Paige Torn

Paige Alder #1

by Erynn Mangum

Everyone knows they can count on Paige Alder. But between volunteering at church, putting in overtime at work, and helping her best friend plan an anniversary party, she's lucky to grab a cheese stick for dinner. Paige can't even remember the last time she had a few minutes to relax or dig into God's Word. Then she meets laid-back Tyler, an attractive, Jesus-loving guy. Will he be able to help Paige get her priorities on track?

Genres: Christian Fiction, Christian, Contemporary, Romance, Fiction, Young Adult, Chick Lit

304 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published May 1, 2013

About the author

I love to read, love to write and am very blessed to be a wife and mama of two precious boys and a beautiful little girl. My latest books are The Broken Branch and Mind the Gap! Look for the Lauren Holbrook series (Miss Match, ReMatch, Match Point, Match Made and Bake Me A Match), the Maya Davis series (Cool Beans, Latte Daze and Double Shot) Sketchy Behavior, and the Paige Alder series (Paige Torn, Paige Rewritten and Paige Turned) and the Carrington Springs series (Katie in Waiting, Once Upon Eliza and Happily Ever Ashten) in paperback and ebook format, along with lots of ebook novellas. :) To learn more, visit me on Instagram @ErynnMangum.

Reviews

[Lindsey (Books for Christian Girls) · Rating 4 out of 5]

2023 rereading: bumping it up to a 4.5 rating. I just love this author's books so much and I relate to Paige a lot. ☺️

About this book:

“Everyone knows they can count on Paige Alder. But between volunteering at church, putting in overtime at work, and helping her best friend plan an anniversary party, she's lucky to grab a cheese stick for dinner. Paige can't even remember the last time she had a few minutes to relax or dig into God's Word. Then she meets laid-back Tyler, an attractive, Jesus-loving guy. Will he be able to help Paige get her priorities on track?”


Series: Book #1 in the “Paige Alder” series.


Spiritual Content- 2 Peter 3:18 in the acknowledgments; Many Scriptures are mentioned, read, thought-over, & discussed; Many Prayers, Blessings over food, & Thanking God; Bible reading & Thinking; Church going, hearing a couple sermons, & also teaching (two-year-olds about David and 9th grade girls about sin); Many talks about God, service, & giving control to God; ‘H’s are capital when referring to God & Jesus; Paige teaches youth group for 9th grade girls & a Sunday School class for two-year-olds); Many, many mentions of church, church going, Sunday school classes, youth groups, services, worship, pastors, & sermons, & lessons; Mentions of God, Jesus, & serving; Mentions of Bible reading, devotional time, & those in the Bible; Mentions of prayers, blessings over food, & thanking God; Mentions of Christians; Mentions of hymns & Christian children’s songs; A couple mentions of Heaven; A couple mentions of sin; A mention of feeling called by God; A mention of a Christian concert; A mention of a Christian camp.
*Note: A few mentions of allegories to Christ in popular fiction (such as Lord of the Rings); A mention of someone saying someone else is from “down south of the heavenly border”.


Negative Content- Minor cussing including: Minor cussing including: a ‘dang it’, a ‘duh’, a ‘dumb’, a ‘screwed up’, a ‘shoot’, a ‘stupid’, two forms of ‘crap’, two ‘darn’s, two ‘gosh’s, two ‘holy cow’s, two ‘wimp’s, three ‘sheesh’s, and four ‘oh my gosh’s; Sarcasm & Eye rolling; Mentions of divorce; A couple mentions of a car accident & death (of someone’s father); A couple mentions of cannibalism (not seriously); A couple mentions of someone who likes to drink a lot & hoping they will be sober; A couple mentions of jealousy; A couple mentions of taunts from kids at school; A couple mentions of tattoos (including Paige’s sister getting one which broken their mother’s heart); A mention of possibly being kidnapped; A mention of a 3rd grader beating up a classmate; A mention of dead chickens; A mention of a violent video game;
*Note: Going to & many mentions of Starbucks; Many mentions of brand names & items (Ken doll, Forever 21, BIC pens, Beanee Weenees, Coke, Sonic, Lean Cuisine, Special /k, Ziploc, Crocs, Cheerios, Mountain Dew, Jell-O, Lipton, Excedrin, Dr Pepper, M&Ms, Dippin’ Dots, Marie Callendar’s frozen meals, Nike, Xbox, & iPods); Many mentions of movies, TV shows, TV channels, actresses, characters, & books (Anne of Green Gables, NCIS, Peter Pan, The Sandlot, Pride & Prejudice, Tangled, Emma, Cinderella, Clue, Clueless, Just Like Heaven, Lamb Chop, The Little Mermaid, Lord of the Rings, Cheaper by the Dozen 2, Gladiator, Beauty and the Beast, The Princess Bride, Bewitched, Kate and Leopold, The Sound of Music, Gwyneth Paltrow, Cher, Kathy Bates, Discovery Channel, HGTV, Food Network, Fox News, Disney, Pixar, & Diary of a Wimpy Kid); Mentions of singers & songs (Keith Urban, Elvis, Taylor Swift, & Michael Bublé); Mentions of restaurants & stores (Cracker Barrel, Panda Express, Subway, Olive Garden, Chili’s, Panera, California Pizza Kitchen, Marriott, Target, Pottery Barn, T.J. Maxx, & Bass Pro Shop); A few mentions of car brands; A few mentions of the Mario Brothers; A couple mentions of celebrities of (Shepard Smith & Guy Fieri); A couple mentions of Google; A couple mentions of social media site (YouTube & Facebook); A couple mentions of the Pioneer Woman blog; A couple mentions of March of Dimes; A mention of Disney World; A mention of Paige working her “tail off”.


