Taking Chances

Her first year away is turning out to be near perfect, but one weekend of giving in to heated passion will change everything. Eighteen year old Harper has grown up under her career-Marine father’s thumb. Ready to live life her own way and experience things she’s only ever heard of from the jarheads in her father’s unit, she’s on her way to college at San Diego State University. She finds herself being torn in two as she quickly falls in love with Brandon, who becomes her boyfriend—and her roommate’s brother Chase. Covered in tattoos, known for fighting in the Underground and ridiculously muscled...they’re exactly what she was always warned to stay away from, but just what she needs.

"What are the odds against winning the Lotto, The Weakest Link, or Who Wants to be a Millionaire? The answer lies in the science of probability, yet many of us are unaware of how this science works. Every day, people make judgements on a wide variety of situations where chance plays a role, including buying insurance, betting on horse-racing, following medical advice - even carrying an umbrella. In Taking Chances, John Haigh guides the reader round common pitfalls, demonstrates how to make better-informed decisions, and shows where the odds can be unexpectedly in your favour. This new edition has been fully updated, and includes information on top television shows, plus a new chapter on Probability for Lawyers."--BOOK JACKET.

J. Howard Sobel has long been recognized as an important figure in philosophical discussions of rational decision. He has done much to help formulate the concept of causal decision theory. In this volume of essays Sobel explores the Bayesian idea that rational actions maximize expected values, where an action's expected value is a weighted average of its agent's values for its possible total outcomes. Newcomb's Problem and The Prisoner's Dilemma are discussed, and Allais-type puzzles are viewed from the perspective of causal world Bayesianism. The author establishes principles for distinguishing options in decision problems, and studies ways in which perfectly rational causal maximizers can be capable of resolute choices. Sobel also views critically Gauthier's revisionist ideas about maximizing rationality. This collection will be a desideratum for anyone working in the field of rational choice theory, whether in philosophy, economics, political science, psychology or statistics. Howard Sobel's work in decision theory is certainly among the most important, interesting and challenging that is being done by philosophers.

Sudden wealth, family tensions and a heady illicit affair are overshadowed by another mans uncontrollable obsession. After inheriting a fortune, Mike believes a move to Ascombe in the Yorkshire Dales will be the realisation of his dreams. His wife, a dyed-in-the-wool city girl, is far from enthusiastic. Since her divorce, Emma, a beautiful artist in Ascombe, has embarked only on safe, casual affairs. When she meets Leo, a dark and brooding playwright, it seems he has other ideas. The story moves to Cyprus where their lives become fatefully involved and leads to passion, jealousy and hatred that brings tragedy to the village of Ascombe.

Michael Starkis, an equestrian rider, is badly injured in a car crash, needing twelve months off work and riding. His horse, Biscuit, was being looked after by a young woman, Penny Chance, who persuades him to return to riding despite his handicap of one leg being shorter when it was reset. They train together and form a relationship of love, but she is forced to leave to help on her family farm in Wales. He returns to work as an agricultural agent, still aiming to be on the Equestrian Olympic team. Eight years later, his aim fails as his new horse falls and has to be put down. That same day, he receives a call from a seven-year-old boy named Harry Chance, who is trying to save his mother from debt. He realises that Harry is his son, conceived on the only time he had sex with Penny. He returns and marries her, using his wealth to develop businesses together, including two inns, followed later by a brewery. The call to riding this time comes as an amateur steeplechase jockey, aiming to win the world-famous Grand National with a horse named Done Deal. A year before, Michael was asked to take a chance riding Red Royal, his business partner’s horse, in the same race. Will this race be his downfall?

When journalist Rachel Carmedi is kidnapped and murdered by a Colombian drug cartel, her lover and partner Tom Chambers, racked by guilt, vows to avenge her death. Ellen Shelby and Michael McCann want to turn Rachel's story into their first Hollywood movie, whilst Chambers agrees to track down the killers. But his need for vengeance soon overrides their desires. In London, high-flyer Sandy Paul, helping to raise finance for the film, still harbours a fierce passion for Michael, and aims to remove Ellen from his life. Love, lust, jealousy and ambition take the stage with high finance, power and mortal danger. Torn loyalties, male pride and female desires turn the movie into a terrifying trap of death threats and destruction...

