Love and Faith

by Melissa DeWalt

February 27, 2012

Never the Bride by Cheryl McKay and Rene Gutteridge is a charming novel of romance and faith. Jessie Stone has always lived by the rules; her friends can set their watches by her punctuality, and she's almost OCD in her need for order and control. She's lived all of her 34 years waiting for Mr. Right to sweep her off her feet, filling 109 journals with dreams of the perfect marriage proposal and wedding. Speed dating and online match services aren't working, but when God literally steps in and offers to help, Jessie isn't sure if she's willing to trust Him enough to do it to her standards! This book reminded me of all the reasons I love to read! It was funny and sweet and charming and had a strong message of faith. God's appearance in Jessie's life is beautiful and heart-breaking. Her friends and family think that she needs to be committed when they catch her talking to herself, and when she tries to tell them the truth, they ask her why is she so special that God would choose to step into her life. Their reactions are perfectly rendered, and oh so true of how I think people really would react to Jessie's story. God asks Jessie if she's willing to let Him write her life story, and there's a lesson in her story for readers. Her date with God brought tears to my eyes, as did their confrontation on the beach. The entire book was pitch perfect, just flawless. I laughed, I cried, I learned a lesson about my Savior. It doesn't get any better than that.