Monday, September 1, 2008

Back To Life by Kristin Billerbeck


This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

Back To Life

Avon Inspire (September 16, 2008)

by

Kristin Billerbeck




ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Kristin Billerbeck was born in Redwood City, California. She went to San Jose State University and gained a bachelor's degree in Advertising, then worked at the Fairmont Hotel in PR, a small ad agency as an account exec, and then, she was thrust into the exciting world of shopping mall marketing.

She got married, had four kids, and started writing romance novels until she found her passion: Chick Lit. She is a CBA bestselling author and two-time winner of the ACFW Book of the Year for What A Girl Wants in 2004, and again in 2006 for With this Ring. Featured in the New York Times, USA Today, World Magazine, The Atlanta Journal Constitution, Kristin has appeared on the Today Show. She is credited with jump-starting the inspirational chick-lit phenomenon. Most recently she has been names as a finalist for the Christy Award in the Lits category for The Trophy Wives Club.

Her other recent books include: She's All That.


ABOUT THE BOOK


Lindsey realized when she married Ron, a man 17 years her senior, that the odds were he’d see heaven before her, but she never expected to be a widow at 35. There’s too much of life left for her to just sit around in mourning. But she can’t seem to kick start the rest of her life.

That is until she gets some help from Ron’s first wife, Jane, who shows up unexpectedly at her door one day as the executor of her husband’s estate. Jane is everything Lindsey’s not… independent, stubborn… and a lot older. Plus she has one surprise after another… including a son named Ron Jr. (she insists he’s not “really” Ron’s son). But an unlikely friendship develops as each woman begins to reevaluate what is really important, and owns up to the mistakes they’ve made in the past.

Told in the alternating voices of Jane and Lindsey, and with the return of many of the witty characters of The Trophy Wives Club, this book is a lighthearted, relatable read for when life goes in a direction you never planned. With faith and friends, there’s always light at the end of the tunnel.

If you would like to read an excerpt of chapter 1 of Back To Life, go HERE

MY REVIEW:Back To Life is a quick, chic-lit read that is filled with friendship and fun L.A. style. While I am totally unfamiliar with financial opulence, it seems that the women in this story operated quite comfortably within this realm. The dynamic of family is somewhat twisted here – a suddenly widowed, self-proclaimed trophy wife is faced with her husband’s first wife as the appointed executor of his will. Can we say awkward?

Oh well, I thank the Lord that my life is less convoluted, and that I only have to read about all of this mixed up stuff. Besides wife #1 and wife #2 having to deal with each other just after the death of their husband, there are deeper darker secrets from the past that come to light. There are broken romances, bad parental relationships, and a very awkward new romance that develops for wife #1 with her deceased husband’s younger relation. EEWWW!!!

Oh well, this is a bit too much soap opera for me! But, it is a quick read, so I’m movin’ on! Enjoy your own copy! It's a definite change of pace.

2 comments:

kalea_kane said...

Thank you for the review. It sounds like a world I am not ever going to be familiar with, but I always enjoy a little escape. Have a great day, and thank you for taking the time to fill us in about so many great books!

Kellhy

Scrambled Dregs said...

I'm impressed you read this that fast...I just got my copy. I can see what you are talking about...The Trophy Wives Club is a little foreign to the world in which I reside.: ) But a little escapism is sometimes called for and Kristin makes me laugh so I'm looking forward to reading it.