Book Review: Restoring Love by Jennifer Slattery

A Real Story of Messed-Up People

Angela has just moved into the neighbourhood. She’s in her mid-forties, and is just starting to get her life straightened out. She’s graduated college, become a Christian, and is about to start her first job in a new town. Mitch is a house-flipper currently restoring a house across the street. And Bianca is another neighbour—one with no patience for do-gooders—but whose life gradually becomes more and more connected with Mitch and Angela.

I’ve read several of Jennifer Slattery’s books, and have enjoyed some more than others. This is definitely one I’ve enjoyed more, both for the realism of the characters and for their spiritual journeys.

Restoring Love has a cast of imperfect characters (on that note, I have to disagree with the reviewer who compared Jennifer Slattery’s writing to that of Karen Kingsbury. Karen’s characters are all too close to perfect for my taste, and I find her writing melodramatic. I prefer Slattery's broken world). Mitch is a Christian, but someone who became a Christian well into his adult years and who still faces challenges from decisions made before he became a Christian.

Angela is a new Christian with a lot to learn, and we see her change as she grows up throughout the course of the novel. Yes, she’s about to become a grandmother, but there are ways in which her daughter is more mature than she is. And then there are the non-Christian characters who … but that would be telling.

I did get frustrated with Angela and her inappropriate wardrobe choices. Even without getting into the whole ‘Christian modesty’ argument, I thought someone could have taken her aside and said the 1980's are over, and the styles look even worse on a middle-aged woman. Someone, anyone. Her daughter, a work colleague, a teacher, a church member … someone. But someone who could say it in love, not in judgement (I remember 1980's fashion. It hasn't aged well).

One thing that impressed me was the way Christian love was shown. When one minor character did act in a judgemental manner towards Angela, it was shown as inappropriate—even though many Christians might not see it as such. I was also intrigued by the relationship between Mitch and his business partner, which showed another side to the old Christian adage about not being unequally yoked with unbelievers.

The one thing that didn’t quite fit was, oddly, the title. I suppose “restoring” is partly a reference to Mitch’s occupation of restoring and flipping old houses, and love is obviously finding love (yes, there are romantic elements). But I thought the book was going to be about restoring an old relationship, whereas it was more creating new relationships, with God and with people. No matter. That didn't affect my enjoyment of the novel.

Recommended for those looking for Christian fiction with a heavy dose of real life.

Thanks to New Hope Publishers and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review. You can find out more about Jennifer Slattery at her website, and you can read the introduction to Restoring Love below:

Review: Breaking Free by Jennifer Slattery

A Thought-provoking Read

Amazon Description

Sometimes it takes losing everything to grab hold of what really matters.

Women’s ministry leader and Seattle housewife, Alice Goddard, and her successful graphic-designer husband appear to have it all together. Until their credit and debit cards are denied, launching Alice into an investigation that only leads to the discovery of secrets. Meanwhile, her husband is trapped in a downward spiral of lies, shame, and self-destruction. Can they break free from their deception and turn to the only One who can save them? And will it be in time to save their marriage?

My Review

Breaking Free isn’t a fun read. It’s a hard-hitting story of a disintegrating marriage. At first, I thought gambler Trent was the one with the problem. But by halfway through, I was equally annoyed with both characters (and with Alice’s mother, and Trent’s boss. And both their children). Sure, Trent was taking the lead in lying, cheating and stealing to fund his gambling habit, but Alice wasn’t helping. She wasn’t addressing the issue. She wasn’t asking for help. She wasn’t even admitting there was a problem.

On one hand, I understood why. Alice and Trent were good church-going Christians (although Trent’s salvation may well be in question), and the church isn’t generally in favour of divorce. The novel opened with Alice having lunch with a group of her church “friends”, with the implication she didn’t really like any of them because they were all fake. Yet she was as fake as any of them, not trusting anyone—even her best friend—with the truth of what was happening in her life. This was annoying, as the opening implied a strong woman of God, but she was more doormat woman of mammon (on the plus side, this did give her plenty of room for character growth, which did happen albeit perhaps too quickly to be believable).

And that meant that instead of being a story of a disintegrating marriage, Breaking Free turned into a story of a disintegrating family. I couldn’t help but think things might have been different if Alice had been more Christian and less churchgoer. If she’d asked for God’s help.

That if she’d been a little more open about the problems between her and Trent, especially the money problems, that her sons might have had a little more grace and understanding towards her. On the other hand, should you tell your children stuff like that? They were teenagers, old enough to understand. Or is that turning the children into pawns?

Yes, Breaking Free was a frustrating read, but that’s what made it good. While Trent continually had the choice between good and bad decisions (to gamble or not to gamble, to pay the household bills or to use that money for gambling, to pay back the money he owed or to steal), Alice didn’t. Alice’s choices were between bad and bad, with no right answer. A best answer, perhaps. But no right answer. After all, there is no perfect formula for a marriage breakup.

But I did expect Alice, as a Christian and a women’s ministry leader, to turn to God, at least occasionally, even if she couldn’t turn to her friends. This is what made me think she was as big a fake as her so-called friends (and a hypocrite as well, for judging them). I found her passivity frustrating—she let a lot of this happen through her personal inaction. Sure, Trent’s gambling wasn’t her fault. But her lack of reaction was. So that was frustrating as well.

And the ending . . . too quick. And I’m not convinced it was believable, or that it would last. However, it’s still a solid read with an excellent message. You can find out more about author Jennifer Slattery at her website (http://jenniferslatterylivesoutloud.com/), and you can read the beginning of Breaking Free here:

Thanks to New Hope Publishers and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

Review: Intertwined by Jennifer Slattery

Not as Good as Her Debut Novel

I was impressed by Jennifer Slattery’s first novel, Beyond I Do, mostly because of the way she integrated the Christian faith seamlessly into the novel. I’m sorry to say I was less impressed by Intertwined.

The whole plot of Intertwined seemed driven by external circumstances, and it seemed that no sooner had one Bad Thing happened than another happened (to both Nick and Tammy), and I suspect the plot points would have had more impact if they didn’t keep stacking up, one on top of another. Also, the two ex’s were too stereotypical with no redeeming qualities. Marianne seemed more interested in keeping Nick away from their children to anger Nick than for any concern for the children, and Brody was the opposite—bordering on neglectful.

Most novels, especially romance novels, find ways to convince the characters—and, by proxy, the readers—that they shouldn’t be together. With Intertwined, it seemed obvious early on that Nick and Tammy were supposed to be together and nothing was stopping them except their own blind selves. That was frustrating as well. Yes, I’m pleased their wasn’t insta-lust, but some attraction would have been nice …

I also thought the Christian elements seemed more forced than in Beyond I Do (which I reviewed and recommended), especially when it came to the teenage daughter with more attitude than sense. I’ve got one of those myself, and I simply can’t imagine a child who loathes family devotions enjoying Hinds Feet in High Places and having insightful views about the allegory. It didn’t fit the character as she had been portrayed.

Overall, the writing was solid but unconvincing. It’s a long way from the worst book I’ve read recently (hey, I liked it enough to finish it!), but it wasn’t the best. It wasn’t the best I’ve read, and it wasn’t the author’s best.

Thanks to New Hope Publishers and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.