Customer Reviews

In Every Heartbeat

5 star:		(37)
4 star:		(33)
3 star:		(14)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Normally, I finish historical fiction novels in two nights tops. However, I slowly made my way through this book. Perhaps I simply wanted to go westward in my mind. Ride a horse or participate in a gun fight (though one does happen a the end of this novel).

I suppose my struggle with this book lies in the fact that it confused me. There existed three main characters, Libby, Pete, and Bennett. All best friends joined at the hip due to their upbringing in an orphanage. Pete is in training to be a pastor and for a major assignment decides to write editorials condemning the writing of romantic story writing in women's periodicals. Libby, however, is quite enthralled with this subject and accomplishes the task of writing such stories with great ease.

Yet, I wonder: why does author, Kim Sawyer, go to such great lengths at writing such a persuasive argument against romantic fiction . . . yet her book is that very thing which was so eloquently critiqued?

I don't have an answer, but it was an issue I struggled with.

So, my recommendation . . . borrow the book from a friend or check it out from your local library. My copy will be found on Paperbackswap.

Thank you Bethany House for sending me this book to review for free. I did enjoy having some light reading to occupy my mind. I was not paid for this post, nor do I have to return the book.

Libby, Petey, and Bennet are three friends who have a common background. They were all raised in an orphanage. They all had the same feeling that no one truly loved them. Petey, the young man led to be a pastor, had contempt for his ma and pa who dismissed him after he lost his leg. He was ready to find them and tell them what awful, horrible people they were and how much they had hurt him. Bennet was a "class clown," the attention getter, who provoked others and didn't ever really feel loved by anyone. He felt everyone cast him aside. Libby is an aspiring reporter with a bit of a feisty character. Being rejected by several newspaper publishers she turns to magazines that seek stories of intimate bonds between a man and woman. The three of them head off to college to find a whole new world that none of them knew about.

They soon realize that God has always been present in their lives, but instead of letting Him guide them, they tried to guide Him. Now, with new revelations from their past they learn to let God lead the way. Choosing to set aside their desires and trusting that God will work everything out for those who believe.

In God's presence summarizes this book soundly. I have not read My Heart Remembers which is the first book in this set, but it did not take away from the book at all!! I must admit, it took me awhile to get into this book. Not because of the quality of the book, I just had a lot going on. Once I got to about page 240 though, I couldn't put the book down! I truly enjoyed how Mrs. Sawyer gave background to every character and developed them completely, and then suddenly everything was switched up. My only dislike for the book was that I felt like some really big words were used that just seemed out of place and that was a little annoying to me. However, I thoroughly enjoyed the story, setting, and characters and would recommend it to anyone who loves the early 1900's.

DISCLOSURE: I was graciously provided a copy of In Every Heartbeat by Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group. I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions I have expressed are my own.

I've been putting off writing this review for ages because I just don't enjoy writing negative reviews. In Every Heartbeat, by Kim Vogel Sawyer is presented this way in the synopsis from the publisher:

"As three friends who grew up in the same orphanage head off to college together, they each harbor a special plan for the future. Libby Conley hopes to become a famous journalist. Pete Leidig believes God has called him to study to become a minister. And Bennett Martin plans to pledge a fraternity, find a place to belong and have as much fun as possible. But as tensions rise around the world on the brink of World War I, the friends' differing aspirations and opinions begin to divide them, as well.

When Libby makes a shocking discovery about Pete's family, will it drive a final wedge between the friends or bond them in ways they never anticipated?"

In reading the book, I found very little of WWI ever mentioned, and it certainly did not play as strong of a role in the plot as I had assumed and hoped. This was disappointing.

I also found the story hard to get into, and I really had to force myself to finish it. The characters did not "feel" real. Libby especially was a bit unreal. Apparently we are supposed to believe that she grew up as more of a tomboy than a "girly-girl" (the type of girl she disdains on every other page in the beginning of the book); however, she is constantly on the brink of tears, rolls her eyes an awful lot, has stomach flutters as she reads a romance story, does some angry stomping off, has a few cute temper tantrums, and all in all behaves like a young, and pretty immature, girl.

