Today’s Book Review: I’ll Know You By Heart by Kimberly Job

If you're looking for "clean" fiction, book reviews are the way to go especially when you're dealing with sensitive topics. How many times have you picked up a book thinking it would decent and by the third page you're disappointed? I'll post some suggestions for book review blogs later in this post. If you have any you'd like to add, feel free to post your comment.

Clean fiction that deals with hard topics. I can suggest such a book. I had the privilege of reviewing Valor Publishing's latest romance novel; I'll Know You By Heart. One woman's emotional journey of overcoming abuse, saving her family, and finding new love. Author, Kimberly Job, deals sensitively with the topic of domestic violence, but also doesn't sugar coat it. I'm a sunny-side up kind of reader so when I know a book deals with a hard topic sensitively I appreciate it.

Kimberly allows her main characters to fall in love through friendship, which makes the love story between Stephanie and Jared believable, although, the book doesn't deliver the whole story simply because it can't. Lasting effects of abuse can't be tidied up just because it's the last page. I'm a bit of a skeptic in that way. I believe writing about abuse can be tricky, yet, it can be done cleanly. I can assure you that the author tastefully writes about a broken marriage and family life, but wraps a love story around it that leaves you feeling hopeful and happy—for the main character and for her children.

I've never had to heal from a wrench in my gut because the someone I loved physically betrayed me. I've not known such personal pain, but, through my work with women at the House of Hope, I know women who have. If we don't talk about it, we can't understand it and we can't help fix it. I believe that.

Domestic violence affects one in every four women (Bureau of Justice Statistics). That's a statistic I hope someday we can eradicate. May the Stephanie's of the world find the Jared's of the world. Now that would be sunny-side-up.


Question of the Day: What Book Reivew Blogs do you recommend? Post your comment.

 Me?  Where do I go?  ANSWER:  I go to my friend Holly. She knows exactly what I like and every recommendation she gives me I love. Too bad I can't give you her phone number.

Book Review Blogs

http://ldswbr.blogspot.com/2010/03/ill-know-you-by-heart.html
http://www.queenoftheclan.com/2010/04/book-review-ill-know-you-by-heart-by.html
http://writing4me2.blogspot.com/2010/04/book-review-ill-know-you-by-heart.html
http://galesears.blogspot.com/,http://www.kathiswritingnook.com/2010/04/interview-with-tristi-pinkston.html,
http://whynotbecauseisaidso.blogspot.com/http://www.daronfraley.com/2010/04/book-review-ill-know-you-by-heart-by-kimberly-job.html

LOVE Is In the Air! (Literally)

This past summer, I attended education week classes at a nearby university.  The last class of the day was on increasing the LOVE in your relationships. Sounds like your average marriage class. But it was far from it. The LOVE lesson I learned that day will stick in my mind forever.

 

My friend and I found two open seats near the front of the classroom. We sat down and pulled out our notebooks and pens.  Within minutes, the room filled with eager students ranging from ages 18 to 75. The instructor began an informative discussion about the three Greek words that define the most important word in the English language...L-O-V-E.

The instructor explained that . . .


"Eros is the romantic kind of love."
"Philos is brotherly love. The deep love you have for family members and good friends. "
"Agape love is god-like love. The unconditional, giving, serving, and sacrificing kind of love."


Interestingly enough, as the instructor began describing eros, I spotted a young couple (very young) sitting near the exit door. They couldn't keep their hands off each other. I thought to myself, "Ah, ha! That's eros in action." And believe me, there was action. Fingers through the hair, back rubs, shoulder rubs, and arm tickles. For 50 minutes straight the strawberry blonde and her bronzed counterpart were obviously engaged in eros. I guess you could say they were a very effective visual aid. (Ha!)


Next, the instructor introduced philos. The bonding kind of love you feel for a dear family member or a good friend. This kind of love is deep and has the other person's best interest at heart. I looked around the room. And what do you know? To the right of me, sat a mom and a daughter. They were linked arm in arm. They had to be mother and daughter because the dark haired one looked like a younger version of the gray-haired one. They seemed very close. At one point, the dark-haired one pulled out a granola bar, split it half and gave a piece to the gray-haired one. "Okay," I thought. There's philos in action." Again, another great visual aid.


Well, next, the instructor introduced agape love. Now, keep in mind, I've been in classes all day. My rear end is starting to go numb. My mind is wandering to what I'm going to make for dinner and which children will have what homework. "Okay, back on track. Back to agape." I tried to focus.


So, the instructor then explained that AGAPE is the God-like love—unconditional love that forgives and endures. He talked about how agape love could not be shaken or altered and that it is the heart of God that we as humans would experience if we could experience love in its fullness. I think to myself, "Well, there's no visual aid for that." I got my protein bar out of my bag and took a bite. My eyes wandered. That's when I noticed a couple sitting right in front of me. A gray-haired man and a gray-haired woman. I guessed they were in their late 60s. There was nothing stand-out obvious about this couple except for, at one point, the husband fixed his wife's knitted sweater that had fallen off her shoulder. How sweet.  Then, it happened. A long, loud, bodily sound accompanied by a gassy smell came from the gray-haired woman. Ugghh! Can you imagine a quiet room of 200 people and having that happen to you?  Unfortunately, there was no way to disguise it. She had "tooted" and everyone—at least those of us close by—knew it. I shifted in my chair feeling her pain but at the same time feeling gratitude that it was her and not I. (Does that count as philos?)


Well, right then, this woman's husband, slowly but surely, lifted his right arm, stretched it around her and lovingly patted her on her the shoulder. He even gave her a little pull towards him as if to say, "It's okay. I love you."


"Ah! Agape!" I couldn't resist. I turned to my friend and whispered, "Did you see that? THAT! THAT'S AGAPE!" We giggled silently with hearts full! We had witnessed Agape at its peak. Maybe no one else around thought so. But we sure did. And it was beautiful! (A little smelly, but beautiful.)

 That day, I can honestly say love was in the air!

To the couple who sat in front of me at Education Week 2009, I thank you! In you, I saw AGAPE in action. You know, I can't remember much more about that class—not even the instructor's name. But thanks to those three couples, I will remember the lessons of love never to be forgotten.

To have love is to give love. 

Happy LOVE Day.