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Timeless Love #1
A Time to Dance
John and Abby Reynolds are the perfect couple—envied by their friends, cherished by their children, admired by their peers. But John and Abby know they're just pretending to be happy. In fact, they're waiting for the right time to tell the kids they're going to divorce. But at the family meeting where they plan to tell their children, Nicole shares a surprise of her own: she's getting married. How can they spoil her joy with their announcement?
They can pretend a little longer—until after the wedding. But questions begin to haunt them as the date draws nearer. What happened to the love and commitment that held them together for so long? Is it still there somewhere under all the pain and misunderstanding? And is it still possible, alone in the moonlight on an old wooden pier, to once more find . . . a time to dance?
The first novel in Karen Kingsbury's celebrated series about the power of commitment and the amazing faithfulness of God.
They can pretend a little longer—until after the wedding. But questions begin to haunt them as the date draws nearer. What happened to the love and commitment that held them together for so long? Is it still there somewhere under all the pain and misunderstanding? And is it still possible, alone in the moonlight on an old wooden pier, to once more find . . . a time to dance?
The first novel in Karen Kingsbury's celebrated series about the power of commitment and the amazing faithfulness of God.
528 pages, Hardcover
First published April 28, 2006
About the author
Karen Kingsbury
219 books10.2k followersKaren Kingsbury, #1 New York Times bestselling novelist, is America’s favorite inspirational storyteller, with more than twenty-five million copies of her award-winning books in print. Her last dozen titles have topped bestseller lists and many of her novels are under development with Hallmark Films and as major motion pictures. Her Baxter Family books are being developed into a TV series slated for major network viewing sometime in the next year. Karen is also an adjunct professor of writing at Liberty University. In 2001 she and her husband, Don, adopted three boys from Haiti, doubling their family in a matter of months. Today the couple has joined the ranks of empty nesters, living in Tennessee near five of their adult children.
See more at: http://authors.simonandschuster.com/K...
See more at: http://authors.simonandschuster.com/K...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 409 reviews
May 9, 2014
Okay, let's be honest: I'm not exactly the target audience for this book. I'm a twenty-six-year-old single guy...but, as I've found, I can often appreciate books by women authors, even when us people with "Y" chromosomes aren't the intended audience.
This specific book deals with marital problems, and how married folks can go too far with "friends" of the opposite gender, leading to strife, dissension, and, in this case, a desire to split. What could such a book possibly teach me?
Easy: Many of my friends--at church, on Facebook, and elsewhere--are women who are married or otherwise spoken for romance-wise. So, I now know that I have to be careful that I respect their boundaries...or the consequences could be dire.
It's these nuggets of truth that make me keep reading these novels.
This specific book deals with marital problems, and how married folks can go too far with "friends" of the opposite gender, leading to strife, dissension, and, in this case, a desire to split. What could such a book possibly teach me?
Easy: Many of my friends--at church, on Facebook, and elsewhere--are women who are married or otherwise spoken for romance-wise. So, I now know that I have to be careful that I respect their boundaries...or the consequences could be dire.
It's these nuggets of truth that make me keep reading these novels.
January 11, 2019
Their relationship is falling apart. Correction, it fell apart. But the story was great but the characters were mainly football centered which i didnt like but i still throughly enjoyed the characters.
August 14, 2013
Well if you are looking to cry your eyes out this is sure the book for you! Maybe it was just me, but I got so attached to these characters that while reading I was truly feeling the pain of what they were going through. You hear about people getting divorced all the time, and I never really thought about what/how those people were feeling. After reading this book, my fear of getting divorced turned into a even bigger fear. Even though my fear become bigger, the idea that faith is what truly holds a marriage together grew even bigger in my mind. It became so apparent to me that even when life gets busy and hectic you cannot let your faith fall behind because that is the time that you really need it. The lessons I learned from the this book have stuck with me and will always be a reminder that God needs to be a part of your relationship with your significant other. Times wont always be easy, but they are easier when you have a man upstairs ALWAYS helping you through if you let him.
