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Sierra Jensen #5
Without a Doubt
Although she is excited about the prospects of a great summer when both Randy and Drake show an interest in her, sixteen-year-old Sierra finds her inexperience with dating leads to confused, unsettling feelings.
160 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1997
1 person is currently reading
201 people want to read
About the author
Robin Jones Gunn
165 books2,661 followersROBIN 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.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
April 29, 2015
I have a huge bone to pick with this book.
Women/girls are not hermetically sealed little bags of goodies that, once you open them, are spoiled. Women are not "pure" objects that are tainted and polluted by kissing or sex. They're people. People with dreams, hopes, desires, and thoughts of their own.
Sierra's 16 and boys are just starting to notice her. Paul's in Scotland, so we have Randy and Drake in this book. Randy hangs out with her a lot - she just sees him as a friend, and we don't know if he's romantically interested in her or not, but there's a good possibility.
Drake is the new boy in the series, a kind of good-looking guy who's been out on dates with a lot of girls but has never had a girlfriend. He quickly makes it clear to Sierra that he'd like to date her. He's also made it clear to her that she's not just a girl he wants to go on one or two dates with - he wants to go steady with her eventually, if she'll agree.
Sierra is just full of these cute, sweet, innocent excited feelings that a girl gets when she's started dating and that thrilling feeling of knowing a guy is attracted to you. She's wearing make-up for the first time and wondering if a guy is going to hold her hand and if she's going to get her first kiss.
She can't enjoy these feelings for long before her "brothers and sisters in Christ" come along to piss all over her and tell her she's a slut.
And I want to stress that Sierra is a perfectly responsible, obedient girl who takes care of her family and is a strong Christian. And this Drake guy seems like a good guy - he treats Sierra very respectfully and never does anything to make her uncomfortable.
And yet we have to watch the painful, heartbreaking transformation of Sierra from being a cute, excited, fresh-faced 16-year-old eager for her first date, her first time holding a guy's hand, her first kiss - to a girl who feels ashamed for even thinking about kissing a boy, a girl who is scolded and shamed for holding hands with a boy, and a girl who is beaten down into thinking that she loses all her value and worth as soon as she lets a man touch her.
We're supposed to think this is a good thing.
This was by far the worst scene in the book: Drake is roughhousing a bit with Sierra, and she's shrieking and laughing. Her older brother, Wes, comes up to them.
They both turned, startled to see him standing there. Did he see the whole thing? Sierra wondered. She felt as if she had to explain that they were only playing around. But then, this was Wes, and they hadn't done anything wrong....
Then Drake goes to wash his hands in the stream, and Wes tells him not to - you never want to dirty the water you might drink. Then he gives a meaningful look at Drake and says:
"It's simple. Don't dirty the water. Even if you're not going to drink it later, someone else will." Wes turned to go, then added, "It's never right to spoil something pure."
I can't tell you what my stomach felt like as I was reading this. Wes has just succeeded in communicating a lot of things to Sierra. She's pure, and therefore worthy of love. But kissing a boy or doing anything sexual will "dirty" her and "spoil" her making her impure and therefore no longer worthy of love, respect, and attention. By letting a boy kiss her, she's turning herself into something damaged that no male will want to touch, and those who do will have no respect for her. Even her brother, a man who's supposed to love her unconditionally and always be on her side, will think she's ruined if she "lets" a man kiss her or put his hands on her. And she's an object - something to be acted on - not a person who can make her own decisions.
He's just succeeded in making his sweet, innocent little sister feel like a piece of shit and a slut. And she's never even kissed a boy.
This message of the book is very clear. Before Wes had said anything, Sierra's mom had also given her a delightful little pep talk.
"I'm glad he didn't kiss you."
"Why?"
"It's better for your first kiss, or any kiss for that matter, to be given only after you know what you're giving away."
Yes, you not only have to worry and stress about your actual virginity, but must now also guard and protect this "kiss virginity" that seems to have been invented.
Also, kissing is not "giving something away." Boys are not scary monsters who are out to "steal" your "pure good innocence" or whatever.
I hate this. By making your daughter/sister feel like her desire to be kissed/touched/made love to - is some kind of horrible, disgusting urge, you are crushing a part of her soul and killing a natural, innocent part of her.
Kissing is one of most fun, romantic, sweet, thrilling and safe activities that two people can engage in together. How dare you take this experience and turn it into some kind of filthy act that somehow taints your daughter and makes her dirty?
At the end, Sierra decides not to date any boys, and just be friends with everyone. We are supposed to think this is a good thing, and not as if her family and friends have just stunted her growth and forced her to see herself as an object. It was also a great way of letting her know that their love for her is conditional, and that she's only worthy of their respect and care if she obeys their rules and keeps her body "pure."
