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Hey, Jude Carpenter
Jude Carpenter likes his life. Sure, his mom is a little intense sometimes, and sure, it would be great if his older brother would help out more on their family dairy farm, but overall, Jude is happy. That is, until he finds out his family could lose their farm, and Jude’s life goes from peaceful stability to tense uncertainty.
Enter Mona Montgomery, whose life revolves around her cat, Shakespeare, the Beatles, and church. There’s not much else to do in Clearwater. Then she meets Jude, and life gets interesting.
With Jude's family losing their dairy farm, Mona is desperate to help. Though helping isn't as easy as she had hoped it would be. Jude's mom distrusts the Montgomery family, and that includes Mona. Mona's family did split a whole church, after all.
Romeo and Juliet had less trouble being near each other than Jude and Mona do. As time slips by and the deadline to lose the farm approaches, can Mona help Jude save the farm he loves?
Enter Mona Montgomery, whose life revolves around her cat, Shakespeare, the Beatles, and church. There’s not much else to do in Clearwater. Then she meets Jude, and life gets interesting.
With Jude's family losing their dairy farm, Mona is desperate to help. Though helping isn't as easy as she had hoped it would be. Jude's mom distrusts the Montgomery family, and that includes Mona. Mona's family did split a whole church, after all.
Romeo and Juliet had less trouble being near each other than Jude and Mona do. As time slips by and the deadline to lose the farm approaches, can Mona help Jude save the farm he loves?
206 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 22, 2024
7 people are currently reading
311 people want to read
About the author
Storm Shultz
10 books168 followersStorm Shultz is a Kentucky-based author of cozy Christian and Inspirational fiction.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews
February 22, 2024
4.5 stars, personally. This was like coming back to my roots of Christian Contemporary YA and I loved that feeling so much. Good grief, this was cute and that epilogue was just !?!?!? my heart!! 🥰 🥰 🥰 🥰 🥰 🥰 🥰
About this book:
“Jude Carpenter likes his life. Sure, his mom is a little intense sometimes, and sure, it would be great if his older brother would help out more on their family dairy farm, but overall, Jude is happy. That is, until he finds out his family could lose their farm, and Jude’s life goes from peaceful stability to tense uncertainty.
Enter Mona Montgomery, whose life revolves around her cat, Shakespeare, the Beatles, and church. There’s not much else to do in Clearwater. Then she meets Jude, and life gets interesting.
With Jude's family losing their dairy farm, Mona is desperate to help. Though helping isn't as easy as she had hoped it would be. Jude's mom distrusts the Montgomery family, and that includes Mona. Mona's family did split a whole church, after all.
Romeo and Juliet had less trouble being near each other than Jude and Mona do. As time slips by and the deadline to lose the farm approaches, can Mona help Jude save the farm he loves?”
Series: As of now, no. A stand-alone novel.
Spiritual Content- 1 Timothy 4:12 is referenced in the dedication; A couple Scriptures are mentioned; Prayers & Thanking God; Church going, a sermon, & hymns/worship; Talks about God & praying; 'H's are capital when referring to God; When at church, Jude zones out during a sermon (which he doesn’t typically do); Jude’s mother has him talk to their pastor after church every Sunday (much to the confusion of both Jude and the pastor because Jude’s a good kid, but Jude does enjoy talking to him and comes to him with a problem); Mona calls a Sunday special because her cousin is singing (saying that it’s special not because of a “lowly” sermon but because of her cousin); Jude’s older brother has gotten out of going to church with their family for the last while (*Spoiler* ); Mona writes in a prayer journal because she finds it easier because she can’t say something dumb to God then (she knows that that’s a silly fear because God knows everything already & feels like God is talking back to her written prayers); Jude get hit with “an overwhelming feeling to pray” at one point which he adds hasn’t happened in a while; The church split ten years prior to the book starting and was due to investing money in a new building and expanding the church (we see how this affected Jude and Mona’s mothers’ friendship *Spoiler* ); All about many mentions of churches, pastors, services, sermons, hymns/hymnals, worship music (song titles are given), a church split years before, & the division it caused in a town; Mentions of God & Jesus; Mentions of prayers, praying, & Thanking God; Mentions of Bibles, a Bible study, & a prayer journal; Mentions of church events, Sunday school, & youth group; Mentions of Christians; Mentions of Catholics, Mass, Lutherans, & going to a Protestant church; A few mentions of sprucing up a church almost every Saturday (Jude and his family, which while Jude would love to have his own Saturdays, knows that it’s good to see his “church family more than an hour a week”); A few mentions of miracles; A few mentions of blessings; A few mentions of theology & eschatology; A few mentions of tithing; A few mentions of a gospel singing group; A couple mentions of Christlike behavior (someone having it); A couple mentions of Heaven; A couple mentions of missionaries; A mention of an event in the Bible; A mention of a prayer chain; A mention of someone being accused of being a holiday Christian; A mention of an unequally yoked relationship (& a girl breaking it off because of that); A mention of a cross necklace; A mention of a Christian theologian (R.C. Sproul); A mention of the sin of “speeding and tardiness”;
*Note: The phrase “for the love of our gracious, heavenly Father” is said, but not meant disrespectfully; Mona’s mother hates mice so much that Mona thinks that “if a mouse are between Mom and heaven, I think Mom would really consider going to hell rather than get through the mouse to get to heaven”; A mention of a family not being a cult that can only eat their own culture’s food; A mention of luck; A mention of a caveman.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘darn it’, a ‘sucks’, a ‘what the—‘, two forms of ‘idiot’, two ‘jeez’s, three ‘heck’s, five ‘oh my gosh’s, ten ‘dumb’s, ten ‘shut up’s, and ten forms of ‘stupid’; A possible curse word is left-off of a sentence (“I’m sorry for being an… for being a jerk to you”); When upset with her cousin, Mona calls her a “cow”; Eye rolling & Sarcasm; A few mentions of curses/bad language (said when adults aren’t around or not said because adults are around); Planning to tell someone to “kick rocks”; Seeing a fight, injuries, & blood/bleeding (barely-above-not-detailed); Jude’s family is having financial difficulty with their dairy farm & he hears his mother crying and praying about it; Mona goes to take an apple from a tree on Jude’s family’s property & has a bit of guilt, but defends herself when Jude says that it’s stealing; Mentions of Juliet taking her own life for Romeo (Mona doesn’t understand her doing this at all); Mentions of a fight, pain, injuries, & blood/bleeding; Mentions of thieves, stealing, & thinking about stealing a sibling’s car (doesn’t happen nor is seriously thought about, more of a “what if…?” situation); A few mentions of cancer (in thinking that someone’s bad mood is because they have cancer and are dying; not true); A few mentions of vomit; A few mentions of a prank (towards a family business that didn’t go over well); A few mentions of lies & lying; A few mentions of divorces; A few mentions of tattoos; A couple mentions of wars; A few mentions of gangs & gang members; A couple mentions of psychopaths; A couple mentions of gossip; A couple mentions of peeing (a phrase about peeing in someone’s food when the person is in a bad mood); A mention of poison; A mention of bullies; A mention of Jude and his friend being apart of the “rejects” at school; A mention of eavesdropping; A mention of jealousy;
*Note: Like many married couples, both Mona & Jude’s parents have a few disagreements about minor things and it’s worked out; Jude’s mother is picky about who her children can be friends with (wanting only good influences) & is rude at first to Mona because of past history with their families; Jude’s mother has signs of anxiety (never named but shown as her wanting control & a song makes Jude stop to think about what his mom’s motivations for being so involved in his life are; He wishes their relationship was less stiff and *Spoiler* ); Jude’s older brother enjoys irritating Jude & acts like a jerk to him at times (including news that was devastating to Jude & messing with their mom for fun, *Spoiler* ); Mona tries to avoid her mom for a bit because of a decision that felt unfair; Mona feels hurt by her cousin not spending as much time with her after going to college; Mona makes a comment about walking to a place being better for her family’s health and for the environment; Mentions of Jude’s mother calling his older brother’s girlfriend “Miss California” because of her always giggling, talking about movies, always tanning, & wanting to become a model; Mentions of books & authors (mostly classics such as Romeo and Juliet, Narnia, The Hobbit, Anne of Green Gables, Moby Dick, Hamlet, Little Women, Harry Potter, Shakespeare, Jane Austen, Ernest Hemmingway); Mentions of songs & groups (Queen, The Beatles and the members, & Hank Williams); Mentions of brand names & places (Cheerios, Chips Ahoy cookies, Post-it notes, Tupperware, Styrofoam, Dairy Queen, Walmart, & Piggly Wiggly); A few mentions of TV shows & a movie (Gilmore Girls, Andy Griffith, & The Titanic); A couple mentions of wrestling matches (MMA & WWE); A couple mentions of a fictional characters (Captain America & Daffy Duck); A mention of a car brand; A mention of social media (Pinterest); A mention of kicking someone’s butt.