Ta Siks wants to provide for his nephew Fundile - but on a cleaner's salary there is no chance of that. That's why he turns to the world of crime, and gets involved in the drug trade. Fundile does not suspect that his uncle is involved in a dangerous game, but his friend Sakhe is a different story. Sakhe has no problem with moving on from being a scorer with girls and on the soccer field, to being a drug merchant. When Nosiphiwo, a girl from Fundile's past, arrives on the scene with a secret of her own, things start getting more complicated. Fundile realises - too late - that even their lives are in danger.

In 1955, Otto Schmalz had been a single German immigrant in Canada for four years. It was time for him to go back to Europe and find a wife. In this, Schmalz’s fourth book of memoir, he takes us on an adventure that takes us from his return to Canada with his German fiancée through their early years together, which were abundantly propelled by an appetite for taking chances. Otto took on jobs away from home to earn more money, leaving his new-to-Canada bride to figure the country out on her own (she did). He postponed an urgent operation so he could finish his first year at university—at age thirty-three (he did). They went with nearly no income for five years, while Otto took engineering courses in the hope of becoming an engineer (he did). Otto and Gertrud’s bold approach to their lives, which featured no little sacrifice and financial hardship, has proved a spectacular success. Taking Chances Paid off, and the rollicking tales it unspools, is proof of that.

FROM POPULAR AUTHOR OF LGBTQ+ ROMANCE MEGAN SLAYER Book fourteen in the Cedarwood Pride series He found his freedom...in Cedarwood. Cain Ables is the it actor in Hollywood. Everyone wants to work with him, his movies make money and he's handsome—but all that glitters isn't gold. He's lonely. Growing up in the glare of the spotlight with the stage parents from hell and being protected from any scandal—and real life—has left him empty. Cain wants freedom and experience. He also wants to come out. The man who plays by the rules is about to break them all. Andrew Meadows isn't looking for love. He's at the farmers' market to sell the fruit and vegetables he's grown. When Cain shows up at his stall, he's captivated. The more they talk, the more he likes Cain, but Cain's got baggage—and he's not out yet. Yet something about Cain makes Andrew want to take a chance on romance...and forever. Will the farmer and actor find the love they both deserve, or will the glare of the spotlight ruin their future?

From the bestselling author of Summer at Shell Cottage comes The Year of Taking Chances, a novel full of warmth, humour and romance. Because love is always worth the risk . . . It's New Year's Eve, and Gemma and Spencer Bailey are throwing a house party. There's music, dancing, champagne and all their best friends under one roof. It's going to be a night to remember. Also at the party is Caitlin, who has returned to the village to pack up her much-missed mum's house and to figure out what to do with her life; and Saffron, a PR executive who's keeping a secret which no amount of spin can change. The three women bond over Gemma's dodgy cocktails and fortune cookies, and vow to make this year their best one yet. But as the months unfold, Gemma, Saffron and Caitlin find themselves tested to their limits by shocking new developments. Family, love, work, home - all the things they've taken for granted are thrown into disarray. Under pressure, they are each forced to rethink their lives and start over. But dare they take a chance on something new?

Celebrate the holidays with the Taking Chances crew. A proposal gone wrong. New additions to the family… Will it be a puppy? Baby? Both? And who gives a house as a gift?!? Hang out with your favorite characters this holiday season to see if they get the gifts they never knew they wanted. This is a peek into the lives of these characters. To enjoy the full experience, the Taking Chances standalone series should be read first.

In this irresistible three-book box set, Abby finds herself falling for both charming Seth and his twin, bad boy Sam, making for a roller coaster of a romance! In Taking Chances, we meet Abigail Brown, a 28-year-old divorcée who has never felt sexually satisfied, much to her chagrin. When she stumbles upon the perfect man, she hopes she has discovered her happily-ever-after ending, but then some big surprises come along and completely shake up Abby's world. Abby has difficult decisions to deal with in Making Choices. Which of the Davis twins is her true love? Who will she choose? Who should she choose? Abby has made a mess of her life. Will her choice create a permanent rift between the Davis twins, or will she be able to resolve this love triangle and mend the relationship between the brothers she cares about? Faking Changes features the story of Abby's troubled best friend, Courtney. Courtney has risen from a background filled with abuse and hardship. She has seen the dark side of humanity and experienced horrors that her tightknit group of friends can't begin to imagine. Will she be able to find love and happiness with the twin who feels like he lost to his brother, or will the secrets of her past haunt her forever? If you love Meghan Quinn, Melanie Harlow, Ivy Smoak, Pippa Grant, or Nicole Snow, dive into Ann Omasta’s contemporary romance books. This hot romance 3-book set is filled to the brim with family drama and steamy romance. Grab it now. Spend the day (or night) getting to know the sexy Davis twins. Will you choose Team Seth or Team Sam?