It's glaringly obvious that Sierra is not, and CANNOT be an agent in this situation. She's not kissing a boy...the boy is kissing HER. She's not taking something from the boy by kissing him... he's taking something from HER. She's not the one who can ruin/wreck/destroy/taint a boy by kissing him, he's the one who is the destroyer. Even if they're both virgins. Even if they both have never kissed anyone.
...
Anyway. Side plots. Amy likes Drake but he's not interested in her, he wants Sierra. Amy is mad for a while, but they make up. Amy's parents are getting a divorce. Amy develops a crush on Wes: she's 16 and he's 23. Randy admits he had feelings for Sierra and says they can't be friends anymore when he learns she likes Drake.
...
I also don't like how Sierra acts around Drake. She acts as if, because he's dated other girls, she's somehow not special to him. I know she's inexperienced and feels like she's on unequal footing with him, but he obviously really likes her and is taking things extra slow and gentle with her. I think it's obvious that she's special to Drake, as he has indicated that he wants to go steady with her and this would be a first for him. She's letting her insecurity handicap her and I don't like it. If I could talk to her, I'd say, "Trust me, you want your first kiss to be with a guy who knows what he's doing," but of course I can't. Sigh.
Women/girls are not hermetically sealed little bags of goodies that, once you open them, are spoiled. Women are not "pure" objects that are tainted and polluted by kissing or sex. They're people. People with dreams, hopes, desires, and thoughts of their own.
Sierra's 16 and boys are just starting to notice her. Paul's in Scotland, so we have Randy and Drake in this book. Randy hangs out with her a lot - she just sees him as a friend, and we don't know if he's romantically interested in her or not, but there's a good possibility.
Drake is the new boy in the series, a kind of good-looking guy who's been out on dates with a lot of girls but has never had a girlfriend. He quickly makes it clear to Sierra that he'd like to date her. He's also made it clear to her that she's not just a girl he wants to go on one or two dates with - he wants to go steady with her eventually, if she'll agree.
Sierra is just full of these cute, sweet, innocent excited feelings that a girl gets when she's started dating and that thrilling feeling of knowing a guy is attracted to you. She's wearing make-up for the first time and wondering if a guy is going to hold her hand and if she's going to get her first kiss.
She can't enjoy these feelings for long before her "brothers and sisters in Christ" come along to piss all over her and tell her she's a slut.
And I want to stress that Sierra is a perfectly responsible, obedient girl who takes care of her family and is a strong Christian. And this Drake guy seems like a good guy - he treats Sierra very respectfully and never does anything to make her uncomfortable.
And yet we have to watch the painful, heartbreaking transformation of Sierra from being a cute, excited, fresh-faced 16-year-old eager for her first date, her first time holding a guy's hand, her first kiss - to a girl who feels ashamed for even thinking about kissing a boy, a girl who is scolded and shamed for holding hands with a boy, and a girl who is beaten down into thinking that she loses all her value and worth as soon as she lets a man touch her.
We're supposed to think this is a good thing.
This was by far the worst scene in the book: Drake is roughhousing a bit with Sierra, and she's shrieking and laughing. Her older brother, Wes, comes up to them.
They both turned, startled to see him standing there. Did he see the whole thing? Sierra wondered. She felt as if she had to explain that they were only playing around. But then, this was Wes, and they hadn't done anything wrong....
Then Drake goes to wash his hands in the stream, and Wes tells him not to - you never want to dirty the water you might drink. Then he gives a meaningful look at Drake and says:
"It's simple. Don't dirty the water. Even if you're not going to drink it later, someone else will." Wes turned to go, then added, "It's never right to spoil something pure."
I can't tell you what my stomach felt like as I was reading this. Wes has just succeeded in communicating a lot of things to Sierra. She's pure, and therefore worthy of love. But kissing a boy or doing anything sexual will "dirty" her and "spoil" her making her impure and therefore no longer worthy of love, respect, and attention. By letting a boy kiss her, she's turning herself into something damaged that no male will want to touch, and those who do will have no respect for her. Even her brother, a man who's supposed to love her unconditionally and always be on her side, will think she's ruined if she "lets" a man kiss her or put his hands on her. And she's an object - something to be acted on - not a person who can make her own decisions.
He's just succeeded in making his sweet, innocent little sister feel like a piece of shit and a slut. And she's never even kissed a boy.
This message of the book is very clear. Before Wes had said anything, Sierra's mom had also given her a delightful little pep talk.
"I'm glad he didn't kiss you."
"Why?"
"It's better for your first kiss, or any kiss for that matter, to be given only after you know what you're giving away."