Sexual Content- A cheek kiss, two head/forehead kisses, a barely-above-not-detailed, and one border-line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed kiss; A bit of Touches, Embraces, Hand holding, & Smelling (barely-above-not-detailed); Blushes; Noticing (barely-above-not-detailed); Jude’s brother tells him to stop “checking out” his girlfriend (which Jude wasn’t); Jude is concerned that his brother and his girlfriend might be pregnant, but when he mentions this thought to his brother, his brother tells him that that wouldn’t have happened and that the girlfriend is saving herself (Jude then thinks that he wasn’t expecting to have a conversation about his brother and his girlfriend’s virginity); A college-aged guy calls Mona a “cutie” and she thinks he’s a red flag; Mona’s cousin is in college has a creep around her & she says that he “literally attacks girls” (no other details are given beside that he tried to grab her once and has followed other girls; *Spoiler* ); Mentions of girlfriends/boyfriends, dating, dates, being dumped, break-ups, & exes; Mentions of crushes & finding a girl cute; Mentions of boys fighting over a girl (a dad says it’s normal but a mom says that they shouldn’t act like animals); A few mentions of a first kiss; A few mentions of jealousy; A couple mentions of married couples kissing (not-detailed); A mention of a girl perching herself on her boyfriend’s lap; A mention of kissing sounds (teasing by a friend); A mention of a guy kissing his girlfriend’s hand; A mention of flirting; Jude & Mona really are friends only first, but some others tease them about being interested in the other; A bit of love, falling in love, & the emotions (definitely more awkward teenager feelings than sexual tension-filled);
*Note: Jude thinks someone mistakes him as a girl and panics that he’s going to have to reassess his whole life before realizing that the person is talking to someone else; A couple mentions of a girl being called a hypocrite for dressing the way she does & professing to be a Christian; A mention of Jude’s mother disapproving about a girl’s above-the-knee shorts; A mention of some laws saying that there is an age requirement for love; A mention of it taking long for a couple to have another child.
-Ramona “Mona” Montgomery, age 14
-Jude Carpenter, age 14
1st person P.O.V. switches between them
206 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- Two Stars
Early High School Teens- Three Stars (and a half)
Older High School Teens- Four Stars (and a half)
My personal Rating- Four Stars (and a half)
As soon as I saw about this brand new Cotemporary Christian YA book, I was so excited for it! This feels like coming back to my roots of good Christian contemporary YA summer-ish books. I love it! It gives you the feeling of being outside on a hot summer evening listening to the cicadas with a glass of iced tea. It’s that summer nostalgic feeling that I love that this book had in so well done.
Everyone’s backstories were written in such a realistic way that if you told me if these were actual real people, I think I believe you. That’s always neat when that happens in a book. A couple times it felt a little bit like info dumping, but most of the time it just felt like a friend was catching me up on extended information and family. I love the family and sibling content this book. It just felt so realistic and humorous.
There were a few small parts that made me think that this book is better for 15+ (despite the main characters being 14), but overall it was just a really good and really sweet read. I will note that I wasn’t a fan of Jude & Mona kissing when they’re only 14, but it definitely wasn’t detailed or a major part of the story. I honestly kept picturing them as sixteen, and I would have preferred them to be closer to that age, personally.
Overall, I’m really glad to share that I enjoyed this highly anticipated read but do have a few notes that make me suggest it for slightly older girls.
Link to review:
https://booksforchristiangirls.blogsp...
*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.
*I received this book for free from the Author for this honest review.
About this book:
“Jude Carpenter likes his life. Sure, his mom is a little intense sometimes, and sure, it would be great if his older brother would help out more on their family dairy farm, but overall, Jude is happy. That is, until he finds out his family could lose their farm, and Jude’s life goes from peaceful stability to tense uncertainty.
Enter Mona Montgomery, whose life revolves around her cat, Shakespeare, the Beatles, and church. There’s not much else to do in Clearwater. Then she meets Jude, and life gets interesting.
With Jude's family losing their dairy farm, Mona is desperate to help. Though helping isn't as easy as she had hoped it would be. Jude's mom distrusts the Montgomery family, and that includes Mona. Mona's family did split a whole church, after all.
Romeo and Juliet had less trouble being near each other than Jude and Mona do. As time slips by and the deadline to lose the farm approaches, can Mona help Jude save the farm he loves?”
Series: As of now, no. A stand-alone novel.
