Being Known is Robin Jones Gunn's latest book in her Haven Makers series. Like Becoming Us the story is highly emotional and stresses the importance of Christian fellowship, which is now often referred to as doing life together, and accountability. While many will enjoy Gunn's intense and insightful writing, this book and series seem to target women in their twenties to early forties who, like Gunn's characters, are balancing a variety of relationships from family to friends as well as distracting relationships, raising children, creating a haven at home, finding fulfillment in personal pursuits, and pursuing careers; all while growing in their relationship with Christ. There are times in this story when the reader will feel a great sense of contentment, and other times when she will feel like she is watching a train wreck about to happen. Robin Jones Gunn is a master at pulling readers in and tugging at their emotions.

I am grateful to have received a copy of Being Known from Multnomah via NetGalley, and for being included on this book's launch team. I was however asked only for my honest opinion, and was under no obligation to provide a positive review. I received no monetary compensation. #PRHpartner

This is the second book of the Haven Makers I found out after reading it. It can easily be a standalone book though I feel. It is a sweet Christian based book about a couple, Jennalynn & Joel. Jennalynn is still dealing with the death of her mother and all the feelings which accompany that. At the same time, Joel has started a new restaurant and is working non-stop to make it a success. Throughout that, they have lost the type of communication that is needed to keep a marriage healthy. At the same time, while taking her young daughter to dance lessons, she runs into her old high school boyfriend and they begin "chatting" back and forth on a game. The Haven Makers are Jennalynn's circle of friends who get together and share & pray together about each other's lives, problems, accomplishments, etc. Tess is one of the circle and is involved in a relationship which could prove to be detrimental to everyone involved. The book mainly centers around communications, relationships, prayer and friendship! I like the style of this author's writing and will look for more books by her...especially this series.

I appreciate the publisher, Multnomah, & NetGalley allowing me the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book.

Robin Jones Gunn is very talented at writing real characters. In fact, her characters are so "real" that sometimes while reading her books, I have to stop myself from calling them to give advice or stop them from making some mistake I see coming. Her real characters were of course in Being Known. It's written from the perspective of Jennalyn but includes the other Haven Makers that were first introduced (or reintroduced) in the first book, Becoming Us. Sometimes I just wanted to hug her, other times I wanted to ask her what in the world she was thinking because she was about to do something stupid. Throughout the book, I felt like I was spending time with a friend. In fact, once the book was over, I didn't want to leave my friends, which is probably why I started rereading all the other books by Robin Jones Gunn. I highly recommend this book, especially if you enjoy contemporary fiction books that are about close groups of friends. 

So let me know, am I the only one who has ever read a book that led me to others that I had no plans to read a that time? Have you ever done that?

I received a complimentary copy of this book from WaterBrook & Multnomah through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I received this ARC from WaterBrook Multnomah. This is really good Christian fiction. It is a good show of faith, love, failures, and strength. Jennalyn is faced with healing from loss, a new baby and a distant husband. Thankfully she has a group of friends to be there for her. Great characters and very relatable.

Heartwarming story. Life becomes overwhelming for Jennalyn and she wonders what her future holds. With the help of a group of close friends, she learns to rely on more than the present situations. I enjoyed this story and will read more by author Robin Jones Gunn. I received a complimentary copy of the book. No review was required.

Being Known by Robin Jones Gunn is a Christian romance by category but it is also a behind closed doors look at how relationships work. The novel focuses on Jessalyn and Joe’s marriage but also deals with Tess’ secret emotional affair and other problems faced by five friends in the Haven Makers group. This is the second book in a series but it is satisfying as a standalone.

