What could be better than spending Labor Day weekend on a houseboat at Lake Shasta with her closest friends? Christy is so happy! This is the way she always hoped things would turn out with Todd. So why is it that everything else in her life has become more stressful and complicated now that she and Todd are closer than ever? Is it because Katie has fallen into a serious relationship as well?
These two best friends are at odds just when they should be having the most fun together. Christy soon realizes that sometimes, you have to stand back and let people make their own decisions, even when you don't agree with them. You can't change everything and everybody.
But you can change your choice of paint color on a vintage bookshelf. Especially after finding inspiration from the sunset after a walk on the beach with Todd.
If it's true that there is time for every season under heaven, then Christy believes this is definitely a time to cherish.
ROBIN JONES GUNN has written more than 100 books with over 6.5 million copies sold worldwide. Her Father Christmas books have been made into three Hallmark Christmas movies. The timeless Christy Miller series now continues in Christy & Todd: The College Years, Married Years, Baby Years, and the Haven Maker series. Robin's novels and non-fiction works include Before Your Tween Daughter Becomes a Woman, Victim of Grace, Praying for Your Future Husband, and Before You Meet Your Future Husband co-authored with Tricia Goyer. Her books have received multiple awards and are a favorite with book clubs and study groups. Many of Robin's books are in eBook, audiobook, large print, and foreign editions. Robin does a weekly Podcast called "Women Worth Knowing" with Cheryl Brodersen. Robin and her husband have a grown son and daughter and live in California.
After two years of non-dating and nine books, Christy and Todd are finally Boyfriend/Girlfriend. I'm very happy for her! She even gets to hold hands with Todd. :) Yay! They don't kiss at all in this book.
However, now that Todd and Christy are together, Christy has really begun to annoy me. (Todd already annoyed me, so that's not new.)
Christy's best friend is named Katie. She's a cute little redhead. But she's sad because she's never had a boyfriend (she's 17). Christy tries to push her into a relationship with Doug, their mutual friend. But it just isn't working out - Doug doesn't seem to be interested in Katie.
Then, one day, when Katie and Christy go to eat lunch under "their tree," there's a cute Irish boy sitting there. His name is Michael and Katie hits it off with him right away. They start dating and become Boyfriend/Girlfriend.
Instead of being happy for her friend, Christy becomes a preachy worrywart. She's very upset because Michael's not a Christian (I mean, he believes in God - but he's not born-again and born-again is the only Christianity that counts in these books). Every chance she gets, Christy judges Katie's relationship with Michael and tries to get Katie to end it. Needless to say Katie is very annoyed and it causes a rift in her friendship with Christy.
...
The other parts of the book mainly deal with Todd lecturing Christy. He loves to do this. After all, he's been Christian longer than she has, AND he's a man. And it's a man's duty to teach a woman what is right and wrong and guide her in the ways of the Lord. *rolls eyes This annoys me to no end. I would dump Todd's butt so fast he wouldn't know what hit him. But Christy, being raised as a good submissive born-again girl, listens attentively to Todd's many lectures. The one time she actually gets pissed at him, she regrets it immediately and falls all over herself apologizing. Sickening.
Also, Todd is not what I consider a good boyfriend. 1.) He doesn't give Christy much physical affection (she's scared to even reach for his hand), 2.)He always knows better than her (or thinks he does) in every situation, 3.) He's super-obsessed with God to the point where Christy wonders why they're even dating, 4.) and he often spends "dates" with her brother - taking him skateboarding, wrestling with him, buying him ice cream. Or he does chores with her dad. Christy's supposed to think that it's great he gets along so well with her family, but secretly she's super-annoyed, and so am I.
The times Todd is a good boyfriend: 1.) he doesn't believe Rick (Christy's ex) when Rick claims Christy was "easy" and did sexual stuff with him. 2.) He also encourages Christy to let go of her (justified) anger and hurt feelings regarding Rick, that lying scumbag. Todd's right about this, I think she should let it go.
...
Here's the passage that made me the most angry: Todd says:
"There's something I want to tell you, Christy. I hope you'll take this the right way. One of the things I really appreciate about you is that you don't come on to me. Do you know what I mean?" "I'm not sure." Christy's eyes still locked on to his. "You let me make the first moves, and that really helps." Christy nodded, not exactly sure what he was saying, but agreeing that she did let him make the first moves. "Girls have no idea what they do to a guy when they come on to him. Not only by touching him but also by what they wear. I love the way you dress. You always look good. Really good. Yet you don't try to show off or, you know, tease a guy." Christy felt like she was getting an education into the way guys think, and although she had heard some of this before, hearing it from Todd made it real and personal. "I want you to know," Todd continued, "that you've been helping me be the initiator and by having so much...DIGNITY is the only word I can think of. You treat yourself like a gift. A treasure. And that comes across. It makes you absolutely beautiful, Christy. You have no idea."
Excuse me while I retch.
