Nourish & Strengthen by Maria Hoagland

This book was given to me by the author to read and review. Thank you so much for the opportunity.


On the back:
"Chloe Taylor has the perfect life; a model's figure, a husband who adores her, three healthy children. So why does she feel so much less than perfect?
After losing forty pounds, Chloe Taylor is finally happy with her body. What she doesn't realize is that she's not the one in control.
When Chloe is called as the Primary president, she discovers that managing the highs and lows of a chronic illness may be easier than the ups and downs associated with family, friends, and the church callings. Consumed b y her own challenges, Chloe fails to recognize the issues her friends are facing and is in danger of losing their friendship.
As Chloe strives to develop Christ-like love for herself and those around her, she learns that outer appearances are far less important than inner peace and spiritual strength. But is she strong enough to face her most difficult trial yet?"

My review:
This is a fictional book- possibly a self-help- about diabetes. For those just learning they or a loved-one has diabetes this book can help to show that life just got harder but not impossible.

I enjoyed the way the LDS families and women got together, but there was a lot of insecurity portrayed from all of the women the whole book through I didn't like.

Nourish & Strengthen seemed a bit unbelievable. The LDS women were completely stereotyped and said things that I believe I would never hear.

There are editing errors that distracted me and at times made it totally confusing. That is an easy fix for the next edition, though!

I had a hard time getting past the first half of the book. It was such a downer. I felt that this whole story was about a woman, Chloe, who we really never got to know because you could tell she was upset, sad, and most especially angry but these emotions were never completely expressed.

I liked the banter between Chloe and her husband. Shows I'm a romantic...
""Trust me, you are absolutely beautiful just the way your are." He smiled, the boyish dimple dipping in his left cheek."

It was nice for a mom and her children to have good relationships and show each other love. Not something you always find in a book about a family.

This book could be very popular. It is a book that didn't have highs and lows, kind of like the show Seinfeld.

I give Nourish & Strengthen 2 1/2 stars.