Third Chances

Highly Recommended For Fans Of The Hunted Series! Rob & Daphne’s Opposites Attract Romance Pairs Fun-Loving Rob With Mama Bear Daphne. Together, They Find A Happy Middle.

ABOUT THE SERIES:

This is book two of three in the Men of Manhattan series of related standalones. Fans of The Hunted series will especially love this series, which is a spinoff of sorts. It includes:
1. City of Sin (Mason Caldwell and Bridget Cowan’s story)
2. Third Chances (Rob Hunter and Daphne Hughes’s story)
3. Missing Pieces (Tyler Stevens and Hailey Shaw’s story)

This series intersects with The Hunted series. While these books and each series can be enjoyed on their own, each book is even more enjoyable when read collectively because little glimpses of the characters from one book to another add to the depth of their individual stories. Approximating the chronological order, the two series combined should be read as follows (according to the author).
1. Temptation (James Hunter and Penny Taylor’s story, part 1)
2. Addicted (James Hunter and Penny Taylor’s story, part 2)
3. City of Sin (Mason Caldwell and Bridget Cowen’s story)
4. Eruption (James Hunter and Penny Taylor’s story, part 3)
5. Third Chances (Rob Hunter and Daphne Hughes’s story)
6. Devotion (James Hunter and Penny Taylor’s story, part 4)
7. Missing Pieces (Tyler Stevens and Hailey Shaw’s story)

IN THIS BOOK:

For those that have read Eruption in The Hunted series, this book gives a look at the bachelor party that James was kidnapped and taken to. Readers finally get to learn more about James and Rob’s relationship as well. Unlike The Hunted series, the male gets his POV, so the reader gets to know Rob’s inner thoughts. Finally, the epilogue cuts to the following Friday, so be forewarned if you have not yet read Devotion that it does give away a few parts. This book adds a lot to The Hunted series, even though it does work perfectly as a standalone.

This story opens the weekend before James and Penny’s wedding, during his bachelor party at the Blue Parrot in Costa Rica. The Blue Parrot is a secret and exclusive resort tucked away in the jungle. The Resort encourages some kinky behavior amongst its patrons with their card and bracelet system.

Daphne Hughes, twenty-three, is affectionately called Mama Bear by her friends. She likes to be organized. She likes to be in control. She is protective and nurturing. And she is afraid of taking risks. She left her family and home in Delaware behind after graduation to go to New York and begin her career as a high school math teacher; her friends all tease her about her students having crushes on their hot teacher. Daphne is focused on her career now, but as her friends are all coupling up around her, she is beginning to wonder if she might be ready for change. Her last year at the University of New Castle was tough, but fortunately she had Kristen and Alina to lean on. Even if Kristen was a little too obsessed with Professor Hunter, she had been a good friend, pushing Daphne out of her comfort zone. She and Alina had been best friends dating back to elementary school, and she understood the pain and loss, if not the guilt. As she heads off to Costa Rica with Alina, Kristen, and Layla for a one week bachelorette getaway in honor of Alina upcoming wedding, Daphne begins to reflect on where she is in her life.

Robert Hunter, twenty-seven, is the carefree and adventurous Hunter brother. Unlike his broody brother James, Rob is mostly happy and fun loving. He is flirty and used to getting what he wants from women handed to him on a silver platter. He went to Harvard as was expected of a Hunter, but he has not worked since. He spends his time travelling on whims, going where the wind blows him. He is waiting for inspiration to hit him and give him a purpose in life. He had taken over James’s condo near the University of New Castle back when James and Penny moved to New York two and a half years ago. When he isn’t travelling, he enjoys living amongst the beautiful coeds on campus. But the one night stands are getting boring. If he is honest with himself he is a little jealous of James. Rob loves Penny like a sister, but seeing how happy she and James are together makes him recognize that he wants to be in love with someone, too. Their love is a little inspiring, and seeing James happy means the world to Rob. James had sacrificed his own happiness to protect Rob from their parents’ controlling ways while growing up, and even if it sometimes made Rob feel second best, Rob would always have James’s back in return. Rob stuck with James through his addictions, but since he began teaching and found Penny, James has been clean. Penny makes James whole.

Rob wonders if he will ever find what he is looking for. There had been a girl back in Delaware that captured his attention a while back. He had watched her study on the lawn each day, and he really wanted to know her. This girl had been different than the others. He sensed she needed some space and planned to approach her at the end of the semester, but she left before he got the chance. A year later and he is getting bored with his life. So when that same girl shows up at the Blue Parrot Resort, Rob isn’t going to let his second chance go to waste. She seems a little skittish, but he has her attention thanks to the bracelets on her wrist. She needs help removing them, and he has all the cards.

Rob and Daphne’s story is a whirlwind romance – most of the story takes place over the course of just two days. But in reality their attraction for one another had been percolating for almost two years. The absence had done nothing to change the natural pull they shared, and when they finally meet one another they feel the connection. But Rob has never been in a relationship before, and doing things the slow way is a foreign concept to him. Daphne values patience and getting to know someone before getting more intimate. And unlike Rob, she is afraid of trying new things. She likes things done just so. Rob inspires her to want to live her life more freely, but putting that idea into action is more difficult than she would like. She is bogged down by regrets about her past that prevent her from fully enjoying the present. Rob feels content around Daphne, a feeling that is new to him. And though he doesn’t understand what love is, he wants to give things a try and find out. Despite how happy they feel when they are together, fear threatens to get in the way. The couple eventually earns a happy for now ending.