Sexual Content- Two cheek kisses; Touches, Hand holding, & Dancing (barely-above-not-detailed); Blushes; Noticing (barely-above-not-detailed); a ‘baby’ and a ‘smoking-hot’; Many mentions of dating, dates, cute guys, exes, & break-ups; A few mentions of kissing & seeing couples kissing; A mention of Paige’s sister who moved in with her boyfriend (which broke their dad’s heart); A mention of a man who had an affair for six years; A mention of believing in abstinence; Mentions of cute guys & dating; A mention of a guy’s belief in abstinence; A tiny bit of love, falling in love & the emotions.
*Note: Mentions of pregnancy hormones & breastfeeding; A few mentions of women’s figures; A couple mentions of birth fathers not being a part of an adoption or contesting the adoption; A couple mentions of periods; A mention of puberty & PMSing for the first time; A mention of there being “no better birth control than [working in] church nurseries”.

-Paige Alder, age 22
1st person P.O.V. of Paige
289 pages

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Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- Two Stars
Early High School Teens- Three Stars
Older High School Teens- Four Stars
My personal Rating- Four Stars (and a half)
Erynn Mangum’s main characters are always caffeine obsessed and on fire for God and I love that!
This author has done it again. Not only does “Paige Torn” have a hilarious main character, there’s a crazy (fun!) best friend, a great guy, it’s set in Texas, there’s a ton of Spiritual Content, and Paige works at an adoption agency. Yep, that’s what makes this novel fabulous. Paige honestly reminds me of myself at many points, and needless to say, I definitely think Erynn Mangum hit it out of the ball park with this one.




Link to review:
http://booksforchristiangirls.blogspo...


*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had me laughing so hard. Every time I pick up a book by Mangum, I wonder why it has taken me so long to read one of her works. I'm going to be tracking down copies of the next two books, because I have to find out what happens.

Oh, and this book has an awesome message, well done.

[Amanda Tero · Rating 4 out of 5]

First-person, present tense isn't usually my thing. I think I have read one other book that way. But it really did grow on me throughout the story. And I really did like Paige a lot. I could see myself in her. A lot.

Seeing as this is all about Paige's busy life, it is definitely a fast-paced novel. It is more of a description of events around Paige's life and her relationship with others than it is a plot-oriented novel. Which, seeing as I read it while I was sick, it was the perfect read. Nothing needing my brain too much, but a hilarious light read.

The Christianity in the book is a little hard to explain. The Christian life is definitely the backbone of this book, but I find is more of a... modern Christianity. Nothing very deep and doctrinal. Just kind of the "go to church, serve, read your Bible" type of Christian. It was a little odd that they never prayed "In Jesus' Name." That's just a side note.

And how it ends! Guh! Really?! I guess I have to get my hands on book two now. Cleverly done, Mrs. Mangum. Cleverly done. (In other words, if you can't stand a story ending kind of in the middle...just buy book two off the bat; I warned you)

*I received this book from the Tyndale Rewards program and happily reviewed it*

[Deigan Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my gosh, I NEED BOOK TWO NOW.

This book was brilliant--absolutely brilliant! Mangum's writing style is beautiful, and hilarious, and full of wit. I totally related to Paige, and there were more than one times that I was like, "I feel called out." XD

Tyler was amazing. Paige was hilarious. Layla was such a good friend. Peter was . . . Peter.

