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My husband and I love those shows where they throw a guy out in the wilderness and he shows how to survive in seemingly impossible situations. The more I watch them, the more I realize that I likely will never need to survive in the Sahara or the Sub-Arctic. I do however find myself feeling on an almost daily basis as if I've been cast out into a strange world full of obstacles to tackle and unknown creatures to cope with. This will be the chronicle of one woman trying to survive the jungles of parenthood.

Monday, August 22, 2011

Blogging for Books Review #1

The Inconvenient Marriage of Charlotte Beck by Kathleen Y’Barbo
     This is my first book review for the “Blogging for Books”  program from Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing Group. I’m reviewing a digital copy of The Inconvenient Marriage of Charlotte Beck, a historical Christian romance by Kathleen Y’Barbo.
     The story flows seamlessly between the polished, cultured world of the English nobility in London during the late 19th Century and the open, natural setting of the American west in the same time period. The transitions could have been very jarring if they weren’t so smoothly written. It follows a very young woman with family ties in both arenas and an English astronomer who is the younger son of an English lord. It also weaves real historic people and events into a fictional story in a charming way.
     Readers who frequently read historical romances set in this period will not find the storyline to be strikingly original but as someone who does read a lot of these stories that generally isn’t what I’m looking for. There s one place where a 4 year gap in the characters lives is skipped and it does take a bit of time to adjust to the changes in their personalities and motivations in that space. One could wish for a bit more character development although isn’t too hard to fill in the blanks with a bit of imagination.
     The spiritual aspect of the book is fairly scarce early on and comes in more in the later chapters. It centers on the human tendency to rebel against the Lord'’s will for our lives in deference to our own desires and the havoc that such choices tends to wreak in our lives.
     Overall it’s a sweet, feel-good book with a witty, fast-paced storyline easily devoured in an evening or two.. If “chick-lit” historical romance isn’t your cup of tea then definitely move on to something else but if you’re a fan of the genre, it’s definitely one I’d recommend and I look forward to reading the other two in the series
     If you're interested in the Blogging for Books program, check it out at this site. :) A great, free mama-time resource for bloggy mamas and other bloggy book lovers too.

1 comment:

  1. I've seen that book but have not read it yet. I'll put it on my list!

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