Okay, I'm back. MESSAGE: Even though men are stronger spiritually than women and the leaders, they are so weak that they can't control themselves when a female wears a midriff-bearing top. Cover up, ladies, or you're tempting men into sin. And they just can't help themselves, okay? It's all on you. You're to blame if a guy touches you without permission or rapes you. What do you expect? Also, since men are in charge, it's offensive to be sexually aggressive. Enjoying touching your boyfriend or kissing him means you are a slut. Good girls don't like sex and only tolerate what boys "do to them."
Blergh.
I think a couple has to figure out what makes them comfortable. If Christy was saying, "I'm a little shy around you and I like you to be the one who initiates kissing," I would be fine with this. Either Todd would say, "Okay, I can do that," or he would say, "Sometimes I need to feel wanted, so if you ever get the urge to kiss me, just go for it!" Also through dating and getting to know each other, two people natural work out each other's likes and dislikes.
However, after that little gem of a speech, I think it's clear to you now why Christy's afraid to even reach out for Todd's hand. He reprimands her for it, or any kind of advance on her part.
My problem in a nutshell is: Christy isn't deciding she doesn't want to initiate, Todd is making this decision FOR her. And when she hints in the books that she might like a little extra something something, he says, basically, "Oh, you're not like OTHER girls. I love how innocent you are. I love how modest you are." Blah, blah, blah, until she's cowed into being meek again. Manipulative bastard.
It's so easy to convince a teenage girl that what she's feeling or desiring is wrong or sinful and I can't forgive this book for crushing a young woman's innocence and desire for a little affection from her boyfriend, whom she's in love with and has been "non-dating" for two whole years. I'm not talking about SEX here, people, just a bit of cuddling and perhaps even *gasp* some kissing.
...
There's minor subplot about this yearbook guy named Fred chasing Christy around. He's nerdy and ugly (at least Christy thinks so) and he's got a crush on her. I'm angry and Christy because she decides she isn't pissed at the guy for his clingy, too-close-for-comfort-stalkerish attitude - no. Instead she decides his problem is that he isn't attractive enough - and promptly gives him a make-over. I'm angry with her (not for rejecting the guy, I think he's unhinged) but for making her whole distaste for him revolve around his looks and not the fact that, oh I don't know, he's creepy!!! A creep in nicer clothes with a better haircut is still a creep, Christy. ALSO: even super-hot attractive guys can be creepers, no lie. I HATE this YA/NA trend of making some disgusting a**hole be "boyfriend material" just because he has six-pack abs, or something. Um, no. That's not how it works.
This book was really good!! I love how Todd and Christy and starting to get closer in this book!! The thing with Katie was kind of annoying... I can't believe that she liked Michael 😭 He's literally so weird... 😭
A Time to Cherish was a great read - one of my favorites in this series reread so far. I loved how Christy and Todd are finally going together. I think that stability in a relationship made Christy a more likeable character.
The ending was so good - I loved the meaning behind the color they decide to paint the bookshelf.
We found out that Todd did not know about the bracelet theft or pay it off. I have my guess of who did - DOUG. Curious to see if I'm right, as I can't remember as it's been so long since I originally read the books.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Contains my favorite line from the entire series, courtesy of Christy's boss Jon: "What is this, the Annual Hug Christy Miller Fest and I forgot to put up signs in the window?"
I have always liked the cover for this book, and that scene that the cover depicts is one of my favorites. Part of me would still like a “cute” dusty rose bookcase.
I really liked this one! Although Katie and Fred annoyed me to no end, I enjoyed the rest of the characters very much. The ending made me tear up, not gonna lie. Great read! One of my favorite books in the Christy Miller series. Onto the next one!
This book was pretty good. I felt like it jumped around a little too much though. I also didn't really like Katie in this book. I am really excited that Todd and Christy finally got together. It was about time! Can't wait to see what happens next.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
3.5 stars This book was pretty good but Christy's behaviour towards her so-called best friend was awful - I know she was trying to help her and warn her about the relationship she was in, but she didn't do it in a very kind way. Katie (the best friend) also really just bugged me in this book... But seeing Todd and Christy's relationship grow was really cool :)
loved getting back into Christy’s world after a month off! these are the perfect books to read when i don’t want to have to think at all and just want to enjoy the stories i know so well. love love love Christy & Todd!!!
Loved this book! Happy that Christy and Todd are finally together. The ending was so sweet and I loved the reason behind the color they decided to paint her bookshelf.
This is the moment Christy and practically everyone reading this series has waited for: Christy and Todd are finally official boyfriend and girlfriend. Christy is finally happy to have some security about their relationship (Christy has a thing about needing to have a boyfriend...I don't see anything wrong with that but I wouldn't make that my whole mission). Aside from that, Christy's best friend, Katie, is upset because she has never had much luck in the boyfriend department. During a house boat trip over Labor Day weekend, Christy (unsuccessfully) tries to set Katie up with their mutual friend, Doug. At the start of the school year, Katie falls for Michael, an exchange student from Ireland. Michael isn't a Christian, something that concerns Christy, but every time she brings this up to Katie, it seems to push them further apart.