Jessalyn’s problems have been faced by many young women. Her husband Joel is a workaholic who has achieved his livelong dream, owning and running his own restaurant. That means long days, late nights and emergency meetings. Meanwhile, Jessalyn takes care of a baby son and young daughter and is responsible for almost everything at home. While neither is happy with the situational distance between them, when Jessalyn reconnects with Garrett, her high school boyfriend, she stops trying to heal her marriage and loses herself in fantasy. Meanwhile, Tess has told her friends in the Haven group about “Guy” who is unavailable but has become an important part of her life. Now the women must learn how to make their faith and families priorities.

This a sweet, quick read with well drawn and likable characters. It addresses very real family problems and does not provide quick or unrealistic solutions. 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, WaterBrook & Multnomah and Robin Jones Gunn for this ARC.

This is book 2 in the Haven Makers series. In the first book we see 5 friends come together and call themselves the Daughters of Eve. The purpose to bring support to each other in whatever comes their way. It brought a longing in my heart as I don't have those kind of friends, not even one.

This story is about one of those friends Jennalyn and begins with her remembering her mom who has passed away. Her life is busy with a new baby and a husband who is working towards his dream job. The characters in this story are told in such a way that by the end you feel like you personally know them.

The reality of her mother's death is hitting her among the busyness of her life and although she has friends to lean on, she is overwhelmed in her grief. An ex-boyfriend enters the picture, a husband who is so busy with his new job, 2 young children, and missing her mom are a lot to deal with. Just like real life when it seems everything is falling apart.

This book was fun to read and hard to put down.

I received Being Known from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

#BeingKnown#Bet Galley
A read that shows some real life struggles. Jennalynn's mom has passed away but she never really processed it She is trying to be a good Mom and wife to her husband who is always working. She has a group of friends Christ. Sierra, Emily,and Tess. She is struggling she meets a ex boyfriend at her daughter's dance class and doesn't tell anyone.. She thinks we are only friends it doesn't mean anything but doesn't tell her husband even though she tries but he is always to tired or to busy. They find out there friend Tess had lunch and has been talking to someone who is married all the friends are upset, she ends the phone calks. The friends are there for each inferno matter what. It's an exploration of faith, marriage, criendship, and the choices we make an all have a huge impact on our lives. I will read more books from this author.

I received an ARC copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for my honest opinion of it. This was to me a typical sweet Christian romance book.

I received an Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review. You can get your copy here: https://www.amazon.com/Being-Known-Novel-Haven-Makers-ebook/dp/B07W78RL28/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Being+Known+Robin+Jones+Gunn&qid=1587400813&sr=8-1

This book is the second book in the Haven Makers series. Unfortunately, I was not blessed with reading the first book prior to receiving this book. There are scripture quotations and paraphrases throughout this book. We start the book with Jennalyn thinking of her mother and whenever she closes her eyes, she sees her mother’s red toenails and the signature nail-polish color, Oh My, Cherry Pie. Married to a part owner/ head chef of a restaurant is hard! Joel is always on the phone or at his restaurant. With Jennalyn just losing her mother, it is hard raising two small children and not having her mother to bounce ideas or problems off of. Jennalyn has her hands full with her two children. One that refuses to nap and is quite the handful. Vying for her mother’s attention at a time when Jennalyn needs to grieve for her own mother. Jennalyn’s daughter has quite the antics and I gave a little giggle at some of them, as my own daughter had some doozies! I am so glad mine are past that point-or are they? Jennalyn has a group of five gal pals that she calls, “Daughters of Eve” or “DOEs”. They all adopt a word for the year and try and read the scripture about it. Joel and Jennalyn are trying to get away on an adult vacation with their friends and trying to repair their marriage. We are taken on quite an adventure with the DOEs and Jennalyn. They come back to the scripture and God and this is so appropriate at this time! We have to remember that everything is good at this time and as long as we stay safe and adhere to the guidelines, I think we will all be ok and we have to trust that everything that happens is in someone else’s hands, a higher power. This book was a good reminder of this. It was a very sweet book! I look forward to reading more from Robin Jones.

