A review by inspiretruth
What If Love Is the Point?: Living for Jesus in a Self-Consumed World by Alexa Penavega, Carlos Penavega

3.0

Carlos and Alexa PenaVega have grown up in the spotlight. From starring in Big Time Rush and Spy Kids to becoming social media influences and vloggers, their careers have been full of incredible opportunities and life-changing moments; but there is one thing that makes the PenaVegas stand out — their faith!

Carlos Pena is a natural performer. With his family’s full support, he went to Hollywood to pursue acting, auditioning for roles until he was cast in the global sensation television show and boyband Big Time Rush! Yet, despite the fame and money, Carlos still felt empty. Struggling to dig himself out of a dark hole, Carlos opened his ears to the Good News of Jesus, and in just one week, his life changed forever!

Alexa Vega, best known for her role as Carmen Cortez in Spy Kids, has had an epic career. As she transformed from a child star to an adult, the world has watched how her faith has shifted her acting roles and lifestyle. It was no easy transition, though. Battling an eating disorder and healing from divorce, Alexa has had her fair share of pitfalls; nevertheless, through God’s grace and strength, she was able to stand again!

Passionate about their love of Jesus and spreading the Gospel, Carlos and Alexa PenaVega are not shy about proclaiming their faith. In their first memoir, What if Love is the Point: Living for Jesus in a Self-Consumed World, Carlos and Alexa take fans through the significant moments of their lives that revealed God’s truth and brought them to where they are today. Written with candor and heart, their message is simple: the point of this life is love… specifically, God’s love!

I’ve been excited to read this memoir since it was first announced in November 2021. Yet, I’m not going to lie; I was hoping for a few more in-depth details — BTR (the band’s reaction to Carlos’ faith and their reunion), movie roles (more highlights and other specific memories), and the reason Alexa stopped singing! Nevertheless, as I read on, I realized that the goal of this book was not to reveal all the juicy details of their lives but to encourage readers about God’s love through life events that showcased His provision and blessings. And they succeeded.

After feeling in a rut and losing my joy, Carlos and Alexa’s words were the inspiration I needed to bring my focus back to the Lord. The final chapter, especially, awakened my soul and restored the peace I’d been missing.

The PenaVega are a team! Even when they competed against one another on Dancing with the Stars and Alexa was told that she and Carlos could not win, they remained a united front! They are role models to me and millions worldwide of what godly marriage, family, and life look like. Whether you’ve been a fan of the PenaVegas since the early 2000s, or need a reminder of God’s goodness, What if Love is the Point is a fabulous testimony of God’s unfailing love.

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*Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher, for providing me with a pre-release copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own!*