A Good Chance is the sequel to ‘One more Chance’. It's a powerful read, detailed, and in parts, can be disturbing. If I'd have known ( nasty habit of not reading the blurb fully) that this was the sequel, I probably wouldn't have asked for a copy of this book.

I am a domestic abuse survivor. I'm discussing this because this has resulted in my low rating, so I'm probably not the best person to trust with a review of this book.

2 stars.

Really good book. This was a continuation of Harry and Desi's story from book one . I really liked how the relationship between these two continued to develop and grow after sixteen years apart. Their love just got better and stronger with time and their families were very supportive and caring of their relationship as well. Harry seemed like the strong one in this relationship, but I felt that Desi was the stronger of the two, because of all the emotional and physical pain and abuse that she went through in her previous relationship, this just made her want to protect and keep harm away from her growing family. The addition of the long lost mother and a romantic relationship for Desi's sister was just an added bonus to an excellent story. No would definitely recommend this book to my friends and family and I look forward to what's next from this author.

3.25 stars. This book is a sequel to One More Chance, which I liked a lot, so I was looking forward to reading this. These books are best read in order as this book starts right where the first book ended. I enjoyed reading more about Harry and Desi, but this book is not one of my favorites by Vali.

Harry and Desi continue their life together and are floating on a big pink cloud as they are starting a family knowing that Desi’s ex-husband is safely locked up. He manages to escape though, derailing Harry and Desi’s life once more. There is also a little side story of Rachel and Serena (Harry’s ex) which I thought would be a more prominent storyline after reading the blurb, but it really is a secondary storyline.

I liked seeing Harry and Desi happy together and there was a nice surprise thrown in as well, which is all can say without spoilers. The first book focusses a lot on domestic abuse and was pretty raw at some points and I could really feel all the emotions, which is one of the things why I liked that book so much. This second book still focusses on domestic abuse, but has less of the rawness the first book had and unfortunately also less depth. It’s happier and more easygoing, which is fine with me, but at some point, it was all too perfect for me. Vali can write the best knights in shining armor and Harry was all that resulting in her being just too perfect and there were too many declarations of love for my liking. I’m sure there are others that will appreciate this better than I did though.
Of course, there was also the threat of Desi’s ex, which was a fun subplot even though it’s obvious that he will not succeed in his evil plans. Family is another important topic in Vali’s books and there were plenty of good family moments and I was also happy to see that Rachel would get her own romance. Unfortunately, I couldn’t root for Rachel and Serena the way I rooted for Harry and Desi. When the book starts they have been dating for a while and hit a rough patch and at first I understood Rachel’s point in the situation, but later on I didn’t like her behavior and I didn’t feel a spark between them. Maybe that was also due to the absence of a POV of Serena since I had no idea what was going on in her head, so for me this romance was a bit underwhelming.

If you enjoyed the first book in the series, you’ll likely enjoy this one too, Harry and Desi are sweet and happy together in a perfect kind of way as you may expect from Vali.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This story continues the previous one called One More Chance within the Chance series, so this is #2 in the series and follows the story of Harry Basantes and Desi, now married and expecting their first child. This time, Rachel Thompson, Desi's sister, takes on a greater role. Her and her love affair. First with Serena Ladding, who also appeared in the first book and also with Shelby Phillips, a Special Agent who will somehow help shake up Serena a bit, for Rachel's benefit.

But within all of Rachel's liaisons, the eternal honeymoon between Harry and Desi, the imminent birth, the book deals quite extensively with the escape of Desi's ex-husband and his relatives from the prison where they were serving time after what happened in the previous book

And there's also a big surprise in the middle of all the stress, which I'm not going to reveal.

I valued the previous book quite moderately because I found that the situations were repeating themselves and it was a bit slow as a whole. I think this time things have not improved much in this regard.

But neither should we underestimate the fact that we can meet up with old characters and see how things are going for them.

So if only for that, the book is worth it.

