Catch a Falling Star, book review
Catch a Falling Star is the sophomore novel of Beth K. Vogt, the renowned non-fiction author and editor who said she’d never write fiction. She’s the wife of an Air Force family physician, though she said she’d never marry a doctor—or anyone in the military. She’s a mom of four, though she said she’d never have kids. She’s discovered that God’s best often waits behind the doors marked “Never.” (love that)
About this book: At 36, Kendall Haynes has seen some of her dreams come true. She’s a family physician helping kids with severe allergies and asthma achieve more fulfilling lives—a childhood struggle she knows all too well. But the feeling of being “the kid never picked” looms large when romance continues to evade her and yet another one of her closest friends gets engaged. Are Kendall’s dreams of having it all—a career, a husband, children—nothing more than childish wishing upon a star? Should she hold out for her elusive Plan A? Dust off Plan B? Or is it time to settle? God says he knows the plans he has for her—why can’t Kendall figure them out and be content with her life?
Griffin Walker prefers flying solo—both as an Air Force pilot and in his personal life. But a wrong choice and health problems pulled him out of the cockpit. His attempts to get out of “flying a desk” are complicated by his parents’ death—making Griffin the reluctant guardian of his sixteen-year-old brother, Ian. How did his life get so off course? Can God get his life back on track … or has there been a divine plan all along?
Genre: Fiction/Contemporary Christian Romance
Judge this book by its cover? I think it does the story justice, though I’m not sure it would have captured me off the shelf.
Reminds me of… Susan Meissner, Lisa Wingate
Buy or borrow? Buy.
Why did I read this book? To review for Litfuse Publicity for Howard Books.
Would I read another by this author? Yes.
Rating: 4/5 stars
My take: As I’ve noted before, left to my own devices I won’t usually choose romance novels, either contemporary or historical. I love a dash of romance in almost any story, but I usually prefer the story itself to be about something bigger. That said, I work very hard to be open-minded about every book that comes my way, and I like to be surprised…even proven wrong.
I place all that up front as a disclaimer of sorts, meaning that this genre of novel is not written for me. So things that I found somewhat lacking–a certain gravitas, for instance–are not generally expected nor even desired in this particular market. At times the dialogue struck me as stilted, as when the characters’ dialogue was overly explanatory. The other thing that seemed odd was the occasional inclusion of a third narrative character (Evie). While I understood Evie’s role in resolving a particular sub-plot, her viewpoint popped up so rarely that it felt out-of-place.
But now I’m done with the negative stuff. On the whole, I really liked this story. It included a nicely paced romance, moving believably from tension to attraction. It also included an intriguing twist toward the end that I didn’t see coming, and a poignant act of sacrifice, all of which ups the emotional ante. The ending too was unexpectedly satisfying.
All in all, if you enjoy contemporary Christian romance, I suggest you try this one. I kind of expect you’ll like it.
Thanks to Howard Books for providing me a free copy to review. All opinions are mine.
What are other bloggers saying about Catch a Falling Star? Find out here. You can also visit Beth Vogt online. And…
Celebrate the release of Catch a Falling Star (Howard Books) with Beth K. Vogt by entering to win a Romantic Weekend Getaway and RSVPing for her June 4th Author Chat Party.
One “lucky” winner will receive:
- A $200 Visa Cash Card (Perfect for a weekend stay at a hotel or B&B!)
- Catch a Falling Star and Wish You Were Here by Beth Vogt (Swoon-worthy!)
Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on June 3rd. Winner will be announced at the “Catch a Falling Star” Facebook Author Chat Party on June 4th. Connect with Beth for an evening of book chat, trivia, laughter, and more! Beth will also share an exclusive look at her next book and give away books and other fun prizes throughout the evening.
