Customer Reviews

Don't You Marry the Mormon Boys

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The book jacket's summary of Janet Jensen's debut novel, Don't You Marry The Mormon Boys, describes a story about two people from different backgrounds and belief systems (Andy is mainstream LDS and Louisa was raised in a polygamous fundamentalist community) who fall in love at medical school but face overwhelming obstacles in an effort to be together.

That was the story I was expecting and found myself disappointed with the story I was actually given. Andy and Louisa do, in fact, face these obstacles, but it is never the focus of the story. In fact, were it not for a few flashbacks to medical school, there is no mention of these two main characters together in the same chapter, much less the same plot for the first 200 pages. Andy does his rural, family practice medical thing in Kentucky, which seems a completely unnecessary setting to me (unless the far fetched and wholly irrelevant ending was somehow important to the story of Andy and Louisa's journey....which it is not), and Louisa returns to her polygamous community to realize that her eyes have been changed to the situation around her after eight years of living away from it.

Sure there are a few wistful thoughts, memories and even dreams about the other, but the reason for their attraction, or friendship, is never explained. Andy thought she was beautiful, in spite of her plain, long ankle length dress, and crowning glory long hair, but apparently pursued a relationship with her because she was so smart and he wanted to study with her. (????) The reader is never given any information about Louisa's feelings towards Andy. There is simply an assumption that because she spent time with him, she fell in love with him. The hows and the whys are not worth mentioning, I suppose. Without that development of their relationship for the readers to hold onto, I didn't yearn for these two to be together. As their stories don't actually intersect in the story until page 197, a little yearning would have been nice. But, that doesn't seem to be the point of the book.

The thing I liked most about this novel was Jensen's humanistic portrayal of polygamous families. It's always troubled me that the media, pop culture and even the mainstream LDS church portray them as crazy, mindless followers without any thought or choice about their lifestyle. Jensen shows a side of their families and individuals who honestly believe what they practice, and that they do it for the same reason a lot of us do whatever it is we do - because we think it's what God has commanded us to do. I also appreciated the look inside their culture...from the need to protect themselves from outsiders to the organizations of their households. Considering the current events going on in Texas, it adds a deeper understanding to the story. But, that doesn't seem to be the point of the book either.

It isn't all sunshine, however, and as Louisa's eyes are opened to the real problems of their community (abuse, incest, birth defects, depression) she becomes a target of opposition to the community - particularly to the Council of Brethren, who seem like old, scary, mean men without a compassionate bone in their bodies. Again, this black and white portrayal of the community's leadership seems too clean and villainous to be true. Surely, there are some members who are able to be something other than completely dogmatic. It doesn't matter, though, because, once again, this conflict with Louisa does not seem to be the point of the book.

In the end, I'm not sure what the point is, or was supposed to be. Andy and Louisa seem more like conduits for the author to expound on the quirks and habits of rural Kentucky and polygamy than actual characters. The part of the story where they are actually together and communicating and conflicting only warrants 40 or so pages. Then the story jumps tracks and heads off in an entirely new direction - one I won't mention because it will seem like I am reviewing another book. I felt like it was a different book.

I guess I feel mostly disappointed because I didn't get the story I was promised. I didn't get Andy and Louisa's story. Not really.

This rather unusual story combines love and cultural differences then throws in some drama and a twist of suspense. It begins as your standard "boy meets girl" story, where "boy" is a mainstream Mormon, and "girl" comes from a polygamous society. Both study medicine at the University of Utah, fall in love, and then go their separate ways mainly due to their different backgrounds.

Naturally, true love finds a way, but a large part of the story deals with the trials they face while apart. "Boy", whose name is Andy, becomes a country doctor in Kentucky, while Louisa, heretofore referred to as "girl" returns to her community in Gabriel's Landing, Utah. Both soon realize that small communities aren't always as peaceful, sunny and cheerful as they appear, and have to make difficult choices.

Just when you think you've got the story line figured out, the author throws in an unexpected twist with a couple of unlikely characters, and the plot goes off in a different direction.

This begins as Romeo and Juliet, and ends up as something else entirely. There are a couple of characters that seem a tad caricaturized, but overall, an interesting read, which although based on religious differences never becomes preachy.




Amanda Richards, July 5, 2010

When i seen this title i had to pick it up and find out more! I'm very happy that i did, because this is a wonderful read! You will catch your yourself laughing out loud as you read this. Andy and Louisa seem very real in many ways. They both are struggling with her coming from a polygamist back ground. Find answers that will show many how hard some will fight for true love.
Janet Kay Jensen should write more novels because she did a WONDERFUL job!

Jensen's book is a riveting tale of love between two people with vastly different cultures. For many polygamy is Utah's "dirty little secret" and Jensen brillantly illustrates the secrecy of these offshoot societies and the clash that occurs when their members interact with the mainstream population of Utah. Jensen's characters are wonderfully real and multi-faceted. You cannot help but love the many characters in this book. The story grabs you attention and the book is impossible to put down. This is a wonderful love story for people who believe in the possibility of soul mates.

Janet has written a marvelous book! It grabs your attention from the beginning and keeps you spellbound with the wit and humor as well as the emotion and everyday people in the book. You feel like you know the charachters and can relate to their lives. I loved it and would recommend it to anyone!

This book is really not what I usually read. I don't remember how I stumbled onto it, but I'm so glad I did. I won't give the plot away, but here are a few details. It's a story of two families, two divergent paths of a religion with common roots (told with much respect and dignity for both), a story of love, and the best family story ever. It has lots of humor in it, the characters are memorable and come alive in your mind. If you like authors such as Nicholas Sparks, you'll love this one. It makes you feel good.

This is a well written story, casting a light on the relationship between a member of the LDS church and a member of an offshoot fundamentalist sect. I loved the humorous kidnapping!

I was reading it on the plane over to europe. It's a cute little story. Would buy it again... :-)

Dr. Andy McBride finds the love of his life when he meets Louisa Martin. Unfortunately, her lifestyle is in direct conflict with all he believes. He cannot accept it and she can't escape it. Andy leaves to practice medicine in Kentucky where he hopes to forget Louisa and get on with his life.

The distance from Louisa doesn't keep her from Andy's thoughts. Though he tries to get on with his life, he can't forget her. He immerses himself fully in his new life and new friends, but one of them becomes a bitter enemy who will later bring him heartache much worse than what he felt when he left Louisa behind.

DON'T YOU MARRY THE MORMON BOYS is told through both Andy and Louisa's points of view. We get to know them both; Andy's Mormon beliefs as well as Louisa's polygamist community.

Though they are so different, I couldn't help yearning for them to find some way to be together. And just when it seemed like they'd live happily ever after, Jensen throws in a curve ball that took me by surprise.

I loved DON'T YOU MARRY THE MORMON BOYS with its sweet romance and heartache it kept me turning the pages well into the night. I laughed, I cried, and I fell in love with the characters. I even learned a little about their differing beliefs along the way.

I'm not a particular fan of flashbacks and Jensen used this technique often, but it seemed to work for this novel, and once I got used to it, I hardly noticed it anymore. All in all, it was an enjoyable read. Though I didn't pass it on to my teen, I still gave it a high rating because I will definitely pass it on to my siblings and friends.

Regardless of your personal beliefs, if you like your romance with a bit of a twist, I think you'll enjoy DON'T YOU MARRY THE MORMON BOYS.

Janet Jensen writes about a secretive society in a way that is both fair and thought-provoking. I loved the insights into a polygamous community and the fact that Ms. Jensen showed the bad and the good. The hero and heroine are people I would want as friends. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and would recommend it to anyone, in fact I bought a copy for my mom!