Out of the Flames by Cheryl Wyatt is a novella about whether a relationship will develop between the two protagonists, Lilah Rose McLaughlin and Scott Cohen. Lilah runs a marine animal rescue and rehabilitation centre right next door to the Coast Guard watch station at Haven Bay, Florida. Scott is a Chief Coastguardsman who has just transferred into his position from Chicago. The two first meet at the Soggy Sandwich Diner where Lilah is enjoying lunch out with close friends who want to help her find love. When Scotty enters the diner, they lock eyes...and the rest doesn't quite immediately become history. It's a mystery to Lilah's friends, Memaw, Tilly, and Monique, who make up three generations of the Audet Family who have adopted Lilah as an honourary granddaughter, daughter and sister. This is because everyone in the diner noticed how Scotty's gaze stopped and lingered on Lilah. However, their first encounter ends with Scott blowing her off, averting his gaze and slighting her. Lilah knows that this isn't her imagination; her friends noticed Scott's behaviour too. It hurts because it reminds her too much of her failed relationship with her ex-fiancé.
Scott can't walk away quickly enough from Lilah. He is instantly attracted to her, but sees the hurt in Lilah's soul when he looks into her eyes. He doesn't have time for a relationship with a woman right now because of the Coast Guard fire squad safety program that he is in charge of organizing and putting together. Getting this program off the ground is something that he is driven to do because of his past. Scotty can't allow himself to get distracted by Lilah. He feels that if he gets into a relationship with her, it will keep him from achieving his goals with the program. He feels guilty about slighting her, and decides that if he sees her again, he will apologize.
However, the Audet Family closes rank around Lilah to protect her. This includes Tilly's husband, Roy, who is Scotty's supervisor, who tells Scotty that he won't apologize to Lilah on Scotty's behalf; Scotty will need to do it himself. Ron then prays for Scotty's and Lilah's paths to cross again...and they do. Scotty can't help but be drawn to Lilah, but he blows hot and cold towards her. His behaviour confuses and hurts Lilah who keeps remembering how her ex-fiancé said that she wasn't good enough.
Will Scotty be able to come to terms with his past and let go of it so that he can move on to a future with Lilah? Will Lilah work through her insecurities so that she can be the friend that Scotty needs while he works through the guilt that he feels from his past?
I liked Scotty. He is a good guy, although he seems to be unable to keep from hurting Lilah with his ambivalent behaviour while he is working through his issues. Lilah seemed to be a tad bit oversensitive about rejection, but that is explained by the hurt inflicted upon her by her fiancé. She is strong enough to take a risk in being there for Scotty while he is struggling with his guilt even though he has hurt her. The author makes a note about Lilah's character in her acknowledgements: that if people ever feel invisible or meaningless like Lilah, they should know that they are loved by God and matter to Him.
I especially liked the character of Memaw Audet. She's the grandma who you wish had a sensor for her mouth to keep her from saying embarrassing things, but who you can't help but love, quirks and all. It was funny reading about the scuffle that she got into with another senior lady over the affections of an eligible man of suitable age. Actually, the woman has outrageous behaviour toward eligible men regardless of their age. She even told Scotty to his face that, "...I could sit here and look at you allll day." In fact, her first reference about him was, "A hot man!" while the Audets and Lilah were sitting in the diner. I like Memaw; she's hilarious.
Out of the Flames is a fairly quick read at eight chapters. This story touches on the issues of grief and survivor's guilt, and on self worth. If you enjoy reading about characters in the Coast Guard, this may be the novella for you.
Tuesday, 1 December 2015
Friday, 20 November 2015
Review: The Warrior by Wanda Ann Thomas
The Warrior is a historical novel by Wanda Ann Thomas which is set in the times of the Maccabees. It is the first novel of the Herod Chronicles. I was intrigued by the series name; I wondered which Herod it referred to, and as it turns out, it is in reference to Herod the Great before he became known by that name. Herod isn't even a major character in the book. The warrior that the title refers to is actually Nathan of Rumah. He is a former soldier of the Jewish army which fought to place John Hyrcanus II as High Priest in Jerusalem. He is also a friend of Herod, whom he fought along side with to put Hyrcanus II into power. Nathan was a good soldier, so much so that he earned the nickname, "the Angel of Death." He received this name after slaying a significant number of opposing fighters who had swarmed and surrounded Herod during battle. However, Nathan is appalled by the darkness within him that allowed him to fight so viciously, and has retired from soldiering to work on his family's olive groves.
Although Judea has a High Priest and a ruling Sanhedrin, the land is still under Roman rule. Hyrcanus II is just a puppet who answers to Antipater, Herod's father, who serves Rome. Nathan tries to maintain neutrality in his politics; he remains friends with Herod, but is also friends with Jewish rebels who wish to run the Romans out of Judea. Nathan's rebel friends have been known to attack Roman sympathizers, even their own countrymen.
One day he stumbles across a family of a Pharisee, Simeon Onias, whose family had been attacked by the rebel, Judas the Zealot, and his men. They have made off with Lydia, one of Simeon's daughters, and had forced Alexandra, the another daughter of Simeon to cut the face of his son, James, with a sword. Simeon has also been severely beaten. Nathan can't understand what a religious man like Simeon is doing in Galilee, away from Jerusalem where most Pharisees live exclusively. He also can't understand why his friend Judas has attacked one of their own countrymen who obviously hated the rule of Rome as much as the rebels did. Nathan realizes that he must put a stop to the raids that the rebels are doing, even though he loathes to choose sides; it will look as if he is choosing to side with Rome, but in truth, he is appalled that Jewish people are attacking their own. When Alexandra makes an appeal to Nathan to rescue Lydia, he promises her that he will find Lydia and return her to her family. He feels guilty about the attack since he has done nothing to deter the raids from occurring in the past. It also doesn't hurt that he finds Alexandra uncommonly attractive, but tells himself that he has no business seeking a delicate female like her to be his wife.
When Nathan visits Simeon's home in Jerusalem to report his lack of success in finding Lydia, but wanting to gain more details about why the family was in Galilee, he is turned away. He finds out that Alexandra's engagement to a priest has ended because of her brief captivity under Judas, which could threaten the purity of the priestly line. Out of compassion, he tries to ease Alexandra's loneliness by making a suggestion to his sister, Mary, to befriend Alexandra, but through a huge misunderstanding on the part of others, finds himself engaged to be married to Alexandra. This part of the plot reminded me a lot of many plotlines in regencies where the hero and heroine find forced to marry to avoid scandal, although neither Nathan nor Alexandra did anything with the appearance of evil.
