Can she love the child who broke up her marriage?Nearly four years ago, Erin Belden’s happy life became a shattered mess. After her husband admitted to an affair and that a child had been conceived, he left her and their young daughter for his new family. Now, she’s finally ready to put the pieces of her life together. She’s set to launch her own business and even thinks her heart might be open … might be open to romance—should the right man come along.
But just when everything seems to be lining up, she receives a devastating call: her ex-husband and his wife have been killed in a car accident, and Erin is listed in their will as their daughter’s legal guardian.
How can she be a mother to the child—let alone love the child—who broke up her marriage? Does she have the courage to start over yet again and turn this mess into a mosaic of beauty?
A single mother’s journey from bitterness to forgiveness.
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The title of this book is perfect. There’s most assuredly a mess in the adultery/divorce and then death of Erin’s ex. There’s mess in her life and home with the stress of a resentful teen daughter and a mess of conflicted emotions in her own heart. But pile on that the impossible position of being named guardian of her former husband’s love-child and the mess just gets bigger.
What’s intriguing is Anderson’s description of the sometimes-jerky progress Erin makes in reconciling to her new normal, a feat that could only be possible with supernatural help. Showing us more ambivalence by Erin toward the child might have strengthened the tension, after all, such a commitment would be life-altering in the long-term and resentment would have been altogether natural.
The emotional conclusion was worth the read, highlighting the truth that there can be grace, reconciliation and genuine love in this sometimes-dark world.
The basic premise of this psychologically interesting, spiritually hopeful novel fascinates: A divorcée is stuck with the love child of her now-deceased, unfaithful ex-husband. The plot unwinds with the realistic protagonist emotionally troubled over a worsening situation, and the story really ramps up with the discovery of a diary. The journal notes of the wandering spouse chronologically recount his degeneration into a sexual affair–and the realism of his moral lapse is a riveting study into how sin is conceived, grows, and issues forth in death. The errant husband is manipulated as he justifies his wandering into the illicit behavior, and the detail behind this in itself makes the book worth reading. Justice is served in the end, though the sorrow in the story clings to me yet. Walking a life of faith doesn’t guarantee delivery from pain but rather eventual delivery into joy. This book smacks of hope.
If you like realistic stories about flawed people learning to follow Jesus then this is a book for you.
Could you love and care for your husband’s love child from an affair? This book throws us into this situation in its complexity. Throw in a stubborn teenager and a mother with a lot of maturing to do and you have a realistic story.
Plenty to learn from this story and plenty of challenging things as we’re dragged into the issues.
Outstanding cover and love the title too.
Well-written story with excellent characterisation.
I can’t remember if Amazon billed this as a Christian romance, but although there is a thread of romance running through it, this is really a book about being willing to ask for forgiveness when you’ve wronged someone, and being willing to give that forgiveness if you were the one wronged. I thought the heroine’s struggles to let go of her anger and forgive with God’s help were very realistically portrayed. A very good book.
Wow! What an amazing story! I was so mad at how Erin and her daughter, Michaela were treated by her ex. They were both betrayed by someone they loved. How God’s love completes our stories and makes us complete is so abundantly clear in this story. I don’t know that I would have the grace to do what Erin did in this story. We, also never know what someone’s past life has hidden in it. Jon was living his life based on his past and it caused him to leave a dear friend behind. Thankfully that friendship is restored. I was given an advance copy of this book to review with my honest opinions.
A Beautiful Mess by author Brenda S. Anderson is a new release in The Mosaic Collection. As with the previous releases from this collection, A Beautiful Mess is a story full of hope and grace.
Erin Belden has been picking up the pieces of her broken life for four years; her daughter Michaela, a young teen, continues to struggle with the anger and feelings of abandonment after her parent’s divorce.
It’s taken Erin four years to come to a place of moving forward after her husband betrayed her with an affair that resulted in the pregnancy of the other woman. Now the child is a three year old beauty with blond hair blues; she looks just like her mama.