My only qualm is that I don't have book two right now!

[Vendethiel · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book broke my heart. Erynn Mangum wrote the Lauren Holbrook books, which loved and laughed through and re-read. She wrote the Maya Davis books, which I liked. I was so excited for this book and ended up being so very disappointed. I gave it 2 stars out of love for the author, because truth to tell, I didn't like this book at all. I have 4 major problems with it:

First, it was boring. It was really, really, really boring. The author can take everyday lives and made them interesting and funny and meaningful. But this book reads like the diary of someone who is really too busy to diary. Instead of telling you the funny, interesting, poignant parts of her day, she tells you that she was really busy, swamped at work and church, only had a cheese stick to eat all day, and needs to do laundry and get groceries. What is even worse the continual repetition. Her days repeat in an unending, uninteresting, unchanging manner. I know the author was trying to show how busy and overwhelmed Paige was, but I was just bored. I was tried of reading the same boring diary entry over and over again.

Second, Paige drove me crazy. She can't say no. (I understand this, I have problems saying no.) But Paige doesn't do this because she feels obligated, but because she just never says no. Also, she feels she isn't doing anything important in life, because she functions as as an assistant in her job. Let me tell you that support roles are just as (if not more) important than the main role. Additionally, she is appreciated in everything she does. She uses a machine to fold the bulletins (when the regular person does it by hand) and the senior pastor comes in and thanks her. Her boss tells her the office wouldn't function without her, clients thank her with gifts and cards, moms thank her, church friends thank her, random people cry on the phone thanking her! She has no reason to feel unappreciated or useless. She wants to break up her best friend and her longtime boyfriend. Why? Because she does. I was also very disappointed in her commitment to her relationship with Christ. She seemed to think it wasn't really that important and it was just something that she did. On the whole, Paige bugged me.

Third, the character development was singularly lacking. The woman Paige considers a sister makes one appearance that is about a page long. Halfway through the book Paige has had only had one interesting, meaningful conversation with her best friend. Characters just keep showing up that I don't know, don't care about, and never get to learn to care for. It feels like the author was trying to prepare us for later books by revealing these people, but never letting us know them. Additionally, I had problems understanding and knowing Paige. She's supposed to be creative, but we barely see this; also practical, but she doesn't act practically. (When faced with a machine that can only fold 79 bulletins before it has to cool down, she sits there and counts each one it spits out and then has to try and stop it before it folds that 80th one! She could have just separated out stacks of 79 and put them in one after an other, giving the machine time to cool down in between!) At the end of the book, I know more about her eating habits than about her.

Fourth, I don't really consider this a spoiler, but if you do, I'm sorry. The book ends on a cliffhanger. I know. I read all that boring stuff to get to a cliffhanger so I have to read the second book. This is probably the biggest pet peeve I have when it comes to books. I think all books should stand on their own. I should want to read the next book because the author did such a good job on the first one, not because the author didn't finish the book.

So, I'm sad. I'm sad because the characters that Ms. Mangum is capable of creating are multifaceted and hilarious, but they weren't in this book; because Ms. Mangum can write stories that full of everyday happenings and not boring, but not in this book; because Ms. Mangum can make a main character that you really want to meet in real life, but not in this book; because she can finish her books and still leave you wanting more, but not in this book. I say skip this book if you're like me, but if you're not, read it and see if you like it.

[Alicia Willis · Rating 5 out of 5]

13+

I LOVED this book. The sugar, the sarcasm, the Starbucks... Oh, and the story-line. It all added up to a perfectly fun story that was predictable in the delightfully Erynn Mangum sort of way, yet still new and unique enough to keep you reading at a fast pace.

Paige is amazing. Sarcastic and real, yet compassionate and always willing to serve at heart. In fact, it is her sympathetic nature that gets her over her in head in projects. And she always finds herself unable to say no to the dozens of people who all apparently need her. That is, until cute and sweet Tyler shows up in her life and gently probes her to actually take care of herself. Tyler + well meaning friends + her own conscience help Paige do some soul searching - and discover what is really important in her life. Is it serving until she wears herself to a frazzle? Or is it learning to give to God by putting her relationship with Him first and giving to others afterwards?

The message was pointed, yet not preachy. The usual things one expects to find in a Mangum book were delightfully present - sugar, Starbucks, wit, movies, humor, sarcasm, and a touch of sweet romance and soul searching.

My only complaint is that I was supposed to be cleaning, but I couldn't free myself from the clutches of this book. Readers, beware.

