Disclosure of material connection- I received a copy of that book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own.
About the book-
Just like in my dream, I was drowning and nobody even noticed.
Every morning, Carmen Hart pastes on her made-for-TV smile and broadcasts the weather. She’s the Florida panhandle’s favorite meteorologist, married to everyone’s favorite high school football coach. They’re the perfect-looking couple, live in a nice house, and attend church on Sundays. From the outside, she’s a woman who has it all together. But on the inside, Carmen Hart struggles with doubt. She wonders if she made a mistake when she married her husband. She wonders if God is as powerful as she once believed. Sometimes she wonders if He exists at all. After years of secret losses and empty arms, she’s not so sure anymore.
Until Carmen’s sister—seventeen year old runaway, Gracie Fisher—steps in and changes everything. Gracie is caught squatting at a boarded-up motel that belongs to Carmen’s aunt, and their mother is off on another one of her benders, which means Carmen has no other option but to take Gracie in. Is it possible for God to use a broken teenager and an abandoned motel to bring a woman’s faith and marriage back to life? Can two half-sisters make each other whole?
My thoughts-
I really LOVED this novel. I have read all of Katie Ganshert's books and with each one I think it is my favorite and there is no way it can be outdone- I was wrong yet again. The Art of Losing Yourself will appeal to a broad range of people. I think it will especially resonate with women, who can relate to Carmen, and teens, who can relate to Gracie. I honestly could relate to them both in so many ways.
One of the biggest draws for me to Ganshert's books is that the characters feel so authentic. They are flawed, their lives aren't perfect. These are people we can relate to or maybe even want to be friends with. The more books she writes the more she perfects the art of creating interesting stories with every day people. I can not even decide who may favorite character in this book is and I usually have a very clear favorite. I enjoyed the overall story interweaving the thoughts and feelings of sisters Carmen and Gracie and the run down family motel they are working to restore, as well as the sub-plots with the more minor characters. Gracie's story with Elias made me feel like I was in high school again, I have definitely been in the exact same position at her age, it had me feeling nostalgic. I enjoyed the flashbacks as Carmen remembered the beginning of her relationship with Ben and although the parts of the story with aunt Ingrid are a bit on the sad side, she is an important part of the book giving great advice, even when she doesn't realize it. When I got to the end of the book, I was not ready to leave Gracie, Carmen and company. I want to know what happens next in this story! I would really love to see a sequel (or better yet, a series!)
The Art of Losing Yourself will be available on April 21. You can pre-order a copy on Amazon.com.
Check out my reviews of Katie Ganshert's other novels-
About the author-
Christy Award finalist and Carol Award winner, Katie Ganshert, graduated from the University of Wisconsin in Madison with a degree in education, and worked as a fifth grade teacher for several years before staying home to write full-time. She was born and raised in the Midwest, where she lives with her family and their goofy black lab, Bubba. When she’s not busy penning novels or spending time with her people, she enjoys drinking coffee with friends, reading great literature, and eating copious amounts of dark chocolate.
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Connect with Katie Ganshert on Twitter
Connect with Katie Ganshert on Pinterest
Connect with Katie Ganshert on Goodreads
Katieganshert.com/
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