Nathan is a remarkable character; he seems to really care about doing the right thing and he has a faith in God. Some of his prayers are interspersed thoughout the novel. He stands up to the test and makes arrangements to marry Alexandra, even offering to give her six months for them to get to know each other before they actually marry. However, attempts are still being made against Alexandra's family, so Nathan insists on marrying Alexandra sooner than later so that he can protect her. How will their marriage weather against the differences in their social standings? Will Nathan find Lydia and return her to her family? Why was Simeon in Galilee? If Nathan gets help from Herod in order to find Lydia, what will this favour cost him? Can he continue to maintain neutrality and not choose between siding with the Romans or the rebels? Can he deal with the conflict that arises with the part of him that enjoys soldiering with the part of him that is appalled by his out of control and frenzied fighting instincts? Would a gentle woman like Alexandra be able to accept the darkness of his personality?
Alexandra is a bit of an interesting study too. She has been put down upon by her father and brother; male patriarchal attitudes reign supreme in her father's household. It is interesting to glimpse into how legalistic and rigid the Pharisee is towards his family and in his dealings with others. Alexandra has little freedom; her days are spent within the confines of her father's home, or at the temple, but she has not been allowed to venture even into the marketplace or to participate in many social activities outside. She has also had a relatively pampered life, so she views marriage to Nathan with great trepidation, even though she is deeply attracted to him. She feels inadequate to be Nathan's wife, thinking that a sturdier, stronger woman who is accustomed to hard work would be better suited to him than herself.
I found the characterization of Herod to be fascinating even though he plays a minor role in the story. He is a young man of 26 who is ambitious and shrewd. I didn't realize that historically, Herod had been raised as a Jew even though he was an Idumean. Although The Warrior is only fiction, Ms. Thomas writes Herod's character as being knowledgeable about Jewish culture and customs, and how Rome operated. I sort of liked him. In the novel, he came across as gregarious go-getting rogue, and I could see how a man like Nathan might be friends with him. This is a bit different that the King Herod that I have always pictured in my mind from the Bible: a jealous, insane king who was paranoid about being usurped. Perhaps historically, he was the latter, but it is interesting to imagine that he could possibly be just an ambitious man who didn't care for God or for His ways. That could make him not too different from many people who live in our world today.
In the case of the character of Simeon, Ms. Thomas shows him to be ambitious and crafty as his reasons for being in Galilee become known. In some ways, he didn't seem that much different than Herod in his ambitious nature, especially when he reveals that he is quite ready to toss aside aspects of the Law, and even the Pharisaical laws to achieve his ambitions. He is quite an unsympathetic character who many did not like in the novel, although it seemed as if Alexandra often sought his approval in vain. With his legalism and lack of love, he is definitely what I have always imagined a Pharisee to be like.
I also found the character of Judas the Zealot to be interesting. He is even more of a minor character than Herod, but he is an insane man who thinks that he is the Messiah. The man steals, beats others, takes a woman forcibly, and murders, but he is what his countrymen are looking for because he is against the Romans. He is a contrast to Jesus, our true Messiah, the One Who lives and upholds God's laws, Who treats everyone, both men and women, with dignity, Who was not recognized by His people, and Whom some thought was insane.
As I mentioned before, I recognize that The Warrior is just a novel, but I enjoyed thinking about what some of the characters represented. I enjoyed the historical fiction too.
Besides The Warrior, The Herod Chronicles also includes The Barbarian, The Stonecutter and Warring Desires.
Although Judea has a High Priest and a ruling Sanhedrin, the land is still under Roman rule. Hyrcanus II is just a puppet who answers to Antipater, Herod's father, who serves Rome. Nathan tries to maintain neutrality in his politics; he remains friends with Herod, but is also friends with Jewish rebels who wish to run the Romans out of Judea. Nathan's rebel friends have been known to attack Roman sympathizers, even their own countrymen.
One day he stumbles across a family of a Pharisee, Simeon Onias, whose family had been attacked by the rebel, Judas the Zealot, and his men. They have made off with Lydia, one of Simeon's daughters, and had forced Alexandra, the another daughter of Simeon to cut the face of his son, James, with a sword. Simeon has also been severely beaten. Nathan can't understand what a religious man like Simeon is doing in Galilee, away from Jerusalem where most Pharisees live exclusively. He also can't understand why his friend Judas has attacked one of their own countrymen who obviously hated the rule of Rome as much as the rebels did. Nathan realizes that he must put a stop to the raids that the rebels are doing, even though he loathes to choose sides; it will look as if he is choosing to side with Rome, but in truth, he is appalled that Jewish people are attacking their own. When Alexandra makes an appeal to Nathan to rescue Lydia, he promises her that he will find Lydia and return her to her family. He feels guilty about the attack since he has done nothing to deter the raids from occurring in the past. It also doesn't hurt that he finds Alexandra uncommonly attractive, but tells himself that he has no business seeking a delicate female like her to be his wife.
When Nathan visits Simeon's home in Jerusalem to report his lack of success in finding Lydia, but wanting to gain more details about why the family was in Galilee, he is turned away. He finds out that Alexandra's engagement to a priest has ended because of her brief captivity under Judas, which could threaten the purity of the priestly line. Out of compassion, he tries to ease Alexandra's loneliness by making a suggestion to his sister, Mary, to befriend Alexandra, but through a huge misunderstanding on the part of others, finds himself engaged to be married to Alexandra. This part of the plot reminded me a lot of many plotlines in regencies where the hero and heroine find forced to marry to avoid scandal, although neither Nathan nor Alexandra did anything with the appearance of evil.
Nathan is a remarkable character; he seems to really care about doing the right thing and he has a faith in God. Some of his prayers are interspersed thoughout the novel. He stands up to the test and makes arrangements to marry Alexandra, even offering to give her six months for them to get to know each other before they actually marry. However, attempts are still being made against Alexandra's family, so Nathan insists on marrying Alexandra sooner than later so that he can protect her. How will their marriage weather against the differences in their social standings? Will Nathan find Lydia and return her to her family? Why was Simeon in Galilee? If Nathan gets help from Herod in order to find Lydia, what will this favour cost him? Can he continue to maintain neutrality and not choose between siding with the Romans or the rebels? Can he deal with the conflict that arises with the part of him that enjoys soldiering with the part of him that is appalled by his out of control and frenzied fighting instincts? Would a gentle woman like Alexandra be able to accept the darkness of his personality?
