Customer Reviews

The Transformation: A Project Restoration Novel (Project Restoration Series)

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
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I'm not really sure where to begin here. This book took me by surprise. I don't know what I was expecting this book to be, but the back cover synopsis just did not do this book justice. There was so much more to this intense, and at times, dark story. I'm not really sure where to begin here. This book took me by surprise. I don't know what I was expecting this book to be, but the back cover synopsis just did not do this book justice. There was so much more to this intense, and at times, dark story. The darkness gave way to the light and ended on a positive and happy note.

One of the most striking things about this book is all the detail. The author really took her time writing this book, at least that is how it felt as I was reading it. All the details about the project and decorations made it easy to visualize the setting and the feeling of the Blue Church. I loved how that church felt and the transformations that took place there. The Transformation is a very appropriate title for this book.

There is a lot of theology in this book which made reading it a wonderful Christian experience. I really loved this book, much more than I thought I would. I think anyone who wants to read a book where Jesus is at the center, will appreciate The Transformation.

The Transformation by Terri Kraus is more than meets the eye. Yes, there is the transformation of a beautiful old church. A beautiful young woman who buys real estate and flips them for a profit has her eye on transforming this church into a restaurant/bar. However, the man she chooses to do this is a man of strong faith and conviction.

During the work on the building they begin to learn more about each other. He finds out that she has a colored past and she discovers he has a strong sense of right and wrong. What they both discover through their transformations - not just the buildings - is that they both have more in common than they would have ever thought. What is that common thread from their past that haunts both of them?

There is an array of characters and each will go through transformations of their own. If you like surprise endings, then you don't want to miss this one.

The entire theme of this novel is redemption from beginning to end. Nearly all the characters have some need for it. I think that is very reflective of our world today. I liked the way the author treated the issues of past sins and how the church and people in general react to them. Some are too afraid to go there at all, some are very critical, and some let those sins determine the path for the rest of their lives. I think God's mercy is a lot more extensive than many people are willing to extend--even to themselves. I also appreciated the way the author treated the Jewish culture and traditions with respect while still holding fast to the truth.

Samantha, Paula, Oliver, Taller and even Robert the dog, became very real to me as I stepped into these pages and watched not just a building transform--but their lives as well. It's a beautiful reminder of what God can and does do each and every day.

All the other reviewers have already given the basic plot synopsis of this book, so I won't repeat it here. Just let me say that this novel is very engrossing, with believable characters, and an ending that I partially expected, but also in some ways surprised me. The two leading characters, Oliver and Samantha, don't discover until the last few pages what they really have in common. The supporting characters...like Tolliver, Paula, Rose, Barth and the Pratt Brothers...all add important elements to the story.
Terri Kraus' writing style reminds me very much of Karen Kingsbury. So if you like Kingsbury novels, you'll like "The Transformation" by Terri Kraus.

Oliver Barnett, has a secret. One that is keeping him bound up. And it is also making him miserable trying to please his mother all the time. Thirty eight years old and never married, a successful contractor, Oliver takes on a project destined to change his life forever.

Samantha Cohen, a young Jewish woman, living life loose, fast and crazily, is a flipper. She buys properties and remodels them, and then sales for a profit. Her latest project is a church. A church with lovely historical stained glass windows. She has a beautiful vision, of a lovely restaurant and nightclub.
She too has a secret, that drives her to the crazy things she finds herself in the middle of.

Their worlds collide when they meet and Oliver bids on her latest project. Never one to believe in love at first sight, Samantha does however, sense that Oliver is different from any man she has ever met. She is falling hard for him, and fast. Oliver on the other hand is very cautious, a born again believer, who believes in sexual purity and holy living, he is the complete opposite of Samantha.

Then there is lovely Paula, a young divorced mother from Oliver's hometown. A young lady that his mother didn't like him dating in high school. But she seems just fine to push Oliver towards a serious relationship with Paula now. Add Tolliver, also know as Taller, Oliver's brother, his jealousy and issues toward Oliver, and indeed you have a tangled web. Teri Kraus expertly untangles this web, and weaves it into a story that will keep your interest. Who gets the girl? Who falls in love? Is there a wedding? Read this wonderful novel and find out. Discussion and group questions at the end of the book.358 pages $14.99 US

The Transformation by Terri Kraus has an unexpected depth. Oliver Barnett has spent much of his life trying to please him mother while also living out his faith. Samantha Cohen has spent hers trying to please no one but herself. The two are thrown together when she hires him to be the contractor to renovate a beautiful old church into a restaurant, a job his mother is certain will make him the bullseye on Satan's dartboard with God's permission for the sacrilege. The church maintains a certain sanctity, and everyone who spends time there will be transformed. The plot sounds like any number of romance novels, but Kraus ' writing elevates this to pure literature. She creates a taut suspenseful story where the reader can feel the noose tightening around Oliver's neck. Oliver's faith is a rare gem, and his desire to make everyone happy puts him at the mercy of far too many people. The characters are three-dimensional, not all good or bad, and every line of dialogue rings true.Kraus exposes the hypocrisy of Christians who believe in forgiveness for only some and can justify anything with Scripture without truly believing. Just like reading a detective or suspense story where the tension grows with each page, so does The Transformation. This book was truly a joy to read.