I may digress here a bit, but I really wonder about books like this with young women who are not happy being women and seem to think other women (who act "girly", which honestly is not great either if "girly" means silly and mindless) are somehow less than men. I'm not sure it sends a healthy message to the young ladies who might read this book and other books like this. It would be wonderful to have a female character who aspires to great heights but remains okay with her femininity at the same time. Anne of Green Gables comes to mind... in my opinion Libby is nothing like Anne, although I suppose she does mature a bit in the end, and perhaps we are meant to believe that she becomes more wholly herself, comfortable with both her ambition and her femininity. Let's hope so.

Another problem I had with this book is that it gets a little "preachy" about romance stories - which is a bit strange, when you see that this is basically a romance novel - and, in the context of the story, opines that perhaps they aren't the best reading material for young minds. But then you have Libby "aware" of the nearby presence of one of the male characters; and there's a lot of "husky voices" and "senses thrumming", as well as embraces and long kisses. I mean, is this not the same kind of thing? Romance is in part these physical feelings... good grief, it has to be since we are human beings in physical bodies. I don't think gratuitous descriptions of romantic encounters is great - among other things, it usually makes for pretty bad writing - but pretending that the physical aspect of romance doesn't exist or isn't "right" is just... strange, in my opinion. Libby begins writing these kinds of stories, and from what I could tell her stories weren't much worse than the book itself in describing the romance between characters. For the record, the scenes were not gratuitous at all, in either the book or the stories Libby wrote. However, a little romance is a little romance is a little romance, and reading about it conjures up certain feelings, so why preach against them in the same book? That was very odd for me and something that I couldn't get past (obviously).

This is the only book I've read by this author. I do plan to read others and, from what I've heard, look forward to a better reading experience than I had with this particular one.

Thank you to Bethany House Publishers for sending me a complimentary copy of this book for review purposes.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It was the first time I read a book by Kim Vogel Sawyer, and I would definitely like to read her work again. The story introduces us to three close friends who grew up in the same orphanage and are now heading off to college. Libby is a feisty, young woman who hopes to become a famous journalist. Pete, who suffered a childhood accident and now wears a peg leg, wants to become a minister. He is also in love with Libby. And Bennet is the tough street fighter who longs for a place to belong.

The author builds these characters so well, I felt I knew them. I was quickly pulled into the story because I liked them and wanted to know more. The themes of friendship, loyalty, morality, family and finding God are dominant in the book. Pete is secure in his relationship with God but not so Libby and Bennet. I found their trials and struggles realistic and poignant. After all, they are all orphans and the loss of their parents, either in death or abandonment affected each differently and profoundly. This was well explored in the story. I also liked the setting - college in the early twentieth century and the brink of WWI. Although the latter didn't affect the story too much, it explained adventurous Libby's desire to be an independent woman with equal rights to report what was happening as a journalist.

The only part that caught me a little off guard was Libby's transformation towards the end of the story when, after a heartfelt prayer, she feels God's presence and has now found God in her life. She becomes too suddenly pious and all-knowing regarding God. Usually, it takes time to acquire spiritual maturity. It requires diligent study of the Scriptures and exercising faith. Although I understood that she found a measure of peace, I missed her impulsive and exuberant self.

I really like the book cover of this book, from the colors to the photo layout. It captures the mood of the story perfectly. Unlike some other books, the woman on the cover does look like the main character. I recommend this book to all fans of Christian historical fiction.

Libby is a young woman full of imagination, passionate and ready to act, able to see worlds and stories arise from even rocks that once were the foundation of a building. Pete was thrown out of his home at a young age, but his new parents loved him and taught him well; he is the thinker and prefers courtesy and a correct use of words instead of disrespect or confrontation. Bennett is the strong, flirty one, with good instincts and leadership abilities. Libby enrolls in journalism, Pete in theology and Bennett in engineering.