On this weekend, Erin and her best friend, are headed to a cabin in a remote mountainous area for a “retreat”. With “Mik” visiting her father for the weekend, Erin is looking forward to some “girl time”. Although the weatherman is calling for wintry conditions, the two women set off. Reaching the cabin, the women have just begun settling in when Erin receives horrifying news, there’s been a very serious accident. Unable to get down the mountain due to the whether, Erin and her friend are forced to remain for the night hoping for the weather to clear up in the morning.
When Erin finally reaches the hospital, she is not prepared for what she is about to discover. Her daughter, though experiencing some minor wounds on her face, is safe, but her ex-husband is not. His injuries are so severe that emergency surgery is needed to relieve a disastrous brain bleed. Chances of his survival are iffy at best.
Despite the doctor’s attempts, Erin’s ex-husband dies from his injuries; his wife was killed upon impact. When Erin learns that the couple had recently changed their will, making her the sole guardian of their three year old daughter, Erin is beyond stunned.
What were they thinking? And what was Erin to do now? How was she going to raise a child her looked like the woman her husband left her for? It will take a lot of strength and grace for Erin to do it, along with the support of family and friends, especially Jon, a member of their circle of friends, a friend who disappeared from her life when her husband left the marriage.
Highly recommended. Engaging and hits the reader right in the feels!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and Just Read Tours and am not required to write a positive review. All thoughts and opinions therein are solely my own, and freely given. I also purchased a copy for my own personal library.
My Thoughts on A Beautiful Mess:
This book covers some hard subjects like divorce, death, and grieving. You also get adoption and parenting a child that represents an unhappy part of your past.
First, of course, the main character has a wonderful name of Erin and I have to say the author has great taste to choose that name (it’s my first name if you didn’t know).
Second, adoption is near and dear to my heart as I’m an adoptive mom. Our adoption was through family which technically you could consider this an adoption through family as well.
The storyline was well written and just sucked me in. I couldn’t stop reading. When Erin would get emotional, so would I. I think that’s probably the highest compliment I could give an author. When I sympathize with the character that’s one thing but when I cry with them that’s another altogether.
The Mosaic Collection is full of great books and this one fits right in. I highly recommend you get a copy and give it a read now. You will not regret it.
Erin was happily married, or so she thought. Her husband leaves her, they’ve been sweethearts since childhood, for another woman. Then out of the blue, she is made guardian of the child of her husband and the woman he left her for. I can’t even imagine all the emotions that would go through me at that point.
Riveting book. Must read!
I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from Celebrate Lit. All views expressed are only my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC regulations.
I didn’t want this book to end; it’s not easy to put down, as the characters really came to life. The author has written an emotional story that will tug at your heart-strings. Erin, a single mom trying to raise a 13-year old daughter as well as starting her own accounting business, is suddenly put in a very undesirable position. Her ex-husband and his new wife are tragically killed and Erin is named as the guardian of their “love child”, the endearing Clare. How is she to try to show love to this precious 3 year old?
Using journal entries from ex-husband Cory, and through the efforts of Jon, the 3rd member of the 3 Sixlets, as they called themselves as kids, secrets are revealed, and emotional healing begins. I found the characters very believable in their emotional and spiritual struggles. I especially loved the nuggets of wisdom from Erin’s close friend and confidant Debbie.
I received an ARC of this book from JustRead Tours and was under no obligation to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.
What a surprising and heartachingly beautiful story this was. Brenda S. Anderson wallops readers over the head right away with the upheaval in Erin’s life and doesn’t stop tugging those strings of compassion, grief, forgiveness, and hope until the end.
As Erin struggles with her new reality, one in which she’s tasked with caring for the child who is a result of her ex-husband’s affair, readers also get peeks into the marriage’s demise with journal entries. The story is so connected, it’s hard to go into more detail without giving integral parts away.
A Beautiful Mess does not shy away from realistic, hard-hitting topics such as infidelity, bitterness, and how love looks different to different people. The characters in this are flawed and grieving messes of human emotions but throughout the book, there are glimpses of true love and hope of healing an extremely broken family.
*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine.
MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK
A Beautiful Mess is a bittersweet story that could very well happen in today’s world! In this messy story, Brenda S. Anderson deals with several heartwrenching issues. It had been four years since Erin’s life was turned upside down when her husband dropped the latest on her that he was seeing another women and she was pregnant. She was ready to finally move on with her life when another bomb was dropped on her, and Erin is not ready for the way her life is headed. Can her ex really control her life from the grave?
My heart hurt for Erin throughout this entire book. She, like so many people today had to suffer the heartbreaking news of an affair. And while her husband was living it up with his new wife, she was left trying to put the pieces together, dealing with all of the feelings that come with betrayal. But this story took a twisted turn and a journey began for Erin that she did not want. Ms. Anderson does an amazing job of laying out all of the pieces of this story, emotions flying high in every possible way, and weaving them back together to give a beautiful ending that will stay with me for a long time. A Beautiful Mess is a story that you don’t want to miss. I encourage you to check this book out, you may enjoy it as I did.
A copy of this book was given to me by the author or publisher. I am not required to write a positive review. The opinions here in this review are totally mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 25
A trend I’ve seen with “traditionally published” Christian books lately is that while there are themes of forgiveness and grace, the Gospel message is often watered down or not present at all. While I certainly don’t believe that every Christian book is required to have the Gospel presented to be in that genre, in some of the stories, there isn’t enough about faith in them to allow the reader to distinguish that the God mentioned is the one of the Bible.
Having read A Beautiful Mess, there is no question in my mind what author Brenda S. Anderson believes or what God she worships. The message of redemption is so clear. It shines in vivid colors! This is the first book I have read by her and I am so hooked!! I loved this glimpse into her heart.
Erin’s story is tragic. She had a troubled childhood, was raised by just her mother who suffered from mental illness and depression. Married to her childhood sweetheart and best friend after getting pregnant, she thought everything was fine. Until she discovered what betrayal felt like!
I saw this book offered on blog tours several times. And while I was intrigued by the description, I passed up the opportunity to read it more than once. And yet, when invited again to receive a copy for review, I knew I had to read it. Oh, I am so glad I did!
Yes, my heart was wrenched. I was moved to tears. Erin’s pain and the fears she had regarding her daughter were so intense! The sense of abandonment she had because of her husband Corey’s actions and the desertion of another close friend had devastated her! And then, the things she read in Corey’s personal journal. Wow!!
Erin’s journey was filled with anguish and yet it was also full of hope. The way the author incorporated Corey’s journal into the narrative to explain events that had occurred was well done. While it introduced some adult themes, they did not cross any lines of propriety and were needed to fully paint the picture of the past.
Readers who enjoy a rich portrait of brokenness and restoration bathed in faith will want to be sure and read this beautiful story!
Read my review of A Beautiful Mess by Brenda S. Anderson at AmongTheReads.net
I was given a copy of this book. I was not required to give a favorable review nor was any money received for this review. All comments and opinions are my own.
This is a beautiful story that is full of hurt and a life that is messy. It’s about grace and forgiveness, and how God never fails to bring those that are lost home. This story reaches into the heart and makes us realize just what we are capable of doing or being. Sometimes we are asked the impossible, but it is through our faith in Jesus that the impossible becomes possible. This story beautifully illustrates this point. Life is messy, but beauty can be found in that very mess.
I am having a hard time explaining just how much I loved this book and I wish that I could give it more than five stars! A Beautiful Mess is filled with so many emotions. Extreme hurt. Bitter disappointment. Blinding disillusionment. Intense sadness. And then, finally, restoration and forgiveness.
The characters are very realistic and author Brenda Anderson vividly shows their strengths and their weaknesses. Erin is a Christian but she doesn’t always have Christian thoughts and isn’t that often true in our times of hurt and anger? She is a loving mother and she finds herself loving the little girl that is the product of her husband’s betrayal but she still doesn’t believe that she can raise her, as has been requested. Does that reaction seem unrealistic? Jon is a wonderful character and he had been a long-time friend of both Erin and Corey; at first it was hard for me to understand why he is still a bachelor. Michaela is the typical teenage girl hitting puberty and she is still devastated by her parent’s divorce four years ago. And then there is Corey, Erin’s ex-husband. He cheated on Erin and he left her and their daughter to begin a new family. It is easy to dislike him but as I read his journal I began to see him in a new light. What he did wasn’t right and it wasn’t excusable but some of his journal entries explain how this could have happened. It is comforting to know that he had asked for forgiveness and he once again was living a Christian life.
