I was on the lookout several months ago for an author whose work I could read without fear of running into any inappropriate material. When Sarah Floyd posted in From Heart and Home (a Facebook group where stay-at-home moms can freely advertise their home businesses) that she had written a novel, I was so excited. Sarah is a sister in Christ and I knew that her novel would be both clean and entertaining. I couldn’t wait to get my hands on Finding Joy.
I had the pleasure of meeting Sarah in person back in October when both of our families attended a retreat in North Carolina. Though I did not have the opportunity to get to know Sarah as well as I would have liked, she struck me as a sweet, witty, and determined woman with a passion for God and her family. Those traits shine forth from her writing as well.
In Finding Joy, Sophia Joy Carnegie finds herself caught between two worlds. In Pittsburg she is a successful realtor, daughter of the wealthy George and Amelia Carnegie who never spared a dime when it came to taking care of their little girl. Unfortunately, time was something they never seemed to have for her. At twenty-four years old, Sophia is disenchanted with the lives her parents lead, and the life she has led up to this point. Determined to make a different path for herself, Sophia abandons her comfortable existence – along with her first name – and travels to Vermont in search of her long lost aunt, a new career in writing, and a new purpose for her life. Totally unprepared for life in Vermont, Joy must learn to rely on God and kind friends as she navigates her way through a winter full of surprises and, ultimately, full of joy.
The struggle Joy faces is a struggle that is familiar to most of us. Throughout the story Joy tries to discover what she is supposed to do with her life. She has all of these resources and so much talent, but she feels completely directionless. I found myself identifying with Joy’s character as she tries to mesh her personal desires with what the Bible says her life should be like. At first, the two seem to be at odds. But the more she learns about God’s will and His priorities, the more Joy realizes that what she does with her life is not nearly as important as how she does it – and why.
I thoroughly enjoyed this heartwarming story of a young woman’s search for purpose, love, and acceptance. Humorous, insightful, and full of the Truth of the Gospel, Finding Joy is a well-crafted novel that I know you will enjoy reading as much as I did! I’m looking forward to seeing what else flows from Sarah’s pen (pencil? Keyboard?) in the future!
Stay tuned for an author interview with Sarah Floyd! In the meantime, click HERE to get your own copy of Finding Joy. And don't forget to head over to Facebook and 'like' Sarah's page, Finding Joy - A Novel!
Have you read Finding Joy? If so, Sarah has a great offer for you! Right now until March 20, you can enter to win a free copy of Finding Joy to share with a loved one! All you have to do is head over to Finding Joy - A Novel and post there about who your favorite character was and why. The winner will be announced on March 21 - the one year anniversary of the book's release. Check out the Facebook page for more details!
{Sarah graciously allowed me to read her book free of charge. I received no other compensation for this review.}
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