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One thing Allie Harrod will never do is become too dependent on her husband. She has always considered herself a career woman and she's determined not to let having a baby change that, no matter how much her heart longs to be home all day with her new daughter. But because she is feeling torn, Allie comes up with the perfect plan: rather than return to her old full-time job, she'll work from home.
She signs on with a home party company and dives in, head first. But the pressures of launching a business, her mother-in-law's unexpected extended visit, her husband's sudden personality change and her inability to control her eating habits take their toll. Before long, things start falling apart - especially her marriage. If she doesn't get a grip, she'll lose the very things she's been trying to hold on to.
I have a confession: Age before Beauty is the first book by Virginia Smith I've read. I say "confession" because it truly is a crime that I didn't discover her books before now. Virginia Smith has officially taken a place on my Favorite Authors list.
As a wife, a mother, the oldest child, and a previous direct sales consultant, I could so relate to Allie's story. I felt her joys, fears, and insecurities and was right there with Allie, cheering her on and feeling her pain. Although light and humorous in tone, the issues Allie faced were real and they were dealt with in a real way, as were the subplots in the novel, including Allie's relationship with her sisters, her mother-in-law's marital woes and Allie's husband's friendship with a female co-worker.
The Christian message is woven gently throughout, never too heavy or in-your-face. I knew Allie's realization of her need for God was coming, but it wasn't sudden or predictable. The revelation comes gradually, touched my heart and left me very satisfied (and a bit teary).
Age before Beauty delivers a fun, inspirational read with relatable, likeable characters. I have not yet read Stuck in the Middle, the first book in the Sister-to-Sister series, but I definitely plan to get my hands on a copy. And I excitedly await the release of Third Time's a Charm, the third and final book in this series.
Purchase Age before Beauty on Christianbook.com or at your favorite Christian bookstore.
Virginia Smith left her job as a corporate director to become a full time writer and speaker with the release of her first novel Just As I Am. Since then she has contracted ten novels and published numerous articles and short stories.
She writes contemporary humorous novels for the Christian market, including Murder by Mushroom, Stuck in the Middle, and her newest releases, A Taste of Murder and Age before Beauty.
Visit Virginia Smith online: http://www.virginiasmith.org/
Comments
This sounds likea book I would love to read. Thanks for the synopsis/recommendation.
What a terrific review! Thanks so much. I'm so glad you enjoyed my book!
This review caused me to think about what I read. I love to read; however, I have limited myself to my bible reading and anything having to do with the betterment of my unequally-yoked marriage (but not when we married). Because of this review, Linda, I am going to look into getting one of Virginia Smith's books. She sounds like my kind of author. Laura
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