3 out of 4 stars
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Elaine Webster is a successful businesswoman who runs an upscale salon and day spa in the heart of Oklahoma City. She has a beautiful daughter, a loving sister, and a network of supportive friends. But things haven't always been easy for Elaine, and she's weathered her fair share of life storms. As a Christian woman, Elaine gives God the glory for bringing her through the hard times.
In Storm Damage, Elaine is plunged into another life storm in the wake of a literal one: a tornado that rips through the city. With her sister dead and her home destroyed in the aftermath, Elaine has her hands full with rebuilding, caring for her daughter, and trying to provide guidance to her grieving teenaged nephew. Romance soon presents itself in the form of a handsome architect, but just when the storm clouds appear to be lifting, someone from Elaine's past makes a sudden reappearance, and her faith in God is tested to its limit.
To begin, I'm going to risk stating the obvious by pointing out that this book is a work of Christian fiction. As a believer in Christ, I appreciated the book's message of trusting God to get through difficult times. Coleman referenced Scripture in a way that was relevant to the events of the story, and used them in a demonstrative manner to move the plot along.
The overall writing of the book was good. There were some typographical errors, but they were minimal. The strongest aspect of Coleman's writing style lies within the book's dialogue, which flowed naturally and helped me to develop a solid mental image of the characters. I could also tell that Coleman was writing about places that she knew well (areas within Oklahoma City, and the region of Texas that Elaine's family is from), which in my opinion gives her significant credibility.
However, there were places in the book where I felt that the events were moving a little too fast, particularly when the tornado touched down. While there is an element of realism regarding the suddenness of natural disasters, I found myself getting a little confused and having to retrace my steps to ensure that I understood what was unfolding. This also happened in a few others places in the book, and while these instances weren't common, they were a little disruptive.
The plot had many twists, which kept me engaged, but toward the end I began to feel frustrated by all of the mishaps and misunderstandings that kept popping up. I felt that there was a little too much happening to the characters all at once, and by the last thirty pages or so, I just wanted the bad things to stop so Elaine and the other characters could get on with their lives! I did like the ending, but again, I wish that the characters hadn't had to go through so much to get there.
But in conclusion, I feel that Storm Damage was a worthwhile read from a promising author and I am giving it 3 out of 4 stars. I recommend this book to other Christians, or those who are very spiritually open-minded, as the main theme of the book is about trusting God. If you are not a Christian, or are particularly averse to all things spiritual, then this isn't the book for you.
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Storm Damage
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