Customer Reviews

A Bigger Life (Eden Plain Series #1)

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

A Bigger Life is told from the male protag's point of view and Annette does an absolutely amazing job of nailing it. She flips back and forth from past to present in a way that was seemless and fit the story perfectly.

I was engaged from cover to cover because of an intriguing story but also because she pulled me into a fictional world full of living, breathing characters with problems and faults that I could relate to. So often characters in novels are perfect and being a fallen person in a fallen world, I just can't relate. Those in A Bigger Life were as authentic as I've seen in a novel.

A Bigger Life is something I'd recommend buying for any married or engaged person. It will surely change lives as it shows the consequences of extramarital affairs in a non-preaching light, (as well as the dangers of "the grass is greener over there" mentality.)

SPOILER:
My only small complaint would be an end of the book romance that was predictable and a convienent character that felt very Christianese in the old CBA sense. I thought the author did such a beautiful job of showing God's grace that having that token person spell it out wasn't needed. This was subjective of course and certainly didn't keep me from thinking this was a phenominal book.

A Bigger Life was fabulous. I enthusiastically recommend it.

This book made me cry but not for the obvious reasons i.e. a sad storyline. The beauty which brought tears to my eyes was the love that was apparent within the characters....between husband and wife, friends, church members, as well as acquaintances. I especially appreciated the imperfect nature of each of the characters. Somehow that made them so much more real and therefore likable to me. Ms. Smith obviously has a gift for storytelling, for she created a memorable tale, told from a young father's point of view. There is so much to be taken from his journey towards redemption and it's a story that is sure to stay with you for a long time.

Part of the joy of reading is discovering new authors. It's especially satisfying to find someone who might not have best-seller status, but who does present a fresh voice, true talent and a passion for their work.

Recently, a friend dropped a book on my desk and said, "You might like this."

The book was "A Bigger Life," by Annette Smith, who grew up in Sulphur Springs and now lives in Quitman.

Smith, a hospice nurse, is the author of 12 books, including "Whispers of Angels," which has sold over 100, 000 copies.

"A Bigger Life," released in January, tells the story of Joel Carpenter, a single father doing his best to raise his son and trying to win his ex-wife back.

There's a real-life back-story to Smith's book. The inspiration for "A Bigger Life" came from listening to Paul, her hairdresser, pour his heart out to her while cutting her hair.

However, Smith is quick to point out that the book is not Paul's life.

"It (the book) is his voice and his spirit, but not his life," the author said. "He inspired the character. He is not the character."

Joel's early life was anything but easy. He was raised by his father, a gay hairdresser, in a small East Texas town. Joel had no desire to attend college, so drifted for a while, finally becoming a barber.

As the book begins, Joel is entertaining a bunch of his single father friends. Joel's helping his ex-wife Kari raise their young son, Colton. It's not a perfect arrangement, but Joel's playing the hand he's dealt himself.

Smith uses flashbacks to tell how Joel and Kari fell in love, married, and had Colton.

It seems Joel had a brief affair with one of his high school classmates during a stressful time in his marriage. Kari found out about the affair and left the marriage, taking Colton with her.

Joel wants Kari back, but she is having none of it. Just as has settled into the single father lifestyle, he is dealt another blow, this one coming from left field, bringing incredible sadness with it.

How Joel reacts to this challenge is a testimony to his character, his desire to get Kari and Colton back, and to his innate goodness.

The book brings a message about compassion, forgiveness, and the healing power of God's love.

Smith's books are considered Christian fiction, but "A Bigger Life" transcends the genre. Joel's story is one for the ages. It's about going the distance; about being true to your heart's desire; about making sacrifices; and, finally, about unconditional love.

I read "A Bigger Life" in one sitting and will revisit it again soon. Smith's ability to tell this story from Joel's point of view is stunning.

In a recent interview, Smith said, "Joel's world is not white bread like mine. My life has been very neat and tidy."

How Smith was able to find Joel's distinctly male point of view and to make it believable is clear proof of her considerable writing talent.

Smith is an author to watch. Her storytelling skills and her ability to create memorable characters will serve her well when she hits the big time.

Joel Carpenter is a devoted father to Colton, a barber turned hair stylist, a loving but flawed husband to Kari and a man whose life will be changed forever by poor choices and a cruel tragedy.With his marriage in pieces, Joel struggles with his new found life as a single dad, having to share custody, juggle work and daycare and attempt to make decisions about his son's needs he feels ill-equipped to do. He gains support and encouragement from his friends, single dads Abe, Pete, Sean and Casey, all trying to survive broken relationships and raise their kids well.His life is thrown into further turmoil when tragedy forces Joel to take on a role he never imagined and gives him a second chance he never thought possible.

