Christa Allan

A very brave 2nd book for Christa Allan. I put off reading the last 25 pages because I was afraid of how it might end but I didn't need to worry. It was excellent. Without giving too much away, if you enjoyed Karen Kingsbury's Bailey series and agreed 100% with her theology, don't pick up this book. It will frustrate you to no end. If, on the other hand, you are disturbed by the current trend of agreeing that being a homosexual is not a sin as long as celibacy is practiced (condemning an show more entire segment of society to a passionless and lonely life), this is the book for you. Very satisfying and thought-provoking. show less

How to start my review? I guess the best way is to say that the story was riveting, emotional and so powerful that I never put the book down until I finished it. I have not read a book from this author before, but wow does she have a way to make a story come to life. Her characters were so real, I felt like I was sitting beside Olivia as each painful journey she took was mixed with tears and disappointment.

On the day you are to be married, you realize your groom is not going to show up, so show more what do you do? For Olivia that day will forever be a painful, and sorrowful day. Why did her fiancé not show up? As you read the story you begin to see the man Wyatt , her fiancé was. He loved Olivia with everything he had, but on their wedding day, a trajedy happens that will bring secrets to the surface.

I loved Olivia instantly and thought her character was someone I would want to be friends with. She is smart, pretty and full of life. There is one thing she is struggling with , though. She has a hard time understanding why her parents believe in God. Her mother is very critical of her and their relationship was difficult at times. I loved the scenes when they argued as it brought realism to the story. Parts of the story really hit home for me and I knew I was going to cry before I finished the book. It is hard to love someone who always says negative things to you. As their fights became an almost daily thing, Olivia was beginning to distance herself from her mom.

I loved how the story showed us that forgiveness can tear down bitterness and restore relationships. Olivia's journey to trust in God is very well written and I enjoyed reading her transformation. She endures tragedies and feels like God is punishing her. Have you ever felt that way? Throughout the story , Olivia's grandmother is a very gentle person who reminds Olivia that God does not hate her. The story is filled with deep emotions and the ending is one you won't forget. I'm so glad I read this story because it reminded me how fragile life is. Take time everyday to tell those you love how important they are. Remember that God is always there and forgiveness will set you free.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. The review is my own opinion and I was not compensated for it. show less

Whew! I was an emotional mess as I finished Christa Allan’s latest book, Since You’ve Been Gone. Allan took me on a roller-coaster — sad, mad, tickled and hopeful. This novel is not for the feint of heart, but it is for the reader who wants an authentic story full of flawed characters, real-life happenings, and an unchanging God. So come prepared with a few tissues and a few hours to spend with this unputdownable book.

Olivia is hit with the unthinkable — her wedding day ends not with show more a happily-ever-after, but with grief and seemingly unanswerable questions. When she finds out she is not only a bride without a groom, but a soon to be mother, Olivia finds herself struggling to make sense of why God is silent.

As I stated above, Since You’ve Been Gone is not an easy read. It does have its moments of levity as only Allan can bring. That’s a relief, because Olivia faces loss upon loss within this book’s pages. I won’t spoil it for you, but while Olivia faces more than she thinks she can handle, it is not more than many real life people have to bear. As Olivia’s grandmother, Ruthie, puts it — life can be wonderful and also very, very hard. The story is told in Olivia’s first person voice which works well to see into her character and circumstances. Supporting characters are treated pretty fairly by Olivia, yet no one can truly know the hearts of others. I found myself really liking Ruthie and Evan, Olivia’s ex-boyfriend. Olivia’s mother, Scarlet, not so much. But the reader finds in the end everyone faces loss and grief and responds in many different ways. Wyatt, the one character who cannot speak for himself, is revealed in a very unique way. Well done, Ms. Allan!

While God is largely silent in Olivia’s life, He shows up in what Ruthie calls God-incidences. Olivia and the reader are reminded that while we may not understand what is going on, God is not really absent or not working in the midst of tragedy. He often sends just who we need just when we need them.

I really liked Since You’ve Been Gone. It is one of those books that will make you feel and think and then think again long after the last page is turned. This one is a highly recommended read.

Highly Recommended.

Audience: adults.

(Thanks to the author and publisher for a copy of this book. All opinions expressed are mine alone.) show less

Obsessed with brand names, social status, and, well, alcohol, Leah Thornton isn't your average Christian-fiction protagonist. She's shelved God as a subject for a later date and is slow to change, quick to fire sarcasm, even after her best friend calls her on her drinking and she checks herself into rehab. Yet her chilly shell protects layers of vulnerability that the author peels away gradually and believably.

I don't usually last all the way through women's fiction, but this is a worthwhile show more debut for sure. It almost earned four stars from me (a feat in itself for this genre) but not quite. Too many secondary characters (mainly the rehab staff) caused some of them to blur together, though others are quite well developed. Occasional verb tense oddness suggests this book was originally written in present tense then edited to past, but along the way some "being" verbs were overlooked. Also, Ms. Allan tends to write really-really-short and/or dangling scenes. Several times, a scene ends on a firecracker line of dialogue that ignites the conflict ... and then the narrative picks up hours later, with Leah telling someone who wasn't present about the rest of her evening. This may be a personal preference, but I really want to see action as it happens.

That said, in this quietly probing story of one woman's journey into the depths of herself, there's a lot of theme "meat" on which to ruminate. Leah's wounds and losses don't miraculously repair themselves in the final five pages. In fact, her healing has only started as her story ends, but she has found the path to a whole self and to God. I found myself caring about Leah, even about her husband Carl. Controlling and selfish as he is, he still seems potentially redeemable, simply never forced to grow up. I'm curious if Carl and Leah will rebuild their marriage-house on the Rock of Christ, or if Leah will have to find courage to leave.

If you've read enough "finding God means finding a perfect life!" fiction to last two lifetimes, give this book a try. It smashes Christian fiction's plot and character stereotypes, and it introduces an endearing protagonist with a well defined narrative voice. show less