I enjoy reading, although it isn't something I always make time for. Since New Year's I've been reading a lot more and enjoying all I can learn through books. We have always read for Adventure Girl and Adventure Boy, but when it came to us we just did not make the time to enjoy a good book. A good story. Usually I enjoy reading non-fictional books because I feel I learn so much from them, I enjoy reading memoirs and although they're not always in the chick-lit category when I've found one I have thoroughly enjoyed reading it.
That is the case for "Borrowing My Mother's Saints", it's a novel written and self published by Olga Soaje. Who is Olga Soaje you ask? Well let me tell you a little bit about Olga. She is a wife, a mother and once upon a time she was a manufacturing plant manager for several years who discovered her passion for writing and enjoyed it to the fullest when her youngest soon started school. She lives between San Diego and Baja with her family and she is one of the sweetest women you'd ever meet! How do I know? Well, I've met her!
When at the end of January I received her newly self published novel "Borrowing My Mother's Saints" I did not know what to expect. The name of the book made me think immediately that it would be 100% religious. I was surprised when I began reading it and immediately began to see the story unfold in my mind.
Julianna Di Santis the main character of the book is a 30 something successful woman who lives in New York and works for an important Marketing Company -she is an ad executive. She leads her dream life dating the man of her dreams, working at the company of her dreams, wearing luxury brands and well known for her ideas and professionalism. One morning her life turns, she loses her job. Her boyfriend breaks up with her. Her mother is diagnosed with breast cancer and Julianna well she begins an adventure in finding her true calling, her true self and begins to have flashbacks of when she was growing in Catholic school and all the teachings Sister Gertrude taught her at such a young age.
Throughout the story we learn about her faith, her passion in life, what she once forgot and is now working to always remember: be in the moment and enjoy it to the fullest.
For the next two weeks after I put my children to bed I would settle with a nightlight and enjoy reading all about Julianna and learn about life and several Saints. It's a fun combination that sometimes humored me, filled me with hope and of course being the romantic I am it also gave me a romantic story and reminded me about faith. It is a book that looks at life as we all dream of it.
I enjoyed reading "Borrowing My Mother's Saints" so much that I would end up reading past midnight and in fact I did finish the book at midnight 10 days after I received it! I was excited to continue reading about Julianna and what would happen on the next page. Funny thing is I had a highlighter with me while reading the book and would highlight my favorite quotes. Here are some of them:
I highly recommend reading this novel, specially if you like chick-lit! And word has it she is preparing the second part of this novel! Squee!
You can connect with Olga Soaje through her Facebook page and also read more reviews of the book on Goodreads. Borrowing My Mother's Saints is available for purchase on Kindle, Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
Disclosure: I received a printed copy to facilitate my review, however all images and opinions are my own.
