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Eden Plain #1
A Bigger Life
Joel Carpenter's life was never supposed to turn out this way. But after making a careless choice four years ago, his marriage was permanently shattered. Living in a small town deep in the heart of Texas, he now finds himself estranged from his ex-wife, Kari, and sharing custody of their son.
Just when Joel thinks the worst is behind him, he realizes he is facing his greatest challenge yet. And in the midst of great tragedy, Joel is learning that forgiveness is way more important than freedom. Hopefully it's not too late.
Just when Joel thinks the worst is behind him, he realizes he is facing his greatest challenge yet. And in the midst of great tragedy, Joel is learning that forgiveness is way more important than freedom. Hopefully it's not too late.
289 pages, Paperback
First published January 3, 2007
1 person is currently reading
33 people want to read
About the author
Annette Smith
12 booksLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads catalog with this name. This entry is for Annette ^2 Smith.
Annette Smith, a writer and home health nurse, is the author of A Town Called Ruby Prairie and other inspirational works.
Annette Smith, a writer and home health nurse, is the author of A Town Called Ruby Prairie and other inspirational works.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
May 26, 2010
I thought this was a really good book. Bittersweet but fairly good. Just an honest look at lives, mistakes, love, and sickness. I thought it was nice to read from the man's point of view.
May 14, 2019
Most of this book, I actually liked quite a bit. It's a Christian book, but not from a fundamentalist perspective. All of that, I liked. I liked that the people were fallible, and life did not always turn our right for them.
UNTIL......the last page ending. Dismayed me, so that I am lowering the rating. I guess I shouldn't give a spoiler, but the ending, for me, just wiped out the goodness of the book.
UNTIL......the last page ending. Dismayed me, so that I am lowering the rating. I guess I shouldn't give a spoiler, but the ending, for me, just wiped out the goodness of the book.
August 15, 2017
The first part of the way thropugh the story I thought, "This author got it all wrong. It's just a series of vignettes about a divorced dad, his friends and his son." Yet, something kept me reading and by the end, I was totally dcaptivated by the love story. True love. Well done.
May 23, 2018
Very sweet, sad and happy book. I liked all the characters and will look for other books in the series.
March 1, 2017
I felt like I was a part of the characters listening in. It was bittersweet and very hard to read at times but the strength Joel found through all his friends was special. They showed Joel and kari God's love not just talking about it. This is what we should all do is share the kindness and mercy that God has so graciously given freely to each of us. Many people, friends invited him to church and he had lots of questions about the bad things that happened but he was shown love in action with nothing ask in return
May 22, 2019
Joel Carpenter is a single divorced father who shares custody of his three-year-old son Colton with his ex-wife, Kari. A hairdresser, Joel is just trying to get through life being the best father he can be. His marriage was shattered when he made a poor choice that snowballed into an irreparable break in the relationship, and he looks back on his past with Kari as he attempts to deal with the struggles of everyday life. Then Kari receives some bad news, and she and Joel must learn to get along in their relationship in a different way for the sake of their son.
A Bigger Life is a true gem. Using the first-person viewpoint of Joel, author Annette Smith gives the male character a realistic and effective voice. The issues dealt with in the plot are handled sensitively and carry quite an emotional impact. Joel’s quest to right the wrongs of his past, to explore issues of faith, and to learn how to be a better person are authentically communicated. The exploration of faith, as well as the journey Joel takes to find God, is incredibly heartfelt. Readers will be able to relate to where he has come from and learn from his mistakes as he does.
The supporting characters, including Joel’s group of friends, their children, and his clients and co-workers at the salon, give depth to the story. Each character has a place in the narrative and enhances the story rather than confusing things. Even though we aren’t privy to Kari’s thought process, it is easy to understand the choices she has made and makes. It’s difficult to delve too deep into the plot without giving away major spoilers, and giving those away would really take away from A Bigger Life’s impact.
Exploring the themes of what it means to want a bigger life, a different life, a better life, A Bigger Life will resonate with readers. The cover says this is “An Eden Plain Novel,” which I hope means there will be more books featuring these characters and their lives.
A Bigger Life is a true gem. Using the first-person viewpoint of Joel, author Annette Smith gives the male character a realistic and effective voice. The issues dealt with in the plot are handled sensitively and carry quite an emotional impact. Joel’s quest to right the wrongs of his past, to explore issues of faith, and to learn how to be a better person are authentically communicated. The exploration of faith, as well as the journey Joel takes to find God, is incredibly heartfelt. Readers will be able to relate to where he has come from and learn from his mistakes as he does.
The supporting characters, including Joel’s group of friends, their children, and his clients and co-workers at the salon, give depth to the story. Each character has a place in the narrative and enhances the story rather than confusing things. Even though we aren’t privy to Kari’s thought process, it is easy to understand the choices she has made and makes. It’s difficult to delve too deep into the plot without giving away major spoilers, and giving those away would really take away from A Bigger Life’s impact.