[Izzy Y · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Erynn Mangum is the only author I know who can write a great book without anything "big" happening. Paige is a twenty-something single girl who can't say no....whether it's doing more than what's required as a secretary, teaching the youth, or even folding the church bulletins for the week. Is she so busy serving God that she's not spending any time with him?

The book takes us through a few months of Paige's life. While nothing major happens, this is a great book. The author has a knack for quick-witted dialogue and quirky situations that create a compelling story. Paige is an interesting character (although it would be nice if Mangum wrote a character who didn't like coffee---major trend with all her characters). The other characters are unique (more so than Paige). Layla is hilarious, and I find Tyler charming.


Overall, it's a good start to a new series. As a long-time fan who has read all of Erynn's books, I'm eager to see what happens next. Paige Torn ends with a tease of what's to come that has me looking forward to October.

[Rachel Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I now understand the merited hype for this book so yay me!! But honestly this book was really good. I loved the character development and the set up for book two

2024 reread:
My heart!! I am fangirling, smiling, and giggling so much. This book is so sweet and wholesome. I love how much it is centered around God and slowing down. Serving doesn’t always mean doing. I relate with Paige in different ways. Such a beautiful story. And Tyler 💕💕

[Anna |This Curly Girl Reads| · Rating 4 out of 5]

Updated: definitely enjoying this series as a 4⭐️
I loved Mangum’s book *Mind the Gap*—so adorable! I’ve had this Paige series on my TBR list for a while, and I am glad I finally was able to get my hands on it! It’s a really cute story.

What I liked: Paige was actually mostly relatable, even though I’m older than her and have a family😉 I remember that stage of life and enjoyed watching her grow (especially spiritually). I really liked Tyler. He’s such a great guy, but he’s also believable. The flow of the story was good and kept my attention. Though there’s a lot of mentions of movies/secular music (many of which are not going to build up a Christian), I never felt like that overshadowed the spiritual truths. I don’t have the same personal standards as the characters, but that’s ok.

What I didn’t like: There wasn’t a lot 🥰 as I said before, I don’t have the same personal standards as the characters, so some of the movies/music were not something I would endorse or encourage a Christian to be watching/listening to. The first person setting is not my favorite, but I actually found this one easy to read (much like Mind the Gap). That seems to be the authors preference, so heads up, it takes some getting used to, but this is a super cute story.

So this was a very cute story…be prepped with book 2 because it kind of ends abruptly!! Ugh that was a killer ending! In spite of that, I’m glad I picked it up and for the reminder that serving God does not take the place of personal time with Him. Priorities ❤️

Content: mentions of breastfeeding/childbirth but nothing that bugged me; any romance was squeaky clean(mentions of a couple kisses between engaged couples, two cheek kisses); probably most enjoyable for older teens+

[Natalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed Paige's sarcastic sense of humor, but I felt that the book good bogged down in detail. It felt like the author mentioned how busy/tired/stressed out Paige was 50 thousand times. It got really repetitive.

I wasn't wild about her best friend Layla; she seemed very selfish and into herself. There were a few moments where she was a good friend, but most of the time I found her fairly obnoxious.

I liked Tyler a lot. He and Paige had some cute scenes and I liked that he looked out for her.

[lauren ♡ (literallyilliterate) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don't you love it when the most random books are the ones you like the most?

"If you've ever felt like you're not good enough, like you're not strong enough, like you don't do enough, stop. Rest. Realize that God is good. And He has chosen you."

This was really chaotic but super sweet at the same time. I loved reading about Paige, Tyler, Layla, and the other characters. A perfect blend of humor, relatability, and Christian content/morals. I genuinely have no idea how Paige was able to juggle all her responsibilities for that long though. I would've quit in the first week.

Full RTC if I feel like it lol

[Olivia · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lot like her other books, but I still really enjoyed it! I love that Paige is learning to give her busy life to the Lord, and not control it so much. Really need to read the rest in the series soon!!

[Haley Annabelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read these books so fast I don't really remember the difference between the three!

So I guess I'll write a combined review. These books were so fun! Are they classic level? no way. But are they free of typos? with a linear storyline? relatable characters? and no weird lovey lovey stuff? YOU BET!

I so related to Paige and her busyness and all the things that were going on in her life. And it was so sweet to see her relationship with Tyler grow. Although I don't attend a church as big as Paige, I related to a lot of the church things in here. And I love that the church is such a big part of her life!
My biggest problem with this book: I think I gained wait just reading about all the macchiatos she consumed through this series. It's seriously disturbing.

