Christian Fiction Fanatic: Review of The Beach House by Sally John

A real woman has a set of screwdrivers, a cordless drill, a hammer and a black lace bra. A real woman knows how to confront a friend without ruining a friendship. These are a couple of examples from Grandmere Babett's list on how to be a real woman that helped shape the lives of four childhood friends who spent many hours at her home while growing up.

These four friends rekindle their childhood friendship during a week long vacation. Oh, what a vacation it turns out to be. Unbeknownst to each other at the start of the week, each woman is struggling with a different life issue.

Jo is an Ob-gyn doctor, never married, former alcoholic who realized on her fortieth birthday that something is missing from her life. She orchestrated and planned the reunion.

Molly is married to a pastor and the mother of four children. Best words to describe her are: superwoman, hormonal and prayer warrior. Molly wants more from life than to just be a pastor's wife and mother.

Andie has two teenage children and is married to a philandering husband. Andie is scared and timid about everything in her life especially this vacation.

Char is best described as a Georgia peach. She calls everyone sugar and talks with a southern twang. She is married with two children. She is bored with her marriage and flirting with her next door neighbor.

Jo has arranged their accommodations through a third party and is a little surprised when they arrive at the beach house they have rented. It is a uniquely painted cottage scrunched between modern buildings on each side. In the book the women describe it as looking like a huge foot wearing a rumpled sock. Inside they find an eclectically decorated house that is warm and inviting.

There seems to be something special and familiar about this house and this reunion of friends. Is it because of the previous owner Faith Fontaine? Maybe it's because of the next door neighbor who keeps appearing unexpectedly and has this uncanny way of connecting with the women. There is also a street preacher (or maybe I should say beach preacher) who can look at you with eyes that seem to penetrate your soul. Maybe it's because the house is very reminiscent of Grandmere Babette's apartment years ago or it could be because of all the praying that Molly is doing. Possibly it's a combination of all the above.

Sally John uses these characters and this story to touch on a multitude of subjects. It's about friendships of women, being forty, hormones, change, self discovery, dreams destroyed, dreams renewed, faith, God's plan for your life and surrender to God's plan for your life. If you are forty, soon to be forty or have been forty I think you will identify with these women and their struggles and victories.

The Beach House is the first book in the Beach House Series. I can't wait to see who visits the Beach House next.