Review of Faking Grace

Have you ever spent time "faking it until you make it (or become it)"?  I feel like that a lot as a mom, I want to be a "good mom".  But sometimes I just fake it as much as I can until my husband comes home and he can take over.  :)  Grace (well really Maizy Grace) needs a second job to pay her bills so she decides to fake being a "true" Christian (though she thinks she is one) to get a job at a Christian publishing company.  She eventually comes to a cross point between her two jobs, testing the strength of the Christians around her to show her grace.

As usual, author Tamara Leigh has created a great cast of characters, made me laugh, and made me question some of the things we do as Christians.  My husband laughs at all of the "gear" available at the local Christian bookstore and I wonder why people think they need everything to have a Christian message on it.  Do we need to carry "Testamints" for our breath?  But I wonder if a fish symbol would encourage me to be a better driver?

I did check on Amazon for Dumb Blonde's Guide to Christianity, it sounds like a helpful book with those wondering about the Christian faith.  Alas, it must be only a creation of the author.  (For those who are interested, the only books to come up in my search were this book, Faking Grace, and Soul Surfer Devotions by blonde Bethany Hamilton (the surfer who lost her arm to a shark).)

I loved the whole section on forgiveness.  (Paperback pages 254-255.)  I think asking for forgiveness is one of the hardest things for me to do. 

This quote from page 119 is so true, "Sad that Christianity isn't an impenetrable shield? that even after we've accepted Jesus as our Savior, we keep messing up? doing things we know we shouldn't? things He has to wash away again and again?"  Being a Christian doesn't make you perfect, we sin and have to deal with consequences of our sin.  It would be wonderful if that wasn't the case but it is.

One of my favorite characters was Maizy Grace's grandmother.  Quotes form page 162-163, starting with the grandmother.  ". . . but I can fantasize."  [Maizy Grace]  "Fantasize?"  That word does not belong in the vocabulary of a senior citizen!  [. . . then the grandmother again] She rolls her eyes.  "This is silver hair, not a halo."

I just love how the grandmother admits that she's not perfect and owns up to her issues with her son and daughter-in-law.

The only part of the book I disagreed with was that The Message is a translation of the Bible.  It isn't a direct translation, though it can be a useful tool.

Faking Grace by Tamara Leigh is a great contemporary fiction book and should be part of your library!

Thanks to WaterBrook Multnomah for giving me this wonderful book to review.  Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”