Home of Our Hearts

Christy & Todd: The Married Years #2

by Robin Jones Gunn

Christy and Todd are looking forward to being part of two important weddings. Christy would never think of missing Katie's big day, even though she's getting married in Kenya. Todd has been waiting his whole life to stand up as the best man for his dad's wedding. How will these two grand events fit into their lives and what will Todd say when Christy tells him the doctor's diagnosis the day before they leave for Africa? Will they finally settle in and start a home?

Genres: Christian Fiction, Christian, Fiction, Contemporary, Romance, Adult, Adult Fiction

272 pages, Paperback

First published November 25, 2014

About the author

ROBIN JONES GUNN has written more than 100 books with over 6.5 million copies sold worldwide. Her Father Christmas books have been made into three Hallmark Christmas movies. The timeless Christy Miller series now continues in Christy & Todd: The College Years, Married Years, Baby Years, and the Haven Maker series. Robin's novels and non-fiction works include Before Your Tween Daughter Becomes a Woman, Victim of Grace, Praying for Your Future Husband, and Before You Meet Your Future Husband co-authored with Tricia Goyer. Her books have received multiple awards and are a favorite with book clubs and study groups. Many of Robin's books are in eBook, audiobook, large print, and foreign editions. Robin does a weekly Podcast called "Women Worth Knowing" with Cheryl Brodersen. Robin and her husband have a grown son and daughter and live in California.

Reviews

[Shantelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars! I just really enjoy spending time with Christy and Todd! They, and all their friends, feel like my friends in a way, and I love journeying with them ... laughing ... learning ... growing in faith.
Great continuation to the story of this sweet couple's married years! ^_^

[Tiffany Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Home of Our Hearts had a lovely ending. No spoilers here. The beginning was slow but once Christy and Katie were reunited, the pace of the book picked up fast. I love Christy, but Katie has been such an integral part of the past Christy Miller series. It was refreshing to have them reunited for her wedding. I hope Katie is involved in some way in the next book. I would love it if she received another book in her series. Or even a Katie and Eli series. I would totally read their series.

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

July 2024
I have been reading (and rereading) about these characters for over two decades and don’t see myself stopping anytime soon.

Continuity notes: in the beginning of this book Christy tells Tracy about Johanna, and later discusses her with Aunt Marti as if Marti did not know that Christy knew (about Johanna). Christy and Marti had discussed her at the end of Yours Forever and again on the Switzerland trip with Sierra in Open Your Heart. This book also alludes to a past of romantic mistakes for Marti, which was also discussed in Open Your Heart.

February 2019
Perfect for a beach vacation.

December 2016

January 2015
I love keeping up with my favorite fictional friends. It was good to see Todd and Christy in a couple of unusual settings; and wonderful to get to experience Katie and Eli's wedding! I smiled through the entire end of this book :-)

[Hannah • So Obsessed With · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

After finishing Forever With You, I picked up Home of Our Hearts with some trepidation. I'd been a bit disappointed by the first book in this new series, but I was still curious about what was coming next. It's hard to say no to a book about characters I've loved for almost fifteen years. Because of my past experiences with the series, I still enjoyed this book. But I don't think it would appeal to anyone who hasn't read everything that's come before it. There's a lot of history with these characters, and it becomes even more evident with this second book.

Now, I did connect to this book more than the first. This storyline worked better for me overall, which made me happy. I'd enjoyed the Katie Weldon series, so I was glad to catch up with her and Eli. I also liked the change of scenery. It was nice to see Christy and Todd a little out of their element! However, I continue to struggle a bit with the writing. I think I'd be so much more critical of it if I wasn't so fond of these characters. I love what these characters meant to me growing up, but I wouldn't recommend this series to anyone but ardent fans of Christy Miller.

