Customer Reviews

Save the Date

5 star:		(119)
4 star:		(41)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The last book I read by Jenny B. Jones (Just Between You and Me) had me, like my ten year old self, huddling with a flashlight and hoping no one would notice. And while this time it was an iPad and I was hoping my husband wouldn't notice, it felt the same to be so engrossed in a good book that I couldn't put it down. Reading Save the Date felt the same. I could NOT put it down.

Lucy needs money. Alex has money. Alex needs popularity for his election, and Lucy seems to provide it when she's near him. Let the mayhem begin. While I was a little put off by Clare and her continued presence, by the end of the book I was rooting for her and her hilarious companion.

Funny, heartwarming, and engaging...everything I hope for in Christian chick lit. I laughed aloud more times than I can remember and, at the end of it all, I really appreciated the deeper themes of trusting and abiding. Way to go, Jenny B. Jones. And, most impressive, she is a teacher! AMAZING! I can barely manage sleeping and eating, not to mention just thinking about thinking about maybe writing a chapter or a sentence. Or thinking about writing a blog post/book review for the book I loved reading two weeks ago. :)

Thank you to Thomas Nelson BookSneeze for providing a complimentary review copy of Save the Date by Jenny B. Jones. I really enjoyed it and, although I was not asked to write a good review, I can't say enough about how much I loved this book.

Jenny B. Jones has been my go-to writer for YA. I love her writing style and wit. Every one of her book contains gut-busting funny scenes and characters. I was excited about reading her latest book, Save the Date, since it is was not a YA book.

Although I love Jones style, I finished the book feeling torn. I had a love-hate reaction to so many things in the book. For instance, the characters were great. I loved Lucy's weird group of friends. They were hilarious. I loved Lucy and Alex. They were engaging and I actually cared about what happened to them. But I didn't like Lucy and Alex's interactions. They were constantly snipping at each other, to the point that it was hard to believe that they fell in love. Also, their dialog was snappy and witty, but it didn't seem like they were saying anything of substance to each other.

I like the premise of the book: a contract marriage, but, I didn't like that both Alex and Lucy were Christians and they were completely okay with lying. I understand that Christians are imperfect and they lie, but it was hard to sympathize with their plot. I also didn't like the fact that there were no real consequences for their lies. If this was not a Christian fiction book, the "means justify the ends" attitude that Lucy had might not have bothered me that much. But because Lucy was a Christian, it disturbed me how easy it was for her to continue to lie and that she never had to suffer any consequences for lying to so many people.

Another love-hate issue was the character named Julian. I loved the risk that Jones made including such an effeminate man in her story. Unfortunately, he came across very cliché gay. I would love to know if that was the author's intention. Despite that, Julian was one of the funniest characters in the book.

I;m really torn about rating this book. The writing was solid and the setting was plausible. However, the characters and plot, namely the ending of the novel, caused me to lower my score for this book. Now, because I've been a loyal follower of Jones' writing, I will buy her next book. I also would encourage others to read this book despite my review. It is definitely a book readers need to form their own opinion about.

When I first started reading this book I was unaware that it was a Christian Romance, but after reading it I'm glad I didn't know ahead of time. If I had known this it might have turned me off from reading the book, because I am not over-religious and didn't want a book to be solely about Christian beliefs and have me trying to believe them too. While this book did mention Christian beliefs a lot and almost all of the characters are extremely religious there was no forcing of the beliefs. Lucy is a very religious character but that is only one small aspect of her. She just wants a family, and at one time she thought she could have that but now it seems that in order to keep the dream she has built she might have to sacrifice some of her future.

Alex is a former pro football player who is now running for a seat in Congress when he and Lucy talk one night at his family's party and a photographer catches a picture of them together he starts to catch up in the polls. He devises a plan where he will help Lucy keep her dream (her 18 and older house for girls freshly out of foster care with no where to go) if she will pose as his girlfriend and later his fiance. Lucy is skeptical but desperate and she will do anything for her girls so she agrees. They both agree to this arrangement because they both believe that the other person is the last person they could ever fall in love with especially since they are both so focused on their careers. So neither of them are prepared are or ready to face these new feelings they each begin to have.

Alex was a great complex character he had lost a brother who he believed to be the better of them and he feels extreme guilt over that. He can barely look at his family without feeling this guilt so he drives himself to win this election. He wants to be a better person and help people in memory and honor of his brother. He doesn't see that he pushes people away and that he might just be focusing on the wrong thing to lead a happy successful life.

