I am typing this at 1:06am. Because I just finished reading Denise Hunter’s latest release, An Accidental Bride, and it was good enough that I couldn’t sleep and had to write a review instead. What a joy to pick up a fast-paced, delightful novel!

I really enjoyed reading Hunter’s latest. I’ve read a few of her other novels in the past (the Nantucket series was part ridiculous-cheesy-Christian fiction, part really enjoyable and thought-provoking fiction) and I’ve always appreciated it. My appreciation stems from the fact that Hunter’s novels are real. They do seem slightly contrived (what Christian novel isn’t with publishing these days?  And who names these books?!) but they’re not over the top ridiculous. More importantly though, I’ve appreciated Hunter’s focus on major growth for her characters.

In An Accidental Bride, Shay struggles with something oh-so-common to most women’s lives and thought processes. Took me back to high school mentally when I read of the snickers and giggles and rude girls! But Shay’s engagement with the issue (of how she’s seen by others and their perceived judgement of her) and the way the issue continually evolved for Shay was interesting. Her relationship with her daughter and the way she handled her daughter’s insecurities as well as her own was difficult to read; however, it was encouraging to see Shay grow and to teach her daughter as she learned from her mistakes.

I was not a huge fan of Shay’s character, but I did enjoy watching her grow into her relationship with Travis.  As far as plot goes, this was nothing heavy, but it was a well-written novel with some interesting twists.

Thank you to Thomas Nelson for the review copy.  My opinions are solely my own.