June 2, 2019
Okay the first thing I want to say is that for the first time in my life, I am glad my husband is agnotic/atheist leaning. Because in every Christian romance fiction the hero cheats and is forgiven by everybody!!! And this gentleman did cheat. It might have been two kisses but there was a lot of lust going on there too. He turned away from his wife and let the OW take her place. Not in bed but with his confidences and his time. I hated him until the end. Now the wife, once she thought he cheated on her, and it really looked like he did more than kiss to everyone, she became bitter and hateful. I saw that. It annoyed me too, but they didn't communicate. It was a two way street and she was writing to her editor and while it wasn't sexual, she confided in him and let him take up her time. They were both wrong, but what he did was far worse in my opinion. I would have pushed him away too and would be hateful and ugly and scared just like her. It's okay. I annoy myself too sometimes especially when I am jealous. I have done these very things and I understood it. I cried a lot through this book. Especially when her Father was dying. That scene meant so much to me and the heroine destroyed the moments after when her husband was trying to tell her what he felt. That really pissed me off, her anger, but i again I felt it too. Now as to Charlene, I don't want to slut shame her or anything, but there was something off about her. Another reviewer didn't like how she was painted with such a scarlet brush, but let's face it, she was trying to seduce a married man. From the moment she met him. Inviting him to her house while she was naked and barely covered with a robe! I really didn't like her and I hated how the hero acted around her. I just don't think she was a good person. So maybe that was slut shaming but the wife wasn't portrayed exactly perfect either. She had her own issues. Oh well, it's not a perfect book, and I was glad he didn't sleep with her, but the thoughts he had about his wife and the OW just made him a jerk in my opinion. He just was cruel about it. And I hate the whole premise of the book. So why four stars, I loved Nicole and Matt, and I loved Kade, the oldest son and I adored his story about the eagles! They hold on until death! It's a wonderful part of the story. And I loved Jo the crazy zany MIL to be. Her fishing stories just made me smile. And her Denney. Yes this is very Christian based, lots of scriptures, lots of praying so if that is something you don't like be warned its in there. And loads of it. It doesn't bother me but I know it does some people. There is no sex scenes at all just a couple of passionate kissing. I am glad I read this but now I need to go read something fun and Garwoody! This ran me through the ringer, but it also made me think. I went out and kissed my husband several times during the course of the book and told him I loved him and He was like wth? I just told him I took my meds and smiled.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 27, 2008
When people in Marion think of the perfect couple, John and Abby Reynolds automatically sprang to mind. After twenty-two years of marriage, everyone who knows them laud their idyllic relationship. But John and Abby have a secret – they can no longer stand each other. And when they bring their children together to break the news, their daughter shares news of her own – she’s getting married. Reluctantly, John and Abby decide to keep their problems to themselves so as not to ruin their child’s special moment.
In A Time to Dance, Karen Kingsbury paints a portrait of a Christian family with a crumbling foundation. As John and Abby struggle to avoid each other through the course of their daughter’s engagement, they turn not only from one another but also from God. They ignore or refute his promptings, even while wondering why He no longer cares to give them comfort. Both are mired deeply in a web of pride and self-pity, refusing to give, becoming more and more bitter.
The characters Kingsbury created were so realistic, I could easily see them. As they struggled to present the perfect spiritual façade – especially to their children – they turned their back on the one who could best help them maintain it. The steps they took were not great leaps and bounds, but instead small, tiny babysteps away from each other and from the Lord.
When we meet John and Abby, they both struggle on the brink of an affair. But through various flashbacks and comments, Kingsbury helps us understand that the problem was that slowly, slowly, became more focused on themselves and less focused on one another. Their thoughts and worries turned to the world – work, children, community – and they stopped connecting with each other. Those steps led them to gradually turn their backs on the one they promised years ago to cherish.
Kingsbury’s writing is strong, and she manages great images and parallels. I particularly loved the introduction of the eagle and the great parallels created. The flashbacks seemed a little heavy-handed, but conveying three years of slow separation – and twenty-five years of relationship – is a difficult chore at best, and I’m not sure she could have managed it any other way.
Otherwise, I enjoyed the novel. The tension between John and Abby was well-created and believable, and their journey was one that many could benefit from. Once again, Kingsbury has created and emotional and spiritual journey that was a joy to take.
In A Time to Dance, Karen Kingsbury paints a portrait of a Christian family with a crumbling foundation. As John and Abby struggle to avoid each other through the course of their daughter’s engagement, they turn not only from one another but also from God. They ignore or refute his promptings, even while wondering why He no longer cares to give them comfort. Both are mired deeply in a web of pride and self-pity, refusing to give, becoming more and more bitter.
