Bottom Line (Heidi Elliott Series #2) (Paperback)

by Kimberly Stuart (Author)
Key Phrases: Solomon's Closet, Laura Ingalls, Heidi Elliott (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Heidi Elliott has joined the elite ranks of stay-at-home moms--a world of cartoons, toys, and a significant lack of grown-up conversation. When her husband's business experiences financial problems, Heidi decides to take a part-time job selling lingerie with her new (and very well-off) friends, Kylie and Russ Zimmerman. But in juggling the competing demands of home and high fashion, Heidi discovers that Kylie's faith may lack authenticity, while Russ's concept of marriage may lack fidelity. And with a precocious toddler distracting her--not to mention the niggling idea of having another!--she finds herself torn between living comfortably and standing on her principles.

Irreverent and entertaining (how can motherhood be anything but?), Heidi Elliott's happily chaotic world is filled with colorful characters, including a clog-wearing legalist, a best friend who skips town to travel the globe, and a sassy four-year-old who always says whatever she wants. Bottom Line provides a humorous and knowing look at a mom's life.

From the Back Cover
The Moms' group that saved Heidi Elliott's sanity has gone on hiatus, as have any ideas about dropping the weight (in all the wrong places) and keeping the curves (in all the right ones). In their place, the Friday Strut-n-Stroll provides, if nothing else, two miles of adult company and the outside chance to use polysyllabic words.

As much as she loved being home for Nora's first steps, words, and forays into makeup artistry, Heidi misses working, not to mention money for pedicures. And her husband, Jake, seems increasingly worried about their dwindling bank balance. So when the beautiful Kylie Zimmerman, with a wave of her multi-carat-laden fingers, dangles the chance to become part of a "life-enhancing, woman-affirming business opportunity," Heidi takes the bait. What does she have to lose?

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Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: NavPress (May 2, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1600060773
• ISBN-13: 978-1600060779
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #178,798 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fresh and funny, May 20, 2007

By	Barbara Warren - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Most days Heidi Elliott loves being a stay-at-home mom. Her husband Jake is the love of her life, they have an adorable four-year old daughter, and life is almost perfect. But money can be a problem, so Heidi decides to find a job she can do at home. She meets Kylie Zimmerman, who talks her into bcoming a representative for Solomon's Closet, the Christian lingerie answer to Victoria's Secret. Since Kylie lives in an over the top gorgeous mansion, and has the lifestyle of a celebrity, Heidi is sure she has found the perfect job and hopes to present Jake with a healthy bank balance. But soon she is faced with some very difficult choices and she realizes God's idea of success can be very different from ours. I love Kimberly Stuart's Heidi Elliott stories. They are fresh, fast-paced, and funny. Bottom line is book two of the series. I'm looking forward to book three.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Christian Mom Selling Thongs?, June 24, 2007

By	Deborah "Books, movies, and Chinese Food" (Reston, VA) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

Heidi Elliot needs something to do. After taking off from work staying at home to be with her young daughter, she's starting to feel restless. Her husband, Jake, seems to be a bit on the worrisome side involving the families income plus the two have now decided it's time for another baby. So when during her Strut and Stroll class Heidi meets Kylie who tells her about a business opportunity she can do, she's all ears. All she has to do is sell lingerie to Christian women. This sound intriguing and something that Heidi would be good at. But will she give up her SAHM ways for the lure of the money making world?

I really enjoyed this book. This wasn't your typical Christian fiction mom lit book. For one, Heidi is a new Christian who is still learning the ropes about her new faith. Therefore she still would question ideas about Christianity which I found perfectly realistic. She also has issues with other Christians who try to act too perfect. I really liked the characters in the book. Heidi seems like a really cool mom and I love her interaction especially with the baby sitter. Jake is not portrayed as a husband who does nothing to help his wife by going to work and then playing hero to the kid. He seems like a really good guy. I also appreciated how Nola is not shown as a really annoying kid. Embarrassing yes, but not to the point where Heidi wants to regret being a mom. I know kids can be a challenge but it's not enjoyable to read about moms who have problems all day with their kids and then their husband comes home expecting the royal treatment. I chuckled at Heidi's description of "Laura" especially involving the bodysuit. I know that the character means well, but I can see from Heidi's perspective as a new Christian why Laura would come off as annoying. I thought the idea of Solomon's closet was unique and interesting. What Kylie said about women, sex and Christianity were all true and it was interesting to see what could be done about it. However money also becomes a huge factor and therefore ruins the idea. One small thing that really made me giddy was when Jake was looking up travel options and came across a trip to Burma. That's where my dad is from and it's really rare for me to come across that in a book so I was geeked.

I would definitely recommend this book. It's a little edgy for a Christian book (especially in the bedroom lol) but I really liked it. Great mom lit. I'm looking forward to the next Heidi Elliot book.

4.0 out of 5 stars delightful continuation of the saga , July 5, 2007

By	Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews (#1 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Having for the most part been a stay at home mom since her beloved Nora was born, Heidi Elliott knows that her diaper friends from the Mom's Group saved her insanity even when they compared wipe up duty (see BALANCING ACT, not reviewed by me). Life is good as far as Heidi is concerned as her precocious Nora turns four. Heidi and Jake still love one another believing they were fortunate to have found their soulmate. However, babies are expensive and Jake worries about finances while Heidi feels a need to return to the paid working class yet hopefully work mostly from their home.

Heidi meets enthusiastic affluent and flashy Kylie Zimmerman, who persuades her into joining Solomon's Closet, whose product line is lingerie ranging from sexy to practical for Christians. However, although the money is great and she seems to have the aptitude to succeed, Heidi has doubts about selling Christian lingerie.

The second Heidi Elliot supermom "failure" (in her mind only) is a delightful continuation of the saga of a stay at home mom's balancing act between the increasing demands of her still smelly offspring and her own needs to do something else besides being the mommy. Heidi is terrific as she holds the tale together while seeking means to bring in income and ranting against "perfect" Christians demanding absolute obedience to the scriptures while never changing a diaper; makes a reader wonder how the Jews kept the babies clean while wandering the desert for forty years.

Harriet Klausner