, everyday people doing their best to live according to their faith. Highly recommended.”

BOOKLIST

“Delightful . . . a story reminiscent of both
Steel Magnolias
and the Mitford novels, but with a personality and charm all its own.”

CROSSWALK.COM

“A truly delightful tale straight from the heart.”

ROMANTIC TIMES

The Shadow of Your Smile

“Warren handles well the many facets of lives intertwined by love, hope, and tragedy. This is a book of second chances for the Hueston family, for those who care about them, and for readers looking for clarity in their own lives.”

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

“Quiet, yet powerful . . . Warren’s latest inspirational novel is a story of hidden pain. . . . At the end, hope is in full bloom.”

BOOKLIST

“A warm and charming tale that features well-developed characters and a solid story line.”

LIBRARY JOURNAL

“Warren handles [the story line] with such grace that the reader is drawn into the tale. . . . This is a beautifully written book.”

ROMANTIC TIMES

“An eminently readable story, perfect for book clubs . . . or to read on your own.”

CROSSWALK.COM

You Don’t Know Me

“A wonderful story, filled with family and faith. Although Annalise has a situation that readers won’t directly identify with, the dilemmas she faces regarding her family will touch hearts and lives in an authentic way.”

ROMANTIC TIMES

“
You Don’t Know Me
is a perfect blend of inspirational and romantic thriller. . . . The pages are filled with inspirational thoughts about God’s promises that will bless your heart.”

FRESHFICTION.COM

“Emotions run deep, and you may wish to read with a box of tissues nearby, particularly toward the final chapters.”

INSPIREAFIRE.COM

Visit Tyndale online at
www.tyndale.com
.

Visit Susan May Warren’s website at
www.susanmaywarren.com
.

TYNDALE
and Tyndale’s quill logo are registered trademarks of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.

Take a Chance on Me

Copyright © 2013 by Susan May Warren. All rights reserved.

Cover photograph of father and son copyright © by Photodisc/Getty. All rights reserved.

Designed by Erik M. Peterson

Edited by Sarah Mason

Published in association with the literary agency of The Steve Laube Agency, 5025 N. Central Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85012.

Scripture quotations are taken from the
Holy Bible
, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Jonah 2:8 is taken from the Holy Bible,
New International Version
,
®
NIV
.
®
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.
™
Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
www.zondervan.com
.

Take a Chance on Me
is a work of fiction. Where real people, events, establishments, organizations, or locales appear, they are used fictitiously. All other elements of the novel are drawn from the author’s imagination.

ISBN 978-1-4143-7841-1 (softcover)

ISBN 978-1-4143-8601-0 (ePub); ISBN 978-1-4143-8396-5 (Kindle); ISBN 978-1-4143-8602-7 (Apple)

AUTHORS TAKE A CHANCE
every time they write a story. Will they create characters people care about? Will they write story lines that resonate? Will they raise questions and answer them with the right truths? One of my biggest conundrums is getting the facts right. I’m so thankful for the people who take a chance with me and help me solve these dilemmas.

My deepest gratitude goes to:

Molly Hickam, the assistant county attorney in Cook County who walked through all my questions and helped me sort out the law. Any mistakes are all mine.

Rachel Hauck, who worked through every scene with me, faithful on the other end of the phone. I couldn’t write a book without her.

David Warren, who brainstormed with me about the custody angle and helped me figure out the tension between Ivy and Darek (and thanks, too, for the name Darek!). You are quickly becoming my secret weapon!

Karen Watson, who always knows just how to round out a story and make it stronger. I appreciate our partnership.

Sarah Mason, for her amazing editing skills. Thanks for catching all the small errors and making me sound good!

Steve Laube, my agent, for his ability to listen and see the big picture. Thanks for always being on my team. You rock!

To my family, who make this life, this adventure, rich and blessed. In my head, we are the Christiansens.

Even as I write this letter, I know I’ll tuck it away; the words on it are more of a prayer, meant for the Lord more than you. Or maybe, in the scribbling upon this journal page, the words might somehow find your heart, a cry that extends across the bond of mother and child.

The firstborn child is always the one who solves the mystery of parenthood. Before I had you, I watched other mothers and wondered at the bond between a child and a parent, the strength of it, the power to mold a woman, making her put all hopes and wishes into this tiny bundle of life that she had the responsibility to raise.

It’s an awe-filled, wonderful, terrifying act to have a child, for you suddenly wear your heart on the outside of your body. You risk a little more each day as he wanders from your arms into the world. You, Darek, were no protector of my heart. You were born with a willfulness, a courage, and a bent toward adventure that would bring me to the edge of my faith and keep me on my knees. The day I first saw you swinging from that too-enticing oak tree into the lake should have told me that I would be tested.

Your brothers shortened your name to Dare, and you took it to heart. I was never so terrified as the day you came home from Montana, fresh from your first year as a hotshot, feeling your own strength. I knew your future would take you far from Evergreen Lake. I feared it would take you far, also, from your legacy of faith.

Watching your son leave your arms has no comparison to watching him leave God’s. You never seemed to question the beliefs your father and I taught you. Perhaps that is what unsettled me the most, because without questioning, I wondered how there could be true understanding. I held my breath against the day when it would happen—life would shatter you and leave your faith bereft.

And then it did.

It brought you home, in presence if not soul. If it hadn’t been for your son, I might have done the unthinkable—stood in our gravel driveway and barred you from returning, from hiding.

Because, my courageous, bold oldest son, that is what you are doing. Hiding. Bitter and dark, you have let guilt and regret destroy your foundation, imprison you, and steal your joy. You may believe you are building a future for your son, but without faith, you have nothing to build it on. Evergreen Resort is not just a place. It’s a legacy. A foundation. A belief.

It’s the best of what I have to give you. That, and my unending prayers that somehow God will destroy those walls you’ve constructed around your heart.

Darek, you have become a mystery to me again. I don’t know how to help free you. Or to restore all you’ve lost. But I believe that if you give God a chance, He will heal your heart. He will give you a future. He will truly lead you home.

Your mother