[Kelly Bridgewater · Rating 5 out of 5]

With Robin Jones Gunn second installment in her Married Years series of Christy and Todd Spencer, Home of Our Hearts, I finally get to see the marriage between Katie and Eli in Africa. One thing I really love about Gunn's writing is her ability to include characters from other stories like Bryan and Carolyn from Canary Island Song who happens to be Todd's father. I really enjoyed how Christy and Todd both agreed that they loved visiting Africa, but they didn't want to make it their home. Their home is in Newport Beach where they lived and met. I can't wait to see what else Gunn writes about my favorite literary couple.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although it was a bit slow at the beginning, I loved catching up with Christy and Todd.
I've read the Christy series so many times, she's an old friend.
But each time I read them, I love Katie more and more. So I was THRILLED to see Christy and Katie together again.
Robin Jones Gunn is the master of sharing a Biblical truth through fiction, and this one was no exception.
Overall, fans of the Christy series will enjoy this new addition and look forward to book three!

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating is more like 4.5 stars. Despite some awkward writing moments and some continuity issues, Home of Our Hearts touched my heart in ways Forever With You didn't.

[Dayse Dantas · Rating 3 out of 5]

christy and todd are so boring, omg. i wish the books were always focused on katie and eli.

[Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

full review later. *sighs happily*

[Eileen Sanchez · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the second installment of Christy and Todd: The Married Years, the couple finds themselves uncertain of their future. No jobs, no home and not sure about starting a family. Todd's way of processing their situation is to trust God. Christy can't help but worry and wonder as they hop from country to country to attend two weddings. Are the Canary Islands the home of their hearts? Kenya? Or Newport Beach, where they temporarily live in the house of Todd's dad? It's always fun to catch up with the characters I've been reading about in Robin Jones Gunn's last 20 books, but once again the ending wraps up a little too perfectly.

However, all these years I've been reading about Christy, I've never empathized with her more than in this book. First of all, she and her friends and family live in Southern California, which is where I live now. I moved here from Chicago, the only home I've ever known. You can take me out of Midwest but you'll never take the Midwest out of me. Since my husband was looking to move to warmer climate, and I have two sisters in Socal, I gave him one condition: he had to find a job first. Well, who knew he would in this economy! The new position didn't start until November but we found renters for our house in August. Where would we live in the meantime? My other sister's house in Chicago was an option for September. Then what? Well, have you ever wondered what it would be like to live in a hotel? It was like we were on vacation the month of October. Free breakfast, free maid service, free cookies in the lobby, a swimming pool, exercise room and cable TV! During November, our prayers were answered when an older lady at church offered her townhouse to us. I understand the anxiety Christy experiences in the story thinking about her next home, a place to lay down some roots. This four month transition of being in between houses, not knowing what our permanent address will be, had me praying, almost begging God for an answer. Like the book says, we must trust God during these uncertain times. Again, He has answered our prayers. Right now we're living with my sister in Southern California as we wait for our new house to be ready for moving in next week. Finally we will have our own home and not have to live out of suitcases and boxes.

But, will it really be our home? Currently, I feel like we're on vacation. Even though we're not doing many touristy things and there's no return ticket back to Chicago, it still feels strange. Is this place the home of our hearts? One thing I learned from this book is that the home of your heart is where your family is, in my case, my husband and kids. And they're with me right now so this must be my home. (literally, they are with me, right next to me, in the same bedroom as I write this because this is how we've been living the last four months...together in one room...it will be nice to stretch out on a bed for once!)

[Lena Morrison · Rating 4 out of 5]

I do my reviews in the form of a letter, which is why they are written like this.

Dear Robin Jones,

I enjoyed this book. It was very sweet and romantic, but it was filled with more than just romance. In fact, most of the really touching parts of the book weren't even about romance. They were about friendship.
It was so nice to be able to go back to see Katie and Eli again. I really enjoy their romance. It's very beautiful and moving. It was fantastic to see how many of the relationships (especially those non-romantic ones) blossomed.
Something that made this made this book memorable was the fact that Christy and Todd were in a place that was way out of their comfort zones. It was a stretching experience for them both.
I kind of want to go visit the Canary Islands now. I already wanted to go to Africa, and this book has heightened my desire.
Thank you for writing this book.