When a young woman buys a church with beautiful stained glass windows, she decides to turn it into a night club. The contractor she hires is doubtful about the project, especially some of the beautiful stained glass windows that look like the eye of God looking down on him as he works.
Oliver is a good man, christian, obedient son, but when he fights with his emotions as to whether it is right or moral to accept this job of turning a church into a night club, he is struggling. The real estate developer, Samantha, is pretty, but not a believer. In the mean time he has other problems with his mother trying to thrust an old girlfriend and him down the church aisle and a brother who is excited to get him into trouble.....

Again, this story was different with some non-christians in it, but I enjoyed learning about Oliver and his strong faith. He was not quite as strong or observant when it came to women and I wondered at first if he was autistic or has some kind of disability from the way he was described. I enjoyed watching how the story unfolded, Oliver dealing with what he thought God would want him to do and Samantha battling with suddenly dealing with morality in her face. His brother and Paula were extra twists that sort of annoyed me! This book was a great story of learning how to battle with how do you bring your faith into your workplace and how it can effect your pocketbook.

This book was sent to me from the author for review purposes. I have reviewed it honestly according to my opinion.

As an avid reader, it is a pleasure to me to find an author who can write a series and make each successive book as good as or better than the one before. Terri Kraus does this. The Transformation is book three in her Project Restoration Series. In Oliver Barnett and Samantha Cohen she crafted new, flawed, endearing characters and managed to give us pieces of information about the characters we came to love in the other books. She even gave us a canine character who frequently upstages his humans.

As a resident of Pennsylvania, a lover of old buildings and a true romantic at heart, this book touched me on several levels. And, as the renovation of the old church takes place, a renovation in the characters' hearts does too. Reader, beware. Your heart may have some improvements by the faith and grace elements in the story line. If you have not read The Renovation and The Renewal I would recommend them. However, each book stands alone, so go ahead and grab this one while it is on the shelf! I enjoy Terri's books and look forward to reading more.



Notice: In accordance with the FTC regulations I inform you that in my role as an Influencer, The Transformation was sent to me directly from the author, Terri Kraus, for review purposes. I review only books I have read and all reviews are the honest representation of my opinion of the book.

The Transformation is the third book in the Project Restoration Series. It is the story of Oliver Barnett, a contractor hired to renovate an historic church into a nightclub/restaurant. The building is owned by Samantha Cohen. An uncomfortable situation for Oliver since Samantha is a Jew, not the ideal woman that his mother had in mind and Oliver's attraction to her is something that could make working for her difficult.

There is something about the Kraus writes her books that amaze me. My normal book preference is quick moving plots and snappy dialog. But Kraus' books take a more leisurely pace. Yes, it takes me a little longer to finish them, but I am thoroughly satisfied when I am done.

And the topics and themes of the book are pretty strong. I think Kraus handled the subject of interfaith relationships beautifully. Also, she tackles some other difficult situations and shows how the grace of God works in these situations.

My only problem is I was left guessing about some of the subplots at the end. A few situations were left unresolved. It's not that big of a deal, but especially if there is going to be a part two to this novel. (Insert subtle hint to the author).

All in all, it was a great book and I so appreciate when a good book stretches my reading style and preference.

The Transformation by Terri Kraus is a work that speaks to issues far deeper than the renovation of a historic old church into a modern restaurant and night club. As the restoration project progresses, it parallels the changes that transpire in the lives of the characters involved.

The book presents a strong message of redemption backed by sound theology and accurate Biblical references. It leaves the reader with the realization that anyone, regardless of past sins, can be redeemed through the amazing power and grace of God.

Oliver Barnett is a good Christian man who honors his God and his mother. Yet, his attraction to a woman outside his faith tests his moral fiber and threatens to devastate his doting mother. Oliver struggles with his feelings while attempting to rekindle a relationship with a past love interest, a woman who needs the stability he can offer and whose presence in his life would please his mother.

Samantha Cohen, real estate developer and woman of the world who is bound by the Jewish traditions of her widower father, has never met a man like Oliver. As she tries to lure him away from his moral code, Samantha discovers why his beliefs have molded him into the man she has come to love.

Robert the Dog is a delightful canine creation who serves to give a deeper dimension to Oliver's character. A well defined array of other characters, including Oliver's brother, Samantha's father, an old preacher, and even the workmen on the project, flow into the plot in a harmony of circumstances that force Oliver and Samantha to search their hearts for truth.

In this third book in the Product Restoration Series, Terri Kraus dares to pose questions about religion, love, and morality through an entertaining tale that takes the reader on a soul-searching journey.