Balancing ACT

What a fun read! I read Kimberly Stuart's debut novel while in bed with a bad case of bronchitis--and it was the perfect antidote to the "gloomies." As a mom who has juggled work, kids, hubby and church responsibilities, I understood the main character, Heidi, and her dilemma...to keep juggling, or to let a few balls drop and see what happens. Stuart's tone is just-right, and I laughed out loud several times (always a good sign). I also loved the fact that this novelist wasn't afraid to let her characters say what women really think...and I was glad her publisher let her! Kudos on this book. I'm looking forward the the sequel!

Here's a book I could not put down. Stay-home moms and working moms alike will adore Kimberly Stuart's breakout novel. Don't we all know how hard it is to balance love, marriage, friendship, and career? But oh, how the challenges mount when baby makes three. Heidi Elliot has it all - an award-winning career as a Spanish teacher, a cute home in a historical part of town, and a handsome hubby who loves the Lord. Six-month baby Nora sparkles with laughter and joy. (Insert Jaws music here.) Then along comes a gorgeous, wealthy client who pays a little too much attention to Heidi's husband, Jake. And surprise! Heidi's old flame moves down the street, working as a freelance photographer for his big-shot New York editors. Meanwhile, Heidi's breast-pump stays in action as she's gone back to work early to solve a crisis. How will she cope? Stuart's plot is full of pizzazz, giving tribute to every woman's need for the bonds of sisterhood. -- Christian Women Online Book Buzz

Heidi Elliott's world was turned upside-down with the birth of her first child Nora six months ago. Now she's about to crack under the pressure of trying to be the perfect mother, wife, high school teacher, and friend. She finds a lifeline in the Mom's Group from her church that she reluctantly joins and in the ex-pot-smoking hippie friend Willow that she meets there. As a former professional and now stay-at-home mom of two boys, I really related with Heidi's character and the challenges she faces, like keeping the romance alive in her marriage and having enough time and energy for all the people in her life, and even getting through the hectic dinner hour at home. I thought the characters were all very well developed and that overall it is just a well-written book. I'm very much looking forward to the next Heidi Elliott novel coming in May 2007.

Heidi Elliott always intended to go back to work after having her baby. Norah, her really wonderful baby daughter, is all she expected, and more. And Heidi is a smart, hip, modern woman. Balancing a home, family, and a career should be a snap. Then her former boyfriend moves back to town, settling a few houses away. Her husband is working overtime with a gorgeous female, and while Heidi is above being jealous, still. . . . Norah is perfect, but she's also smelly, messy, and a full time responsibility. That balancing act she was so sure of starts to fall apart. Heidi isn't a joiner, hates group activities, but somehow she gets roped into a Wednesday Night Mom's Group from her church. The women are a diverse lot, different problems, different personalities. They couldn't possibly have anything to offer a smart, modern woman like Heidi, could they? Any woman who has tried to balance home, family, and work will identify with this book. It's all here. the joys, the frustrations, the feeling that you're not doing enough. Balancing Act is a fast paced, funny story with realistic problems and believable characters blended with a strong faith message.