Humanity is deeply committed to living along the world’s shores, but a catastrophic storm like Sandy—which took hundreds of lives and caused many billions of dollars in damages—shines a bright light at how costly and vulnerable life on a shoreline can be. Taking Chances offers a wide-ranging exploration of the diverse challenges of Sandy and asks if this massive event will really change how coastal living and development is managed. Bringing together leading researchers—including biologists, urban planners, utilities experts, and climatologists, among others—Taking Chances illuminates reactions to the dangers revealed by Sandy. Focusing on New Jersey, New York, and other hard-hit areas, the contributors explore whether Hurricane Sandy has indeed transformed our perceptions of coastal hazards, if we have made radically new plans in response to Sandy, and what we think should be done over the long run to improve coastal resilience. Surprisingly, one essay notes that while a large majority of New Jerseyans identified Sandy with climate change and favored carefully assessing the likelihood of damage from future storms before rebuilding the Shore, their political leaders quickly poured millions into reconstruction. Indeed, much here is disquieting. One contributor points out that investors scared off from further investments on the shore are quickly replaced by new investors, sustaining or increasing the overall human exposure to risk. Likewise, a study of the Gowanus Canal area of Brooklyn shows that, even after Sandy swamped the area with toxic flood waters, plans to convert abandoned industrial lots around the canal into high-density condominiums went on undeterred. By contrast, utilities, emergency officials, and others who routinely make long-term plans have changed operations in response to the storm, and provide examples of adaptation in the face of climate change. Will Sandy be a tipping point in coastal policy debates—or simply dismissed as a once-in-a-century anomaly? This thought-provoking collection of essays in Taking Chances makes an important contribution to this debate.

‘Utterly enjoyable from beginning to end!’ Being Unique Books Life is about to change forever...

The fabulous New York Times and USA Today bestselling New Adult author returns with a sizzling, funny, and deeply emotional tale of passion and secrets, deception and forgiveness A matter of secrets . . . Undercover cop Logan "Kash" Ryan can't afford a distraction like his new neighbor Rachel Masters, even if she's the most beautiful woman he's ever seen. To catch a serial killer, he needs to stay focused, yet all he can think about is the feisty, long-legged coed whose guarded nature intrigues him. A matter of lies . . . Deceived and hurt before, Rachel would rather be a single, crazy cat lady than trust another guy, especially a gorgeous, tattooed bad boy with a Harley, like Kash. But when his liquid-steel eyes meet hers, it takes all of Rachel's willpower to stop herself from exploring his hot body with her own. A matter of love . . . As much as they try to keep it platonic, the friction between them sparks an irresistible heat that soon consumes them. Can Kash keep Rachel's heart and her life safe even as he risks his own? Will she be able to forgive his lies . . . or will she run when she discovers the dangerous truth?

Amy knows that Ty is important to Heartland-and to her. Ty is the only person who truly understands the meaning of Heartland, who is as dedicated to rescuing and curing horses as she is. But their friendship is thrown off balance when Ben, the new stablehand, arrives. And by the time Amy realises she's pushed Ty away, he may have decided to leave Heartland for ever.

From the New York Times bestselling author of Taking Chances, From Ashes, and Stealing Harper, comes the new unforgettable adult romance Molly McAdams’ fans have been waiting for—the sizzling story of a young woman who must place her trust in the one man who can break through her defenses. A night they will always remember…a connection neither can deny…a secret that could destroy it all… When Kennedy Ryan moves to California, she never expects to come face-to-face with Liam Taylor—the intriguing man who has haunted her thoughts for a year. A man who led her to breaking every one of her rules for a single night of passion that ended up meaning more than it was ever supposed to. Accustomed to disastrous experiences with men, Kennedy shields herself before he can break down more of the carefully built control she’s clung to for the last four years. But every time she sees Liam, she feels her resolve weakening. Liam Taylor has been asked to help socialize his boss’s nieces. But what he thinks sounds more like a babysitting job ends up leading him to the only girl who ever slipped away before morning—a girl he thought he’d never find again. And now that she’s within reach, Liam’s determined to never let her go. But when a secret from her past tests their relationship, will they be able to cling to the trust Liam has worked so hard to build?