[Celestria · Rating 5 out of 5]

I very much liked this book. It was a relief to realize Paige is nothing like Lauren Holbrooke, lol. I was kind of annoyed with this ending though! I need book 2!!

[Meagan | The Chapter House · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've read Mangum's Lauren Holbrook and Maya Davis series more times than I should probably admit to, lol. :) And ... unfortunately, I didn't feel this one had the same magic.

Maybe Paige's "finding it impossible to say 'no'" hit too close to home, or maybe the introvert in me just flipped too much at the resulting lack of time for reflection or quiet. There was just so much noise in Paige's life that I felt seeped into my own and left me feeling ... tense. And her BFF Layla unfortunately wasn't my favorite either.

Tyler, on the other hand, was pretty fantastic. :) And I really liked him.

I'll likely pick up the other books in the series (and have, in fact, already started reading book 2)--but am not sure how far I'll continue.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was kinda boring. It’s just Paige being busy the whole time. Nothing much happens in the Lauren Holbrook series, but in that one we get to see a lot of great friendships. In this book, I felt the lack of plot. Also, I have read four different MCs from Erynn Mangum and they all have the same personality. I will say though about her newer book Mind the Gap, that book was a lot better about all of the above complaints. But yeah, I felt like I was just reading over and over about Paige being busy and taken advantage of by everyone except boring ol’ Tyler.

[Carissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very annoying book for a light read. If you are going to base a book in a specific location, don’t make assumptions about the location. Do research. Dallas in January and February is not warm. It’s winter. Maybe not ridiculously cold, but the average temp is not 70 and it does have ice and snow. This concept that Texas is one long heat wave is just imagination.

[Jaycee Ann ✞]

guyssss I am in such a slump 😭 this is literally my fifth DNF in a week 🫩 anyways I just wasn’t in the mood for this and it was kinda boring and the main character was like eight years older than me.

[Mandi · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’re in the mood for a fun, laughter-filled book, this one is perfect! Paige’s sarcasm cracked me up & I loved her heart for serving her church- that’s rare anymore! Good book 😊

[♡Haphazardly-E♡ (Elm's Version) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read it all in one day, which is a first for me!

Started off the year with a very cute book! High hopes for this one!

[Claire · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF. No plot, fluffy, boring, repetitive, and it jumps around.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very very cute! Good Christian message and challenge.

[Abigail Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

The only way I can describe this book is that it was a like a Hallmark movie in book form. It had some very sweet, touching moments, but was also cheesy and cringe worthy at times.

I’m not sure the book was completely theologically correct, but it did have some very insightful and convicting themes. One point that was repeated throughout was that “a need does not constitute a call.”

Overall, it was engaging and interesting. The classic boy meets girl plot was very cute if a bit cheesy.

[Judith DeStefano · Rating 3 out of 5]

Paige Torn is a light read with a good message. If you tend to say "yes" too often, Paige Torn has something to teach you. Paige is 22 going on 23 in the first book of the trilogy. And as the book progresses, you will be ready for Paige to wake up and realize her problem! Its not that she isn't doing "good" things, but are they the best things for Paige? Paige works at an adoption agency--but not in the capacity she really wants. She works with the youth at her church, and she is helping to plan two big events. There is some romance, but it's fairly light. The books also includes some humor with upbeat best-friend Layla and you'll also appreciate interested-boy Tyler's patience with Paige.

Worldview: Christian

As far as content warnings, there are some slang words and a couple references to breast feeding because of one of Paige's friends having a baby during the book.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was so fun and hilarious! I found myself smiling, snickering, and laughing almost the whole time. Her friendships are like awesome, especially her and Layla’s. And her and Tyler’s... loveee it. ;)
Sooo excited to start book #2!

[Kelsey Messner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Summary

Paige Alder has a problem: She can't say no to anyone. Whether it's helping her best friend plan a party for her parents' anniversary, or volunteering to teach two-year-olds at church. Not to mention the fact that she is still doing secretarial work at the adoption agency she works at, a position her boss loves to see her complete to perfection, though her degree qualifies her to take on actual cases. As she helps her best friend plan for her upcoming wedding, Paige learns that there is only one thing she can say no to- the cute guy at church who would like to take her to lunch. The reason? Too busy. Paige believes that serving is the best way to utilize the single years of her life, but when her busy schedule starts to keep her from devotional time and grocery shopping, Paige has to re-evaluate her priorities before she loses her sanity.
Pros

