This was an interesting read. I was encouraged a lot by the stories of four different women going through their first experience of spiritual formation. It reminded em of a lot of practices I have used in formation with my spiritual director. Sometimes what we need shouldn't go on a list of spiritual todo's. Sometimes what we really need is a story about four people trying to do the same things we're trying to do. I would definitely recommend this story for anyone seeking encouragement i their own long journey towards holiness. ( )

3.25 stars

It's not easy to find fiction in which the characters' conversations and thoughts revolve around the spiritual, so that was interesting to me.

I liked the first half, but the second half, where characters' issues are starting to be resolved, was disappointing to me. It seemed that all four characters had to understand God's love through the standard father and/or romantic relationship in their life. So Meg, a widow, has to remember how deeply her husband loved her when he was alive, and she has some daddy issues. Charissa decides that the best way to explore intimacy with God is to explore sexual intimacy with her husband, and Hannah, the only single, never married character, ends up in a relationship by the end of the book.

The various minor characters were very underdeveloped. Each was portrayed as being either nearly perfect and exuding wisdom, or godless unbelievers.

There were a couple instances of foreplay included that, while not super detailed, were unnecessary, nonetheless.

There were also a few uses of profanity and, again, they were unnecessary. ( )

What a story! This isn’t the first book I’ve read this year that I want to reread, but it’s likely the first fiction title that’s struck me that way.

I loved the depth in here—the characters felt like real people, their backstories were intricate and realistic, and the writing style was very well done. This book is fairly long. It also is a very introspective story, as the four main characters work through things in their lives. But despite those two factors, I got through this book in record time.

This story was challenging, encouraging, delightful, and difficult. I saw myself in each of the four women, and watching them struggle to trust and follow the Lord felt all too familiar to me. I laughed with them as they discovered themselves—their quirks, their little joys—and gulped back tears as I walked with them in their grief, which often resonated with mine.

If you’re looking for an encouraging read, read this. If you like books that not only deliver solid stories but also have spiritual depth to them, this is a great book for that! Woven throughout the story are the “teaching notes” from the class they were attending, and I found those interesting, refreshing, and very applicable—I’d love to go back and spend more time on each one myself!

Even though I loved this book, there was one element I didn’t like (a case of a divorced man getting to know another woman)—but even that was brilliantly done. Though I don’t agree with it theologically, it forced me to respect the author, because while I didn’t agree with the character’s choices, I understood why they were going the way they were.

An excellent read. Check it out. ( )

Here is a summary of what the book is about. Hannah, a pastor who doesn't realize how exhausted she is.
Meg, a widow and recent empty-nester who is haunted by her past.
Mara, a woman who has experienced a lifetime of rejection and is now trying to navigate a difficult marriage.
Charissa, a hard-working graduate student who wants to get things right.
You're invited to join these four women as they reluctantly arrive at a retreat center and find themselves drawn out of their separate stories of isolation and struggle and into a collective journey of spiritual practice, mutual support and personal revelation.
Along the way, readers will be taken into a new understanding of key spiritual practices and find tangible support for the deeper life with God.

My sister in law gave me this book in 2015. This is an amazing story. I love the characters and the friendships they have with each other. I love that this is a spiritual book about getting closer to God. The women in this story goes through some struggles in their lives but they are reminded that God is always there. This book is a real page turner i couldn’t put it down. I would highly recommend this book. ( )

Sensible Shoes is not simply a novel. It is a spiritual experience. The book is an emotional ride through spiritual growth with four women of different experiences and backgrounds. I related to each woman in one way or another. If you pick up this book, be open to a spiritual journey of your own.

In accordance with FTC guidelines, please note I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. ( )