Searching For Spice

Title: SEARCHING FOR SPICE
Author: Megan DiMaria
Publisher: Tyndale Fiction
March 2008
ISBN: 978-1-4143-1887-5
Genre: Inpirational/women’s fiction

Linda Revere has been married to Jerry for twenty-five years and their marriage has driven into a rut. Their two kids are teenagers, and Jerry is a college biology teacher, Linda makes a living as a sales person for a photographer. Linda feels there has to be more to life—more to marriage—than what she’s got.

So, Linda decides to jump-start her marriage with romance. But why isn’t it going with the script? A romantic dinner for two turns into an unromantic dinner for three. A love note from Jerry turns out to be a reminder for him not to forget to take stuff to work. What will it take for a twenty-five year old marriage to find new life?

SEARCHING FOR SPICE is a phenomenal debut novel. Linda is a realistic heroine, and Jerry a totally male hero, and both of them together make this story sing. The two teenagers and host of friends and co-workers turn this into a winner. Ms. DiMaria’s voice is definitely fresh, filled with humor and real life.

The faith message of the novel isn’t strong, and the story could conceivably be sent in any city or town large enough for a community college and a photographer. But the story is definitely character-driven, and held my interest. Any married woman who’d like to spice up their marriage would enjoy this book. It might give them some ideas. $12.99. 363 pages.