Sincerely, Mayla

Review as seen in ACFW e-zine. Sincerely, Mayla is probably Smith's best book yet. Mayla is a flawed, yet loveable character because she is genuine, especially when it comes to her relationship with God. Much of the time she is too distracted by life to pray, so she starts doing things on her own and then realizes she forgot to include God. A self-declared control freak, Mayla gains insight into her family's dysfunction and learns that sometimes for their own good, people need to hear what they are doing to hurt others. Mayla's life demonstrates that love wants to see relationships healed. Love wants to see people set free. While written in the first person point of view, it's not at all obvious. I love when an author can do that. Smith's writing is flawless and smooth-flowing. Her character's inner voice was so realistically done, you'll feel like you are in Mayla's head. And I totally loved how Mayla was passive aggressive and talked to herself while she read e-mails from Pastor Paul. What a scream! I also was very touched by the subplot with Lindsey. The truths that came out through her story were so well done I wish every teen in trouble would read this book...just for the message alone. And you've gotta love Stuart. Smith illustrated through Mayla's relationship with him that being salt and light to the unsaved really does make them thirst. But the most important thing is to love them as Christ loves us. The message to Stuart about how Jesus perceived him when he asked Mayla the tough questions was so beautifully done that it made me tear up. I dare say I've not seen this type of scenario written in a more honest and loving way anywhere. Yeah, Mayla was real, but Sincerely, Mayla shows that you don't have to be perfect to show people Jesus through your life. You just have to live sincerely and let Him abide in you so people will see Him in your eyes. What a beautiful illustration of an eternal truth.

Mayla Strong is back. Only now she's a Christian and that's what's become the focus of her life. But she's still having to deal with her everyday life and the unpredictable outcomes that come of it. When her job becomes eliminated due to nepotism, she finds herself traveling to Florida to stay with her grandmother and aunt. But before she leaves she's in the midst of trying to find a new job, taking care of a stray bunny without her roommate noticing, AND she has to confront her pastor about their relationship. Then while in Florida she has to deal with a pregnant teenager, her grandmother being overly possessive, her gay friend's aversion towards Christianity and the email aftermath of her confrontation with Pastor Paul! Throughout all this,Mayla manages to keep her calm and have her faith grow at the same time. Is it possible to declare the best book of 2008 this early in the year? Because I think I've just finished reading it. I was eagerly awaiting the sequel to Just As I Am the moment I finished reading it last year. I had never read a Christian fiction book that spoke more to me, impacted me AND entertained me all at the same. This book has it all. From the moment I started reading I couldn't put it down.Mayla has got to be the best female lead character ever in Christian fiction. Finally there is someone who is a Christian, loves God to the fullest, yet acts 100% like a 20-something year old. Almost everything she's gone through, I could relate to, even down to having a piercing. What I love most aboutMayla is how realistic her character is. Just because she's become a Christian doesn't mean she's changed her personality. Yes she does strive to do things better and does her best to follow Christ's example. Yes, she does want others to know about her faith and that she wants people to know about God's love and Christ's sacrifice for mankind. BUT she doesn't change completely over night. I howled when Mayla got that email from Paul about being on the rebound. That has got to be one of the funniest lines I have ever read in a book. When you read it, you will understand. I loved her love/hate relationship with the rabbit. I'm so glad she got mad at him for peeing on the floor. If it's one thing I hate in books, it's how Christians will be happy over everything even when things go extremely wrong. Topics like aborting and homosexuality are tackled in the book and the way they are handled are done very well. This is a book that I would pass out to everyone to read, Christians and non-Christians alike. While the faith message is strong and very present throughout the story, it's also and enjoyable read with a heroine that everyone will love. I really want there to be another book in this series. I can't let these characters go! VERY HIGHLY recommended!!!!

Mayla is at it again--capturing our hearts and captivating our thoughts with her humorous but meaningful life. In her polished but down-to-earth style, author Virginia Smith once again spins a tale to which we can all relate because she unfolds it through the eyes of delightful Mayla Strong and company. Mayla never travels light, even when she tries. She may think she's escaped the cold Kentucky winter for the warm Florida beaches, but her problems seem to trail right along behind her, multiplying by the mile. But love has a way of unraveling even the most complicated messes, and Sincerely, Mayla is a perfect example of that great truth.

Mayla Strong's life has fallen apart just as she has finally developed a good relationship with God. Her boss has hired his niece to do Mayla's job, and Mayla is out of a job. A friend, Lindsey, has threatened to run away from home and wants to stay with Mayla, and one wrong word has ruined any chances Mayla had with developing a relationship with Pastor Paul. Not to mention, her neighbor, Stuart, is angry with Mayla. Desperate to get away from all her problems, Mayla decides to take the opportunity to visit her grandmother in Florida. But one by one, her problems literally follow. As Mayla tries to solve each problem, will she learn something about herself? Sincerely, Mayla is the long-awaited sequel to Just As I Am. Mayla is just as strong and as quirky a character as she was in the first book. I fell in love with her in Just As I Am and that love grew in Sincerely, Mayla. I hope to see another book starring this spunky heroine. The faith message is strong, but is expertly woven in. There were a lot of good parts that I wish I could share with some people I know. Mayla is strong, and each of the secondary characters are so well developed that it seemed as though they were my dear friends and I loved every moment I spent with them. Sincerely, Mayla is a wonderful read that I highly recommend. Armchair Interviews says: Super read. Don't miss it.

Virginia Smith's main character, Mayla, is fantastic! I love her spunk, her zeal for Christ and her deep friendships. I love the openness of her heart and her willingness to reach out to others. Her past allows her to see very clearly that God's grace alone is what saves us from our own selves. On page 196 she shares an insight with a friend who is seeking his own answers. "Any life not completely devoted to the Lord is wrong. And that's basically every person on the face of the earth." No matter whether we sport a diamond in our nose or wear the latest fashion and work in a prestigious job, we all stand in need of God's redeeming work in our lives before we can understand what living really means. So, when Mayla finally signs her name "Sincerely, Mayla" on page 213, she has learned a lesson from God's heart that will forever change her own. This book is absolutely terrific! The characters are real and their struggles genuine and difficult. The story is filled with a full array of emotion... moments of laughter and poignant moments of silence and reflection...all woven within the journey of becoming the person God wants us to be. I highly recommend this novel, and I sincerely hope to see Mayla appear in another story someday! Bravo!!