Customer Reviews

Hometown Favorite: A Novel

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"Jesse, a man is not defined by one event in his life." (p. 96)

Coach Jake Hopper's words, spoken to one of his former high school football stars, became almost prophetic in my mind by the time I reached the final pages of Hometown Favorite. Truly, Bill Barton and Henry O. Arnold understand that life indeed has many defining moments, and whether we lose a ballgame, lose a family member or lose a friend, we each must choose whether or not we will cling to God's strength to see us through or whether we will cling to our own bitterness and become broken. Hometown Favorite is a story ripe with unconditional love, raw with human emotion and seasoned with sorrow and suffering that adds the depth needed to draw this story to a satisfying and thought-provoking conclusion. Your heart will never view life as anything less than a precious gift from God once you have read this story!

Hometown Favorite takes the reader on a journey through the life of Dewayne Jobe. Beginning in a small Mississippi town and reaching out as far as Los Angeles and Houston, this story is filled with richly textured, believable characters that range from Cheri Jobe, factory worker and sports mom, to Rosella Caldwell, daughter of wealthy L.A. parents and the love of Dewayne's life. Jesse and Sly are Dewayne's closest friends, and Coach Hopper is the man that loves each of the three men as his own sons. The story unfolds as easy-going and steady as Dewayne's rock-solid faith and intensifies to a point that almost squeezes the reader's heart in two. The changes that come to Dewayne Jobe take his faith beyond its breaking point to a place only God can reach.

Hometown Favorite is much more than just a football hero's tale. This is a story about God's grace and mercy - about His sovereignty in every detail of our lives. The details in this book may be fictional, but all readers will recognize many scenarios from their own life experiences. We will all recognize the fact that even when life is filled with unbearable pain and times of suffering that the thread of hope binds us to the heart of our Heavenly Father. It is this hope that brings us through our suffering and into a renewed place of joy and life.

Hometown Favorite is a book I highly recommend! It is a story you will remember for a very long time!

This book takes you on quite a journey. It is very engaging. By the time you arrive at the end of the book, you're amazed by the quality of the story. I would recommend this book to all.

I wouldn't have chosen this book to read for pure entertainment. My major reason is football. I'm not only not a fan, I don't get the game. I also do not care for omniscient point of view. The authors vocabularies and talent resulted in some overwriting as well. That said, I was won over by the story.

Though I skimmed football details fairly often, football non-fans can find something to enjoy in this story. I'm not going to give away many details since they would be spoilers. I will recommend this novel to folks who wouldn't have issues like mine as stated above, and who are looking for edgy Christian fiction. There are usages of slang and a smattering of curse words in this novel. Heavy subjects like child endangerment, violence, sexuality,drinking and drug use give the book a solid PG to PG-13 rating depending on your sensitivity.

The authors paint a picture of grace and hope. Despair pops up, forgiveness and restoration are covered. It's not a light read, but it could be just the ticket for some folks. Those who are fans of Creston Mapes novels may want to check out Hometown Favorite.

You don't have to enjoy sports to read this book. Although the story is centered on a football player's life there is more to the story then just the game he plays. The story starts at the end of his high school career and follows through till the signing of his NFL contract. What transpires during these years will have you feeling every kind of emotion.

Even though you know this book is fiction you will relate to the story lines and feel the emotions of the characters as they deal with real life situations. This is not a feel good story all the way through. There are some tough pages to read. There is a happy wedding but there is also death. The ending will inspire you to continue even during dark times in your life. This is a book written from a man's point of view but can definitely be enjoyed by all who read it.

I was given this book by christianreviewofbooks.com to review

I never thought I would enjoy reading a book about football, but it is so much more than a book about football. I was gripped by the storyline, the family bonds that are tested by tragic life experiences, the drama, and the redeeming quatilty of this powerful story. Football is simply the backdrop. Trust me, this story is so much more than a sports novel. I recommend this book.

About five minutes into the 1st period, I'm thinking "this one is going into overtime".

It did.

Who won?

Well, if I told you.....

JJ

Although it took me a few chapters to get involved with the story, the characters hooked me. I got interested in them and soon figured out how the story would end. Wow! Was I surprised. The authors spun me around and kept dropping twists that I didn't expect. Finally, I quit assuming I knew the end and kept reading. This is a great story of faith and of the human spirit. The ending is not maudlin like I early in the book suspected it would be. Rather, it's quite real. You as the reader are allowed to draw your own conclusion, and that's the best writing: you bring your imagination into play to finish the story. Bravo to Henry Arnold and to Bill Barton! A great story with interesting characters!

Hometown Favorite" a wonderful story: Eyes can not help but get moist. Tears down a cheek will not be uncommon. A riveting story of youth competition, a battle of faith vs. arrogance, yet friendship intended to last forever. Will they? Love enters from two very diverse backgrounds. Yet, were they really so different after all? Bonding of man and wife, deceived by a clever, scheming villain who never lost his stipes. Multiple murders testing the faith of one who is abandoned, except by an investigator that searched for truth. Vindicated at last, but never lost to a recovered abuser. A new start once again with a time limit for life. The reminder of Job's trials in the Bible are a reminder to us all. This, a story one may find difficult to put down before completing the issues presented.

This story is for those who search, find, or have doubts during their journey of life. Larry

I am not a big fan of football so I was not sure if I would be able to "get into" this storyline. Well...I did. After the first few pages I was hooked. You get to a certain point in this book where you can not put it down. I stayed up until 2:00 a.m. to finish this book because I just could not stop reading!

This book will remind you that you are real. Even the "crustiest" of hearts will feel the emotion this book will stir within onesself.

I highly reccomend this book to anyone over the age of 15.

Although their team lost the Mississippi state championship game, the three stars remain heroes in Springdale as they go off to college. Wide receiver and linebacker Dewayne Jobe gores to USC; quarterback Sly Adams to Miami; and linebacker Jesse Webb to Mississippi. Dewayne and Sly become superstars contending for the Heisman while Jesse's career ends with an injury. At school Dewayne meets affluent Rosella Caldwell; they fall in love and marry.

Dewayne and Sly go to the NFL as stars while Jesse dies in a drunken driving incident. Dewayne, Rosella and her parents rescue her nephew Bruce and her niece Sabrina from their addicted mom Bonita. Rosella gives birth to their child. Dewayne is on top of the world and thankful to the Lord, his widowed mom, and his wife until a tragedy, a personal life threatening health issue and betrayals by loved ones leave him to understand how Job felt.

Using football as a mechanism Bill Barton and Henry O. Arnold modernize the story of Job as several traumatic incidents in a short time leave Dewayne in all sorts of anguish. Will he blame the Lord for deserting him or will he seek solace in the Lord while going through incredible layers of traumas? Young adult fans will appreciate this inspirational tale of the football star sacked several times until his life seems fumbled away.

Harriet Klausner