Yes, you not only have to worry and stress about your actual virginity, but must now also guard and protect this "kiss virginity" that seems to have been invented.
Also, kissing is not "giving something away." Boys are not scary monsters who are out to "steal" your "pure good innocence" or whatever.
I hate this. By making your daughter/sister feel like her desire to be kissed/touched/made love to - is some kind of horrible, disgusting urge, you are crushing a part of her soul and killing a natural, innocent part of her.
Kissing is one of most fun, romantic, sweet, thrilling and safe activities that two people can engage in together. How dare you take this experience and turn it into some kind of filthy act that somehow taints your daughter and makes her dirty?
At the end, Sierra decides not to date any boys, and just be friends with everyone. We are supposed to think this is a good thing, and not as if her family and friends have just stunted her growth and forced her to see herself as an object. It was also a great way of letting her know that their love for her is conditional, and that she's only worthy of their respect and care if she obeys their rules and keeps her body "pure."
It's glaringly obvious that Sierra is not, and CANNOT be an agent in this situation. She's not kissing a boy...the boy is kissing HER. She's not taking something from the boy by kissing him... he's taking something from HER. She's not the one who can ruin/wreck/destroy/taint a boy by kissing him, he's the one who is the destroyer. Even if they're both virgins. Even if they both have never kissed anyone.
...
Anyway. Side plots. Amy likes Drake but he's not interested in her, he wants Sierra. Amy is mad for a while, but they make up. Amy's parents are getting a divorce. Amy develops a crush on Wes: she's 16 and he's 23. Randy admits he had feelings for Sierra and says they can't be friends anymore when he learns she likes Drake.
...
I also don't like how Sierra acts around Drake. She acts as if, because he's dated other girls, she's somehow not special to him. I know she's inexperienced and feels like she's on unequal footing with him, but he obviously really likes her and is taking things extra slow and gentle with her. I think it's obvious that she's special to Drake, as he has indicated that he wants to go steady with her and this would be a first for him. She's letting her insecurity handicap her and I don't like it. If I could talk to her, I'd say, "Trust me, you want your first kiss to be with a guy who knows what he's doing," but of course I can't. Sigh.
August 31, 2017
Robin Jones Gunn has delivered once again! Like an episode from the middle of a quality television show's run, Without a Doubt showcases the lives and times of characters that I have come to know and love. Things are really getting interesting for Sierra and friends; my curiosity is piqued as to what will happen next.
August 27, 2023
(2011) "Sierra like the way Randy could handle her teasing and dish it right back." My hubby and I are the best at bantering with each other. I think it's one of the easiest tells that we started our relationship as friends first. 💛
(2023) "A little hardship is good for a person. We need to get our world rattled every now and then."
(2023) "A little hardship is good for a person. We need to get our world rattled every now and then."
July 5, 2023
this was not my favorite book in this series
I'd probably say it was a 3.5 star read- not just three stars.
I felt like this book was so predictable and that's why I didn't love it.
it was still a good book though and I would definitely read it again because I love this series. :)
I'd probably say it was a 3.5 star read- not just three stars.
I felt like this book was so predictable and that's why I didn't love it.
it was still a good book though and I would definitely read it again because I love this series. :)
December 29, 2024
it was good but honestly a bit stressful bc of the decisions Sierra was making😅
February 23, 2023
Still reading the Sierra books, as an adult. A great light read with a sweet story. Always enjoy how Robin intertwines Scripture and godly living into her books.
March 31, 2023
Sierra goes on camping trip with some friends and her brother, Wes. Paul is in Scotland though Randy in still around, but there another guy in the picture - Drake. Now Drake and Randy seem to be vying for Sierra's affection, though they behave more like friends right now. There's a slightly embarrassing scene when Sierra
Excited to read the next book - it's Doug and Tracy's wedding!
Excited to read the next book - it's Doug and Tracy's wedding!
March 21, 2023
Without a Doubt was okay. Sierra is trying to figure out her feelings. She goes on a camping trip. On the trip she spills her heart out to Randy in his tent, thinking it was her brother. Sierra ends up deciding that she doesn't want to date Drake right now and instead be buddies with Drake and Randy- she's not ready for a relationship as she needs to figure things out first.
I felt bad for Randy as he seems like a great guy and understanding of Sierra's emotions.
I felt bad for Randy as he seems like a great guy and understanding of Sierra's emotions.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 30, 2025
Number of pages: 135
Genre: Contemporary YA
Series: Sierra Jensen Series #5
Age recommendation: High School (15/16)
Summary: Sierra is really excited about her church’s backpacking trip, that is, until Drake asks her out. Firstly, Amy already likes him and it would be awkward to go backpacking together… plus where does that leave Randy? Can Sierra figure out how to balance all her relationships?
