Books for Christian Girls: "When Love Arrives" by Johnnie Alexander

{Warning! This review nor book are recommend for those under 14 to read. Proceed at your own caution.}

About this book:

“Dani had planned to spy on Brett--so how did she end up on a date with him?
Dani Prescott can't believe the lie Brett Somers is trying to sell to the media. During an interview about the plane crash that killed his parents, he blamed Dani's mother. But the crash killed her as well. Vowing to restore her mother's reputation, Dani has been following Brett and taking photos, hoping to find something she can use to discredit him. But when she catches his eye instead, she quickly finds herself agreeing to a date. Brett knows this mystery girl is hiding something--but he's got his own secrets to keep. What will happen when he discovers who she really is?”

Series: Book #2 in the “Misty Willow” series. {I have not read or reviewed Book #1}

Spiritual Content- Psalm 31:21 at the beginning; Prayers; Being witnessed to; Church going (once); A handful of Scriptures are quoted, mentioned & talked about; Talks about God, trust & prayers; ‘H’s are not capital when referring to God; Brett tries to pray (but isn’t sure God is listening); Dani thinks God abandoned her long ago; Mentions of God, His plan & trusting; Mentions of churches & going; Mentions of missionaries & the mission field; Mentions of the Ten Commandments; A few mentions of blessings; A couple mentions of Heaven; A mention of the wise men going to Bethlehem;

*Note: A mention of Adonis; A few mentions of curses & superstitions.

Negative Content- Minor cussing including: two ‘idiot’s and twelve ‘stupid’s; A bit of Sarcasm & Eye rolling; Originally, Dani is trying to get dirt on Brett to get him to take back what he said about her mother; Many mentions of pain, deaths, murders, a plane crash & a car crash; Mentions of alcohol (scotch, beer & wine), drinking & hangovers (Brett almost drinks scotch); Mentions of drunks; Mentions of different wars; Mentions of a child in a coma; Mentions of divorce; Mentions of lying & deceit; Mentions of jealousy; Mentions of wanting to hit someone; A few mentions of nightclubs & bars; A few mentions of prison & manslaughter; A few mentions of a police officer who was killed in the line of duty; A couple mentions of using & selling drugs; A couple mentions of bullies & a boy being beat up; A couple mentions of dead animals; A couple mentions of nightmares; A mention of smoke;

*Note: A couple mentions of Bates Hotel; A couple mentions of Boy Scouts.

Sexual Content- a cheek kiss, four barley-above-not-detailed kisses, two semi-detailed kisses & A very-detailed kiss (including him touching her bare back under her shirt); Remembering a kiss (semi-detailed); Touches, Warmth, Nearness, Embraces & Hand Holding (semi-detailed); Wanting & Longing to touch, kiss, explore, and more (semi-detailed); Noticing & Smelling (semi-detailed); a ‘babe’, a ‘bimbo’, a ‘hottest’, a ‘red-hot’ and three forms of ‘sleaze’; Brett used to date a lot & be a jerk/cad; Brett got a girl pregnant in college & has a son that he just learned about (he wined-and-dined her, she says she fell into his bed); Meghan says it doesn’t matter if Shelby & her fiancé fell into bed together because they’re getting married; Brett says he hasn’t spent time with a woman where s*x wasn’t an integral part of the relationship; Brett tries to reign in his lust, desires & hormones when around Dani; Talks about a “substantial kiss”; Mentions of flirting & swooning; Mentions of jealousy; Mentions of guys bragging about their girlfriends/mistresses & breaking their hearts (Brett goes to a brag-and-beer with jerks where they brag about the broken hearts they’ve made & the risks they take (i.e. pregnancies)); Mentions of blushes; Mentions of dating, dates, romance & taking a break; Mentions of the look; Mentions of kisses & kissing; Mentions of men’s not so innocent peeks at a receptionist’s lace-adorned cleavage & her blouse being parted in a blatant invitation; Mentions of Brett’s sister being a mistress to a married man; Mentions of a woman who used to live with Brett; Mentions of sleeping with someone & going to bed with them; Mentions of lust; A few mentions of rushing into a marriage for the sexual part; A few mentions of when Brett seduced Meghan; A few mentions of a story of a man paying a girl to have an abortion; A few mentions of labeling a guy a Casanova; A few mentions of cheating; A couple mentions of a news story of Brett sexually harassing his employees & then fires them (he says that’s not what happened); A couple mentions of when Brett allowed himself to be seduced; A couple mentions of an engaged couple kissing (no details); A couple mentions of Dani’s mother refusing to tell Dani about her father & therefore she doesn’t know who he is; A mention of not having a one-night stand; A mention of a woman hinting sultry about a private celebration for just her & him; A mention of a sexual hinted double entendre; A mention of all the women who have been in Brett’s bed; A mention of sensual thoughts (wanting to kiss; up to semi-detailed); Love, falling in love & the emotions;

*Note: A mention of shaving; A mention of a woman “displaying her gorgeous cleavage”; A mention of long legs disappearing into scanty skirts; A mention of a leggy blond in a skintight mini; A mention of a skimpy dress; A couple mentions of sashaying hips; A couple mentions of women trying with their bodies to snag a man; A couple mentions of a woman and her shapely curves wearing a dress that barely covers her hips; A few mentions of leggy women who “were blessed with an overabundance of a woman’s most enticing asset”; A few mentions of women who used their bodies as bait “when they unbuttoned their blouses and unzipped their skirts”; Mentions of women who are playthings, arm candy & to be shown off; Mentions of eating disorders & clinics.

-Dani Prescott, age 23/24

-Brett Somers, age 29
P.O.V. switches between them & Meghan (a handful of times)
349 pages

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Pre Teens-

New Teens-

Early High School Teens-

Older High School Teens-

My personal Rating-

I took a chance on this book. This was my first book by the author and I have to say: I’m disappointed. Overall it was just disappointing, but what really annoyed me were all the sexual comments. Majority of them just came across as degrading to women and made me shake my head. It was ridiculous and unneeded. The author kept trying to portray Brett as a in-the-process-of-reforming cad who is now disgusted with how he “used to be” and yet he still is constantly mentioning a woman’s looks or how the “old-Brett” would react to a woman throwing herself at him; but I didn’t see/read him thinking that those thoughts were wrong. He still ogles over Dani’s slender ankles and mentions a woman “displaying her gorgeous cleavage”. Had the back-cover given more info on the characters, I wouldn’t have even tried this book. I also don’t know who in their right mind would agree to go on a date with someone they’re staking/trying to get dirt on. Dani & Brett have to be one of the very few couples I’ve read about that I can’t see making it as a married couple.

See y’all on Friday with a new review!