Allison Pittman's All for a Story ~ Reviewed

All for a Story
Allison Pittman
Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. (October 1, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1414366817

Description:

Monica Bisbaine loves being a modern girl in the Roaring Twenties. Her job writing a gossip column allows her access to all the local speakeasys in Washington, D.C., where she can dance the night away—and find fodder for her next article. But when the owner of the Capitol Chatter newspaper passes away, Monica wonders what will happen to her job, and the lifestyle she loves.

Max Moore may hold the title of editor-in-chief for evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson’s paper, The Bridal Call, but Aimee calls all the shots. So when Max learns that his great-uncle has passed away, leaving him all his earthly possessions, Max resigns and heads to D.C. Determined to take over the Capitol Chatter, infuse it with his values, and turn it into a respectable paper, Max is soon bumping up against the equally determined Monica Bisbane.

Under Max’s direction, Monica embarks on her most challenging assignment yet: infiltrating and reporting on the Anti-Flirt Society. Though reluctant at first, as Monica meets and mingles with the young women of the club, she begins to question the innocence of her flirtatious lifestyle. And when romance begins to blossom between Max and Monica, she must choose where her loyalties lie: with the young women of the society or the alluring pull of the speakeasy and its inhabitants.

Review:

All For A Story is about Monica Brisbane, a young, modern woman in the roaring 20's. She writes a gossip column for a local paper, which allows her access to all of the local speakeasies in Washington DC. This is the perfect job for her as it allows her to drink and dance the night away, and get paid for writing about it. Her life changes quite a bit when the owner of Capital Chatter passes away, and the paper is taken over by the next of kin, Max Moore. Max has recently been working with Aimee Semple McPherson, but decided moving on his own might be just the change he needs, so he moves to Washington DC to claim the inheritance left to him by his uncle, including the newspaper, Capital Chatter. Max and Monica find themselves oddly attracted to each other, yet each, so set in their ways, that they aren't sure what to do with the other.
 
   This story was really interesting. I haven't read up a lot on the 20's, but I really enjoyed it. One forgets there was a time when alcohol was illegal, and that there were all of these secret places people could go to drink and “have a good time.” I really enjoyed seeing Monica's character grow up, however, I was disappointed in how the book ended. She started coming around to things, but didn't really seem to come to know the Lord, and Max, who is supposed to be a Christian, seems ok with it. The book just seemed to leave that part of the story hanging for me, leaving me disappointed. I think it really bothered me because towards the end of the story, Max realized that for as much as he cared for her, he had never really shared the Lord with her. And he never really did seem to after that, yet he seemed ok with the fact that she wasn't quite ready in the end. It made the end of the story a downer for me.

Reviewed by: Sarah Meyers