God always knows what I need, when I need it, down to the nth detail. This true and simple assurance never ceases to amaze me. Yesterday, in the middle of the day of blahs in my heart, a new launch team notice came from Waterbrook & Multnomah, a new galley to review. I have read most of my books in print, so getting a notice that there was a digital copy available since printing and mailing at this time in the pandemic is difficult, was a happy surprise.

Well, because of this wonderful treat, nothing got done for the rest of the weekend because I have done nothing but immerse myself in Robin Jones Gunn's newest novel, Being Known.

I received Being Known from Waterbrook & Multnomah Publishing as a part of their launch team for an honest review.

Gunn's book fills a hole in my heart that has been deepening since the beginning of this pandemic distancing and stay-at-home time. One of the things I have been missing the most is the ability to be with and around my girlfriends, getting and giving hugs and enjoying the sisterhood of companionship that all women need. Being Known tells the story of a group of women living regular day to day lives and trusting in God and his goodness to sustain them through their relationship with Him and each other. The problems that the women face are common to all wives, mothers, and girlfriends. Seeing how the characters work through them and come forth stronger is heartwarming, a bit of sunshine during these days of unrest.

I love Gunn's writing style and the gift of making her characters and the dialogue feel as though you know them personally, that they have left the page and become part of your close circle of friends. I want to read more of her books, and delight in her plots and characters more often, now that I have found her.

I can't say enough good things about Gunn's new book, Being Known. It's a literary hug from a new friend that will endure.

I first started reading the Havenmaker series out of pure nostalgia. To say I was a Christy Miller fan would be an understatement. Christy, Sierra, and Katie all feel like dear friends. I worried that reading these new books as an adult might ruin all that.

My worries were in vain. This newest installment revolves around the life of Jennalyn aa a wife and mother. She deals with some heavy topics of marital struggles, loss of a parent, and transparency in relationships. I was glad that the author treated these topics with dignity and authenticity. I recommend this book to readers of Christian fiction.

I love a good romance story--- the meet cute, the falling in love, the happily ever after. What's not to love? But for anyone who has been married for a number of years, we recognize that those romance novels so often end before things get interesting....before life happens and it gets to the hard part of marriage. Before we have to truly put that love to the test. I always find stories that share those struggles to be even better than the initial falling in love tales, because it is in those stories that we see a lasting love. Being Known is just that type of story.

We catch up with Jennalyn as she's hit a bit of a rough spot in her marriage- with two young kids that take a lot of her time and energy and a husband who works a lot. Things get even more complicated when an ex unexpectedly comes back into her life. Now, I won't give too much away, but I will say that as a Christian novel, you can be rest assured that it does remind us the importance of marriage and working things out together... and about God's role in our relationships as well.

Aside from being a nice story about the trials of marriage, it is definitely a story of friendship as well. I loved this fantastic group of friends, and I think so many will walk away wanting their own group of Christian friends like that in the story... or finding themselves feeling really blessed that they too have that.

Being Known is the second book in the Haven Makers series. This group of friends were first introduced in that book, but it can certainly be read as a standalone as well without feeling lost. Overall, this was a really good read... and a fairly quick one as well. I look forward to reading more in this series.

**I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley for consideration. All thoughts are 100% my own.

This is a cozy friendship novel, very true to Robin Jones Gunn's style. It feels very "of the moment" with references to the way friends communicate now and even the pressure to make events "Pinterest-worthy"! The best part of this series is just finding comfort in the women's friendships and honestly remembering what it means to be a good friend!

I am so glad Robin Jones Gunn is still writing stories featuring her beloved character, Christy Miller Spencer! This is the second book in the Haven Makers series that follows a group of five friends, including Christy and her friend Sierra from another one of Robin’s series, who call themselves the Daughters of Eve and support each other through all the changes and challenges their lives bring. This story is focused on Jennalyn, the one who brought the group together. It’s definitely a character-driven rather than plot-driven story, with characters who feel so real and relatable I can imagine I might run into them at the park if I went to their California town!

