Age Before Beauty by Virginia Smith

It's been a LONG time since I've had to fight my 18 year old daughter for first dibs on a book, but Mom won, and I'm SO glad I did! Virginia Smith tops my list of favorite must read authors, and one page of her newest release will demonstrate just why I love her so!

In the first 'Sister to Sister' novel, we got to know Joan Sanderson well, as the "Stuck in the Middle" sister. Watching her learn to shine as her special self and find love amidst the struggles of being the invisible sister was fun and eye-opening.

In this second installment, oldest sister Allie Harrod is in the midst of her own struggle. A brand new mommy, Allie battles issues of body image (can I get a witness, sistahs?!?), career versus stay at home, and her mortal enemy---her mother-in-law.

But it seems Allie has found the solution to her problems--and it starts with her own business venture. Certainly becoming her own boss, setting her own hours and being the master of her own income will solve everything.

Right?

Um, every had your own home-based business, dear reading friends? Yeah, 'nuff said on that front!

Poor Allie has more to fight against than her hectic, got to break even employment lifestyle. The scars left behind when her father betrayed their family are now raw and tender as she adjusts to the new life of being a mommy with esteem issues and a husband who just doesn't seem to quite 'get it'.

Joan's new found faith has her on the right path. It's just the thought of surrender that has Allie spooked. With her world held tightly in her own hands of control and yet crumbling all around her, what will Allie choose? And could her husband, Eric, be following in her father's footsteps?

With a strong message of faith coupled with an insightful way to minister to those who are reluctant or resistant to believing in a loving and merciful God, Virginia's writing keeps soaring to new heights of excellence.

I'm thrilled that my soon to be 19 year old daughter has fallen in love with Virginia's heroines. Far from perfect, each women characterized in Virginia's stories is real, genuine, and guaranteed not only to crawl inside your heart, but to make you think about your own faith in Christ and how you live it out.

And I'm relieved to have a book captivate me so much, I devoured it cover to cover in one sitting! Thankfully, KT and I didn't have to come to blows over who reads "Age Before Beauty" first--age won out (helps that I read REALLY quickly also:-)

Please do not miss out on this amazing and multi-layered series about real life and real answers that work...no matter which birth order you fall into in your family. I'm giving "Age Before Beauty" the Golden Bookmark for excellence in evangelistic writing and contemporary fiction, and selecting it "Best Contemporary Series of 2009".

Now we just have to wait until Tori's story hits shelves...and I've got a feeling it will top them all--which means, Virginia, you're going to have to aim pretty high to beat this one!

Oh, and take it from me and from Allie--if you're going to start a home-based business...be certain to count the cost:-)

Happy Reading!