Perfectly Ridiculous by Kristin Billerbeck

A Universally Misunderstood Novel

Daisy's ready for summer fun--but it seems summer has something else in store.

High school is over, and Daisy Crispin is happy to leave it in her past and look forward to a bright new future at college. In the meantime, she is planning an all-expenses-paid trip with her best friend Claire to Argentina--home of exotic food, the tango, and her handsome sort-of boyfriend Max.

When Daisy discovers she needs to do missions work to fulfill the requirements of her scholarship, she chalks it up to her monumental bad luck in life and kisses her vacation goodbye. What was supposed to be a relaxing time in the lap of luxury turns into hard work, sleeping on a cot, avoiding scorpions, and stressing about where she stands with Max. Daisy wonders if anything in her life will ever go according to plan.

My Review:
This Christian fiction novel perfectly captures the voice of Daisy, a teenage volunteer on a summer mission trip to Argentina. Written in the first-person account, the book reads like a journal; in fact, some pages are written as entries in Daisy's travel journal.

Daisy struggles with the problems that most young people experience: her over-protective parents, her out-of-reach wish-he-could-be boyfriend, her plans for college, her BFF whose parents are decidedly richer than Daisy's. (Even though I'm far from a teenager, I enjoyed it. I would recommend it for any teen.)

Thank you to Donna Hausler at Baker Publishing Group for my copy.

Available July, 2012, at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

A Billion Reasons Why by Kristin Billerbeck

There are a billion reasons Kate should marry her current boyfriend.

Will she trade them all to be madly in love?

Katie McKenna leads a perfect life. Or so she thinks. She has a fulfilling job, a cute apartment, and a wedding to plan with her soon-to-be fiance, Dexter.

She can think of a billion reasons why she should marry Dexter…but nowhere on that list is love.

And then in walks Luc DeForges, her bold, breathtaking ex-boyfriend. Only now he's a millionaire. And he wants her to go home to New Orleans to sing for her childhood friend's wedding. As his date.

But Katie made up her mind about Luc eight years ago, when she fled their hometown after a very public breakup. Yet there's a magnetism between them she can't deny.

Katie thought her predictable relationship with Dexter would be the bedrock of a lasting, Christian marriage. But what if there's more? What if God's desire for her is a heart full of life? And what if that's what Luc has offered all along?

My Review:
Sometimes I like to read a nice story with a happy ending. If that's what you're looking for, this Christian fiction romance set in New Orleans is for you. It's just a clean story of unrequited love getting a second chance.

You must suspend your disbelief to accept that Kate and Luc truly love each other, yet remain apart for eight years. Somehow they manage to connect again. However, even with the contrived ending, many fans of romance novels with enjoy this one.

Reading group guide included.

Thank you to Audra Jennings at B&B Media Group and Thomas Nelson for my copy.