Skip to main content

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

The Class She Skips book cover on blue background

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.

I am grateful to the author for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book. 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 culprit who taught him never to forget a lid, is now his student.

Falling for her isn’t just wrong; it goes against the second chance he’s been given. Unable to ignore the growing feelings he can’t afford to act on, he builds wall after wall to keep her out of reach.

Charlie’s days are a tightrope walk between assignments and financial struggles, with her faith getting the short end of the stick. The only sure things in her life are her best friends and the ever-growing stack of books she needs to read.

When she discovers her new Intro to Biology professor is the mysterious man she once collided with—and never expected to see again—it’s too late. She’s already falling for Enzo and his daughter, and she’s not sure she can—or wants to—hold back.

Source: Amazon

Book Thoughts

I really enjoyed the opportunity to continue reading Pearl and Zane's story from The Game She Hates. Paired with Robyn, a roommate who calls it like it is but in a Christ-honouring way, these strong Christian friends help Charlie as she learns from her mistakes and grows in her faith. Though I initially wondered how the professor-student status would affect the main characters in this book, the author makes it very clear that Charlie and Enzo are aware of the dangers and ethical implications that lie in this power dynamic. The book draws out the waiting period before Enzo is no longer Charlie's professor, so if you don't mind a slow burn, this book definitely ratchets up the tension. Getting to meet Enzo’s sweet daughter who has a penchant for getting away with a lot of creative pleas through her charm and love for reading will make you smile as you see Enzo and Charlie falling more and more for each other.

The Class She Skips personifies the forbidden romance trope very well in the sense that I was quite stressed out while reading the book. This is more a reflection on me where I was worried that something could happen that would awaken love before its time (Song of Songs 2:7). Thankfully, Ella Marie does a great job of using this theme to convey some wonderful Christian truths, such as not rushing God's timetable and not finding solace in relationships instead of Him. If you’re like me, this book will definitely have you on pins and needles as Enzo and Charlie interact with each other, where I wanted to know what happened next but I was also a bundle of nerves along the way. If forbidden love is a favourite trope for you, there are a lot of great lessons that the characters go through in their romantic and spiritual journeys as they learn to depend on God's sovereignty.

Book Summary

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

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

All the Cheese

I've been coming across content within the past several weeks that has stereotyped Christian books (and other mediums) as being cheesy on Christian accounts. While this isn't a new label or even a new topic, what has surprised me somewhat has been seeing more Christian authors jump into this conversation who wholeheartedly agree with this sentiment. Although some authors will name others whom they believe are writing non-cheesy fiction, I feel as though the damage has been done by repeating this blanket statement. While readers have freely been engaging in this type of commentary for some time, it's been interesting to see authors chime in, where in some cases, there seems to be an emphasis on self-promotion over reflection. I'm not stereotyping and saying that all authors or even the authors I'm connected to respond with this tactic (because I really don't think they do!), but there are a few out there from my limited experience who seem to respond to this disc...

Fallen

This is a post that I wish I didn't have to write. Please understand that I recognize that we are all fallen; therefore, everything that we create is marred, imperfect, and tainted due to sin. What I'm exploring is what happens when there are authors or other creators who have acted in a way that harms others and there is little-to-no news of repentance or reparations being made. I'm not writing anything investigative as many skilled and brilliant Christians are already doing so. I'm more writing as a bystander who is grieved at some of the news that has come up and attempting to process it all. The first news that really impacted me was learning about the passing of Jennifer Lyell, former Lifeway Vice President, whom headlines have also called a Southern Baptist Convention abuse survivor . This hit close to home for a multitude of reasons even though prior to yesterday, I hadn't heard of her story. One of the reasons it affected me was because the professor who was...

Diverse Stories

One of the things I've been challenging myself to do this year has been to read more Christian books written by authors from other countries. I love that the body of Christ spans the four corners of the world and that we get to benefit from hearing so many different perspectives. I've also appreciated getting to know some amazing authors and readers online from other nations and continents as it's enriched my understanding of how Christians experience life. It helps me realize that the views I take for granted may only be limited to where I am situated, geographically and culturally. I haven't read all of the authors below yet, but here are a few Christian fiction authors who write from outside of North America if you're interested in reading more: Africa Ivy Emerson Enewerome Anna Jensen Tope Omotosho Asia Joanna Alonzo Joy Crain Australasia Narelle Atkins Liz Chapman Iola Goulton Jessica Kate Bessie Le Couteur Carolyn Miller Jennifer Mistmorgan Honey Stone Jessica...