Review: Fat Chance by Brandi Kennedy
April 15, 2013
Meet Cassaundra Keaton, an adult orphan raised in the foster system.
She's overweight and struggling to survive in a world that makes her
feel like she can never fit in. Follow her journey as she learns to
trust and love herself, and watch her grow as she finds love. But will
an issue from her past rise up to ruin her new life?
I fell in love with Cass as soon as I read the first few
lines of Fat Chance. Depicted on the pages was a young woman with a beautiful
soul and rock bottom self-esteem. A little overweight, our first real insight
into how her mind worked was with a trip to buy new clothes. I must admit I
found myself laughing along with her running commentary on how her body looked
as she tried on different pairs of pants and dresses.
As the book unfolds, we’re introduced to the woman Cass has
come to think of as her mother and her twin girls who had taken Cass under
their wing as a sister. The relationship existing between these women is extraordinary
and perhaps the only reason Cass hasn’t gone through with some of the dark
thoughts she’s been having.
Of course the reason for a lot of that self-loathing comes
from Rick—another foster kid emotionally damaged from going through the foster
system like Cass has. The difference is, Rick let the knocks and rejections eat
away into his soul so he nothing but a bitter and twisted character which I
took an instant dislike to.
Rick’s constant snide remarks finally push Cass to the
limit. In an attempt to get her life back on track, she decides to see a psychiatrist
to help push through all the issues she’s been having ever since she was a
child. Things are going well—she’s learning to trust in herself a little more,
and to use positive affirmations to improve her daily life.
But it was a chance meeting that really gave Cass a wake up call.
Frustrated by a flat tire, she is rescued by Drew Kingsley who not only helps
her out with her car, but also asks her out on a date. Cass baulks at the idea
that a man might be interested in her, thinking back to her past experiences.
But the old Cass is gone and the new Cass doesn’t listen to the little voices
in the back of her head whispering things like she’s not worthy.
This is the turning point for Cass. With the help of Drew,
she is finally able to shake off the demons of her past, grabbing control of
her life with both hands and making the life she deserved to live come true.
There were times in this book where I wanted to hold Cass’s
hand. There were moments when I wanted to scream at her for not seeing what was
in front of her. The moment I loved though was when Cass finally took a chance
and let someone in.
A story of empowerment.
A story about a real
woman.
A story about taking chances.
A story about love in all its forms.
About the author:
Brandi Kennedy is a romance novelist whose work centers on the
contemporary set, sometimes with a playful twist of this or that as she
toys with bits and pieces of other genres. She is the author of To Love A
Selkie, which is a tragic romance with a twist of the fantasy element.
She is also the author of the Kingsley Series, which is entirely
contemporary and focuses on the romantic happenings of the fictional
Kingsley family.A woman of varied interests, Brandi loves photography, music of all kinds, knitting, crochet, and of course, mothering her two young daughters. Currently, she finds her home in the heart of Knoxville, Tennessee, among the mountains and the members of her extended family.
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