Best Books of 2016: Top Ten (Plus Two!)

So ... I'm a little embarrassed to even post this now. It's March 1. I have never been so late with my "best of" list before. I don't even have an excuse; I just kept procrastinating!

"The Name I Call Myself" by Beth Moran

Just over two years ago, I read Beth Moran's Making Marion. Then last January, I read I Hope You Dance. Both times, I was completely charmed by Moran's British chick lit. I knew then that she was an author watch, and I'm pleased to say that each of her novels just gets better!

"i hope you dance" by beth moran

Just over a year ago, I was introduced to British author Beth Moran through her novel Making Marion. While I didn't understand everything in the book due to cultural differences, I found the characters and plot to be simply charming. I was eager to go back for round two with Moran's latest release, I Hope You Dance. (And isn't that cover just so whimsical? I love it!)

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Can dancing mend Ruth's broken heart? 

Ruth Henderson has moved back in with her parents--something she swore she would never do, especially not at the age of thirty-three. But in the face of the mountain of debt left by her late partner, and the fact that her teenage daughter, Maggie, is expressing her grief through acts of delinquency, there was really only one option. 

Returning to a house Ruth swore never to set foot in again is bad enough. Add to this an estranged father, whirlwind mother, and David--the boy next door who broke her heart--and it is little wonder Ruth can barely make it out of bed. 

But then, reunited with her old friend Lois, Ruth is persuaded to go along to a monthly girls' night. Here she meets a bunch of incredible women and for the first time since leaving home at eighteen, Ruth begins to make some genuine friends. 

She also has her first ever date--with the charming Dr. Carl Barker. However, after a disastrous dinner, and an upset Maggie still struggling with her father's death, Ruth promises her daughter she won’t go out with any other men. A promise she quickly regrets when David, the boy next door, asks her to dance. . . 

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I Hope You Dance is, in a word, delightful. While Ruth deals with serious issues like debt, stalking, teenage rebellion, and family drama, the story never feels heavy. I think much of this is due to the supporting characters--colorful women who stand by Ruth's side through thick and thin and whose personalities bring joy and humor amidst the drama. These characters are so vividly drawn that I felt as though I knew them.

While I Hope You Dance contains romance (some from rather unexpected places), and of course the reader wants to know if Ruth and David will find their way back to one another, I found myself caring far more about Ruth's friendships than I did about her love life. In fact, I was more concerned about Ruth's friend Ana Luisa's romance than I was about Ruth's. I would love to revisit Ruth's world in the future to check back in with her friends!

I Hope You Dance is not inspirational fiction in the way we perceive it in the United States. A few characters swear, and while church plays a major role in the story, a relationship with Christ is not emphasized. I'm not saying either of those things means you shouldn't read the book (in fact, I hope you do read it!); I just think readers should know what they're getting and not getting when they buy this book.

I loved I Hope You Dance, and I look forward to Moran's next book. 4-1/2 stars.

Buy the book.
Read my review of Moran's Making Marion (4 stars).

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Beth Moran has a background as a research scientist and adult educator. She now concentrates on church work and is part of the national leadership team of the UK women's network Free Range Chicks. She is married with three children and lives in Nottingham, England.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free for review from Kregel Publications. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Also, some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. 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.”

"making marion" by beth moran

Do you enjoy Debbie Macomber's Cedar Cove books (or Hallmark Channel's Cedar Cove series)? Then you'll want to check out Making Marion.

Marion Miller comes to Sherwood Forest to uncover her father's mysterious past. She is looking for somewhere to stay, but instead finds herself on the wrong side of the reception desk at the Peace and Pigs campsite. Despite her horrible shyness, she promptly lands herself a job working for the big-hearted and irrepressible Scarlett.

It takes all of Marion's determination to come out of her shell and get to grips with life on a busy campsite, where even the chickens seem determined to thwart her. Then an unfortunate incident with a runaway bike throws her into the arms of the beautiful, but deeply unimpressed, Reuben ...

Can Marion discover her father's secret? And will she find peace, and perhaps even love, among the pigs?

When I began reading Making Marion, I wasn't sure what to expect. The cover makes it look whimsical and fun, but the first few chapters were slow, and I struggled to get through them. I think this is largely due to my lack of knowledge of British vernacular. Even now, after finishing the book, I'm not sure where exactly Marion was living—I think maybe it was in an RV? Regardless, I think my lack of interest in the beginning was the fault of this reader, not the author.

What I discovered as I pressed on was a delightful story with quirky characters. Making Marion is told from Marion's point of view, and her perspective is at various times sweet, heart wrenching, and humorous. I actually giggled a lot while reading this novel, and that humor helped cut some of the seriousness.

Making Marion is a pure delight to read, and it had the feel of some of the British shows I enjoy, like Monarch of the Glen and Doc Martin. (For those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about, the closest American comparison I can make is Cedar Cove, though with less soapy drama.) I would love to watch Marion's story unfold week by week on the small screen. (BBC? ITV? Any takers?) My only complaint is that it ended rather abruptly ... so I hope that author Beth Moran isn't finished with Marion's story!

There is a bit of harsh language, as well as a few (hilarious!) descriptions of people in compromising positions, so if this were a film, it would probably receive a PG-13 rating, but it would be a very mild PG-13.

While faith isn't a major focus of Making Marion, Marion does take several steps back toward God after ignoring him for many years. I don't think I'd classify this as inspirational fiction, but it is fiction that I can happily recommend. 4 stars.

Buy the book.

Beth Moran has a background as a research scientist and adult educator. She now concentrates on church work and is part of the national leadership team of the UK women's network Free Range Chicks. She is married with three children and lives in Nottingham, England. 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free for review from Kregel Publications. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Also, some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. 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.”