CFBA: Stuck in the Middle Review

Stuck in the Middle is the latest offering from author Virginia Smith.
Joan Sanderson's life is stuck. Her older sister, Allie, is starting a family and her younger sister, Tori, has a budding career. Meanwhile, Joan is living at home with Mom and looking after her aging grandmother. Not exactly a recipe for excitement-or romance.

That is, until a hunky young doctor moves in next door. Suddenly Joan has a goal--to catch his eye and get a date. But it won't be easy. Pretty Tori flirts relentlessly with him and Joan is sure that she can't compete. But with a little help from God, Allie, and an enormous mutt with bad manners, maybe Joan can find her way out of this rut and into the life she's been hiding from.

Book 1 of the Sister-to-Sister series, Stuck in the Middle combines budding romance, spiritual searching, and a healthy dose of sibling rivalry that is sure to make you smile.

"A gentle story of one young woman's season of growth, deftly blending the tangle of family relationships with gifts of whimsey and revelation. A joy to read."
~SHARON HINCK, author of Renovating Becky Miller and Symphony of Secrets~

"Virginia Smith has created a charming and humerous novel that celebrates small-town life, generations of women caring for each other, and the value of finding a deeper, more active faith."
~SHARON DUNN, author of the Bargain Hunters mysteries~

My Review:

As the oldest sibling in my family, I opened Stuck in the Middle with a little trepidation. Would the older sister get bashed? LOL. Instead, the older sister actually went to bat for the middle sister while pushing her to chase after what she wanted. Wooh. Okay, now I could sit back and enjoy the book.

This book carried the light touch of humor I've come to expect from Virginia's books, while tackling some tough issues, not the least of which was sibling rivalry. Yet it was clear that the family members deeply loved and cared for each other. And as the book continued Joan learns some important truth about her family that eases the isolation she'd felt.

The romance was pretty straight-forward; there weren't many questions about who Joan was interested in. Instead, multiple obstacles stood in the way of Joan finding happiness with the man she thinks she wants. And each obstacle forces her to look into herself and make changes. As she does, her life takes a fresh shape.

In the end, Joan is still stuck in the middle, but her relationships and perspective did change. This book was enjoyable on all fronts. A great read if you're looking for a new book.