A Bigger Life is a powerful and moving story of a man who is stuck with the awful consequences of his choices but strives to heal the wounds he has caused by a love greater than he ever believed was in him. Annette Smith writes Joel's story in the first person brilliantly and without apology. Joel is one of the deepest and well described characters I have ever read and his heartache, joy and love are palpable to the point I almost had to remind myself it was not an autobiography! Joel is a true bloke who thinks like a man, providing a glimpse into the soul of devoted father's everywhere. Too often single dad's get a bad rap for being estranged and distant from their kids. Annette has tipped the scales a little for the many fathers who adore their children and participate as much as they can within the constraints of court orders and the like.The love story is unexpected and captivating, the friendships among the men engaging and the message of the power of unconditional love and faith, incomparable. Beautifully done, Annette! I hope we get to return to Eden Plain soon.

A Bigger Life met all my criteria for a wonderful novel: not-too-perfect characters who became real to me, a compelling storyline, an ending that brought tears to my eyes, but left me feeling full of hope, and a writing style I really enjoyed. I will definitely seek out Annette Smith's future novels.

Great book. Make sure you have your box of kleenex handy. I especially loved reading this from Joel's perspective. I don't normally read books from the male view, so this was new to me, and very well done. I am a nurse and I also enjoyed seeing the medical field from his eyes.

Can't wait for more from this author!

You'd think having a beautiful wife and a child on the way would have been enough for Joel Carpenter, but he made one very serious mistake and ruined it all. Kari, his wife moved out. He'd like to get back together, but she isn't interested. They do have a good relationship where Colton, their three-year old son is concerned, but Joel wants them to be a family again, although he knows that isn't likely to happen. Then Kari has a seizure and the news isn't good. She has nowhere to turn, except to Joel. They try to work through their differences, but it's difficult. With past problems and an uncertain future, they both have a lot to learn about love and forgiveness. A Bigger Life is the story of two damaged people facing the greatest test of their life. A compassionate, heart gripping story that I really loved. I recommend this book.

A Bigger Life is the first book I have read in a long, long time that made me want to put my arms around the characters. I devoured it in one straight sitting because I didn't want to leave Joel Carpenter's world. Annette has nailed the voice of a young, unchurched single dad, not to mention his three-year-old son and friends and family. Joel's story is a powerful illustration of God's love demonstrated to an estranged world. It's fresh and funny and made me cry over my pancakes at IHOP. Kudos to Annette...

Joel Carpenter knows a few things. He is great with hair, and he is passionately in love with his son. Sunday afternoon he'll be hanging with the guys, and regardless of the fact that he is divorced, he still loves his ex-wife and would do just about anything to get her back. There is plenty that he isn't sure about though, and topping the list is whether there is anything behind the Christianity label besides judgment. When events take an unexpected turn for the worse, Joel gets his chance to find out.

In an addicting style, working forwards and backwards through time, Smith writes an engaging story of past mistakes and their effect on the present. She also writes an incredibly believable male point of view. I had to keep checking that a woman, indeed, wrote the book. Most of the story is told in such a way that you will feel like you are hearing it while sitting on a barstool. It is conversational, gritty and true to voice. It is painful and sweet, engaging and riveting, and you won't put it down.

Armchair Interviews says: Enduring characters that stir the emotions make for a great read.

Annette Smith is probably one of the best kept secrets of Christian fiction, and one of the most amazing wordsmiths.

Her latest book, A Bigger Life, is nothing short of genius.

The book is about Joel Carpenter, a 27-year-old, male, straight hairdresser. He's a divorced single dad who made one terrible choice in his marriage. Now he's alone, still in love with his ex-wife, and trying to get by in a small, Texas town that's not big on forgiveness. The journey he takes is heartbreaking, breathtaking, and unforgettable.

From a writing perspective, I can't imagine a more ambitious project. The book is written in first person, from a male, non Christian point of view. It also tackles just about every tough topic you can imagine, and features gut-twisting honesty unmarred by canned religious answers.

Joel asks intelligent questions-- the ones we've all wrestled with, but lacked the courage to speak. And the whole story is based on Annette's real-life friendship with a young man in her town.

You can't get better than this, and I think any reader, male or female, Christian or not, would benefit from this deeply moving story.