Grace-Filled Stepparenting is the perfect advice book for stepparents, those dating others with children, and even single parents thinking of dating. As a single mom dating a single dad, this book brought topics to light and ideas to help to find a connection between the children and the new adults in their life. I loved how Laurie Polich Short writes from a Christian point of view of learning to love while also forgiving, and for keeping the topics real. Her words are true and honest and are easy to identify with. The stories from other stepparents is reassuring and encouraging. This book also shows things from a child’s point of view, and that no matter the age, explains how the situation can feel for them. Whether you are new to stepparenting or think you know it all about the subject, this book will help open your eyes and inspire you to keep stepparenting on! ( I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher for my honest review.)

I received an ARC from Harvest House Publishers, via NetGalley. This review is my personal opinion.

Laurie Polish Shorth shares her story in her won in becoming a stepmom of Jordan, her now seventeen years old stepson. This book will give you a glimpse, especially of practical pieces of advice and also how to navigate these unexpected and uncharted waters. She mentions how each story is unique and how stepparenting should be seen as a high call from God, the complexities and challenges this family has from the beginning should bring them closer to God. I found many advice valuables, one of them was the importance of being healthy in your emotions and how forgiveness is super important to build a home of peace. This book could be a great choice if you are a stepparent, or you are about to become one. Having a clear vision of the real challenge you are about to face can help you with all the changes and challenges you will face.

I really enjoyed this take on step-parenting. My biggest take-away was that step-parenting is a choice my husband and I are making as adults, and the children aren't being given a choice. It helps to remember that in offering grace to everyone involved in the situation.

As much as I wanted to love this book, it just wasn't quite for me, the author, a step parent herself there were things that would grate on me, such as the author wrote a lot of anecdotes, which is fine, but there seemed to be huge walls of texts that just made it a bit daunting to read, I wanted something light and informative but not too heavy on text so that I wouldn't have to be overwhelmed, this didn't really feel like the type of book for me.

I didn't really find the conversation piece of all that much interest or relevance for the book, it bumped the pages up but I didn't gain anything from it, per se. I know the intention was to get her step son's input, but I didn't really feel that.

Another thing that rubbed me up the wrong way was how the author went on to keep saying, that marriage was important and that step parenting is sealed when marriage begins etc. As a step parent, I have taken on two who already have established parentage and I wanted guidance, half way through my journey rather than the beginning, which is where I think this book is mostly aimed at.

There is also a big element of a Christian nature, which is fine, but it does tend to dominate the book, as a non Christian, I couldn't really relate, so this didn't add anymore for me.

That said, there is A LOT I am thankful for in this book, after working through slight teething problems and a lot I could relate to, especially the voicing of "step mom" a challenge and a half and not one I expected others would have had trouble with too, I found this supportive. Especially as the author even mentions, step mothers tend to be nasty villains in fairy tales, something which I am not and so many others aren't either.

As I know it's not a "self help book" I do feel that the book would still benefit from a break from walls of text, it would be good to detail some important points for the reader to refer back to through using bullet points, a recap page or a thoughts page, I came upon this book to try and improve my step parenting and general parenting so I could be the best and also to give me some sort of perspective and adapt to changing my approach through insight of this subject from someone with experience, whilst I don't feel I got that, I was able to take away some tips .

With thanks to Netgalley, publisher and the author for this free ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.