Justified

Over the past couple of years, I tried two other times to start and read this book. My friends loved it, but I had a hard time getting into it. Finally I gritted my teeth and dived in a few days ago, determined to mine until I found the gold.

Well, I did end up liking Fawn a lot. Ruthie was my favorite character, and I may go back and read her story just so I can see how she fell in love with her man. JohnScott was good, but I just couldn't get past the whole he-was-her-teacher thing. It just didn't work.

If Fawn had narrated the whole book, I probably would have given it four stars, or perhaps 3.5. I found myself skimming over the non-Fawn parts to get back to the Fawn parts. I might have liked more JohnScott parts, because in the end I didn't feel like I knew him a lot. But absolutely no Tyler parts...and why the brief parts in Clyde's view and Fawn's mom's view? Keep it simple.

Pluses: Fawn loving her kid in spite of everything; the strong pro-life message. Ruthie. Velma. Fawn and her mom finally talking (shocker! Parents and kids talking to each other! Long overdue for those two, but at least it happened.)

Fails:
First and foremost, Tyler. Such an unbelievable character. I mean, Fawn was supposed to have been in love with him, and yet he is a stalking creeper? A rich kid and privileged, yet carving a brand on his own arm? Nobody noticing he is stalking her? He acted like some bum, always drinking and hanging around and acting possessive. Shoving her around in public, then showing up at her house with tons of gifts. Ultimately, I think it would have made a lot more psychological sense for him to have raped her and gotten her pregnant than to think he was someone who had some sort of “social standing” that her dad would want. And the ending... I do watch some Criminal Minds. Someone that focused on a target, someone escalating that fast and devolving that fast, is not going to just be knocked out, go to the hospital, serve a little time, and then be okay. He'd be ready to make a showdown. It was an illogical outcome and not something I could see coming.

JohnScott. Also not deeply consistent. Saying he is caring for her but not finding out what Tyler is up to? Coming over to her place all alone when he knows he feels attracted to her? Portrayed as a nice guy...but I missed a lot of real chemistry between them. More scenes of the going to shoe polish the windows and the showing up at the hospital in a dust storm, and I'd feel much more sure of their relationship.

Reality. Oh my goodness, the ending! The accident/crash was just not believable. Explain it. Show me how it could have worked. The scenes were heavy on the emotion and low on the detail. I felt every bit of Fawn's panic for her child and her need to get to the truck, but...the crash happened off-camera, so to speak. It was never explained and was totally unrealistic. There is no mention made of a child seat when she gets there. She is pulling the baby out of a truck that just rolled over a cliff. Does she have to struggle with seat ties? With a smashed carrier? Did he have a car seat at all? Otherwise, how could he live?

Profanity. Tyler uses out and out profanity. Not cool. Not acceptable in any Christian book, spelled out, and definitely not needed in that context.

Nudity/steaminess. Tyler watching her remove her bra? Gross! Deciding her chest had improved? Her talk about her breast milk soaking her pads in her bra? Then...JohnScott going to “make out” with her on a date? Talking about tongues in kissing? A guy showing up with his jeans unzipped? This is just way over the top for what I expect in a clean Christian novel. None of it was appropriate in real life for unmarried Christians, especially ones who aren't even sure yet that they want to date with marriage in view. Even appropriate stuff, though, I don't want to see. It's fun to see couples kiss and hold hands and giggle together. To see them rub their hands all over each other, devour each other's faces, and lay on top of each other is something entirely out of order in public and not something I want to read about in a book. Definitely not in a Christian book.

In the end, this book had way too many inconsistencies for me to enjoy it, and the flat characterization of the creepy, horrid villain was a huge misfit in a contemporary romance. I may or may not try another later book by this author to see if her writing improves.

I received a free copy through NetGalley and was not required to write a favorable review.