Running Backward

by Jessica E. Thomas

She dreams of motherhood. He's a workaholic. Will an uninvited guest shatter her marriage and her dreams?When Dulcie Brannam asks her cousin to stay for the week, she inadvertently invites her former high school boyfriend. But with her baby sister’s wedding just one week away, Dulcie doesn’t have time to worry about her surprise guest. She has bigger problems, including Sunday morning nursery duty, misdated wedding programs, and 10-dozen broken eggs.Laid off from her marketing job and married to a workaholic worrier, it’s no wonder she’s nearly thirty and childless. With her dreams of motherhood in limbo, she’s an easy target for her old boyfriend’s flirtatious advances. His weeklong stay might prove too long for her already strained marriage.Running Backward is a Christian women's fiction novel with a lighthearted take on the challenges of marriage.

297 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 1, 2014

About the author

Jessica E. Thomas wrote women's fiction, poetry, and dabbled in science fiction.

Reviews

[Joy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a good romantic christian read of temptation. Will she fall into this temptation will an old boyfriend or will she to do the right thing? Can her marriage be saved? The author has done a good job with this storyline and its charactors. I must read another book by this author. This was given to me for an honest review.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book. It was well written and accurately captured life in a midwest small town. I liked the way the author explored the relationships in the book. It was an easy, fun read with a good message.

[Momof2princesses · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good read. It is a great reminder of how easily we can get distracted and lose focus on our life and relationships, but as long as we put it in God's hands, He can put it back on track.

[Deloris Mercer · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a refreshing and wonderful book. It kept my interest, the characters are great and down to earth. Loved the setting. Looking forward to more from this author.

[Holly · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Running Backward" is a Christian chick-lit novel set in small-town Indiana. The environment is well-depicted; the outdated fixtures and decor of the protagonist's house, along with her well-intended but unrealized plans for renovation, are realistic and relatable--as is the notion that real life does not always unfold according to plan.

The scandalousness threshold is fairly low; this novel is suitable for the reader seeking a bit of drama and romantic tension without gratuitousness or vulgarity. The novel is firmly rooted in traditional Christian values, illustrating the casual and not so casual importance of Christianity in everyday life.

The more secular reader may feel disconnected from the low-key passions and the spiritual family dynamics of the novel. The atheist tomboy reader may scream out loud a few times.

The protagonist's angst over a relationship from half a lifetime ago, as well as her baby fever, can be more goofy or grating than endearing at times. Which actually probably makes her more realistic than a consistently endearing almost-30-year-old in a similar situation.

A quick, clean, well-written read with clear messages about Christian values. The resolution is satisfactory to the tone of the book, but feels rather abrupt; still, the reader that sees the characters through to the end will surely forgive.

[Amber Harvey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Running Backward caught me by surprise. This is one of the first faith-based books that I have read that addresses the issue of a temptation and struggles within a marriage, as most tend to be focused on the single woman. Dulcie is facing a former boyfriend, a struggle to build her family and a career that is stuck in limbo. At times I found myself wanting to sit down and have a talk with Dulcie about her life and the way things were going, but I think her struggles were well-reflected in the title of the book. Sometimes we all face challenges and it is how we handle them that makes the difference. The faith element is lightly sprinkled into the breezy story but there is enough conflict and resolution to know that Dulcie is grappling with her reality.

I was provided a copy of this book for my honest review.

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the story of a "salt of the earth" family living with faith, love, and humor in a small Indiana town. They live in flyover country but they haven't escaped the trials of contemporary life in the USA. I like this family! I hope their story continues in future books. I have read previous work by this author and like the way she carefully chooses her words in an almost poetic efficiency.

[JoAnn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good clean Christian romance. Will the main character allow herself to cross the line when an old boy friend from high school arrives on the scene? Good writing with believable characters and real life situations. My first book by this author but will be reading more. I received a copy of the book for my honest review.