This is a wonderful true-to-life story and Anderson perfectly describes Erin’s feelings of being overwhelmed. Caring for a teenager and a toddler and trying to establish a new business would be stressful for all of us and dealing with so many conflicting emotions would take a toll on anyone. This isn’t always a pretty story but in the end, it is the faith and forgiveness that I will recall; the love and restoration that I will remember about this book.
A Beautiful Mess by Brenda Anderson is part of the Mosaic Collection but it can be read as a stand-alone novel. It is a beautiful story and I highly recommend it!
I received a digital advanced reader copy from the author but I am voluntarily sharing my honest thoughts in this review.
What happens when a husband is unfaithful to his wife, and a child is conceived? Then what happens when the ex-husband and his new wife are killed in an accident and the first wife is named as guardian of the child her ex-husband had with the other woman. Powerful emotions and a need for forgiveness and moving on will result.
This book does an excellent job of examining those emotions and what happens in this situation. Brenda Anderson has done a masterful job of combining forgiveness and moving forward. I definitely recommend this book. I definitely plan on reading future books in the Mosaic Collection
This book made me explore my emotions. I have friends like Erin, and I feel that this book gave me a slight insight into their reaction to situations in their lives that I would not have otherwise had. I love how God uses this type of book to encourage us to open our hearts to others. I wanted the story to last longer and am looking forward to reading the next book!
I really enjoyed this book. The characters are genuine and portrayed an issue that although uncommon, the underlying issue of unforgiveness is something everyone deals with. This book would be good reading for men or women.
This book was about real struggles that people go through. No scratch that, real struggles that children of God go through.
Erin was a single mother who knew God and was still reeling from the betrayal by her husband only for him to die and live her in custody of her love child.
She had to battle with all her insecurities, battle with unforgivingness towards her ex husband and learn to love and take care of the child like it was her own. I enjoyed immensely reading her journey from bitterness to forgiveness and love.
This story was breathtaking, absolutely heart warming.
The theme of forgiving those who have hurt us deeply or left us ran through in this book, how to handle when we’ve been cheated on by spouse and the absolute unconditional love and forgiveness of God will keep you glued to the last pages.
I loved how the author pictured clearly in few words one of the struggles Christians go through, unforgivingness and how to let it at the foot of the cross.
I received a copy of the book and this is my honest opinion
Can Erin love the child that broke her heart a her marriage? Can she find love again after her bitter divorce? Faith in God will help her find the strength in herself to face her teenager daughter, her old lost friend and her new responsibility as guardian of her ex-husband’s little daughter. A powerful and heartwarming story
I liked this very emotional book with lots of sad parts but the joy seeping in was the best part. I enjoyed the delightful 3 1/2 year old Clara & the growing pains of 13 year old Michaela reminded me of what we go thru as adolescents. Forgiveness is always hard but I was glad the for the healing we receive when we forgive was highlighted in this book. Lots of wisdom is included for our own thought. I loved the way God worked with different hearts to bring them to know Him. That He is there even when we mess up! I also liked the other characters in the book. I was sorry for the attitudes of greed in the Caldwells but so glad when her daughter was changed & Cory. I liked the way Erin’s challenges didn’t let her give up. I especially like the way GOD was the main character of the book never forsaking anyone & changing lives.
A Beautiful Mess is part of The Mosaic Collection series. I loved this book. I instantly felt a connection to Erin. I could just feel her heartbreak. I enjoyed watching her grow to learn forgiveness and how to move on without resentment. I think a lot of readers would relate to this story and what she was going through.
I give A Beautiful Mess a well deserved five plus stars. I highly recommend this book for readers who enjoy clean reads with true to life characters.
I received this book from the author, but was not required to write a review. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.