Spiritual Content- 1 Timothy 4:12 is referenced in the dedication; A couple Scriptures are mentioned; Prayers & Thanking God; Church going, a sermon, & hymns/worship; Talks about God & praying; 'H's are capital when referring to God; When at church, Jude zones out during a sermon (which he doesn’t typically do); Jude’s mother has him talk to their pastor after church every Sunday (much to the confusion of both Jude and the pastor because Jude’s a good kid, but Jude does enjoy talking to him and comes to him with a problem); Mona calls a Sunday special because her cousin is singing (saying that it’s special not because of a “lowly” sermon but because of her cousin); Jude’s older brother has gotten out of going to church with their family for the last while (*Spoiler* ); Mona writes in a prayer journal because she finds it easier because she can’t say something dumb to God then (she knows that that’s a silly fear because God knows everything already & feels like God is talking back to her written prayers); Jude get hit with “an overwhelming feeling to pray” at one point which he adds hasn’t happened in a while; The church split ten years prior to the book starting and was due to investing money in a new building and expanding the church (we see how this affected Jude and Mona’s mothers’ friendship *Spoiler* ); All about many mentions of churches, pastors, services, sermons, hymns/hymnals, worship music (song titles are given), a church split years before, & the division it caused in a town; Mentions of God & Jesus; Mentions of prayers, praying, & Thanking God; Mentions of Bibles, a Bible study, & a prayer journal; Mentions of church events, Sunday school, & youth group; Mentions of Christians; Mentions of Catholics, Mass, Lutherans, & going to a Protestant church; A few mentions of sprucing up a church almost every Saturday (Jude and his family, which while Jude would love to have his own Saturdays, knows that it’s good to see his “church family more than an hour a week”); A few mentions of miracles; A few mentions of blessings; A few mentions of theology & eschatology; A few mentions of tithing; A few mentions of a gospel singing group; A couple mentions of Christlike behavior (someone having it); A couple mentions of Heaven; A couple mentions of missionaries; A mention of an event in the Bible; A mention of a prayer chain; A mention of someone being accused of being a holiday Christian; A mention of an unequally yoked relationship (& a girl breaking it off because of that); A mention of a cross necklace; A mention of a Christian theologian (R.C. Sproul); A mention of the sin of “speeding and tardiness”;
*Note: The phrase “for the love of our gracious, heavenly Father” is said, but not meant disrespectfully; Mona’s mother hates mice so much that Mona thinks that “if a mouse are between Mom and heaven, I think Mom would really consider going to hell rather than get through the mouse to get to heaven”; A mention of a family not being a cult that can only eat their own culture’s food; A mention of luck; A mention of a caveman.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘darn it’, a ‘sucks’, a ‘what the—‘, two forms of ‘idiot’, two ‘jeez’s, three ‘heck’s, five ‘oh my gosh’s, ten ‘dumb’s, ten ‘shut up’s, and ten forms of ‘stupid’; A possible curse word is left-off of a sentence (“I’m sorry for being an… for being a jerk to you”); When upset with her cousin, Mona calls her a “cow”; Eye rolling & Sarcasm; A few mentions of curses/bad language (said when adults aren’t around or not said because adults are around); Planning to tell someone to “kick rocks”; Seeing a fight, injuries, & blood/bleeding (barely-above-not-detailed); Jude’s family is having financial difficulty with their dairy farm & he hears his mother crying and praying about it; Mona goes to take an apple from a tree on Jude’s family’s property & has a bit of guilt, but defends herself when Jude says that it’s stealing; Mentions of Juliet taking her own life for Romeo (Mona doesn’t understand her doing this at all); Mentions of a fight, pain, injuries, & blood/bleeding; Mentions of thieves, stealing, & thinking about stealing a sibling’s car (doesn’t happen nor is seriously thought about, more of a “what if…?” situation); A few mentions of cancer (in thinking that someone’s bad mood is because they have cancer and are dying; not true); A few mentions of vomit; A few mentions of a prank (towards a family business that didn’t go over well); A few mentions of lies & lying; A few mentions of divorces; A few mentions of tattoos; A couple mentions of wars; A few mentions of gangs & gang members; A couple mentions of psychopaths; A couple mentions of gossip; A couple mentions of peeing (a phrase about peeing in someone’s food when the person is in a bad mood); A mention of poison; A mention of bullies; A mention of Jude and his friend being apart of the “rejects” at school; A mention of eavesdropping; A mention of jealousy;
*Note: Like many married couples, both Mona & Jude’s parents have a few disagreements about minor things and it’s worked out; Jude’s mother is picky about who her children can be friends with (wanting only good influences) & is rude at first to Mona because of past history with their families; Jude’s mother has signs of anxiety (never named but shown as her wanting control & a song makes Jude stop to think about what his mom’s motivations for being so involved in his life are; He wishes their relationship was less stiff and *Spoiler* ); Jude’s older brother enjoys irritating Jude & acts like a jerk to him at times (including news that was devastating to Jude & messing with their mom for fun, *Spoiler* ); Mona tries to avoid her mom for a bit because of a decision that felt unfair; Mona feels hurt by her cousin not spending as much time with her after going to college; Mona makes a comment about walking to a place being better for her family’s health and for the environment; Mentions of Jude’s mother calling his older brother’s girlfriend “Miss California” because of her always giggling, talking about movies, always tanning, & wanting to become a model; Mentions of books & authors (mostly classics such as Romeo and Juliet, Narnia, The Hobbit, Anne of Green Gables, Moby Dick, Hamlet, Little Women, Harry Potter, Shakespeare, Jane Austen, Ernest Hemmingway); Mentions of songs & groups (Queen, The Beatles and the members, & Hank Williams); Mentions of brand names & places (Cheerios, Chips Ahoy cookies, Post-it notes, Tupperware, Styrofoam, Dairy Queen, Walmart, & Piggly Wiggly); A few mentions of TV shows & a movie (Gilmore Girls, Andy Griffith, & The Titanic); A couple mentions of wrestling matches (MMA & WWE); A couple mentions of a fictional characters (Captain America & Daffy Duck); A mention of a car brand; A mention of social media (Pinterest); A mention of kicking someone’s butt.
Sexual Content- A cheek kiss, two head/forehead kisses, a barely-above-not-detailed, and one border-line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed kiss; A bit of Touches, Embraces, Hand holding, & Smelling (barely-above-not-detailed); Blushes; Noticing (barely-above-not-detailed); Jude’s brother tells him to stop “checking out” his girlfriend (which Jude wasn’t); Jude is concerned that his brother and his girlfriend might be pregnant, but when he mentions this thought to his brother, his brother tells him that that wouldn’t have happened and that the girlfriend is saving herself (Jude then thinks that he wasn’t expecting to have a conversation about his brother and his girlfriend’s virginity); A college-aged guy calls Mona a “cutie” and she thinks he’s a red flag; Mona’s cousin is in college has a creep around her & she says that he “literally attacks girls” (no other details are given beside that he tried to grab her once and has followed other girls; *Spoiler* ); Mentions of girlfriends/boyfriends, dating, dates, being dumped, break-ups, & exes; Mentions of crushes & finding a girl cute; Mentions of boys fighting over a girl (a dad says it’s normal but a mom says that they shouldn’t act like animals); A few mentions of a first kiss; A few mentions of jealousy; A couple mentions of married couples kissing (not-detailed); A mention of a girl perching herself on her boyfriend’s lap; A mention of kissing sounds (teasing by a friend); A mention of a guy kissing his girlfriend’s hand; A mention of flirting; Jude & Mona really are friends only first, but some others tease them about being interested in the other; A bit of love, falling in love, & the emotions (definitely more awkward teenager feelings than sexual tension-filled);
*Note: Jude thinks someone mistakes him as a girl and panics that he’s going to have to reassess his whole life before realizing that the person is talking to someone else; A couple mentions of a girl being called a hypocrite for dressing the way she does & professing to be a Christian; A mention of Jude’s mother disapproving about a girl’s above-the-knee shorts; A mention of some laws saying that there is an age requirement for love; A mention of it taking long for a couple to have another child.
-Ramona “Mona” Montgomery, age 14
-Jude Carpenter, age 14
1st person P.O.V. switches between them
206 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- Two Stars
Early High School Teens- Three Stars (and a half)
Older High School Teens- Four Stars (and a half)
My personal Rating- Four Stars (and a half)
As soon as I saw about this brand new Cotemporary Christian YA book, I was so excited for it! This feels like coming back to my roots of good Christian contemporary YA summer-ish books. I love it! It gives you the feeling of being outside on a hot summer evening listening to the cicadas with a glass of iced tea. It’s that summer nostalgic feeling that I love that this book had in so well done.
Everyone’s backstories were written in such a realistic way that if you told me if these were actual real people, I think I believe you. That’s always neat when that happens in a book. A couple times it felt a little bit like info dumping, but most of the time it just felt like a friend was catching me up on extended information and family. I love the family and sibling content this book. It just felt so realistic and humorous.
There were a few small parts that made me think that this book is better for 15+ (despite the main characters being 14), but overall it was just a really good and really sweet read. I will note that I wasn’t a fan of Jude & Mona kissing when they’re only 14, but it definitely wasn’t detailed or a major part of the story. I honestly kept picturing them as sixteen, and I would have preferred them to be closer to that age, personally.
Overall, I’m really glad to share that I enjoyed this highly anticipated read but do have a few notes that make me suggest it for slightly older girls.
Link to review:
https://booksforchristiangirls.blogsp...
