Like other modern parents, Eric and Annie Camden are coping with their kids' childhood traumas and adolescent rites of passage: Simon wants a dog, Mary wants a tattoo, Ruthie's starting school, and Lucy has her first crush. In this warmhearted, entertaining novel, the Camdens pull through for better or for worse — with a strong sense of humor and an even stronger sense of family.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From the Inside Flap
Like other modern parents, Eric and Annie Camden are coping with their kids' childhood traumas and adolescent rites of passage: Simon wants a dog, Mary wants a tattoo, Ruthie's starting school, and Lucy has her first crush. In this warmhearted, entertaining novel, the Camdens pull through for better or for worse ? with a strong sense of humor and an even stronger sense of family.
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Rev. Camden threw on his robe and rushed out of the bedroom. Mrs. Camden was right behind him until she saw where her husband was headed.
Rev. Camden flung open Matt's bedroom door. To his surprise and relief, Matt was sleeping soundly. He didn't even notice the intrusion.
As Rev. Camden quietly shut the door, he turned and faced his wife. He smiled reassuringly.
They headed downstairs. Rev. Camden checked the couch, but it was empty.
"Hey," Mrs. Camden said. "I think I found her."
In the driveway, in the front seat of a sporty black car, Tia was sleeping sitting up. The Camdens approached the car and saw a wad of tissue still clutched in her hand.
The car's interior lights went on once Mrs. Camden opened the door, and Tia woke up. She rubbed the sleep out of her swollen eyes and tried to smile.
"Are you okay?" Rev. Camden asked softly.
Tia nodded. "I'm fine," she said. "I just didn't feel like going back to my dad's tonight."
The reverend helped the girl to her feet. "Your dad just called. He was very worried about you," he said.
Tia sighed and checked her watch. Then she rolled her eyes. "So worried that it took him until two-thirty to notice I'm not there?"
The Camdens heard the sadness in the girl's voice.
"Come on, let's let him know you're okay," said Mrs. Camden.
Tia nodded. She began to shiver in the cool evening air. Mrs. Camden draped her robe over Tia's shoulders. Together, they went into the house.
When they got to the living room, Rev. Camden called Mr. Jackson, who answered after the first ring.
"Hello, Bob," he began. "It's Eric Camden. Tia's fine. She's right here."
"Oh, good," said the voice on the other end of the line. "I had a feeling she was." The reverend could hear relief in Mr. Jackson's voice. He also heard the woman in the background once again.
"I could drive her over there," Rev. Camden suggested. "Or we could put her up here for the rest of the night."
When Tia heard that, she smiled. Mrs. Camden smiled back, but cautiously. She was beginning to see Tia's situation more clearly.
"I don't want to put you out," Mr. Jackson said.
Rev. Camden looked up at his wife. She nodded uneasily. "No trouble at all," he said. "Shell be fine. Would you like to talk to her?" he added.
"No," Mr. Jackson replied. "That's fine. I'm sure she's in good hands."
"Well, good night, then," Rev. Camden said uncertainly. But Mr. Jackson had already hung up.
"Let me guess," Tia said, still smiling. "It's okay with him if I stay here."
Rev. Camden nodded.
"Sorry if I scared you," apologized Tia. "I was going to drive home in the morning, before anyone woke up."
She turned and looked at Mrs. Camden. "His dates are always gone by then," she said.
Mrs. Camden put her arm around Tia's shoulder. "Don't worry about it," she soothed. "We'll make up a bed on the couch."
Tia gave Mrs. Camden a big hug. Over the girl's shoulder, Mrs. Camden shot her husband a meaningful look. The reverend nodded sadly, rubbing his eyes.
How could a father treat his daughter like that? he wondered.
"Thanks," Tia whispered. "To both of you."
"Tie, does your father know how you feel about his dating?" asked Rev. Camden.
"I don't think it makes a difference how I feel," she replied with a shrug.
He wouldn't take that as an answer. "It might, you know," he replied softly. "Maybe you should have a talk with him."
