Customer Reviews

Never the Bride: A Novel

5 star:		(42)
4 star:		(19)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Jessica Stone is my kinda gal. She has a razor sharp wit and oozes with confidence, consistantly snapping back with a verbal reparte` that had me laughing out loud - a difficult feat to accomplish for a long time book reader and sci-fi fan such as myself. I can only hope and pray the authors write a sequel, because I know I want to see more of Jessica!

I had a hard time putting this book down, and it's now making its way through the ladies of my family. There's a lesson being taught here - Let go, and let God.

I loved McKay and Gutteridge's "The Ultimate Gift", which is a classic in my library now, beside which "Never the Bride" will be placed. I look forward to their next brilliantly inspired work!

Never the Bride by Cheryl McKay and Rene Gutteridge is a charming novel of romance and faith. Jessie Stone has always lived by the rules; her friends can set their watches by her punctuality, and she's almost OCD in her need for order and control. She's lived all of her 34 years waiting for Mr. Right to sweep her off her feet, filling 109 journals with dreams of the perfect marriage proposal and wedding. Speed dating and online match services aren't working, but when God literally steps in and offers to help, Jessie isn't sure if she's willing to trust Him enough to do it to her standards! This book reminded me of all the reasons I love to read! It was funny and sweet and charming and had a strong message of faith. God's appearance in Jessie's life is beautiful and heart-breaking. Her friends and family think that she needs to be committed when they catch her talking to herself, and when she tries to tell them the truth, they ask her why is she so special that God would choose to step into her life. Their reactions are perfectly rendered, and oh so true of how I think people really would react to Jessie's story. God asks Jessie if she's willing to let Him write her life story, and there's a lesson in her story for readers. Her date with God brought tears to my eyes, as did their confrontation on the beach. The entire book was pitch perfect, just flawless. I laughed, I cried, I learned a lesson about my Savior. It doesn't get any better than that.

I just finished this book last night and now I absolutely can't wait to see the movie. To see some of these scenes played out on screen is going to be hilarious!

What a great message too! Even though I'm happily married with children, it had a great message for me too. I think we all have some area of our lives where we are waiting on God to do something, and this was a great reminder to me that I need to wait patiently for God's best instead of rushing out and doing what I think is a great idea. I think we would all benefit to give our "purple pens" to God and let Him write our life (or love) stories for us. Imagine the unnecessary pain we could avoid if we allowed Him to take control!

I read most of this novel aloud to a friend as we were driving cross country. We giggled at the wittiness of the characters and the situations we could relate to as single women.
Because one of the main characters is God, this book may be criticized for weak theology and lack of scriptural reference - Jessie's maturity isn't quite a biblical example of spiritual maturity - but hey, it's a novel right?
I say take it for what it is - curl up on a couch with a blanket and some hot tea - get to know Jessie - and think about the things in your own life you are unwilling to trust God with. I know there are some. Is it really worth it?

This was the most incredible book, "Never the Bride" by Cheryl McKay and Rene Gutteridge. Seriously. I love to read and usually I find that most chick-flick novels fall terribly short of the mark.

Not this one.

Jessie Stone is your typical girl that has spent most of her life dreaming about the day she will be married and have someone at her side. She has tons of ideal marriage proposals written down (cue the infamous purple feather pen) and only wishes that one day, she will get hers.

Then God shows up...literally....to let her in on what He has in mind for her and to reveal pieces of herself to herself she wasn't even aware of.

So when I read that God showed up as a human, I expected something a little weird. Not so. I loved how the story went. In fact, it made me wonder how I would want Him to show up for me. I think we get so caught up in the stereo-typical idea of who God is and how He is, and that maybe He is only concerned with all the `big' stuff. That the tiny details in our lives that are so important to us personally surely can't be that important to Him, too.

I laughed and I cried. This story was so well-written. I can only hope they come out with a sequel. What an incredible way to show how much God truly cares about us and what His plans might look like for our lives if we would just trust Him.

Jessie's journey into what God has in store for her is funny, truthful, and eye-opening. She has some serious ups and downs but manages to find a relationship with God that is unlike anything I've ever imagined. Awesome book!

This book was provided to me for free to review by BloggingforBooks.com and WaterBrook MultNomah.

It is often said that God has a sense of humor. McKay and Gutteridge show their readers just how true this can be, and even more so -- that with a strong dose of mortal stubbornness to control one's life, the joke can seemingly be on them. Never the Bride is a modern and unexpected tale of romance, whose central character, Jessie Stone, exemplifies the emotions that many thirty-something and forever single young women feel with raw wit and vulnerability. Stone is amusingly lovable, and in spite of her sometimes-baffling choices and missteps in the "Mr. Wrong" direction, proves just how perfect her "love story" can be if only she is willing to let go and surrender her purple-feathered pen.

For all those women out there...single or not...this is a contemporary, lighthearted, and heartwarming read. No matter what circumstances we are facing, the message rings true...let go and let God - only He can write our ultimate story.

Thank you Cheryl and Rene for this remarkable book. I couldn't put it down. I recommend that guys read this book. Not only does it foster a deeper understanding of the beautiful heart of a woman, but I was blessed to walk away with a deeper understanding of God. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

"Never The Bride" by Cheryl McKay and Rene Gutteridge is a wonderful, laugh-out-loud work of contemporary Christian romantic fiction. Jessie is an intelligent woman with an incredible sense of humor who has 11 bridesmaid dresses in her past, and no possibility for a white bridal gown in her future. The path she takes through being fixed up by friends and speed-dating are hysterical and sad. But reading this story as it blossoms into the full-blown romance of discovering herself as God sees her will take your breath away.

On the surface, you may think that this tale is reminiscent of the film "27 Dresses", and I enjoy that movie, but it is so much more than that. I wish Jessie were a real flesh-and-blood woman who I could take out for a picnic in the park and just be her friend. This is an amazing book from the first page!

I am only half-way through this novel, but I have to say I am absolutely delighted with this book! It is contemporary and full of pop-culture references not unlike Gilmore Girls or other "Chick Lit". What an incredible and inspiring way to address a topic that is close to so many hearts. I am happily married, but I agree that this hits close to home in other areas when I am not Lady Patience and am impatiently waiting for the Lord to move in my life. I can't wait for the movie! Definitely a must read and definitely a book that ranks up there with The Ultimate Gift.

Never the Bride, is the latest collabration of a novel by Cheryl McKay and Rene Gutteridge.

Jessie Stone is a 34 year old woman who has worked at the same dead-end job for the past 10 years. She has dreamed about her perfect marriage propsal in the journals upon journals she has written in with her precious purple pen. Her last boyfriend dumped her for another woman, she has a crush on her best friend Blake, and she has a thing aganist blondes. Jessie Stone is one hilarious gal, taking everything in life and responding to it with some witty humor. Jessie wishes to have the most amazing love story. But as the years go by, and still no decent man proposes, Jessie is starting to lose hope. When God decides to appear in the flesh to her and proposes that she give him the purple pen, she has her doubts. But Jessie decides to hand over her precious pen. She quits her job, starts her own marriage propsal business, and waits. And eventually what she finds is beyond any dream she has ever imagined...

I loved the story. I don't read much contemporary fiction. I'm more into historical stuff but Jessie's humor kept the story interesting. And I loved the concept of handing God the "purple pen" of our lives. It shows that though we may think we have control of what happens in our lives, we must hand it over to God and let him write our own story. And the story teaches us that we should wait patiently upon the Lord, because HIS timing is the perfect timing.

Overall, I reccommend the book to any avid reader. I heard that it will also be a movie soon. Looking forward to seeing it whenever it is out! :)