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Original Essays | October 17, 2009

God's Tea Party

14 comments By Jessica Maxwell

My Catholic friend tilted her teacup like a fortune-teller. "You know," she said, "I think people who don't have God in their lives are like people... Continue »

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1. 
   $17.50 Sale Hardcover add to wish list

   Roll around Heaven: An All-True Accidental Spiritual Adventure

   Jessica Maxwell

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Julie Anderson, June 14, 2008

Reviewed for queuemyreview.com; book release Sep08

It’s official. Susan Mallery hit a triple for me with “Sweet Trouble”, the final book in her ‘sweet’ trilogy coming out in September 2009. I was lucky enough to read and review “Sweet Talk” and “Sweet Spot”, the first two books of the trilogy which I loved. This author has the ability to play my emotions like a master. I laughed. I cried. I was mad, angry, hopeful, frustrated, excited, pleased…I think the only emotion missing was true fear for my life! This book is about life and emotion and love. There is so much packed into only 374 pages that read smoothly with Mallery’s characteristic deft pacing.

I worried that I wouldn’t be able to warm to Jesse, the third sister. Jesse has a lot to atone for…she’s made a lot of mistakes and hurt the people who love her so much. I just couldn’t see how anyone could redeem such a character. But, it’s been five years since the events of “Sweet Spot” and Jesse has grown up. She returns home with her son determined to make amends and have a relationship with her sisters and her son’s father. Jesse’s story is told in split time. The book flashes back as we learn about her relationship with Matt from the beginning. These flashbacks are intertwined with her current efforts at reestablishing trust with her sisters and Matt. It doesn’t take long to start rooting for Jesse. Yes, she was bad. Yes, she made mistakes. Yes, she made some truly stinker decisions. But when it came time to step up for her baby, that’s exactly what she did. Single parenthood is a hard road and Jesse’s done the best she could. I think she’s my favorite of the sisters because of all those mistakes. Let’s face it, next to her my mistakes look miniscule!! And strong…I admire anyone with that much steel in their spine.

Matt. I admired the young Matt. The older Matt was truly despicable. We’ve all been hurt by love. The ones we love have the power to lift us the highest and bring us the lowest…if not, it’s not love. Watching his actions and reactions to the old and new Jesse and his son, Gabe, were wrenching. Watching him learning to open his heart and love again was heartening and reaffirming. What a pair these two are! And Matt’s initial nerdiness became oh so sexy as he matured. The passion between these two is intense, yet stays well within the bounds of romance vice erotica.

Jesse’s sisters still play an important role in this book. Even if you don’t have a sister, you can still relate to their emotions as they gradually re-establish that special bond that sisters and family have. I was exhausted when I finished this book…in a good way. I came away with a smile on my face. Love wins in the end as in all romances. In “Sweet Trouble”, Susan Mallery closes the trilogy with a story that encompasses love in all its forms. Parental love, romantic love, familial love, and caring love…they’re all here. And they’re going to stay right here, on my keeper shelf, so don’t ask to borrow them…go get your own!

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