They all need to find their place in such a place; being orphans and having lived very difficult situations, they have a completely different perspective to those with parents able to afford a college tuition and only worried about society, marriage, looks and being accepted in a sorority or brotherhood. Up to that point, in the beginning, the book was not interesting to me; besides, I thought I was going to read about a bad impersonation of Jo March. However, as I read, I was pleasantly surprised that the story was much deeper than that, to the point I could not put the book down.

Due to courses and activities, they get far from each other, but cannot stop thinking about each other. Libby knows that they do not belong to the group of students who get money from parents, so she tries to find a job. With her writing activities (I will try not to reveal relevant details) and her assignments, she begins to isolate herself. In the meantime, she will try to find her true vocation. Pete realizes that, if he is going to be a pastor to other people, he must be honest with himself first and face forgiveness; to that end, he seeks to find his birth parents and solve his conflict. Bennett, the protector, has his mind in being accepted into the brotherhood everyone wants to belong to, along with Pete, as a payback - the most notorious member is a bully and has made fun of his friends. He just wants to be accepted and feel important.

The author depicts the characters' conflicts and backgrounds in such a way that the reader cannot help but get involved with them and sympathize with their struggles and hardships. They are seen growing up and making harder decisions as their faith is strengthened and their character shaped.

A lovely story about three orphans that begin their college life, In every heartbeat is a lesson about accepting others as they are, nurturing friendships and finding peace in forgiveness. Libby, Pete and Bennett learn that innocent things might actually help accepting immorality little by little. They also learn that people generally to "find God in the midst of their selfish wants, instead of realizing He is waiting where He needs us to be."

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for a review. This has not influenced my opinion on the book nor on the author.

In Every Heartbeat by Kim Vogel Sawyer is the story of three friends who grew up together in an orphanage and head off to college together.

Libby's goal is to be a famous journalist. Petey plans to be a minister. And Bennett wants to pledge a fraternity, find a place where he belongs and have all the things he felt he missed out on growing up.

As the country surges towards World War I tensions are high and opinions are strong. As the friends leave the small, enclosed world of the orphanage and enter the college campus they are pulled apart physically, for the first time in a decade the three friends will live close, but not in the same building, and emotionally. New friends are made, new desires are expressed and wants and longings are within reach.

As the friends struggle to stay together, Libby makes a discovery about Petey's family that threatens to tear them all apart. Or will it bind them together forever?

A wonderful book that was hard to put down. Well worth reading.

It is difficult to find fun fiction to read that I feel good about reading. But, I picked two books up recently and enjoyed them both. They were light hearted. I got to escape--in a good way--for a little while and simply enjoy the good stories.

The first is In Every Heartbeat by Kim Vogel Sawyer.
Storyline: The storyline is about three young adults heading off to college from an orphanage where they've grown up together in 1914. They all have different stories and hurts. As the book progresses, the story centers around the family of one of the three and what happens when finds them.

Writing: The writing is good and easy to read. It isn't very distinct, but it is enjoyable.

Plot: The plot works. There are twists and turns that make the story interesting and fun to read. Honestly, this book is what I expect of historical fiction. What I liked best about it was that the romance didn't overtake the story. Because of there is romance involved in the story. It was a part of the characters' lives, but it was woven in gently.

If you're looking for a fun historical Christian fiction read, I'd definitely recommend it!

Please note that I was given a complimentary copy of this book for review by Bethany House Publishers.

In Every Heartbeat by Kim Vogel Sawyer is the story of Libby Conley and her friends Pete and Bennett. They are off to attend college together after having grown up in an orphanage. As each one pursues their own ambitions, they struggle with the different directions those ambitions seem to be taking them. They quickly learn that adulthood brings changes and choices, and they wonder if they will be able to remain friends.

It was an enjoyable story in that it contained a little romance, talked about the importance of family relationships, and the endurance of friendship. I wanted to love the book, but something just didn't work for me. I had read and loved the previous book My Heart Remembers, but this book didn't capture my interest as much.

