Book Review ~ ALL IN by L.K. Simonds ~ Lone Star Literary Book Blog Tour

ALL IN

by

L.K. Simonds

Genre: Gritty Realistic / Christian Fiction
Publisher: Morgan James Publishing
Date of Publication: August 27, 2019

Number of Pages: 282

Scroll down for the giveaway!

A woman’s empty pursuit of happiness leads to a crisis before finding redemption in the Lord in this challenging and gritty Christian novel. Twenty-nine-year-old novelist and blackjack dealer Cami Taylor seems to have it all—but just underneath her confident exterior and newfound celebrity is a young woman in trouble. Cami’s boyfriend, Joel, wants to get married, buy a house on Long Island, and raise a family—a life that’s a million miles from Cami’s idea of happiness. Her therapist suggests compromise and trust, but Cami would rather bolt like a deer. Breaking things off with Joel, Cami launches herself on a new quest for happiness. But her pursuit of pleasure only takes her further from herself—and toward a harrowing new reality unlike anything she’s faced before. What follows for Cami is a fight to the death that can only be waged with God’s love.

CLICK TO ORDER ON:

AMAZON  ┃  BARNES AND NOBLE  ┃ KOBO

INDIEBOUND  ┃ GOOGLE PLAY

L.K. SIMONDS PRESENTS CAMI TAYLOR:

I buy all the Fiction and Romance titles for the library system where I work, including Christian Fiction ("CF"). CF readers know to expect certain things from that genre: character-driven, faith based to some degree, with no profanity, graphic violence or sex contained therein. These stories are sometimes referred to as "gentle reads."

All In by L.K. Simonds is classified as Christian Fiction, but it does not fall within the expectations of the genre. As long as readers know that going into this well-written and engaging novel, there shouldn't be too much of a shock to the system. The author's beliefs about the way God lives and moves in our world today are different in some ways from my own; so other than an ending that was not quite what I was expecting, I enjoyed watching a character struggle with life in this often inexplicable world and find some hope and redemption in the end.

Cami Taylor is an author living in New York City who has recently published a very successful debut novel. She is living the dream: has a nice apartment, a loving boyfriend, and is close to finishing a second book. All that starts to fall apart when her boyfriend pushes her for a commitment, and she realizes she doesn't want the same life he has imagined for them together. He accuses her of being closed off and removed in their relationship and encourages her to see a therapist to try to figure out some of her "issues." She doesn't appreciate that (who would?) but goes anyway.

The scenes with the therapist are very realistic based on my own experiences, and we get to know a little more about Cami through them. She was an afterthought in her parent's life, wasn't nurtured by them, and spent a lot of time alone as a child. She learned early on not to depend on anyone and to seek satisfaction in her life on her own terms. She has had many lovers, casual one night stands, and her moral compass is far from what one usually sees in this genre. 

The unexpected sex scenes are tastefully written; but more importantly we begin to see the negative effects Cami's lifestyle is having on her, both physically and mentally. When she receives a shocking diagnosis, she escapes to Texas to stay with a recently discovered distant relative who is a evangelical Christian. Through her interactions with multiple characters in the second half of the book, Cami begins to evaluate some of the mistakes of her past and decides she wants a different life for herself.

There are a few places in the book that I did find unrealistic, but I cannot go into details without spoiling the story for future readers. And, as a Christian myself, I do have some different beliefs about how God interacts with his creation in our contemporary world. Because of that, the ending was not as satisfying to me as the first part of the book.

What kept resonating with me, though, is this: life is messy; we can be very selfish; we make mistakes, daily, and are not always sorry for them. Yet, God loves us in spite of ourselves and created a way of redemption for us all. Cami Taylor personifies this messy life her behavior and thoughts, and I cared for her as a character because she is very human, as we all are. Some CF readers might not enjoy this book for the reasons I mentioned at the beginning of this review. But I am glad I got to witness Cami's journey as, in the end, she went All In.

L. K. Simonds is a Fort Worth local. She has worked as a waitress, KFC hostess, telephone marketer, assembly-line worker, nanny, hospital lab technician, and air traffic controller. She's an instrument-rated pilot and an alumna of Christ for the Nations Institute in Dallas. All In is her first novel.

