A Broken Kind of Beautiful by Katie Ganshert

Katie Ganshert has written another beautiful story.  I was excited to read another one of her books since I reviewed her other two a while ago--Wildflowers in Winter and Wishing on Willows.  This novel did not disappoint!  Below you can read a summary from the back cover of the book and my review.  The first chapter of the book is also included along with information on the author.

From the Back Cover:

Sometimes everything you ever learned about yourself is wrong

Fashion is a fickle industry, a frightening fact for twenty-four year old model Ivy Clark. Ten years in and she’s learned a sacred truth—appearance is everything. Nobody cares about her broken past as long as she looks beautiful for the camera. This is the only life Ivy knows—so when it starts to unravel, she’ll do anything to hold on. Even if that means moving to the quaint island town of Greenbrier, South Carolina, to be the new face of her stepmother’s bridal wear line—an irony too rich for words, since Ivy is far from the pure bride in white.

If only her tenuous future didn’t rest in the hands of Davis Knight, her mysterious new photographer. Not only did he walk away from the kind of success Ivy longs for to work maintenance at a local church, he treats her differently than any man ever has. Somehow, Davis sees through the façade she works so hard to maintain. He, along with a cast of other characters, challenges everything Ivy has come to believe about beauty and worth. Is it possible that God sees her—a woman stained and broken by the world—yet wants her still?

My Review:
Let me begin by saying that I really enjoyed reading this novel.  The story had many unpredictable twists and turns in it.  Even though the characters each have their sad story, a bright ray of hope is always just around the corner making you wonder if they'll be able to except what they have lost in their life and embrace their new future.  I loved this section in the book when Marilyn was thinking to herself and remembering some things that were said in the past about her infertility and Sara's accident. 

     "After Sarah's accident, so many well-intentioned people had offered her words of hope--that God would heal her, that she would see again--as if that was a given.  It was the same hope people had offered Marilyn all those years ago.  Story upon story of women who had struggled through infertility and ended up with a child on the other side.
     'God is good. It'll happen,' they had told her.
     As if God's goodness depended upon whether or not He answered prayers the way people wanted Him to answer.  The hard truth was that sometimes He didn't.  He hadn't rescued Marilyn from her infertility, and He hadn't rescued Sarah from her blindness.  But that didn't negate His goodness.  It just meant He had different plans." (pg. 208)

I thought these were some great thoughts.  How many times have you heard people say well meaning things that aren't really well thought out and actually hurt the intended party instead of helping?  When facing tragedy others want to console, but sometimes don't really think before they speak.   I appreciate the honesty the author portrayed of the characters in their struggles.   Katie has written a beautiful story of the glorious hope that is offered in Christ. 
If you're looking for a good book to read, pick up Katie Ganshert's newest novel. 

Click here to read the first chapter.

About the Author:

Christy Award finalist and Carol Award winner, Katie Ganshert, graduated from the University of Wisconsin in Madison with a degree in education, and worked as a fifth grade teacher for several years before staying home to write full-time. She was born and raised in the Midwest, where she lives with her husband, their young son, and their goofy black lab, Bubba. When she’s not busy writing or playing or reading or snuggling, she is obsessing over the paperwork and the waiting that comes with adoption. You can learn more about Katie and her books by visiting her website or author Facebook page.

***I received this book free from Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review.  All opinions are my own.

***I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for this review.  All opinions are my own.