*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.
*I received this book for free from the Author for this honest review.
February 4, 2024
FTC DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy of this book. A positive review was not required. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.
I couldn't help but picture the small town I grew up in as I read this. Down to the church right across the street from ours (though it wasn't in use) and the fields full of cows, I felt right at home in this book. <3 My community was even rocked by two church splits (before my time there), so this hit close to home.
I loved Mona and Jude and how intertwined their lives were without them knowing it. And the way they affected each other with their friendship. 🥺 So wholesome and real. I loved the apple apology most of all.
Mona is one of the most relatable characters I've read about in a while (I'm starting to think I need a cat), and I loved her and Jude's open hearts and tenacity.
Sometimes this felt more middle-grade to me than YA, but I guess teens are getting younger to me as I get older. It certainly has the benefit of being appropriate and enjoyable for a wide range of ages. ;)
The ending was as sweet as a crisp, juicy apple, and I'm so glad I read this book. <3
Oh, and I had to go listen to the song too. <3
CW: a college guy is creepy.
I couldn't help but picture the small town I grew up in as I read this. Down to the church right across the street from ours (though it wasn't in use) and the fields full of cows, I felt right at home in this book. <3 My community was even rocked by two church splits (before my time there), so this hit close to home.
I loved Mona and Jude and how intertwined their lives were without them knowing it. And the way they affected each other with their friendship. 🥺 So wholesome and real. I loved the apple apology most of all.
Mona is one of the most relatable characters I've read about in a while (I'm starting to think I need a cat), and I loved her and Jude's open hearts and tenacity.
Sometimes this felt more middle-grade to me than YA, but I guess teens are getting younger to me as I get older. It certainly has the benefit of being appropriate and enjoyable for a wide range of ages. ;)
The ending was as sweet as a crisp, juicy apple, and I'm so glad I read this book. <3
Oh, and I had to go listen to the song too. <3
CW: a college guy is creepy.
April 23, 2024
3.70 stars (4/10 hearts). Having read
Meant to Bee,
I had a pretty good idea what I was getting myself into. Sweet daily life, comedy, family issues… realistic but cute. I particularly loved the idea of a Romeo & Juliet retelling, especially invoicing a church split!
I definitely enjoyed the book. The ever-present comedy made me smile and even laugh aloud once. The characters were super realistic and loveable. Especially Mona, that bookworm. I appreciated her love and tact and courage SO much. And Jude! He’s quiet, but he’s smart and reliable. I admit I liked Mona’s family more—they were so much more warm and loving, and her parents were a hoot—but Jude’s family also made me appreciate them. I liked the pastor, and Nana is an ICON.
I also really liked the mixture of seriousness and humour in the book. While there were idealistic moments like Mona’s music-fuelled bike ride and the little orchard, there were also heavier topics, such as teen rebellion (mostly seen in Silas, but some in Thomàs), dating issues, church fighting, overbearing + irrational parents, and even fear of assault by a predatory college boy. There were a few things I personally didn’t enjoy. First, I wasn’t so much a fan of the dating aspect of the book. Lorelai & Silas’ relationship I just couldn’t get behind. Lorelai confused me and I didn’t like her, quite simply. Also I felt like all their tumultuous relationship was finished up a little too quickly and easily. Personal opinion, though. I also wasn’t a fan of Jude & Mona kissing at 14-15. But their romance was cute and didn’t get over the top. AKA Romeo and Juliet, lol. I appreciate the sensibility there. ;) It was also really fuelled by kindness and understanding and real love, and I love that!! The second thing was I felt like the whole side plot of Delilah and Anton and all that was really random and not really handled after, but that is kinda what life is like after all! And the last thing I was not a fan of was a really crude expression Delilah used that grossed me out for an awful long time (again, personal opinion) and the really awkward scene where Jude & Silas kinda discuss that Silas & Lorelei couldn’t possibly be expecting (I just didn’t need to be privy to that convo, personally. It made me very uncomfortable.)
All that said, though, I really appreciated the message of community and coming together, of forgiveness and growth, in this book. I really appreciated seeing Mrs. Carpenter’s arc and her final relaxation (she was especially convicting!); and Mrs. Montgomery’s anxiety was well represented. (Side note: Mona’s parents are adorable together.) I appreciate how the pastors handled the church issue and how well the author represented the need for clear communication and how much little actions affect people and are easily misunderstood. The Carpenters’ money struggles; Mona’s betrayal over her cousin growing away from her; Jude’s relationship with his mother and brother—I appreciated seeing these topics mentioned, well handled, and closed realistically. Also, I need more books with Hispanic families that have amazing food. #recipelover
So overall, I’d say it wasn’t quite my type of book, and others would probably enjoy it much more than I did. Still, I enjoyed most of it, and I’m glad I was able to read this.
A Favourite Quote: “Helen, those were all speculations. You were scared of hypotheticals,” Mrs. Montgomery says.
A Favourite Humorous Quote: The story goes that when they first moved in, a neighbor guessed that they were Catholic because they spoke Spanish. The truth is they were Catholic, but Mama Ramona’s dad panicked and told the neighbor they were Lutheran instead, thinking it was close to Catholicism but “more American.” Turns out the neighbor was Lutheran and invited Mama Ramona’s whole family to church. They ended up attending there for the next forty years.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book for promotional purposes. I was not required to write a positive review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.*
I definitely enjoyed the book. The ever-present comedy made me smile and even laugh aloud once. The characters were super realistic and loveable. Especially Mona, that bookworm. I appreciated her love and tact and courage SO much. And Jude! He’s quiet, but he’s smart and reliable. I admit I liked Mona’s family more—they were so much more warm and loving, and her parents were a hoot—but Jude’s family also made me appreciate them. I liked the pastor, and Nana is an ICON.
I also really liked the mixture of seriousness and humour in the book. While there were idealistic moments like Mona’s music-fuelled bike ride and the little orchard, there were also heavier topics, such as teen rebellion (mostly seen in Silas, but some in Thomàs), dating issues, church fighting, overbearing + irrational parents, and even fear of assault by a predatory college boy. There were a few things I personally didn’t enjoy. First, I wasn’t so much a fan of the dating aspect of the book. Lorelai & Silas’ relationship I just couldn’t get behind. Lorelai confused me and I didn’t like her, quite simply. Also I felt like all their tumultuous relationship was finished up a little too quickly and easily. Personal opinion, though. I also wasn’t a fan of Jude & Mona kissing at 14-15. But their romance was cute and didn’t get over the top. AKA Romeo and Juliet, lol. I appreciate the sensibility there. ;) It was also really fuelled by kindness and understanding and real love, and I love that!! The second thing was I felt like the whole side plot of Delilah and Anton and all that was really random and not really handled after, but that is kinda what life is like after all! And the last thing I was not a fan of was a really crude expression Delilah used that grossed me out for an awful long time (again, personal opinion) and the really awkward scene where Jude & Silas kinda discuss that Silas & Lorelei couldn’t possibly be expecting (I just didn’t need to be privy to that convo, personally. It made me very uncomfortable.)
All that said, though, I really appreciated the message of community and coming together, of forgiveness and growth, in this book. I really appreciated seeing Mrs. Carpenter’s arc and her final relaxation (she was especially convicting!); and Mrs. Montgomery’s anxiety was well represented. (Side note: Mona’s parents are adorable together.) I appreciate how the pastors handled the church issue and how well the author represented the need for clear communication and how much little actions affect people and are easily misunderstood. The Carpenters’ money struggles; Mona’s betrayal over her cousin growing away from her; Jude’s relationship with his mother and brother—I appreciated seeing these topics mentioned, well handled, and closed realistically. Also, I need more books with Hispanic families that have amazing food. #recipelover
So overall, I’d say it wasn’t quite my type of book, and others would probably enjoy it much more than I did. Still, I enjoyed most of it, and I’m glad I was able to read this.
