Realizing you’re a spinster is one thing; understanding what that means and how to handle it is another. And it would seem Jolene, Uli and Catie still have a ways to go before they truly comprehend what God is trying to show them not only in their desire to marry but in their longing to have children of their own.

As one relationship ends and another begins, Jolene Woods realizes she needs to finally deal with the guilt and regret of her past if she’s ever going to move on. And so she embarks on a journey she hopes will bring forgiveness … but may, in fact, only lead to more regret. Did she forever destroy her chance to be a mother in her youth?

Uli Odell has her own journey, though it’s more of an escape from the pain and embarrassment of a broken engagement. She ends up at her mother’s home in Iowa, separated from her friends and desperate for money. But there are some problems she just can’t run away from.

Though Catie’s heart is in a stronger place since she met God on a mountain three months ago, she still doesn’t have answers to many of her questions. Then the possibility of an unhealthy relationship and the reality of a life-altering medical diagnosis makes her wonder if she’s figured out anything at all.

As their lives head off in different directions, each of these friends will need God—and each other—to find their way to healing.

—

It had been a while since I read Spinstered, so I was a little nervous to jump into the sequel, but Kopf did a fabulous bringing in details from the first book to help me remember where everyone left off (without spending chapters re-tellling the first book).

Similar to the first book, I had mixed emotions about this one. Part of me wanted to sit down with each character and really minister to them that marriage is NOT the answer. Another part of me wanted to slap their parents and pastors for making them believe that they were somehow less-than or odd for being single. And another part of me is now 100% convinced that all churches need to do away with singles groups – God is God, whether married or single (Jew or Gentile, male or female). Kopf created such relate-able and believable characters that I felt their frustration and wanted to help! That being said, there’s also hope and healing and forgiveness in this book, which balances out each woman’s struggles.

Personally I felt like Catie’s story dragged just a bit (I was much more sucked in to Uli and Jolene’s stories), but the book still held my attention, causing more than one late night and sleep-deprived day. I’m already looking forward to the third book so I can see what happens in these ladies lives.

*I received a free copy of this book. This is an honest review; the opinions are my own.