Barton, Arnold's Hometown Favorite ~ Reviewed

Hometown Favorite
Bill Barton, Henry O Arnold
Hardcover: 368 pages
Publisher: Revell (September 1, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 080071914X

To read chapter one -- click here.

Product Description

Talented, handsome, and personable, Dewayne Jobe rose from humble beginnings in rural Mississippi to play college football in Southern California and beyond. One of the best wide receivers in college ball, Dewayne is assured a promising career in professional football and easily finds success both on and off the field. Not only is he a great player, he's got the wife, the kids, and the pristine white picket fence to boot. But catastrophe looms right around the corner and ultimately strikes with a crushing vengeance. Will Dewayne's faith and character stand the test of such tragedy? Or will he lose everything--including the love of his life? This modern retelling of the story of Job will capture readers with the age-old question of why bad things happen to good people--and how good people can survive.

My Review:

I wouldn't have chosen this book to read for pure entertainment. My major reason is football. I'm not only not a fan, I don't get the game. I also do not care for omniscient point of view. The authors vocabularies and talent resulted in some overwriting as well. That said, I was won over by the story.

Though I skimmed football details fairly often, football non-fans can find something to enjoy in this story. I'm not going to give away many details since they would be spoilers. I will recommend this novel to folks who wouldn't have issues like mine as stated above, and who are looking for edgy Christian fiction. There are usages of slang and a smattering of curse words in this novel. Heavy subjects like child endangerment, violence, sexuality,drinking and drug use give the book a solid PG to PG-13 rating depending on your sensitivity.

The authors paint a picture of grace and hope. Despair pops up, forgiveness and restoration are covered. It's not a light read, but it could be just the ticket for some folks. Those who are fans of Creston Mapes novels may want to check out Hometown Favorite.

Kelly Klepfer