Alexandra is a bit of an interesting study too. She has been put down upon by her father and brother; male patriarchal attitudes reign supreme in her father's household. It is interesting to glimpse into how legalistic and rigid the Pharisee is towards his family and in his dealings with others. Alexandra has little freedom; her days are spent within the confines of her father's home, or at the temple, but she has not been allowed to venture even into the marketplace or to participate in many social activities outside. She has also had a relatively pampered life, so she views marriage to Nathan with great trepidation, even though she is deeply attracted to him. She feels inadequate to be Nathan's wife, thinking that a sturdier, stronger woman who is accustomed to hard work would be better suited to him than herself.
I found the characterization of Herod to be fascinating even though he plays a minor role in the story. He is a young man of 26 who is ambitious and shrewd. I didn't realize that historically, Herod had been raised as a Jew even though he was an Idumean. Although The Warrior is only fiction, Ms. Thomas writes Herod's character as being knowledgeable about Jewish culture and customs, and how Rome operated. I sort of liked him. In the novel, he came across as gregarious go-getting rogue, and I could see how a man like Nathan might be friends with him. This is a bit different that the King Herod that I have always pictured in my mind from the Bible: a jealous, insane king who was paranoid about being usurped. Perhaps historically, he was the latter, but it is interesting to imagine that he could possibly be just an ambitious man who didn't care for God or for His ways. That could make him not too different from many people who live in our world today.
In the case of the character of Simeon, Ms. Thomas shows him to be ambitious and crafty as his reasons for being in Galilee become known. In some ways, he didn't seem that much different than Herod in his ambitious nature, especially when he reveals that he is quite ready to toss aside aspects of the Law, and even the Pharisaical laws to achieve his ambitions. He is quite an unsympathetic character who many did not like in the novel, although it seemed as if Alexandra often sought his approval in vain. With his legalism and lack of love, he is definitely what I have always imagined a Pharisee to be like.
I also found the character of Judas the Zealot to be interesting. He is even more of a minor character than Herod, but he is an insane man who thinks that he is the Messiah. The man steals, beats others, takes a woman forcibly, and murders, but he is what his countrymen are looking for because he is against the Romans. He is a contrast to Jesus, our true Messiah, the One Who lives and upholds God's laws, Who treats everyone, both men and women, with dignity, Who was not recognized by His people, and Whom some thought was insane.
As I mentioned before, I recognize that The Warrior is just a novel, but I enjoyed thinking about what some of the characters represented. I enjoyed the historical fiction too.
Besides The Warrior, The Herod Chronicles also includes The Barbarian, The Stonecutter and Warring Desires.
Friday, 13 November 2015
Review: Accidental Fiancee by Mary Moore
Accidental Fiancee, by Mary Moore, was released in January 2015 by the Love Inspired Historical line. I've had a few false starts on this book, but I finally finished it a couple of weeks ago. I actually enjoyed the novel. It is the story of Lord Weston, Brandon Roth, a marquis who finds himself proposing to Lady Grace Endicott, who is a complete stranger to himself. The situation is a bit ironic. Grace finds herself in this mess because she was trying to warn Lord Weston from getting trapped into proposing to a marriage minded miss who wasn't above using scandal to force him into making an offer. Instead, Grace finds that she has inadvertently forced Lord Weston to offer for herself in order to protect her sister, Lydia, who has yet to make her come out in the upcoming season. Grace no longer considers herself available on the market, but does not believe that Lydia would be able to weather the scandal and make a suitable match unless she and Lord Weston deal with their problem discretely.
They agree to enter into a fake engagement where Grace would cry off and break the engagement after a few weeks, when the gossip would sufficiently die down, or when Lydia successfully finds a match for herself. Grace does not wish to be truly married to Lord Weston; he has a reputation of being a great rake, and she is mortified at the thought of even being perceived as one who would stoop so low as to trap the marquis into marriage. Grace's conscience is also severely tested during this time; she loathes the fact that she is essentially lying to the ton, and is uncomfortable with the realization that she is developing genuine feelings for Lord Weston as they spend more time with each other.
In Accidental Fiancee, Grace is the professing believer, while Lord Weston is the one who is making the journey towards faith. He is helped along in this by his mentor, Lord Langley, who had agreed to support the marquis in his endeavours to make reforms in the House of Lords if Brandon sets aside his rakish ways, which he has. What plagues Brandon is an inability to forget and forgive himself of the mistakes made in his past, which landed him the reputation of being an irresponsible rake. When Grace shows him, well,...grace...and acceptance in spite of his past, Brandon starts to see himself as more than what he has perceived himself to be up to this point. In the beginning, when he first enters into the fake engagement with Grace, Brandon is at first relieved that it is just a temporary measure taken to protect Grace and her sister. However, as he gets to know her and her character, he realizes that he wants to make the engagement real and binding.
Unfortunately, the path to true love does not run smoothly for these two. Besides Brandon's challenge of trying to convince Grace that he truly wants her to be his wife, our twosome must dodge opposition from a jealous widow who plans to become the next Lady Weston, and opponents to Brandon's work of reforms through the House of Lords. Will Brandon be able to win Grace in truth to become his wife? Will he be able to accept God's grace and forgiveness? The key verse that is imprinted at the start of the novel is from Ephesians 2:8 which says, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God...." I've found sometimes that these verses, which are usually found at the start of all Love Inspired novels, to be perplexing as to why they were particularly chosen, but the verse for this novel is more than appropriate for this novel.
As I mentioned before, I liked this novel. I liked the theme of accepting God's grace and forgiveness...something that cannot be earned, but must be received as a gift. It was nice to read a historical with this inspiring message in it.
They agree to enter into a fake engagement where Grace would cry off and break the engagement after a few weeks, when the gossip would sufficiently die down, or when Lydia successfully finds a match for herself. Grace does not wish to be truly married to Lord Weston; he has a reputation of being a great rake, and she is mortified at the thought of even being perceived as one who would stoop so low as to trap the marquis into marriage. Grace's conscience is also severely tested during this time; she loathes the fact that she is essentially lying to the ton, and is uncomfortable with the realization that she is developing genuine feelings for Lord Weston as they spend more time with each other.