One thing that I kept questioning was when World War I would be introduced into the story. The synopsis made me believe the plot would somehow involve the war, and I think maybe that's what I was really anticipating as I read. Not so. It seemed to be introduced nearly 70 pages from the end and had very little to do with the plot of this book. That struck me as a little odd.

The other thing that felt a little "off" to me was one of the character's conversion experience. It seemed a bit abrupt, as if all of the sudden in a crisis the character knew they needed God, and they prayed a salvation prayer. In addition, their behavior and thinking changed dramatically in a short time, and I guess that didn't seem truly realistic to me. Although, it made for a nice, tidy ending.

I rate this book with 3 stars. It was a good story, just not exceptional in my opinion.

I thank Bethany House Publishers for sending me a free copy of the book to review. This review is solely my opinion, and I was not required to write a favorable review.

If you read and fell in love with the characters and story from My Heart Remembers by Kim Vogel Sawyer, you aren't going to want to miss her latest extension of that story, IN EVERY HEARTBEAT. Though they do not have to be read in order, it warmed my heart to encounter favorite characters in this book such as Isabelle, Maelle, Matt and Petey. Introducing a few new characters as well that warmed my heart.
When I read Sawyer's fiction I feel like I have come home. Her cadence of the words, the rhythm of the characters and their human ability to stand up from the page and speak to my heart.
I am continually amazed at the way Sawyer's characters grow and I feel like I mature with them, without being pushed or preached at. But I also love how in the end they still have growing to do. She doesn't stilt or rush the process.
This book was a joy to read. I come home when I read her fiction, cozy in the knowledge that I will be entertained, spiritually fed and eager for the next book. This is more than a prairie romance, this is a joy and an art buddled up in one highly recommended novel.
Thanks to the publishers for my copy to review through CFBA. This review is my honest opinion.

In Every Heartbeat by Kim Vogel Sawyer

Writers of inspirational romance novels avoid mentioning physical excitement as a general rule. The zone in which such references to physiology will be permitted by readers and publishers is describing the heart of the heroine or sometimes the hero. While it is true that a person's heart will beat fast in times of extreme emotion or activity, an author can take this little game of describing heart arrhythmias too far. A reader educated in medicine will find most of these descriptions overdone.

The title, In Every Heartbeat, sends a warning to the reader to beware. Of course, it will be about abnormal heartbeats. The character Pete has frequent chest pains that appear to be angina. Libby, the main character of the novel, has a variety of arrhythmias. Any person walking around and experiencing such erratic heartbeats needs to see a cardiologist.

With all these cardiac anomalies, the book becomes a kind of romantic fantasy. While it may not be acceptable to describe what the characters are feeling otherwise, it is also not realistic to overdo the cardiac problems, unless of course the book is about a person with heart disease.

Well, what does it matter? I know someone who died because she thought her heart pains were simply love. One day she leaned over and didn't get up. Maybe love brought on the pain, but should we be toying with the nation's leading cause of death in such a cavalier fashion?

The plots of nineteenth century romantic novels revolved around coincidences. In the twenty-first century, we're cautioned to avoid this kind of plotting. It's okay to have a coincidence, some say, if the writer acknowledges it. In real life, coincidences do happen. Personally I like to include them and try to make the story sound plausible. Since I'm guilty, it's a temptation not to mention this problem. Two coincidences that happen early in In Every Heart Beat set up the way the story will go. I like the lively action of what happens in this novel, and I thoroughly enjoyed listening to it. I just don't know how to avoid coincidences. Perhaps the author could have acknowledged the coincidences. Doing so is a way of getting out of trouble.

The descriptions in the novel are lovely. They place the book in the setting well. The characters are believable. So far as the setting is concerned, I had one problem. The university students left campus at will without signing out. In the 1960's the students (I was one) were required to sign out and tell when they would return. I cannot imagine that rules were more lenient in 1914. Also, the story has a bit of PDA (public display of affection), which was probably frowned on in the early 1900's on campus.

Despite these problems, Kim Vogel Sawyer is a skillful writer and the book is entertaining. My review is about the CD version.