Forever Friday by Timothy Lewis

Forever Friday by Timothy Lewis, was a lovely story chronicling the married life of Gabe and Pearl, as discovered through the weekly love poem Gabe sent his wife on a postcard. This love story is viewed through the eyes of a recently divorced and discouraged man who sees the postcards as a clue to how to have a happy marriage.

Well-written and entertaining, Lewis does a good job of juxtaposing the two stories into one good read.

As is becoming more and more common, elements previously disallowed in Christian fiction, such as the Christian characters drinking alcohol, were included in this book. Gabe and Pearl are presented as believers. Otherwise, the story could pass for a good, clean, secular romance.

By the end of the book, this reader felt the bond between these two characters.

I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for this review.

Jennifer by Dee Henderson

Always a fan of Dee Henderson’s books, I eagerly awaited my opportunity to learn more about the O’Malley’s. A prequel to the O’Malley series, Jennifer was a heartwarming little novella giving some nice background to Jennifer’s story. I liked the way the gospel was clearly presented, the way Tom was patient with Jennifer’s exploration of faith, and the way  **spoiler alert** Jennifer grapples with her diagnosis in light of the loving God she just met. **end spoiler**

Though maintaining Henderson’s characteristically great writing, I wish Jennifer had been a full-length novel to go along with the others in the series. It was a charming love story, but didn’t pack quite the punch the other books in the series did. Having said that, reading it did make me anxious to go back and reread the rest of the series.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House with no expectation of a positive review.

Perfecting Kate by Tamera Leigh

Tamera Leigh’s Perfecting Kate is a quirky, romance novel about a vain and imperfect artist who has given up on men – again, when not one but two come into her life.

Enter Michael, a makeup artist who professes to be Christian. While he compliments her often, he regularly points out he flaws and refers her to professionals who can “fix” her. But he isn’t interested in the one thing she can never give him.

Then there’s Clive, a widowed doctor who likes her just the way she is, but who has abandoned his faith and does want the one thing she can never give him.

While she struggles with her faith, her appearance, and her relationships, she keeps a prayer journal. Her honest commentary on her struggles and shortcomings is refreshing and chronicles her journey towards God’s best for her. This prayer journal shows that Kate is anything but perfect, and in my opinion, gives this book an edge over other Christian chick-lit.

Witty and cleverly written, Perfecting Kate is an easy and enjoyable read. It includes some subtle references to things not often seen in Christian books, due to their controversial nature. However, it is done in a way that shows both the flawed nature of human beings and the redemptive power of God.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

Click here for more information:  http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/catalog.php?work=99644.