A Good Chance by Ali Vali is the sequel to One More Chance and definitely won’t make sense as a stand-alone. It seems to flow from one book to the other with minimal time passing between the two which works well and is a great way to continue this story.
Desi and Harry Basantes are expecting a baby, something they have craved as a couple since they were teenagers. Both have healed as best as one possibly can after the trauma of abuse at the hands of Desi’s ex-husband. Harry has been nothing but the ideal partner, allowing Desi everything she needs, and life is perfect (maybe too perfect?). Racheal, Desi’s little sister is struggling through her relationship’s ups and downs, and a surprise from their past has the two sisters questioning their opinions. Life is thrown off track when Desi’s ex-husband escapes from jail, putting everyone back on alert and in danger.
Ali Vali continues this saga, letting readers delve into the complexities which are the Basantes family. A lot is going on, and the story cuts from one plot point to another at a pace that may cause a little confusion and doubt as to the sincerity of the MC’s actions. My curiosity in Vali’s Cain Casey series has been piqued, however, as she was mentioned throughout the story leaving me curious to discover who this woman is. I will reiterate, don’t skip One more Chance before picking up A Good Chance, they need to be read in order.

I received an ARC from Bold Strokes Books via NetGalley for my honest review.

This novel is the continuation of Harry and Desi’s life from the book One More Chance. Harry and Desi have been in love since grade school. Desi’s abusive father married her off to an even more abusive husband at an early age. They finally found each other years later and reconnected. Now they are getting married and expecting a baby.

There is a side story of Desi’s ex husband trying to track her down to make her his again and exact punishment to Harry for interfering. The subplot fell flat for me as a tension device. Inherently knowing he would not succeed because of the HEA tradition, removed any build up of tension for me.

Have you ever met a character that was just too much of everything? Too perfect in every way not to be a Disney character? Harry is this for me. I could not conceptualize her in my imagination because she does not represent a real person. Add this to the constant declarations of love and the repetitive reminders of finding each other again and I lost interest early on in the novel.

If you like your romance novels to be mostly fantasy then this one is definitely for you. I tend to like my romances to be a real possibility.

I received a free advance review copy from Bold Strokes Books through NetGalley. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for a copy of this book.

This is the sequel to Vali's One More Chance.

After waiting 16 years for each other, Harry and Desi are weeks away from their wedding and the birth of their first child.

Desi's sister Rachel is thrilled for them but wishes she could have a her own grand love affair; she's interested in Harry's ex, Serena but Rachel thinks Serena's not yet over Harry. Is there any chance for them?

Desi's abusive ex-husband, along with his father and brother manage to escape from Angola prison; Byron has one goal, to kill Desi, Harry and Rachel.

Another very unexpected face from Desi and Rachel's past makes an appearance.

Similar to the first book in the series, this is not a simple, lighthearted romance, while we have sweet, romantic and sometimes steamy scenes, we also deal with serious issues, this book is very action packed for a book it's size.

Throughly enjoyed it, looking forward to more of Vali's work.

Book 2 of this series continue the story of Harry and Desi after Desi's ex husband escapes from prison and poses a risk to their future. Desi's sister Rachel is also in the middle of some issues with her girlfriend Serena. Throw in a baby, long lost parents, a storm, and new job prospects all around and this book is chock full of drama.
I will say this book is best read if you've read the first book in this series. It definitely feels like it starts right after the first ends. I liked these two MCs as much as I liked them from the first, I was also happy to see a few other characters from Ali Vali's other series pop up, especially Sept and Keegan. The drama was pretty constant though and sometimes the scenes were hard to keep track of. There are also a few scenes where I felt like characters went from one extreme to another emotionally and it didn't seem as genuine as I think it was intended because of the quick changes. It wasn't my favorite book by Ali Vali but I still enjoyed it. It's definitely worth picking up if you liked the first one.

