A sweet return to the Christy Miller books I read as a teenager! I love series that follow such strong characters, and growing up with Christy and her journey from teen to college student to wife and now mother, watching her develop and BECOME, she’s definitely a nostalgic favorite for me. Hope RJG keeps bringing us back to Christy’s world in future!

My first Robin Jones Gunn book in many years (perhaps ever--I honestly can't remember if I read any of her books as a teen)! A sweet story of friendship.

I have read almost every book by Robin and have since I was about 11 years old. I’m so pleased that this brings old and new characters together and can’t wait for the next book in this series!

Robin Jones Gunn is a master at telling beautiful stories of friendship. I have been a long time fan of her Sisterchicks series. Even though I never read her Christy or Sierra series, I enjoyed getting to know them along with three other young women in this new Haven Makers series. This story is told in first person from Emily's perspective. Emily, her husband, and daughter have recently moved to California and Emily is befriended by Christy and her close knit group of friends. What begins is a beautiful tale of faith, friendship, and family.

I look forward to reading the second in the series, Being Known, which is available now.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Net Galley. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this book. It's a lovely written story about family, friendship, and contentment.

This is a novel about relationships, particularly the close friendship between a group of five women in their thirties. Each one comes from different backgrounds, has different life experiences, natures and characters and yet they are drawn together through their love and faith in God.

The story is told from Emily’s viewpoint. She is a newcomer to the group, having recently moved to California with her husband and daughter. She worries she won’t fit in with them but she is welcomed by Jennalyn, Christy, Sierra and Tess and made to feel a part of the group. However, because of her own insecurity, it takes her a while to feel accepted for who she is and truly belong.

Previously, Emily and her husband, Trevor, had lived with his parents and he had worked for his Dad too. Now they are branching out on their own, working on being their own small family rather than connected to the larger family as a whole. Whilst living with his parents they had to face the heartache of not being able to have a second child and Emily is still processing her grief over this.

The book’s title comes from the scene where Jennalyn presents each of her friends with a decorated card and the following Scripture verse on it: “We confidently and joyfully look forward to actually becoming all that God has had in mind for us to be.” Romans 5:8.

How important it is for each of us to have relationships with others where we know we can just be ourselves; we don’t need to pretend to be someone we’re not or try hard to be like someone else. We can just be us and enjoy what it means to be loved and accepted for who we are.

The group decide to call themselves the DOEs (Daughters of Eve) but if you want to know the reason behind that you will have to read the book for yourself!

Emily has always had a difficult and painful relationship with her mother, but as we read on, we see the healing work that God is able to do in a person’s life when they are open to him. She is able to reach the point where she can forgive her mother.

This book reminded me of how important my friends are in my life. It reminded me that God has blessed me with some incredible Christian friends who support me and encourage me and are there to celebrate with me in my joys and comfort me in my pain.

I found myself being distracted by way too many details and all the back and forth conversations that really added nothing to the story. The characters were not developed as well as they could have been which makes the storyline falter. The author introduces us to characters in the first third of the book and then there is nothing more from the characters. The last two thirds of the book didn't seem to go along with the first third of the story.

I received an arc of this book from netgalley for my review.

One of the better and relatable Christian fiction books I’ve read. Loved the connection to the Christy Miller series while being real. One of Gunn’s best books I’ve read! Easy read that I connected to deeply.

Release, forgiveness, identity, friendship: all these words find a home in "Becoming Us". It's a story of friendship as four moms and a single lady form their "Daughters of Eve" group. This group has fun together, they listen to each others' stories and have their own group therapy sessions together. I include the dynamics here of the four moms and a single lady because I think that dynamic can be missed all too often. We cluster with those in the same stage of life as we are and forget those outside our box who have so much to offer us.

It's a story of release and forgiveness as Emily, the main character, learns to "Plant what you love, Emily. Plant the sweet things in your new life here. They will grow." She learns to release and forgive her mom to be who she is but changes her approach and ditches the victim mentality. She also learns to release a few other things as well.

It's a story of identity as Trevor and Emily and their daughter, Audra, figure out who they are as a family, sans in-laws.

The prose is not necessarily gripping in its exquisite use of words, but the plot is sweet, nurturing, and ultimately just the kind of book I have been looking for. I get tired of fluffy fictional romances, but to read about the nitty-gritty of life, the love that carries a marriage, the friendships we all crave, now that is a heart-warming read if you ask me.

And because of that, I am happy to note that this book is the first in a series called Haven Makers Series. I will be waiting, probably impatiently, for the next book to come out.

I received this book from Multnomah via NetGalley and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

What an idea of needing to get away of an overbearing family to become who you are meant to be as a couple and as your own little family. I really like seeing her develop a great circle of friends! Friends make all the difference!

Becoming us is a story of becoming, of friendship and community, of being known and forgiveness. Not only was the story line great there were many lessons from the story that I was able to apply to my personal life.

Becoming Us is described as five young moms, including Christy Miller, who support each other in raising their children. I would more accurately call it Emily’s story.
Emily, her husband Trevor, and 10-year-old daughter Audra move to southern California from North Carolina after in vitro efforts to have another child drain their finances. Trevor’s uncle gave him a car lot, but it proves to be unprofitable, and they may need to return to NC in defeat.
Emily finds her footing with her new friends. She gains her self-esteem after Trevor’s large family unintentionally made her feel like she didn’t measure up. She blooms in their loving acceptance.
The stress of their financial situation makes the beginning of the book, well, stressful, but you soon relax with Emily among these God-fearing women. Best of all, having read most of the Christy Miller books, it’s great to catch up with her.

Having read several Todd & Christy books, I was super excited when I realized this book was a continuation of their life together.

Becoming Us (Haven Makers Book 1) by Robin Jones Gunn is a tale of friendship and forgiveness. It details not only how Todd & Christy become “us” with a new life away from his family, but also how Christy and her friends become a tribe.

This book made me yearn for my own DOE group. I have a tribe, although just four ladies. We are at that time in our lives, all busy with our own families, where we don’t have much time for each other. However, these are ladies I could call in the middle of the night and they would come. These are shoulders on which I have cried and those that I have supported.

Ladies need shoulders… a tribe for when we are angry with our husbands, our children and even ourselves. We need shoulders not only for life’s disappointments but also to share our triumphs. We need shoulders for dinners, movies, and weekend getaways.

I loved the “Welcome to Womanhood” party. I only wish this book came out a few years ago. The party is so sweet and endearing. Making your girls feel a part of a tribe rather than dirty, alone, ashamed, or ugly.

Most importantly, robin reminds us to always live for your King of Kings!

Publication Date: May 7, 2019
Genre: Christian Fiction, Religious Fiction, Chick Lit
Cover: Perfect
Rating: 5 stars
Source: I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review. Thank you for the opportunity to read this great book!

#BecomingUs #NetGalley

I enjoyed this book because it is Robin Jones Gunn's typical easy-going style. Becoming Us is a novel written for today's woman, written to enhance friendships and enlighten readers about topics relevant today. This is a story of hope, love, and friendship. Although I have never read the Christy Miller series, my grown daughters enjoyed them as teenagers. It was enjoyable to see how Christy is doing now as an adult, after hearing all about her in the past. Be sure to have a pencil handy to jot down the great ideas contained in this book and apply them to your life.

Becoming Us by Robin Jones Gunn is a modern fictional novel, and is book one in the Haven Makers series.
Summary: Emily is new to California. In fact, she's new to a lot of things-moving across the country, being away from family, and starting over in an unfamiliar place. As she and her family struggle with their new environment, can they put the past behind them for good or are they destined to end up right back where they started?
My Thoughts: This book actually hooked me from the first page. I don't normally enjoy first person narrative books, but my attention was snagged right away. I immediately wanted to know everything about Emily, and her past. I empathized with her frustrations and hesitancies in starting somewhere new, and I cheered for her and her family as they found a new family of friends to surround themselves with.
Only a great book with wonderful writing can draw me into a book so quickly and thoroughly, and this book did it for me.
I really enjoyed this story, would read it again, and consider it worthy of being on my shelf (and I am pretty picky about the books I put on my shelf!) I am also looking forward to the next in the series.
This is the first book I have read by Robin Jones Gunn-but it won't be the last. Pick it up-it is worth the read!
I would like to thank Waterbrook & Multnomah for providing me with a free digital copy of this book in exchange for my review. Thank you!

Becoming Us
A Novel

by Robin Jones Gunn

WaterBrook & Multnomah

Multnomah

Christian , Women’s Fiction

Pub Date 07 May 2019

I am reviewing a copy of Becoming Us through WaterBrook & Multnomah and Netgalley:

Christy Miller along with four other young Mom’s, gather to share meals and soon they become unlikely best friends.

The five women gather regularly, which allow opportunities for these women to share their stories, Life stories that endear the women to each other.

They experience their lives naturally meshing together in community. In Becoming Us the group find ways to challenge, encourage, and help each other become the nurturing mothers they wished they’d had when they were growing up. They unite to be remembered for what they do as moms and not for what was done to them.

They Becoming Us is a well written novel, with characters who come to life on the page, a novel that is worthy of five out of five stars!

Happy Reading!

Beautifully written story. Loved it. Could have finished it in one setting. Can’t wait to read another book by this author. This is my first book of hers.

Thanks go to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Fans of Gunn’s Christy or Sierra series will be delighted to reconnect with familiar characters, all grown up. I hadn’t read either of those series, but I had no trouble jumping in with this book, as it picks up when the girls are adults. This book is an engaging story of a group of women who come together to support one another through the trials we all face in life. A great story and example of the supportive role we can play in our own lives.

This was the first book that I had read from Robin but it was wonderful. Friendship and courage showed throughout this book.

As appeared on my blog at www.beneathstillwaters.com

BECOMING US by ROBIN JONES GUNN

*I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to give a positive review.*

Before I begin my review, I wanted to give a little background on my history with Robin Jones Gunn's books. I first came across a book by her when I was a young girl and randomly picked up a volume of the Christy Miller series at the local grocery store. The series was the first time that the idea of a personal relationship with Christ was really introduced to me. I was particularly drawn to Robin Jones Gunn's characters - this group of God-loving people who very freely and openly talked about God and Jesus. After I made my way through the Christy Miller series, I read the Sierra Jensen series as well as the Glenbrooke series (and more!). I have not read any of her recent books, so it was kind of refreshing that this was the first book I chose to review.

The book centers on Emily Winslow, her husband Trevor, and their daughter Audra. The family has recently moved to California from North Carolina after facing some financial difficulties. However, the new business that Trevor takes over in California does not take off as planned and their money problems continue. Emily and Trevor must decide whether to remain in California or go back to Trevor's family in North Carolina. At the same time, Emily is battling her own scars from secondary infertility and a strained relationship with her mother. While in California, Emily is welcomed into a group of women who become her dear friends and a safe haven for her to work through her struggles.

What I really like about this book, and with Robin Jones Gunn's writing as a whole, is that she has a way of writing about ordinary things and relatable characters that makes you feel like you're coming home to old friends. And in some ways, I really was! If you've read her previous works, you will enjoy the appearances of both Christy Miller and Sierra Jensen. It was nice to have those familiar voices in this book and to continue to follow bits of their stories as well.

Robin Jones Gunn also wove several spiritual elements/ideas nicely into this book. I don’t feel like she is overly preachy like in some Christian books, or at the very least, it doesn't feel out of place. Some parts of the story were a bit slow for me, especially in the middle of the book. Her writing also does tend to be more simple and direct and maybe a little too cheesy for me at times.

I’ll end with two of my favorite elements of this book. The first was the group formed by Emily, Christy, Sierra, and two other girls - Tess and Jennalyn. They call themselves the Daughters of Eve. I love the dynamic of the group and how Gunn always highlights the beautiful friendships of the characters she creates. The second element that I appreciated was the storyline of Emily and her mother. It sounds awful to say this, but I liked that it wasn’t fully resolved at the end of the book. Emily was able to forgive her mom, show her love, and “release” her (a key word in the novel), but in the end, their relationship is still nowhere near ideal. I liked this simply because it was realistic – our relationships in life are never perfect, especially with family. Gunn exemplified through Emily’s character how we can address that in a way that is freeing to us, without presenting a perfect, happy, wrapped-in-a-bow relationship at the end (because life just isn’t always like that!).

Overall, I enjoyed Becoming Us. Even though I wasn’t always engaged with the storyline, I definitely appreciated the lessons and themes that were presented in this book.