In Accidental Fiancee, Grace is the professing believer, while Lord Weston is the one who is making the journey towards faith. He is helped along in this by his mentor, Lord Langley, who had agreed to support the marquis in his endeavours to make reforms in the House of Lords if Brandon sets aside his rakish ways, which he has. What plagues Brandon is an inability to forget and forgive himself of the mistakes made in his past, which landed him the reputation of being an irresponsible rake. When Grace shows him, well,...grace...and acceptance in spite of his past, Brandon starts to see himself as more than what he has perceived himself to be up to this point. In the beginning, when he first enters into the fake engagement with Grace, Brandon is at first relieved that it is just a temporary measure taken to protect Grace and her sister. However, as he gets to know her and her character, he realizes that he wants to make the engagement real and binding.
Unfortunately, the path to true love does not run smoothly for these two. Besides Brandon's challenge of trying to convince Grace that he truly wants her to be his wife, our twosome must dodge opposition from a jealous widow who plans to become the next Lady Weston, and opponents to Brandon's work of reforms through the House of Lords. Will Brandon be able to win Grace in truth to become his wife? Will he be able to accept God's grace and forgiveness? The key verse that is imprinted at the start of the novel is from Ephesians 2:8 which says, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God...." I've found sometimes that these verses, which are usually found at the start of all Love Inspired novels, to be perplexing as to why they were particularly chosen, but the verse for this novel is more than appropriate for this novel.
As I mentioned before, I liked this novel. I liked the theme of accepting God's grace and forgiveness...something that cannot be earned, but must be received as a gift. It was nice to read a historical with this inspiring message in it.
Thursday, 15 October 2015
Review: Plain Change by Sarah Price
Plain Change, by Sarah Price, is the immediate sequel to Plain Fame. It is the second in the Plain Fame Series, which also includes Plain Again, Plain Return, and Plain Choice. Plain Change picks up right after Plain Fame leaves off. Alejandro (Viper) Diaz, the famous hip hop singer, has swept Amanda Beiler away from her family's farm in Lancaster after she made an appeal to him for help in dealing with the paparazzi that had been stalking her. Amanda believes that she had no choice but to leave everything that she knows and to go with him, since she had been commanded to leave her Amish community by her bishop. She also realizes that no other Amish community would welcome her because of the unwanted attention from the paparazzi which would follow her wherever she may go. She is apprehensive of her future, but Alejandro says to her, "You will change. And you will live." (Location 109 on Kindle.)
Amanda does change and live in the rest of the novel, but not without feeling conflicted about the process at times. Her Amish upbringing and her personal preferences sometimes make the transition into Alejandro's world difficult, for example, in the clothes that she must now wear, in flying on a plane (something that was forbidden by her bishop), in using a cell phone so that Alejandro and his staff can keep tabs on her, and in interacting with the people in Alejandro's life. Besides describing the changes that Amanda is currently making in her life, the novel contains flashbacks from her Amish life that provide contrasts to the experiences that she is presently facing.
Alejandro's plan for Amanda is to take her with him while he is on his concert/publicity tour. They will present themselves as a couple and give the paparazzi what it wants until it moves onto more interesting subjects. In the meantime, Amanda will have time to decide what she really wants; does she wish to return to her Amish world, or will she stay outside in the Englische world? Alejandro promises Amanda that he will not dishonor her in a way that will make her unacceptable should she decide to return home to Lancaster, Pennsylvania. However, he makes it clear to her that the world will not believe that their relationship is innocent, and that he will not try to convince them otherwise (Locations 751, 759 Kindle). As Amanda is drawn more into Alejandro's life, she finds herself acknowledging that her reasons for joining him are not solely for altruistic reasons in sparing her family and community the attentions of the paparazzi; she admits to herself that she is falling in love with him.
I have mixed feelings about Alejandro. He is a romantic who knows just what to say and do to make Amanda feel special when she feels insecure and he knows how to comfort her when she feels afraid or troubled. However, I'm not impressed that he would allow the world to continue to think that he and Amanda have a less than innocent relationship. We are not really told if Amanda is comfortable with what people think about this.
SPOILER ALERT
Another thing that Alejandro did that bothered me was that he initiated sharing a bed with Amanda while he was touring. She started voicing her discomfort about it, saying that it wasn't right, but he pushed her objections aside and kept her there with him, even though he didn't have sex with her. It bothered me, in my opinion, that she began to rationalize the situation away, by comparing what Alejandro initiated to the Amish practice of bundling, where a young courting couple would spend the night together with a board separating them. Since I'm not Amish, I'm not well acquainted with the practice of bundling, but I would guess that both participants have to come to an agreement to try it out. However, Amanda voiced her objection, albeit, a bit weakly, and Alejandro did what he wanted anyways, without respecting her wishes. What kind of love is that? Anyways, by the time the leg of the tour is done, and they are ready to return to his home in Miami, he has primed her for what he really wants: for them to share his room (and more). What will Amanda do? You'll have to read the book for yourself to find out.
SPOILER OVER
Throughout the novel, we can see that God and faith are very important to Amanda, and that she is struggling to separate which aspects of her Amish faith are cultural and which are more universal in nature for all believing Christians. However, with Alejandro, his faith doesn't seem to be a practical one. He acknowledges that God is the One Who got him to the place where he is in his life today, and he prays with his entourage before concerts, but when it comes to living his life in a way that completely honors God...well, Alejandro doesn't seem to be quite there yet. He is attracted to Amanda's purity and also to the fact that she does not want to use him for her personal gain. Since he likely doesn't have a full comprehension of what it truly means to not dishonor Amanda, I would have to say that he is trying his best to not dishonor her according to his own perception.
Plain Change is not just about the changes that Amanda is making in her life in the Englische world. Alejandro is also challenged to make changes in his life, simply from knowing Amanda and in growing to love her. I would not consider Plain Change to be a stand alone novel. Much of the background story to how Amanda ended up joining Alejandro is detailed in the first book, Plain Fame, and Plain Change ends in a cliff hanger which finds Amanda and Alejandro separated from each other in spite of their love. I have enough interest invested now in this couple to want to find out what happens to them, in their romance, and in their walks with the Lord.
Disclaimer: I received an e-copy of Plain Change from NetGalley in exchange for a review. All opinions stated in this review are mine.
Amanda does change and live in the rest of the novel, but not without feeling conflicted about the process at times. Her Amish upbringing and her personal preferences sometimes make the transition into Alejandro's world difficult, for example, in the clothes that she must now wear, in flying on a plane (something that was forbidden by her bishop), in using a cell phone so that Alejandro and his staff can keep tabs on her, and in interacting with the people in Alejandro's life. Besides describing the changes that Amanda is currently making in her life, the novel contains flashbacks from her Amish life that provide contrasts to the experiences that she is presently facing.
