W.L. Elliot--Interregnum.blogspot.com Wow. I say again, WOW! Josi Kilpack has just proven that you can write a suspenseful, edge of your seat, thriller and still stay within the moral boundaries reflective of the gospel and the church. It couldn't have been easy, but she did it! Sheep's Clothing is a story of the victims of an internet predator. I can't say much more than that without including spoilers, which I promise you I will not do, so you can read on in safety. At first, I thought it odd that the story was not told from the view of just the teenage girl. The viewpoints included her views, along with her mother's and her father's. Interestingly enough, that turns out to be very important to the story. Each point of view is so well written, and so individual, that you truly can see why things work out the way they do. You can understand where each character is coming from. In the mind of a teenager, parents don't get credit for their foibles, and in the mind of parents, kids are sometimes just stupid. The change in viewpoints really shows that nothing is all the fault of one person, and every person has different things going on in their life and their heads and hearts. Don't bother picking this book up unless you have several hours to devote to it, because you won't want to put it down. It builds to an incredible level of suspense. I'm not the one who sits on the edge of my seat - when things get tense I burrow down into the back of the chair as far as it will let me. I was almost behind the chair by the time I closed the cover of Sheep's Clothing! At one point, I literally felt the need to get up from my chair and run, so that I could pull Jess along with me to help her get away. When she couldn't scream for help, I wanted to yell for her - anything to get her to safety. Be prepared, the hanky ranking for Sheep's Clothing is 3 on a scale of 1 to 7. Amazingly, though you get a very clear picture of what Jess is going through, Josi never once resorted to crude language or illicit imaging to show the horrific nature of the scene. As an adult, I knew what was happening in that off-the-beaten-path cabin, and it scared me to death. That being said, there was no language, no scenery, no action that I would object to any teenage girl reading. In fact, I would encourage any teenager who uses the internet to read and learn from the story. Kudos to Josi for her talented story-telling, and for staying true to her principles in writing. Excellent book, would whole-heartedly recommend to anyone! Margaret L. Gregory -- Association of Mormon Letters Maddie and Matt Shep are driven by an intense desire to have a child. Ironically, their attempts to reach this goal pull them away from, not closer to, each other as years pass and no child is conceived. This story tells a tale about a childless couple, but it also deals with many realistic issues faced by couples in marriage -- issues like finances, intimacy, family dynamics, and faith. The story begins after four years and two in-vitro fertilizations with a spark of hope that Maddie is pregnant. Both Maddie and Matt hope that a child will pull their marriage back together and fix their faltering faith. Maddie feels that God has abandoned her, and Matt feels that their lack of a child is his fault because of a past, secret indiscretion. They experience great joy as they plan for the coming of their baby. When their hope is shattered and Maddie is hospitalized, losing the child and all future hope of having more children, the reader is drawn quickly into the grief and frustration that the couple are experiencing. Their struggles with grief and separation from each other represent reality well. And, without being preachy, the author shows clearly that the real problem is not just their lack of a child. It was a pleasure for me to read and enjoy how the characters grow and mature in their commitments to each other and to God. A sub-plot develops in the story when Sonja, a woman that Matt knew in high school, discovers his whereabouts and plots to involve him in providing child support for her son, who may be the consequence of an error made many years before Matt met Maddie. Whether Walter Begay Hudson is Matt's real son, or not, causes a whole new set of issues that Maddie and Matt face as the story progresses. The story is more about character and theme than plot. It is a book that I did not wish to put down. Intense descriptions of Maddie's honest thoughts and emotions about her life were powerfully written and made her a character easy to love and admire. Although this book will probably be enjoyed mostly by women, I think that the story of Matt is a story that most men would find honest and interesting as he, too, dealt with the issues involved in marriage and infertility. This is the first book I have read by Josi S. Kilpack. She entertained me with a good story that made me think some of the more serious issues of life. She threw in some fun facts about the Navajo Indians. I especially liked learning about No Socks Day and Have a Coke Day. And, if you want to know what those days are, then read the book for sure. It will make you laugh and cry. Kilpack has written several other novels for women, and I look forward to reading other books by her. Julie Wright -- author of My Not So Fairytale Life Josi Kilpack is my favorite author, and having read all of her books, I can honestly say that To Have or To Hold is my favorite. The story draws you in immediately, making you feel for all the characters in a personal way. The romantic tension between the hero and heroine is a staggering delight! Josi’s fresh voice and comfortable writing make this novel one you will want to cuddle up with (while ignoring the laundry you were supposed to do). Jeffrey Needle -- Association of Mormon Letters Emma Blair Tribol is a young divorcee with a small child, financial woes, and an attitude that just won't quit. Raised in the Church, she long ago abandoned the principles taught by her parents. Her marriage to Jake didn't work out