Again, I'm not quite sure what the big deal is about wanting/needing a boyfriend. Again, I wish that wasn't a major element of these books, but at least Christy and Todd (finally) ended up together.
This series has my literal heart. This is the first series that went on my bookshelf and will remain on my favorite shelf. I re-read it at least once a year and every time it's a page turner, hard to put down, type of book. It creates such mazing imagery that as I read I loose focus of words on a page, but the image in my mind. I LOVE this series and recommend this to teens, or even YA.
I love seeing the maturity of Christy in this. The way you can see how her mind has shifted in its reactions and thinking. The Christy the series starts with is still there but she is truly becoming a young woman now.
There are so many complexities when it comes to growing up and figuring out life. Christy is in the thick of it as she starts her senior year, and I can remember being in similar situations she had found herself in. As friendships ebb and flow, Christy clings close to God & it’s so sweet to see! ♥️
20 years later and these books still stir up so many emotions.
It’s obvious how Robin Jones Gunn wants to gently lead young ladies into a strong relationship with the Lord and healthy relationships with those around them.
Series: Christy Miller #10 (They need to be read in order!) Overall series rating: 3.5/5 stars
Age recommendation: minimum 13, but I think 14/15+ is better.
Summary: Christy and Todd have finally “officially” started dating, and Katie feels more like a third wheel than ever. So, when she meets a cute guy at school and he likes her, she starts going out with him. But Christy is worried, should her friend really be seriously dating a non-Christian? When she brings this up to Katie however, all it serves to do is distance her from her best friend. Can they work out their differences and learn to cherish their time together?
My thoughts: I had just been talking with my friends about how Todd’s biggest problem is he doesn’t share things with others and he doesn’t know how to talk to them about important things, but he’s finally learned to communicate! Christy never knew where their relationship stood because Todd wouldn’t talk about it and she didn’t feel like it was her place to bring it up to him (which he later tells her he appreciated… he thinks the guy should do the initiating in a relationship). But suddenly Todd actually talks to Christy about their relationship and asks her how she feels about everything. I did find when he became less private about his feelings, his character kind of changed (at least from how I imagined him). Todd keeps saying things about how much he was in love with Christy since they first met and I thought he was more of a nice Christian guy who wanted to share his faith with everyone. I always thought he was thinking missionary, not marriage. Katie really annoys me with how boy crazy she gets. She’s willing to go for any boy who will tell her she’s pretty, regardless of anything else. She feels like she’s not good enough to ever be loved because she hasn’t had a boyfriend, and while I can appreciate the feeling, there’s more to life than having a boyfriend and getting married. Don’t get me wrong, marriage is a beautiful thing that God designed, but as the book title says there is a time and a season for everything, and we are meant to enjoy and rejoice in the season we are in (not moan and think of it as a time of waiting and rejection). I wish that this message could have been emphasized more in the book. I feel so bad for Doug in this book. He’s such a nice guy and I want him to get his “Happily Ever After.” He deserves a really nice girl (ahem, Tracy), and he needs to stop being jealous of Todd for having Christy, because Christy just isn’t right for him. Besides the whole dating-Todd-and-being-completely-obsessed-with-having-a-boyfriend, I really like Christy in this book. She is so much more relatable (maybe it is just me, or maybe it is Christy growing up) but I can actually understand the things she is going through. It’s really hard to know how to warn a friend without coming across as (or actually) judging them. Sometimes the truth hurts but needs to be said, and I appreciate Christy’s concern for her friend. I just have to mention when Todd, Christy and Marti get shipwrecked and then Natalie the angel rescues them was a really great/funny part. I liked this book, except for all the boyfriend/girlfriend drama – there’s way more kissing than I want to read about.
This is the first book where Todd and Christy are officially dating.
When I finished this book, I found myself feeling unsatisfied, not how I usually do after finishing a "Christy Miller" book. The book starts wonderfuly, with "awesome" (as Doug would say) stories that kept me turning the pages.
AUNT MARTI. O MY GOODNESS, SHE WAS SO FUNNY! The way she reacted to a certain situation in the story left me wanting to burst out laughing. She definently adds to the story!
KATIE. I am very disappointed with the way they portray Katie in this story. In the middle of the story, I was thinking, "where is the Katie I know and love?!?!?" Katie "falls in love" with the new kid at school who is not a Christian. Christy desperately tries to get Katie to understand it isn't right to date him, but Katie won't listen. She starts to talk and act like her new boyfriend, and Christy and Katie's relationship is shattered.
DAVID (Christy's brother). David is one of my favorite characters, but sadly he only mildly comes into the story twice. I was hoping to see him drive Christy crazy, ya know??
FRED (the new guy in the story). I LOVE THIS CHARACTER!! At first he seemed weird and annoying, but he actually has some depth to him, after what happened to him in his past. I'd like to see Katie end up with Fred. Can't wait to see where the next book takes him!