A Stitch in Time by Allison Bottke

It’s not often a character comes along that says, “I know you. You and me, we share a lot.” Thankfully it was the heroine of Allison Bottke's début novel A Stitch in Time rather than one of Ted Dekker’s villains. However, Ms. Bottke’s Dee Decker actually goes farther than I have ever dreamed and has dealt with marital problems I’ve not known (thank you, Lord)—kind of like the Indiana Jones for recent empty-nesting moms. I loved it. Fresh and sassy, Ms. Bottke paints her scenes with clarity and drops you right into galas aboard the Queen Mary and mansions in the Las Vegas desert. The first-person-present style makes you privy to Dee’s most intimate thoughts. I didn’t know those thoughts had ever escaped my addled brain, but rather than scare me, it was nice to know I wasn’t alone. As the back cover will tell you, “Dee is out to prove that middle-aged Christian woman can be faithful, fashionable, and fabulous!” I think she makes her case. A fashionably fun read, I highly recommend A Stitch in Time.