A Favourite Quote: “Helen, those were all speculations. You were scared of hypotheticals,” Mrs. Montgomery says.
A Favourite Humorous Quote: The story goes that when they first moved in, a neighbor guessed that they were Catholic because they spoke Spanish. The truth is they were Catholic, but Mama Ramona’s dad panicked and told the neighbor they were Lutheran instead, thinking it was close to Catholicism but “more American.” Turns out the neighbor was Lutheran and invited Mama Ramona’s whole family to church. They ended up attending there for the next forty years.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book for promotional purposes. I was not required to write a positive review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.*
January 30, 2024
I truly enjoyed reading this story.
Jude and Mona are 14-year-old friends whose families can't get along after a nasty church split. This book tackles relevant subjects of today while being completely clean and appropriate for teens and adults. It had humor, wit, and loads of emotion. Definitely recommend!
Jude and Mona are 14-year-old friends whose families can't get along after a nasty church split. This book tackles relevant subjects of today while being completely clean and appropriate for teens and adults. It had humor, wit, and loads of emotion. Definitely recommend!
February 11, 2024
"Spoiler alert, I live and breathe books." ~ Mona Montgomery, Hey, Jude Carpenter
I don't think I've ever felt like a character actually completely represented me, but in this book, I did. Mona is me. I am Mona. And that alone will make this one of my top books for 2024 🧡🌻
Add in the small-town vibes, homeschool rep, sibling relationships, and faith that inspires my own? I'll love this story to the end of my days!!
I believe I've found a new favourite author.
Note: I received an advanced reader copy from the author, and I was not required to leave a positive review. All views expressed are my own
I don't think I've ever felt like a character actually completely represented me, but in this book, I did. Mona is me. I am Mona. And that alone will make this one of my top books for 2024 🧡🌻
Add in the small-town vibes, homeschool rep, sibling relationships, and faith that inspires my own? I'll love this story to the end of my days!!
I believe I've found a new favourite author.
Note: I received an advanced reader copy from the author, and I was not required to leave a positive review. All views expressed are my own
May 1, 2024
I went into this book pretty excited… I think the cover is super cute and from what I had heard of it, it seemed like a cute story. But I have some thoughts😬
First of all, I will say, the writing is good! I appreciated the way it was written and that it had good editing (iykyk 😜).
However… I had some serious problem with the story. 1) I can not condone teenage relationships whatsoever. What is the point of dating before you’re even old enough to get married (especially at 14)??? And kissing?? And I didn’t like how Silas (who was 16) was such a terrible brother and son and so obsessed with his girlfriend. It was kind of looked down upon, but his parents needed to do a whole lot more parenting with him.
2)the descriptions of church stuff and the pastor did not line up at all with my church and pastor, and that felt a little personal 🥴😅
Overall, I would not recommend.
Cleanness: thoughts of other teens being “cute”, 14 year olds talking about dating, 16 yo relationship that was a bit touchy, first kiss at 14 (not too detailed)
September 11, 2024
This was delightful! Such a refreshing read filled with good Christian examples, and sweet friendships! I will definitely be resding more by this author!
Read
January 3, 2025Overall, this was rather charming! I loved the small town feelings and the dairy farm environment. Mona & Jude are characters you can root for, and the sweetness of the story lends to a very wholesome lower-YA contemporary. The Romeo & Juliet bits were a nice touch, haha.
There were a few parts I struggled with, mostly about how the church split was handled, and the behaviour of the mothers in the book. But that aside, this was a thoroughly charming tale for teens! (& Ben just might be my favourite character! 😂)
There were a few parts I struggled with, mostly about how the church split was handled, and the behaviour of the mothers in the book. But that aside, this was a thoroughly charming tale for teens! (& Ben just might be my favourite character! 😂)
Want to read
February 11, 2024i can’t be the only one who thought of the movie cowbells, right? 😭😂
February 2, 2024
This is a great YA fiction book! It’s a modern day Romeo and Juliet type story. There has been a church split, and 14 year olds Jude and Mona are in opposite churches. The real feud is between their mothers. They develop a friendship regardless and maybe between the 2 of them they can bring harmony between the families. I really enjoyed this book. Jude and Mona are great characters. I love how kind they both are. And of course adorable! Great Christian content and clean. I definitely recommend!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.
February 4, 2024
Jude and Mona’s story was like a breath of fresh air. I felt like I was in the small town, on the dairy farm, in Mona’s bedroom with Ringo the cat…if the essence of cozy was a book, this would be it!
I found the church split politics interesting from the perspective of a former pastor’s kid who used to attend a church that had a split long ago. That along with seeing how faith played a part in our MC’s lives throughout the book made me wish I had been able to read this book as a 14 year old. Heck, I wish I’d known kids like this when I was 14 haha I think Mona and I would have been great friends.
I do however wish we got to see a bit more of Mona and Jude’s relationship throughout the book. Most of it is spent with them not really being able to see each other, and so they only get occasional meetings. And while all their interactions were adorable (the way I squealed at the end you’d think I /was/ 14 haha), I felt like I just wanted a bit more of them. I understand though that this is a book focused towards a slightly younger side of YA, and so the emphasis on family and familial relationships makes lots of sense.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and definitely recommend it to anyone who wants a cozy countryside vibes book with church politics that don’t feel heavy and a cute, sweet romance.
Thank you to the author for providing me with an ARC!
All thoughts and opinions are my own, and so on and so forth lol
I found the church split politics interesting from the perspective of a former pastor’s kid who used to attend a church that had a split long ago. That along with seeing how faith played a part in our MC’s lives throughout the book made me wish I had been able to read this book as a 14 year old. Heck, I wish I’d known kids like this when I was 14 haha I think Mona and I would have been great friends.
I do however wish we got to see a bit more of Mona and Jude’s relationship throughout the book. Most of it is spent with them not really being able to see each other, and so they only get occasional meetings. And while all their interactions were adorable (the way I squealed at the end you’d think I /was/ 14 haha), I felt like I just wanted a bit more of them. I understand though that this is a book focused towards a slightly younger side of YA, and so the emphasis on family and familial relationships makes lots of sense.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and definitely recommend it to anyone who wants a cozy countryside vibes book with church politics that don’t feel heavy and a cute, sweet romance.
Thank you to the author for providing me with an ARC!
All thoughts and opinions are my own, and so on and so forth lol
May 28, 2024
What an absolutely adorable book! A modern day, less violent, faith-filled Romeo and Juliet retelling with a happy twist.
Mona and Jude were both so likable and sweet. Just the kind of kids you love to see out in the world. As small children they dealt with a major church split and have had 10 years of fallout since then.
They were forced to be enemies but despite the animosity between their families and churches, made a way to communicate and see each other. Jude and Mona were also the catalysts of rebuilding what was once broken—through the strength and will of God of course!
The faith in this book was great and showed how despite humanity’s imperfections, the perfect God uses His own unique way to make the broken beautiful.
Overall I 10/10 recommend this book to anyone in the market for a sweet YA read. The plot was way more than just a teenage romance and I loved that there was very real depth in this story without it feeling heavy.
Ratings:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
✝️✝️✝️✝️✝️
💋
12+
Mona and Jude were both so likable and sweet. Just the kind of kids you love to see out in the world. As small children they dealt with a major church split and have had 10 years of fallout since then.
