Skip to main content

Review: Julia Monroe Begins Again: Beignets for Two #1

Julia Monroe Begins Again book cover on blue background

Many thanks to Bethany House Publishers and LibraryThing for providing a complimentary copy of Julia Monroe Begins Again by Rebekah Millet for review consideration. All opinions are my own. Book Thoughts content is also posted on LibraryThing.

Book Synopsis

Julia Monroe has just turned forty and hopes this next decade goes much better than the last, in which she became a young widow raising two children on her own. With both her boys off to college, it's time for new beginnings, and she can finally focus on expanding her New Orleans-based cleaning business--but God has other plans. Samuel Reed, the ruggedly handsome Green Beret who broke her heart over twenty years ago, has returned to town and is the kind of distraction she never saw coming.

After their first interaction in years leaves her mind spinning and her emotions out of control, Julia knows she needs to keep her distance from him if she wants any chance of keeping history from repeating itself, but her meddling best friend has other plans to throw them together. It seems inevitable that Julia will have to face her past with Samuel, but only if she can work up the courage to embrace the kind of new beginning she never thought she'd see again.

Rebekah Millet will make you laugh, swoon, and cry in this delightful debut novel of first loves and second chances wrapped in the magic of New Orleans.

Source: Amazon

Book Thoughts

Julia Monroe Begins Again is a delightful story that brings the flavours and senses of New Orleans to life. In this first person narrative, we catch a glimpse of a woman who has been through much, and continues to wrestle with much as her past and present worlds collide. Julia's internal monologue is hilariously captivating and draws readers into relatable life circumstances. It is refreshing that Julia and Samuel are older and that through the mistakes they've made, they have learnt to become stronger as a result. Julia's sons provide another glimpse into the person that she is, and a dose of realism into what being a single parent can be like. Julia's friend, Kate, is the type of supportive friend that we could all use, allowing Julia to flourish and come into being herself.

Rebekah Millet shines in keeping readers engaged in rooting for her characters as she brilliantly captures the fears, doubts, and questions that can enter our minds. This redemption story points towards Christ, and showcases His healing power in the midst of tragedy. Samuel is a model of forgiveness, patience, and self-sacrifice, helping readers to see God's love exemplified through his character. There are a few gut-wrenching scenes in this book that the author empathetically works through, adding layers of depth to this story. Going through these emotions with the characters really brought this story home, especially around the themes of loss, grief, and disappointment. Julia Monroe Begins Again shows that all of us have the opportunity to begin again in life through God's help and comfort.

Book Summary

  • Format of book: 📱
  • Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Recommendation: 👍
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Theological Backgrounds

Have you ever wondered about the theological background of authors? I am sometimes curious, especially if there are things that pop up in their books that make me pay attention (either positively or negatively). What I've found is that it's not always easy to find out. Some authors will openly share what church or denomination they belong to, whereas others don't seem to mention it—which for privacy concerns, I completely understand. In terms of how important this information may be for readers, or not at all for some, it does make me think about the role that this could play when deciding which books to read and buy. On the one hand, I think not specifically knowing which theological stream an author comes from but still being aware that they fall within the broader evangelical umbrella is fine with me. There's so much to learn as believers and I wouldn't want to be limited to only simply what I know. On the other hand, not knowing much beyond "Christian"...
2 comments
Read more

Review: The Class She Skips - A Healing Kind of Love #2

Ella Marie is a newer-to-me author whose Christian faith in her recent books is clear, well written, and thoughtfully expressed. The Class She Skips is the second book in her A Healing Kind of Love series , which explores how the healing we receive from Jesus can be carried into the relationships we have with others. Many thanks to the author for providing a complimentary copy of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own. Content to be aware of : stretches that may be construed as originating from yoga, though the author has confirmed that yoga is not meant to be promoted and has carefully constructed the scene to omit references to it Book Synopsis Enzo’s life is carefully constructed—any time not spent working is devoted to his daughter, teaching her what it means to live as a true Christian. So when he accepts a temporary teaching position at his old college, he doesn’t expect to run into the most beautiful woman he’s ever seen—again. Charlie, the coffee shop culp...
Post a Comment
Read more

Review: The Biblio Diet

Over the years, I've had the joy of reading many books on health and nutrition, partly a product of some studies I've done on it and also due to personal interest. As a result, I'm always intrigued when there is a Christian perspective on this subject. I'm grateful that I learnt about The Biblio Diet by Jordan Rubin and Dr. Josh Axe after having previously read Eat Dirt by Dr. Josh Axe. Many thanks to Worthy Books for providing a complimentary copy of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own. Book Synopsis In this breakthrough book, New York Times bestselling authors and nutrition experts Jordan Rubin and Dr. Josh Axe offer a simple and holistic plan for building strength, health, and longevity. Based on the ancient wisdom of the Bible and confirmed by modern science, The Biblio Diet’s intuitive and easy-to-follow plan invites you to experience a breakthrough in the health of your entire family by learning to eat and live God’s way. In this book, y...
Post a Comment
Read more