ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
I write Christian fiction with a few giggles, quite a bit of sass, and lots of crazy. My novels include the Katie Parker Production series and So Not Happening. I would also like to take credit for Twilight , but somewhere I think I read you’re not supposed to lie.When I’m not typing my heart out (or checking email), I teach at a super-sized high school in Arkansas.
My students are constantly telling me how my teaching changes their lives and turned them away from drugs, gangs, and C-SPAN.
Okay, that’s not exactly true.
Since my current job leaves me with very little free time, I believe in spending my spare hours in meaningful, intellectual pursuits such as:
watching E!
updating my status on Facebook
catching Will Ferrell on YouTube and
writing my name in the dust on my furniture
I’d love to hear about you, so drop me a note. Or check me out on Facebook.
ABOUT THE BOOK
The only thing scarier than living on the edge is stepping off it.Maggie Montgomery lives a life of adventure. Her job as a cinematographer takes her from one exotic locale to the next. When Maggie's not working, she loves to rappel off cliffs or go skydiving. Nothing frightens her.
Nothing, that is, except Ivy, Texas, where a family emergency pulls her back home to a town full of bad memories, painful secrets, and people Maggie left far behind . . . for a reason.
Forced to stay longer than she intended, Maggie finds her family a complete mess, including the niece her sister has abandoned. Ten-year-old Riley is struggling in school and out of control at home. The only person who can really handle the pint-sized troublemaker is Conner, the local vet and Ivy's most eligible bachelor. But Conner and Maggie keep butting heads--he's suspicious of her and, well, she doesn't rely on anyone but herself.
As Maggie humorously fumbles her way from one mishap to another, she realizes she's going to need to ask for help from the one person who scares her the most.
To save one little girl--and herself--can Maggie let go of her fears and just trust God?
If you would like to read the first chapter of Just Between You And Me, go HERE
My review:
I just loved how this entire story played out. The emotional landscape was rich and thoroughly plowed. The hero was incredibly dreamy and yet realistic and believable. The heroine's issues were compelling, interesting, and clearly well-researched. The minor charactor, Riley, was probably the best portrayal of a screwed up kid that I've ever read. She was totally real and perfectly developed. Everything about her issues rang true. Even the sister, Allison, was shown in a believable fashion. I've worked with numerous mentally ill and drug abusing people in my lifetime and Allison's issues were spot-on as well as her way of dealing with them.
This story really tugged at my heart strings because each character was well-done and could easily be people I've known and loved. On top of all of those high praises I have to add that the romantic tension was delicious and the emotional and spiritual arcs were perfectly done. I can't stand contrived tension or plastic faith inserted into a story to make it fit the Christian label. Worse, it really bugs me when a book is labeled Christian and there is no mention of Christ anywhere in the story.
Everything in this book rang true to me. Just Between You and Me was so good, in fact, that it's making my best of 2009 fiction list. I highly recommend this story.
1 comment:
Michelle, thanks for the detailed review. I love it that you provided insight with your assessment and you didn't hold any punches. Jenny's book promises to be a great read.
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