Never the Bride - Book Review

One day while I was in a Goodwill bookstore I stumbled upon a slim Christian fiction novel. I'm not sure what made me pause and pick it up. Maybe it was the cover, maybe the title. The synopsis looked interesting enough and I was looking for something light hearted and romantic. It was a little beat up, but the yellow price tag said $1.99. Sold.

Little did I know I had picked up one of the most unique Christian romances out there. Never The Bride by Cheryl McKay and Rene Gutteridge had an unusual beginning. It was originally written as a screenplay and later turned into a book. Today I'll be reviewing this little known novel.

Plot Summary

Jessie Stone has dreamed about her Prince Charming and tried to find him for years. Now she's almost thirty-five, has been a bridesmaid eleven times, and never a bride. She's done speed dating, tried to catch the attention of her longtime crush, and flirted with every guy her age who looks at her; all attempts fail.

Then one day God walks into her life as a real human being and offers to write her an out-of-this-world love story – on one condition. She must give up her beloved purple pen (which she uses to write ways men could propose to her), and obey all His instructions. She's skeptical, but she has nothing to lose, so she agrees and is swept on an adventure that will change her life forever.

Content Warnings

In one scene Jessie gets tipsy because she's upset and ends up paying for it. Also, her unmarried sister lives with her boyfriends when she's not living with Jessie.

Personal Thoughts

This has become one of my favorite books of all time. At it's heart it's a comedy. Jessie is hysterical, relatable, quirky yet endearing, and far from perfect. In no way is the book preachy and it's unlike any Christian fiction book out there. While it's a fairly quick read, it's not shallow. Though the plot is focused on Jessie's romance, it's not gushy, so those who typically don't enjoy romance might want to give it a try.

I love how raw and down-to-earth the book gets. What woman hasn't wondered when Prince Charming is going to show up? At first the whole God-as-a-human-being thing threw me off and I'll admit, at first I considered putting the novel down because it was so unusual. However, I'm glad I stuck with it. Give the book little time before judging it; while the beginning is a bit rough, the story is a gem.

Notes

This book is good for teenagers and adults.

Steam Level: 💋

For those of you who have read Never The Bride, what did you think of it? For those of you who have not read it, would you?