The Misadventures of Itchy Izzy by N.Y. Dunlap

Definitely a story about redemption; the only kind of redemption that really matters. Redemption from God. This is a Christian romance that is humorous and fun. Not the type of book I generally read (been reading a lot of those the last couple years), but a welcome break from hard-boiled crime fiction.

Isabelle Chevalier is a rich socialite who just lost her mother. This loss is devastating to her. But through this loss, she meets her childhood best fiend Peter that she had not seen in many years. He’s a construction worker and a strong Christian. The two of them embark on a journey to rediscover each other and for Izzy, to discover God and his redemptive love.

This book not only deals with Christian romance (so much better to read about than non-Christian romance) and finding God, but it also deals with the impacts and repercussions of cult life and dealing with tragedy without God. I found these parts the most interesting. It’s what sets this book apart from a standard Christian romance.

Because it is overtly Christian, it’s a clean read. The lack of profanity in any book never takes away from the story and usually makes it more pleasant to read. The only sex is the occasional kiss and a lot of handholding. There is no violence. This book does have a bunch of internal dialogue. In most cases, it added rather than detracted from the story.

The only negative is the occasional typo and one cousin of Isabelle’s that is Chloe in one paragraph then Nora in another, then Chloe, then Nora. Her name keeps changing. If you’re looking for a break from negativity, this is good book to cheer you up. The beginning is heavy, but overall, it’s a fun, heartwarming story. I’ll rank this one fifth of the books I’ve read so far this year.

1. Through Thorny Ways by Jennifer Q. Hunt
2. The Seven Day Resurrection by Chevron Ross
3. Justice by Jeff Hill
4. Already in the Kudzu by Hannah Hood Lucero
5. The Misadventures of Itchy Izzy by N.Y. Dunlap
6. The Shocking Truth by Steve Rush
7. Daughter of Darkness by Ed Gorman
8. Left to Die by Lisa Jackson

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