A Novel Life: Someone Else's Love Story by Joshilyn Jackson

At twenty-one, Shandi Pierce is juggling finishing college, raising her delightful three-year-old genius son Natty, and keeping the peace between her eternally warring, long-divorced Catholic mother and Jewish father. She’s got enough complications without getting caught in the middle of a stick-up in a gas station mini-mart and falling in love with a great wall of a man named William Ashe, who willingly steps between the armed robber and her son.

Shandi doesn’t know that her blond god Thor has his own complications. When he looked down the barrel of that gun he believed it was destiny: It’s been one year to the day since a tragic act of physics shattered his universe. But William doesn’t define destiny the way other people do. A brilliant geneticist who believes in science and numbers, destiny to him is about choice.

Now, he and Shandi are about to meet their so-called destinies head on, in a funny, charming, and poignant novel about science and miracles, secrets and truths, faith and forgiveness,; about a virgin birth, a sacrifice, and a resurrection; about falling in love, and learning that things aren’t always what they seem—or what we hope they will be. It’s a novel about discovering what we want and ultimately finding what we need.

Let me begin with, I've not read anything by Joshilyn Jackson before. I've wanted to and even have one of her other books. So when I saw her newest book was going on tour I was thrilled to finally read one of her books. I started reading SOMEONE ELSE'S LOVE STORY and as soon as I started reading it...I found it to be odd--not the right word, quirky? Just not what I was expecting. I was interested in the story, but not really committed to the characters.

Then I hit part 2 of the story (there are three parts). HELLO MAGIC! It was like THIS is what people mean when they rave about Joshilyn Jackson! Suddenly all these characters; Shandi, William, Walcott, Mimmy (and really all of them) I find myself completely invested in what is going to happen! I fell in love with them, I wanted happily ever afters and instead there is all sorts of 'stuff'. Life. People. Obstacles...pasts, but oh I wanted a happy ending. There are people in this story that you think no way would I want good things for them and yet you do...I did. I found myself wanting a happy ending for everyone. This novel was so unexpectedly wonderful! I could not, could not get over all of the twists and turns! I went from smiling to crying to saying, "oh my goodness!" back to crying!

I love how when I completed reading it, I felt better for having read it...like I had been part of SOMEONE ELSE'S LOVE STORY and it was unexpectedly beautiful. I am very much recommending it and I hope you will buy a copy for someone you love!

(totally corny, but 'tis the season): Frosty the Snowman have have magic found a magical black hat, but Jackson surely has magic in her fingertips!

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