I love the premise of the series, about the women who fill in the gaps for each other when they don’t have mothers or sisters to turn to. Reading this beautifully written, heartfelt story made me feel welcomed into their group wish they were real! The author deals gracefully with some tough topics that so many women face in friendships and marriages, and shows us how good friends are instrumental in helping you through the tough times - if you have the courage to be honest and vulnerable and share your heart with them.

Note: although there’s nothing graphic, there is some content that’s more mature in this book; I would recommend it for older teenagers and up.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I enjoyed book one in this series, Becoming Us, where readers see how the group is formed, meet and see how five ladies, from all walks of life became unlikely friends. They call themselves The Daughter of Eve (inspired by the Narnia novels)

These ladies find ways to encourage, challenge, pray for and help each other. ” They see themselves as Haven Makers and unite to be remembered for what they do and not for what was done to them.”

Book two continues with this fun loving group and focuses on Jennalyn’s story and her struggles, as she is grieving the loss of her mother. Jennalyn is lonely and feels lost as a person. She finds it hard to grieve, navigate her marriage relationship with the time-consuming, enjoyable task of caring for two young children. At the end of the day she’s spent, there’s no energy left for much else. I liked how this author shows that relationships are not easy and take work. (She also shows it’s well worth your time in the long run and that it’s ok to admit you need help.) Despite what is reflected on a person’s FB page nobody’s marriage and/or family is perfect.


Robin Jones Gunn masterfully writes a tender, heartfelt story about doing life together with Jesus at the wheel of your life. your marriage and friendships. The author also talks about dealing with loss, sifting through emotions where perception is everything. I liked how gracefully this author deals with the powerful topic of emotional affairs with no blame or shame, but reveals to readers how it happens, shows a way to recognize it, confront it and deal with it. She also explores ways to share what you’ve experienced with others for encouragement and prayer.

The message is hopeful, fun, encouraging and makes you think. Characters Christy and Sierra are in this series too. It’s a winning combination. I highly recommend this book for you and yours book club. You don’t have to read book one but book two would be all the richer if you read it first.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

Nora St. Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins! www.bookfun.org
The Book Club Network blog www.psalm516.blogspot.com

Like many Christian teenagers in the 90s, I grew up with Robin Jones Gunn's Christy Miller series. Christy was an inspiration, not because she was perfect, but because she cared about really following God, even when it was difficult. Since then, I've read Sierra Jensen, Katie, and Christy's college years, along with many other of Robin's books. But I hadn't realized she was still writing about Christy. When I saw that NetGalley had a new book by Robin Jones Gunn, even if it was mid-series, I knew I wanted to read it. It took me an entire chapter to realize that Todd and Christy were THE Todd and Christy. And from that moment in, I was hooked.

Being Known is the story of five women, four of whom are married with children, who have gathered together to create and live out Christian community. There is something beautiful about the idea, although it felt more fantasy to me than Robin's previous books. As someone who has grown up loving the church, I found in Robin's book a deeper picture of Christian community than I am used to seeing. Women who loved each other deeply, but offered gentle correction as well as grace. Women who cared about each other's marriages and families and relationships with God. Women who offered support in different ways that were appropriate to the different situations they each found themselves in. Women who didn't put pressure on others or themselves to be cookie cutter images of each other or even Biblical womanhood.