Lucy constantly feels inadequate, as a child she went to a rich prep school where her mother was a maid and she was on scholarship. She has never fit in with the rich crowd and doesn't want to but she must beg for their money to keep her girls home afloat. Even though Lucy is a success and doing something she loves she feels shame and humiliation whenever she is at rich functions. She is also lonely the one man she saw her future with walked away from her, and her dreams of having a family are put away. Each of these characters was great, they had such depth that they seemed extremely realistic. It was a great story and made me feel a spectrum of emotions, from humor, to sympathy, to sadness, to happiness, and everything in between.

A great book to take on vacation. You will not want to put it down. I had never read a book by Jenny B. Jones and I was impressed. I plan to read more of her work in the future.

The book was great. I love the way the characters were people who anyone could relate to in real life. You felt like you knew them. There was never a dull moment and you couldn't wait to turn the next page.

Are you looking for a laugh-out-loud contemporary Christian romance? Well, look no further. This is such a hilarious story about a marriage of convenience, well more like an engagement of convenience. Lucy is in need of funding for her girls home and Alex, former hunky football quarterback turned wannabe governor, needs a "fiancé" to help him win the upcoming election. These two strike a deal where he'll help with the funding of her girls home if she'll pretend to be his fake fiancé'.

This was such a great story I'm not sure even where to begin to say the things I liked about it. My favorite thing about this story was the dialogue between Alex and Lucy; it is sarcastic, funny, quick-witted and snippy. Lucy can barely speak without something sarcastic coming out of her mouth and she is convinced Alex is still a playboy and she is always poking at him about his past. The banter between these two will have you laughing out loud. There were times though that the banter got a bit old and I wanted to just yell at them both and say "shut up already and admit your feelings".

The characters are all lovable and genuine! Lucy is not a size 2 Barbie girl but she is a size 10 normal beauty with a huge heart which makes her very relatable. Alex is my favorite character; he has been changed by tragedy and wants to be a more Godly man and make a difference in the world.

The secondary characters were all great and added a bit more humor to this already hilarious story. At first I did not care for Julian and Clare but then I really got to enjoy those personalities. I really loved Chuck, the youth pastor, and the tidbits that were in the story from his sermons!

I did feel that the story line was a bit predictable and familiar to me! Save the Date reminded me of a story I recently read about a "fake marriage" called the "Convenient Groom" but I enjoyed both of these stories differently. I knew right from the beginning of this story how it was going to end but I still couldn't put the book down, I had to continue reading this delightful story!

This is story about so much more than romance! There are so much spiritual threads than I expected but it was very enjoyable! Save the Date was about the baggage we all carry around that God is asking us to give to Him to carry, our guilt that we need to let go and forgiveness we need to seek and hand out! I loved this story and I plan on reading more by Jones!

I was graciously provided a digital copy of this book by Thomas Nelson through the NetGalley program. All opinions expressed were my own and I was not obligated to write a positive review.

Ok I'll admit it, I'm not someone who is easily amused. I truly wish I was the person that laughed at the drop of a hat, but I'm not. With that being said, I want to share that I laughed out loud numerous times when reading this book. "Save the Date" by Jenny B. Jones at first glance looks like a classic, cute, chick- lit kind of book. I'm thinking, it will be sweet, charming and a nice read. There is nothing wrong with that, but as I got into the book, I discovered much, much more- funny, great characters and a "deeper than meets the eye" storyline.

Our heroine, Lucy Wiltshire is sort of a modern day Cinderella. Growing up in Charleston, South Carolina with a mother who earned her living as a maid did not give her social status at the prominent Montrose Academy where she attended as a child, and as a result endured teasing and bullying there. Fast forward to the present and Lucy is the founder of Saving Grace, a home for foster girls aged 18-21 making the transition to adulthood with her help and guidance. A major problem erupts- one of her biggest backers has pulled the plug on their contributions by a significant amount. She is in danger of losing the home and panicked about her girls, where will they go. Poor Lucy, what's a girl to do?

Well, the hero of the story has the answer to that query- enter Alex Sinclaire- a former attendee of Montrose Academy and famous former professional football player as well. He has decided to run for a Congressional seat and Alex needs a little help overcoming his somewhat "Playboy" public perception problem. So after a chance meeting at a local gathering where both are present and pictures are taken of them together, he finds that his approval points have skyrocketed. It seems that the public likes a good Cinderella story and he hatches a plan- a staged romance with a win-win scenario- Alex gets a girl on his arm for public events and Lucy gets the funding she needs to keep Saving Grace open. Sounds like a no-brainer for everyone, but add in Lucy's social awkwardness and propensity towards clumsiness and you get some really hilarious situations.

