She Makes It Look Easy by Marybeth Whalen - REVIEWED

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
She Makes It Look Easy
David C. Cook (June 1, 2011)
by
Marybeth Whalen



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Marybeth Whalen is the wife of Curt and mom of six children. The family lives outside Charlotte, NC. Marybeth is a member of the Proverbs 31 Ministries writing team and a regular contributor to their daily devotions. Her first novel,The Mailbox was released in June 2010. Her next novel, She Makes It Look Easy, will be released in June 2011. Additionally, she serves as director of She Reads, Proverbs 31 Ministries' fiction division.





ABOUT THE BOOK

Ariel Baxter has just moved into the neighborhood of her dreams. The chaos of domestic life and the loneliness of motherhood, however, moved with her. Then she meets her neighbor, Justine Miller. Justine ushers Ariel into a world of clutter-free houses, fresh-baked bread, homemade crafts, neighborhood play dates, and organization techniques designed to make marriage better and parenting manageable.



Soon Ariel realizes there is hope for peace, friendship, and clean kitchen counters. But when rumors start to circulate about Justine’s real home life, Ariel must choose whether to believe the best about the friend she admires or consider the possibility that “perfection” isn’t always what it seems to be.


My Thoughts:

“God loves you very much. Let Him be enough for you. Don’t be afraid of the future, and stop trying to control it.” (p. 308)


Have you ever had God send a message in BOLD? I just did. Whew! Talk about a blessing! And to think I almost quit reading this book half-way through! Quite frankly, I was ready to lynch Justine about then. And I still think she represents all of the immature, selfish attitudes that can and will creep into any marriage when we focus on our own pitiful, selfish wants and take our eyes from Christ.


Ariel and Justine were perfectly suited for one another when the story began. Their friendship represented the worldly, selfish focus that drives many people today. I didn’t envy the position that Ariel forced herself into. (yes, she had a choice!) She had some pretty hard lessons to learn and a lot of crow to swallow. Justine got what was coming to her. Unless the Lord does a work in her life, she will be forever the most miserable, unsatisfied, self-centered manipulator that she has always been. (can you tell I don’t like her very much?)


Marybeth Whalen tells a realistic story all to common in churches today. Yet she ends with such beautiful, profound truth – drawn from a very, very sad set of circumstances. I’m willing to bet you know people like Ariel and Justine. Just be wiser than the two of them. You don’t want to walk a mile in their shoes, I assure you!!


GREAT book!! I cried and cried. Loved it!! I recommend it to everyone! But consider yourself warned…it contains some powerful looks in the spiritual mirror. Some of them not so pretty if you’re honest. Enjoy!!




If you would like to read an excerpt of She Makes It Look Easy, go HERE.