A Risk Worth Taking

Superb writer---my favorite author!!! Another great book by Robin. Good story, theme---everything. One of the best in language use. Just terrific.

Pilcher introduces us to a man who at a prime time in his life decides there must be more. From prestigious home in the suburbs of London he travels to a frigid region in northern Scotland to explore a new job opportunity there. Something that would give more meaning to his life. Yearning for change and examining our life is a task that most of us experience several times during a lifetime. Finding the courage to make the changes was a primary point Pilcher was striving to get across. A thought provoking read.

Like many of Robin Pilchers readers, I tried a second book by him (the first was Starting Over) in a vain attempt to find something similar to the books written by the authors far more talented mother, Rosamunde Pilcher, who, sadly, has stopped writing. Again -- a complete disappointment. Robin Pilcher has learned some of his mothers narrative skills but has never managed to make any of his characters into someone most of us actually want to read about: Dan Porter is another obtuse, unlikeable man, whose wife I wholeheartedly symphathize with -- Id leave him too. Pilchers characters are shallow and uninteresting, with ridiculous motivations (for example, why would Dan Porter decide to stay home for his family, turning down all job offers and knowingly causing chaos in the process; but neglect to tell his family about his reasons for doing so?). I have trudged through two Robin Pilcher novels and I wont try another one. For those who think they might like to read this book, I strongly urge them to start with the Rosamunde Pilcher novels instead.

A Risk Worth Taking was recommended to me by my mother. The author is the son of the famous author Rosamunde Pilcher. Synopsis: Dan has recently been downsized from his job. He has moved his family to the suburbs of London. His wife Jackie picks up the slack by getting a job with Rebecca Towelworth Designs. Is there more going on with her job than meets the eye? They have three children Josh, Nina, and Millie. The girls hate their school and constantly complain to their father. Meanwhile Josh spends most of his nights out at clubs and a low paying job. All of the sudden Dan sees an article about a company looking for assistance in Womens Weekly. What happens when Dan decides to check out the company? And how will this affect the family? My Thoughts: I wish I could tell you that the sons writing is as good as the mothers. I was not impressed. I had a hard time getting started with this novel. I did not love the character of Dan. The story did take a turn for the better but it took half way through for me to be interested. When Dan made the conclusion of what needed to happen with his family I was ready for this moment! This story takes place in 2001 to 2002 time period. I think the book was a originally published at this time. Jane Green has one that takes place during the same time period which is better.

I enjoyed this book, as I do all of Robin Pilchers books. However, the ending was not a surprise. I knew what was coming, even before I read it.

This is my first Robin Pilcher book and I am not disappointed. I am a huge fan of his mother Rosamunde Pilcher so I decided to try one of his books. Very enjoyable. I was taken in by the characters immediately. Will get more of his books.

I liked this book very much. I have read a few of his books and liked them. I still like his mothers books a lot. Thank you.

Dan Porter lives in suburban London with his wife and three children. As a two-income family, Dan and his wife Rebecca were basically living in the dream world they expected to create for themselves. But Dan lost his job months ago and now the initial welcome felt by a wife and children in having a stay-at-home husband and father while he looked for work has worn off. As Dan begins to sort through his own feelings of guilt in not finding employment he also begins to question what type of work he really wants to pursue. Rebeccas feelings change as her resentment builds as the responsibility of being the sole breadwinner begins to overpower any other emotions. As the children have changes in their lives, Dans encouragement to them is over-shadowed by the change they see in his confidence and they begin to see his part in their lives as intrusion. This story is not an action-packed, suspenseful thriller. But it is a page-turning novel as an intimate portrayal of the changes in a family as the dynamics of a two-income family that has always had a level of financial security changes to multiple unknowns. The initial setting of London could be any major city around the world. However, as the job opportunity for Dan changes there could only be one location that could be so lovingly portrayed and so unique to the outcome of the story as in the corner of the world in Scotland portrayed by Robin Pilcher. It is a story about a family in crisis that is thoughtfully written with care to express all of the human emotions of family dynamics (i.e. husband/wife, wife/husband, parent/child, mother/children, father/children, husband/son, husband/mother, wife/mother-in-law). The story also portrays how easily a man and a woman in the same relationship and having the same daily experiences can and sometimes do view things so very differently. It is a story of parental love, the nurturing love between parent and child and from child to parent. It is also a story of resilience and the daily choices that each individual faces on their life journey.