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A friend sent me this book after she'd read it. I like that it does have a bit more about being Christian than some books in the Love Inspired line do. Dylan's parents seem to be regular church attenders and take time to have daily devotions. There are passages from and lessons from the Bible within the story. I liked that Lisa wants to protect her stepbrother. I liked the closeness of most of the Matheson family.
Unfortunately my dislikes and problems with the story probably number more than the things I liked:
1) What skills (other than being a secretary) does Lisa have that make her think she can uncover her stepbrother's innocence? Is she also an accountant or does she have training in accounting? Or is Gabe the one telling her what to look for? Why not just hire a forensic accountant to go through the business' books? Why is her first thought to be deceitful in getting a job with the company so she can snoop?
2) Why doesn't Gabe tell anyone he's been falsely accused? He tells Lisa but he doesn't go over Dara's head to Ted or Alex to tell them. It could be because he thinks the family will close ranks and protect each other (but we're not told this). Why doesn't he tell the police or the FBI or the IRS? Is he so afraid of law enforcement after his one earlier problem with the law? But he could phone in an anonymous tip to someone--IRS maybe?
3) I don't approve of Lisa's deceit in why she wanted a job with Matheson's firm. (PS--plots where one character feels the need to be deceitful in why they want a job somewhere seem to be one of the often-used plots on rotation for Love Inspired books.)
4) I hadn't thought of it until another reviewer pointed it out, but Lisa's actions don't match her backstory. We're told that Lisa wants to leave her current employment due to harrassment from her boss (sexual harrassment?) Yet she's quick to volunteer to pretend to be her new boss' girlfriend--just so she can get to Vancouver to see Gabe and hopefully get into the company's computers. Why be willing to jump out of the frying pan only to jump into the fire?
5) It's just a little convenient that the one Sunday they all go to church there's a sermon that touches Lisa and convicts Dylan. Can it happen? Yes. Does it happen as often as fiction wants us to believe? Probably not. ( )
Unfortunately my dislikes and problems with the story probably number more than the things I liked:
1) What skills (other than being a secretary) does Lisa have that make her think she can uncover her stepbrother's innocence? Is she also an accountant or does she have training in accounting? Or is Gabe the one telling her what to look for? Why not just hire a forensic accountant to go through the business' books? Why is her first thought to be deceitful in getting a job with the company so she can snoop?
2) Why doesn't Gabe tell anyone he's been falsely accused? He tells Lisa but he doesn't go over Dara's head to Ted or Alex to tell them. It could be because he thinks the family will close ranks and protect each other (but we're not told this). Why doesn't he tell the police or the FBI or the IRS? Is he so afraid of law enforcement after his one earlier problem with the law? But he could phone in an anonymous tip to someone--IRS maybe?
3) I don't approve of Lisa's deceit in why she wanted a job with Matheson's firm. (PS--plots where one character feels the need to be deceitful in why they want a job somewhere seem to be one of the often-used plots on rotation for Love Inspired books.)
4) I hadn't thought of it until another reviewer pointed it out, but Lisa's actions don't match her backstory. We're told that Lisa wants to leave her current employment due to harrassment from her boss (sexual harrassment?) Yet she's quick to volunteer to pretend to be her new boss' girlfriend--just so she can get to Vancouver to see Gabe and hopefully get into the company's computers. Why be willing to jump out of the frying pan only to jump into the fire?
5) It's just a little convenient that the one Sunday they all go to church there's a sermon that touches Lisa and convicts Dylan. Can it happen? Yes. Does it happen as often as fiction wants us to believe? Probably not. ( )