There is so much more going on in this story than the general romance between these two characters, Alex is dealing with grief and guilt over his twin brothers disappearance and probable death. Lucy struggles with feelings of great inferiority and worth as she describes herself at one of the many social events as " a cubic zirconia in a sea of diamonds". They truly go on a journey together in dealing with their respective "stuff". Their chemistry and banter between each other is fun and amusing in one moment and truly deep and probing in the next. Add in Lucy's love of all things science fiction, specifically Star Trek and the book just gets better and better. I couldn't go into detail on the supporting characters here, but they are well written and really, really funny. When a well know socialite winds up at one of Lucy's gatherings of her sci-fi friends and is asking questions about Star Trek, I about bust a gut.

It truly is rare for me to find a book where I am laughing uproariously in one moment and shedding tears the next, while seeing great spiritual elements in the whole thing. Elements like our struggles with our worth and figuring out the whole man-pleasing versus God-pleasing dilemma. I highly recommend this book. You will not be disappointed and I will be keeping my eye on Jenny B. Jones in the future. I know this is a Niagara Falls kind of review- much gushing- but I still stand by it. Great book, great characters and great read!

I was graciously provided a digital copy of this book by Thomas Nelson through the NetGalley program. All opinions expressed were my own and I was not obligated to write a positive review.

I wish I could give this book more stars! Normally when I see so many 5 star reviews and then actually read the book, I end up scratching my head and wondering if I read the same book! Not so this time. I laughed out loud literally several times! I loved both the main characters and their relationship moved slowly and realistically unlike so many other novels. It's not often a book can touch you and minister to you and also make you laugh till you cry, but this book does it! I highly recommend it to anyone and have already talked my best friend into purchasing! Keep writing Jenny Jones!

I love reading Jenny B. Jones because I am never disappointed. Her stories are funny but can be serious at the same time.

Lucy is faced with the harsh reality that funding for her non-profit organization is being pulled. Saving Grace is literally saving kids that have graduated or left the foster care system.

Lucy is willing to do anything to keep Saving Grace. Sinclair Enterprises, the glue that held their organization together is pulling the plug. Lucy takes Alex Sinclair, the heir of Sinclair Enterprises head on.

Saving Grace can be saved but at what price? Her girls are more important to her than a temporary unpleasant situation. It will give Lucy her dreams of keeping it open. But, the situation is less than appealing. She has to agree to be Alex's fiancée until he wins bid for Congress. The trick is being able to pull it off so that it's believable. There's a problem. There is another one in the picture that has reappeared in Lucy's life. Can Lucy go through with the arrangement?

Jenny's books are good to the last drop. I highly recommend her books. Because once you read one of her books, you will go looking for others she has written.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255

<[...]> : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

When the heroine of a book smells like pancakes and looks like "a displaced nursery rhyme character" as does Lucy, the heroine of "Save the Date", you know that you are in for a fun read. And this book is indeed a light frothy read that will keep you turning the pages to find out what happens next. It has several satisfying twists and turns.

Lucy runs Saving Grace, a residential home for young women who have nowhere to live. She is forced to accept a role as Alex's fiancée as it's the condition for he makes for her to receive much-needed funds for her home. Alex is running for congress and needs Lucy to be his fiancée and bring in more votes for him.

Underneath the frivolity of this novel there are deeper layers, one being the social dilemma of no formal care for foster children once they reach the age of eighteen. These children are abandoned and left to face life's challenges with no home or resources. They often end up on the streets or in prison.

Jenny Jones skilfully weaves spiritual threads throughout the book as Lucy and Alex deal with issues and insecurities which stem from their childhoods and teen years. We see their faith in God grow as their fake engagement places them in tight spots and dilemmas.

I wish Ms Jones had given readers more insight into the daily life of Saving Grace. The only girl we get to know is newcomer Marinell, whose little brother is desperately ill. I hope the author will write a book telling Marinell's story.

I enjoyed "Save the Date" and recommend it to anyone who enjoys Christian fiction.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the[...] book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 [...] : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

I absolutely loved this book. It wasn't just a sweet love story but it also dealt with things such as not listening to that voice that is always telling you your not good enough. Instead listen to what God is telling you. But if you think it's a preachy book you are so wrong. Jenny B. Jones does an excellent job of weaving in an important message without ever becoming preachy. This book will have you laughing, crying (sad and happy tears), and will even give you a little food for thought. Loved it!

I received my free review copy from booksneeze.com