Wednesday, January 7, 2009

The Perfect Match by Susan May Warren


This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

The Perfect Match

(Tyndale House January 1, 2009)

by

Susan May Warren



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Susan grew up in Wayzata, a suburb of Minneapolis, and became an avid camper from an early age. Her favorite fir-lined spot is the north shore of Minnesota is where she met her husband, honeymooned and dreamed of living.

The north woods easily became the foundation for her first series, The Deep Haven series, based on a little tourist town along the shores of Lake Superior. Her first full-length book, Happily Ever After, became a Christy Award Finalist published in 2004 with Tyndale/Heartquest.

As an award winning author, Susan returned home in 2004, to her native Minnesota after serving for eight years with her husband and four children as missionaries with SEND International in Far East Russia. She now writes full time from Minnesota's north woods and the beautiful town that she always dreamed of living in.

You can sample a chapter of each and every one of Susan's novels, on her website, HERE.


ABOUT THE BOOK

Ellie Karlson is new to Deep Haven. As the town’s interim fire chief, she is determined to lead the local macho fire crew in spite of their misconceptions about her. But when someone begins setting deadly fires, Ellie faces the biggest challenge of her life. Especially when sparks fly with one of the volunteers on her crew: Pastor Dan Matthews. As Ellie battles to do her job and win the respect of her crew, she finds that there is one fire she can’t fight—the one Dan has set in her heart.
(This book is the repackaged edition published in 2004)

If you would like to read the first chapter of The Perfect Match, go HERE.

Awards:

2004 American Christian Fiction Writer's Book of the Year

A Romantic Times Magazine TOP PICK – 4½ stars

MY REVIEW:

“God is enough.” (p. 315)


Why is it so hard for us to understand how precious we are to God? Why do we try so hard, in our own strength, to overcome life’s obstacles and overcompensate for our failures? These are the things that Ellie Karlson asks herself – without realizing she’s asking or even wants to know.


Susan May Warrens latest novel in the Deep Haven Series – The Perfect Match – contains a truth that all Christians struggle against at some point in their faith walk; realizing how precious we are to God and accepting how much He loves us. Ellie Karlson is a talented, knowledgeable woman who has come to Deep Haven as an interim fire chief. The problem? She’s female. When she tries to lead a group of rough an tumble volunteer fire fighters, her heart and mind aren’t quite prepared for what she discovers among them…primarily who she discovers in the pastor Dan Matthews!


Folks, if you love romance, this is your story. If you love suspense, this is your story. If you love a novel that shines the truth of God’s love so brightly that you can’t possibly miss its beauty and be changed by it, this is your story. I’m going to close this review by quoting a passage that spoke very deeply to me. I hope it touches you as well.


“The thought swept through him like a hot breath. Love like God loved him. Sacrificially. With passion and mind-blowing dedication. Love enough to risk becoming a baby to a teen mother. Love enough to weep for Lazarus, enough to raise the son of the widow of Nain. Love enough to sweat blood in the garden of Gethsemane wrestling with His painful purpose. Fully wise. Fully self-controlled. Fully emotional. Fully God, reaching out with perfect love.” (p. 221-222)


I want to live every moment secure in the knowledge that God is enough, and I want to love others with the same selfless love with which I am loved. Oh, Father…thank You for Your love. Thank you for your Son. And thank you for Susan May Warren’s faithfulness to share the stories you give her to write! A-men!






Review:

Romantic Times Magazine:
Vibrant characters and vivid language zoom this action-packed romance to the top of the charts. This is a one-sitting read –once you pick it up, you won't want to put it down.

1 comment:

Mocha with Linda said...

I, too, was struck by the multi-layers of this book. Enjoyed your review. It's always neat to see how we all take a little bit different (yet somehow basically the same!) slant on the books!