Tia hung her head for a moment. Then she looked up and smiled.
"You really do believe in miracles, don't you?" she replied.
"You kind of have to in my line of work," Rev. Camden replied.
He looked at her. She met his gaze with one of her own.
At least she's still fighting, he thought. Her spirit isn't broken. . .yet.
The reverend, Mrs. Camden, and Tia were just finishing breakfast the next morning when they heard Happy bark. The dog dashed into the kitchen, followed quickly by Simon. Matt brought up the rear, but stopped dead in his tracks when he saw his girlfriend. He noticed that she was still wearing the same clothes as last night, which meant she had never gone home.
"Tia!" Simon cried out in delight.
"Hey, Simon," Tia said, throwing her arms wide and giving the boy a hug.
Matt walked up to the table. "Are you okay?" he asked anxiously. "Did you have car trouble or something?"
Tia smiled at him. "It's a long story," she said evasively.
"Shell tell you all about it later," Mrs. Camden said. Then she looked at her younger son. "Simon," she announced, "it's time for breakfast."
"In a minute, Mom," Simon pleaded. "After I talk to Tia."
Simon grabbed Tia's arm and led her to the other side of the kitchen.
"I think I figured out why Happy follows me around, even when I'm invisible," Simon whispered in a serious tone.
"Really!" Tia said. "Why?"
'Well," Simon began. "According to the Ninjas, when I'm invisible, I don't really disappear--"
Tia raised her eyebrows in polite surprise. "No?"
"No," Simon continued. "I'm still there. All I did was use my mental powers so that you can't see me."
"Of course," Tia agreed instantly.
"But a dog has greater mental powers and can sense I'm still around."
"So Happy can still sense your presence," Tia said, nodding in mock understanding. "Good point."
"Yeah," Simon said. "Until school yesterday, I really thought I couldn't do it. Then I figured out that Happy was the problem."
'Well," Tia said, patting him on the back, "keep up the good work."
At that moment, Ruthie ran into the kitchen, followed by Mary and Lucy. Mary's eyes widened when she saw Tia.
"Was there a sleepover?" Ruthie asked innocently.
Mary leaned close to Lucy. "Doesn't she ever go home?" she whispered to her sister. Lucy held back a giggle.
"Morning," Tia said to the girls. Then she turned to Mrs. Camden. "Thanks for breakfast. Sorry to eat and run, but I should go home and change my clothes before school today."
"You don't have to go, Tia," Simon insisted. "You can wear something of Mary's".
Mary shot her brother a sour look, but he didn't see it.
"Did I hear something?" Mary asked Lucy. "A strange, stupid voice?"
"It's Simon," Ruthie insisted. "He's not invisible now."
"Too bad," Mary quipped. Then she looked at Matt's girlfriend. "Come on, Tia," she said. "Let's find you something to wear."
"Thanks," Tia said. "This is great. Almost like having real sisters."
Mrs. Camden looked over at her husband from the table. Rev. Camden already knew what she was thinking. He nodded, as if to say Don't worry, it's under control.
Mrs. Camden tilted her head and looked at her husband skeptically.
As Mary and Tia headed upstairs, Lucy followed behind. Simon raced to keep up with them.
"I'll go with you," he insisted. "I'll make sure she shows you the good stuff."
When the group disappeared up the steps, Matt sat down next to his father. He looked concerned.
"Look, Dad," Matt began. "I told her it was late and that she had to go home. I even said I'd follow her if she didn't want to drive by herself..."
"Your father and I found her asleep in her car," Mrs. Camden interrupted.
Matt shook his head in bafflement. "I don't get it."
"It's okay, Matt," Rev. Camden said. 'We know you did nothing wrong."
Matt looked at his parents in relief. "Listen, Matt," continued the reverend. "Would it be okay with you if I paid her father a visit?"
Matt thought about it for a second. "Yeah, I guess," he finally answered. "But from what Tia says, he sounds like a jerk."