well; they separated not long after the birth of their daughter, Catherine. Although she has a fairly good job, she is still looking for work to help better her life and her daughter's situation. So when an opportunity arose to do some light housekeeping for an absentee homeowner, she jumped at the chance. The homeowner is successful builder Andrew Davidson. Something of a playboy, accustomed to the nicer things in life and well able to afford them, he works mainly in Los Angeles, but he also owns a home in Utah. It is this home that he wants Emma to come clean once a week, just in case he happens to come to Utah. Then, one day, Andrew is summoned to an attorney's office. A bequest had been created, with some very strange stipulations. Among them is that Andrew must be married for one full year by the time he turns 30 years old, his wife must take on his name, and they must be living together. Worth 2.5 million dollars, Andrew realizes he'd better start shopping for a wife of convenience. As it turns out, Emma is the most attractive to him. He suggests a deal -- we get married but we sleep in separate bedrooms, you perform hostess duties, etc. -- and he will give her ten percent of the bequest when he receives it. Emma has conditions of her own -- he must give up drinking, and, hardest of all, he has to promise not to engage in sexual relations with any women during this time. After all, they *are* married. (Oh, Emma has to give up smoking, an indication of how far she'd drifted from her Mormon roots.) What follows is a sometimes wacky tale of a pretend marriage and a growing attraction between Andrew and Emma. Emma proves to be more volatile than Andrew had thought, with little Catherine sometimes getting caught in the middle of their spats. And then, while on a ski trip, something happens (I'll let you read it yourself) and the story takes a strange turn, with emotions running wild and Andrew and Emma's fragile relationship about to shatter. Emma has a good support system. Siblings and their spouses (her mom and dad are serving on a mission) live nearby to offer emotional and material support. But Emma has built up a hard shell -- repelling not just the Church, but any attempt at connecting with her on a deep level. To Have or To Hold is an emotional roller-coaster, often surprising the reader with fresh insights and its stark recognition of the frailty of human relationships, the tentativeness of the mortal path. I was sometimes amused, frequently moved, and never bored as I found myself living out Emma's angst, her deep depression and her desire for closure. This book is, I think, a step above the ordinary Mormon romance novel. It treats a very serious medical condition (if I name it, it will ruin the story), although not often discussed, with dignity and sobriety. It peers into the human condition (mostly Emma's) and argues, in its prose, for a more generous attitude toward the unique problems women face. I really enjoyed this book, and hope many will seek it out and read it. Charlene Hirschi -- Herald Journal A different side of LDS culture Kilpack's third novel continues to sustain her as one of the best LDS fiction writers around. Her writing is fluid, and her story lines are interesting and full of surprises. To Have or To Hold starts out like the script of a Doris Day/James Garner/Rock Hudson/Cary Grant (your choice) film, pleasant and quirky enough to keep our interest, but by the 27th chapter she throws in one of the social issues that set her books apart from the rest. So first the Doris Day plot: man needs housekeeper; divorced woman with child answers the ad; man is single and comes into an inheritance that has some mighty big strings attached -- he must be married in order to claim the money; he suggests a sham marriage to woman for share of the fortune; they ignore each other, they are attracted, they fight, they fall in love, etc., etc. Turns out the guy, Andrew, and the gal, Emma, are both decent people who find themselves in a quandary when after several months the inevitable happens, and she finds herself pregnant. From this point on there are still some Doris Day elements, but the plot turns serious when Emma suffers from a disease called Hyperemesis Gravidarum, a severe malady that affects only 1 percent of pregnant women. According to the author, "conservative estimates put the nationwide price tag on HG hospitalizations at nearly $2 million each year." As usual, Kilpack has done her research; in this case, interviewing women who have suffered from this condition, which allows her to present Emma's illness with empathy and realism. If you have enjoyed her earlier books, you will no doubt enjoy this one and will recognize some characters from previous novels. If you are not already a fan, To Have or To Hold is a good place to start. Carole Thayne -- author of A Question of Trust and False Pretenses At once engaging, Josi Kilpack's To Have or To Hold captures your heart with flawed, but captivating realistic characters. Josi carries the reader away into a believable, yet unconventional love story with twists and turns that leave the reader guessing until the end. Josi never stoops to maudlin, trite, or sappy lines, and manages to write modern romance which even the anti-romantic will enjoy. After reading the beginning of To Have or To Hold aloud to my college-age daughter, she called me later on her cell-phone and had me read it to her over the phone because she couldn't go to bed that night without finding out what happened. These are the kinds of books Josi Kilpack writes--books that leave you aching to find out what happens to people who, within the first few pages, you feel like you know. Kaylynn England -- www.bookreviewsandmore.com · Rating: Five Stars · The Bottom Line: A romance that builds from a marriage of convenience. Emma at 21 finds herself a divorced single mother. Andrew is a wealthy bachelor who has to marry to inherit his father’s inheritance. Join Emma and Andrew as they work to fulfill the requirements of this unusual