The Secret Life of Sarah Hollenbeck

I've never read anything by Bethany Turner before, so I was not sure what to expect when I picked up this book.  I was surprised and delighted after I started reading about Sarah Hollenbeck.  Sarah wants a family, including children.  Her husband, Patrick, has one reason or another to put Sarah off.  When Sarah found Patrick with another woman, she kicks Patrick out of her life.  At loose ends, Sarah starts joining book clubs until she finds one that she can tolerate.  She also starts writing a book and one night at book club, the pages of her novel fall out of her bag.  The other women in her club read the pages and want more.  Thus starts Sarah's publishing career and her friendship with Piper.  One thing that Piper does for Sarah is to help her find the one thing that is missing from her life--Jesus Christ. 

The pace of this novel is almost frenetic.  It's like horses getting ready for a race and the gates open and the horses shoot out at a dead sprint.  Bethany has packed more action and interactions into this book than any I've ever read.  There are many funny lines that wake up the reader by their unexpectedness--when Sarah meets Ben for the first time (at church), she introduces herself and Ben repeats her name.  Sarah is confused enough to think he's telling her his name is Sarah.  He says something like, "that's my middle name--Benjamin Sarah.  My brothers are Jeremy Marie and Jacob Ann."   There are also some unexpected lines like where Ben and Sarah are talking about the families they want to have and Ben tells Sarah he wants to keep her knocked up as often as possible. I suppose I should say that Ben's being the pastor of the church where Sarah is going is what makes that line unexpected.

This is a five-star book with two thumbs up and a plot twist to keep you awake. I loved the book, had a really hard time putting it down and I was sad when it ended.

My thanks to Revell Publishing for allowing me to read and review this book.  It is well worth the time.