Alejandro's plan for Amanda is to take her with him while he is on his concert/publicity tour. They will present themselves as a couple and give the paparazzi what it wants until it moves onto more interesting subjects. In the meantime, Amanda will have time to decide what she really wants; does she wish to return to her Amish world, or will she stay outside in the Englische world? Alejandro promises Amanda that he will not dishonor her in a way that will make her unacceptable should she decide to return home to Lancaster, Pennsylvania. However, he makes it clear to her that the world will not believe that their relationship is innocent, and that he will not try to convince them otherwise (Locations 751, 759 Kindle). As Amanda is drawn more into Alejandro's life, she finds herself acknowledging that her reasons for joining him are not solely for altruistic reasons in sparing her family and community the attentions of the paparazzi; she admits to herself that she is falling in love with him.
I have mixed feelings about Alejandro. He is a romantic who knows just what to say and do to make Amanda feel special when she feels insecure and he knows how to comfort her when she feels afraid or troubled. However, I'm not impressed that he would allow the world to continue to think that he and Amanda have a less than innocent relationship. We are not really told if Amanda is comfortable with what people think about this.
SPOILER ALERT
Another thing that Alejandro did that bothered me was that he initiated sharing a bed with Amanda while he was touring. She started voicing her discomfort about it, saying that it wasn't right, but he pushed her objections aside and kept her there with him, even though he didn't have sex with her. It bothered me, in my opinion, that she began to rationalize the situation away, by comparing what Alejandro initiated to the Amish practice of bundling, where a young courting couple would spend the night together with a board separating them. Since I'm not Amish, I'm not well acquainted with the practice of bundling, but I would guess that both participants have to come to an agreement to try it out. However, Amanda voiced her objection, albeit, a bit weakly, and Alejandro did what he wanted anyways, without respecting her wishes. What kind of love is that? Anyways, by the time the leg of the tour is done, and they are ready to return to his home in Miami, he has primed her for what he really wants: for them to share his room (and more). What will Amanda do? You'll have to read the book for yourself to find out.
SPOILER OVER
Throughout the novel, we can see that God and faith are very important to Amanda, and that she is struggling to separate which aspects of her Amish faith are cultural and which are more universal in nature for all believing Christians. However, with Alejandro, his faith doesn't seem to be a practical one. He acknowledges that God is the One Who got him to the place where he is in his life today, and he prays with his entourage before concerts, but when it comes to living his life in a way that completely honors God...well, Alejandro doesn't seem to be quite there yet. He is attracted to Amanda's purity and also to the fact that she does not want to use him for her personal gain. Since he likely doesn't have a full comprehension of what it truly means to not dishonor Amanda, I would have to say that he is trying his best to not dishonor her according to his own perception.
Plain Change is not just about the changes that Amanda is making in her life in the Englische world. Alejandro is also challenged to make changes in his life, simply from knowing Amanda and in growing to love her. I would not consider Plain Change to be a stand alone novel. Much of the background story to how Amanda ended up joining Alejandro is detailed in the first book, Plain Fame, and Plain Change ends in a cliff hanger which finds Amanda and Alejandro separated from each other in spite of their love. I have enough interest invested now in this couple to want to find out what happens to them, in their romance, and in their walks with the Lord.
Disclaimer: I received an e-copy of Plain Change from NetGalley in exchange for a review. All opinions stated in this review are mine.
Monday, 28 September 2015
Review: Plain Fame by Sarah Price
What could happen to the world of an innocent, simple Amish girl when it collides with that of a sophisticated, hip hop superstar on the streets of New York? Sarah Price writes about the possibility in her novel, Plain Fame, which begins when Alejandro (Viper) Diaz's limosine crashes into Amanda Beiler. He is taken with her unadorned beauty and also with a desire to see that she is well looked after; Alejandro still remembers how hard it was to survive as a Cuban immigrant in Miami without deep connections to others. Something about how alone Amanda is, far from her family and friends, speaks to Alejandro, and he finds himself looking out for her welfare as she recovers at the hospital.
He decides to escort her home to Lititz, Pennsylvania, to see that she arrives home safely and to see that she receives enough care in Lancaster County until she has fully recovered. He is also hoping that he will be able to hide from the outside world for a few days and rejuvenate his spirit and the part of himself that is Alejandro, and not Viper, for he finds the demands of his Viper persona has become increasingly taxing.
Alejandro is like no other man that Amanda has met before. She becomes deeply attracted to his charm and physical presence, but realizes that the world that he comes from is so far from her own Amish background that a romantic relationship between the two of them would be impossible. She also sees him as Alejandro, and not as Viper, something that means a lot to Alejandro. Alejandro is attracted to Amanda's honesty and purity, and is also deeply impressed that Amanda doesn't want anything from him. She doesn't know who he is, or what he has done to achieve his fame, and he feels that he has finally met someone who accepts him as he is, rather than for what he can do for them. He knows, however, that their time together is limited, and that he will soon leave Amanda behind in Lancaster, even though he is drawn towards her.
Their little idyll comes to a close when someone recognizes who Alejandro is. He returns to his life in the outside world to protect Amanda and her family from the paparazzi that will inevitably descend upon the place where Viper has apparently been hiding out. Unfortunately, because of the disparity between Amanda's and Alejandro's backgrounds, the paparazzi is fascinated with Amanda, making life unbearable for her, her family, and her community. Amanda is told by the ruling bishop of her church that she must leave the area if the press does not leave. What will happen to Amanda if the paparazzi do not leave? Her prospects are limited, and she cannot escape the press wherever she goes. Will Alejandro help protect Amanda from being sullied or harmed by influences belonging to his world or will he leave her to make her own way through her troubles?
I found Plain Fame to be fascinating, because I wanted to know if Amanda and Alejandro would act on the attraction between them. They realize that they are too different from each other, yet find that the other is able to give something that no other has been able to give to the other before. For Amanda, Alejandro makes her feel beautiful and precious; he constantly calls her, "Princesa," an endearment that means, "Princess" in Spanish. For Alejandro, Amanda's acceptance of him as a person, rather than as a person whom she could use, helps him to recognize that she is a person whom he can trust. This is in contrast to all the other people who surround him in his life, which include his manager and his entourage, which did not travel with him to Lancaster. The book describes several situations in which others have failed him because they were seeking for their own gain, rather than respecting Alejandro's wishes or serving in his best interests.