will as they fight falling in love. · Pros: Fun reading-hard to put down Shares the struggle to return to the church Well written—the characters become real people you feel for · Cons: It is hard to do anything while reading this book · Description: 318 pages. Written by Josi S. Kilpack, author of Earning Eternity and Surrounded by Strangers. Emma and Andrew marry to fulfill the requirements for Andrew to inherit One Million Dollars. They need to be married for one year. During that year, they have many challenges and find themselves falling in love. · Review: This is a fun romance. Not only is it enjoyable reading, but it shares struggles to find one's way back into the church. Also shows the importance of communication and families. This is a book I recommend to all who enjoy a good romance. Jennie Hansen Tempest Tossed is definitely worth reading. Josi is a sensitive writer who makes a story come alive with both believable, complex characters and a compelling plot line. From a personal standpoint, I would have liked to see the prescription drug issue examined from a more ordinary woman's point of view rather than that of the ultimate career woman. Josi deals with contemporary problems without edging over into the realm of soap opera. "Well done, Josi. Another great book to your credit." Charlene Hirschi -- Herald Journal March 29,2004 Josi Kilpack is a storyteller with a knack for shaping characters that the reader cares about. As in her previous novels, Tempest Tossed deals with contemporary issues in a thoughtful and interesting way. Janet Stewart, consummate career woman and twice divorced, is on the fast track when she meets Tally Blaire. Consumed with the demands of her high profile job, she has little time or interest in romance, but when she meets Tally, the chemistry will not be denied. After a whirlwind courtship, they find themselves married to partners they know little about and with little common ground, outside Janet's young son Josh. When she is passed over for promotion at work, she convinces herself it is all for the better. Now she can marry Tally, and they will settle down to a peaceful life on his ranch in Willard, Utah. She promises to accept a less demanding position with her company in Ogden, and all will be well. Or at least that is the plan. But shortly after their marriage, the promotion that she lost falls into her lap when Jay calls her into his office to reveal that he has made a mistake by promoting someone with less experience to take the job Janet covets. "Janet's heart soared" and with barely a second thought to her new husband and their plans, she accepts the job. "In her office she picked up the phone to call Tally, excited to share the triumph -- but she hesitated. He would not see this as a good thing ... She hung up the phone and decided to wait for the weekend ... She felt a twinge of guilt ... for changing their plans single-handedly ... but she could not say no ... It was everything she wanted." But Janet has more than one secret she is keeping from Tally. For some time she has relied on prescription drugs to keep up with the demands of her life. She takes pills in the morning to get going, others to keep her awake so she can work long hours into the night, and still others to calm her down, stave off panic attacks, and sleep. With her need for more and more pills Janet's life spins completely out of control, culminating in a final showdown with Tally and the loss of her son. "How could he think those things about her? She took too many pills, but she wasn't addicted. She could stop anytime she wanted to and she would prove it to him -- then everything would better." As in her earlier novel, Surrounded by Strangers, Kilpack ends her book by sharing some of her research findings. She writes that prescription drug use is rising at an alarming rate and that "women are twice as likely to develop a dependency to anti-anxiety and sedative drugs than men ... It is estimated that 7 percent of the total population of the United States has a drug addiction -- illicit or prescription." But here is the most alarming news for most of my readers, "Utah leads the nation in prescription drug addiction and prescription fraud." She concludes with a list of information sources for those who may recognize themselves or someone they love in the pages of her book. Charlene Hirschi -- Cache Magazine April 25, 2003. Who would guess that little Willard, Utah, would be home to such a talented writer as Josi Kilpack? A first-time reader of her work, I am impressed with her ability to tell a spellbinding story, to create characters that evoke deep caring on the part of the reader, and her social consciousness in following up her story with author's notes that explain the real world circumstances surrounding her novel. Surrounded by Strangers deals with sexual abuse and a mother's flight to protect her children from the abuser. When Gloria Stanton learns that her husband has abused their young daughter, she does everything right, or so she thinks. Placing faith in the judicial system and her LDS belief that right always prevails, she is blindsided when the court awards joint custody of the children in spite of testimony that should preclude such a ruling. With the aid of an underground network that assists women in abusive circumstances to adopt new identities, Gloria changes her name, leaves affluent circumstances in Salt Lake City, and begins life on the run as a waitress in a small Arkansas town. With evidence mounting that she is about to be found by both the FBI and her ex-husband, she is forced to take flight again. Bryan, an LDS friend who has no knowledge of her past, comes to her aid after her car breaks down. During the course of the next few hours, Bryan accidentally discovers that she is wanted by the police and after an angry confrontation he decides to at least help her make connection with the underground safe house in Little Rock. Over the course of the story, Bryan's involvement escalates to the point that there is no turning