Exploring the themes of what it means to want a bigger life, a different life, a better life, A Bigger Life will resonate with readers. The cover says this is “An Eden Plain Novel,” which I hope means there will be more books featuring these characters and their lives.
February 19, 2017
Excellent read, couldn't put it down. Nice to read a story from a male perspective.
March 1, 2014
Synopsis: Joel was once a happily married man, but one mistake shattered the lives of him, his wife, and their son. Told from Joel's perspective, this is a tale of love, loss, failures, and triumphs.
My Review: From the praise that I saw on the back cover and the front matter, I expected a lot more from this. Instead, what I got was a story that was written out of order, and resolved matters far too quickly. It was a bit harder-edged than Christian novels usually are, which may make some readers uncomfortable. Don't get me wrong; the book was still decent...but definitely not that great.
Content Concerns:
Sex: A married couple's sex life is discussed, though not in graphic detail. It is mentioned that they conceive a child accidentally. An affair--which isn't gone into graphic detail either--plays a big part in the story, though it is vilified. It is mentioned that a little boy wants to use the bathroom sitting down because he saw a girl do it, and that two guys who work at a salon are thought to be gay, but aren't. The narrator notices that a woman's private anatomy is "nice," and uses slang terms to describe it. The process of giving birth is gone into rather much detail. 1.75/5
Nudity: Some of the scenes involve a married couple naked in bed with each other, but no graphic descriptions are made. 4/5
Language: Implied profanity, and characters are stopped short of uttering such words two or three times. 4/5
Violence: None that I recall. 5/5
Drugs: Various characters, including the narrator/protagonist, smoke cigarettes. 3.5/5
Score: 2.25/5
My Review: From the praise that I saw on the back cover and the front matter, I expected a lot more from this. Instead, what I got was a story that was written out of order, and resolved matters far too quickly. It was a bit harder-edged than Christian novels usually are, which may make some readers uncomfortable. Don't get me wrong; the book was still decent...but definitely not that great.
Content Concerns:
Sex: A married couple's sex life is discussed, though not in graphic detail. It is mentioned that they conceive a child accidentally. An affair--which isn't gone into graphic detail either--plays a big part in the story, though it is vilified. It is mentioned that a little boy wants to use the bathroom sitting down because he saw a girl do it, and that two guys who work at a salon are thought to be gay, but aren't. The narrator notices that a woman's private anatomy is "nice," and uses slang terms to describe it. The process of giving birth is gone into rather much detail. 1.75/5
Nudity: Some of the scenes involve a married couple naked in bed with each other, but no graphic descriptions are made. 4/5
Language: Implied profanity, and characters are stopped short of uttering such words two or three times. 4/5
Violence: None that I recall. 5/5
Drugs: Various characters, including the narrator/protagonist, smoke cigarettes. 3.5/5
Score: 2.25/5
October 4, 2008
I've only read one chapter but I already know this will be irritating. The main character, in fact, all the characters are men, but the voice is female. This could be because it is a female author and the story is written very elementary. As I read it is very hard to visualize this main speaker as anything but a woman.
THe end is very hollywood. It all got rapped up in a perfect happy ending. Would have rather left it in the context of it's own story. It's ending was probably able to be covered in a book on its own, not fair to just throw it in there.
THe end is very hollywood. It all got rapped up in a perfect happy ending. Would have rather left it in the context of it's own story. It's ending was probably able to be covered in a book on its own, not fair to just throw it in there.
June 22, 2011
I finished this book a few days ago, and it is a book I keep coming back to in my mind. I may give it a 3 1/2 to 4 star now, because it really makes you think of life and what is the most important in every day life. I did not know this was a Christian book when I picked it up, but it was refreshing to read about someone coming to find that God is in our lives even when we don't take notice.
July 30, 2012
I thought this was one of those easy read kind of books. Well it was, but on and off the story just makes you cry like a baby! Very moving writing style by annette smith. Im curious to see if any more of her books are just as good. Being that she is a hospice nurse im sure helped in some details of the story.
December 12, 2007
I devoured this book so quick. I read all afternoon and night and a little today too. Something about this author just grabbed me and made me cry several times as well. The story flowed so well. The characters were great. I look forward to reading more from Annette Smith.
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July 15, 2010This book had me bawling by the end. As a mother of a little boy I couldn't timagine him growing up without me. I lost my mom at 25 and that was hard enough. Kari and Joel are characters that u want to know more about and get involved in their lives. I can't wait to read more of her books
January 5, 2008
I learned that even good people make big mistakes. Taking responsibility and owning the mistake is huge.
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September 18, 2008F Smi
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January 22, 2016
5* I loved this book! Such a refreshing book written from a male point-of-view.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews