Book Review - It's Not About Me!

This is a great read for mature teens and young adults waging the war of staying sexually pure until marriage. As an adult and mother of three teenaged children, it brought home the terrific pressure the world puts on young people to give way to the momentary pleasures of sin, particularly Christian teens and young adults, some of whom are children of pastors and bible study teachers!
In this story, sweet and innocent Annie fights off the advances of her high school love, Tony, who is also an avid churchgoer and son of the local pastor. Tony is handsome and dreamy, but has succumbed to the worldly idea that “waiting” isn’t realistic, particularly with the girl he loves and plans to marry. Sound familiar? Despite Annie’s resistance, she caves under the pressure of an enormous diamond engagement ring – one owned by his grandmother. But, as fate would have it, the night Annie plans to give herself to him, she is brutally attacked and maimed and left for dead – a victim of robbery (you guessed it – over that precious ring!) Tony’s guilt for not having been there to protect her will not allow him to forgive himself or face her in her time of need; he instead turns to alcohol to assuage the pain in his heart.
Enter Tony’s older brother, Dan, who is equally handsome and dreamy and who has loved Annie from afar for several years. With Tony going AWOL, he now becomes the friend she needs and helps her recover from her injuries, both physically and spiritually. Dan tells her she is beautiful and treats her with tenderness and affection without the pressure of a sexual relationship looming in the background. Of course, when Tony comes to his senses and wants to resume his romance with Annie, she is torn. Was what they had real love? Or has Dan showed her something far deeper and richer: a love that comes only by first having a love relationship with the Savior, Jesus?
This book is a quick read and makes a great ministry tool. The characters are wonderful and realistic and are easy for young women and men alike to relate to. I enjoyed it as an adult – I especially liked Dan, who is the epitome of the romantic hunk: handsome, buff, smart, sweet, and saved, with an unwavering moral compass. For parents of teenaged girls, you will be convicted to pray your sweet, innocent daughter rejects the Tonys of the world and waits for her God-ordained Dan. And for those of you with teenaged sons, pray he becomes the Dan (and not the Tony!) to his Annie, who God has prepared especially for him.