Nearly a year has passed since Scott and Bailey’s Christmas wedding. Now they are expecting joy in the form of twins! The day arrives for the opening of Barkley House, a missionary retreat provided by Bailey’s inheritance, but an unspeakable evil descends upon Bailey as she awaits her ride to the opening ceremony. Scott can’t find her. Shocking revelations accompany Bailey’s ordeal. Will she ever … ordeal. Will she ever find joy again?
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Joy Express is a book that captures an incredible amount of different emotions. From the love of family to fear of being kidnapped to suicide to dealing with leukemia and more, this book packs a punch in the best possible way. The faith, hope, and love that comes from knowing you are a beloved child of God shine through the pages.
Bailey and her half-sister Brennan help bring this story to life. Always wondering why you are not enough for a parent to love you and want to stay with you creates a void in one’s heart. But the love of family and friends allows that void to dissipate. Truly, this book is one that takes some of the darkest of scenes and turns them into incredible ones filled with the light of our Heavenly Father. So check out this book for yourself.
I received a copy of this book for my fair and honest review.
The characters in this story are quite well developed and show much strength when life gets hard. The story starts out light and celebratory, but quickly goes into a downward spiral as traumatic things happen. Day handles these things well, and always writes with a sense of hope and forgiveness, showing that healing is possible through God.
Emotion packed and often intense, we still see a sense of community as people rally around Bailey and her situation. Although this is the third book in the series, author Jody Day gives enough back story that this can be read as a stand alone, which is what I did. I was able to easily follow the plot.
If you enjoy a fast paced story of contemporary fiction you’ll want to read Joy Express.
I received a complimentary copy of this book but was not required to leave a review.
MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK
When I saw the cover of this book and the title, I was expecting a joyous April Christmas story filled all of holiday joy. And it did start and end that way, but in between all of that, was a most horrific read. As a very pregnant Bailey awaits for her ride to an open house, a very different person shows up, and forces her to go with him instead. This started the horrible journey for Bailey and a host of scared and confused friends searching for her.
This is my first book by author Jody Day, and I was quite intrigued. The major characters played strong rolls that developed well throughout the story, as did the other characters we meet in this story. The beginning is really rather scary, and my heart went out to Bailey as she struggled with the situations she was having to deal with. I like her character, and it was easy for me to see the strong woman she is. There were a lot of twists and turns here, and emotions both good and bad were flying high everywhere. Joy Express turned out to be a pretty face paced read for me, I finished it in a couple of hours, which is good, because I didn’t want to put this book down until I found put what would happen. And as I said in the beginning, the ending was a sweet joyous occasion, full of many memories, and making even more. I encourage you to check out this book and give it a try.
A special thanks to the author/publisher for a copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review, the opinions here are mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
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My Thoughts on Joy Express:
This is a shorter novel. It’s also the third in a series and I, unfortunately, made the mistake of not finding the other books to read first. Should be read as a series as it’s intended.
The characters were well developed and easy to connect with. Even the secondary characters were loveable and Brenna might have been one of my favorites. Bailey is expecting twins about a year after her Christmas wedding. I’ve always wanted to have twins so this was fun to read about a character expecting them.
Bailey has had a difficult life and when trouble finds her and disaster strikes how will she handle it? The community is rallying and things will go on! Definitely a good read. Christian fiction and you know this by reading so it’s not just designated that way.
I would recommend this book but I would also recommend you read the whole series so you have the backstory.
I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from Celebrate Lit and NetGalley. 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.
As you read this book be sure you have tissues ready. The story is very emotional but has such a powerful message. Bailey endures an unthinkable horror as she prepares for a big celebration. Her past is quickly becoming a nightmare as danger finds her. I loved how the author presents Bailey as a woman who has faced abandonment and tries every day to believe she is loved. The strong message in the story is one of joy and love.
There is much packed into this novella that whispers forgiveness and hope. I loved how Bailey witnessed true love from her husband as he stood beside her through the trauma. His faith is unwavering and I liked that he brought comfort to his wife. The story shares how family and friends come together in a crisis.
My favorite character is Brenna. She is an adorable young girl who smiles even though she has much to cry about. Her bond with Bailey is definitely an answered prayer. She embraces life with pure innocence. The time she spends with Bailey as they share their past is emotional. It breaks my heart to read that a child would carry the burden of thinking they are the reason their parents divorced. I enjoyed the story and thought the author did a great job of showing God’s love during difficult situations.
I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.
This book was a breath of fresh air. I enjoyed the short but refreshing story. It was unlike anything I have read before.
Bailey’s heart for Brenan was so admirable. Even though she had suffered she didn’t want her to go through what she went through. Her strength and courage was so admirable.
My heart went out to her as she went through the whole process of grief and recovery but her faith in God and decision to lean on the people he had placed in her life was touching. Everyone could learn a thing or two from this story.
This book will warm your heart, bring out a few years but ultimately remind one of God’s promise to be close to the brokenhearted.
I received a copy of this book and this is my honest opinion.