Fans of The Hunted series will recognize Tyler Stevens, Penny’s good friend from school. He comes up in the epilogue here as this series segues into Tyler’s HEA. He hasn’t always been painted as the good guy, but it is mostly just that he is human and makes some dumb mistakes (and judging his actions while he is under the influence is probably not entirely fair). After years of not getting over Penny, his story has become very sympathetic. His story follows in Missing Pieces, book three of this series..

Fans of the Empire High series, which is Matt’s story, will finally get to see a little more of Matt here. Thus far in both the Men of Manhattan series and The Hunted series, there has been little from Matt. This book doesn’t exactly paint him in the best of light. He does a few very mean things, and there is a hint of loneliness. This may ruin the story for some, but those that have read Empire High and are aware of the past wild behavior and indulgences of James and his friends growing up together may understand where Matt is coming from even if they don’t forgive him. And that explains why the friends get past it with so little fanfare. And guys just react to things differently than women, so female readers should keep that in mind, too. As awful as it is, at this point in the Empire High series (book three), it is maybe serving a purpose. Matt is unhappy because his HEA was stolen from him. His love story is tragic. Those that haven’t read Empire High don’t have the backstory and thus cannot fathom Matt’s actions. I have my own ideas about what Empire High Matchmaker holds in store (which is not yet released as of this writing), but this book sort of puts my theory into question (though it does not rule it out). Fans will know that book three of that series had a devastating ending that really left things unsettled and the direction of the series unclear.

Rob and Daphne’s story is mostly light and fun – watching Daphne loosen up when with Rob is sweet, and seeing him settle down around her is very satisfying. They make a series of deals revolving around the game of bracelets and cards which keeps things from getting too serious. They both have some issues to deal with, however, before they are ready to move forward and begin a relationship. At that point the story is a little more serious. Rob, however, is such a character that his story cannot possibly take a serious turn for long. Rob may be a bit lost, but he has been a protective little brother. It is great to see him find love, too.

Rob and Daphne’s opposites attract romance pairs fun-loving Rob with Mama Bear Daphne. Together, they find a happy middle. This story is well-written. The plot is somewhat complex; it weaves together many characters from other stories by the author. Most significantly, this story offers a lot to fans of The Hunted – and it is thus highly recommended. The story is written in first person. The POV alternates between Rob and Daphne. I rate this book four stars – or 4.5 stars for fans of The Hunted series and other related books by the author.

I would like to say Third Chances centres around one of my favourite characters, Rob, but anyone who has picked up any of Ivy’s books knows it’s pretty much impossible to have a favourite. Her characters are so alive and vibrant that it becomes impossible to just pick one, but there is a special place in my heart for the free spirited, prankster with a heart of gold, and seeing him find Daphne was truly amazing. I love how the two of them fit. They have difficulties, couldn’t be more different, and yet with effort they come together amazingly. Whilst Rob often seems free, in this book we get a glimpse into the things he hides beneath his confidence, and discover parts of him we didn’t know existed from the times we encounter him in the other books. Daphne, however, has a trouble past herself, and the more she uncovers about Rob, the more those red flag in her mind begin to spring. Sometimes the only things getting in the way of happiness, is yourself

I really enjoyed this one and wow it pulled on the heart strings

This book was ridiculous. The characters were introduced with their personality traits, but once the story got going, the two main characters did not act at all in the way they were originally described. It was very frustrating to read.

I loved this spinoff of the Hunted Series. This is Rob (James’ younger brother) and Daphne’s story. I’ve always loved Rob from what I’ve read about him in the Hunted, and this was a great chance to get to know him better. In Third Chances, he’s even better than I could have imagined. He’s such a sweetheart, so sexy and so funny. With Daphne, he was even sweeter. They are totally opposites, though. Rob is easy going, impulsive and laid back. Daphne is organized, conservative, and repressed. But they bring out the best in each other. They meet at the Blue Parrot Resort in Costa Rica, where Rob, James, Matt and Mason are for James’ bachelor party. Daphne is there with her friends for Alina’s (from Going for the Gold) bachelorette party.

What Daphne doesn’t know is that Rob has been crushing on her since he saw her on campus a year ago. And Daphne had always noticed Rob, but never made a move. But now is their chance to make up for all that unrequited crushing on each other. When they meet, sparks fly! But Daphne is very hesitant to get involved with Rob, because she can tell he’s a player, and really not her type. He eventually wins her over, though, but not until they navigate several obstacles along the way, including Daphne’s accidental judgement of James because of her own brother’s problems with addiction, Daphe’s insecurities, and her friends interfering in their developing relationship. And when they finally come together without all the distractions, it’s amazing. I want more of them, though, and hope I get it in the conclusion of the Hunted.

I enjoyed the slower buildup of their relationship. It wasn’t insta love, maybe insta lust, but not over the top insta love. They flirted and bantered, but things moved fairly slowly. It was also nice to get more of James and Penny, Alina and Bryce and Mason and Bee.