The Secret Life of Sarah Hollenbeck is a contemporary novel by Bethany Turner. I’d heard a lot of great things about it and finally decided to give it a try.
And I loved it.
Let me start with a disclaimer first. If you do not like to read novels that discuss sex, this isn’t for you. I’m not talking sex scenes or inappropriate language. I’m talking about the Christian view of what sex is and when it’s appropriate. (Marriage, just in case you were wondering where I’m going with this.)
Sarah Hollenbeck accepts Christ as her Savior and begins to reevaluate her life. After forming a career as the author of steamy romance novels, she tries to change her career to better honor God and put the shame of her past novels behind her. And then she begins dating a preacher, and that relationship brings it’s own challenges. Especially since Sarah is new to the idea of abstinence.
This is where Turner’s genius comes in. She brings this topic up in a tasteful way. And I appreciate the fact that she’s addressing sexual temptation in Christian relationships. The novel contains an honest take on what it means to honor God in your relationships. And I liked that the characters actually talked about that struggle instead of skirting the issue.
Actually I liked the communication between the characters period. While sometimes Sarah did try to run from issues, a lot of times she was pretty straightforward when she didn’t understand something. And I loved how she and Ben discussed boundaries and other issues that came up in their relationship.
Normally, first-person narrators get on my nerves. However, Sarah’s narration felt more like a testimony. A wonderfully honest testimony. One I think a lot of Christian women can relate to. And while I usually chafe a bit when I don’t get a chance to see the hero’s perspective, I didn’t have that problem with this novel. Turner drew me into Sarah’s journey so completely that all I wanted was to see what Sarah would experience next and how she would handle it. This was so much more than a romance. It was a story about a brand-new Christian growing and maturing in her faith with the help of God and the friends He gave her.
In case you can’t tell yet, I highly recommend The Secret Life of Sarah Hollenbeck. I love it and can’t stop thinking about it. I even bought a copy so I can reread it later.
Speaking of which, if you’d like your own copy, click the book image to order it from Christianbook.com or check out your favorite bookstore.
For another novel that deals with sexual temptation and sin, check out my review of The Masterpiece by Francine Rivers, which I featured in my post Just Read: Hope by the Book Reading Challenge.