The characters Kingsbury created were so realistic, I could easily see them. As they struggled to present the perfect spiritual façade – especially to their children – they turned their back on the one who could best help them maintain it. The steps they took were not great leaps and bounds, but instead small, tiny babysteps away from each other and from the Lord.
When we meet John and Abby, they both struggle on the brink of an affair. But through various flashbacks and comments, Kingsbury helps us understand that the problem was that slowly, slowly, became more focused on themselves and less focused on one another. Their thoughts and worries turned to the world – work, children, community – and they stopped connecting with each other. Those steps led them to gradually turn their backs on the one they promised years ago to cherish.
Kingsbury’s writing is strong, and she manages great images and parallels. I particularly loved the introduction of the eagle and the great parallels created. The flashbacks seemed a little heavy-handed, but conveying three years of slow separation – and twenty-five years of relationship – is a difficult chore at best, and I’m not sure she could have managed it any other way.
Otherwise, I enjoyed the novel. The tension between John and Abby was well-created and believable, and their journey was one that many could benefit from. Once again, Kingsbury has created and emotional and spiritual journey that was a joy to take.
September 18, 2021
Meh. This was a Christian cheating story with very little physical cheating (kissing - witnessed by wife!!), but full-on emotional cheating. I haven't lived through infidelity, so I can't accurately predict what my own red line would be in such a situation. In this relationship, the H had all but admitted to falling in love with the OW and the couple was actively pursuing a divorce. Plans were in place for the H and OW following the divorce. Their public interactions were drawing suspicions, gossip, and frequent phone calls to the weary wife. The H's status as a Christian married man (and waiting on his perfectly pure, innocent, and devout Christian daughter's wedding) seemed to be the only barrier from turning their emo love story into a physical one. I understood how and why his wife turned into a shrewish harpy. There's quite a bit of Christian scripture-based monologue, so if that's not your thing, this isn't your book. I didn't buy the ending. I don't think there's a chance in hell that the wife could move past her H's lusting and pining for the OW.
So why 3 stars? The story gripped me and I couldn't put it down. I appreciate that kind of writing in fiction.
Christian fiction LOVES a fallen man so that there is a chance for his redemption. I'm more than a bit weary of that whole cycle because of the women who get pressured (mentally, emotionally, spiritually, institutionally) into keeping their unfaithful men and supporting them through their transgressions. Regardless of the cost to the women. Puts a bad taste in my mouth.
I think I will have to put this particular genre away for some time!
So why 3 stars? The story gripped me and I couldn't put it down. I appreciate that kind of writing in fiction.
Christian fiction LOVES a fallen man so that there is a chance for his redemption. I'm more than a bit weary of that whole cycle because of the women who get pressured (mentally, emotionally, spiritually, institutionally) into keeping their unfaithful men and supporting them through their transgressions. Regardless of the cost to the women. Puts a bad taste in my mouth.
I think I will have to put this particular genre away for some time!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 5, 2011
Honestly! John and Abby are seen by everyone around them as the perfect married couple. They have been married for 22 years and have no idea how to communicate??? What have they been doing in all that time? I recognize that people can grow apart, but these two never make any attempt to actually talk to each other. They just make accusations and suffer hurt feelings. I wouldn't say I have a perfect marriage, but we do TALK to one another, and there is mutual respect, meaning we listen to the other point of view, even if we don't agree. Is that actually a rare thing in the world?
The hardest thing to swallow is that they profess belief in God, but consistently refuse to listen to any direct answers He gives them, preferring instead to think that His answers can't possibly apply to them. And yet, they have felt His help in the past. The whole book feels like a set-up for a case of misunderstanding, not taking into account at all that they have to have had some kind of real relationships with each other or with God in the past. Not to the end yet, but I'm guessing it's going to wrap up neat and tidy, with everyone suddenly believing in God's miraculous hand in their lives, professing undying love, . . . . I'm all for entertainment, but if it's realistic fiction, not fantasy, let's have a little realism.
The hardest thing to swallow is that they profess belief in God, but consistently refuse to listen to any direct answers He gives them, preferring instead to think that His answers can't possibly apply to them. And yet, they have felt His help in the past. The whole book feels like a set-up for a case of misunderstanding, not taking into account at all that they have to have had some kind of real relationships with each other or with God in the past. Not to the end yet, but I'm guessing it's going to wrap up neat and tidy, with everyone suddenly believing in God's miraculous hand in their lives, professing undying love, . . . . I'm all for entertainment, but if it's realistic fiction, not fantasy, let's have a little realism.
