ARC Review: A Risk Worth Taking by Heather Hildenbrand

Heather Hildenbrand is another new to me author, so I had no idea what I was in for with A Risk Worth Taking. I did enjoy this book, and I really liked the characters. I also really liked the storyline and the fact that this book is about finding yourself and enjoying the journey. That being said though, I did have some things that were problems for me and they kept me from being able to rate this one higher.

When Summer goes home for Christmas break, the last thing she expects is that her parents have decided to separate and get a divorce. Without knowing the details or having any idea that there were problems, Summer is completely thrown. So when she finishes college the next semester, she decides to move back home and help her dad run the family farm. She is excited to return to her family and friends, but she is also feeling lost. Not only did she not plan on ending up back at home, but she also isn't speaking to her mother. Her best friend/almost brother Casey introduces her to the new guy Ford. The attraction between Ford and Summer is instant, but with him leaving in a few months they both know that nothing too serious can happen between them. Summer vows to stay away, but Ford knows that what he feels for her is something that he isn't about to pass on. Ford begins to pursue Summer, and it isn't long before the two of them are enjoying the time together. But once they start spending time together and the feelings grow, they both become much more attached to the other than they ever expected. Can Summer convince Ford that he doesn't need to keep traveling and that he should stay and make a life with her? Will the love the feel be enough for both of them to take a risk on?

I really liked Ford and Summer. They were both really great characters and I found them deep and interesting. I did think that both of them had some immature moments, but I think some of that is due to their age. Ford was one of those genuinely good guys, and I loved how he was determined to live his life to the fullest. He didn't worry about consequences, but rather just lived in the moment so that he could experience everything that he possibly could. I loved how Summer wasn't your typical girly girl. She had no problem living the farm life and didn't flinch at a bit of dirt or mud. I also really enjoyed her relationship with Casey. I thought that they had a really special relationship and I enjoyed the two of them interacting a lot. I loved that Casey not only pushed Summer towards Ford, but he also helped Ford out when it came to Summer. I know not everyone would think that was a good thing, but I liked that he cared enough about both of them to help them see what was between them when they both were stubborn or didn't see it. Ford and Summer had a lot of chemistry and they seemed to really bring out the best in each other. It was great watching them open up to each other and start to see that the things they had always thought were what they wanted might not actually be what they needed.

All in all, this book was enjoyable and I think that these characters are definitely worth the read for. However, I thought that the pacing of this book was off and it moved really slowly at some points. As much as I enjoyed the characters, I found that sometimes this book just didn't hold my interest. I would end up setting the book down, and have to come back later. I also thought that this story had very little conflict. Besides the deadline on their relationship and the little bits with Summer and her parents, this story just felt a little easy. I think that might be another part of why I just wasn't as interested in finishing this story. There just wasn't a lot to grab a hold of my attention and keep me invested. I also thought that Casey was an amazing character, and even if he and Summer didn't have feelings for each other, that he would have been a bit more protective of her. I kept waiting for him and Ford to really get into it or that he would sort of rip into Ford for the way that he was hurting her when he was leaving. But nothing ever happened like that between them, and I felt like that wasn't exactly true to his character. I felt like he would have made a bigger deal of it because of how much he cared about not only Summer, but also how close he had become to Ford. I still think that this story was an enjoyable read and that the characters are easy to fall for. The different characters are by far the highlights of the story, and I loved watching them interact and banter back and forth. It was clear to see how close this entire group was and I loved watching the love they had for each other as they all gave each other a hard time and treated each other like family does. This story was moving and I really enjoyed that the author really showed us that family and life is what we make it. I think that if you are a fan of the New Adult genre and enjoy a heartwarming romance, this is one that you might like.

**ARC provided by Inkslinger PR**

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