Amanda comes across as a young woman who holds her faith in the Lord very seriously. She sometimes finds it difficult to accept certain aspects of the Amish way of living, but manages to hold her tongue even when she may balk internally about the way things are done. Alejandro says that he is Catholic and a believer, but somehow, his lifestyle doesn't seem to quite match what Amanda expects from a person of faith; she is quite put out when she discovers that Alejandro has slept with a number of women and when he admits that he has done so, simply because he can.
Plain Fame is the first volume in a series of books about the relationship between Amanda and Alejandro. As of the present, these titles include Plain Change, Plain Again, and Plain Return. There is also a fifth volume, Plain Choice, but I haven't seen it listed on Amazon yet. Will Amanda and Alejandro get together and become a couple? If they do, how will their relationship work in the face of their differences? Is Alejandro truly a believer, or is he someone who knows of Jesus, but does not know Jesus? Will Amanda compromise her faith in order to be with Alejandro? It will be interesting to see how those questions will be answered in the rest of the series.
Disclaimer: I received an e-copy of Plain Fame from NetGalley in exchange for a review. All opinions stated in this review are mine.
He decides to escort her home to Lititz, Pennsylvania, to see that she arrives home safely and to see that she receives enough care in Lancaster County until she has fully recovered. He is also hoping that he will be able to hide from the outside world for a few days and rejuvenate his spirit and the part of himself that is Alejandro, and not Viper, for he finds the demands of his Viper persona has become increasingly taxing.
Alejandro is like no other man that Amanda has met before. She becomes deeply attracted to his charm and physical presence, but realizes that the world that he comes from is so far from her own Amish background that a romantic relationship between the two of them would be impossible. She also sees him as Alejandro, and not as Viper, something that means a lot to Alejandro. Alejandro is attracted to Amanda's honesty and purity, and is also deeply impressed that Amanda doesn't want anything from him. She doesn't know who he is, or what he has done to achieve his fame, and he feels that he has finally met someone who accepts him as he is, rather than for what he can do for them. He knows, however, that their time together is limited, and that he will soon leave Amanda behind in Lancaster, even though he is drawn towards her.
Their little idyll comes to a close when someone recognizes who Alejandro is. He returns to his life in the outside world to protect Amanda and her family from the paparazzi that will inevitably descend upon the place where Viper has apparently been hiding out. Unfortunately, because of the disparity between Amanda's and Alejandro's backgrounds, the paparazzi is fascinated with Amanda, making life unbearable for her, her family, and her community. Amanda is told by the ruling bishop of her church that she must leave the area if the press does not leave. What will happen to Amanda if the paparazzi do not leave? Her prospects are limited, and she cannot escape the press wherever she goes. Will Alejandro help protect Amanda from being sullied or harmed by influences belonging to his world or will he leave her to make her own way through her troubles?
I found Plain Fame to be fascinating, because I wanted to know if Amanda and Alejandro would act on the attraction between them. They realize that they are too different from each other, yet find that the other is able to give something that no other has been able to give to the other before. For Amanda, Alejandro makes her feel beautiful and precious; he constantly calls her, "Princesa," an endearment that means, "Princess" in Spanish. For Alejandro, Amanda's acceptance of him as a person, rather than as a person whom she could use, helps him to recognize that she is a person whom he can trust. This is in contrast to all the other people who surround him in his life, which include his manager and his entourage, which did not travel with him to Lancaster. The book describes several situations in which others have failed him because they were seeking for their own gain, rather than respecting Alejandro's wishes or serving in his best interests.
Amanda comes across as a young woman who holds her faith in the Lord very seriously. She sometimes finds it difficult to accept certain aspects of the Amish way of living, but manages to hold her tongue even when she may balk internally about the way things are done. Alejandro says that he is Catholic and a believer, but somehow, his lifestyle doesn't seem to quite match what Amanda expects from a person of faith; she is quite put out when she discovers that Alejandro has slept with a number of women and when he admits that he has done so, simply because he can.
Plain Fame is the first volume in a series of books about the relationship between Amanda and Alejandro. As of the present, these titles include Plain Change, Plain Again, and Plain Return. There is also a fifth volume, Plain Choice, but I haven't seen it listed on Amazon yet. Will Amanda and Alejandro get together and become a couple? If they do, how will their relationship work in the face of their differences? Is Alejandro truly a believer, or is he someone who knows of Jesus, but does not know Jesus? Will Amanda compromise her faith in order to be with Alejandro? It will be interesting to see how those questions will be answered in the rest of the series.
Disclaimer: I received an e-copy of Plain Fame from NetGalley in exchange for a review. All opinions stated in this review are mine.
Thursday, 17 September 2015
Review: The Matchmaker's Match by Jessica Nelson
After months of waiting for a regency to pop up in the Love Inspired Historical line, I found The Matchmaker's Match, by Jessica Nelson, which was released this month. It's about Lord Ashwhite, a marquis who must marry within three months time in order to keep his estate, according to his father's will. Helping him is Lady Amelia Baxley, who is secretly running a matchmaking business on the side so that she can maintain her own household and live independently from her brother and his wife, the latter whom Amelia finds difficult to get along with.
Ashwhite, a former rake, and a new believer, wants Amelia to find him a believing spouse, but as he spends time with her, he discovers that his interest lingers on Lady Amelia. However, her independent streak reminds him too much of his mother, with whom he has an estranged relationship. Amelia finds herself attracted to the Marquis, but has been disappointed in love before. She keeps telling herself that she will do better on her own without love, trying to secure enough income so that she can buy a small home of her own. On top of that, her own practicality doesn't leave much room for God. That eliminates her from the Marquis' list of prospects...or will God do something to bring these two together?
I really liked Ashwhite; he's a charmer. He and Amelia first meet when she steps into an argument that Ashwhite is having with a former paramour, but somehow he finagles Amelia into a dance, leaving both being intrigued with the other. Amelia's life seems to have been quite defined by her Great Disappointment in love, so she has thrown herself into painting and writing letters to the House of Lords over political issues As I read the story, two questions were raised over Amelia's character. How would she come to faith in this story? Would she get over her broken heart and open herself to another love?
As for Ashwhite, would he find someone to marry in time in order to save his estate? Will he be able to reconcile with his mother for all the past hurts that she has caused him?
I felt a bit of tension when I read that he was struggling to forgive his mother while Amelia was still searching for the Lord. I wanted to call him a poor witness, but the truth is that, in reality, forgiveness is often a very difficult thing to do, whether one is a new or seasoned believer. Besides dealing with forgiving his mother, Ashwhite also has to deal with the fallout of his previous behaviour as a rake. Will people be able to forgive him of his past? Or has he irreparably damaged his reputation so that no respectable woman will give him a chance?
