Persuasion by Rebecca H. Jamison - Review, Guest Post & Giveaway

Persuasion: A Latter-Day Tale by Rebecca H. Jamison
Expected publication: February 14, 2012
Publisher: Cedar Fort, Inc.

When Anne broke off her engagement seven years ago, she thought she'd never see Neil Wentworth again. But when Neil's brother buys the house she grew up in, it seems fate has other plans in store, and Anne is woefully unprepared for the roller coaster of emotions that accompanies Neil's return. Fans of Persuasion will love this fast-paced, modern retelling of Jane Austen's most romantic novel.

My review:
Anne realizes she still loves her ex-boyfriend, Neil, when he unexpectedly comes back into her life. However, it seems that Neil is already in a relationship. Anne tries to distract herself by dating someone else, but it doesn't quite go as anticipated.

Persuasion is an inspirational, uplifting, sweet story of coming to terms with past mistakes and learning to start over and love again. This is a LDS fiction book. The main moral is the same even for people of other religions, and that is to put your faith in the Lord and hold firm in your beliefs. Rebecca H. Jamison has done a wonderful job portraying someone who is doing that. It isn't always easy, and it isn't always what everyone else wants you to do. In this novel, we watch as Anne navigates her way through family pressures and a challenging situation with an ex-boyfriend while looking toward the Lord to find her path. Just when you think it is going a little slow, something happens to grab your attention again. My only complaint about this book is there are some inconsistencies; however, this was an ARC so these issues may be resolved before final publication. Overall, I enjoyed this novel, and I would recommend this to anyone who likes inspirational fiction.

Provided by the publisher for review.

Guest post by Rebecca H. Jamison:

Meeting My Ex . . . Unexpectedly

It stands to reason that if you’re having a good hair day, you probably won’t run into your ex-boyfriend. If, on the other hand, you just got back from a camping trip and you’ve recently gained weight, you’re highly likely to run into him. Believe me—I know from experience.

It hasn’t been that long since I had my own encounter with an ex. I was meandering the aisles of a local thrift store with my hair in a messy ponytail when I spotted a guy I once dated heading toward me. Luckily, my two kids provided a distraction by climbing onto the bottom shelf of the shopping cart I was pushing. Instead of looking at me, my old flame stared at my children. He was probably wondering why their mother was allowing them to climb onto a shopping cart like that. After my close call, I headed for the other side of the store and observed him from afar. Truthfully, he wasn’t looking so good himself. After all, what kind of man wears crocs in public?

Jane Austen's Persuasion begins with just such a situation, only in Anne's case, she still has feelings for her old flame, and they both recognize each other. Though she has a few days to prepare for their meeting, she doesn't pull it off too well. Austen writes that "a thousand feelings rushed on Anne, of which this was the most consoling, that it would soon be over." Anne's petrified reaction didn't make a great impression on Captain Wentworth, who later reported that she was so different he wouldn't have recognized her.

Stumbling words along with a shocked expression wouldn’t have helped in my case either. In case I ever run into another ex-boyfriend and he actually recognizes me, here's my plan:

• Smile.
• Act surprised to see him. Say something like, "Wow, I'm surprised to see you. How have you been?" I won’t say it's good to see him, unless I actually feel that way.
• Be grateful for the life I have now, so I can confidently explain how great my life is.
• Put an attractive picture of myself on Facebook.

Have you ever unexpectedly met your ex? What’s your advice?

About the author:
Rebecca Jamison met her husband on a blind date. His first words to her were, "Do you want to get together and play spin the bottle?"(He was trying to avoid another bad blind date, but she went out with him anyway.) Rebecca grew up in Vienna, Virginia. She attended Brigham Young University, earning a BA and MA in English. In between college and grad school, she served a mission to Portugal and the Cape Verde islands. Rebecca and her husband have six children. She enjoys running, dancing, making jewelry, reading, and watching chick flicks. You can learn more about her at www.rebeccahjamison.com

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Giveaway:
One will will receive a copy of Persuasion: A Latter-Day Tale by Rebecca H. Jamison. Per Cedar Fort's policy, winner will have the choice between a print or an e-book if in the U.S. and an e-book will be sent if the winner lives outside the U.S.

How to enter:
Simply provide your name and email in the form below.

For an extra entry, leave a comment answering Rebecca's question. (Have you ever unexpectedly met your ex? What’s your advice?) When you fill out the form, let me know that you left a comment and the name you used to leave the comment. Please do NOT put your email addresses in the comments.

Giveaway Details:
Giveaway is open internationally. (See details above.) This giveaway will run until midnight EST on February 16. Must be 13 or older to enter. Winner will be chosen using Random.org. Winner will be emailed and this blog post will be updated to include the name of the winner. Winner has 3 days to contact me or a new winner will be selected.

Thank you for entering and good luck!

Sorry! This giveaway is now closed.

Winner: Lisa R.