Rooms: A Novel [Paperback]

James L. Rubart (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2010

On a rainy spring day in Seattle, young software tycoon Micah Taylor receives a cryptic, twenty-five-year-old letter from a great uncle he never knew. It claims a home awaits him on the Oregon coast that will turn his world inside out. Suspecting a prank, Micah arrives at Cannon Beach to discover a stunning brand new nine-thousand square foot house. And after meeting Sarah Sabin at a nearby ice cream shop, he has two reasons to visit the beach every weekend.

When bizarre things start happening in the rooms of the home, Micah suspects they have some connection to his enigmatic new friend, Rick, the town mechanic. But Rick will only say the house is spiritual. This unnerves Micah because his faith slipped away like the tide years ago, and he wants to keep it that way. But as he slowly discovers, the home isn’t just spiritual, it’s a physical manifestation of his soul, which God uses to heal Micah’s darkest wounds and lead him into an astonishing new destiny.


"An extraordinary read. Part The Screwtape Letters, part The Shack."

--Robert Liparulo, best-selling author of Comes a Horseman


"A profound spiritual tale spun with imaginative flair. I'm looking forward to more from Jim Rubart."

--James Scott Bell, best-selling author of Try Fear


"Unforgettable. The kind of book that is talked about long after the last page has been turned. The universe of readers is richer because of this debut novel."

--Alton Gansky, author of Enoch and Certain Jeopardy


"Two words about Rooms: blown away. It's been a long time since I read anything this unique and truly creative, and even longer since a book held me in such rapt attention during the moments I was reading it--and long after."

--Deborah Raney, author of the Clayburn novels

"A wonderful book . . . Since I began reading it, I've been captivated. It isn't often that a book pulls me so deeply into the fictive dream that I dream about it at night."

--Terri Blackstock, author of Predator and Intervention

Winner, Best Inspirational Novel of 2010

--RT BOOK REVIEWS Reviewers' Choice Awards

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Debut author and professional marketer Rubart has created a suspenseful tale in the vein of Ted Dekker's House, in which inexplicable happenings take over and direct a character's life. Twenty-five-year-old Micah Taylor receives a mysterious letter from a great-uncle he never knew informing him of a home built for him by said uncle. His interest piqued, Micah, a wealthy software company owner, takes off for the Oregon coast to visit his newly acquired 9,000-square-foot house. What he finds is a shape-shifting, mind-boggling revisiting of his past that jeopardizes his future. With only a handful of letters as his guide, Micah tries to summon up the courage to face old wounds that somehow are connected to various rooms in the house itself. As soon as Taylor opens one door, in floods a sea of memories that he must choose to face or run from. Rubart's work clips along nicely, and his premise is compelling. (Apr.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

About the Author

James L. Rubart is a professional marketer whose Jr2 Marketing company clientele has included ABC, AT&T/Cingular, and Clear Channel Radio. He is also a professional speaker, writes recurring columns for Christian Fiction Online Magazine and Christian Women Online, and is on the board of the Northwest Christian Writers Association. Jim and his wife and their two teenage sons live just outside Seattle, Washington.

Product Details

• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: B&H Books (April 1, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0805448888
• ISBN-13: 978-0805448887
• Product Dimensions: 5.4 x 1.1 x 8.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (360 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #52,949 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I've been a professional marketer since 1994 through my company Barefoot Marketing, but my passion is writing fiction.

I'm also a photographer, guitarist, professional speaker, golfer, and semi-pro magician. I live in the Northwest with the world's most perfect wife and my two almost-perfect sons. No, I don't sleep much. You can catch up more with me at www.jimrubart.com or www.barefootmarketing.com.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

163 of 182 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars More than meets the eye April 1, 2010

By Michelle Skaflestad

Format:Paperback

At twenty-five years old, Micah Taylor has it all: millions of dollars, amazing Seattle penthouse apartment, his own software company and more. Or does he?

Micah receives a mysterious letter from his great-uncle stating that he is now the proud owner of a brand-new 9000 square-foot home on the Oregon coast. It's mysterious, because his great-uncle has been dead for years, and this home is brand new.

The thought of traveling to Cannon Beach dredges up terrible memories for Micah. However, curiosity piqued, he travels to Cannon Beach where he finds that there is more to this house than meets the eye. Somehow, new rooms keep appearing in the house - rooms that are very personal.

Between the enigmatic house, his new friend Rick, and potential love interest Sarah, Micah finds himself spending nearly every weekend at Cannon Beach. Slowly, his life begins to change, and only he can decide what is most important to him - Seattle, or Sarah?

Okay, so I know it's cliché to say that I couldn't put the book down, but I literally couldn't. I read the whole thing straight through, pausing only to wipe the tears from my eyes to continue reading. It also has me using the clichéd hyphenated phrases like starry-eyed, heart-wrenching, and soul-searching.

Rooms is really about what's inside us. It's about how sometimes when it looks like you have it all, you may not have it all together inside, and that's where it counts. It's about dealing with tragedy, then coping when the tragedy becomes too much. It's also about questions, and questioning ourselves. The biggest question of all is how to deal with life. Rubart's answer is simple - turn to God.

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic book! April 22, 2010

By John-boy NW Ark

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I picked this book up on Kindle for free and once I started I couldn't put it down.

It was an amazing and insightful book outlining one man's struggle to find what world he belongs in. Exceptionally inspiring with just the right amount of action, suspense, romance and Truth. Definitely challenges the reader to examine which world they are living in, whose voice is guiding your actions, and the very real consequences each has.

I still can't believe it was free--there is no reason not to pick this up.

I can't wait to read more from this author!

39 of 46 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Similar to, but so much better than The Shack April 19, 2010

A Kid's Review

Format:Paperback

This could be a challenging book review to write. I loved this book - really loved it, but it is the type of book that I can't tell too much about or I could give too much away, but here goes....

As the book description says, the main character, Micah Taylor, is given a house on the beach. The more time he spends there, the more bizarre things happen to him. It turns out that the house's weird rooms are "rooms" in his heart.

I liked and enjoyed the main character. I found myself identifying with him and his struggles, defeats, and victories. At times, I found myself misty-eyed, other times smiling. The plot was awesome. The author has to be really talented and also guided by God to write this type of book. It could have been a weird book, but he does an excellent job of showing the battles in a man's soul by using rooms in a house, and instead of the book coming off as weird or bizarre, it comes off as inspiring, challenging, and even convicting.

The book came in the mail today, and I decided to start reading it after supper. Well, even though it wasn't a suspense book, it was one of those "read-in-one-sitting" books I mention occasionally, and suspenseful in the way that it was a definite page-turner. I was quickly drawn into the story, and was eager to see where the story would go, and I was not disappointed.

On the cover of the book, is an endorsement: "An extraordinary read. Part The Shack, part C.S. Lewis. I thoroughly hated The Shack and consider it heretical, but this book has some similarities, but it is so much better. There are no weird depictions of the Trinity in this book or other heresies. This is one of those Christian fiction books that will really make you think, and I often recommend books I review, but I very highly recommend this. If you want a book that will cause you to do some self-examination of your spiritual state and priorities, this book is for you. It is definitely worth reading, and could be one of those life-changing books that are talked about.