The Perfect Life with Robin Lee Hatcher

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
The Perfect Life
Thomas Nelson (February 5, 2008)
by
Robin Lee Hatcher

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Robin Lee Hatcher discovered her vocation as a novelist after many years of reading everything she could put her hands on, including the backs of cereal boxes and ketchup bottles. The winner of the Christy Award for Excellence in Christian Fiction (Whispers from Yesterday), the RITA Award for Best Inspirational Romance (Patterns of Love and The Shepherd's Voice), two RT Career Achievement Awards (Americana Romance and Inspirational Fiction), and the RWA Lifetime Achievement Award, Robin is the author of over 50 novels, including Catching Katie, named one of the Best Books of 2004 by the Library Journal.

Robin enjoys being with her family, spending time in the beautiful Idaho outdoors, reading books that make her cry, and watching romantic movies. She is passionate about the theater, and several nights every summer, she can be found at the outdoor amphitheater of the Idaho Shakespeare Festival, enjoying Shakespeare under the stars. She makes her home outside of Boise, sharing it with Poppet the high-maintenance Papillon.

She also likes to blog. Go leave her a comment at Write Thinking!


ABOUT THE BOOK:


Katherine Clarkson has the perfect life. Married to Brad, a loving and handsome husband, respected in their church and the community. Two grown daughters on the verge of starting families of their own. A thriving ministry. Good friends. A comfortable life.

She has it all--until the day a reporter appears with shocking allegations. Splashed across the local news are accusations of Brad's financial impropriety at his foundation and worse, an affair with a former employee. Without warning, Katherine's marriage is shattered and her family torn apart. The reassuring words she's spoken to many brokenhearted women over the years offer little comfort now.

Her world spinning, Katherine wonders if she can find the truth in the chaos that consumes her. How can she survive the loss of what she thought was the perfect life?

My Review:

Have you ever had the feeling that the Lord was yelling at you? More accurately, have you ever felt like He was placing the same message in your life over and over again – literally everywhere you looked – as if insisting that you pay attention and stop ignoring what He was trying to say? Robin Lee Hatcher’s book has come to me as another bold reminder…no matter what, TRUST GOD! Whether or not things make sense, whether or not they seem fair, whether or not you understand the reasons behind the circumstances…TRUST GOD! With some things? NO! WITH EVERYTHING!

The Perfect Life contains characters familiar to anyone who has grown up in or around the church. Busy, dedicated workers selflessly giving to others, faithful in their ministry and basking in the apparent blessing of God upon their lives – these thoughts create the first impression of the main characters of this story, Katherine and Brad. However, the time has come for God to teach them some painful lessons. It is time for them to realize that no amount of service, faithfulness, dedication or busy-ness can take the place of total surrender and trust in a loving Heavenly Father. God wants us to belong to Him completely, and many times we get so caught up in our service to Him that we trick ourselves in to believing that He is in control when all the while we are following our own desires and asking Him to bless the effort.

Robin Lee Hatcher brings the couple in this story through the fire in a variety of ways. One set of disastrous circumstances pile up on top of another until you have to wonder just how much more this family can withstand. Well, this is fiction after all…but I know I don’t live in a novel, and I’ve had to face my own set of mounting trials. To what end? To learn to give all that I am and all that I ever hope to be to the God that created me and died to save my soul from an eternity in hell separated from Him. That is the point. There is no other.

Robin’s story is not a difficult, prolonged read, but the message of hope and encouragement within its pages is clear and precious. The Perfect Life is part of the Women of Faith series. Please visit Robin’s site to learn more about her many books! I’m so glad she wrote this one!