Review: How Can It Be? - A Work in Progress #1

How Can It Be? book cover on blue background

This is not an easy topic to write about, so I give a lot of credit to Kelli Galyean for tackling abortion in the church in How Can It Be? Not only is it addressed in a loving and truthful way in this book, I also give credit to how the church is portrayed in coming alongside women facing this trauma in their lives.

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: abortion, social drinking in multiple settings

Book Synopsis

As a college student, Mia Browning shared a carefree weekend with drummer Ryan Blackstone. Soon after, Mia learned she was pregnant, a fact her politically-ambitious parents would not allow to stay true. A forced abortion left her broken and alone.

Ten years later, Mia has found healing and embraced a new life in Christ. Mia arrives at church one Sunday, to find that the new worship minister is none other than the blue-eyed drummer of her past.

Seeing Ryan again after all these years is complicated. Serving at the youth camp means they are often thrown together, creating an unexpected friendship. Growing closer seems inevitable, but will they both have the courage to let go of the past and move forward into something deeper?

Source: Amazon

Book Thoughts

I appreciate that this romance tackles difficult subjects from a Christian perspective and that it does so with compassion and grace. Almost written in the style of a journal without an epistolary format, readers get to meet Mia Browning and understand why she has been having trouble in the dating department. Despite her relational struggles when it comes to romance, Mia has a thriving and vibrant church community around her, depicting how church members can care for each other and truly be a part of the discipleship journey for newer Christians. The references to church ministry are delightful and a week at summer youth camp brings me right back to being a camp counsellor, providing moments of levity amid the more serious subject of abortion.

The characters are well-rounded, mature, and responsible, which makes for an enjoyable reading experience, especially coupled with snippets of hymns throughout the text. The messages of God's grace, forgiveness, and mercy are powerfully conveyed and lived out, most notably through Ryan, along with some amazing people from the church. This book reveals how true community can in turn provide strength and encouragement to Christians who may be feeling stigmatized because of past sins. If you're looking for a romance that portrays how God can redeem heartbreaking pain and turn it into something beautiful, How Can It Be? shows us that scenario in a moving way.

Book Summary

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

Comments

Christian Book Review Programs

Over time, I've been on the hunt for Christian book review programs that readers can join. As a result, I've been able to compile the following list which may be of interest if you are seeking review copies of Christian books. This list mostly applies to print and ebooks, although some publishers offer audiobooks as well. If further information is available for any of the publishers below (or any missing publishers), please let me know as I am happy to update this list—thank you! Please note that you can also search for these publishers on NetGalley and other review sites in case there are no review programs available or you don't qualify for one 😊 Christian Publishers B&H Publishing Group Previously offered the B&H/Lifeway Blogger program which has since closed Availability: Professors and instructors Link: B&H Academic Book Requests Baker Publishing Group Availability: U.S. and Canadian residents Genre: Christian fiction, Christian non-fiction Imprints: Bet...

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"...

Review: The French Kitchen

A historical fiction with dual timelines on two continents regarding the Second World War and French cooking? If The French Kitchen by Kristy Cambron doesn't make you hungry for fine dining by the end, the cover will surely inspire you to don an apron. What a dreamy cover! 😍🇫🇷 Many thanks to Thomas Nelson Fiction and NetGalley for providing a complimentary copy of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own. Book Synopsis As Paris rebuilds in the aftermath of World War II, Kat Fontaine never expected the skills she learned in a French chateau kitchen to be the key that unlocks the secrets swirling in her new post-war life. Paris, 1952—Still haunted by the years she spent serving in the American Office of Strategic Services (OSS) during WWII, ex-pat Kat Fontaine, now living in Paris, finds a simple cookery class led by indomitable chef Julia Child unearths the tangle of gut-wrenching memories of war. Determined to find her brother who went missing d...