Amy Inspired by Bethany Pierce

I don't know who to be most upset with--Bethany Pierce for pushing every limit in this "Christian fiction" book or Bethany House for publishing it as such.  I almost put the book down about 4 times but didn't since I'd promised to review the book.  The only credit I can give this book is that it is well-written technically.  It sadly portrays our world as it is and the fight between flesh and spirit--but with the flesh winning throughout most of the book.

The story line is about a young woman named Amy Gallagher who is an aspiring writer but ends up teaching at a college to pay the bills.  She meets a young woman named Zoe, another budding author,  while working at a soup kitchen.  They become housemates.  Zoe brings home a guy who is an artist and the boyfriend of a former roommate--and he moves in.  Eli says he needs a place to crash for a couple of weeks, but stays for months and until an attraction develops between him and Amy---and they end up in bed together (although nothing "happens") while Zoe is away.  Eli moves out and there begins the discovery and unearthing of all of Amy, Zoe & Eli's pent-up inner struggles.

I know we struggle as Christians.  And I appreciate anyone trying to write about those struggles honestly--which I credit Bethany Pierce as doing.  But the Bible clearly tells us to be different, to live above reproach and to be like Christ.  I can't imagine Jesus putting Himself in the same situations Bethany put her characters in--which became too many to count.  Our world needs difference--they need hope!

I think Bethany's position is summed up in Amy's words in the book:  "How many times when you are writing do you hold back for fear of what your mom would say if she read it?  Or for fear of what a professor will say about your style?  In today's reading, Lamott points out that you have to free your mind from the burden of that critical audience.  To write what it is you need to write."  I just think Bethany forgot to write to that audience of One.

I'm sadly disappointed in this book and give it only 1 star--which is for Bethany's writing skill alone.

Thank you to Bethany House Publishing Group for providing this book for review. I was not required to write a positive review--obviously. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.