Rev. Camden nodded. "I kind of picked up on that," he remarked.
Matt turned to his mother. "What was Mrs. Jackson like?" he asked her.
Mrs. Camden frowned. "Pretty much like her dad," she replied. Matt clenched his fist and shifted in his chair. Then he looked at his father again.
"So," he said, "what are you going to say to him?"
Rev. Camden saw the concern on his son's face. "Listen, son," he reassured him, "I've done this kind of thing before. Many times."
"Yeah," Matt said cautiously. "But this time it affects me." His parents both looked at him.
"I mean, Tia likes our family, right?" Matt asked. His parents nodded.
"And we like her, right?" he continued. Again his parents nodded in agreement.
"Then look," Matt said. "I know it's still kind of early in the game, but I think that she could be the one."
Matt heard the girls laughing upstairs and stood up. "I'm going to go up and check on Tia," he said as he walked up the stairs.
His parents exchanged shocked glances. Could they have heard Matt correctly? Or had they misunderstood what he just said?
"Did he just say...?" Rev. Camden muttered. Mrs. Camden nodded with a faraway stare. "The one," ... --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Rev. Camden flung open Matt's bedroom door. To his surprise and relief, Matt was sleeping soundly. He didn't even notice the intrusion.
As Rev. Camden quietly shut the door, he turned and faced his wife. He smiled reassuringly.
They headed downstairs. Rev. Camden checked the couch, but it was empty.
"Hey," Mrs. Camden said. "I think I found her."
In the driveway, in the front seat of a sporty black car, Tia was sleeping sitting up. The Camdens approached the car and saw a wad of tissue still clutched in her hand.
The car's interior lights went on once Mrs. Camden opened the door, and Tia woke up. She rubbed the sleep out of her swollen eyes and tried to smile.
"Are you okay?" Rev. Camden asked softly.
Tia nodded. "I'm fine," she said. "I just didn't feel like going back to my dad's tonight."
The reverend helped the girl to her feet. "Your dad just called. He was very worried about you," he said.
Tia sighed and checked her watch. Then she rolled her eyes. "So worried that it took him until two-thirty to notice I'm not there?"
The Camdens heard the sadness in the girl's voice.
"Come on, let's let him know you're okay," said Mrs. Camden.
Tia nodded. She began to shiver in the cool evening air. Mrs. Camden draped her robe over Tia's shoulders. Together, they went into the house.
When they got to the living room, Rev. Camden called Mr. Jackson, who answered after the first ring.
"Hello, Bob," he began. "It's Eric Camden. Tia's fine. She's right here."
"Oh, good," said the voice on the other end of the line. "I had a feeling she was." The reverend could hear relief in Mr. Jackson's voice. He also heard the woman in the background once again.
"I could drive her over there," Rev. Camden suggested. "Or we could put her up here for the rest of the night."
When Tia heard that, she smiled. Mrs. Camden smiled back, but cautiously. She was beginning to see Tia's situation more clearly.
"I don't want to put you out," Mr. Jackson said.
Rev. Camden looked up at his wife. She nodded uneasily. "No trouble at all," he said. "Shell be fine. Would you like to talk to her?" he added.
"No," Mr. Jackson replied. "That's fine. I'm sure she's in good hands."
"Well, good night, then," Rev. Camden said uncertainly. But Mr. Jackson had already hung up.
"Let me guess," Tia said, still smiling. "It's okay with him if I stay here."
Rev. Camden nodded.
"Sorry if I scared you," apologized Tia. "I was going to drive home in the morning, before anyone woke up."
She turned and looked at Mrs. Camden. "His dates are always gone by then," she said.
Mrs. Camden put her arm around Tia's shoulder. "Don't worry about it," she soothed. "We'll make up a bed on the couch."
Tia gave Mrs. Camden a big hug. Over the girl's shoulder, Mrs. Camden shot her husband a meaningful look. The reverend nodded sadly, rubbing his eyes.
