A Billion Reasons Why, by Kristin Billerbeck

"A Billion Reasons Why" is the old story of love lost, and love found again. Katie McKenna is in her late twenties, and has spent the last eight years of her life with one goal in mind: to get over the man (and the humiliation) that she left in New Orleans. She has a good life now: a fiance who is devoted to her, and a job that she's passionate about. But, she no longer recognizes herself. Then out of nowhere, Luc DeForges bursts back into her life, disrupting her everyday routine, and attempts to sweep her off her feet, all over again.

This book was written for my demographic: young twenty-somethings who watch television and old movies, wishing for a love like we see on the screen. References to Top Hat, Fred Astaire, and even Glee abound. Katie and Luc are wonderful characters, if a bit one-dimensional at times. Katie especially seems to be more realistic than many romantic heroines, as she continually wrestles with morality and questions her choices. She's a very relatable character.

The other main and secondary characters are relatable as well, but have more of a stock character feeling. Anyone who reads Christian fiction will see the ending coming from a mile away, but it's still an enjoyable read. Additionally, the city of New Orleans functions almost as a character itself, and the vibrance of the city seems to jump off the page at times.

I really liked the book. However, there were a few times when editing seemed to be an issue. There would be large chunks of dialogue, and few references as to who was doing the talking. Or, a character would enter the room, but would be glanced over, and you are confused as to where/when the character entered. With those minor changes, I think this could have been a truly great book.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. 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.”