They were forced to be enemies but despite the animosity between their families and churches, made a way to communicate and see each other. Jude and Mona were also the catalysts of rebuilding what was once broken—through the strength and will of God of course!
The faith in this book was great and showed how despite humanity’s imperfections, the perfect God uses His own unique way to make the broken beautiful.
Overall I 10/10 recommend this book to anyone in the market for a sweet YA read. The plot was way more than just a teenage romance and I loved that there was very real depth in this story without it feeling heavy.
Ratings:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
✝️✝️✝️✝️✝️
💋
12+
August 9, 2025
This was really cute. A contemporary, sweet teen romance with a Romeo and Juliet twist.
Mona and Jude are caught between their parents quarrels of a church split that happened 10 years ago. Jude’s family farm is in a tight spot and Mona’s missing her cousin that went to college and isn’t in her life as much anymore.
These two are so cute together. I loved the scene of them meeting each other and the gift Jude gave Mona for Christmas was just too perfect and sweet!
A cute farm setting and all the cozy vibes with an apple orchard, cows, and a farm festival to wrap it up. All the feel good vibes here!
Mona and Jude are caught between their parents quarrels of a church split that happened 10 years ago. Jude’s family farm is in a tight spot and Mona’s missing her cousin that went to college and isn’t in her life as much anymore.
These two are so cute together. I loved the scene of them meeting each other and the gift Jude gave Mona for Christmas was just too perfect and sweet!
A cute farm setting and all the cozy vibes with an apple orchard, cows, and a farm festival to wrap it up. All the feel good vibes here!
February 9, 2024
Oh my goodness, this story was the cutest and sweetest thing ever. I adored Jude and Mona. Their characters were believable and so authentic. I also loved all the side characters too. And the church split plot was so well done too.
This story made me laugh, made my heart ache, and nearly brought me to tears. Just an all around fantastic read that I know I’ll revisit in the future.
Well done, Storm!
This story made me laugh, made my heart ache, and nearly brought me to tears. Just an all around fantastic read that I know I’ll revisit in the future.
Well done, Storm!
February 10, 2024
I devoured this book. From star to finish I was swept up into Mona and Jude love story.
I loved the Romeo and Juliet feels. It felt like reading a Beatles song. This story is filled with Faith and good food!
Mona is the sweetest she is such an empathetic character. And Jude goodness what can I say about Jude I loved that faith and perseverance he showed through the story.
Their families are wonderful and crazy and really fill this story with so much more then a romantic love story.
This is love story that shows Christ's love like how God leads and offers hope to the hopeless. This is a redemption story.
I loved the Romeo and Juliet feels. It felt like reading a Beatles song. This story is filled with Faith and good food!
Mona is the sweetest she is such an empathetic character. And Jude goodness what can I say about Jude I loved that faith and perseverance he showed through the story.
Their families are wonderful and crazy and really fill this story with so much more then a romantic love story.
This is love story that shows Christ's love like how God leads and offers hope to the hopeless. This is a redemption story.
February 22, 2024
Sweet and clean with wonderful Christian themes about mending differences and healing wounds when there has been a church split conflict.
What I love best about this light-hearted YA contemporary is how these families aren’t perfect, but readers still see how each member loves and cares for one another.
The romance is wholesome and innocent. I want to live in this town. And back of the book recipes? Bonus.
I received an early copy of this book and agreed to leave a review. All opinions are my own.
What I love best about this light-hearted YA contemporary is how these families aren’t perfect, but readers still see how each member loves and cares for one another.
The romance is wholesome and innocent. I want to live in this town. And back of the book recipes? Bonus.
I received an early copy of this book and agreed to leave a review. All opinions are my own.
February 2, 2024
This book was such a joy to read! It is so cute, and the characters and relationships are very heartwarming. I found myself loving every character, and of course rooting for Jude and Mona to grow closer.
One of the best things about this book is not only it’s precious story and characters, but also that it’s clean! No need to worry about anything inappropriate or uncomfortable, just sweet interactions and a story that had me itching to read more to see how everything played out!
If you’re looking for a fun read, I definitely recommend!
One of the best things about this book is not only it’s precious story and characters, but also that it’s clean! No need to worry about anything inappropriate or uncomfortable, just sweet interactions and a story that had me itching to read more to see how everything played out!
If you’re looking for a fun read, I definitely recommend!
February 14, 2024
This story is so cute! I loved the growing teen relationship, the Christian cultural nuances, and Mona's personality. It's a quick read with a sweet ending.
April 7, 2025
Such a cute Christian Contemporary YA book! My full review can be found at https://elizanoel.com/2025/04/07/hey-... .
February 5, 2024
What a lovely little book! I really enjoyed the atmosphere of the book, quaint rural Virginian town, Baptist church members needing to learn a thing or two about reconciliation and a dairy farm. Love love love!! I also appreciated how the author brings the characters to a greater understanding of each other, especially the mom to son relationship that grows stronger really resonated with me. Exploring real life feelings and struggles through fiction is a really beautiful experience and I loved that about this book. I also thought the ending/epilogue was especially sweet. I’m a sucker for young love and dreaming of a future in the country together. Go read this! I had a hard time putting it down!
Disclaimer: I received a free ARC copy of this book from the author but all ratings and opinions are my own and no review was required.
Disclaimer: I received a free ARC copy of this book from the author but all ratings and opinions are my own and no review was required.
March 31, 2025
This was a great teen read with a little inspo from Romeo and Juliet, but much sweeter and set in a contemporary small town. I loved how the 2 MCs become friends and care for each other. The reality of how hurtful the church split had been is believable, and the ending definitely gives HEA vibes.
I’d recommend this to teen readers who like friends-to-more, sweet romance (there are a few kisses near the end), and stories with characters whose faith is realistically represented.
I’d recommend this to teen readers who like friends-to-more, sweet romance (there are a few kisses near the end), and stories with characters whose faith is realistically represented.
February 24, 2024
I loved the small town farm setting of this book, I grew up in a small town on a farm so related to this book. Mona and Jude’s life’s are so entwined and through their friendship changes in the community happen. It shows what can happen when we treat each other with kindness and love. A beautiful story about faith, friendship, love and community.
A beautifully written story, that is a clean romance and suitable for young adults - while I’m not the intended audience I still loved reading this novel.
A beautifully written story, that is a clean romance and suitable for young adults - while I’m not the intended audience I still loved reading this novel.
February 26, 2024
I absolutely loved this book. I was giggling all throughout, and the epilogue made me actually tear up. I love reading love stories that come out of a beautiful friendship first. ❤️
This is a young-adult book, but I thoroughly enjoyed it as a grown woman with four children, haha. 😂
This is a young-adult book, but I thoroughly enjoyed it as a grown woman with four children, haha. 😂
February 24, 2024
I enjoyed this sweet story so much. I loved the Romeo & Juliet, The Beatles, and Faith elements. I appreciated how the characters acted their age (14), but still grew so much during the story.
Read this if you enjoy YA Christian Fiction, characters that steal your heart, and cows.
Thanks to the author for the eARC. All opinions are my own.
CW: just kisses, church split
Read this if you enjoy YA Christian Fiction, characters that steal your heart, and cows.
Thanks to the author for the eARC. All opinions are my own.
CW: just kisses, church split
July 7, 2025
This book was super cute! I loved how creatively the Romeo and Juliet story was brought to modern day life, and in a way appropriate for young teens. The church split, which drives the feud between the families, was handled in a loving and uplifting way. Another great read from Storm Schultz!
December 8, 2023
This sweet YA was such a fun read! I love the contrast of the two families/cultures, and the beautiful Romeo+Juliet friends-to-more that unfolds. I hope the paperback includes some recipes for the baked goods within the story!
