A Review of The Ideal Wife by Jacquelin Thomas

Synopsis

Marrying a handsome, wealthy lawyer and living in a Hollywood Hills mansion...it's a dream come true for twenty-four-year-old Jana, from the moment Lawrence Collins swept her off her feet and into his luxurious world. True, she put her studies at a local Bible college on hold in order to wed after a six-month whirlwind romance. Beautiful and vivacious, with a stunning body, Jana knows men like Lawrence don't come along every day, and she vows to be a perfect companion -- the ideal wife -- to this sexy, powerful man. But at what price?

From her wardrobe and hairstyle to her friends and her choice of church, Lawrence seems to want to change Jana into someone she's not...and soon, the man Jana thought she knew will test her values and her faith with a shocking revelation that goes against everything she believes. How far will Jana be willing to go to keep the man she loves? With her "ideal" marriage falling apart, Jana -- the real, modest, smart, and strong girl who knows what she stands for -- must put her trust in God, and follow His guiding light out of the darkness of a broken relationship.

A Review of the novel by Rhonda McKnight

I’ve been a Jacquelin Thomas fan since the beginning of her career. My very favorites have always been Singsation and A Change Is Gonna Come and more recently Redemption. Just when you think an author couldn't write a better story, couldn't possibly tug at your emotions more than they already have...they do it. The Ideal Wife was not a book I thought I'd enjoy. The title suggested a woman working hard at being the perfect Biblical wife and that's been done a million times over in Christian publishing. What I didn't fathom was the criteria for "ideal" in this novel. Without giving it away, being "the ideal wife" had a whole lot to do with a room in the house that was no where near the kitchen or an ironing board. This story took us into the bedroom - you guessed it, the marriage bed and what tangled sheets they were.

Ms. Thomas kept me in suspense with on the edge of the seat conflict and lots of "No he didn't" moments. I loved not knowing where this story was going. There were surprises around every corner, interesting characters and good, snappy dialogue.

I also applaud her for dealing with this taboo subject, while bringing home several spiritual messages, one of the most resounding being that "we" need to be careful to not let others twist the meaning of the scriptures.

About the Author
Jacquelin Thomas is the national bestselling and award-winning author whose many adult novels include Defining Moments, Saved in the City, Soul Journey, A Change Is Gonna Come, The Prodigal Husband, and Singsation. Her short fiction is featured in the Pocket Books anthology Have a Little Faith. A driving force in the world of Christian fiction, she is the founder and producer of the annual Faith-Based Arts Conference, an event showcasing authors in the field.

Visit her website at www.jacquelinthomas.com