Book Review: Tested by Fire by Kathy Herman

When a bizarre houseboat explosion rocks the close-knit community of Baxter, firefighters, friends, and neighbors stand powerless as the McConnells' blazing hull sinks to the bottom of Heron Lake. Grief turns to outrage as new evidence proves there was one survivor -- and points to murder, something this sheltered community has never faced in its hundred-year history. In a race with the FBI, Jed sets out to track down the sole survivor, coping meanwhile with his own painful marital struggle. Baxter's mystery and Jed's dilemma are ones only God can solve in this suspenseful, surprising story of redemption amidst despair in small-town America.

Series: Baxter, book #1

My rating:

Ohhhh boy. *Deep breath* after that wonderful week full of amazing book recs, we're back to another two-star review. *cringes* I don't know why I put myself through these. This isn't even a book I *had* to review, haha! But maybe it's because I have trouble actually giving up on a book I've started. Plus the fact that I've got the entire series. Plus the fact that I continued holding out hope that the book would improve. *sigh*

(Would y'all prefer I didn't post so many lower-rating reviews? Or do you like rant posts? *smirks*)

So. The first words that come to mind with this book are...cliche. Cringe-y. Seriously—I did cringe while I read this book.

First of all, there's a lot of points of view. Now, I don't mind a couple or even maybe three POVs. But when there's at least eight? Nooooo thank you. It seems to me that the story could've been told just as well without so many.

So, there was something that really annoyed me. It seemed unrealistic to me, but idk, maybe that's just me. But anyway, so, (POTENTIAL SPOILER) when Mike's family's houseboat exploded, and later he was found to actually be alive...every. single. person. (except maaayyyybe two?) that had been thinking of him so fondly when they thought he was dead, suddenly turned against him and was convinced that he murdered his own family. Oh, forget the fact that he was such a kind, fun-loving man! He's suddenly a murderer now that he's alive and not coming out into the open! This was, in fact, so obvious and so played up that it was obvious the author tried wayyyyy too hard to convince me that Mike was a murderer.

So, the writing style. Heh. Noooot my thing. Seemed amateurish to me (I'm probably just really hard to please. After becoming an author, I've really started to notice writing style/voice more). It just...was kinda jerky and didn't hook me like I wish it would've. Like...according to Goodreads, it took me about two weeks to read this thing. Which, if it were a novel that hooked me like it was supposed to, is about twice as long as it should've taken. *sigh*

The salvation message is really the only thing that saved this book from one star. It was very well put, and there were even some lines that really struck me. That being said, I am disappointed in the incredibly cliche ending. Idk, maybe it's just me, but...well...it seemed super unrealistic. Like, for real. All of a sudden I was left going "waaaiiiit for real? Whyyyy did this happen??" I would love to expound, but, ya know, #spoilers

(idk, maybe I'll regret rating this thing two stars instead of one. Oh well.)

I've heard that this isn't Herman's best work, so we'll see. Maybe I'll try another one sometime. ;)

Have you read any Kathy Herman books? Which one would you recommend?