Slim Chance

Reviewed by Morningstar for Diverse Reader

This was one of the most real stories I’ve read with an overweight character. It was not easy to watch Ollie go through this. Watching someone struggle and hate themselves so much is never easy, but he is human and flawed. The way Jeff Erno writes Ollie is one of the many reasons why I can label him one of my favorite authors.



Ollie made me feel for Benji throughout this story with how he treats him sometimes. Snapping at him, thinking about how Benji wouldn’t understand, and then, later on, there were other things that I won’t go into but needless to say loving Benji was easy, not so much Ollie. But his struggle and inner thoughts were real and hurt to read; but each one was true to what it’s like to be someone who struggles so much with their weight. Ollie was so hard on himself throughout the whole story that at times it was aggravating, but just on the flip side, if I was in his place I probably be just as unhappy with myself.



Also, I’ve seen others mention cheating and I’m not sure where they got that idea when they read this story because I read no cheating at all in this book.



The romance between these two was cute and just right, which suited them perfectly. The ending was perfect in its triumphant moment for both Benji and Ollie. The journey wasn’t easy, but it was real and true, and I wouldn’t change it.

I did NOT like Oliver...not for a very long time. (I am guessing Jeff will be happy about that!) Let's face it, he was a jerk. He was a jerk when he was fat, he was a jerk as he was losing weight, and he was a jerk when he got skinny. Although, I will give him a pass on the part where he got skinny, because the man had a complete overhaul in his world and anybody in that situation would not have any clue what is right or wrong in lots of those situations.

But he was just a jerk to Benjy, a man who was faithful, supportive, loving and a fantastic friend, despite all the reasons why he could have told Ollie to take a flying leap. He was positive, helpful and so supportive of what Ollie wanted to do, not necessarily what Benjy wanted. It gave a bit of an impression that Benjy was a pushover, and would let Ollie do whatever he wanted, and hurt Benjy without consequences. Ollie finds out that Benjy isn't a pushover, but someone who truly just wants to do what he can to be there.

These two men both had huge issues to overcome, and Ollie's weight was just one of them. His self-esteem was awful (this cover is freaking perfect for what this book touches on), and even as he lost weight, he couldn't see how he would ever be lovable. Meanwhile, Benjy had such horrible anxiety it was a wonder that he was able to go to work on a daily basis. Neither of these things can be overcome with an HEA, and I love that Jeff did not make that their salvation. Their road to their success was lead by themselves.

This was a very personal book to me. I actually had a hard time reading some of it. I have been overweight most of my life (like Ollie, although not nearly that size), and being female the criticism tends to be much more harsh than it is for me (which Jeff even touches on in the book). Knowing the pain that comes with living in a society that values the size of your waist more than the size of your love, it was hard to see how he would react to hateful things that happened to him. However, it was heartening to read that it doesn't have to be that way, and it isn't necessarily because you lose the weight, but that you learn to love yourself.

Thank you Jeff for stepping outside so many comfort zones and creating characters that are flawed inside, because they are seen as flawed outside.

I have to give this book two ratings.

As a reader: 4 pieces of eye candy

As a human being: 5+ pieces of eye candy
Reviewed for Two Chicks Obsessed with Books and Eye Candy

Jeff Erno is a new-to-me author, a victim of “so many authors, so little time”. I'm delighted that I was able to start with this one. Oliver and Benjy were such relatable characters and Oliver will likely be recognizable to many, in his struggle with weight and body image. It was easy to empathize with Benjy, a timid, shy young man, subject to the limitations of severe anxiety but loyal, strong-willed and honest in his emotions. Even though the story is told from Oliver’s POV, Benjy was actually my favorite of the two!

There are few secondary characters but Oliver's parents were the kind I'd have liked to have and there was just enough of the doctor, trainer and the gym bunnies, or gym rats, as I prefer to call them. What was most enjoyable was the level of realism and the raw, honest emotions expressed by Oliver in both external and internal dialogues. He was so humanly flawed, that even when I got aggravated with him, he was often a mirror to see myself in. The narrative did move a little slowly for the first few chapters but picked up more in the second half. Sinking into it was easy though, becoming a book where I wanted to alternately hug and smack everyone at some point. A litmus test for a good book is whether I'm getting mad at the character themselves or just mad about the actions they're given. If you know what I mean!

It was a fantastic ending, with a touching, rather grand gesture from Ollie. The epilogue was the cherry on top of this low-fat sundae of a book. I always appreciate getting a glimpse into the future of a book couple I like. I'd recommend this book highly, as it contains so much shared experience for anyone who's ever worked to make changes in their life.

*An ARC was provided to me by the publisher via Jessie G Books blog for an honest review.

The couples in Mr. Erno's books never fail to make me smile. Benjy and Oliver of Slim Chance were no exception. Although there were certainly moments that I wanted to throttle Oliver for his treatment of Benjy, I enjoyed this story and liked these two together.

Slim Chance features two co-workers who become close friends and eventually lovers. Both men had insecurities and struggles that previously kept them from entering a relationship, so understandably they floundered a bit at the start. I liked how their experiences brought the two together to form a strong bond based on understanding and support (well, mostly). I also liked the comparison and contrast of an external hangup, Oliver's obesity, to the internal struggle Benjy faced with his anxiety disorder. The romance was very organic in its development, taking time as both men navigated their personal issues. And while there were some good heated moments, the emotional relationship and journey remained the focus of the book.

As Slim Chance is told solely from Oliver's point-of-view, his emotions, candor, and development drove the plot. The book follows Oliver throughout his weight loss journey, providing emotional insights that have a raw quality to them and exposing some of Oliver's tortured thoughts. Mr Erno also brilliantly captured Oliver's successes. These contrasting feelings made for a bit of a roller coaster read that was genuine and poignant.

My biggest hang-up was Oliver's treatment of his best friend turned lover. While it admittedly fit with aspects of his personality, it rubbed me the wrong way and I started feeling defensive of Benjy. I never like when I feel a need to protect main characters from one another, so that dulled the sparkle of the book for me. I did like the resolution and that Benjy stood up for himself, the path was just a little too thorny. I also liked that we got a empathetic look into Benjy's feelings and struggles with severe anxiety toward the end.

This author captures conflicting emotions and insights that lead into notable character growth so well, that I can't help being drawn into his stories. So despite having some angry mutterings toward Oliver, I was invested in this book. I don't have to approve or agree with everything a character does to still appreciate their story, and that's the case here. I liked the characters, really liked the story, and loved all the emotions the author taps into. For me, this was another gem that ended up making my heart happy.

*Reviewed for Alpha Book Club*