Chasing Dreams

Better Than First by Kari Trumbo is the most delightful Christian romance that is set around Christmas but you do not have to wait until the festive season to read it! It’s a wonderful all-year round read.

Once again Kari Trumbo has created wonderful, warm and welcoming characters who will lodge in your heart. The lead characters bounce their dialogue off each other, exuding love and friendship, to the delight of the reader.

The backdrop of snow adds to the festive feel. Sometimes things that look good have a dangerous edge. We can see parallels in life… not everything that looks good is beneficial for us.

There is the theme of chasing dreams. Having dreams is good but can be detrimental if they consume us and we tie our identity up in them. “Her net worth had nothing to do with the ribbon around her neck.” Our worth is always to be found in who we are in Jesus.

The lead character is disabled and wheelchair bound. She tries hard to be ‘normal’, but who defines ‘normal’ anyway? The important thing is to be the person we were created to be. We need to be happy with the skin we are in. “You don’t have to love the situation you are in. But you can’t let it define you.” Our lives do not define us. God does and He says we are loved.

Guilt weighs heavy. We need to receive forgiveness and accept that we are forgiven.

Better Than First is a perfect afternoon’s read. So buy it today and then settle down and let the story wash over you and refresh you.

I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.

JULIA WILSON