 ║ Website ║ Facebook ║ Twitter ║ ║ Instagram ║ Goodreads ║ ║ Amazon Author Page ║ ║ BookBub ║ -------------------------------------

GIVEAWAY!  GIVEAWAY!  GIVEAWAY!

ONE WINNER Autographed, library-bound copy of All In + $50 Visa gift card

JANUARY 14-24, 2020

(US ONLY)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

VISIT THE OTHER GREAT BLOGS ON THE TOUR:

1/14/20	Review	Hall Ways Blog
1/14/20	Review	Kelly Well Read
1/15/20	Review	That's What She's Reading
1/15/20	Review	Librariel Book Adventures
1/16/20	Review	Reading by Moonlight
1/17/20	Review	All the Ups and Downs
1/17/20	Review	Tangled in Text
1/18/20	Review	The Clueless Gent
1/19/20	Review	StoreyBook Reviews
1/20/20	Review	The Page Unbound
1/20/20	Review	Momma on the Rocks
1/21/20	Review	Sydney Young, Stories
1/22/20	Review	Rebecca R. Cahill, Author
1/23/20	Review	KayBee's Book Shelf
1/23/20	Review	Forgotten Winds

   blog tour services provided by

  

Favorite Reads of 2019. Happy New Year!

I did not get as much read as I'd hoped in 2019 for a number of reasons, but wanted to mention at least 10 books I enjoyed this year. My reviews for most of these novels can be found by searching a key word on my home page. 



Costalegre by Courtney Maum (Tin House/W.W. Norton). Loosely based on the lives of Peggy Guggenheim and her daughter Pegeen, this slim novel introduces us to a unique adolescent narrator, and getting to know her was beautiful and sad and worthy. It's a short novel with an emotional impact that lingers.

The Overdue Life of Amy Byler by Kelly Harms (Lake Union/Amazon). In this character-driven and uplifting story, a single (librarian!) mom spends a summer in New York City alone and finds professional, social, and romantic adventures.



Miracle Creek by Angie Kim (FSG/Macmillan). This debut novel, a mix of literary fiction, mystery and courtroom drama, explores many universal themes and remains memorable. I will never forget her translation of the Korean word, "Han" from the last page. 

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides (Celadon/Macmillan). I read this psychological thriller late last year, and it pretty much blew my mind. I'm not often so surprised by an ending and I still remember the last scene. Love to recommend this one.

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson (Sourcebooks) is a powerful historical fiction novel I finished at the beginning of 2019. It made me want to be a kinder, more compassionate and tolerant human being and "book woman" this year. 

Maggsie McNaughton's Second Chance by Frances Maynard (Mantle/Pan Macmillan). She's a short, feisty ex-con with bad teeth and anger management issues, and she kinda stole my "ruddy" heart this year. Getting to know Maggsie made me proud to be in a profession that supports literacy every day.

The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary (Flatiron/Macmillan) Tiffy and Leon share a flat, but have never met. Can they fall in love via...Post-It Notes? I loved this British romance, which had more depth than I was expecting.

Blood Relations by Jonathan Moore (Mariner/HMH). Although I don't read a lot of noir I will read anything Jon Moore writes. It's a hard-boiled PI novel updated for the 21st century, with some unexpected surprises you won't see coming. Check out The Poison Artist and the other novels in his San Francisco triptych, too.

Biloxi by Mary Miller (Liveright/W.W. Norton). You've met men like curmudgeonly Louis who falls in love with a "rescued" mutt named Layla. I loved all their quirks; the small details of a life lived; mistakes, joys. I won't soon forget these two imperfect, yet memorable, characters.



The Current by Tim Johnston (Algonquin/Workman). This atmospheric mystery defines the term "propulsive" in its narrative structure, and once I adjusted to the pace and writing, I couldn't read it fast enough. It gets a "Well Done" from me.

I read two dozen more books this year, and many were very, very good. But I guess if I had to pick 10 that stood out and were memorable it would be those listed.

My wish for everyone this year, which I also posted on Twitter: Make 2020 a good one by narrowing your focus to a few things you can accomplish, a few people you can love well, some good you can do to make a difference in the lives of others, and by ending with few regrets.

Happy Reading!