back for him either. This is a story of romance, faith, and suspense that pulls the reader in. What is happening to the characters seems real and important. As one reviewer writes, "It was so real that I nearly included the characters in my prayers at night." This is a story that will ring true with all caring parents and demonstrates that under certain circumstances right and wrong are often not as black and white as we may think. Always understanding that at some point she will have to accept the consequences of her actions, Gloria aka Pamela continually prays, "Please Lord, don't let me forget I'm doing the right thing." Jennie Hansen -- April 29 2003 Meridian Magazine. Surrounded by Strangers may not be for every reader, but those who read it won't forget it easily. It's a powerful book and I loved it. Though Kilpack writes in a blunt, straight forward style and there are no instances of taking the Lord's name in vain, there are sections where a few coarse words are used and some of the physical attraction scenes are more pointed than some readers may find comfortable. It is certainly exciting, presents a terrible dilemma and trial of faith, and leaves the reader wondering if main character, Gloria Stanton, could have found a better way to deal with the abuse of her daughter and at the same time fearing there was no other way to protect her child. Kilpack doesn't advocate the drastic measures taken in her book as the best or only way to deal with the circumstances a parent might face in similar circumstances, but she does encourage a nonjudgmental look at a situation that isn't all black or white. She encourages anyone facing terrible choices to rely on the promptings of the Lord and to never give up on finding both moral and legal solutions to problems. Though the story centers around abuse of a child by a parent, it does not go into detail on the abuse itself, but deals in depth with the mother's reaction and her efforts to protect the child, reassure her, and give her a chance at a normal life. When Gloria discovers her husband has been molesting their six-year-old daughter, she files for divorce and requests sole custody of the couple's children. The medical evidence is ambiguous, the father is active in the Church, and a respected attorney. Added to that is a recent bout of depression requiring medical intervention Gloria suffered following the birth of her second child and an emergency hysterectomy. When custody is not granted to her, she kidnaps her children rather than risk any further trauma to her daughter. With the help of an underground support group, she and her two children disappear. The author is careful not to imply that parental kidnapping is right or legal. In fact she points out that in the vast majority of cases parental kidnappings have more to do with spite than with any real need or desire to protect the kidnapper's children. Following two years of hiding in "safe houses" Gloria at last strikes out on her own. Raised by financially comfortable parents and as the former wife of a wealthy attorney, learning to live on the salary of a truckstop waitress is a challenge. She and her children make a lot of sacrifices in order to stay hidden and avoid drawing attention to themselves. Staying away from the Church, her parents, and her best friend are the hardest parts for Gloria. Though she holds a private church class for her children every Sunday morning, she can't resist the pull of visiting a "real" church meeting one morning. Though their attendance at the meeting doesn't attract the law, it does attract the attention of a convert to the church, Bryan Drewry. The story holds a lot of interesting and suspenseful twists as the FBI gets involved, her ex-husband hires a private investigator, and Gloria continues to seek the evidence that will make it possible for her to go home again. Kilpack doesn't skirt around the issue that no matter what her motivation was, Gloria broke the law. She also comes down heavily on the role pornography plays in creating and encouraging predators who abuse children. She also does a great job of explaining the intricacies of the judicial system involved in the case and lets the reader know that Gloria hadn't exhausted the possibility of further resources within the Church which might have helped her in spite of her bishop believing her husband's denial of the charges. Bryan is slow to understand his attraction to Gloria. Already fancying himself in love with a young woman he had been dating for six months and as ward mission leader, he is at first motivated by a desire to convert Gloria, a woman he perceives as merely interested in the Church. It takes a few pointed observations from his sister for him to figure out that she is already a member and that his interest goes beyond a desire to baptize her. Gloria tries to avoid Bryan and the complications he could bring into their lives. It isn't until she finds herself in a desperate situation needing help that she starts to allow him into her life. I would have liked Bryan to be a bit stronger character, but I realize the author needed to show Gloria's metamorphous from a dependent, naive girl to a strong, resourceful woman. Kilpack's style is warm and immediate; it also is a bit more earthy than most LDS novels, though in my opinion she never crosses the line into anything distasteful. She has taken an extremely difficult but relevant subject and presented it in a straight forward manner neither excusing wrong behavior nor sugar-coating serious mistakes. The only real problem I had with the book was with the ex-husband's past. I found it unlikely that there was only one past victim other than his daughter, and I found that person's meeting with Gloria too coincidental. Those shortcomings did not alter my enthusiasm for the book. I will definitely look for other books by this author in the future. http://www.juliewright.comhttp://www.musingsinparadise.blogspot.comhttp://www.bookreviewsandmore.comshapeimage_2_link_0shapeimage_2_link_1shapeimage_2_link_2