I read an advanced copy of this book. A review was not required. All opinions are my own.
I read an advanced copy of this book. A review was not required. All opinions are my own.
February 3, 2024
I was given an ARC of this book to read before its release date in exchange for a review of my honest opinion.
4.5/5 stars!
A super cute modern-day retelling of "Romeo and Juliet". It's a clean, Christian YA book that tells the story of 14/15-year-olds Jude and Mona. It only lost .5 for me because it was kind of slow-moving and I've been reading a lot of fast-paced books. It's a story about forgiveness, love, friendship, and the blossoming of a new relationship. Totally recommend!
(Minor spoilers in the summary below the cover).
This was a super cute YA Christian Fiction book that showcases the difficulty of navigating your teenage years while also living with the consequences of the actions of people much older than you. It showcases the importance of forgiveness and moving on from past hurts to grow with and live for the Lord. It would be an absolute 5-star read, but, for me, it was a slightly harder book to get into and a little slow-moving. Worth it? Absolutely.
"Hey, Jude Carpenter" is a "Romeo & Juliet" retelling and a clean story. It follows 14/15-year-old Jude Carpenter who lives on his parents' farm with his mom, dad, older brother Silas, and younger sister Ruthie. We learn that Silas can be a bit difficult to be around, that he doesn't enjoy going to Church, that he doesn't currently help with the farm, and that he is dating a girl named Lorelei. Ruthie is the youngest, who doesn't quite take part in the family drama. Jude helps on the farm and loves his cows, especially Oats.
14-year-old Mona Montgomery would rather have her head in a book or be baking over a hot oven than talk to people or make new friends. Her closest friend was her cousin Delilah who, after she went to college, got a little distant from Mona. She lives with her brother (who I believe is older) Thomás and their parents.
When Jude first sees Mona, she's sitting on the steps of the New Baptist Church. He sees her from the parking lot of Old Baptist, where he and his parents attend. He doesn't meet her until she rides to his farm and takes an apple from his apple trees. Jude isn't very happy about her stealing apples and tells her as such, prompting her to ride away. Of course, there's an apology: Jude feels bad and brings Mona apples to her house. This is what starts their friendship.
Jude's family has a problem: they can't really afford their farm anymore. When Mona finds out, she makes it her mission to help support Jude in the only way she can: fundraising. She sets up a love offering at her church and then does a couple of bake sales to raise money.
Without spoiling the plot of the in-between here, Mrs. Carptenter and Mrs. Montgomery are both fine with their children being friends with each other. They have their hesitations, but everything is peachy. That is, of course, until Lorelei and Silas break up and he goes into what could be described as a jealous meltdown when he sees Lorelai acting friendly with Mona's brother Thomás. Silas and Thomás fight in front of New Baptist Church, spurring the feud between the two families even more.
After the fight, both mothers tell their children that they are no longer allowed to see each other. Of course, in true Romeo and Juliet fashion, they communicate anyway. Jude's friend, Ben, helps them communicate by delivering letters and notes to the two of them. While this is happening, Mona is still working hard to make money for Jude's family. And, no, he doesn't know about it.
Jude's come up with a plan. He wants to reunite their two families. Why, you ask? Well, other than the fact that he thinks their feud has gone on long enough, he also has realized he has a huge crush on Mona and might want to date her. What happens if their families can't even be in the same room together? Their two pastors mediate a conversation between the two families that leads to the ending of the story.
At the hope of not spoiling the end, this is where I'm going to stop with the plot summary. I think that this book is such a wonderful read and it's a light-hearted way of tackling the subject of forgiveness. Jude and Mona are just two teenagers who are trying to figure out what life is, their faith, and keep their families from killing each other with words. Mona is also totally my kind of gal, seeing as she doesn't see why Juliet killed herself over a boy.
4.5/5 stars!
A super cute modern-day retelling of "Romeo and Juliet". It's a clean, Christian YA book that tells the story of 14/15-year-olds Jude and Mona. It only lost .5 for me because it was kind of slow-moving and I've been reading a lot of fast-paced books. It's a story about forgiveness, love, friendship, and the blossoming of a new relationship. Totally recommend!
(Minor spoilers in the summary below the cover).
This was a super cute YA Christian Fiction book that showcases the difficulty of navigating your teenage years while also living with the consequences of the actions of people much older than you. It showcases the importance of forgiveness and moving on from past hurts to grow with and live for the Lord. It would be an absolute 5-star read, but, for me, it was a slightly harder book to get into and a little slow-moving. Worth it? Absolutely.
"Hey, Jude Carpenter" is a "Romeo & Juliet" retelling and a clean story. It follows 14/15-year-old Jude Carpenter who lives on his parents' farm with his mom, dad, older brother Silas, and younger sister Ruthie. We learn that Silas can be a bit difficult to be around, that he doesn't enjoy going to Church, that he doesn't currently help with the farm, and that he is dating a girl named Lorelei. Ruthie is the youngest, who doesn't quite take part in the family drama. Jude helps on the farm and loves his cows, especially Oats.
14-year-old Mona Montgomery would rather have her head in a book or be baking over a hot oven than talk to people or make new friends. Her closest friend was her cousin Delilah who, after she went to college, got a little distant from Mona. She lives with her brother (who I believe is older) Thomás and their parents.
When Jude first sees Mona, she's sitting on the steps of the New Baptist Church. He sees her from the parking lot of Old Baptist, where he and his parents attend. He doesn't meet her until she rides to his farm and takes an apple from his apple trees. Jude isn't very happy about her stealing apples and tells her as such, prompting her to ride away. Of course, there's an apology: Jude feels bad and brings Mona apples to her house. This is what starts their friendship.
Jude's family has a problem: they can't really afford their farm anymore. When Mona finds out, she makes it her mission to help support Jude in the only way she can: fundraising. She sets up a love offering at her church and then does a couple of bake sales to raise money.
Without spoiling the plot of the in-between here, Mrs. Carptenter and Mrs. Montgomery are both fine with their children being friends with each other. They have their hesitations, but everything is peachy. That is, of course, until Lorelei and Silas break up and he goes into what could be described as a jealous meltdown when he sees Lorelai acting friendly with Mona's brother Thomás. Silas and Thomás fight in front of New Baptist Church, spurring the feud between the two families even more.
After the fight, both mothers tell their children that they are no longer allowed to see each other. Of course, in true Romeo and Juliet fashion, they communicate anyway. Jude's friend, Ben, helps them communicate by delivering letters and notes to the two of them. While this is happening, Mona is still working hard to make money for Jude's family. And, no, he doesn't know about it.
Jude's come up with a plan. He wants to reunite their two families. Why, you ask? Well, other than the fact that he thinks their feud has gone on long enough, he also has realized he has a huge crush on Mona and might want to date her. What happens if their families can't even be in the same room together? Their two pastors mediate a conversation between the two families that leads to the ending of the story.
At the hope of not spoiling the end, this is where I'm going to stop with the plot summary. I think that this book is such a wonderful read and it's a light-hearted way of tackling the subject of forgiveness. Jude and Mona are just two teenagers who are trying to figure out what life is, their faith, and keep their families from killing each other with words. Mona is also totally my kind of gal, seeing as she doesn't see why Juliet killed herself over a boy.
