"wish you were here" by beth k. vogt

About the book: Allison fell in love with Seth because he made her feel safe. Now, he just makes her feel suffocated. As their wedding approaches, her cold feet become frigid; everything is wrong—the dress, the huge ceremony, and perhaps even the groom.

Allison becomes a runaway bride—and in the process, she rediscovers herself, finds out what it means to love and be loved, and reconnects with the God she abandoned as a teenager.

My take: Wish You Were Here, stripped down to its core, could be one of a zillion other romantic comedies. Boy loves girl. Girl is dating (or engaged to) another guy. Boy wins girl over. Boy and girl ride off into the sunset together. That plot by itself makes for an enjoyable romance. But what makes Wish You Were Here so completely compelling is the depth author Beth K. Vogt has added to that story line. Characters struggle with cutting, pornography, family relationships, and abusive situations. These aspects could weigh the story down, but somehow, Vogt keeps it light while still dealing with the gravity of the situations.

Wish You Were Here is a book I simply could not put down (and I stayed up far too late two nights in a row reading it), and I'm happy to recommend it! 5 out of 5 stars.

See what other bloggers are saying here or buy the book here.

About the author: Beth K. Vogt provides her readers with a happily ever after woven through with humor, reality, and God's lavish grace. She's a non-fiction author and editor who said she'd never write fiction. She's the wife of an Air Force physician (now in solo practice) who said she'd never marry a doctor-or anyone in the military. She's a mom of four who said she'd never have kids. Beth has discovered that God's best often waits behind the doors marked "Never." She writes contemporary romance because she believes there's more to happily ever after than the fairy tales tell us. Beth earned a journalism degree from San Jose State University and met her husband Rob when he knocked her down at a karate studio. They've been married for 31 years. They have four children, ranging in ages from 28, 25, 23 and - thanks to a funny thing happening on their way to the empty nest-a 10-year-old. The Vogt Team, which now includes a "daughter-in-love" and "son-in-love," enjoys hiking and camping in Colorado. Read more about Beth at her website: http://bethvogt.com.

About the giveaway: Win an iPad2 from @BethVogt! Celebrate with Beth by entering her Wish You Were Here Giveaway!

One "happy" winner will receive:

• A brand new iPad with Wi-Fi (The must-have, do-everything gadget!)
• Wish You Were Here by Beth Vogt (Swoon worthy.)
• $15 iTunes Gift Card (Music, books, apps, & more.)

Hurry, the giveaway ends on 6/4/12. The winner will be announced 6/6/12 on Beth's website!

Just click one of the icons below to enter! Tell your friends about Beth's giveaway on FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Litfuse Publicity Group. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."