Book Review: Then There Was You by Kara Isaac

Another fantastic book by Kara Isaac! She has a unique way of both transporting you to another place (this time to Australia and New Zealand) and making you feel right at home at the same time. I completely fell in love with the characters–flaws and all. Their realistic struggles make them seem more like regular people rather than superstars, which makes them approachable on all levels. And I can’t finish this review without mentioning the romance…ah the romance. The realistic development of the relationship between Paige and Josh had me nodding my head with agreement. Although you know in your heart they will end up together, it’s not an automatic “given” and that makes this book more of a compelling read than most typical romance novels. This book is heartfelt and touching, with lots of turmoil to overcome. I found myself laughing and crying along with the characters. The author is from New Zealand, and her ability to incorporate the Australian/New Zealand phrasing and mannerisms contrasted with American ones make this book fascinating and incredibly realistic.

There is so much humor in this book that I literally laughed out loud at some of the cultural contrasts, as well as the wry sense of humor that comes out in the back-and-forth between the characters. Although this novel is fun in so many ways, it is also heartfelt, because Paige has a personal, emotional journey to take, and readers will be able to relate to the emotions involved no matter what their circumstances. If you’ve ever longed to travel to Australia and New Zealand, Isaac will take you there for a fraction of the cost, and just might spur a bit of your own personal growth along the way.

Paige McAllister lives in Chicago and has a boyfriend who is sometimes (but not often) in the same country as her. After experiencing some tragedies involving the loss of her brother and the loss of some of her dreams for her future, she decides to throw caution to the wind and move to Australia. She becomes a logistics coordinator for a mega church, and despite her misgivings and past history with this type of church, Paige is determined to make things work. She is introduced to Josh Tyler, who is the front man for the church’s world renowned worship team. Again, Paige’s past brings up some bad feelings associated with mega churches and their members. Josh is pretty skeptical about Paige as well, because he has been burned in the past in his own way, by women seeking after his status rather than him as a person. As she works with the group and the church, she comes to understand more of what they are doing and desires to become a part of it. Josh slowly begins to let his guard down and trust again. God moves in Paige’s life in various ways to help her to work through her own issues and problems.

I received a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.

To purchase via Amazon affiliate link (see disclosure for details):