Sincerely,
Lena Marie

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't enjoy this one as much as the first Christy and Todd: The Married Years book. While the theology and truths about God discovered and discussed by the characters are always solid, sometimes the events don't mirror real life enough for me. Case in point, in this book, Christy and Todd are still out of work and living in Todd's dad's house for free. But neither of those things keep them from being able to jet-set to the Canary Islands and Africa to attend two weddings, because once again Aunt Marti and Uncle Bob are willing to foot the bill! So despite the fact that they "might" be homeless when they return from their world tour, it is hard to empathize with the couple as they face their fears while also experiencing some of the most beautiful things the world has to offer.

[Denise · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story was good, but I was turned off by the ongoing discourse of the joy of waiting for marriage. Yes, it's what God intends. No, it doesn't make intimacy perfect and making a mistake doesn't prevent a couple from experiencing forgiveness and intimacy. These felt like unspoken themes that overshadowed the actual story of couples we have followed for decades in love.

[Jess · Rating 1 out of 5]

Both of these Married Years books seem to me to be an excellent argument for the importance of the editorial process. While there appeared to be a lot of good ideas at the heart of this novel, it read like fanfiction for the original series. The quality of the original books just wasn't there.

[Awjtf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!

[Lydia Therese · Rating 4 out of 5]

Home of Our Hearts by Robin Jones Gunn is the second book in the Christy & Todd: The Married Years series.

I definitely liked this book less than the first one. It was just too unrealistic.

Christy and Todd travel to Africa to attend two weddings. One for Todd's dad and Carolyn (I'm fairly sure Carolyn was Todd's dad's love interest in the stand-alone book about Todd's father, which I have not read yet) and one for Katie and Eli.

I did like seeing Katie and Eli get married. They were adorable in the Katie Weldon series and it was fun seeing them again. Katie is really one of my favorite characters in the Christy Miller series, too, so I liked seeing her in at least one book.

However, all the flirting scenes, once again, made me cringe. Katie trying on lingerie (awkward) and all the preaching about how wonderful it was to stay pure for your husband (I agree, but the point was driven home NUMEROUS times) annoyed me, especially with all the . . . suggestive thoughts?

I was glad that Aunt Marti finally softened a bit. I really do like her -- she can be sweet when she wants to be. :P

Overall, I liked reading more about the characters in the book, but the flirting and weird, awkward conversations, and some TMI scenes just made me cringe. Plus, it was very, very cheesy. 3.5 stars out of 5, rounded up.

[Danielle Williamson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Look, it's Christy and Todd. I grew up with them. Not a ton of literary or theological value here but I grew up with them and now they're married so of course I'm going to read these books. It's up there with my Hallmark movies. Don't judge me. Bye.

[Megan Griffin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I really liked the differences in the two weddings. I am also glad that everything worked out the way it did. This was a very sweet book.

[jaymee ☁️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

such a great time with my fav characters!! love love love!!!🤍🤍🤍

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading a new Christy book is like catching up with old friends. It's so fun to read these new additions to a series I've been following since I was 12 years old. Not only is it fun to see how the characters have changed and evolved, but I find myself reflecting on how I've changed through the years as well.

I have to agree with another reviewer that if it weren't for my love of Christy Miller and the Forever Friends gang, I don't know that this is a book I'd be as fond of. Definitely not one I'd recommend to someone who's never read the series. It's hard to be critical of a story that's held a special place in my heart for so many years, so I will just leave it at this: for me, it was a sweet addition to a special series, as it would be to anyone who's read the Christy Miller series. But if you're an outsider looking in, go read the other books first.

I will be anxiously awaiting the next installment!

[Meg Chaney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christy has always been one of those characters that feels like a personal friend to me. The author takes her time coming back to Christy's story, letting it settle in over the years and only writing about it when the pieces fit together. I love that it hasn't been rushed. This book, the second in the Christy & Todd: The Married Years series, was so great. I liked it even more than the first book in the series (Forever with You). It shows marriage like it really is, a romantic journey that isn't always roses, but a commitment, day after day, year after year. There was one point, when Christy was talking to a new relative, when I was in tears. It spoke to my heart so much, as an issue I,too, need to give over to Jesus. So precious. I love how fiction can challenge and push us closer to Jesus. That's what this beautiful story does. I can't wait for the next on!

[Leigh Kramer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I plowed through Forever With You and Home of Our Hearts. They were impossible to put down, even though they had their share of cheesy moments and the same things I disliked about the other series. Even though she can get heavy-handed with complementarianism, purity culture, and gender roles. Even though I don't know anyone who talks about God the way Christy, Todd, & Company do. Even though dear RJG doesn't use the word "sex" (due to the publisher?) when writing about married sex. This made me giggle when reading the few scenes which address Todd and Christy's marital bliss. What else can you do after reading a line about their "rainy, romantic, robust Sunday evening"?

But I can't quit Christy Miller.

More thoughts here: http://www.leighkramer.com/blog/2015/...

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always enjoy catching up with the Forever Friends. I've been reading about them well over half my life so a new book really does feel like catching up with old friends. As an old fan/friend it was exciting and so comforting reading about Christy, Todd, Katie and the rest but I don't think this book would appeal much to anyone who hasn't read earlier books. A lot of references to past events and just a lot of back story (over 30 books about these characters). A few more minor editing misses that should have been caught and I thought some continuity issues but now I can't remember where. But whatever little issues I had, I will still read every book Robin Jones Gunn writes about these friends. Its just so enjoyable being in their lives again.

[Maddie Kehl · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book Home of Our Hearts by Robin Jones Gunn is a great book! This is the second book in her new series Christy and Todd The Married Years, there are other series and books that should be read before this one because they all tie together. That is something I love about the author Robin Jones Gunn, all of her books kind of all tie together with characters! This book is about a young couple who found love at an early age. Later on they get married and that is what this series talks about, married life for them and the struggles they are facing! I highly recommend this book for age 12 and up! I hated reading until I read these books!

[Martha · Rating 2 out of 5]

I realize this series is written for fans of the YA books, but it had a very childish bent to dealing with adult problems. I really didn't like the way they dealt with the possibility of pregnancy.

It was similar to the last book, they addressed none of the deeper issues that would come with some of the big married decisions that were being made. They had money issues, yet have figured out ways to jet around the world without hardly any discussion of the practical side of it.

For young adults that are wanting New Adult drama, this may be a great read. If they want a glimpse into real life, married life, look elsewhere.

[Nicole Magolan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an absolutely fantastic book.
It had a slow start, but I was instantly immersed once again in these characters lives. Robin Jones Gunn has created such wonderful, memorable characters that you just can't help but fall in love with.
There was nothing, nothing at all, that I can fault in this book. I love the series too much and the writing is stunning. As I was reading, it felt like the words just covered me.
I am so thankful to have discovered this series.

[Lexi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is more of what you would usually expect from Gunn. Problems happen. Protagonist has a faith crisis. Problems resolve after protagonist remembers to trust Jesus. That being said, it is a fun feel-good book with gorgeous poetic descriptions and plenty of humor. I would only recommend it to those who have read all the Christy Miller/Katie Weldon books along with the stand alone novel Canary Island Song, otherwise you may be lost with all the characters.

[Taryn Spearey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Todd and Christy have 2 weddings to attend: Todd's dad's and Katie. They also have a living situation, but they are trying to trust God. Marti and Bob also attend Katie's wedding and I found that really sweet pf them. When Christy forgot Katie's wedding dress, my first though was that Katie would be really mad at her best friend. The weddings were beautiful. I loved the ending where Marti bought the house and rented it to Christy and Todd.

[Anna close · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed it. It threw me off some but it makes me excited more and more as i read on.. I just want more! End was a bit surprising, wasn't sure a hundred percent of what was gonna happen:) cant wait for my free copy!!
Robin keep the great imaginings up! You do so graciously that i only could hope and pray id have some sort of similar story to theirs in my reality

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another FABULOUS book by Robin Jones Gunn! I cannot get enough of Christy and Todd! This book was amazing. I loved every bit of it. I'm not sure I could pinpoint which part I liked best. I loved the scenes with Katie and Christy, their friendship relates to my heart. I loved the moments that spoke to me and brought realizations from God to me.

I cannot wait for the third book!