I know it's fiction, but as I read the book, I found myself wishing I knew community like that. I also found myself trying to make sense of why it felt more like an ideal fantasy than real life. Several reasons came to mind about why I think this is lacking, at least in my own life. 1. We hold others to identical standards as ourselves. This may not seem like a bad thing, however, none of us are the other and none of us fully understand the other. What God is teaching me or challenging me, may not be the same thing he is challenging you. I'm not claiming that right and wrong are relative, or even arguing for situational ethics, only saying that we need to withhold judgment and trust that God might be working in someone else's life differently than he is working in ours. 2. We don't all agree on moral standards. If you are married, is it wrong to have a deep conversation with someone of the opposite gender? Is it okay to date someone who is going through a divorce, but not divorced yet? When is jealously appropriate? I think we all have opinions on these topics, but I doubt we would all answer them the same way. Having different standards make it difficult to confront others. We might be able to create a group in which we all share the same values and are in the same place in life, but then I fear that it would be easy to be judgmental and hard to offer grace. Not trying to preach, just trying to understand where this type of Christian group could come close to fitting into reality.

While this type of fellowship might be rare in real life, the picture it painted of grace and true friendship was beautiful. It's a good reminder of what we can aspire to. When fiction challenges us to be better versions of ourselves, rather than just seeking to entertain us, that is always a good thing. It definitely challenged me to look more closely at my friendships and consider where more truth or more grace might be needed.

Disclaimer: For those who are sensitive to complementarity vs. egalitarian values in Christian fiction, headship and the desire for the husband to lead the family were named, but partnership was demonstrated in several of the marriages.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley and have reviewed it freely.

I read Robin Jones Gunn's books when I was a teenager and enjoyed them very much, so I was excited to see she had a new book releasing that's targeted toward my current demographic. This is the second book in the Haven Maker series, although it can be read as a stand alone.
The characters are well-written, the dialog is compelling and it's fun to read a book by an author who knows how to portray a Southern California setting accurately. The heroine and her circle of friends are supportive and encouraging. Readers who expect a strong Christian message in their novels will definitely be pleased with the Biblical principles emphasized through the characters' words and actions.
I wanted to love this novel because I adored this author when I was younger and I have tremendous respect for her success in the publishing industry. Sadly, this book is not super compelling. Maybe I'm not the target demographic after all. I did finish it, but I really did not like Joel. At all. Because I didn't care for him as a character, it was hard for me to root for the heroine or the resolution of their marital conflict. He's rude and thoughtless and insensitive. The heroine spent much of the novel making excuses for his behavior.
A lot of their marital issues would've been resolved more quickly if they took the time to have a conversation and she stopped procrastinating or justifying his lousy behavior. I realize that's a significant plot point, but for me, this felt like several episodes of a suburban housewife's life linked together until the characters couldn't avoid their problems anymore and finally had a messy confrontation. The problems the heroine faced felt like ordinary, everyday life and I prefer a more intense plot with characters who grapple with much higher stakes. If this is supposed to be a novel about unresolved grief over the loss of the heroine's mother, that theme did not resonate with me.
Readers who like faith-based fiction focused on family, female friendships and marital conflict will probably enjoy Being Known.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions stated here are my own.

Being Known by Robin Jones Gunn is a look at life and how it challenges us to adapt to new experiences. Jennalyn and Joel are married and have two young children. Joel is a chef and part owner of a restaurant meaning very long working hours leaving Jennalyn alone with the children and house. They struggle to connect as a couple. She meets as regularly as she can with her group of friends but they all have a difficult time scheduling meetups. Will Joel and Jennalyn ever find their way back to each other and a way to connect as a family?
I enjoyed this very honest look at how couples can grow apart over time as work and other obligations demand more time. The characters are all very realistic and I felt a part of the girls’ group. The story moves along at a good pace and kept me engaged in the story line. I give this book 5 of 5 stars.
I received an advance copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

Since my teen years when I read the Christy Miller series, Robin Jones Gunn has spoken so much wisdom into my life through her books. Being Known was no exception.

Joel and Jennalyn have slipped into their busy roles in life, and their marriage has suffered. Enter Jennalyn's ex-boyfriend, and struggles are compounded.

Being known hit on so many real life issues that at some times it was painful, but as Gunn always does, she points the characters and readers to Jesus. I highlighted numerous passages to go back and ponder.

I received an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley, and all opinions expressed in this review are my own.