Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Book Review: The Accidental Bride

This book review is on a book called The Accidental Bride by Denise Hunter. It's about a single mom, who helps her town in a reenactment. She ends up married to the fake groom, but there is more to this story. 

When a wedding reenactment turns real, Shay finds she's an accidental bride.
Shay Brandenberger is raising her daughter in Moose Creek, Montana, on her childhood ranch, nestled against the Yellowstone River. Despite the hard work, she can't seem to keep her head above water-and now the bank is threatening to foreclose. She prays for a miracle, but the answer she receives is anything but expected.
Having agreed to play the bride in the Founders' Day wedding reenactment, Shay is mortified to be greeted at the end of the aisle by none other than Travis McCoy, her high-school sweetheart-the man who left her high and dry for fame and fortune on the Texas rodeo circuit.
Then the unthinkable happens. Thanks to a well-meaning busybody and an absentminded preacher, the make-believe vows result in a legal marriage. But before Shay can say annulment, Travis comes up with a crazy proposal. If she refuses his offer, she may lose her home. If she accepts, she may lose her heart.
Shay isn't sure if the recent events are God's will or just a preacher's blunder. Will trusting her heart to the man who once shattered it be the worst mistake of her life? Or could their marriage be the best accident that ever happened?

Reading Group Guide:
1. Shay was afraid to marry again after having her heart broken twice before.  How does fear play into our ability to love fully?
Fear is powerful if you let it take over your life.  It will stop you doing something you love to do.  With Shay, she was left at the altar and then married someone, who I think she just married just because he was there.  

2. Because of Shay's background, she tended to worry too much about others' opinions.  Galatians 1:10 says, "For am I now trying to win the favor of people, or God? Or am I striving to please people?"  What does that mean to you?
Shay worried too much about others' opinion because of what happened after she returned to town after being left at the altar.  Everyone in town felt sorry for her plus she was the talk of the town forever.  I think Galatians is saying that you should not worry what others are saying, but the important one to listen to is God.  I do not care what others say because it takes up energy, which I can use for something more important like my kids.  

3. Travis made the selfish decision to leave Shay at the altar when he was a young adult.  What price did he and others pay as a result?  Discuss the ways in which poor choices can sometime have far reaching consequences.  How can we best recover?
Travis did pay the price leaving Shay at the altar by having Shay trust him again and it was very hard to get her there.  When you are young, you are not thinking how this choice could affect your future, but it can.  We can best recover by taking one day at a time. 

4. When Travis lost Shay, he realized that he hadn't sought God's will during a critical point in his life.  Instead, he'd relied on Miss Lucy's prayers.  Do you ever foist your spiritual responsibilities onto someone you feel has a closer walk with God? 
No, it is up to myself to do my own spiritual  responsibility, but when there is something major happening, then I think it is okay to get help.  Prayers in a lot of numbers help.  
5. Were you more frustrated at Travis or Shay for the way each of them handled every new obstacle?  His not telling her about the rodeo competition? Her not asking about the jewerly package?  His not returning right after the competition?  Her not telling him she was pregnant?  Or do you think both were accountable for what kept them apart?
Yes, I was frustrated with both of them because they could not see what they had in front of them. Shay should had asked Travis the questions in the back of her head.  I think it was both of them that is accountable for what kept them apart.   

6. Ranching is hard work, and money is often tight.  Why do you think families continue this way of life? 
I do families continue ranching as a way of life because some families could be doing it for generations and want to continue.  Maybe it is the only thing that family knows.  I also think they are proud to be ranchers.

Happy Reading!!

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