Let me start this review with one word...superb. The writing, the storyline, everything. There's probably no telling how many times this story has played out in it's entirety in real life, which in and of itself, is quite scary among Christian circles. It's a story that will always stick out in mind as a gentle reminder that "the grass is not always greener on the other side."

I couldn't help but think of myself standing in front of a mirror and finding Ariel's reflection looking back at me. There were so many similarities between us that I felt like the only thing different about us was our first name. Like Ariel, I feel like I'm constantly making mental checklists to get things done, and often forgetting about the little things but remembering the important things. And also like Ariel, I've had those thoughts of inadequacy because I don't always have the cleanest house, or I've forgotten to put my makeup on, or I didn't have enough time to make dinner from scratch. In spite of my imperfections, though, I'm thankful that I have a husband who loves me wholly and completely. Ariel's husband did, too...it just seemed to take him a little longer to show it.

And Justine...whew! That girl just needed to slow down! Well, that and a few other things which I won't mention, lest I spoil the story for anyone. I couldn't help but feel pity for her, and wonder how she could possibly be happy with her life. It didn't take me long to realize how truly unhappy she really was. In the end, her Southern Living facade came down quicker than a house of cards, and she had no one to blame but herself.

Suffice it to say that Marybeth Whalen's books will always be on my radar! I can't believe this book has been under my nose for weeks now, and it took me *that* long to pick it up and read it. And trust me when I say...this is one of those books that will have you saying "just one more chapter and then, I'll go to sleep." Yeah, right. :o)

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When Ariel moves into a new neighborhood she is flattered and thrilled when the her neighbor, whom she thinks is the woman who is so together Justine, befriends her. Justine invites Ariel to her church to listen to a talk she's giving on organization skills and Ariel thinks she is on the right path for what her family needs. Ariel soon suspects that "all that glitters is not gold" in the life of Justine and the story goes on from there.

This is a realistic storyline that gives you one story from several different angles. It took me awhile to get used to the story going back and forth between the thoughts and motivations of the two main characters, but after the first few chapters I started to like it. This back-and-forth format brought to life each character in a way that was so easy to relate to and I found myself sympathizing with various emotions from each person. I also liked that the plot touched on how we as humans do so much comparing and at times think that someone else has it "so much better" than we do and how that is hardly ever the case.

As for the things I didn't like in this book- this was a Christian book that only halfway touches on Christian values at times. There were multiple Christian lessons to be learned from this book, but they were not drawn out to the depth that should have been done, but needed to be done, nor were they attached to the hope we have in Christ. Perhaps, if I wasn't expecting this book to be a mainly Christian based book, I would've enjoyed it more. At times a few of the characters seemed too judgemental, gossipy and too willing to sweep under the rug, one of the character's adultery.

Overall, it's an okay book which I did enjoy, especially the great character development and the writing is easy to follow. Though, if you're expecting a 100 percent Christian fiction story, you might be a bit disappointed

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