October 12, 2011
This is the first Karen Kingsbury book I ever read, and from the first chapter I knew she'd be one of my favotire Christian writers. I like the way she portrayed the characters, making them have realistic problems and showing how they work through them. Inevitably this book, like all of her others, has a happy ending where everything works out, but it was still a great book. Just once, I'd like to see her write a book and deal with a situation where things don't end up smoothing themselves out by the end, simply because in real life, things don't always end neatly. Still, she deals with contemporary and controversial issues, and makes her characters involve themselves in situations that are believable. Overall a good book, and one I've read more than once and would recommend to anyone dealing with divorce.
August 8, 2012
Despite my desire to slap this main charector for the first several chapters and often feeling the need to call the man a bastard out loud which got me a lot of looks in public. I knew Karen wouldn't let it get to far gone, it had to have a redeeming end. Yes, and it did! I am not a huge Kingsbury fan but my dearest and reading partner is so I knew I couldn't just toss the book. If anything this book depicts how easily we can get lost in our pain and only see what we want to see and it's easy to let life pass a marriage by. We tend to focus on our kids, daily routines and we forget that a marriage needs work too. As I sit looking at seven years of marriage myself I can see the good, the bad and the ugly and that is sometimes enough with Gods help to just keep, keepin on.
February 26, 2013
Christian romance so I have added a star, but otherwise it would have been a 2star. Drawn out, predictable story, unbelievable characters, with no particular literary writing skills, unless formulaic qualifies. This is my 3rd Karen Kingsbury book & I was disappointed.
January 22, 2023
This book was not a favorite by Karen, It was ok, but i have read others that have been so so good, in comparison it was a little lacking. The main characters were annoying. Their marriage is falling apart, but neither one take the time to talk things out. They just both assume the wrong things about one another, it got a bit annoying. This one just wasn't for me.
January 13, 2014
(This book is 281 pages, not 583 or whatever. Just needed to throw that out there.)
Now, why did I love this book so much? I loved it because divorce is too common in today's society. In my opinion, people give up on their marriages way too easily these days. Having a partnership with somebody is not always going to be simple and easy, especially as you face life's challenges and heartaches together. It's so important to remain faithful and patient with one another. I've never been divorced, but I've seen my parents get divorced way too many times, and it hurts all of those involved. This book was amazing because it was so realistic. Marriage can be very difficult, and there are absolutely rough patches. This book proves that it's never too late to rekindle your love with your spouse and make things fresh again. Read this, especially if you are married! ...and prepare to cry.
Now, why did I love this book so much? I loved it because divorce is too common in today's society. In my opinion, people give up on their marriages way too easily these days. Having a partnership with somebody is not always going to be simple and easy, especially as you face life's challenges and heartaches together. It's so important to remain faithful and patient with one another. I've never been divorced, but I've seen my parents get divorced way too many times, and it hurts all of those involved. This book was amazing because it was so realistic. Marriage can be very difficult, and there are absolutely rough patches. This book proves that it's never too late to rekindle your love with your spouse and make things fresh again. Read this, especially if you are married! ...and prepare to cry.
July 31, 2011
Wow! What a great book! Be prepared to have a box of tissues with you when you read this one. It was so well written I could feel the emotions of all the characters. A must read for every married woman whether you have a great marriage or otherwise. This book makes you realize how easy the busyness of life can take its toll on a marriage before you even realize what's happening. Can't wait to read the sequel!
April 5, 2023
I just finished this book and really loved it. I haven’t read this author in years and this was a great read to return to Christian Fiction. I love the way that the character’s personal prayers, thoughts, and struggles are woven into the story. You can glimpse into their relationship with God. I love the relatable message about how even our most important relationships can fade away without care but there is always hope.
January 5, 2024
Twas good. Heartbreaking. Angering. It was a struggle to get through at times, but... Overall it was good. I learned things. I saw things I want to avoid in my marriage, someday.
I just learned it wasn't a standalone novel! That makes me feel a bit better! I had questions the second book will likely answer.
I'd love to discuss it with someone else who's read it, but wouldn't recommend it to just anybody.
There were some really cool things about eagles in it!