My thoughts: I wished that the book didn't have so much of a romance focus. I find that most teen fiction is romance and a steady diet of that is not healthy. It can make the reader feel like they should be experiencing these same things even if they aren’t, and can push people ahead of where they need to be with this. For someone who can relate to Sierra though, I think the struggles are real and hard to deal with - whom to date, when to start dating, and what to do/how far to go; setting boundaries and goals for dating. I agree that you don’t have to only date once you find your husband, but dating is not like test driving a car either. You are playing with peoples’ emotions; this is likely someone’s future spouse whether they are yours or another person’s. I think overall these books can give some helpful insight on how to date in a God-honouring way.
This book annoyed me a lot. I didn’t like that Sierra is leading along three boys, only to accidentally put them off for various reasons. Or she accidentally implies she likes them as more than a friend in the first place. It seems pretty obvious to me that Sierra really likes Paul but as he’s unattainable, she settles for other nice boys. Sierra resolved everything well in the end though.
As a whole, I find Sierra to be a nice, relatable character. She’s good, but not perfect, and she’s a great role model for teens. I think I’m above the intended age group for this book, which makes it a little harder for me to get excited about it.
Overall, a good book but not my favourite from this series.
My personal rating: 3/5 stars.
Link to blog: https://karinaschristianreads.wordpre...
Genre: Contemporary YA
Series: Sierra Jensen Series #5
Age recommendation: High School (15/16)
Summary: Sierra is really excited about her church’s backpacking trip, that is, until Drake asks her out. Firstly, Amy already likes him and it would be awkward to go backpacking together… plus where does that leave Randy? Can Sierra figure out how to balance all her relationships?
My thoughts: I wished that the book didn't have so much of a romance focus. I find that most teen fiction is romance and a steady diet of that is not healthy. It can make the reader feel like they should be experiencing these same things even if they aren’t, and can push people ahead of where they need to be with this. For someone who can relate to Sierra though, I think the struggles are real and hard to deal with - whom to date, when to start dating, and what to do/how far to go; setting boundaries and goals for dating. I agree that you don’t have to only date once you find your husband, but dating is not like test driving a car either. You are playing with peoples’ emotions; this is likely someone’s future spouse whether they are yours or another person’s. I think overall these books can give some helpful insight on how to date in a God-honouring way.
This book annoyed me a lot. I didn’t like that Sierra is leading along three boys, only to accidentally put them off for various reasons. Or she accidentally implies she likes them as more than a friend in the first place. It seems pretty obvious to me that Sierra really likes Paul but as he’s unattainable, she settles for other nice boys. Sierra resolved everything well in the end though.
As a whole, I find Sierra to be a nice, relatable character. She’s good, but not perfect, and she’s a great role model for teens. I think I’m above the intended age group for this book, which makes it a little harder for me to get excited about it.
Overall, a good book but not my favourite from this series.
My personal rating: 3/5 stars.
Link to blog: https://karinaschristianreads.wordpre...
May 17, 2020
I reeeeeeeally enjoyed this book. I especially liked how Sierra discovered that emotions and feelings can be very deceiving. As someone who lives on those things, well let's just say that I felt very tagged.
Read
January 19, 2026I should have read this one when I was in high school. It talks a lot about dating, and Sierra’s thoughts around it. God convicts her towards the end of the book and I could have used those thoughts as I was around the age to start dating.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 14, 2023
Interesting treatment of the dating game with some thoughtful maturity. Good points for teen girls to consider rather than just jumping into dating whoever because everyone's doing it.
June 3, 2025
"I thought that the book was hilarious especially during the camping trip." -Cadee, age 12
March 19, 2009
I've enjoyed reading the adventures of Sierra Jensen thus far, and this book was no different. I'd recommend this book to fans of the Christy Miller series.
*Taken from my book reviews blog: http://reviewsatmse.blogspot.com/2008...
*Taken from my book reviews blog: http://reviewsatmse.blogspot.com/2008...
November 13, 2017
Again, Sierra stumbling through her dating life and struggles with friends. I never think about it until I read Sierra, but she feels like much more of a fleshed out character than Christy. Just seems to be a lot more depth to Sierra as a character and that really helps me enjoy her stories.
Read
March 26, 2010F GUN sj bk.5
September 5, 2018
Last read May 2011
December 22, 2017
I definitely laughed way too hard reading this one. It had a good message, but the plot was too much for me.
Read
February 17, 2013Is cool to have this book for me
March 8, 2013
March 2013 re-read.
March 29, 2018
Wow. A amazing book
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews