Book Review: Nourish and Strengthen by Maria Hoagland

The other night, I had the chance to sit down and read Maria Hoagland's debut novel, Nourish and Strengthen.  Here's the back cover blurb: 

Chloe Taylor has the perfect life: a model’s figure, a husband who adores her, three healthy children. So why does she feel so much less than perfect?

After losing forty pounds, Chloe Taylor is finally happy with her body. What she doesn’t realize is that she’s not the one in control. When Chloe is called as the Primary president, she discovers that managing the highs and lows of a chronic illness may be easier than the ups and downs associated with family, friends, and church callings.

Consumed by her own challenges, Chloe fails to recognize the issues her friends are facing and is in danger of losing their friendship. As Chloe strives to develop Christ-like love for herself and those around her, she learns that outer appearances are far less important than inner peace and spiritual strength. But is she strong enough to face her most difficult trial yet?
I have to give the author some major kudos for this book.  She has taken her own experiences with diabetes and turned them into a compelling fiction novel that will not only educate others without the disease, but will help those with the disease to feel less alone.  Diabetes is on the rise in this country, and more and more people will be looking for ways to identify. 

I also appreciated the rich tone of the author's writing.  Her voice has a level of maturity to it that appeals to someone like me who reads an awful lot and is refreshed to see unique turns of phrase.

My daughter actually swiped the book before I had the chance to read it, and here are her thoughts:  "It was very interesting, and I stayed up late three nights in a row to read it.  The characters were very real."

If you would like to purchase your own copy of Nourish and Strengthen, you can do so by clicking here.
It's also available on Kindle.

FTC: I received a free copy for my review, and was not compensated in any other way.