I just learned it wasn't a standalone novel! That makes me feel a bit better! I had questions the second book will likely answer.
I'd love to discuss it with someone else who's read it, but wouldn't recommend it to just anybody.
There were some really cool things about eagles in it!
June 9, 2013
Finally finished this unenjoyable book! The plot was redundant and over extended and seemed to go on and on. I gave it a star only because I had to in order to do a review. I think I'm done with Karen Kingsbury books.
January 7, 2024
First attempt at a 'christian romance' novel for a book club. The premise is around a dissolving marriage. The couple have loved each other since they were ten and have continued to do so through the death of a child and multiple disasters. Yet, somehow, after twenty-two years of marriage, they cannot communicate?
You really hate all the characters in this book. They seem unrealistic. To top it off, the husband is being seduced....and I mean unabashedly......by another teacher. The seductress is a true blue harlot that is trying to rip this man away from his family. It's just silly. While the husband only kisses this woman (twice), he has been meeting with her in the mornings to work out for over a year. Alone. Then! *Spoiler* When John and Abby finally reconnect at the end, Abby is weeping and saying.....oh John! I read your journal! I know you didn't have an affair(not actual quotes, but close)! Like, WHAT?!
The whole time you know that the book is going to end predictably, and though it is a short book, it seems to drag on and on. Especially the last 100 pages.
What I found most annoying about this book, though, is that there are memories playing in the couples minds and as they are winding away from them, the author repeats the last thing like an echo. Three times. For example.....dance with me Abby.....dance with me Abby.....dance with me Abby. This is a repetitive thing that occurs over and over and over again. I also was very distracted by the misspellings and grammatical errors ALL OVER. Is this because I read it as an e-book? Or are Kingsbury's editors that bad at their job?
You really hate all the characters in this book. They seem unrealistic. To top it off, the husband is being seduced....and I mean unabashedly......by another teacher. The seductress is a true blue harlot that is trying to rip this man away from his family. It's just silly. While the husband only kisses this woman (twice), he has been meeting with her in the mornings to work out for over a year. Alone. Then! *Spoiler* When John and Abby finally reconnect at the end, Abby is weeping and saying.....oh John! I read your journal! I know you didn't have an affair(not actual quotes, but close)! Like, WHAT?!
The whole time you know that the book is going to end predictably, and though it is a short book, it seems to drag on and on. Especially the last 100 pages.
What I found most annoying about this book, though, is that there are memories playing in the couples minds and as they are winding away from them, the author repeats the last thing like an echo. Three times. For example.....dance with me Abby.....dance with me Abby.....dance with me Abby. This is a repetitive thing that occurs over and over and over again. I also was very distracted by the misspellings and grammatical errors ALL OVER. Is this because I read it as an e-book? Or are Kingsbury's editors that bad at their job?
October 22, 2022
I read this after reading a few Collen Hoover books. I needed something more light hearted, something real. It was still sad, it still talked about some tough things but it was exactly what I needed. So beautiful.
June 2, 2017
The perfect marriage! That’s what every person see in John and Abby’s relationship. For almost 22 years they were the couple every other couple wanted to be.
BUT LOOKS CAN BE DECEIVING!
This book took me on a journey with two people who lost their connection with one another. Who not matter what - they could not see the love they possessed for each other, who thought that LOVE could end. And that this was their END, divorce being the only option left.
Disconnected from God both John and Abby choose not to listen to The Voice in their heart, constantly dismissing it or telling God that ‘no way’ the other person can still love them. Not letting go and letting GOD!
John is caught up in the fight between lust and staying true to his wife. The Girl he waited for was gone, his personal cheerleader was gone, and the person who believed in him more than he believed in himself was gone! She didn’t listen to him anymore, she didn’t care about his wants and needs, all she did was fight and scold. With their marriage dead for the past four years and John finding a new best friend - who is everything Abby was in the beginning - who could blame her?
Charlene was there when he needed his ego boosted, she always hanged on to his every word, making him feel he was important, and wanted! John’s body wanted Charlene in a way a married man just can’t express. And fighting this want was almost impossible for John, until he took the time to read his youngest son’s SA on Eagles. Here God really opens his eyes to what a marriage should be, and why he could not leave his wife.
