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A review by oliviaoverthinkseverything
Stay With Me by Carolyn Astfalk
5.0
Disclaimer: I am acquainted with this author via social media, through mutual membership in a large online writing group. This in no way detracts from the honesty of my review.
Stay With Me stayed in my to-be-read pile for quite a while before I finally got around to reading it. I don't usually read straight romance or inspirational fiction. But I grew to admire Ms. Astfalk's online presence, both on her blog/website and through conversations in our online writing group, so I finally bit the bullet and started in on her debut novel.
I wish I hadn't put it off so long. This book has almost everything I'm looking for in a romance. Chris and Rebecca are well-rounded characters who have flaws but work past those flaws in order to love each other. What begins as a simple love story transpires into a complex tapestry about the human experience. Ms. Astfalk manages to tackle big topics like propriety, communication, theology, sex, love, family relations, marriage, and the nature of sin, all within the context of this deceptively light book. Surprisingly, thanks to the author's deft and talented hand, none of this comes across as heavy-handed or "preachy," which has largely been my experience in faith-based fiction.
The ways that Chris and Rebecca mess up might have some more ardent readers of this genre raising their eyebrows, but I loved it because it was relatable and real. She handles the subject of repentance and grace so, so much better than other well-known Christian authors does. I wish this book had been around when I was twenty, and I recommend it to all unmarried Christian couples who find themselves struggling with temptation.
The only thing I wish was present in this book was more details about Chris and Rebecca's courtship early in their story. While we are told they bond quickly over great conversation, the reader is left largely out of the loop when it comes to those conversations. I would have loved to have more insight into those long talks.
Other than that, this book was an absolute joy to read. Ms. Astfalk is supremely talented in her use of emotional language--I think I went through my entire range of feelings in this relatively short read, and I know you will too. Whenever I find myself in need of a good, healthy cry, I know this is the book I'll turn to.
Stay With Me stayed in my to-be-read pile for quite a while before I finally got around to reading it. I don't usually read straight romance or inspirational fiction. But I grew to admire Ms. Astfalk's online presence, both on her blog/website and through conversations in our online writing group, so I finally bit the bullet and started in on her debut novel.
I wish I hadn't put it off so long. This book has almost everything I'm looking for in a romance. Chris and Rebecca are well-rounded characters who have flaws but work past those flaws in order to love each other. What begins as a simple love story transpires into a complex tapestry about the human experience. Ms. Astfalk manages to tackle big topics like propriety, communication, theology, sex, love, family relations, marriage, and the nature of sin, all within the context of this deceptively light book. Surprisingly, thanks to the author's deft and talented hand, none of this comes across as heavy-handed or "preachy," which has largely been my experience in faith-based fiction.
The ways that Chris and Rebecca mess up might have some more ardent readers of this genre raising their eyebrows, but I loved it because it was relatable and real. She handles the subject of repentance and grace so, so much better than other well-known Christian authors does. I wish this book had been around when I was twenty, and I recommend it to all unmarried Christian couples who find themselves struggling with temptation.
The only thing I wish was present in this book was more details about Chris and Rebecca's courtship early in their story. While we are told they bond quickly over great conversation, the reader is left largely out of the loop when it comes to those conversations. I would have loved to have more insight into those long talks.
Other than that, this book was an absolute joy to read. Ms. Astfalk is supremely talented in her use of emotional language--I think I went through my entire range of feelings in this relatively short read, and I know you will too. Whenever I find myself in need of a good, healthy cry, I know this is the book I'll turn to.