There was a couple of confusing things that appeared in my copy of The Matchmaker's Match. Chapter Four gives details about the will that has created problems for Ashwhite. His lawyer tells him that he will lose his lands, except for property that will come to him through his mother, and that he will be able to keep the title "as Earl of Hartsacre" (p. 42.) I suspect that this is a misprint and that it actually should have read, "Marquis of Ashwhite." Anyways, it makes me wonder if the Marquis was actually an earl in earlier drafts, but that is just speculation.
As with many regencies, it is a puzzle to figure out what the actual given names are of the nobility, because they are often referred to by their titles, or by the name associated with the title's seat. It was tough digging for the Marquis' name, but I think that it is Spencer Broyhill. The name, Spencer, was often used in this book, but it seemed it could have done as either a first or last name. Anyhow, I found, "Broyhill," which is mentioned only once, in Chapter 2. This actually led me to speculate about another puzzle in this book. How long was the Marquis' father the holder of his title? We are told that the Marquis and Lady's Amelia's brother are old friends, and that she had previously known the Marquis as Mr. Broyhill before he ascended to the title. That would make sense if his father had assumed the title relatively recently, and with his death, passed it along to Spencer. However, it seems as if Lord Ashwhite had been raised and trained to know what to do with the marquisate, and there is reference to Ashwhite (property) being the site of the family home, so I suspect that his father had held the title for quite a long time, and that Spencer would more likely have been referred to as Lord Broyhill, or Lord "X" (whatever title he would have been referred to before assuming the title of marquis).
Now that I've spent two long paragraphs on my musings over those minor points in the book, I would like to say that I did like this book. I think that Ms. Nelson did a good job in showing how the characters are attracted to each other, and also tied the minor plot lines (some of which I did not mention) quite well into the main plot. I hope that she writes more regencies. I certainly plan on reading them if she does.
Ashwhite, a former rake, and a new believer, wants Amelia to find him a believing spouse, but as he spends time with her, he discovers that his interest lingers on Lady Amelia. However, her independent streak reminds him too much of his mother, with whom he has an estranged relationship. Amelia finds herself attracted to the Marquis, but has been disappointed in love before. She keeps telling herself that she will do better on her own without love, trying to secure enough income so that she can buy a small home of her own. On top of that, her own practicality doesn't leave much room for God. That eliminates her from the Marquis' list of prospects...or will God do something to bring these two together?
I really liked Ashwhite; he's a charmer. He and Amelia first meet when she steps into an argument that Ashwhite is having with a former paramour, but somehow he finagles Amelia into a dance, leaving both being intrigued with the other. Amelia's life seems to have been quite defined by her Great Disappointment in love, so she has thrown herself into painting and writing letters to the House of Lords over political issues As I read the story, two questions were raised over Amelia's character. How would she come to faith in this story? Would she get over her broken heart and open herself to another love?
As for Ashwhite, would he find someone to marry in time in order to save his estate? Will he be able to reconcile with his mother for all the past hurts that she has caused him?
I felt a bit of tension when I read that he was struggling to forgive his mother while Amelia was still searching for the Lord. I wanted to call him a poor witness, but the truth is that, in reality, forgiveness is often a very difficult thing to do, whether one is a new or seasoned believer. Besides dealing with forgiving his mother, Ashwhite also has to deal with the fallout of his previous behaviour as a rake. Will people be able to forgive him of his past? Or has he irreparably damaged his reputation so that no respectable woman will give him a chance?
There was a couple of confusing things that appeared in my copy of The Matchmaker's Match. Chapter Four gives details about the will that has created problems for Ashwhite. His lawyer tells him that he will lose his lands, except for property that will come to him through his mother, and that he will be able to keep the title "as Earl of Hartsacre" (p. 42.) I suspect that this is a misprint and that it actually should have read, "Marquis of Ashwhite." Anyways, it makes me wonder if the Marquis was actually an earl in earlier drafts, but that is just speculation.
As with many regencies, it is a puzzle to figure out what the actual given names are of the nobility, because they are often referred to by their titles, or by the name associated with the title's seat. It was tough digging for the Marquis' name, but I think that it is Spencer Broyhill. The name, Spencer, was often used in this book, but it seemed it could have done as either a first or last name. Anyhow, I found, "Broyhill," which is mentioned only once, in Chapter 2. This actually led me to speculate about another puzzle in this book. How long was the Marquis' father the holder of his title? We are told that the Marquis and Lady's Amelia's brother are old friends, and that she had previously known the Marquis as Mr. Broyhill before he ascended to the title. That would make sense if his father had assumed the title relatively recently, and with his death, passed it along to Spencer. However, it seems as if Lord Ashwhite had been raised and trained to know what to do with the marquisate, and there is reference to Ashwhite (property) being the site of the family home, so I suspect that his father had held the title for quite a long time, and that Spencer would more likely have been referred to as Lord Broyhill, or Lord "X" (whatever title he would have been referred to before assuming the title of marquis).
Now that I've spent two long paragraphs on my musings over those minor points in the book, I would like to say that I did like this book. I think that Ms. Nelson did a good job in showing how the characters are attracted to each other, and also tied the minor plot lines (some of which I did not mention) quite well into the main plot. I hope that she writes more regencies. I certainly plan on reading them if she does.
Saturday, 5 September 2015
Review: A Table by the Window by Lawana Blackwell
I usually associate Lawana Blackwell with historical fiction, so it was a bit of a surprise to find out that she also wrote stories set in contemporary times. When I first started reading A Table by the Window, I thought that the novel was a contemporary romance, but it is more of a story about a wounded and lost sheep returning to the Shepherd's fold. The wounded sheep in question is Carley Reed, a highschool English Literature teacher who suffered through a horrendous childhood with an alcoholic mother, and an abusive stepfather. Carley received the Lord as her Saviour as a child, but after experiencing harm at the hands of her stepfather, who was a church deacon, and being expected to act as a servant/slave in the home of the so called Christian foster parents, who took her in afterwards, Carley is no longer interested in spending time with a God Who would let evil things happen to good and innocent people or with His servants who act like hypocrites.
