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A review by sherwoodreads
Love and Other Mistakes by Jessica Kate
I'm tagging this as fiction, and spiritual (more about that later). It's billed as a romance, and there is romance in it, but that is overshadowed by so many issues it read more like a problem novel.
To discuss it, I have to go into spoiler territory, so if you don't want to be spoiled, don't read on.
It's a debut novel, and as such it's impressive. The author certainly packed the story with issues, keeping the pacing boiling along.
Central is Natalie, who was dumped by her fiancé weeks before her marriage, which caused her entire life to crash and burn. She is back in her home town after a series of bad jobs that didn't work out--and right when she begins a promising internship for a new ministry, she runs into her ex, Jeremy. Who is also back in town--with a baby. He's a single dad.
Natalie ends up being hired by Jeremy to watch his baby, as he, too, is beginning a new job, at the local newspaper.
Along the way we meet Natalie's wonderful parents--her dad, her idol, is retiring from his lifelong ministry as he is dying of cancer. Jeremy's brother and sister-in-law, Mike and Steph, are co-pastors at the church that Jeremy left, but apparently he's returned to. We also meet what I think the best character in the book, Mike and Steph's daughter Lili.
Lili discovers that her dad is cheating on her mom, and when Mike finds out, he pleads with his daughter not to tell anyone. That's right, the pastor makes his teenage daughter complicit in his cheating.
Jessica Kate writes about these flawed characters with sympathy, showing how fragile human beings are--this is no postmodern novel smirking superiorly at the "corrupt fundies" that has become so very common in fiction these days.
The problem is, this issue just about overwhelms the rest of the book, as Lili tries to deal, makes friends with an awesome teen whose family is full of their own problems, and finally can't deal and runs away. Meanwhile Nat is dead set against trusting Jeremy, though they are instantly attracted to each other all over again.
But then things take another horrible turn when Jeremy's baby turns out to have a severe case of diabetes. That's right, another heart-breaking issue!
For the most part, Jessica Kate deals fairly with the characters--including Jeremy's ex, who comes knocking at the door to see her baby after dumping him on Jeremy right after she gave birth.
Probably the best sequence was Lili's running away. Her quest for understanding resonates with a sense of verisimilitude, and her faltering faith and how she deals is easily the best treatment of that subject in the book. For the most part, the others seem not to remember they are Christians, except intermittently; when Mike finally tackles his issues, the hard stuff is kept entirely off-stage, which nearly shipwrecks the book. How did his congregation react to his confession? We don't know. How did he justify breaking the Ten Commandments when he's supposed to be a leader of his flock? We don't know, except that he finally got his wife to agree to therapy--which she wouldn't do before because of how it would look. After all this heavy stuff, conflict resolution is pretty much whisked past us, which is anti-eucatastrophe.
Meanwhile, Nat's dad is not going to make it. Definitely not light-hearted romance.
Natalie and Jeremy get their happy ending, but their resolution is very much overshadowed by the entire Mike issue, and the diabetes and cancer don't help. And yet the author is so good at painting three-dimensional characters with strong appeal. I liked everybody in the book, warts and all, though I don't think this is exactly a fun and light-hearted romance. Given that, I still look forward to seeing where this author goes. Lots of talent there.
Copy provided by NetGalley--I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."
To discuss it, I have to go into spoiler territory, so if you don't want to be spoiled, don't read on.
It's a debut novel, and as such it's impressive. The author certainly packed the story with issues, keeping the pacing boiling along.
Central is Natalie, who was dumped by her fiancé weeks before her marriage, which caused her entire life to crash and burn. She is back in her home town after a series of bad jobs that didn't work out--and right when she begins a promising internship for a new ministry, she runs into her ex, Jeremy. Who is also back in town--with a baby. He's a single dad.
Natalie ends up being hired by Jeremy to watch his baby, as he, too, is beginning a new job, at the local newspaper.
Along the way we meet Natalie's wonderful parents--her dad, her idol, is retiring from his lifelong ministry as he is dying of cancer. Jeremy's brother and sister-in-law, Mike and Steph, are co-pastors at the church that Jeremy left, but apparently he's returned to. We also meet what I think the best character in the book, Mike and Steph's daughter Lili.
Lili discovers that her dad is cheating on her mom, and when Mike finds out, he pleads with his daughter not to tell anyone. That's right, the pastor makes his teenage daughter complicit in his cheating.
Jessica Kate writes about these flawed characters with sympathy, showing how fragile human beings are--this is no postmodern novel smirking superiorly at the "corrupt fundies" that has become so very common in fiction these days.
The problem is, this issue just about overwhelms the rest of the book, as Lili tries to deal, makes friends with an awesome teen whose family is full of their own problems, and finally can't deal and runs away. Meanwhile Nat is dead set against trusting Jeremy, though they are instantly attracted to each other all over again.
But then things take another horrible turn when Jeremy's baby turns out to have a severe case of diabetes. That's right, another heart-breaking issue!
For the most part, Jessica Kate deals fairly with the characters--including Jeremy's ex, who comes knocking at the door to see her baby after dumping him on Jeremy right after she gave birth.
Probably the best sequence was Lili's running away. Her quest for understanding resonates with a sense of verisimilitude, and her faltering faith and how she deals is easily the best treatment of that subject in the book. For the most part, the others seem not to remember they are Christians, except intermittently; when Mike finally tackles his issues, the hard stuff is kept entirely off-stage, which nearly shipwrecks the book. How did his congregation react to his confession? We don't know. How did he justify breaking the Ten Commandments when he's supposed to be a leader of his flock? We don't know, except that he finally got his wife to agree to therapy--which she wouldn't do before because of how it would look. After all this heavy stuff, conflict resolution is pretty much whisked past us, which is anti-eucatastrophe.
Meanwhile, Nat's dad is not going to make it. Definitely not light-hearted romance.
Natalie and Jeremy get their happy ending, but their resolution is very much overshadowed by the entire Mike issue, and the diabetes and cancer don't help. And yet the author is so good at painting three-dimensional characters with strong appeal. I liked everybody in the book, warts and all, though I don't think this is exactly a fun and light-hearted romance. Given that, I still look forward to seeing where this author goes. Lots of talent there.
Copy provided by NetGalley--I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."