Jules Belleno lives as a recluse and spends all her time writing book reviews on her blog and posting comments on FaceBook. At the grocery store she meets her favorite author and that is the last thing that she remembers.
Misery Loves Company
Rene Gutteridge
Tyndale House Publishers
July 2013
Misery Loves Company by Rene Gutteridge is a very intense story that grabbed my attention on the first page and with each following chapter the story became even more intense. Jules Belleno lives in seclusion since the death of her policeman husband and spends her time writing book reviews on her blog and posting comments on FaceBook. She only leaves her home to make short trips to the grocery store. On one fateful day when she is at the grocery store, she meets her favorite author and that is the last thing that she remembers. Jules wakes up in a strange bedroom and sees written on the ceiling the exact words that she used in a review of a book written by her favorite author, Patrick Reagan. She realizes that she has been kidnapped by Patrick and everything that happens in the days that follow cause Jules to question her husband’s death, to question her life in general, and to even question her faith in God. Colonel Jim Franklin, Jules’ father, and Chris Downey, her husband’s best friend and fellow policeman, are the only two individuals that take her disappearance seriously. Chris even goes against authority in his search for Jules’ and as a result he uncovers things that endanger his own life as well as the life of Jules.
The author did a very good job of keeping the reader hanging on every word and wondering what was going to happen next. The characters were extremely well developed to the point that I could feel Jules’ pain and almost feel sympathy for her alcoholic father. During the entire time that Jules was in the cabin with Patrick, I felt as if I were right there in the room with them for the author did an excellent job of portraying the emotions of both characters. There were many twists and turns in the plot line and just when I thought I had everything figured out the author would surprise me. As all the action was taking place in the last half of the book, I could feel the tension in the air and the danger lurking behind ever corner. The author’s description of all the scenes were very realistically done and while reading I could picture everything in my mind and see and feel exactly what was happening. I wish that the author had written exactly how Jules was kidnapped rather than just writing that she was at the grocery store talking with Patrick Reagan and that was the last thing she remembered. But I am sure the author had a reason for not elaborating on the kidnapping. I really like the way that the author kept God foremost in Jules’ life and how she was able to influence others.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who like a very suspenseful Christian novel that keeps you on the edge of your seat wondering what is going to happen next.
For anyone interested in information about the author visit this Tyndale site or check out the author’s webpage.
Deanna Love Gottreu is a 74 year old widow and the mother of two wonderful sons who share second place in her life – with God being in first place. She spends her time reading or making quilts for charity. Her book reviews can also be read on her blog at www.buzzardsroostcrafts.com/blog.
This book was provided by the publisher as a review copy.