An Open Book: My Last Reads of 2024

So I haven’t done one of these in four months, so I won’t attempt to figure out which months I read which books. And who knows? I’m probably going to forget a book or two that I read.

During the Black Friday Sale, I bought a bunch of ebooks from Chrism Press and can’t wait to get started on them.

I also partially read many books that I’m finishing, like Trustful Surrender to Divine Providence by St. Claude de la Colombière and Fr. Jean Baptiste Saint-Jure, which providentially influenced one book I finished below.

Non-Fiction

You Have Only One Problem by Conor Gallagher

Loved this one! Your only problem is that you haven’t completely surrendered your life to the will of God. I’m not spoiling anything because it’s written on the back of the book. This was a short read packed with wisdom and saintly inspiration.

It reminded me of books Father Jacques Philippe has written. I think I will return to it again and again. I know it’s the Holy Spirit who brought this book to me because a consistent theme I’m coming across is in things I’m reading/listening to is that crosses/struggles are for our good and our ultimate sanctity and not to curse God for them but to thank Him for them. It’s radical, but it’s what every saint believed.

This was my favorite quote below:

If we could see all he sees we would unhesitatingly wish all he wishes. We would beg him on bended knees for those afflictions we now ask him to spare us.  – Saint Claude de la Colombiere (the author of another book I’m reading!)

Fiction

Forgiving Paris by Karen Kingsbury

Believe it or not, this is the first full Karen Kingsbury book I’ve read (to my knowledge). I fell in love with the Baxter family in the Amazon Prime series, The Baxters. Even though the TV series didn’t follow the books to a T, it gave me enough of a background to jump into Forgiving Paris.

This follows the story of a grown-up Ashley Baxter, who is visiting Paris, a city filled with wounds from her past. This time, she’s going with her husband for her first gallery showing as an artist. When they get there, memories resurface, including ones she’s never told her husband.

It’s a story of healing, but moreso, in my opinion, it’s about how God can bring beauty out of brokenness, how even when we think we’re a complete failure and mess, God can use that.

At the beginning, I wasn’t sure how Ashley’s life would be intertwined with the other characters introduced, but it came together in a believable way, where I thought, “Yea, that could actually happen in real life.”

It’s hard for me to criticize Kingsbury’s work when she’s a megastar in the fiction world, but I will say there were a few “cringe” parts that bordered on too saccharine for my tastes. I also felt like one chapter focusing on her son’s car breaking down felt unnecessary to the story.

Also, I felt like Ashley’s husband, Landon, was too perfect. He had no apparent flaws and was constantly attentive, engaged, accepting, loving, and patient. Those are amazing qualities, but I was wondering, “Does ANYTHING bother this guy?” It just didn’t feel realistic.

I definitely want to read more of her books, so please share any recommendations.

Love in the Eternal City by Rebecca Martin

I was excited when Chrism Press announced this title, and I was eager to see how a Catholic writer would handle the romance genre. Normally, a billionaire romance doesn’t entice me to pick up a book, but because I’m a fan of Chrism Press, I still wanted to read it.

American Elena takes a job in Rome after a bad break-up and meets Swiss Guard Benedikt, who comes from a wealthy family.

It was clean and easy read, and I was sad that I wouldn’t be spending any more book time with Elena and Beni. And having never visited Rome myself, I loved feeling like I was visiting there.

I’m looking forward to the next book in the Swiss Guard Romance series. I wonder if the main character will be one of the other guards we were introduced to in this book.