Have you ever made a choice and it turned out bad? I think we can all say we have made choices that later came back on us. In this story their are several people whose lives interact with each other in a way that will change them forever.

One of the things I did like was the relationship between Kevin and Heather. They have a great marriage and relate to each other very well. They run a pet store which is profitable enough for them to live comfortably. Everyone seems to know them and enjoys the extra care they give each customer. In a blink of an eye everything changes for them one early morning. The accident that almost kills Kevin is devastating and emotions run high. I did like that Heather seemed to be calm during his recovery and was a great support for him.

The two main themes in the book is about forgiveness and guilt. Samantha deals with both of those when she is distracted that fateful morning. It just takes one glance away from the road to cause a person to find themselves in a chain of events that have consequences. I would hope that if I ever hit someone with my car that I would stop and help them. Samantha makes the choice to flee the scene and from there her life is out of control. Her sleepless nights and guilt were taking over and she knew she had to do something. I did find it a bit odd that after she found out who she hit, she would go to Kevin's store and volunteer. Maybe it made her feel less guilty, but I'm not sure most people in her situation would have done that.

The story does a good job of exploring guilt and how it can take over your life. A decision Samantha makes to hide the evidence was a bit much for me. Again I know this is a fictional story but the author may have taken it to the extreme . I do have to counter my statement by saying people do unexpected things when they are overwhelmed with guilt.

I did like how the author introduces Joy and her coffee shop. It is the focal point where several characters go for great coffee and free advice from a woman of faith. I especially liked the interaction between her and Samantha. She also is helpful in directing a few of the characters to God and helping them understand forgiveness.

It is not a surprise in the book who caused the wreck which allows the author to let readers see different reactions from the characters as it affected their lives. Living with guilt or anger is a big problem for Samantha and Kevin. I was anxious to see how the author would tie the story up and felt the ending was rushed and abrupt. The story is a good example of forgiving others and yourself.

"We make the choice to forgive and then we work on it."

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion. ( )

Every day we make choices, and whether we initially think about it or not, those choices have consequences (often for other people as well as ourselves). This book does an excellent job of showing how a young woman’s choice has far-reaching consequences for another couple. It also illustrates the tragic consequences of choosing to text while driving.

I love how the author was able to combine the ideas of faith along with anger, doubt, and ultimately forgiveness. Often as a result of our decisions, we need to recognize the need to forgive ourselves for wrong choices. Kevin has to deal with both anger and the need to forgive. At the same time, Samantha makes one reckless decision and then couples it with several more bad choices before ultimately making the right decision.

Heather Wyland, wife of Kevin demonstrates faith, strength, and love even in some of the worst situations possible. Several times in our married life my husband has been hospitalized and illustrates each time how he is not a model patient. So I had a lot of empathy for Heather while Kevin was in the hospital. She truly is a good illustration of what it means to be a Proverbs 31 woman. With a husband who always strives to take care of me, I know it is difficult for my husband to have to let me take care of him.

I think Joy, owner of the coffee shop, quickly became one of my favorite characters. Interacting with all the other characters, she offers wisdom and words of faith to help others along in their journey, including Samantha and Kevin. I can not wait to read the other books in this series.

So if you want to read a powerful s ( )

'How many crimes could she commit to avoid taking responsibility for the crash?'

As Samantha Lawrence works to avoid being charged in a hit and run accident, we are reminded how one lie can turn into so many more and one bad choice can change your life forever. As I read this story, I tried to imagine how I would have reacted. Panic caused Samantha to drive away from this accident but why didn't she go back? Doubts and fear contributed to her dilemna but why didn't she admit what she had done? As we witness Samantha's conflict we realize her multiple bad choices. She chose to text while driving, she didn't stop when the accident occurred, and she continued to cover up her actions.

What about the victim? Kevin Wyland experienced all of the emotions you would expect. He wanted to know who caused his accident and left him with severe physical injuries; he questioned why God would allow this to happen. Kevin also faced some choices---choose to accept God's timing and work to go forward; continue to blame the person responsible and withhold forgiveness for what they had done! Author Jacqueline Lynn gives readers so much to think about and she successfully shows the many emotions in her story. Disbelief, anger, and hurt; acceptance, faith, and forgiveness.

Choices centers around a coffee-shop in Florida and this is the first book in the Joyful Cup Story series. Joy, the owner, is kind and wise and her Christian advice helps both Samantha and Kevin as they make the choices that will affect their future. I look forward to reading more about Joy and the Joyful Cup.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through CelebrateLit and was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are my own. ( )

The title of this book sure hits it on the nail. We all make choices, some good and some bad, some we own up to, and others we want to sweep under the rug.
The author has given us characters that are given choices, as we all are, but one makes a terrible one, and we are there to see how one choice leads to another and then another.
I found this one a compelling page-turner, and I had to find out who made it to the end, and if all would be turned over to God.

I received this book through Celebrate Lit and was not required to give a positive review. ( )

“Even though it’s a choice, forgiving is one of the hardest things we have to do.”

Deciding to sign up to review this book was honestly a bit of a whim. I wasn’t sure that I would enjoy it, and the subject matter isn’t what I normally gravitate toward when seeking reading material. However, I decided to try it since it is the beginning of Jacquelyn Lynn’s A Joyful Cup series. Admittedly, I was also drawn to the coffee element. And I am glad that I gave it a chance! It turned out to be a short but compelling novel.

“Choices” presents a real-life situation from different perspectives and thereby inserts the reader into the narrative. Likely, you would react in the way that at least one of the characters does, and it is enlightening to see the impact that our responses and attitudes have on each other and on ourselves. While it is usually easy to identify a poor mindset on paper, it’s often more challenging in our day-to-day lives, and “Choices” demonstrates some of the finer nuances of people’s outlooks. My favorite character, and undeniably the star of the show, is Joy Shepherd, whose name serves as an aptronym for her personality. Her coffee shop, Joyful Cup, is a refuge for those seeking both dietetic and spiritual pick-me-ups. What I admire most about her is her gift for meaningful conversation and her discernment; she knows when and how to give advice gently and also how to be a listening ear for those in need. Lynn did well in crafting her character, as Joy does not come across as preachy and yet she is open about her faith.

I did have a few issues with this novel, though. Its brevity, for instance, is both its strongest and weakest point. I was instantly drawn into the story, and I did not want to put it down once I began reading it. However, beginning with chapter two, there is a constant shifting of characters and scenes. This works to some degree because their lives all become interwoven and they all live in the same town, but it also makes for a somewhat disjointed narrative. Due to the short length of this novel, there is a character info-dump in chapter two rather than a smooth transition between the characters. Similarly, I really would have loved to see more spiritual metanoia with both Kevin and Samantha. I appreciate how their viewpoints evolve but wish that they had had more apparent spiritual epiphanies because I closed the book unsure as to where they stand. With that being said, I felt that the ending was anticlimactic and too abrupt given the depth of the characters’ issues. It tied everything up too neatly and quickly, in my opinion. Nevertheless, I did very much enjoy reading “Choices” and plan to read future books in this series. I would recommend it to readers inclined to contemporaries, authentic portrayals of real-life challenges, and those who are looking for a short but thought-provoking story.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through CelebrateLit and was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are my own. ( )