Abby feel lost, she misses the security John once provide for her but can’t bring herself to hear the truth in his confessions about Charlene. She is hurt that he found another person to confine in, and to make promises to. Nothing in the world could tell her she was also at fault, that the editor friend has replace her beloved John in a way that hurt his feelings as well. She is stubborn and pin the whole marriage falling down on John and the affair he is having. She even blames God for the marriage failing – because if He didn’t take a way Haley Ann none of this would ever have happened.
Never the less, God make them keep their promise of forever to each other, using the most unlikely people to show them the errors of their way.
BUT LOOKS CAN BE DECEIVING!
This book took me on a journey with two people who lost their connection with one another. Who not matter what - they could not see the love they possessed for each other, who thought that LOVE could end. And that this was their END, divorce being the only option left.
Disconnected from God both John and Abby choose not to listen to The Voice in their heart, constantly dismissing it or telling God that ‘no way’ the other person can still love them. Not letting go and letting GOD!
John is caught up in the fight between lust and staying true to his wife. The Girl he waited for was gone, his personal cheerleader was gone, and the person who believed in him more than he believed in himself was gone! She didn’t listen to him anymore, she didn’t care about his wants and needs, all she did was fight and scold. With their marriage dead for the past four years and John finding a new best friend - who is everything Abby was in the beginning - who could blame her?
Charlene was there when he needed his ego boosted, she always hanged on to his every word, making him feel he was important, and wanted! John’s body wanted Charlene in a way a married man just can’t express. And fighting this want was almost impossible for John, until he took the time to read his youngest son’s SA on Eagles. Here God really opens his eyes to what a marriage should be, and why he could not leave his wife.
Abby feel lost, she misses the security John once provide for her but can’t bring herself to hear the truth in his confessions about Charlene. She is hurt that he found another person to confine in, and to make promises to. Nothing in the world could tell her she was also at fault, that the editor friend has replace her beloved John in a way that hurt his feelings as well. She is stubborn and pin the whole marriage falling down on John and the affair he is having. She even blames God for the marriage failing – because if He didn’t take a way Haley Ann none of this would ever have happened.
Never the less, God make them keep their promise of forever to each other, using the most unlikely people to show them the errors of their way.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 24, 2014
from the book: "They are the perfect couple-envied by their friends, cherished by their children, admired by their peers. But John and Abby Reynolds know they are pretending to be happy. In fact, they're waiting for the right time to tell the kids they're going to divorce. But at the family meeting where they plan toe tell their children, Nicole shares a surprise of her own; she's getting married. How can they spoil her joy with their announcement? They can pretend a little longer - until after the wedding. But questions begin to haunt them as the date draws nearer. What happened to the love and commitment that held them together for so long? Is it still there somewhere under all the pain and misunderstanding? And is it still possible, alone in the moonlight on an old wooden pier, to once more find..a time to dance? "
my thoughts: This story is very close to home. I understand the pain and misunderstanding. I understand the hurt and the loss of trust. I understand the anger and the vindictiveness. This story touched my heart. I picked up this book at a bookstore on the sale rack. I had not heard of Karen Kingsbury, but the title spoke to me. "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven...a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance." Ecclesiastes 3:1,4. I had no idea what the focus of the story was, but I needed to hear this.
my thoughts: This story is very close to home. I understand the pain and misunderstanding. I understand the hurt and the loss of trust. I understand the anger and the vindictiveness. This story touched my heart. I picked up this book at a bookstore on the sale rack. I had not heard of Karen Kingsbury, but the title spoke to me. "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven...a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance." Ecclesiastes 3:1,4. I had no idea what the focus of the story was, but I needed to hear this.
March 26, 2013
People who enjoy reading religious books would enjoy this novel, as it explores ones’ own sense of religion, making the reader question oneself about how they had treated their religion. Also, people who enjoy romance novels would enjoy this book. Instead of it being a book about two people falling in love, it’s about two people having to learn how to fall in love again to make a good example for their family. People who enjoy reading a long, slightly more challenging read would also enjoy this book because it makes a person question their own morals on multiple levels. Generally anyone who enjoys a good book that challenges their mind would thoroughly enjoy this book.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book; therefore, I’m giving it a five star rating. I read it quickly, as I couldn’t put it down. This book made me realized that I haven’t been the best Christian in the world, as well. I love how Abby and John change throughout the book, making it even more enjoyable to read. I felt like I could relate to Abby more as I saw how her character progressed, being in a similar situation with a bad boyfriend who had cheated on me many times, and he and I would argue about it constantly. This book was very intriguing and I would suggest it to anyone who enjoys a good book.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book; therefore, I’m giving it a five star rating. I read it quickly, as I couldn’t put it down. This book made me realized that I haven’t been the best Christian in the world, as well. I love how Abby and John change throughout the book, making it even more enjoyable to read. I felt like I could relate to Abby more as I saw how her character progressed, being in a similar situation with a bad boyfriend who had cheated on me many times, and he and I would argue about it constantly. This book was very intriguing and I would suggest it to anyone who enjoys a good book.
