Estate planner Penny Thornton loves dusting off items others gloss over, especially since she relates to feeling tossed aside for the “bright and shiny.” When her younger sister’s approaching wedding launches Penny back into the throes of her dysfunctional family, she decides to use the festivities to close the gap in their relationships even if it means appeasing them and finally losing the few … few pounds they’ve hounded her about for years.
But she doesn’t expect to meet two very different men in the process: East Fisher, the personal trainer who personifies everything she believes she could never attain, and Jonah Black, a man who reminds her so much of herself. Both men are more than they appear at first glance, and each seems interested in her romantically.
As Penny uncovers their hidden layers, she discovers when it comes to love and matters of the heart, she’s got a lot to learn about estimating value.
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A great story about where our true worth comes from, and how we sometimes look for validation in all the wrong places.
Simply said, I devoured this novel. The characters and settings jumped from the pages. So many topics were touched on: finding self-worth, not giving in to the standards of this world, forgiveness. The progression of Penny and Johah’s relationship was amazing. I hope to get a peek at them in the next book in this series.
This debut novel by Susan L. Tuttle is stunning! A contemporary romance that delves into the way women view themselves and others is brilliant and full of fun, fresh flavor and swoon-worthy romance!
I really enjoyed this contemporary novel. It was packed with so many meaningful messages in a tale of two sisters who are each struggling with self worth.
Penny has moved to Chicago to be an Estate Sales Coordinator ( a job I would love) to distance herself from her dysfunctional family. Younger sister Belle’s wedding is the center of attention. Penny wants to reconnect with Belle so badly that she agrees to a diet and exercise plan in order to fit into a gaudy purple dress for the wedding. Penny suddenly finds herself with two suitors: East, the hunky personal trainer and Jonah, cousin to Belle’s fiancé, Micah.
Penny has a strong faith and will not compromise her standards, which I find admirable. However, she can’t see why East could be interested in her, so she makes a few allowances. Jonah is a businessman with a heart of gold who has taken his widowed sister and his nephew under his wing.
The rapport between Jonah and Penny is perfect, although Jonah is looking for more than the friendship Penny wants. Watch out there are swoony scenes ahead! So, who will she choose? The hunk or the hero? Can Penny find the acceptance that only God can give?
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. I was not required to give a favorable review. All opinions are my own.*
I started this book on the weekend and didn’t get anything else done because I could not put it down. Tuttle’s memorable characters quickly found a way into my heart and the lessons they learned along the way were helpful. The romantic tension added to this enjoyable story. I can only say that I can’t wait to read more from this author and a sequel would be wonderful.
I picked up this book for two reasons: the cover’s awesome and Susan and I met several years ago at a writer’s event (and have stayed in touch since). As I usually do, I approached this book carefully. My standards (especially for contemporary romance) are quite high, and I’m often disappointed. So how’d it go?
Honestly, I wanted throw a tea cup at Penny more times than I can count, but I couldn’t stop reading. I wanted to see if Penny’s family was REALLY that terrible; was East everything Penny wanted; would Jonah finally be honest?
I had to know, so I had to keep reading, and I enjoyed the experience! It was a fun, easy read, but also engaging and emotional. A solid 4 out of 5 stars. (Susan has a novella releasing soon — I’ll definitely be checking that out too!)
Loved It
Penny was the older sister but was never perfect in her mother’s eyes. It made things hard between her and her sister Bella. Now Bella was getting married and was having her sister upset at the first fitting she wasn’t skinny like her sister made her feel worse about her weight. Noah was the groom’s cousin and he was being set up with Penny. But this is a story of how words and people can hurt.
At First Glance is Susan Tuttle’s debut novel and all I can say is WOW! From the first chapter I was invested in the story and found myself rooting for poor, sweet Penny from the start. I saw so much of myself in her and, in my mind, became very protective of her, going so far as to literally growling out loud while reading parts where people were mistreating her, while getting some strange looks from my family. The girl that doesn’t seem to measure up on the outside has a heart of gold, her beauty lying on the inside, and luckily there is an amazing man that saw that beauty from the very beginning.
I loved the progression of the narrative and how the focus was on the theme of beauty being on the inside and not on the outside. The sister dynamic and the mother/daughter relationship, though frustrating, is realistic and incredibly well-written, and I loved the happy ending. I closed this book thinking about my own self-acceptance and how hard I am on myself. Though it is a fiction, it does make you think about your own ideas of beauty and how you see yourself.
For a debut novel, I am a little more than impressed and cannot wait to see what Susan Tuttle in store!
I was not certain what to expect when I agreed to read and review At First Glance by Susan L. Tuttle. I was actually a bit hesitant to add it to my already too full review list but I am always in favor of helping along new authors and have found many new favorites that way. I was not in the least bit sorry that I agreed to read this one! For a first novel, this book was excellent. Of course there was a small problem here and there but I did not find any that distracted me from the story itself.
The heroine of At First Glance is not the usual slim, beautiful, and talented young woman found in most romance novels. Penelope (her favored name) is actually very talented and working hard to achieve her dreams. Although she might need to lose a little weight, she is much more attractive than her low self image allows her to believe. When she meets Johan Black, they instantly connect but she manages to judge him by the same standards she herself has been judged and compares him unfairly to her personal trainer.
At First Glance is a wonderful story filled with laughter and tears, soul-searching and romance. I thought Jonah was a wonderful hero and was in his corner from the beginning. I also loved the twists the author incorporated into the story that turned one character I disliked through most of the book into one who had my sympathy. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and its strong message about the damage a parent can inflict by comparing their children and/or favoring one over the other. I look forward to reading more books by this new author.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by Just Read Publicity. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.
“He tipped his head. ‘Why is it,’ he asked softly, ‘that you can so easily recognize the worth of that bottle of perfume, but fail to see your own?’ His fingers touched her chin. ‘Stop selling yourself short, Penelope. You’re worth far more than you realize.” ~Jonah
I absolutely devoured At First Glance by Susan Tuttle. I found Penny to be such a relatable character and absolutely loved the banter between Penny and Jonah. Penny has lived her life comparing herself to others and missing how wonderful she actually is. It takes a friendship and maybe more with Jonah (you’ll have to read to find out…no spoilers here) for her to see herself as others do. Then there’s Jonah. He is so selfless (again you have to read the book to find out the backstory) which definitely made him swoonworthy in my opinion. If you haven’t noticed my subtle hints, then I will just come out and ask what are you waiting for if you haven’t read this yet? It’s a must read for lovers of a clean romance!
I am looking forward to Belle and Micah’s story in Then Again, Maybe which is available now.