This is one where I’m going to say it’s me not Vali. I didn’t realize this was a sequel to the author's “One More Chance”. If I’d read that I’d probably be thrilled with this new novel. I caught up with the characters in the recapping that is given but that isn’t the same as being connected. The main characters, Harry and Desi, are already in a perfect relationship and expanding their family. I thought there would be more of a focus on Desi’s sister Rachel and her romance with prosecutor Serena. But that is overshadowed by all the good things happening for Harry and Desi. Of course there is a big threat out there but you know that will be near the end so doesn’t increase the tension. There are additional characters introduced but again it is part of the good new life for the MCs. It’s like reading a long HEA epilogue but not a full new story. I’d recommend reading One More Chance first so you’ll enjoy this one more than I did. Thank you to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

In A Good Chance Desi and Harry are living their best life and are expecting a baby very soon. They're both over joyed with excitement until they find out that Desi's abusive ex husband, his father and brother are all escaped from prison, they know exactly where they are headed and must take every precaution to keep them all safe.
Byron is making his way toward Desi and wants her back. He's going to discover she pregnant and wants the baby too. What lengths will he go to to get what he wants?

In the midst of all this chaos Desi and her sister come face to face with someone they thought was dead.
This is a sequel to One More Chance and to truly enjoy this story you should read it first, you won't be disappointed.
Ali Vali as a gift of weaving and creating stories that keep you wanting more and this is no exception. I highly recommend this one.
Thank you #NetGalley #BoldStrokesBooks #AGoodChance for this ARC

Kickback and enjoy the sequel
This is the second part of the Harry&Desi saga which started for me decades back as fanfic and I am glad that I got to revisit this story. First off: For full enjoyment you should probably with reading the first part (One More Chance).
There are two major strands of this story: The very sweet and sappy sapphic romance between Harry and Desi where Harry reassures Desi the abuse survivor time and again of their love and as a counterpoint the prison escape and planned assault by Desi‘s former abusive husband. This is on the surface very black and white but showcases in my opinion the all to real threat which many abuse survivors have continuously to endure (without the help of a protector as Harry and a supportive environment!). It really drills home the dire situation so many women have to fear. And the seemingly repetitive love declarations between Harry and Desi reflect how much abuse survivors need a loving environment and constant reassurance.
So yes, it is black and white and nevertheless like all stories of Ali Vali it is well told and in the end oh so satisfying.
I loved to revisit so many characters of other books set in New Orleans and to see Cain Casey albeit unknowingly help the good cause. The unfolding romance between Rachel and Serena was much more thorny and in my opinion to easily resolved (which is also true for another potential conflict).
So kick back, get out your popcorn and enjoy the show.

Trigger warning: Graphic allusions to domestic violence which happened in the past.

A worthy sequel, you probably need to read the first book to appreciate this one. We see Harry and Desi, building their new life together, as they await the birth of their baby. Until news that Desi's abusive ex-husband has escaped prison, puts everyone on edge, including the reader. The exploration of the ex-husband's twisted psyche was interesting, adding to the tension, on wondering what was going to happen at the end of the book. For those who like to follow a relationship developing, you may enjoy what happens with Desi's sister Rachel. A good story, told well, although I was left wondering what happened to Tyrell. I enjoyed the link to the Casey Cain books and wondering if she would swoop in and save the day!

With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the sequel to Vali’s One More Chance. You need to read that one before reading A Good Chance.

A Good Chance picks up where One More Chance ended. I won’t give away any story details invade it might spoil it for some. The trigger warning that was needed for the first book, aren’t as needed for the second. We get some references to the domestic abuse, retelling of abuse (not in detail) and of course we are still dealing with the aftermath.

Harry is this unbelievably nice and loving character, maybe a bit too good to be true, but I like it. It’s in line with a lot of Vali’s writing to have one character that is seemingly cool and aloof, but in fact is this super loving too good to be true character. And the other MC is the “damsel in distress”, although not in a way that is annoying to me. It’s more like Desi needs a bit of a confidence booster and Harry is happy to provide that and so much more.
I like that we get a bit more of Rachel, Desi’s sister, as well. I do find her slightly annoying, extremely temperamental, quick to judge and a horrible listener to anyone but Desi and Harry.

One thing that just doesn’t fly with me is the forgiveness that happens so easily in this book. There is one very big one, I can’t say anything about it because, you know, spoilers, but that just is too easy. I would have liked to see that play out differently. The other thing, also part of a secondary storyline is just a bit confusing I suppose. A lot of hot and cold and *poof* all is magically wonderful.

Anyway, this is an enjoyable sequel and I definitely wouldn’t mind to stick with these characters for another book or so.

