Beauty in the Binding: Book Review & Giveaway: Husband Auditions by Angela Ruth Strong

About the Book:

How far would you go to find the perfect husband? All the way back to the 1950s?

In a world full of happily-ever-after love, Meri Newberg feels like the last young woman on the planet to be single, at least in her Christian friend group. So when she's handed a strange present at the latest wedding--a 1950s magazine article of "ways to get a husband"--she decides there's nothing to lose by trying out its advice. After all, she can't get any more single, can she?

Her brother's roommate sees the whole thing as a great opportunity. Not to fall in love--Kai Kamaka has no interest in the effort a serious relationship takes. No, this is a career jump start. He talks Meri into letting him film every silly husband-catching attempt for a new online show. If it goes viral, his career as a cameraman will be made.

When Meri Me debuts, it's an instant hit. People love watching her lasso men on street corners, drop handkerchiefs for unsuspecting potential beaus, and otherwise embarrass herself in pursuit of true love. But the longer this game goes on, the less sure Kai is that he wants Meri to snag anyone but him. The only problem is that he may not be the kind of husband material she's looking for . . .

With droll comic timing, unbeatable chemistry, and a zany but relatable cast of characters, Angela Ruth Strong has created a heartfelt look at the reality of modern Christian dating that readers will both resonate with and fall for.

My Thoughts:

I loved Husband Auditions by Angela Ruth Strong right up until the last chapter. This novel had solid writing with a steady flow that never wavered or got disrupted. The charming concept of using an antiquated list to find a husband led to some legitimately funny scenes. The themes about maturing before marriage and growing into the largeness of marriage worked well within the story and demonstrated a healthy mindset toward marriage. Furthermore, Kai and Mari grow as individuals and a couple. I loved their romance and rooted for them to get together.

Unfortunately, my appreciation for Husband Auditions dropped due to the open ending. I reached out to the author to ask if there would be a sequel. She replied that there was no sequel in the works, but there was a forthcoming novella featuring some of the side characters. The ending was so disappointing to me that I dropped my rating by a star.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I was provided a copy of this book by the author or publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.

About the Author:

Angela Ruth Strong sold her first Christian romance novel in 2009 then quit writing romance when her husband left her. Ten years later, God has shown her the true meaning of love, and there's nothing else she'd rather write about.

She is the author of the Resort to Love series and the CafFUNated mysteries. Her books have since earned TOP PICK in Romantic Times, won the Cascade Award, and been Amazon best-sellers. Finding Love in Big Sky was recently filmed on location in Montana and will air soon. Her latest release is Husband Auditions.

Strong also writes non-fiction for SpiritLed Woman. To help aspiring authors, she started IDAhope Writers where she lives in Idaho and teaches as an expert online at Write That Book.