Book Review of Jilted {Great Fiction Novel}

'Jilted' is the first book by Varna Denman I have read, but it certainly won't be my last. Although this is book 3 of her Mended Heart series, Denman has provided enough description, care, and intrigue regarding the characters that I was able to follow along quite well. I do, however, have books 1 & 2 and they are next on my reading list because I want "the full picture" of the other lives that Denman puts her focus on within Trapp, Texas. I know the outcomes of those two women because their stories are continuing on within Jilted, but I know it will be totally worth it to go back and read their stories, too.

My favorite genre within  Christian fiction is mystery novels, and I'll read Christian romance on occasion. What I love about Jilted is that romance and mystery flow hand in hand throughout the entire novel. So if you enjoy romance it's for you, and if you like to sit down with a great "who done it", this is the book for you as well. Throw in the authenticity that Denman brings to the main character, Lynda, who battles pretty severe depression and seeks to just maintain a normalcy to her everyday, and Jilted now becomes an amazing read.

When the same people have lived in the same town their entire lives, it means their lives are continually an intertwining mix of the past and the present. Lynda sits center stage of this mix within Jilted, as she still awaits a husband who left and never returned, an ex-boyfreind from her teen years who still affects her life, and a potential 'new love' who used to be a very close friend. These relationships have ripple affects that bring more characters into the picture, from Lynda's daughter Ruthie, to Ruthie's friend Fawn & her husband and son, and even to the sheriff who Lynda has known since kindergarten. Above all the fantastic weavings of present & past within the characters, Denman takes a great look at: depression, first love, love later in life, losing people you love, and how God has a love for all of us that He longs for us to accept. This is a fantastic novel, and I highly recommend it.

*I received a complimentary copy in exchange for my honest review*

ABOUT THE BOOK

Jilted (David C. Cook, June 2016)

Lynda Turner has struggled with depression since her husband abandoned her and their young daughter fifteen years ago.

Yet unexpected hope awakens when a local ex-convict shows interest. As long-hidden secrets resurface, Lynda must fight for her emotional stability and for a life where the shadow of shame is replaced by the light of love.

Jilted tells of a woman who has lost the joy of living, a man determined to draw her back toward happiness, and a town that must—once and for all—leave the past where it belongs. It is a gentle reminder that all things can work together for good.

Learn more and purchase a copy.

About the Author:

Varina Denman is author of the Mended Hearts series and a native Texan. She spent her high school years in a rural town and now writes stories about the struggles women face in similar small town settings. She and her husband live near Fort Worth, where they enjoy spending time with their five mostly grown children