In the first few chapters of the novel, Carley again experiences unfairness and injustice when the principal of her school refuses to support her against students who have clearly cheated. This is because of the fear that influential relatives of those students would withdraw financial backing. At the same time, Carley discovers that she has received an inheritance from her estranged deceased maternal grandmother. With the knowledge of becoming debt free by claiming her inheritance, and because of her students' continued disrespectful behaviour, Carley finds herself taking a stand for herself and quits her position at the school, and makes her way to Tallulah, Mississippi to learn about her grandmother, her grandmother's sister, Helen, and Helen's family. Beside being neglectful in her care for Carley, her mother had also failed to inform her about other relatives and Carley had lived for years without knowing of their existence. The draw towards family, however unknown, is quite strong for Carley, who doesn't know who her birth father is, and whose only known relatives were her grandparents and mother who have already passed on.
Aunt Helen turns out to be a believer, and is a gentle witness to Carley who is reluctant to draw near to Him. Carley tries to settle her grandmother's estate, intending to return to California, but finds herself resettling in Tallulah, and opening a restaurant instead of returning to teaching. She even finds herself being romantically pursued by the local hero, Police Chief Dale Parker. However, even in Tallulah, Carley continues to encounter people who appear to have been neglected and forgotten by the Lord through unjust circumstances. One of these situations is the abandonment of a woman whose husband had disappeared with a known bad girl; neither the unfaithful husband or his paramour has been seen since then. Another is the unsolved mystery of Pastor Stillman's wife who had died in a hit and run accident. As the plot unfolds, it becomes apparent that someone wants to keep the mysteries unsolved.
The title of the novel refers to a request made by the daughter of the pastor's wife. This young girl requests a table by the window at Carley's restaurant so that she can watch the people who walk by when she and her family are dining there. I'm still trying to figure out what the significance of the title; is it alluding to watching all the people that are walking by in Carley's life, or is it referring to the question of whether the Stillman Family will eventually get justice if they sit back and watch the Lord do His thing? I'm inclined to think that it is the latter, even though this novel seems to have a wide range of characters who pop in and out of Carley's life, with some being unpleasant, others being quirky curiosities, others whom Carley tries to help and give assistance to, and others who encourage Carley to believe that God actually cares.
Carley is a likeable and sympathetic character. Her story made me think about how God can use a person's past, no matter how horrible it is, to minister to other people who may be going through similar circumstances. 2 Corinthians 1:3b-4 says, "...the God of all comfort, Who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God." In this novel, Carley reaches out to Brooke Kimball, a teenaged girl who must cope with an alcoholic parent, just as Carley had with her mother.
With respect to justice, this novel also addresses the question about whether God is just and whether He cares about those who belong to Him. Will He allow the wicked to get away with their deeds? According to His Word, we know that He will eventually judge everyone's deeds for all to see, even those done in secret. 2 Corinthians 5:10 says, "For we must appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad." Romans 8:28 says, "And we know that in all things, God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose." How will these truths be reflected in the plot of "A Table by the Window?"
I think that waiting for God to carry out justice can be a hard thing to do, and sometimes believing that He can turn evil around so that good would result for those who love Him is difficult. However, He did it for Joseph (Genesis 50:20) and He did it ultimately for us through Jesus.
A Table by the Window made me think, especially since it addressed hard questions about the goodness of God. As I mentioned before, it didn't turn out to be the contemporary romance that I thought that I was going to read, and it certainly turned into an interesting piece of suspenseful fiction.
In the first few chapters of the novel, Carley again experiences unfairness and injustice when the principal of her school refuses to support her against students who have clearly cheated. This is because of the fear that influential relatives of those students would withdraw financial backing. At the same time, Carley discovers that she has received an inheritance from her estranged deceased maternal grandmother. With the knowledge of becoming debt free by claiming her inheritance, and because of her students' continued disrespectful behaviour, Carley finds herself taking a stand for herself and quits her position at the school, and makes her way to Tallulah, Mississippi to learn about her grandmother, her grandmother's sister, Helen, and Helen's family. Beside being neglectful in her care for Carley, her mother had also failed to inform her about other relatives and Carley had lived for years without knowing of their existence. The draw towards family, however unknown, is quite strong for Carley, who doesn't know who her birth father is, and whose only known relatives were her grandparents and mother who have already passed on.
Aunt Helen turns out to be a believer, and is a gentle witness to Carley who is reluctant to draw near to Him. Carley tries to settle her grandmother's estate, intending to return to California, but finds herself resettling in Tallulah, and opening a restaurant instead of returning to teaching. She even finds herself being romantically pursued by the local hero, Police Chief Dale Parker. However, even in Tallulah, Carley continues to encounter people who appear to have been neglected and forgotten by the Lord through unjust circumstances. One of these situations is the abandonment of a woman whose husband had disappeared with a known bad girl; neither the unfaithful husband or his paramour has been seen since then. Another is the unsolved mystery of Pastor Stillman's wife who had died in a hit and run accident. As the plot unfolds, it becomes apparent that someone wants to keep the mysteries unsolved.
The title of the novel refers to a request made by the daughter of the pastor's wife. This young girl requests a table by the window at Carley's restaurant so that she can watch the people who walk by when she and her family are dining there. I'm still trying to figure out what the significance of the title; is it alluding to watching all the people that are walking by in Carley's life, or is it referring to the question of whether the Stillman Family will eventually get justice if they sit back and watch the Lord do His thing? I'm inclined to think that it is the latter, even though this novel seems to have a wide range of characters who pop in and out of Carley's life, with some being unpleasant, others being quirky curiosities, others whom Carley tries to help and give assistance to, and others who encourage Carley to believe that God actually cares.
Carley is a likeable and sympathetic character. Her story made me think about how God can use a person's past, no matter how horrible it is, to minister to other people who may be going through similar circumstances. 2 Corinthians 1:3b-4 says, "...the God of all comfort, Who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God." In this novel, Carley reaches out to Brooke Kimball, a teenaged girl who must cope with an alcoholic parent, just as Carley had with her mother.
With respect to justice, this novel also addresses the question about whether God is just and whether He cares about those who belong to Him. Will He allow the wicked to get away with their deeds? According to His Word, we know that He will eventually judge everyone's deeds for all to see, even those done in secret. 2 Corinthians 5:10 says, "For we must appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad." Romans 8:28 says, "And we know that in all things, God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose." How will these truths be reflected in the plot of "A Table by the Window?"
I think that waiting for God to carry out justice can be a hard thing to do, and sometimes believing that He can turn evil around so that good would result for those who love Him is difficult. However, He did it for Joseph (Genesis 50:20) and He did it ultimately for us through Jesus.
A Table by the Window made me think, especially since it addressed hard questions about the goodness of God. As I mentioned before, it didn't turn out to be the contemporary romance that I thought that I was going to read, and it certainly turned into an interesting piece of suspenseful fiction.
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