"So to recap my time so far, I've stabbed my daddy, turned my weekender into a six month-er, and now I've got a something at six sharp with my high school crush."

This half a year stuck in her hometown for court-ordered therapy will be anything but a walk in the park for Lillian James in Broken Like Glass by author EJ McCay.

This was one of those rare times when a book cover was the driving factor that got me to read a book. It sounded like the story might be somewhat too depressing for my taste, and I wasn't already familiar with any of this author's work, so I thought I'd pass on this one. And if the book cover had been dismal and gloomy, that would've been that, for me.

But instead, I kept running into the "broken beauty" depicted on this cover, the spot-on imagery, and I finally decided I had to find out what this story is all about.

I read it in one evening, which isn't routine for me when it comes to novels of this length. I didn't keep going because it was a "fun" read (though Lillian's moments of dry humor got some smiles out of me), but I kept going because of some of the novel's unique points. What could have been a typical love-triangle thing has atypical aspects to it. The devoted and understanding knight of the story isn't Mr. Perfect who says and does absolutely everything right. And in spite of the fact that Lillian is the one in serious need of healing here, she's the one with something that people who care about her want: a relationship with God that's as real and natural as breathing.

Now, I did feel that Lillian's words and reflections on her own unworthiness became redundant at points, in danger of wearing out the "broken" theme. Given the duration and depth of the internal place she's suffered in, I wasn't completely sure of Lillian's true mental and emotional readiness for what comes in the end.

Nevertheless, the story is hard-hitting without being ostentatious, and it gives hope without presuming to have all the answers. Anyone looking for such a read mixed with faith would do well to pick up this novel.
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I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. ( )