Never the Bride - Book Review

Synopsis: Since she was just a little girl, Jessie Stone dreamed up hundreds of marriage proposals, doodled the romantic ideas in her journal with her treasured purple pen, and fantasized about wedding dresses and falling in love. She’s been a bridesmaid nearly a dozen times, waved numerous couples off to sunny honeymoons, and shopped in more department stores for half-price fondue pots than she cares to remember.

But shopping for one key component of these countless proposals hasn't been quite as productive–a future husband. The man she thought she would marry cheated on her. The crush she has on her best friend Blake is at very best…well, crushing. And speed dating has only churned out memorable horror stories.

So when God shows up one day, in the flesh, and becomes a walking, talking part of her life, Jessie is skeptical. What will it take to convince her that the Almighty has a better plan than one she’s already cooked up in her journals? Can she turn over her pen and trust someone else to craft a love story beyond her wildest dreams?

Review: This book has an interesting storyline to say the least. In some ways it reminds me of "The Shack" with God taking on human form and interacting with Jessie. Even more than a week after finishing it, I'm not 100% sure of my opinion. As a book, it was okay - it was a slow-starting book but I kept with it. There were times that Jessie annoyed the mess out of me and had she been a friend of mine, we would have had words. After a while, the storyline picked up and I got to the point I really wanted to see where the book was going. As a fiction book, it served the purpose I want a book to, it entertained.

From a theological standpoint, I'm much more conflicted. While I know it is fiction, there were some comments God's character made that are completely outside His character. Several times, God appeared to be humored by the distress Jessie was feeling. I just don't see God being amused by the hurt of His children. There were parts of this novel that God used to convict me of some erroneous thought patterns in my own life so it's not all bad. But, like "The Shack", this book needs to be read by more mature Christians who can separate the fictional version of God with the Scriptural version. Overall, it was a decent book but I won't be quick to recommend it to others.

Waterbrook Multnomah gave me a free copy of this book in exchange for my fair and honest review.