Paige is a charming, funny character who wins the readers heart and attention from the very beginning. Her struggle to balance doing good things while caring for herself is an important, relevant lesson for young adult readers today. Erynn Mangum's novel is full of light humor, witty dialogue, and laughs.
Cons

While I enjoyed reading Paige's story, the truth is- nothing really happens in this book, or hardly anything at all. Besides Paige's romantic dalliance, there is next to zero tension or rising action in this novel. What's more, the minor storylines don't resolve themselves. Paige's issues with time management and saying no are relatable to readers, but these problems don't speak deep into Christian living. As a personal preference, I prefer books that speak to bigger issues that Christians face today.
Conclusion

Despite the fact that this book was pretty fluffy, I can't deny the fact that I enjoyed reading it. Paige's voice is bright, cheerful, and often hilarious. If you want a book that will give you plenty to laugh about but nothing too deep, you will likely enjoy this first title in Mangum's Paige Adler Series.

[shiloh · Rating 3 out of 5]

★★★☆☆
This is a super cute book!! I devoured it and would totally recommend it to young girls. The faith content is super sweet, but not super preachy which is nice.

what I liked about this book:

🦋fantastic humor, so well done with lots of little references and jokes! Super relatable too.

🦋I felt like I knew Paige really well after reading this book, like I was one of her friends :)

🦋the characters are lovely, they’re easy to remember and each pretty unique

what I didn’t like about this book:

🦋little comments about her body bothered me. The mc was constantly skipping meals, eating cookies, getting takeout, and then criticizing her own body. Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with eating Panda Express and baking cookies (I love both of those things!) but it irks me that the author writes about a character that eats cheese sticks for dinner on a regular basis and almost glorifies it. She certainly doesn’t make it clear that how the mc is eating is enormously unhealthy. Especially since this book doesn’t strike me as an allegorical book about someone’s struggles with eating and insecurities or anything. This is a chick flick about a busy girl.

🦋also this author DESPERATELY needs a better editor. Desperately. I’m not entirely sure Miss Mangum knows what a contraction is. If you’re a little rusty on what contractions are, I’ll give you a hint: I’ve used them 4 times in this paragraph.
I am -> I’m
You are -> you’re
I will -> I’ll
I have -> I’ve
So often she doesn’t use contractions in her writing when there should be some. Which makes it feel very choppy and awkward. I still enjoyed the story, but sometimes it would jolt me out of the story (iygwim)
Here’s an example for y’all:
“So I am late, and snow is nowhere near in the immediate future.”
"Paige! I am getting married!"
I don’t know, it was just something that irked me.

age recommendation: 12+
book vibes: 🩵🗒️🤎⛪️🦋📖

100% clean, no spice, no language, no questionable topics.

Hope you guys like it!

[Celestial · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a wonderful book! I know this is clique but Erynn Mangum did it again.
If you have read a Erynn Mangum book and not liked it, then you shouldn't read any of my reviews on her books because I love them all.
In all of the books that I have read of Erynn's all of the characters have been very funny, joking around kind of people. Paige, (the main character in this book), was actually relatively serious. Don't get me wrong there was quite a bit of humor in this book, but she was a little different from the usual characters that Erynn Mangum usually writes.
However I really liked this book. Paige had real problems and it all seemed very nice and realistic. I would definitely recommend this book (and all others by Erynn Mangum) to everybody. I really really love this book.

I received this book for free from Tyndale Rewards. Here is a link that may help you get some of their books for free as well. www.tyndalerewards.com/signup/?pc=9h4...

[Gracie Schlabach · Rating 3 out of 5]

Paige Torn by Erynn Mangum overall was a clean Christian contemporary fiction. Paige is the voice we hear from for the entire book as she lives her daily repetitive life of working and helping others. She realizes she has a problem telling others no when they ask her to help but only after having a bit of a breakdown at work one day over being stretched too thin. Honestly hearing her talk about all the things she was doing and how those made her have to live off cheesesticks was seriously STRESSING me out to read. Lol. Also a minor thing to most but always irks me is the saying "working in the church nursery is the best form of birth control" as in being with stranger's "brats" and all the drool and other unlikable liquids that come with being a baby/toddler will make anyone not want kids. I strongly disagree and want to say as a blessed mom of 2, when they are your own kids you really do not care about such things. They are your heart. Also working the nursery growing up always made me want my own. So to each their own opinion. Just wish we saw both sides in a story sometimes.
The story ends on an unsatisfactory end as this is a Trilogy so you have to read the next two books in order to know the real end. Overall the faith content felt very real to life.