July 11, 2009
This Christian Fiction novel by Karen Kingsbury taught me that we must keep God close to our hearts so as not to stray and be tempted. It was an emotional story about a couple who were embarking on 22 years of marriage and on the verge of divorce. Over the last several years they allowed their busy schedules with their kids and their careers interfere with their marriage. Lonely and feeling overlooked, John Reynolds is tempted by a young, beautiful colleague. That colleague senses John's weakness and tries to manipulate him into an affair. John is torn between his committment to God and his wife and the temptations of the flesh. Abby, John's wife, becomes bitter and cold after feeling betrayed by the man she has loved since childhood. Because of their stubborn pride and egos they forget about the promises they made to each other in front of God and their loved ones on their wedding day 22 years ago.
November 9, 2013
This was a sad mistake on my part. I just think that before a character is hearing voices....they have to be liked first or at least understood. Not so in this story. I also hate whiney characters and I equally hate when the whole story hinges on a single, not to mention narrow, point of view. I was so hung up on these two things I oould not even enjoy it.
I like Christian fiction....but this was a huge miss with me. It was one dimensional and that wasn't even done well. I am wondering how it made it on to my "to-read" list.
I like Christian fiction....but this was a huge miss with me. It was one dimensional and that wasn't even done well. I am wondering how it made it on to my "to-read" list.
October 27, 2015
I was on vacation and stuck with only one book - this one. My first exposure to "Christian fiction", I thought the sentiment was admirable. But the characters were ridiculous, especially Abbie. Obtuse, self absorbed, and just not believable. But wear the author really lost me was with the anti-Catholic sentiments in the middle of the story. I just don't understand why that was necessary. We're all Christians. How did it elevate the story to slam another Christian religion? It didn't. It just showed an ugly agenda that really wasn't Christ like at all.
February 12, 2018
Premise is that Abby and John have loved each other since she was 10... but when the town skank keeps flirting with him she pushes him right into the skank's arms by disbelieving everything he says. They'd grown apart long before skank befriended him ... yet failed to do anything about the growing distance between them..
So he's "misunderstood" and she's an angry shrew
arrgghhhh. Naturally, this being one of those bible thumper novels... god keeps reciting scripture to them. You'd think if it was really "god" talking to them she'd be more original
So he's "misunderstood" and she's an angry shrew
arrgghhhh. Naturally, this being one of those bible thumper novels... god keeps reciting scripture to them. You'd think if it was really "god" talking to them she'd be more original
April 17, 2015
Just like Karen's other books the characters in this book were so real to me I caught myself stopping and praying for them at times.
A story that I can definitely relate too of how a lack of communication and time with God can allow a relationship to shrivel up and die.
But our God is sovereign and he loves us through it all! It's never too late to get back on track.
A great book for all who are married or will be married in the future.
A story that I can definitely relate too of how a lack of communication and time with God can allow a relationship to shrivel up and die.
But our God is sovereign and he loves us through it all! It's never too late to get back on track.
A great book for all who are married or will be married in the future.
November 16, 2009
Although this book was about a couple in the midst of getting a divorce after 21 years of marriage, it was uplifting. The book illustrates what they did wrong that allowed their marriage to fall apart, during which I was making mental notes of things that I would never do. It does have a happy ending.
June 11, 2014
There was way too much anger and stiffness in the characters for this book to be entertaining. Mostly, I wanted to smack Abby. Is it possible for a person to be that angry and inflexible? They referenced going to therapy but surely a couple in therapy would have been forced to communicate better.
March 21, 2017
So disappointed in this "Christian Fiction" John seems so weak by not wanting to give up his too close friendship with his coworker. He flaunted it in front of Abby almost the entire book. He blamed everyone for his problems except himself.
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