Jaded by Varina Denman —Their small-town church wants them apart, but God has other plans.

Do churches of today show the love God commands? Or do we cast that proverbial stone and toss the unlovely aside without a blink of an eye?

Ruthie Turner knows all about the judgmental church ever since she turned seven, so years later when the handsome preacher comes to her small town of Trapp, Texas, she avoids him like a horse does a rattlesnake. He’s just like the rest of those Christians and she wants nothing to do with him.

Even though he’s the most eligible bachelor in town.

And he has his eyes set on her.

Dodd Cunningham has his job cut out for him as preacher of a small Texan town filled with tainted relationships and secrets that some want to stay buried. However, when one of those mysteries involves the girl he’s falling in love with, he’s determined to protect her reputation . . . even if it means losing his flock.

Ruthie slowly softens towards Dodd and they begin to see each other secretly, but soon it blows up in their faces and spirals out of control. Can they both look beyond the judgmental attitude of the church and trust God to make it right? Or will Ruthie reject God, stay away from Dodd, and remain jaded forever?

Jaded is Varina Denman’s debut novel and is book one in her Mended Heart series. This is not a book I would normally pick up and buy. I’m a romantic suspense kind of gal, but I have to say…I really enjoyed this delightful story! Ms. Denman’s characters were likeable and well-rounded. My heart ached for some and others I wanted to throttle. jaded

I loved all the southern expressions woven throughout the novel, giving freshness to the author’s voice. The storyline was believable and deals with issues relevant to today’s society.

Judgment affects all towns—doesn’t matter the size. It’s real and disheartening. The author creates this fictitious town effectively through all the sights and smells, bringing it alive.

I give Jaded four out of five tumbleweeds. I will definitely be continuing on with Justified, book two in the series.

Come and walk the streets of Trapp, Texas. You will find a little bit of everything there, but most importantly—hope and forgiveness.

**Book has been provided courtesy of The Blog Spot for an honest review.

Contest!! I would like to give away my copy of Jaded. The contest rules are simple—leave a comment on the blog and you will be entered. Bonus entry– if you leave a comment AND share this post on Facebook you will get two entries (tag me on Facebook or let me know in the comments). Contest closes Saturday, June 27th at midnight. Enter now! (Open to residents of the USA and Canada only.)

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