"Star Rising" by Janet W. Ferguson

Star Youngblood just received her one year sober chip and is preparing to move out of Reclaimed, the Christian addiction ministry which helped turn her life around. Although she has a job helping elderly Mrs. Kelly, she's also looking for something more permanent, though her choices are limited as a high school drop-out with addiction in her past.

Paul Kelly has worked hard to become a private pilot for his European boss. He's saving for the day he can return to the States and help his mom in her retirement. When his mom suffers a health crisis and Paul receives an anxious and accusing phone call from her assistant, he can't wait to give the woman a piece of his mind. 

Though Star and Paul don't like each other, their shared concern over Mrs. Kelly binds them together. He can't wait to find other arrangements for his mom's care, and he's tired of hearing Star's Bible talk. He had enough of that during his years as a missionary in Africa, and after the way his tenure on the field ended, he has no use for God or religion.

There were many things I enjoyed about this story. The characters feel real, they tackle deep issues, and there are laugh-out-loud moments. Janet W. Ferguson weaves an adventure that also has a strong faith focus. I appreciated how much Scripture was in this novel. Some readers might call it preachy, but I'm a Christian who does try to live her life by the guidance of the Bible, and I thought it was really great to see that here in this book.

This was my first time reading this author, but it won't be the last. I look forward to more of her works in the future!