Once again, we’re on a stop for a TLC Book Tour. Welcome aboard!
If Questions of Perspective (my last book review) was irreverently spiritual, A Borrowed Life by Kerri Anne King shows a world of reverent hypocrisy, one that is rigid and stifling.
About the Book:
From the Amazon Charts bestselling author of Whisper Me This comes an emotional and sharply witty novel about how life’s unexpected detours can ultimately bring you home.
For twenty-six years Liz has perfectly played the part of Mrs. Thomas Lightsey, exemplary pastor’s wife and mother. But maintaining appearances for the congregation and catering to her demanding husband takes a toll, and she’s lost herself in meeting the expectations of others. When Thomas suddenly dies, Liz feels shock, grief, and, to her surprise, the siren song of freedom. Dare she dream of a life to call her own?
Despite the resistance of her daughter, Abigail, to even the smallest changes, Liz lands a role at the community theater. Inspired by new friends and the character she plays, she explores life’s possibilities, including an unexpected—and steamy—relationship with her leading man.
Just when Liz thinks she might be winning, life hits her with an unthinkable shock. She’s pregnant at forty-nine. Torn between conflicting loyalties to her daughter, her lover, her unborn baby, and herself, can Liz find a way to rebuild her dream life one more time?
Purchase Links
Amazon| Books-A-Million | Barn
Connect with Kerry
Website | Facebook | Twitter |
About the author:
Kerry Anne King is the sidekick, alter ego, and touchier-feelier doppelgänger of fantasy and paranormal thriller writer, Kerry Schafer. She is the author of three works of women’s fiction, with number four releasing on October 1, 2019, and her last novel, Whisper Me This, was a Washington post and Amazon charts bestseller. Kerry Anne is the proud possessor of a tugboat, a Viking, and forty acres of rocks and trees in the middle of rural northeastern Washington.
In addition to writing novels, she is an RN and licensed mental health counselor, a writing mindset coach, and a serious coffee snob. She is kept in line by three cats, a dog, and the aforementioned Viking. Her favorite leisure activities involve reading, yoga, and long walks in the woods.
What I thought…
Right from the beginning, hints are dropped about Elizabeth’s life and her husband’s stifling effect on it. She married at eighteen to get out of a unhealthy family life. Thomas, her husband, did not marry her for love. He simply needed someone he could mold into a helpmate to further his ministry.
Elizabeth (or Liz) does get her life back (sort of) and she keeps a humorous outlook. Her stoic ability to find humor in dire circumstances made me love her. (I also hearted her pal Val.)
Even the nosy church folk I could forgive by the end of the book.
Thomas….never….I cannot believe the reverential hypocrisy that Elizabeth had to live with (and raise a daughter in). I’m very interested as to what type of faith the “Church of Thomas” was patterned after. I bet they’re happier with the new younger and more open-minded pastor.
The romance part was not my favorite. It was a bit too formulaic (but there are some HOT sections). I would recommend this book. It was great to see Liz triumph over hypocrisy.
When one is as “devoted” as Thomas, are they serving God or serving themselves? I think the latter. But, let’s move on before I get on a rant.
The Food…
There’s quite a bit of food in the novel. Here’s what I spotted:
- Mug of coffee, dollop of cream, sizzling potatoes (4)
- Tea and cookies (8)
- Chamomile tea (10)
- Desserts and simmering crockpots (22)
- Soup (26)
- Vegetable tray, cheese and crackers, tea and sugar (34)
- Doughnuts and lattes (45)
- Pickles (52)
- Oatmeal, decaf coffee, apples (37)
- Margaritas and camerones a la diablo (70)
- Chocolate cake and an ice cream sundae (91)
- Tea and muffins (104)
- Party food (114)
- Beer and pizza (122)
- Casserole and pie (120)
Then, I lost my notes, but I remember a craving Liz had for a bacon sandwich with pickles. I was in. I also wanted to comment on the fact that she loved pickles growing up but since Thomas did not care for them he did not allow them in his house. Liz, here’s a sandwich I wish you would have served Thomas, with extra spicy pickles. You go girl, and eat all the pickles you want in this new life!
BPT Sandwiches
BPT might sound like a psychological disorder but it actually stands for Bacon, Pickle and Tomato!
Ingredients
- 4 slices of sourdough sandwich bread
- 6-8 slices of bacon, cooked crisp
- 1 medium tomato, sliced
- pickles (I used a zucchini pickle that is similar to a Bread & Butter pickle.)
- 2 slices Muenster cheese
- good Dijon mustard (or your favorite condiment)
Assembled ingredients.
Instructions
- Toast bread.
- Spread Dijon mustard on the toasted bread. Layer on the bacon, tomato, pickles and cheese.
- Serve
Yield: 2
As stated, the pickles used were homemade zucchini pickles which remind me a great deal of Bread & Butter Pickles. The tomatoes were from the garden. I was in a rush, so no homemade sourdough but I picked a good brand. The results? Deliciousness!!!!!
I would recommend this book and am passing it along to one of my friends who is a voracious reader. This book does make me want to pick up some of King’s other works.
I’m linking up with Foodies Read…
and Novel Food
and Souper Sundays (which also includes sandwiches).
Have you read any good books lately?
Please check out the other reviews on A Borrowed Life Tour.
Thomas sounds like a real jerk. The Bacon Pickle Tomato Sandwich (with Muenster) sounds really terrific, though! 🙂
Jerk doesn’t even begin to describe him. Good thing he was dispatched early on. 🙂
Oh, my gosh, this sounds like a book I’d LOVE. I’m not a pickle fan, but my husband is. I think I’ll treat him to a BPT this weekend!
It is a good read and hope the hubby enjoys the sandwich.
Sounds like a very interesting read, Deb. And I would eat anything with bacon 🙂
Definitely better for the bacon!
Have to check out the book, sounds pretty interesting to me! That BPT sounds delicious! Thanks for the review!
It’s an interesting read and the end is refreshing (without offering up a spoiler). 🙂
Thank you for the book review, but it doesn’t seem to appeal to my book preferences. So I’ll pass. 🙂 However, I won’t pass on the PBT. This sandwich looks SO DELICIOUS! I love bacon of course and always put pickles on my BLTs, but the cheese sounds like a wonderful change.
We usually add large leaf basil, too. I love the Dijon with the creamy Muenster.
You make me want to read this just to find out how rotten Thomas was and to root Liz on!!
He got his just reward. I just can’t handle religious hypocrisy of any kind so I detested him.
The book sounds intriguing and the sandwich looks delicious–especially with homemade pickles and home-grown tomatoes. Thanks for sharing it with Souper Sundays this week.
Book was good. Shipping it off to my Mom now. She wants to read it after reading about it here.
It sounds like Liz could have talked to Nellie from Recipe for a Perfect Wife 😉 It’s always fun to read your reviews, Debra. I think it is good when a book elicits strong reactions. And I LOVE the head note on the recipe. Thank you so much for contributing to Novel Food 🙂
So, so true, Simona.
The books sounds like one I’d like to read, though as with most of these book tours, not yet in our library. However I do often get to sample the authors, if they’ve written something else. Did you read Whisper Me This?
I would offer to send it to you but my mom nabbed it. 🙂
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This was one of those can’t lay me down books and I read all afternoon and most of the night. It was only after her husbands death was she able to become the woman she wanted to be. The pregnancy threw quite a twist in the story.
Thanks for sharing this book with me.
Love,
Mom
It was a good, short read, wasn’t it? You should preface your comment with a spoiler alert! 🙂