February 23, 2024
This is my personal opinion on this book. I received a complimentary ARC copy of the e-book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
This modern twist on Romeo & Juliet was a unique story about a town divided by two churches. Our two main characters are, of course, Jude Carpenter and Mona Montgomery who are two very different people and their interactions within their families and the small town they live in. We go back and forth from Jude or Mona's viewpoint, as our story unfolds. It was a slow start in the book but as the saying goes patience is a virtue, even in books! This is one of those books that is worth the time. Do you love re-tellings of classics done in a new and different way that will make you think? Then this is the book for you, because it will do that for you. Do we have a Romeo & Juliet ending with Jude, Mona, and their families or will we walk away happy because no one is dead at the ending? We never like when our authors kill our beloved characters, read and find out if you will fall in love with Jude Carpenter and Mona Montgomery!
***** Spoiler Alert - Parental Warning ******
In this book there are one thing to be careful of and because of it, I would recommend that older teens(16+) read this. The cover will appeal to the younger teens, but here is my concerns, that even my 18 year old had with younger teens reading this book. You need to read a few reviews or the book itself and chose what is right for your family. Every family is different in what they are concerned about their families reading.
• Jude's brother is constantly disrespectful to his parents in his attitude, his dating, & his treatment of Jude. He generally does not go to church in the beginning of the book. He ditches family responsibility to go be with his girlfriend, who is very superficial acting. He also gets into a fight later in the book. Jude wonders at one point if they are pregnant(they are not).
• There is some mild swearing.
• There is a situation mentioned with Mona's cousin and a guy at her college who grabs at the girls. It does get resolved but is brought up.
• Both Mona & Jude have situations that come up which cause problems with their relationship with their Moms. But they each resolve the issues by the end of the book.
This modern twist on Romeo & Juliet was a unique story about a town divided by two churches. Our two main characters are, of course, Jude Carpenter and Mona Montgomery who are two very different people and their interactions within their families and the small town they live in. We go back and forth from Jude or Mona's viewpoint, as our story unfolds. It was a slow start in the book but as the saying goes patience is a virtue, even in books! This is one of those books that is worth the time. Do you love re-tellings of classics done in a new and different way that will make you think? Then this is the book for you, because it will do that for you. Do we have a Romeo & Juliet ending with Jude, Mona, and their families or will we walk away happy because no one is dead at the ending? We never like when our authors kill our beloved characters, read and find out if you will fall in love with Jude Carpenter and Mona Montgomery!
***** Spoiler Alert - Parental Warning ******
In this book there are one thing to be careful of and because of it, I would recommend that older teens(16+) read this. The cover will appeal to the younger teens, but here is my concerns, that even my 18 year old had with younger teens reading this book. You need to read a few reviews or the book itself and chose what is right for your family. Every family is different in what they are concerned about their families reading.
• Jude's brother is constantly disrespectful to his parents in his attitude, his dating, & his treatment of Jude. He generally does not go to church in the beginning of the book. He ditches family responsibility to go be with his girlfriend, who is very superficial acting. He also gets into a fight later in the book. Jude wonders at one point if they are pregnant(they are not).
• There is some mild swearing.
• There is a situation mentioned with Mona's cousin and a guy at her college who grabs at the girls. It does get resolved but is brought up.
• Both Mona & Jude have situations that come up which cause problems with their relationship with their Moms. But they each resolve the issues by the end of the book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 18, 2024
Where was this book a decade ago when I was a teenager looking to get back into reading?😭😭😭
First off, I have to say I'm grateful to Storm and other clean/Christian romance authors who provide us with safe, clean and edifying books. I didn't have access to books like these growing up and I wish I did. I'm glad my kids will have a whole lot to choose from when the time comes.
Now to my review.
I got into a reading slump at the beginning of February. I know what you're thinking but that's beside the point. Anyway, Hey, Jude Carpenter! helped get me out of the slump.
So the book is a Christian, YA loose retelling of Romeo and Juliet. Rather than a lethal family feud, we have your typical small-town feud based on a church split.
I loved the characterization. Jude and Mona leapt off the pages and I could see them vividly in my head.
P.S. I don't know why but I kept on picturing the younger Jacob Battalion as Ben 😂😂😂.
Anyway, I loved this book. It's sweet, funny, cosy and heartwarming.
But aside from the sweet storyline, this book holds a strong message on prayer and it came to me at a time when I was getting weary in the place of prayer. And I can't thank Storm enough for writing this book.
I also loved how delicately it handled the issue of harassment in universities. It was subtle yet present.
I can't recommend this book enough. I hope one day (in the not-too-distant future) my kids will read this book and gush about it with me.
First off, I have to say I'm grateful to Storm and other clean/Christian romance authors who provide us with safe, clean and edifying books. I didn't have access to books like these growing up and I wish I did. I'm glad my kids will have a whole lot to choose from when the time comes.
Now to my review.
I got into a reading slump at the beginning of February. I know what you're thinking but that's beside the point. Anyway, Hey, Jude Carpenter! helped get me out of the slump.
So the book is a Christian, YA loose retelling of Romeo and Juliet. Rather than a lethal family feud, we have your typical small-town feud based on a church split.
I loved the characterization. Jude and Mona leapt off the pages and I could see them vividly in my head.
P.S. I don't know why but I kept on picturing the younger Jacob Battalion as Ben 😂😂😂.
Anyway, I loved this book. It's sweet, funny, cosy and heartwarming.
But aside from the sweet storyline, this book holds a strong message on prayer and it came to me at a time when I was getting weary in the place of prayer. And I can't thank Storm enough for writing this book.
I also loved how delicately it handled the issue of harassment in universities. It was subtle yet present.
I can't recommend this book enough. I hope one day (in the not-too-distant future) my kids will read this book and gush about it with me.
February 28, 2024
Rating: 3.5 stars.
This book is clearly for young teens, of which I am not and have not been for a good while. I write YA and do enjoy reading quite a bit of YA, but that doesn't change the fact that I am not actually the target audience. For a teen that wants something clean and fun, this is a book I would feel very comfortable recommending this to them.
For my critisims, I did feel there was a lot of "telling" in this book, especially early on, and especially with Mona. She had a lot of inner monologuing, almost stream-of-conscious, that could have been endearing or interesting if it had been peppered throughout the story better rather than dumped on me at once. It was well past the midpoint of the book before I really cared for her character. I liked Jude better right away, I think because he was a more active character. The characters also barely interact before they're into each other, and even after they realize they're mutual feelings we get almost no interaction between them, and I never had the chance to properly care enough to root for them as a couple.
Really, I wanted the story to go a little deeper overall, because I never fully felt the crisis of the farm, or fully felt the tension of the church split. Everything felt breezed through rather quickly.
So for an adult who reads a lot and looks for books who give her all the feels, this didn't do that for me. But for a faith-filled, lighthearted read geared right at teens, this fits the bill.
This book is clearly for young teens, of which I am not and have not been for a good while. I write YA and do enjoy reading quite a bit of YA, but that doesn't change the fact that I am not actually the target audience. For a teen that wants something clean and fun, this is a book I would feel very comfortable recommending this to them.
For my critisims, I did feel there was a lot of "telling" in this book, especially early on, and especially with Mona. She had a lot of inner monologuing, almost stream-of-conscious, that could have been endearing or interesting if it had been peppered throughout the story better rather than dumped on me at once. It was well past the midpoint of the book before I really cared for her character. I liked Jude better right away, I think because he was a more active character. The characters also barely interact before they're into each other, and even after they realize they're mutual feelings we get almost no interaction between them, and I never had the chance to properly care enough to root for them as a couple.
Really, I wanted the story to go a little deeper overall, because I never fully felt the crisis of the farm, or fully felt the tension of the church split. Everything felt breezed through rather quickly.
So for an adult who reads a lot and looks for books who give her all the feels, this didn't do that for me. But for a faith-filled, lighthearted read geared right at teens, this fits the bill.
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