ABOUT THE BOOK
Genre: Christian Fiction
Release Date: March 23, 2021
Publisher: Firefly Southern Fiction
Can an ordinary life leave an extraordinary legacy? In 1976, when nineteen-year-old Allison Middleton accepts a proposal of marriage from Westley Houser, she eagerly accepts, having no idea the secret Westley carries--a secret that will change Allison's life forever. But Allison rises to the challenge of raising Westley's toddling daughter as though she were her own. Over the course of their lifetime together, Allison, Westley, and Michelle form the strong bond of family. As Allison struggles with infertility and finding her way during a time of great change for women, others--some she knows and others whom she never meets--brush and weave against the fabric of her life, leaving her with more questions than answers. From teen bride to grandmother, Allison's life chronicles the ups and downs of an ordinary woman's life to examine the value of what we all leave behind.
MY THOUGHTS
I hate when I have to write a review on a book that was not my favorite. This was definitely not a book meant for me but I know that it may be for you. This was my first book by this author. I have heard great things about her so this won't be the last book I read by her. I am definitely giving her books a chance this particular one was just not my "cup of tea". I think a big part is that I could not connect to the characters at all. The story is mainly told from Allison's view point. The marriage between Allison and Westley starts out to me as a disaster. After all he is being dishonest with her right from the beginning. Now I completely understand that this is a realistic viewpoint and one we should see in stories to get that redeeming arch. In that respect the author did a great job at making the storyline believable.
Here is where I have issues with the story. This again is supposed to be a Christian Fiction story and there was barely anything that referenced God as a redeeming God. There were many opportunities to bring this up. Yes, there were slight references to the title of the book regarding Genesis 3:19 and also references to youth group and church but this could have been such a powerful book to bring forth a true arch of redemption, hope and strength that we can only gather from God. I also had a HUGE issue with the way that the bedroom scenes are handled. I found that although they are closed door they may have been a bit too racy even in mentioning them.
Maybe I am too much of a conservative christian and for that I will never apologize so for me this book missed the mark. For me this book should not be considered Christian Fiction but rather Women's Fiction. Overall I think the author did a great job at writing a believable story. The beauty of reading is that not one size fits all so I hope you enjoy this book should you choose to read it.
My Rating: 2 Stars/ It was ok
I received a copy of this book for review. I was not required to post a positive review. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Eva Marie Everson is a best-selling, multiple award-winning author of both fiction and nonfiction. She is the president of Word Weavers International and the director of Florida Christian Writers Conference and North Georgia Christian Writers Conference. She enjoys teaching and speaking at writers events across the US as well as coaching new writers via her company, Pen In Hand, Inc.
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