Justice by Emily Conrad

Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Pelican Book Group
Released: March 9, 2018
220 pages

About the Book:

Jake thought he was meant to marry Brooklyn, but now she's pregnant, and he had nothing to do with it. As Brooklyn wrestles with questions about what her pregnancy means and how it will affect her relationship with Jake, she can't bring herself to tell him the truth.To make matters worse, if the man who owns the bookstore across from Jake's coffee shop, has anything to do with it, the baby will ruin them both. Can Jake and Brooklyn overcome the obstacles thrown in their path, and finally find the truth in God's love and in each other?

Goodreads / Amazon

Emily Conrad's Website

 

My Rating & Thoughts:    🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟    (4 stars) 

This story deals with a difficult issue and shows how gossip and judgement can really hurt people. It also shows how keeping the focus on God and trusting Him will help you persevere through and bring you out on the other side stronger. God can use any situation for His glory.

 

I hurt for Brooklyn, I hated the she felt so ashamed and felt like she had to go through this alone when she was innocent. But thankfully she had people around her who showed her she didn’t have to be alone and supported her. Her faith in God helped her move forward and she found that forgiveness gave her a peace she needed. Her and Jack have been friends forever, both having deeper feelings for one another but neither really knowing how to move forward into more now because of Brook’s current situation. Once Jack got over his initial shock and anger he stood by her. But he was blinded by his feelings for Brooklyn to be able to see how others would respond to her situation. This created a barrier in their relationship that they needed to learn how to overcome if they are going to move forward. Jack is also dealing with business challenges from fellow business owner and he must decide the best way to respond. His whole life has been shaken, how will he respond?

 

I did really like Jack at the beginning and the end but I was a disappointed with some of his attitude and actions in the middle part. However this made him feel real, as people are not perfect and make mistakes. It was through these mistakes that he grew, learning more about God’s desire for his life. My favourite characters were Jack’s mom and Caleb. These two were there for Jack & Brooklyn but they also challenged them to think about their actions and feelings.

 

Overall I enjoyed the message of the story and felt it was done well. I liked how the author did not back down from dealing with a difficult matter and incorporated scripture without it feeling forced. This was a wonderful debut novel and I look forward to more from Ms. Conrad.

(I received a complimentary copy of this book from Pelican Book Group through NetGalley.

Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)