How could a father treat his daughter like that? he wondered.
"Thanks," Tia whispered. "To both of you."
"Tie, does your father know how you feel about his dating?" asked Rev. Camden.
"I don't think it makes a difference how I feel," she replied with a shrug.
He wouldn't take that as an answer. "It might, you know," he replied softly. "Maybe you should have a talk with him."
Tia hung her head for a moment. Then she looked up and smiled.
"You really do believe in miracles, don't you?" she replied.
"You kind of have to in my line of work," Rev. Camden replied.
He looked at her. She met his gaze with one of her own.
At least she's still fighting, he thought. Her spirit isn't broken. . .yet.
The reverend, Mrs. Camden, and Tia were just finishing breakfast the next morning when they heard Happy bark. The dog dashed into the kitchen, followed quickly by Simon. Matt brought up the rear, but stopped dead in his tracks when he saw his girlfriend. He noticed that she was still wearing the same clothes as last night, which meant she had never gone home.
"Tia!" Simon cried out in delight.
"Hey, Simon," Tia said, throwing her arms wide and giving the boy a hug.
Matt walked up to the table. "Are you okay?" he asked anxiously. "Did you have car trouble or something?"
Tia smiled at him. "It's a long story," she said evasively.
"Shell tell you all about it later," Mrs. Camden said. Then she looked at her younger son. "Simon," she announced, "it's time for breakfast."
"In a minute, Mom," Simon pleaded. "After I talk to Tia."
Simon grabbed Tia's arm and led her to the other side of the kitchen.
"I think I figured out why Happy follows me around, even when I'm invisible," Simon whispered in a serious tone.
"Really!" Tia said. "Why?"
'Well," Simon began. "According to the Ninjas, when I'm invisible, I don't really disappear--"
Tia raised her eyebrows in polite surprise. "No?"
"No," Simon continued. "I'm still there. All I did was use my mental powers so that you can't see me."
"Of course," Tia agreed instantly.
"But a dog has greater mental powers and can sense I'm still around."
"So Happy can still sense your presence," Tia said, nodding in mock understanding. "Good point."
"Yeah," Simon said. "Until school yesterday, I really thought I couldn't do it. Then I figured out that Happy was the problem."
'Well," Tia said, patting him on the back, "keep up the good work."
At that moment, Ruthie ran into the kitchen, followed by Mary and Lucy. Mary's eyes widened when she saw Tia.
"Was there a sleepover?" Ruthie asked innocently.
Mary leaned close to Lucy. "Doesn't she ever go home?" she whispered to her sister. Lucy held back a giggle.
"Morning," Tia said to the girls. Then she turned to Mrs. Camden. "Thanks for breakfast. Sorry to eat and run, but I should go home and change my clothes before school today."
"You don't have to go, Tia," Simon insisted. "You can wear something of Mary's".
Mary shot her brother a sour look, but he didn't see it.
"Did I hear something?" Mary asked Lucy. "A strange, stupid voice?"
"It's Simon," Ruthie insisted. "He's not invisible now."
"Too bad," Mary quipped. Then she looked at Matt's girlfriend. "Come on, Tia," she said. "Let's find you something to wear."
"Thanks," Tia said. "This is great. Almost like having real sisters."
Mrs. Camden looked over at her husband from the table. Rev. Camden already knew what she was thinking. He nodded, as if to say Don't worry, it's under control.
Mrs. Camden tilted her head and looked at her husband skeptically.
As Mary and Tia headed upstairs, Lucy followed behind. Simon raced to keep up with them.
"I'll go with you," he insisted. "I'll make sure she shows you the good stuff."
When the group disappeared up the steps, Matt sat down next to his father. He looked concerned.
"Look, Dad," Matt began. "I told her it was late and that she had to go home. I even said I'd follow her if she didn't want to drive by herself..."
"Your father and I found her asleep in her car," Mrs. Camden interrupted.
Matt shook his head in bafflement. "I don't get it."
"It's okay, Matt," Rev. Camden said. 'We know you did nothing wrong."
Matt looked at his parents in relief. "Listen, Matt," continued the reverend. "Would it be okay with you if I paid her father a visit?"
Matt thought about it for a second. "Yeah, I guess," he finally answered. "But from what Tia says, he sounds like a jerk."
Rev. Camden nodded. "I kind of picked up on that," he remarked.
Matt turned to his mother. "What was Mrs. Jackson like?" he asked her.
Mrs. Camden frowned. "Pretty much like her dad," she replied. Matt clenched his fist and shifted in his chair. Then he looked at his father again.
"So," he said, "what are you going to say to him?"
Rev. Camden saw the concern on his son's face. "Listen, son," he reassured him, "I've done this kind of thing before. Many times."
"Yeah," Matt said cautiously. "But this time it affects me." His parents both looked at him.
"I mean, Tia likes our family, right?" Matt asked. His parents nodded.
"And we like her, right?" he continued. Again his parents nodded in agreement.
"Then look," Matt said. "I know it's still kind of early in the game, but I think that she could be the one."
Matt heard the girls laughing upstairs and stood up. "I'm going to go up and check on Tia," he said as he walked up the stairs.
His parents exchanged shocked glances. Could they have heard Matt correctly? Or had they misunderstood what he just said?
"Did he just say...?" Rev. Camden muttered. Mrs. Camden nodded with a faraway stare. "The one," ... --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
More About the Author
Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.
Customer Reviews
|
Share your thoughts with other customers:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Heavenly Seven,
By A Customer
This review is from: Seventh Heaven: Nobody's Perfect (7th Heaven(TM)) (Paperback)
What do you get with a reverend, a house wife, 5 kids, and a dog? A heavenly 7 that make up 7th Heaven. The Camdens are just your average family. They go through everyday problems and solve them with laughs and cries. Nobody's Perfect by Amanda Christie, begins with Matt, the oldest child, who has a date for church, Tia; Simon's trying to use his super-human mental powers to become invisible; Lucy decides she's going to try out for the cheerleading squad; Mary is totally against Lucy; Annie, the mom, thinks that her and Eric's relationship has gotten boring; Eric, the reverend, has something up his sleeve; and finally Ruthie, the youngest, knows everything that is happening with the family. I feel this book is for anyone 10 and above. I liked the book since that it comes from my favorite TV show. It shows that everyone in life has problems and they can be solved. The Camdens aren't the perfect family, in fact, they are far from that. Not only will the book bring smiles, tears, laughs, and dreams, but the TV show will also. It relates to life so well that you'll know what the characters are going through. It's a family from the 90's. I love it because the characters go through the same problems we all do and the way they solve them is fascinating. Plus that fact that they're 7 kids in the family and they are all different ages makes it even more exciting. So many things happen that it'll keep you reading and watching. Turn on the WB and watch this family drama every Sunday and Monday night. These 7 will turn your TV into heaven.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent. Very much like the show. Superb.,
By A Customer
This review is from: Seventh Heaven: Nobody's Perfect (7th Heaven(TM)) (Paperback)
I really loved this book. I was afraid it would be really far fetched from the tv series, but took a chance on buying it anyways. I am really glad I did. It concentrates on the whole family and not just one character, which is refreshing. I hope they will release more books on this fabulous tv show. The book brings you right into the Camden household. If you like the show, you'll love the book.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good but not as funny as it could be,
By A Customer
This review is from: Seventh Heaven: Nobody's Perfect (7th Heaven(TM)) (Paperback)
It was good but not as good as I thought it would be. The reason I don't think it was as good as I wanted it to be is because it was not very funny and I like funny books. My favorite character was Lucy and I liked how Matt helped her to cheerlead. I did not like that Mary was not very supportive. I also liked the subject with Tia. 7th Heaven is my favorite TV show.
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
|
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Suggested Tags from Similar Products(What's this?)Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product).
|
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