I received an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley and voluntarily leaving my review.

Harry and Desi are finally getting the happiest they deserve after being separate for sixteen years. If you read the previous book you’ll learn that Desi sacrifice her life to protect the two most people in her life Harry and her sister Rachel. Desi is getting what she always wanted the woman she loves and the family her and sister always wanted. Just as things are coming into place Desi and Harry learn Desi ex broken out of jail along with his father and brother and they know he coming after them. While they are dealing with that they are preparing to get married and have their child with a lot of support they won’t let this ruin their happiness. What also happening in the story is besides trying be safe Desi and Rachel get a shock but it’s a happy one but you’ll have to read it to find out why Rachel deals with her own love life. This was good read I enjoy all the characters and how they love each other and always having each other’s back it’s was nice seeing Sept and Keegan again which make me want a another story with them and I hope we get one. I’ll never understand criminals you did the deeds instead of blaming the victims why not do your time and when it’s done go and make better choices what you done doesn’t have to define you for rest of your life.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for the ARC in exchange for this review.
A Good Chance is a sequel to Ali Vali’s One More Chance, bringing us back to New Orleans and into the lives of Harry and Desi and their family and friends about a year after the events of the first book. I have mixed feelings with this installment. The only thing I didn’t like about this was how rushed and forced some of the events and relationships felt. It seemed as if a lot of important things took place ‘off screen’ so to speak and a few of the newer characters felt like they could have been fleshed out a bit more. Besides this I loved being reintroduced to these characters, seeing the healing process and their steps to make the life that was stolen from them so long ago. The introduction of new characters, one of which is a tie in to the Cain Casey series that made me happy, helped to continue to grow this world. Overall I loved the overarching message that no matter how dark and deep the past’s scars, you can move on and find happiness, and find your strength again.

Vali has a sort of recipe to her books I really appreciate. It usually involves a bad guy, and two MCs that are either in love, or quickly get there. I’m a bigger fan of less tension between the MCs and more tension coming from outside the relationship, but this can definitely be taken too far in the sweet/perfect relationship direction. This is a prime example of the overly sweet direction. When I say sweet, I mean there is a lot of expressions of love and zero tension. The amount of times they repeatedly express their love for each other is slightly nauseating. I think the MCs probably spend at least 50% of the book on the topic and it became redundant. Thankfully the MCs sister, Rachel had enough sass and drama to keep the book in play for me.

I liked it, just not as much as some of Vali’s others.

A continuation of “One More Chance.” Harry and Desi are awaiting the birth of their first child and planning their wedding. Everything seems fine until Desi’s abusive ex escapes from prison. A good story, exciting in places, tells of the prison escape and intersperses the main storyline of Harry and Desi with what is happening to the escapees and also about Desi’s sister Rachel’s off again on again romance with Serena.
Good to see included characters from some of her other novels.
I always look forward to Ali’s new books, especially the Cain Casey stories.

A Good Chance by Ali Vali is a lovely. Ali has taken a previous story and given it new life. The story takes place after Desi and Harry find each other again as adults. Harry is a well-known ortho surgeon and the book picks up where Desi is pregnant. I adore Desi and Harry and Ali does some of her best writing when working with her characters from New Orleans series.

This book weaves in a lot of new story lines with Rachel and Serena. Rachel is Desi's sister and Serena is an old flame of Harrys. Serena is also the assistant DA, so it makes work life balance difficult. Rachel also wants a serious relationship and with Serena's history there are a few roadblocks to overcome in their romance.

An additional delight to the already wonderful story of Desi and Harry, plus Rachel and Serena, is how Keegan shows up! And Sept as well. Even Shelby has an appearance, and while Cain is only mentioned in the novel, it's refreshing to know that Ali still has Cain on her mind.

I am going to be honest, seeing Keegan again really makes me long for another standalone book on Keegan and Sept. Plus it would be fun to see Jaclynn, Keegan's sister, maybe find a lesbian partner. (hint, hint)....
In the meantime, I highly recommend "A Good Chance" the story is, loving, and humorous, plus wonderful writing, but more importantly it's how we can all have second chances in our life.